Good to be King

...or "How to be Prince and Not Get Murdered"

Congratulations, you've taken the throne and put on the shirt with concentric circles. Now, you have to hold onto the crown, which is the hard part. Regardless of your Clan there are quite a few tips and policies that you should put in place to both appease the masses and keep them on their toes.

Opening Moves

First off, appoint a single Elysium. Declare this place sacrosanct and free from violence. Find your biggest detractor or opponent to your throne, and appoint them as Keeper of Elysium. Not only will this completely befuddle them and possibly change their attitude, but it also keeps them busy trying to police the Elysium. It gives them a modicum of power to strip status for those that would transgress. Also, inform everyone that if they wish to have an Elysium declared or to hold a gathering, they have to get the Master of Elysium's permission first before you sign off on it. This makes the new Master have to deal with added work, and gives you a degree of separation from the masses.

Second, grant one of your supporters the position of Seneschal. This is effectively your secretary and gatekeeper. Anyone wishing to speak with you on a matter should go through your Seneschal first. This gives you a degree of separation, and makes people jump through another layer of bureaucracy in order to bother you with what may be an insignificant issue.

Next, inform everyone that you will be entertaining notions for Primogen. Require that any Clan wishing to have a Primogen must have three Acknowledged residents of the city, to avoid the problem of solitary Clan members having power (it also prevents people making new characters just for the position). Give the Clans a month to come to your Seneschal with their requests of Primogen. This gives you a good month while everyone politics amongst themselves and their eyes are off the throne.

The Prince's Thug, also known as the Sheriff, is the guy that always enjoys jumping into combat, and has tweaked his character sheet to be able to pummel heads and beat ass. You want to make sure to get this guy on your payroll, to help neutralize anyone in recruiting him to oppose you. Don't ever hesitate to let him off the leash, it keeps some of the populace in check, because they're worried that you'll send him after any dissenters, and without your guidance, he'd be even more of a loose cannon. Encourage him to choose a deputy or two in order to shore up any of his shortcomings, such as the ability to investigate, or to just add more muscle to your payroll.

After the first month, take a look at the prospective Primogen. Approach each of them in turn, in private, and tell them that you have some reservations about lending them your support, however, you are willing to overlook such if they offer prestation. That way, right off the bat you have a Boon from every Primogen, something that will come in handy later.

The Rules: Edicts of a Prince

Simple. Enforce the Traditions, and the sanctity of Elysium, and let everything else go. If a vampire is the target of violence, does it really concern you? Let your citizens tear into one another freely, and they will be more oft to go after one another, and less likely to attempt a bloody coup. Only when vampires are killed should you step in, at which point, the removal of status is the first punishment, and make them recompense you for violating the Tradition of Destruction.

Feeding Territory and the Blood Tithe

Divide your domain up into a dozen sections. Seven of these go to the Camarilla loyal Clans. The other five should be buffers between the Clan territories, and the Rack, where all may feed without consequence. Next, have the Primogen come to you, each one in private, and reveal to them their Clan's territory, and ask them what they are offering for the sections immediately abutting their territories. Inform them that you will weigh their offer, and make your decision after all the Primogen have been spoken with.

If members of the Independent Clans come to you through appropriate channels (going to the Seneschal first), offer them some sliver of land in between two of the largest Clans of the city. This will keep them busy defending their territory, and the two largest Clans from keeping the independents as allies.

Never allow the Anarchs to have territories. Doing so immediately gives them the impression that they matter and that they have turf where they can ignore your rule.

After you have the offers on the table, consider them and draw up the territorial map. Each Clan is given exclusive feeding rights within their territory, and are responsible for any issues that arise within. Reiterate that such territories are privileges. Encourage your Storyteller to give bonus Blood traits on Feeding Challenges to members of those Clans that have Feeding Territories (a one or two Trait bump is sufficient).

The next thing is to announce that each Clan owes a yearly Blood Tithe. This means that each Clan must offer a tithe in Blood, which allows you to call in a favor of feeding for your hungry subordinates (such as deputies that have just returned from a fight). Never drink from such yourself, as there's always someone attempting to sway you with tainted blood.

Praise and Punishment

Be free with praise, but only award Status after much consideration. Make someone go out of their way to do something for you or the city, and reward them thus. Be careful, as you could be rewarding someone that will use the granted status against you when an attempt at your Praxis occurs.

Keep track of the status of everyone in the city, and when they were granted status. If someone is reaching six months of being Acknowledged within the city, grant them a status. This makes them feel noteworthy, and encourages players to keep from dumping characters.

Another trick for diverting the ire of an individual is to grant an individual status, and have the Harpy immediately revoke status. This makes them think highly of you, and dislike the Harpy.

Never hesitate to strip status when someone steps on a Tradition, or if you get wind that they are planning on making political moves against you. Never hesitate to trump up charges or make it appear that they are anathema, to support a strip. Inform everyone that your first inclination was to call a Bloodhunt, however, you feel that a simple removal of status is sufficient.

When you have an individual that is only Acknowledged, and you don't want to kill them off, due to whatever infraction they commit or appear to have committed, give them a choice of punishment. They can either be Bloodhunted, or they can suffer whatever punishment you deem necessary. This gives them the illusion of choice, and most would rather undergo punishment rather than exile under pain of death.

For public punishment of an infraction, ask those present who wishes to carry forth the sentence. The target of your wrath should be beaten into torpor, and put them under a two-step Vinculum. This should alter their role play so that they are favorable toward you without making them the mindless minion that many people view of the Blood Bond, and makes them wary of doing something that makes them take that third drink.

It Rolls Downhill

If someone screws up in your city, have their Primogen fetch them, and take them both aside for a stern lecture. Make the Primogen responsible for their Clan members, and they will often police themselves. Threaten revocation of areas of their Feeding Territory, threaten to remove status from the Primogen, or to have them replaced. Call in the boons you have collected from their Primogen to have them administer punishment. This will cause strife within that Covenant, thus causing them to hammer out their own issues and be too busy to be a threat to the throne.

"The Prince is my Problem Solver"

The Prince should be the last person anyone turns to in order to solve their problems, and never solve their problem for free. Always levy at least a Minor Boon out of them. The first few people should be taxed a Major Boon for your troubles, which should make everyone reconsider their course of action, and instead of coming to you, they will seek to fix their own problems.

Another problem that precipitates the dependent mindset is punishing people for their involvement in plot. After being burned once or twice, players become hesitant to think on their own and become involved in plot. Since you're the Prince, you shouldn't be gassing up the Mystery Machine and running off to solve the latest plot. Let other people do that, and focus more on political aspects. If you would rather be off chasing plot, perhaps the throne is not for you.