The Practical Six Traditions (Open Debate)

[Guest]

Caps lock is activated.

[PorchCat]

[A grizzled and scarred man standing barely five and a half feet tall, but incredibly well-muscled and quite broad, lumbers into the center of the crowd. His expression bears a half-grin, but it seems more menacing than friendly. He is dressed in relatively normal modern huntsman clothing, his footsteps echoing even over the din of conversation as his heavy hiking boots stomp across the stone floor. He growls and clears his throat to quiet the crowd.]

While this is intended to be a roundtable discussion and debate about the practical applications of the Six Traditions, I have questions to put to the floor that should be addressed orderly and civilized. I am Valentine Beeler, Archon of Justicar Jergen Johannsen, endorsed by Justicars Blackadder and Robin to speak in this Conclave.

The general chatter should be about pragmatic and practical uses of the Six Traditions. Uses with multiple examples of Princes, Primogen, Harpies and other Elders endorsing the interpretation will be given more weight. This is prep time for a future Conclave to determine formal examples and guidance. That said, any idiot that disregards an example or suggestion that everyone gets behind will be getting what comes to them.

My questions:
Where is the line drawn, in a solid and easy to understand way, for the Masquerade? What things help best preserve the Masquerade? What commonly tolerated things are terrible for the Masquerade? How strictly should the Tradition be enforced, both in terms of strength of punishment and limits of tolerance?

How does Domain really work? What are the limits of a Prince's ownership of a Domain? What are the default rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a Kindred granted a portion of Domain by Princes and other Elders? What are the limits and responsibilities over both types of Domain by their owners under the Tradition of Hospitality?

My Justicar listens, so speak.

[Cecil]

I find it distressing that so many kindred today seem to have an impulse to write down all the laws and account for all the exceptions and derivations.  What this tells me is that the kindred of today have no confidence and lack the strength of will and authority to make rulings of thier own.  Kindred seem to write down the law so they have something to point to when an enemy does something untoward.  Rather than just handing down punishment through the authority of Status and position, modern kindred feel they need an excuse; some way to explain their actions that allows them to remain free of culpability.

This practice spits in the face of what the Camarilla is built upon.  Status.  Status governs the flow of life in the Camarilla.  Status is granted for achievment, skill, bravery, loyalty, intelligence, etc.  Status is stripped when someone commits a crime, behaves scandelously, or does something that shows that lack one of the aforementioned virtues.  Status has always been a guide for us members of the Camarilla.  If someone has a lot of status you know they are powerful, a capable survivor, and a skilled navagator of kindred law at the very least.  Because of this, our society has always been run using status as the ultimate authority.

I do not believe that any government can stand if it does not have flexibility.  What is good for the kindred of one city might be a terrible burden on the Kindred of another city.  Give me the judgement of balanced minds in preferance to static laws every time.  Codes and manuals create patterned behavior.  All patterned behavior tends to go unquestioned, gathering destructive momentum.  Rules build up fortifications behind which small minds create satrapies.  This also destroys initiative.  There is little that a devout follower of the law hates more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines.  For those who have built thier power upon technicalities and loopholes, improvements and change always threaten to make them seem inept.  Who enjoys appearing inept?

In short, I wholeheartedly disagree with anything that attempts to codify our laws.  The current system of checks and balances was designed to keep things in line and it performs its function very well.  Why create a complex system of laws complete with exceptions and loopholes when we have individual kindred who by merit of thier status have shown they are capable of serving as interpreters of law within thier domain?

That being said, I do believe that we could all benefit from a discussion of commonly ignored problems.

[Robert Granville]

*A man wearing dress slacks, a shirt and tie with a sport coat and some obviously new, but obviously not designer wingtips shifts in his seat.  He is apparently thirty something years old, approximately 5'8" with brown hair and athletic build.  After a pause following Prince D'Lacy's address, he stands*
I am Robert Granville of clan Gangrel in Buffalo, NY, Acknowledged and Respected.  I would like to share a couple thoughts on this issue when the time is appropriate for me to do so.
*Spoken with Expressive trait.  He sits back down. Apparently waiting patiently.*

[Ianaya Nagora]

A slight polynesian-looking woman stands after Mr. Granville, dressed in a finely tailored black women's business suit-jacket and skirt, her long black hair coiled tightly at the base of her neck. She looks no older than nineteen, but she carries herself with the grace of someone who's had a few centuries of impeccable grooming under her belt. When she speaks, it is with a very heavy, but rather understandable french accent.

"I am Nayana Gor of Clan Ventrue in Buffalo, New York, where I am Acknowledged. I am also an Acknowledged member of the Camarilla of Paris, France. As with Mr. Granville, I would like to speak as well, once those of higher status have finished speaking. Thank you."

She gives a slight bow before sitting back down.

*Spoken with Elegance*

[Jean-Claude Bellamorte]

*Bellamort'e is seen standing in the back of the room a note book and a pen in hand.
any harpy thats been in chicogo IL will reconise Bellamort'e as Prince Capones old Asst Harpy*

[James LeCroix]

*sits and listens*

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