Sabbat Incursion
In 1957, the Sabbat of San Diego thought that the time had come to pluck out the gem of Los Angeles from the Camarilla Crown. Whether it was a matter of fate, of tactics, or whether the Sabbat made a severe miscalculation of the power the elders of Los Angeles were able to bring to bear, the incursion was defeated soundly, with minimal losses to the defending vampires.
Vampires who were in the city those evenings remember, though, the danger in the streets, groups of Sabbat vampires striking at havens and Elysia. But ultimately, the Sabbat were defeated by intelligence: The Camarilla seemed to know where they would strike and when, and at least three large groups of Sabbat walked into ambushes. The names of several vampires gained in stature in these nights: Emory Masterson of Clan Nosferatu, his childe Dominiani, Emerson of Clan Malkavian (who would later become Prince of Los Angeles), and Elaine Pruitt of clan Ventrue were at the fore of the defense.
The most significant events of 1957 were the ambush at the estate of the Toreador Elder Harrison Mayfair's, and the battle at MGM Studios. In both cases, the Sabbat were lured in through false intelligence. Prince Rodrigo himself, together with Mayfair and Diego Montera, wiped out the attackers in the first ambush, high above the city in the Hollywood Hills. It is rumored that there were prisoners taken.
The battle at MGM was less one-sided, and involved nearly thirty-five vampires and ghouls raining machine gun and pistol fire on each other. In the center of it were the Nosferatu of Los Angeles, led by Emory Masterson. This battle earned the clan a boon from the Prince - a boon that was soon to be extinguished, along with Prince Rodrigo's rule.
One of the most striking features of the Sabbat incursion dealt not with what happened, but what did not. The Ventrue had no real active role in the defense of Los Angeles. Acton Chardress, thought to be the most powerful Ventrue Elder in the region at that time, provided a few teams of ghoul, but nothing more. Many, even to this day, suspect that Acton had some connection with the Sabbat. Perhaps it is only vicious rumor, but developments decades after do little to dispel them.
No such rumors surround the Ventrue Elder Elaine Pruitt and her progeny, General Kress. While not active in defending the city from the initial assaults, General Kress organized and coordinated resources provided by Elaine and her subordinates in counter-attacks that solidified the defeat of the Sabbat, coordination that continues to this day. However, these efforts have not protected Elaine and General Kress from vicious rumors, too. Arguments continue to this night over whether these Ventrue were cowards or were wise to hold their forces "in reserve" until the final push.
Torrance Inquisition
The rumors have only intensified since Year-6 when the Ventrue Prince of Torrance, Andrew, was destroyed by Elaine, Ventrue Prince of Long Beach at that time, for alleged complicity with the Sabbat. It was followed up by an inquisition performed by the newly appointed Prince of Torrance; Pyotr Ivanovich Lobachevsky of Clan Tremere. Seneschal Angelica was identified as a Sabbat spy, as was one of the late Princes Sheriff's; Maria-Helena.
Some slander that Elaine destroyed Andrew so that he could not rat out his Ventrue Elders for their own complicity with the Sabbat. Even so, most all concede that there have been no consequential successes by the Sabbat against Los Angeles since General Kress took responsibility for monitoring and intercepting Sabbat activity after 1957.
The Fall of San Diego
In 2018 news arrived on a final victory over the Sabbat in San Diego. The former Sabbat city had joined the ranks of the Camarilla once more. Many were extremely skeptic about this development however, for the way in which it was achieved suggested dealings were made. The former Sabbat Bishop of San Diego claimed to have been a Camarilla Undercover agent all along, and while Justicar Jeremiah Miller, General Kress and their underlings used his insider information to destroy any Sabbat that would not convert, this Ventrue Elder was elevated to the position of San Diego Prince. In addition, the late Acton's heavy involvement in this victory and the fact that this development coincided with the with the Ventrue's attempts to encircle Los Angeles, caused many raised eyebrows. Indeed, when Emerson returned from an extended leave of absence the Ancient named it outright collaboration and betrayal - an accusation not taken well -at all- by the upper Echelons of the Californian Camarilla.
