#V: “She who rules the night.” (VtM verse)

[blackrosesmatron]

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This post will be a study of how LeBlanc is nearly the personification of Clan LaSombra, and how I accidentally drew inspiration from it for her character!

The Black Rose also bears some resemblance to the Sabbat, but that will be covered in another post at a later date (or possibly today if I can't stop hyperfocusing on it).

This will be a very lengthy post, so please be aware of that!

"The Lasombra exist for their own success, fighting for personal victories rather than solely for a crown to wear or a throne to sit upon. They believe that might makes right, and are willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their goals. A clan that uses spirituality as a tool rather than seeking honest enlightenment."

For this, I must clarify that I'm basing my LB on her current lore, which provides very little information except for her primary goal of preventing Mordekaiser from coming back. As shown in her short story and through both Samira's and Rell's stories, she is more than willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goal. No sacrifice is too great for her to make.

In addition to the canon part, delving into my Headcanons for LeBlanc, she aspired to be more than just an ordinary individual (or a 'nobody' as she refers to herself prior to joining Mordekaiser's forces). She believed she deserved more than what life had offered her in the past. The LaSombra clan is known as Social Darwinists, which aligns quite well with my views on the Matron and how I portray her (or at least how I hope to portray her).

❝Our clan has a long heritage of leadership in a very primal and pure sense. We do not soil ourselves with the petty details of reckoning every little scrap; we command and seize.❞ — Unnamed Paladin

"Lasombra are fiercely predatory creatures, and the Lasombra mindset is defined by an embrace of darkness itself. The Lasombra firmly believe that power is best held by the most worthy, and that the primary test of worthiness is acquiring said power. As a result, they are predatory, backstabbing, power-hungry and unapologetically arrogant about their position."

I still owe a proper post about LeBlanc's way of manipulating others, but she does employ multiple tactics to gain the upper hand over others and maintain a power balance in her favor. This applies not only to interpersonal dynamics but also on a broader and more significant scale, such as her influence over the politics of Noxus and other regions.

She is not beyond betrayal, she is extremely power-hungry (which is why she decided to 'serve' Mordekaiser in the first place), and she is not the least bit humble about the status she has acquired for herself over the centuries.

In summary, she will do anything one can imagine to seize power for herself and is unashamed of her actions.

"Several thousand years ago, a tribe of proto-Maasai people were ordered by a pale spirit to produce a child for him. This child was trained to lead by having every member of the tribe obey him, and he was trained to be loyal by extensive gifts and rewards from the Lasombra Antediluvian. The experiment failed, and Lasombra punished the tribe by wiping out half of its population. Before rerunning the experiment, Lasombra was visited by his child's playmate, Ontai. This shaman-in-training offered his life to Lasombra – in life, death, and beyond, with no price asked. Lasombra, disturbed by the offer and Ontai's already impeccable honor, tested the shaman's resolve by demanding he slaughter his tribe. Ontai obeyed, and a shaken Lasombra called off the execution and embraced Ontai, renaming him Montano, and bringing him to the Mediterranean. Thereafter, Lasombra was always uncertain whether his childe's unswerving honor had gotten the better of him."

Another part that will be solely based on Headcanons alone, as we have no information on LeBlanc's background—specifically, who she was prior to becoming the Matron of the Black Rose.

In a previous post, I mentioned that in my headcanon, LeBlanc hails from a small, nameless village that has been forgotten by time. Somehow, she managed to join Mordekaiser's forces and quickly grew closer to him. However, this closeness didn't come without a series of challenging tasks meant to test her resolution, loyalty, and her physical, magical, and mental prowess. She was willing to carry out any order from Mordekaiser, no matter how heinous, including wiping out entire villages or kidnapping individuals like the Yordle who studied the stars. While she deeply regretted kidnapping Veigar, she continued to showcase her abilities and determination, steadily climbing the ranks until she achieved the privilege of being part of the Iron Revenant inner circle.

Just like the original LaSombra, Mordekaiser remained uncertain about her loyalty until the very end—or most likely he was certain he never truly had it in the first place.

"Lasombra naturally seek power and authority to prove themselves better than others; (...) While the Lasombra focus on the practical matters of administration and leadership [of the Sabbat]. The Lasombra operate under the metaphor of "shadows". They do not stand in the limelight, preferring to manipulate others to their own ends while doing as little as possible to make themselves a target. This is not done solely out of fear, but because many Lasombra have domineering and superior personalities that necessitate having someone beneath them. This role is usually filled by mortals; (...) Those who find themselves under the control of a Lasombra can expect a demanding and unrewarding experience. Their domitor will use any and all tools available to ensure loyalty, such as the Blood Bond, coercion, physical intimidation, and unapologetic use of Dominate. The wise Lasombra will judge just how much of this force is necessary; too little and the servant is untrustworthy, too much and the servant is spineless and afraid to act when they need to act."

LeBlanc is canonically a figure who prefers to stay behind curtains, pulling strings and letting others do the dirty job. Or when she does it herself, she does it disguised as somebody else. It is a risk too great for her personally due to Mordekaiser's sigil on her, but it also works best for her when people do not know she even exists in the first place. In short, she isn't stupid enough to make herself a target.

Now, let's delve into LeBlanc's relationship with her own Cabal: The Black Rose.

With the exception of serving the Black Rose not being a rewarding experience, as there is always something to gain (although it often happens that what one gains from being part of the Cabal does not equal how much they give), all else applies. The Matron will use different methods to ensure loyalty from those who are proper members of the cabal and a different set of tactics for those who are unaware that they work for her.

The only thing she is against is mind-controlling a person, as she is well aware that Mordekaiser himself expects to strip the Pale Sorceress of her free will as soon as she dies. She cannot bring herself to do it to another.

"The Lasombra went to the Sabbat, the Ventrue to the Camarilla. And finally, the Ventrue deduce their claim of rulership over all Cainites through their lineage from the first of the Third Generation, while the Lasombra claim leadership over them as the Clan who first managed to slay their Antediluvian founder. With the Lasombra defection from the Sabbat, many Ventrue delight at the opportunity to lord over a clan they have struggled against for centuries, but the Magisters themselves see this as an opportunity to turn the Ventrue's arrogance against them. They become advisors, bodyguards, and regents to Ventrue Princes, dethroning the weakened Tremere and slighting the undervalued Toreador without directly threatening the sceptre that the Clan of Kings holds so dear; the Lasombra know that you don't need to sit on the throne to control the kingdom."

Despite her pride, LeBlanc does not see a problem in 'serving' another, as she did with Mordekaiser. As long as she can see it as beneficial to her in the long run, she will let the other party feel like they are in control, while she is the one actually pulling the strings and dictating the direction of where things are heading. Her personas often play the parts of advisors and lovers mainly, but if the need arise, she doesn't mind creating a new one for a more physically demanding task.

At the end of the day, she lies down knowing she is the one controlling the Empire and the regions beyond it.

"Lasombra pride themselves on doing things with style and elegance."

Her personas will not always be 'tidy,' 'clean,' or 'elegant,' but LeBlanc herself will refuse to show her face while dressed in shabby clothes. Her personal image is quite important to her, so if she is to show her own, she will do it with style and elegance.

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Quite possible I'll be making another post solely on LB as a LaSombra, because I feel like I forgot to cover a few points. I'll do it once I remember what those points are XD

All the informations quoted in this post can be found here.

[blackrosesmatron]

In this post I'll cover the similarities between the Black Rose and the Sabbat

Hold tight for another long ass post!

For this, I'll need to give out a lot of context to help understand the similarities between both organizations. So here we go!

"The Sabbat is a loose organization of Cainites who reject the Traditions. Unlike the Camarilla, the Sabbat believes in the Antediluvians and Caine. Also known as the Sword of Caine, as they believe they will be the army Caine will use to destroy the Antediluvians once Gehenna arrives."

Cain in this case is the same as the biblical one that most people must have heard of at some point in life. The one who killed his own brother and thus was cursed. He was the original vampire, and from him all the others descend. Because of this, members of the Sabbat call themselves 'Cainites' instead of 'Kindreds,' as the members of the other Sects call themselves.

The Antediluvians are the third generation of Cainites, from whom the original 13 clans differentiation started. The differences happened due to Cain bestowing different curses to each Antediluvian, that later would be known as the Clan's Bane since it was passed down to each Antediluvian's respective descendants.

"Most believe these god-like beings to be either in torpor, manipulating the Jyhad, or dead, but there are a large number of myths and prophecies surrounding the clan founders, many of which are contradictory and suspect. However, certain beliefs have prevailed throughout vampiric history, particularly in regards to their actions in Gehenna."

Now that the introductions of Cain and the Antediluvians have been made, we start getting to the point where the similarities between the Black Rose and the Sabbat begin.

"The Jyhad is the "eternal struggle" for dominance between Methuselahs (ancient Kindred, possibly including the Inconnu) and the surviving Antediluvians. It is a subtle conflict which is fought in the everynight interactions of younger vampires, most of whom are entirely unaware they are being controlled and used as pawns. The motives and goals behind the Jyhad are as unknowable as its players, though it seems likely that it involves Gehenna. A leading theory suggests that the Methuselahs fear the awakening of the Antediluvians (...), and so seek to gain power, cannon fodder or perhaps just a guaranteed source of sustenance by influencing the Kindred population. The Camarilla officially denies the reality of the Jyhad, as they do the existence of the Antediluvians. The Sabbat, on the other hand, exists largely to fight against the Jyhad and its players, especially the Antediluvians."

Gahenna is basically the Vampire world equivalent of the Apocalypse.

"In Noddist mythology, Gehenna is the Kindred eschaton. It is the time when the Antediluvians will rise from their slumber and devour their descendants."

And here we reach the points where The Black Rose and the Sabbat align.

The Black Rose was created by LeBlanc and Vladimir for reasons of which none of the members of the cabal are fully aware.

Certainly, LB (who acts as a Methuselah) uses the Black Rose to extend her powers throughout Runeterra, gathering information, resources, and pawns she can use with the objective of obtaining enough power against Mordekaiser (who, in this case, is basically an Antediluvian).

Vladimir (another Methuselah) could benefit from it to withstand his own 'Antediluvian' (the Darkins, more precisely Rhaast).

Make no mistake, neither the Black Rose's founders nor the Sabbat higher ranks are good people. They seek power and enjoy being at the top, and perhaps that's precisely why they don't want their respective Antediluvians to return. They know how powerful both Mordekaiser and the Darkins are. Still, all the destruction and bloodshed caused by both LeBlanc and Vladimir together cannot compare to the devastation caused by just ONE of their Antediluvians (Mordekaiser & the Darkins). All things considered, to the world, they could be seen as the 'lesser evil.'

There is, of course, no saying on what will happen when Mordekaiser is ultimately destroyed. LeBlanc is undecided at the moment whether or not she will show herself to the world and try to take full control of it herself, much like her previous Master did. She is so used to working from the shadows, and it has worked so well for her, that she may keep things that way.

Entirely based on Headcanon, since we do not have much information on how the Black Rose works fully, LeBlanc allows the members to have a certain level of autonomy, as long as they have proven themselves loyal to the Cabal and worthy of that privilege. This is a very small and restricted circle of people, as there is a vast number of members who know far less about what is happening or why things are happening, plus many more who work for the Black Rose and are entirely unaware of it (Samira).

"The Sabbat has many ways of identifying its members: the sect has an official color (purple), an official symbol (an inverted ankh)(...)."

Purple is LeBlanc's main color, but black is the official color of the Cabal, with the official symbol being the rose. Nothing new, quite simple, objective, and obvious as it can get! The name, symbol, and color are due to the small Black Spinel Rose LeBlanc gifted Vladimir when they first united forces against Mordekaiser. Of course, nobody else knows this origin beside the founders.

"Typically only a Bishop or Archbishop will be able to positively identify any vampire in their domain as Sabbat or non-Sabbat - in the case of nomadic packs, even this becomes a chore."

Only higher-ranked members of the Black Rose are informed or aware of other lesser members that may be around, and they have direct orders from LeBlanc or Vladimir regarding their objectives in that specific region. But mostly, those higher ranks can reap the benefits of having much more freedom to do as they wish, as long as they do not ignore or go against their original orders.

"Pack members who are undercover have even more obscure and hard-to-spot ways of making their identities known or passing along information."

The Black Rose works in secrecy, gathering highly sensitive information to pass forth to the founders. They also work with many, MANY assassins to deal with inconvenient people.

"The Sabbat values its bonds of loyalty and fraternity above all else. The Sabbat sees itself as the army of Caine and consequently is tightly organized, far more than the relatively anarchic Camarilla."

Any dissidents and potential problematic members of the Black Rose are eliminated without a second thought. All members must be loyal; anything less poses a high risk to the organization. They maintain a united front, proving to be surprisingly helpful to one another, aligning with the interests of the Matron and Patron of the cabal. Building and maintaining positive relationships with certain members is crucial in the long run, even with those of lesser rank, as it reduces the likelihood of them turning against the Black Rose.

"The typical attitude is that being a True Sabbat is a matter of importance and distinction – you do not want just anybody coming in and claiming all the rights and privileges of Sabbat without having proven themselves first."

There 5 ranks within the Cabal, and to earn the position of importance, you must both prove your loyalty and prowess to achieve the right of commanding others in the name of the Black Rose. Those ranks will be discussed in depth later on in another post. 

"Many neonates in the sect wonder why they have to bother with all these trappings of espionage: is not the Sabbat's mission statement to tear down the Camarilla and its Masquerade and rule humans openly? Sabbat elders who lived through the Inquisition do not dignify these questions with an answer, and even bishops are hard-pressed to come up with a convincing response."

Many joined the Cabal with expectations of enhancing their own powers and influence, envisioning themselves as part of something greater, recognizing that the Black Rose has been pulling the strings of Noxus since the very beginning. Little do they know about the real objective, and neither LeBlanc nor Vladimir bother to inform them of the true reasons for its existence.

LeBlanc, in particular, is strongly against revealing information about Mordekaiser. His goal was to become the ultimate ruler of Runeterra and be known by all. To 'attack' his ego, she ensured that everyone has forgotten about him. Of course, such a petty action never bothered the Iron Revenant.

Ultimately, LeBlanc does see herself somewhat as a hero, akin to how many villains perceive themselves. She is well aware of her own ambitions, her egocentric and narcissistic nature and the fact that she rarely feels any real connection with others since most people are disposable pawns to her, with a few exceptions. A constant exception in this narrative is Veigar; others may vary depending on the relationships she creates in that particular verse (by 'ships,' I don't solely mean romantic ones). If she develops romantic love, forges a deep friendship, or forms a family-like bond, those individuals will hold a special place in her heart and mind, and that will scare the Matron.