Coteries and Groups
A Coterie is a group of vampires who have chosen to work together. It may be a blood bond, a mutual interest, a shared goal, or a simple survival pact. A Coterie is not a team — it is a fragile alliance held together by blood, need, and fear.
What a Coterie is
A Coterie is a group of 2–5 vampires who have chosen to work together. They may:
- Share a Haven
- Share resources
- Share information
- Protect each other from enemies
- Work together toward a common goal
- Compete with each other for power and influence
A Coterie is not a family. It is a business arrangement — and like all business arrangements, it can be broken.
Creating a Coterie
During Session Zero, the group creates a Coterie. The Coterie should have:
- A name
- A shared goal
- A shared Haven (optional)
- A shared resource (optional)
- A shared enemy (optional)
- A set of internal rules or agreements
Coterie name
Choose a name that reflects the group's identity. The name may be:
- A location (The Haven, The Club, The Warehouse)
- A concept (The Outcasts, The Hunters, The Scholars)
- A person (The Prince's Hands, The Primogen's Eyes)
- A symbol (The Red Hand, The Black Star, The Silver Coin)
Coterie goal
Choose a goal that matters to the group. The goal may be:
- Political (gain Status, control territory, overthrow a Prince)
- Social (build a network, create a herd, establish a Mask)
- Supernatural (study a phenomenon, master a Discipline, defeat an enemy)
- Personal (find a lost loved one, avenge a wrong, escape a threat)
Coterie Haven
A shared Haven provides a safe place to rest and plan. A shared Haven should be:
- Large enough for all members
- Well-hidden or well-defended
- Accessible to all members
- Located in a safe or strategic area
Coterie resources
Shared resources provide material support. Shared resources may be:
- Money (a shared bank account or income)
- Equipment (weapons, tools, vehicles)
- Contacts (information brokers, allies, retainers)
- Influence (political power, social connections)
Coterie enemy
A shared enemy provides dramatic tension. A shared enemy may be:
- A vampire (a rival, a hunter, a tyrant)
- A mortal (a detective, a hunter, a journalist)
- A supernatural being (a spirit, a demon, a werewolf)
- An organization (a cult, a corporation, a government)
Coterie rules
Internal rules define how the group operates. Rules may include:
- How decisions are made
- How resources are shared
- How conflicts are resolved
- How new members are admitted
- How members leave the group
- What happens when a member betrays the group
Coterie dynamics
A Coterie is a group of individuals with different goals, different values, and different fears. The dynamics of a Coterie should be explored through play.
Trust and betrayal
Trust is the foundation of a Coterie. But trust is fragile — and betrayal is always possible. A Coterie should have moments of trust and moments of doubt.
Power and influence
Power within a Coterie is distributed unequally. Some members are stronger, smarter, or more connected. The dynamics of power should be explored through play.
Goals and conflicts
Members of a Coterie may have conflicting goals. A member may want to overthrow the Prince while another wants to join the court. A member may want to protect the Masquerade while another wants to break it. These conflicts should be explored through play.
Humanity and the Beast
Each member of a Coterie has a different relationship with their Beast. Some members are more human; some are more beast. The dynamics of Humanity should be explored through play.
Coterie benefits
A Coterie provides mechanical benefits:
- Shared Haven: +1 die to all rolls made in the Haven
- Shared resources: +1 die to all rolls using shared resources
- Shared contacts: +1 die to all rolls using shared contacts
- Shared protection: +1 die to all rolls to resist attacks on the group
Coterie complications
A Coterie creates story complications:
- Internal conflict: Members may disagree on goals, methods, or values
- External pressure: Enemies may target the group as a whole
- Masquerade risk: One member's mistake affects everyone
- Power struggle: Members may compete for influence within the group
- Betrayal: A member may turn against the group
Groups beyond the Coterie
Vampires may also belong to larger groups:
- Political factions: Camarilla, Anarch Movement, Sabbat
- Clan families: Tremere houses, Nosferatu sewer networks, Gangrel packs
- Social clubs: Toreador salons, Ventrue boardrooms, Malkavian networks
- Supernatural organizations: Blood Sorcery circles, Thin-Blood cooperatives
- Mortal organizations: churches, corporations, governments