Axis Mundi
Backstory: When the decision was made to launch an incursion into the city of Montreal, Axis Mundi would be the first Coterie to be created, the foundation upon which the whole operation would be built. Serving as the Barony's political arm, Axis Mundi handles all matters political, legal and financial. They are the puppeteers pulling the strings over the city's mortal elite. They are the mediators reaching for the Olive Branch offered by their Camarilla allies. At the beginning of this Chronicle, Axis Mundi is led by Marie-Helene Dutois.
As a former Sabbat member, Marie-Helene may seem like a controversial pick at first glance. The truth, however, is much more complex; Marie-Helene was forced into the Sabbat, yet she felt she never belonged, and even abhorred the sect that originally embraced her. After coming into contact with Valois Sang, she would become a spy and informant for Prince Annabelle of Quebec City, and after the Night of Ashes, Marie-Helene fled Montreal in the hopes of joining the Camarilla that she had served in secret for decades. Unfortunately, Marie-Helene is a rebel, especially by Ventrue standarts. Soon, she discovered that she had much more in common with the Anarch Movement than the Camarilla. It was no surprise when she had a change of heart and joined the Anarch Movement instead. But still, she remained one of Prince Annabelle's closest allies. She would spend most of her time between Quebec City and Ottawa, and played a major role in helping uncover the plot behind Prince Arundel's disappearance a few years ago, which gained her the trust of both Prince Arundel and Baron Ward of Ottawa in the process.
When the time came to pick a suitable Baron for Montreal, Marie-Helene was a natural choice; an idealistic Ventrue with keen leadership, and more importantly, someone with key insight into the city of Montreal where she resided as a Sabbat mole for decades. With the aid of Baron Ward, Marie-Helene began assembling a handful of talented & wealthy Kindred. Together they would form the Coterie that would become known as Axis Mundi. In early 2025, when preparations for the incursion came to a close, she assumed leadership of Axis Mundi and travelled to Montreal where she and her newfound allies began the process of claiming the city in the name of the Anarch Movement.
Purpose and goals:
- Assist the Baron in seeing to the Anarch Movement's interests in the city.
- Assist the sister Coteries in upholding the Traditions, as well as keeping the city free of threats.
- Those elevated to the office of Herald are expected to handle the recording and trading of boons.
- Assume and maintain control over the Financial, Political, Legal and High Society spheres of Montreal.
- Ensure that the domain's traditions are properly enforced, including sanctions, punishments, and lex talionis.
- Ensure that the Camarilla/Anarch relations remain in good standing.
Style & Symbolism
- The Coterie's chosen crest is the Cosmic Tree; a symbol of growth and a reminder that we are all connected to something larger than ourselves. The cosmic tree is also a representation of the connection between the shadow realm and the heavens, a tongue in cheek nod to the Anarchs and their new alliance with the Camarilla.
- The Coterie's chosen color is Blue.
- Members of the Coterie tend to favor dressing sharply, and showing some amount of decorum ( at least by Anarch standards ). Some take it to the extreme by pea cocking around Elysia in extravagant fashions, or attempt to make a statement by adorning modern and edgy styles. Others may prefer an understated approach that fuses both style and function, but one thing is for sure, members of Axis Mundi never deliberately look destitute.
Spheres of Influence: Finance, Legal, Politics, High Society.
Clans: Any, although the Coterie tends to mainly attract members of Patrician Clans such as the Ventrue & Toreador.
Favored Candidates: Leaders, Politicians, Lawyers, Financiers, Tacticians, Promoters, Philosophers, Mediators, Manipulators, Artists, Socialites, Con Artists, Nepo Babies.
Domains: Axis Mundi has dominion over a handful of domains in and around the downtown core that, while not the largest in size, are key to achieving their ambitions and goals. The first and most prominent of the three districts is the Financial district, located at the very heart of the downtown core, it is the epicentre of the city's financial and legal business. The Financial district is defined by it's imposing glass and concrete towers that loom over the downtown area.
If one were to venture further down south, they would find Axis Mundi's second most important district: Old Montreal. It consists of a moderately sized neighborhood along the south shore of the island city, and encompasses the old city and old port. This upscale, culturally vibrant district is the poster child of Montreal's high society. It's where the old meets the new, with it's cobblestone streets, historic landmarks, rustic wood & stone buildings and neoclassical architecture. Old Montreal, and especially the old port area, is where many of the city's elite and wealthy choose to reside, attracted by it's impressive array of quaint and upscale shops, galleries, restaurants and taverns. Old Montreal also conveniently happens to be where the city's administrative buildings and mayor's office can be found, allowing Axis Mundi easy access to the city's political mecca.
The third and final domain held by Axis Mundi is more of a collection of venues and landmarks than an actual domain; it is a small island just south of Old Montreal, in the middle of the St-Lawrence river known as the Notre-Dame Island. The island plays host to a handful of extremely important locations, the most prominent of which is the Montreal Casino. Other key venues include the Gilles Villeneuve circuit, a race track that plays host to racing events, including one of the city's most profitable; F1 Week. One can also find a handful of leisurely establishments such as the Jean Dore beach, a location especially popular during Montreal's hot and sticky summers.
Axis Mundi's structure is very straightforward and representative of the Anarch as a whole; While the Baron is the Coterie's leader in title and rank, Axis Mundi functions as a democracy and as such, each Coterie member has a voice when it comes to making decision.
The Blood Provides
As a form of initiation, each member of the Severed Hand is expected to provide what they call a Proxy. A proxy is a ghoul who has either a position of power or strategic authority/access within one of the Severed Hand's fields of influence ( Finance, Legal, Politics or Bureaucracy ). For example, an influential lawyer in one of the city's leading firms, a high ranking government employee with the clearance to expedite or approve immigration applications, a foreign diplomat or ambassador or the political deputy of a given district. The retainer is expected to be gifted to the Severed Hand's collective in order to empower the pack's influence. Once per month, members of the pack must maintain the Proxy via the blood bond. ( Rouse the Blood once per month ). As an added bonus, the Sphere of Influence in which the character's Proxy operates grants them full access to the level 5 dots without the requirement for leadership clearance.
The Hand Provides
It is very important within the culture of the Severed Hand to remember to give back to the community in some way. Whether that is out of the kindness of their dead hearts, to atone for past sins, or to attempt to stave off the beast and cling to their fading humanity is unclear and likely unique to each individual member. Once per season, each member of the Coterie is expected to pick a cause to sponsor from the shadows. Examples include, but are not limited to; charitable donations, the organization of charity events or bals, paid or vigilante protection, artistic patronage or even volunteering one's retainers.
Pre-Requisites:
- Only members of the Camarilla are allowed in the Coterie.
- Potential players should favor official Camarilla clans ( Banu Haqim, Lasombra, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue ). Non Camarilla Clans can join the Severed Hand, but they must have 1 dot in the Status ( Camarilla ) background.
- The character must provide a 2 dots in Retainer as per the The Blood Provides tradition mentioned above. The retainer must occupy a strategic position within one of the Coterie's preferred spheres of influence ( Finance, Legal, Politics or High Society ).
- Your character should have at least a rudimentary social or mental focus that serves the Coterie's goals.
Merits and Advantages:
- Characters who are part of the Severed Hand and are among the 7 official Camarilla clans automatically gain the advantage: Status 1 with the Camarilla.
- Members of the Severed Hand benefit from +1 dot to their Resources background. ( Cannot take it over 5 )
- Members of the severed Hand benefit from a full 2 dot Mask secret identity that grants them diplomatic immunity + 2 to social rolls when faced with the Coterie's favored spheres of influence or law related issues. ( Such as using their 'name' to gain access to a VIP room, get the best table at a restaurant, schedule a meeting with important members of the political elite, being accepted for a loan or getting out of a speeding ticket )
Backstory tips
- Founding members will usually have been recruited by Marie-Helene herself and most should come from either the Camarilla court of Quebec City or Ottawa. Other canonical cities of origins could include Vancouver, Milwaukee or Chicago as they are all well geographically situated.
- Think of your character's motivations for joining the local Camarilla; Are they eager for social climbing and attracted to the potential provided by a newly claimed city? Are they perhaps seeking a city where their skills and talents will be recognized? Are they a pariah in their former home city, attempting to run from past indiscretions or nasty rumors and start a new life? Maybe one of the major players behind the initiative to take back Montreal called upon a boon they owed? ( Such as Prince Blythe, Marie-Helene, or Prince Arundel? )
- Make sure to think your character's lineage through. Who is their sire? Grand sire(s)? Are they their sire's only childe? What kind of reputation did they inherit, if any?
Marie-Helene
