Vampires in a natural setting would diffuse through the country in order to never tax a population and draw undo attention to themselves. The modern world and the growth of cities has changed things, however, and vampires in close contact with one another generally choose to organize under a feudal hierarchy of a Baron, his lieutenants, and other vampires. This is generally referred to as the Baron's "Court" as well as the physical event that takes place. For all intents and purposes, the Baron is the owner of the territory, and it is by his/her indulgence that any vampire in his/her territory be allowed to exist. His word is law, however fair or perverse. In some situations, the Baron is never seen, and it is only his lieutenants who carry his word to his constituents. The Baron gains his position by being the strongest and cleverest in the city, using a mix of power and diplomacy to gain and hold his crown. The Baron can be of any family, though Pride vampires are extremely rare in leadership roles. A Baron is usually an older vampire, but in small cities lesser vampires may hold townships as true ambitious people tend to strive to attain better territories.
Las Vegas is considered a jewel of cities, and a ripe plum. The changes in Barons are high, with a new challenger seemingly coming every day, therefore it is very important for the reigning Baron to create friends and allies in his flock, or at least have them loyal through benevolence or fear. Smart upwardly mobile vampires align themselves with the Baron or someone high in his esteem.
The Baron
The Baron is often considered the unofficial head of the Backstage, though this is not always the case. The shifter groups do not consider the Baron as a liege, but rather a peer in the mutual struggle of managing the preternatural world of Las Vegas. Vampire courts will often include invitations to the various shifter groups.
The current Baron is a Greed vampire named Mister See. He claims kinship with Horatio Media himself, and some sort of familial right to Las Vegas itself. He is almost never seen, though his leutenants are easily found if one asks in the right channels. Some even speculate that the man does not exist, but is merely a public persona for another vampire who lurks within the ranks.
Court
Group meetings are often called “Court” due to the pomp and opulence of the events. These are events to see and be seen, and to not attend would be seen as a personal slight against the Baron himself. This is a chance for one to show off one’s wealth and prosperity, and also to represent one’s family and perhaps gain favor. Old rivalries are sometimes brought to a head, so these events can either be lengthy and boring, or volatile.
Other Important Vampire titles:
Vampire Kings: At the top of the power ladder are what most have termed the 'Kings' of vampiric society. They often territorially rule over their lands, which can sometimes span the area of three of four entire states, and in rare cases even more. For the most part, society knows them as Vampire Kings, but the title is subject to change based on the whims of the vampire who holds the position. For a theoretical example, Svetlana is of Russian descent and her territory consists of Kansas, some of Oklahoma, and portion of Arkansas. It does not follow human boundaries, because vampire boundaries are quite old, and change based on how much land they can manage to take from their rivals. She is known as Svetlana, the Czar of Shadows. Sure, it's pompous and pretentious, but vampires often can be based on individual personalities, and who is to argue with her so long as she has the power to back up her claim?
Mr. See answers to a King. The name and identity of this individual is TBA.
Vampire Barons: Vampire Barons rule over individual territories within the land that is held by the King that they serve. Again, these territories surpass human boundaries, and are ever-shifting based on the outcome of current battles and grabs for land. For example, Mr. See is the Baron of Las Vegas. The King has given him the power to rule over that tract of land. If he were ambitious, he may seek the King's permission to infiltrate and take over a nearby town. If he were successful in removing any manner of competition there, he could then extend his territory to the new land as well as Las Vegas, giving him more resources to work with, as well as a larger power base. This is very dangerous. Multiple Barons under the same King are often forced to work together, or to keep up facades of civility, but your neighboring Baron could very well have the permission of your King to remove you from your seat of power and expand. With this in mind, the political game amongst vampires is very vicious. While Kingdom lines are very old, the territories of the Barons are ever-shifting.
Vampire Bishops: Every Baron has amongst his entourage a Vampire Bishop, and for most of them, they are generally considered to be a nuisance and a thorn in the side. Not that any Baron would ever tell this to their Bishop. A Bishop is appointed by a King and then placed with a Baron. With most vampires lacking in the area of religion, the more traditional role of a bishop has been changed. In modern nights, the Bishop is more of an inquisitor and adviser. He is in charge of passing and upholding both the laws of the King and the laws of the local Baron. Some vampire Bishops have grown quite the fearsome reputation, and it is not uncommon for them to have on-hand access to or contacts with some of the Baron's enforcers. Bishops are sometimes used to settle disputes between vampires that are deemed not important enough to problem a higher authority with. A Bishop acts as the King's eyes and ears, and keeps the Barons honest.
Vampire Lords: Vampires may be given honorary titles by their Barons as reward for good service, or bribes to keep mischief at bay. Often, there is gain associated with the titles, and certainly a measure of respect and envy. These titles tend to be isolated to the barony, and may or may not carry weight in neighboring lands.
Local —
Local customs are often left to the whims of the Baron that rules over a territory. When entering the territory of another Baron, it is absolutely critical that any vampire know the positions and traditions of where they are going. Ignoring them can sometimes lead to brutal, even fatal punishments depending on the temperament of the local Baron or Bishop. The territory that contains Las Vegas has only two local positions.
The Morning Star: For the Baron of Las Vegas, the Morning Star is considered to be the left hand. Acting in tandem with the Evening Star, this individual is one of the Baron's enforcers. This is a very all encompassing job, and can range from handling or knowing the people who can handle financial situations, to playing out public relations between the local vampires and other mortal or preternatural groups.
The Evening Star: For the Baron of Las Vegas, the Evening Star is considered to be the right hand. Again, this person would be one of the Baron's enforcers, and a trusted individual with personal access to the Baron himself. The job contains a very wide range of duties, ranging from black market dealings to relations with the criminal underworld and sometimes even assisting the Bishop for more underhanded business. While he may not always contain the skills for all of these jobs, the Evening Star most certainly knows the people who do possess the skills, and can arrange for these matters to be handled.
