Zarnovich's Circus

Sabbat -x- Montreal
Background: Zarnovich's Circus was founded in 1826 by Maciej Zarnovich. It was one of the Sabbat's most potent weapons against the Masquerade in Europe during the 19th century. Zarnovich's Circus was a collection of some of the most deranged, psychotic, exotic and deviant vampires that the sect had to offer. The circus traveled across the continent, setting up on the outskirts of cities and towns while Bratovitch children handed out flyers and announced their arrival. Audiences were treated to a show they would never forget, as Zarnovich and his menagerie tormented and ultimately shattered their sanity through a number of dark and perverse spectacles. The insane mob was then released into the local city as the circus packed its bags and disappeared into the night.

In 1856, Adginis, a Camarilla Justicar who had been tracking the circus for some time, ambushed it and destroyed every member save Zarnovich. The circus-master fled to Montreal where he turned his attention to conducting experiments for 60 years - until he decided to reform the circus in 1933. Since then, the circus has terrorized Camarilla cities in New England and Canada.

Forming a fairly close nomadic pack, all circus members respect each other as artists. Zarnovich is the pack's priest and leader and gives his followers the freedom they need to pursue their art forms.

The circus is presently looking for new members. Lavour, a Tremere antitribu fortune teller, and Goliath, a Brujah antitribu strongman, both disappeared in the past year. Unknown to all, Midget - a circus member - is responsible for their disappearances; they were both made sacrifices to Midget's infernal master, Pierre Bellemare.

Lair: The circus travels across North America during the summer months, setting up shows for unsuspecting Camarilla and mortal audiences, as well as the Sabbat. While on the road, circus members are protected by a dozen Bratovitch revenants, each of whom is promised a virgin wife for each show. During the winter months, the circus uses La Ronde, Montreal's abandoned amusement park, as its lair. Zarnovich's tent is the circus' largest and is made from patches of painted human leather. Inside, red candles barely illuminate numerous tables and tools of torture. The walls are lined with shelves stocked with glass jars that contain Zarnovich's failed experiments - the fetuses, newborn babies, human limbs and body parts that he uses for his "creations." The other location of interest is the lair of Tears the clown. It's a house of mirrors that's designed to mimic its inhabitant's passion for emotions.

Rites and Practices

Membership

Current Events: During the Carmarilla invasion of Montreal, Zarnovich 'fed' the nearly torpid Tremere Justicar Anastasz di Zagreb to Tears as an experiment on the Road of Death and the Soul. The experiment is still in the works and is concerned with whether the vampiric consciousness can survive the death of its body. Tears is still in shock, but according to Zarnovich, he is recovering nicely. At the moment, Tears and Anastasz are beginning to battle for the body of the Toreador antitribu as the circus moves east into the 'Old World' in search of Midget.