WhiteWolf Uses Violence In Chechnya as an Islamic Vampire Sub-Plot

Despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting gay people in Chechnya, WhiteWolf saw fit to use their suffering as a sub-plot in their latest table-top RPG supplement.

Tabletop RPG Vampire the Masquerade (5th ed.) has recently released The Camarilla - a sourcebook (supplement) which introduces new lore into the setting. The book contains a rather alarming section regarding the persecution of queer people in Chechnya, which is still going on today.

The book describes Chechnya as being dominated by Islamic fundamentalist vampires called the "Abrek", who has taken over Chechnya and turned it into "undead refuge and homeland for Kindred". Setting aside the gross implications of that, WhiteWolf makes it worse by turning the imprisonment of queer people in literal death camps into what is described as a "clever media manipulation".

The recurring international controversy over the persecution of homosexuals is a clever media manipulation designed to keep the focus on Sharia law, away from the true inner workings of the republic. While homosexuals are indeed held in detention facilities for days, and humiliated, starved, tortured, and eventually fed upon and killed, this is not the point. The point is to distract from the truth of what Chechnya has become. That said, even among the Kindred any kind of “homosexual behavior” is punished harshly.
The Camarilla

The only word to describe this is vile. Using real life tragedy affecting gay people that is still on-going today as a subplot for an islamophobic vampire back-story. WhiteWolf has fallen from grace since it was bought by CCP Games in 2006 - CCP axed the staff from WhiteWolf, then sold the WhiteWolf and Work of Darkness IP on to Paradox in 2015.

Vampire: The Masquerade

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines was a video game based in the universe of the World of Darkness, released in 2004. It has gained cult-like status since then for being an example of how RPG should be. There has not been a game since which captures the same feel and atmosphere of the game. It's a shame that this timeless classic of video gaming history is now associated with this.

Jack Dixon is a gamer, cinephile, and more than likely he's the guy who's ignoring you on Grindr. Tweet him @Jackaphobia. Support his writing on Patreon!