Degrees

  The degree of a member works something like the Ranks, but this is more of a way to divide the Kindred of the clan, and to decide who gets to create new Kindred. The power of a vampire is not decided by how good he is at making helmets, or putting together a pair of boots.
  Sure, a good crafting skill can be a good way to get attention from a Kindred, but once you have been Embraced, that matters little to your power and influence. To vampires, it's the strength, both physical and mental, that matters. If one does not like you, he will crush you, and there is no way you can get out of that by giving him a nicely cooked swordfish.
  Let's face it, with power comes influence, which leads to more power. This is the reason why vampires are organized the way they are, with the most powerful on top. There are, of course, always exceptions, but in the nights ruled by the Kindred, these exceptions tend not to be all that long-lasting.
  But what if one is not a Kindred then, how do we organize those? Well, to a vampire, most humans are looked upon in pretty much the same way -- cattle that can be used for influencial gain -- but some mortals are still higher ranked than others, even if the vampire doesn't want to admit it. The ranks of mortals simply goes by the Rank in the clan, and that Rank very often decides whether or not he is to become Kindred some day.

  Here is a list of all the different degrees, as well as requirements for them:

  Mortal - All who are none of the ones mentioned below.
  Ghoul - Also a mortal, but one who has recently ingested vampiric blood. He falls under a, so called, Blood Bond to the vampire, and serves him faithfully. A ghoul most usually focus on working for one specific vampire. The Blood Bonds may be broken once the Kindred chooses to stop feeding the mortal her blood.
  Fledgling - A newly created Kindred, who has yet not fully gained the true powers of a vampire. Not many stay at this stage for long, but there are those who do. (In game terms, one stays at the rank of Fledgling for one month if his skills allow him to move further in ranks.)
  Neonate - A Kindred who has adopted to the vampiric society and started to learn the powers of his newly found nature. The requirements to move from Fledgling to Neonate is that you have been a vampire for a while (one month), as well has having a Combat level of 90 (or above), a Prayer level of 50 (or above), and a Magic level of 50 (or above).
  Ancillae - The Kindred has lived his new unlife for quite some time (six months), and has really started to realise what powers he has been granted through this eternal "curse." An Ancillae is experienced enough to Embrace his own childer, but to do so, he must first gain permission from an Elder or a Methuselah. The requirements to become an Ancillae are these levels, or above: Combat 105, Prayer 65, Magic 80.
  Elder - The shadows beyond the pawns. Those who are in control. Some of the most powerful creatures who exist today. An Elder has been Kindred for a very long time (two years), and has developed tremendous powers. They may freely Embrace their own childer, and give permission to Ancillae to do the same. The requirements to become an Elder are these levels, or above: Combat 120, Prayer 85, Magic 90.
  Methuselah - Demi-gods in something reminding of a human form. These Kindred are extremely old, more than a millenium, and often the most feared, as well. There aren't really any requirements to become a Methuselah, since the age they must reach is beyond the horison of the clan members' eyes, but if any must be given out, they should be along these lines: Very, very, very old as a Kindred, and extreme mental power (Prayer above 90). (Out of Character, this amount of time may be represented by several years.)