Presentation Letter to the Justicar

Whereas there is a state of customs degeneration shown by many Kindred in the Brazilian Camarilla, including many who hold higher offices;

Whereas the system of checks and balances, centered upon the equilibrium of power between its various offices is the core of the Camarilla's equilibrium;

Whereas the advent of modern communication media has made possible a higher agility in conversations, it has also made possible the mass proliferation of undesirable behaviors.

Whereas the customs of the Camarilla, "stricto sensu", do not allow some perpetrators to be reached by the consequences of their acts;

Whereas that fact makes the Camarilla vulnerable to more subtle aggressions;

Whereas fast, conjunct and concerted action by well-intended Kindred, faithful to the Camarilla, allows, as it has already allowed, the containment of damage which comes from that vulnerability;

Whereas the Arbiter Eleganciae, His Excellency Titus Petronius Niger, has made manifest he frowns upon the establishment of named coteries with the only finality of empowering its members;

Therefore, the Kindred known as (...) hereby approach the Arbiter Eleganciae, His Excellency Titus Petronius Niger, to ask him if he, in his most elevated grace, sees any problems in their making a Coterie, named The Optimates, after the old conservative faction in the Roman Senate.

Optimatiis

Response

Mmes. and Mssrs.:

I have spoken with my Master regarding your inquiry, and must convey his gratitude that your would-be organization has had the forethought to discuss this matter with his office before taking action. We commend your diligence and care in this regard.

Noble Petronius has also this advice to share:

It is not technically "illegal" to form a named group. It is when those named organizations, thus named and given identity, find that their loyalties to one another grow greater than each individual's love for the Camarilla and its laws that such groups are to be condemmned.

Indeed, many weak and young kindred succumb to this temptation, though their intentions begin with utmost nobility. His Arbiter Eleganciae has found that such groups quickly fall sway to the despicable habits of the Sabbat, even going so far as to learn the twisted magics of the Rebellion and corrupt their bodies with its diseases.

You can begin to see the reasoning behind his caution, I am certain.

The Optimates were, in their day, a force of Tradition, Nobility and Loyalty. These are worthy aspirations to emulate.

Should you choose to take up their name, we trust that you will continue to uphold these same ideals. If not, noble Petronius offers this last reminder - should any one of you be found guilty of crimes against the Camarilla, all of you will stand together to reap the consequences.

~ The Lady Ophelia
~ Chief Archon in Service to Titus Petronius Niger
~ Office of His Arbiter Eleganciae, Toreador Justicar

Open Letters

Kindred,

In the wake of the recent accusations we have been target of, we, members of the group known as the Optimates, come to public to speak about our ways and some of our choices.

First, we must remind that two of the members of the group known as the Optimates have been chosen as vassals by two different Irreprehensible Lord Justicars. One of us is a Prince in his own right. The others are respected members of their community. We all have been in various positions of deference in the Camarilla throughout our lives. Our acts speak for themselves.

We don't need to resort to "status banking" to defend our positions, as we have no real accusation to defend from. We are being accused of being righteous. We are being accused of following strictly the Traditions and of expecting that other kindred do the same.

If every time kindred make a public wrongdoing and someone points that out the pointer would be accused of domain breaches, where would we end? If the Exalted Prince of somewhere doesn't want problems about their subjects to be brought to their attention, such Prince should not Acknowledge or grant Hospitality to kindred ill-prepared to live in our Society.

The "ab Optimatiis" epithets we carry are no more than a manner to express an ideal concerning how we feel the Camarilla ideals should be upheld. The Optimates were an ultra conservative faction in the Roman Senate, for a time. That faction searched to bar "popular" changes in the institutions and the loss of the traditions governing the "mos maiorum".

Those ideals reflect a most ancient vision over the Camarilla, a vision shared by some Kindred that use those epithets which remit to the Roman Optimates.

Once cleared what the original Optimates have represented to the Roman Senate, a conservative political faction, it becomes easy to understand why we use their name. That is what we search, that the good customs of the Camarilla will not get lost before the democratic pretensions of the New World Kindred.

The moral degradation, the lenience, the lack of regard to Prestige and Prestation as seen in most parts of this New World must not be allowed to flourish. For a long time, each of us has strived alone to that end, until we met and started acting in concert.

We act only for the good of the Camarilla. The definition of a Coterie says that it is a group of persons closely associated. We don't believe that this concept fully applies to us, as the group known as the Optimates really works. Don't expect us to be a group of Kindred who walk together defending one another.

We defend ideas, and the failure of one will not be covered by the others. We are close to discuss ideas and concepts, to share thoughts, but not so close as that our alliance should be above our avowed duties to the Camarilla.

So, we are a group, whose members share a common epithet, the Optimates. I guess that would not make us a named Coterie, only a group of persons with similar epithets.

But, even though we concede that most Kindred will be unable to see through this fine grained distinction, and accept that the Optimates are a named Coterie, it is not illegal, under the Traditions, nor under the Prestige and Prestation system, to form a named group. It is when those named organizations, thus named and given identity, find that their loyalties to one another grow greater than each individual's love for the Camarilla and its laws that such groups are to be condemned.

The mos maiorum, from Latin, ways of the ancestors, are the ancestral traditions, an unwritten code of laws and conduct of the ancient Romans. It institutionalized cultural traditions, societal mores and general policies, as distinct from specific laws.

In the same way, we, the group known as the Optimates, have choose to live by that strict way. We have chosen to not depart from the Traditions, with a capital "T". We watch nightly so our loyalties to one another do not grow greater than each individual's love for the Camarilla and its laws. We watch nightly so we strive to be standards of behavior for the younger to follow.

The eight cornerstones of the mos maiorum are:

• Fides — fidelity, loyalty, faith. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to be absolutely loyal to the Camarilla. Some have done that by pledging service to a Lord Justicar, some by serving themselves as Princes of their domain, some by putting themselves at the service of the Prince of their domain. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "fides" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most unfaltering members of the Camarilla.

• Pietas — piety, devotion, patriotism, duty. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to be absolutely devoted to the Camarilla. We fight against the Camarilla's enemies in every front. We put our lives at risk in the line of duty. We fight the Rebellion, we fight the beasts that stalk the night and we fight non-conformity to the rules of our sacred Society. They are all one and the same battle to each member of the group known as the Optimates. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "pietas" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most dedicated members of the Camarilla.

• Religio — religious scruple, reverence for higher power(s), strictness of observance, conscientiousness precision of conduct. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to follow strictly the guidance provided by the higher powers of the Camarilla. We religiously follow any and each edict, opinion and rule emanated from our most sacred and Faultless Justicars. We religiously follow the rules emanated from the Lords of the domains we dwell in. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "religio" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most committed members of the Camarilla.

• Disciplina — discipline, diligence. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to be strictly disciplined in his or her functions in the Camarilla. We diligently perform our functions and duties, to the measure of our capabilities, doing our best to not fault and not commit crime in the line of those duties. We police each other, and we watch for deviances, so we can stay straight in the right path. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "disciplina" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most unswerving members of the Camarilla.

• Constantia — firmness, steadiness. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to be constant in his or her functions in the Camarilla. We are always present. We watch, and we speak. We leave no wrongdoing we perceive remain unnoticed. We leave no grievance linger without remedy. We leave no petition for succors loiter unanswered. We leave no request for teaching stay unreturned. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "constantia" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most steadfast members of the Camarilla.

• Parsimonia — frugality. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to be parsimonious in his or her functions in the Camarilla. We don't waste resources. We use no more than needed. We match no more force than the perceived aggression. We measure the remedy to the malady to be addressed. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "parsimonia" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most thrifty members of the Camarilla.

• Severitas — strictness in the moral sense. Each member of the group known as the Optimates has chosen to be serious. Not only we have chosen to be serious, but to act seriously. No member of the group known as the Optimates shall act in a way that may be construed as frivolous. No member of the group known as the Optimates shall bring disgrace upon the name he or she carries. Each member of the group known as the Optimates can stand questioning of his or her "severitas" and be found fit to the measure that can be expected from the most painstakingly careful members of the Camarilla.

So, we come to the forefront to ask, what gain is brought to our magnanimous Society when a Prince preemptively denies Hospitality to us, either as individuals or as a group? Is it that we are criminals or scandal bringers? Or is it that there are crimes and scandals that someone wants to keep undercover?

Each member of the group known as the Optimates is prepared to stand questioning and scrutiny, either from the Prince of the domain he or she dwells in or from the higher authorities from the Camarilla.

So we stand.

~Coterie Optimates

Classified

Optimates,

It is rare that a kindred in our times has the wisdom to re-evaluate one's position, and seek further guidance from one's elders. I applaud your conscientious approach, and am grateful for your foresight in contacting the Toreador office for counsel.

I have delivered your words to my master, the noble Justicar Petronius. He maintains that his position on your coterie has not changed - he is uncomfortable with the existance of named coteries, and cautions that in his observation, such coteries often fall into disgrace and criminal behavior. He maintains that your behavior is not illegal - you have not, to his knowledge, committed an actual crime against the traditions or the edicts of the justicariate - but reminds you to be wary of temptations of that nature.

I would note, however, that there are those who have come to this office stating that Petronius has given your coterie his "blessing" to operate as a named group. Petronius firmly asserts that this is not the case, and asks that you work against that perception. Petronius has merely confirmed that the act is not criminal.

(...)

Dulcis vita,

The Lady Ophelia

Optimates,

If you have any proof of your claim regarding the Followers of Set in Sau Paulo, it would help me greatly to futher your efforts. I am attempting to clear the way for the Optimates to continue your investigation regarding Donatello and the rest of Clan Malkavian. I do not think you will earn the ire of Justicar Streck unless she requests that Malkavian Archons perform that investigation. Regardless, I believe it would be in your best interest to contact Archon Writer and share your information with him so that if you find that a large number of Malkavians have been converted to the Setite religion, you will be thanked by Clan Malkavian and you will have assistance from Clan Malkavian to deal with the problem in a most forceful way.

(...)

In Service, David Rhumer

Lord Arcanum to Justicar Maris Streck