City Positions

In Venture Corporation the following positions and titles are often used. Some of these are formally appointed, others develop as informal positions of de facto power.

Division Head (Corporation Status ****): The head of the city, can only be voted in by the Board of Directors, and removed the same way (though occasionally there are accidents, as with any business). Of course, a Division Head must do more than bark orders and issue death sentences. Her job is not merely to govern, but to regulate. A Kindred domain is boiling pot, full of personal and sectarian conflicts, petty grudges and endless political maneuvering, all topped with the innate and inescapable violence of a race of predators who feed on blood. The Division Head's job is to keep a lid on that pot -- or, perhaps more accurately, to be the lid on that pot. The reason most Division Heads eventually become dictatorial is that they must keep so many powerful and easily agitated vampires in line.

The Division Head's Status points are equal to his personal City Status (after taking into account any bonuses provided by the position of his clan and covenant, see below). In addition to spending Status points to grant or remove dots of City Status (as described above), the Division Head has special power over the first dot of City Status that another vampire has. Granting that initial dot represents the Division Head's sanction of a kindred to hunt in the city. The Division Head can grant that first dot to any character who otherwise has no City Status, and at no cost to the newly acknowledged vampire (in experience) or to himself (in status points).

The Division Head can similarly strip a character who has (or has been reduced to) City Status 1 of her last dot. He does so by casting the character out of the city or by clearly implying he no longer cares for her fate (this is distinct from an actual blood hunt). In very rare cases when he feels an entire group has betrayed the city (or his rule), a Division Head may declare an entire clan or covenant unwelcome in his domain All members of the group who have City Status 1 immediately lose that dot at no cost to the Division Head's Status points, but those with higher City Status must be stripped of it dot by dot as usual. Eminent and rival clans and the ascendant and contender covenants are immune to such sweeping declarations.

Too many or too few Division Heads: There can usually be only a single Division Head in a city, butt there are instances when two or more rival Division Heads claim domain over a city and they refuse to recognize one another's claims. In this case, calculate the total City Status dots of all active characters who support each contender. The contender with the highest total gets Status points and their related abilities. Other contenders cannot grant Status and their supporters are liable to face loss of personal Status by the winner's decree -- one reason why kindred contenders for the throne usually keep their ambitions closely guarded.

In cities with no single point of authority, the highest City Status of any of the individual kindred involved in the ruling council (or similar body) equals the points that are at the disposal of the council to spend. Allocating them usually requires a prior arrangement among council members and the Storyteller. Say, a majority vote is needed, or anyone may access the points whenever they want to, without consultation.

Controller (Corporation Status ***): In charge of the city's financials, the Controller is the chief advisor to the Division Head, providing analysis and advice on the city, and keeping the Division Head informed about its daily affairs.

The Division Head's right hand, the Controller is responsible for many of the night-to-night details of running a government. While the Division Head concerns himself with conflict in the city and making certain the Masquerade goes unbroken, the Controller makes sure that things run smoothly in the government itself. He is responsible for keeping track of the Division Head's assets (and possibly those of the Board or other ruling bodies). He makes schedules and appointments and handles the many logistics required so that no elder feels that another is given preferential treatment. The Controller holds substantial power in the domain, for he often decides whose petitions are passed on to the Division Head, who receives a court audience, and in what order. In some few but noteworthy domains, the Controller's power is so complete, and he is so much better informed of happenings among the elders than the Division Head himself, that it's unclear who the true ruler is.

Project Manager (Corporation Status ***): The Project Manager's duty to Venture is to track and manage all projects that the Teams undertake, and to coordinate teams to reduce redundancy and inefficiency. They are also responsible for making sure that Teams are not wasting money, and coordinate with the Controller to keep all projects within the approved budget.

If an employee wishes to get a project approved, they must submit the proposal to the Project Manager and Human & Kindred Resources. The Project Manager approves the logistics of the project and has H&KR check the estimated budget against the team's overall budget. To get a project authorized, you must complete Project Proposal Form TH-829.

Board of Directors (Corporation Status **): The Board of Directors is comprised of all the Team Leads in an area. The Board has final say in all matters. While the Division Head is the head of the city, without the Board's backing, the Division Head has little authority.

Chief Administrator (Same as the Vice President: The Chief Administrator is the Vice President's mouthpiece. When the Vice President makes a decree, the Chief Administrator's job is to make sure that all of the city's Kindred hear of it (assuming it's meant for all ears). The Chief Administrator hands down judgment, represents the Vice President in proxy when she cannot (or will not) make a personal appearance, and otherwise serves as something of a secretary of state. The Chief Administrator is assumed to speak with the Vice President's voice at all times. Some treacherous or ambitious Chief Administrators use this fact to direct other Kindred to their own liking, making suggestions that others assume carry the weight of the Vice President's orders. Some Chief Administrators who were less subtle than they believed have been executed for this very thing, so wise Chief Administrators remain more or less honest.

Chief of Security (Corporation Status ***): The Chief of Security is in charge of keeping order in the city, and insuring that Elysium remains a neutral ground. A combination police investigator, enforcer and inquisitor, the Chief of Security is responsible for enforcing the Division Head's laws and dictates, for bringing outlaws before the Division Head for judgment and - at times - for carrying out sentences. Some Chiefs of Security truly believe in the rule of law and believe that they serve their society and fellow Kindred by keeping the city as orderly as possible. Others love the position for the power it offers, as they are permitted to bully and push around other vampires, even those who would normally be too dangerous to touch. Some Chiefs of Security are clever, subtle investigators, while others are little more than bruisers with rank.

Harpy - general (Corporation Status *+): Unusual in that it is both an official and unofficial position, the Harpy is, as its simplest level, a member of the Kindred elite. Harpies represent a who's who of Kindred affairs, the celebrities and fad-starters. Other Kindred look to Harpies to see who's in and who's out, and what positions and opinions are popular this season. A well-known Harpy can sway public opinion faster with a biting comment then some Division Heads can with a solid decree.

Harpies who attained their influence and position unofficially, through nothing more than personal power and charisma, are often more respected than those appointed by Division Head or Priscus. An unofficial Harpy probably calls things as he truly sees them, whereas an appointed Harpy is usually considered a shill or even propagandist for the Division Head.

Division Head's Harpy (Corporation Status *+): The Division Head can appoint a Harpy at his discretion, empowering a Kindred to grant his esteem (or to remove it). The Division Head's Harpy retains her own personal City Status dots, and gains Status points equal to the Division Head's own City Status (even if that means she has more points than dots). The eminence or ascendancy of the Division Head's clan or covenant affects his Harpy's Status points, while her own affiliations affect only her City Status dots. Although the Harpy's pool of points starts at the same number as the Division Head's, it is distinct -- the Harpy and Division Head do not share points. The Division Head's Harpy can spend them to bequeath or remove City Status dots from others, and can also act as an arbiter of presentation (see p. 295 of MET V:tR). She cannot serve as Division Head, Priscus or a Team Lead.

Prisci's Harpy (Corporation Status *+): Same as the Division Head's Harpy but they get their power from at least two Prisci as described in the rules below.

Once selected by the Prisci, their Harpy retains her own Status dots and gains Status pints equal to the highest City Status among the Prisci supporting her (even if that means having more points than dots). She can spend them to grant and remove City Status dots to and from others in the domain, and can also act as an arbiter of prestation. The Prisci's Harpy cannot serve as , Priscus, or Team Lead.

Priscus (Clan Status ***, Corporation Status *+): A Priscus (Prisci in plural) is the informal head of a specific clan in a domain. This position is not an official one in the local governmental structure. Rather, it evolves organically as a single powerful Kindred takes responsibility for his clanmates. This can be a choice he himself makes, to seek power, or it might result from others of his clan coming to him with problems. As an informal position, the Prisci have no instuitional power or rank. That said, the position does convey a substantial amount of status, and because it's usually powerful and well-respected Kindred who attain the position, the Division Head and other elders are wise to at least consider their opinions. Many cities have no Prisci, and many more have Prisci for some clans and not others.

The Prisci have no impetus to agree or cooperate, other than that they can empower a Hapry of their own. For the domain to have a second Harpy, there must be at least two Prisci who do not hold the title of Team Lead. Without that number, the city is simply too weak to support a second Harpy. A character must gain the support of a majority of the Prisci who are not also Team Lead to be named their Harpy. If a majority of such Prisci cannot agree, they cannot name a Harpy. No Priscus can serve as a Harpy.

Hound (*+): quite simply, the Hound is the Division Head's (or Board of Directors' or Prisci's) muscle. If the Chief of Security is a policeman, the Hound is an assassin or a leg-breaker. He doesn't investigate, he doesn't question. His job is to punish anyone he's told to punish. In some instances, the Hound and the Chief of Security are at odds due to their overlapping responsibilities. In other cities, the two are combined into a single position. While the Hound might be asked to carry out the official and public chastisement of a lawbreaker, that duty more often falls to the Chief of Security. The Hound is normally employed when the Division Head wishes to skip over normal (and possibly public) procedure.

Master of Elysium (*+): In essence a combination of ceremonies and groundskeeper, the Master of Elysium is responsible for maintaining a city's Elysium, ensuring its readiness for court or other official functions, cleaning up afterward and making sure that word of specific Elysium-related events reaches those who must attend. The Master of Elysium is also responsible for enforcing the custom of nonviolence at such gatherings, and he often works hand-in-hand with the Chief of Security or Hounds for such purposes. In many cities, the duties of Master of Elysium fall on the Controller or Chief Administrator. In particularly large cities, more than one Master of Elysium exists, perhaps even one for each declared Elysium.

The Master of Elysium has not City Status points of his own, but can remove dots from Kindred who perpetrate violence within Elysium or who otherwise violate the institution. He does so at his sole discreation and may remove up to one dot per week from any single kindred (and may do so to as many Kindred as he sees fit as long as they have violated Elysium in some manner). The Master of Elysium can remove a Kindred's last dot of City Status in this manner.

Whip (Clan Status **, Corporation Status *+): Perhaps one of the strangest of Kindred positions, the Whip is as informal a position as the Priscus. Unless a clan had a large number of members (usually 10+), there is often not a Whip for the clan. If there is one, she is responsible for inspiring her clanmates to present a united face on major issues and to make their voices heard on local issues, to make sure that the other clans take them seriously. She is both a leader and a taskmaster, a figurehead and a bully. Many Kindred make the mistake of thinking of the Whip as an assistant to the Pricus. In point of fact, the two positions are independent, and oftentimes at odds with each other. A Whip succeeds only as long as she has sufficient power or leverage to force her clanmates to do as she wishes. Whips exist only in those cities with fairly large populations of a given clan, and even then only if a particular member of the clan feels the need to take the position.