I haven't played this in a while so I was hoping to find some interest for it here.
If your not aware the vampire the masquerade involves each player being a vampire who has to struggle for power against other vampires in a a game of wits and power while making sure mortals (humans) don't discover the existence of vampire by following a set of rules called the masquerade.
The game will 75% roleplaying and 25% combat so don't join if roleplay isn't your thing.
Dotting for interest.
link to dropbox for the book pdf.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tcp3kwi0x53tkfj/uL9FXcby9A
Very interested. I have been a fan of V:tM for a long time.
Looks like you are going to use the V20 rules. I have a few follow up questions:
(1) Do you have a preference among the Camarilla, Sabbat, Anarchs, or Independents?
(2) Is this game to take place during the current day or some other timeframe? (Pre or Post Week of Nightmares?)
(3) Are the characters to start as human or already embraced?
Very interested. I have been a fan of V:tM for a long time.
Looks like you are going to use the V20 rules. I have a few follow up questions:
(1) Do you have a preference among the Camarilla, Sabbat, Anarchs, or Independents?
(2) Is this game to take place during the current day or some other timeframe? (Pre or Post Week of Nightmares?)
(3) Are the characters to start as human or already embraced?
Pretty much everything Talomyr just said.
1) no preference
2) Current timeframe
3) already embraced
feel free to ask if you have more questions!
What city would the game be in? Camarilla or Sabbat controlled? Neither?
I'm interested as well. I've made an attempt to run the game as a pbp, but it didn't turn out so well. I'm hoping that playing as a PC will give me a better handle on it.
Gary, Indiana is a dying city. Its population has halved
itself in 40 years, many of its buildings are burned husks,
its citizens are disenfranchised and out of work, and
even its predators have fled. Of the many Kindred who
once hunted this small Midwestern city, only a handful
remains.
Modius, the Prince of Gary, continues his
long rivalry with the local Anarch leader known as Juggler. But their
struggles are becoming increasingly irrelevant. If things
continue, Gary won’t have enough mortals to sustain
even a small number of vampires.
The Kindred aren't willing to let the city crumble just
yet, though. Juggler and Modius have hit upon a scheme
to revitalize the city’s importance for Kindred, though
each wishes to claim the credit (and the rewards) for this
renewal. While they snipe and strike at one another like
two starving wolves fighting for the last scrap of meat
on the carcass, the Giovanni Maria DiMatto seizes her
chance.
You will be starting out as either a fledgling vampire recently embraced in Gary or as an older vampire who is a new arrival in the city while these events are happening.
Core only or clan books?
I would prefer core only for this game.
OK. Just wondered if I could use the madness network or not.
By Core, am I correct in guessing only the 13 & possibly Caitif, not any of the Lineages in the back of the book?
I'm not opposed to the use of Madness Network as a role-play thing.
let me know what you have in mind that's non-core and maybe I will allow it. I'm just not familiar with everything myself as I have only played a few times.
Malkavian, Conniver, Child
Strength 1
Dex 3
Stamina 2
Charisma 3
Manipulation 5
Appearance 2
Perception 2
Intelligence 3
Wits 3
Talents
Empathy 2
Expression 2
Intimidate 1
Leadership 1
Subterfuge 3
Skills
Etiquette 1
Perform (Acting) 3
Stealth 1
Knowledge
Academics 3
Computers 2
Finance 3
Law 3
Politics 2
Disciplines
Obfuscate 4
Backgrounds
Generation 5 eighth generation 15 blood pool, spend 3 per turn
Status 3
Virtues
Conscience 2
Self-Control 3
Courage 5
Humanity 5
Willpower 10
Bloodpool of 15
Weakness
One permanent Derangement: Dissociative Blood Spending
Let me know if you are using merits and flaws please.
Orphan has had many names over his life time, which one is his true one even he does not recall. He has a long memory and has played many a scheme through the years. None know who sired a child of no more then five, and many would slay such a fool. All Orphan ever says is that the woman had taken pity on him and that it was the greatest gift of all. All that anyone really knows is that he is old, very very old. Well that and the old adage, all should fear a Malkavian that seems sane.
One of the less obvious derangements, this affliction inhibits a vampire’s conscious control over his own vitae. Vampires with this derangement have a tendency to unconsciously spend blood points to raise their Attributes at unusual and inappropriate times — increasing their strength in the middle of a round of drinks, upping their reaction speed while trying to compose a letter, and so on. These vampires have even been known to spend blood points during the day while they sleep, waking up even hungrier than usual and never knowing why.
If a character has this derangement, once per session the Storyteller can rule that the vampire has just spent a blood point to raise a given Attribute, or that the vampire wakes up an extra blood point low. The Storyteller is even within her rights to tell the player that his character’s missing a blood point, without elaborating exactly when and where he spent the blood, or what for. After all, the vampire wouldn’t know where it went. Players are also welcome to roleplay this derangement, of course (and it can be fun to start randomly spending blood in the middle of a tense scene, just to worry the other players), but the Storyteller has final control over making this derangement a drawback rather than a simple quirk.
Just in case as this one is from the clan book. It is a fun one to roleplay.
Hmmm...
Think I will end up creating a member of House and Clan Tremere, recently arrived in Gary from Chicago.
Stats and background to follow.
I am using merits and flaws yes
Also recent events that would be known to most kindred the prince of chicago was recently killed(final death) by a vampire hunter.
The situation there is pretty chaotic among the kindred.
I just came back from a Vampire party out in LA on board the Queen Mary, where I hung out with such infamous folk as Justin Achilli, Richard Thomas and Eddy Webb.
I've been playing VtM since 96, but its been YEARS since I last played a serious, long running game.
Short 1pt Child 3pt Former Prince 3pt
Eat Food 1pt Early Riser 1pt, Blush of Health 2pt, Deceptive Aura 1pt
Languages 2pt (Deutsch and Latin)
Assuming since everyone is the new kid or new arrival I couldn't gain anything from new arrival.
Orphan is a 5 year old child in body if not in spirit. He also used to be the Prince of Halle an der Saale before WWII and the Russian counter offensive. He got out of Russian controlled Germany before the wall went up and migrated to America eventually. Has been in the U.S. since the late 80s and likes it just fine. Few know that he has been around much longer then that and has held princedoms of minor cities since Rome fell having changed names and stories time and time again.
I am interested. I have never played VtM properly, but i made a character for a game my old Forgotten Realms DM was going to run. The game never started, but i have this character sheet still on my hard drive.
My character is a brujah. We started out in somewhat of a bigger city, so it might be best if he is a transplant from another city, but perhaps not. he would likely have fled if things in chicago were getting super rough for kindred. his attempts to get some entertainment going in the town might be sought after to help increase some cattle coming to town to support a larger vampire population. if parties were thrown he would be happy to DJ to get some fame.
His basic background was that he was a nightclub DJ, and was involved in minor crimes (smash and grabs, protection rackets, etc) on behalf of the club owner who was in turn a low-level cog in the criminal underworld machine. He would use his abilities to fascinate people in the club, and feed on them in afterparties.
Nature: Bravo
Generation: 13th
Demeanor: Bon Vivant
Haven: Apartment
Clan: Brujah
Concept: Local Entertainer, Part-time Criminal
Physical: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
Abilities____________
Talents:
Alertness 3
Athletics 3
Brawl 1
Dodge 3
Intimidation 2
Streetwise 2
Skills:
Firearms 1
Melee 3
Performance 3
Security 1
Stealth 2
Knowledges:
Computer 2
Finance 2
Linguistics 1
Advantages______
Backgrounds:
Fame 1
Resources 2
Allies 2
Disciplines:
Potence 1
Celerity 1
Presence 1
Fortitude 1
Virtues:
Conscience 2 of 5
Self-Control 4 of 5
Courage 4 of 5
Merits/Flaws______
Light Sleeper
Enchanting Voice
Amnesia
Humanity/Path 6 of 10
Willpower 6 of 10
===========================
If this character isn't acceptable, I could submit something else.
The back ground is fine. I don't have time to go over you stats to make sure everything is correct but at glance it seems fine.
The situation in chicago is right now basically all out civil war. Different groups in the camarilla are trying to take over and place a new prince and the anarchs are trying to turn it into a free state. you wouldn't be the only one that decided it's too hot there at the moment and left seeking safer ground.
In fact the prince of Gary is counting on it and has sent out a message that his town of Gary is a safe heaven for all those seeking refuge.
For those of you interested. The story of Gary.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173761/Tragic-portrait-city-declin e-The-desolate-ruins-Gary-Indiana-reveal-decaying-heart-Americas-proud-indu strial-centre.html
Are the creation rules for an older vampire the same as fledgling? or would they be made with slightly more power?
To make an older vampire you spend points in the generation background. 5 ranks = 8th generation which is as old as you can be.
yes, i need to re-read the character creation rules, as i made this character years ago. the only thing i remember being out of the very basic ordinary was i think one of those powers is not a standard brujah power, and i spent some kind of points to get that power.
i'd actually like to make an older character, but i should probably keep it simple for my starter character. but if i get killed or something, maybe i will make something a little more interesting. i kinda like the aasamites but from what i understand they are almost universally reviled.
You can get the core book from my dropbox and read chapter 3 and 4 for everything on character creation. All the basics anyway.
To make an older vampire you spend points in the generation background. 5 ranks = 8th generation which is as old as you can be.
I think that maybe the intention of the question was missed or perhaps there was a misunderstanding of potential character creation.
While the generation backgroud gets you closer to Caine, it does not guarantee that you are "older".
I think the question really should have been is the Age background available for use? Personally I had always found that particular background a bit too easy to abuse, but obivously that is your call.
I'd prefer to stick with younger vampires myself- it seems like fledglings and young ancillae would be most likely to seek refuge in Gary anyhow while elders would have the means to duke it out in Chicago. But that's purely my opinion.
I'm considering a gangrel drifter, a former environmental activist and ex con.
To make an older vampire you spend points in the generation background. 5 ranks = 8th generation which is as old as you can be.I think that maybe the intention of the question was missed or perhaps there was a misunderstanding of potential character creation.
While the generation backgroud gets you closer to Caine, it does not guarantee that you are "older".
I think the question really should have been is the Age background available for use? Personally I had always found that particular background a bit too easy to abuse, but obivously that is your call.
Do you even start with enough points to buy your way to 8th generation? I thought the generation upgrade cost was really high. But it has been a while since I looked a char creation. I am interested in playing, but probably can't get a char posted until Sunday. Thinking assemite though.
Shouldn't be a problem.
You get 5 Background points during character creation and have 15 Freebie Points (with potential for 7 more from Flaws). Background dots cost 1 freebie each.
Age was the background with a higher cost for points, but it was off-set by granting X amount of freebies to represent your age and experience.
I didn't see Age as a background in the V20 book; but there is the sidebar on page 79 that basically says that the storyteller can assign a number of experience points to spend for older characters. A little more reasonable, since experience costs and freebie point costs are on a different scale.
Age isn't in the V20 book. I believe the last place it was published was Lair of the Hidden (the Inconnu book from Revised edtion).
The campaign was designed with fledgling vampires in mind. You should be a neonate at most. Your character shouldn't be a vampire for more than a century.
About that Havocprince you should make your character less ancient and maybe remove the former prince thing. You don't have to remove the former prince but your character has been a vampire for at most a 100 years.
The sidebar on page 79 is for when the game starts with everyone being advanced vampires. We aren't doing that this time, your gonna start at the bottom and work your way up.
Not a problem. Will do rework and a figure changes to personality. Put him at embraced during the bombing of Dresden and that will put me under a century. Will adjust the rest.
The other thing about Former Prince is that you need to be able to reasonably project 'don't mess with me' & that is very difficult to do when you have a number of key attributes & abilities at only one dot each. How did someone, Malkavian or not, manage to hold on to a city for any length of time & only have a 1 in Leadership just off the top of my head.
@DireMerc: I should have an initial Character Concept later tonight.
Background information that would be nice
-who is your sire, were is he/she now?
-what is your relation to your sire
-how long were you a vampire
-your current goal
-details of your past
these are things I will make effort to weave into the story.
Also if anyone wants to take the hunted flaw let me know, special hunter in mind for you. (hint: it's the same guy who wasted the prince of chicago) it will be worth 7 points instead of 4.
Is there a Tremere Chantry in Gary?
There is not no. There used to be but the only two elders that remain in the city are the prince and the anarch leader. A handful of other vampires remain but they are not organised is any meaningful way other than being loyal to one or the other or to neither.
However the building that used to be the chantry is still there just abandoned and it a serious state of disrepair like a big section of the town. If you wish to go there to rebuild it that could be your character's goal.
Where is the former Chantry? Is there anything still left there? As I am in the process of creating a Tremere, I could see my character trying to re-establish the Chantry.
You would be surprised how much a good manipulation score can keep you control of a city. You don't have to do the fighting if you can get everyone else to do it for you. That being said I may scrap the lunatic all together as I so hate adjusting personalities and would rather do a persona whole cloth. No worries, I will build something suitable and a little younger. Been a while since I tried to run a kindred embraced in the modern night.
What are your feelings on bloodlines and how bout a gargoyle manservant for the tremere. That last bit was a joke by the way. Most games make it hard to play a gargoyle by their very nature.
The economics behind Gary’s downfall aren't relevant for the purposes of the campaing. The Kindred response to this downfall, however, is important. Gary was never really heavily populated with vampires, but Prince Modius did make it clear that neonates were welcome. This was in response to a long-standing policy of Lodin's (prince of chicago) that no vampire in Chicago was allowed to create progeny. Kindred in the Windy City who wished to Embrace would often choose their childer, then transport them to Gary, Embrace them, and train them there. Gary served as a "proving ground" for many new vampires, and Modius got to thumb his nose at Lodin.
However with Lodin gone, slain by a vampire hunter. That restriction is no longer in place and most have vacated the area back to Chicago to take part in the struggle for power there. Some however are fleeing the city for the same reason.
That is not the sole the reason for the downfall of Gary however merely the killing blow. The city had been falling apart for decades and as the number kine dwindled so did the number of kindred.
It is quite possible that your sire brought you here while the restriction was in place and embraced you. Began to train you but was forced to return to Chicago by the events happening there and to leave you behind because you weren't ready yet.
As a note the V20 book is the only book I have and the only one I have read in regards to rules. I only discovered vampire the masquerade last year myself and this is only the second game of it I Gm but I really enjoy it.
Background information that would be nice
-who is your sire, were is he/she now?
-what is your relation to your sire
-how long were you a vampire
-your current goal
-details of your past
- Sire was my boss in Chicago, and the owner of the nightclub in which i worked. the night club was trashed one day (during the day hours) and he is laying low until the worst of the fighting blows over.
- Relationship: Employer - Employee- not more than 20 years
- survive the brewing conflict and set myself up in a comfortable position of relative influence in the growing population of vampires in Gary.
- Details were already covered, as a young vampire he has done relatively little of note.
do you still have room?
mmm sure roll up a char.
Link to download the book can be found in my second post.
Here's my submission, I'll have more background stuff tomorrow:
Ben Foster
Nature: Survivor
Demeanor: Loner
Concept: Activist turned drifter
Clan: Gangrel
Generation: 11
Sire:
Physical
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 4
Stamina: 3
Social
Charisma: 2
Manipulation: 2
Appearance: 2
Mental
Perception: 3
Intelligence: 2
Wits: 3
Talents
Alertness: 3
Athletics: 3
Brawl: 3
Intimidation: 2
Streetwise: 2
Subterfuge: 2
Skills
Animal Ken: 1
Drive: 1
Firearms: 1
Larceny: 1
Melee: 2
Stealth: 2
Survival: 2
Knowledges
Academics: 1
Computer: 1
Politics: 2
Science: 1
Disciplines
Animalism: 1
Fortitude: 1
Protean: 2
Backgrounds
Contacts: 1
Generation: 2
Mentor: 2
Virtues
Conscience: 3
Self Control: 3
Courage: 4
Humanity 6
Willpower 7
Blood Pool /12 (1 blood point spend per turn)
Freebie spends (total 15): +1 point of Protean (7)
+3 points Willpower (3)
+1 Larceny (2)
Merit- Language (Spanish) (1)
Merit- Open Road (2)
Alright Tenro and James if you want you can go to the gameplay section and make a post featuring your arrival in Gary.
Try to include your reason for coming here (to get away, looking for a fresh start, you sire brought/sent you here ect...) obviously it's the middle of the night so the streets are pretty much deserted and common courtesy when arriving in a new town is to introduce yourself to the prince but you may not know were to find him.