Anarchs

The Anarchs

The Anarchs of Houston have a history as long as the city, and also one as full of change and tumult. The city has been a place the Anarchs have called home since its inception. Some of the older sect members even see it as an Anarch controlled city, where for the past few hundred years a continuous yet sometimes shaky rule has prospered. At the same time, it is seen by others as a place where the spirit of the movement is dead; a place where old cainites who once embodied the movement have lost touch with the realities of the situation and now control a small and useless patch of land while they kiss the Asses of their Camarilla masters.

The truth most likely lies somewhere in between…

The City

Two brothers from New York, at the behest of their anarch patrons, founded the city of Houston in 1936. A small group of Anarchs from the east, fed up with the business as usual of the eastern Camarilla, left for the hope of the west. They chose the new fledgling republic of Texas for the unlimited potential it seemed to have.

The hope by that small first group of kindred was to form a their ideal society where all would be equal and have a fair say in the governance of kindred affairs. It would only take a few years for that dream to be usurped from them by the arrival of the Camarilla and their takeover of the city. But that really depends on who you ask, according to some the dream is still alive and kicking and the camarilla’s presence is a testament to the true liberty that exists in the city for all kindred who are free to choose whatever form of governance they please.

The first residents of Houston saw great foresight in the layout of the city and it was a place of vision and freedom. Sometimes maybe too much freedom but such is the price of progress.

[If you want the full early history from the mortal perspective you can go to http://www.houstonhistory.com and for a complete history from the WoD side of things see the chronological history thread]

The Anarchs of the city have always had a voice in its development and till this day control portions of the city. The style of organization for them in Houston is unique and hard to understand for many outside the city.
To anyone outside the movement: Houston is a bustling modern metropolis controlled by a camarilla prince that tolerates the Anarchs presence as a buffer between the camarilla proper and the Sabbat.

To the Anarchs that have made Houston their home since it’s founding, the truth is very different from appearances. To them the city is and always has been theirs. The presence of a camarilla prince doesn’t change the situation in the least. They see the presence of a prince and even the Sabbat as proof their form of society works.

The key to that view is freedom. The city was founded on that ideal, and it is that mentality which continues to flourish in its natives. The way they see it; for true freedom and equality to exist individuals must be free to choose… and if you happen to choose to be someone’s lap dog, or a psycho cultist well then so be it.

That’s not to say the Anarchs of Houston are all peace loving freethinkers who feel they should let everyone live and let live they just feel that as long as you stay the fuck outta their business do whatever the fuck you want.

As far as the movement is concerned they have their own way of doing things in Houston and either learn to adapt or stay out of it. Anyone who wants to try and steal their freedom will be met with force. And there are plenty of Anarchs in the city that enjoy force.

There are a few things unique to the style of anarch governance (if you can call it that) practiced in Houston, and the following goes into the way things are done here. Lately though there have been some problems as a large contingent of anarch refugees from the collapsed free state have moved into the area. The clash of ideological differences has lead to some friction lately but for now has not boiled over into overt conflict.

The Congress

Early on the kindred of the city formed the congress. It is the means by which the anarch cainites of the city resolve disputes, establish territories, keep track of their number and basically run their brand of government in the area.

The congress is always in session although most times only a handful of cainites are in attendance, usually sitting in some corner discussing political ideologies and the like or just shooting the shit to pass some time. At any point any kindred can call an impromptu session of congress to discuss any grievances they might have. The baron is usually to be found at congress at least once a week in order to hear from anyone who needs his ear for a bit.

The congress also formally meets regularly every six months to discuss the current situation in the city, its future and any matters anyone wishes to bring up. The baron must always be in attendance at these semi annual meetings to preside over the assembly and generally keep things moving along. It is generally bad form to bring up minor disputes during these meetings and only things that would affect the city as a whole or a large number of kindred should be discussed. All motions brought before the congress is voted upon by the kindred in attendance and in this way most of the big decisions are made. The baron is expected to carry out any decisions made by this gathering and honor the vote put forth.

Any kindred who want to may attend the congress and watch the proceedings, but only accepted Anarchs have a vote.

Congress is usually located in the original Houston Capital Building, currently the Post Rice Lofts Complex, with the electoral congress session held in a hidden and random location.

The Baron

The baron of Houston is always elected by an open vote. Whenever the position is vacated, for whatever reason, all Anarchs of the area are called to congress to put forth a nomination and a vote. These proceedings are held behind literally closed doors.

The process is sometimes long and drawn out but always held in secret. A call is sent out to any Anarchs in the area and a day selected for the process to begin. The day before the nomination and vote the doors of congress are held wide open for 24 hours. At midnight the day of the vote the doors are sealed and all in attendance are not allowed to leave until the vote has been cast and the new baron elected.

The process is decided by merit as any candidates are nominated on the spot and no one may nominate themselves. Once all nominations are received it is put to an open vote with a show of hands. It is more then one baron who has been unhappy with being elected to the position but so far no one has used their right to deny the position.

Since the fall of the anarch free state in California there has been a flood of new blood into the city from the west as those kindred moved eastward. Many of the new transplants brought with them ideas that differed from the Houston model that had existed from the start of the cities birth and many are having trouble adapting to the established order.

The City Council

Although it has no actual title “The City Council” as it has come to be known is a small grouping of representatives from around the city that gathers regularly. Members of the council are some of the most respected kindred of the area and hold a lot of sway with the Anarchs of the area.

It is a very informal group that always meets in an area accessible to other kindred but away from mortal eyes and ears. Their sole purpose is to share information on the comings and goings of city matters and to share information about the other sects in the area and matters of city security. [They meet in public to ensure no one speculates what they are about; this ensures no one starts to think they are anything remotely resembling camarilla elders or primogen.]

The baron will oftentimes seek the advice of the council members, as they are often the cainites most in the loop about what’s really happening in the city.

The Census

Whoever holds the position of sweeper is called the census. The major difference between the sweeper in Houston and other areas is that all information he gathers is contingent on the voluntary agreement of who wants to give it. In order to stem the tide of ill will to the position the census in Houston gets his information by the ancient method of asking.

Basically the census hangs out around the city and when he meets new kindred simply introduces himself. He then proceeds to tell the new arrivals about the city and where they can meet others if they’d like to or not.

The census has become in large part and unofficial welcoming committee in the city and can be a valuable source of information for new arrivals to the city.

The Factions

With the collapse of the free state in the west many kindred have migrated east, a large number of them being drawn towards the barony of Houston. This had led to two separate loosely affiliated factions.

The Natives

The anarchs native to Houston are kindred who like the way things are. They feel that the cities form of government is the most fair one to them and that despite what outsiders think they have actual power here and are afforded the opportunity to actually change the way things are done. They don’t see the cooperation with the camarilla prince as weakness but as tolerance. They often refer to themselves and their compatriots as republicans and the republican spirit of freedom is alive and well with them.

The native for the most part like the way things are and want them to continue the progression towards the future with an eye on past success in the city.

The Migrants

The migrants are those kindred who are new to the city and feel that the Anarchs of Houston are weak and docile. Ideologically they seek to form a new free state in Houston and feel that this republican shit the Natives espouse is just a screen by a bunch of pussies to hide their fear.

To the migrants you cannot effect real change by accepting the status quo. They feel the Natives too often defer to the Prince and by doing so are seen as ineffectual and something of a joke by the Camarilla.

The migrants want to shake things up and make Houston a true Barony that any Anarch can be proud to call home.

The Where and Who

Although spread throughout the city the largest concentration of Anarchs by far is in the area of the city known as Freedman’s Town or the Fourth Ward. It is here where the youngest of the cities Anarchs tend to congregate and make their homes.

Although older Anarchs tend to be of white European ancestry, most Anarchs in the area come from the cities minority population. A group already disenfranchised with the status quo as mortals they tend to reject the rigid and “old world” sensibilities of the camarilla and are attracted to the equality promised by the anarch movement.

Many of the older Anarchs have large havens in the historic second ward. Early on camarilla kindred often contested this territory, but in recent years the influx of immigrants into the area has caused many of the camarilla bluebloods to abandon the area as it has become unfashionable.

The Anarchs also hold much influence in the port area, which is useful for the many illegal activities they have their fingers in.

Notables

The Baron

The Census

Emissary

Relationships

This is the section that deals with the anarch relationships to the other supernatural beings of the area.