Do not reveal your true nature to those not of the Blood. Doing so shall renounce thy claims of Blood.
Meaning: Secrecy is survival.
Enforcement: Breaches bring Final Death.
Examples: Feeding in public, using powers openly, careless embraces.
(We’ve already expanded this as its own codex page, but it anchors the rest.)
Thy domain is thine own concern. All others owe thee respect in thy domain. None may challenge thy word in thy domain.
Meaning: Each Prince or elder claims territory. Within their borders, they are sovereign.
Implication: A Prince’s word is law in their city. Trespassers risk death.
Anarch Spin: They reject the idea but still enforce turf fiercely — same rule, new coat of paint.
Thou shall only sire another with the permission of thine elder. If thou createst another without thine elder’s leave, both thou and thy progeny shall be slain.
Meaning: Control the spread. New vampires are liabilities.
Enforcement: Illegal embraces = automatic blood hunts.
Political Use: Elders hoard permission as a weapon, granting childer to cement alliances.
Those thou create are thine own children. Until thy progeny shall be released, thou shall command them in all things. Their sins are thine to endure.
Meaning: A sire is responsible for their childe until they’re released to independence.
Enforcement: If a fledgling breaches the Masquerade, the sire is punished.
Story Use: Creates power struggles between sires and rebellious neonates.
Honor one another’s domain. When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shalt present thyself to the one who ruleth there. Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing.
Meaning: Visitors must present themselves to the Prince.
Enforcement: Failure to present risks being marked rogue or hunted.
Story Hook: Princes use this to force neonates and wanderers into political games.
Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind. The right of destruction belongeth only to thine elder. Only the eldest among thee shall call the Blood Hunt.
Meaning: Killing another vampire without permission is forbidden.
Enforcement: Princes and elders reserve the right of Final Death.
Story Tension: Anarchs flaunt this, Sabbat ignore it, but in Camarilla cities it is sacred.