The Setting

The Setting
The original game was set in medieval Europe in the year 1197, while the 2002 edition updated the setting to the year 1230. The setting takes aspects from both the original and updated versions of the dark ages core books as well as some historical aspects. In Dark Ages, vampires rule the night openly and some are even revered and worshiped, though the powers of the Inquisition and other mortal foes restrain their freedom. 


The Gathering of the Storm

In the centuries that followed, the Dark Ages vampires learn the importance of hiding themselves away from Mortal eyes the Inquisition of the church and state decimate the Cainite population, and only those who are able to blend into mortal society survive .

In the minds of most Mortals, Vampires are undead creatures of the Devil, and things to be feared or either fought outright by the Holy Church or avoided entirely.
With the power of the Vampire:s disciplines and a cunning born from centuries of experience, some Vampires set themselves up to be Lords over outlying areas, taking their tithes of blood from any unfortunates who passed by.
While others control The Mortals ruling over the land though potent blood Oaths and the work of their half-mortal ghouls.


The problems of Power.
It might seem at first that the vampires of the Middle Ages are much stronger than their 20th century counterparts.
Most are embraced of a lower generation. They need not worry about High-Tech Communications or weaponry of the 20th century or the fear being photographed.
Though the Masquerade is still in place for the protection of all Cainites, the strict rules of the Masquerade of modern times are not enforced by sects, so much as it is enforced by the actions of  one's own stupidity and the Church.
The threat of being accused of being a demon or witch by the Church and being tortured and burned at the stake is a real enough threat for any Cainite to think twice before revealing himself to Mortals.

Most settlements in the Dark Ages have fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, so an unfamiliar face is easily spotted among a crowd of people,  there are no faceless millions of people to feed upon like in modern night. And curfews are common place within those cities and towns. Being caught outside during curfew can lead to being arrested or worse. Naked Flames burn in every home and torches provide light in easily flammable buildings. Traveling is also difficult for a vampire,  for all means of common traveling usually expose The Traveler to the Sun
 Use Caution 

Furthermore Cainites lack the many conveniences of their 20th century counterparts enjoy. This is  a world where all trade is done in the daylight with no 24-hour stores.
It is a world without cell phones , fax / answering machines or computers. If the vampire wants to speak to any mortal they must do it face-to-face.

Most importantly the Cainite lives in a society that knows that they exist and claims that they are the devil's spawn.
Worst of all the beliefs of the people lend power to the Church's rituals and so many Church men have real power to harm or even destroy vampires.

On top of all that of course, vampires must Beware of the Lupines. The werewolves of the dark ages are far more powerful than their 20th century brothers and the sworn enemy of vampires. Also the unpredictable fairies and Restless ghost and scheming Mages all play a part in the nightly threat that the vampire faces.





As of Right Now...
A large number of vampires, and the rest of the European population, are deeply religious. The Cainite Heresy has begun to infiltrate the Church with varying levels of success. 
The major vampire sects, the Camarilla and the Sabbat, have not been formed yet. 
 The Main Sects are The Inconnu, The Furores, The Order of the Bitter Ash, The Autarkis, The Promethians, and The Manus Nigrum,  
The Masquerade is still in place, and The Traditions are still honored.
Guilds have developed in most major cities, while not initially comprised of Cainites have become a large faction onto themselves in the Dark Ages, offering protection, fellowship and resources to its members.  
The vampire society in Europe is ruled by an elder monarch and varying prestigious and powerful Cainites under him, usually referred to as princes. The elders power is absolute in vampire society throughout his domain. In game terms this includes the entirety of europe. Though players will seldom ever have dealings with the elder himself as he maintains his various holdings throughout the regions of europe  through his princes. Powerful warriors and nobility second only in age and generation and vampiric power to the elder himself.
The Tremere clan is in its infancy though still quite cunning and formidable in its own right.
Their clan leader has slain the founder of Salubri clan, Saulot, only few decades ago. Or so the rumors say.
The Tremere are at war with a number of other clans, notably with the powerful Tzimisce. 
The Blood Curse has not yet been imposed on the Assamite clan. 
The Cappadocians are one of the major 13 clans. 
The Giovanni are a bloodline of the Cappadocian clan.