Rumored to have its origins in a medieval death cult, the Sabbat is greatly feared by Kindred who do not belong to it. The sect is monsterous and violent, and no longer clings to any trappings of human philosophy or morality. Members instead revel in their vampiric unlives. Sometimes referred to as the Black Hand, the Sabbat actively seek the overthrow of the Traditions, the destruction of the Camarilla, and the subjugation of humankind.
The Sabbat recruits wherever it takes hold, spreading like a poisonous weed and tearing down the established institutions around it. Unlike the Camarilla, the Sabbat recognizes the existence of the Antediluvians, though it rabidly opposes them. According to Sabbat propaganda, the Antediluvians pull the strings of the entire world, and it is this malignant control they oppose. They see the Camarilla as pawns of the Ancients, and oppose it members politically as well as physically. Most Sabbat express bilious contempt for the vampires of the Camarilla, whom they see as cowardly wretches unable to accept their predatory natures.
Outsiders know little about the Sabbat's inner workings. Some Camarilla Kindred even doubt it existance, believing it to be a rumor created by elders to keep troublesome childer in line - and undead boogeyman. Lurid tales about the sect spread like wildfire, including claims that its members indulge in ceaseless diablerie, worship demons, hunt and kill other vampires, and possess the ability to break blood bonds. The only consistent rumor attributed to the Sabbat is its members' apparent love of fire - the sect has a fearsome reputation for leaving burning wakes behind it.