Alternate New Orleans XIV

Chapter Fourteen: The Ghouls

The ghouls of New Orleans have an active culture of their own. To begin with, they are very numerous. Most vampires in New Orleans have several ghouled retainers, so even ignoring the secret blood-bound spies in various agencies, ghouls outnumber the vampires by nearly 3 to 1. In addition, the vampires send these ghouls to deliver messages and packages to other vampires, take their ghouls to parties, and use their ghouls to spy on other kindred. The net result is that the ghouls of different vampires have many opportunities to interact.

The interaction between ghouls and kindred are rather complex. Of course, the most common relationship between a ghoul and its master is that of slavish devotion. However, because the ghouls of New Orleans speak to each other, most of them are aware of the basics of vampiric society, including the power of the blood. Though emotionally bound to their masters, most ghouls have mixed intellectual ideas about the relationship. There have been a number of instances of ghouls rebelling despite the bond (though this situation is still very rare, and often instigated by another vampire).

Generally speaking, when ghouls and kindred other than their master interact, there is still a large amount of deference on the part of the ghoul. The ghoul of the most powerful master still has less social status than the weakest vampire. While it is a capital crime to kill a vampire, the murder of ghoul is more like property damage, and kindred have been known to take out their anger on the ghouls of their enemies. A vampire can kill just about any ghoul arbitrarily with little in the way of real punishment.

While kindred look down on ghouls, they interact with them more frequently than they realize. Many vampires will send their servants to deliver a message rather than going themselves. Vampires encounter ghouls guarding havens, ghouls catering parties and the ghouled spies of their enemies. In fact, vampires interact with ghouls more often than they do with other vampires; it is only because they dismiss the importance of these servants that they are unaware of this fact.

The fact is not lost on the ghouls, however. For them, each encounter with a vampire is a life-threatening event. The ghouls move at the edge of a world they barely understand, and it is only a matter of time before something will kill them. Their master may grieve for a time, but they will be replaced. Despite the power of the blood, ghouls usually have shorter lifespans than ordinary humans.
To maintain their dignity, the ghouls of New Orleans have developed a society of their own. It helps if they can lord it over others, even those trapped in the same situation. The ghouls assign themselves status by various means. The status of their master, the trust their master places in them and their age are all major factors in how well ghouls are regarded. Strangely, normal human status symbols like wealth and political power are of little import. Ghouls are judged primarily by their interaction with the vampiric rather than human worlds. Ordinary humans are below all but the weakest ghouls. The ghouls often take pleasure in the dark secrets they are privy too, even while envying the freedom and innocence of mortal folk.

Various types of ghouls are listed below, generally varying from those with the most status to those with the least.

Ghouls of Janus
The most influential ghouls in the city by far are the dozen ghouls in the Krewe of Janus. These ghouls receive blood from all the various members of the Krewe. As a result, they are bound tenuously, if at all, to their vampiric patrons. Still, they are extremely loyal, almost fanatical, and believe strongly in the importance of maintaining the Masquerade.

The ghouls in the Krewe of Janus have a different viewpoint on the purpose of the Masquerade. They feel that the Masquerade is to protect mortals from vampiric excess. Since vampires are too powerful to destroy, and are by nature paranoid and power-grabbing beasts, they will always seek to control human society. Only the self-imposed check of the Masquerade keeps them from seeking total domination, and fighting an open war with mankind. By protecting the Masquerade, they are protecting mankind.

The ghouls are divided up into three basic groups: monitors, investigators and shock troops. The monitors in the krewe are well placed in human society, and keep tabs on vampiric activity that might threaten the Masquerade. There is a ghoul in the homicide department, a ghoul in the city hall, and a ghoul in the largest New Orleans hospital. They ensure that the site of any suspicious activity can be investigated by a vampire with Auspex. In fact, the monitors have contacts with other vampires and ghouls in the city, and solicit information about potentially problematic vampiric activities. In such situations, they keep their connections to the Krewe secret, often claiming to by the ghouls of some interested elder.

The investigators follow the leads found by the monitors and kindred members of the crew. They mostly work during the day, when the danger of discovery by other kindred is at a minimum. Many of them are experts at breaking and entering, sabotage and other extra-legal skills since they never know where the trail may lead. The shock troops are the fighting arm of the Krewe. They have been given extensive anti-kindred combat training. All the ghouls cross-train, so they have some knowledge of each other's specialties. Working for the Krewe of Janus is a full-time job, so they have the time to study.

Ghouled Artistes

There is a limit to the number of Toreador the city can support, but New Orleans is a city that attracts artists. Rather than embrace every talented individual they can find, many New Orleans Toreador ghoul their artists first. This serves to preserve great artists without overtaxing the city.

The Toreador show off their artist's talent in society circles, and encourage the thralls to produce more and more work for their regnant. So long as they do well, they can have high status in Toreador circles indeed. Needless to say, the pressure wears on the artist, and their work suffers. As their skill declines, the Toreador loses interest in them, saying "Perhaps they weren't all that good after all." Eventually, the artists burn out, and the Toreador discards them. Very few of them are actually embraced.

The longer an artist has been ghouled, the more likely they are to see this fate befall one of the older comrades. Most eventually realize the fate in store for them. After having been ghouled for so long, many quickly age once they no longer receive vampiric blood, dying gruesome and painful deaths. There is an element of desperation in the artists' work, and this makes it no easier to deal with their situation.

Given the power of the Toreador in New Orleans, they are not the only ones to cultivate artists. Other kindred ghoul artists as well, mostly as a way to impress the ruling clan. The artiste ghouls of other clans are in a situation that is both better and worse. Their regnant cares less for art, and is usually not discriminating enough to realize when it is losing its passion. However, the non-Toreador kindred are more likely to cast off their ghouls for no particular reason at all, having no real commitment to art.


Heralds
Most of the older vampires in the city have a single ghoul that they denote as their official "representative". This ghoul is sent to deliver messages, speak to other kindred, and sometimes even to bargain in their master's name. Since a degree of flexibility is required to perform these tasks, the heralds have great deal of autonomy. They have more freedom than most of the other ghouls in the city.

Despite their importance, most of the Kindred are leary of completely trusting their heralds. They spend too much time in the lairs of the enemy. It would be all to easy for other vampires to dominate or follow the ghoul, or pick up useful tidbits using Auspex. There is also the fear that these independent and knowledgeable ghouls might go rogue. Most vampires tell their heralds only what they need to know, and no more. They are especially careful about revealing any information about their havens.

Given the problems with heralds, most vampires would do without them were it not for their other important function as spies. Heralds regularly meet with other kindred and ghouls. Given the low status of ghouls, Kindred often forget themselves, and let tidbits slip. The autonomy of heralds encourages other vampires and ghouls to see the heralds as free agents, and sometimes they approach the ghoul with offers of power. Who approaches them, and why, can teach a vampire a great deal. Of course, many vampires are aware that heralds make ideal spies. As a result, the heralds of some of the oldest vampires are nothing more than they seem to be.

The heralds definitely do not live a sedated life. They know more about kindred society than any ghoul outside of the Krewe, and are independent enough to do something with that information. They are also aware that the smallest mistake can result in their deaths, either from other kindred or their own masters. Heralds have enough status in kindred society that they will rarely be killed out of hand. If they step beyond the bounds of their official functions, however, retribution can be swift. Despite this, many heralds maintain schemes of their own, bargaining with other ghouls and even other kindred.

Hidden Spies

In addition to the semi-open heralds who double as spies, many kindred keep secret spies as well. They fall into two basic categories: plants and investigators. Plants are spies the kindred places within another vampire's organization, possibly a servant they have managed to subvert. Plants can provide good information, but are limited by the need to avoid discovery. Investigators are mortals the vampire has pry into other vampires' affairs. These ghouls study the organizations of other vampires from the outside, learning what they are able through research and observation.

Not all spies are ghouls. Some vampires control their spies through mental powers like Dominate and Presence, but those without such talents are forced to rely on blood bonds. Usually, vampires will do their best to keep their spies in the dark about the rest of kindred society. Most will also take pains to ensure that their spies know little about them as well. Those with mental abilities will cloud the minds of their spies, so they no longer remember who hired them. Some vampires go so far as to plant false evidence on their spies, leading to a third party as a further way of instilling unrest.

The lifespan of ghouled spies is extremely short. If they are discovered, they are almost always killed, though sometimes they are turned into double agents. Even if they perform their job successfully, their masters usually find it too dangerous to leave them alive after they have finished their missions. Most spies for vampires do not outlive their usefulness.


Sorcerers
The vampires of New Orleans have a particular fascination with magick. Outside clan Tremere, magickal power is rare amongst kindred, but New Orleans has a large and active magickal community, some of which have real talent. Vampires can get magickal skill by ghouling mortals capable of it, and using their talents to further their schemes. Vampires rarely embrace such servants, for the change often destroys magical power. Sorcerers could be higher in status amongst ghouls, given their power, but they rarely have much in the way of freedom.

Generally speaking, magicians of true power know enough to be able to avoid, drive off or even destroy kindred. For this reason, most kindred choose sorcerers that are only beginning to learn their craft. These magicians are easier to control and less likely to become a threat. The vampire prefers the sorcerer to develop his trade under the kindred's watchful eye, so there will be no nasty surprises later.

Ghouled magicians are in a precarious position. They must be useful enough that their master will be interested in keeping them alive. They cannot be too strong, however, or their master will see them as a potential threat. Many of these sorcerers are taken early in their careers, and often the power of the vampiric blood flowing through them gets mixed up in their magic. They may find themselves unable to work magick without it. Finally, their change rarely goes unnoticed by others in the magickal community. Other magicians will avoid them, teachers will turn them away, and they may even be accused of dabbling in the dark arts.

Many of the most talented individuals in the New Orleans magickal community are connected in some way with Voudou and other African based religions. There are several vampires interested in this group of mortal magicians. The Brujah watch them as an important part of the Black Community. The Tremere watch them because Marie Laveau was once their queen. The Setites watch them for their connection to Haiti. Others watch them for their power. Each of these groups has successfully turned some of them into ghouls. There is so much kindred attention on the Voudouns of New Orleans that they cannot help but realize it. The more powerful Voudouns try to fend them off, but they are also caught up in the struggles of spirits and true mages, so they are not always successful.

There are other magickal groups in New Orleans as well. There are a few groups of ceremonial magicians, a few satanic cults and a few new-age/pagan groups. Vampires have plucked talented individuals from these groups as well. Because of the lack of communication between these magickal groups, they are mostly unaware of Kindred activity.

Note: to date, no vampire in New Orleans has successfully ghouled a True Mage. Not that they wouldn't be interested in trying.


Servants
Most of the cities ghouls fall into this category. Vampires need people to take care of their homes, and watch their havens by day. Kindred tend to be paranoid about other vampires influencing their servants, and take pains to keep them away from other vampires. Some of them never leave the houses the vampires live in. Servants are among the lowest status ghouls in the city.

This is not to say that servants never interact with kindred society. Most of them have the opportunity to meet with the ghouls of other vampires, and compare notes. Generally speaking, however, ghouled servants know little about kindred other than their master. On the other hand, servants are usually the most trusted ghouls of a vampire, given that they spend so much time in close proximity. On occasion, this companionship can even turn into what passes for love amongst kindred. This trust is occasionally misplaced, and the servant that turns rogue can be the death of any vampire.

The bodyguards of most vampires fall within this category as well. The kindred will take their bodyguards with them out into kindred society, but will always keep them near. This is both for protection, and to make certain no other vampire can influence them. No such precautions can be perfect, however, and bodyguards find opportunities to mingle with others. As a result, they have more status and less trust than other servants.


Pawns
The lowest of all ghouls are mortal pawns of the kindred. These ghouls rarely know anything about vampiric society, and often don't even realize they are ghouls, and their master is a vampire. They have the lowest status amongst ghouls, but rarely interact with anyone other than their vampire's associates. Paradoxically, pawns usually have the most mortal power.

Random Ghouls

Vampires are creatures of passion, and not all of them ghoul mortals for pragmatic reasons. Vampires will at times ghoul mortals for all the same reasons they embrace in fits of passion: whim, to prove some philosophical point, sexual attraction or even the raging power of the beast. Such random ghouls do not fit well into the status structure of vampiric society, and other ghouls are not quite certain how to treat them. Sometimes these ghouls will begin to fall into one of the other of the more common niches, and become a more permanent servant of their vampiric master.

More often, however, the vampire tires of the random ghouls, as the reason for their ghouling becomes irrelevant. The vampire simply stops feeding them blood, and the ghouls drift back to mortal society. Many only have a tenuous grasp of what exactly happened to them, so most are unaware of how narrowly they have escaped.

Rogues

The rogue ghoul is one of the greatest fears of vampiric society. A ghoul can do an incredible amount of damage to the kindred. Not only do they have knowledge, but they have the power of blood to back it up. In theory, the bonds of blood should be enough to keep ghouls in check, but mistreatment can build up powerful countering emotions, which can sometimes overwhelm the bonds. Even a well-treated ghoul can slowly grow to resent their master, for even a benevolent master is still that: the master of a slave.

This horror encourages vampires to strike ghouls down at the slightest hint of rebellion. This is a negative reinforcing cycle, as fear of rebellion leads to mistreatment, which in turn encourages rebellion. When a ghoul actually does rebel, they are hunted down with as much if not more fervor than a diabolizing vampire. Such a ghoul is a danger not only to their master, but all Kindred as well.

Despite the dangers, many Kindred play such games with their enemies ghouls. Few ghouls have the power to break free of their master on their own, but with a little help (from Domination or Presence), they can be pushed. This is viewed as a truly heinous act amongst kindred, but the rebelling ghoul rarely survives long enough to be questioned.

Few rogue ghouls survive their act of rebellion. Those that do are usually driven to hunt the kindred they once served. Such ghouls can be motivated by hatred, but others of them miss the power of the blood, and fear to age once more. The strongest motivation for the rogue ghoul is that they now know too many secrets of the night. They cannot go back to the complacent lives they once lead.