Whether Kindred or Cainite, when a vampire speaks of Victorian culture, she often refers to events and scandals in Britain. London is the jewel in the crown of the Victorian Empire. All other civilised cities are measured against its standards, at least among the Damned.

Of course, it's also a squalid, dangerous place populated by the only vampires savvy enough to survive the machinations of Mithras, the Methuselah prince, the tyranny of Valerius, his chamberlain, and the fury of Lady Anne, his childe and betrayer. The lengthy tenure of this prince has not only reinforced the idea of its regent's unquestioned authority, but also served as a precedent for princes everywhere. Any Kindred seeking status should travel to London, but inevitably, the time comes to flee from its vicious politics and impossibly high ideals. When that time arrives, countless other cities may well prove a sanguinary oasis to which one can flee and repair one's reputation. For each of these realms, a handful of cities exemplify their character. The Camarilla cities detailed below show the contrasts between the many lands of the Empire. Demonstrating the extremes of vampiric society, these select cities demonstrate the iniquities of the Gothic Victorian age.

European Cities

Bristol, Swindon and Bath

The connecting countryside between these cities is wide and pristine, full of grasses, farmed fields, delightful copses of trees and darker, forgotten woodland. The line of demarcation between cities and their surrounding farmlands is astonishingly sharp, and one can step from agriculture to urban life in a matter of yards. As such, travel between them is made unsurprisingly dangerous for Kindred (and any mortals who linger too long into the dusk) given the clan who takes up residence in the wilds.

Powerful Gangrel claim haven here, out in the lush void. Given they act as front-line defences for any Camarilla clans nesting within, princes typically allow the Gangrel their desired space (for what use have they for backwater, human-scarce land anyway?) and this suits the Gangrel just fine.

Gangrel jealously guard the territory between the cities. In the Victorian era, what with its many Kindred being drawn to urban life and abandoning the less formal domains that sustained them in earlier nights, territory has became scarce. Gangrel domains occasionally overlap, and when they do, some primal relationship emerges. This sometimes takes the form of one Gangrel earning the recognition as an "alpha," pre-eminent among the city's other Animals (and occasionally earning a place as the clan's primogen, if they or the prince bother with the title). At other times, vicious rivalries ensue, with Gangrel literally at each other's throats in areas where domain is scarce or the vessels within provide for only a subsistence unlife.

One such alpha appears quite old; like many elder Gangrel, she has a startling number of inhuman features, making her very nearly the equal of any Nosferatu for sheer hideousness. Her fellow call her Rosa; if she has any other name, it has not been heard spoken. She takes residence between Bristol and Bath (though is officially acknowledged in Bristol) and fiercely guards her domain. What parts she ignores are snatched up by other Gangrel and competition can be deadly. The only clan seemingly able to travel between the two are the Nosferatu, who, presumably, have a different route of access than the surface, given their queer and continual knowledge of local events in both domains. When Kindred need reach Bristol from Bath, or vice versa, it is best done with preparation, connections, and forewarning to the residents between. How one would even go about this without a sympathetic (or lackey) Gangrel is a mystery rarely worth the hassle.

To the east lies enigmatic Swindon, far more sharply delineated from Bath than is Bristol.

Swindon is a desert by Kindred standards, its recumbent Prince allowing only his 6 childer to live there. Anyone who disagrees can of course visit him and talk it through, but currently (and for the last three hundred years) the prince, Harthacnut I of Denmark, son of Canute of tidal fame, has been slumbering - in the sewers. His Seneschal has the run of the city and manages the prince's affairs above ground. None bother the prince except in the direst of circumstance.

The people of Cardiff, Wales, as a rule, distrust Englishmen and all things English. The rebellious Welsh have yet to accept the notion that the English have only their best interests at heart.

Cardiff has developed into an important port, sitting as it does at the mouths of the Taff and Ely Rivers on Bristol Channel. Much of the coal and mineral wealth mined throughout southern Wales is brought through Cardiff on the Glamorganshire Canal and, from there, shipped to England or other lands. While not nearly a match for London's East End, it has begun to look very much the proper, technologically advanced city. Refineries belch the thick, black smoke that is the unfortunate companion of progress, and the docks are visited by a constant stream of vessels. In short, Cardiff is both crowded and financially vital, two factors that are assured to draw the attention of the Kindred.

The Prince of Cardiff is a Ventrue by the name of Ows ap Gwian, an exceeding pompous Welshman whose family have dwelt on these lands since Roman times. To all outward appearances, ap Gwian maintains his domain (he holds Elysium in a private dwelling that lies in the shadow of Cardiff Castle) in the approved Camarilla fashion; that is, he keeps his primogen well in line and otherwise allows them to go about their business. Cardiff's vampire population is surprisingly small and, thus, relatively easy to manage - or so it appears upon first examination.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Even passing back through England, the journey to Edinburgh is not terribly long by train, but still, it's easy to lose track of the hours.

Scotland is acutely removed from England. Beyond the Cheviot Hills, the land opens up like a blooming flower into the Lower Uplands of gently rolling hills and occasional majestic mountains. Few towns of any great size are to be found in this region, and as peaceful as a stay in one of the quaint little villages might prove, most Kindred schedules would simply not allow for it. Knowledge waits for no man.

The train carries passengers north into the Central lowlands that occupy the middle of Scotland, separating the Uplands in the south from the Highlands in the north - and, not incidentally, the home of most of Scotland's major cities.

It is colder here than in London. One would imagine that such trifling concerns as "hot" or "cold" have long ceased to bother the Kindred. Edinburgh is located on the southern coast of the Firth of Forth. While not quite the centre of commerce and shipping that Cardiff has become, it is still the hub around which many mercantile endeavours revolve. Of particular interest to a man of education is Edinburgh's printing industry, which has been a small but essential mainstay of the city's economy since the 16th century.

The hills that abut the city are stunning in their beauty, but few Kindred take advantage of these surroundings. To hear them speak of it, inhuman creatures stalk the wild, beast-men and projected legends of the "good folk" that frighten even they. One does, on occasion, hear romantic (to say nothing of far-fetched) tales of Scottish Gangrel who have been roaming the Highlands since Celtic times. If they do exist - and many rather doubt they do - they do not approach the Lowlands while others are present, as there have been no witnessed sightings. This is not to say that there are no Gangrel active in Scotland - short of the Ventrue and the clans discussed below, they seem among the most numerous - but all those encountered are relatively civilised, and many even take part in the Kindred politics of the region, an activity that many Gangrel elsewhere eschew.

Edinburgh's greatest virtue is its many cultural and historical locations. Edinburgh Castle overlooks the city from rocky cliffs above; the Holyrood Palace, the Chapel of Saint Margaret and the Church of Saint Giles can all be found in Edinburgh's Old Town. The city is known widely across the British Isles for its many museums.

If the reader has, to this point, been paying attention to these studies, they will no doubt not require it to be told that the Toreador clan claims dominance in the city. Between the multiple museums and historical curiosities, an unheard of proportion of Old Town has been declared Elysium by Lady Besse Dancort, Edinburgh's "prince" (a term that apparently, and quite puzzlingly, has no gender-specific implication in Kindred parlance). Despite infrequent attempts by outside powers (such as London's Mithras) to introduce their own pawns into Scotland's capital, Lady Besse and her Toreador appear to have the city very well in hand, though one cannot help but think that this is partially because many of Edinburgh's eldest non-Toreador Kindred have long since relocated to London or other, more swiftly growing cities. Edinburgh's importance in the scheme of Kindred Britain appears to be on the wane.

Perhaps, for clarity's sake, what should actually be said is that Edinburgh's importance to the Camarilla sect appears to be on the wane. Worried rumours among the Toreador fetes in Old Town, whispered across crowded balls like the gossip of old women, suggest that they fear the Sabbat has taken an interest in Edinburgh (and Glasgow as well, they say).

Oddly, the reigning power in Edinburgh behind the Toreador appears to be a true vampiric "family" - that is, one can find no hint of their clan affiliation. These "Dunsirn" Kindred keep largely to themselves, rarely challenging the Toreador in any way. This is particularly unusual, as their influence seems to extend across most of Scotland. There's little doubt that they could effectively take Edinbugh from Lady Besse if they so chose. Perhaps they fear the repercussions of angering the Camarilla, of which sect they seem to take no part. Unfortunately, for those wishing to learn more of these Dunsirn, several of their largest havens appear to be warded by some barrier that denies entry. Only one thing is certain of the Dunsirn - their reputation precedes them. Polite society shuns them, and all manner of grisly behaviour has been attributed to them.

On the journey toward the west coast of Scotland, where I intended to board a ship to cross the channel to the Emerald Isle, I found myself growing nervous for the first time since I felt the vampire lay hold of me from behind on Waterloot Bridge Road. The sky was grey and seemed low to earth, as if some great weight pressed down upon the rolling clouds; still, there was sufficient light to see. I have run across other spirits in my travels but never have I seen them in such numbers! The Scottish countryside is absolutely fit to burst with the Restless Dead! I cannot hazard a guess as to why this might be. As violent as this country's past is, it is no more so than many places with far fewer ghosts. Furthermore, a great many of them looked at me with strange, empty eyes, as though they were somehow dead beyond death. More than one drew near as the train swept by, and in a voice that carried even over the perpetual rumble of the train, whispered
"Dunsirn..."

I think that I shall never visit Scotland again.

Paris has been a haven for Toreador elders since the very founding of the Camarilla.

The Degenerates compete fiercely to be worthy of acceptance in such a prestigious domain. Francois Villon has claimed the domain for centuries, securing status few would dare challenge. While the aristos of the Parisian Kindred have remained firmly entrenched, Paris itself has suffered. Many mortals still remember the hardships of the Franco-Prussian War. The city suffered only minor damage from Prussian attacks, but the revolt of the Paris Commune destroyed much of the inner city in a great fire. Over 20,000 soldiers lost their lives defending the city. Rebuilding, both political and architectural, continues well into the 1890s. Parisian Kindred use their copious influence to rebuild the city in service to their own interests.

Vienna is not only home to an upper crust of Ventrue aristocracy, but the alleged resting place of an Antidiluvian: Tremere himself.

Throughout most of the era, Vienna's prince plays a dangerous game by acting as a diplomat between these two powerful alliances. Tremere fear this city, as a "summons to Vienna" means that one may be called to justify one's actions to the seven elders of the clan. By contrast, any Malkavian who is fascinated by the prospect of regaining one's sanity may learn from the small coterie of Lunatics who reside there. They are cautious not to disturb Doctor Freud's progress, but still eagerly await his latest revelations.

Venice has maintained a similar balance of power throughout the 19th century.

Most of the city's few elders are Ventrue and Toreador, led by a charismatic "merchant prince," but the city is also home to the most powerful vampires of Clan Giovanni. It is rumoured that aged and degenerate Necromancers, free from the worrisome trouble of breathing, have made their havens beneath the murky waters of the city's submerged buildings. Bolstered by unseen forces, the supporters of Clan Giovanni completely ignore the authority of the city's so-called "prince." The domain is also continually troubled by disease and plague afflicting the local kine. Thus, only the few local Nosferatu remain untouched by this fluid struggle for power.

American Gothic

America, once the bastion of grand ideals, has long since lost its innocence. A scant two decades ago, a "civil" war claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of American soldiers. Reconstruction in the American South has remade it in an image the wealthy of the North prefer. Corruption in business is rife across the East Coast - and even more prevalent in American politics. This is the time of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, when money can buy and sell political influence at bargain rates. of course, if much of that political influence lies in the claws of vampires, so be it.

New York is not only one of the most prosperous cities on the East Coat, but also among the most progressive cities in the world. As it is also the most populous city in America, those who prey upon humankind are drawn to it. It hosts one of the largest societies of vampires in the world. The lethargic traditions of the Old World have been supplanted here by industry and ambition. Victorian Gotham and its surrounding boroughs are extensive enough that Kindred and Cainites are present in the same city. And beneath the streets, as workers toil to expand the underground infrastructure of this thriving metropolis, unseen masters help extend their efforts into a vast Nosferatu Kingdom, one utterly warped and hideously beautiful. They are expanding it recklessly - heedless of the consequences to come.

The American West isn't subtle in its conflicts, for this is the age of the Wild West. Few Camarilla vampires are willing to make the long trek to see meagre populations of mortal kine, and those who do risk their very existence. West of the Mississippi, the Sabbat roams largely unchallenged, marauding as savage beasts over an untamed land. In their wanderings, Cainites feed as freely from Native Americans as Europeans. After witnessing spiritual ceremonies that hold a certain synergy with their own beliefs, Sabbat vampires have begun to integrate shamanistic beliefs into their own religious practices.

San Francisco shows the contrasts of the West Coast, as it is an isolated haven for the few Camarilla vampires brave enough to explore the West. in 1846, the city of Yerba Buena was seized by the United States Navy as part of the Mexican-American War: the following year, its name changed to San Francisco. The Gold Rush of 1849 brought wild and lawless hordes of humanity and, as one would expect, Kindred and Cainites who would exploit them. A ruthless Camarilla prince aided by powerful Gangrel brought the order of the Victorian Traditions to this domain. His power extended only so far, however, as vast territories surrounding San Francisco were claimed by Sabbat, powerful autarkis and self-proclaimed anarchs. A railway line from the East, completed in 1869, has allowed more Kindred to make the lengthy journey to this island of civility. They will no doubt continue to do so, contributing to the city's status as a major metropolis by the burgeoning 1890s.

The Mysterious Orient

As Kipling says, "East is East, and West is West."

Kindred are blissfully ignorant of much that happens in the courts of their Oriental counterparts, called Cathayans in the Occidental tongue. That doesn't mean Western vampires never encounter Eastern ones, however. Since the British Empire has seized several Chinese cities, Camarilla vampires have taken their conquest as a sign that they should seize their corresponding domains. The Asian "vampires" - if such a description of these mysterious creatures is indeed accurate - aren't eager for another "shadow war" to protect their territories.

Instead, Eastern vampires are largely content to let the Kindred encounter the supernatural mysteries hidden within their lands. Oblivious to the dangers of tampering with dragon lines, confronting hengeyokai shapeshifters and interfering with subtle Asian sorcerers, the Kindred are rapidly learning that they are poorly equipped to oppose the threats of the "dragons of the East" or the supernatural agencies that strike in ways the Westerners cannot anticipate, oppose or even understand.

The Kindred's efforts are frustrated by historical movements as well. In China, the soldiers of the Boxer Rebellion plan to drive the British Empire from their homelands. Paranoid princes are convinced that they must be supported in some way by vengeful Cathayans, yet no proof emerges. Despite revolutionary attempts at resistance, the British have established a series of rapidly growing and highly profitable colonies here. For instance, the city of Singapore had a population of less than a few hundred people when it was "discovered" by British explorers in 1819. By 1880, it is home to over 200,000 mortals.

Japan has remained distant from the rest of the world for centuries, but the 1880s mark the start of the Meiji restoration, an attempt to modernise the nation by learning and adapting the traditions of the West. A few Japanese cities now have Camarilla princes, but the few visitors they receive wonder how much power they actually wield. Each seems to tolerate the Asian vampires passing through his domain, even remaining content to let them come and go without formal introductions. but if they don't enforce the Second Tradition, are they really princes?

Many European vampires suspect there may be some form of conspiracy between the Dragon Princes, the self-proclaimed Bushi Clan, and the somewhat autarkis "Kuei-jin" vampires who dwell nearby. The truth is more insidious than any European dares imagine.

The Indian Colonies

As one of the most prosperous and traditional of the British Colonies, India has become another (albeit smaller) jewel in the Camarilla's crown. Princes and elders watch over the largest European settlements, taking a great deal of pride and credit in the expansion of the Empire. Elaborate missives sent to Great Britain speak of attempts to explore further into the Indian subcontinent. Proud English Kindred sire progeny to aid them in these attempts - and most of their childer die.

Although few would admit it, powerful supernatural forces have repeatedly claimed the unlives of curious vampires who traffic with forces they do not understand. Rumours persist of unusual shapeshifters, a veritable kingdom of Indian ghosts, sorcerer-cultists who deal with strange frontiers of death and pleasure and, most remarkably, dangerous bloodlines of hithero unknown Indian vampires. Unless the Camarilla can overcome these cryptic forces, their ambitions for India are doomed. Of course, stalwart supporters of the Camarilla would never dare admit their failure - they'd prefer to redouble their efforts instead.

The Dark Continent

European powers are quickly suborning the territories of Africa. By 1884, they will place designs on nearly every territory on the map. Within 40 years, very few places - such as Liberia, Ethiopia and a few portions of the Sudan - have escaped the auspice of "colonial protection."

In Northern Africa, Egypt is one of the most hotly contested areas of Camarilla influence. The Ventrue Prince of Alexandria, for instance, is well aware of the number of Setites and Assamites who would just as soon destroy him as ruin his claims of domain. His primogen claimed supremacy in the city after the British bombarded it in 1882, acting in response to the extensive slaughter of European residents there. by 1890, the whole of Egypt is under British rule, a fact the Camarilla exploits for all it is worth. Yet, in those shadows, autarkis vampires silently convert and destroy the Kindred within their domains. Childer who dream by day of destroying the enemies of the sect need look no further. The campaign against Setites and Assamites is overt, even if the enemy's retribution is subtle.

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