THE SOTTO VOCE BROTHERHOOD [italian meaning "in muffled voice"]
  by Kenneth Madsen <94944@UDD.AALBORGSPSEM.DK>

Although the creed of the Inconnu in general is
"Watch!Remember!Wait!", there are those who believe that the sect is
far to reticient, and should act when the information gathered by the
various Monitors indicate that action is (or should be) the only way
in which to act. Although this brotherhood is still a minority, it is
a growing faction, and has been growing steadily for the past 300
years. Its voice is no longer as muffled as it once were, and it is
growing in strength as an increasing number of the sect's members take
up its cause.

Although the 12 have been reluctant to deal with the issue, and have
made an effort to avoid forbidding various opinions held by the
Inconnu members -- believing that freedom of speech and thought should
be of paramount importance in a sect consisting of the eldest, most
powerful and (hopefully) the most wise of the World's Cainites; if
such feedom was not allowed, the Inconnu might as well dissolve it
self, and its members chose between Camarilla, Sabbat or the existence
of Autarkis. However, reluctant as the 12 may be to deal with the
Sotto Voce Brotherhood, their hand will soon be forced to do so;
rumours have begun to surface which indicate that the members of this
sect within the sect have begun to take action beyond that of mere
speech -- that they have once again plunged themselves into the
cesspool of the Jyhad! The Jyhad that all members of the Inconnu swear
to abandon upon entering the sect. The rumours suggest that beings
unknown have interefered in matters of the Clans and Sect, and
although unknown, the efficiency displayed by the "unknown beings"
suggest power far beyond that of mere Ancilla, and thus the rumours
point possibly at members of the Inconnu -- or perhaps these "unknown
beings" are agents of the Antedilluvians? This is speculations that
have still to be be answered to the satisfaction of the 12.

RUMOURS OF SOTTO VOCE INVOLVMENT
What exactly the members of the Sotto Voce have done, and what they
are falsely accused of having done, is difficult to say, but a
selection of the intra-Inconnu rumours is presented below to give you
an idea:

#The Sotto Voce have taken action in Mexico against the Sabbat! They
#have destroyed many Sabbat and
broken into ancient tombs in order to rob them of magickal artifacts!

#Members of the Sotto Voce have removed a Camarilla Ventrue Elder and
#his Childer because they
were trading in bodies and vitae of other Cainites!

#Certain members of the Sotto Voce have destroyed a Chantry in the
#Carpathians and killed all the
Tremere found there! In the dungeon beneath the Chantry, they found a
Salubri which had been held captive there for use in experimentation
ever since the Period of Shame (a term used to refer to Tremere's
Diablerie of Saulot)

#A Monitor in the Northern U.S.A. called in a group of Sotto Voce to
#help him and the city's Cainites
deflect a Sabbat Invasion! More than 70 True Sabbat were killed, an
unknown number of Mass-Embraced Fledglings were destroyed and the
Masquerade were severely threatened!

#A group of Sotto Voce has settled in the Caribbean and pose
#alternately as Sabbat and Setites in
order to make the two sects attack each other with increasingly
greater feriocity and strength -- ultimately resulting in freedom of
the region and the destruction of its Sabbat and Setite parasites!

#The Sotto Voce is behind the increasing number of Eastern Vampires
#which appear in Europe and the American
Continent! They have made a pact with them, and the Eastern Vampires
will destroy certain Sabbat and Camarilla Cainites in return for
secrets promised to them by the Sotto Voce.


CONSEQUENCES OF INVOLVMENT
These are just some of the rumours surfacing within the Inconnu, which
members of the sect has brought forth. But what is the truth? Are the
Sotto Voce behind these activities? Or are they just coincidences? Are
there more powerful creatures on the prowl -- creatures which make
even the powerful members of the Inconnu look like children? Are the
Antedilluvians awakening, and sending out their probes to test the
strength of the Inconnu?

Either way, the 12 will some have to act. They must discover the truth
behind the rumours, and decide what to do if it is proven that the
Sotto Voce has indeed become involved in the Jyhad once again, and
thereby breaking the solemn vow all Cainites desiring to join the
Inconnu must take. If the 12 decides to ratify the Law of Old, and
forbid any and all involvment in the Jyhad by members of the Inconnu,
they might also face a disruption of the sect, and a consequential
weakening of the Inconnu. If the 12 decide that the time has indeed
come to act on the information gathered by the world-wide net of
Monitors, the sect will be dragged into the Jyhad which it has been
trying to avoid for so long -- the time for Monitoring will come to an
end! And how will Camarilla and Sabbat react when they discover that
their Elders have returned to the scene of the world? Ahh, now there
is a question for the future...


WHO ARE THE SOTTO VOCE?
Those who are members of the Sotto Voce believes that the sect should
still stay out of the Jyhad, but that such a decision does not mean
that they should refrain from making surgical removals when
information given by the Monitors indicate that involvment is needed.
Unlike the vast body of the Inconnu, the Sotto Voce does not feel that
they will become fully involved in the Jyhad if they act when the
information gathered suggest this course of action desirable; they
call it "a policy of select involvement," and argue that instead of
acting like disassociated scientist watching an experiment while it
goes wrong, they should begin to adjust the experiment to achieve a
more desirable result! Many of the Sotto Voce remember when Saulot
were Diablerised, and indeed were friends and even pupils of his, and
although they desired to avenge his Death, they observed the creed
"Watch! Remember! Wait!" and they saw the Foul Tremere escape their
rightful destruction. They waited and saw the Tremere accepted by the
other Clans. They waited and saw Cappadocious meet his Death as well,
but still they waited, and upheld the laws of the Inconnu. They waited
and saw what the world became, how the Cainites grew steadily more
twisted and evil in their ways, how old evil deeds were forgotten and
the wrongdoers accepted because of political ambitions and desires of
power. The Sotto Voce feels that they have Waited long enough, for
they have Watched and they Remember more of the evil done by Cainites
and other Supernatural creatures that any other group of beings. Now
is the time to put the knowledge to use!

The members of the Sotto Voce does not meet in great secret
gatherings. They are still a secret Brotherhood and prefer to act
silently and discreet for the time being. They are aware that the 12
have yet to reach a decision, and has not desire to force their hand
more than necessary. Like many secret societies, the Sotto Voce have
secret handshakes which are not noticed by non-members, but which
emmediately identify them to each other. These handshakes are also
available in a mental variant (to those knowledgable in the ways of
telepathy), and in writing, as a means of giving direction. Many of
the Sotto Voce have chosen debate as the means in which to change the
ways of the Inconnu, and they argue their case with the same energy
they used to sport when they were still engaged in the affairs of life
and the Jyhad. Having honed their ability to argue a case for
centuries, sometimes even millennia, these Cainites are convincing
indeed -- but then again, so are their opponents, many of whom are
eqally old and skilled. The Arguers (or "Sophists" as they are also
called) make up the majority of the Sotto Voce; they desire to change
the policy of the sect, but until they are able to convince the 12,
they will continue to carry out their duties as always. The minority
of the Sotto Voce, are those who feel that the time for verbal
concflict has come to an end, and that it is once more time to take
action of a more physical and a more efficient form. These Cainites
are sometimes referred to as "Activists" or "Gladiators", but only in
whispers, and only by very few Inconnu, as their existence is still
unconfirmed.

Currently the Sotto Voce is being led by five powerful Cainites, and
their personalties and deeds of Old are fueling the rumours as more
and more learn of their beliefs. These five are members of both
factions of Sotto Voce, but their heart and conviction lie with the
Gladiators. They are:

Valeriax: A 4th Generation Nosferatu, who has an Ancient history, and
          whom has
          personally slain and Diablerized a Niktucu. He has had a
          great impact on Roma and its history. Through the Centuries
          he has lost many friends to both Camarilla and Sabbat, and
          harbours no great love for either sect.

Wothrax: Warrior-king from the ancient history of Germania. With
         countless centuries
         upon centuries of bloodshed and war behind him, his Vitae has
         "cooled" enough to let his more philosophical side evolve;
         Druid and Warriror now exists side by side. An Immortal who
         has studied war for thousands of years and longs for a chance
         to put it to use. A 5th Generation Gangrel Elder.

Kragg: 4 th Generation Tzimisce to whom the treachery of the Childer
       has lasted but a
       minute when compared to the span of his existence. His soul and
       mind have been at peace since he became a part of the Inconnu,
       and his experiments now have character of the mind rather than
       the flesh. But, he has not forgotten the treachery of the
       Young, nor that thet slaughtered the few fair and wise Kolduhn
       of the Clan -- when they meet him, they will learn that he was
       the one they should have slaughtered, not the defenseless
       Sages!

St. Cruz: 6th Generation Toreador Swordmaster, and a True King of the
          Blade. He has
          travelled all over the planet, and is the master of the
          weapons of many people from many periods of history. The Art
          of War and the Craft of blade-making er his life's work. The
          rumours tell that he has axquired a certain knowledge of
          Sorcery and the manufacturing of magickal weapons.

Baronicus: This 6th Generation Kiasyd is the only one to enter the
           Inconnu -- in fact
           the only of his kind to ever express any desire to enter a
           sect. He has guided many Cainites toward Golconda, and
           despise oppression of both the physical and the mental
           sort.