Sabbat Rituals

Sabbat Rituals

The lust for vampire blood is strong within the Sabbat. Diablerie is condoned, with the Methuselahs outside the sect as the main targets. Packs of Sabbat gather into groups known as War Parties to hunt specific elders. The challenge is to see which pack, if any, gets the elder first. A War Party may consist of any number of packs, but two or three is the most common number.

All vampires participating in a War Party spend time together in celebration before the actual hunt begins. Pack rituals such as the War Dance or Fire Dance are held, as well as Blood Feasts. The chief of the War Party offers the participating packs the challenge. The chief chooses the target and reveals the target only after the packs have committed to the hunt. A pack can back out if the target is exceptionally dangerous, but doing so humiliates its members.

The object is to steal some of the elder's blood but, almost always, the elder is also destroyed. Wagers on the outcome are made between the packs and individuals; the most common bets involve the performance of services for the winner. The participating packs take the War Path the following night. Most vampires even paint their faces with war paint while on the War Path.

Competition is fierce during the War Party. The packs stop at nothing to complete their hunt. This sometimes leads the Sabbat into direct conflict with anarchs and other Camarilla vampires. The packs usually cause a great amount of property damage. They also brawl among themselves, but seldom permanently harm one another. If a pack is caught acting in that manner, it is usually kicked out of the War Party.

The first pack to actually drink the elder's blood is the winner. Proof is usually required, but not in every case. The losing packs have to pay up, and another celebration is held.

Storytellers Guide to the Sabbat War Parties This is music to march to.

- Killing Joke, "Wardance" the reasons, packs have been known to string up and make Blood Feasts of fellow pack members who refuse to participate in the Vaulderie.

The Vaulderie is a powerful tool to keep sect members loyal and provide them with supernatural bravery. Without the Vaulderie, the Sabbat would probably collapse. The innate anarchism of Sabbat ideology is held in balance only through this means of ensured loyalty.

The following rating system describes the amount of influence the Vinculum has on the vampires of the Sabbat.

This is merely a guideline, and it is up to the players and the Storyteller to make the effects of the Vinculum threedimensional.

This rating system applies to the way Sabbat vampires feel about the sect itself in addition to the way they feel about individual vampires.

Vinculum Rating.......Effects Virtually no bond exists, though you may be fond of the individual.

You have a feeling of kinship for the individual, but not strong enough for you to go out of your way to help him.

You are basically loyal to the individual as long as that loyalty does not interfere with your own plans.

You will aid the individual if you are asked to do so and there is no personal risk involve d.

You respect the individual and help her whenever you can, even if it involves minor risks.

You have strong feelings for the individual and help him even at costs to yourself. You will gladly fight for the individual.

You are willing to put yourself in moderate danger for the individual and will kill for her.

You will gladly donate any resources or influence you might have to aid the individual.

You will do virtually anything for the individual, even putting yourself in great danger. 10. You will readily give your unlife for the individual.

Sometimes a character will be at odds with herself because of conflicting Vinculum ratings. In cases of conflict, the problem may be resolved in the following manner: The vampire must decide with which party she would side were she unbiased by the Vinculum. That side receives a difficulty of five. The other side receives a difficulty of seven. The player rolls a number of dice equal to her Vinculum score for each party.

The party receiving the greatest number of successes is the side the vampire favors, right or wrong. For more than two parties, it is handled in the same way, but only the most favored party receives a difficulty of 5. Others have difficulties of 7. If the party consists of more than one individual for whom the vampire has a Vinculum score, use the Vinculum score of the party leader, or the highest Vinculum score if the party has no leader.

Keep in mind that this is only one possible system. If the Storyteller prefers to emphasize more roleplaying, he may handle such situations of conflict as he sees fit. However, keep in mind that the vampire will sometimes act in a manner she would rather not due to the damned power of the Vinculum.

Some Sabbat believe it is possible to break the bonds of the Vinculum. Doing so removes all the bonds the vampire has to all other vampires, not just select ones. While it is unknown how the Vinculum is broken, supposedly it has been done by a number of Sabbat, particularly Tremere and Nosferatu antitribu.

Sabbat Rituals Every tradition grows ever more venerable - the more remote is its origin, the more confused that origin is. The reverence due to it increases from generation to generation. The tradition finally becomes holy and inspires awe.

- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human The Sabbat has established many rituals to strengthen its bonds of loyalty and fraternity. Some rituals, called the Auctoritas Ritae are practiced by the entire sect. Other rituals, called the Ignoblis Ritae, vary in manner and observance among the packs.

Auctoritas Ritae The entire sect practices Auctoritas Ritae because of longstanding tradition, as well as their significance in Sabbat Storytellers Guide to the Sabbat beliefs. The rituals are usually led by the clergy (the priests, bishops, etc.) of the Sabbat. There are 13 Auctoritas Ritae currently practiced by the sect. * The Blood Bath: The Blood Bath is held whenever sect leaders recognize a Sabbat vampire as having rightful claim to a title. All the Sabbat who will be under the leadership of the vampire are invited to attend the ceremony. Each subservient vampire is brought before her superior. The superior recognizes the vampire and proceeds to give praise and advice. The titled vampire then shares in the Vaulderie with all present. After this, the vampire is actually led to a pool of fresh blood and bathes in it. * The Blood Feast: The Blood Feast is held at almost all important gatherings. Humans, and possibly enemy Kindred, are chained and hung from the ceiling upside down. The Sabbat at the gathering are allowed to bite open the victims and fill their glasses with blood. It is customary to lick the wound closed when finished, so as not to waste any vitae. The Blood Feast is blood on tap. There is usually one victim for every vampire in attendance. * The Creation Rites: This ritual is used when recruiting new members for the sect. Each pack may vary the ritual slightly, but overall it is the same. In it, all those chosen to become Sabbat are drained of their blood and then given a small amount of vitae from their sires. The Sabbat then bludgeon the chosen unconscious and bury them. Those who claw their way to the surface are knocked out again.

They are taken to the secret haven of the pack, where they are awakened and their new status is explained. For more information, see Vampire Creation and Survival. * Festivo dello Estinto: This is the Festival of the Dead.

Held for the entire second week of March, all the Sabbat in a city take part, and even nomadic packs join the celebration. During the festival, the Sabbat celebrate being vampires. Blood Feasts are held along with many other rituals. The Sabbat spend most of the week socializing and drinking blood. Once per night, the entire group shares its blood in the Vaulderie. Hunting becomes more brutal, and the vampires make little effort to hide from the eyes of mortals. It is a week to let loose and revel in the gift of immortality. * The Fire Dance: Sabbat pride themselves on their recklessness, and the Fire Dance expresses their fearlessness. Normal vampires have the good sense to avoid fire; indeed, most fear it tremendously. The vampires of the Sabbat, on the other hand, go face-to-face with their fears and overcome them. During the Fire Dance, Sabbat enter a trance-like state. They then proceed to leap and dance through blazing pyres. There are some in the Sabbat who know rituals to make themselves immune to fire for short periods of time, but most of the Sabbat participating are completely vulnerable. The Fire Dance is used to humiliate the weak. Those who do not participate are chastised by their fellow pack members. * Games of Instinct: Sabbat believe the strong alone survive. The Games of Instinct test vampires to see who among them are the strongest. The games are meant as competitions and many place bets on who will win. There are many types of games, and Sabbat are always inventing new ones. The games test such things as hunting ability, resistance to pain, fighting ability, bravery and wit. The Games of Instinct are like sports for the undead. * Monomacy: Monomacy is the method for handling grievances among Sabbat vampires. It allows vampires to challenge each other in duels to settle their differences.

The duel is usually fought to Final Death. Monomacy is thus a means of maintaining strong leadership in the sect. * Palla Grande: The Grand Ball, as it is also named, is a masquerade ball held on All Hallow's Eve. All the Sabbat in a city attend this social event. The archbishops go all out to make the party the most spectacular possible. The Toreador antitribu and some Sabbat following the Path of Caine are usually given the responsibility of planning the event. The Palla Grande is always held in a very public place, where mortals can see. There is always a Blood Feast, though it is hidden in a private room. The Palla Grande has as its main event a play concerning vampire legends and history. Humans are sometimes invited to the ball, though they are kept in the dark about what is really going on and what most of the guests really are. * Sermons of Caine: All vampires in the Sabbat know the story of their origins from the Book of Nod. The Sabbat often gather to hear sermons on their history to remind them of who and what they are. The sermons are used to strengthen Sabbat loyalty and ideology. Sermons of Caine are usually carried out by Sabbat priests following the Path of Caine, and by higher-level leaders during other rituals.

Sermons of Caine are always followed by the Vaulderie. * The Vaulderie: The Vaulderie is the ceremony of Blood Bonding with all other Sabbat present. The Vaulderie breaks all other Blood Bonds and establishes a Vinculum between all Sabbat taking part in the ritual. The Vaulderie is the most important ritual practiced by the Sabbat, for it is the source of their freedom and solidarity. Sabbat vampires Blood Bond with all other Sabbat they meet through this ritual. It is common practice for a pack who enters the territory of another group of Sabbat, or happens to run upon another pack by chance, to share in the Vaulderie. * War Parties: Diablerie is a strong tradition within the Sabbat. Unlike what many outside the Sabbat believe, the Sabbat does not ritually destroy its elders through diablerie (except for the Assamite antitribu). Diablerie is often used against fellow vampires under the rules of Monomacy, and the rumor probably originated from that practice.

However, War Parties gather packs in an effort to hunt down elders outside the sect for the purpose of drinking their blood. War Parties involve two or more packs in competition with one another to see which group will drink the target Methuselah's vitae first. During their time on the War Path, many of the Sabbat decorate their faces with war paint. * The Wild Hunt: Sabbat vampires seldom turn traitor, but those who do rarely survive. The Sabbat is a sect which protects its secrets. If a member reveals something to the enemy that could harm the sect, she is punished severely.

Should the enemy ever manage to gain something of vital importance from a Sabbat vampire, the Wild Hunt is called. The Wild Hunt is much like a Blood Hunt, except the Wild Hunt targets all those who may possess the secret knowledge. Sabbat are called from all over the territory to participate. The hunt is truly wild. The Sabbat stop at nothing to destroy all who possess their secrets, especially the Sabbat traitor who revealed the secrets in the first place.

Special Sect Practices In addition to the Auctoritas Ritae, the Sabbat has a number of other secrets. These are mainly the trappings of a secret society. They are useful, however, in allowing a sect member to determine whether another individual is actually of the sect. Most of the young Sabbat consider Storytellers Guide to the Sabbat these practices ludicrous leftovers from an age of secret mortal societies. They claim the Sabbat is more than a fraternity for the Damned. Yet, when they meet strange vampires, they do seem to find these practices helpful. * Sabbat Handshake: The Sabbat has a secret handshake given when a vampire is sure the individual with whom she shakes hands is really a Sabbat. The handshake is used to seal bargains and in various rituals. * Sabbat Oath of Loyalty: The Sabbat has a special creed used by all members when swearing allegiance to the sect. The oath is used at sect meetings and sometimes before rituals. * Secret Password: A new password is handed down from the archbishop of a city to all covens every so often.

The pack members learn it at their usual esbats. The password is given to all Sabbat who enter the city. This allows the Sabbat of the city to know if a new vampire encountered is Sabbat or not and, if he is Sabbat, whether or not he has been properly welcomed. * Secret Sign: The Sabbat has a series of secret signs used to test whether or not a vampire is truly a member of the sect. The majority of the signs are so common that they would not be noticed unless someone looked for them. * Symbol of the Sabbat: The Sabbat has a special symbol any member may wear to identify himself as such.

The symbol is often worn during times of Jyhad to allow other Sabbat to recognize fellow sect members, especially since new members are created constantly. * Test of Verification: This series of questions presented from one vampire to another allows each to make sure the other is a Sabbat. This is only done where and when it will not be noticed. The questions allow both Sabbat to know it is safe to discuss Sabbat matters. This test is always given to recently met vampires who claim to be Sabbat. Secret matters of the sect cannot be discussed until after the Test of Verification.

Ignoblis Ritae The Ignoblis Ritae are rituals created and observed by various packs. Most packs observe one or more rituals of this type. These rituals may or may not require the use of Sabbat clergy. Most of the Ignoblis Ritae are held during the packs' weekly meetings - the esbats. Many of these rituals are more along the lines of protocol and tradition rather than ritualism. Keep in mind that all packs are not the same, so the type of rituals and the number of rituals they employ will vary. Most packs use somewhere between three and 10 rituals as their own Ignoblis Ritae in addition to the Ignoblis Ritae common to almost all packs.

Here are some of the various types of Ignoblis Ritae, divided up into categories: Common Rituals These rituals are used by almost all Sabbat, though each pack handles them in its own way. There is nothing concrete about these rituals, so they tend to change as the pack members and the times change. These rituals are often used in combination with the Vaulderie. * Acceptance Rites: Almost all packs have a specific ritual they use to recognize a new leader, accept a probationary member as a full member, and accept a Sabbat recruit as a True Sabbat. The nature of the acceptance rites varies from pack to pack, but usually involves all members of the pack recognizing the new position of their fellow Sabbat, as well as that Sabbat taking some sort of oath of allegiance. * Farewell Rites: This ritual is used to bid a fellow Sabbat, or an entire Sabbat pack, farewell. This ritual is used when a visiting pack leaves, when a fellow pack member leaves for a long period of time, and occasionally to honor the recently destroyed. The farewell rites usually involve the leader of the pack praising those who leave. * Initiation Rites: The initiation rites are an important tradition for all Sabbat. This ceremony transfers rights to an individual, making her a Sabbat. This ritual differs from the acceptance rites in that the acceptance rites involve the entire pack. Initiation rites generally occur before the acceptance. For instance, defectors from the Camarilla go throu gh initiation rites, but it may be years before they get the acceptance rites. The initiation rites are used to confer the power of the sect, not the power of the pack. * Welcoming Rites: Packs use these rites to greet other Sabbat. The welcoming rites of both packs are combined for the celebration, with both bringing some new aspect to the festivities. The rites are more like a party, but at two points certain protocol is carried out. At the beginning of the welcoming rites, all pack members greet each other individually, presenting their names and their home. At the high point of the celebration, a gift is usually exchanged from pack to pack. The two leaders often use this ritual as an opportunity to discuss Sabbat plans.

Potential Rituals What follows is a simple list of possible rituals a pack may enact. These are just some of the possibilities; there are many more. Most packs only use a few. Even if two packs happen to hold the same types of rituals, they probably hold them in different ways. Experiment with your own ideas to come up with rituals for your own pack. The rituals listed below are not described in great detail, thus allowing each pack to hold its own distinct version of the ritual. * Blessings: The pack invokes a blessing upon itself or another for some important purpose. The ritual is used before dangerous missions and occasionally before Jyhad.

It serves primarily as a morale boost. * Call to Caine: These are various speeches that call upon the guidance of Caine for some great mission or event. The Sabbat priest is not the only one that leads this ritual; all the pack members get a turn. * Confession: This ritual is less a confession than it is a bragging contest. It is used at celebrations where each individual vampire relates his best, bravest and vilest accomplishments. * Consecration Rites: These rituals sanctify an area or building. Usually a sacrifice of some kind is used and the area is then marked with signs representing its sanctity. * Danse Macabre: The Dance of Death is held simply to celebrate being a vampire. The entire pack participates. Its members dance around, wrestle and drink each other's blood. Many packs dress in costumes and masks representing death. It is not uncommon for participants to frenzy. * Ghost Dance: This special dance is held to honor the dead. The dance is not only for fallen members of the pack, but also for its human victims. The dance is carried out in many different ways. * Harvest Rites: The harvest represents the mortal food supply. The rites are held to bless the hunt. The pack calls for aid in catching prey and covering the evidence. The rites usually involve a Blood Feast before or afterward.

Storytellers Guide to the Sabbat * Jyhad Rites: The pack asks for a blessing in upcoming Jyhad through this ritual. It often acts out a mock battle, though Sabbat have been known to get carried away and seriously hurt each other. * Oaths of Fealty: This is less a ritual than a swearing of mutual allegiance to one another. All the Sabbat of the pack profess their loyalty and responsibility to one another. * Pack Creed: The pack creed is a short, emotional speech about the duties of pack members and the honor of the pack. * Running the Gauntlet: The pack actually forms two parallel lines with a few feet between them. Then all pack members in turn, or one chosen pack member, runs between the two lines while the other vampires beat him. * Sacrificial Rites: This is a ritual involving the sacrifice of a human, Lupine or vampire. The pack may hold this sacrifice as part of another ritual or separately for some special reason. * Sun Dance: The Sun Dance is a ritual dance held from sunset to sunrise without pause. The ritual is always held on a full moon. Pack members usually dress in masks or paint. The Sun Dance often involves a pack member acting as a sacrifice by taking the test of pain known as the Indian stick trial (see Tests of Pain, below) for the length of the Sun Dance. * Sunrise Service: This is a ritual of bravery. The Sabbat perform some special ceremony, then wait outside. The Sabbat prove their courage by seeing who among them can longest remain in the open as the sun rises. Many Sabbat have died during this ritual. * Tests of Pain: During this ritual a Sabbat willingly puts herself to a test to see how strong of spirit she is. The ritual is used by some on all who would claim leadership, and by some as a form of punishment. There may be any number of reasons the test is used. A few examples of the kinds of tests are the Indian stick trial (where the pack hangs the subject up by a stick poked through the chest), the trial by fire (where various body parts of the subject are singed) and fasting. Various forms of torture are also commonly used. * Thanksgiving Ritual: The vampires give thanks for some accomplishment in this ritual. They recognize someone or something as the reason for their success. * Visionquest: In some packs, if an individual wishes to become leader or simply seeks advice, she must go on a visionquest. The Sabbat's visionquest is similar to that of the Plains Indians. The Sabbat must go alone to a desolate spot.

There she must fast, drinking only enough vitae to avoid torpor. She must pray constantly, meditate, and mutilate herself to induce a vision. * War Dance: The War Dance is a ritual dance similar to the Jyhad rites, but the War Dance is held before the commencement of a War Party. The War Dance may also be held during Crusades.

Special Customs In addition to the Ignoblis Ritae, the Sabbat has a number of pack customs which are not exactly rituals, but show special distinctions between various packs. Among them are the following: * Manner of Dress: Packs dress in a variety of styles.

They may dress a certain way during a particular ritual, or for all rituals. Then again, some packs do not dress in any special way. Some ideas for particular features include: face masks, face and/or body paint, ceremonial robes and clothing of a certain color. * Songs: Packs often have unique songs which they sing on a regular basis. The songs can have any purpose: to show pride, to show disdain for the enemy, for historical reasons or just for humor. * Symbols: Packs often have their own symbols which they wear on their clothing and use to mark their territory. * Tales: Packs often tell tales at their esbats. Most packs develop their own collection of tales based upon pack lore, pack heroes, the Camarilla and Sabbat history as they see it. * Trials: While the entire sect has procedures for trying a person accused of a crime, many packs prefer their own brand of justice. They often conduct trials their own way, with their own judge and jurors. They even mete out their own forms of punishment. Among the punishments are burning, drawing and quartering, making the guilty a Blood Feast victim, making him "walk the plank" (off a high-rise building) and permanent imprisonment.

Burn, Burn, Burn O! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention!

- Shakespeare, King Henry V Fire terrifies most vampires, but not the Sabbat. Sabbat see fire as a symbol of cowardice, a symbol they must overcome before they can honestly be free. That is why fire has been adopted into many rituals of the sect. They play with it, taunting Final Death. To be free; one has to be able to face one's own death and overcome the horror of it. The Sabbat offers many opportunities to face death and the sect's rituals serve to prepare them.

Fire is also the ultimate weapon a vampire can use. It gives the members of the Sabbat a great advantage over their own kind, especially since non-Sabbat do not expect its use by other Kindred. More than a few foes have retreated rather than face the fearless lunatics of the Sabbat.

All Sabbat participate in the Fire Dance, an Auctoritas Ritus. The ritual is held several times a year, usually at gatherings involving more than one pack. The ritual is held for one reason and one reason only - to prove courage. The Fire Dance is often held before the beginning of a War Party. Individuals failing to participate are ridiculed as cowards and are treated as lesser Sabbat until they prove themselves in the test of the flames.

Before the Fire Dance, participants light a large bonfire far away from mortal eyes. Many Sabbat gather and often listen to a Sermon of Caine or engage in some other ritual.

Then, loud music is played. Usually this is a drum, but some use contemporary music. The Sabbat enter a semiconscious trance and begin dancing around the blazing pyre. As the ceremony reaches a peak, the vampires begin to rave and chant and encourage each other to leap through the flames.

The Sabbat work themselves into a state of frenzy. They then begin to leap through the flames. The more outstanding a vampire's leap, the louder the others cheer.

No one really wins in the dance, for the goal is to heighten their bond with the Beast within and use its power for their own purposes. The Fire Dance ends as the last Sabbat makes a final leap.

The ritual is very dangerous, and many Sabbat have died during it. Some Sabbat skilled in Thaumaturgy know