Costa Rica (WOD)

Costa Rica is a nation of Central America.

Vampire: The Masquerade

Geographically almost identical to Nicaragua, Costa Rica is as different from her northern neighbor as Kindred are from kine. The area is lush and the primary exports are coffee and tropical fruits. Turbulent earthquakes often rock the country, which rests on a junction of tectonic plates. Costa Rica is set apart from neighboring countries primarily by the political stability in the area. As turbulent as the land is, the government of Costa Rica is placid. Costa Rica's populace is predominantly European, with a small population who are of African descent. There are very few Native Americans in Costa Rica. The Guaymi Indians disappeared at almost the same time that the country became a colony of Spain, and to this day no one is certain exactly where the indigenous people went. Most of the kine believe the natives simply migrated to avoid the incoming Spaniards. The Kindred, however, believe otherwise. The Kindred population of Costa Rica is almost entirely Toreador and is ruled by a powerful Methuselah of the clan.

This Ancient, Theresa del Babillone, emigrated with Christopher Columbus and decided she liked the coastline enough to call the area home. What she did not count on was a group of Kindred in the area. While the details of the encounter are understandably suspect, Theresa del Babillone insists that the strange vampires attacked her the very moment she set foot on the coast. While substantially outnumbered by the odd-looking vampires, Theresa insists that her attackers were "easily felled and actually quite tasty." No evidence exists today that any Kindred even passed through the area before Theresa set foot on the coast. Costa Rica's Toreador tend to avoid influencing the people of the area, save in the subtlest ways. Their presence is believed to be the main reason that Costa Rica's past has remained calm in comparison to the surrounding countries. Certainly, Theresa's rule in Costa Rica has always been remarkably benevolent to the indigenous kine. Though she spends most of her time in San Jose, Theresa tends to move among the few major cities to make certain that her orders are executed properly. So far she has succeeded: In comparison to most Central Americans, Costa Ricans live amidst plenty.

The average family has a car and a television, rarities throughout most of the continent. While Costa Rica still relies on financial aid from the U.S. and several other countries, the amount of assistance required is minimal. Large areas of the country are still covered by heavy tropical rainforests and have never been fully explored by the vampires of Costa Rica. As a result, the local Balam and Mokole populations remain mostly untouched. Additionally, many Toreador and Gangrel insist that the strange vampiric creatures which initially attacked Theresa still dwell in the deeper parts of the forest, waiting for the appropriate time to strike back against their unwanted neighbors. For that reason alone, the Kindred of Costa Rica - even the area's Gangrel - avoid moving too deeply into the jungle areas. The greatest threat to the vampires of Costa Rica, however, comes from the north. The Sabbat often sends raiding parties into the area in an attempt to take the country from the Kindred who have existed here for centuries. Fortunately for Babillone's brood, few Sabbat ever manage to reach them before encountering the entities lurking in the jungles.

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