The Carthian Movement

The Carthian Movement

We're fighting for your future. Join us.

Mask: Chaotic rabble of iconoclasts

Dirge: Terrifying, amoral militaristic cult

Who Are They?

The Carthian Movement are a disparate group of neonates and ancillae, but the one goal the leaders work towards is the destabilisation of the status quo (the Invictus) and the Prince herself. 

They are disrespected and overlooked, with only a few Carthians in any positions of power - and those who manage to gain power are often treated with suspicion by other members of the Movement, in case they have defected to the enemy.

Where Did They Come From?

The Carthians are a relatively new development in Norwich: there were always individual rebels, those who were dissatisfied with the status quo, but only in the tumult of the 20th Century and in the disappointment of yet another Invictus Prince, have they organised themselves and become a Covenant that, if it cannot be respected, at least cannot be ignored.

What Do They Want?

Carthian interests are as diverse as the misfits and troublemakers who are constantly recruited. People are drawn in with promises of revenge, of safety for the misfits, of iconoclastic fun, of ideology or answers that the other Covenants cannot provide: anything that will get them to sign up. 

Once someone has joined the Carthian Movement, the higher status members cultivate them into supporters of the fight, whatever their interests and whatever their skills.

Consequently, all of the Carthian Movement have at least a passing interest in the political arena of the Metropolis. They contribute as they can - and as their leaders dictate. This is all for the greater good, so most recruits follow the party line. Those who fail to comply obviously don’t have the Movement’s best interests at heart.

What Do They Do?

At the ground level you are equally likely to find a Carthian poking into esoteric mysteries, protesting a Kine law with Kine brethren, pulling strings behind the scenes in large businesses or making territorial war with other Kindred. The Carthians like to poke their noses into whatever the other Covenants are doing, and sometimes inevitably come into conflict with the other Covenants - especially with the Invictus, who would rather see the Carthians out of Norwich forever.

The three leaders of the Carthian Movement of Norwich treat this struggle like a war. They rule the Movement as half a cult and half a militaristic terrorist organisation, operating the neonates in cells and unaware of the details of what other cells are doing. Those with a reputation amongst other Carthians display their affiliation with literal badges of honour - anyone who is Recognised or higher displays a Carthian loyalty badge and if they fail to, it will be noticed. Cells known for particular activities take this one step further - a particularly militaristic cell known for never backing down from a fight may all wear red; a cell known for their ability to throw the wildest parties with no warning may all wear blue headpieces of various kinds. Other cells are more diverse, acting as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ group that can deal with any situation.

This isn’t to say that there is complete separation between cells - Carthians work together, aware that safety is most definitely in numbers - but when it comes to special jobs given by those up top, secrecy is key. That way, no one except for the leaders can spill everything if they are captured … or if they turn on the Movement.

They recruit from the downtrodden and especially watch carefully for products of accidental embraces, claiming them as childer of the Movement in return for loyal service. Some more brutal recruiters seek out Kine who they think are vulnerable to their ideologies, have useful skills or are searching for a purpose, embrace them and claim it accidental, and petition for mercy from the Prince. They need numbers if they are going to try to win this war.

There is a huge separation between the High Court Carthians - what little there are - and the Low Court. The Carthian Movement is ruled by three Carthians - one of the Prince’s Advisers, one of the Regents and a true rabble-rouser who eschews the High Court and acts as hero to the people. Carthians of moderate status enjoy the fruits of their labours, brought a little further into the inner circles and given greater responsibility. Some balk at the idea of using the neonates and the low-status as cannon fodder, but it is what the Movement requires. They comply, or they are no longer truly loyal.

The Low Courtiers have little to no idea of how the Elders see them. They believe in what they do, or at least they believe that the Movement is a safe place to be with a bunch of allies who will back them up in a fight. They are encouraged to always be on the lookout for Invictus and Lancea Sanctum infiltrators. By the time they have a chance to learn any different, they have been inculcated properly as true Carthian.

Development Notes

We wanted to make sure that the Carthians are a cohesive group in Dark Metropolis, whilst keeping them diverse and unpredictable and broken into disagreeing factions. The Party Carty, the Working From The Inside, and The Firebrand are all people who would be brought into the Movement for their individual skills.

Of course, having such a range of people in your organisation while keeping people loyal requires a lot of extra effort. We plan on exploring the cult-building techniques, brainwashing rhetoric and manipulation to see how far Carthian characters are willing to be pushed to prove their loyalty.

It’s worth noting that the characters in Dark Metropolis would have no awareness of this darker side of the Carthian Movement - it is something carefully kept from the younger members to ensure they still willingly fight.

Questions to think about with Carthian characters

Why did you choose to join the Movement - or, how did they get you to sign up?

How do you demonstrate your value and your loyalty to the Movement?

How do you express your particular ideological values about Kindred society - do you try to take down the system from the inside, are you an anarchist, or are you somewhere in between?

What cell are you part of and what sort of activities are your cell responsible for?