The Sabbat in Chicago

by Palika Goldstein (16 Mar 95)

The Sabbat in Chicago After the fall of Lodin and Before the Return of the Queen of the Dammed by Palika Goldstein (Darkslayer) (Goldpul@minna.acc.iit.edu)


[Writer's note:

This part of the Chronicle fits in-between the Chicago By Night First edition and the CBN second edition; meaning that it was written in 1994 when the CBN2 was not available. This has nothing to do with the CBN City Guides, but makes a great addition to them if you want to see the PCs sweat depleated Uranium bullets in fear.

The general atmosphere assumes that the PC troupe has either killed off Prince Lodin in Ashes to Ashes (see White Wolf gamming magazine), or Lodin has found his own demise at the hands of someone else. In any event, the Sabbat use this time of weakness to strike the Camarilla powerbase in Chicago; moving alot of existing packs into the vicinity of Chicago, and prepairing to triple their current membership by creating a massive amount of shock troops to flood the Chicago 312 area code. At least, that's what their plan is...]


Generally speaking, after the disappearance of Prince Lodin of Chicago, the Sabbat promotes an Archbishop, three Bishops, and creates / moves several packs into the Chicago vicinity. With the fall of the Camarilla Prince, Chicago once again becomes a place for the inventive to thrive...

There are currently 24 accounted members of the Sabbat in or near the Chicago area. This massing is in the form of 3 packs, half Nomadic and the rest Founded. The Nomadic Packs are from the areas around Chicago and Illinois, and make up the weakest of the Sabbat Packs. The founded ones are from all over the World.

The Packs don't nessicarily work totally with one another- there is alot of rivalry between the three packs, and it causes some confusion. It is chaotic to have three independent groups of Sabbat, each lead by a Bishop who is looking for new territory to conqure on one hand; worried about looking weak to the Pack on the other hand. The Vinculum solves all of this. Each pack is bound to the Bishop, each other, and to all the Sabbat Packs in Chicago (the Bond being strongest in that order). The Pack Rituals are preformed on the (Night) of the Pack's meeting, and the other Rituals are for special gatherings like a War Party / Blood Hunt, Blood Feast, Full Moon; whatever the Storyteller wants the Packs to do. The Arch-Bishop gets his orders from the Regents "Primogen", and then decides what course of action the Chicago Sect will follow. Then, he assigns certain responsibilities to each Bishop, according to their area(s) of expertiece. The Bishops then decide of the correct course of action the Pack will follow (which buildings to hit, which Camarilla banks to dissolve, etc.), and hands this information to the Pack Leader. The Pack Leader then decides who to send in, who to wait as back up, who takes the Rocket Launcher, etc. and plans the mission(s) to get the job done. The Priest of the Pack conducts the proper ceremonies, durring the proper times, to assure that the Pack wins total victory and stays bounded to each other.

Once in awhile; say every third or forth full moon; or durring special holidays (Player's Guide to the Sabbat has rituals and holidays in it), the Packs of the Chicago Sabbat gather to preform a huge Vinculum, to bond the entire Sabbat there to each other. This prevents, slightly, the infighting with in the Chicago Sabbat Sect between the Packs, but the Vinculum has brought general freedom and peace (of a sorts).

The Packs

Below is a listing of all the Packs in Chicago, up to the time of the Return of the Queen [the next part of the Chicago Chronicles].

The Raveners

6 current members, Nomadic Pack

Jurisdiction:
Solinda, Bishop *
Havens:
Talshe-ar Temple, Frank's bar and Grill, Larry's Gas and Go
Leader:
Pander-vicissitude hand obeah demention quietus thaumaturgy
Priest:
Brujah (Black Hand)-celerity potence presence hand
Pack Rituals:
Dance of Death (Mondays), Ghost Dance (all others)
Type:
Offensive Coven
Members:
Serpent of the Light-obfuscate presence serpentis thaumaturgy
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand
Tzimisce (Black Hand)-auspex vicissitude hand
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand

The Sebastians'

7 current members, Nomadic pack

Jurisdiction:
Morganna, Bishop *
Havens:
Illusion's Temple, I-94, China Town, Gothic Church (near 69th and LSD)
Leader:
Serpent of the Light (Black Hand)-obfuscate presence serpentis thaumaturgy
Priest:
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand
Pack Rituals:
Confession (Tuesdays), Consecration Rites (all others)
Type:
Offensive Coven
Members:
Toreador-auspex celerity presence
Ventrue-auspex dominate fortitude (Brasher)
Gangrel-celerity obfuscate protean (Gasher)
Malkavian (Black Hand)-auspex obfuscate demention (Ashar A-Shar)
Lasombra (Lasher St. Ashlar, 8th Gen, founded member, probationary Black Hand)-dominate potence obtenebration dark-trick daimoinon fortitude celerity hand others... [Stats Available]

The Black Banes

11 current members, Founded Pack

Jurisdiction:
Oscar, Bishop *
Havens:
Plague's Temple, Rush and Division Bars, Loyola University
Leader:
Gangrel (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate protean
Priest:
Toreador-auspex celerity presence hand
Pack Rituals:
Oaths of Fealty (Sunday), Consecration Rites (all others)
Type:
Defensive Coven (Concerned with protecting Sabbat Bishops)
Members:
Ventrue-auspex dominate fortitude
Nosferatu-animalism obfuscate potence
Nosferatu-animalism obfuscate potence
Nosferatu-animalism obfuscate potence
Toreador-auspex celerity presence
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand
Ravnos-animalism fortitude chimestry
Serpent of the Light-obfuscate presence serpentis thaumaturgy

Black Hand Members

The Black Hand in Chicago is primarily concerned with the elimination of the powerful rulers who are still around in the Camarilla fold, and to this end they have recruited a few new members, with one probationary member (Lasher, of the Sebastians'). The leader of the group is known as the Dominion, and holds ultimate power of the sect. The Black Hand in Chicago are all of the False Hand. Details on the False and True Hands are in the Dirty Secrets Black Hand Book. The Black Hand group here are not in a seperate pack, just listed here for clarity. The Dominion may call the Black Hand together in times of War, and the following members will arrive from the three packs in Chicago.

Jurisdiction:
The Seraphim, called the FOUR (New York)
Temple:
The Black Meeting Room- basement of the Succubus Lounge
Leader:
Solinda, Assamite, Dominion (Black Hand), also a Bishop of Chicago
Members:
Brujah (Black Hand)-celerity potence presence hand
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand
Tzimisce (Black Hand)-auspex vicissitude hand
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus
Serpent of the Light (Black Hand)-obfuscate presence serpentis thaumaturgy
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand
Malkavian (Black Hand)-auspex obfuscate demention
Gangrel (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate protean
Assamite (Black Hand)-celerity obfuscate quietus hand

The Bishops and any Elder (by Generation, not status) are made to participate in the Vinculum by order of the Arch Bishop Francis. The Sabbat Leadership use this bond to strengthen the emotional commitment each leader of a pack has with his or her superior- to ensure loyalty. Members of the Leader Pack are all Bound in this way to each other, often with quite high Vinculum ratings, which they secretly fight to establish control of both themselves and the Sabbat as a whole.

The Leader Pack

all current Elders (by Gen), Bishops and Francis

Jurisdiction:
Melinda, Regent (New York) 4th Gen Sabbat Leader
Main Temple:
Unfounded, keeps private havens (whereabouts unknown)
Leader:
Francis, Arch-Bishop 7th Gen *
Priest:
same
Members:
Solinda, Bishop (west side) Dominion (Black Hand) 8th Gen *
Morganna, Bishop (south side) 8th Gen *
Oscar, Bishop (north side) 8th Gen *
Assamite Templars, Bodyguards to the Bishops *

The Bishops

Solinda, Bishop of the West Diocese, Dominion of Chicago's Black Hand

The Assamite assassins speak of Solinda in awe and wonderment; she has risen far and quickly in the path to become closer to the true Caine. In her short time since being brought across to undeath, she has filled an impressive number of contracts, and has become the Dominion of the Chicago Sect's Black Hand. She is mathmatical in her planning of Assasination techniques, and conducts the Chicago Sabbats black Opps with true skill and commitment.

Solinda was brought accross in 1836, after being watched by the Assamite Antitribue for 10 years. She has advanced, and was chosen by the Black Hand for completing several covert ops against Camarilla holdings. She is the Dominion of the Chicago Black Hand Sect, and has hopes of advancing her status and power to the point of establishing a Black Hand column Chicago.

Strength-4      Charisma-3              Perception-4    Assamite Antitribu
Dexterity-5     Manipulation-3          Intelligence-4  Gen-8
Stamina-4       Appearance-4            Wits-5          Pool:15/3
 
brawl 4, melee 4, throw 2, martial arts 3, alertness 3, athletics 3,
dodge 4,  intimidation 3, leadership 4, streetwise 1, drive 2,
firearms 2, stealth 5, survival 4, investigation 3, linguistics 3,
medicine 3, Sabbat politics 4, occult 3
 
Celerity 5, Obfuscate 4, Quietus 5, Fortitude 5, The Hand 5, Potence 5
 
Black Hand Membership-4         Path of Power and the Inner Voice-6
Contacts-4                      Willpower-7
Resources-5                     Callousness-4
Mentor-4                        Instincts-5
Sabbat Status-5                 Morale-5
Clan Status-4
Black Hand Status-4
Sabbat Lore-4
Black Hand Lore-4

Morganna, Bishop of the South Diocese

Perhaps one of the most careful and conniving, ruthless Bishops in existence, Morganna has risen slowly and careful to the top of the Sabbat status chain, many times with those who betray her or stand in her path missing latter in the night. She is a surprising advisary, and secretly one of the dreaded Souleaters on this realm. She hides her apppearence with Vicessitude and never looks the same way twice. Her aims are to make more Souleaters and take over the world.

According to the Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand, Morganna is a Souleater, and thus has some stats and Disiplines higher then Generationally possible. Note that her aims and goals are that of a Sabbat Bishop, but since her "abduction" into a Souleater, she is now being controled by the Evil Ones. More information of the Souleaters can be found in the DSBH or latter in these supliments.

Strength-3      Charisma-4              Perception-3            Tzimisce
Dexterity-3     Manipulation-5          Intelligence-4          Gen-8
Stamina-4       Appearance-5            Wits-3                  Pool:15/3
 
alertness 3, dodge 3, empathy 5, intimidation 4, leadership 4, subterfuge 3,
drive 2, etiquette 4, firearms 3, repair 42 stealth 3, finance 4,
investigation 2, law 2, linguistics 3, medicine 1, occult 2,
Sabbat Politics 4, politics 3, science 3, body alteration 5
 
Auspex 5, Animalism 5, Vicissitude 9, Demention 5, Obtenebration 4,
Fortitude 5
 
Clan Status-4                   Path of Caine-5
Contacts-5                      Willpower-9
Resources-5                     Callousness-5
Mentor-4                        Instincts-4
Sabbat Status-4                 Morale-5
Sabbat Lore-4
Retainers-5

Oscar, Bishop of the North Diocese

Several decades ago, Oscar was brought across and groomed to be the next Bishop or Arch bishop of the Sabbat. With carefully laid plans and the help of the higher Sabbat leaders, he quickly rose to power with the support of the Council and the Clan. Latter that decade, he became the North Bishop of Chicago, and received his transfer to the Windy City. Since then, he has secretly coveted the position of Francis as the Arch-Bishop, thinking that only He, Oscar the magnificient, can lead the Sabbat to greatness. He plans to overthrow Francis at the first sign of weakness; if only he could find Francis at all...

Oscar was brought accross in the late 1900's and educated in the Finest of European schools. Private tutors and Sabbat influence completed his education to become a leader of the rich and wealthy. He is typified as a middle aged, decent looking gentleman, with a cut suit and coat putting him in the 1940's era of dress styles. Abroad, he dresses in a fine Armani suit, with a coat and silver cane. He laughs alot, and deep with in his eyes there is the true light of power and greed burning away whats left of his soul...

Strength-3      Charisma-5              Perception-3            Lasombra
Dexterity-3     Manipulation-4          Intelligence-4          Gen-8
Stamina-4       Appearance-4            Wits-3                  Pool:15/3
 
acting 4, empathy 4, melee 2, throw 1, martial arts 2, alertness 4,
dodge 3,  intimidation 3, leadership 4, streetwise 2, drive 1,
firearms 2, etiquette 4, stealth 3, investigation 3, linguistics 4,
medicine 3, Sabbat politics 4, occult 3, bureaucracy 5, computers 2
 
Potence 5 Dominate 5 Obtenebration 5 Thaumaturgy 5 Celerity 4 Fortitude 3
 
Sabbat Club Membership-4        Path of Power and the Inner Voice-7
Contacts-5                      Willpower-7
Resources-5                     Callousness-5
Mentor-5                        Instincts-3
Sabbat Status-3                 Morale-4
Clan Status-3
Sabbat Lore-3
Black Hand Lore-1
Retainers-4
Influence-5

Francis, Arch Bishop of Chicago, Conquistador to the Regent

Early in the Sabbat history a great general from the south of Spain appeared and swept the tide of battle for the Sabbat Clans. Little else is known about this master of war, but may say that the Regent, Melinda, owed Francis a favor and gave him the chance to take a major Camarilla city; Chicago. So he did, organizing the scouts and spies already in place in the Windy City, and moving in six packs to secure the area. Then, he promptly disapeared. No one has sceen him since the initial take over. Where he is, and what he is up to is still a mystery...

Francis was brough accross in the time of the End of the Rennessance Ages, a truely ancient Vampire. He has had many names, many identities. Now, he is in the Sabbat as the Arch Bishop of Chicago. He was embraced in the 1700's and has been a Sabbat ever since. As the Storyteller, you may decide to what extent you want Francis to play a part in your Chronicle. In mine, he is the rarely sceen, always present Dark Force that guides the Sabbat against the PC Troupe. He is the Masked One, He of Many Faces, the Shadow that Walks, etc. etc. His game stats are here as a reminder to both the Sabbat Packs and the PC Troupe that there are OLD vampires out in the world that do more then just order other people around and fill out paper work. Francis is the Wringer. Ever see the French film La Femma Nakita? Or Maybe the english version with Bridget Fonda (Breaking Point? Point of No return? Something like that...) Anyways, movies aside- Francis' role in the Political Sabbat Heierachery is that of the Cleaner, that balding guy that comes in at the end of the movie and starts to dump acid all over the people in the tub... Get the picture? Until things get too out of hand for the Sabbat, Francis plays the watchful eye, guiding the Bishops and the Packs in the Right directions.

Strength-5      Charisma-3              Perception-4            Lasombra
Dexterity-5     Manipulation-5          Intelligence-4          Gen-7
Stamina-6       Appearance-5            Wits-6                  Pool:20/5
 
acting 4, empathy 4, melee 4, throw 3, martial arts 4, alertness 4,
dodge 4,  intimidation 3, leadership 6, streetwise 4, drive 2,
firearms 4, etiquette 5, stealth 5, investigation 3, linguistics 3,
medicine 3, Sabbat politics 6, occult 4, bureaucracy 5, computers 3
 
Potence 4 Dominate 6 Obtenebration 6 Thaumaturgy 5 Celerity 6
Fortitude 6 Obfuscate 6
 
Sabbat Club Membership-6        Path of Power and the Inner Voice-7
Contacts-6                      Willpower-8
Resources-6                     Callousness-4
Mentor-6                        Instincts-3
Sabbat Status-1(6)              Morale-3
Clan Status-0(6)
Sabbat Lore-5
Black Hand Lore-3
Retainers-6
Influence-6

Francis has been around for truely a great while; some 250 years. He has romed the world and scene much of what the Sabbat has become since the Conventon of Thorns and the arrival of the Tal'Mahe'Ra (DSBH). Francis is secretly trying to uncover the plot behind the False Black Hand, and expose the True Black Hand. Unknowingly, he jepordizes the entire Chicago Sabbat structure in his hidden quest for the Truth. The True Hand will stop at nothing to make sure that Francis fails in finding the truth, and might take drastic measures to protect themselves from exposure (they killed a Justicar once for less...). If Francis gets closer to the truth, then the precautions he has taken by staging his "disapearence" might fall through, and the Sabbat will be looking to promote a new Arch Bishop.

Other Groups

Assamite Templars

This group is responsible for the safety and well being of the Bishops. They are more paranoid about security then the Bishops them selves (who also have to worry about finances), and are some of the best Assassins the Sabbat has to protect their leaders.

Templars are trained by existing Templars to their exacting standards. They are mean, protective, and secretive individuals who are imediately blood bonded to the people they serve. They serve for life. Their vinculum rating is between 8-10 for their masters.

Strength-4      Charisma-3      Perception-4            Assamite Antitribu
Dexterity-3     Manipulation-2  Intelligence-3          Gen-10
Stamina-3       Appearance-2    Wits-3                  Pool:13/2
 
brawl 4, melee 3, throw 3, martial arts 3, alertness 4, athletics 2,
dodge 2,  intimidation 2, streetwise 1, drive 3, firearms 3, stealth 1,
investigation 3, linguistics 2, medicine 3, subterfuge 2
 
Celerity 3, Obfuscate 3, Quietus 4, Fortitude 3, Potence 3
 
Military Theory-3               Path of Power and the Inner Voice-6
Clan Status-3 or 4              Willpower-7
Resources-2                     Callousness-4
Mentor-2,3,4,5 depending        Instincts-3
Sabbat Status-2                 Morale-5

Typical Black Hand Member

The members of the elite Black Hand are not new, however, and only five out of the 18 Hand are the Sabbat Handbook standard (use any clan, but give them one more dot in each Physical attribute, increase all Disiplines by one dot, and give them The Hand at either 4 or 5). All others follow the following guidelines:

Strength-4      Charisma-3      Perception-4            Assamite Antitribu
Dexterity-5     Manipulation-3  Intelligence-4          Gen-8
Stamina-5       Appearance-3    Wits-5                  Pool:15/3
 
brawl 4, melee 4, throw 4, martial arts 4, alertness 4, athletics 4,
dodge 4,  intimidation 2, streetwise 1, drive 2, firearms 3, stealth 4,
survival 4, investigation 3, linguistics 3, medicine 3, Black Hand
politics 4, occult 3, Lupine Lore 3, Spirit Lore 2, Wraith Lore 2, Mage
Lore 3, Supernatural Lore 2
 
Celerity 4, Obfuscate 3, Quietus 4, Fortitude 3, The Hand 4, Potence 5
 
Black Hand Membership-4         Path of Power and the Inner Voice-9
Contacts-4                      Willpower-10
Resources-5                     Callousness-4
Mentor-4                        Instincts-5
Sabbat Status-5                 Morale-5
Black Hand Status-2
Sabbat Lore-4
Black Hand Lore-5

See the Stats and the Disiplines? These are the Creme of the Crop- the best the Sabbat has to offer in Home Protection and Black Op personnel. The Hand detailed here are the False Hand (See Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand) and follow Solinda every word and meaning. They meet only to get orders, and to report back to the Bishop. They belong to different packs, but in times of need, they are banded together and form srike squads of 1 to 5 members. These squads then go out to accomplish their mission, and return. Should the Bishop ever ordain that the PC troup should be targeted by these insane members, then you know that the end is near... You are forewarned.

The Structure of the Black Hand

The Hand has always been a sect with in the sect of the Sabbat. All members are choosen to become part of the Hand either after a long process of research and watching a mortal subject, or by the Vampire proving him or herself in some special manner.

One way to enter into the Hand is by ritualistic combat; the challangeing of an existing member by a new hopeful. This is done by an old poem, the challanger reciting it to the Hand member, who must decide to accept the challange or decline it. Either is possible, but for public relations reasons the Hand member almost always accepts. A denial may be because the challanger is too weak, not the right material, or from a questionalble clan with little backing, and perhaps a questionalble loyalty. Loyalty to the Hand is first, before loyalty to the Sabbat. This might look like it would cause disruption, but the views of the Sabbat is that the Black Hand represents the goals of the Sabbat, for what is usually good for the Black Hand is good for the Sabbat.

The Hand teaches membes their own special Disipline, called The Hand; a very powerful and directed Disipline. Members of this group are considered the cream of the crop, and this Disipline is NEVER taught to any non-Hand member. Any member, Sabbat or otherwise, must have one hell of a good reason; or else they become the target of a War Party lasting their career. The Hand member that brings in a non-Hand member's head that bares the mark of the Black Hand (a derrangement when you kill a member of the Black Hand when you are not a Sabbat member, OR have the Disipline taught/diablarie to you) gains status with in his or her clan. Any person baring the mark of the Hand may be Blood Hunted by any Black Hand member. The Hand is relentless in thier pursuit of the three R's of the Sabbat; revenge, revenge and revenge...

The Hand pulls it's members from the ranks of the Sabbat, and generally stays within this boundry when recruiting members. The exception is to powerful leaders of other groups outside the Sabbat that are neutral, and wish to extend the war against the Sabbat's enmeys a little further. Once inducted into the Hand, one can never leave. Disobediance to the Black Hand is Final Death. Any disreguard for the welfare of the Black Hand will be met with punishment and perminent torture, as well as a loss of clan and Sabbat status (two dots). Leaders of the Sabbat are incorraged to cooperate with the will of the Black Hand, and any action otherwise invites an inquisition ending in imprisonment and Final Death.

Progress in the Hand is marked with the accomplishment of key missions dictitated by the Dominion of the city or diocese that the member belongs to. Sabbat Hand never attack other Sabbat Hand; the special bond of Vinculum prevents disloyalty while on a mission. Other clans expect the act of dialiabre and assisination to weed out the weak in the clan, but suprisingly this does not occur with in the Black Hand. Its members are the strongest around, and the new ones are usually killed in the first few missions anyways. Those that survive have a high level of respect for each other, and have been known to go out of their way to extract revenge upon a group for slaying a Hand member. By completeing missions the Hand member gains status and prestige; while becomeing a leader of more members of the Hand until he or she is choosen by the Serphim (the FOUR) to command a larger force as a Dominion.

In all aspects, this version of the Black Hand is the False Hand, under new revisions of the True Hand (see Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand book).