Alternative System: The Supernatural Accords

The Supernatural Accords
Developed through the concentrated effort of some of the most powerful (or influential) minds across Orders, Covenants and what-have-you, the Supernatural Accords are the so-called universal laws that define the parameters of political relations between different supernatural communities and any mortal who happens to be involved, in some capacity, with all things beyond the Veil. The Accords are products of "Old World" thinking, and rely on the construction of oaths and pledges, the keeping of promises, and the strength of one's reputation.

There's no other way of putting it: the Accords are viewed as a necessary evil. Mortals - ignorant and delicate as they are - vastly outnumber the things that go bump in the night. Advancements in technology and the rise of social media are making the world smaller - uncomfortably smaller. It's becoming harder for the denizens of the Dark to keep their natures secret, much less survive. Sometimes, that requires a little more cooperation beyond "the enemy of my enemy is my (food) friend". If the Veil breaks, and supernaturals are all too busy squabbling with each other to stitch it back together in time...

In general, the Accords are meant to be upheld by those who are protected by them. Anyone within the community is expected to enforce the rules to the best of their abilities. Newly-minted "supes" can only rely on ignorance for so long, and established members of a particular community are expected to instruct the filthy casuals – ahem, plebeians – within their locale.

The concept of a Supernatural Accords was inspired, mainly, by books like The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It works best with politics-heavy campaigns or campaigns that are big on social interaction, and is meant to provide a built-in mechanic for negotiating between the different groups of supernatural creatures beyond the Veil.

What are the Accords of the World of Darkness?
The particulars of each law can, of course, vary depending on the locale. Some places have additional laws Furthermore, the items listed here are meant to give you ideas, not restrict you to a set that might not work for your campaign.

THEY CAN NEVER KNOW.
Mortals might be steaks with brains, lesser beings, Sleeping… it doesn’t matter. The cold, hard truth of it is, there is a strong possibility that they will always, ALWAYS be more of them than any supernatural community ever. Kick the beehive of humanity, and you’re welcoming a world of trouble that no one’s ready to deal with yet.

DON’T EVER CALL THE HUNT DOWN ON ANYONE.
The Keepers of the Vigil are simultaneously any supernatural’s greatest ally and greatest enemy. Keepers who serve the Accords (if there is such a thing in your campaign) are its judge and jury: Keepers who don’t believe in it can and will turn against anyone who gives them a reason to. Beyond it being unpractical, it just isn’t in good taste to rock the boat that is the Vigil in this sea of shadows.

LEAD YOUR FLOCK.
The first service that any supernatural can do for the rest of their community (and, by extension, everyone around them, including mortals) is to take one of the fledglings under their wing and show them the ropes. If no one’s willing to step up, the other supernaturals around them are obligated to do what they can until the person in question is well-informed and (at least in theory) be capable of making his own decisions based on what’s good for everyone else.

Becoming a mentor is pretty serious business. Until the fledgling becomes a full-fledged member of the community, her actions have a direct bearing on the mentor’s reputation and standing in the eyes of the community, and the upholders of the Accords. In general, a mentor is held accountable for the failings of his fledgling.

NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS.
Harming or killing one’s master is the ultimate betrayal. If a fledgling has an issue with her mentor, she’s strongly encouraged to seek recourse through the community or through a Groundskeeper rather than do anything drastic.

A MAN’S LOVE FOR HIS NEIGHBOR MUST BE MEASURED BY HIS OWN.
The Supernatural Accords recognize the sovereignty of each “nation state” of supernaturals within their particular areas of authority. There can be no universal law or universal sense of justice or ethics given the conflicting natures of each denizen of Darkness. As such, the Accords exist only to judge the actions of someone whose decisions have affected a supernatural community outside of his own, or the supernatural community as a whole within his hometown. Beyond that, supernaturals are generally supposed to judge their peers: Mages meting out justice upon other Mages, Vampires meting out justice upon other Vampires.

A MAN’S HATRED FOR ANOTHER MUST FIND A SUITABLE WEAPON.
Every individual bound by the Accords has the right to call for a duel, as dueling is a viable option for settling disputes between supernatural parties. Because everyone would like to avoid the possibility of a war between two different “sovereign nations” beyond the Veil, however, the Accords dictate that one of the offended parties must seek a representative among the numbers of the other party’s kind. For example: if a Mage has a bone to pick with a Werewolf, he must either find a Werewolf who is willing to represent him in the fight, or the Werewolf must find a Mage who is willing to represent her.

The rules of dueling are universal, and have been outlined below. Part of a Groundskeeper's duty involves overseeing the preparations for the duel, and the duel itself. This often includes finding representatives for one of the parties that he’s handling.
 * The individual calling for a duel chooses the nature of the trial (i.e. trial by combat, trial by ability, trial by debate); the individual responding to the duel chooses the location; the Groundskeeper chooses the day and time.
 * The location of a duel can never be in the home of either of the parties involved, nor can it be in the home of the Groundskeeper.
 * Both parties declare their conditions of victory and defeat. The Arbiter has the final say on whether these stipulations are acceptable or not.
 * No external party is allowed to interfere with the duel once it has begun. Only the Arbiter has the right to intervene if, by his judgment, the fight has gotten out of hand or he has grounds to believe that one or both parties are cheating.
 * Both parties must be of sound mind and able body in order to duel.
 * Duels may be duels to the death, and it is perfectly possible for one party to accidentally kill another during the melee. The recognized supernatural authorities of both parties, however, must agree that the vendetta will end with that fight, regardless of the outcome.

RESPECT THE TERRITORY OF THE ACCORDS.
As mentioned in its own section below, Accorded Neutral Territory serves as spaces for negotiation. However, they are also meant to be a means for supernaturals to meet other denizens of the Darkness, and enrich themselves. Accorded Neutral Territories are direct representations of the power of the Accords, and their very presence can ensure supernatural authorities that war isn’t going to break out on their streets. Keeping things on the down low also keeps Hunters from crawling all over the place and blowing shit up. If a city’s constituents don’t acknowledge the Accords… welp.

RESPECT YOUR NEIGHBOR’S PROPERTY.
…But one interesting thing to consider in the Fifth World is that “property” in the Supernatural Accords extends to sentient beings, be it actual pets or pet human beings. The general rule of thumb is that any mortal associated with another supernatural is a second class citizen, and simply an extension of that supernatural’s identity. A Werewolf’s human wife, therefore, is his property, as are any of his children who do not become one of the People themselves.

We mentioned in the previous paragraph that the living property of a supernatural is a second class citizen. This means that they cannot gain any additional political power of protection from the Accords beyond what suits their supernatural patron. They cannot, for example, call for a duel, nor avail of the hospitality of an Accorded Neutral Territory without their patron, nor seek to be invited into the home of another.

The only time that the living property of one bound the Accords can be recognized by the rest of the community as their own beings is if they themselves become supernatural. The human lover of a Vampire, in that light, will stop becoming property the moment he is Embraced. Once he has completed his mentorship under a master (likely his lover), he’s then recognized as a “proper citizen” in the eyes of the Accords.

HOSPITALITY IS KEY. YOUR ENEMY IS ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND.
Monsters have to try to stick together or at least be as civil as they can to one another, regardless of how much they hate each other. Ironically, the finite nature of a mortal's life gives him the unique privilege of getting to choose his company: they can love who they please, hate who they please. Their lives will only go on for so long, and there is only so much damage that they can do to each other and to others in the long run. Denizens of Darkness face threats on all fronts, including themselves.

Each supernatural community has their own code of behavior, and the Supernatural Accords use the rules of hospitality as the backbone for the intricate rules of relating with other creatures from beyond the Veil. The actual tenants of the rule of hospitality for a particular area are largely determined by the mortal culture they came from, but there are a few non-negotiable items: What precisely constitutes “hospitality” as is acceptable within a particular city or country is, once again, largely determined by location. In Japan, masters of the house are welcome to place tithes on their hospitality. In the Philippines and in Russia, the guest must drink at least twice before he leaves the master’s home: upon his arrival, and upon his departure.
 * A guest must avoid showing up uninvited in another’s home as much as possible. If circumstances beyond their control prevent them from sending word ahead, much less waiting for the approval of the host, they must make it a point to request entry in person to the master of the house or to an acknowledged representative of his.
 * The master of the house must not raise a hand against any individual whom he has extended his hospitality to. Unless, of course, it is clear that the guest wants to attack the master, or the guest seeks to destroy the master’s property.
 * A guest must never raise his hand against the master of the house. Hospitality does, after all, go both ways.
 * The master of the house is obligated to defend his guests against external threats. The ability to receive guests is a manifestation of the master’s capability: he risks his reputation by allowing his guests into his home, and then subsequently failing to protect them.
 * A guest is obligated to do everything in his power to ensure that no harm befalls the master of the house, or his property. The guest’s presence in the master’s home is often enough of an imposition.

THRICE TRANSGRESSED, THRICE DAMNED.
Violate the same tenet of the Supernatural Accords, and you're on your own. The community that once protected you is now obligated to do everything in their power to destroy you.

How Do the Accords Work?
The first core assumption of a campaign using the Supernatural Accords system is that the location of your campaign is divided into "territory". The territories in question are each controlled by a group of your choice, (i.e. one of the Mystical Orders or even all the "Mages" in the city as a whole; a Vampire Clan or Covenant; a Werewolf Tribe; a Changeling Court). The "leader" or "leaders" of the territory are Good Men or Good Women. They (supposedly) speak for the good of the community, and are the ones that supernaturals can approach if a crime against the Accords has been committed.

Trials are held in Accorded Neutral Territories, which are manned by Groundskeepers. Groundskeepers are also expected to be the mediators and judges of any trial that takes place in their establishment. All affected parties and relevant representatives must be present.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACH: ARBITERS
You may, as Storyteller, want to consider separating the duties of Groundskeeping from arbitration by introducing a specific class of World of Darkness lawyer. Call them Arbiters, Barristers or whatever. Either way, they're effectively everyone's legal representation beyond the Veil.

What Are Accorded Neutral Territories?
Accorded Neutral Territories are locations within a particular area that are universally recognized by all supernaturals in the community as neutral ground for interaction, negotiation, and judgment. They are considered to be protected by the authority of the Accords, and the recognized authorities of each demographic of supes are expected to protect the area. Failing to do this runs the risk of ruining one’s reputation.

Once anybody enters Accorded Neutral Territory, they are expected to leave all of their weapons with its assigned Groundskeeper, and any conflict, resentment, or vendetta they may carry against anyone in the community. Groundskeepers also aren’t expected to be the unlucky son of a bitch who has to keep the area safe: anyone who is within Accorded Neutral Territory when a threat appears is expected to defend the area with their lives.

Theoretically, individuals have the right to refuse the hospitality offered by an ANT; this is referred to as invoking Vainglory. This is obviously a risky move: they’re allowed to do as they please within the area, but everyone who has decided to abide by the laws of hospitality (not to mention the Groundskeeper himself), is bound by law to retaliate against them if they try to attack anyone within the ANT, or perform any action that compromises the safety of the community.

Individuals who have refused hospitality three times in a row are called Vainglorious. The Groundskeepers of ANTs reserve the right to refuse to allow Vainglorious characters to enter their establishment. The Vainglorious character doesn’t even have to have done something in an ANT: their actions alone are enough to make any well-respecting denizen of Darkness a bit nervous.

ANTs are typically vacation and leisure spots, entertainment establishments, or food places. Members of the community rarely make their private homes Accorded Neutral Territory for what we hope are obvious reasons.

How does one become a Groundskeeper?
Simple: put up your location's recognized sign or symbol of Accorded Neutral Territory on somewhere visible from the outside, and name yourself as Groundskeeper. The recognition of an ANT is universal, and does not require special permission from the supernatural authorities within a locale. It does help, however, to give somebody in power the head’s up.

A Groundskeeper does not have to possess any particular skill set. However, logically, a Groundskeeper must be capable of having enough income to keep the place running without relying too heavily on donations or support from the community, and must be capable of defending himself and anyone within his establishment.

TAKING AN OATH, KEEPING PROMISES
The almost religious regard for oaths and the near ridiculous need to safeguard one’s reputation is founded on some incredibly pragmatic reasoning. The World of Darkness is and always will be a small one, especially in comparison to the World of Light: your average, run-of-the-mill mortals will always outnumber the creatures of Darkness – or they will for a very, very long time, at least. Furthermore, some supernatural creatures live for a long time. Given how quickly things can change and any supernatural individual’s particular set of frailties, it definitely isn’t a good idea to piss off somebody who can carry a grudge against you for a while. Some, in fact, might take it with them beyond the grave.

(All eyes are on you, geists.)

Even the supposedly mystical or superstitious reasons for keeping a promise are grounded in universal fact as the wisest supernaturals understand it. One’s decisions create ripples within the Pattern that later become waves, and sympathetic ties have power. That power can make the universe move in small ways for you, just as it can make the universe conspire to throw everything that it has against you.

Once one’s reputation as an oathbreaker has been formed, it’s almost impossible to break. Arbiters are also obligated to keep a record of the number of times an individual has broken a promise – or, conversely, kept his word.

THE RULE OF THREE
The Rule of Three is an important motif in the Accords: three chances, triplicated actions and responses, three strikes and everyone and their (ghouls, slaves...) mothers are going down on your ass, etcetera, etcetera. There are a number of theories on why invoking the Rule of Three carries so much weight. One of the more popular ones states that it represents the relationship between Self, Community, and the Universe. Another is the most efficient way of invoking Fate and deepening the binding, sympathetic ties that are generated by an individual the moment he or she takes action. Yet another theory claims that it is a binding of the three things that make a man: his Mind, his Body, and his Soul or Spirit. Interpretations aside, invoking the Rule of Three is common practice with regard to the Accords, and a direct reflection of the gravity of each law.

THE WEIGHT OF A LIFE
Denizens bound by the Accords avoid killing each other as much as possible. Death leaves a near permanent stain on one’s karma, something that tends to carry over even into their succeeding lives. Furthermore, some supernaturals are power-hungry by nature: why the hell would you want to do die if you’ve got so much to live for, and so much wealth to accumulate?

Death also raises too many questions that don’t have nearly as many suitable answers to, especially in light of the need to keep the Veil intact. Mortals are the supernatural equivalent of cockroaches in their persistence, and their strength in numbers rarely ever works to a supe’s advantage. There is, as well, the fact that it’s only natural for other supes within a murdered individual’s community will retaliate out of revenge, or even because they want to take it as an opportunity to display how powerful they are to their rivals.

On that note, Groundskeepers also tend to avoid interpreting the penalty for one’s crime as death. Long life spans (or in some cases, functional immortality) can leave an individual with a lot of room for redemption – or it can in theory, anyway, and that’s more than enough for many beyond the Veil. Furthermore, a Groundskeeper has the entire community's eyes on him every trial. If she chooses to put someone to death for their actions and a significant number of powerful denizens find her ruling wanting... well, it's best not to think too hard on THAT.

While it’s perfectly understandable to kill one’s attacker in an attempt to defend one’s life, murdering in cold blood is something that many bound by the Accords cannot abide by. Best not to give anybody a reason to capitalize on the end of someone else’s existence.

INVOCATIONS
In a fashion similar to mortals throughout history, invocations in the Accords are used to reflect the depth of an individual’s convictions. It’s common practice to swear on something (or someone) of value to one’s self, especially since his or her reputation is at stake – and in a Game where one’s reputation is currency, you can only imagine how much weight this carries in the eyes of others.

The greater one’s regard for the thing or person they are swearing on, the deeper his or her convictions, and the heavier the ramifications are for breaking his or her vow. Swearing on one’s mortal mother, for one, might have some weight to witnesses who still understand the intimate nature of the relationship between a parent and child, but does not possess as much gravitas as, let’s say, swearing upon one’s power as a Mage would. An Awakened’s belief in the Supernal Reality supersedes his lingering attachment to the Fallen World.

PAYING TITHES
Paying a tithe is both the most commonly accepted means to settle disputes and the common penalty that an Arbiter levies upon an offending party. The tithe must the nature of the crime in question, and the weight of the violator’s actions.

Tithes can take any form (i.e. “the weight of your mother’s body in gold bars”, “a backhanded slap to your left cheek”, “ownership over your cat”), and are usually outlined by the offended party. The Groundskeeper, however, has the final say on whether the requested tithe is just, and can adjust the sentence as he sees fit. Furthermore, the burden of interpretation lies not on the Groundskeeper, but on the offended party. Wording is everything, because a badly worded request can be rendered null and void if it is impossible to deliver the tithe according to the offended party’s wishes.

A Powerful NPC Bestows Final Judgement on Transgressors
In place of having the community of supernaturals in your campaign retaliate against violators of the Accords, you could place a powerful force as the final executioner. If your campaign is heavy on flavors from Changeling: the Lost, for example, you could elect to have the oldest Changeling in the lot handle punishment.

The Supernatural Accords Are Specific to My Location
Is your city a teeming, noisy, smelly mass of humanity where everyone and everything is a bit too close to each other for comfort? Did your chosen location recently suffer from a terrible shadow war between one supernatural group and another, causing immeasurable damage or threatening the sanctity of the Veil? Whatever the reason, the local supernaturals have, perhaps grudgingly, agreed to enforce the Supernatural Accords to keep everyone in their place. One fun plot hook that you could use with this sort of setup is if "outsiders" - supernaturals or Hunters from another city or country - come marching in.

The Supernatural Accords Are "Universal"
The necessity of the Accords is universally understood across the World of Darkness, or at least across a significant number of cities, countries, or even across one continent. The application of the Accords within a particular milieu may vary from location to location, but one thing's for sure. Anyone bound by the Accords is expected to enforce them to the best of their abilities, and ignorance is not an excuse. That it was okay to feed on humans in back alleys after 9 PM in your city doesn't mean that it was fine to do it in ours.

The Supernatural Accords are Enforced by One Group
Some supernatural communities are much more organized than others, and some areas, for whatever reason, have a larger population of a particular "species" than others. If the Supernatural Accords were constructed, enforced, and/or interpreted by one group in particular - like, let's say, the Mystical Orders of the Awakened - it could add a new layer of conflict for your players.

The Supernatural Accords Are (or Were) Enforced by Hunters
This presupposes that Hunters in your setting aren't necessarily out to kill every nasty critter beyond the Veil - or at least, at one point in history, they weren't. Going this route could provide some interesting possibilities for your game. Are there some Hunters who seek some sort of middle ground between the World of Darkness and the World of Light? Are the Hunters of your location the ONLY friendly lot out there, and thus constantly in danger of being killed by their own? Or are your Hunters using the Accords to keep supernaturals in check?