The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Modern Vampyres
14:24 May 30 2011
Times Read: 606

Modern Vampyres



A Childe of mine wrote this.



We modern Vampyres are a race of humanity that hails from many different backgrounds but our members all have the same assertion: that we are more than human.

We believe that our flesh is basically human in form and function, but that our minds and souls are distinctly different.

Human yet inhuman. Then there are those that identify most closely with the stories of the mythical and historical Vampires.

Our people seem to have much in common with the ancient myths and some profess to be the very creatures that myths were based upon.



The Vampyric child



Nearly every Vampyre alive today was born to human parents.

As the Vampyre matures, differences between it and the humans surrounding it quickly begin to emerge.

Young Vampyres eagerly consume information, learning all we can.

Examining how things operate, and observing the behavior of those around us.

It is in these early years that young Vampyres usually begin to first realize that they may be different in some ways from others.

Even others of comparable intelligence.

It is also in these early years that many young Vampyres turn their minds toward less common intellectual pursuits.

Whether influenced by unrealized memories from past lives or simply by the craving to feed their growing minds and spirits.

Young Vampyre will quickly turn to educating themselves about ancient civilizations, foreign cultures, old religions and mysticism of every kind.

As with any other child, the young Vampyre's growing body, with it's high metabolism, is primarily designed to fuel the growing intelligence, both in the flesh and in the mind.

Some Vampyric children even begin over eating in an attempt to compensate for the drain on the body.

We Vampyre's have a greater need for energy than do humans.

Eventually, the energetic needs of the young Vampyre's spirit outstrip the ability of it's body to keep up with it.

For many Vampyre's this strain on the body results in a sickly childhood, and sometimes severe depression.

The strain on the body often reaches culmination in the teen years, when the Vampyre's metabolism starts to slow and other changes begin.

The powerful Vampyric spirit has begun to starve.













The Hunger



As the spirit begins to starve, a Vampyre gets it's first taste of what it truly is to know the hunger.

Like a deep want for food or water, this ravenous need comes on slowly and builds in strength over several years.

The young Vampyre will attempt to eat and drink to fill the need, but no human food can relieve this need.

Instinctively, the Vampyre will begin to seek high-energy situations.

Arguments with friends or family members, difficult and often stressful relationships, and even unhealthy group environments all become arenas for the Vampyre's early, unconscious attempts to feed.

At this point, the young Vampyre will still be far from truly understanding why these difficult settings may partially sate it's deep need, even bringing on a scene of calm amid the distress and chaos.



Searching for an answer to the hunger, many young Vampyre's will seek medical help, only to be eventually turned away, conventional test and knowledge having revealed absolutely nothing.

Many more will seek out metaphysical writings or prowl through the Internet for answers to half-formed questions rising in their minds.

It becomes a search for self and community, driven forward by a subtle feeling that the Vampyre needs to know something important about it's self, and perhaps more important whether it is alone in the world.

Whether from a book, from a computer screen or even from the lips of another , these answers often come in the form of terms like “ the hunger” and “human living Vampyre” which provide both understanding and comfort of knowing that others have been through this before.



The Awakening



Some of us feel that the first signs of Awakening start at an early age.

Yes, in some of us this is true,but the risk is to great for a misunderstanding, due to the misunderstood nature of our community.

Under no circumstances, allow anyone under 18 to be initiated into a house of any kind, attend Quabals, undertake ordeals or gain access to any outer or inner teachings.

There are many forms of Awakening, and all mean relatively the same thing:

opening one's mind to the wider reality, often to the reality of energy and the spiritual world.

For a Vampyre an Awakening is the realization that it is, in fact, undeniably a Vampyre.

Awakening begins when a Vampyre first considers that it might not be entirely human.

It continues as it learns what it is and finally fully accepts it.

The process never truly ends.

A Vampyre is always learning about what it is.

Because it's survival depends on it's continued education into whom and what it is, What it needs and what it can do.

An Awakening can be traumatic for any Vampyre.

In many cases the Vampyre has had little or no personal experience with the supernatural and esoteric concepts and is forced to completely rethink how it sees the world.

This process usually occurs during the teen years, when much in a person's life is already being reevaluated and examined.

The concept that someone may not be fully human seems a bit more comprehensible at that age, since an adult mind-set has yet to be deeply ingrained and the child-like wonderment about the world is still there, how ever some are not so fortunate.

Late Awakening,

Awakening for some Vampyre occur in the late teens or early 20's or even later in some of us.

These are Latent vampyre (Ardetha) When an Awakening does come for these late bloomers, it is often set off by other disruptions in the Vampyres life: the ending of a long relationship, the empty-nest syndrome, near death EXPEARIANCE or the death of a loved one.

In this case, the Awakening is finally accepted and becomes possible only because the Vampyre's reality is already in question.

However, the Awakening itself becomes more of a disruption, another situation to deal with on top of it's mundane problems, and one that may send the Vampyre over the edge, forcing it to seek out professional help.

Most Vampyre's are strong enough to handle the Awakening no matter when it comes, and all are happier once they accept it and become a more complete person.



Born Vampyre



There are extremely rare individuals who are born Awakened or Awaken at a early age.

Known as Dhampyri,from a very early age they have a solid understanding of what they are,

what they need and how to get it.

Though this does not change the fact that they are children and have to live with the fear that speaking of strange things to their often closed-minded parents will result in a long stay in a mental hospital.

The stress and loneliness of such a condition will cause most Dhampyri to block out the understanding of what they are, selectively ignoring parts of that knowledge until a bit later in life so that their minds do not become overcome by the greater reality that all Awakened Vampyres have no choice but to see.



Rarer still are those Dhampyri who choose to face and own what they are at an early age and so must constantly question their sanity and behavior, even when they do not reveal their secret.

Some believe that the Dhampyri are the oldest of the Vampyric souls, that the knowledge of their Vampyric nature has been collected and reaffirmed so many times over so many lives that it simply impresses itself upon the mind of the child without effort.

This belief is supported by the fact that Dhampyri often display greater abilities, a stronger Hunger, and even higher intelligence then other Vampyre.

Charter of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council...The Udpated Proposed VJC Charter
11:11 May 18 2011
Times Read: 628

The Udpated Proposed VJC Charter

Charter of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council







Contents:







Section A – Basic Info



...

1. Definition



2. Statement of Purpose



3. Mission Statement



4. Aim



5. Scope



6. Authority







Section B – Structure and Function



8. Functional Bodies



9. Functional Platform



10. Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council



11. Mechanics of the Judicial Assembly



12. The Code of Conduct of the VJC



13. Representation



14. Ratification







Section C - General



15. Glossary of terms







Section A







1. Definition of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council (VJC):







The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council (VJC) is an ad hoc (single purpose or dedicated) Council of equals co-operating together for the purpose of promoting and protecting the safety of individual Members and consenting member Groups in collaboration with each other and within the greater Vampi(y)re Community; acting as the expression of the Members desire to safeguard and protect the greater Vampi(y)re Community from dangers and radical elements perceived to be presented by individuals and Groups both within and without the greater Vampi(y)re Community, which could result in harm to the integrity and public image of the Greater Vampi(y)re Community and its members; and by its actions to promote a positive image of the greater Vampi(y)re Community.







2. Statement of purpose:







The collaboration of Groups and Individuals in the greater Vampi(y)re Community for the sole purpose of making the VC a safer place by their agreement on which entities both within and without the sphere of influence of the VJC constitute a danger to, or have endangered the greater Vampi(y)re Community or the membership of the VJC in any manner, shape or form, and by the expression of their desire to do so in the form of a ballot, to exclude these entities from the portion of the greater Vampi(y)re Community that falls under the sphere of influence of the VJC in the form of voluntary membership.







3. Mission Statement:







3.1 To publicly denounce and separate the portion of the Vampi(y)re Community voluntarily associated with the VJC from individuals partaking of criminal activities and activities which bring the Vampi(y)re Community into disrepute.







3.2 To determine the presence and severity of threats from internal or external sources, and suggest corrective actions and to warn the greater Vampi(y)re Community of these threats.







3.3 To mediate conflicts between houses and or individuals when requested to do so by the affected parties.







4 Vision:







Ensuring a safer environment for all members of the Vampi(y)re Community.







5. Aim of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council







The aim of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is to act as a co-operative body, representative of the membership of the VJC - and to achieve and maintain the following aims within the greater Vampi(y)re Community:







5.1 To be the expression of the desire of the whole voluntary membership to keep the VC safe and orderly for all who form part of the Vampi(y)re Community, including self-identified Vampi(y)res, Donors, Swans, Otherkin, and all who form part of Vampi(y)re Groups and the Vampi(y)re culture.







5.2 To be the expression of the desire of the whole voluntary membership to protect the image of the self-identified Vampi(y)re Community and its integral components (including self-identified Vampi(y)res, Donors, Otherkin, and all who form part of Vampi(y)re Groups and the Vampi(y)re culture) from defamation, misrepresentation in any form which negatively affects the image, safety and integrity of the VC, by both vampiric and non-vampiric individuals both within and without the Vampi(y)re Community, or comprises a direct assault on the human rights, dignity of the individual.







5.3 To assist on request, in the form of mediation, any member Groups or individual Members who experience difficulties with other VC entities in matters which may extend beyond the recognized boundaries of the autonomy and independence of each member Group, and which do or may be perceived to grow to affect the broader Vampi(y)re Community in a negative sense.







5.4 To promote co-operation between member Group level and individual Members, within the voluntary membership, to ensure that Suspensions, Excommunications and Sin Nomines of entities are upheld within the sphere of influence of the member Groups of the VJC.







5.5 To jointly promote by its existence and action within the description of the Charter, both within and without the VJC and the greater Vampi(y)re Community, the knowledge and public image that the portion of the greater Vampi(y)re Community which forms part of the VJC sphere of influence will not tolerate the advancement of criminal, dangerous and anti-social behavior which threatens the public image, integrity, dignity and well-being of the Vampi(y)re Community.







6. Scope of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:







6.1 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not a controlling body of any kind, does not constitute any form of governing body, and hereby denies categorically that any decisions made by the Assembly of the VJC in any way affect any entity outside the membership of the VJC other than to exclude them from membership, participation, and acknowledgment from the portion of the greater Vampi(y)re Community which falls within the sphere of influence of the membership of the VJC itself.







6.2 All eligible individuals and Groups within the greater Vampi(y)re Community are encouraged to join and participate in the VJC, with the aim of benefiting the VC, and to make the Greater Vampi(y)re Community a safer place for all.







6.3 The point of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not to force any one Member or member Group's views on the collective membership of the VJC, or on any other Group, but to foster co-operation between Groups and Members who hold differing cultural viewpoints and adhere to diverse beliefs, but who desire to co-operate in order for the VJC to achieve its aims. This includes items such as cultural differences between various VC Groups (i.e. ranks and titles of Gotham, the Black Veil, spiritual or religious beliefs etc).







6.3 The authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council only extends as far as individual cases brought before it by the membership alone. Therefore it will only hold session in the form of Hearings, or with regard to matters for which it is approached in terms of Mediation, Arbitration or other internal Community issues in which it has been approached by a member Group in order to play some role.







6.4 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council does not, nor claims to hold any authority outside the joint sphere of influence of its voluntary membership, and upholds the value that this influence is entirely voluntary and may be freely withdrawn by the membership at any time.







6.5 Any and all decisions arrived at by the Judicial Assembly of the VJC are to be considered binding and effective solely and exclusively within the sphere of influence of member Groups of the VJC alone. No attempt will be made nor sanctioned or encouraged by the VJC to force decisions of the Judicial Assembly onto any external entity.







6.6 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is a non-governmental community body without any Mundane-sanctioned authority, and therefore does not hold the authority to impose imprisonment, corporal punishment, reinstatement of physical property under law, or sentences death.







6.7 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, under the express authority given by the voluntary membership of the Assembly in the form of the terms of membership explained within the Charter, and given expression in the form of a ballot, has the capacity to declare specific entities existing within or without the membership of the VJC to be an undesirable presence within the sphere of influence of the VJC and its membership, to declare such individuals Suspended, Persona Non Grata, Excommunicated or Sin Nomine in accordance with provisions made in the appropriate sections of the Charter.







6.8 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will in no way act to pressure any individual Member or member Group to act in a way that would be considered illegal within the context of Mundane laws effective in their area, or to act in any way outside the restrictions of the Code of Conduct, or this Charter.







6.9 Where the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council finds reason within the context of any case or instance to consider any entity, whether or not part of the VJC membership, to constitute a serious threat to the life or well-being of any person, or finds within the context of a case that an individual has committed Mundane crimes which could either bring the VC or VJC into disrepute, or poses such a risk to members of the greater Vampi(y)re Community, the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is obligated to notify the appropriate Mundane authority via the appropriate channels.







6.10 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council operates from a Code of Conduct formulated from guidelines which have been drawn from what is generally regarded as “common sense values” within the greater Vampi(y)re Community, and which address only issues regarding the purpose for which the VJC was created; and which is considered applicable and binding to all Members of the VJC upon commencement of their membership.







6.11 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council does not hold any authority over the domestic and internal issues of any other Group, and will not become involved in any such domestic issues under any circumstances except where it is approached by a Group in order to provide counsel, assistance, Mediation, Arbitration within that Group, or between that Group and another entity. As such, the VJC also has no right to impose any set of rules, codes of conduct or guidelines on any entity, which were not already included in the VJC Code of Conduct and/or Charter at the time at which the entity enacted its membership of the VJC.







7. Authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:







7.1 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not a legal or civil body recognized by Mundane authorities and as such operates within the confines of the official membership only. As such its authority is not expected to be recognized or acknowledged by any entity outside of the voluntary membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council itself.







7.2 The authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is given to it by the membership of the VJC, which is based upon the agreement of every individual and which is entirely voluntary and completely free of financial cost or implication of reward other than that of performing a service to the community.







7.3 The authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council extends only as far as individual cases brought before it by Members and member Groups. Therefore the VJC will only hold session (Assembly) with regard to matters for which it is approached in terms of mediation, arbitration, hearings or other internal Community issues in which it has been approached in order to play a role within the greater Vampi(y)re Community.







7.4 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council holds no authority other than the voluntary commitment of Members and member Groups to the Code of Conduct and to support decisions made by the Assembly in Hearings, Arbitrations or Mediations – and which do not extend to Mundane crimes concerning the endangerment of life, physical harm, the theft of property, or crimes or other sundry matters which have not already been dealt with by Mundane authorities to a conclusive outcome, and the mention of which may result in possible Mundane criminal action on the part of the entities in question.







7.4 Therefore any and all decisions made within the membership of the VJC, are only to be considered binding within the voluntary membership and their spheres of influence - and within the context of Mundane laws in effect in their specific areas, within reason.







Section B – Functioning of the VJC







8 Functional Bodies:







8.1 Overview:







Within the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, there are two functional bodies. The smaller is the Judiciary Council, which consists of the leader figures of member Groups (one each per Group) who represent the Groups on the VJC, and the Assembly which holds the total sum of individual Members of the VJC.







Broadly speaking, the function of the Judiciary Council within the VJC is to present and lead argument in a Hearing, while the Assembly acts as both a body of jurors as it is the votes of this collective body (the Assembly) which decides the conclusion of each Hearing by means of a ballot.







Together, these two bodies form the Judicial Assembly, and it is the combined Judicial Assembly which decides all matters pertaining to Arbitrations, Hearings and Reviews in the VJC. Jointly, these bodies may be referred to as either the “Judicial Assembly”, or the “Assembly”.







8.2 Purpose:







8.2.1 The purpose of this system of functional bodies is to ensure that all individual Members of the VJC have an equal voice in deciding any case brought to the VJC, and that they membership and associated portion of the Community is not dominated by Groups.







8.2.2 All individual Members each have one vote per Hearing, including the Commissioners on the Judiciary Council and every vote counts of equal value to another.







8.2.3 Groups, as entities on the VJC do not have separate votes from the Assembly, but their leader figure’s votes are counted along with those of other Members.



8.3 Advantages of this system:







8.3.1 Group representatives/leaders (Commissioners) in this manner may truly act as Mediators in Hearings held by the VJC without coming across as judges or overtly influencing the outcome of an Arbitration, Hearing or Review.







8.3.2 The outcome of each Hearing depends entirely upon the information presented during the Hearing, and upon the vote of the Judicial Assembly which is the entire individual membership of the VJC.







8.4 The Judicial Assembly:







8.4.1 The Judiciary Council:







8.4.1.1 While individual Members form part of the Assembly of the VJC, Groups which join the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council are represented on the Judiciary Council by their leader figures who are referred to as Commissioners.







8.4.1.2 The Judiciary Council consists of the leaders of every Group which holds membership in the VJC and acts as the steering committee of the VJC in the context of Hearings, Mediations and Arbitrations, in which they act as Accusors or Defensors.







8.4.1.3 No one single Group which is a member of the Vampi(y)re Judiciary Council holds a rank or position above any other member Group, and no Commissioner on the Judiciary Council holds a rank higher than another. All member Groups are equal within the collective of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, without exception.







8.4.1.4 Each Group holding membership on the Judiciary Council is permitted only one representative acting as Commissioner within the context of any single action or Hearing before the Assembly.







8.4.1.5 Groups do not vote on the outcome of Hearings, but each Commissioner representing a Group on the Judiciary Council also has one individual vote as an individual Member of the VJC along with all other individual Members, and the vote of a Commissioner is of no more or less significance than any other Member’s vote.







8.4.1.6 No single Member or member Group may speak for the collective Vampi(y)re Judicial Council; for example, on behalf of the VJC to Mundane bodies, Press, Media, or to the greater Vampi(y)re Community, without the express prior consensus or appointment of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council in writing to do so.







8.4.2 The Assembly:







8.4.2.1 The Assembly holds the total sum of individual Members of the VJC, including the individual Commissioners acting on the Judiciary Council in their capacity as individual Members, thus every single individual Member of the VJC gets one vote per Hearing.







8.4.2.2 The main function of the Assembly is to ensure that all individual Members of the VJC have an equal voice in deciding any case brought to the VJC, and that they membership and associated portion of the Community is not dominated by Groups.







8.4.2.3 The Assembly casts votes in a ballot at the conclusion of each Arbitration, Hearing or Review and these ballots decide the outcome.







8.4.2.4 The voice of the Assembly in the form of the ballot renders the need for a system of “judges” within the VJC obsolete, in essence replacing it with a system in which the entire membership acts as a jury of peers and equals.







8.4.2.5 It is in essence an allusion to the principle of “the will of the people”, and an entrenchment of democratic principles in the portion of Vampi(y)re Community which holds membership in the VJC.







8.4.2.6 The Assembly, as the total sum of the membership of the VJC, gives the VJC authority to act on their behalf in certain issues and in a manner as described within the Charter.







8.5 Internal processes:







8.5.1 The Mediation and Arbitration process:







8.5.1.1 Overview:







All internal matters of the VJC, including Management of Disputes, fall under the scope of the VJC Charter and the Code of Conduct, as well as documents which are central to the ethos of the VJC such as the Vampi(y)re Declaration of Community and Donor Bill of Rights, and violations of these articles will be handled accordingly within the scope of the Charter.







Disputes within the VJC on matters decided by the Assembly, or the VJC, or between Members, require handling under different procedures in order to prevent grievances spilling over and causing disruptions within the VJC, and will be dealt with under the Mediation and Arbitration process.







Mediations and Arbitrations are the processes by which the VJC assists the membership of the VJC as well as the external Vampi(y)re Community to handle disagreements. The two processes are managed differently by the VJC. Mediations are conducted externally and without the involvement of the Assembly, while Arbitrations are conducted internally, and are similar to a Hearing but do not involve an Accused party. Both Mediations and Arbitrations are entirely voluntary and will not be forced upon either party in any Dispute.







8.5.1.2 Disputes:







a) A Dispute is a disagreement between Members or member Groups of the VJC, or between external entities and which is entered into upon request by the parties concerned.







b) Disputes which can or should be resolved privately by Members, member Groups themselves, or externally by Mundane legal means will not be brought before the Assembly in the form of a Hearing.







c) The VJC approaches Disputes within the scope of the Charter and the Code of Conduct, to which all Members of the VJC are bound.







d) The VJC will not intercede in a Dispute without the consent or request of at least one party in such a Dispute.







e) Where there are Disputes between individual Members or Member Groups, these may be settled by means of Mediation or Arbitration within the VJC, and the seriousness of the Dispute, or the level of difficulty in finding a solution favorable to all parties, shall determine whether a Dispute will be dealt with by Mediation or Arbitration, with Arbitration being the second more serious step following Mediation.







f) Should Mediation prove unsuccessful in resolving a Dispute, it may be handled instead by means of Arbitration.







g) Should the outcome of Arbitration not satisfy parties involved, and the situation escalates or deteriorates to a point where no solution can be negotiated amicably, a Hearing may be convened before the Assembly, in order to exact a solution – but this is a last resort and subject to certain conditions under the Code of Conduct as described in Paragraph 12.







h) A member Group may lodge a formal protest against an internal process in the Charter or a point in the Code of Conduct, or against specific content within these documents should the Group wish to initiate an Arbitration to change such content. Should this happen, a Conventional Dispute will be declared, which will be managed in the same way as an Arbitration.







i) A Conventional Dispute is a process intended to, in an orderly fashion, by means of civil discussion, modify internal processes of the VJC, by means of a debate around suitable changes to the Charter or Code of Conduct. Any such debate will be conducted in the form of an Arbitration and the outcome decided via a ballot by the Assembly.







8.5.1.3 Mediation:







a) Mediation is the first step in resolving a Dispute and constitutes a negotiation to resolve differences between parties.







b) Mediation is conducted by an impartial party, such as an Agent, or a Commissioner of the Judiciary Council, or an individual Member requested by at least one of the parties to the Dispute, and specially appointed by the VJC for that purpose.







c) Agents of the VJC Mediating in any Dispute are referred to as Mediators.







d) Mediations are conducted without the involvement of the Assembly, and may be used to settle minor Disputes between individuals upon request of one party (a Member) to intercede on their behalf.







e) Should Mediation prove unsuccessful in resolving a Dispute, it may be handled instead by means of Arbitration.







f) Arbitration may be requested by one party in a Dispute if the Dispute cannot be resolved by Mediation, or called by the Mediator or Agent, should a Dispute reach a point where it spills over or threatens to destabilize the VJC or the greater VC.







8.5.1.4 Arbitration:







a) Arbitration is the second more serious step following Mediation, if Mediation is unsuccessful.







b) Arbitration is the submission of a Dispute to an unbiased third party designated by those involved in the Dispute – in this case, the Assembly of the VJC.







c) Arbitrations are conducted internally, and are similar in structure to a Hearing, with the exception that Arbitration does not feature an Accused and the Commissioners act collectively as Mediators, and it is up to the Assembly of the VJC to find a solution to the Dispute by means of a ballot which offers options fitting to the solutions offered in the Arbitration for the Assembly to vote upon.







d) The actions dictated by the outcome of the ballot and Arbitration are then taken accordingly, and the Arbitration is archived for future reference.







e) A Hearing will be the next step in settling the Dispute if an Arbitration is deemed either inappropriate to settle the Dispute, or ineffective, or if involved parties cannot accept the solution offered by the Assembly at Arbitration, and the Dispute remains unresolved. The Hearing is a last resort measure, either to force a settlement, or to address violations of the Charter or Code of Conduct which may have manifested prior, during or as a consequence of the Dispute and/or the process of Mediation or Arbitration intended to resolve the Dispute.







8.5.1.5 Hearing:







a) A Hearing is the most serious process whereby an issue or Dispute is heard before the Assembly of the VJC, to determine whether an entity has violated the Code of Conduct of the VJC, or poses inter-alia a threat to the VC or to the membership of the VJC, or whether the VJC wishes to be or to continue to be associated with that entity.







b) A Hearing is characterized by an entity or entities appearing before the Assembly of the VJC as Accused, whereby material evidence of any violations of the terms of membership, Code of Conduct or Charter of the VJC will be presented by the Accusors of the Judiciary Council. Defense of the Accused will be mounted by a single nominated Commissioner of the Judiciary Council, or an individual Member nominated by the Accused, who will act as Defensor.







c) A Hearing is used solely as a final means to settle internal Disputes within the VJC, and to determine whether or not the membership of the VJC wishes to associate or dissociate with specific entities who may or may not appear before the Assembly on issues where they stand Accused of violating the Code of Conduct of the VJC, or of posing a threat to the VJC membership or the greater Vampi(y)re Community, implying that Pronouncements of Suspension, Sin Nomine and Excommunication may be given based on an outcome of a ballot.







d) A Hearing begins with the listing of Accusations against the Accused by the Judiciary Council in a dedicated thread on the official VJC site or forum. This part of the process is called arraignment.







e) Following arraignment, an allotted time is given for the Accused to prepare for the Hearing, during which they will need to find a Commissioner on the Judiciary Council to represent them or mount a defense before the Assembly. If the Accused cannot locate a willing Defensor, the Judiciary Council will appoint one, or the Accused may choose to represent themselves.







e) If an Accused refuses to acknowledge the Accusations, to defend themselves against the Accusations, or to partake in the Hearing, this will count as an automatic admission of Violation and a direct Violation of the terms of service as well as the Code of Conduct and will result in the summary Pronouncement of Excommunication or Persona Non Grata from the VJC of the individual or entity from the VJC.







e) The Hearing begins on the appointed date with the presentation of all material evidence against the Accused by the Accusors, in the form of screenshots, physical evidence, witness statements, direct quotes provable by electronic means, all of which is uploaded into an evidence folder and presented on the same Hearing thread on the official VJC website or forum, which is marked read-only to all but the Commissioners conducting the Hearing.







f) Submission of evidence is followed by questioning of the Accused by the Accusors and the Defensor regarding the case surrounding the charges and the evidence. This proceeds in the same thread on the official website or forum of the VJC. Once all the questioning is completed, the Defensor and Accusors have the opportunity to sum up the case for or against the Accused, and this part of the Hearing is concluded.







g) The Assembly is then given 48 hours to deliberate and to privately consider the evidence and argument, and to vote on the ballot posted on the same thread to decide the outcome and Pronouncement on the Accused. At the time of the conclusion of the 48 hours, the ballot is closed to new votes, and the result is confirmed and then made public as a Pronouncement.







h) The actions dictated by the outcome of the ballot (Pronouncement) and Hearing are then taken accordingly, and the Hearing is archived for future reference.







8.5.1.6 Review:







a) All Pronouncements made by the Assembly are open to Review by the Accused in any Hearing. However, in convening a Review, there must







i) be sufficient new material evidence available







ii) the new material evidence must be of a nature significant enough to be able to provide a possibility of a reversal of the Pronouncement in effect







in order to warrant a Review.







b) Reviews have the same status in the VJC, and should a Review be successful in overturning a Pronouncement, then the Accused is cleared of the specified Accusation as if made in the original Hearing.







c) Reviews are decided by the Assembly in a ballot in the same way as a Hearing.







9. Functional Platform:







9.1 Since the Vampi(y)re Community is global, and the membership of the VJC is anticipated to be spread out over large distances, the most effective means for the VJC to function will be on an OVC platform, such as a forum. There are advantages to this system:







9.1.1 Because of the distances and the given that Members will need to interact online on such a forum which will be used exclusively for the purposes of the VJC, all individuals participating on the VJC will need to register a single individual account on this envisioned forum.







9.1.2 Such forums come equipped with IP monitoring functions to prevent duplicate accounts, and therefore the forum membership can be used to represent the membership of the VJC.







9.1.3 Forums also have features such as polling and voting. Therefore it stands to reason that when the VJC conducts an Arbitration, Hearing or Review, and the ballot is called for at the conclusion of a case, registered individual Members of the forum may be given a specified period to consider the evidence presented in the Hearing and to deliberate and cast their vote on the forum.



9.1.4 Individuals not registered on the forum as Members of the VJC cannot vote.







9.1.5 The forum software prevents duplicate votes by the same individual.







9.1.6 The polling software can deliver enough options to provide a sentence in the vote also, for example:







1. Accusations wavered (not guilty/no action to be taken)







2. Suspension for 6 months







3. Suspension for 365 nights







4. Sin Nomine (1year and 1 night)







5. Excommunication (Permanently)







9.1.6 The results of a ballot will be archived and made available for inspection to any member of the VJC - so that nobody can claim afterwards that the vote was fixed or rigged.







9.1.7 Accusations against individual Groups or Commissioners on the Judiciary Council for siding against those Accused in a negative pronouncement against them will be rendered baseless, because it will be the cumulative votes of the entire membership that will have delivered any pronouncement.







10. Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:







10.1 Overview:



10.1.1 Membership to and participation in the VJC Assembly is considered a right of all members of the greater Vampi(y)re Community, regardless of their background affiliation and whether they identify as Vampi(y)res, Donors, Otherkin, or any other affiliate member or participating identity group in the Vampi(y)re Community, on condition they meet the relevant requirements for membership.







10.1.2 Membership of the VJC is entirely voluntary and may be terminated at any time by the Member or member Group should they wish to do so.







10.1.3 Membership of the VJC is incepted by the addition of the entity applying for membership to the membership list on the OVC forum or site on which the VJC is hosted, upon agreement to the terms of membership, being acceptance of the Charter and Code of Conduct of the VJC.







10.1.4 Membership rests entirely on a voluntary basis, and so all Members and member Groups must indicate that they are satisfied with the "terms and conditions" i.e. the Charter by which the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will operate on acceptance of membership.







10.2 Basic structure of membership:







10.2.1 The two forms of membership to the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council are –







10.2.1 Individuals members of the Vampi(y)re Community:







The basic building block of every community is the individual, and the Vampi(y)re Community is no exception. Therefore it stands to reason that membership of a Community-based organization such as the VJC should be open to any and all individual members of the greater Vampi(y)re Community, whether or not they hold membership of any recognized Groups within the greater Vampi(yre) Community, and regardless of their nature as Vampi(y)res, Donors, Otherkin, and regardless of whatever feeding methods they employ, provided they meet the prescribed membership requirements described in Paragraph 10 of the Charter.















10.2.2 Vampi(y)re Community Groups:







The next step up from the individual in any society is the Group, whether these are social clubs based on spiritual or religious beliefs is not important, but these Groups serve a purpose in any community, providing a sense of belonging, sameness, safety and common interest. It is the same in the greater Vampi(y)re Community, and there are hundreds of listed real life Groups around the world, including both OVC and VC entities. For the purposes of this definition, in the VJC, Groups consist of more than three individual members, up to an unlimited number, being known as Covens, Houses, Orders, Clans, Courts, Temples, Halos, or any other type of Vampi(y)re Community Group which is generally recognized by the greater Vampi(y)re Community and the VJC as being a legitimate Group within the Community.







10.3 Purposes of the different forms of membership –







10.3.1 Individuals members of the Vampi(y)re Community:







Individual Members represent the portion of the Vampi(y)re Community which has voluntarily consented to be Members, and are entitled to partake in the ballot which decides each case. Individual Members who are not part of the Judiciary Council (Commissioners) together form the Assembly. The Assembly decides Pronouncements through a ballot system on the outcome of any case. The “power” and authority of the VJC is therefore in the hands of the membership of the VJC. Each individual Member of the VJC has only one vote per case, and all votes are equal. Members who represent their Groups also have one vote per case, and all votes are of equal value.







10.3.2 Vampi(y)re Community Groups:







a) Groups give the VJC its structure and provide a Group-based platform within the VJC and provide the foundations for a Judiciary Council. The leaders or representatives of each member Group, together form a Judiciary Council consisting of Commissioners who will preside over cases heard by the VJC. This Council will act as Accusor, and Defensor, with specific roles being assigned depending on the unique circumstances of each case.







b) The Judiciary Council, itself (or any Commissioner) does NOT sit in judgment of the Accused in a case heard by the VJC, nor does the outcome of a case depend on these Commissioners delivering any verdict. Their task is to present evidence, argue the specifics and to provide insight into the case to the Assembly, which consists of all the listed voluntary individual Members of the VJC. The Judicial Assembly decides through a ballot system on the outcome of any case. Individual members of the Judiciary Council (Commissioners) also vote along with the individual Members (Assembly), and all votes are of equal value.







c) Groups which are members of the VJC, and their leaders – who hold seats on the Judiciary Council – hold the responsibility to ensure that decisions taken by the Assembly (individual membership body) are upheld in their Groups and spheres of influence. Failure to do so will render the decisions – and therefore the will of the VJC membership – ineffective in that Groups sphere of influence within the greater Vampi(y)re Community.







10.4 Membership requirements for Groups:







10.4.1 While individual Members form part of the Assembly of the VJC, Groups which join the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council are represented on the Judiciary Council by their leader figures who are referred to internally as Commissioners.







10.4.2 Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is open to any formal Groups which form part of the greater Vampi(y)re Community and are recognized as legitimate Groups, including Covens, Houses, Orders, Clans Temples or Halos, regardless of geographic location, culture, or language or the affiliation (Vampi(y)re, Donor, Otherkin etc.) of individual members that make up the Group.







10.4.3 The Group must be established and have existed and functioned in the real world (not only with an online presence) for no less than one year (365 nights) in order to be eligible to join the Judiciary Council.







10.4.4 The Group must have no less than at least 3 listed members in order to be eligible to join the Judiciary Council. If membership drops below this number at any time, the Group will be suspended from active participation in Judiciary Council sessions until the Group membership again equals 3.







10.4.5 The Group must make its leader figure available to represent it on the Judiciary Council or in any particular matter on which the VJC is approached – or alternately, if the leadership structure of the Group does not feature a definite leader figure, it may duly appoint a member who is internally recognized as its representative to the VJC.







10.4.6 The Group must not be currently under any pronouncement of excommunication or involved in any activities which can be described as divisive to the Community, in violation of the Charter, or which can be shown to be detrimental to the VC.







10.4.7 The Group must willingly sign its approval of the VJC Charter and adhere to it.







10.4.8 Because the majority of activities of the VJC will be conducted online via designated email, chat or forum facilities, members and member Groups must make themselves available in the agreed upon medium. Inability to do so will render these Members unable to participate in VJC functions.







10.4.9 Groups which have previously left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council in cases not due to action being taken against them by the VJC, may only reapply for membership to the Judiciary Council after a period of one year (365 nights) from the time they left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.







10.4.10 Groups, or Groups whose leaders have been Suspended, PNG, Sin Nomine, or Excommunicated from the VJC, or otherwise declared a risk to the Community, are not eligible for membership in the VJC, unless the termination of their membership was tied to a time limit and then only after a period of one year (367 nights) after the expiry of that term, and only if the Group has demonstrated a positive change or improvement related to the matter which led to that entity being under that relevant Pronouncement.







10.4.11 Groups which harbor, or have as members, individuals who have been PNG’d, Excommunicated, or Sin Nomine’d by the VJC, and while the term of their Pronouncement is in effect, are not eligible for membership and representation on the VJC.







10.4.12 Groups which indulge in role-playing outside of game-playing events or fora (such as in real VC locations and fora), or which do not consist of real or self-identified Vampi(y)res or genuine community members perse’, are not eligible to join the VJC or to participate on the Judiciary Council.







10.4.13 Groups which actively promote misinformation or vampophobic material about the nature of Vampi(y)res, the Vampi(y)re community, or which engage in unusually hostile actions against the Vampi(y)re community or members of the VJC are not eligible to join the VJC or to participate on the Judiciary Council.







10.4.14 Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council in no way obligates a member Group to open its internal processes to the introspection of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council or any other Member, member Group, or functional body, nor to change its internal processes, policies or structure, nor to give up information held as sacred to proceedings of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, nor to sacrifice its independence, decision making capability or unique identity as a recognized community Group.







10.4.15 Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, as accepted by the member Group along with that membership, obligates the member Group to show solidarity with and support for decisions made jointly by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, Code of Conduct and Charter in all matters in which member Groups deem the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to be in authority.







10.5 Membership of the Judiciary Council:







10.5.1. While individual Members form part of the Assembly of the VJC, Groups which join the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council are represented on the Judiciary Council by their leader figures who are referred to as Commissioners.







10.5.2 The Judiciary Council consists of the leaders of every Group which holds membership in the VJC and acts as the steering committee of the VJC in the context of Mediations and Arbitrations and Hearings, in which they act as Agents, Mediators, or Accusors or Defensors.







10.5.3 Only one individual duly appointed member of each Group may act as Commissioner on the Judiciary Council to represent their Group at any one time, or during a single session of a Hearing.







10.5.4 Groups whose leader has been declared an Excommunicant or Sin Nomine by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, and for the duration of any term imposed in a Hearing by the VJC against that individual and while this term remains in effect, are not eligible for membership and representation on the VJC.







10.5.5 The leader figure of any Group which faces Accusations in a Hearing before the Assembly may not actively participate on the Judiciary Council while such an issue remains pending or inconclusive.







10.5.6 During Assembly, some Commissioners will have the task of acting as Accusor at a Hearing, others will act as Defensor (in defense) of the Accused. These roles may be portioned according to the affiliation of the Accused, or upon request for Counsel by the Accused, and as such, Groups should be prepared to accept these roles as part of their role on the Judiciary Council.







10.6 Membership of the Assembly:







10.6.1 All self-identified Vampi(y)res, Donors, Otherkin and other affiliated members of the VC have the right to belong to the VJC and should have the opportunity to join the VJC as an equal member of Assembly provided they meet the membership requirements in Paragraph 10.







10.6.2 Membership of the VJC and the Assembly is in no way to be considered mandatory and if any individual wishes to terminate their membership they are free to do so.







10.6.3 All individuals within the greater Vampi(y)re Community are eligible for membership, regardless of whether they hold an affiliation to any recognized Vampi(y)re Community Group, provided:







a) They are not under Pronouncements of Sin Nomine, PNG or in any way excluded from the greater VC for reasons described in the Code of Conduct at the time of application.







b) They are not shown to have been or currently engaged in activities which are in breach of the Charter at the time of application.







10.6.4 Each individual Member of the VJC and hence of the Assembly of the VJC, on joining the VJC consents to adhere to the VJC Charter and Code of Conduct and understands that failure to do so can result in internal actions being taken against them by the VJC. Acceptance of these terms and consent to adhere to the Code of Conduct is implied in applying for membership through whatever procedures are employed at or on the official site or forum on which the VJC will be hosted online.







10.6.5 Because all activities of the VJC and the Assembly will be conducted online via designated email, chat or forum facilities, Members undertake to make themselves available in the agreed upon medium in order to participate in these activities. Inability to do so will render the Member unable to participate in VJC functions, deprive them of their participation in the ballot, and the VJC will make use of the input given by other Members.







10.6.6 Individual Members who have previously left the VJC may only reapply for membership after a period of one year (365 nights) from the time they left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, unless the individual does not comply with provisions in Paragraph 10.







10.6.7 Membership of the VJC and Assembly does not indicate that the individual is part of any actual Community Group, with the exception that members by their membership solely indicate a desire to keep the greater Vampi(y)re Community safe for all those who move in VC circles, and a desire to have a voice in Community affairs and the VJC exists solely as a means to exercise that voice within the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.







10.6.8 Membership of the VJC and Assembly and participation in the ballot in no way indicates that any one individual bears sole responsibility or liability in any way shape or form for any decision arrived at by the entire collective by means of a ballot or vote.







10.7 Membership application procedure for Groups:







10.7.1 Membership of any Group in the VJC and Judiciary Council is entirely voluntary, and Groups may apply to the VJC for membership and be admitted, provided they meet the set requirements of the Charter as well as the specific requirements in paragraphs 10.4 and 10.5.







10.7.2 Groups within the greater Vampi(y)re Community may formally apply for membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council via any conventional means via email to any one or more member Group(s) of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council. Member Groups who receive such correspondence in the form of applications from outside Groups wishing to join and participate in the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council may present these Groups for consideration by corresponding with other member Groups on the matter, and/or nominating them at a session of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.







10.7.3 Groups which apply for membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will be admitted as members on the basis of their compliance to the Code of Conduct and conditions listed in paragraphs 10.4 and 10.5 of the Charter.







10.7.4 Groups applying should include their Group details (type, beliefs etc), a brief history and general location, as well as the details of the leader figure who will represent the Group on the Judiciary Council.







10.7.5 No applicant Group may consider themselves a member Group of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council or their leader figure a Commissioner on the Judicary Council without first receiving a writ from the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to confirm their admission.







10.8. Membership application procedure for individual Members:







10.8.1 Membership of the VJC is entirely voluntary, and Groups may apply to the VJC for membership and be admitted, provided they meet the set requirements of the Code of Conduct as well as the requirements in paragraph 10.6 of the Charter.







10.8.2 Individuals may formally apply for membership of the VJC by opening an account and filling out a member profile on the official site or forum of the VJC.







10.8.3 Applicants may consider themselves Members of the VJC when their user accounts on the official site or forum of the VJC are approved.







10.9 Disqualifying grounds for membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:







Members and member Groups may be expelled from the VJC or have their membership terminated in the following instances:







10.9.1 Should any Member or member Group Violate provisions in the Charter or the Code of Conduct, or be shown to be involved in any activities which breach the Code of Conduct or the Charter, or be shown to be engaged in activities which can be described as detrimental to the greater VC, and upon standing before a Hearing of the Judicial Assembly as an Accused and stand under a negative Pronouncement, their membership of the VJC may be Suspended or completely terminated according to prescriptions in Paragraph 11.







10.10 Termination of membership of the VJC:







10.10.1 Membership of the VJC and the Assembly is in no way to be considered mandatory and if any individual wishes to terminate their membership they are free to do so.







10.10.2 Members who wish to terminate their membership must notify the VJC of their intent to do so via a post or email to the official site or forum of the VJC.







10.10.3 Membership of the VJC may also be suspended or terminated on the part of the VJC by means of due internal process or Hearings, or should a user account troll, spam or breach other terms of service on the official VJC site or forum.







10.10.4 Terminated memberships will result in the following actions by the VJC:







a) The user account of the Member will be suspended and not deleted. (Deletion would affect posts made and also the statistics of any past ballots in which the individual member participated.)







b) The individual’s user account will be disassociated from the Assembly user group.







c) Should the individual have a pronouncement of Sin Nomine or Excommunication bearing on them, the appropriate annotations will be made on the user account, and records kept and archived should they reapply for membership in future.







10.10.5 Individual Members who have previously left the VJC may only reapply for membership after a period of one year (365 nights) from the time they left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, unless the individual does not comply with provisions in Paragraph 10.







10.10.6 Should an individual who was previously a Member of the VJC wish to rejoin their membership, they are to notify the VJC of their intention via email, and should they meet the requirements in Paragraph 10 and should sufficient time have elapsed since their departure, their account will be reactivated.







10.10.7 Once termination of membership has been effected, no former Member or member Group may continue to act in the capacity of a current Member of the Vampi(y)re Judicial or misrepresent themselves as such. Any such act will constitute a breach of the Charter and will exclude such a former Member from being eligible to reapply for membership.







11 Mechanics of the Judicial Assembly:







11.1 Overview:







The Judicial Assembly consists of all the players who participate in an Arbitration or Hearing, including the Judiciary Council, Assembly, as well as any Accused entities.







11.2 Authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to make Pronouncements:







11.2.1 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is authorized by its membership to Mediate, Arbitrate, hold Hearings and to make Pronouncements in matters internal and integral to the VJC within the scope provided by the Charter and the Code of Conduct.







11.2.2 Because of the solemn nature of the issue of commitment to the well-being of the Vampi(y)re Community, as well as the cherished values of personal liberty and freedom of expression, no Pronouncement will be made lightly by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, and cannot be made without the participation of the community element as represented by a quorum of a 2/3 majority in any ballot filled by the Assembly.







11.2.3 Pronouncements of suspension are a shameful mark upon the record of any individual member of the Community, and are not to be made lightly, nor are pronouncements of Excommunication, PNG or Sin Nomine.







11.3 Promulgation of Pronouncements:







11.3.1 Pronouncements will be made public within the VC by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council via conventional methods, electronically on the internet as well as by word of mouth, and in the form of combined quarterly reports.







11.3.2 Activities of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will also be included in VJC combined quarterly reports, made public on websites in order to maintain transparency to the Greater Vampi(y)re Community.







11.3.3 Quarterly reports will be made on a rotational basis by one Commissioner, a Member of the Judiciary Council, on a voluntary basis.







11.4 Types of Pronouncements:







Overview:







In the context of the VJC and under the Charter which supports the Code of Conduct, there are four main types of Pronouncement given by the judicial Assembly:







a) Suspension







b) Persona Non Grata (PNG)







c) Sin Nomine (SN)







d) Excommunication







Because it would take a collective effort from the Vampi(y)re Community in general to enforce such Pronouncements on any individual or Group, this should be something to be feared, avoided if possible, and used sparingly - reserved for individuals and/or groups which behave in a reckless manner and which pose a genuine danger to the Community, its integrity - possibly in the way they portray the VC to the world, embarrassing Vampi(y)res or enforcing a negative image of the VC by their behavior, such as those who also break Mundane laws and who act as predaors within the Community - including pedophiles, rapists, abusers and in particular those who abuse Donors.







11.4.1 Suspensions







a) Suspension is an internal and temporary measure employed within the VJC membership and its sphere of influence in the case of a minor violation of the Code of Conduct or Charter of the VJC, and may be specified for a period of one month up to six months.







b) During the period of Suspension, an entity, whether a Group or individual Member, is Suspended from acting in the capacity of whatever positions they hold in any and all Groups within the collective membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council. Once the period of Suspension is over, they may be restored to their offices.







c) Suspension does not constitute Persona Non Grata (PNG) and Members Suspended are still to be considered part of the VJC or greater Vampi(y)re Community.







11.4.2 Persona Non Grata (PNG)







a) This is a measure employed to keep entities (individuals or Groups) who are not part of the membership of the VJC and who have been Pronounced PNG at a Hearing, out of the membership of the VJC, and to prevent them from joining, or interacting with Members and member Groups in the context of the VC, and in public VC activities.







11.4.3 Sin Nomine (Without Name)







a) Sin Nomine is a temporary measure internal to the VJC membership lasting, in the tradition of the VC, for one year and one day.







b) In ancient Mundane cultures, where an individual (or Group) was declared Sin Nomine, their names and achievements went unacknowledged, their names were removed from public records, all mention of them was prohibited and for that period, they were considered dead and no longer considered a part of the Community. This is a base reference for instances of Sin Nomine as Pronounced by the JVC.







c) Sin Nomine may only be Pronounced by the VJC means of a Hearing and such a matter is determined before the Judicial Assembly by means of a ballot.







d) The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council cannot dictate to its individual Members and member Groups the degree to which they support Pronouncements of Sin Nomine against the entities in question. However the basic provisions of Sin Nomine are expected to be adhered to by member Groups, under the provision that notable failure to do so will result in action being taken against them under the Code of Conduct.











11.4.4 Excommunication







a) This is a permanent measure. Where an individual (or Group) has been Excommunicated, their name and achievements remain acknowledged, however they are no longer welcome at any Community events or considered a part of the Community, and especially so by Groups which are members of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.







11.5 Support of Vampi(y)re Judicial Council Pronouncements:







11.5.1 Because it would take a collective effort from the Vampi(y)re Community in general to enforce Pronouncements on any individual or Group, this should be something to be feared, avoided if possible, and used sparingly - reserved for individuals and/or groups which behave in a reckless manner and which pose a genuine danger to the Community, its integrity - possibly in the way they portray the VC to the world, embarrassing Vampi(y)res or enforcing a negative image of the VC by their behavior, such as those who also break Mundane laws, act as predators within the Community - including pedophiles, rapists, abusers and in particular those who abuse their Donors.







11.5.2 By accepting membership on the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, all Members agree to abide by Pronouncements of the Assembly and to support such Pronouncements on the understanding that failure to do this undermines their own authority as well as the authority which they give to the VJC as a community body.







11.6 Review:







11.6.1 All Pronouncements made by the Assembly are open to Review by the Accused in any Hearing. However, in making a Review, there must be sufficient new material evidence available and the new material evidence must be of a nature significant or compelling enough to be able to provide the possibility of a reversal of a Pronouncement currently in effect in order to warrant a Review.







11.6.2 Reviews have the same standing in the VJC as a Hearing, are conducted and treated as Hearings, and should a Review be successful in overturning a Pronouncement, then the Accused is cleared of the specified charge as if made in the original Hearing. Reviews are decided by the Assembly in a ballot in the same way as a Hearing.



11.7 The Rights of the Accused:







11.7.1 The Accused in any Hearing has the right to be regarded as innocent of all Accusations under the Code of Conduct until Pronouncement is made by the Assembly.







11.7.2 The Accused, has the right to seek a Defensor within the Judiciary Council from either their own member Group, or another member Group. If none is willing to act as their Defensor, one will be appointed for them, or the Accused may choose to act in this capacity themselves.







11.7.3 The Accused has the right to a fair Hearing, free of corruption, prejudice, or discrimination on the grounds of their affiliations, beliefs or nature, and to be evaluated by a jury of their peers – the Judicial Assembly.







11.7.4 The Accused has the right to choose to not contest the Accusations brought against them.







11.7.5 The Accused has the right to choose to confess to their Violations if they so choose, and to ask the Assembly for leniency in Pronouncement.







11.7.6 A Hearing and Pronouncement may proceed in absentia of the Accused.







11.7.7 The Accused has the right to apply for a Review of a Hearing or the severity of a Pronouncement based on the submission of new evidence under the conditions described in Paragraph 11.







12. Code of Conduct of the VJC:







12.1 Overview:







The Code of Conduct of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, under the Charter of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, is an agreement by a body of equal Members who agree to co-operate together for the purpose of promoting and protecting the safety of individual Members and consenting member Groups in collaboration with each other and within the greater Vampi(y)re Community; and to act as the expression of the Members desire to safeguard and protect the greater Vampi(y)re Community from dangers and radical elements perceived to be presented by individuals and Groups both within and without the greater Vampi(y)re Community, which could result in harm to the integrity and public image of the greater Vampi(y)re Community and its members; and to clearly define unacceptable actions in order to clearly define grounds on which the VJC may take action against entities which adversely affect the well-being of the greater Vampi(y)re Community.







12.2 Statement of Intent:







To clearly define acts or behavior which the membership of the VJC would publicly denounce and separate the portion of the Vampi(y)re Community voluntarily associated with the VJC from, including criminal activities and activities which bring the Vampi(y)re Community into disrepute.







The intent is not to in any way cast judgment on individual Members of the VJC or members of the greater VC on matters such as their choice of lifestyle, religious beliefs, Community affiliations or memberships, or normal every day behavior not described in the Charter or Code of Conduct below.







12. 3 Basis:







The Code of Conduct is drawn from already existing guidelines, generally regarded as “common sense values” within the greater Vampi(y)re Community. There are enough diverse law sets throughout the global VC without the VJC setting out to reinvent the wheel. The VJC Code of Conduct does not hold any one external law set or set of guidelines central to its core values. Instead, a common-sense approach was used to look at what constitutes grounds for concern to the membership, and which address only issues regarding the purpose for which the VJC was created; and which is considered applicable and binding to all Members of the VJC upon commencement of their membership.







12.4 Disclaimer:







The VJC exists solely to mediate and to investigate and decide on issues brought to it by the membership. The VJC is not an attempt to rule the VC, nor is it a governing body. Its mandate only extends as far as Community co-operation on issues brought to it by member Groups. Its decisions and Pronouncements will have absolutely no effect outside the membership of the VJC. The VJC is not designed to be any form of law enforcement group akin to actual police forces, nor is it to be misused as a cover for vigilante action. Any and all actions taken by the VJC will be of a purely academic nature and will strive to fit as completely as possible within the framework of Mundane laws of whatever area Members and member Groups exist in, without sacrificing that which identifies us a Community of Vampi(y)res and affiliated entities.







12.5 Diverse Community Laws and Guidelines:







12.5.1 Various law sets and community guidelines have already been drafted and applied by various Groups in the past, and although none of these law sets are rigidly enforced within the Vampi(y)re Community (with few exceptions) and some may feel that such laws and guidelines may be "unnecessary", many in the community will also agree that on some basic level there is a necessity to keep a basic set of "common sense" values intended to guide Community members and to keep them safe from harm.







12.5.2 It is not the place of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to create and impose laws on the greater Vampi(y)re Community, but it exists for the purpose of protecting the Community from internal issues by maintaining the integrity of the Community through the application of pre-existing common-sense principles which are agreed upon to be sound and accepted by the greater Vampi(y)re Community in general.







12.6 Articles of Community:







12.6.1 The foundational and primary recognition of all Vampi(y)res, Donors, Otherkin and associated members of the greater Vampi(y)re Community as equal and of equal worth to the Community, as well as the following points are considered binding to the membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:







12.6.2 The recognition that regardless of our differences in terms of how individual Vampi(y)res self-identify as Vampi(y)res, or which feeding methods are employed, or which personal beliefs on vampirism are held by the individual, all are considered equal.







12.6.3 The principle that no single member of the Community or membership of the VJC is to be considered lesser than another, nor to be considered of less significance to the Community whether or not they belong to a Group within the Community.







12.6.4 The principles represented in the Vampi(y)re Declaration of Community (2010) and in the Donor Bill of Rights are held as central to the ethos of the Vampi(y)re Community, interaction between its members, as well as function and scope of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.



















12.7 Mutual Respect:







The Vampi(y)re Community is a collection of diverse individuals from diverse backgrounds. In order to maintain a balance and a healthy atmosphere in the Vampi(y)re Community, it is essential that an ethos of mutual respect between all members is maintained. Therefore any act which is found to be part of an effort directed at breaking down this balance, and/or which may be supported by an action on the part of any body or authority in the VJC endangers the integrity of the VJC and is in violation of the Charter.







12.7.1 The Vampi(y)re Community is replete with diversity in terms of individual origins, beliefs about spirituality, religion, scientific and medical thought in relation to vampiric nature and about what causes lie behind it, and about what being a Vampi(y)re means and how Vampi(y)res should behave.







12.7.2 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is a body created in order to settle Community disputes and as such resolves to remain impartial in all matters regarding such personal and commonly held beliefs, and to not judge or devalue such beliefs or those who hold them, for their beliefs.







12.7.3 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council resolves to not condemn personally held beliefs of individuals, but of actions which are perceived to endanger the greater Vampi(y)re Community in some way or which are in violation of this Code of Conduct.







12.8 Specific concerns of the VJC:







12.8.1 Safety of Members and the greater VC:







a) The willful exposure of Dayside identities:







The VJC resolves to respect the choices others make to separate their Dayside and Nightside identities, and recognizes that to willingly expose a member of the Community or a Member of the VJC against their will to public scrutiny in their Dayside capacity goes against the principles of this Community as well as common decency and can endanger the individual and the Community itself.







Therefore, an act of a member of the greater VC which willingly exposes the Dayside identity of another Vampi(y)re to the Mundane world when not in the context of assisting Mundane law enforcement in the investigation of serious crimes which bring the Community into disrepite, or in providing urgently required assistance (such as emergency medical help) to these individuals is a violation of the Code of Conduct.







b) Indulging in acts or behavior which threatens the safety of the Community as a whole, such as:







i) by any actions considered unwise, deliberate or reckless, such as attracting negative media exposure, the unhealthy interest of Mundane authorities or law enforcement or groups (religious or otherwise) hostile to either the Community on the grounds of vampirism and vampiric nature.







ii) in any way infringing on the civil or human rights of any individual Members of the VJC or the greater Vampi(y)re Community by the violation of Mundane laws to the detriment of a fellow member or fellow members of the Community, or to the Community itself.







c) Violation or desecration of the values enshrined in the Vampi(y)re Declaration of Community; namely:







i) Willful acts of prejudice, bigotry or intolerance based upon the characteristics of Vampi(y)res, Donors, or affiliated Otherkin.







ii) Willful acts which are shown to be designed to precipitate or perpetuate hostility between VC Groups, differing sub-groups of Vampi(y)res, Donors, or affiliated Otherkin regardless of motivation.







d) Violation or desecration of the values enshrined in the Donor Bill of Rights; namely:







i) Willful acts of abuse or cruelty towards Donors, including the taking of life essence from them against their will (described as vampiric rape), or taking from them more life essence than they are prepared to offer, or more than is healthy to accept from them, or in such a way as to cause or risk causing them real tangible harm.







ii) Within the context of a Vampi(y)re-Donor relationship, threatening, intimidating or preventing a Donor from removing themselves from a situation in which they feel threatened, for the purpose of self-gratification or coercing them to consent to engage in communion.







12.8.2 Abuse of Power:







Any attempt by a Member of the VJC who holds an office, to use that position as a platform for purposes other than it was created, or for which they were appointed to that position, such as:







i) to intimidate another Member or Group, or







ii) to abuse that position for personal gain, or







iii) to act against other individual Members or member Groups of the VJC based upon personal feelings of dislike, or to wage a personal vendetta against them.







iv) any willful act which constitutes a violation of the post and job descriptions of any office or position described within the Charter as a whole, or a breach of the terms or conditions of membership, service or limitations placed upon them by the Charter.







12.8.3 Failure to support VJC Pronouncements:







i) Failure to support Pronouncements of the VJC Judicial Assembly undermines the authority given the VJC by the membership itself.







ii) The failure of one individual Member or member Group to stand with the collective decision of the Assembly of the VJC weakens the effect and influence of the VJC in the Community, and undermines the purpose, aim, scope and vision of the collective membership.



iii) Such failure is a Violation of the terms of membership agreed upon by every individual Member and member Group upon joining the VJC, as well as of the Charter.



















13. Representation:







The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council may appoint or elect various Representatives to act as spokespersons or coordinators for the internal functions of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, or as an Agent in matters of Mediation.







13.1 The duration of such appointments should be appropriate to the precise purpose for which the Agent is appointed and this term may not exceed a period of one year (365 nights) per term.







13.2 Candidates for such appointments as Agents may be drawn from the membership on nomination and appointed via ballot. Representatives should be nominated according to the requirements of the position which needs to be filled, in other words, according to the skills required, such as organizing skills, public speaking, writing or journalistic skills or knowledge etc.







13.2.1 Types of Representatives:







a) Media Liaison:







i) Since it is in the best interests of impartiality within the VJC, no one member Group may speak on behalf of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, except for a duly appointed spokesperson of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.







ii) A Media Liaison should have the necessary skills or experience in drafting press releases, with the necessary discretion in order to provide whatever information needs to be propagated to Press or Media without overstepping boundaries, or giving too much information to external entities.







iii) A Media Liaison may be appointed by the Assembly for the duration of a one year appointment, on an entirely voluntary basis, and without monetary reward, with the option to renew this appointment provided the Assembly is satisfied with their performance and the incumbent is willing to accept.







iv) The function of the Media Liaison is to:







1) draft and send statements, announcements or press releases to VC structures containing information about Pronouncements or other matters deemed befitting statements, announcements or press releases under the appropriate Policy documents.







2) draft and send statements to external Media or Press in response to queries about the VJC, and the nature of the VJC or its role within the Community.







3) answer questions about the VJC and its functions within the broader community in a broad sense, including appearing on VC podcasts, audio or video shows. Therefore such a candidate for this position requires good interpersonal and conversation skills, a clear voice, and a neat presentable appearance is a bonus.







4) Propagating information regarding ongoing or archived cases, or giving out more sensitive details to third parties is not to be considered and is a topic inappropriate for discussion by the Media Liaison.







c) Agents for Mediation:







Should a parties locked in a Dispute not be willing to enter into Mediation with a Commissioner from the VJC, an Agent may be appointed for the purposes of the Mediation.







Of necessity, such an Agent would have to have good communication and interpersonal skills, a good temperament and a calming influence in a heated debate.







14. Ratification:







14.1 Acceptance of the terms and conditions of membership on the official host site or forum of the VJC automatically signifies acceptance of the Charter of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, and the creation of a user account.







14.2 In the case of Groups, this acceptance is signified by the acceptance of the position of the Group Representative on the Judiciary Council as a Commissioner.















Section C – General







15. Glossary of Terms:







Accusor: a Commissioner who fulfills the task of arguing against the Accused by presenting evidence of any Violations of the Charter. During Assembly, all Commissioners who are not acting in defense of the Accused, are Accusors.







Accusation: a charge of violating the terms of the Charter and the Code of Conduct.







Accused: the entity Accused of Violating the Charter of the VJC, or of endangering the VC in some way.







Agents of the Assembly: the Judiciary Council consisting of Commissioners on the council who fulfill specific roles such as Mediator, Accusor and Defensor or who fill specific posts designed to perform specific functions outside of the VJC and on behalf of the VJC.







Assembly: The combined individual membership of the VJC as a collective body of Members.







Commissioner: the leader of a Group acting as a representative on the Judiciary Council.







Defensor: A single Commissioner on the Judiciary Council who is either chosen by the Accused to lead their defense, or is appointed by the Judiciary Council to do so.







Dispute: A disagreement between either Members or member Groups of the VJC, or between external entities; which is Mediated or Arbitrated by the VJC, and which may result in a Hearing.







Mediation: The Mediation of a Dispute by an Agent of the VJC, a Commissioner or other appointed person, and entered into upon request by the parties concerned.







Mediator: A Commissioner or Agent working in a Mediation under the auspices of the VJC.







Greater Vampi(y)re Community: the global community of Vampi(y)res and associated individuals and Groups.







Hearing: a formal enquiry into a complaint before the Assembly of the VJC.







Judicial Assembly: the combined Assembly, Judiciary Council and other parties involved in a Hearing and which votes in a ballot in order to create a Pronouncement.







Pronouncement: A combined decision similar to both a verdict and sentence of the Judicial Assembly which affects the status or participation of an entity in the VJC membership, Community and sphere of influence, and which features in any Hearing as an Accused.







VC: Vampi(y)re Community.







Violation: an act which violates the terms of the Charter and the Code of Conduct; a Violation of the Charter or Code of Conduct.







VJC: Vampi(Y)re Judicial Council.







© The Charter of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council 2011 - Present

FAQ - Second Ed:
20:11 May 12 2011
Times Read: 652

FAQ - Second Ed:



Can the VJC "outlaw" anything?



No. The VJC is not a governing body, so it has no authority to outlaw anything. It applies existing community guidelines in a very broad sense. I could say with 100% certainty that VJC cannot "outlaw" anything at all. Firstly, it is an association with voluntary membership which will lose members as soon as it tried to enforce anything unpopular with the membership. Secondly, the VJC is intended to be the expression of the will of the membership, meaning that all issues decided would be decided by a vote - and a majority of votes within the context of a council - and each decision would be deliberated

between each Group and its representative before the vote took place, making an undemocratic result unlikely.



Some are concerned that the VJC could outlaw blood feeding - is this true? (Strange question, I know).



No. The VJC is not a governing body, so it has no authority to say "vampires may not feed on blood on pain of Sin Nomine". The Charter provides for matters where a Donor has been abused by a vamp, or where the Donor Bill of Rights has been seriously breached, or where an individual has committed a crime such as attacking people to obtain blood (as seen in the media last year) etc. The VJC is intended to be a guardian of it's membership, who are vampires, Donors, and associated individuals. Denying a vampire the right to feed on blood would be to deny the nature and existence of our own kind.

Since many vampires feed sanguinely, and many Groups have a mixed membership of Psi/Sang/Hybrid vamps, I sincerely doubt this scenario would ever play out.



Where does the VJC stand on the divisions between Psi and Sang vamps?



If you look closely at the Charter, the VJC enshrines the principles in the Vampi(y)re Declaration of Community posted in December last year, which (I hope) makes it pretty clear that the VJC is founded on principles of unity, equality and community between all of us, fostering mutual respect, and not based at all on feeding methods. Membership of the VJC as indicated in the Code of Conduct is dependant on ratifying and upholding both this document as well as the Donor Bill of Rights.



Will those who sit in judgment on the VJC be qualified legal professionals?



No. Those who represent their Groups on the council will represent the community - a jury of the accused's peers. When one looks at the sort of things that will be addressed under the code of conduct, that is sufficient. Serious crimes will of course be addressed by Mundane law, and the person convicted on such serious charges by Mundane law will be arraigned for excommunication on that basis. The VJC does not intend to hold a trial on the basis of convicting someone of serious crimes like murder, assault, rape etc - simply to decide if we want to be associated with them or not, as members of the VJC.



Will the VJC need to take local laws in different countries when passing judgment?



Where issues cross borders, and there are member groups from different countries involved, it is up to the individual groups to implement verdicts by the VJC in whatever way they see fit in order to remain within their regional laws. Thus, this falls within the ambit of the Group's internal issues and discretion as it is the Group which will have to deal with any consequences and potential fallout in their area.



Will the VJC hold trials and judge individuals or will it act as a mediation group?



The VJC will be doing both. You don't need a mediation group to warn the community of dangerous individuals moving to their area, a simple email could do that. Yes, the VJC could and would mediate disagreements, and yes it will warn of dangerous individuals in the community - and yes it will seek to excommunicate these individuals from the part of the community that considers itself members of the VJC.



(Specially for Akasha) Are there going to be any fees charged to folks who want be a part of the VJC?



No, but we might pass a hat around for collections at each meeting.



What laws does your country not have that you feel the community needs that this council could enforce?



Mundane law does not have ways of dealing with vampire issues such as who the community wants to be associated with, or not - which is basically at the root of why the VJC came about to begin with nad more or less what it's main business will be.



NOTES:



I think the Ronin Council should be altered to focus on all individuals interested in the VJC, those without a Group, regardless of whether they are vamps, donors or swans. This way everyone will get represented in some way, as the members belonging to houses will be represented by them.



I also think all individuals who are members of houses or not, should be able to sign their support or agreement to a list of members as individuals, irrespective of house affiliation.



Clearly this will necessitate three separate member lists 1) Groups 2) Ronin 3) All individual members



Further, there is an issue about the use of the word "judge" and the word "Ronin" - which appear to upset some people, while others don't seem to be bothered by it in the least. Substitutes have been suggested, namely "Mediator" and "Independent" or "Solitary" as used in pagan circles.



I'm thinking that by the weekend, I will need to retreat behind closed doors to edit the Charter to include all these changes - the finished product can be presented again by next week.



Thank you all so much for your participation and constructive comments and suggestions.



PS I will be posting some examples tomorrow of the sort of scenarios the VJC would deal with.

FAQ: about the VJC
19:44 May 12 2011
Times Read: 653

FAQ:



What is the VJC?



It is the expression of the combined will of its members and member Groups, acting as a bargaining council, as well as a judicial authority within the auspices of its own membership only. The VJC exists solely to mediate and to investigate and decide on issues brought to it by the membership, particularly on issues which threaten to divide the community, or which threaten it in some way and to exclude harmful individuals or groups from the sphere of influence of the member Groups.



Why the VJC - other social groups don't have "governing bodies", why do we need one?



Actually Jewish and Islamic communities the world over DO have their own councils to settle their own internal issues - which is exactly what the VJC is based upon. As a matter of interest, most Mulsim communities have a "Muslim Judicial Council" which decides internal community issues and also addresses religious dietary concerns (Halaal) etc. Many Jewish communities have similar bodies, as do some others.



Is the VJC an attempt to rule the VC?



No.



Is the VJC a governing body?



No. Its mandate only extends as far as co-operation on issues brought to it by member Groups. It's decisions or verdicts have absolutely no effect outside the membership of the VJC.



Will the VJC "convene" online for any other purpose?



No. The VJC exists solely to mediate and to investigate and decide on issues brought to it by the membership.



Mundane US laws cover everything already, why do we need the VJC?



US Federal Laws do not cover everything from the perspective of the Vampi(y)re Community, nor do US Federal Laws extend all the way round the world. The VJC is intended to focus on the VC alone, its interests and the safety of its members.



Will Sin Nomine be applied for "silly indiscretions" like wearing fangs on TV?



No. Only serious issues involving assault, abuse of children or donors, or posing a serious threat to the community (i.e. JS) would be considered.



Is the VJC going to act like a police force?



No. The VJC is not designed to be any form of law enforcement group akin to actual police forces.



Is the VJC a cover for vigilante action?



No. Any and all actions taken by the VJC will be purely academic and will strive to fit within the Mundane laws of whatever area member Groups exist in.



What about legal action against the VJC by disgruntled individuals?



Pronouncements made against any individuals by the VJC will be made public regarding issues of Sin Nomine and suspensions etc. Common sense should apply. For example in cases where someone has been convicted in a Mundane court of a serious crime and this is an issue regarding SN, mention of this may be made without fear of libel. In cases where no such conviction has been made, then it is probably best that no such mention of the crime is made and just the fact of SN be made. Most vamp groups are not legally registered clubs and societies anyway, and even most registered bodies are allowed to choose who they admit or keep as members. Anyway, nightside names should be used at all times. Nothing done here is legally binding, like traditional law and policy enforcement.



Does the VJC intend to impose any laws on the VC?



No. The code of conduct is drawn from already existing community mores and values and contains only the basic common-sense values agreed upon by most Groups in the VC, and agreed upon by its member Groups.



Does the VJC intend to develop its own set of laws to "rule" the VC?



No. There are enough diverse law sets throughout the global VC. The VJC does not hold any specific one central to its core values as this would cause too much friction between diverse groups. Instead, it has taken a common-sense approach to look at what constitutes grounds for concern.



Will member Groups of the VJC lose their independence?



No. The VJC is not going to interfere in domestic affairs of member groups. It will act as a mediator between member groups and if required, member groups and non member groups, and as a cooperative body act in accordance with the Charter - that's all. It won't be a governing body in any way shape or form and will have no say over the internal affairs of any member Group.



Is membership of the VJC mandatory?



No. Anyone in the community is free to join, and if they are dissatisfied, they are free to leave.



What if a member Group doesn't like the outcome of a case?



An individual Group which disagrees with a finding of the council may lodge an objection or appeal, and if this is still not satisfactory, the Group is free to leave the VJC if it does not wish to share in upholding the sentence of the VJC.



Does or will the VJC have a leader or leader Group?



No. All Groups on the VJC will have equal status, no one Group can impose anything upon another. Even Ronin or individual members will for the purposes of participation be placed in a Group to represent their vote on the council.



Does the VJC fall under any Group or House?



No. The VJC is a loose collaboration of member Groups and isn't aligned with or attached to any individual Group, member or otherwise.



Will the views of the VJC reflect the views of the entire VC?



No. The views of the VJC will reflect the views of the member Groups.



How will decisions/pronouncements/verdicts of the VJC affect the VC who are not members?



Cases decided upon by the VJC will only have effect within the Groups who support the VJC and their spheres of influence. The VJC does not expect non-members to uphold their verdicts.



How will the VJC pass judgement on a case?



There will be no single judge on the council, but an individual accused will be judged by the member groups on the VJC - hence, if there are 8 member groups, 8 judges, and each one has a vote on each case - a majority calls a conviction or a dismissal. The representatives of each Group on the council is free to deliberate their findings on a case with their Group members - how the Groups arrive at their verdict is up to the Group - the internal or domestic processes of each Group are not the business of the VJC.



Why does the Code of Conduct appear "vague"?



First to address the issue of "vagueness", let's look at the previous debates around community laws. Where anyone has laid down specific laws with precise detail, then people have run around accusing the proposer of being a martinet or a despot trying to play "king of the hill". Every case is different. The idea behind the "vagueness" is that the member Groups will decide all these things together, debate the case, and this will leave plenty of room to maneuver or flexibility to apply to various situations. One cannot have it both ways.



What is meant by "divisive sites"?



Divisive sites would be sites such as "vampirewebsite.com" which defames nearly the entire OVC and disseminates misinformation which is in contradiction to the majority of the sites considered to be valid within the OVC. Blatant fantasy is portrayed as cold hard fact, and the actual VC is portrayed as "posers" and "fakes". What is clear about divisive sites is that they would be sites or groups which attack the VC from inside, or excessively polarize the community to the point of causing a hostile rift within the community.



What effect would VJC statements on divisive sites have?



In the example of the "Vampirewebsite" above, what can the VJC do about such a site? The VJC cannot remove offensive sites, but can work to counter their negative effects on the community. For example, sites which portray real vampires through the lens of misinformation as does "Vampirewebsite" would be distanced from the VC, and formally and publicly denounced as role-player sites in order to limit the impact such sites has on the uninformed and those new to the community who usually fall foul of these sites and the misinformation stored on them.



Can individuals declared Sin Nomine by other Groups or the community in general approach the VJC to be reinstated?



The VJC can only make decisions on matters it has jurisdiction over, ie cases it presided over or issues which affect its members. If someone was declared SN by another group not in the VJC, then such a person may apply to be heard in the VJC and if such an appeal is successful, they would still be SN outside the VJC, but recognized within the VJC and it's member Groups.



Can individuals and Groups which are not members of the VNC be declared SN within the VJC?



Yes, although this would only be of effect within the member Groups sphere of influence.



Can individuals declared Sin Nomine by the VJC appeal their cases?



Yes. There is an appeal process built into the Charter regarding individuals pronounced SN by the VJC itself.



Can individuals or Groups approach the VJC to mediate in a community matter?



Yes. There is enough provision in the VJC Charter to allow for mediation on their behalf, if there are sufficient grounds for the VJC to be called. This applies where the VJC is not required to meddle in the domestic or internal affairs of any Group.



May Donors join or participate in the VJC?



The VJC is intended for anyone in the VC who is interested in participating in whatever way. The Charter of the VJC is sufficiently clear that the VJC will not interfere in the domestic issues of any member group, including its membership - therefore, if any VC group is led by a Donor or even consists entirely of Donors, the Charter permits it.



I am not in a group - can I participate?



Yes. The idea of a Ronin group within the VJC exists to constitute a collective of individuals of all spheres in the VC, and not just vampires. Every member of every Group participating in the VJC is encouraged to join this membership listing as well. Those who do not belong to another Group will be represented on the council by the Ronin group and an elected representative.



Are the member Groups broken up by commonly held stereotypes: sang, psi, ronin, donor etc?



No. Groups join and are represented as they are, intact, without any internal interference from the VJC. Every single Group is equal to the other, and each group has one vote per any case.



What if I don't like the idea of the VJC?



Don't participate. Smile. Put down the stake and mallet - nobody is forcing you into it.



Is the Charter as presented final?



No. Changes can still be made for the time being. Those who indicated their interest in the VJC have not yet had to opportunity to vote on the Charter to make it official.



Was the Charter released "too early"?



No. It was released as is in order to draw community participation so that it can be finalized. Updates will be made and distributed at a later date.



Is the VJC operational yet?



No. The VJC is in a formative stage, pending finalization of the Charter. In the meantime any Group or individual indicating their interest in participating in the VJC will form part of the founding member Groups.

8 hours ago · LikeUnlike

wow just wow?
01:15 May 12 2011
Times Read: 665

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread665268/pg1

Introducing the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to the Vampi(y)re Community
16:10 May 11 2011
Times Read: 682




Introducing the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to the Vampi(y)re Community







A brief explanation of the Charter of the VJC, and an invitation to Groups and individuals within the VC to participate as members. (Drafted by Octarine Valur, with grateful recognition of Wraiths, Ryu Noctem Aeternus, Deacon Gray, and Sylivia for their input.)





What is the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council?





It is an ad hoc Judicial Council representing the views and interests of consenting member Groups in collaboration within the Greater Vampi(y)re Community.





Groups are encouraged to join and participate in the VJC with the aim of benefiting the VC, and to make the VC a safer place for all. A structure like the VJC is intended to keep the VC clear of dangerous and irresponsible people as well as habitual criminals, to help the VC to continue to be self-policing, and to do it more effectively.





Why the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council?





Because it would take a collective effort from the VC in general to enforce Sin Nomine on any individual, it should be something to be feared, avoided if possible, and used sparingly - reserved for individuals and/or groups which behave in a reckless manner and which pose a genuine danger to the VC, its integrity - possibly in the way they portray the VC to the world, embarrassing Vampi(y)res or enforcing a negative image of the VC by their behavior - including pedophiles, rapists, abusers and in particular those who abuse their Donors.





Those who move among us who may or may not be Vampi(y)res, and indulge in role playing fantasy to such a degree that they constitute similar threats to those listed above, should also be divorced from the VC. This kind of individual, if taken seriously in a serious group can wreak untold havoc.





How will the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council work?





(For a clearer picture, read the Charter below this introduction.)





The aim of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not to force any one Group's views on any other group. Its membership is entirely on a voluntary basis, and so all member groups will need to indicate that they are satisfied with the "terms and conditions" ie the guidelines or Charter by which the JC will operate. The membership of the VJC, in other words, the Groups themselves, will be giving the VJC credibility within the community, and will be the expression of the member Groups desire to keep the VC safe and orderly - it isn't supposed to be a controlling body of any kind, and its authority will only extend as far as individual cases brought to it.





Obviously, decisions arrived at by this council would not affect non-member groups, but only those groups who are members and who hold a seat on the council. Also, since there is no intention to "force" any group to belong to or remain a member of this body, no group can be forced to abide by any decision it disagrees with. All member groups would be expected to vote on any decisions arrived at by the whole, thus each member group would have an equal say on any matter addressed by the council.





This body would not be there to act as a "Big Brother" scary VC police figure breathing down the necks of Joe and Jane Vamp as implied, but simply to address issues that go beyond the scope of one group, and which may affect the whole community - not simple little internal issues that each group can settle by itself. The idea is not to encroach on the independence of individuals or groups, rather to help groups co-operate in keeping the VC a safer place for all.





The conditions for SN and other corrective actions should be met, and evidence brought against transgressors should be open to review. We have to remember that this is simply a form of community exclusion and/or warning against known predators or abusers etc. We also don't want to open the community or member Groups to Mundane legal action. An accused should be treated fairly and justly according to a neutral set of guidelines, regardless of popularity, affiliation or status in the community.





As a House, if you know of a member who indulges in illegal practices such as feeding off underage donors, or engaging in sexual abuse of minors, or other serious crimes etc, are you going to turn a blind eye to that, or are you going to take action against them, either internally or by reporting their actions to the authorities?





In any event this is an internal process designed to compliment mundane laws. Many have held the view for some time that the VC is self-policing to a degree. If the VC is to be left alone by mundane authorities it has to comply with overall mundane laws - or it has to keep its non-compliance secret. Since secrets have a funny way of coming out into the open, and since many do not like the idea of breaking the kind of laws some members of the VC tend to ignore, this second option is unlikely. Therefore compliance is the better option, particularly for those of us who like to sleep peacefully.





If there are people within the VC who are up to things that make the rest of us look bad, then it should be up to the VC to expel them at the very least, and if possible go so far as to tip-off mundane law enforcement about these issues.





Allowing them free reign within the VC and to retain their positions within the VC is going to reflect very badly on us, isn't it? Especially when they strike again and it emerges "oh, Lord such-and-such of House so-and-so knew all about it, and did nothing". Then when mundane critics like Don Rimer paint the entire VC as a bunch of sicko-satanists and baby-eaters, people will have good reason to agree with him.





However, the less such people are associated with the VC when their wheels come off, the less likely it is the VC will make the headlines again, in a bad way - and the safer it will be to be in the VC.





Membership of the VJC is now open to the VC, If you are a Ronin or represent a Group in the VC and wish to join and participate, kindly message Octarine Valur at octarinevalur@gmail.com.





The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council Charter





Contents:





1. Definition of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

2. Aim of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

3. Scope of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

4. Authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

5. Pronouncements by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

6. Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

7. Membership requirements for Covens, Houses, Clans, Temples, Orders, Courts, Halos and other Groups

8. Membership requirements for Ronin

9. Membership application procedure for Groups

10. Membership application procedure for Ronin

11. Disqualifying grounds for membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

12. Code of conduct for member Groups, Ronin and the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council

13. Representation

14. Ratification





1. Definition of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is an ad hoc Mediation Council representing the views and interests of consenting member Groups in collaboration with each other and within the Greater Vampi(y)re Community; acting as the expression of the member Groups desire to safeguard and protect the Greater Vampi(y)re Community from dangers and radical elements perceived to be presented by individuals and Groups both within and without the Greater Vampi(y)re Community, which could result in harm to the integrity and public image of the Greater Vampi(y)re Community and its members.





2. Aim of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council





The aim of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is to act as a co-operative body, representative of the membership of the VJC. The member Groups themselves, through the expression of the VJC, will give the VJC credibility within the community - and to achieve and maintain the following aims within the broader Vampi(y)re Community:





2.1 The expression of the member Group's desire to keep the VC safe and

orderly for all who form part of the Vampi(y)re Community, including self-identified Vampi(y)res, Donors, Swans and Otherkin who form part of Vampi(y)re Groups.





2.2 The joint expression of the member Group's desire to protect the

image of the self-identified Vampi(y)re Community from defamation, misrepresentation by both vampiric and non-vampiric individuals both within and without the Vampi(y)re Community





2.3 To assist, on request, any member Groups which experience difficulties

with individuals in matters which may extend beyond the recognized boundaries of the autonomy and independence of each member Group, and which do or may grow to affect the broader Vampi(y)re Community negatively.





2.4 To co-operate on a Group level within the voluntary membership in order

to enforce matters of suspension, excommunication and Sin Nomine of individuals in the broader Vampi(y)re Community, effective within the sphere of influence of the member Groups of the VJC only.





2.5 To jointly help create and enforce the knowledge and impression both within and without the Vampi(y)re Community, that the community is self-policing and will not tolerate the advancement of dangerous and anti- social behavior which is deemed by the VJC to pose a threat to the integrity, dignity and well-being of the Vampi(y)re Community.





3. Scope of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





3.1 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not a controlling body of any kind, and

its authority only extends as far as individual cases brought before it by member Groups. Therefore it will only hold session with regard to matters for which it is approached in terms of mediation, arbitration or other internal Community issues in which it has been approached by a member Group in order to play a role.





3.2 As a non-governmental community body without any sanctioned authority

other than the sanction of its member Groups, which does not extend to life or property, the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council does not hold the authority to impose sentences of imprisonment, corporal punishment or death.





3.3 No individual Group or person is expected to nor to be pressured into

acting in a way that would be considered illegal within the context of Mundane laws effective in their area.





3.4 Therefore any and all decisions arrived at by the collective body of the VJC

are only to be considered binding and effective within Groups belonging to the VJC. Any group not wishing to adhere to pronouncements by the VJC is free to terminate their membership and leave the VJC.





3.5 Where the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council finds reason within the context of a

case brought to it by a member Group, to consider an individual a serious threat to the life or well-being of any person, an embarrassment to the broader Vampi(y)re Community, or that such an individual has committed serious crimes as described within the relevant VJC Policy documents - whether such an individual forms part of a member Group or not - the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is obligated to ensure that specific pertinent information finds its way to the relevant Mundane authorities.





3.6 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council operates from a set of independent

guidelines or laws which has been deemed acceptable to all member Groups, and which address only issues regarding the purpose for which the VJC was created; and which should be applicable and acceptable to any member Group.





3.7 Sentences of suspension, ex-communication or Sin Nomine given, or

matters decided by the VJC are only deemed to.





4. Authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





4.1 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not a legal or civil body recognized by

Mundane authorities, and as such is not expected to be recognized by any group or authority outside the voluntary membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council itself.





4.2 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not a controlling body of any kind, and

its authority only extends as far as individual cases brought before it by member Groups. Therefore it will only hold session with regard to matters for which it is approached in terms of mediation, arbitration or other internal Community issues in which it has been approached by a member Group in order to play some role.





4.3 Therefore any and all decisions, pronouncements or sentences handed

down within the context of the the VJC, are only binding within the voluntary membership and their spheres of influence - and within the context of Mundane laws in effect in their specific areas.





5 Pronouncements by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





5.1 Authority of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





5.1.1 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is authorised by its membership to

mediate, arbitrate and to decide and sit in judgment of certain issues and cased brough before it by members of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, be they Groups or individuals.





5.1.2 Because of the solemn nature of the issue of commitment to the well-

being of the Vampi(y)re Community, as well as the cherished values of personal liberty and freedom of expression, no pronouncement will be made lightly by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





5.1.3 Pronouncements of suspension are a shameful mark upon the record

of any Vampi(y)re within the Community, and are not to be made lightly, nor are pronouncements of Ex-communication or Sin Nomine.





5.1.4 Pronouncements of sentence will be made by the Vampi(y)re Judicial

Council via conventional methods, electronically on the internet as well as by word of mouth, and in the form of quarterly reports.





5.1.5 Activities of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will also be made public

on websites in order to maintain transparency to the Greater Vampi(y)re Community.





5.2 The Rights of the Accused:





5.2.1 The Accused, whether an individual or Group, or a member of the

Vampi(y)re Judicial Council or not, will be judged on charges brought before the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council regardless of whether or not they recognize the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





5.2.2 The Accused is to be presumed by law and procedure as innocent

until proven guilty.





5.2.3 The Accused, may seek counsel or representation within the

Vampi(y)re Judicial Council session from either their own Group, or another, or if the Accused is a Ronin member of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, they may seek representation from the Ronin Council.





5.2.4 If the Groups approached by the Accused for counsel or

representation are unwilling to provide counsel or to represent the Accused, a specific Group or otherwise an individual will be appointed to represent them.





5.2.5 The Accused is entitled to represent themselves.





5.2.6 The Accused is entitled to choose either to contest or not contest the

charges brought against them.





5.2.7 The Accused is entitled to choose to confess their guilt if they so

choose, and to ask for leniency.





5.2.8 A case and Pronouncement may proceed in absentia of the Accused.





5.2.9 The Accused, if convicted, is entitled to apply for leave to appeal the

pronouncement, pending enough evidence being available to justify such an appeal.





5.2.10 The Accused has the right to be judged by a jury of their peers –

hence the Council consists of fellow members of the Vampi(y)re Community, each with a vote to decide their guilt or innocence on any matter.



5.3 Mechanics of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council Court:





5.3.1 The Judge and Jury:





The Judge and Jury of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council are one and the

same - the member Groups on the Council each have one vote to decide either guilt or innocence. Votes will be called for when both parties for prosecution and defense have rested their cases and all evidence has been considered and deliberated on. This system ensures that the Accused is not judged by any one individual judge who holds sway in the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, but that all the Groups acting together act as one Judge. Those acting as representative of a Group while in session of Court and who will cast a vote after deliberation will bear the title of Magister in the context of the Court.





5.3.2 Prosecution:





The Group which brings a charge against another Group or individual is to mount the prosecution of the case by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council. Those mounting Prosecution must vote their conscience at the time of the vote - this will not be impaired by their role as Prosecution.





5.3.3 Defense:



The Group of which the Accused is a member, or if the Accused is a

Ronin member of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, the Ronin Council may counsel or represent the Accused in Court. If the Groups approached by the Accused for counsel or representation are unwilling to provide counsel or to represent the Accused, a specific Group or otherwise an individual will be appointed to represent them. Those mounting Defense must vote their conscience at the time of the vote - this will not be impaired by their role as Defense.





5.4 Types of pronouncements by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





5.4.1 Suspensions





This is a temporary measure. Where an individual has been suspended, for whatever reason, and for whatever period, they may be suspended from acting in whatever posts they hold in any and all VC Groups within the collective of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council. Once the period of suspension is over, they may be restored to their offices.





In the case of a Group, suspension may also be imposed from

participation in various Community activities, interactions or if the Group holds any office in another body which is within the sphere of influence of the membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, its membership may be suspended.





5.4.2 Ex-communications (Persona Non Grata/PNG)





This is a permanent measure. Where an individual (or Group) has been ex-communicated, their name and achievements remain acknowledged, however they are no longer welcome at any Community events or considered a part of the Community, and especially so by Groups which are members of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





5.4.3 Sin Nomine (Without Name)





This is a permanent measure. In ancient cultures, where an individual

(or Group) was declared Sin Nomine, their names and achievements went unacknowledged, their names were removed from public records, all mention of them was prohibited and they were considered dead an no longer considered a part of the Community. In modern times this has been considered impractical and the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council cannot dictate to its individual member Groups the degree to which they enforce pronouncements of Sin Nomine against the entities in question. However the basic provisions of Sin Nomine are expected to be enforced by member Groups.





5.5 Enforcement of Vampi(y)re Judicial Council Pronouncements:



5.5.1 Because it would take a collective effort from the Vampi(y)re

Community in general to enforce such pronouncements on any individual or Group, this should be something to be feared, avoided if possible, and used sparingly - reserved for individuals and/or groups which behave in a reckless manner and which pose a genuine danger to the Community, its integrity - possibly in the way they portray the VC to the world, embarrassing Vampi(y)res or enforcing a negative image of the VC by their behavior, such as those who also break Mundane laws - including pedophiles, rapists, abusers and in particular those who abuse their Donors.





5.5.2 By accepting membership on the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, all

member Groups indicate that they each have one vote in each case presented to the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council - and agree to abide by its findings and to support and to enforce pronouncements made by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council - on the understanding that if a group wishes to terminate its membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council then it is free to do so.





5.5.3 Pronouncements of guilt or innocence will be disseminated by the

Vampi(y)re Judicial Council via the conventional channels as far as possible.





5.6 Appeals of prior cases:





5.6.1 New information regarding a case over which the Vampi(y)re Judicial

Council presided may come to light, and depending upon circumstances, appeals to reverse verdicts of ex-communication or Sin Nomine may be heard. Such appeals must be lodged by the Group or individual previously Accused and convicted.





5.6.2 A member Group which seeks to open a review of past cases of the

Vampi(y)re Judicial Council may present a motion to the Vampi(Y)re Judicial Council if it believes it has sufficient and compelling evidence to warrant such an appeal.





5.6.3 All motions for an appeal case to be opened in any case previously

presided over by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will be voted on by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





5.6.4 All appeal cases will be handled in the same manner as any other

ordinary case presided over by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





5.6.5 No time-limit or expiry date will prevent the lodging of an application

for leave to appeal.





6. Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





6.1 Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is open to any formal

Groups, including Covens, Houses, Temples, Orders or Halos within the Greater Vampi(y)re Community - regardless of geographic location, culture, or language.





6.2 Vampi(y)re Community Groups within the Greater Vampi(y)re Community

are encouraged to join and participate in the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, with the aim of benefiting the VC, and to make the Greater Vampi(y)re Community a safer place for all.





6.3 The point of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is not to force any one Group's

views on any other group. Membership is entirely on a voluntary basis, and so all member Groups must indicate that they are satisfied with the "terms and conditions" i.e. the Charter by which the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will operate.





6.4 No one Group which is a member of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council holds

a rank or position above any other member Group, and each Group holds only one vote within the context of any action in which a vote may be called, and no single vote holds more value than another.





6.5 All member Groups are equal within the collective of the Vampi(y)re

Judicial Council, without exception.





6.6 No one member Group may speak for the collective Vampi(y)re Judicial

Council without the express prior consensus of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council in writing to do so.





6.7 Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council in no way obligates a

member Group to open its internal processes to the introspection of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council or any other member group, nor to change its internal processes, policies or structure, nor to give up information held as sacred or irrelevant to proceedings of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, nor its independence, decision making capability or identity as a recognized community Group.





6.8 Membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, as accepted by the

member Group with that membership, obligates the member Group to show solidarity with and support for decisions made jointly by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council in all matters in which member Groups deem the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to be in authority.





7. Membership requirements for Covens, Houses, Clans, Temples, Orders,

Courts, Halos and other Groups:





7.1 All VC groups that are well organized should have the opportunity to join

the VJC as an equal member with one vote per action taken by the VJC, providing that they meet the following set membership requirements:





7.1.1 The Group must be established and have existed and functioned in

the real world (not only with an online presence) for no less than one year (365 nights).





7.1.2 The Group must have no less than at least 3 listed members. If

membership drops below this number at any time, the Group will be suspended from active participation until the Group membership again equals 3.





7.1.3 The Group must make at least one member available to represent its

vote and/or views on any particular matter on which the VJC is approached. This does not have to be the leader of the Group, but can be a duly appointed member of the Group internally recognized as its representative to the VJC.





7.1.4 The Group must not be currently involved in any activities which can

be described as devisive, intended to embarrass or which can be shown to be detrimental to the global VC.





7.1.5 The Group must sign its approval of and adhere to the VJC Charter

and Code of Conduct.





7.1.6 Because all activities of the VJC will be conducted online via

designated email, chat or forum facilities, member Groups must make themselves available in the agreed upon medium. Inability to do so will render the Group unable to participate in VJC functions.





7.1.7 Groups which have previously left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council may

only reapply for membership after a period of one year (365 nights) from the time they left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, unless the Group itself or the leader of that Group has been declared an excommunicant or Sin Nomine by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council and any judgment from the VJC against that individual remains in effect.





7.1.8 Groups which indulge in role-playing or do not consist of real or self-

identified Vampi(y)res are not eligible to join the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





7.2 By meeting the set membership requirements member Groups can

demonstrate that they are well established, active in the global VC, and seriously committed to the welfare of the VC.





8. Membership requirements for Ronin:





8.1 Since Ronin are known as Ronin because they do not belong to a

recognized Vampi(y)re Community Group, for various reasons - be it out of a desire to not form a part of a Group, or due to a lack of a Group in their area, regardless of the reason for Ronin being Ronin, they form a vital part of the extended and Global Vampi(y)re Community and this portion of the Charter serves as recognition of their importance to the Community.





8.2 Because this Groupless nature of the Ronin results in difficulty whenever it

comes to Ronin participation in any form of Group activity, it is necessary to formalize the inclusion of Ronin in the VJC in the form of a Council which will participate in the VJC for all intents and purposes as a Group.





8.3 All self-identified Vampi(y)res should have the opportunity to join the VJC

as an equal member of the Ronin Council.





8.4 The Ronin Council must adhere to the following requirements in order to

participate in the VJC:





8.4.1 The individual must be known in VC circles, whether on or offline for

no less than one year (365 nights).





8.4.2 The Ronin Council Group must have no less than at least 3 listed

members. If membership drops below this number at any time, the Group will be suspended from active participation until the Group membership again equals 3.





8.4.3 The Ronin Council must make at least one member available to

represent its vote and/or views on any particular matter on which the VJC is approached. This does not have to be the leader of the Group, but can be am elected or duly appointed member of the Group internally recognized as its representative to the VJC.





8.4.4 Individual Ronin who form the membership of the Ronin Council must

not be currently involved in any activities which can be described as devisive of the Community, intended to embarrass or which can be shown to be detrimental to the global VC.





8.4.5 Each individual Ronin member of the Ronin Council and the Group

itself, represented by its designated representative must sign its approval of and adhere to the VJC Charter and Code of Conduct.





8.4.6 Because all activities of the VJC will be conducted online via

designated email, chat or forum facilities, representatives of the Ronin Council must make themselves available in the agreed upon medium. Inability to do so will render the Group unable to participate in VJC functions.





8.4.7 Individual Ronin who have previously left the Vampi(y)re Judicial

Council/Ronin Council may only reapply for membership after a period of one year (365 nights) from the time they left the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, unless the individual has been declared an excommunicant or Sin Nomine by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council and any judgment from the VJC against that individual remains in effect.





8.4.8 Individuals who indulge in role-playing or do not identify as real or self-

identified Vampi(y)res are not eligible to join Ronin Council or the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





8.4.9 Membership of the Ronin Council does not indicate that the individual

is part of any actual Community Group, with the exception that members by their membership solely indicate a desire to keep the global Vampi(y)re Community safe for all those who move in our circles, and a desire to have a voice in Community affairs and that the Ronin Council exists solely as a means to exercise that voice within the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





8.4.10 Membership of the Ronin Council is in no way to be considered

mandatory and if any idividual objects to any pronouncement of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, they are free to terminate their membership of the Ronin Council.





9. Membership application procedure for Groups:





9.1 Membership of any Group in the VJC is entirely voluntary, and Groups

may apply to the VJC for membership and be admitted, provided they meet the set requirements.





9.2 Groups within the Greater Vampi(y)re Community may formally apply for

membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council via any conventional means via email to any one or more member Group(s) of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





9.3 Member Groups who receive correspondence in the form of applications

from outside Groups wishing to join and participate in the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council may present these Groups for consideration by corresponding with other member Groups on the matter, and/or nominating them at a session of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





9.4 Groups which apply for membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council will

be admitted as members on the basis of a majority vote cast by existing member Groups.





9.5 No applicant may consider themselves a member Group of the Vampi(y)re

Judicial Council without first receiving a writ from the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to confirm their admission.





10. Membership application procedure for Ronin:





10.1 Membership of any Group in the VJC is entirely voluntary, and therefore

such will be the membership of the Ronin Council. Ronin may apply to the Representative of the Ronin Council for membership and be admitted, provided they meet the set requirements.





10.2 Ronin may formally apply for membership of the Ronin Council via any

conventional means via email to the designated Representative of the Ronin Council.





10.3 No applicant may consider themselves a member of the Ronin Council

without first receiving a writ from the Ronin Council Representative to confirm their admission.





11. Disqualifying grounds for membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





Member Groups may be disqualified from the VJC or have their membership terminated in the following instances:





11.1 Membership of the VJC is entirely voluntary, and should any listed

member Group wish to leave the VJC, it is wholly free to do so.





11.2 Should a member Group formally object to the validity of VJC Charter or

Code of Conduct, or refuse to sign its approval of, or fail to adhere to or to recognize either document, these actions will automatically terminate the Group's membership of the VJC.





11.3 Should a member Group be shown to be involved in any activities which

can be described as devisive, intended to embarrass or which can be shown to be detrimental to the global VC.





11.4 Should a member Group violate articles of the VJC Charter or Code of

Conduct or refuse to concur with sentences arrived at by due procedure of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council when in session.





11.5 Should a member Group violate or ignore a pronouncement by the

Vampi(y)re Judicial Council against any entity in cases of suspension, excommunication, and Sin Nomine.





12. Code of conduct for member Groups and the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council:





12.1 Diverse Community Laws and Guidelines:





12.1.1 Various law sets and community guidelines have already been

drafted and applied by various Groups in the past, and although none of these law sets are rigidly enforced within the Vampi(y)re Community, and some may feel that such laws and guidelines may be "unnecessary", many of these will also agree that on some basic level there is a necessity to keep a basic set of "common sense" values intended to guide Community members and to keep them safe from harm.





12.1.2 It is not the place of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council to create and

impose laws on the Global Vampi(y)re Community, but it exists for the purpose of protecting the Community from internal issues by maintaining the integrity of the Community through the application of pre-existing principles condensed from already established community guidelines which are agreed upon to be sound and accepted by the broader Vampi(y)re Community in general.





12.2 Articles of Community:



12.2.1 The base recognition of all Vampi(y)res in the Global Vampi(y)re

Community as equal and of equal worth to the Community, as well as;





12.2.2 The recognition that regardless of our differences in terms of how

individual Vampi(y)res self-identify as Vampi(y)res,





12.2.3 The principle that no single member of the Community is to be

considered less than another, nor to be considered of less significance to the Community whether or not we belong to a Group is considered binding to the membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





12.2.4 The principles represented in the Vampi(y)re Declaration of

Community (2010) and in the Donor Bill of Rights are held to be as central to the ethos of the Vampi(y)re Community, interaction between its members, as well as function and scope of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council.





12.2 Diverse beliefs:





12.2.1 The Vampi(y)re Community is replete with diverse beliefs about

spirituality, religion, scientific and medical thought and about what causes our vampiric nature and about what being a Vampi(y)re means and how Vampi(y)res should behave.





12.2.2 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is a body created in order to settle

Community disputes and as such resolves to remain impartial in all matters regarding such personal and commonly held beliefs, and to not sit in judgment of such beliefs or those who hold them, for their beliefs.





12.2.3 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council resolves to sit not in judgment of

beliefs, but of actions which are perceived to endanger the broader Vampi(y)re Community in some way.





12.3 Declaration:





I, as an individual - being either a Ronin member of the Ronin Council, or a Representative or Member of a Group (Coven, House, Order, Temple, Halo) which has accepted membership of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council - hereby indicate most seriously my personal commitment to adhere to and uphold the Code of Conduct and do hereby undertake to adhere to these guidelines as set out below:





12.3.1 I understand that all communities the world over have a need for

some basic laws, rules and guidelines in order for the community to function, and that ours is no exception, being global and diverse and existing in diverse environments and social climates. I understand that there are various different views on community laws and that several different versions have been developed in the past and that there are diverse views regarding the value of these to the Community.





12.3.2 I undertake to respect these various guidelines, and the views of

other members of the Community, but understand that these law systems are intrinsic to individual groups and while they do not have any authority over the entire community, or specifically over myself or my Group, nor may some of them be considered practical in our current circumstances - some principles and guidelines commonly held between them still remain sound and will be held by the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council as true and valid in conjunction with its consenting Members and member Groups. I personally undertake to not indulge in any behavior which might threaten the Community as a whole, such as:



12.3.2.1 by any actions considered unwise, deliberate or reckless,

attracting negative media exposure, the interest of Mundane authorities and law enforcement or hostile religious groups to either the Community, or to myself on the grounds of my vampirism and vampiric nature.



12.3.2.2 in any way infringing on the civil or human rights of

individual members of the Community, the violation of Mundane laws to the detriment of a fellow member of the Community, or to the Community itself.





12.3.3 I undertake to uphold the principles in the Vampi(y)re Declaration of

Community and should I perceive a violation of these principles, I resolve to take the appropriate actions as suggested by custom or established guidelines as will best serve the interests of the Vampi(y)re Community.





12.3.4 I undertake to uphold the principles in the Donor Bill of Rights and

should I perceive a violation of these principles, I resolve to take the appropriate actions as suggested by either Mundane law, or Vampi(y)re Community custom or guidelines as will best serve the interests of the Vampi(y)re Community.





12.3.5 I undertake to respect the privacy of other members of the

Community, and to respect the choices others make to separate their Dayside and Nightside identities, and recognize that to willingly expose a member of the Community against their will to public scrutiny goes against the principles of this Community as well as common decency and endangers the individual and the fabric of the Community itself.





12.3.6 I undertake to respect all Vampi(y)res and their diversity of belief,

opinion, gender, culture, language, sexual orientation, race and any other measures of diversity equally on the understanding that though we may differ in some respects, we are all Vampi(y)res.





12.3.7 As a Member of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council, I recognize that

the best way to ensure that the Vampi(y)re Community is a safer, better place for all, is to make it my personal responsibility to ensure that my own actions are above reproach and to be the best example I can be, and to lead by that example.





13. Representation:





13.1 As the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is intended to be a council of equals

across the board, the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council has no hierarchy. All member groups are equal in terms of vote and membership, each to be represented by either the leader of the Group, or by a representative, duly appointed by internal means.





13.2 The Vampi(y)re Judicial Council may, if its member Groups deem it

necessary, to appoint/elect a representative to act as spokesperson and co-ordinator for the activities of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council. The duration of such appointments may not exceed a period of one year (365 nights) per term, with no consecutive terms permitted.





13.3 No one member Group may speak on behalf of the Vampi(y)re Judicial

Council, except for the duly appointed spokesperson of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council for the duration of their one year appointment.





14. Ratification:





Acceptance of this Charter of the Vampi(y)re Judicial Council is indicated by the addition of the Group name as well as the name of the Group leader to the VJC Member list.





Likewise, membership of the Ronin Council by individual Ronin indicates acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Code of Conduct as well as this Charter.

For my Drak Childe who took the wrong path.
13:52 May 04 2011
Times Read: 704

May Moon Campout
19:13 May 01 2011
Times Read: 724