Harpy

The Master Harpy (sometimes called The Master of Harpies, or just the Harpy) is a combination of rumormonger, banker, and enforcer of the social status quo. A Harpy’s responsibilities include; brokering and negotiating boons, keeping an official count of boons, keeping an official count of status, advising the Prince on the current state of the boon market and status within the Domain, administering praise and punishment in the games of status, punishing boonbreakers and those who disrespect the status of others. Some who are not well versed in the ways of the Camarilla do not see the need for a Harpy, saying “Why register a boon or status? Boons are a matter of trust and status is something that everyone knows about anyways”, the simple answer is that vampires are vicious, underhanded, and treacherous creatures by their very nature. Kindred history is filled with stories of vampires no tcarrying through on boons or abusing the nature of status, and it is the Harpy’s job to keep this in check (or at least in check enough to keep the masses happy and their own agenda moving). There are often unregistered boons exchanged, hoping to keep deals secret from public knowledge, and while such deals can benefit from their clandestine nature, having a boon outside of the Harpy’s knowledge, is akin to a mortal taking an unmarked check from a complete stranger, you never know if you can cash it or not. The Harpy is considered to be the most powerful office after the Prince, and for good reason. The Harpy knows who owes who what, and the social standing of every member of the gather, and generally makes a fortune in boons by telling others this information, or being paid to withhold it from others. A good Harpy is aware of the state of the boons within the entire Domain, and who is trending or falling in social station, from this they can identify potential threats to the stability of the city, and inform the Prince or Primogen council (usually which ever one most benefits their current agenda). Many young vampires feel the Harpy is an unfair office, one designed to put a large amount of power and information into one person’s hands, and they are correct. For the Harpy to do their job they must be able to have the power to socially eviscerate powerful elders and keep the boon market of the entire city flowing steadily; they must have a razor tongue and the bravery to use it in any situation should the social rules of the Camarilla be threatened, and be a capable economist ensuring a currency system of favors among eternal and ruthless predators runs as smoothly as mortals exchange bills. The Harpy’s responsibilities of enforcing the boon market and upholding the social norms and respect for status is universal, no office or amount of status can protect violators, there have been some Princes that have tried to renege on a boon, and have been socially torn apart by their Harpy. The Harpy derives their power from the Primogen council, and thus must keep the council members happy or risk losing their office, likewise the Primogen council uses the power wielded by the Harpy to check the power of the Prince and push their own social agendas, often leveraging social perks from the Harpy for council members, or gaining inside information on the boon market. If the scope of a Harpy’s responsibilities are too much for them alone, they may appoint up to 2 additional lesser Harpies to aid them in keeping watch over the Gather, tracking boons, and ensuring that status is observed properly.