Editing The Stars Are Right: The Irish Rose: Nightsider Treaty

==Overview==
This document describes a treaty to be drawn up between certain specific members of the community of natural humans and their allies, referred to collectively in this document as "daysiders" or "the Family", and certain specific members of the community of natural vampires, referred to collectively herein as "nightsiders" or "the People".

The purpose of this document is fourfold. It outlines the reasons for the proposed alliance; it presents a possible structure for the resultant organization; it lists the conditions under which such an alliance may become practical; and it discusses some of the benefits that members of the alliance may expect to gain from the association. 

The primary assumption made throughout this document is that all members and groups signatory to the treaty are to be considered equals. This equality must be one of deed as well as word; that is to say, all responsibilities must be shared equally amongst the various groups if the alliance is to prosper.

To this end, throughout this document, most of the references to specific groups, such as "daysiders", "the People", et cetera, have been removed. It is assumed that wherever the term "group" or "person" appears, any person or group will be equivalent from the standpoint of the treaty and the alliance. The exceptions to this rule are places where a specific point is made, or where the physical necessities of the different groups have an impact of the subject in question.

==Introduction==
Daysiders and nightsiders are not natural allies. Such alliance does not naturally arise when one group is the sole and necessary prey of the other. Nightsiders must feed off of daysiders to survive; yet this feeding sometimes results in the deaths of daysiders, or in the victim's subsequent acquisition of the Condition of vampirism.

Also, the differences in the life styles and perceptions of the two peoples, their instincts, drives, customs, and folklore, serve normally to drive the two groups apart, so that the usual meeting place of the two societies is over the edges of weapons.

Many nightsiders have come to consider daysiders as cattle, as their natural inferiors, or as the just target of their sport. Many daysiders have come to consider the nightsiders as devils, as soulless bestial ravagers of the good and the beautiful, or as unclean and evil abominations to be swept off of the earth with a cleansing flame.

Both views are wrong.

It is understood by the signers of this document that the two peoples will never have interests entirely in common. Nevertheless, a threat exists that both communities must face in order to survive; and this treaty is proposed because a common effort against the threat has a greater chance of ensuring the survival of both groups than two such efforts directed separately.

===Reason for the Alliance===

Our Earth, and all life upon it, are in danger of imminent destruction.

For centuries, ancient Beings of great power known variously as the Elder Gods, the Great Old Ones, or simply Those Outside have sought, for unknown reasons, to enter into our world and rule it with chaos and destruction. The thoughts and motives of these Beings are unknown to us, and probably unknowable; attempts to understand or communicate directly with the things have invariably resulted in madness or violence; but it is clear that they are malevolent. Should these Beings break through into the world in large numbers, one likely result would be the eradication of life as we know it on this planet.

This means that both daysiders and nightsiders face extinction.

Although happily these Beings are seldom able to touch the world directly, they are worshiped and aided by groups of people who seek to achieve the goals of their masters by proxy. These people will be referred to collectively in this document as "the Dark". The Dark is not a single organization, but a wide variety of individuals, cults, and groups, working alone or together to common ends. Not all of the Dark are human. Not all of the human Dark are daysiders.

Opposing the Dark are a similar assortment of individuals and groups, known here collectively as "the Light". We, the signers of this document, consider ourselves to be members of this faction.

The Light seek to stop the Dark from succeeding in their plans, and to protect the earth and the people on it. This we do by seeking out and opposing the works of the Outside Ones wherever they may be found, and scattering or destroying those who would support Them with as little damage to the world or loss of innocent lives as possible. The Dark, in turn, oppose us by hunting us and by releasing chaos and violence in society, thus making it more difficult to uncover them and their works.

In the past hundred years or so the tide of battle has turned so that, even though neither side has succeeded in permanently disabling the other, the Dark now hold a superior position in terms of men, resources, and organization. They are close, we believe, to achieving their goals; and have recently begun maneuvering to throw world society into still greater turmoil, to further hamper the efforts of the Light and to weaken mankind's resistance to the incursions to come.

Within the next two to five years, the Dark will be ready to attempt their final assault upon the walls of the Universe. During this period conditions will be more favorable to such an endeavour than for centuries before or since. It is thus nearly certain that the Dark will throw all their energies into succeeding in their master plan in the very near future; and, given the current state of the conflict, they have a good chance of succeeding.

Therefore the alliance is proposed for the purpose of mutual defense; and for the defense of all natural life on Earth. If the People are willing to fight for the Light alongside the Family, they will serve the best interests of all mankind, daysider and nightsider alike.

==Document Scope==

The first section of this document outlines a proposed structure for the alliance, and provides working definitions of its duration, scope, organization, chains of command, and jurisdictional and grievance structures and procedures.

The remaining chapters provide the background information and procedures necessary to support the members of the alliance in day-to-day operations. 

===Intended Audience===

This document is directed at members of the Alliance, at candidates for membership, and at potential applicants for membership.

===Level of Understanding===

It is assumed that all readers of this document are familiar with the necessities of the Fight, and are aware at least generally of the advantages and limitations inherent in the natures of the two peoples. Readers should also have some knowledge of, or experience with, the Occult.

==Section One. Organization.==

This treaty proposes an alliance, not an amalgamation. The Family and the People shall continue to be separate groups, with separate internal structures, organization, and politics. Personnel and resources will be committed to joint field actions as needed; and information relevant to the performance of such field teams must be able to pass back and forth freely between the two groups.

The purpose of this section is to outline what is seen as a minimum structure for effective interaction.

===1A. External Structure of the Alliance Groups.===

The internal structure of groups entering the alliance is not within the scope of this document. For the purpose of group interaction, all such groups shall be considered to have a single group '''Leader'''. The Leader shall be chosen from within the group by whatever means is proper to that group. He shall speak for, and be responsible for, his people to the alliance; and his authority and ability to make decisions for his group in matters pertaining to the alliance shall be firm.

The Leader may designate a '''Representative''' to act or speak for him as his proxy in meetings between the allies, if he so chooses. In the event that the Leader dies or is otherwise made incapable of handling his responsibilities, the Representative ( if one has been chosen ) shall become the acting Leader until such time as a new Leader may be properly designated in the manner appropriate to the affected group. If no Representative is chosen within a group, the Leader of that group must make provisions for the continuance of communications between his and the other groups in the event of his or her incapacitation.

It is the responsibility of the Leader to communicate with the Leaders of other allied groups, to discuss and affirm matters of alliance policy, and to pass information and/or requests for assistance either in or out of the group. He may or may not have power within his own group's internal hierarchy; that is immaterial. To the alliance, his responsibility and authority is supreme.

Aside from the Leader, there are no fixed ranks within the groups. Individual members of the alliance may have more or less authority at various times, according to need and manpower available. The Leaders are responsible for notifying each other of any special skills or equipment that may be available for a given field mission, and for assigning temporary duties and responsibilities to the members of their groups.

===1B. Field Teams.===

The basic structure used in fieldwork is the ''field team''. A field team is a group of one or more persons assigned together for a specific assignment. A typical team might be composed of three to five persons. 

Unusually large or spread-out assignments might be handled by several teams working together, or even by teams of teams. 

A field team is headed by a '''Team Leader'''. The Team Leader is responsible for the success of the mission in all ways, for the safety of all of the team members, for the recovery of the team and any information it may have gathered at the conclusion of the mission, and for the transmission of such information to his group Leader and to the alliance. His is the authority; his is the burden of success. The Team Leader is to the field team what the Leader of a group is to the alliance.

The Team Leader is expected to be attentive to the needs of the members of his team, to listen to any suggestions or opinions they may have with respect to the proper performance of the mission, and to take these things into consideration when planning the mission details.

In general, the Team Leader may structure his team in any fashion he desires in order to get the job done. Generally, he will have a '''Team Second''', who will take command if the Team Leader is lost or killed. It is also advisable to assign one person the role of '''Recorder'''. The Recorder's job is to ensure that pertinent information reaches the alliance even if the team itself is lost.

The membership of the alliance is seen as a pool of persons, to be assigned to various projects and field teams according to the needs of the mission, the availability of personnel, and the abilities of the individuals involved. It is primarily at the level of the field team that persons from different groups in the alliance will interact

===1C. Service and Duty.===

Service in the Fight is, and must be, entirely voluntary. No member may be coerced or otherwise forced to accept a mission assignment. This includes the assumption of positions of responsibility in the field, unless necessity leaves no other choice. Thus, a member may be asked if he wishes to go on a mission, but he may not be commanded to go. Likewise, he may accept the mission but turn down the Team Leader's role. Once a member has accepted a mission, and accepted the Team Leader as well, he is considered to have agreed to obey the Team Leader and abide by his authority. He should accept all direct commands from the Team Leader that have bearing on the team's mission, and do not otherwise conflict with the letter or spirit of this treaty; he should perform them to his best ability. It is expected that some argument or objection will arise from time to time; however the Team Leader's authority is binding on his team, unless the orders given are clearly irrational, or are against the letter and spirit either of this treaty or of whatever contracts a group may have established internally.

It is understood that personal friction between members of different groups can and will occur, both in and out of field activity; nonetheless, at all times in the field, and in general whenever members of the alliance work together, such members are expected to act with respect and decorum towards one another. In particular, this means that:

* At no time shall any member harm another member deliberately, nor shall he through word or deed deliberately cause such harm to be done.
* No member shall attempt to coerce another through means of threats, intimidation, violence, or hypnotic or other persuasive means, save only those of verbal discourse.
* No member shall allow his personal feelings or opinions about another member to affect either his performance as a team member or the effectiveness of the entire team.
* No member shall deliberately speak or act in such a way as to be offensive to another member; or to steal from another member, or in general to behave in a criminal or unseemly fashion, without the tacit consent of that other.

===1D. Grievances and Violations.===

It is conceivable that, in the future, signatories of the alliance may act in violation of the treaty, either against the alliance itself or against its members. To this end, the following structures and procedures are proposed.

In the event that one person or group claims a grievance against another, that person or group has the irrevocable right to call a grievance panel. Such a panel of judges shall be composed of an equal number of persons from each signatory group. None of the panel members shall have been involved in the incident in question Persons under close personal influence or obligation to those who are directly involved with the incident in question shall likewise be disallowed. This panel shall hear the testimony available to both sides of the case, and shall render both verdict and sentence.

These judgments shall normally be considered final. In the event that the panel is incapable of coming to a decision, an appeal may be made by the judges. In this case, the case will be reheard by the Leaders of the groups involved at the earliest possible occasion. There is no appeal from the decision of the Leaders' panel.

In situations where a panel cannot be convened within ten days of the grievance claim, all parties concerned with the claim shall be considered ineligible for new field investigations. In case of emergency, if the grievance claimant agrees, judgment on the grievance can be delayed until the emergency has passed.

There is no limit to the size of a judges' panel. Any members wishing to perform this duty may so serve; provided they had no connection to the grievance incident; and provided they swear publicly to the entire party assembled that they shall hear all sides of the case fairly and without prejudice or coercion.

Persons from any group may claim a grievance, and call for judgment. Persons from all groups must be able to sit on such panels of judgment; no bias or prejudice shall be held against any members of such a panel for their decisions by persons of either party, no matter what the outcome.

In all grievance cases, witnesses or proofs are necessary. These shall be admitted publicly where possible. Such witnesses shall be considered under the protection of the panel; any harassment or interference with such witnesses shall be considered a violation of some severity, and dealt with accordingly.

Once sentence or penalty has been delivered, it shall be the responsibility of the party that is judged to be the victim to see that sentence is carried out. No changes or additions to that sentence shall be made by its executor.

===1E. Promotion.===

At this time, no permanent ranks or positions within the alliance are envisioned. Duties will be assigned on the basis of need, availability, and perceived ability, as indicated by the Leaders and the Team Leaders in the field. It is the duty of all Team Leaders to make information on the capacities, strengths, and weaknesses of their team members available, as part of the assignment debriefing, in order to better assign future tasks. It is further the duty of the Leaders to communicate this information to each other, so that members who work in mixed parties may be aware of their strengths and positions.

It is expected that the duties assumed by individual members will change over time, according to the capacity, availability, temperament, and growth of the persons themselves. Dissemination of this information to all concerned parties within the Alliance is a necessity

==Section Two. Membership.==

At the time of this writing, the alliance is very new. It is seen by most interested persons as something of an experiment; participation in the alliance is very much a voluntary thing. Not all of the Family are expected to sign the treaty agreement. Certainly not all of the People will be expected to do so. Those who do decide to sign will be committed to the alliance and the terms of the treaty for the duration of its existence. They will be bound to its provisions, and will be expected to uphold them in word and deed. Refusal to do so carries penalty. Thus, a candidate should consider very carefully before signing. 

===2A. Conflicts of Interest.===

In order to help ensure that the Alliance and its members remain safe both from assault by nonmembers and from betrayal by members, several sorts of formal oaths, contracts, debts or promises are ordinarily forbidden to the signatories. These are outlined below.

* Any promise or similar contract requiring a member to attack, or to provide aid in attacks against, fellow Alliance members or the Alliance itself. Such aid may include passive assistance such as "looking the other way" or refusal to aid in defending the Alliance members against such attacks. Such promises are in direct contravention of other sections of this treaty.
* Any promise or similar contract to reveal, or cause to be revealed, proprietary information about the Alliance or its members to any nonmember. This includes information about its more detailed goals, plans of action, or membership. This threatens the Alliance directly, and is in contravention of other sections of this treaty.
* Any promise to bear false witness to members, or to knowingly deliver false or erroneous information to the Alliance or its members, without immediately informing those members of the true facts in the most effective manner. This harms the alliance because such misinformation, were it believed and acted upon, might be a serious setback to our goals.

No person shall ordinarily be accepted for membership who is bound by such promises. Any candidates for membership who contract such oaths or promises shall be required to make the fact and the details of the contract known to the Alliance and its members prior to their acceptance as members, or their participation in any further Alliance activities. The holding or contracting of such oaths and promises shall ordinarily be grounds for rejection of the candidate; exceptions to this rule may be made only by a unanimous consensus of the conjoined Leaders of the affected groups within the alliance, or their appointed Representatives.

No member of the Alliance shall be permitted to enter into formal oaths, contracts, debts, or promises of the sorts outlined above during his or her membership, unless the contract in question is with another member or with the Alliance as a whole. Debts of other sorts shall not be restricted by this treaty, although non-specified debts or promises shall not be redeemable in such a way as to violate these clauses.

===2B. Duration.===

This initial treaty will take effect for the period of one year from its inception and formal signing. Signatory members will be bound to the terms of the treaty for that entire period. New members from any group who join later shall be so bound until the treaty itself expires; their membership does not continue past the initial expiration.

At or before that time, the members of the alliance may decide to extend the duration of the treaty, or to append or supersede it. Such amendments may be made at any time; however, they must be ratified by a majority from each of the member groups in the alliance; and in no event will any modifications or amendments take effect until the expiration of the treaty's current term.

At this time it is suggested that, should all parties wish to extend the treaty, with or without modifications, the (possibly amended) treaty be reinstated for a period of an additional year, under the same conditions as the first. Signatories may withdraw from the alliance at this time without penalty simply by refusing to sign; however, they remain responsible to the alliance for any and all acts committed by them while they were members, and even should evidence of misdeeds come to light after their withdrawal they will be liable for these acts. There is no statute of limitations for crimes committed against the alliance.

===2C. Adding Members.===

The Leader of a group is responsible for all alliance members within that group. An applicant for membership may be recommended by any member of the alliance, but it is the prerogative and responsibility of the group's Leader to accept or veto the candidate. It is also the responsibility of the Leader to ensure that the member, should he prove acceptable, is educated in all facets of the alliance pertinent to his position.

Finally, acceptance of the new member must be ratified by the presence of responsible persons from all signatory groups within the alliance to witness his signing. In general, all additions to the alliance, and all amendments or promises made under its terms shall be formally sworn to at least one person from each group before witnesses from all groups.

The new member enters the alliance as an equal in all respects. He shall be considered a signatory member until such time as the active treaty expires.

===2D. Resigning Membership.===

There is no provision in the current treaty for formal resignation of membership. New members enter into the treaty with the expectation that they shall serve the alliance faithfully for the full duration of the treaty. Persons who feel that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of serving the alliance should communicate this to their Leader; he will pass the information on to other groups as needed. Regardless of this, however, that person is still bound by all the laws of the treaty until its expiration.

Signatories who, for whatever reason, voluntarily undergo a change of name, habits, and/or identity during the course of their membership in the Alliance shall continue to be considered members under the terms of the treaty agreement which they signed before the change, for the remainder of the original duration, and will continue to adhere to the clauses in that agreement until its expiration.

===2E. Relations with Nonmembers.===

This treaty makes no provision for nonmembers within the alliance. 

No nonmember may be introduced into any mixed field team without the full prior knowledge and consent of ALL members of that team. Introduction of a nonmember within a team by any member is considered a violation of the treaty. 

No member shall reveal, or cause to be revealed, any personal or private facts or secrets about another member to a nonmember, without the full consent of the person whose secrets are thus revealed. This includes such information as: the true names of any members; their places of residence; or the fact of their membership. It also includes any personal or private information about such persons as may be acquired during the course of acquaintance with them.

No member shall take any deliberate action to harm or coerce the known dependents of any other member. Identification of such dependents may be made through introduction or description of the dependents to the alliance members. Alternately, such dependents may wear or carry a small insignia, device, or cachet which will identify them to the alliance members; particularly the nightsiders, whose senses are known to be more acute than those of the daysiders. Any assault by a member upon a dependent of another member shall be considered in this light.

Any breach of the above clauses by any member shall be considered a serious violation of the treaty.

==Section Three. Scope of the Alliance.==

The primary purpose of the alliance is to protect and defend natural life on Earth, especially human life. It is not supposed that the various groups within the alliance will ever merge into a single whole. Therefore, this section outlines standards of communication and service to be used as guidelines between groups.

For the purpose of the alliance, the various member groups shall be considered akin to separate nations working together on the field of battle. They will have different customs and laws within their ranks, yet they must define standards so as to work together. The situation here is analogous.

It is assumed that each group, by pledging its support to the alliance and to the Fight, is willing to act in search of or in opposition to the Dark. No member group is expected to bear the burden alone; rather all groups shall work as necessary and upon request to seek out the enemy and act to oppose them. The Leader of each group shall be considered responsible for continued direction and control of this activity.

===3A. Communication.===

Means of convenient communication shall be set up between the Leaders of all allied groups, or their appointed Representatives. These channels shall serve as conduit for the following types of information:

* Information on available resources and/or personnel,
* Information about newly discovered Dark activity or sites,
* Information about investigations or combat actions that have been concluded or are in progress,
* Requests for men or materials for a specific mission,
* Requests for the convention of a Leader's panel of judgment.

This sort of interchange may not be continuous; but should be fairly regular. Also, some mechanism must be maintained for making contact with all groups on an emergency basis.

===3B. Service Requests.===

As mentioned above, from time to time one group may contact another for the purpose of gaining assistance. There is no requirement for the field teams of the alliance always, or even usually, to be mixed; however, due to the strengths and weaknesses unique to the different groups, mixed teams will from time to time be useful in both combat and investigative projects.

In this event, one Leader may request resources or personnel from another, either generally or specifically, according to the needs of the moment. These resources must not be thrown away, stolen, or used frivolously; and the personnel, as always, will have the right to refuse the mission once it is described. However, once the personnel of a team have been assigned, they will be expected to work together in good faith, under the assigned Team Leaders, until the mission is completed or the Team Leaders withdraw the mission teams from the field and disband them. It is understood that the same or similar missions may be attempted more than once, but that the complements of the field teams involved will be chosen anew for each mission, and thus may change.

===3C. Terms of Duty.===

All persons who are signatory to the treaty shall at all times work towards the goals set out in the mission requirements, and shall strive at all times to aid the other members of the field team as best they may in good faith, regardless of personal proclivity or group of origin.

At no time will any signatory act deliberately to the detriment of any member of a field team or of the team's mission.

In the event of an attack on an alliance member by an outside party, all members shall be prepared to render whatever aid they may in defense of the attacked member. This shall include, if necessary, the use of deadly force.

All team members are considered equal, with the exception of the team Leader, whose authority is absolute but extends only over those members who are a part of his team, and for the duration of the mission only.

The rules of decorum, as described previously, apply to all members of all teams.

No members of the alliance shall be ordered against their desires to expose themselves to any materials or situations that are hazardous to their persons, as outlined in Section Four. 

All members may choose to voluntarily place themselves into such hazardous situations if they so desire. This is the right of the individual to determine; and involuntary coercion or threats are not permitted.

Persons who are weakened, wounded, or otherwise physically or mentally unfit or unstable shall be allowed healing and recuperation time. Consideration shall be given to all such wounded according to their needs, without regard to their group of origin. No person shall be ordered back into the field if he is wounded or otherwise insufficiently recovered from exertion, unless there is no adequate replacement who is more fit to perform the desired task. They may, of course, voluntarily return to their duties if they so desire and are capable of doing so, provided they inform others in their team of this decision.

All field teams shall have a single designated Leader. Any disputes that occur in the field shall be resolved by the Leader of the team, save only those which require the formation of a panel of judgment. The Leader shall be responsible for the success of the mission and the safety of all under his command, regardless of their nature.

In any situations where field teams are still active, and the mission is complete and/or the environment does not make further mission activity possible, all effort must be made by those field teams to recover all friends, allies, and team members as are lost on the field of battle. This includes the bodies of the dead or wounded, unless it is shown to be beyond the abilities of the members of the team to transport them. In no case shall the bodies of the dead be left for the Dark to collect and use.

==Section Four. Hazards and Protections.==

Each member group in the alliance is different, with different natures and restrictions upon their activities. This section of the document attempts to describe the various environments and materials that are to be considered hazardous to each group separately; however the list is not considered exhaustive, and may not be considered exclusive.

 

General rules for dealing with hazardous environments and substances are as follows:

 

-- No member shall be required to expose themselves directly to a hazardous environment, unless there is no alternative, i.e., contact with the environment is unavoidable. 

 

-- In the event that such contact must be made, steps must be taken to provide all such members with adequate protection against the environment in question.

 

-- In the event that such protection is not available, all members involved shall be given such freedom as time and circumstances allow to secure their own protection in whatever fashion they deem necessary, subject to the discretion of the team Leader and the restrictions imposed by this treaty.

 

-- In any case, members who are better protected or otherwise less affected by such an environment shall protect and give aid freely to those members that are weakened or otherwise incapacitated by it.

 

-- No member shall be expected to expose himself unnecessarily to any hazardous substance. He may, however, choose voluntarily to expose himself to such substances or environments if he so desires.

 

-- In the event that such contact is deemed to be unavoidable, steps must be taken to provide all such members with adequate protection against contact with the substance, and/or provide them with such means as are available to lessen or eliminate the symptoms resultant to such contact.

 

-- In the event that anticipated contact with such substances is predictable, members shall be offered the option of proceeding toward the team goal along another path that does not necessitate such contact, at the discretion of the team Leader and the restrictions imposed by this treaty.

 

-- In the event that such protections are not available, and alternate courses or procedures are deemed impractical, any members involved shall be given such freedom as times and circumstances allow to secure their own protection in whatever fashion they deem necessary, subject to the discretion of the team Leader and the restrictions imposed by this treaty.

 

-- No member of any team shall carry any hazardous substance into proximity with any other member; nor shall he knowingly cause any member to come into contact with a hazardous substance or environment; nor cause such contact to become unavoidable, without the full knowledge and consent of that member

 

-- Hazardous substances that are carried within a team shall be kept bagged, bottled, sheathed, or otherwise properly contained and isolated when not in use. The presence of such objects shall be announced freely and openly to all members of the team, in order to avoid accident.

 

Any violation of the above clauses shall be considered violations of the treaty; and shall be grounds for a grievance.

 

4A. Nightsiders.

 

The following environments are considered hazardous to nightsiders:

 

Sunlight. Bright sunlight is a danger to nightsiders, as it is distracting and confusing to the mind. It also blinds them, and may lead to catatonia and eventual death. Proper protections against sunlight are: A secure enclosed area, with no direct sunlight entry; or heavy all-encompassing clothing, gloves, dark veils or glasses or hats.

 

The following substances are considered hazardous to nightsiders:

 

Cold-forged iron; Silver; Any enchanted metals. These substances cause irritation and pain when touched; they cause wounds that do not heal, or heal only very slowly; and continued proximity to large amounts of these materials may cause disorientation, dizziness, lack of coordination, or even unconsciousness in some cases. Proper protections against these substances are: Gloves, masks, personal armors of conventional types. In addition such things shall be kept in protected places where there is little risk of accidental contact.

 

4B. Daysiders.

 

The following environments are considered hazardous to daysiders:

 

Total darkness. Daysiders rely on their sight far more than any of their other senses. In total darkness they cannot function properly; they become confused, disorganized, and usually both noisy and clumsy as well. Proper protections against total darkness are: A fire, torch, lamp, or similar means of producing light; or a secure and enclosed place without unknown contents in which to wait

 

 

The following substances are considered hazardous to daysiders:

 

Nightsider blood; nightsider saliva. These substances may cause contamination of the daysider, and may lead to acquisition of the Condition of vampirism, with its accompanying needs and limitations. Proper protections against these substances are: Avoidance of contact; gloves, personal hygiene, and lack of oral contact or other exchange of fluids. There must be no introduction of such substances into the bodies of the daysiders, unless such introduction is requested freely and without coercion.

 

Many conventional or unconventional disease cultures. These substances may cause contamination of the daysider, and may lead to sickness, disability, even death. Proper protections against these substances are: Avoidance of contact. Gloves, masks, or total isolation from infected persons or disease cultures may be necessary.

 

4C. General.

 

The following environments are considered hazardous to everybody:

 

Poisonous gas; areas where there is an unusually high concentration of ponic energies. These regions affect different individuals differently, but are generally considered to be damaging or lethal to all. Avoid them wherever possible.

 

The following substances are considered hazardous to everybody:

 

Acid; contact poisons; unknown or narcotic drugs. Gloves, masks, armors and avoidance of physical contact are the recommended remedies/

 

 

The following situations are considered hazardous to everybody:

 

Contact with extraterrestrial beings, entities or Forces of extra-universal origin, or objects manufactured by same. These are dangerous, as they are not only unknown and potentially lethal, but they may cause extreme loss of composure and/or control in any members who encounter them. Treat with extreme caution at all times. Nevertheless, contacts such as these are normal and expected in the course of some investigative and combat field missions. It is expected that field teams shall proceed against such beings and forces voluntarily. Voluntary participation in such field teams is considered implicit acceptance of this fact.

 

Section Five. Field Activity.

 

This chapter discusses procedures and principles covering day-to-day activity in the field. In general, the basic types of requirements of members of each group are the same; only the details differ.

 

5A. Food.

 

As of this writing, all proposed members of the alliance need to eat. Each person in a field team must be allowed time and opportunity to take nourishment in the manner natural to him, so long as this does not interfere with the proper function of the field team.

 

In situations where it is expected that no proper food will be available for a period exceeding the normal time between meals, provision must be made for the carrying of nourishment with the party.

 

In the case of the daysiders, this means that each team member must be allowed to eat at least once each day under normal conditions; and in cases where no food shall be available naturally for more than a day or two, food should be transported or provided.

 

In the case of the nightsiders, this means that each team member shall be allowed time away from the group in which to acquire nourishment. Such periods need not be more frequent than once every two to three days; and will not exceed a few hours in duration. Notice will be given to the team members in advance, if it is expected that the absence will be lengthy, or occur at an important time. In the event that nourishment is not conveniently available, or if it is not practical to leave the team; live animals or similar substitute shall be provided to each person as emergency rations. It is understood that such feeding is not entirely nourishing, and that it may not continue for more than a week or two. If the emergency period extends beyond that time, nightsider members of a team shall be given leave to find their nourishment as they must. 

 

Mixed teams containing nightsiders, who anticipate the possibility of such a shortage of available food, must carry equipment for the drawing of blood from the daysider contingent for the purposes of emergency nourishment without risk of contagion. Such equipment shall remain in the care of the daysider members of the party.

 

In any mixed team containing nightsiders, there should be one or more daysider members who voluntarily and without coercion agree to act as donor should such situations arise. Nightsiders who are assigned to a field team where such a person has not been designated may have the option of withdrawal from the team before it enters the activity area. Continued presence beyond that point constitutes acceptance of the risk.

 

5B. Housing.

 

In general, the housing and provision of members of a field team shall be up to the individuals in question. At all times, however, such decisions are subject to the review of the team Leader. Provision shall always be made for contact and communication by other members of the team; that is, no team member shall house himself out of contact from his team for any length of time, without the full knowledge and consent of the team Leader.

 

 

 

 

 

5C. Protection.

 

All members of team in the field shall be prepared to protect and defend each other from assault at any time. No team member shall refuse such aid if it is asked, unless such refusal is necessary for the completion of the team's mission, as decided by the team Leader. This includes attacks from outside the team and treacherous assaults from within.

 

All team members shall be defended equally, as the needs and situations of the field allow. No team member shall be considered more expendable than any other.

 

5D. Independence.

 

A field team is not a rigid entity; subject to commands and guidance by the team Leader, each member shall have the right to make his own decisions in the field. It is understood that independence of action is of great value in field situations, particularly when the team members know and are able to make the best use of their own strengths and weaknesses. However, wherever possible, independent action will not be undertaken unless such intent is communicated to the team leader.

 

5E. Reporting.

 

Information is the most valuable thing produced by field missions. It is considered vital that the fact and details of field missions shall not be lost. 

 

To this end, it is expected that periodic passing of interim information shall occur during the mission. Responsibility for doing this shall be given to one team member, in addition to his or her other duties.

 

In addition, at the end of the mission, the team Leader shall be expected to prepare a written report synopsizing the events that occurred in the field. This shall be submitted to be read by his group Leader; and shall be passed along to all other groups as well.

 

Also, individual members of field teams should expect to be debriefed regarding their own experiences while in the field.

 

5F. Field Positions

 

For the most part, field jobs will be assigned as needed by the team Leader. The team Leader should offer these on the basis of ability, and should not behave preferentially according to personal bias. As with all such positions, these may be refused by the member to whom they are offered, unless such refusal will cripple the field team and there is no better alternative.

 

It is recommended that teams contain an assigned Second, whose job is to take the place of the team Leader should the team Leader disappear or be killed.

 

It is also recommended that most teams shall contain a member whose sole job shall be to collect and send away the reports on the mission, as described in 5E above. This person shall be called the Recorder, and shall not engage in any hazardous investigation or combat himself, unless the situation leaves no alternative; however, he shall at all times place himself in positions where the most information can be gained through observation without personal hazard; and shall be expected to debrief the other team members subsequent to any team actions in which the Recorder does not participate. The Recorder shall strive diligently to put together, and to communicate to the Alliance, as complete a picture of the mission activity as he is able without personally endangering the mission or the transmission of his reports. It is understood that nightsiders might not ordinarily wish to be considered for this position; but that they have the right to volunteer for it should they desire. 

 

Section Six. Medical

 

6A. Wounds.

 

In the event of injury, all alliance members shall be properly treated whenever and wherever possible. If wounds occur which are not treatable in the field, all effort will be made to get the wounded member to some safe place where such treatment may be performed. It is understood that no nightsider requiring medical care shall be introduced to any nonmember physician, or hospital, or placed under the care of anyone who is not either a nightsider or a member of the alliance

 

Wounds shall be attended to in order of severity, and according to the availability of aid. In particular, group of origin shall not be a factor in deciding the order of treatment.

 

Special medical considerations with respect to the identification and treatment of wounds for the various different member groups shall be discussed more fully in the appendices of this document.

 

6C. Transfusions

 

Transfusions are an emergency procedure which may become necessary in the case of extreme blood loss; this is particularly true of the nightsider members.

 

All groups containing nightsider members who engage in combat should arrange to carry with them equipment for performing transfusions. At least one member of each such group should be trained in the use of that equipment. The daysider members of the team shall be responsible for its transportation and upkeep.

 

All transfusions shall be performed by use of this equipment. In particular, at no time shall nightsiders be allowed to take blood in the natural fashion from a team member unless such equipment is damaged or otherwise unusable or unavailable.

 

Each mixed group containing nightsider members shall contain at least one designated donor who voluntarily allows his blood to be used in the event such transfusions become necessary.

 

Any other members who volunteer for this duty in need shall be allowed to proceed. Daysiders who voluntarily and without coercion wish to donate blood in the fashion natural to the nightsiders shall be allowed to do so without hindrance.

 

Nightsiders shall at all times be exempt from donation of blood.

 

6D. Death and Coma.

 

Excessive blood loss on the part of a nightsider may cause that person to sink into a very deep coma. This coma may at times seem indistinguishable from death; but it is not death. Death in nightsiders is evidenced by dissolution of the body. Until this dissolution begins, the person in question shall be considered wounded, and shall be treated accordingly. At no time should such wounded be exposed to hazardous substances or conditions, as mentioned in section Four

 

Certain members of the daysider group may also evidence this sort of coma. In their case, they should be encouraged to keep breathing, et cetera, until natural function resumes. In general such attention shall be the responsibility of the daysider members of a team

 

Section Seven. Signatures.

 

We, the Undersigned, having read and understood the entirety of this Document, and having agreed to uphold and defend each clause herein in both word and deed, do now with our signatures announce our membership in the Alliance herein described. We recognize that this membership is not revocable within one year's time of the initial date inscribed upon the page below; and that as members we shall be answerable to the Alliance for all acts which we may perform, knowingly or unknowingly, in violation of the clauses herein during that time.