By Brian Connors (connorbd@bc.edu)
The Violators are the result of these botched rites. The typical Violator is picked and given the creation rites just like any other Sabbat, but it is usually not in the personality of the neonate in question to drive his way out. Instead, he will work slowly, taking weeks and even months to break out of his grave. By that time, the pack that gave the neonate his unlife is long gone and the neonate has often sworn eternal and painful revenge on the perpetrators. The result is a Caitiff who, at first, has little motivation other than vengeance.
Most Violators become anarchs or Camarilla Kindred instead of Sabbat; the psychological brutality of the Rites is a key factor in this. But at the same time it is also their habit to take up Sabbat rituals; for example, most Violators run in packs, and virtually all practice the vaulderie with their packs and coteries. Those known to be Violators are often therefore put under suspicion of treason if anything happens; because of this Violators don't generally divulge that fact about them to anyone other than their packs.
The majority of Violators are Caitiff due to the nature of their Embrace; however, one clan always predominates unless the Embracing pack was Pander or mixed. This often only increases suspicion when things get messy, another reason why few Violators ever reveal their identities.
The first Violators under the name appeared in the 1840s in England. They were a coterie of factory workers who had been abducted and embraced by a local Sabbat pack. A day or two after being buried, one finally broke out close to dawn. The guard, apparently a rogue Setite (not a Serpent of the Light), had fled and the neonate dug out his comrades just in time to get into darkness.
The Violators are really not that well known except to the Giovanni. In 1919, Jacqueline (Giovanni) Darwin, a member of a rather estranged branch of the family, was forced through the creation rites and eventually became a fairly powerful leader among the Boston anarch population. She has openly denounced her birth family as Satanists and monsters and has been largely disowned from the family. The Giovanni have not made any effort to eliminate her, apparently uncertain of their chances of getting away with it.
The thing that scares others the most is the nature of their rituals; while few Camarilla groups even know of the vaulderie, there is something instinctual that finds the act unsettling. Another thing is that the Violators, like their Sabbat progenitors, are unbondable, a fact which deeply bothers the majority of vampire Princes and primogens. Some actually engage in the Sabbat Blood Feast, though it is seldom seen among the Camarilla Violators as it is one of the most blatant of breaches of the Masquerade.
Violators are very rarely known actually to be Caitiff; they are so well-integrated with the more pedigreed members of their packs that the question seldom comes up. It is only when a Violator is forced to reveal herself that questions are asked.
Brujah-dominant: A meaningless statement when related to Violators. Most seem to act that way.
Cappadocian-dominant: Nobody knows how this happened, but these few are the last vampires of Cappadocian blood.
Setite-dominant: Very rare. The few known are Serpent of the Light rejects; there's about four of them.
Gangrel-dominant: Generally have Protean, but other than that basically a less-idealistic Brujah type.
Lasombra-dominant: The most common by far, Lasombra-dominant Violators always have Obtenebration, but many can see themselves in a mirror.
Malkavian-dominant: See Malkav's Chosen and sub in modern Malkavian attitudes. Most do not reveal that they carry Dementation.
Nosferatu-dominant: Virtually indistinguishable from any other Nosferatu; there is perhaps less deformity, but not significantly less.
Pander-dominant: For some reason this crew are rather introverted. Of course, the fact that there is any sort of commonality in Pander blood is rather surprising, but given that Sabbat Caitiff are virtually nonexistent nowadays...
Salubri-dominant: Sabbat Salubri are rare enough. The two known Violators make up 20% of the population at the moment.
Toreador-dominant: Tend to lack motivation. Not much like the Toreador at all.
Tremere-dominant: Only guarantee is Thaumaturgy. That and any Camarilla Tremere thinks you're antitribu.
Tzimisce-dominant: Don't ask. These are more common than anyone cares to admit and usually wind up going completely insane (and worse) attempting to morph their way out of the grave. Those who get to the surface are frequently mistaken by lupines for stray fomorach and generally doesn't live too long. A very few that don't have Vicissitude in the first place usually wind up among Malkavians.
Ventrue-dominant: These types tend to make mainstream Brujah shudder. They are among the most violent, bitter, and uncontrollable and virtually never find a place within the Camarilla, so that virtually all Ventrue-dominant Violators are either anarchs or liars.
Over the years, the Violators have created their own paths of enlightenment. The strongest, the Path of Restoration, is dedicated to erasing the dehumanizing effects of the Sabbat embrace and is the most widely followed.
What can be said about someone who revels in the name Violator? I only know that those who are loyal to us are loyal when it counts; I don't know that I can trust them any other time.
Sabbat: We never asked for their Embrace. We copy them to mock them and we will have our revenge when the time comes.
The first time I met one of these I was disbelieving. The second time I was angered. The third time I wound up staked to the wall in a broom closet with a south-facing window and a less-than-trustworthy shade. The fourth time I won't make the same mistake again.
Anarchs: Though we may pledge loyalties to others, we are eternally one with them. In the end, we have no others who fully accept us.
I think that they're one of the best things ever to happen to us. The Sabbat has become sloppy in these last decades and they deserve what they get.
Inconnu: I don't care what they say. They are the Jyhad.
Somehow they continue to see us as the enemy. Their power must be focused to do something about that; they do not yet really know us.
Assamites: Risky to deal with. Worry about the Black Hand first, though, and you'll probably not have to be reattaching anything.
As long as they behave, don't sweat it. They're not Sabbat, no matter how they act.
Brujah: If anyone adopts one of us, a Brujah will. We share their anger, though pragmatism and ideals can be an odd mix.
Accept them. They can be as much Brujah in spirit as you are in blood and they bring a few bonuses too.
Followers of Set: Carry a good bright Maglite when you go into Setite territory. Carry a cigarette lighter if they enter yours.
They may as well be the Haitian traitors. Be careful around them.
Gangrel: We don't quite understand them. But they will yet prove to be worthwile allies, that much we do understand.
You can't tell them from the Sabbat on bad days. Distrust is the watchword.
Giovanni: They're up to something. Watch them carefully.
They will come after us. Giacquelina was lost to them and is known to dislike us. Take care with them or they will be your downfall.
Lasombra: Slaughter on sight. It is their fault that we exist.
Our biggest mistakes are to let such as these live. But it seems so difficult to talk a pack into staking down or finishing off the rejects.
Malkavian: They're comic relief at times, but make sure you can trust the ones you meet on your side of the street; they might be from the other side.
Frankly, it's rather surprising to find people who survive this with their sanity intact. There's got to be a good reason why I can't tell them apart...
Nosferatu: They accept us, at least. A damn shame they don't join packs with us.
What they do is none of our concern, but there's no reason to let that affect our hospitality towards them.
Ravnos: Loose grips on reality don't get you very far. If they had an attitude adjustment, they'd be ruling the world.
Amusing, to listen to, but seldom worth the trouble of stealing from. Though I do like the idea of "ravnotic" as an insult.
Salubri: A myth, nothing more. But if you meet one, protect her any way you can.
Rare indeed are they. But you can trust them.
Toreador: Pretentious and annoying. I find it hard to believe the same creeps who slither through art museums like a pervert at a peep show are responsible for the artistic achievements of civilization.
Their appreciation for art (or lack thereof) aside, they're not so bad. I do think they need to lighten up a little.
Tremere: Suffice to say that those of us who are Tremere don't admit it on principle.
Ingrates. And they waste their power; power we will need in Gehenna.
Tzimisce: They're not at all human. I'm not entirely sure they're even vampires.
One can only be glad there are none of us among them. Revenge can be their only motivation.
Ventrue: Ventrue princes are a wise idea most places. The problem is that a Ventrue population never is.
Loyalty and trust are two different things. No one can say a member of a militia is loyal, but few will break their word; it is the opposite with these, it seems.