Brood

"A vampire brood usually consisted of three or more members, who gather together for hunting, rituals, or celebrations. And while natural-born vampires tend to live in isolation and detests outsiders or socialization, broods seemed to be something formed of mostly turned-vampires, perhaps a natural instinct of their lost humanity for a sense of community perhaps?"

- Carl Black.

A Brood, or Vampire Brood to be specific, is a group that consists of at least three or more vampires.

Overview
A brood is comprised of a group of Vampires who gather together for ceremonies, rituals, and/or celebrations. The number of members of a brood may vary. Broods are not that common as most vampires prefer to travel alone or in pairs, but a few exist stably over long periods of time, even rising to prominence in the vampire world. A Brood is controlled by either a Count, Countess, or even both, similarly to a Coven.

As most vampires drink human blood, they are more wild and blood thirsty than "vegetarians" and therefore do not usually get along with each other very well. In large broods, members can easily turn on each other for domination of blood and the clan could be split apart by the feuding members. This is mostly common in the southern parts of North America, where groups are formed to battle other broods for territorial means.

There is the occasional mention of "houses" but it remains unclear if a house is synonymous with a Brood or if a Brood can consist of several houses, much like a royal court. What is clear is that the elders sit at the heart of the Brood, their commands either enforced or tempered by the Council, while the Paladins stand guard and wait to do their bidding. The regent enjoys considerable status but the extent of his political power remains unclear. Since more than one Brood exists, it is possible that the position of regents was conceived to rule the clans while in turn being ruled by the Council.

Description
A brood can be simply vampires that live together and try to do so in relative peace. Some broods are friendlier than others and are like family to one another. Most broods have members that tend to keep to themselves and really just view the brood as a place to live. Other members focus more on their lives as warriors, training to become hunters and killers, specifically of Supernatural Hunters and Werebeasts. All broods have their own rules and laws to abide by. Since broods are called "Sectors", implying the broods are divided into different Sectors based on the four cardinal points in their home countries.

A brood of vampires is similar to a werewolf pack, and mostly act as gang of sorts. Broods can have a large number of vampires on a similar scale to a coven, but given that Broods are not tied to a specific vampire bloodline they are separate from the more well-known coven. A brood can also just be simply vampires that live together and try to do so in relative peace. Some are friendlier than others and are like family to one another. Most have members that tend to keep to themselves and really just view the brood as a place to live. Other members focus more on their lives as warriors, training to become hunters and killers.

Various branches and splinter cells of the major vampire broods exist, often as a result of some internal schism between members of the group. A powerful vampire may also choose to start their own brood, though new broods tend to be targeted by larger groups, as they are seen as competition within the vampire world. Broods have become less common in the modern age, with many of the great broods of antiquity having died out or been disbanded. Even so, a handful of powerful vampire broods persist to the present day, lurking in the shadows just out of reach of mankind.

Hierarchy
As in any group or society, the Vampire Broods also has its own hierarchy, which helps define and shape the Vampire society as a civilized community, differing themselves from their inferiors and their "primitive" packs. Any Vampire can potentially rise through the ranks if they achieved enough respect and deeds within the Vampire society. There are several ranks within certain positions in a Brood.

Vampire Elders
The Vampire Elders, also known as Grand Elders and Great Elders, hold the highest power in any Brood and all Vampires must answer to them, the only exception being maybe another Elder. They are viewed as the Kings/Queens of the Vampire society. They are the ones that ultimately choose and decide how the Vampire community must act and behave, they also are the ones that elect their trusted advisers and Regents. They can also sentence members to death in the case of treason. They all have the power to create and found new Broods. Even in their absence, their will is respected and carried out. The children and direct descendants of the Grand Elders are raised to eventually become Elders themselves due to their royal heritage.

Vampire Council
The Council are the ones that advise and help guide the Vampire Elders through decisions that can affect the Vampire Community as a whole, giving different perspectives and opinions for the Elders to consider, when choosing the future of their reign. When there are no Elders, Regents, or Brood leaders present, the Council rules the Broods as a group instead. They are also viewed with great respect among the Broods, considered the nobility of the Vampire society and having more privileges than the lower classes. They usually follow the Elders when they travel to different Broods unless the Elder demands to go alone. They are the only ones that have the power to elect new Elders if all the previous Elders are dead.

Regents/Brood Leaders
The Regents are the ones chosen by the Elders to represent them in the Broods and be in charge of all their affairs and estate during their absence in the Broods. The Brood Leaders rule their Broods in place of a Regent, the Elders, and the Council. They also belong to the nobility of the Vampire society but seem to be "less mobile" than the Council, as they usually stay in their houses, is only viewed as the leaders when they are at their respective Broods. All Vampires that ranks below them, obey and serve them without question and their orders are only overruled by the Elders. If a Regent dies, another is chosen to succeed them, either by an Elder or the Council and, if neither is present or unable to do it, the Brood itself can choose one to lead them, due to a popular vote. Regents can be chosen by the Elders for their past achievements as warriors and/or for their leadership skills, as they already have natural respect among the members of their respective Broods. Some are also friends or related to the Elders themselves.

Heads of House
The Heads of House presumably are the ones responsible for the well-being of the Brood stronghold and its members, making sure everyone is doing their job. They rule their Brood's stronghold when there are no Elders, Regents, Brood Leaders, or Council members present. Not much is known about the full extent of their duties and responsibilities. A Head of House can also be a Council member in which they have more power than the other Council members as long they are in the Brood ruled by said Head of House.

High-Ranking members
The High-Ranking members are the ones that are considered the Upper-Class of the Broods. Some are closely related to the higher ranks as descendants, siblings, or spouses of them. Others are fairly older Vampires, with several centuries of servitude to their Broods and/or have achieved a great level of respect and influence among their kind. Certain members of this class have more diplomatic tasks or errands like the Dignitaries and Envoys, who travel to other Broods, and arrive prior to the Elders and the Council members to make sure everything is to their liking and prepares the Brood for their arrival. All of them are wealthy, having direct ties with companies like Ziodex Industries, which supplies more income to their Broods. There is also the socialites who prefer to spend a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings. High-borns, children and descendants of the Elders, are also considered High-ranking members.

Vampire Aristocrats
The aristocrats are the ones deemed to convey an approximate rank intermediate between the highest and lowest titles of the Brood's hierarchy. They can be also related to higher ranks, but don't contribute as much to the Broods as the High-ranking members do. They are usually Vampires that were once nobles like Ladies, Lords, Counts, Countesses, and any other rank of nobility when they were humans. When they join a Brood, they maintain their noble status, as they likely chose to become immortals, which allows them to live in power and wealth for eternity.

Death Dealers
The Death Dealers are the military forces of the Vampire society and the closest to a law enforcement group within a Brood. Any lower or higher ranking Vampire can become a Death Dealer if they so desire to become one. The Death Dealers are the warriors trained specifically to become hunters of those who prove harmful towards the brood but can be also tasked to defend a Brood during an attack. Some of them can be chosen by a Regent or Elder to be their personal bodyguards and to deal with their individual matters outside the Brood's strongholds, similar to an Elite Guard. The Death Dealers seem to have more privileges than the lower-ranked vampires, as they are able to leave their houses as they please and spend several days outside of it. They must also have their own military ranks, as they have at least one Vampire that leads their troops and gives them orders during combat, as well also have recruits that are considered lower ranks and are still in the training process to become Death Dealers.

Ordinary Vampires
These are the lowest ranks of Vampires, and the most common members of the Broods. Most Vampires that become part of a Brood begins at this rank, having fewer privileges than other superior ranks. These Vampires have more mundane jobs, usually serving as maids, servants, attendants, drivers, ladies-in-waiting, and doormen, being tasked with domestic work. Some also serve as doctors, blacksmiths, and engineers, helping to improve the Brood's stability. Attendants serve the High-ranking members of their Brood. Among these are also the Brood Historians which are the ones responsible for recording Vampire history and the history of the Brood and are one of the few lower ranks that have access to the Elders and the Council. The notaries are the ones that record what happens during Council meetings and presumably important events.

Unlike the modern human society which is based mediocracy and personal wealth, Vampires adopt a more feudal and medieval approach to social class. In detail, Vampires don't rise in social status until they at least reach a full mortal lifespan in age or they can shortcut to the upper echelons of Vampire society if they gained a reputation as a war hero or if they become romantically involved with higher ranks. Despite their lower status, they still live in a relative luxury, usually being present at parties and ceremonies. They don't seem to leave their houses and prefer the safety of its walls. Most are socially engaged and seem to know every gossip within their Brood. When an ordinary pure-born Vampire is born, they are usually viewed with more respect and are already considered of a higher rank despite their younger age compared to some other ordinary Vampires. Ordinary vampires are also known as low-borns.

Notable Broods

 * Scarlet Brood - A vampire cult dedicated to finding and using the necessary items to ressurrect Absalom, the God of Vampires.
 * Old World Brood
 * New World Brood
 * Paris Brood
 * Thomas' Brood
 * Eastern Brood
 * Western Brood
 * Budapest Brood
 * Volhynia Brood
 * Nordgau Brood
 * Thuringia Brood
 * Nordic Brood

Trivia

 * Broods are said to be the beginning of a noble vampire house.
 * All Broods have their own rules and laws to abide by.
 * The nine broods of the area known as Iliac Bay make alliances and enemies among themselves, and each have special abilities linked to the particular bloodline.
 * There is a brood that honors and worships the Greek Primordial Goddess of the night, Nyx.
 * It is currently unknown if there is a brood that worships Nox, Nyx's roman counterpart.
 * There is another brood that worships the Greek Goddess of Magic, Hecate.
 * It is unknown whether the Old World Brood is the same as the Budapest Brood.
 * It is unknown if Thomas' Brood is the same as the Western Brood.

Image Sources

 * (Vampire Brood.jpg) Vampire Coven from The Twilight Saga: New Moon
 * (Vampire5thAnkh.png) Generic Symbol from Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
 * (Another Brood Symbol.jpg) Symbol from Legacy of Kain
 * (Vampire Suckers.jpg) Suckers by Cristi-B
 * (Underworld - Blood Wars (2016).mp4 snapshot 00.20.41 -2017.03.13 15.29.55-.jpg) A soiree at the Eastern Brood from Underworld: Blood Wars