Post by David Price on Aug 30, 2012 15:50:26 GMT -8
I recently received a letter from the Grand Harpy clarifying the Justicariat Edict against being on recording devices. As such, I have it reprinted here for your education.
Harpies of the Camarilla,
This letter is being sent to all harpies throughout the world to clarify something I had dearly hoped would not have to be. The law of the Masquerade is our supreme first tradition, and I would hope that any who would find themselves in a court position would understand it well enough to enforce this tradition properly. Sadly this has not proved the case, and it falls to me to clarify what constitutes a breach of the masquerade.
As the interpretations seem to have varied so widely as to scarcely be believed, I will need to restrict myself to handling this weighty subject in installments. This first one will deal with proper conduct over the phone lines.
Are you ready children? Then we will begin this course in Masquerade for Beginners.
I will start by saying to all the stuffy elders out there that phones are not going to go away. Declaring that Kindred shall not discuss their business over the phone is impractical and unrealistic in the extreme. Electronic communication is only going to expand. I’m sorry elders, but just because you are afraid of something, it doesn’t mean that the entire world will stop using it. It falls to us then to understand how to adapt to this new world of instant communication.
Now the first thing all Kindred need to understand about any form of electronic communication, is that it can be intercepted. This is nothing new, as elders will remember couriers being waylaid on their travels, or messenger birds being killed. The method of interception has simply adapted to match the speed and ease of communication. As such, all of us should understand to watch our words however they are delivered, be it by letter, phone call, or email. Assume you are being listened in on in any form of distant communication and guard your pen or tongue accordingly. A masquerade breach in this case is defined as an act which would cause a mortal listening in to develop an unhealthy desire to find out more about the supernatural, and thus bring him closer to discovering the truth. That said, our best ally in maintaining the Masquerade is in fact humanity itself. They have an amazing ability to ignore the truth, even when it is staring them in the face. Understand this elders, the days of the Inquisition are over. Mortals in this age do not want to believe that we exist. Therefore they will do mental contortions the like of which would make Houdini jealous in order to not believe the evidence before their eyes.
The subject of the blinders mortals use on themselves brings me rather neatly to the first common misconception, which I hoped would be understood by anyone with even a basic education. I know this will come as a shock, but the terms we use for our titles and specific information are not unique to us. Gasp! Indeed my exhaustive research has revealed that terms such as Prince, Seneschal, Elysium, and Sheriff do in fact have other uses. What is more, these terms were in fact chosen because they could be used without threat. So with that understanding, the next time I hear of a scandal because someone used the word Elysium on the phone, I will expect to hear of a status adjustment for that individual in keeping with the lack of sense they are showing by spreading such panic. The mobs are not coming to get us with torches and pitchforks. And even in the days when they were, they would not have targeted the author of a letter because the letter contained the word Sheriff.
That said, due to the speed at which the world communicates these days, any true breach will cause far more damage and is not something to be taken lightly. While mention of a clan name is not likely to make a budding hunter sprout, Timmy the Twit Tremere openly discussing his latest demon summoning and blood feast afterwards just might. The standard is, don’t give them anything they can’t explain. If there is a possible alternative explanation, no matter how unlikely, they will leap at it with everything they have. But if you don’t leave them anywhere else to go, they will pursue us into our true world, and hate you for ripping them from their lovely illusion.
I expect that this clarification will be made public by the harpies receiving it, in order that every Kindred of the Camarilla understands these basic precepts of our laws. No one should have the excuse to plead ignorance. And do use my exact words; I would hate for more misinterpretations to occur for the sake of politeness. Understand that I will expect these precepts to now be followed on pain of my extreme displeasure, since this shows the common sense I would hope to find in a week-old neonate.
Yours in disdain,
Violet Mary, Grand Harpy of the Camarilla
Harpies of the Camarilla,
This letter is being sent to all harpies throughout the world to clarify something I had dearly hoped would not have to be. The law of the Masquerade is our supreme first tradition, and I would hope that any who would find themselves in a court position would understand it well enough to enforce this tradition properly. Sadly this has not proved the case, and it falls to me to clarify what constitutes a breach of the masquerade.
As the interpretations seem to have varied so widely as to scarcely be believed, I will need to restrict myself to handling this weighty subject in installments. This first one will deal with proper conduct over the phone lines.
Are you ready children? Then we will begin this course in Masquerade for Beginners.
I will start by saying to all the stuffy elders out there that phones are not going to go away. Declaring that Kindred shall not discuss their business over the phone is impractical and unrealistic in the extreme. Electronic communication is only going to expand. I’m sorry elders, but just because you are afraid of something, it doesn’t mean that the entire world will stop using it. It falls to us then to understand how to adapt to this new world of instant communication.
Now the first thing all Kindred need to understand about any form of electronic communication, is that it can be intercepted. This is nothing new, as elders will remember couriers being waylaid on their travels, or messenger birds being killed. The method of interception has simply adapted to match the speed and ease of communication. As such, all of us should understand to watch our words however they are delivered, be it by letter, phone call, or email. Assume you are being listened in on in any form of distant communication and guard your pen or tongue accordingly. A masquerade breach in this case is defined as an act which would cause a mortal listening in to develop an unhealthy desire to find out more about the supernatural, and thus bring him closer to discovering the truth. That said, our best ally in maintaining the Masquerade is in fact humanity itself. They have an amazing ability to ignore the truth, even when it is staring them in the face. Understand this elders, the days of the Inquisition are over. Mortals in this age do not want to believe that we exist. Therefore they will do mental contortions the like of which would make Houdini jealous in order to not believe the evidence before their eyes.
The subject of the blinders mortals use on themselves brings me rather neatly to the first common misconception, which I hoped would be understood by anyone with even a basic education. I know this will come as a shock, but the terms we use for our titles and specific information are not unique to us. Gasp! Indeed my exhaustive research has revealed that terms such as Prince, Seneschal, Elysium, and Sheriff do in fact have other uses. What is more, these terms were in fact chosen because they could be used without threat. So with that understanding, the next time I hear of a scandal because someone used the word Elysium on the phone, I will expect to hear of a status adjustment for that individual in keeping with the lack of sense they are showing by spreading such panic. The mobs are not coming to get us with torches and pitchforks. And even in the days when they were, they would not have targeted the author of a letter because the letter contained the word Sheriff.
That said, due to the speed at which the world communicates these days, any true breach will cause far more damage and is not something to be taken lightly. While mention of a clan name is not likely to make a budding hunter sprout, Timmy the Twit Tremere openly discussing his latest demon summoning and blood feast afterwards just might. The standard is, don’t give them anything they can’t explain. If there is a possible alternative explanation, no matter how unlikely, they will leap at it with everything they have. But if you don’t leave them anywhere else to go, they will pursue us into our true world, and hate you for ripping them from their lovely illusion.
I expect that this clarification will be made public by the harpies receiving it, in order that every Kindred of the Camarilla understands these basic precepts of our laws. No one should have the excuse to plead ignorance. And do use my exact words; I would hate for more misinterpretations to occur for the sake of politeness. Understand that I will expect these precepts to now be followed on pain of my extreme displeasure, since this shows the common sense I would hope to find in a week-old neonate.
Yours in disdain,
Violet Mary, Grand Harpy of the Camarilla