Also known As: The Frumentarii, The Speculatores, Agentes in Rebus

The former secret police of the Roman Empire, the organisation did not falter with the Western Empire, but now exists in a fractured form. Many simply moved their services to the East and their families now serve the Byzantine Empire and its dreams of reconquest. Some choose to serve the children of Charlemagne and yet others have taken darker masters. This is a single faction only in that they use the same signs, meeting points and tradecraft they always have.

Courting the favour of the faction is as simple and as difficult as pleasing a few individual members, though the varied nature of their work makes this difficult. In principle, actions supporting their masters are appreciated, while the favours they can supply in return vary from surprisingly detailed information to subtle adjustments in neighbouring countries or domains.

Also Known As: Commentators, Jurists

Scholars of legal theory, the Society of Glossators was founded by graduates from the School of Jurisprudence, located in Bologna. With their influence swiftly spreading out over much of Europe within a few years, their members are consulted on many applications of law at the regional level, particularly whenever there is a contradiction between laws established by different states and courts. A few notable members have been called to serve the courts of the Holy Roman Empire, lending prestige to the Society as a whole.

As with most people of learning, these scholars draw primarily from families of wealth and stature, but have each sworn to provide advice with full impartiality. In theory, anyway. Whether this is true in practice is a matter of opinion. They travel widely along the merchant roads of Europe, and as such have a breadth of knowledge about many different cultures and distant places.

To those who earn their favour, they are willing to offer legal advice and perhaps the backing of their reputation and wealth on occasion, while those who offend the Glossators find may legal issues to be unduly frustrating and tied up with bureaucratic nonsense, or that a law is changing in a way that does not favour them.

Also known As: The Hungarian Fiends

The Voivodes. Scions of monstrous nobility and cold, vicious honour. Rumor says they can play the strings of the blood bond like a harp, manipulating the subtle emotional effects it brings out in their childer and servants.

It is unclear what might please such creatures - indeed, it might vary from Voivode to Voivode, perhaps even from night to night. Similarly, what assistance they might provide and what favours they might demand for it are unpredictable and often outlandish. Still acting with honour, particularly as regards the laws of hospitality, is one sure way to avoid becoming persona non gratis in their lands. Invoking their displeasure is a peril survived only by the clever, strong or very lucky.

Also known As: The Night Princes

The Lasombra Princes of Spain, Sicily and Northern Italy. Manipulative and pragmatic, the Northern part of the Sea of Shadows is more a loose collection of alliances that hold off Ventrue aggression from the North, and Toreador, Tzimisce and Cappadocian avarice from the East and West.

In the South, where they have more of a hold, Lasombra domination is absolute, rumoured to be anchored upon the resting place of their progenitor, a place known as Castel d'Ombro.

These shadowy Kindred have deep ties to many areas of religion. Supporting their goals in such areas would doubtless reap rewards, while the type of aid they can provide is likely limited only by their generosity. However as with all such Cainites, the price for it may be more than the asker can stomach. Crossing them and earning their dislike will most likely lead to all manner of difficulties in a surprising number of matters, not least of which might be the censure of the Church.