Coterie Type
COTERIE TYPES
The coterie pool begins with one free dot per player character. Players may also contribute their own characters’ Advantage dots to the coterie pool. Players spend the coterie pool collectively, although in some groups, each player controls their own contribution. The coterie can also purchase coterie Flaws to get more dots for the coterie during coterie creation. Every player must agree in order for the coterie to take a Flaw. Example coterie types include:
Formally condemned as violations of the Masquerade, blood cults have nevertheless resurged with the coming of Gehenna. This coterie entices mortal worshippers, feeding them vitae or just enslaving them. Many blood cults reveal enough supernatural truth (though not always vampiric lore) to alert the Second Inquisition, adding yet more implacable foes.
- Domain: Lien (•) and Portillon (••)
- Herd: (•••)
- Status Flaw: (•) Suspect
Possible extras: Enemies (••), Haven (cult church or compound), Mask Flaw (••) (on the Second Inquisition radar), Retainers
Corebook, pg. 197
Carnival coteries move from place to place, bringing the party with them. Where Nomads celebrate rootlessness, Carnivals strive to make an impression on mortals, Kindred, or both, depending on the coterie’s style. Some Carnivals appeal to elders by providing deliberately anachronistic entertainments, recalling Dust Bowl circuses or further back, medieval troubadours. Others organize raves with cutting-edge music spun by six figure-a-night DJs. Not all Carnivals are devoted purely to entertainment and the chance to feed, however. Their spectacles might include politics and theater or Cainite rites, hidden in plain sight.
- Domain: None
- Contacts: (•••) (fans in every town)
- Fame: (•••) (a wondering spectacle)
- Retainers: (•) (daylight help)
Possible extras: Allies, Herd (fans who follow), Resources
Chicago by Night, pg. 260
The coterie exists to fight for a cause, possibly even one that mortals might recognize as worthy: clean up the neighborhood by devouring drug dealers, for example. Thin-bloods often begin their unlives as champions. Thickerblooded champions likely consider themselves Anarchs or at least Anarch sympathizers, although a clever Prince of the Camarilla can put even the highest-minded vampires to good use. In the end, even champions have to make the hard choice between their human charges and their vampiric urges.
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Lean (•••)
- Allies: (••)
- Enemies: (••)
Possible extras: Adversary, Contacts
Corebook, pg. 197
The coterie exists to fight its master’s enemies: the vampiric equivalent of a SWAT or special operations team. You may even disguise yourself as a squad of the city’s tactical police, as long as you don’t try to pass as officers in front of a real one.
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Portillon (••)
- Mawla: (•••)
(Whoever tasks you for your missions.) - Status: (•)
- Enemies: (••)
Possible extras: Adversary, Haven (base of operations), Mask
Corebook, pg. 197
In their long unlives, vampires experience times of thick and thin. The aged ancilla may have suffered a century of sparse funds just in time for their investments to finally start to pay off. The youthful fledgling may have cultivated a wide social circle in life that their less humane brethren are incapable of formulating. This group has entered into a mutual agreement based on give-and-take. Moocher and freeloaders need not apply.
- Domain: Chasse (••) and Portillon (••)
- Resources: (••)
(A communal "petty-cash" fund.) - Status Flaw: (•) Notorious
(Your group is known to hoard amongst your clique, leading others to automatically feel excluded.)
Possible extras: Herd, Allies, Contacts
Winter's Teeth, vol. 2
Corporate coteries exist to further the economic and territorial goals of their members. They use modern business methods, supplemented by the strongarm tactics and psychic manipulation members can bring to bear as Kindred. Corporate groups are either wracked with infighting or tightly organized in pursuit of their goals, with little room in between, as their selfish goals make or break members’ social bonds. In modern nights, Camarilla traditionalists consider Corporate coteries gauche but useful, since they have the collective skills and resources to harness contemporary capitalism. Stereotype holds that Ventrue lead many of these coteries, but while it is true the clan has long functioned inside bourgeois institutions, the edifice of global capital is too large for any one clan to dominate.
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Lien (••)
- Influence: (••) (business community)
- Resources: (•••) (the portfolio)
Possible extras: Contacts, Herd (interns)
Chicago by Night, pg. 260
The coterie guards the undead city from mortals, especially during the day when most Kindred sleep. Each member must be a thin-blood with the Day Drinker Merit, or the Storyteller needs to provide them another means of remaining active by day.
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Portillon (••)
- Influence: (••)
- Enemies: (•••)
Possible extras: Allies, Contacts, Haven, Mawla, a shared relic or ritual allowing activity by day.
Corebook, pg. 198
The coterie operates as a criminal gang, or possibly as a crew of burglars or con artists. The fang gang may disguise itself as part of the city’s organized crime syndicate, or act as the Prince or Baron’s liaison with them.
- Domain: Chasse (•), Lien (•), and Portillon (•)
- Contacts: (•)
(Fence or other criminal middleman.) - Enemies: (••)
Possible extras: Haven (clubhouse), Herd (human members/victims of your gang), Influence (organized crime), Retainers, Status (likely with Anarchs)
Corebook, pg. 198
Flagellant coteries have a mocking name, given to them by Kindred who may or may not care about the plight of the kine, but don’t go around being so publicly remorseful, or so desperate to make amends. Flagellant coteries try to redeem their members for the harm they visit upon mortals. The coterie sponsors charitable works, and individuals behave as good Samaritans and occasionally, as vigilantes, hunting down mortals who prey on their own. Most vampires have few objections to this sort of thing, but that changes when Flagellants go after other Kindred. The most extreme of these coteries may act as judge, jury, and executioner over vampires they believe mistreat the kine. Some coteries even abuse the Blood itself, treating the sick by feeding them vitae. Thus, the Camarilla keeps a close watch on these "kindly coteries."
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Lien (••)
- Allies: (•••) (mortals they've helped)
- Influence: (•) (local charity)
- Adversary: (••) (Flagellants almost always annoy a local Cainite)
Possible extras: Contacts, Loresheet (Golconda or some other reputed path to salvation), Retainer (nursed back to health with vitae)
Chicago by Night, pg. 260
These vampires are on the run. The Second Inquisition is after them. The Camarilla proclaimed a Blood Hunt upon them. Anarchs want to treat them to a stakeand- boot party. The pursuer may even be a single, potent vampire. Fugitive coteries keep low profiles, cultivate resources they can take with them or liquidate, and develop contingency plans for when their pursuers catch up with them. It’s rare for every member of the coterie to be hunted. Instead, one or two Kindred on the run convince others to go with them due to bonds of love or camaraderie. In any case, Fugitive coteries survive or perish based on the bonds of loyalty members hold for one another.
- Domain: None
- Contacts: (•••)
(help on the run) - Mask: (••)
(Cobbler; fake IDs available for members) - Resources (••)
(cash and a lightproof vehicle) - Retainer (•)
(daylight driver)
Special: Fugitive coteries always have one or more Flaws related to whoever or whatever is pursuing them, such as Adversary, Enemy, or a Flaw such as Known Blankbody
Possible Extras: Allies, Despised, Shunned, Loresheet (when being hunted because they know too much)
Chicago by Night, pg. 260
The coterie specializes in hunting and capturing humans with particular qualities of the blood. With knowledge of, and tastes for, humors and Resonances spreading among thin-blood cookers and Toreador gourmands alike, coteries on the make often choose to become coteries on the prowl for others.
- Domain: Chasse (•••)
- Ally: (•) or Mawla: (•)
(Blood Broker.)
Possible extras: Herd, Influence (organized crime)
Corebook, pg. 198
This coterie serves and guards the Prince or Baron, doing their bidding as attendants and hatchet-men. Their direct access to the ruler means that influential elders attempt to insert their childer into the coterie – indeed, every member of the coterie may be Primogen get. Elders left out use every means at their disposal to turn (or break) the coterie to their advantage.
- Domain: Chasse (••) and Portillon (••)
- Status: (•••)
Possible extras: Adversaries, Influence, Mawla (Prince/Baron), Retainers
Corebook, pg. 198
The coterie travels from place to place. It might pose as (or actually be) a band, theater troupe, or other itinerant artists. Indeed, this coterie might perform exclusively for Kindred audiences at Princely courts, not just second-tier rock clubs in the old factory district. Alternatively, nomad coteries might be refugees from the Gehenna War or just "kings of the road."
- Domain: None
- Contacts: (•••)
(Audience, promoters, travel brokers, etc.) - Retainers: (••)
(At least one adult to handle daytime travel problems.) - Status Flaw: (•) Suspect
Possible extras: Herd (fellow travellers)
Corebook, pg. 198
Birds of a feather flock together, and social coteries like plumaires ("feathered ones") exemplify this adage. United by ties of social prominence or simple common enthusiasms, social coteries appear in Camarilla courts and Anarch alleys alike. Some plumaires unite under gothic, club, or other countercultures, sharing similar tastes in music and fashion.
- Domain: Chasse (••) and Lien (••)
- Contacts: (•••)
(Fellow members of your subculture.)
Possible extras: Adversary or Enemy (rival fashionista), Status (for high society Plumaires)
Corebook, pg. 199
The coterie exists to accomplish a great enterprise or objective. Questari coteries often form of their own volition, pursuing their purpose out of desire rather than by edict. They may chase a target, hunt a relic, or solve a mystery. They may often need to leave the city.
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Lien (•••)
- Contacts: (••)
Possible extras: Haven with Library, Mawla, Resources (research budget)
Corebook, pg. 199
An elder of the Camarilla chose or created the coterie to guard their legacy as they were Beckoned into the Middle East. They hold the elder’s vote among the Primogen. Anarch elders who feel the Beckoning likewise facilitate the selection of a steering coterie in their place, or just appoint one to a watching brief on the Council.
- Domain: Chasse (••) and Portillon (•••)
- Mawla: (••)
(Major-domo or zampolit) - Status: (••••) (or ••• for Anarch Regencies)
- Advantages: Select up to 10 dots shared among Haven, Herd, Influence, Resources, and/or Retainers
- Flaws: Select the same amount of dots worth of Flaws as Advantages, above
Possible extras: Adversaries on target city’s Primogen, other Advantages from the coterie’s supposed cover type.
Corebook, pg. 199
This coterie disguises itself as one type of coterie, while secretly serving another Prince or Baron than they feign allegiance to. Their patron hand-picks a group of Kindred, and then dispatches them to another city or sometimes to a separate faction within the same metropolis.
- Mawla: (••) (Handler or messenger)
- Mask: (•)
Possible extras: Adversaries on target city’s Primogen, other Advantages from the coterie’s supposed cover type.
Corebook, pg. 199
Many coteries are rumored to be Somnophiles, but the term is primarily used as a slur — as slang, it actually comes from the old days of the Sabbat, where loyalty to old, torpid elders was likened to a sexual fetish. True Somnophile coteries represent the oldest vampires, who may well sleep, but are just as likely to dwell in ancient labyrinths (as was the fad shortly after the fall of Rome), masquerade as younger vampires, or otherwise place multiple degrees of secrecy between themselves and modern Kindred. A Somnophile coterie’s patron is often powerful enough to send messages through Disciplines, as omens or dreams, or have penetrated mortal institutions so completely they can relay messages through proxies that can never be traced back to their point of origin. Each coterie has its own reasons for obeying these hidden masters, from Bahari religious convictions to ambitious Kindred convinced their association will bring them power, as major players in the Jyhad.
- Domain: Chasse (•) and Portillon (••)
- Loresheet: (••) (their master teaches them secrets)
- Mawla: (•••) (the somnolent or distant elder)
Possible extras: Allies, Retainers, Status (guardians of an esteemed vampire)
Chicago by Night, pg. 261
The transition from life to undeath is a tumultuous one. The majority of fledglings given the Curse of Caine succumb to Wassail within their first century — those who endure, do so largely with the support of others. Support groups, taking their name and organization from any number of programs available within the mortal world, group for solidarity, but also for accountability.
- Herd: Chasse (••)
(Accumulated vessels deemed safe for feeding.) - Haven: (•)
(A small, private location for group meetings.) - Mawla: (••)
(An older, experienced Kindred, willing to dispense advice and guidance.) - Resources: (••)
(Liquid assets, sometimes necessary for cleanups and bribes.) - Enemy: (••)
(Someone in the group has made a mistake and attracted the attention of a vengeful mortal.)
Winter's Teeth, vol. 2
Named for (and possibly descended from) the vigilante secret society in medieval Germany, Primogen task this coterie to protect the Masquerade at all costs. The Vehme has the authority to arrest and subdue violators, if need be, to bring them before the Prince and Primogen.
- Domain: Chasse (•)
- Influence: (•••)
(Especially in police and media.) - Status: (•••)
Possible extras: Adversaries, Mawla (on Primogen or Anarch Councils)
Corebook, pg. 199
The coterie patrols the city and protects it from intruders, especially Anarchs and werewolves. Camarilla coteries established in border cities to repel Sabbat influence or to colonize newly won territory also count as Watchmen. Anarch cities call their Watchmen (who also guard against reactionaries and Camarilla infiltrators) the Committee of Public Safety, the Cheka, or the Eyes of the People.
- Domain: Chasse (•), Lien (••), and Portillon (•)
- Status: (••) (Camarilla
Possible extras: Contacts, Retainers
Corebook, pg. 199