Kungâs Intro to Vampire: the Masquerade: Part III (Sects)
Welcome to Kungâs Intro to Vampire: the Masquerade! This is a deep dive where Iâm going to go fully into explaining kindred society, told in eight parts. This is the third part, which explains the three main sects of kindred society, the Camarilla, Anarchs and Sabbat, as well as the principles on which these systems operate. Furthermore, some more details on kindred politics are explained, with prestation and kindred offices in particular getting basic writeups as well.
Important Disclaimer: The minor sects are not even adjacent to canon, as I entirely made them up. These are examples of invented localized organizations from my games, which you are not in any way bound to use. The reason that these are presented at all is to give insight as to what local sects might be like. All or none may exist in your campaigns. In addition, this document may reflect Biveretican canon on several important topics.
Before we explain the sectarian divisions in kindred society, we need to talk about how kindred politics actually function. In Part I, we explained some basics, but if sects are to be understood, one must be aware of how exactly kindred society works and why. There are certain priorities that must be worked towards, and certain peculiarities that must be dealt with.
When it comes down to it, vampires only really need seven things as a whole, which is broadly what kindred require for survival and generally want. These are needs preserved by every sect that wants to stay stable, either explicitly or implicitly.Â
Protection. Vampires cannot act if they are dead, and must be protected from mortal resistance, other beings and rival sects.Â
Blood. Vampires must hunt and must feed, regardless of anything else.
Humanity. Vampires need to preserve themselves from the Beast. All sects have some sort of code, albeit one which is often difficult for humans to understand.
Order. Vampires need some way to preserve their security and autonomy in the face of a chaotic world, just like humans do
Status. Vampires need to be able to have control over their unlives, as well as access to their desires, lest they become desperate.
Power. Vampires intrinsically desire supernatural and political power, with their need to achieve it often being overbearing.
Purpose. Vampires need to believe they are working towards something important, lest they become listless and angry.
Broadly, kindred are grouped into categories of seniority, with their age and generation being a signifier of their social status. There are exceptions to this, but generally, older kindred are more deeply entrenched. In practice, a phenomena known as the Beckoning limits the power of elders, as many find themselves drawn away from their domains, disappearing mysteriously after behaving erratically. The hierarchy goes:
Methuselah (4th and 5th generation, over 1000 years old at least)
Elder (6th to 9th generation, over 500 years old at least)
Ancillae (9th to 12th generation, over 100 years old at least)
Neonate (11th to 13th generation, over 10 years old at least)
Fledgeling (12th to 16th generation, under 20 years old)
In addition to this, many kindred possess a special office. The names of these offices are present with typical Camarilla terminology, but Anarch and Sabbat equivalents exist, albeit often in different contexts. All offices are on a municipal basis, with each city having one of each (or one council in the case of Primogen)
A Prince is the leader of a single city (this title is considered gender neutral in a kindred context). They usually serves an executive and judicial function, giving the final say on all matters of state, delegating power to trusted figures, making decrees and arbitrating important disputes. Can range from a charismatic figurehead to an autocratic tyrant.
A Seneschal is the right hand of the Prince. In most circumstances they handle minutiae that does not require the Prince and stand in at certain events. In some domains this is an extremely powerful position that is second to the Prince, in others this is a ceremonial position with no real significance beyond being a yes-man for the Prince.
A Sheriff is the enforcer of all laws in a domain. Their responsibilities are fairly straightforward, as they are tasked with keeping the piece and dealing with anyone who breaks the rules. This is usually the position with the least variance beyond name changes between domains.Â
A Keeper of Elysium is someone who keeps the rules of Elysium, the safe haven and neutral ground of kindred within the city, stable, ensuring that Elysium are peaceful, safe and hospitable. Their position is a busy and often thankless one, but it can be a path to popularity and influence if the occupant understands how to game it.
A Herald is someone who manages diplomacy with other sects, who represents the Prince in all official matters. Often, they are tasked with additional responsibilities, such as keeping track of prestation or creating and patronizing officially supported artwork.
The Primogen Council is the council of elders which serves as advisors, legislators and regents for the Prince, who are made up of one of each clan present in politics (usually the Camarilla clans, but sometimes clans are omitted or added based on the cityâs needs). This is often one of the most powerful positions as a collective, but individually only influential with the clan they represent.
Vampires do not have currency, nor do the majority of them produce goods, however, they possess a robust economy. An elaborate network of favors allows them to preserve order in their society and facilitate interactions between different individuals, prestation is the system that makes Kindred society tick.Â
Prestation is, put simply, a formal web of favors, with the basic unit being the three levels of a boon. A minor boon is something which requires only some effort to pay, a major boon is something which requires significant effort or sacrifice, and a life boon is worth your unlife. These are considered sacrosanct, and even the lowliest neonate can claim a debt.
A well codified network, there are several rules that prestation is bound by. Prestation transcends sect, with the Camarilla, Anarchs and even Sabbat all observing the system to various extents. Boons from prestation can be called on at any time, and must be worth the equivalent in what is offered. It should be noted that the only scenario that can nullify prestation is becoming legal persona non grata, such as being blood hunted or exiled from a sect.
The domain is an extremely important concept, and even Sabbat or Anarchs have some concept of âturf,â albeit usually not formalized. Oneâs domain is sacred, and one must never feed in, stay in or even enter anotherâs domain without permission in many cases. Many cities also have a neutral territory beholden to no one, where anyone can hunt in.Â
There are several rules regarding domain that one must observe at all times. Generally, anyone entering anotherâs domain for longer than a transitory period must make themselves known, and the host can dismiss them at any point. Three nights and three days is generally the length of time one can expect hospitality if it is granted, with any longer being special dispensation. Lastly, guests and hosts are never to be hostile to each other during times of peace.
Domain can even extend to cultural or national boundaries, albeit it is always messy and rarely consistent beyond city. In general, the Camarilla (along with the Anarchs to a lesser extent) is strongest in the Western world and countries heavily influenced by it, along with the Middle East due to having a lasting alliance with the Ashirra, and other sects are stronger in other regions.Â
Most kindred who arenât completely isolated will establish some degree of social network, but often, younger kindred will take this a step further and form coteries, which are social units that live and work together, often created for a specific purpose. This is especially common in modern times, at the need for unity is paramount in this troubled era.Â
A coterie can have theoretically any reason for being or any organization. It could be a religious cult, social club or criminal gang. However, what makes most of them cohesive is a shared domain (though not all coteries have a full domain) and pool of resources, along with the ability to cooperate effectively on certain issues.Â
Members: Banu Haqim, Malkavians, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue (Official), Lasombra (Probationary), Brujah, Gangrel (Expelled, Common)
Contract:Â One joins the Camarilla for power and resources, which have been established over the centuries to be truly massive. Most members of the Camarilla have relatively little affection for it, instead viewing it as a vehicle to fulfill oneâs real ambitions. Of course, many who follow the rules well enough grow fond of them, though this isnât always the case.
Ways: The Camarilla observes the Six Traditions, which are ironclad laws which every domain follows. The Six Traditions are the Masquerade (Do not reveal the existence of vampires to mortals), Domain and Hospitality (Strictly follow the established rules of Domain), Progeny and Accounting (Sire only with the permission of the cityâs Prince or other responsible official and the sire is responsible for anything the childe does until being released) and Destruction (Do not kill other kindred without a blood hunt). Many areas have local traditions as well, such as codified dueling or prohibitions against Internet use.Â
The Camarilla structure is draconian and complex, but in summary, the Inner Circle, a shadowy council of unclear membership, leads the sect, with their will enforced by the seven Justicars, and each city is ruled by a Prince. From there, elders and officials have the greatest power, then normal kindred, with Caitiffs, Thinbloods and ânon-membersâ having the status of an underclass. The Camarillaâs hierarchy is rigid, but not always absolute, and advancement is possible with enough time.
The Camarilla is organized globally, and often holds certain events or passes certain policies. One of the most notable in the modern day is the (often unenforced) ban on the use of the Internet by kindred, after the Nosferatu social network Schreknet was discovered by the US Government.
Relations:Â The Camarilla considers itself representative of all vampires in the world, and has a jingoistic attitude towards other kindred. They were at war with every other sect for many periods of their history, and even now spare little tolerance.Â
The Camarillaâs only real ally would be the Ashirra, which it regards as a partner, albeit not entirely an equal one. Currently, the Ashirra agreed to recognize the Camarilla as an equal and allied sovereign power, and the two sects have formal relations, with the Paper Kings of China making a similar agreement a year later. The Camarilla has other, smaller partner sects in other realms, but these are more like vassals in practice.
This arrangement was first brokered with the California Free State of the Anarchs, but both sides have since violated the treaty, resulting in a cold war between the Anarchs and Camarilla members, which has occasionally turned hot when both sides have resources to fight.
The Camarilla was at war with the Sabbat since the beginning, and the two sides have never tolerated each other. Whereas an Anarch might be negotiated with or converted in the past, the Sabbat were staked on sight. The Camarilla appears to have won with the shattering of the Sabbat Orthodoxy, but some remnant cells remain a thorn in the Camarillaâs side.Â
Historically, the Camarilla would annex whatever minor sects it could, but in modern nights this is not possible. The Eastern League remains active in New England with the Camarilla being too sluggish to resist, and the Ghost Societies regard the Camarilla as a despised foreign enemy. Time will tell if these players remain able to hold sovereignty.
The Camarilla was historically good at dealing with independent clans (minus the Salubri due to Tremere influence) but the only one currently in active contact are the Hecata, who are bound by the Promise of 1528 to obey certain rules. The Camarilla recognizes the Hecata as entitled to manage their own affairs, and the Hecata do not claim territory of their own (There is a clause exempting the city of Venice for historical reasons, as it is claimed by La Famiglia Giovanni as the base of Hecata operations) and follow Camarilla rules when in Camarilla-controlled territory. This promise has many regulations, but is interestingly set to expire in 2028, although neither side is sure what will happen exactly.Â
Factions: Unofficially, the Camarilla is divided into two âparties,â Traditional and Novel (Often known by different names in different locations). Camarilla Traditional is the older variant clinging more closely to the original ideals, and usually has more direct influence from elders, whereas Camarilla Novel is dominated by ancillae and features ideas not present in other domains. Commonly contentious issues are the status of Lasombra and non-member clans, kindred religions, additional traditions and the status of other sects.
It should be noted that while the Camarilla in the Western world is a relatively unified, there are also a patchwork of Camarilla partner sects with their own traditions, which are nominally independent but in practice are integrated parts of the Camarilla.Â
One of the most prominent ones is the Ashirra, a massive sect stretching from Morocco to Pakistan which the Camarilla once feuded with, which maintains an alternate set of rules based on Islamic doctrine and cultural principles of the wider Muslim world. Due to increasing isolation and external pressure, the Ashirra has agreed to work with the Camarilla as a partner sect in return for sovereignty, and is ruled separately by the Muhafiz Council, an organization which rules the Ashirra in trust until a clear Shadow Sultan returns.
Another important one, the Paper Kings, are rulers of most cities in mainland China. The Paper Kings maintain Confucian practices, although most of the more archaic traditions have faded after end of the dynastic era, and believe that it is their duty to steward the mortal realm. Although nominally allied with the Camarilla, they frequently chafe with Western kindred in terms of what is excessive inference with the kine and what isnât.
Clans:Â The Camarilla officially counts six clans as full members, with the Lasombra being accepted in some domains and pending approval. Although the Gangrel left and the Brujah were expelled, many older Brujah and Gangrel remained with the Camarilla, albeit in diminished status with the departure of their leadership. The Camarilla boasts members of every clan, however.
Members: Brujah, Gangrel, Ministry, Ravnos (Official), Malkavians, Nosferatu, Toreador (Common)
Contract:Â The Anarchs are not nearly as established, but have three assets: Freedom, innovation and numbers. Anarch domains permit many things the Camarilla would never allow, and often are more tolerant than other sects in terms of who they allow.Â
Ways:Â Anarchs are stereotypically associated with leftist politics, and although true for the majority this is not always accurate. Some are also libertarians, fascists, theocrats or whatever other flavor of politics is powerful locally, but they are always an opposition to the ruling power (usually the Camarilla) hoping to create their own niche. The Anarchs are usually embattled opposition, and have reliable control very few domains beyond the California Free State, Iceland, Hawaii and a few other scattered cities across the world.Â
Most Anarch domains are not full cities (though LA, Honolulu, Amsterdam and ReykjavĂk are examples of long-term Anarch dominion), but instead enclaves within cities, little shelters where the Anarchs can strike from. These are usually not nearly as âniceâ or desirable as Camarilla domains, and are often locations such as rural isolates or slums.Â
The Anarchs function primarily on word of mouth and reputation above everything. If you havenât done something important, you are not worth nothing, and if youâre a legend, youâll be treated by one. It should be noted that although the majority of (Western) Brujah, Gangrel and Ministers are members of the Anarchs, members of these clans are accorded no special status beyond their merit and clan generally matters less in terms of hierarchy, with the High-Low distinction having mostly been forgotten.Â
Relations:Â The Anarchs have an adversarial relationship with most other sects, especially the Camarilla. To the Anarchs, the institutions of the Camarilla are anathema, and Traditions (sans the Masquerade) became outdated long ago. Although the Anarchs were formerly tolerated within the framework of the Camarilla, that time has long passed.
Of course, the Sabbat is no friend of the Anarchs, who regard it as equally oppressive. The Sabbat often can be seen as a dark mirror of the Anarchs, but any self respecting Anarch will deny this, citing Sabbat practices such as the Vaulderie blood ritual or merely their in humanity.
The only âfriendsâ the Anarchs have are structures which ally with them out of convenience, such as the Church of Set. They arenât unified enough to establish diplomatic relations the way the Camarilla does, and also are undesirable as allies due to their ideological nature.
Factions: The Anarchs are divided into many different political factions based on minor nuances, but there are roughly three âcampsâ most of these factions fall into, with each one having an entirely different style of governance. Those are Baronial, Councilors, and True Anarchy, with each one being contested by the others as illegitimate.
Baronial systems are the earliest ones, and have a charismatic autocrat (known in the California Free State as Barons but elsewhere known by different names) at their head. Often inspired by Bonapartist, Maoist or religious fundamentalist principles, the Baron is an official leader to ensure the status of the revolution. In most Baronial domains, the Baron has a high degree of power, but kindred have certain rights that cannot be taken away- at least theoretically.
Councilor systems, invented in the Anarch domains of the East Coast and in Europe, lack a single Baron, instead having a Revolutionary Council make decisions. This approach is usually more âfreeâ than the Baronial system, although there are still concrete rules in places. Revolutionary Council members are determined in a variety of ways, often election but also occasionally by seniority or by domain.
True Anarchy is the least common system in the long term, as it is rarely stable for long periods, but many Anarchs start out this way. Under this system, the Anarchs live in autonomous coteries, with direct democracy used for important decisions but otherwise little central leadership existing. ReykjavĂk is the only major domain where True Anarchy last lasted longer than a few decades, as the low kindred population and remote location make for a uniquely suited Anarch stronghold.
Clans:Â The Brujah and Gangrel are as closely integrated to the Anarchs as any clan structure can get, as their natures tend towards Anarch belief systems and they are much more interested in liberation than most other clans. The Ministry form the spiritual center of the Anarchs, and after the Serpents of Light collapsed as an organizational structure, many Ministers became Anarchs instead. Lastly, the Ravnos are often interested in working with the Anarch Movement, though are often not formally members due to tendency not to stay in one domain.
Members:Â Lasombra, Tzimisce (Principal)
Contract:Â The Sabbat are the ultimate enablers, drawing in people who were either inhuman to begin with, such as serial killers or Ku Klux Klan members, or people in such desperate straits that they would do literally anything for power.Â
Ways:Â After the collapse of the Sabbat Orthodoxy, the Sabbat holds no real domains outside of extremely isolated corners of the world. Instead, renegade cells of the Sabbat wander the earth. They drink the blood of innocents and practice bizarre rituals before retreating back into whatever darkened holes they can find during the day.
Ritualistic and strange, the Sabbat are a sad group, one that should never be trusted. While once barely controlled by the Sabbat Orthodoxy, after a while the Orthodoxy dissipated, with their leadership either defecting or dying. Nowadays, they are savage creatures who have wholly abandoned anything resembling human normalcy, often only barely being able to pass as normal people if even attempting to do so at all.
Factions:Â The Sabbat were never a unified front, instead following the Paths of Enlightenment, strange teachings that are almost unrecognizable to outsiders. Those that are known to remain in practice include the Path of Caine, Path of Cathari, Path of Death and Soul, Path of Power and Inner Voice, and Path of the Sun.
The Path of Caine are the historic âleadersâ of the Sabbat, who religiously revere the legendary figure Caine, historically viewed by Abrahamic kindred as the First Vampire, and who believe they may grow closer to him through forbidden rites indulging their base desires. The Church of Caine outside the Sabbat consider them heretics at best and dangerous lost souls at worst.
The Path of Cathari are hedonists who preach that oneâs individual desires are the only worthwhile thing to be fully realized, leading them to tremendous vice and selfishness. They range from manipulative infiltrators to constantly frenzied cocaine addicts who only feed from substance abusers.
The Path of Death and Soul are obsessed with the mysteries of Death, and pursue Oblivion to an unhealthy extent. Constant exposure to shadows and specters has made them morbid to the extreme, with many adopting almost a reverence for killing and dying.
The Path of Power and Inner Voice are obsessed with authority, often disguising themselves as Objectivist followers of Ayn Rand or fascists endorsing the supremacy of this race or that group. Those who follow this are control freaks to the greatest possible extent, sometimes even keeping mortal or kindred slaves.
The Path of the Sun are a strange death cult among the Thinblooded which arose relatively recently, one which believes that the Sun, the deadliest thing for the kindred to play with, will burn away their sins. Many are covered in burns, and perform Alchemical experiments which are horrifying to onlookers.Â
Members:Â Hecata, Salubri, Tzimisce (Current), Banu Haqim, Ministry, Ravnos (Former)
Independent clans are not aligned with any sect, and usually have their own leadership structure of some kind. While individual members of independent clans may or may not be members of sects, for members in good standing clan always comes first, regardless of oneâs other affiliations. Currently, only the Hecata are able to function as a fully realized independent clan, although the Salubri and Tzimisce remain unaligned and the Banu Haqim, Ministry and Ravnos were independent for some time.
The Hecata:Â For complicated historical reasons, the Hecata operated as independent bloodlines until the 2010s, when the Family Reunion forced them into a cohesive unit. Because of this, the Hecata have many different branches, some of which are wildly different from each other. However, as of right now, the Hecata are divided into Venetian Loyalists, who operate as a unified clan and are based out of Venice, and the Dissidents, who remain separate and often join other sects. It should be noted that Hecata with no solid bloodline exist, albeit being somewhat uncommon and viewed similarly to Caitiff by other Hecata.
La Famiglia Giovanni are the Italian merchant family from Venice, known for having committed nearly every sin imaginable and having launched an unsuccessful coup and genocide against the Cappadocians previously, are the most prominent members in the modern day. They are organized like a petty noble family, and are somewhat of a jack of all trades in terms of their familyâs abilities, although they all share great ambition, wide connections and theoretical blood relation to the former ruler of the Hecata, Augustus Giovanni.
The Giovanni had many subordinate families, including the Dunsirn, Milliners, Puttanesca, Pisanob and Rossellini to name a few. After the Family Reunion, they went from theoretical vassals to the Giovanni to autonomous families in their own right, and have gone their own ways. Most of these have a speciality, with Dunsirn specializing in banking, Milliners specializing in American politics, and Puttanesca specializing in organized crime.
The Harbingers of Ashur, the oldest Hecata bloodline and commonly called the Cappadocians after the Hecata Antediluvianâs epithet, are more contemplative and unearthly than other Hecata, and are known for their historic involvement with Abrahamic religion as well as necromantic focus on corpses and bones. They are rare in the modern day, and most are rightly considered extremely strange, with many dissidents in both the Camarilla and Sabbat.
The Gorgons, or sometimes the Lamia, are an ancient lineage split from the Cappadocians long ago. They survived the purge of Cappadocians through grit, alliance with the Bahari cult and some nebulous agreements with the Giovanni. Gifted with strange knowledge of life and plagues, they have gravitated towards embracing women and/or queer people over time. They are the most closely associated with the Anarchs among all Hecata.
The Nation of Blood are a strange lot, who are kin to Baron San, a mysterious figure who split from the Cappadocians and embarked on an endless voyage long ago. Many live in the Caribbean or Latin America, and are a quirky lot, with nebulous and often complicated associations with the African diaspora, the Ministry and the Camarilla.Â
The Flesh Eaters are the strangest figures of the Hecata, who have relatively few members in the West but are deeply rooted in South Asia and East Asia. Often able to eat humans instead of drinking their blood, the Flesh Eaters are unique and highly eccentric, with many being viewed with suspicion, disdain or horror by other Hecata.
The Salubri and Ravnos:Â The Salubri and to some extent the Ravnos as well are wanted nowhere, and while both were always fairly small, historically both would cooperate with their kin whenever needed while retaining primarily solitary existences. The Ravnos, of course, have always by necessity lived isolated and nomadic lifestyles, while bad things tend to happen when too many of the Salubri are in one place.
In recent times, the Ravnos have lost the ability to rely only on themselves, and many now cooperate with the Anarchs, delivering covert messages and running goods and kindred from place to place in return for protection in Anarch territory. The Salubri have been unable to make a similar arrangement, though the Ravnos have more urgent need due to the decimation of the clan.
Banu Haqim Loyalists: In the Alborz Highlands of western Iran, there exists the Fortress of Haqim, an ancient castle carved from the mountain which is legendary among Kindred. For a long time, the Banu Haqim were loyal to none but the Magi of the Scrolls, the ultimate lawgivers in a clan believing in law before all else. While the Magi no longer directly command any segment of the clan, their influence remains.
The Hundred Scrolls of Haqim are the clearest recordings of Haqim and remain the primary source of his life, and are formatted as a collection of speeches, discussions and parables that were recording during Haqimâs unlife. The ever idealistic vision of Haqim was that the Banu Haqim would use their eternal existence to protect the mortals of their domain, and to act as a check against kindred who were inclined to abuse them. Even Banu Haqim no longer loyal to the Fortress respect teachings of the Hundred Scrolls.
While on the surface presenting a unified front, the Magi were strongly divided and often bickered. The Hundred Scrolls are notoriously vague documents, and many questions remained unanswered. Furthermore, many Banu Haqim engaged in a feud between those who sought out the teachings of mortal religions and those who remained above spiritual ideas, with Islam in particular being especially contentious.
The Fortress of Haqim is currently run by the Old Man of Khorasan, the oldest remaining Banu Haqim Methuselah, who is often thought of as a living fossil amongst the kindred. Only a minority actually care about the Old Manâs leadership, but that minority is a dangerous group of a couple dozen or so kindred whose agenda is to enforce what they believe to be the Will of Haqim. Beyond that, the independent hierarchy of the Banu Haqim is dead.
The Serpents of Light: The Ministry and the various faiths of the Kindred are inextricably intertwined, and in previous years, it was so uncommon for the Ministry to have secular members that the very title of âthe Ministryâ was not even in the minds of other kindred. Instead, their clan went by many other names, but the most memorable is the Serpents of Light, which is what other kindred used to label them as.Â
The Serpents of Light embraced many creeds, but the most common by far was the Church of Set, an Antediluvian cult which revered their founder. While too complex to summarize here, the basic idea is centered around the idea of Set as a liberator from the world, one who could break the boundaries of humanity and drive his adherents to great heights.
Of course, the Serpents would gradually turn away from their insular past, with their secrets and clan loyalty remaining, but little of their old structure remains. Their relationship with the Church of Set became unsustainable, with increased need to cooperate in the age of the End Times, with the Ministry being born as a result.
Some smaller groups remain in existence, often regionally. Some notable ones from various regions of the world include the Eastern League, the Ghost Societies, the Paper Kings and the Ashirra.
The Ashirra have existed since around the 10th or 11th century, and occupy a vast region from Morocco to Somalia, Turkey to Pakistan. Many of their practices relate to Islam and culturally Islamic feudal society, although this is an incomplete depiction and there are many nuances within the sect. Currently, they have agreed to partner with the Camarilla, though their influence is mostly local to their domains.Â
The Eastern League is the last remaining independent region of North America, mostly confined to the city of Boston and the various locales of New England, but has remained theoretically independent due to connections within multiple sects and simple lack of Camarilla drive to conquer them. Although currently almost a Camarilla vassal, they follow their own rules in addition to the Camarillaâs Traditions.
The Ghost Societies are the main opposition to the Paper Kings in East Asia, ironically having a non-interference policy with mortals that the Camarilla favors. The Ghost Societies are the majority faction in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese cities such as Tokyo, Seoul or Hanoi, and their customs can occasionally can appear informally among kindred of Asian descent.
