Before we talk too much about the IC role of ghouls in London, a quick OOC note: playing as a ghoul is not a good way to get your feet wet in the Vampire sphere. Ghouls have it worse than almost any other PC type; they’re, in effect, people trapped in an abusive relationship, where the person who they’re devoted to and adore need not (and often does not) have any reciprocal feelings toward them whatsoever. Even if a ghoul is lucky enough to have a domitor who does have some genuine affection for them, they’re still entangled in a society that treats them as disposable non-persons, and the people who run that society aren’t going to let them out. It’s a pretty horrible situation, and while we still expect the players to abide by the Code of Conduct, a ghoul character is likely to be in for poor treatment at the hands of Kindred society. And, while there’s a lot of great RP that can come out of that, if you aren’t certain that it’s something you’re actively enthusiastic about, we would suggest that you play a newly-created vampire instead.

What Ghouls Do

It’s tempting to write “whatever their regnant wants” here and call it a day, and that’s kind of true, but it’s also not tremendously helpful. A better way of putting it would be that ghouls are expendable emissaries — they go places and do things in place of a vampire. Sometimes it’s because they’re things the vampire can’t do, like go out in the middle of the day. Other times it might be because the vampire won’t do, like apologizing to someone they consider to be an inferior, or doing something that the vampire thinks might present a genuine threat to their own existence. In the latter case, if the ghoul survives, great! The blood bond will ensure that they continue to serve loyally, after all. If not … well, there are plenty of other kine in the world who can replace them.

In a city as self-consciously and proudly modern as London is, being undead presents a whole new set of problems that were unknown in earlier times. Record-keeping is far more meticulous than it ever was even in the long-ago days of the Roman Empire, and even the dullest mortals will generally notice if someone supposed to be over a hundred years old comes in to meet with them while looking conspicuously youthful. Security measures are constantly being ramped up, to the point where it’s no longer a simple matter to do banking, purchase real estate, or interact in any way with the government unless one has ironclad documentation of one’s existence. Ghouls provide a way to sidestep both the regulatory measures, and also the very dull process of finding a way around them. Yes, with enough work, a vampire can put themselves in a position to do all the boring busy-work of ordinary human lives. Or they could delegate it to a ghoul and get on with the business of enjoying themselves. Is it any wonder that many choose the latter?

Ghouls can serve as protective measures; there are many dangers in London, especially Subterranean London, and not all vampires are themselves well-suited to combat. And, although it’s not often discussed openly, ghouls can also serve the purpose of being something to retaliate against. Many vampires would much rather lose a ghoul than they would a valuable piece of artwork or a favorite haven, should one of their rivalries get particularly heated. It’s not nice, but it does happen.

As should be painfully evident from the above, the vampire-ghoul relationship is overwhelmingly likely to be a one-way street: in exchange for loyal service and unquestioning adoration from the ghoul, the vampire gives … vitae, and that’s about it. Most vampires do not have even a friendly, much less affectionate, relationship with their ghouls, and those who do are often the subject of mockery from their more practical brethren. Even on the off chance that one’s regnant is a relatively young or relatively humane vampire who still harbors ambitions of maintaining genuine relationships with others, though, the problems don’t end there.

Any individual vampire can behave as they wish, but the Camarilla itself does not consider ghouls to have any rights whatsoever — there is no obligation to treat them with kindness or consideration, take their wishes into account, or even to speak to them as if they were people. Injuring someone else’s ghoul may cost the offending vampire a boon, but that’s about the most consideration they’re offered. And that goes both ways — the regnant of a ghoul who offends another vampire may owe a boon in turn if the ghoul doesn’t promptly stop doing whatever it is, even if it’s just “speaking without leave”. The Anarchs are a little more egalitarian, but even there, the hierarchy is strict, and a vampire, however young, outranks a ghoul, however old.

Some vampires are wise enough to recognize their own limitations, and acknowledge or even invite the input of ghouls when it makes sense to do so. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll treat them respectfully, much less as equals, and it’s certainly not a guarantee — no matter how smart a Kindred might be, the give and take of vampire society can be deeply frustrating and infuriating in its rigidness and unfairness, and the temptation to kick downward at a safe target can be almost irresistible.

Worst of all, none of this nullifies the effects of the blood bond. No matter how poorly a regnant treats their ghouls, or allows others to treat them, they remain thralled as long as they are given regular drinks of vitae. It’s a terrifying prospect, and it should be.