The Camarilla
____The Camarilla is a great sect of vampires that formed in the late medieval period. A vampire "United Nations" of sorts, it was formed to protect vampires from the purges of the Inquisition, to uphold the Traditions of Caine, and to enforce the great Masquerade. Many Camarilla vampires, remembering the nights of fire when vampires were uprooted and destroyed, uphold the Masquerade fanatically. Camarilla vampires reject the idea of vampires as monstrous predators, instead preferring to live clandestinely among mortals and feed cautiously.
____The Camarilla is the most populous sect, and (in theory) the most powerful. But it comprises seven clans of vampires, each with its own culture and agenda, and this renders it prone to discord. Ruled as it is by a fractious sort of parliamentarianism, the Camarilla is slow to act and often indecisive in the face of threats; when it brings its combined might to bear, however, the Camarilla is virtually unstoppable.
____Beginning characters are assumed to be Camarilla vampires, and to belong to one of the seven clans. The clans are:
____-Brujah: A clan of violent, antiauthoritarian vampires espousing freedom from societal restrictions.
____-Gangrel: A clan of solitary, nomadic shapeshifters who prefer the wilderness to the confines of the cities.
____-Malkavian: A bizarre clan of lunatics whose members are infamous for their insanity - and insight.
____-Nosferatu: A loathsome clan of deformed monsters who skulk in subterranean tunnels and sewers.
____-Toreador: A clan of elegant, passionate vampires who patronize artists, musicians, actors and the like.
____-Tremere: A secretive, treacherous clan of vampire warlocks who practice blood magic.
____-Ventrue: A clan of aristocrats and nobles who consider it their duty to lead the Camarilla.

The Sabbat
____The Camarilla's bitter rival is the dread sect called the Sabbat. Originally the remnants of the shattered anarch packs, the Sabbat has evolved - or devolved - into something much deadlier. The Sabbat would "liberate" all vampires from the chains of the Camarilla and their sires. The ultimate Social Darwinists, the Sabbat espouses the tenet of vampiric supremacy - the doctrine that, because vampires are highest on the food chain, they should not hide from mortals, but instead dominate them outright. This attitude toward humans often manifests itself in actions that appear horrific and cruel by mortal standards; accordingly, the Sabbat is often branded a sect of violent evildoers by outraged Camarilla vampires.

____Two clans lead the Sabbat. The Lasombra clan is the most prestigious clan and is dreaded for its members' control over the stuff of shadow. Its ally and occasional rival is the Tzimisce, a clan of twisted scholars and sorcerers infamous for cruelty. Tzimisce are said to have the power to warp and mold their own and others' flesh and bone.

The Anarchs
____Some younger vampires strive to remain free of both Camarilla and Sabbat control. These vampires style themselves "anarchs" in homage to the warriors who led the great revolt of the 15th century. For the most part these modern anarchs are ragtag bands of Brujah and Caitiff predators, though all clans are represented in their ranks. The Camarilla treats them as it would termites - individually insignificant, but potentially crippling if allowed to breed and fester.

The Neutrals
____Four clans choose to remain neutral in the great Jyhad, bartering their services to (and jockeying for power with) Camarilla and Sabbat indifferently. These are: the Assamites, a deadly clan of vampire assassins based in the Middle East; the Followers of Set, a dark cult of vampires devoted to the worship of the snake-god Set; the Giovanni, an insular family of incestuous necromancers and financiers; and the Ravnos, a nomadic line of Gypsy charlatans and thieves.

The Inconnu
____Finally, certain ancient vampires withdraw from the sects' games altogether, seeking solitude amid the wastes. These old ones, called Inconnu, reject the power-games of the clans and sects, instead seeking self-mastery and enlightenment. Some whisper of a darker purpose behind the Inconnu's withdrawal from the Jyhad, but most vampires think of Inconnu as nothing more than deluded recluses.

The Jyhad Since the nights of antiquity, the Children of Caine have struggled for supremacy. Leaders, cultures, nations and armies have all been pawns in the secret war, and vampiric conspiracies have influenced much (though by no means all) of human history. Few things are as they seem in the vampires' nocturnal world; a political coup, economic crash or social trend may be merely the surface manifestation veiling a centuries-old struggle. Vampire elders command from the shadows, manipulating mortals and other vampires alike - and the elders are often manipulated in turn. Indeed, most combatants may not even realize for whom they fight, or why.