In the RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade by White Wolf Publishing, the Black Hand is a militia of sorts in the sect of vampires known as the Sabbat. The primary purpose of the Black Hand is to assault or besiege citied held by the Camarilla in order to gain control of the territory. Without the Black Hand, most say, the Sabbat would surely fall apart. However, for fear of a coup, the Black Hand does not remain active for extended periods of time. The only way to join the Black Hand is to be recruited, and members are often secretive.