Because D.C. is the center of politics in the US, it is one of the more important battle fields in the ongoing Ascension war. Tradition Mages live separated personal lives, separated from outside Cabals. Technomancers lurk behind politicians with their money and pay monetarily for power. The Nephandus give guns, corrupted drugs, and foul ideas to the youth of the city. The Marauders wait, and wait for their time to burst through the veil and purge those from the earth who would serve the Wyrm. All mages play a role, but some are here in force, and in this place the war rages like nowhere else. Losses are heavy, but the outcome is to important to give up on account of mere life.
The FBI, which is based in Washington is laced with NWO agents. The political wars on Capitol hill attract the Syndicate, who use teir money to infuence weak-willed politicians (which are in abundance.) From these places the Technocracy attampts to steal power from the Kindred, however, they have had little success.
In many other places the Technocracy is way ahead in the war for ascension. Here, in Washington, however, they are weaker. This is due in part to the Traditions, but also a great deal of it is due to the power of the next group.
They do not care about politics and political power Their end is, of course, the utter annihilation of reality. They fight a different war, a war a descension. Until this goal is reached, they will continue to help arm the gangs, corrupt the drugs, and pollute the earth.
They do put up resistance to the Nephandi, those corrupted by the Wyrm, the Technocracy, and even the Traditions, if they get in the way.
Through the ever present insanity, the Marauders possess what it takes to stop the growing power of the Nephandi. The Marauders have a growing role and may be the only hope from descension.
The Arcanum:
The Arcanum, as described in Vampire and Werewolf, is an ancient order of Scholars devoted to the study of paranormal and supernatural occurrences. For this reason it is easy to understand why the kindred fear them. It is well known that the Arcanum does indeed know of the existence of Vampires and Werewolves, however, they believe both races to be small and relatively no powerfully, and thus only look for age-old evidence. This does mean though, that any major slip by a Vampire that reveals a supernatural presence would lead to a serious break in the Masquerade.
What does this have to do with D.C.? The arcanum is structured around the Chapter House, a library/living area for arcanum members. It usually contains ancient texts as well as modern computerized encyclopedias and histories.
The two oldest Chapter houses in America are in Boston and Washington. In young America, with the founding of the Library of Congress, the Washington House was decided as the center of Arcanum activity in the United States. The house is a large, old building located in historical Georgetown. Its a beautiful creaking building that blends in perfectly with the city.
The presence of this group means the resident Vampires have to be VERY careful about the Masquerade.
FBI Special Affairs:
This is a secret division of the FBI that is unknown to most agents outside it. The sourcebook Hunters Hunted describes it as:
"An organization to investigate cases of a strange and persistent nature with the intent of determining, once and for all, whether such cases represent a nationwide hoax, or if they in fact posses some validity to truth."
Unfortunately for the Cainites they know of their existence, and have decided that they are a threat to both the American people and national security. The organization now has two goals added to their portfolio which directly affect the supernatural world:
This makes things very tricky for local kindred, every once in a while a kindred just disappears, his haven having been raided during the day, and the entire location marked with bullets. It just causes the Masquerade to be informed more fully.
The Inquisition:
The most feared hunting group in history. Due to its effectiveness, unwillingness to compromise, and its large body of knowledge, the Inquisition, or society of Leopold, remains a feared (and large) group of mortals. Any Vampire, Werewolf, or Mage who says they do not fear this group is a fool. They come by night and day, totally silently, armed with silver, sunlight, and the might of God, and willing to do whatever it takes to purge from the earth all beasts who stain God's good earth. They fight like fire, and just love to quote a quite like from the english bible of King James.
Suffer not a witch to live.
They don't have a really strong foothold in D.C., but the Kindred of the city fear any way. A well respect, old, established Jesuit high-school in the center of the city has been known to house members of the Inquisition, and even give them temporary jobs as they carry out their mad quests. In fact, just this spring, a crazy priest by the name of Fr. Millard came rolling into town in a great green boat of a car, and a trunk full of wooden stakes. The school gave him a job as a temporary math teacher (and not a very good one at that) while he mercilessly hunted the cities poor kindred. He killed one anarch and his three ghouls before he left abruptly after receiving a death threat channeled through a student by a primogen member. He would have never been discovered if that mad light didn't glow constantly behind his eyes.
Pentex:
Pentex, the international mega-corporation whose plans go far beyond attaining capitol profit, has a few major strongholds in the area. One of their main offices is located in Crystal City. They have a large factory on the anacostia river, as well as a processing plant in Manasses, Virginia.
Both the factory and office buildings would have already been destroyed by the local garou, if it wasn't for their incredible security. Each building has a pack of Black Spiral mercenaries, three units of top notch former corporate soldiers, and a fully automated laser guided projectile defense system. They are similarly defended in the Umbra, with banes of all kinds protecting all sipiritual entrances into their strongholds. The Garou have been unable to penetrate either building.
The strategem which the corporation employs is complex and well planned. They subtley introduce their chemicals and dangerous products into the market while using their vast resources to pay off anyone who would attempt to foil their plans. To date, they have been successful.
Part I of the Book of Raging Across D.C. by Night - Vampires and Werewolves
Part III of the Book of Raging Across D.C. by Night - Pit 9, a Werewolf resource