Black Hand


 * For more information on the ancient organization of the same name, see True Black Hand. For other uses, see Black Hand (disambiguation).

The Black Hand, or simply The Hand, are essentially the assassins of the Sabbat. They comprise a special sub-division of the Sabbat, a sect within a sect. They are an elite group of vampires recognized as separate from all other members of the Sabbat. The Black Hand is not truly a separate body, however, since all its members are loyal to the Sabbat over all else.



The Black Hand was, until recently, composed primarily of Assamite antitribu, as well as many of the more militant vampires from other clans. The members of the Hand do not exist in packs of their own. Rather, they are members of normal Sabbat packs. While most Black Hand vampires are tough, their irate packmates quickly put them in their place if they overstep themselves.

The Black Hand is a special militia which the leaders of the Sabbat can muster in times of need. Hand members are rumored to be particularly skilled in the ways of war. The members of the Black Hand themselves select the Sabbat vampires who are to be offered a chance to join the Hand. The Black Hand puts all candidates through a rigorous series of trials which test cunning, willpower, physical prowess and martial skills. Those who pass these trials are inducted into the Black Hand; the new member receives detailed instruction in the order's ways, and he must come when the Hand calls him to action.

Organization
The true strength of the Black Hand has never been in numbers. Being small, several hundred members at most, I guess, it has never had an elaborate organizational structure. Flexibility is of far more value to the subsect's leadership than tiers of hierarchy. Most of its agents are distributed throughout the Sabbat as members of ordinary Sabbat packs, and are only called into active duty as needed. When the Black Hand acts, it acts primarily at the level of the kamut, a pack summoned into existence for a specific and finite purpose and then disbanded, its members dispersed once again to their original Sabbat packs. Extraordinary circumstances might call for more than one kamut to be assembled for a more complex mission, such as the recent (and highly successful) Sabbat drive up the East Coast, but such occasions have not been frequent in the faction's history. Only two intermediary tiers of command stand between the common Black Hand member and the Council of Seraphim : the Dominions; and the ductus of their kamut, if they're on active assignment, or the local Watch Commander for those who aren't.

It is a council of four powerful Cainites who rule the Black Hand. These four are known as the Seraphim, and act as generals for the order, serving the Regent directly (at least namely). The First Seraph will serve as the highest ranking member of the Seraphim, with three others of his choosing to serve as his advisors and fellow Seraphim.

All Hand members are immune to the Vinculum when it pertains to the direct orders given to them by the Seraphim. The members of the Hand answer only to the Seraphim when conducting Hand business. Other than that, they are bound by the Vinculum and Sabbat codes of justice like all the rest. The leaders of the Sabbat don't like it either; the Hand could easily wipe out the entire lot of them in a night. The Hand's members are usually give solo assignments directly from the Seraphim or her messengers, and are rarely called together as a group.

THE SERAPHIM

The Seraphim are the Black Hand's generals, who answer only to the Regent of the Sabbat, and who collectively have absolute authority over all members of the Black Hand. They determine what assassinations should be carried out, what requests for assistance from Sabbat leaders should be answered and how, and assign Dominions as needed to see it all done. They pass judgments on Black Hand members accused of any disloyalty, disobedience to their superiors, or any offense against the Sabbat's Code of Milan. They also judge their own members on accusations of infernalism, refusing to surrender them to the authority of the Sabbat Inquisition.

Historically, the Seraphim have not always agreed on matters of doctrine, policy or action, but when the dust settled and a decision was made, it was usually the will of Izhim ur-Baal that prevailed. Now Jalan-Aajav holds the rank of First Seraph, and thus far, none of the acting Seraphim have attempted to thwart his will though that compliance is not likely to last forever.

While echoing the same mockery of Church hierarchy as the Sabbat with its ecclesiastical titles, the founders of the Black Hand reached even higher for the source of their authority, and took their name from the loftiest ranks of the angels themselves: the Seraphim. As Heaven has only four archangels, so the number of the Council of Seraphim has always been four. They have led the Black Hand through the coalescence of the bitter survivors of the anarch wars into the Sabbat; the Sabbat's migration to the New World; and three Civil Wars that, except for the Black Hand, might have torn the sect asunder. With such leadership, the Black Hand has remained a constant through the rise and fall of archbishops, cardinals and even regents.

But the Final Nights have come, and portents of Gehenna are everywhere. The Tremere curse on the Children of Haqim has shattered like a brittle sword, and many of the once-faithful Assamite antitribu have abandoned their vows to Caine's Chosen and returned to their ancestral home. The leaders of the Gangrel clan -such as they are - have turned their backs on their former allies in the Camarilla, taking a good portion of their clanmates with them and depriving the Sabbat's hated foe of some of their fiercest fighters. And but a few years ago, the eternal night was shattered with the screams of the dying - mortal and undead alike - as one of the ancient Antediluvians rose from its long sleep and, in the space of but a week, all but wiped out its entire bloodline.

The events of the last few years have wrought a series of rapid shifts in the Black Hand's leadership and direction. The loss of many of the eldest Assamite antitribu left tremendous gaps among the ranks of the dominions, emissaries and Watch Commanders, offering opportunities for sudden advancement among the experienced operatives whose ambitions had been long frustrated by Assamite domination. The ranks of the Seraphim themselves have been radically thinned; of the four who have led the subsect for the past half-century, only Jalan-Aajav remains. Without Izhim ur-Baal to moderate his strategies, or Djuhah to challenge his decisions, the scarred Gangrel warlord has become the undisputed leader of the entire subsect, a position he no doubt plans to take full advantage of while he can.

THE DOMINIONS

They compose a permanent rank between the Seraphimand the rest of the Black Handmembers. The dominions are the senior executive officers, the mission commanders who oversee anything from a small operation involving only a single kamut to a full-scale siege. They are proven leaders, usually with a century or more of experience, and have demonstrated a good sense of strategy, the ability to improvise successfully when plans fail, the capacity to lead and inspire those under their command, and of course exceptional combat abilities. To be raised to the rank of dominion is considered a high honor, a recognition of decades - if not centuries - of stalwart and selfless service to the Black Hand and the Sabbat.

Most dominions do not serve under the command of a particular Seraph, but obey the orders given by the council as a whole, which allows for flexibility in assignment, and also theoretically prevents any one Seraph from developing his own personal officer corps. When the necessary number of Seraphim approve a mission, one Seraph takes ultimate responsibility for overseeing its completion, and appoints one or more dominions to carry it out according to their particular specialties or backgrounds. In practice, each Seraph has his own opinion of which dominion is right for a given job, and tends to use the same list of proven dominions from one mission to the next. Some dominions have been selected by different Seraphim for different missions, though the choice may be as motivated by the Seraph's own political agenda (or even clan bias) as an honest assessment of the dominion's abilities as a leader in the field.

Dominion is a rank of honor, not a job title. While many dominions still belong to Sabbat packs - in fact, those who do often lead them as ducti - some others do not, dedicating all their nights to the Black Hand. A dominion may lead a kamut on a particular assignment, captain a permanent column, or command a Watch; she may represent the Black Hand as an missary to the Sabbat leadership, be assigned to a particular Sabbat leader as an military advisor, or serve as an aide or second to one of the Seraphim. Dominions oversee the recruitment, training and initiation of new Black Hand members, and serve as the messengers and intermediaries between the Council of Seraphim and the membership at large. A dominion may be sent with a kamut of advisors to provide strategic advice and support to a Sabbat siege, or given an assignment that she must accomplish alone. More than anything, a dominion is a highly effective operative in her own right, who can be trusted to carry out an assignment to completion no matter what obstacles stand in her way.

A Black Hand operative is raised to the rank of dominion by the recommendation of other dominions and the approval of the Seraphim. A sizeable number of the dominions have been freshly promoted in the wake of the Assamite desertion, and the attrition from the East Coast war or the fall of New York. However, none are Neonates by any means, and all are eager to prove themselves worthy of their new rank and responsibilities.

POSITIONS OF NOTE

Most members of the Black Hand, known as operatives, Iagents, rafiq, brothers, sisters or even comrades, do not hold any special rank; they are all equal in the service of Caine. Even so, there are a number of positions within the Hand that even "ordinary" operatives - if there is such a thing - can aspire to. Each carries its own particular set of duties which, if performed well, can prove an operative worthy of additional responsibility or even advancement to dominion.

SECONDS: at the Seraph's right hand

A second serves a dominion or Seraph as his trusted right hand and second-in-command (a Seraph's second has the rank of dominion), whose responsibility it is to see that her supervisor's orders are carried out, In some sense, a second acts almost as a templat, serving as bodyguard, aide and messenger ; also, a second is presumed to speak with her supervisor's authority. Her level of status relates directly to the status of the one she serves. A second is a member of her dominion's Sabbat pack (if he has, one), and shares a Vinculum bond with him (and likely the pack as well). A dominion may take one second; any larger number must be approved by the Seraphim. A Seraph can have as many as three seconds (the number of the second Generation, the childer of Caine). A second can be a childe or a loyal packmate, but the duty cannot be imposed; it must be accepted freely. A second is expected to be absolutely loyal, to give all of his energy and attention to his dominion's business and personal safety, and to be gladly willing to give his unlife for that of his dominion or Seraph.

This devotion far surpasses that engendered by a traditional blood bond. The basis of their extreme dedication lies in Eastern traditions of selfless service where a sultan might order one servant to jump from the top of a minaret and be obeyed, while another servant might take an arrow meant for his lord or even gladly drink poison, as the supreme demonstration of his devotion. In displaying a similar degree of loyalty, a second also demonstrates the loyalty of a childe to his sire - or the loyalty the Antediluvians themselves should have shown their master, Caine. Thus does a second prove both the Worthiness of the one he serves, and his own, for the final night of `Caine's judgment on all his childer. A dominion whose second is slain in her defense must make answer to the Council of Seraphim as to the causes of that faithful servant's Final Death; only if she is cleared of blame is she permitted to take another. A second who survIves when his dominion has perished is likewise judged, and if found at fault, is executed as a traitor to his vow. In the long, violent history of the Black Hand, two seconds are known to have committed themselves to the sun rather than face the shame of their failure to die in their dominion's defense.

DUCTI AND WATCH COMMANDERS

Unlike the Sabbat, in the Black Hand, ductus is a job title which refers to the leader of a kamut on a particular mission. In recent years, the slang term "alpha" has become even more popular, as much to distinguish the position from the ductus of a Sabbat pack as it is a reflection of the relative youth of many operatives. While this position is often filled by the dominion commanding the mission, at other times the dominion may also give the position to the most experienced member of the assembled kamut, particularly in a large operation involving several packs. An operative who serves successfully as ductus for one mission may well be chosen to lead another, and might eventually rise to the rank of dominion himself. Those chosen for such positions of responsibility are usually seasoned veterans, who have served the Black Hand for decades, and often lead their own Sabbat packs.

A Watch Commander, however, fills a more permanent (or at least, long-term) position with similar responsibilities - to oversee and lead a territorial cell of all Black Hand members residing in that area. The Commander keeps an eye on local Sabbat politics, and ensures that all Black Hand members partake of the Vaulderie with each other, in addition to the ritus with their own packs. She is the de facto superior officer for all members under her Watch not assigned to a kamut.

He also serves as the official conduit for communications from the Hand leadership down to the local members, including updates to the codes in current use, watchtower level (see Chapter Three: Tactics and Methodology for a discussion of watchtowers), and news about other Black Hand actions (as appropriate); he may be a teacher of Black Hand philosophy and catechism as well. He may recommend a promising candidate for initiation to the dominions (even if he is not a dominion himself); report on local political affairs to the Seraphim's emissaries ; or provide recommendations to dominions looking to fill a kamut as to the skills and qualifications of members of her Watch. If asked to command a kamut himself, he is responsible for appointing a lieutenant to command the Watch in his place (though as a rule, Commanders are not asked to lead kamuts, given their responsibilities locally).

Watch Commanders are generally (but not always) the senior Hand member in a given city or region. Often they hold the rank of dominion, though sometimes not, depending on the territory involved. Watch Commanders for major Sabbat cities are almost always dominions, as are those assigned to build up Black Hand strength in areas bordering Camarilla-dominated territories. Commanders are appointed by the Seraphim for their strong leadership ability and administrative skill, but they often demonstrate political sensitivity, though they are not necessarily the known emissaries for the territory they oversee.

EMISSARIES

While the Black Hand makes good use of its muscle, it also needs members with real social and political acumen to serve as the eyes, ears and mouth of the subsect at all levels of the Sabbat's political hierarchy. From the councils and quiet back rooms of the consistory and the entourage of the regent, to the esbats of the local bishop, the Hand sends its official - and unofficial - emissaries to be the public face and voice of the subsect's leadership and its hidden members. They serve as advisors to local or sect-wide Sabbat leaders, trade subtle insults with Inquisitors, and maintain a visible and politically active presence in Sabbat domains. While emissaries to the consistory and cardinals' retinues tend to be experienced dominions, at local levels that responsibility may be given - or even simply effectively claimed - by any sufficiently ambitious and politically astute operative who knows his way around and is willing to take on the role.

Emissaries also serve the very vital function of the Black Hand's official liaison, for any Sabbat leader who wants to call on the Hand's services "for the good of the Sabbat." To this end, they must be able to not only identify and balance the different factions and interests of the local Sabbat, but know when and how to take appropriate action to best benefit the subsect and themselves. And for those whose understanding of factional agendas and leaders is keen, but whose ambition is of a more subtle nature, the Black Hand can also find a use for clever spies.

THE ASSASSINS

The formal (Assamite) term for an assassin is Shakar, but among the younger operatives of the Hand, slang terms such as "eraser," "hit man," and even "terminator" have become equally popular, particularly among those who do not actually function as assassins themselves. The Black Hand's reputation as a faction of silent and highly efficient killers is deeply rooted in Sabbat folklore. Among some Sabbat, admiration of the skill and deadly art of the assassin, whether perceived as ninja, shakar or Mafia hit man, has nearly become a cult in itself, though influenced far more by popular culture and creative speculation than the truth. The real assassins of the Black Hand, most of whom keep their affiliation with the subsect a closely guarded secret, avoid any contact with their would-be devoted fans.

Most - but not all - of the Black Hand's shakari are Assamite antitribu, who have made a thorough study of the skills that have made their clan name synonymous with assassin in both major sects. But the real skill of the assassin isn't her ability to kill her target. All Black Hand operatives are more than capable of killing another Cainite, even one of considerable age and power, if given sufficient opportunity.

What sets the assassins apart from their fellows in the Hand is their ability to kill their target on his home ground (sometimes even surrounded by allies and formidable defenses), to do so quietly and efficiently, and to just as quietly depart without raising even a hint of alarm. The goal of a competent shakar is to be totally unnoticed, even by his intended target. In many cases, the assassin also sets up another Lick of the target's acquaintance, either a rival or avowed enemy, so the death will be blamed on another party. This focuses any attempts at vengeance away from the truth, and keeps the Camarilla from realizing how serious a threat the Sabbat's assassins really are.

Despite the extreme awe in which the Black Hand's faceless assassins are held by their Sabbat brethren, they do not succeed nearly as often as popular urban legend would have their fans believe, and many never return. The survival rate of assassins is tied very closely to their degree of success in avoiding notice while on a mission. Since the assassin usually is working alone or with minimal support from a kamut that is waiting for him outside his target location, he's totally on his own should he be discovered. A successful assassin is one of the most careful and cautious operatives in the Black Hand, and dislikes dealing with the unexpected. He puts considerable time and effort into investigating, observing and planning the strike, leaving nothing to guesswork or random chance. It maybe noble to die in the cause of Caine, but no assassin wants to earn that honor through stupidity - his own or anyone else's. If something goes wrong, it's the assassin's call whether to continue and improvise, or scrub the mission and regroup. Most prefer to erron the side of caution and survive to plan again.

THE REMOVERS

Removers are the brute strength and paramilitary muscle of the Black Hand, the Cainites whom the dominion can point at an obstacle -whether it's a fortified bunker, a couple of archons, or the private security forces guarding the primogen's estate -and simply tell them to "remove" that obstacle. The mission of removers is not subtlety but results, and results they achieve - usually in the most direct, blunt and violent way possible. Removers are the front line, in-your-face troops in a siege : They are sent to "soften up" Camarilla resistance before the regular war parties arrive, or to go after the "hard targets" - the archons, notable elders or primary havens of the elite. Needless to say, the removers are the most visible of all Black Hand operatives, and the most respected by their fellow Sabbat. You'd better respect a remover, anyway, or he's likely to remove your face. Some of them don't have much of a sense of humor.

This is not to say that removers are brainless grunts (at least, not most of them). While many owe their position in the Hand to their combat abilities and courage under fire, they often have alternate skills as well. Removers may be skilled drivers or pilots, sharpshooters, demolition's specialists, radio operators or even security systems hackers. Leaders of remover Kamuts need to be able to think fast and give orders that advance the mission's objectives, including coming up with a new plan of action when the original one (as often happens) fails to survive contact with the enemy.

While real military experience is a plus for a remover, sufficient front line experience with Sabbat war parties can serve just as well. Remover kamuts are the most common (or at least, the best known) of all Black Hand missions; they're found in the heart of the action in any siege, they take on the worst the Camarilla - or anyone else - has to offer, and kick their asses clear back to hell. It's no wonder removers really love their jobs.

THE ROOKIES

Newly initiated members of the Black Hand are formally known as mustajib, "deserving ones." The informal slang is simply rookie - no matter what their age or level of experience in the Sabbat may have been. A rookie is a member of the Black Hand who has participated in less than three missions. Rookies are the lowest ranked members of any kamut or Watch, and must obey orders from any senior member of the Hand; in addition, they are not permitted to decline an assignment or challenge a tactical decision. For many Sabbat used to being the biggest badass in their pack, suddenly being reduced to the status of a shovelhead is hard to stomach, and there are those among the Hand who make sure that rookies get the message.

The rookies must prove themselves worthy all over again, and the bar has now been raised. What passes for badass in the Sabbat doesn't even merit a nod; the aspiring new Chosen must push himself beyond previous achievements and strive toward higher, tougher standards of physical, mental and spiritual prowess in order to earn the respect of his new peers.

Rookies are often used to "fill out" a kamut, essentially being the extra guns (and sometimes the expendables) on a mission. While a rookie isn't yet trusted with mission-critical tasks, he may well by guarding the back of someone with that level of responsibility, who is trusting the rookie with her unlife so that she can concentrate on her work. Rookies may also be given potentially hazardous assignments such as scouting ahead, covering a retreat or guarding the kamut's escape route or vehicle. Many dominions look for opportunities to test a rookie's dedication and courage under fire, and consider a higher level of risk acceptable if it allows a "deserving one" to prove just how deserving he is.

Rookies who survive and perform well in their first three missions are informally initiated into full Black Hand member - ship by the dominion and the kamut they have served with. This ritual, known as the Blooding, is considerably less formal and serious than the one used to initiate a new member into the subsect. While a Vaulderie and Blood Feast are traditional in addition to the formal announcement from the dominion of the new operative's advancement from rookie status, the nature of the actual "initiation" is left up to the kamut's twisted imagination (though in theory, the former rookie is supposed to survive the experience). The Blood Feast and celebrations afterward can be pretty wild indeed.

THE CADETS

Cadets are trainees, accepted as candidates but not yet initiated into full membership in the Hand, even lower in rank than rookies. Cadets rarely interact with Black Hand members, except in training exercises. Half a dozen or so "boot camps" for cadets operate throughout Sabbat territories, though their locations often shift due to the need for secrecy, political upheavals, or the desires of whatever dominion is the resident commander of that camp. One such camp is located in Mexico City, and run by the dominion Teresita; another, run by a Gangrel biker known as Shaggydog, is completely nomadic and is rumored to make a full circuit of North America every year. The Colonel, a Malkavian remover, oversees an elite camp for his hand-picked cadets hidden in the swamps of South Carolina. An Assamite camp, newly re-established in the wake of recent events, now teaches its clan's antitribu fledglings somewhere in the southwestern United States.

A cadet's training lasts several years (anywhere from four or five years to seven for Assamite neonates), and involves a good deal of field work; however, the instructing dominions keep a watchful eye on their charges and step in quickly to prevent any interference with the educational process.