Appendix A: Vampire Views on Ghouls
Camarilla Views on Ghouls
Given the wide-ranging and differing views on ghouls and their intended uses among the individual Clans of the Camarilla, it might seem impossible for there to be any common opinions on the subject. Nonetheless, the Camarilla is a Sect that often speaks through a political façade, and the topic of ghouls has been addressed from time to time.
The Camarilla’s “official” stance on the creation of ghouls is that they should be avoided at all costs. Some Princes preach that significant advances in technology and medicine over the past hundred and fifty years necessitates this centuries-old position. Cameras are found everywhere, from street lights to cell phones, and could track a ghoul’s movements day and night. Vitae could be drawn from a ghoul’s veins and studied using state-of-the-art equipment, which might substantiate a believer’s claims that vampires exist, or be utilized in experiments normally reserved for thaumaturgists and sorcerers. Even more worrisome are the expert analysts and record keepers who spend their days proving falsified birth certificates and “accidental” deaths, thereby attracting undue attention to ghouls and their masters.
In the halls of Elysium, Clan dignitaries and high-ranking members of the Sect often spin tall tales like these in order to warn higher Generation vampires of the dangers of maintaining ghouls. These stories are used as a means of instruction, however, as opposed to a final say on the matter. For, while a single ghoul is unlikely to cause significant problems for a single vampire, a dozen could potentially shatter the Masquerade. Consequently, conservative Kindred might profess that ghouls are unnecessary in the modern age to toe the party line, and a truly loyal member of the Camarilla might seek out an alternative method of finding and using servants.
Because of the intrinsic danger to the Masquerade that ghouls are thought to represent, the Camarilla’s secondary position is that if a ghoul is created, he should be maintained only as long as necessary, and then all traces of him should be destroyed. If, however, a domitor seeks to Embrace her ghoul, she must petition the local Prince of her city just as she would for any other potential childe. The Prince’s role in the creation, maintenance, and Embrace of ghouls, however, is not always simple and straightforward. Some Princes might strictly enforce the Traditions by forbidding ghouls entirely, while others might introduce new laws.
Ironically, if the Camarilla Clans actually followed any of these decrees, the entire Sect would ground to a halt. All vampires are duplicitous, and ghouls are commonly found throughout every Clan. They are, for all intents and purposes, the Sect’s worst-kept secrets. Many Kindred prefer not to reveal the details of how they maintain their havens, businesses, or households, as a weakness might be uncovered. Other masters don’t necessarily say how or why they use their ghouls, nor do they discuss what they do when they’re done with them. To pragmatic vampires within the Sect, ghouls are a tool like any other, and they can be used for a variety of purposes beyond that of a mere servant.
While it’s impossible to know precisely how many Camarilla ghouls there are and what types of servants they might be, the majority are thought to be retainers whose sole existence is to serve their domitors in order to protect the Masquerade by masking the truth of their masters’ nature during the day. Though each ghoul is, in fact, a breach of the Masquerade, this slight shift in philosophy is how some Kindred have come to accept the role of the ghoul within the Sect. After all, ghouls can do what their domitors cannot: operate in the daytime.
Public opinion in the Camarilla is that a ghoul’s worth is as a servant and nothing more. Many vassals are believed to be guards, secretaries, technologists, lawyers, accountants, and other professionals who provide their domitor with the ability to thrive and hide despite the challenges of living in the modern age. In exchange, the Clans reward their ghouls — if at all — in the manner they see fit. Some masters reward their ghouls by providing them with the financial security to live a luxurious life, while others whisper of unimaginable rewards, such as the Embrace or the secrets of blood sorcery, provided they are totally compliant.
Despite the attitude that ghouls should be barely visible and never heard, Kindred domitors tend to avoid ruling their vassals with an iron grip. The Sabbat wrongly believe this is because Camarilla masters are weak and overly sympathetic. In truth, Kindred domitors have discovered long ago that the true secret to ensuring that a ghoul performs optimally is to remember that she is human. Although, even the most well meaning vampires tend to occasionally forget that humans need to eat regularly, and that their ghouls cannot function both during the day and at night.
Sabbat Views on Ghouls
Though no one is certain how many ghouls exist among members of the Sabbat, it is a commonly held belief that Cainites maintain a fraction of the ghouls that the Camarilla does. And, of the Clans within the Sect, the Lasombra, Tzimisce, Nosferatu antitribu, and Ventrue antitribu utilize ghouls more than the rest.
Sabbat members consider themselves to be, without a shadow of a doubt, on the top of the food chain, and believe that humans are a step up from animals. Thus, many Cainites think it is disgusting and irritating to rely on mortals for any task, no matter how mundane it might be. Others believe that relying on ghouls would be the Sword of Caine’s greatest weakness, because they signal to other vampires that the Sabbat is not as independent and powerful as Cainites often profess.
In general, Sabbat ghouls are not treated as valuable assets, nor do their domitors remember they have limitations. Instead, Sabbat ghouls are often regarded with contempt, viewed to be utterly replaceable, and are often abused and misused. Their mortality rate is high, and they are often forbidden from fraternizing, even among members of their own kind. This, however, typically depended on whether or not the master had a use for her ghoul. Cainites who needed ghouls for a specific purpose often treated them better than tormented playthings to ensure they performed optimally.
Though no one knows for sure, the fact so many Sabbat ghouls don’t last longer than a few years or so is likely the reason why so many escape the first chance they get. This, to a larger extent, is a growing problem for the Sect, as some of these ghouls are thought to flee straight into the arms of their enemies or going rogue, fueled by all the cruelty, desperation and savagery taught them by their erstwhile undead masters.
Anarch Views on Ghouls
Because Anarchs don’t follow the rules of the Camarilla or toe the line for the Sabbat, they tend to be more varied in their opinions when it comes to ghouls with the exception of one, common belief: those who vocally oppose the creation of ghouls and preach how the blood bond that shackles ghouls is akin to the same restraints that the elders placed upon their childer long ago. Oppression can exist in many forms, the Anarchs claim, and the sparks that caused the Anarch Revolt could exist among ghouls, too. Ultimately, however, the service that ghouls can provide the Movement is enough for most Anarchs to put their morals on hold regarding this subject.
Unlike the Camarilla, where the treatment and maintenance of ghouls is influenced by both Sect and Clan, the influence of the Clans among Anarchs is less pronounced. In fact, many gangs tend to develop friendships with ghouls, and pretend to regard them as friends and equals. Anarch gangs also tend to share ghouls, similar to a Sabbat pack, but make it a point to treat them better than any Cainite would.
Though the Movement may profess to hold itself to a different standard than the Sects, they still tend to recruit ghouls as survival mechanisms, especially in cities such as Los Angeles and Krakow. After arriving to a new or contested area, Anarch ghouls are often charged with plotting numerous escape routes as one of their first duties. Sometimes, they are even encouraged to formulate such plans after scouting out an area ahead of the Anarchs’ arrival. In this way, the Anarch Movement is unique, for while they may not trust ghouls implicitly, they do rely on their ability to strategize to keep them safe. In addition to scouting out havens, safe houses, and escape routes, the Movement also uses its ghouls to spy on rivals and the major Sects.
Anarchs are acutely aware, however, that a security and logistics network made up entirely of ghouls comes with a heavy price. Not only do these operations require a large number of ghouls, but each and every ghoul costs blood and money to maintain. Some Anarch gangs have built up small armies of ghouls in the past, only to discover they had few resources to support them. Thus, despite their proclamations of freedom and liberty, Anarchs tend to forget that ghouls are not, and can never be, as independent as the vampire. They may be able to maneuver in the daylight, but ghouls require more than the Blood to live: they need food, shelter, and water. Once a group of Anarchs realizes the physical limitations of their ghouls, they tend to “set them free” instead of watching them suffer any longer. Occasionally, a ghoul may be Embraced, but that choice is hers and hers alone to make.
The challenges associated with maintaining a ghoul organization has led some Anarchs to seek out alternative methods of protection. Though members of the Movement tend to make decisions independently of one another, several Anarchs are beginning to reach out to ghoul organizations such as the Unmastered to hire independent ghouls for specific jobs.