Clanbook Inconnu.pdf

The Inconnu

By Daniel Harms

Contributions, revisions and updates by Luís Rodrigues and Rodrigo O. Perez.

The following is a document I wrote with regard

to the Inconnu. Within it, I’ve tried to incorporate

whatever I could find within the World of Darkness

books I have on the subject. If anything herein runs

counter to World of Darkness canon, it’s because I

didn’t see the source or found other sources with

conflicting information (this especially applies to

Hunedoara).

“The rumours our younger ones start! Well, I

can hardly leave you ignorant on such an important

point of our history...”

Since that night, I’ve cross-referenced what

Ryan told me with what little else is known about

the Inconnu. For the most part, it seems to go along

with what little I have been able to find out about

them, but I leave it to the reader to judge the

information given (and since he was Baali, any

tidbits you could pass on would be appreciated).

Origins

The Inconnu, as they were called later, were

originally a coalition of Ventrue, Lasombra, and

Malkavians, and a few True Brujah, who controlled

various factions among the Romans. Though

spending a good deal of their time squabbling with

one another, they were able to present a united front

for long enough to maintain their position of power.

With the secret aid of these generals and statesmen

with their millennia of experience, Rome was able

to obtain unquestioned dominance of the

Mediterranean.

One of the most important acts undertaken by

the Inconnu was the destruction of the Brujah

centre of Carthage following the Third Punic War.

Though it was hinted within the Inconnu that the

Brujah had dabbled with infernal matters and

Carthage should be destroyed to be purified, the

logic behind it was probably more economic than

anything else. Whatever the cause, the city’s

destruction led to centuries of strife between the

Brujah and the Inconnu nonetheless. After the

Punic Wars, the Toreadors began to move to Rome

in force, and many of them joined the Inconnu.

It was not until the first century AD that the

Inconnu began to have true dissension within its

ranks. The exact events are lost to history, but some

time after the reign of Caesar Augustus the

Toreador, along with a few Malkavian allies,

wrested control of the Empire from the Ventrue.

The coalition who gained power lasted for quite

some time, and was able to perform such coups as

conquering the Tzimisce-controlled region of Dacia

Introduction

A few weeks before his untimely departure at

the hand of a deranged holy man, I was speaking

with Ryan Copeland, Baali of the Southeast Cabal.

Midnight was rapidly approaching, and we had

spent most of the evening discussing various

matters relating to vampiric history and traditions.

The subject had moved to Mithraism, the Roman

mystery religion based around a Ventrue elder who

later became prince of London.

“He’s been missing since the Blitz, but I

wouldn’t write him off entirely,” Ryan was saying.

“After all, he was a member of the Inconnu before

they were the Inconnu.”

“But why would a member of the Inconnu be

allowed to become prince?” My attention had

begun to wander, and I was trying to keep awake.

“Well, he split from the group when their

mission changed just after the Anarch Revolt. I take

it you haven’t heard that much about it?”

“No one seems to want to talk about them. I’ve

read the ‘Vlad Tepes’ document where the Inconnu

are only elders hiding from their childer and each

other—”

“Ah yes. You know, some believe that your

friend Sarkov might have been responsible for that.

A source of useful information, but rather

inaccurate on that point.”

I almost asked about Sarkov, but decided to

continue. “And there are some Kindred I’ve talked

to who say that the Inconnu are actually the guiding

forces behind the Jyhad and the servants of the

Antediluvians.”

to the north. The long-term conflict that resulted

from this would eventually lead to the fall of the

Roman Empire to Alaric and other barbarians led

by the Ventrue and the Tzimisce. After Rome’s

destruction, the Ventrue reformed the group, but the

Toreador held a grudge against their returning lords

and deserted them.

During the Dark Ages, the former Roman

backers fell back, trying to engineer another

centralized imperial government such as they had

enjoyed in Italy. They backed various individuals,

including the French Merovingian line, but it was in

the Roman Catholic Church that they found the

closest parallel to their former glory. Their aims

were often frustrated, however, as various

manipulators worked behind the scenes on plans

that often conflicted with those of others. So

confusing did the newer Kindred find this, and so

little was known of these secret powers, that the

term “Ignoti”, meaning “The Unknown” (but also

implying “Ignoble”), first came to describe them.

Those within the group, however, often referred to

themselves as “The Order”.

It has been said elsewhere that the shock of

Saulot’s diablerie was the force that drove the

Inconnu together. This is only partly true. Saulot’s

death did come as a great blow to the order, and the

group did become more centralized after his death.

This was mainly the result of anti-Tremere

sentiment among the group, however. Efforts were

made to damage the Tremere’s standing, but the

Inconnu were hampered by Clan Tzimisce’s

decision to exclude them from their homeland

where the battle was raging, as well as a faction

within their own group that held that Saulot’s death

was in fact planned by the Healer and therefore

should not be avenged. For the most part, though,

the Inconnu were too busy within their home

provinces to cause the Tremere much trouble at the

time.

What truly brought the Inconnu into their

present form and purpose was the Anarch Revolt,

along with the diablerie of Cappadocius. The elders

who survived saw that their attempts to gain more

power for themselves had in the end resulted in

chaos and destruction. Diablerie, which had

previously been a rare occurrence, suddenly

became an omnipresent threat. The group had

become more and more disenchanted with pursuit

of material matters, and more interested in higher

truths. Even the more pragmatic considered a

withdrawal from the Jyhad wise, if only as a way to

preserve their own existences.

The rise of Augustus Giovanni was also a

matter of great concern. They, like the Tremere,

attempted to destroy the clan of the Founder they

killed. The Tremere, however, set out to do this by

discrediting and demonising their foes in a

propaganda campaign that lasted centuries. The

Giovanni had not gained the same connections

within the Kindred community, so were instead

forced to hunt down the Cappadocians themselves.

To do so, they made use of a special ritual that

allowed them to detect Kindred of the Clan from a

great distance. It was this innovation that led them

to perform the ritual at Hunedoara Castle which

shielded it from all intrusion.

The newly formed Council of Twelve sent the

word out through the world about the sect’s new

policies. Many of its former members, among them

Mithras, Prince of London, were unwilling to give

up their temporal power and involvement in

Kindred affairs, but at the same time the new

message had appeal to some in the Brujah and

Toreador communities. Over time, more of the

Ancients who had grown tired of the Jyhad were

won over, until the Inconnu reached the strength

that it now possesses.

Membership

Joining

No one can join the Inconnu by asking; when

the time comes, the Inconnu will contact the

individual and extend an invitation. To be accepted,

a candidate must have a true desire to exempt

himself or herself from the Jyhad, as well as the

wisdom and the power to make the separation and

to avoid further manipulation by one’s fellows.

The closeness of the vampire to Caine is one of

the major qualifications for the order. The applicant

must be sixth generation or higher to join. If

diablerie was used to gain the rank, the members

will consider the number of years ago the act was

committed and the motivation behind it; a few

“youthful indiscretions” might be tolerated, while a

more recent act will probably not be (performing

diablerie just to gain entrance to the Inconnu is

considered particularly bad form.) Though age is an

important factor (the potential member must be at

least three hundred years old), closeness to Caine is

paramount.

These rules, however, are relaxed for those who

have attained Golconda. Such Kindred are

considered to have the requisite maturity and

potential, and indeed are regarded with deep respect

by other Inconnu. Usually a quester will come into

contact with a member of the Inconnu during their

search, and the organization will keep tabs on them

afterward. All who complete their Suspire

successfully are invited to join. Ryan later told me

that exceptions have been made for those who reach

Golconda through the Path of Power and the Inner

Voice, though the individual is always evaluated

beforehand. Those who fail in their quest, however,

will never receive an invitation.

There is one other possible group that can enter

the Inconnu — those who have chosen at the apex

of their Suspire to become human rather than reach

Golconda. According to legend, such individuals

have been allowed into the Inconnu when they have

appeared, but currently there are no known human

members of the group. There probably never were

any such members, Ryan asserted. Golconda, to his

understanding, was an acceptance of one’s nature,

and anyone who wanted to become human at the

end of the quest had failed already. Still, it could be

asked how much a Baali knows of Golconda

anyway.

No matter how the person becomes a member,

she will be met in private by two or three Inconnu

who will extend an invitation. If refused, the

Inconnu will continue to evaluate them and may

once again extend membership within a century or

two. If they agree, they are accepted as a member.

To truly become a member in good standing,

however, they must travel to Hunedoara Castle and

take a solemn oath before the Council of Twelve to

give up all roles in the Jyhad and leave behind all

other sect or clan loyalties, as well as any boons

owed or given to vampires outside the organization.

The clan leaders will break any Blood Bonds placed

upon the individual, then place a magical mark

upon them that will provide them with immunity

from the fear and forgetfulness which Hunedoara

Castle causes.

Benefits

Though exemp tion from the Jyhad in itself

might be seen as benefit enough, the association of

elder Cainites within the order is also an important

factor. Though no member of the Order is bound to

come to the assistance of another save under the

direct order of the Council of Twelve (which is

very rarely given), friendship between members of

the Inconnu is often strong enough that informal

pacts of mutual protection come into being. In

addition, those in the Order are more than willing to

trade each other information, or even tutor others in

disciplines, if given sufficient incentive.

One other convenient aspect of the Inconnu is

its remission of its member’s prestation. All bonds

made before joining to anyone outside the Inconnu

are considered null and void, and anyone called

upon to fulfil them may claim exemption with little,

if any, loss of Status. The Order does tend to avoid

potential members who have a good number of

debts, however.

Responsibilities

There are very few rules by which a member of

the Inconnu is exp ected to abide, and even fewer

that are enforced. Members of the Order must

remain apart from the Jyhad; this is the most

important of all of the group’s rules. Even contact

with one’s non-Inconnu childer should be kept brief

and impartial.

The Inconnu is also dedicated to the

preservation of the vampiric species. This does not

mean, however, that an Inconnu member cannot

destroy vampires in self-defence — or truly, for any

other reason. The Council is likely to give the

individual the benefit of the doubt in these cases, so

long as no Jyhad-based motivation can be found.

Killing another Inconnu, however, is treated with

the highest degree of severity, the offender usually

being hunted down and killed.

Leaving the Inconnu

A person can leave the Order by either

requesting dismissal or being expelled by the

Council of Twelve. For the most part, however, the

Inconnu interferes little in its members’ lives, so a

Cainite can remain aloof for centuries and still be

considered a member. The only possible reasons for

expulsion are continued interference in outside

affairs, or if the Council judges that the Kindred’s

continued presence would irreparably damage the

organization or its members.

Organization

Council of Twelve

The Council consists of Cret, the Monitor of the

Tremere, along with eleven of the most experienced

Kindred within the Order. Councillors remain in

their position until their deaths or resignations. New

members are not elected, but chosen from a list

drawn up by the Council. Age is an important

factor, but the Councillors also look for a person

who will complement their own abilities. Such a

position is rarely sought; many members have

turned down invitations to join the Council to

pursue their own goals.

The Council’s duties, at the present time,

include collecting and correlating Monitor reports,

dispensing justice, and aiding the Tremere Monitor

in his duties. The Council could serve in a great

number of capacities if needed, but prefers to keep

their present, somewhat weak role. They realize

that the Council’s greatest power is its ability to

rally the strong-willed and recalcitrant elders, and

that any attempt to centralize the group’s authority

would alienate many powerful members.

Monitors

One position often volunteered for is that of

Monitor of a given city, state, or region containing

fifty or more Kindred. Those outside the Inconnu

often think of such a person as a nearly omnipotent

individual, whose spies are everywhere. This is

true, in a few cases, but the style of each Monitor

varies widely, with many taking little or no interest

in their areas. It is possible, in fact, for the

territories of two Monitors to overlap considerably.

For the most part, these people keep their presence

secret, though a few announce themselves openly or

even re-enter Kindred society under an assumed

identity. The latter are themselves closely observed

by the Council to watch for “lapses.”

The duty of the Monitors is simple: report any

unusual activity to the Council. This is generally

taken to mean the appearance of new bloodlines,

major supernatural incursions, and drastic power

shifts within the Kindred community, but the exact

definition of “unusual activity” is largely left up to

the Monitor in question. Failure to notice or report a

major occurrence, however, may result in some

unpleasantness from the Council.

A lesser-known fact is that the Inconnu also

maintains Monitors for the various clans whose

duty is to study their history, politics, rumours, and

so forth. For the most part, these Monitors are

mostly scholarly members of the clan in question.

For the Tremere, the Setites, and the Giovanni, the

situation is much different. Cret, the charismatic

Ventrue who sits on the Council of Twelve, has

taken up a post of Monitor of the Tremere, and

other Councillors often aid him in his duties. The

Monitors of the Giovanni and the Setites are less

valued though nonetheless important posts. The

Council has debated whether the irregularities

displayed by the Samedi bloodline warrant the

appointing of their own Monitor, though the matter

has remained inconclusive.

Ryan claimed that no Monitor of the Baali

existed, but I think that this had more to do with his

own failure to spot any such individual than

anything else.

Factions

The Inconnu, like any organization, has often

been split among its members. It differs from other

associations, however, in that it is so diverse and

decentralized that such differences cause no

schisms, merely opportunities for lively debate and]

discussion. These factions come and go, depending

on their pertinence to the situations at hand.

There are two groups, however, that have

survived the centuries and who still pursue their

separate agendas into the present age. The first are

often grouped under the label “The Seekers”. This

faction sees the pursuit of Golconda as the highest

task to which a Kindred may aspire. Those who

have already attained Golconda, or who do not

spend all their time in pursuit of that state, take it

upon themselves to find those not in the Inconnu

who seek it and help them upon their way. For the

Seekers, the true fulfilment of the Kindred species

will come when each member learns to accept his

or her true nature.

On the other side of the question are the

“Purifiers”. Despite its title’s sinister overtones, the

members of this group are quite benign in their

pursuits. Usually more rational in methods than

their competitors, they believe that through science

and magic, the Kindred can overcome their

limitations while maintaining their unique nature.

Centuries ago, the two factions were relatively

equal in number. Since the Age of Enlightenment,

the Purifiers have grown in number, and in fact

most of the Councillors now rank among them.

Suppression is not in the nature of the Inconnu,

however, so it is unlikely that any action will be

taken against the Seekers.

Members

Only the Council of Twelve knows the complete

list of members of the Order. If a member wants to

be put in touch with another member, it is

customary to ask the Council, though others may

also direct them to the desired person.

Assamites

Few Assamites have joined, and none of these is

less than fifteen centuries old. All are heretics

despised by the clan.

Brujah

The memory of Carthage is still strong for many

in this clan, but many of those Sired after the city’s

defeat have chosen to join the sect nonetheless,

drawn by its emphasis on freedom.

Cappadocians

It is believed that the Giovanni destroyed all the

Cappadocians. However, if any did survive, the

Inconnu might be the best place for them to hide.

Followers of Set

Two or three renegades who have (supposedly)

given up the ways of their founder have been

inducted — though not without some reservations.

Gangrel

With their love of the wilderness and aloofness

from Kindred society, the Gangrel are closest to the

Inconnu spirit, and appear in greater numbers than

any other clan.

Gargoyles

It is possible that the first gargoyle has been

inducted into the Inconnu, but if so no lower-level

members have seen him for many years.

Kiasyd

Only a few of this reclusive bloodline have

joined the Inconnu.

Lasombra

Following the destruction of their clan founder,

many Lasombra felt the need to re-evaluate their

priorities. Many of the “Old Guard” Lasombra

joined the Inconnu, and a good number of these still

follow the Path of Heaven.

would meet the requirements posed by the sect at

any rate. At least one Tzimisce member, Vlad

Tepes, is known.

Ventrue

It is difficult for most Ventrue to give up the

idea of acquiring power over others, but a

surprising number have nonetheless become

members.

Malkavian

The Malkavians fit into the Inconnu with the

same ease (?) that they do within the Camarilla or

the Sabbat.

Paths

The Inconnu includes a wide variety of paths,

with Humanity and the Via Bestiae being especially

popular. Also common are the Paths of Harmony,

Honourable Accord, Scorched Heart, and (in more

recent years) Self-Focus. They tend to frown upon

the Path of Caine and its forerunner, the Via

Sanguinus , since they condone diablerie. Those

known to be of the Paths of Typhon or Evil

Revelations are never asked to join, as they would

have a disruptive influence on the rest of the

organization.

Nagaraja

Few of these Kindred meet the generation

requirement for the Inconnu, so only one or two at

most have joined.

Nosferatu

Both Nosferatu and Nictuku are welcomed

within the Inconnu, though they are expected to

give up their feuding upon induction.

Old Clan Tzimisce

Just as with their Lasombra brethren, the

Anarch Revolt caused many of these individuals to

re-examine their priorities. Many of them have

joined the organization, unsatisfied with living with

their masters under the Oradea League.

Locations

Though the description of Hunedoara Castle in

the World of Darkness book is accurate for the most

part, a few notes regarding its history should be

made. First of all, Vlad’s raid on the Turkish

garrison at Hunedoara never happened — at least,

not at Hunedoara. The incident described occurred

at Giurgiu, halfway across the country and on the

Turkish border. Secondly, the timeline in the article

seems flawed, as the diablerie of Saulot occurs at

the same time as the Anarch Revolt. For the

purposes of this article, I’ve taken the time closer to

Vlad the Impaler and used Cappadocius’ diablerie

as the reason for the group’s final change in policy.

Salubri

All Salubri who succeed in their quests for

Golconda are allowed into the group, though their

stay there is usually cut short when their Childer

diablerise them. If the Storyteller rules that any

higher-generation Salubri still exist, they will most

likely belong here (and will be regarded with some

awe by most of the rank-and-file).

Toreado r

Not as many Toreador have returned to the

Inconnu as that group might have liked, but more

and more of this Clan are finding Kindred politics

to be a distraction to their art and see joining the

group as the only way to gain true freedom.

Predictably, few Poseurs have joined the group.

The Catacombs

Before the Council cast its spell over Hunedoara

Castle, the Inconnu usually had met within the

catacombs beneath the old Roman cities, such as

Paris and Constantinople (the organization was

forced to desert its former haunts beneath Venice

due to flooding and the presence of the Giovanni,

though the Monitor of the Giovanni is said to keep

his residence in one of the remaining tunnels). The

Roman catacombs still remain the most popular

place for meetings due to the low Kindred

population and a cordial agreement with the local

Nosferatu.

True Brujah

A good number from this bloodline who are not

affiliated with the Black Hand are instead members

of the Inconnu. Such members have, of course,

given up on their feud with the childer of Troile —

or so they say.

Geneva

As stated in the World of Darkness book,

Geneva serves as an unofficial meeting place for

those Inconnu unwilling or unable to make the trek

Tzimisce

Very few of these have joined the Inconnu, as

the Old Clan lobbies against their presence, and few

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