Circle of the Crone
Without Strife humans begin to stagnate in comfort and affluence and lose the capacity for great thoughts and feelings. They become cynical and subside into barbarism. - Dostoyevsky 1821-1881
Covenant Overview:
The Circle of the Crone is a secretive and mystic group of Kindred, holding its own belief about vampiric nature and even its own Discipline.
Known as Acolytes, members of the Circle believe that vampires make up a natural part of the world and can learn, grow, and find enlightenment instead of wallowing in the guilt-ridden angst of the Church of Longinus, which focuses on penance.
As a result, Acolytes often find themselves dismissed as political outcasts and heretics of vampiric existence, especially in more religious communities.
The Circle believes that creation is power. Vampires must face their static condition and overcome it by creating and cultivating whatever they can.
Acolytes also cherish testing themselves, believing that only by overcoming their physical, mental and spiritual limitations can they become something more than creatures of the night. This belief can also lead to persecution, as their strange rituals of testing can seem barbaric and even unholy to some Kindred.
The Circle practices a unique form of ritual known as Cruác. Study of these rituals requires a degree of devotion to the Circle's pagan gods, which requires a degree of cruelty that erodes a vampire's connection to his or her past life.
We don't worship the same gods, you and I, but we're more alike than you think. Together, we are keeping something alive - something that has lived for thousands of years despite the wavering faith of mortal men. The old gods are not dead. They live within us. We give them life, warm blood, and they keep us from death. That's our covenant, our promise. Everything else is fashion. - Gwenyth the Grey, Acolyte Princess-in-Exil
Covenant Tenants and Philosophy:
Creation is Power.
The most misunderstood of the Crone beliefs, the belief that Creation is power has often been misquoted by the Crone's enemies as a horrible disfigurement of society. They believe that the Crone only seek to create more of its own members and fill the world with Vampires.
This is not true by any stretch of the imagination.
The Crone believe that Creation is power is simple, when we were turned and began our requiem we lost something dear to us: Our ability to live beyond our current shell and continue throughout history. Now most Vampires do not wish to think of the end of their Requiem, but death is inevitable. When the time does come, we hope only to leave a legacy and a footprint on this earth.
Some Crone create works of art of exquisite beauty and put them into the world for all to enjoy. Others create vast gardens of life that spawn even greater growths, so that their legacy cannot be forgotten by plant if not by man. Others still, build temples and monuments to leave a permanent mark on the surface of this city.
And in this creation, we discover something, something about ourselves and the world around us. This is the true aim of such tasks, discovering something that others miss as they go about their daily lives. But this secret I will leave for your discovery.
Tribulation Brings Enlightenment.
Tribulation brings enlightenment. The phrase is so simple but it contains so much meaning.
Everyone has challenges in their requiem; they encounter that which prevents their advancement or others that stand against their beliefs. Some times they overcome the obstacle in front of them and sometimes they fail, falling flat on their face. Either way they learn from the experience. They go stronger, smarter, and don't make the same mistakes in the future.
By accepting the challenges that are put in front of them, Crone push themselves to their very limits to determine what their limits are. When they find something that hinders them or reach one of these limits, they attempt to transcend them. They attempt to become more then simply the sum of their parts and abilities and become greater then they once were.
Even if they fail, they learn something about themselves, their enemies, and why they failed. They learn to adapt and pick themselves up. They know that not every war is won by a single battle, and not every challenge is defeated on its first attempt. The know that they will continue to try towards their goals and when they finally reach them, the journey will have enhanced them beyond their wildest expectations.
Benefits:
All full members of the Circle of the Crone (meaning CotC status 1+) can get access to the Mystic Ritual based Discipline called Cruac. To learn Cruac, or to continue learning Cruac levels or rituals, a character must convince members of the Crone to share their knowledge of the magical arts.
Active Members
Romi - Gangrel played by NatalieHoratio Lux - Mekhet played by Erik Blatherwick
Magnus Scott - Daeva played by Simon T
Korba - Gangrel played by Matt S
Rodger Oleander - Ventrue played by Wesley M
Elia - Daeva played by Rachael
