The Covenants in the Netherlands

No other covenant in the country can come even close to posessing the number of domains the Invictus has sway over. But many of these domains are little more than a formality in the modern nights. Once, the covenant ruled over nearly every major city in the country, but ever since world war 2, the Invictus have been in strong decline. Admittedly, most would agree that the decay would begin in 1805, with the infamous Carthian Revolution in Amsterdam, but at least on the surface, it seemed as though the First Estate bounced back from that temporary setback as strong as ever. Yet it was little more than an illusion, the seeds of dissent had been spread. Soon, the first Carthian domains would spring up in Belgium, and from time to time, small attempts at revolutions across the whole of the Netherlands. Still, the Invictus endured, but the nazi destruction of Rotterdam, and the barbarities inflicted upon Amsterdam destroyed many an Invictus elder, and led to the loss of power in the country's two biggest and most important cities.

The covenant is not completely without tooth in the modern nights however. It retains power in old strongholds like Nijmegen, Leiden, Groningen, Eindhoven and The Hague. The last in particular provides it with a considerably degree of influence over mortal institutions; The Dutch Invictus appear to be excercising a great deal of influence over international mortal politics through the many international organizations seated in the 'capital of international justice'. In fact, rumor goes that the reason the city has become so prominent in the field of international politics is only because of the Invictus. More than one Carthian conspiracy theorist argues that the loss of Rotterdam and Amsterdam made the Invictus desperate, and acquire high-level/high-risk mortal pawns in order to increase the prominence and power of their new 'capital'. These conspiracy theories, are not entirely inaccurate…

Stereotypes:

Lancea Sanctum - Our dependable allies who know the value of traditions; but why do they control what is rightfully ours?

Circle of the Crone - They have been here for as long as we can remember, that permits them a place amongst our courts, so long as they know their place.

Ordo Dracul - Their existence is a fact, yet why do they not make efforts to gain in prominence like the rest of us? Beware their hidden motives.

Carthian Movement - Their fire will burn out in time, but it doesn't hurt us to throw a little water on the flame, to help the process along.

The Sanctified have long held considerable power and influence in the Netherlands, the Arch-Bishopdom of Utrecht was one of the first Sanctified strongholds in western/northern Europe, and had served as a base of operations for the covenant in this part of the world even into the modern nights. The Archbishop/Cardinal, himself an elder of more than a 1000 years, has a vast amount of sway over the entire covenant in the Netherlands and surrounding countries. And all but the Acolytes pay him a great amount of deference. Besides Utrecht, the covenant has also found a home in the ancient city of Maastricht, which it has had control over for almost as long as Utrecht. Lesser domains, such as the province of Zeeland have served as little more than status symbols for the more materially minded members of the covenant. The acquisition of Amsterdam, long a center of Invictus power, has been a tremendous boon for the Sanctified, though it has likewise put them at odds with the Invictus. For now, the ancient bonds between the two covenants has remained intact, but some cautious individuals wonder how long that situation will be allowed to continue.

Stereotypes:

Invictus - The ancient bonds are important, but not as sacred as they would have us believe; they crave power more than they should.

Circle of the Crone - Heathens who after centuries, still refuse to take up their divine purpose; Let them cower in their dark forests, but let them not overstep their bounds.

Ordo Dracul - Are the rumors about their machinations true? If so, how should the Dark Prophet have us respond? If only we knew for certain what they were up to.

Carthian Movement - They play at being human when they are not, yet their energy is commendable, if only they would direct it towards spiritual matters.

The Circle of the Crone claims to be the oldest covenant in the country, indeed; the oldest covenant period. The claim is difficult to defend or dismiss; There's plenty of evidence for ancient Kindred pagan cults that predate the Sanctified and Invictus, yet at the same time it's impossible to state there was any great degree of co-operation and organization amongst them until the Sanctified started making concerted efforts to convert them. If one counts those ancient cults as being part of the Circle of the Crone, then the covenant has lost much, for the longest time being confined to the Veluwe and Arnhem, the covenant's primary stronghold. For the longest time, the christianization of the mortal population meant that few neonates had any inclination to join a bunch of pagans. But starting in the late 19th century, a small revival of the old pre-christian germanic faith began, ostensibly as an academic pursuit at first, which grew into a more widespread phenomenon in the post-war period. Tonight, neonates once again see the Circle of the Crone as a viable religious alternative to the Lancea Sanctum, and this has led to a number of gains in the east of the country. The Covenant is still in hiding out in the west however, with a number of cults either pretending to be something else, or refraining from interaction with other Kindred altogether.

Stereotypes:

Invictus - They claim to be a monolithic entity, yet are as fractitious as ourselves, one city is allied to us while another wages war upon our number; how are we then to trust the lot of them?

Lancea Sanctum - Just as the mortal church burned our mortal equivalents at the stake, so too would these Sanctified happily persecute us.

Ordo Dracul - They play hide and go seek, but if the rumors are true, then they know too many of our secrets. Give them no more.

Carthian Movement - They are energetic and potential allies, but they are wasting their potential on meaningless political games.

The Dragons have held a considerable degree of interest in the Netherlands ever since the rise of the Dutch republic as Europe's foremost cultural center of learning and tolerance in the 17th century. The fact that scientific works which were banned throughout Europe were not only freely printed in the fledgeling republic, but also widely embraced by the populace, meant that the Dragons could move about more openly amongst mortal circles with their methods of inquiry. Not only that, but there were a number of developments going on in the country regarding the scientific method, aswell as philosophy, which were of great interest to the Dragons, and many argue that it was here that the Dragons first began to embrace modern science as a viable tool to be used in pursuit of the Great Work. Wether that's true or not, it's a fact that Dragons have focused a great deal of their attention towards the Netherlands, though the acquisition of temporal power has never really been their goal. They have been more than content to have their allegiances remain hidden while they pursue their research. It's more the result of accident than careful plotting that there's now three Dragon Princes in the Netherlands (though none but the Dragons know of their allegiances). Admittedly, one of the domains is utterly irrelevant except for a curious Wyrm's Nest, and the other two are far too rural to yield the covenant any great deal of political power in the country's assembly of Princes, but these recent gains have been enough to motivate some Dragons to strive for more. Such an endeavour is likely to face trouble however, as there's a schism within the covenant growing, between the adherents of the Palatine Rite, who have traditionally been powerful within the Netherlands, and the Wallachian Rite. Violence is unlikely to occur between them, at least for now, but both philosophies would not hestitate to use other means to ensure their philosophy becomes the dominant one.

Stereotypes:

Invictus - Order can arise naturally from chaos, as they demonstrate; but order for order's sake does not quench our thirst for progress.

Lancea Sanctum - Though there is merit to their beliefs and powers, they insist too much on making their will law for all.

Circle of the Crone - Their bloodmagic is a thing of envy, yet they have become static in it's development, and deluded in the accuracy of their beliefs.

Carthian Movement - They seek change as we do, though theirs is but a temporary one.

Amsterdam is the birthplace of the Carthian movement, and Antwerp it's first success. This every Carthian knows. But the covenant has had it tough in these lands ever since it's inception; The Invictus of Amsterdam have not forgotten their blood having been spilled by the traitors, and the Carthians have at various times attempted to repeat the excercise in various other Invictus domains, with varying degrees of success. For the most part, however, the Invictus still isn't entirely convinced that the Carthians won't just buckle over and die like any good fad should. It's becoming more and more obvious that that attitude, however, has cost the Invictus dearly. While it's true that the powerbase of the Invictus in Rotterdam was inadvertedly destroyed by the Nazi bombings of that city, and not the Carthians, the movement was quick to capitalize on the fact, and has ruled the country's primary industrial center ever since. Not only that, but they've been using the city, which is not only Europe's biggest port, but one of the biggest in the world, to gain influence over mortal transport and industry throughout the country and the rest of the world. Rotterdam is one of the covenant's great global successes, it's importance to the mortal global economy not lost on the Carthians. And now that the Invictus are ramping up their own international powerplays through the Hague, the Carthians are all the more anxious to solidify their dominance over Rotterdam.

Stereotypes:

Invictus - We were Invictus once, then we woke up. It's the 21st century, yet these folk still live in the dark ages. Except for the ones in the Hague; but we'll outcompete them..

Lancea Sanctum - As long as they don't try to force their religion down my throat, they're cool by us, and besides; they let us back in Amsterdam where the Invictus would rather fight us.

Circle of the Crone - They're all about their members following their own beliefs, which is cool; but do they really have to be so fucking scary?

Ordo Dracul - Sounds like they're smart to stay hidden, if even half the rumors about them are true, there's bound to be a bunch of elders gunning for them.