It has come to our attention that some people may be taking our lore and legends to justify possibly illegal actions or acts of self harm. House Rakoczy does not condone in any way, shape or form any illegal action or self harm. We are a bastion of legend and lore that we use to enrich our lives and make our reality what we wish it to be as much as we can, both collectively and individually. Any person or persons a part of House Rakoczy that assert(s) the paradigm of the House in relation to illegal acts or acts of self harm is henceforth outcast and banished from our House and society and House Rakoczy renounces any kinship or link to them or their actions.

 
The path of the Eclipse teaches to be true to one’s self and through the three roads of blood, moon and star we seek to empower ourselves and those around us if it is possible. Blood is how we define ourselves as Upyreshi and our faith in the Dark Lord who is divinity to us. The star is magick, the science of causing change through force of will, change within and without the individual. The moon represents the arts of survival which has two aspects: the first is self defense as embodied in the martial sciences and the second is individual growth as embodied by mysticism separate from religious faith. These three roads form the path of the eclipse through which each member of the House lives out their own understanding of the lore of the House.
 
It is true that House Rakoczy practices the philosophy of “predatory spirituality” but this in no way validates any action of self harm, as one of the basic ideas of our Cosmo-theology is being true to one’s self and harm of one’s self is a violation of that self. A “spiritual predator” is an individual who is in tune with nature and sees that nature’s laws are writ with fang and claw and so the individual seeks to be equally ruthless and, just as a natural predator, the spiritual predator does not act in any way that would imbalance its ecosystem. The mundane world in which Upyre cohabitates with humans, i.e., those who do not self identify as Upyre, in that ecosystem the laws of nature are replaced by the laws of the society in which they find themselves and to which they are responsible. One of the nine precepts of the path of the eclipse is “abandon hope accept truth.” The truth is the mundane world has laws that can either be followed, circumvented or changed. Committing an illegal act and hoping one does not get caught is a violation of that path precept.
 
House Rakoczy is a spiritual family devoted to the growth and empowerment of its individual members but each member is responsible for what they do as it is a part of how they actualize themselves. We of House Rakoczy cultivate, support and protect our own but any violation of the ideas set forth in this mandamus strips an individual of membership in House Rakoczy. Any misuse of the lore of House Rakoczy and the effect of that misuse as a basis for crime or self harm is in no way sanctioned by House Rakoczy, its leader or the body of its members; neither should any actions of the kinds stated be a reflection on House Rakoczy. “One blood, one race, one people this is who we are” is the motto of House Rakoczy, for each individual is one, a whole. Let those of this House show the best of who and what we are both individually and collectively, as we show the beast that is our true face.
 
Houses of the Blood
 
The ancient Community of the Upyre race, like any large, in this case global, group of people has its sects and hierarchies. The Upyreshi race is composed of four tribes: the Strega, the Nosferatu, the Incubi and the Revenant. Each tribe has three families; each of the three families has twelve bloodlines. Each of the tribes has a network of Houses and oft times Houses of the same tribe will form confederations known as clans. An Upyre House is usually built around one of the families of the tribe the House represents, e. g., House Rakoczy is built around the family of Belial. In spite of being built around one family, an Upyre House will have members that are not of that family, so long as they are of the tribe that the House represents. Houses are usually named for the family of prestigious ancestors of that tribe that is often historical but can be mythic. The named persona of the House is meant to be an example to the members.
 
Houses usually contain lodges that focus on one of the bloodlines of the founding family of the House, such as “the house of twilight” being a lodge of House Rakoczy centered on the Loogaroo bloodline. Houses have one head who delegates duties to the rest of the House. In some cases, due to the size of the House’s membership, a House is divided into regional chapter houses, each with their own Head. On matters that affect the whole House, the heads form a council and decide with one vote each. For the members of a House, the word of the head is final, though the Head is meant to take into account the needs and wants of the members. The Head of a House may be challenged at any time by any member for his seat, but while a Head is in place the Head is in charge. If a challenger loses, the Head has the right to cast him out, but can in no otherwise punish the individual.
 
As Upyre are beings ruled by the reptilian brain complex, symbols are very important. Each House has a symbol that is worn as jewelry if not tattooed on the skin. These symbols are usually pictures when the House is founded but over time are abstracted into sigil-like glyphs. Lodges of a bloodline will also have symbols of their own as well as their own understanding of the House’s glyph. For example, the glyph of House Rakoczy is based on the image of a four headed Naga but the HOT lodge views the glyph as being a snake with a wolf’s head, a type of dragon. Houses will often have colors they favor and in some cases a style of dress as well. The symbols, colors and styles preferred by a House serve to disclose in some measure the history, mythos and overall paradigm of said House. The atmospherics of a House convey not only the paradigm of the House but the house’s vision of and for the world outside the House as well.    
 
The larger Houses of the Community will often be divided into regions and each will be responsible for the members of the House in their perspective regions. As may be obvious, these regions are oft times north, east, south and west, with lodges serving as outposts on a local level.  In larger urban areas such as a city, usually one can find more than one House of the blood; in such a case the heads of the Houses compose a ruling body for the Community with each House getting one vote in all matters before the ruling body. Cities with a large multi-House Upyre community are called cities of mystery and are called by the name that the Community gives said city.
 
Phase one- Prospecting
 
(General)
 

1. Find the House and introduce yourself. In some way make clear what you have to offer the House, i.e., skills, wealth or other resources, and what you seek from the House.
2. Learn what your mentor has to teach; now is not the time to question what you are taught. Once you know the paradigm you can draw your own conclusions about it but not before.
3. Let your life begin to reflect what you are learning. Be eager to show pride in your prospective House, be eager to learn more and become part of the activities of the House, e. g., perform the yearly Feasts on your own if you are not invited to a celebration of them as one example. Take the initiative in learning about the House and your mentor, who should embody the House for you.
4. “Learn” does not mean simply parrot the philosophy of the House; use it to define yourself as an Upyre and the world around you from the perspective of the House. One should learn both the general philosophy of the Upyre as well as that of one’s particular bloodline.
5. Bring the House into your life, make it a part of all you do to some degree. We are family. Set yourself apart from your life before the House; as you come to lean on us we come to lean on you. Let your identity as an Upyre be a reflection of the House as you understand it and show your pride in being a part of it.

(Tasks)

1. Stay in touch with your mentor. It’s the mentor’s job to teach, not track down students. It’s the job of the prospect to learn both the lessons taught and the culture from the mentor.
2. Once a lesson is taught, put it to use. Learn and practice the three roads of the path of the House: the blood road of Upyre self identity and religious faith as well as the culture of our Community; the star road, the esoteric arts of the House that an Upyre needs to be able to live as an Upyre and make the most of that existence; the road of the moon, this is the road of survival in the mundane world and the society of the Upyreshi. For males, martial arts and being the guardians and providers for the House are emphasized. For females, the arts of seduction and being the embodiment of the wealth of the House are emphasized.
3. As one is prospecting to join the House, acknowledge other potential Upyre and guide them to the House. If a potential prospect seeks to join the House, the prospect who referred him or her to the House may be given the task of acting as mentor for the new prospect. Along with teaching, it is the mentor’s job to hold each prospect accountable to the mandamus of the House and report any violations to the Head.
4. Keep a record of what you are learning in your own words. As you learn the ways of the House use them and demonstrate your knowledge of the meaning behind them. Let the ways of the House overwrite old “human” habits and modes of thinking. To join an Upyre House is to start a new life, a life that less than one percent of those on Earth are a part of. We live among humans; our world is parallel to that of humanity. Our security and our resource is our own kind, not the world of man.
5. Prepare for your initiation by defining your sense of self as an Upyre by tribe, family, bloodline, House and lodge. Discern the name you will take as a member of the Community. Make the meaning of that name a part of your sense of self. Once taken, the name can not be changed.

 
The prospect phase should last usually six months to a year depending on the individual’s progress. The progress of a prospect is decided by the mentor, who is charged with testing the commitment of the prospect. After phase one, the prospect is formally invited to be a member of the House. If accepted, the prospect is initiated and takes the name of the House for his or her last name. From that point on, the initiate is no longer seen as the being who existed before the House. After the initiation, the mentor-initiate bond deepens as the mentor aids the initiate in divorcing any lingering echoes of false humanity from the initiate.