Archbishops oversee each city's nightly affairs, often as the most powerful vampire in the area. They are appointed by each region's cardinals, and are responsible for all Cainites under their command, as well as the maintenance of the city.

Most archbishops support "non-revelation" policies similar to the Masquerade. They are looser in practice, and policy toward mortals tends to lean more toward contempt than secrecy. That is one reason crime rates in these cities soar. It is often far easier to kill a mortal who has seen a vampire in action than to contain the fallout. Given how most of these Cainites view humanity, many archbishops accept that bargain.
As the title suggests, the archbishop is the city's highest spiritual authority. Most served as pack priests before reaching the office, which says much about its character, since few are under two hundred years of age. Archbishops play an active role in many of their cities' autoritas ritae, and may also help define local or regional ignobilis ritae. They must balance temporal power with efficient administration: cities where packs rampage unchecked become wastelands, and wastelands cannot sustain a vampire population.