The Ravenblack Grimoire

The smell of flesh. The puddles of blood oozing across the streets. The sounds of glass breaking and canisters discharging. The murmurs of vampires reading scrolls, posturing up, and sharing strategy. This, folks, is the picture of war.

This picture I’ve painted used to be one that could be present on almost any given night. Innocent vampires would have to watch their steps as they touched down onto the streets or get tossed around like rag dolls due to bad timing. The crunch of broken holy water vials under ones foot was an almost comforting sound, as it was the sound of several things. For some, it was the sound of success and others failure…and for others it was the sound of relief or jealousy. All in all, it was a sound that just was.

And then, the era of information took over. Newspapers popped up all over the city and some of these groups became interactive. Information about almost anything occurring could be had at the cost of a quick check of a paper, or an appearance at a main location. As a result, gone were the days of groups firing off at each other at a moment’s notice. In were the days of the court of public opinion, where ‘Because I can’ was sneered at and strategies began to encompass this phenomenon. As a result, clans and families were able to win by losing as long as they were proudly and boldly defending their own with honor and grace. Reasons supplanted bloodshed born of pure pisstivity.

In a way, this new era of information was a positive one, as potential combatants had to be well versed in the art of verbal warfare as well as physical combat. On the other hand, this era has bred generations of vampires whose culture and mores are starkly different then the generations preceding them. For example, since the city’s inception, it was a simple fact that if a vampire attacked a member of a clan or house, it was accepted practice for that clan or house to show that vampire who was boss. In the present, many younger vamps hold the opinion that this is mere bullying, while the older generations see the clan or house entity as something that requires building and nurturing and that the younger vampires view this as bullying merely because they are incapable of creating the same. But, as a result of this era, there will always be four different groups at the end of a battle: the winner, the loser, the ones who fought honorably regardless of outcome, and the ones who sold themselves out for the cause. If a group can be the winner and the honorable one, then that’s usually the one way their victory is undisputed.

Over the past month, there have been several groups anchored in the annals of Ravenblack history who have taken it to the streets simultaneously and have struck fear in the hearts of the younger generation while giving older citizens a feeling of familiarity. First there was the House of Heorot who kicked off a war against The Inner Circle almost a month ago. Both of these clans are splashed in history and their interactions between each other holds some of the most storied history of all. Rather than using the papers as a tool like most groups, both of these clans have offered up enough information to the news sources to make it clear what’s going on, but for the most part have dug their heads in and clubbed the living hell out of each other, much like the old days.

Next, over the past week, there have been two new skirmishes arrive on the horizon with The Republic holding true to the clan philosophy and taking it to Lord Galamushi, the lone member of the Dawn family who holy watered the vampiress Damari over accusations of inappropriate thrall use. This situation is actually the one who generates the most controversy, as it is a manifestation of the clash between old school and newer values. Some will find Galamushi honorable simply for fighting solo and others will brand him an idiot for hitting a clanned member to begin with. All too often, clans have decided to use the era of information to negotiate with a vampire acting in the fashion of Galamushi. Many clans routinely execute vampires who have tossed a holy water at one of its members…in fact; some of these clans who have participated in this very action now have members condemning The Republic for their actions now. But, regardless of whether it’s viewed as hypocritical or refreshing, the fact remains that this skirmish is rather symbolic of past times.

Finally, a mere three days ago, the House of D’dary threw the first shot against the Scions of the Phoenix. The history between the leaders of both entities is strong and years old, and it has finally come to a head after the defection of one D’dary member to the Scions’ side. The blood is pouring; an act that is truly refreshing to many in the city. The D’dary are, however, choosing to utilize the newspapers to point out the faults of their opponents. The pile of bodies coupled with this use of public resources shows exactly how much strength an entity can gain by having the court of public opinion work in their favor.

These five groups performing acts that are separate yet equal have gone a long way to forcing a renaissance of sorts in the city. Gone, albeit temporarily, are the nights of open windows yielding either silence or the sound of a minimal lovers’ spat. The sounds of searing flesh and screams have replaced this, and this is for better or for worse, depending on the camp a vampire is in. My question is simple: is this really temporary, or is it indicative of a shift back to old school values in this city?

Capadocious Clan
Church of Blood
Empty Spiral
Hall of Rogues
Sypheronias
The Empire
The Ferrymen
Yggdrasil

All of these groups have been around for awhile and all have members who remember the older values. All of these groups will have one member, maybe more, who are truly refreshed at the current events parlaying throughout the city. Five groups are already tossing…who’s next? I can only cross my fingers and hope that next does indeed exist, because I think it’s time to go back to the old school.

Like always, I tell the truth so you don’t have to….not that you planned on it anyway.

~S~