Dark Realms RPG

Each sect has its own lore, as does the different clans. Each character is allowed, based on background, to have lore 1+ within their sect and clan at creation. Otherwise, you must earn these through game play and with the approval of the ST. Below is a complete collection of the recognized accumulated facts, traditions, or beliefs about particular Lores, Legends, and Occult topics recognized in our setting...

Anarch Lore

Anarch Lore: Level One
Sadly, this is the level of Anarch Lore most Anarchs are at. They are not the most scholarly bunch, and even if some might retain more through experience, their life expectancy is not that high. This level of lore corresponds to someone who has spent several months in the Free States or as a member of the Movement elsewhere.

The Anarch Movement is a resistance and revolutionary cause, seeking to reform (if it can) or overthrow (if it must) a corrupt tyranny of the elders known as the Camarilla, a system which seeks to oppress all Kindred under the eternal dictatorship of the eldest vampires who control it. The Movement is just that, a movement. There is no central command, no high commander of the cause. All anarchs are drawn together by the dream of freedom and equality.
The Camarilla isn't all the Movement fights against. Another group, the Sabbat, is just as bad. In fact, its worst. They are fanatics who want you dead, or so everyone tells you. You have been warned several times never to trust them, even if they are against the Cammies too.
While the Anarchs have no official leaders, some members have more respect than others, people who are mentioned in stories told late at night, of the victories of the Movement. These are the people with rep, and when they talk, people tend to listen. You have a good sense how this system works.
The Movement used to be more violent in the past, and they seized several cities on the West Coast. But there's some agreements between the Movement and the Tower (what they call the Camarilla), keep things from being an all out shooting war. You've heard the names - Convention of Thorns, Edict of Barbs. They are still controversial in the Movement. It seems like a very old argument.
You have been coached in the standard propaganda of the Anarch Movement, and are familiar in a passing way with the Traditions. You know most Anarchs don't give a shit about these rules, though they do agree with the masquerade, and that we shouldn't be making kids left and right.

Anarch Lore: Level Two
This level of lore of a 'senior' member of the Anarch Movement, the cynical and grizzled veterans of the Movement that have survived a decade or two without switching sides or getting their heads blown off.

The Movement does not have a central command, you already knew this, but it doesn't even have a standard way of operating. There are different types of anarchs - terrorists, conscious dissenters, militants, moderates, amongst others. They are divided into factions, united by the cause but divided by the means. Some seek to bring the Camarilla to its knees with grandiose violence - these guys usually die quick - or organize an army to oppose the Camarilla - they usually die slightly less quickly. Moderates and conscious dissenters want to change the Camarilla from within, or just be left alone.
You know the faces and names of most of the famous modern Anarchs, and know which cities are part of the Free States. You know the story of the Free States, and you've heard stories of an even older Anarch Revolt, way back in the day. Apparently, that's where the Anarchs first came from. The Cam and the Sabbat were in on it too, somehow.
You've actually heard the Convention of Thorns, the Status Perfectus and Edict of Barbs, more or less verbatim, and know a handful of different interpretations.

Anarch Lore: Level Three
This level would be possessed by the minor icons of the Anarch movement - influential Barons, and others who have more recently risen to lead the rebellious youth of the Kindred.

You know most of the particulars of Anarch politics outside of where you were inducted. You know which gangs fight for which turf throughout the Free States, how individual cities are carved up and know the leaders of the Movement throughout the continent. You know the names and leaders of the most powerful Anarch gangs, and probably have met few.
You've graduated a bit in your Anarch philosophy. You could argue the legal details of the Convention of Thorns with a Camarilla official, and maybe even win. You could run a Barony, or hold your own as an Anarch gang leader out west, if you wanted to.
Through all the bitching and moaning at Anarch meetings, you've managed to glean a bit more about the history of the Movement. You can recount in full detail the events leading up to the fall of Los Angeles and the massive wave of rebellion that swept the West Coast decades ago, and how fractured the Movement has become since.
You've also learned a lot more about the original revolt. Elders were no different back in the old days, and sent their young to go fight and die in droves in the waves of terror that the Inquisition created. The first Anarchs were the childer who attacked their sires rather than put up with being cannon fodder and dying so that the old farts could live.
The Sabbat either split off from the Anarchs or just showed up at the same time, the story varies, with the same idea but fucked up Satanic crap attached.

Anarch Lore: Level Four
The most notorious members of the modern Anarch Movement are this level, and usually have their knowledge by experience rather than second-hand. They know the history of the modern Anarchs because they made it.

You know the details of almost all that goes on in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, along with all the other Free States. You even have a good sense of which prominent figures are truly dedicated to the Movement, and who are just waiting for a chance to sell out. You could probably even get a couple members of the Anarch Council on the phone if you wanted to. You know every dipshit barony between San Diego and Vienna.
What gaps you have in the history of the modern revolt have long since been filled. You know who did what to who and when. Who killed who, who might have diablerized who, you know all the juiciest bits of the chaos that happened on the West Coast. As for the ancient history, you've got a lot more ancient history too. You know how the Camarilla was created only after the first Anarch Revolt, sometime around 1400 or 1500 AD, and how the Camarilla was made as a smokescreen for the elders to continue to control the neonates.
The Sabbat's relation to the Anarchs has become more disturbingly clear as well. In the beginning, there was no way to tell the difference between the Anarchs and the Sabbat, and only toward the end did the Anarchs give up on diablerie and mass mayhem as a tactic. The Sabbat retained the original tactics of the Revolt, and went on dedicate themselves to diabolical religious fanaticism to keep it all going. You are also pretty sure almost all the really old Anarchs have tasted the soul of an elder or two... or three.

Anarch Lore: Level Five
This amount of knowledge is only commonly found amongst those few surviving Anarchs who have lived since the First Revolt, and have stayed with the Movement since.

You could get the entire Anarch Council on a conference call, and with a bit of work, probably get them all to dance to your tune. You know the really nasty secrets of some of the prominent anarchs, and could get in touch with the Anarchs most hunted by the Camarilla, given enough time.
You know all the shit that went down centuries ago, and why the First Revolt erupted. A brutal combination of the Inquisition, perpetual war between the clans, and a system that allowed for nothing but eternal slavery drove those young vampires to destroy their elders and seize power for themselves. Back then, there was no philosophy, only revenge. It only coalesced into a movement for freedom later, with the rise of democracy and all the philosophies of individualism that have marked Western society since. You can see past the romantic veneer on the FirstRevolt and see it for what it truly is.
You don't just suspect who diablerized. You know, and you can name who and when. You've rubbed shoulders with quite a few of the big names, like Smiling Jack. You probably don't see what the big deal is about them, not anymore at least.

Camarilla Lore

Camarilla Lore: Level One
This level of lore represents the level of knowledge of a common citizen of the Camarilla, or that of a vampire that has regular dealings with the Camarilla. Or a Sabbat operative who has insinuated themselvesinto the Sect. It covers the basics of how to survive in Camarilla territory.

The Camarilla is the most structured and most powerful society of vampires in the world. As a vast and ancient conspiracy, the Camarilla seems able to control the entire world, playing nations as pawns in its games, and having more money and influence than God, the Republican National Committee and the Mafia put together. It is not without opposition though, there are other vampires which oppose its power and favor far crueler methods. You know only a name: the Sabbat.
While the Camarilla has a high ruling council of some sort, you are not sure as to the details. The seven founding clans are considered under the protection of the Camarilla, and given representation in almost every city. For the most part, the Camarilla is set up as a series of city states spread across the world.
Each city is ruled by a Prince, and you are familiar with the various public offices of the Prince's court, such as primogen, harpies and the Seneschal. The Prince's word is law, and if you are a rank neonate, you best listen to everyone who has any more station than you. Status is all important, and if you are young, you do not get much. The elders rule. And boons, a kind of currency amongst the damned, are earned and traded.
While every Prince can write his own laws and make up his own rules, there are some rules that even he has to abide by. You can repeat the Six Traditions in spirit though perhaps not word for word, and while these mainly give the Prince tremendous power, they are the common law of the Camarilla. There are other laws as well, ones even Princes have regretted breaking. You know of the sanctity of Elysium and the unforgivable crime of Diablerie.

Camarilla Lore: Level Two
This level of lore represents the knowledge of a up and coming neonate, a Whip, or perhaps an experienced vampire who has put a century behind him, traveled more than his share and having talked to the right people. This may also represent a Sabbat operative who has spent a great deal of time (and energy to stay alive) in the Camarilla. You know more than just the basic workings of the Camarilla and why it works the way it does.

The Camarilla's great enclaves lie in Europe, but from there, the grand society's tendrils spread throughout the world. The Camarilla in America is seen as something as a start-up by the old European vampires,for the Kindred in the New World are usually far younger. But for all their posturing, you know the Camarilla has not been around since the beginning of time. It was created centuries in the dark past, during some kind of crisis.
Most of the Camarilla's territorial struggles seem to be in America. The East Coast has constant trouble with the Sabbat, as you have personally witnessed and apparently that horrid cult of vampires has quite a bit of territory there and has an absolute grip on Mexico. You have heard that the Camarilla considers the Sabbat monsters and rabid killers. On the West Coast, younger vampires have thrown off the Traditions, calling themselves the 'Free States'.
You can repeat the Traditions verbatim without much trouble, including all that stodgy old-style language. You can name the Princes of two or three cities besides the one you serve under, but depending on what has happened politically, your information might be out of date. You have heard whispers of powerful figures in the Camarilla who can sit in judgment over even Princes - Archons, Justicars - and that the Camarilla is ruled by a group called the Inner Council, with elder representatives of each of the seven clans. You have heard of a great gathering of Camarilla Kindred called a Conclave, and it is apparently only called to deal with a great crisis, beyond the control of a Prince.
You have become far more aware of the role of the Primogen Council and the various court officers, and how widely the situation can vary from city to city. One city might have a weak puppet prince under the thumb of the Council, while another city might have the Council serve merely as an advisory 'peanut gallery' for the Prince. You have heard a secret position - the Scourge - which almost all Princes deny exists, but few Kindred doubt that most princes have one. The Scourge is charged with hunting down the unacknowledged.
You are far more familiar with the functions and ways of Status, and how the harpies can grant wishes or create nightmares in this regard. The boon system is slightly less arcane to you, but it has become clear that it is very much up for interpretation what is 'fair' or not. Once again the harpies hold the keys there. You are familiar with polite court and Elysium etiquette.

Camarilla Lore: Level Three
This level of lore would be representative of a Primogen, Prince or experienced lesser official within a city. You have dealt with the Camarilla on every level, had brushing contact with the true powers of the Camarilla, and know what can be gotten away with... and what cannot.

The Camarilla has existed since around the birth of the Renaissance, and was created as a response to the Inquisition and the Anarch Revolt. Before that, the clans kept to themselves, fought amongst each other, and often ruled directly over humanity. But with the fires of the Burning Times, all that was changed. You are familiar with the Treaty of Thorns and the events that lead up to the founding of the Camarilla, joining the seven clans into one great conspiracy.
You know that the Justicars are the great enforcers of the Camarilla, and are served by their harbingers and assistants, the Archons. You have heard of the Red List, the record of those who are universally anathema in all Camarilla territory.
You are keenly aware of the current struggles and conflicts of the Camarilla throughout the world. You know which cities are held by the Anarch Free States (upstarts trying to recapture the glory of the Anarch revolt) and the Sabbat ("horrible monsters" with no respect for law, order or the Masquerade), and which cities are almost constantly embroiled in conflict. You are aware that the capitals of Europe such as London and Paris are great strongholds of Camarilla power; and that New York and Mexico City fill a similar role for the hated Sabbat.
At this level, you are not only familiar with the Traditions, but also in their various and more novel interpretations. If inclined to, you could feel comfortable debating their particulars before the Prince.You can name the Princes of many nearby cities and the Princes of the most powerful cities in the nation. You are also aware of some of the more novel political situations in the Camarilla, such as the Primogen Council ruling directly over Chicago without a Prince.
You are know the ins and outs of Camarilla etiquette quite well, and could survive an Conclave without causing an incident. You may have even attended one at this point. You have a vague idea of how to contact an Archon, but only a vague one and you know enough to know they are not to be contacted lightly.

Camarilla Lore: Level Four
A major and experienced Prince or Primogen would garner this level of information. Facing one with this level of lore can be borderline dangerous. There is no telling whose numbers are in such a figure's proverbial Rolodex.

You know the history of the Camarilla, from its foundation to modern day, and know of its great victories and hideous setbacks. You know the short history of the rise of the Anarch Revolt, the details of the Convention of Thorns and various other snippets of Camarilla struggle, such as the rise of the Free States. You know of the various treaties that the Camarilla has signed, and their role in the histories of Clan Giovanni and Clan Assamite (though little else about these clans).
You can name almost all Camarilla-held cities of importance, and their Princes, and you could contact the primogen of your clan throughout the country - though you best have a good reason. If you so desired, you could even contact a Justicar, not that you have any guarantee you would survive the encounter. You know the names on the RedList, and have heard dark stories of their crimes. You know the names of the members of the Inner Council.
You are equally at home in a grand meeting or in the local Elysium, and can placate the eldest of the Camarilla by rote. You know what is tobe said and when to say it during a Conclave, though whether you are adept in this depends on your Etiquette. If you are diplomatically inept, it is due to a lack of skill, not ignorance, at this point.

Camarilla Lore: Level Five
A true scholar or an elder who was around for the centuries of the Camarilla's reign might know this much. There are very few who can see this much of the big picture of the Camarilla, and they are both prized and feared.

You can flip through a history book and know which side the Camarilla supported just about anywhere and at anytime, or perhaps which faction of the Camarilla supported which side. The breadth of the society's power plays are known to you, including long silenced failures and embarrassing oversights. You know enough not to mention them though, at least not out loud. You know each of the great treaties of the Camarilla, along with who wrote them and why.
You can name most of the Princes and significant city officials in the world, along with each Archon, Justicar and possibly some of their powerful childer and allies. You know the inner workings of the highest echelons of the Camarilla, and know how Archons and Justicars are selected. If you had a chance, you would know who to contact to try and join their distinguished number. Of course, at this level, you know better than to want that too badly.

Kindred Lore

Kindred Lore: Level Zero
Vampires need blood to survive. It's best not to take chances with the sun, garlic, churches, running water, wooden stakes, and other such trappings of vampire myth (you know that the sunrise forces sleep upon you, and you may know from personal experience that sunlight inflicts terrible burns). Those you feed from might rise as vampires. There is a terrifying presence in you that is driven only by impulses to feed and kill.

Kindred Lore: Level One

Powers: Consumed blood is transformed into vampiric vitae within your body, which you can then use to enhance your physical prowess, heal wounds, and fuel certain powers of the blood. Feeding (or “the Kiss” as it is known in common parlance) inspires an ecstatic agony in both vampire and victim. Vampire blood can create feelings of love and subservience in others that get stronger every time it is tasted; feeding enough of it to a human being (or animal, you may have heard) creates a “ghoul”, a quasi-vampiric being who stops aging and can develop power of the blood. Ghouls must be maintained with regular infusions of vitae (at least once monthly), or their powers fade and their age rapidly catches up with them. Creating another vampire is possible with an act politely referred to as “the Embrace”, during which the mortal is drained of blood and fed vitae (even a drop will do). Some vampires choose to sleep in a “hibernation” of sorts known as torpor, which can last for centuries; torpor can also be brought on by starvation or injury. Diablerie, the act of draining another vampire of his vitae and drinking his soul to steal his power, is reviled as the foulest of crimes in most of vampire society, far worse than murder.
Weaknesses: Fire and sunlight are two things best avoided for the damage they can do even with only brief exposure. Anger and hunger can bring out “the Beast”, a consciousness that embodies dark and terrible desires; when it takes over, the vampire falls into a state known as either frenzy. When the Beast takes over out of mortal fear (usually when confronted with fire or sunlight), it is known as Rötschrek, the “red fear”. It is possible to lose oneself entirely to the Beast if one's humanity is not carefully maintained; this is known as Wassail, and there is no recovering from it. A stake through the heart does not kill a vampire, but instead puts them into a paralytic state in which they are still conscious and aware; the paralysis ends when the stake is removed. Most “vampire movie” weaknesses (garlic, crosses, etc.) have no real effect. There is no known way for a vampire to become human again. You are aware of your clan weakness, if any, but know nothing of the limitations of other clans.
Clans and Bloodlines: There are thirteen “clans” among the Kindred; you know them all by name and are aware that some Kindred, called “Caitiff”, are without a clan lineage.
History and Society: Very few vampires actually like the word “vampire”. Many prefer the term “Kindred”, though elders and a few others use the word “Cainite”. You are aware of the Camarilla (who wish to hide among humanity) and the Sabbat (who want to rule over it). Many vampires (often called “Anarchs”) stay out of the sects, some because their clans never joined one, others out of distaste for both ideologies. The struggle between sects and clans is known as the “Jyhad”, and has been fought for longer than any surviving Kindred can recall.
Mythology: The most prevalent creation story in Kindred company is that of the Biblical Caine, who slew his brother Abel and was cursed by God to walk the earth as a vampire. The antediluvians, the oldest surviving descendants of Caine, are believed by some to be the founders of the thirteen clans (though most, especially among the Camarilla, think them an outdated myth). The potency of a Kindred's blood (or “generation”) is supposedly determined by his ancestry and the closeness of his blood to that of Caine.

Kindred Lore: Level Two

Powers: The blood bond (which is at its strongest once the vitae has been tasted three times) can lead to vitae addiction or dangerous obsessions; the horror stories you've heard of such things are incentive for great discretion. Blood bonds can be broken after years of separation and no longer drinking the domitor's vitae, or by the death of the domitor. Ghouls develop a latent Beast of their own that heightens their libido and can even push them into anger frenzies. Ghouls who have been active for an especially long time often require vitae more often. Diablerie is the only known way to lower one's generation, and many Kindred look for opportunities to get away with it, even though it carries risks; it leaves a stain on one's soul that the psychically-sensitive can sense, and there are cautionary tales (possibly fiction made up by fearful elders) in which the victim's soul is too strong to be destroyed and instead overtakes that of the diablerist.
Weaknesses: Torpor lasts longer for those Kindred who have lost more of their humanity to the Beast. Kindred left staked for too long will enter torpor from starvation, an excruciatingly painful process. A vampire who has fallen to the Wassail is known as a Wight, little more than a savage and cruel animal in Kindred form – they are typically short-lived but fiercely cunning. There are fairy tales of Kindred becoming human again through an especially noble, loving and self-sacrificing gesture (that almost always ends in death).
Clans and Bloodlines: You have a basic (if stereotypical) idea of all thirteen clans, and can recognize all of the commonly-used clan symbols. The Camarilla and Independent clans have members in the Sabbat, known as “antitribu”; some small presence of Lasombra in the Camarilla are also known as antitribu (since they defy the tendency of their parent clan). There are some small bloodlines among the Kindred who still have commonalities based on their lineage, but are not tied to any particular clan. The three best-known are the Daughters of Cacophony (an all-female bloodline of musicians), the Samedi (an often mercenary line who all resemble rotting corpses), and the Salubri (a small cult of diablerists and probable infernalists who have been nearly extinguished thanks to the efforts of the Camarilla).
History and Society: In 1999, clan Ravnos experienced a sudden collapse; fits of madness overtook it, and they fell on each other in an orgy of destruction. Kindred have no hold over Asia; they are warred against there by the Cathayans, a mysterious eastern line of vampires. Regardless of the taboos against and risks associated with it, the Sabbat actively seek to diablerize their foes. The city of Carthage was rumored to be a great holding for the Kindred (especially the Brujah) until its destruction in the Punic Wars. The First Anarch Revolt was an uprising in the late middle ages during which the younger generations of Kindred railed against their elders to overthrow them; the Camarilla and Sabbat were both born of this event. It is rumored that some Kindred turn to demons as a means to power, and that this is not looked kindly upon. The dealing and use of a drug known as “Solace” (aka “Golconda Gold” or “Deep Breath”) has become increasingly common among Kindred; it supposedly brings back the pleasant feelings, memories, and experiences of being human.
Mythology: The Book of Nod is regarded as a Kindred “Bible” of sorts that tells the story of Caine's sin and exile; many scholars have attempted to piece it together over the centuries. According to Noddist teachings, the First City, Enoch, was where Caine and his legendary childer first settled; after it was destroyed in the Biblical flood, the second city was founded and ruled over by the antediluvians. Legend has it that the clan founders destroyed (or diablerized) Caine's own childer, the fabled second generation, and received curses from him in turn. Many superstitious Kindred fear that “Gehenna”, the end of all Cainites, is nigh; some say the antediluvians themselves will rise to devour the clans they spawned.
Esoterica: Some Kindred have discovered other ways to suppress the Beast. Many among the Sabbat and Independents espouse the values of certain Paths of Enlightenment, twisted and alien personal ethics that take centuries to master (despite the age of many Camarilla elders, there are almost no Path followers in the ranks of the entire sect). There are rumors of an exalted state of being known as “Golconda”, by which the Kindred experiences a self-actualization and comes to terms with his Beast. They are almost certainly nothing more than rumors.

Kindred Lore: Level Three

Powers: The blood bond is not completely infallible; there are a few unsettling stories of ghouls going rogue and betraying their masters. Some few Kindred (probably blood mages of some variety) have manipulated mortal bloodlines so that family members are born into a ghoul-like state.
Weaknesses: You can identify the curses of all thirteen clans.
Clans and Bloodlines: You know a few more specifics about the “anti-clans” (the names of the Serpents of the Light and Panders, that there are City and Country Gangrel antitribu, that there are no Giovanni or Tzimisce antitribu, that there were once Tremere antitribu but are no longer). There was once (and may still be!) a bloodline known as the Baali, a hideous cult who actively choose service to demons in exchange for infernal power and so-called “Dark Thaumaturgy”.
History and Society: Rumor has it that the Ravnos were decimated by the awakening and subsequent demise of their antediluvian; its death cry called out to the rest of its brood to extinguish itself. Some of the current clans began as bloodlines, replacing the “lost” clans that went before (probably by destroying them). You are familiar with the basic details of the formation of the Camarilla and the Sabbat (including the breaking of blood bonds and formation of packs with the Vaulderie, a ritual that persists to this night). The First Anarch Revolt ended with the signing of the Treaty of Thorns (copies of which you may have read). The Punic Wars centered around a massive conflict between the Brujah of Carthage and the Ventrue of Rome that ended in the Ventrue's favor. The Gangrel and Tzimisce once made war against the Tremere during eastern European territorial feuds. “Solace” is a substance derived from mortal blood and, rather than having to feed off of a vessel under its effects, Kindred can introduce it directly to their bloodstream; it is more valuable by weight than even precious metals.
Mythology: Caine's three alleged childer, the second generation, are commonly named as Zillah the Beautiful, Irad the Strong, and Enoch (sometimes Enki) the Wise, for whom the First City was named. The Second City was founded as an imitation of the first after the wreckage of the flood; it was supposedly there that the antediluvians rose against their sires and destroyed them. In some variants of the myth of Caine – which you may have even read from fragments of the Book of Nod – a figure named Lilith (the first wife of Adam, according to Judaic folklore) is his counterpart and mentor, teaching him how to use his blood to produce Disciplines.
Esoterica: Some of the more common Paths of Enlightenment are the Path of the Beast (embracing the predatory nature of the Kindred and coexisting with one's own bestial nature), the Path of Caine (following the example of the Dark Father as the ideal vampire and concerning itself with Noddist lore), the Path of Cathari (extolling sin, vice and indulgence in the physical world), the Path of Death and the Soul (meticulously studying death and seeking to understand its mysteries), the Path of Honorable Accord (codified knightly ethics and fealty), the Path of Power and the Inner Voice (stressing ambition and the furthering of one's personal power), the Path of Redemption (seeking the forgiveness of God), the Path of Revelations (pledging obedience to hell in exchange for resilience to the Beast and demonic power), and the Path of Typhon (an obscure Path practiced almost exclusively by Setites, revering their clan founder as a god). Stories of Golconda are more common than most know – you have heard of several seekers of that mythic state, and there are enough tales of those who have achieved it (often for only a short time) that it may be attainable after all. Those in Golconda are supposedly immune to the ravages of the Beast and require far less vitae to sustain themselves.

Sabbat Lore

Sabbat Lore: Level One
This is the amount of knowledge a barely initiated Sabbat would have. A Camarilla member who fought extensively with the Sabbat, or managed to spy on them to some extent, might know this much.

The Sabbat are a society of vampires formed long ago to fight their mortal enemies, the Camarilla. They do not differentiate between the Anarchs and the Camarilla proper, considering them different faces of the same foe. The Sabbat are led by two clans, found only in their ranks - the Lasombra and the Tzimisce. However, every Camarilla clan is also represented in their ranks. These traitors call themselves antitribu.
The Sabbat is organized into small groups known as packs, anarchic and animalistic groups with a few leaders within them, but nothing as strict as the Camarilla. The nominal leader of pack is known as the Ductus.
You've heard there is a larger overarching organization, but the details are unknown. These packs engage in strange rituals to bolster morale and unify the pack. The member of the pack that leads these rituals is known as the priest.
There is an unifying code of conduct amongst the Sabbat called the Code of Milan. It is very roughly equivalent of the Camarilla's Six Traditions. The Code is apparently an elaborate document, but you know that it outlines honorable conduct between the Sabbat, an elaborate dueling system called Monomacy that is the only acceptable form of violence between members, and demands strict allegiance to the Sabbat from all its member, on pain of death.

Sabbat Lore: Level Two
A dedicated Camarilla scholar or an established Cainite within the Sabbat would be privy to this amount of knowledge about the Sabbat. Due to their ruthless hunting of any traitors, and their insular fanatical natures, very few outside of the Sabbat have lore beyond this level about them.

The Sabbat's greater organization is a mockery of the Catholic Church, following its supposed origins as a Satanic coven. Sabbat officials use such titles as Regent, Cardinal, all the way down to Bishop and Priest. The closest equivalent to a Prince is known as an Archbishop, who may rule over a city or a region, though the anarchic nature of the Sabbat gives him far less power than that of a Prince.
The Sabbat are first and foremost religious fanatics, driven by the worship of the First Vampire Caine. Their doctrine demands the destruction of the Antediluvians and vampire elders, and all their puppets - aka the Camarilla. You have heard that in the past, they would try to recruit Anarchs, but more recently usually simply treat them with disdain equal to the Camarilla, if not worse. The central ritual of the Sabbat faith is the Vaulderie, where a pack communally bonds itself to one another. All Sabbat observe this ritual and keep it holy.
You know all the details of the Code of Milan, though you probably could not repeat it verbatim. You have also heard rumors of an organization within the Sabbat that enforces the Code and keeps errant members in check. You have heard many Sabbat have found different paths of morality, keeping the Beast at bay while forsaking their Humanity.
You have learnt that the Black Hand does not refer to the Sabbat as a whole, but rather a small subsect of elite Cainites who are marked with a brand on their hands. You however, do not know anymore than this. You have also heard of the Inquisition, a group of vampires dedicated to hunting the taint of demon corruption within the sect, and have heard that they share not only their name with the mortal inquisition of old, but also their terrifying ability for torture.

Sabbat Lore: Level Three
This level of knowledge would be that of a well-seasoned ductus, priest or any blooded veteran of the Sabbat.

You are aware of many of the rituals, both Ignobilis and Auctoritas Ritae, and have participated in a great many. You could preside over some of them effectively, if you were a priest of a pack. You can recite verbatim the Code of Milan, and may have fought in several monomacy duels so far. You have learned that there are many Paths of Enlightenment amongst the Sabbat, and have a passing familiarity in the major ones.
You know that the Sabbat was born during the Anarch Revolt. When the Anarchs accepted the chains of the Camarilla, the Sabbat instead rejected the Convention of Thorns and become the Sword of Caine. You have some idea of how the Sabbat have manipulated world events, though not as frequently as the Camarilla.
You know that the Inquisition and the Black Hand are actually two different entities. The inquisition is the Sabbat's equivalent of internal affairs, with a keen obsession with destroying infernalists who undermine the Holy Sword of Caine as well as spies and turncoats. The Black Hand is almost a sect within a sect, with its own elaborate rituals and positions, and is looked upon with suspicion by some - especially those with power. They perform some of the most dangerous tasks of the Sabbat, as well as those requiring the utmost in loyalty.

Sabbat Lore: Level Four
A Sabbat member with this level of knowledge has a name spoken with respect and fear amongst the Sabbat, a true veteran in the war against the Antediluvians.

You are extremely aware of the local Sabbat situation, knowing the packs in the area, their movements and the long term goals of the various Sabbat authorities. You have had contact with leaders high up in the hierarchy, and while you are wise enough not to call on them frivolously, you could if necessary.
You can name and describe all of the major paths of the Sabbat, and have an excellent idea about the scope of each one and their origins.
While you take care not to mention it amongst the Lasombra, you know of the small group who escaped their grasp and serve the Camarilla instead, the so-called Lasombra antitribu. You have heard rumors of a wide variety of bizarre clans and bloodlines hiding within the Sabbat.

Sabbat Lore: Level Five
This much knowledge would indicate a founding member of the Sabbat, a bloodied elder of the Sword of Caine.

You know the details about Sabbat activity all over the continent, and the plans of the Sabbat on a global scale. With this much knowledge, you could secure a place as a candidate for the Regent, should if ever be required of you. You know how to contact Cardinals, Inquisitors and Black Hand officials with relative ease.
You know the multitude of small bloodlines and clans than exist within the Sabbat, such as the Kiasyd and the Serpents of the Light. You have some idea of how they came to join the Sword, but little else.
You know the full story of the Sabbat's exploits during the Anarch Revolt, and have heard in detail, the claims of the Lasombra and Tzimisce elders that they have slain their Antediluvians. You have also heard, and possibly not dared to repeat, the story that perhaps they didnot destroy them as they have claimed.