Priscus (VTM)

Priscus is a title held by a Sabbat vampire that acts as advisor to the local authority figures of the sect, with no formal role in the internal politics but great practical influence.

Overview

Masters of manipulation, prisci serve the Sabbat by advising Archbishops and Cardinals. The position of priscus is more honorary than functional - they possess great insight but little "official" power. Nevertheless, prisci move among powerful circles and often possess a respectable personal prowess as well. One does not earn a consultory position if he is weak or foolish. The Prisci also act as a board of directors for the Regent, similar to a Camarilla city's Primogen, advising the Regent and the Cardinals about the affairs of the sect.

Many prisci were lords or military strategists before becoming vampires, and their vast experience (tempered with the caginess required to attain the position in the first place) serves the sect well. Often, a siege’s success or failure rests on a bit of information, such as what defenses a given prince can muster, or which sympathetic vampires may be convinced to look the other way as the Sabbat roars into town. Such is the role of the priscus: to maximize the flaws of the others through proven strategies.

Although they report to the Cardinals, they serve the Regent directly. Most are elders or powerful ancillae. The most prestigious of the clan members generally hold the rank of Priscus. Most prisci belong to clans Lasombra, Tzimisce and Toreador antitribu, though no formal rules exist as to whether or not a member of a given clan may belong.

Duties

In Sabbat cities, they act similarly to the Primogen, but are never appointed by an Archbishop or Bishop. The prisci who attend to the Regent form the Consistory along with the Cardinals - no one with Status lower than 4 could ever see the Consistory to meet with them, unless they summoned that character for a specific purpose; Prisci rise to the rank over time and according to no specific criteria, and their responsibilities include:

• Advise the Regent, Cardinals and other authorities of the sect;
• Coordinate strategic operations of the sect;

Known Prisci

Name	Clan	Generation	Time Active	Source(s)
Lady Astor	Lasombra	?	around 1848	Giovanni Chronicles III: The Sun Has Set p. 17
Andrea Leghorn	Tzimisce	?	?	Clanbook: Tzimisce Revised p. 23
Blaise Careme	Tzimisce	?	1902-present	New York by Night, p. 20-23
Charles VI	Lasombra	8	since 1858(?)	Mexico City by Night p. 54
Efraín Sortano	Tzimisce	8	since 1780	Mexico City by Night, p. 60
Eli Dragsky	Tzimisce	?	?	Clanbook: Tzimisce Revised p. 17
Gustav Mallenhous	Ventrue antitribu	5	circa 1804	Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat, p. 47
Joseph Pander	Panders	?	sometime after the Third Sabbat Civil War	Players Guide to the Sabbat, p. 45, 74
Ladislav Ciorbea	Tzimisce	?	1953-1977 (never formally acknowledged)	New York by Night, p. 21-22
Leila Monroe	Lasombra	10	since the late 1980s or early 1990s	Players Guide to the Sabbat, p. 98 Children of the Night, p. 26-27
Livia Boleslav Czerny	?	?	1774-1817	Guide to the Sabbat p. 18 New York by Night, p. 20, 23
Righteous Endeavour	Tzimisce	9	? (embraced 1713)	Clanbook: Tzimisce p. 65 Clanbook: Tzimisce Revised p. 100
Rowena Alden	Tzimisce	7	circa 1962	WOD: World of Darkness: Hong Kong, p. 80
Sascha Vykos	Tzimisce	6	since the Anarch Revolt	Children of the Night, p. 24-25 Clanbook: Gangrel Revised, p. 91 Clan Novel Saga Volume 1: The Fall of Atlanta, p. 34, 126, 582 Clan Novel Saga Volume 2: The Eye of Gehenna, p. 580 Clan Novel Saga Volume 3: Bloody September, p. 583 Clan Novel Saga Volume 4: End Games, p. 585
Szechenyi Jolan	Tzimisce	6	? (embraced 1150)	Mexico City by Night p. 59-60
Valenko Dmiritav	Tzimisce	6	circa 1993	The Chaos Factor, p. 57
Venere Carboni	Toreador antitribu	7	since the late 19th century	Mexico City by Night, p. 88

References

• Guide to the Sabbat, p. 27
• Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 48

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