GAINING CLAN OR COVENANT STATUS

You may only nominate one Character a month for Status reward or loss but you may lend support to any number of nominations in that month.

Note: Their may be only two Kindred with Admired with in a Clan or Covenant of a Single Domain.


Clan Status and Covenant Status increase with game play and from support of other Characters. Gaining dots of Clan or Covenant Status occurs when enough fellow members of the faction get together to support a character’s deeds.

To be awarded a dot of Clan or Covenant Status the Character must be nominated by themselves or another kindred and receive a sum total of the appropriate Status from their group of Kindred (in the clan or covenant in question) of at least 2 times the Level in Status dots the Character wishes to receive. This must be publicly announced that they are being awarded Status from the deed or claim. These deeds or claims can not have occurred further then 1 month back. At least one of those Kindred must have Clan or Covenant Status (as appropriate) equal to or higher than the targeted character’s own Status before the award. The Nominated Kindred cannot be included in the sum total of status to determine the award. Similarly, participants in the action can’t be forced into it by Discipline use, although the application of boons and similar social coercion is permissible. The same subject cannot be awarded additional Status by the same clan or covenant a second time until 1 month has passed, even if the second group of assembled Kindred is wholly different from the first. The public announcement must be reasonably accessible to all members of the clan or covenant — a large society gathering is typical, often followed by some sort of veiled pronouncement through the faction’s means of communication. A sanctioned in-character mailing list can serve this purpose. Before acting, Storytellers and players involved should make sure that the targeted character truly has committed a deed benefiting his group (or at least perceived).

This award of status may be vetoed by other Kindred of said Clan or Covenant, if they are equal to or higher in Status to the highest supporting nominating Kindred.

Example: Robin who is valued (Status 3) in the Mekhet Clan has nominated Wesley to be recognized (Awarded Status 2) for his deeds. Wesley needs 2 X times the level he wishes to attain with a supporter equal to his status or higher (this would be Robin). Tony, who is Recognized (Status 2) supports Wesley’s nomination. Wesley exceeds the needed 4 dots of support with Robin (Status 3) and Tony (Status 2)… He is supported for his increase! Unfortunately, Malcolm who is Respected (Status 4) hears of this nomination and disagrees, and vetoes Robin’s nomination and Wesley’s claim. Malcolm can veto Wesley’s award because he is higher in Status then all of those involved in the nomination.

PRAISEWORTHY DEEDS FOR CLAN OR COVENANT


Status Deeds

••••• Acting to position the clan or covenant to achieve eminence or ascendancy
•••• Defining an overall goal for the clan or covenant and organizing members to achieve it; assuming a position of recognized leadership within the clan or covenant
••• Designing plans or removing obstacles in ways that advance the goals of the clan or covenant; serving the clan or covenant significantly above and beyond the expected
•• Recognizing clan or covenant leaders and obeying their edicts; promoting loyalty among fellow members of the clan or covenant
• Regular attendance at clan or covenant gatherings; active participation in regular clan or covenant activities



STRIPPING CLAN OR COVENANT STATUS

Removing dots of Clan or Covenant Status occurs when enough fellow members of the faction get together to reprimand a character. To strip a dot of Clan or Covenant Status, a group of Kindred with a sum total of the appropriate Status Merit (in the clan or covenant in question) of at least 2 times the target’s dots must publicly announce that they are stripping Status from the subject. At least one of those Kindred must have Clan or Covenant Status (as appropriate) equal to or higher than the targeted character’s before the loss. The victim cannot be tricked or coerced into being one of the Kindred who reduces his own Status. Similarly, participants in the action can’t be forced into it by Discipline use, although the application of boons and similar social coercion is permissible. The same subject cannot be stripped of Status by the same clan or covenant a second time until 1 month has passed, even if the second group of assembled Kindred is wholly different from the first. The public announcement must be reasonably accessible to all members of the clan or covenant — a large society gathering is typical, often followed by some sort of veiled pronouncement through the faction’s means of communication. A sanctioned in-character mailing list can serve this purpose. Before acting, Storytellers and players involved should make sure that the targeted character truly has committed a sin against his group (or at least perceived). The following generic table can be a useful reference: changing clan or covenant status • covenant expulsion



SINS AGAINST CLAN OR COVENANT

Status Deeds

••••• Deliberately disrespecting, lying to or giving bad information to a clan or covenant member of equal standing
•••• Deliberately disrespecting, lying to or giving bad information to a clan or covenant member of higher standing
••• Unintentionally stealing from, betraying or otherwise directly harming a clan or covenant member; unintentionally betraying a clan or covenant secret
•• Deliberately stealing from or directly harming a clan or covenant member; unintentionally destroying a clan or covenant member
• Deliberately betraying or destroying a clan or covenant member; deliberately betraying a clan or covenant secret

Example: The Respected Inquisitor Malachi of the Lancea Sanctum has long angered many of his covenant mates, and adds insult to injury when his lack of caution leads to a group of Carthian rabble-rousers learning of the Lance’s plan to purge infidels in Malachi’s city. Malachi has Lancea Sanctum Status 4 and has committed an appropriate sin against the covenant. Messengers and legates travel from city to city, gathering the support of an impressive group of Sanctified (whose total Lancea Sanctum Status adds to , including one prominent member (Lancea Sanctum Status 4 or 5). The players involved clear matters with the Storyteller, who makes sure everything is legitimate. These assembled worthies then issue an edict that Inquisitor Malachi has sinned against his church and deserves to be reprimanded, but is still Valued by the Holy Spear. (Malachi’s Lancea Sanctum Status is now 3.)




COVENANT EXPULSION

The two covenants with highly authoritarian power structures — the Lancea Sanctum and the Invictus — have a mechanism for expelling Kindred entirely from their ranks. Ejection immediately reduces a subject’s Covenant Status to zero. Blackballing functions exactly like stripping a single dot of Covenant Status, save that the assembled group must gather 3 times the target’s Covenant Status, and must include 2 Kindred of equal or superior rank as the target. A former member of these covenants loses his true membership if that rule is in effect.
The Carthian Movement, Circle of the Crone and Ordo Dracul has no mechanisms for such expulsion. They can reduce a member’s Covenant Status dot by dot until its zero there by expelling the trouble maker from their Covenant. Any Kindred expelled from their Covenant can no longer gain their previously held Covenant bonus nor teach non-Covenant members their Covenant based powers.



Can Ghouls have Status in Clans and Covenants?

Ghouls may gain status with in Clan or Covenant, although this is rare (PC’s only) some Ghouls find enough respect to be given a chance to voice opinions and concepts. This takes double the requirement in status traits of support normally needed by other Kindred.　
4 status of support for “Acknowledgment”
8 status of support for “Recognized”
12 status of support for “Valued”
Respected and Admired is unattainable for Ghouls…

Ghouls can lose status just as other Kindred mechanically but don’t require an individual of equal or higher status to nominate their loss.