Duister Gent

Storytelling · Geregistreerd op: 26 Mei 2013 Berichten: 627

Introduction to the Levels of Intrigue

The politics of the Camarilla, the ancient society of the Kindred, is one layered in growing circles. At the basic level is the interaction between individual Kindred within the context of members of a Clan living locally. At the highest level is the Jyhad of the ancients. Each level brings its own mysteries, danger and intrigue. These levels also reflect a natural dividing line observed across the world in terms of role-play.

At each level you must remember something new. If all the PC does is hang around with members of the Clan and rarely attends Elysium and court, then Clan level is ALL you need really. One visits court and gets involved in internal politics and such- Court level politics comes to mind (the most common level of politics and damn deadly); if you move up to interact with your Prince you may be reaching the Prince level of intrigue.
Understand that almost all IC interaction will take place at these levels. You may never need to move any higher than this. Good.

But higher levels do exist; the deadly games of politics Princes play between themselves (Symposium level politics), the intricate games of the Elders (faction level) and the simply deadly politics of Jyhad level. At each level, more things are added, more complexity and things become more deadly.

Read carefully, work out where your PC stands now, where you would like to be, and try the system on for size.
Levels of Intrigue: Clan, Court, Prince, Symposium, Faction, and Jyhad

Storytelling · Geregistreerd op: 26 Mei 2013 Berichten: 627

Clan
This is the most common level of intrigue and interaction. Most characters will be happy here. At this level is the never-ending struggle between Primogen and Clan members; it is the relationship between each single member of a Clan in a local area and his Whip and Primogen. In some places you may find that only one or two members of a given Clan exist, in others there will be scores. In some places a given Clan might be tightly knit and close discussing and agreeing upon everything. In another, they may only just recognize each other by face. Whatever the case, this is the basic level of Kindred protocol.
In the past, before the Camarilla, Kindred were defined by their Clan and paid it more service - Clans were the only way to unite Kindred, to give them identity. As time has passed, especially since the advent of the Camarilla and the proliferation of multi-clan coteries, Clans have found their role subjugated in the face of the growth of the Sect. Certain elements of the past do remain, however, and one of these is the role of the Primogen.

Primogen
The Primogen is a creation of the late 16th Century. As the rapid urbanization of Europe began to take effect, more and more Kindred found themselves living in close proximity. Princes ruled the cities, but often they faced situations where more powerful Elders sought residence. For Elders who arrived in these good feeding grounds, a Prince ruling over them was not acceptable. Many began to force Princes to concede power in return for support. Thus were born the first Primogen.
The Primogen is the local head of a Camarilla Clan. While many Primogen are no more than pawns for local Elders, and some hold just token power within their Clan, Primogen are formally seen as the final power. Primogen have the ability to topple Princes, a fact that is not lost to the Princes themselves.
Primogen is a post that flies in the face of the Second Tradition, because Primogen can and have successfully questioned the Praxis of many a Prince. Indeed, the Primogen have toppled many a Prince. For many Elders, the post of Primogen acts as a legal and legitimate way to keep Princes in check.
As time has passed, the post has become widely accepted and now no one really bats an eye at the existence of a Primogen. The original role of the Primogen is now lost: some Primogen do indeed keep their Princes in check; others are only there because everyone else has them, and some are pawns to rubber stamp whatever the Prince decides.
Primogen members each receive the additional Status Trait: Revered when they join the Primogen. As long as the character remains one of the Primogen, she cannot lose this Trait permanently. Additionally, Primogen may grant or remove permanent Status Traits to or from any member of their own clan at a cost of one temporary Status Trait for each Trait granted or removed.
Around the 1750, a new precedent was created in terms of social interaction and responsibilities for Primogen. Princes sought to keep the Primogen busy by maintaining a series of rules upon Primogen. The most important rule is simple but deadly: It is assumed that a Primogen of a Clan speaks and acts for the entire Clan in a Domain.
Primogen are the living representatives of a Clan's power and meaning in the eyes of the Camarilla. Therefore, if the Nosferatu Primogen of a Domain is caught trying to overthrow the Prince, then the entire Clan in that Domain is assumed to be trying to overthrow the Prince - even if they knew nothing about it. If the Brujah Primogen of a Domain calls the Malkavians a "bunch of traitors to the Camarilla" then it is assumed that all Brujah in that Domain think the same thing.
This can lead to those under the jurisdiction of the Primogen getting it in the neck for the actions of their Primogen. This is intentional. It keeps the Clans on their toes watching their Primogen and keeps Primogen worried about how their Clan will react. In cases where a Primogen upsets a Prince (not necessarily breaking a law, just angering or defying him) it is standard for the Clan to be punished. If the Primogen broke the law or the Traditions as well as upsetting the Prince - again, the Clan can also be punished. A Clan should know what their Primogen is thinking and doing at all times. If not, they may find themselves reduced in Status, their havens burned to the ground, and facing charges of treason, all because their Primogen said the wrong thing at the wrong time...

Whip
Often in the earliest days of the Primogen position, Princes tried to tie Elders down by decreeing that Primogen had to maintain their Clan. At other times, Primogen vied with others for positions of power within their Clan and had to enforce their will on those members of their Clan whose support was unreliable. Thus the Camarilla saw the creation of the Whips.
Whips have the same powers as the Primogen to grant or remove a permanent Status Trait at a cost of one temporary Status Trait each. A Whip does not suffer from the constraints placed upon the Primogen in terms of speaking. They do not gain an additional Status Trait, and their powers may be revoked at any time by the Primogen of their clan.
Whips occupy a strange position within the Camarilla: They are recognized as a Camarilla post, yet they carry no Status. In many ways they are a Clan position, but their power is limited to a Camarilla setting. Usually they are very loyal to the Primogen, but it has been known for Whips to use their power to undermine and topple Primogen. Whip is sometimes seen as the first step on the ladder up the slippery slope to power.
The Whip is usually the Primogen's designated successor, and a Whip only exists if the Primogen of a given Domain decrees that they will have one.

Storytelling · Geregistreerd op: 26 Mei 2013 Berichten: 627

Primogen Removal: The Call of the Seasons

Princes cannot appoint or remove individual Primogen. Primogen represent their Clans, and only members of a Clan can decide who is or is not their Primogen. The Prince has to live with whom they choose. It may be his nemesis whom he hates, but he simply has to accept it. This was also a reason behind the "Primogen speak for their Clan" ruling- it is not uncommon for Princes to use what their Primogen does to punish a Clan so much that they change their Primogen.
Primogen are chosen any way each Clan decides - the Brujah choose theirs differently from the Tremere. For example, it is a common practice among Tremere for the Regent to decide that one of their apprentices is Primogen. Thus, the Primogen seems to be the main Tremere locally while the real power is hidden. Each way is valid and accepted: the Camarilla does not care how a Primogen is chosen, only that if a Primogen post exists that the Clan chooses it. And each Prince must accept the Primogen come what may.
This being said, the Prince can call for a new Primogen Council. This is a bit like calling for a general election in the middle of a powerful political controversy... once the Prince calls for a new Council to be chosen, no Primogen business can be dealt with as all seven Primogen positions must be contested. While this process is being done, the Primogen cannot decide anything until the whole thing is sorted. This is seen as a good delaying tactic for certain Princes and also perhaps the only way a Prince can have a political rival removed from office.
No Prince can pick on one Clan to re-choose their Primogen; they must choose all or none at all. This can lead to those Primogen who support the Prince to rebel against him: In an attempt to undermine one rival, the Prince is now holding up all the Primogen to re-election. It is a double-edged sword.
A Prince can only issue this call for a new Primogen once every three months. This process was once called the "Call of the Seasons," and originated in northern Italy around the 1620s. Certain Princes, in an attempt to keep their Primogen unsettled, would call for a new Primogen council on the first evening of each new season. While that practice has stopped, it is still referred to by this name.
The ultimate power of the Prince is to dissolve the Primogen Council- they then rule without a Primogen and get on with it. This is completely legal; there is no need for a Primogen Council. Princes can rule as they see fit.
Once a Prince accepts the existence of a Primogen Council, he is also giving up some of his power. With this in mind, many Princes decide not to have any Primogen. This is a dangerous strategy, because a Prince without Primogen will often find themselves isolated and faced with increased dissent to their reign. Indeed, Princes who dissolve their Primogen usually find that they do not remain in power very long unless they are powerful and old indeed.

Storytelling · Geregistreerd op: 26 Mei 2013 Berichten: 627

Court
Court intrigue is the realm of most games. The interaction between Kindred of a given court, be it their home Domain or a Domain elsewhere, is the mainstay of most intrigue. Primogen against Primogen, Clan against Clan, with the Harpies sitting and watching it all. The line between the first two levels of intrigue is very thin and crossed often without thought.

Primogen
The rules that dictate the behavior and powers of Primogen are described above. The only thing to add here is that within the context of a Court, Primogen are given respect mostly because they have the power over a Prince and because they speak for their entire Clan in a given Domain.

Sheriff
The Sheriff has been called many things by many Princes. Common variations of the title Sheriff include Bailiff, Constable, Judge, Justice, Justice of the Peace, Marshal and Magistrate. Less well-known titles include Lord Protector, Enforcer, and Juryman. Whatever the title, the job remains the same: the enforcer of the Prince's laws.
The differences in this role from Domain to Domain depend on the differences in the Princes laws. For example, many modern Princes have no more than the Traditions as their laws; the laws of the ancient city of York, however, run into three pages which regulating meeting times, feeding grounds, dress codes, etc. Each Prince is free to make his own Laws as he sees fit - the Sheriff simply enforces them. Usually ruthlessly.
Sheriff's often fall into two camps with two differing mindsets. The first are the Idealist Sheriffs. These are men and women who uphold the law and seek justice for all. They are in the minority. The majority of Sheriffs have been chosen by a Prince to enforce their laws, come what may. In Domains where Anarchs are bloodhunted, for example, Sheriffs usually lead the fight.
For many reasons, Sheriffs are usually perceived as the most loyal of the Princes followers - indeed, many are thralled to their Prince. Others retain position as several Princes come and go. Arguably the greatest of all Sheriffs, and indeed the first Kindred to hold such a title, was Kett, "The Black Death". A Brujah of the 7th generation, he was "Sheriff of the Lands of London" for 600 years, seeing Princes come and go.
A Sheriff takes orders solely from the Prince, although the Prince's Seneschal may also give a Sheriff orders. Since they represent their Clans, a Sheriff will follow "suggestions" offered by the Primogen of a given Domain. If a Sheriff openly defies a Primogen, he may find the Primogen having a quiet word with the Harpies... and not even the Sheriff is immune to the Harpies' powers.
The Sheriff gains the additional Status Trait: Feared when he attains the position. While he remains Sheriff, he cannot permanently lose this Trait.
The Sheriff may demand that any Kindred within the city accompany him for questioning or judgement. Failure to do so causes the offender to lose one permanent Status Trait. It may also lead to the offender being arrested on suspicion. Suspicion of what is left for the Sheriff to make up.
As will be described in the section below (Justice), the Sheriff is also expected to punish those who break the Prince's laws. It is expected that all loyal Kindred will aid a Sheriff, so if the Sheriff tries to arrest a suspect and the suspect attacks the Sheriff, it is expected that all Kindred shall rush to the Sheriff's aid. That they don't always do so is a given... as is the fact that if the Sheriff survives they may ask the Kindred in for questioning at some later date.
Some Harpies feel that to help a Sheriff suggest they can't do their job... there is no set rule for this thing.
The Sheriff is immune to the powers of the Keeper of Elysium -- those conferred by the position, that is; he must still honor the Traditions.
The Sheriff may sponsor deputies by giving another Kindred a Status Trait of his own. These deputies have the same powers as the Sheriff, but the Sheriff may revoke their authority at any time.

Keeper of Elysium
A position that, while not as old as many of the others, is indeed vitally important. Its origins lie in the explosion of populations during the last few hundred years: Kindred population has grown, and Elysium is no longer venerated as much as it once was. This is a problem... a big one.
Elysium is the only place where Kindred may meet together on civilized terms. Thus, violence is banned. With the threat of violence removed from Kindred society, Kindred can freely gather and commune. If Elysium falls, so does the very principal that upholds Kindred society.
This concept is often overlooked: Several Princes and Elders have insisted that Elysium is no more than a social convention. In saying this they are not lying: It is a social convention, but that does not dismiss it. The entire Camarilla is a social convention. Elysium's power lies in its veneration. Many, including several Justicars, believe that Elysia must be enforced as absolutes. That is, if a member of the Sabbat walks into the room and someone attacks him, the attacker is the criminal. Once someone breaks the Elysium, though, everyone else can then do whatever is required to end the violence - usually by killing or incapacitating the offender.
This, then, is the role of Keeper of Elysium. If a Prince does not believe that Elysia are all, then they do not have a Keeper of Elysium. It is a simple as that. The moment a Prince creates this post, he is clearly saying that he will uphold Elysium come what may and tolerate no violence by any, not even himself. It is this fact that leads to many visiting Kindred to ask, upon arrival at a given Domain, to meet with the Keeper of Elysium. If there is none then it means that the Elysium is not safe; many will then leave as quickly as they arrived at this point.
The Keeper also holds other duties. While some just maintain the Elysia, some are more hosts than enforcers, working very closely with the Harpies and making Elysium a more splendid place for Kindred to meet. This has led to certain Keepers being called "Harpies with swords."
The scale and scope of Elysium depends on the Prince and the Keeper. Certain Elysia ban any and all weapons -- the very idea of bringing a weapon to them denotes a willingness to break the Elysium, which brings the offender under the Keeper's power. Others allow weapons but ban their use. Some Princes view offensive discipline use as a break of the Elysium: A few Princes have made the use of Dominate to be an offensive act and punishable by the Keeper.
How any given Elysium is enforced depends upon the Elder, Keeper, or Prince in charge. Indeed, in any single city there may be several grades of Elysium. If this is so, it falls upon the Keeper to make sure Kindred know the rules. If a Kindred is killed because she went to the wrong Elysium gathering and acted in a way that is not acceptable there but is elsewhere... it is the Keeper who is held responsible, usually forfeiting his own life. This failure to keep Kindred up to date is one of the most negative things about this job... and indeed has led to many Keepers only taking the post provided the Prince edicts that all Elysia are to be held at a certain standard. If there are grades of Elysium, it means more for the Keeper to learn (especially true for a new Keeper), and thus leaves more chances for the Keeper to make a mistake. One grade of Elysium, one standard applied across the Domain, is something all Keepers fervently wish for.
There is also an older tradition that dates back to the earliest nights of the post of Keeper of Elysium: The Keeper reports to the Justicars. This is not a duty in any formal sense, but if they cannot enforce Elysium because a Kindred is too powerful, then in the name of Keeping the Elysium they sometimes send letters to the Archons reporting Kindred for their crimes.
It is expected that Kindred will aid a Keeper of Elysium if he is enforcing Elysium. The Sheriff is also expected to aid the Keeper in his duties if need be.
The Keeper of Elysium gains the additional Status Trait: Honorable on attaining the office. As long as the character remains the Keeper, he cannot lose this Trait permanently. The Keeper may immediately remove one permanent Status Trait from any Kindred he catches breaking the Masquerade. If he does not witness it himself, sufficient evidence must be brought forth. This removal costs the Keeper nothing. This is merely the usual punishment for minor characters and a minor breach; the more important the Kindred or the larger the breach, the larger the punishment.

Scourge
The most distasteful of all Court posts, the Scourge is one that was out of vogue for many years. Recently they have appeared more and more, and now it is estimated that as many as 50% of all Princes have appointed one. Not all cities have reinstated the office of Scourge, and even those that have do not consider it a noble aspiration but rather a necessary evil born of the Final Nights.
The duties of a Scourge are fairly simple... The Scourge can harass, detain or destroy without penalty any Kindred that have been created without permission from the Prince, or who have not been presented formally to the Prince. They are the population control of the Prince, and they have license to kill. This punishment also applies to the Sire of any Kindred so created.
If the Scourge discovers another character harboring or abetting vampires created without the Prince's permission or who have not been presented formally, he may remove a permanent Status Trait from that character immediately. This removal costs the Scourge nothing, but he must present sufficient evidence of the crime to the Prince. Should the Prince find the evidence insufficient or be unconvinced of the crime, he may return the stripped Status to the character.
The Scourge gains the additional Status Trait: Feared when he attains the position. While he remains Scourge, he cannot permanently lose this Trait.

Harpy
Harpies are the real power of the Camarilla. It is the Harpies who have helped create the protocols of the Camarilla, and indeed it is the Harpies who are the ultimate judges of the Sect. Make no mistake, even a Justicar listens and watches the actions of a well-organized group of Harpies. Their power is that great. Harpies, many of them quite weak and young, are the Kindred who are able to topple Princes, have people bloodhunted, and bring down entire domains. The Harpies are the true social power, equal in their own way to the Princes' political power and the Justicars' legal power. None can defeat them; none can counteract them. They are devastating and terrifying. And yet they are limited. Being a Harpy is a position of paradox. On the one hand, they judge all, but on another they are judged perhaps more harshly -- taking the position of Harpy means being reactive, not proactive; Heaven help the Harpy who is discovered to be plotting to overthrow a Prince or a Primogen. For fear of being tarred with the same brush, their fellow Harpies will fall upon them with a savagery few ever see.
The leader of the Harpies in a given Domain (often called Chief Harpy) is in the same position as Primogen -- he speaks for all Harpies. However, if a Chief Harpy says something controversial, and if the other Harpies back him, it matters not what is said. If the Harpies are united against a Kindred for the way she acts, then she is damned.
The leader of the Harpies receives the additional Status Trait: Influential upon attaining the position. As long as the character remains the leader, he cannot lose this Trait permanently.
The Chief Harpy automatically gets one temporary Status Trait from each member of the Primogen, who bestow these Status Traits to demonstrate their support of the Harpies. The Harpy, in turn, may use these Traits however she desires, even against the owner.
The Chief Harpy may remove one permanent Status Trait from a Kindred who has backed out of a Boon or is part of a major scandal. There is no cost for doing so, although there must be a grain of truth to the scandal. The Harpy must produce some sort of evidence at a gathering of Kindred, at which time the Status Trait is removed. This is the minimum punishment (usually for a small Boon). The more important the Boon or the Kindred involved, the greater the punishment. The highest Price for failing to recognize Boons is described below and is indeed VERY dangerous.
The Chief Harpy may restore Status he has removed at a cost of one temporary Trait per Trait removed.
The leader of the Harpies may sponsor lesser Harpies by giving another Kindred a Status Trait of his own. Lesser Harpies may remove temporary Status just as the head Harpy removes permanent Status, although their leader may choose to make such loss permanent. Lesser Harpies do not need the Status to hold position- all it takes is recognition of being Harpies and agreement to maintain the standards of the post, and they are Harpies.
A Harpy is often the easiest post for young Kindred to attain- indeed; it is the one way young Kindred can judge their elders and betters. The Harpies are by nature conservative- because any new change in Kindred society means two things- one, that there become more rules to learn and protocols to follow (and heaven help us there are enough already) and two, change leads to a potential undermining of their authority. Remember these rules of protocol give power to the Harpies- perhaps the only power any will receive. Anything that can undermine this power is dangerous to the Harpies. It was once said that in some Domains that everyone was a Harpy who was not Primogen. This is indeed a prudent move.
One of the main purposes of these protocols is to give Harpies a framework in which to utilize this power. For a Harpy player, these rules give a frame of reference by which you can judge everyone. Usually it is Harpy players who learn these rules by heart and who then can judge everyone they see.

Storytelling · Geregistreerd op: 26 Mei 2013 Berichten: 627

Prince
One up, and very close, is the level of Princely intrigue. This is where you get to play power games with the Prince; perhaps you are behind the scenes aid for the Prince, doing secret missions; or maybe you are secretly trying to bring them down. But when you play with a Prince, you must remember... they have the power to just kill you out of hand. And perhaps the Prince isn't the real danger. Who's to say that the little Toreador you've been insulting for months isn't the secret power behind the Prince? Getting to this level is dangerous to say the least.

Seneschal
An odd post- the next in line for Praxis: The Seneschal, Deputy Prince, second only to the ruler of a Domain within a Domain. Some Princes have this post, some do not. There are many reasons for both cases. For many Princes a Seneschal is often their Childer, or designated successor. They create the post in the event of them being killed. This way someone with the same attitude can hold the Throne after they have died. This being said, Seneschals have the great capacity to rebel against their Prince- many a Prince has learned to their cost the mistake of trusting one so closely.
An interesting use of Seneschals has been when the Domain in question is too large or the Prince does not want to be involved in the night to night running of said Domain (usually popular with Elder Princes). If this is the case, the Seneschal becomes much like a first minister- indeed, legitimate other titles for Seneschal include "First Minister", "Chamberlain," "Chancellor," and "Crown Prince." (This last one fell out of fashion some centuries ago.)
The Seneschal gains the following two additional Status Traits: Cherished and Esteemed. The character can never lose these Traits permanently while remaining Seneschal.
The Seneschal can act in the Prince's stead when the Prince is out of the city. He is therefore entitled to all of the powers of the Prince, although the Prince may reverse or revoke them at any time.
There is an unwritten agreement among all Kindred that if any Seneschal attempts to seize Praxis, it a natural succession. They will not aid their Prince in such an event. Certainly no Prince has ever punished a Kindred for not aiding him against his Seneschal. It goes with the territory -- if one has a Seneschal one must accept the risk.

Prince
The Prince is he who holds power, he who has Praxis. Under the Second Tradition he rules without question... "None may question thee in thy own Domain". And this is his Domain. He may rule as he sees fit.
But... Princes have to make sure they NEVER break any law or protocol. Why? They are the big fish, and as such they get treated a lot more brutally than the little fish. If two Kindred commit the same crime: one, a neonate is staked and tortured and then released... the other is slowly and savagely killed. Why? Because the second Kindred is a Prince and should know better! Princes are judged by two groups: the Justicars, and their peers.
The Prince of a city automatically gains three additional Status Traits: Exalted, Well-Known, and Famous. He can never lose these Traits permanently while remaining Prince.
The Prince can remove one permanent Status Trait from someone at a cost of one temporary Status Trait per Trait removed. The Prince is the only Kindred who can remove the Trait Acknowledged, which is a virtual sentence of death.
The Prince can grant permanent Status Traits to any Kindred at a cost of one temporary Trait for each Trait awarded. The Prince (and only the Prince) may thus break the rule of only gaining one Status Trait per story, allowing a character to gain more than one Trait. If a Prince wishes to confer more than three permanent Status Traits on another Kindred in a single session, the fourth and subsequent Traits will cost the Prince permanent Status instead of temporary Traits. It does not cost the Prince temporary Status to award a Kindred the first Status Trait when she is first Presented. The Trait: Acknowledged is conferred automatically as long as the Prince chooses to recognize the neonate. This leads to an important clarification- Kindred upon entering a new city are usually Acknowledged by the Prince there- this kind is a formal acceptance that you have entered a Princes Domain and are accepted. The other Acknowledged is the one a Kindred receives which marks them as a respected member of Kindred society.
Princes have the right to call Bloodhunts upon any, but these are dangerous things.

Storytelling · Geregistreerd op: 26 Mei 2013 Berichten: 627

Boons
“The Boon system has created a race of beings who owe loyalty to leaders they do not respect and would often gladly tear down. Unlike human political factions, which are often designed to promote inspirational leadership based upon trust, Cainite political systems promote treacherous leadership based on fear. Betrayals are common in the Camarilla, as are reprisals for betrayal.”
-Storyteller’s Handbook, First Edition. Page 66.
Boons are the currency of the Kindred. If no one owes you a Boon, then you are broke. Remember that. Boons are how the society works. If we look OOC at the campaign around us, we notice a situation where younger and weaker Kindred outnumber older more powerful ones three to one if not more. So how do the older Kindred keep everyone under control? Boons.
Boons are all. They are the single most important way the Camarilla is run. They are the only way a younger Kindred can rise in power. There is no such thing as a favor among the Kindred, there is only Boons.
Boons allow you do things. You can ask an Elder something; but they can refuse; if they owe you a Boon, you can force them to do it. There are other options... you could always do it yourself. No doubt this means you have a hugely powerful PC who has a sheet that is twice the size of the Justicar’s and could take on Caine in a straight fight. Good for you... now please leave! The Camarilla is designed so that everyone needs to do deals. Boons are the currency of the Cainites.
Unless you tell someone about your Boon it doesn’t exist. Boons have to be registered, and the natural people to keep track of Boons are the Harpies. Harpies need to keep records of everyone’s Boons. Several Harpies do so formally -- it is said the Chief Harpy of Dublin carries a large book into which is added each Boon between every resident of that city. Sometimes there is no suitable Harpy to do such a thing- at times like these the Followers of Set are more than happy to offer their services (for a trivial Boon, of course!).
In certain cases, clever Kindred do not register their Boons with their own Harpy, but rather with Harpies outside their Domain. This way, no one knows who has a record of who owes whom. Another way to register Boons is to have it publicly announced; if it is publicly announced to and by the Harpy, the Boon is registered. Only in the case of secret deals does writing it down become important. A few enterprising Kindred merely write down the Boon and get the Boon giver to sign it along with a witness. The importance of making sure a record of the Boon exists cannot be underestimated. If there is no record of the Boon there is nothing to make other Kindred uphold it.
This leads into the nastiest part of all this... not keeping a promise. Failing to respond to a Boon is a really bad thing. If someone is discovered to have defaulted then they get it in the neck. They are undermining the currency of the Camarilla - all it takes is for many to do this and Boons become worthless.
Those who do face a harsh IC penalty- immediately they are considered to have lost all their Status; they should be ostracized, exile from their home Domain is to be considered a good thing. Their assets and goods are free to be seized by any Kindred: their Ghouls, their Influences, their money -- all of it is open to be taken. Some old-fashioned Princes may even use this as an excuse to have them Bloodhunted. It’s that’s nasty and that simple. If you owe, you had better pay... or else you lose EVERYTHING.
Primogen who refuse their debts are automatically assumed to be representing their entire Clans locally. Princes will suffer an automatic motion of Bad Standing that does not require a Symposium to ratify. If a Prince defaults and is publicly announced to have defaulted, the Bad Standing is automatically assumed to have passed. On the other hand, if the Prince has been lied about and it is proven that they where lied about, then the one who brought the allegation- another Prince, suffers the same fate! Clan Heads are judged the same way, with the added effect of the entire Clan receiving the same punishment.
There is a weakness here: Someone could say someone else has defaulted when they haven’t. That is called false witness. Bring false witness against someone and you are killed… simple as that... no appeal, no bloodhunt. Everyone knows you brought false witness, and they know you have to die In order to prevent false witness from ever happening, it has led to both parties making damn sure that either the Boons are announced or that both are there when it is recorded.
Let’s get things into some kind of scale. 95% of Boons should be between levels one to three (trivial, minor and major Boons). Rank Four (blood) Boons should be RARE! As for Life Boons... Life Boons should be like diamonds. When you have a Life Boon, you own someone. It’s not nice! With a life Boon you can have a Kindred do anything you want; they must do it unless they somehow save your life... which won’t happen, as you are now making them take all the risks..
If the Clan Head of the Ventrue ends up owing a Life Boon to someone, it puts the Ventrue into a very difficult position. That person can make the Clan Head do anything he wants -- even betray his Clan -- and the Ventrue HAVE to live with it. If the Clan Head ignores the Boon... that would be worse. The prudent response would be to get a new Clan Head. The old one has fallen out of favor.
The best thing about holding a Court position is that it automatically allows you collect Boons. If a Primogen has a Clan Member who wishes to petition a Prince, he may charge them a Boon. All those stuff and nonsense about Clan Loyalty can only go so far -- consider the argument that members of a Clan should not charge each other Boons a bit like saying no American should pay another American any wages because they are working in the same country. Boons are currency, and a Kindred must make a living!
Princes have the best position of all. Acknowledging a Kindred is the only duty they do for free; after that everything comes with a price. Someone wants to Sire? That’s a Boon. Someone wants to establish a new haven in another part of town? Boon. Someone wants to be Sheriff but not be thralled? Boon. A non-Camarilla Kindred wants to live in your Domain? Yes, you guessed it, a Boon. This way Princes collect many Boons -- they either use them to prevent Praxis seizures or they allow someone else take over and quietly run things from the shadows. If the Prince doesn’t charge Boons -- guess what? He’s WEAK. A Prince without Boons, is a rich man without money. They look the part but have no power to back it up.
An important clarification: When a Prince asks you to do something, he can get out of it being a Boon by saying it is to do with the security of the Domain. A Domain is a Prince’s concern, so it can be said that asking for a Boon can be seen as undermining the Princes right to rule... which is not a good thing. One can only charge a Boon to the Prince if you are doing a personal favor.
Also, the Justicar and the Archons never do Boons. They are above Boons. They don’t do favors. They do their duty. They don’t accept favors. If you help them it is because if you don’t they get to hurt you. Lots. And then some. Justicars and Archons don’t need Boons. They have might and the entire Camarilla backing them up. Archons tend to have more leeway to bargain and deal on a personal level, but they also can always take the same approach that a Prince has, they can get out of it by saying that it has to do with the security of the Sect of the sanctity of a Tradition.

What Am I Letting Myself In For?
The hardest thing about Boons for many players is getting a sense of perspective on them, what each Boon means to the person giving the Boon. Below are suggested guidelines to understand what it means when you give a Boon.
By taking this Boon I understand that...
Trivial Boon
I shall do a one-time favor for the person to whom I owe this Boon. I shall aid him by protecting him when I have no reason to do that, even if it places me into conflict with people. I shall agree use a discipline for him if he requires it. I shall support his political maneuver this night even if it means I have to fly in the face of my Clan or my Prince. It is a single favor that I owe- once he has called it in, it is cancelled. I will not place myself in a position to break my word, however, nor will I betray my Clan or My Prince or any Oaths of loyalty I have taken.
Minor Boon
I shall endeavor to fulfil the dept I owe: I have inconvenienced the person who I owe this boon by asking him to do the favor for me in the first place. I understand that I may be inconvenienced by the favors he asks back in return. If need be, I will secure his safe passage into a hostile city. I shall reveal unto him secrets I know that could endanger members of my Clan or my Domain. I shall destroy his enemies, whomever they may be. I shall offer physical protection for many nights -- this I accept because I asked roughly the same of the one I owe.
Major Boon
I shall accept that I have earned a great dept to the one to whom I owe this Boon. He has given much time, effort and compromised perhaps many things he believes in to give me this favor; thus I do return it. I understand that if required I would even teach him the immortal powers that the Embrace conferred upon me. I shall aid him in whatever political goal he so desires, even if this means openly standing against my Prince or my Clan. I would, if he so wished, locate for him or give him property I own or which he would wish, even if gaining this property is taken at the expense of another.
Blood Boon
I do accept that the person to whom I owe this Boon to is one to whom I owe many thing, perhaps more than can ever be repaid. I am in the debt now- my current existence was dependant upon him. Thus, I owe him things that can never be repaid. I will place myself in danger for him; if my Blood is shed, then I care not. If this means I betray my Clan and Prince and bring him low, I care not. He has done the same for me, so I accept that I shall do it for him.
Life Boon
I owe someone a life boon; my life is his; my will is his; my body is his. the dept I owe can never be repaid, lest somehow I save his life. I am his to command; I am but a tool for his will; he rules me and he gives me purpose. I shall do whatever is asked of me, and if this means that I am to die then so be It- I live only because of him and thus my life is his to command.
As you can see, once you get above minor Boons you start being in a position where everything you hold dear can be destroyed.
Many would respond by reading the above and shaking their head and saying “I am not ever gonna owe ANYONE a Boon”. Many Princes and Primogen fear such characters, and not owing a Boon can be seen as a disadvantage: If you owe no one a Boon, you are a wildcard. A title such as Sheriff or Harpy or Primogen should never be given unto you, for you have nothing to moderate your bestial side.

Additional Boons
This is a silly situation but one that happens often. Kindred A wants a favor of Kindred B. Kindred B charges a minor Boon . Later, Kindred A wants another favor -- another minor one. Kindred B could charge another Boon, but what would be better is if they agree that Kindred A now owes Kindred B a major Boon. Additional favors may build it up to a Blood Boon. The final level is always either a Blood Boon or a Life Boon. Once Kindred A has sworn to that level it is unimportant what is agreed to, as Kindred A belongs to Kindred B.

Compensation
OK, now there is something not being said in the above passage. Something is being missed that is without doubt one of the most important factors of Camarilla society and one of the reason why violence becomes so rare in area where the protocols are strictly adhered to. That is compensation.
A Boon is an investment. You never know what you may need a Boon for- so you take a Boon out with as many people as possible. But Boons don’t really work if the person who owes you a Boon is killed; once they are gone the Boon you where owed is lost. Right?
Not so. Think about it like this: That Boon was an investment that you had simply not cashed in yet. Now someone has destroyed your investment, and they have to compensate you -- usually to the same degree of the Boon they just cost you. If you kill someone who owed someone else a Boon, they have the right to ask you to now compensate them by owning them a Boon (usually the same amount but at times more). If you fail to compensate them, you will be treated as someone who will not uphold Boons. Remember that the entire economy of the Kindred depends upon everyone placing Boons high above all else. Failure to give them due reverence leads always to the hardest penalties (the weakest case- that of a trivial Boon being ignored by a neonate say can be dealt with as described above in the Harpies section).
So the upshot is- be careful whom you strike against, for you may find you have slain your worst foe, only now to owe someone else a major Boon because you did so.
The real secret to all this is that clever, ingenious or sneaky Kindred may actually seek out powerful, hated or influential Kindred and offer to be in their debt in order to use their name as protection. That annoying Anarch in the corner may be ripe for a good kicking -- but if he suddenly announces that he owes a Minor Boon to Samuel Ward, a major Boon to Prince Romanov of Atlanta, or a life Boon to Xavier Luxembourg, you must realize that if you destroy him you will owe that person a Boon. Indeed, powerful Kindred may well find many seeking to offer their service by way of a Boon to them, in order to access this very protection. Thus some give Boons but rarely, some accept all petitions, and thus collect power and influence around them like a vortex of some kind. Because they are Elders people perceive that they have power; so they give them Boons, so their power grows, so that more give them Boons etc.
This system has many names -- the most common and most realistic is patronage. Which is what it is… pure, mediaeval patronage and feudalism. Thus is the power of the Camarilla maintained.
The only people who are immune to paying compensation are Princes, Archons, and Justicars. If someone breaks a Prince's laws, and the Prince kills them, then the investment is lost; the same applies to Archons and Justicars.
Also, don’t forget that if your Domain comes into Bad Standing among other Domains, your Boons are invalidated until it is lifted. Making sure that your Prince remains in good standing is vitally important. Of course you could always swear loyalty to another Prince and leave your old Domain -- and the other Prince will accept you... for a Boon...

Status
If you give Status to someone and they are found to be a criminal or get into trouble or something... it could come back and haunt you. You must be careful with giving out Status- call someone Loyal and they attack a Prince, you could be asked why you gave them Loyal. If you gave someone two words of Status it becomes more serious -- three words of Status and if that person commits a crime, you are placed on trail with them at the same time! (After all, you must support everything they say and do!). If someone loses Status in one Domain and you in another Domain give them Status, you may be asked to say why -- if the first Kindred is convicted of serious crimes, you may yourself be dragged in. The age old “strip Status and then watch someone give Status right back" now takes on a serious implication. If you do this, you are saying that the person stripping Status is wrong. If that person is a Prince, then you are undermining the Second Tradition. Heaven help you if you turn up in their Domain, and if it happens more than once, you may find your Prince receives a strongly worded letter along the lines of,“This Kindred is supportive of a disrespectful criminal. Either you punish him or I shall have to ask our fellow Princes to consider if you are worthy for Praxis.”Given the choice between punishing you are taking a motion of Bad Standing, which option will the Prince take?
Status also follows on to the above mention of the Law. Two Kindred are accused of a crime... both claim the other one did it... the person with the most Status wins. Any Prince who does not take into account the Status of a person in cases such as these gets an automatic motion of Bad Standing. This is not to say that Kindred of high Status can get away with murder, but a Prince has to be sure about it and get proof in secret so that they cannot wiggle out of it by publicly saying they didn’t. Be aware if you are a low Status Kindred and a high Status Kindred is accusing you of something, the best bet is to find an even higher Status Kindred, offer them a Boon, and let them offer you an alibi.