What is a Primogen?

    What is a Primogen and what do they do. This is a rather complex question because the answer changes from book to book, Domain to Domain, Primogen to Primogen.

    On a very basic level, what a Primogen Council should be is a local gathering of elders meeting in smoky backrooms consorting to run the mortal populous via influences. According to the Counsel of Primogen book it can be much more complicated, with Princes picking Primogen, Primogen picking Princes, either remaining autonomous from each other, or the Primogen merely being advisors to the Prince – representatives to the Clan working as a sort of congress or parliament. In short, Princes and Primogen operate as they see fit. Often they will mold themselves around whatever the Domain is used too. This means that, in America, they can occasionally get very close to being a Democracy, in so far as 'voting' is concerned. However 'fairness' never truly enters the vocabulary. To understand more about this, I would highly suggest reading the Counsel of Primogen book.
    
    All that aside, how do they work in OWBN? In the book Council of Primogen, it explains the concept of a 'One Clan, One Seat' Primogen Council. This, as the book explains, was created by a Prince trying to secure more power and more loyalty. Even by the book this caught on and its use became widespread.  In OWBN it has become virtually the only way it is done. The Prince selects one member from each Clan to be Primogen and they operate as advisors to the Prince and managers of resources. It is worth noting, the method of Primogen selection can vary and a Prince is not required to ensure -every- Clan has a Primogen. A Tremere Prince may refuse to place an Assamite in such high a station for example. The Council is also not, strictly speaking, relegated solely to Camarilla citizens. For example, the books mention Giovanni Representatives sitting on the Council. However, they tend to have the smallest voice and little actual power. This usually suits them fine, as it at least keeps them informed. In the end the Prince must select his Primogen in whatever fashion he feels will benefit him most politically. Again, this is the most common approach taken in OWBN, but other methods and situations are just as valid and listed in detail in the Counsel of Primogen book.
    
    Once you have a Council, what does that Council do? That is a good question. What a Council is required to do can vary from city to city as widely as the power struggle between the Prince and the Council can vary. In a city where the Prince is extremely hands-on with night-to-night affairs, the Council may do very little. In a city where the Prince is just a puppet to the Council, they would have to do quite a bit more. Typically, the job of the Primogen is to manage the city’s resources. The most important of these resources is, of course, blood.
    We have a feeding system in this chronicle which breaks blood down by turf. The Primogen Council is typically responsible for establishing how the city should feed within this system to keep the city safe from over-feeding. Typically, this is done by dividing the turfs up into Clan Feeding Territories. They must also determine if any part of the city is deemed unsafe for feeding, what rules visitors must follow in regard to feeding, ensure it is done without breach of the Masquerade and repair any breaches that occur.
    
    A Prince may also elect to have these Feeding Territories act more like Clan Territories. Basically, a Prince owns the Domain, but caring for his Domain may be difficult without help. So, a Prince may decide to allow Clans to hold territory in the city. This means the Clan may feed there, have havens there, but must also keep it safe. They are expected to deal with threats to the Masquerade within their area, keep an eye out for Sabbat and hunters, etc. How much control each Clan has over its turf, how much power the Prince allows them and how much turf each Clan gets is, of course, up to politics. It could be absolute; so if the Brujah own Moscow West and they find a Ventrue in their turf, they have right to beat that Ventrue down and return him to his Primogen in a box with a bill of boons. Again, this works best in larger cities that have entire suburbs as turf. Or it could be more loose and anyone can go anywhere, but they can only feed and possibly even live within their Clans turf... or it could fall somewhere in between.
    
    Another duty of the Primogen Council is determining who controls what projects or areas of influence. The idea is to keep everyone happy and ensure toes are not being stepped on. Keep Ventrue working in Finance, keep the Brujah on the streets, and never shall the two paths cross. This doesn't always work as cleanly as that, so the Council must do what it can. For example, you have a Brujah business owner who has his eyes on the Broadway district. Sadly, you also have a Ventrue looking at the same district.  Each wants to buy out the same failing businesses and rebuild it as they see fit. Either the rest of the Primogen Council is going to have to step in and back who they think is better, or the Prince will step in and simply decide. In the process, many boons could exchange hands, and a Council that requires the Prince to get involved often finds its members shifting.
    
    In addition to managing resources, Primogen have some other responsibilities. It is often said that the Prince cannot maintain his Domain without the support of the Primogen. If the Primogen have a Prince that is agreeable to them, it is in their best interests to keep that Prince. By putting their support behind the Prince, they put the support of their entire Clan behind the Prince. This is important, because it shows to any would-be usurpers, as well as the Anarchs, that this Prince is supported and the Domain is stable. Primogen must also watch their Clans to root-out any would-be usurpers and slap them back down off their pedestal... or at least get them to hold off until the timing is more favorable for the Clan.
    
    The Primary, and often the most forgotten, reason a Primogen is placed in power at all is to represent the Clans interests – be it in land disputes, advising the Prince, or whatever. A Primogen should try to keep his Clan happy.