The Ravenblack Grimoire

Okay, picture it. You're in a war and the bodies are piling up. You haven't managed to pull a kill for your side yet, and your resources are drained. The leaders of your entire alliance were all just zeroed, and you're left holding the bag. What do you do?

Since there are a lot of dissenting views as far as how operations should go to end a conflict, I've decided to take these things and put it all together in a nice pretty manual for those of you Seconds who have been tossed into the fray and have no clue how to work on your behalf. Considering that I've sat in on numerous of these over my time here in the city, I feel like I'm the PERFECT expert to deliver to you...

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.

When I left The Republic last July, I spent several months without a clan until eventually joining the ranks of Yggdrasil. During that time, I had several vampires and vampiresses seek my counsel regarding clans. More specifically, these vamps wanted information about clans that would suit them and their personalities and also some wanted information about clan life in general. I’m sure some were coming to me in order to get justification of their stance that clan life was stupid, assuming that since I had just left it that I was no longer a proponent of such. Since I’ve served in clans in various capacities ranging from just a member to the leader of two clans, I decided to take some of the advice that I’ve been handing out to various members of the RavenBlack community and condense it down to one happy little guide.

Another year is gone, and it’s time for my second annual overview. Before reviewing this year’s list of ridiculousness, let’s go back and review last year’s special winners and where they are now!

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10. jimmher and sharrinya: Well, jimmher is nowhere to be found, and sharrinya has taken the last year to produce the city’s most used interactive news source. Granted, her clan philosophies may still be quite a bit off base, but the success of the BCIN has pulled her off the list for this year.

9. EvilBill: You did nothing of note to make it on last year’s list, and surprise! You earned yourself a spot on this year’s! See below.

Over the past few weeks, I've watched a debate around the city regarding clan history and who is important. The Ferrymen have been the clan that has been singled out in this debate, with former members claiming their accolades publically and current members denying their importance. Although The Ferrymen are the face of the debate, this discussion could be had regarding any past or current clan in the city. After watching the comments and hearing the side chatter, I think that most of you are way off the mark as far as clan histories are concerned. Let me explain.

My point in this matter is very simple. Basically, the bottom line is, EVERY vampire that crosses the threshold of a clan has in some way or another shaped its history, even if they don't do something gigantic and earth shattering. The entire POINT of a clan is to have several members working together for a common goal and if you can get a bunch of people together just working, they're building the legacy of that clan and are part of history.

Over the past several weeks, the city as a whole has been dealing with the departure of several of its own. From all corners of the city, these vampires all left within days of one another and for those who were in immediate relations, it probably hit harder than others. Some may have thrown parties, others climbed in lawnchairs and popped a brewhaha, waiting to see what fallout if any would occur.

Why did they leave? Well, no one is going to be 100% sure of that, even if they were given a reason. I didn’t tell everyone all of the reasons I stepped down in my clan, and so it’s a pretty safe bet that there are a few hidden reasons strewn about that folks just don’t know. At this point I would like to make it clear that I really do not care what they were. One of them could have left because they can’t find purplish green fingernail polish in the city, and it would be fine. It’s just not my place to judge why any of them left.

In a city that is usually filled with bloodshed and smartassed comments, lately it seems as if the city has been filled with heavy decisions instead. Vampires are choosing to leave the city behind, others are leaving their clans behind, and others are splitting from their bloodlines. In reality, decisions like this are generally a commonday occurrance that do well to keep the reporters of the city busy with their revolving door nature. The last several months, however, these same type of decisions have gone far to change the political landscape of the city.

A year ago this time, there were three entities gaining strength in the city. There were the perennial House of Heorot/Capadocious Clan/The Ferrymen combination, the up and coming Unholy Alliance containing the Sanctuary of Immortal Enlightenment, Republic of Ravenblack, and Enforcers of Enlightenment, and the combination of The Inner Circle/Yggdrasil/Empty Spiral. While the Ferrymen broke off and joined the Unholy Alliance with the Hall of Rogues soon following, HoH/Cap Clan picked up groups breaking off from the main Cap Clan, and TiC/Ygg/ES began adding a number of other clans to their fold, if they hadn't already.

Change. An interesting topic, change is one that is constantly brought up in this city and around the world in various incarnations. The willingness to change or not is often an argument that boils over in the unlives of each one of us at some point. Change could be a simple decision like the redecoration of living space. Change could also be as complicated as watching your entire world shift around you. Change can be a savior or a devil; a friend or an enemy.

Change is prevalent in about every society past or present that has ever existed. For the good or for the better, cities have improved, empires have risen and fallen, and advances and even destruction have been made. Change has definitely caused many negative side effects not only in our great city of RavenBlack, but in areas around the world. But, is it really the change causing it? I would be more inclined to say that it is indeed not the change itself creating problems, but those resistant within. Let me explain.

So, from what I have seen, although the previous several weeks have been rather boring in terms of action in this city, there has been a small brewing situation that has been plastered all over the headlines of another city paper. In this paper, a series of interviews and reports have been printed regarding the “atrocities” committed by a torpored vampire hiring a group who are loyal only to the almighty coin to attack another. The reporter in question has been all over this story (a term I will be using loosely throughout this piece) and then has been stunned and shocked about her treatment by one of the parties involved. So, in a motion of either reporting or shameless self-promotion (I’ve yet to determine at this time exactly which it is) the actions of said party have been slammed time and time again across the headlines. Interviews with various parties discussing the lack of honor or the lack of caring of reasoning behind the lining of pockets have been posted, and quite frankly, in my oh so humble opinion, this situation has been over-promoted to the point of turning the story into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Allow me to explain.

Well, I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve sat at my office here at the Grimoire Headquarters and cranked out a column for printing. So as I sit here attempting to pick a topic, I realize that although several things have happened in the city while I was on hiatus, everything still drones on and on. Binding here, zero there, whining here, stupidity there. The names and faces may change, but the general premise is still there. How unfortunate. So, since there isn’t any one remarkable thing to write about, you get stuck with my potentially insipid ramblings about unlife as I have seen it since my last column. Aren’t you excited?

Loyalty. Strength. Power. The misconception in this city is that this is only attainable by one. The vampire who can command all of this out of their members will stand supreme. Sometimes, the pire, or in this case, piress, who feels they have this begins to take pretty severe missteps and allows their ego, something determined by the self to be a great strength, to become their Achilles.

AQel, you have preached friendship and loyalty to our faces while you were digging behind our backs. You underestimated not only our physical strength, but our mental capabilities.

Having over TWENTY trustworthy vampires spanning SEVEN clans patiently doing their part in this plan to spoon feed you bullshit and keeping supreme secrecy at the forefront? THAT is loyalty. THAT is strength. THAT is power.

Take me as I am or leave me as I was. A statement that is often
uttered in various ways throughout the city and the world at
large, the context in which it's used can be viewed as very
proud, or very stupid. A statement of self confidence and even
arrogance, this statement and its various incarnations make it
quite clear: I'm perfect and don't mess with it. When used by
those that actually ARE on the top of their game, it can be the
perfect shot in a verbal debate or a very well executed
dismissal.

However, it is far too common for the vampires in this city to
use this statement as an ineffective excuse for their

Infidelity. I would venture a guess that three quarters of the city has been affected by this somehow, as it seems to have become a pastime for some vampires in this city. The last few months have shown this phenomenon scattered throughout the city’s newspapers. This 'pire severs their partner for infidelity. Other 'pires killing lovers for it. Some paranoid that it may have happened to them….others destroyed inside because they know it did. And yet others working it into their usual married routine as if it were reading a book or having a dinner date. After sitting back and watching several situations occur where the blame for said infidelity seemed to be cast in a bizarre fashion, I decided to go around and see whether the city is fucked in the head or if it’s just me.

Well, another year has passed in this thing that we call unlife. While we all set our goals for the upcoming year, let’s take a minute to go back in time and remember what we shouldn’t do again. I present to you the ten most stupid things/vampires in the city in 2006. I even have gifts! So, without further adieu:

10. jimmher and shaarinya: Poor unlife decisions all the way around caused you two to be the targets of two clans and a bloodline. I’m sure there were more, but it’s hard to keep track of all the zeroings… *hands you guys a copy of ‘Dummies for Dummies’.

9. EvilBill: You had a highly anticipated return and you squandered it on gathering your crew to kill Nonion’s partner and getting zeroed by your ex-wife. I want my money back.

Okay, so this is the week between one of the city’s best known functions, the Slave Auction. Twice a year, vampires gather from all over the city to get something to drink, engage in some social activity, and compete with other bidders for the services of their slave of choice.

What is the appeal of the slave auction? Well, to the buyer, there could be a variety of things. Having someone perform a specific task, quenching the need to be in control (even if it’s only for one week), or to purchase their own friend or loved one in order to get them entered into the lottery for the large pot that one lucky slave gets at the end of the auction. To the slave, money is usually given as the top answer with a few mentioning their submissive tendencies quickly under their breath, or the thrill of not knowing how much money they’d go for.

Integrity. It’s a big word that most claim to know and understand, but what does it really mean? According to Webster, integrity is uprightness, honesty, and sincerity. But is this a static definition, or has it developed into something more fluid? Let me explain.

Let’s say someone has an over inflated sense of self and feels that he or she has done more than they actually have. To help support this stance, white lies are told in hopes to gain support. Can this behavior coexist with a vampire that also has integrity? White lies are just that…white lies. Is it a big deal? Should it just be passed off and taken with a grain of salt although it may directly affect the perceived integrity of another party?

Over the past year or so, I’ve noticed this overwhelming fascination with duels. On paper, this seems like an honorable way for two disagreeing parties to bring their conflict to an end in a setting with previously discussed rules and regulations. When both parties agree and hold to their word, an honorable end may be realized. Hell, whether folks love them or hate them, the duel between evilive and Lucius was an entertaining spectacle and it appeared to serve the intended purpose. Past that, however, the duels of the city have been one boring pile of drama with vampires unable to agree on the rules, pissing about how the other side is cheating, and using the duel as a tool to keep the masses off. In my opinion, duels are for pussies. Let me explain.

Claims. We all make them. Some of us claim to be the most intelligent, the most beautiful, the best strategist, the best in bed, the best in war, and the list goes on and on. So it is no surprise that only a small portion of the vampiric population are actually accurate when it comes to their claims, since, not everyone can be the best at everything. Everyone is a champion in their own mind, and if one has to think themselves flawless in order to get through each night, then more power to them.

What drives me crazy, however, is that subset of the population that makes negative claims about others yet have done nothing themselves. You know the group I’m talking about. Overly opinionated but equally stupid. The group that has never accomplished anything worthwhile in their entire unlives yet are the first ones out there casting stones and sharing their opinion because in their mind, everyone should give a shit about what they have to say. The group that makes sure that everyone knows who their friends are or what bloodline they fall in. The group that remembers the ‘good old days’ and everything that occurred, but conveniently forget that they were nothing more than a useless minion during that time. I think you know the type I’m referring to.

I just finished having a conversation with a member of this city. For the 9,758,364,569th time, I had to sit through yet another rant about how the Capadocious Clan, the Kingdom of Heorot, and The Ferrymen don’t play nice, can’t fight their own battles, and prove themselves to be fools every time they gang up on someone. Now, I usually smile and nod my way through these conversations (yes, at times I CAN keep my mouth closed), but what is screaming in my head is the following: Are you a damned idiot?

Yes, I said it. Are you a damned idiot? All of you. If you KNOW that there is a three way alliance, and you KNOW they’re all showing up to the ball game, then why are you going to start something? If you know you can’t win, why play? And even bigger than that, why complain when they stomp a mudhole in your ass? Are you stupid? I mean seriously…it’s like seeing 5 tigers in the cage, stepping in to wrestle one of them and then thinking to yourself ‘How unfair’ as they all rip your ass from limb to limb. Whose fault is that? Uhhh, not theirs’.

The other day I spoke with a vampiress. We exchanged pleasantries and then I asked her how her companion was doing. Her reply? “Oh, we’re not together anymore…I love so and so now.” Oookay. Now, I had just spoken to this same vampiress just a few days prior and she was so deep in love and would be with her companion forever. Now, just a few short days later, she was still so deep in love, but with another. To top it off, I was informed by the same vampiress that I am waiting too long to bind to my own fiancé and urged me vehemently to hurry the process along.

I’m sure I’m going to echo the sentiments of many a vampire when I make my next statement, but what the hell? Seriously. Is the city coming to a place where the word love is tossed about like a frisbee? What about commitment? What about loyalty? And since when did love become a competition? Why do some feel the need to broadcast their relationships to the masses? Since when did having multiple partners lined up to run through the revolving door mean you were desirable?

All of you know the type of folks I’m referring to: vampires who have voiced their opinions against negative things so much that they’ve become a slave to what they’ve hated. When vampires spend so much time worrying about the negative traits of some that they become blind to the fact that they are now the cause of negativity with others, there is an issue.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not so shortsighted as to believe that vampires shouldn’t be negative ever, because it is within us inherently as a byproduct of what we are. With that said, there is a line between expressing dissatisfaction at another or at a situation and pure obsession.

Welcome to the second edition of Seyda Unleashed. For those of you who do not know me, I’m Seyda, Consul of the Republic of Ravenblack. Whether you love me or hate me, there is one thing that everyone can agree on: I tell it like it is and I’m hellishly blunt in doing so.

So, believe it or not, the powers that be here at the Ravenblack Grimoire have given me my own column. Depending on the edition, this column may take on a variety of formats ranging from highly opinionated views of the city from yours truly, to structured questions and answers, to just about anything I can pull out of my hat at any given time.