Hmm, my game is about an Autarkis Gangrel coterie that manages cattle ranches and border crossings for the Circulatory System. They're running into trouble from Sabbat fleeing north from the S.I. in Mexico City: vitae-meth, mass embrace, Vanguard.
I think what you described is the best way to handle it, only I don't think it will work for my scene. PC's mentor trying to explain the bigger world, especially re: Gangrel: Rudi, Xaviar--I know, I didn't do myself any favors. Need to seed divergent POVs for different ending paths: Camarilla, Anarch, Autarkis, Sabbat. Guess I should just treat anything not in the new v5 bookset as unknown or untrue? But I've already had 2 playtesters (lore diehards) call me out.