Post by Zillah on May 7, 2016 4:58:42 GMT -6
Prince Mithras lays claim to a wide, wild land and claims overlordship over all of the Cainites therein. Though he is a Methuselah, he has neither the flexibility nor the inclination to leave London and bring his often-rebellious subjects to heel. Mithras therefore relies on the activities of his closest associates and his centuries-old security apparatus. It is important to realize, however, that Mithras is also something of an experimenter. As a follower of the Road of Kings, Mithras is fascinated by the pursuit of power. Mithras describes his minions as “my challenges” in private. A rebellious Cainite who can successfully counteract Mithras’ influence earns Mithras’ respect. At least two of Mithras’ closest associates, James Mannerly of Dover and the Brujah tribune Weldig of Bristol, are former regional princes whose ambitions overcame Mithras’ “challenges.” Despite all this, however, Mithras isn’t likely to brook serious threats to his power. He respects someone who can tweak the rules of the feudal structure and still remain faithful to the Road of Kings (he has little respect for the other roads), but he is very much aware of the difference between “amusingly innovative” and “dangerously rebellious.”
Mithras Cults
Cults of Mithras are male-only secret societies, which have seven levels of initiation into the secrets and worship practices of the cult. At the ultimate level of initiation, the cultist is considered a priest, and may give initiations to others. These cults survived Christian missionaries and the tides of years, kept alive by Mithras himself.
The cults are few in number, but their membership includes several members of the aristocracy and knightly orders. Thus, unlike many of his vampiric contemporaries, Mithras has a large measure of real political power in the British Isles. This authority comes secondhand, but a Mithraic cultist has a great advantage over his Christian counterpart in that the cultist’s god is a real and direct presence on Earth. Mithras is canny enough to know that his cult is not an infinite resource, and uses it sparingly.
These cults present a perfect opportunity for loyal vampires, with their bloody initiation rituals, secretive and conspiratorial meetings and oaths of silence. Mithras cultists form the basis of herds and provide useful leverage into mortal communities.
Because of the desirability of the position of Mithraic priest, Mithras and his allies can afford to be choosy. A vampire seeking to lead such a congregation has to prove his intelligence, his loyalty and his value. Many are bound in a blood oath to Mithras or one of his childer or trusted allies. As such, Mithras cults are not just Mithras’ way of influencing mortals, but also of ensuring a trusted and secret source of intelligence. In every the Prince of London has trusted spies and reliable instruments of influence and command.
The Tremere have learned of this practice and seek to neutralize it. Tremere agents watch for Mithraic activity and detail the movements and identities of the worshippers. The Tremere then collate this information and send it to the Lion’s Gate chantry. From there, the Warlocks disseminate it to agents in the Church. From then on, it is only a matter of time before the Inquisition finds it. Several cults have fallen through Tremere interference, but so far neither Mithras nor his allies have realized what is happening. town hosting a mithraeum