Art by Marc Simonetti
An Archon is a recognized agent of one of the Justicars of the Camarilla. If the Justicars are the hands of the Inner Circle, the Archons are its fingers.
Overview[]
- archon: A high official, a ruler; One of the nine principal magistrates of ancient Athens; An authoritative figure, a leader
Archons are almost always selected by their Justicar at the beginning of the Justicar's term and are usually dismissed when their Justicar is replaced. Individuals may be chosen to become an Archon for a variety of services ranging from combat prowess, tactics, investigative, or espionage capabilities. They are often chosen from the ranks of the servires who have proven themselves as valuable aides-de-camp among senior Archons.
Archons themselves are usually quite skilled in their own right, and as envoys of their Justicar's will, carry a lot of political clout. However, Archons do not always act openly, and may simply divert resources and information to certain Kindred from behind the scenes. In fact, it is a large embarrassment to a city's Prince for an Archon to be dispatched to help maintain order. Given the traditionally untrustworthy nature of vampiric society.
Some Archons operate alone, while others work in groups. Often, the Justicar binds these Archons to themselves—or to one another—through a blood bond. Even when not bound, Archons have less freedom of action than their masters, yet they can order a Kindred’s death and are expected to be obeyed. In fact, an Archon can decimate an entire domain or regnum without explanation. Learning to avoid such punishment—or at least to avoid such Archons—remains an exercise in loyalty and survival.
Original Archons[]
Though they acted as Archons for the Founders, the four pioneer Kindred that took the position were not under Blood Oath to their respective Justicars – unlike many in modern times. Hounded by more powerful Cainites during the first nights of their new unlives, they learned of the power of the Blood Bond and opted to bond to one another through sharing their blood. Each Archon was under the Blood Oath to another, who had in turn sworn the oath to yet another. The bonds that existed within this coterie were its greatest secrets, yet also a source of strength it could depend upon in times of crisis.[1]
The Original Archons' Blood Oaths
The first Archons were:
Classifications[]
Over the years a number of different ranks and branches have formed among archons:
- Praetors are notable archons who have been given authority over their peers. The position normally only lasts as long as a given assignment, but some continue to use the title with pride.
- Alastors are those who hunt individuals on the Red List and answer directly to the Inner Circle. They are given a mark indicating their exemption from the laws and persecution of a local city, though few would recognize it as the alastors are technically a secret organization.
- Dogcatchers is an informal title for archons that have made a habit of taking on werewolves and coming out of the exchange victorious. They possess a far greater knowledge of werewolf abilities, habits, and societies than other vampires.
- Doppelgangers are deep-cover archons who study and replace an individual in order to spy on their peers. While such individuals may be sent to spy on the Sabbat or Independent Clans, such assignments are often considered too dangerous. Instead, doppelgangers are typically used for internal security.
- E Division is a branch of archons devoted to investigating matters of the occult and unknown phenomena that is beyond the experience of most Kindred.
- Josians are dedicated to uprooting Gehenna cults while also secretly investigating discovered Noddist lore for any evidence that Gehenna may be a real danger.
- Quaesitors are almost entirely Tremere archons that tend to all the sect's sorcerous needs, whether its combating Sabbat koldun, mages, or hunting rogue Tremere.
Description[]
Archons are the bogeymen of the Camarilla, the unliving extension of their Justicar’s will. They are the watchful eye at the Anarch gathering, the fly on the Prince’s wall, and the blade in the dark to all who violate the Traditions. Archons are the Camarilla’s elite guardians, inquisitors, and spies. They relentlessly prosecute all violations of the Traditions uncovered during their nightly vigil and have the authority to destroy all Kindred who stand in their way. So fearsome is their reputation that entire domains tremble at word of their passage. And tremble they should, for even the greatest Prince bends the knee in their presence. Life is hard, if not lethal, for most Archons, but the authority they wield and rewards they reap can be great. A vampire with this Loresheet is not automatically an Archon, but through narrative, is more likely to be recruited as one.
Loresheet[]
Undercover: You perform your work undercover, assuming a false identity to get close to your prey. You maintain a false identity as a minor member of the faction you are investigating and gain one bonus die to all rolls related to maintaining your cover. Additional work is needed to make your cover foolproof against intense scrutiny, but Undercover will buy you the time necessary to get your foot in the door without being killed on sight. This advantage may be purchased multiple times to represent a range of false identities.- Watcher in the Dark: Like many Archons, you are just as formidable a scholar and investigator as you are a warrior. You have access to a vast repository of Camarilla contacts, records, and informants when prosecuting your duties. Once per chapter, you gain two automatic successes on any Investigation or Academics test concerning the subject of your investigation.
- Red Phone: You have a reliable way of contacting your patron Justicar. This can be via sorcerous means, trusted messenger, or almost any covert method that matches your Justicar’s particular preference. Their response to your message varies depending on their current workload and can range from silence to providing valuable information, exerting political influence, or even deploying further Archons. The precise game effects of Red Phone are up to the Storyteller, and overuse or abuse of this ability may cause your Justicar to reconsider their choice to make you an Archon.
- Color of Authority: Your Status as a duly appointed Archon of the Camarilla gives you sweeping powers, including the right of destruction. You may sit in and pronounce formal judgment over any Camarilla Kindred without retaliation from your fellow sect members. You hold the equivalent of four dots of Status in most Camarilla domains. However, you stand the risk of earning Adversaries if you judge other Kindred arbitrarily. Note that Archons who abuse their authority often fall victim to unfortunate “accidents.”
- Justicar’s Blood: You have access to the potent vitae of the Justicar you serve and are authorized to use it in the line of duty. This vitae may be derived from a blood bond with your Justicar or awarded for meritorious service. Either way, you gain three bonus dice for rolls related to one of the three clan Disciplines (player’s choice) of your patron Justicar for the remainder of the night. You may use this ability once per story.
Notable Archons[]
- Lilika Kairos
- Gilbert d'Harfleur
- Father Jean-Marc d'Harfleur
- Federico DiPadua
- Anna Petrova
- Lithrac
- Rüdiger Kleiss
- Theo Bell
- Vidal Jarbeaux
Known Archons[]
References[]
- ↑ VTDA: Transylvania Chronicles II, p. 92
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 196
- VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade Second Edition, p. 55
- VTM: Archons & Templars
- VTM: The Chicago Folios, p. 159