Being the jewel of the South-West's crown, Maiden Newton, with its vast potential for influence over the mortal cattle, has been hotly contested for centuries by many different factions of vampires. Until recently, however, the city has always remained in the hands of the Camarilla. In August of 2001, however, this changed. The Lupines, for reasons of their own, launched a bold plan against the Camarilla, resulting in the destruction of most of the city's Elders, including its Camarilla ruler, Prince Grohl. Seizing the opportiunity that this had presented, the Sabbat, orchestrated by Cardinal Luis and carried out by Archbishop Steve Bradbury, took control of the city in a violent coup, eradicating the rest of the fleeing Camarilla Cainites.
In celebration of their victory, the Sabbat took pride in their festival of the Palla Grande, which took place the following month. During these celebrations, however, Bradbury was assassinated, and the city was plunged into chaos. Emerging as joint rulers over the city, and restoring order (or as much order as can be achieved in a Sabbat city) were the two Bishops, Sir Daniel Fortesque and Shane Orton. But treachery was afoot, and before long Orton was branded a traitor and destroyed. Fortesque became Archbishop.
Some time later, Fortesque was appointed as Priscus of the South-West, where he now serves the Sabbat of that area as a whole, acting as mediator, advisor and as the highest authority of the Sabbat in the area. Bishop Semper Fi became the city's new Archbishop, and Page 189 and Fred, two of the Temple's regular attendees, became Bishops, until recently, whereupon Jemma challenged for Monamacy against Fred, won, and took his positon as Bishop.
Things soon changed again, however, and currently, following Fortesque's demotion to the rank of Packmate and Fi's elevation to Fortesque's former role of Priscus, the city is now ruled equally by a Council of Bishops, comprised of Paige, Jemma, Tomsk and Zy.
The game is set in the World of Darkness, although it is a slightly different World of Darkness to that of the mainstream White Wolf universe, as it has been altered, modified, adapted and changed slightly here and there to suit our needs.
Maiden Newton
The city of Maiden Newton is a curious phenomenon. It is the largest industrial city in the South-West of England, and recent home to the UK headquarters of global pharmaceuticals corporation, Quicksilver. Yet it is also situated right next to a large area of natural forestry, almost counter-acting the extreme technological presence. The city is a typical World of Darkness city, with near-constant rain, ridiculously tall and overbearing buildings with gothic-style architecture, and of course copius amounts of human depravity. The police are corrupt, the medical staff incompetant, and almost every primary school teacher is a violent paedophile. Just the sort of place to retire in, really.
The Supernatural Element
Maiden Newton, like any other World of Darkness city, is rife with supernatural activity. The majority of supernatural activity is down to the Sabbat, who claim the city as their own. But there is also a heavy Lupine presence, as well as a coven of Mages, a population of Wraiths and one or two other... things.
Maiden Newton is in fact built over a vast subterrenean labyrinth that was once home to a powerful Tzimisce Elder, and also houses a long-forgotten portal to an infernal realm best described as Hell. It is for this reason that the city seems to attract all manner of interest from a variety of different parties. The city has recently become the focus of Sabbat interest as a whole, since it has seen the recent destruction of both Cardinal Luis of the Languedoc, and Grand Inquisitor Anthony Livingstone of the Sabbat Inquisition. The localised events regarding the Armageddon Prophecy is also causing much concern.