The battlefield is, to some Acolytes, a ritual ground. Upon it, they wade into the fray and destroy their enemies, who then become sacrifices to the dire gods. Blood — the most sacred element — is spilled in the name of the covenant and its ways.
Because of this view, many Circle cults have ritual warriors within the ranks. Those called Valkyrja are not merely capable combatants, but vampires mad with a lust for war. Such Kindred care little for the subtle weave and weft of the Danse Macabre and prefer direct confrontation — with sword, claw or shotgun — to solve problems. Many claim parts from their victims: heads are favored in particular (though vampire skulls are difficult to claim as they tend to burn to ash without the proper ritual preparations).
The term “Valkyrie” connotes a feminine implication, as they were the Norse warrior-women who rode in on wolves to obliterate the enemy. These “choosers of the slain” were blood-painted witches, deft with axe and insane with fury. The feminine connotation still holds in some cults, and in such cases only women are allowed to truly be the warriors of the Circle. Most cults, however, accept men and women despite the name. In large domains where the Acolytes swell in number, whole coteries might be devoted to the ways of the Valkyrja.
