Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Records of the Camarilla Collection
Date(s)
- 1993-2002 (Creation)
Extent
7 boxes
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This collection consists of reports and other materials for chapters of the Camarilla, the official fan club of White Wolf Publishing's Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing universe. Materials include membership applications submitted to the central office, club chapter reports, membership lists, and other documentation relating to club administration and business.
The term "Camarilla" refers to one of the major vampire sects of the Vampire: The Masquerade universe. To quote White Wolf's official wiki, "The Camarilla is the most organized of the vampiric sects, an elite club that favours tradition and control of the mortal populace from behind the scenes. Across their domains, they enforce six major Traditions, chief among them being the Masquerade. All clans have an individual presence in the Ivory Tower, though a select group of pillar clans make up the core of its membership. Once the Camarilla welcomed all Kindred who obeyed its laws, but recent events have caused the leadership to adopt more exclusive membership rules. No Anarchs, Caitiff, or thin-blooded vampires are allowed to exist within the sect. In addition to preventing the growing mortals masses from discovering the existence of vampires, the Camarilla aims to maintain the status quo of Kindred society; as such, much of its structure and traditions mirror that of Cainite society in feudal Europe in the Dark Ages, and places it at odds with the agenda of the Sabbat and Anarchs, both of whom seek to overthrow archaic Kindred society. "
Vampire: The Masquerade:
The Vampire games, created by Mark Rein-Hagen and first released in 1991, are part of White Wolf's World of Darkness overall universe, set in an Earth much like ours, except that vampires, werewolves, and magic-users exist. Vampire was designed for players to be vampires rather than the more traditional player role as vampire hunters. The game is notable for the development of an elaborate social system and varied culture surrounding vampires. The game, to quote its WIkipedia entry, "uses the cursed, vampiric condition as a backdrop to explore themes of morality, depravity, the human condition (or appreciation of the human condition in its absence), salvation, and personal horror. The gloomy and exaggerated version of the real world that the vampires inhabit, called the "World of Darkness", forms an already bleak canvas against which the stories and struggles of characters are painted. The themes that the game seeks to address include retaining the character's sense of self, humanity, and sanity, as well as simply keeping from being crushed by the grim opposition of mortal and supernatural antagonists and, more poignantly, surviving the politics, treachery, and often violent ambitions of their own kind. " The game has inspired video games, novels, comic books, and the 1996 television show Kindred: The Embraced.
The term "Masquerade" refers to an ongoing disinformation campaign of self-protection directed by the Kindred (the vampires as a whole) and heavily enforced by the Camarilla to convince humans that vampires and other supernatural creatures do not really exist.
The Masquerade universe is also known for its commitment to LARP (Live Action Role-Play). LARPing is an activity in which participants not only create role-playing game characters but physically portray them in established campaigns, LARPs can be played in both public or private areas, and events can vary in size from a small handful of players to hundreds or even several thousands at once. In 1993, White Wolf released the first Vampire LARP game, Mind's Eye Theatre: The Masquerade, and a number of LARP publications based on the different World of Darkness games followed.
System of arrangement
Materials are organized geographically by country in which the chapter existed and thereunder by chapter number (and, for the United States, thereunder by name of state and chapter number).
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Many files contain personal information. Please redact addresses and phone numbers before providing access.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
These records were donated by Jim Blaylock in June 2019. (2019_0059).