From: [A CRAM] at [student.anu.edu.au] (Andrew Cram)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.storyteller
Subject: Clanbook: Baali pt. 2
Date: Mon, 04 Mar 1996 11:05:28 +1000

Chapter Two: Dark Culture

The Life of the Corrupter
"'And were you pleased?' they asked Helen in Hell.
'Pleased?' answered she, 'When all Troy's towers fell; 
And dead were Priam's sons, and lost his throne?
And such a war was fought as none had known;
And even the gods took part; and all because of me alone! Pleased?
I should say I was!" - Lord Dunsany

The Baali are the darkest of the kindred. They serve the darkest powers in
existence and strive to create a world of corruption, ruled directly by the
great infernal Demon Lords. They are not, however, senseless killers.
Rather they are the gentle corrupter, who tempts mankind. They are the
serpent in the garden, the dark voice in us all, whose tool is temptation.
The Baali maintain a great masquerade, greater than that of all other
clans. They survive only by hiding amongst their enemies, slowly
manipulating others to do their will.
The Baali value this charade greatly, for it literally is the only thing
that keeps them alive. They carefully maintain false identities, secret
havens, cover stories, and hidden contacts. They are part of kindred
society while for ever being debarred from it. They can never drop their
guard lest they be found out. They cannot trust those who trust them, nor
can they even rely on others of their kind. Amonst the Baali it is survival
of the fittest; and the weaklings do not survive long.

Playing the Innocent
Baali carefully create identities beyond suspician. They play the role of
Caregiver, Loyalist, Traditionalist, and Mediator. Only those who
infiltrate the darkest groups (such as the Minions of Set, or Black Spiral
Dancers) allow even a fraction of their dark soul to show.
They nurture friendships with kindred and kine alike, often going out of
their way to help others. They commit selfless deads, shy away from
brutality, and advocate peace, but all with the goal of eventual
corruption. They pursue the most far-sighted of plans, and are meticulous
plotters. The effectiveness of this strategy is shown by the conspicuous
absence of their greatest enemies, the Salubri. 

Organisation
"Know thy enemy and know thyself; in a hundred battles you will never be in
peril." - Sun Tzu c. 500BC

Since the Great Dispersal the Baali have held a very open structure. They
are organized into Orders which fall into two main catagories: the Loyalist
Orders and the Infiltrator Orders. The Loyalist Orders bind the Baali in
corruption, each revelling in one dark power/emotion. They are the basic
structure of Baali society. The Infiltrator orders were established to aid
clan members in their masquerade amongst the other Clans.

The Loyalist Orders
All Baali are members of one and only one of the loyalist orders.
The Pleasurists
"The devil halth power. To assume a pleasing shape." - William Shakespeare

These Baali corrupt through pleasure. They are masters of the Dark
Thaumaturgical path of Pleasure and are allied with Lucricia the Succumbus
(see Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat) or Empress Aliara, the Maeljin
Incarna of Desire (see Book of the Wyrm) whom the Baali see as aspects of
the same dark being. This is the most popular of the loyalist orders.
The Seekers
Those Baali who seek Dark Knowledge above all else are members of this
order. They are masters of the Dark Thaumaturgical path of Secret
Knowledge. They are allied with Grantel the Mandragora (see Storytellers
Handbook to the Sabbat) or, less commonly, with Mahsstrac, the Urge Wyrm of
Power (see Book of the Wyrm). This is the second most popular Loyalty
Order, and the most ancient.
The Terrorists
Baali who revel in fear are most often members of this order. They are
masters of the dark Thaumaturgical path of Phobos. They are allied with
Hakaken, the Bane-Totem of Fear (see Book of the Wyrm)
The Bringers of Pain
The Order for torturers, the members of this dark order are all skilled in
the Dark Thaumaturgical path of Torture. Their dark allies are Lady Aife,
the Maeljin Incarna of Pain (see Book of the Wyrm) and Tivilio, the Injurer
of Cats (see Storytellers Handbook to the Sabbat). Many elder members of
the clan see this order as a bit juvenile as it seldom manages to corrupt
the innocent.
The Bearers of Pestilence
These Baali delight in the spreading of disease. They are allied with
Thurifuge, Maeljin Incarna of plagues; Collum, Lord of Sludge; and Lady
Yul, Mistress of Toxins (all see Book of the Wyrm). This order has been
instrumental in the rising disunity and paranoia within the Sabbat.
The Harbingers of Decay
Baali masters of the Hands of Decay. These Baali revere Knight Entropy, the
Maeljin Incarna of decay (see Book of the Wyrm) although they have never
managed to fully ally with it. 
Bearers of the Inferno
The smallest of the Loyalty Orders, these Baali are masters of the Fires of
the Inferno. They have no specific ally although they have been attempting
to make contact with Kerne, the Maeljin of Hellfire (see Book of the Wyrm).
The Summoners
Specializing in the Path of Summoning (see Book of Madness for Mage), these
Baali are few and far between. There powers are amongst the most indirect
of all the orders. Although they can call on great power through their
contact with Banes, Wraiths, and Demons, they are not allied to any
specific individuals.
The Corrupters
Whilst corruption is the heart of Baali life, this is a small and powerless
group within the clan. This is largely due to the fact that its members
specialize in the Path of Corruption, which is both a Path of Thaumaturgy
and Dark Thaumaturgy) .

Infiltrator Orders
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts." -As you like it, Act 2 Sc 7,
William Shakespeare

As well as being members of the loyalist orders, most Baali are also
members of an Infiltrator Order which helps them blend in with those around
them. Most orders have several sub-orders based on the political separation
of the clan/group in question.
Assamite Order
The Baali had tried for years to gain a toe hold amongst the assassins.
They finally managed it during the Anarch revolt and now maintain a small
but strong presence in the clan. The only sub-order is that of the Assamite
antitribu.
Brujah Order
Set up to allow members to gain power within the rebel clan, they revel in
corrupting the rebels and fostering friction between Brujah and other
clans.
The main sub-orders are; Brujah antitribu, and Anarchs.
Gangrel Order
Not the most popular of clans for infiltration, the Gangrel still offer a
wide variety of possibilities. Members of this order often go on to be
members of the shapechanger orders. Sub-Orders include; City Gangrel
antitribu, Country Gangrel antitribu, and Ahrimane.
Giovanni Order
One of the great monuments to the Baali was the Giovanni destruction of the
Capadocians. They have maintained a small presence amongst the Giovanni
ever since. This is the smallest and most closed of the Baali Infiltrator
Orders, and most members are elders.
Lasombra Order
One of the hardest clans to infiltrate due to their weakness, the Baali
have none the less been able to riddle the Lasombra with infiltrators. They
are currently debating whether or not to set up a Lasombra antitribu
sub-order .
Malkavian Order
One of the smallest infiltration orders, the Malkavians have proven
difficult to infiltrate, but the rewards are great for those who do manage
it. The only known Sub-Order is the Malkavian antitribu.
Nagaraja Order
One of the oldest of the infiltrator orders, the Nagaraja order is a
perfect example of just how far the Baali have seeped into kindred power
structures. This order (together with the True Brujah and Old Tzimisce
Sub-Orders) have gained moderate power within the true Black Hand, although
they are far from controlling that body.
Nosferatu Order
Members of this order have all had their appearance altered by Vicissitude
or the Path of Corruption. The Nosferatu's clannishness has proven a great
boon to the Baali as has their love of information. Sub-Orders are
Nosferatu antitribu, and Gargoyle.
Pander Order
The newest order, this group has been set up to gain control of this new
Sabbat "clan". A Caitiff sub-order exists, although most Caitiff
infiltrators do not bother to join.
Ravnos Order
The trickster clan is the most popular independant clan amongst
infiltrators although a great percentage of members are part of the Ravnos
antitribu sub-order. 
Settite Order
The minions of Set are not a popular infiltration target. There is no
challenge, and Serpentis is a difficult power to mask. The recently
instigated Serpents of Light sub-order is proving a more popular group.
Toreador Order
One of the more popular orders amongst the Baali, it delights in perversion
of all types. Some of the greatest elders of the Baali control this order.
The only real sub-order is that of the Toreador antitribu.
Tremere Order
The Baali are partially responsible for the rise of the Tremere and it is
rumored that the head of this order is one of the circle of seven. Only the
Tremere antitribu have a sub-order.
Tzimisce Order
Most Baali see the score with the Tzimisce settled but some still carry a
grudge, and these make up the majority of this order. They spend most of
the time trying to find out the true fate of Tzimisce himself (they do not
believe the official stories of his final death). There is an Old Clan
Tzimisce sub-order, although there are currently only a handful of members
at any one time.
Ventrue Order
Legendary manipulators, the Ventrue present a tempting challenge to the
Baali, especially as this clan controls so much power. Very few members of
the order belong to the Ventrue antitribu sub-order due to its lack of
temporal power.
Shapechanger Order
One of the smallest and most prestigious of orders, these Baali masquerade
as one of the changing breed (most commonly Garou). Very few are neonates
and most have been members of other infiltrator orders before joining this
one. The largest sub-order is that of the Black Spiral Dancers whom the
Baali consider to be useful tools.
Other Orders
Rumors of other micro-orders exist, including those for magi. Quiet rumors
tell of elders who have infiltrated the order of Mummies, the Society of
Leopold, and the Arcanum, amongst others. At some point in the distant past
there may have been an Osiran Order that has since become defunct.

Banned Order
Inner Light
"Even while a thing is in the act of coming into existence, some part of it
has already ceased to be" - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 2nd Century AD

This order is outlawed and reviled by the Baali. Its followers believe in
the 
use of dark powers for the greater good. They hide amongst the other Baali,
professing alliegence to the Loyalty and Infiltration Orders whilst
secretly trying to convert their kin. Virtually none of its members hold
much power among the Baali as the great dark powers are supremely
corrupting, still they maintain enough power to survive under the noses of
their dark kin. This order had an hand (albeit hidden) in the creation of
the Daughters of Cacophony.



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Andrew Cram
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=