One of the things our group really enjoyed about the 1E Ordo Dracul were the extended titles. The new Mysteries put a kink in the old words, so here's our take on converting them to 2E while embracing the Greek themes a little more strongly.
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Titles among the Defiant are a codified affair, long stemming from the secret societies the Order is based upon, these shadowy groups would use place-holder words to represent members with higher offices, expanded abilities, or other secret knowledges. Intermixing with the Order's academic stylings, eventually a dedicated school of thought for titles was adopted in the Covenant. In this system, Defiant are granted title-words to represent Clan, Covenant Status, Sworn Status, Knowledge of Coils, Offices or Positions, Special Training and even warning phrases.
There are two types of titles within the Defiant - Informal Titles which are used in public without issue, and Formal Titles which are considered Covenant Secrets, and therefore used only within the Covenant itself.
Each specific title-word comes with two forms, a Noun form and a Verb form. These create the base title-word, but can be grammatically modified to change tenses, possessiveness, etc. For example, the first title every Defiant generally receives is for the fact they have not yet learned any Coils.
Noun = Slave, Verb = Shackle
One can still change these up grammatically, most commonly into adjective or adverb forms. But it is also not an uncommon practice for egotistic vampires to subvert the intended meanings of titles they don't like. Slaver and Enslaver are common variations for new Defiant with high opinions of themselves, and while such plays on words may assuage the new Dragon in the short term, many Mentors take a particular joy in making life hard for those Kindred who spend more time protecting their ego than doing the work to simply advance along the Mysteries.
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Title Construction
There are two main methodologies on the creation of titles.
Spartan Titles are generally simple affairs, used by younger members of the Order who haven't invested in their own title yet, but also by older members who are secure in their own power and competency, or those whose personal reputation is more important than a colorful dragon title. Spartan Titles simply try to express all the needed details as quickly as possible, without much regard for fancifulness. Speed and simplicity is key. The format generally starts with the kindred's name, followed by the title-words arranged in an order to ease recollection.
Homeric Titles are more artistic in nature. The titles are arranged in such a way to evoke a viable sentence, or with ones of sufficient length, a viable story. Additive words such as articles and prepositions are scattered throughout the title. To differentiate, official title-words are always capitalized, with 'prosaic' words kept lower case except when they begin the title. Additional possessive references (such as him and her) may also be added as desired, but one should limit themselves to no more than a single added noun/verb that isn't a title-word. In Homeric Titles the placement of the name doesn't have to come first, and can help break up longer titles into more digestible sections.
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Informal Titles
There are only three main aspects to a Dragon's informal title, the one they can use fully in public. Those aspects are:
Informal Titles most commonly follow these formats:
New Members (Those without Coils.) Slaves do not yet have real Covenant Status or an understanding of any Coils and so most commonly follow this Spartan Style:
[Name], [Adjective] [Noun]
(Example: Felix Jenner, Ventrue with no Coils)
[Name], [Noun] of (the) [Adjective] [Noun], or
[Name], [Adjective] [Noun] of (the) [Noun]
(Example: Edmond Volker, Status Four Unsown, Ventrue with Five Coils learned)
Informal Title Lists
Clan - Noun / Verb
Order Status - Noun / Verb
In more secretive domains, the Knowledge of Coils will sometimes be considered a guarded secret as well, and thus will only be utilized as part of a Formal Title when surrounded only by the covenant and its allies. Either way, the format is the same.
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Formal Title Lists
Formal Titles - Domain
A Dragon's Domain indicates their specific field of focus for their learning of the Coils. Their chosen Mystery is the primary title-word for their Domain. For Dragons who have learned more than one Mystery, the additional Mystery title-words must modify their primary Mystery. It is considered extremely poor form to split up one's domain title-words. While not strictly forbidden, most Defiant consider it the equivalent of confusing "your" and "you're." This restriction has a practical purpose as well, as unless the Domain is kept together, the order of importance can be lost. Some have proposed coming up with distinctive words for Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Mysteries, but so far the practice has not caught on.
Primary Mystery - Noun / Verb
For two Mysteries, the base style calls for the Secondary coil to be appended to the Primary.
[Secondary Coil] modifies [Primary coil]
Secondary Coil - Noun / Verb
Honors are particular talents that the Defiant find useful across the board. Members with these particular honors are often sought for special assignments or projects. Potential recruits with these capabilities are commonly sought after and add to their mentors' prestige.
It is also semi-common practice for individual Domains or Conclaves to have title-words for specific offices, roles, or rewards. These are generally used when among other Defiant in the same domain. If visitors are present they are often dropped, and are almost always dropped upon visiting other Domains. These Local Titles are given out purely at the whims of the local Defiant government. Note that these don't always have to be positive. A Dragon out of favor with the current Primogen might very well wear an insult.
When the moniker is an official position, such as Twilight Judge, the format precedes the Kindred's name:
Cipher Titles - Hidden Messages
Cipher Titles represent secret key-phrases meant to give warning or information to other Dragons without rousing suspicion among others present. They are folded into normal titles where they can, often in very discordant spots to help the targeted listeners parse out the meanings. Not every Domain uses Cipher Titles, and even among those that do, the specific code-words may change. Particularly paranoid Domains have even been known to change the cipher-words as often as every lunar cycle.
--
Titles among the Defiant are a codified affair, long stemming from the secret societies the Order is based upon, these shadowy groups would use place-holder words to represent members with higher offices, expanded abilities, or other secret knowledges. Intermixing with the Order's academic stylings, eventually a dedicated school of thought for titles was adopted in the Covenant. In this system, Defiant are granted title-words to represent Clan, Covenant Status, Sworn Status, Knowledge of Coils, Offices or Positions, Special Training and even warning phrases.
There are two types of titles within the Defiant - Informal Titles which are used in public without issue, and Formal Titles which are considered Covenant Secrets, and therefore used only within the Covenant itself.
Each specific title-word comes with two forms, a Noun form and a Verb form. These create the base title-word, but can be grammatically modified to change tenses, possessiveness, etc. For example, the first title every Defiant generally receives is for the fact they have not yet learned any Coils.
Noun = Slave, Verb = Shackle
One can still change these up grammatically, most commonly into adjective or adverb forms. But it is also not an uncommon practice for egotistic vampires to subvert the intended meanings of titles they don't like. Slaver and Enslaver are common variations for new Defiant with high opinions of themselves, and while such plays on words may assuage the new Dragon in the short term, many Mentors take a particular joy in making life hard for those Kindred who spend more time protecting their ego than doing the work to simply advance along the Mysteries.
--
Title Construction
There are two main methodologies on the creation of titles.
Spartan Titles are generally simple affairs, used by younger members of the Order who haven't invested in their own title yet, but also by older members who are secure in their own power and competency, or those whose personal reputation is more important than a colorful dragon title. Spartan Titles simply try to express all the needed details as quickly as possible, without much regard for fancifulness. Speed and simplicity is key. The format generally starts with the kindred's name, followed by the title-words arranged in an order to ease recollection.
Homeric Titles are more artistic in nature. The titles are arranged in such a way to evoke a viable sentence, or with ones of sufficient length, a viable story. Additive words such as articles and prepositions are scattered throughout the title. To differentiate, official title-words are always capitalized, with 'prosaic' words kept lower case except when they begin the title. Additional possessive references (such as him and her) may also be added as desired, but one should limit themselves to no more than a single added noun/verb that isn't a title-word. In Homeric Titles the placement of the name doesn't have to come first, and can help break up longer titles into more digestible sections.
--
Informal Titles
There are only three main aspects to a Dragon's informal title, the one they can use fully in public. Those aspects are:
- The Dragon's Clan
- The Dragons overall Status in the Covenant
- The Dragon's progress along the Coils
Informal Titles most commonly follow these formats:
New Members (Those without Coils.) Slaves do not yet have real Covenant Status or an understanding of any Coils and so most commonly follow this Spartan Style:
[Name], [Adjective] [Noun]
(Example: Felix Jenner, Ventrue with no Coils)
- Felix Jenner, Shackled Tyrant
- Felix Jenner, Tyrannical Slave
- Felix Jenner, Slave to his Tyranny
- Felix Jenner, The Tyrant in Shackles
[Name], [Noun] of (the) [Adjective] [Noun], or
[Name], [Adjective] [Noun] of (the) [Noun]
(Example: Edmond Volker, Status Four Unsown, Ventrue with Five Coils learned)
- Edmond Volker, Custodian of Instilled Imposition
- Edmond Volker, Initiated Keeper of Tyranny
- The Tyrant, Edmond Volker, Kept and Initiated
- The Initiation of her Tyranny, Custodian Edmond Volker
- Edmond Volker, Instilling his Tyranny upon the Kept
- Kept under Imposition until his Initiation, Edmond Volker.
Informal Title Lists
Clan - Noun / Verb
- Daeva - Siren / Lure
- Gangrel - Fury / Avenge
- Mekhet - Shade / Shroud
- Nosferatu - Horror / Terrify
- Ventrue - Tyrant / Impose
Order Status - Noun / Verb
- Status One - Servent / Serve
- Status Two - Aide / Attend
- Status Three - Agent / Act
- Status Four - Custodian / Keep
- Status Five - Emissary / Devote
In more secretive domains, the Knowledge of Coils will sometimes be considered a guarded secret as well, and thus will only be utilized as part of a Formal Title when surrounded only by the covenant and its allies. Either way, the format is the same.
- No Coils Demonstrated - Slave / Shackle
- One Coil Demonstrated - Neophyte / Begin
- Two ... - Supplicant / Surrender
- Three ... - Scribe / Record
- Four ... - Scholar / Argue
- Five ... - Initiate / Instill
- Six ... - Adept / Advance
- Seven ... - Master / Master
- Eight ... - Philosopher / Propose
- Nine ... - Illuminous / Enlighten
- Ten ... - Architect / Create
- Eleven ... - Magister / Define
- Twelve ... - Visionary / Predict
- Thirtheen ... - Harbinger / Precede
- Fourteen ... - Immortal / Ascend
- Fifteen ... - Empyrean / Triumph
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Formal Title Lists
Formal Titles - Domain
A Dragon's Domain indicates their specific field of focus for their learning of the Coils. Their chosen Mystery is the primary title-word for their Domain. For Dragons who have learned more than one Mystery, the additional Mystery title-words must modify their primary Mystery. It is considered extremely poor form to split up one's domain title-words. While not strictly forbidden, most Defiant consider it the equivalent of confusing "your" and "you're." This restriction has a practical purpose as well, as unless the Domain is kept together, the order of importance can be lost. Some have proposed coming up with distinctive words for Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Mysteries, but so far the practice has not caught on.
Primary Mystery - Noun / Verb
- Ascendant - Fortress / Protect
- Wyrm - Fiend / Brutalize
- Voivode - Sovereign / Reign
- Zirnitra - Mystic / Collect (rare)
- Živa - Bride / Absolve (heretical)
For two Mysteries, the base style calls for the Secondary coil to be appended to the Primary.
[Secondary Coil] modifies [Primary coil]
- Protected Soveriegn
- Brutal Reign
- Fiendish Bride
- Fortress of Sovereigns
- Reign of Fiends
- Mystic of Absolution
Secondary Coil - Noun / Verb
- Three or More - Equilibrium / Balance
- Balanced Fiend
- Equalized Fortress
- Balancing Sovereign
Honors are particular talents that the Defiant find useful across the board. Members with these particular honors are often sought for special assignments or projects. Potential recruits with these capabilities are commonly sought after and add to their mentors' prestige.
- Has knowledge of Blood Alchemy such as Spoiling.
- Hermes / Corrode
- Has the capability to see or Interact with Spirts, Ghosts or otherworldy creatures.
- Chthon / Grieve
- Has learned or acquired the Rituals of other Covenants.
- Prometheus / Regenerate
- Is a member of a Bloodline.
- Olympus / Evolve
- Has the capability to perceive dreams or Dreamwalk.
- Chimera / Slumber
- Prophecy and visions of the future.
- Sibyl / Forecast
- Ability to counteract or Nullify Vinculum.
- Hecuba / Curse
It is also semi-common practice for individual Domains or Conclaves to have title-words for specific offices, roles, or rewards. These are generally used when among other Defiant in the same domain. If visitors are present they are often dropped, and are almost always dropped upon visiting other Domains. These Local Titles are given out purely at the whims of the local Defiant government. Note that these don't always have to be positive. A Dragon out of favor with the current Primogen might very well wear an insult.
When the moniker is an official position, such as Twilight Judge, the format precedes the Kindred's name:
- Twilight Judge Liz Sanders
- Kogaion Erik Kalopheros
- Provost Simone DeLuca
- ... Kogaion of Indianapolis
- ... The Red Death of Philadelphia
- ... The Harvester of New York
- ... The Favored of Primogen Togatha
- ... The Brass Herald
Cipher Titles - Hidden Messages
Cipher Titles represent secret key-phrases meant to give warning or information to other Dragons without rousing suspicion among others present. They are folded into normal titles where they can, often in very discordant spots to help the targeted listeners parse out the meanings. Not every Domain uses Cipher Titles, and even among those that do, the specific code-words may change. Particularly paranoid Domains have even been known to change the cipher-words as often as every lunar cycle.
- "I am here against my own will." - Terrible
- "I am lying or disguised." - Forgotten
- "Outsiders are listening." - Subtle
- "Enemies are listening." - Invincible
- "I need immediate aide." - Esoteric
- "We are in immediate danger." - Sterling
- "I am favored." - Renewed
- "I am to be protected." - Remarkable
- "I am about to frenzy or lose control." - Chromatic
- "I am being ridden or possessed." - Reflective
- "You owe me (or my master) favor or Boon debt." - Inscribed
- "My master wants you to destroy me." - ... of the Fourth Darkness
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