**Information past this point may contain spoilers**

Boston – tomorrow (?)

Vampires. In the world of tomorrow they exist. However, their numbers are quite few compared to the living human population. In the past they have been scattered, confused, alone.. and quite often lasted only a handful of nights before they were killed, committed suicide, or died accidentally at their own hands or the hands of others.

This began to change over time. Very small numbers were able to maintain their sanity and explore what they had become. It wasn’t long before these vampires learned how to multiply; sucking the lifesblood from their intended childe and then sharing their own tainted essence with them when they were an inch away from death. As dawn would break another would join the ranks of the living dead. In the more industrialized countries, such as the United States, those ranks began to grow… to the pleasure of the elder vampires. Although not as quickly as they wished.

“Rotters”

It soon became apparent to the leaders that things were not as simple as they had hoped. There were.. abnormalities.. and they were quite common. Called “zombies” by some, “mistakes” by others, and “rotters” by more… approximately half of all vampires sired would begin to rot as a normal decomposing body in the night air. Slowly they would lose their minds (as well as their skin, muscle, and other tissue) and become nothing more than crazy, blood-frenzied monsters. Any sentient being in their path was not safe. It was in everyone’s best interests to dispose of these “accidents” and so it was often done by many vampire elders the moment a hint of the decomposition process was discovered in any of the new sires.

Strangely, it was realized by some patient vampires that about a quarter of all “rotters” would stop decomposing after a few days. Some would be badly rotted enough to have gone too far into insanity, but they proved to be useful in some cases; as a garbage disposal, for example. Still others would be permanently disfigured and perhaps only slightly mad, allowing them to remain part of any vampire society that would have them. Unfortunately, the rotting process was not one that could be predicted and only time could tell who would rot and who would not.

The Clans

As many animals (including human beings) tend to do, vampires formed clans and communities. Not much is known about the troops in other countries but in the United States, a number of small groups began to gather. As a rule there were generally fewer than 10 or 15 vampires in each clan. These clans are scattered throughout the U.S. and typically do not last long for one reason or another (fighting with humans, fighting amongst themselves, ignorant young vampires not disposing of “rotters”, etc.) but three larger, more selective and strict groups did spring up.

Unlike in many traditional vampire tales, the vampires in charge of these prominent clans (self-proclaimed “elders”) decided that taking over the world and turning everyone into a vampire was not their vision of a perfect world. In fact, the majority of elder vampires have agreed (although not formally) that the fewer the number of vampires, the better. Why give everyone this power and immortality? No. Instead their goals were simply for power, wealth, and worldwide influence. World domination in a more practical sense.

The Eberly Clan, the Verbeck Clan (or the Church of the Holy Rose of Christ), and the Sebastien Clan. The three major clans have all taken a different route to achieve their goals. Each has their own rules and handles the siring ritual and “rotters” in different ways. That being said, there appears to be two rules which they all strictly follow;

1) No one within the clan is allowed to sire a childe without the permission and approval of the elders in the clan, and

2) Rogues (vampires without a clan, living on their own) who are found are to be recruited immediately or killed without hesitation.

Due to the various rules, the high chance of a newly sired vampire rotting away, Rogue vampires refusing to be recruited (and subsequently being killed), and other previously mentioned obstacles, the number of vampires have remained small. Dealings with humans are inevitable. It has appeared that select living humans (most often very powerful) are bargained with and “let in on” the secret of vampirism so that the vampires themselves can gain wealth and influence. More “expendable” humans (homeless, prostitutes, run-aways, mentally disabled) are used as cattle; called Blood Dolls by some; though they are also in smaller numbers as they are not easy to obtain without arousing suspicion.

The Eberly Clan

The Eberly clan is made up of about 105 members and has claimed much of the Northeast as it’s stomping grounds. The leader of the clan, Michael Eberly, was sired in the early 1920s and has the unofficial title of “Oldest Living Vampire” in the United States. It has yet to be challenged.

Michael Eberly was a charming young man in his non-undead days and got much of what he wanted from his charismatic ways. This did not change after his embrace. After nearly a century of “soul-searching” and discovering all he could about his new ‘life’, Eberly began to organize his clan. He sired a number of clan members including his right-hand woman, Shana Louis, and an overly rich investor named Marcus Prane. Together a scheme was hatched to go into banking and within a decade the East United Bank was born.

The East United Bank has over a dozen locations in the Northeast and it has not taken long for Eberly’s clan to become very rich. The entire clan lives in the Prane Estate and a handful of surrounding high-class homes. Eberly, Louis, and Prane have expressed satisfaction in their number of members and have spent most of their time manipulating the humans around them in order to gain more money. It has proven to be a lucrative business.

The Verbeck Clan

While the Eberly Clan claims the Northeast and the Sebastien Clan exercises rule over the far West, the Verbeck clan claims all. Established in 1952 by Nathaniel Verbeck and his wife, Marissa, the clan has taken a very unique approach towards world domination. The Holy Rose of Christ church seemed to spring up overnight and took the country by storm with its enthusiasm and flair for traditional family values. In the 1960s, this fundamentalist Christian church became quite popular amongst those trying to resist the “dirty hippy era” and for the next few decades, it’s members found their spread across the country came quite easily. The “End Times”. The “Rapture”. This was the focus of their preachings and where they put all of their energy. The church grew and the monies came rolling in. Money which could be used for their real services.

Proxima Nocta is the Verbeck cult. It consists of well over 230 members across the United States, all of whom have been hand selected and sired by either Nathaniel or Marissa. Their devotion to the clan leaders is beyond the realm of obsession and this is made apparent in the every day activities of the members. So what does this cult believe? They believe that when the “End Times” come, all of those who are pure of heart and mind will be taken into Heaven to be with God. Earth will be left to vampires as they are immortal, supernatural, and almost demonic as demons are described in the Christian Bible. They believe that the sun will be blotted from the sky, allowing them to roam free. For mortal humans it will be a Hell on Earth. But for vampires it will be quite the opposite. Proxima Nocta vampires believe they must facilitate the Rapture so they can rule over the leftover inhabitants of this world. They have no desire to serve in Heaven. Why die when you can live forever?

To ensure their place on this Earth when the time comes, Proxima Nocta partakes in all of lifes forbidden “pleasures”. Orgies, murder, ritualized sacrifice, torture, blood sharing, and other activities are commonplace at their gatherings. ‘Sin’ is the key to eternal happiness.

“We hold it to be true that in the End of Days those who are pure of spirit will ascend into heaven to be with the Almighty God… and those with sin in their hearts will remain here on Earth. So sin! Sin! Sin and prosper as rulers of all mortal men for an eternity!”
~Father Carlos Santiago, the Verbeck Clan High Priest

The Sebastien Clan

The Sebastien Clan operates out of the western part of the US, mainly along the California coastline. While the Eberly Clan has been successful in obtaining power in legitimate ways and the Verbeck Clan has laid claim to religious/cult gatherings, the Sebastien clan members have found a good trade in illegal drugs, guns, and sex which they supply, of course, to mortals only. The leader of this clan is Mary Ann Sebastien and she is a brutal one, indeed, though one could easily argue that you would have to be if you wanted to maintain so much power over so many dangerous activities. Sebastien did not grow up on the streets but after her turning her entire demeanor changed. It did not take long for her to recruit followers and establish connections with mortal gangs, thieves, politicians, and pimps. Those who the clan deals with are unaware of their vampirism and anyone who find out are quickly gotten rid of. Some of the Sebastien Clan have heard wind of Proxima Nocta and share their beliefs, but the importance of maintaining the secrecy of their immortality is explained to and understood by all members. It’s about survival and, for some, revenge. The majority of the approximately 180 members have felt shunned or abandoned in some fashion by society and gladly follow Mary Ann and her highest officers, Fenly, Smith, and Davis.

So this is how they have chosen to gain their power; using crime, sex, addiction, money, and politics to rule over the lives of the comfortable middle and upper classes without them ever being aware of it.