All information presented on this page is easily available In Character, and can be presumed known.
Any ambiguity here in is intentional. All laws are copied exactly as they were proposed and agreed upon.
The Absent Prince[]
At the present time, Kingsmouth has no Prince. Since August, 2009 that seat has remained empty, though all due deference is paid to 'the Absent Prince' or 'the Prince who will be'. This interregnum follows a period of upheaval known as 'The Praxis Wars', during which the Praxis changed seven times in three years. The Ruling Council of Kingsmouth have agreed that no claim for Praxis will be recognised without gaining two-thirds majority support of the city, as voted by their Council representatives.
The Ruling Council[]
Each Covenant with at least three active members is entitled to a seat on the Ruling Council. The representative should be the most highly respected individual of that group. The Ruling Council's duties are legislative in nature. They make laws and decide upon the path the city will travel through its undeath.
For an overview of the current Council members, see the Character overview page (City -> Ruling Council).
The Priscus Council[]
Each Clan with at least three active members is entitled to a seat on the Priscus Council. The representative should be the most highly respected individual of that group. The Priscus Council is the judicial arm of Kingsmouth and is responsible for handling disputes and hosting trials of kindred. They also mete out punishment to Kindred who have broken city law.
The Harpies[]
Kingsmouth has both a Praxis Harpy and a Priscus Harpy, despite its lack of a Prince. The Praxis Harpy is chosen by the Primogen Council, in much the same manner that the Priscus Harpy is chosen by the Prisci Council. The Ruling Council may also award status.
The current Praxis Harpy is Charlotte Delacroix and the current Prisci Harpy is Duality.
Acknowledgement[]
A Prince could usually Acknowledge a Kindred (award the first dot of City Status) for free. The Ruling Council will Acknowledge a given Kindred 'in the name of the Absent Prince' providing they have the recommendation of their Priscus or Primogen.
- The sponsor is responsible for the actions of the person they acknowledge for a month
- The sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the person they acknowledge understands the laws of the city
Laws of the City[]
Traditions[]
The Traditions shall be the law of the land.
- The First Tradition: the Masquerade. Do not reveal your nature to those not of the Blood. Doing so forfeits your claim to the Blood.
- The Second Tradition: Progeny. Sire another at the peril of both yourself and your progeny. If you create a childe, the weight is your own to bear.
- The Third Tradition: Amaranth. You are forbidden from devouring the heartsblood of another of your kind. If you violate this commandment, the Beast calls to your own Blood.
Elysium is sacred. Violation of Elysium is as heinous as the violation of any Tradition.
- The Fourth Tradition: Elysium. Elysium is strictly neutral ground. Anything that compromises Elysium as a safe space is a violation of Elysium.
Torpor[]
- If a person is torpored in the city of Kingsmouth they should be remanded unto the sheriff's office or a deputy who will deliver them to their next of kin, Priscus, or Primogen (in that order of priority). Barring any of those options, the sheriff's office will look after their torpid body. (December)
- Any assets which might need to be taken care of should you die or fall to torpor, as well as your preferences for whether or not you should be woken and by whom, should be told to your next of kin. Your next of kin should be registered with the Seneschal. If not otherwise specified, your Priscus is deemed to be your next of kin. (December)
Defined Crimes and Punishments[]
Crimes[]
- Criminal Mayhem
- The Ruling council defines 'Criminal Mayhem' to be multiple minor or major crimes that disrupt the safety and function of the city, both kindred and mortal, or that threaten but do not breach the traditions.
- Sentences for any crime sufficient to go through the Ruling Council will be delivered only after proper investigation, at the following Council Meeting. (April)
- Such criminals should be held in a cell of the city's maintenance on their own honor, and those who flee will be added to the City's Red List. (April)
Punishments[]
- Voluntary Vinculum
- Exile
- Forced Torpor
Domain[]
Every citizen is entitled to claim domain of their own, even if only a Haven. Attacking domain is illegal and enforced by the Sheriff's office.
- Your domain, your responsibility, your laws.
- Anything that goes wrong inside your claimed territory, whether of Kindred, kine or other source, is your responsibility to report, manage, and find a solution for. You may make a limited number of laws for your domain, which should be respected as sincerely as the rules of Elysium. Violations of those laws are likely to incur censure from the Harpies, and whatever penalty the Regent finds appropriate. (If a Haven, the number of laws is equal to the dots of Safe Place. If a Territory, the number of laws is equal to the Prestige of the area. For example, +2 Prestige or -2 Prestige allows the regent to enforce two laws, such as 'No-one is allowed in my domain without my express permission'; Feeding in my domain without my express permission is forbidden'; 'Ladies will not wear green within my domain under any circumstances'.)
- By default, permission from the regent is required to feed, reside or make use of a sites in a territory. The Regent may exact payment in return for any of these permissions. Anything that destabilizes the territory is considered an attack. Regents are encouraged to make known how they intend to respond to attacks. Peaceful travel through a territory is not an attack, and shall not be impeded. Territory matters remain the responsibility of the Regent, not the Sheriff.
- Right of free travel
- Additionally, the ruling council clarifies that free travel across the city of Kingsmouth to law abiding, peaceful citizens is granted by the ruling council and the Sheriff holds the authority to enforce that law. Therefore, anyone seeking to impede the right of a peaceful, non violent vampire or ghoul of the city to travel through any territory in the city will be found to be in violation of a city law and the Sheriff will have the jurisdiction and authority to capture and bring them before the Priscus council to face trial.
- Mark your domain. Respect others' marks.
- The laws of your domain will only be upheld if it has been made clear where your domain is and what its laws are. Cant markings are popular for this purpose.
- Ghouls are domain.
- You may make a limited number of rules governing what may be done to or with your ghoul, equal to your City Status. If no other rule is specified, the default is, 'My ghoul may not be interfered with without my permission.' This only applies if the ghoul is identifiable as belonging to someone, such as being tattooed with a cant mark, wearing an appropriate piece of jewelry, or verbally identifying their Domitor.
- Havens are domain.
- You are allowed a number of laws in your haven equal to its Safe Place value.
- Your laws must not contradict city law.
- The person responsible for a territory is the person with the most influence in the territory. That person can appoint whoever they wish to keep tabs on it, but nobody is required to recognize that appointed person as anything more than the hired help. The point of contact will remain to be the person who holds the most influence.
- In clarification, this means that the person with the most influence in the area is the person held responsible for it.
- The Council will give laurels to those who investigate uncontrolled territories for problems and make those problems publicly known on the 'jobs wanted' board in Elysium, and will reward those who find solutions. The number of laurels they have to give in any given month is equal to the highest Status of any Councilor.
- Please inform the Seneschel of any problems you unearth so that the Council may reward you.
Vinculum[]
The Vinculum is a powerful tool, and its use limited.
- Applying the Vinculum without informed consent is a crime, except where it is levied by the Ruling Council as punishment for another crime.
- Mutual Vinculums are not permitted.
- Any member of the Ruling Council put under a Vinculum must step down from their seat.
- All Councillors be verified as free from external control from two separate sources before each Council Meeting. (February)
The Council and Prince[]
Grievances are aired before the Prisci Council. No-one lies at Council.
- If veracity is challenged it may be determined by methods up to and including aura reading, telepathy, or the Liar's Plague.
Final Death is the privilege of the Absent Prince. None other shall end a citizen's Requiem.
- Kindred may fight among themselves, but only the Prince holds the right of execution.
In the name of the Absent Prince, and in trust for the Prince who will be.
- Each Councilor has a number of votes equal to the number of people they represent. A two-thirds majority is necessary for any Kindred to ascend to the Praxis of Kingsmouth. Without that support, no citizen of Kingsmouth will attempt to claim the throne, nor will any recognize another's claim. (February)
- All members of the Ruling Council must sign themselves to the promise that they will neither attempt to take Praxis nor acknowledge anyone else as having done so unless that individual has the requisite support. (February)
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Enforcement[]
Jack Mithras is the current Sheriff of Kingsmouth.
Responsibilities of the Sheriff
- Enforcement of all City laws, regardless of territory. Some laws may be specifically noted as not enforced by the Sheriff.
Powers of the Sheriff
- Enter any territory in the City;
- Capture any Kindred believed to have broken a law of the city;
- Bring that Kindred before the Prisci Council.
Responsibilities of the Seneschel
- Catalog the citizens of Kingsmouth
- Catalog belongings that need to be taken care of should a citizen fall to torpor or final death
- Catalog problems that exist in unclaimed territories and the names of those who discovered the problems as well as solved them