Some claim the office of Scourge is a relic of medieval nights, an older form of Sheriff, while others insist the position was created less than a decade ago. If nothing else, that debate exposes how little many Kindred outside Europe actually know about the continent, beyond what they pick up from travel brochures.

Scourges carry their authority through the borders and wastelands of major metropolitan domains. Their targets are unauthorized fledglings, Anarchs, and those allegedly "impotent" 14th- or 15th-generation vampires.
Scourge procedures vary from city to city. Some Princes grant their Scourges the right of destruction to accelerate purges, while others require nightly "captures" to be brought before Elysium for judgment. That caution is fueled by recent rumors of overzealous Scourges attacking and killing vampires who had followed protocol and were known in the city, but happened to stand in the wrong place at the wrong moment.
Not every Prince employs the office. Many consider it dangerous, unnecessary, or both. Its legality remains debated in many circles, especially where the right of destruction is concerned. Many Sheriffs see the Scourge as a threat to their authority and can become serious obstacles to any Prince or Primogen council that tries to introduce one. Other Sheriffs welcome the role because it spares them the dirtiest work of dispensing "justice" or dealing with Sabbat incursions and hunters.
In short, Scourges are rarely the most popular vampires in a city. Most are loners, and if they are not at first, the office soon makes them so. Few Kindred feel at ease around the local Scourge, and even Princes tend to keep their exterminators at arm's length.