Mexico City (WOD)

Mexico City, once known as Tenochtitlan by the Aztecs, is the capital city of Mexico and one of the greatest metropolitan areas in the western hemisphere.

Overview
Mexico City is home to several rather unpleasant supernatural factions, who hide their hideous rituals in the sheer mass of natives. Most supernaturals, however, recognize Mexico City as the headquarters of the vampiric Sabbat, and give the city a wide berth.

In truth, the city itself is simply too large to be controlled by one major faction and so, supernaturals from all different kind are able to carve their niche into the city - unpleasant conditions such as the high crime rate and the air pollution aside.

Vampire: The Masquerade
Mexico City is known in the modern nights as the spiritual centre of the Sabbat, but this was not always the case. In the time of the Aztecs, the deified vampire Huitzilopochtli and his clique of similar supernaturals had their resting places in Tenochtitlan, fed by the sacrifices by their personal priesthood. When the Sabbat arrived along the first Spaniards, they fought against Huitzilopochtli's clique and ostensibly managed to drive them away or slay them. At first, Lasombra, using their ties to the Spaniards, used to claim the city as their domain, defending the city and New Spain in general against encroachment from the Setites and Giovanni, who were major players in the lucrative slave trade of the area. When the Lasombra were distracted by territorial conflicts, the Camarilla used the opportunity to use ghoul proxies to insert themselves in the city, slowly wresting control away from the Lasombra while attacking the financial backers of the Lasombra contacts within Spain itself. In 1767, the Jesuits were expelled from the city by order of King Charles III, robbing the Lasombra of their main asset in the city, who blamed the Tzimisce. Arguments got out of control and resulted in the First Sabbat Civil War, who was used by a happy Camarilla to install their first prince in Mexico City. Their rule, however, was shortlived, after their main linchpin, Charles III, had died and his successor had declared war on France, wasting resources that the Camarilla had needed for stabilizing their hold on Mexico City. In 1793, most of the important Camarilla Kindred had abandoned the city, leaving only a skeleton crew of witless childer behind to hold their backs.

The Sabbat, in the meantime, settled its disputes with the Purchase Pact in Mexico City itself and sought to retake what they felt was rightfully theirs. When the priest Miguel Hidalgo arose and tensions against Spanish rule became high, the Sabbat lashed out. The last Camarilla prince, the Toreador Parian, hired Assamites in his defense and fought valiantly against the Sabbat packs for two months before he had exhausted his resources and was overwhelmed. Gorchist, Regent of the Sabbat and architect of the Purchase Pact, worked to make Mexico City the headquarters of the Sabbat, an ideal of Cainite freedom for all to see. The Sabbat settled down and began to insert itself into the city, expanding their influence and fortifying their holdings. When Gorchist, however, was assassinated in 1863, the Second Sabbat Civil War plunged the city again into chaos, until Melinda Galbraith managed to ascend to regency with the support of three Seraphs of the Black Hand.

Modern Structures
The Sabbat in Mexico City is divided into several packs that claim different quarters of the city as their territory. At least 13 major packs roam the city, and many more come and go every night, merely paying a visit or destroying themselves in monomacies. Above the packs stands the Consistory, a body made up of various Cardinals and Prisci from all Sabbat dioceses around the world. Not every member of the Consistory, however, attends every meeting. The permanent members of the Consistory maintain offices that would rather be guessed in a Camarilla city, however, the higher Sabbat ranks are fully aware of the threat that a major breach of the Masquerade would pose for the sect. As a result, they try to minimize the damage done to it by younger packs by influencing and lobbying the authorities, often with force. The Tzimisce have a family branch of Grimaldi - the Salamanca- settled within the city to aid the Sabbat in its endeavour. Above them stands the Regent, who is protected by at least one Seraph who remains within Mexico City to act as her bodyguard.

After the last palla grande, one of the most important ritae of the Sabbat, in 2001, Regent Galbraith has begun to act abnormal. This is because Galbraith has vanished and the person who claims her identity is a Tzimisce drag queen, Zachary Sikorsky, whose fraud becomes more and more thin the more nights pass. Sikorksy had the duty to aid Galbrath with her dress at the palla grande and had noticed her disappearance and a strange sigil drawn in blood. Frightened, he assumed the Regent's form, pretending nothing had happened, but found that the Regent had bodyguards wherever she went, so he could not simply abandon the act. Other members in the Sabbat, three ambitious Prisci of different factions, have noticed the strange behaviour of the "Regent" and prepare their own steps to dethrone her. Charles Delmare, a Lasombra, supports the Ultra-conservative faction of the sect, while Venere Carboni, a Toreador antitribu, supports the Status Quo. Szechenyi Jolán, a Tzimisce, has backing from the Moderates. Tensions are brewing and it is only a matter of time before one of them acts against the Regent.

The Tremere antitribu had their prime chantry, the University of the Third Circle of the Golden Serpent, within the volcanic bedrock of the city, guarded by blood magical wards and ghouled monstrosities. Goratrix himself resided in the University and occasionally advised the Regent. With the Tremere antitribu gone, the chantry is open to exploration, if entrances would be found.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse
The Black Spiral Dancers maintain a powerful Hive beneath the city, near to the lair of a great evil. The high presence of Leeches makes the city stink of the Wyrm to every Gaian Garou and few are willing to tolerate the filth of this city. Most of the Garou who chose to come to Mexico City regardless are either Bone Gnawers, who are adept at surviving in the urban jungle, or Get of Fenris and similar martial young Garou, who want to prove themselves in battles against the wyrmspawn within the city. Some Uktena have Kinfolk associations to the city, which allow for safe transportation of Garou into the city. There is a single Sept within the city managed by Bone Gnawers- the Sweet Water Sept.

Other forces within the city are Pentex subsidiaries, who seek to gain enough influence to eventually dominate the government and make Mexico the first Wyrm-ruled state in the world. So far, their goals fall short, as too many different forces jockey for any influence on officials and cancel each other out. Rumors tell of a Ratkin colony within the city that plans on decimating the human population.

Mage: The Ascension
The Technocracy has established control over all major nodes within the city, but mages of various Traditions, first among them the Celestial Chorus prevail in small communities and one node (the Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe). Other groups are Dreamspeakers, who live in the outskirts of the city, fleeing the pollution of the centre. The Technocrats present are mostly Iterators and Progenitors, centered around the University.

Beneath the city, a Labyrinth of Nephandi has been erected, who watch the city and delight in the mortal suffering above them.

Wraith: The Oblivion
Mexico City is not a nice place for a wraith to be. Spectres roam the Shadowlands, enjoying the dilapidated state of the skinlands and feeding of the misery of the low. The buildings of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco tower over the modern buildings, preserved as memories and making the Shadowlands even more ominous.

Wraiths can access the Skinlands more easier during the Day of the Dead on Octobre 31, when the Shroud grows thin. Unfortunately for them, Uktena and Dreamspeakers react to this with rituals that strengthen the Shroud again, barring the wraiths from absolving their Fetters.

Changeling: The Dreaming
Mexico City is part of the Kingdom of the Feathered Serpent, officially allied to Concordia and under constant attack from Nunnehi rebels. The hold of the Changelings is fragile and Mexico City has only a token population who dwell there. The Shadow Court is also rumored to be present and behind the weakening health of Duke Topaz, the official ruler of the Kingdom.

Hunter: The Reckoning
The Society of Leopold has a small headquarters in Mexico City, within the Latin Cross Cathedral. Most of The Inquisitors residing there are veterans with high rates of True Faith, hardened by the struggle against the myriads of supernatural creatures that infest the shadows of the city. The Arcanum's most important chapter house in the area is located here, acting as the central for most colonies within the Caribbean and Central America. Its focus is the study of the religious practices of the mesoamerican civilizations.

Trivia
For information about the mundane side of Mexico City, see its Wikipedia entry. Additional info on the city's infrastructure can be found in Mexico City by Night.