Under The Rock

inblack83 · Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Posts: 398

Quoted from Laws of the Night Guide to the Anarchs. Copyright White Wolf Publishing. This is in no means meant to infringe upon any copyright laws or intentions of distribution simply to illuminate a paragraph or 3.

"THE BLOOD BOND"

"There is more rampant hypocrisy throughout the Movement on this issue than perhaps on all others combined. No anarch wants to be enslaved to an elder; given a choice, most would much rather die instead. The Bond is the one punishment that will drive an otherwise rational anarch into the Sabbat. Many go, hoping and praying they will be able to escape once the Bond is broken. Pitifully few ever return, and those who do are never quite the same. Despite this, they go anyway, so strong is their
desire to be free. Without a doubt, anarchs see the Bond as one of the most heinous crimes a vampire can commit - usually.

There are exceptions to every rule, and always people to make them when it suits their purposes. The default position of most anarchs is that the Bond is always wrong no matter who is Bound to whom for what reason, but more than a few find ar least one reason to Bond someone for something. The most popular exception is a mutual Bond between lovers (many anarchs are still too young to have given up mortal habits like boyfriends and girlfriends). Critics contend that condoning mutual Bonds is like saying it’s acceptable to be hooked on heroin if the heroin is also hooked on you, but that argument isn’t very persuasive after the fact. Beyond mutual Bonds, some anarchs believe it’s acceptable to Bond anyone outside the Movement, or outside their own faction, or even outside their own gang. When called on it, they generally respond with a half-hearted justification that boils down to “it’s unfortunate but necessary given the circumstances.’’ This argument seldom convinces anyone, but they make it anyway. Most mercenaries and nihilists will go to great lengths to avoid being Bound themselves, but Bond others without
hesitation or remorse. This is one of the main reasons for their lack of popularity among the other factions.

Still, despite all the exceptions and the hypocrisy, the Blood Bond remains the most hated and reviled of practices. So reviled, in fact, that anarchs long ago developed a different name for it: Blood Slavery. A regnant is a Blood Slaver; a thrall is a Blood Slave. The latter is a victim to be liberated while the former is a criminal to be punished. In most anarch communities, Blood Slavery is a capital offense."

FayeRowan · Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Posts: 194 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

So what you're saying is that we need to do mutual
bonds instead....got it Razz

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Cyrus The Virus Caine · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject:

:: Just.......facepalms::
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inblack83 · Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Posts: 398

"Critics contend that condoning mutual Bonds is like saying it’s acceptable to be hooked on heroin if the heroin is also hooked on you, but that argument isn’t very persuasive after the fact."

Not sure about that one Smile

FayeRowan · Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Posts: 194 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

If criticism had any power to harm, the skunk would be extinct by now. ~Fred Allan
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inblack83 · Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Posts: 398

<<<<<<<------------------------- Please See Avatar.

FayeRowan · Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Posts: 194 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

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Eric · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 255

^ Pretty much sums it up for the exceptions and hypocrisy related to the topic.
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Charles Rockledge · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:52 am Post subject:

((a bit IC))
Speaking of hypocrasy: Ghouls Razz

Anarchs need to get over this whole foolish notion that freedom is more precious than survival. The whole 'give me liberty or give me death mentality'. Some folks do not want to run off and join the cam, but are still willing to give up a wee bit of liberty in exhange for things that personally may be valued greater. Does it make us independents then, autarchs? If it is ones free choice to be less free, why should other anarchs prevent them from making that choice. We don't seem to mind anarchs that actually are bound to heroin or cocane (Sniffles).

In the case of Anarch bonding, how often is it really that the bond is admitted to intentionally enslave another to their will? Usually, it is either to awaken a soldier from torpor that he may return to common defence sooner (and so the player doesn't have to sit out the rest of the game or more games to come, or shelve the character for awhile and gnc); or to learn non-cardinal powers. In either case the bond is typically one point only, not three, and in some cases can be arranged to be broken a year and a day later anyway; an anarch is typically not going to be enfocrcing a bond that was issued just to wake up a friend or pass along a useful new ability.

Look at it another way, if I am bound and determined to learn dementation, protean, and quietus, where would anarchs prefer I learn them from, other anarchs, or non-anrchs? Not only is the potential student valuing the power greter than the small piece of liberty that must be the price, but if the teacher is an anrach, there would be less worry that the ultimate result would indeed be enslavement. Non-anarch teachers would be more likey to take advantage of the situation, no?

Regarding hypocrasy if that is the right adjective, how ofthen to anarchs complain that of all the supernatural creatures in the world of darkness, vampires seem to be the weakest ones. Yet this is by choice for the most part. We refuse to strenghten our overall power, of ourselves and the movement, by fearing the cost of doing so; the bit of liberty that must be surrendered in the bond.

Can you inagine how much more powerful we'd all be if each anarch soldier can strike an opponent with not only potence, but claws and scorpians touch?
If each anarch in a phanlanx can stare melee enemies down, say "flee" and have a reasonable chance of certain ones them actually doing so (don't need bond for that one, either way), but add to that an afliction of schizopghenia for after the inntial affect wears off.

I have to admit Bruce of noticing what the sabbat are actually cabable of from a megalomaniacs perspective regarding their power, and envying it slightly. Not that I'm willing to trade away my humanity for it; I value that more than liberty too; but I'd have no hesitation whatsoever to drink a trait of an anarch malkavian, gangrel, or assamite or two (teachers, not traits) in exchange for integrating the basic dots of these into my overall portfolio of disciplines. This is something of benefit to both individual anarchs and for the more who are willing to pay that price, the community.

Forcing the bloodbond is one thing, but choosing it is not something that should be overly restricted. Additionally as regarding mutualism, a teacher and student can always exchange one trait to keep an even footing in their relationship...

Leading me to another tangent, before the split between anarchs and the sabbat at the convention of thorns, Anarchs DID use the vaulderie to escape the initial bonds set by the elders of the day.

and to another, if the someone already has awoken you from torper, then the trait is now in there. You do not need to drink another trait to learn form them, yes? The opportunity can be taken to pass along a power to further justify the initial application of the bond after the fact.
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FayeRowan · Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Posts: 194 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

*Thunderous applause*
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Father Noah · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 82 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

A long, yet informative speech. I approve.
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Eric · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 255

I agree. Blood bonding, while it taints the practices of a free liberty should not be ultimately frowned upon, esp when it has it's advantages. It should be present not as a practice, but as a choice given to those who wish it. I mean, isn't that what having freedom's all about? The freedom to choose, even if the decision might be regretted in the end. But that's the beauty of playing the Anarch genre; you're not going to get the things you want unless you take a risk now and then.
_________________
"Grrr...we're warriors, Kakarot. Not ballerinas!" - Vegeta to Goku in hell; before fusion dance.

OOC - Albert R. (Al)
Enforcer to the Custodians
Elder Brujah of the East Coast
Baron of Rockland and Orange County

GlennT · Joined: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 118 Location: Westchester

I do agree that at times a blood can happen. But not taking away from your post drew. But what you said really comes down to

"I want kewl powerz"
and why shouldn't i get them cause someone might blood bond me to teach them.

That is the thing about the anarchs. yes a few of the non-cardinal do get out here and dther. But otherwise they really don't trade and give freely like you see in the sabbat.
That is why anarchs developed Combi powers. Like King of the Hill; Memory Rift and call upon the blood. Even Smiling Jack's Trick doesn't require a clan specific. Some of the combi powers can turn the tide as easily as hitting with claws and scorpions touch. (Which.. by the way both clans can and will kill you for knowing. anarch or not)

~Glenn
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~The Answer is NO unless you convince me.

FayeRowan · Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Posts: 194 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

I think that you are directly taking away from his post by projecting your own assumptions that UTR is a community of power gamers onto his interpretation of the anarch genre. Although I understand the format of the game does not allow for as in depth character background and interactions (well, it could, but that's a whole other post), there are many players who would not even use said powers for their, as you put it, "kewlness". You insist that that is the "thing about the anarchs", when in fact it is only one interpretation of the genre, and one that is completely different at many other games even within the organization. Also, nobody is saying that a blood bond is only useful for getting said "kewl" powers. As I thought he put it, there are many other uses for the bond, be it as plot or character devices. I think that while power gamers do exist, there are many more players who use the mechanics of the game only to outline a character concept and make the concept as realized as possible within a given framework. I know I've been told that powers I want are useless, but that's from a power gamer perspective. If Faye would have those powers or be interested in learning something, I don't give a damn if it will be useful, I care that the concept will be realized, and I know that in this rich roleplaying community, I'm not the only one like that.
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Charles Rockledge · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:01 pm Post subject: