Places

Perhaps no domain has suffered as much as the self-styled Anarch Free State along the West Coast of the United States. Comprising several former Camarilla domains, a domain that sold out and rejoined the Ca­ marilla, a domain overthrown in an invasion of the mysterious Kindred of the East, and any number of rogue domains that may or may not pledge any fealty to any specific sect, the Anarch Free State is a very loose confederation of Kindred territories that prize independence over the domineering influence of any outside vampire organization.

Depending on whom an inquiring Kindred asks, the Anarch Free State might not even exist, instead being a geographical collection of Baronies with no other commonality. This is the position of many actual Anarchs, in particular, the regretful and beleaguered Prince of San Diego, Tara. When Tara sold out her Anarch supporters and became Prince of the domain, she had no idea what a shitstorm she’d touched off.

Understandably, the Anarchs rioted, focusing their ire on the clean and tourist-friendly Gaslamp District, which they knew a Masquerade-fearing, Camarilla-bound Prince would be hard-pressed to protect from their rages. The Anarchs, though, didn’t count on the Sabbat from Tijuana seizing upon the same opportuni­ ty to strike at a tender domain newly converted to the

protections of the Ivory Tower. The result is a com­ pletely unstable nightmare of promises half-honored by Camarilla luminaries, defiant Anarchs still nursing the pains of betrayal, and opportunistic packs of the Black Hand who enjoy nothing more than sneaking up unto Cali for a long weekend of terrorizing tourists and playing the two sides against one another. While the chaos certainly spills over from the Gaslamp into the surrounding neighborhoods, Gaslamp has emerged as a bit of a “freeport,” where Kindred of any sect can go and bash each other’s fangs out or debate a cease-fire. No Prince or power holds true sway in the ungovernable Gaslamp, and that probably won’t change any time soon.