Subinfeudation

Subinfeudation refers to the feudal system used by Kindred to create Domains, and the privileges associated with them. Since the time before history was recorded, or even the eldest kindred can remember, Kindred have gathered in groups for mutual support, protection and companionship. Among these groups leaders have arisen. In time such leaders have claimed the right to command all who exist within their purview. This has inevitably lead to the creation of Domains. In times past, such domains could be vast and led to conflict and even outright war between competing vampire Princes. As human populations grew and threatened the masquerade (or made it more and more necessary) the ancient domains shrunk, usually to the confines of a single city or large town.

The Roles

The Prince

The Prince holds Praxis over the entire city; his laws supersede all other Domain laws. The Prince is the only Vampire that can strip all rights from another Kindred.

The Regents

Regents are Kindred who have been given Tenurial Domains, and may grant Feeding, Tenancy, and Landholder privileges within their Domains as well as deny them.

The Prisci

Priscis are the titular heads of their respective Clans, and may grant Feeding, Tenancy, and Landholder privileges within the communal area of the Prince's Domain.

Landholders

Landholders are Kindred who not only live within a Regent's Domain, but oversee all, or a portion, of it. This is an expansion of Feeding and Tenancy in that Landholders can be considered sub-Regents, holding Praxis over their territory, and being able to deny others Feeding and Tenancy. While a Landholder may have guests stay at their Haven or share their Herd, they cannot grant Tenancy or Feeding rights.

The Land

Domain

In modern terms, a domain is usually comprised of a single city and a certain, limited, radius outside its borders, Within such a domain a single Prince will have absolute authority. And like any unlimited power, it has its limits. The power of a Prince is curtailed by the power of other Elders such as the Primogen, the Prisci, and the leaders of various Covenants.

Domain derives its authority through the First Tradition, the Masquerade. It is in order to protect the masquerade that a Prince commands the obedience of those who exist within her domain. Princes hold the right to assign hunting grounds, define Elysium, the right to call Blood Hunts, appoint Officers, set feeding restrictions and the right of final justice over any vampire within her purview, which includes the right to refuse to let any individual vampire come to or remain within her domain, the right to banish a given kindred, clan, bloodline or covenant, and the right to subject a kindred to the Final Death. As always, such rights are points of contention within the political Factions of a domain. A Prince may have rights, but only those she can enforce by power, influence or guile.

Tenurial Domains

There are times when a Prince may find she can not control an entire city on her own. In such cases she may appoint one or more Regents to command portions of her domain. Such a Regent is a Prince in all but name and her rights within her domain (called a Tenurial Domain) are as absolute as any Prince's, though subject to the approval of her Prince and the usual political maneuvering. A Regent rules at the will (or whim) of her Prince and her regency can be dissolved or assigned to another at any time, depending, of course, on a regent's own power relative to that of her Prince. Circumstances may be such that, once bestowed, a given Prince is not powerful enough to take back a tenurial domain or that doing so would cause more problems than it solves. This usually presages a larger power struggle which might put the entire domain into play.

The Privileges

Hunting

Feeding, or Hunting Privileges, also called Rights, are the most basic a Kindred can obtain. They allow the Kindred to subsist on the Kine and fauna within a Domain. Without Tenancy, a Vampire cannot develop a Herd beyond two dots. Hunting Rights are the gift of the Prince directly, or, more usually, a Priscus or Regent. Hunting confers the following privileges:

• The right to set up a permanent or more elaborate feeding arrangement (Herd can now be expanded beyond the two dot limitation)

Favor

Favor extends the Hunting Privilege into the Rack of a Regency. For each Rack within a Regency a Vampire gains Favor in, it adds +2 to their Average Blood Pool.

Tenancy

The right to live, and prosper by developing influence within a Domain. Without Tenancy, a Vampire cannot develop a Haven beyond two dots, or a Site. Tenancy Rights are the gift of the Prince directly, or, more usually, a Priscus or Regent who controls a zone of the Domain at the behest and on behalf of the Prince. Tenancy confers the following privileges:

• The right to set up a permanent or more elaborate living arrangement (Haven can now be expanded beyond the two dot limitation)
• The right to prosper by owning/operating a business; however, one should still consider who their business might affect (a Site may now be purchased)