"The Sabbat is seen by outsiders as a sect with no purpose other than Diablerie and the spread of dissension among the youth of Kindred society. Its members are seen as callous brutes who place no value on human or Kindred existence, and seem to love releasing the Beast during Frenzy. They are entrenched in the occult, carrying on bizarre and unspeakable rituals unseen by outsiders. The truth is far worse than these observers imagine."
--Petrodon, Nosferatu Justicar

In the wake of the Inquisition and perhaps because of the disillusionment of the many Progeny who were abandoned by their Sires in a scrambling for a respite from the torches of the Witch Hunters, the Anarch Revolutions shattered the illusions of many Elders of Vampiric Medieval Europe. While the newly formed Camarilla solidified its administration many of these dissidents gravitated towards the formation of their own Sect.

Chief among these were members of clans Lasombra and Tzimisce. Originally, formless and very fluid in principle, the Sabbat vigorously claimed to value the concepts of freedom and internal loyalty above all other concepts. To this end they have expressed an open and active disgust for the Elders and their attempts to manipulate the vampiric masses in their Jyhad.

In its early days the Sabbat met with remarkable success, fueled by the anger and passion of younger Kindred everywhere. Its progress soon began to slow, though, as dissent, disorganization and internal strife threatened to dissolve the budding Sect. These issues and a sense of Sect purpose were successfully addressed in the infamous Code of Milan, a dark mirror of the Camarilla's own Convention of Thorns.

With many of its internal issues put to rest the Sabbat redoubled its efforts to topple the power of the Elders and the relatively newly established Camarilla. Although at its height the Sabbat is a third the size of the Camarilla it has consistently launched effective attacks with remarkable success against the Camarilla; slaying important Kindred, seizing cities and acquiring numerous converts.

Today the Sabbat holds several influential Domains throughout the world. It has been frighteningly successful in the New World where all of Mexico and much of the US Northeast and Southwest lay firmly in their grasp. Regardless of their chaotic ways abroad, visitors to Sabbat cities have commented on the eerie and adamant order and peace that holds sway in these strange Domains. That is, of course, until intruders are discovered.

On a philosophical level, members of the Sabbat have managed to maintain a very seductive propaganda program, drawing young and impressionable Kindred from the Camarilla as well as aggressively Siring massive numbers of their own Progeny. They support a very Darwinian outlook on their condition, maintaining that the Sabbat is unliving proof that the strong survive and consider themselves the apex of the food chain. They speak as if they were the true sons and daughters of Caine and continually try to convert or "save" their Camarilla cousins.

Learn more about the Sabbat from the source, White Wolf's Guide to the Sabbat.