The Justicars | ecc-dark-seattle

S E C T S : T H E C A M A R I L L A J U S T I C A R S

The Justicars are the most powerful visible component of the Camarilla's government, charged with adjudicating matters of the Traditions on a wide scale and acting as the eyes, ears, and hands of the Inner Circle. There is one justicar for each clan of the Camarilla, and each is served by several handpicked archons who act as their spies, enforcers, and representatives around the world.

In a world of hunters, leopards and jackals, few try to control the undying appetite. When hunter turns on hunter, however, all are at risk. Those who dare to hunt cannibal Kindred are the Justicars. Justicars are usually of great age and power, and their ferocity is unparalleled. Few can stand against them and fewer still would dare to try.

There are seven Justicars and they cannot be everywhere at once. True, the Justicars have many servants. However, many more vampires seek to violate the Masquerade - or worse, slay another vampire and drink her blood. The only way for the Justicars to stem the rising tide of diablerie is to stop these crimes before they happen. The way they achieve this is through fear.

The Justicars cultivate terror. They wield it as a weapon and few vampires are more adroit in its use. The coming of a Justicar is a great event. The prince must quickly patch up all of his quarrels with the elders and prepare. The elders must hide all of their little indiscretions. Before a Justicar arrives, all those mortals in the city who know of the Kindred are often slain, thus giving the Justicar no excuse to enforce the First Tradition. Even as the elders hide their minor crimes, the anarchs prepare for war. Few anarchs have not committed some crime against the Camarilla and few are willing to cower and beg forgiveness.

Frequently, the Justicar has come for but a single vampire or single coterie, and has no interest in any other crimes. The Justicar's servants, the Archons, are often enough to handle the breaking of a Tradition. The mere threat of a Justicar's personal intervention can make even a prince mend his ways. A justicar cannot waste her time with every little infraction of the rules; only capital crimes are worthy of her attention.

Relationship with the Inner Circle

The justicars are the voice of the Inner Circle and their actions can only be challenged by another justicar, granting them nearly unlimited power to do as they see fit. A justicar can seize whatever resources are required, rearrange offices with impunity, and even depose of princes if they so desire. And though most justicars are prudent enough to consider their actions when dealing with other highly influential Kindred, such abuses of power earn them a great deal of resentment from vampires of all ages. More commonly they spend their time calling conclaves to judge disputes and crimes, or simply to encourage social gatherings within the Camarilla, and oversee the war against the Sabbat.

Justicars are chosen by the Inner Circle every 13 years during the Camarilla conclave in Venice. Appointments are an intense, drawn out process as each clan attempts to elevate its most talented members and likewise limit the power of the other clans. This politicking often results in compromise candidates and new rivalries, but in the end the Inner Circle decides on its own, and over the centuries several unexpected choices have been made. Justicars hold their position for 13 years, although a justicar may be chosen for consecutive terms.