An Alastor is a Kindred agent of the Camarilla who has been charged with hunting down the Anathema: dangerous vampires who have been added to the Camarilla's Red List and targeted for destruction by the entire sect.
Overview[]
If the Archons and Justicars are the law enforcement agencies of the Camarilla, the Alastors are the secret police. Moving unseen and unnoticed through the sect, they serve a variety of purposes at the Inner Circle's command.
Most alastors are recruited out of the ranks of Archons, and while the anonymous existence of the Alastors can be a difficult one, it does have its rewards, specifically a more-or-less universal immunity to prosecution from local Princes.
A non-alastor who somehow manages to destroy one of the Anathema will almost inevitably be press-ganged into service as an alastor. While the archons answer directly to the Justicars, the alastors answer only to the Camarilla's Inner Circle. Any Kindred (even an Alastor) who commits diablerie upon an Anathema, where the trophy clan has not specifically stated that the diablerie of the Anathema is allowed, takes the victim's place on the Red List.
Some Alastors feel they work best with other Alastors; others, with Josians, Archons, Scourges, or Sheriffs. Still others opt to work with a mix of Kindred: some ranking, and some not. The members of an Alastor's coterie that do not hold a rank within the Camarilla are referred to as Auditors – while a more physically able Cainite called to assist the Alastor in exchange for a reward would be called a Bellator.
Red Alastor[]
Red Alastor is an elite, highly-skilled breed of Alastor. They are named based on the Kindred's performance whilst on the hunt - some claim that to be named a Red Alastor one has to succeed in destroying one of the five most wanted Anathema.
Unlike other Alastors, the Red Alastors are in a supervisory position and were initially created to oversee all of the Alastors operating in a specific region. Red Alastors tend to remain in a Camarilla-led city as opposed to going out on the hunt or travelling for weeks or months at a time. Though they coordinate hunts and mull over facts from a distance, Red Alastors are fully capable of tracking and engaging the Anathema themselves.
Red Alastors operate outside of the Prince's jurisdiction and place greater emphasis on larger threats than the day-to-day functions of the Camarilla. In truth, this is partly why Red Alastors spend a considerable amount of time building ties to other Kindred, but it is not the only reason. What better way to ferret out moles, keep an eye on Kindred who are acting suspicious, and connect with other high-ranking members of the Camarilla? Red Alastors understand, perhaps better than any other Kindred, that sometimes the best way to protect the Camarilla is to work from within.
Benefits of being an Alastor[]
While the anonymous existence of the Alastors can be a difficult one, it does have its rewards, specifically a more-or-less universal immunity to prosecution from local Princes. To be recognized as such, all Alastors receive the thaumaturgical Mark of the Trophy (designed by the Tremere), once they are appointed to their position.
Furthermore, the destruction of an Anathema is rewarded by a prize known as the Trophy, the specifics of which can vary depending on which clan posted the Anathema to the Red List; major clan boons, teaching of proprietary disciplines and even sanctioned diablerie are all possible. Similar to members of the Black Hand, alastors have a mystical tattoo placed on their right palm to establish their bonafides to senior Camarilla members.
Famed Alastors[]
- Lucinde, Justicar of Clan Ventrue and Red Alastor
- Tatiana Stepanova, one of the few surviving Ravnos in the Final Nights
- John Trent, Tremere who later became an Anathema himself
Gallery[]
References[]
- VTM: Kindred Most Wanted, p. 10
- VTM: Dread Names, Red List, p. 7, 85-86