So You Want To Be An Anarch?
or How to Piss Off the Tower Without Even Trying.

Well, first thing's first, welcome to the movement. This is just going to be a basic run down of the Anarch movement since it seems there's a lot of questions as to what exactly we're about. Here's the problem with it really; ask 10 Anarchs what it means to be an Anarch and you'll get 20 different answers, but I'll boil it down as best I can. I'm going to try to keep all political ideology out of it, you can come to that on your own, but I can safely say this and get no argument: Anarchs stand for freedom. We have since the beginning.

It started sometime way back, we're talking 14th century Europe with the Inquisition. Now I'm not really an expert on the events and history but from what I know the Inquisition had a special operation section that was dedicated to taking down vampires. The Pope knew about us, and wanted us dead. So there were some mass hunts, lots of vampires died, Elders were using their childer as bait for the hunters to keep their own asses clean. It was a rough time to be a neonate. This is what started the Anarch movement. We refused to be used by the Elders this way so we revolted against them. This went on for something like 100 years. Sometime toward the end of the war the Camarilla was formed, sort of a banding together of the Elders to protect themselves from the Anarchs I guess, I'm really pretty sketchy on the details at that point. But it ended with the Convention of Thorns when the Anarchs rejoined the Camarilla and from what I've been told, the Sabbat was formed, but I'm not really sure of that. This was the end of the first Anarch revolt. We got the recognition and "freedom" we wanted, though we were still under the thumb of the Tower.

Move to America. With the colonization of the states Anarchs were more than happy to move out there after all it was their chance for some serious freedom since there wasn't a whole lot of Camarilla out here yet. But of course the Camarilla decided eventually that they wanted America for themselves and came over to start to claim the major cities. There was a Prince in Los Angeles, don't know the guy's name, but apparently he was pretty lax about things so the Anarchs flocked over there. I guess shit started getting messy because he ordered a few of the major names out there to be roughed up. This was the start of the second Anarch revolt. In a few months we managed to clear out all of the Camarilla from the Mexican border up to San Jose. No Princes, no Primogen, no Camarilla, no oppression. It was beautiful while it lasted. It really was. Then there was the Cathayans... But I don't want to get into that. I'm still a little bitter about the whole thing

Anyway, so we got two major battles to prove that there's enough of us to prove a threat and some nice bits of paperwork to back us. The first is the Status Perfectus, which was basis of the Anarch Free State and the second is The Edict of Barbs, which was signed in '99 in Portland by the Justicars. Copies of both are at the end of this. So that's the history of our game. As you know we're still fighting for the cause, if we weren't you wouldn't be reading this. There is still a Cause, there is still a fight because there is still oppression.

So, I know I said that I'd try to keep my ideas out of this but I have to kind of point out here where the oppression is... Two words: The Traditions. I don't think that you're going to find an Anarch who disagrees with me there. So I'll go ahead and go through them, sort of go by general consensus of what's wrong with them.

• The Masquerade: I can't think of anything to argue this one to be honest. If we're not quiet we invite hunters. Hunters kills. So being open with what we are will kill us. No argument there really.
  
• The Domain: Anarchs are kind of 50/50 about this one. I personally don't mind following a Prince that's earned my respect, but I'll be damned if I'm forced to respect an idiot who's only there because he's an Elder and has nothing to show for it but a title. So essentially, if you respect the guy who owns the town then that's cool, but there's no reason to show respect for some one who hasn't earned it.
  
• The Progeny: Bullshit. This is status bullshit personified. It's like telling a mortal they can't have kids because they aren't important enough.
  
• The Accounting: More bullshit. The way I figure it, if we're looking for freedom that means the you're responsible for your own actions. If your childer fuck up it's their fault and not yours, unless you're running around not telling them anything, in which case you shouldn't be siring anyway. This is about responsibility for your own actions.
  
• Hospitality: This one goes hand in hand with Domain. If I respect you I'll let you know I'll be around your city. If I think you're a loser you can kiss my ass.
  
• Destruction: This one's difficult. You kill an Anarch that's one less body fighting for the Banner. But sometimes putting some one down is the only way to get them to stop if they're putting your shit in danger. I, personally, am never going to order the death of any of ours, but that's not to say that it doesn't happen. It's one of those necessary evils... But with Anarch's it's not "I am offended by your lack of respect, you will die now!" It's more, "You keep fucking up and we're tired of having to clean out your shit."

So that's that.

I'm not going to say that I'm opposed to the idea of the Camarilla, because I'm not. I'm not looking for any sort of Anarchy for vampires, because I'm not. I think the Camarilla, if done right, would be a good idea. If it were more democratic where the Primogen served as representatives to their clans and were elected rather than given the position. And the Prince would serve as a .... Governor or something. Some would disagree with me and say that they're fighting for total freedom from any one who would try to lead them. Others say that Kindred should have a pure socialism. Still more that it should be up to the give Kindred in the area. But they have their ideas and I have mine. The point is that we're working for a common goal and that's respect. I want to be respected for what I do, not because of who my sire is and what clan I'm in and who I talk to. I want to be able to say that I disagree with some one when I do and not have to worry about making them look good when they're being an ass. I want to be able to travel from city to city and not have to worry about whether or not the local setup is going to try to kill me because I have different ideas than they do. I want freedom. And that's what I'm offering you. Freedom. It's your choice to take it, and your fight if you decide to. I'm not going to say that it's an easy life. It isn't, but for the time that I lived in the Free States, I'll say this; Freedom is well worth the price.

One thing I want to mention because I've heard some of you say this. This isn't a one city fight. This is a fight for the oppression of all Kindred everywhere. Every victory that an Anarch has in a city is a victory that should give us all strength for our own battles. Any city that you go to where you find the Camarilla you'll find an Anarch struggling to just live his own unlife the way he wants to. This Kindred, this nameless, faceless struggling man is your brother in this fight, as is the Anarch who's managed to make her way into the Camarilla and gain some status, who's picking them apart from the inside. She is your sister in this battle. The Anarchs are the people you can turn to and know that even though your ideas differ, they want for nothing more than your freedom. Align with us and you have people with your best interest at heart no matter where you go. It sounds like a bullshit line, I know it does, but it's the flat out truth. The Anarchs are a family. We don't necessarily like one another. We don't always get along. But damned if we won't fight for each other's freedom and happiness.

This is about freedom. And your right to it. It doesn't matter what you dress it up as, it's about Freedom. Plain and simple.

- Baron Gabe Hart - 2003
Brujah

The Edict of Barbs

The Edict of Barbs' was issued on the final night of the Conclave of Portland (October 1999), by the three Justicars of the Americas (van der Voort of the Brujah, Mathias of the Toreador and Magestratum of the Tremere). It was brought about in response to several lines of debate argued by several leading Anarchs when engaged in debate with members of the Camarilla. This is the Justicars' answer to the Anarchs. The Words of Their Graces

"The Justicars uphold the Traditions above all things. The Second Tradition clearly states- 'Thy Domain is Thine own Concern- NONE may question thee in Thine Own Domain'. The Justicars are Judges of all; they recognise no 'Sect'- they are of the Camarilla as that is, in their opinion, the only Sect that does exist. If a Kindred places themselves in
another 'Sect' it matters not to them- they shall enforce the sacred Traditions fully.

It is clear that several 'Anarchs' hold territory and Domain over many lands- the Justicars recognise that while these Kindred do not use the language of the Camarilla and do not refer to themselves as Princes or claim to hold Praxis, this is what they do. So be it. The Justicars shall enforce the Second tradition in regard to their lands. With this in mind the following judgment is made:

Henceforth, no Camarilla Kindred may subvert by word or deed, action or propaganda any territory that belongs to those calling themselves 'Anarchs'. Any who do may be punished by the holders of that Domain within the criteria of the Second Tradition.

This being said, no 'Anarch' may subvert by word or deed, action or propaganda any territory that is held in good standing and is claimed by any Kindred loyal to the Camarilla. Any who do may be punished by those holding Praxis of said Domain within the criteria of the Second Tradition'."

Status Perfectus

Being a Declaration of Principles for the Self-Governance of the Kindred of the Free State.

We, the Kindred of the Free State, do hereby declare that we and our progeny, and all Kindred who choose freedom over oppression and liberty over tyranny, of all clans and generations, have as an inherent part of their being the spiritual substance called libertas, or Free Will. We further declare that, as we have freed ourselves from the bonds of mortality, so must we free ourselves from the forces that would rob us of our libertas. Not only must we continue to struggle on our own behalf, but on behalf of our brothers and sisters who continue to be robbed of their libertas by oppression, ignorance and fear.

The Anarch Free State is the political expression of that struggle. In choosing to free ourselves from political tyranny, we have also chose to embrace our own libertas and that of our brother and sister Kindred everywhere.

For these reasons we, the Kindred of the Anarch Free State, meeting this night in solemn convocation, do hereby pledge ourselves to the following principles:

1. We declare ourselves to be free and independent, owing allegiance to no creature and no organization.

2. We declare our ability to rule ourselves, with no prince, no primogen and no other ruler other than that we choose for ourselves.

3. We declare our kinship with oppressed Kindred everywhere and offer a home to all Kindred of all generations and clans who will agree to dwell in harmony with us.

4. We further accept our responsibility to our oppressed brothers and sisters everywhere and pledge to assist them at all times and in all places in their own struggle for the freedom that we declare to be the birthright of all Kindred, from now until the end of time.

5. We recognize our responsibility to maintain the Masquerade, and we pledge to protect and defend it.

6. We establish this Status Perfectus and recognize its duty to all Kindred.