The Six Traditions

A Primer on The Six Traditions

The Traditions are the six ancient, inviolable laws that form the bedrock of @The Camarilla. They are not suggestions; they are the absolute pillars that uphold the Masquerade and prevent the world of the Damned from descending into a self-destructive war. For centuries, the Ivory Tower has enforced these laws with brutal finality. To break a Tradition is to risk not just your own unlife, but the security of all @Kindred.

The First Tradition: The Masquerade

"Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood."

The Law: This is the most important law of all. You will not, under any circumstances, reveal the existence of vampires to mortals. This includes using your Disciplines openly, feeding recklessly, or leaving behind any evidence of your supernatural nature.

The Punishment: Final Death. There is no appeal. A threat to the Masquerade is a threat to everyone, and it is excised without mercy.

The Second Tradition: The Domain

"Thy domain is thine own concern. All others owe thee respect while in it."

The Law: A Prince rules their city, and their word is law within that domain. All Kindred within the city's boundaries are subject to that Prince's authority. On a smaller scale, it means you must respect the designated territory (havens, hunting grounds) of other Kindred.

The Punishment: Varies at the Prince's discretion, from fines and humiliation to being declared an outcast and hunted.

The Third Tradition: The Progeny

"Thou shall only Sire another with the permission of thine Elder."

The Law: The Embrace is not a right; it is a privilege granted by the Prince of a city. Creating a new vampire without express permission is a grave crime. This Tradition is about controlling the Kindred population and ensuring that only "worthy" individuals are brought into the fold.

The Punishment: Typically, Final Death for both the sire and their unauthorized childe.

The Fourth Tradition: The Accounting

"Those thou create are thine own children. Until thy Progeny shall be accepted, thou shall command them in all things. Their sins are thine to endure."

The Law: You are completely and totally responsible for the actions of anyone you Embrace. If your childe breaks the Masquerade or defies the Prince, you will be the one to face the punishment. This is why sires are often so harsh and demanding of their neonates.

The Punishment: Whatever punishment the childe has earned falls upon the sire, often with more severity.

The Fifth Tradition: The Hospitality

"Honor one another's domain. When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shall present thyself to the one who ruleth there."

The Law: When you enter a new city, you must present yourself to the Prince and request sanctuary. The Prince has the right to welcome you, set restrictions on your stay, or deny you entry entirely. To remain in a city without permission is to declare yourself an enemy of its ruler.

The Punishment: Can range from being exiled to being declared an outlaw and hunted.

The Sixth Tradition: The Destruction

"Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind. The right of destruction belongeth only to thine Elder."

The Law: You may not take the unlife of another Kindred. The authority to call for a vampire's Final Death (a Blood Hunt) rests solely with the Prince, as a judgment for the most heinous crimes.

The Punishment: Violating this tradition without sanction is murder, and the punishment is almost always a Blood Hunt upon the murderer.