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elcome to The Magic City, better known as Miami or Tequesta to my Tzimisce allies
enamored with native practices, and named for the Mayaimi tribe of Florida. Miami is a collision of eras. Her history unfolds in the Villiareal Mission that predates many European cities, in the unique murals of Diego rivera, and in the surviving haciendas of the Porfiriato era's Golden Age. More importantly, Miami paints her history in blood, a fact for which she remains unapologetic; it is the source of her passion and allure.

The Camarilla's dandies --and even our own shovelheads-- believe we are responsible for the city's often murderous state of affairs since the collapse of vampiric structure some half a decade ago. Truthfully, though, the city's "magic" affects us more than we do it. You won't find many Sons and Daughters of Caine who'll admit that, but it's true. We boast we're 100 strong in a city of seventeen million cattle, but are we actually impacting anything when the authorities arrest 443 criminals a day in Miami? Or when they respond to 700 crimes each day, of which 182 are violent? Or 15,000 murders each year? Or 70,000 car thefts? Or the one million muggings? Do you really think Cainites are the source of all these ills? We're a drop in the bucket compared to what mortals are doing to themselves. We're just jackals following in their bloody wake, because we have neither the scope nor the imagination to measure up to mortal ingenuity.

I said the region's history is awash in blood, but few people realize such violence stemmed from necessity. Young thwacks speak of the Tequestans like junior-league occulists and groupies. They admire the inherent cannibalism and sacrifices without recognizing that the natives indulged such practices out of need. Perhaps some relished violence for it's own sake, but the majority followed standards important to their existence... much like the early Sabbat.

Again, like the Sabbat, Miami suffered revolutions and civil wars, not for the sake of disorder but because of real social concerns and dissatisfaction. Now, however, crime is rampant among mortals and their betters alike, and our younger sect members follow suit because they forgot why we fight. Instead, car theft jumps 99 percent and we take to the streets to contribute that extra one percent. Instead, a pizza vendor endures 23 robberies in one year, and we Embrace the fool to see the surprise on the robber's faces when he fights back.

But what happens after he fights back? What do we offer him then? His existence is longer something that strengthens the sect. It was all one big joke -- and we wonder why New Orleans fell to ruins.

We forgot why it is we fight, as has Miami. It is time to remember again.

--Jesus Siega, Former Archbishop of Miami, War of '99.