The city of Perle Perdu, Louisiana has always been the poor cousin to more famous New Orleans. Like that city, Perle Perdu faced devastation, driving many out of their homes for a time. Now they have finally recovered. But then, that's just one side of the story. The vampires have been rebuilding too, and their Mad Prince knows what a prize she has now that the population to feed on has returned. Whether plot or insanity is the cause, she has spurned entry from any new comers of the 7 Camarilla Clans in favor of far rarer bloodlines in the name of Cainite Diversity.
The Camarilla, that greatest and most venerable of sects. It claims under its umbrella, all Kindred as its charges. Claims aside, most who know it, know better. Seven great clans (Six if you believe that the Gangrel Egress is going anywhere) make up the power structure and majority of their membership. Other Clans are either Independent or have, mostly, allied with the Sabbat! Mere Bloodlines struggle for acceptance, notice, and sometimes even permission to claim a haven in a city.
You ought to know, you're one of the atypical ones. Your blood is different from the 'Big Seven'. To paraphrase an old saying, you had to work twice as hard to get half as much. So much for the "Camarillan Dream".
And then, it happened, a Camarilla City, had not only its kine population depleted by flood and fire, but also faced the loss of over fifty percent of its kindred! Out of the wet ashes, a Malkavian Prince rose to power, and now, a decade later, the humans are back in the numbers they were before. Where there are humans, Kindred may feed and thrive!
Only the Prince has decided to embrace (no pun intended) what she calls "Cainite Diversity"! She has denied members of the seven Clans the right to settle in her domain directing them elsewhere! She has refused to let those few in the city sire. Instead, she has put out word that bloodlines and children of the rarer bloodlines will be not only tolerated but welcome and encouraged to thrive!
Of course, she's out of her damned mind! She's got to be making enemies right and left! But then, this is your chance. Whether you simply hope for a home, wish to try to gain influence in some aspect of the city before some Ventrue or Toreador can claim it instead, or hope to earn an embrace and increase your bloodline; this is likely your best bet. For once, your rarity helps get your foot in the door.
You are a Bloody Snowflake…
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Known Kindred in the City
Prince Eudora LaCassette (Clan Malkavian)- A genteel Southern Lady who despite her antebellum mannerisms and garb appears fixated on many modern trends among the Kine. So many conflicting stories of her background abound that none can be sure of it, but her blood is potent and her disciplines powerful. She often seems distracted or frantic in turn, but very little gets past her.
Sheriff Alicia Hunter (Clan Gangrel) - While some believe her from Jamaica originally, Alica's accent has faded a great deal over the decades. While Clan Gangrel makes noise about departing the Camarilla, Alica stays where she has been since 2010, by the Prince's side as her Sheriff and enforcer. Deadly in combat, she also makes good use of the creatures of the city as spies if need be to hunt down those who would break the traditions, or offend her Prince.
Keeper of Elysium Dane Harlow (Clan Brujah)- Sometimes Kindred forget that the Brujah are more than thugs. Dane may dress like a college professor, and he is a scholar, but if you mess with the Perle Perdue Heritage Library you will find his rage is every bit as deadly as any ganger in a leather jacket.
Keeper of Elysium Justina Jenkins aka "JJ" (Clan Toreador)- A more 'modern' Elysium is run by Justina, the Dance Club Tattered Veil. A lot of experiments in Nu Jazz or Jazz tronica are played here but it branches out to whatever it takes to keep the herd coming in. JJ is younger than most Kindred, and some say the Prince made her club an Elysium just to throw the few neonates in the city a proverbial bone. Others theorize the location the club is now on has special meaning to the Prince.
Primogen Northcliff (Clan Nosferatu) - Northcliff is not his original name. A master architect, rumor has it he almost ended up in Clan Toreador but instead was taken by the Sewer rats. When flooding and fire devastated Perle Perdu, he thought his time had come. He would rebuild this city with many places to shield his ugly Clan. High places, narrow alleyways in sculpted shadows as well as tunnels hidden below would dot this new version of the old city. And once he put it in place? Well, the Prince's whim blocked new Nosferatu from joining him to exist among it. He has made little secret that he is not pleased.
Primogen Casper Vance (Clan Ventrue) - That rarest of creatures, a modest Ventrue. Mr. Vance is soft spoken though his knowledge of the financial realities of the city are unparalleled. While he seem to demure to the Prince on most matters, the few other Ventrue in the city have mistaken him for a weakling at their peril.
Primogen Widow (Malkavian)- Dressed forever in black with veil, this Primogen seems to mostly support the Prince automatically so often as to be an obvious puppet. Yet once in awhile, she surprises.
Harpy Tolya (Toreador) - A vicious beauty of Russian descent, Tolya is one of the few harpies in the city. A word from her can often cause no end of trouble for another kindred so many curry her favor. That said, there is only so far her claws can reach.
Harpy Madeline "Maddie" Hartman (Ventrue)- Rare in Kindred circles, Maddie was embraced well into her golden years after she impressed the clan by holding off some of their business attempts to claim her family land. She is folksy, and seems like the (un) living incarnation of the sweet old grandma on the porch. Yet she's got a way of tearing down folks if she doesn't take a liking to them and thus is counted among the harpies as well.
Fang (Malkavian) - Fang's proper name is Bolton Fry, but he prefers to go by Fang, as in 'sharper than a serpent's tooth' for he is Eudora's childe! He fancies himself leader of the Anarchs and swears to bring his sire down. That said, he still wipes his feet on the rare times he comes to Elyisium.
Gina Giovanni(Giovanni Clan)- On the outside, Gina Giovanni is not an attractive woman, on the inside, she's a monster even by Kindred standards. While she claims to have come to this city of her own accord, some claim the toad like woman of Siccilian descent finally fed up those she bullied at her last assignment when she tried to treat her own clan mates as lackeys or even slaves and they turned on her exposing her many failures to clan elders so this is more of a post of exile than anything.
Gaetano of Palermo (Lasombra Antitribu)- Considered a wildcard in the Kindred politics, Gaetano is rumored to be one of the most innately powerful kindred in the city, perhaps rivaling the Prince herself. His influence is hindered, however, for now.
Vivienne (Daughter of Cacophony)- the lovely songstress of her bloodline has a haven in the city, but is quite the jet setter so vanishes for weeks at a time. Some speculate she is trying to keep the focus on her childer.
Damascus Lethe (Ravnos Clan)- The Ravnos are not what they were, they were beyond decimated, they were devastated. Un-living proof there is no justice in a world of darkness, Damascus Lethe is one who survived. A dealer in drugs by vice and delight, Lethe rather likes other crimes as well. To mortals he offers exotic drugs and is happy to take advantage of a rising Opiod addition in the nation. To kindred? He offers drugs they can give to their vessels with suggestions to what leads to the best buzz or trip.
Mi-Ha (Salubri!!)- A Korean American, Mi-Ha has come here apparently hoping to avoid the Tremere and yet be accepted, or at least tolerated. With her bloodline's reputation as 'soul suckers' it is hard to see how far this tolerance will go despite the Prince allowing her in the city. She is being watched closely it seems.
Betty (Gargoyle)- Betty claims she remembers little of her pre-embrace. Likely true, many gargoyles share that problem. That said, she is both insistent of her freedom, and yet eager for work. Her stony features are vaguely serpentine, and contrary to the image of Gargoyles's hulking brutes, she is surprisingly lithe for her bloodline.
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Ghouls and Mortals
Ian Rogers (ghoul) While the Prince is suspected of having many ghouls littered thorugh out the town council and media, Ian is probably her closest thing to a favorite. Appearing only 24 years old, Ian claims to have been first ghouled during the Vietnam war but his full story is unknown. Confident (Some Kindred even find him arrogant in front of his betters), the ghoul is dangerous no doubt, and some believe him to do 'odd jobs' during daylight hours when most vampires are at their weakest.
Lydia[ (ghoul)- Lydia works at the Fields of the Nephilim Club, often managing the main area but in a pinch she's quite capable running the entire place.
Samuel Smith (ghoul)-New to this whole ghoul thing but a reliable easy going fellow with a lot of patience that might keep him alive. Devoted to his Kindred.
John Winston (Ghoul) - Criminal scumball now ghouled to Arthur to join his 'cult'.
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Neighborhoods in Perle Perdu City Centre aka "City Hall"- As the twin names suggest, this is where the majority of government buildings are found. Due to mortal security in the area and high profile types, the Prince has discouraged feeding here.
De Cyprès is a new residential subdivision of Perle Perdu, replacing a previous development destroyed in the hurricane. Built to cater to middle class and upwardly mobile buyers, it boasts streets lined with southern live oak draped in Spanish moss. The two-story homes adhere to one of three floor plans, all including at least one purely internal room. They have small front yards and more expansive yards in back, which are separated from the neighbors' by high privacy fences. These are essential because the buildings themselves stand quite close to one another on the sides. The most expensive plan model (the one Paolo owns) includes a swimming pool in the backyard.
New Marseilles - Perle Perdu has a "French Quarter" as well, but far less famous and with less money flowing in. That said, it does have some of the oldest buildings in the city here in true French style. Madri gras and other celebrations of the city tend to be strongest here. There are some great if overpriced clubs, restaurants, and the like here.
Little Caribbean- Perle Perdu has always had an influx of refugees and immigrants from the likes of Jamaica, Haiti, and other islands. While the city tries to present it as a grand victory of their inclusive yet diverse nature, the truth is by day it is mostly full of tacky gift shops and 'authentic voodoo tours' and by night? By night it is quite dangerous, particularly for outsiders.
Heimforth University- The largest and best known of the colleges in the area, Heimforth University was founded in 1870. It focuses on liberal arts, sciences, but over the past ten years has really boosted it's computer science programs. The lay out is open, green, and lovely with a kind of sylvan feel to it and one can often find students throwing frisbees or the like here on the grounds.
Spoiler:
And is the domain of the city's only Old Clan Tzmisce
Low Garden aka "The Lows" Technically the name of the district is Low Garden, originally it was "Lowe's Garden' after some long gone mortal family. Now it is better known as The Lows, a place where bad things happen but it's okay because it's probably happening to bad people and if they aren't bad why are the living in the Lows in the first place? Police are rare, violence is high, and good folks try to pretend this part of the city does not exist.
Wayburton- Wayburton is a chiefly residential area in the city proper, if it were any more vanilla it would be suburbia. This is where middle class parents make their homes so they can raise their kids. This is not to say nothing ever happens in Wayburton. It does have a movie theatre, some fast food restaurants, and schools from elementary to high school. Some vampires consider this place good to nibble at the edges of but a terrible place to set up a haven as the unusual sticks out.
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What happened to that metaplot thing anyway?:
As it stands...
The Gangrel are doing more than making noise about departing the Camarilla, the're actually in the process of doing it. The former justicar of the Clan has resigned, and over the last ten years about a third of the Clan that was in the Camarilla has departed. Some estimate a full half of the Clan will be gone in the next decade. This is a devastating blow to the Camarilla's collective ego, which is why they're doing their best to keep it secret, or bury it in so many rumors few can tell fact from fiction. Suffice to say, the Nosferatu have been making serious bank with this knowledge.
Those Gangrel choosing to stay with the Camarilla find themselves being treated as less and less important by some, and ironically more so by others. A few princes are happily seizing their territory for their own hunting, others are granting the right for a gangrel to sire officially at record rates hoping to keep the numbers of Camarilla Gangrel up, but those are fewer. Eventually even the lowliest Neonates outside the Gangrel will learn of this mass defection.
The Free Anarch States repulsed a lot of the Great Leap Forward, and stands as chaotically strong as ever. And yet there are rumors a bargain was made with an Independent Clan in order to succeed. Some say it was the Followers of Set, others say the Giovanni, and still others say it was a blood line thought long dead now using the Anarchs as cover.
The Ravnos and their week of nightmares happened. The Clan founder is almost certainly dead. Most of the oldest and 'purist' of the Ravnos in India and such appear to be ash as well. It is a great irony that many of the Ravnos that were on the path of Humanity fared better than those who followed the ancient paths of paradox. Perhaps that humanity acted as a filter against the psychic death throws of the founder.
The result is that the Clan may have had the very ideology that made it unique taken from it and even if it recovers it may never be the same.
As for what or who killed the Ranvos Antedeliviun, while stories of about 'space wizards' are fanciful, some Ravnos have had visions of a burned and battered founder falling to the fangs of another vampire but not a Ravnos. Could it be someone has 'pulled a Tremere'?
Even as the Gangrel depart, a large group of Asssamite Defectors want in...into the Camarilla that is. Chiefly composed of Vizier and Sorcerer bloodlines, these Assamites are fleeing a purge from within. The Tremere are not pleased. Not only have their shackles been broken (Though it is the Warrior caste that chiefly craves the blood of other Kindred), should the Camarilla allow these Refugees in, the Tremere monopoly on thaumaturgy could end!
Which is the very reason some Ventrue are covertly opening the doors.
As if to add to Clan Tremere's problems, their founder is missing. Yes, the Council is in a panic and trying to keep that secret. So far so good, but for how long?
The Old Clan Tzimisce finds itself hemmed in and with little room for its childer to claim their own territory. Because of this, a few of the neonates have actually begun to visit Camarilla cities as if they were members of an Independent Clan playing tourist.
