Status

Status
Status represents a vampires public worth within the Camarilla. Anyone who only caries the Acknowledged is looked down upon by other members, believed to be barely loyal, pitifully weak, or downright lazy by the rest of the sect. Status is also the social shield of the Camarilla, because physically harming anyone with Acknowledged is considered a grave crime, which is usually ruthlessly punished (though with enough status such punishment can be avoided). To avoid such punishments, warfare within the Camarilla is usually waged with Status, loosing status to another vampire is analogs to a mortal slugging another mortal in the gut, and thus the game of Status is taken very seriously.

Basic Systems
The Camarilla is very hierarchical; those with little status stand no chance against those with a plethora. You cannot publicly insult another vampire who has more than one Status trait more than yourself, to do so incurs the wrath of the Camarilla in general (those who have a large amount of status will often band together against such upstarts to ensure the safety of their own holdings). Several Status traits are designed to protect one’s self from the biting comments of others, or to allow such things to be said with impunity. To trounce an opponent in verbal combat is to take another step up the social ladder, to lose such a duel or fail in a social attack is to lose face and be relegated to a lesser class of citizen. Those who hold a large amount of status are given free rein to verbally abuse those who have less than themselves (though in the long run this can have disastrous consequences, see the Anarch revolt), though doing so too often can make a vampire loose face among their peers.

Officers and Status
Officers of a Domain are held to a different status standard to the lay members. A Keeper of Elysium with no status, save that granted by their office, may speak harshly to an Elder with several status traits, but only if doing so is in line with their duties. This allows officers to perform their duties at all times, though officers who use this privilege too liberally often find themselves removed from their post and put back in their place.

Sources of Status
Status has 3 different source, Abiding Status, Innate Status, and Fleeting Status. Abiding Status is given for being in a certain position, being officially an Ancila, Elder, or holding an Office. These statustraits can only be tapped from one source at a time, but add to ones total status, and lasts with the individual for as long as they hold that position, refreshing each session. Innate Status is something that one get’s for being extraordinary in some way; being part of a major historical even (such as the founding of the Camarilla), having impeccable political ties, or some other source above and beyond the norm, these status traits remain for as long as the member is in good standing and refresh each session. Fleeting Status is just that, it comes and goes with the social tides, they are usually awarded by other members of the sect, and disappear once used. Status is usually give out by other players, but there are several occasions where the Storyteller should hand out (or remove) status as well, to represent the general opinion of the Gather.

. A Symbel should always end with some party begin given the Victorious status (as detailed in the rulebook)

. If you publicly beat another individual whose total status is at least as high as your own in a social arena, you should generally be awarded status

. If you hold a popular or prestigious Salon or party, you should generally receive status for doing so

. If you thwart an enemy of the Camarilla or Domain (such as completing a bloodhunt, destroying forces of the Sabbat, slaying or driving off a were-creature, bringing in a member of the Red List, or any other threat to the City or the Camarilla in general) you should receive status (though remember, if no one is aware of your actions, no one can praise you for it)

. If you frenzy in public you will almost always loose status (and often times more will happen depending on what you do while in frenzy)

. If you are defeated by another individual with a total status equal to your own or less in a social arena, you will generally loose status.

. If you are implicated in something which is declared scandalous, you will generally loose status

The storyteller can choose other such things to award or remove status as well, though these are the most common reasons.