Recently I've been reading through some old lore books and watching Youtube videos and remembered how much I like this setting and ruleset, so I figured I'd see if anyone on here wants to play in a New York by Night chronicle.
There are some elements of V5 that I like- namely, the Anarchs/Unbound as the default vampire society and the Camarilla as a more exclusive group of elitists and the idea that the government has done a lot to identify and monitor vampires with technology (though not to the full extent of the Second Inquisition). Most vamps would be considered an Anarch unless they're plucked out of the rabble to join the Ivory Tower or they get radicalized into the Sabbat. For the most part, though, I would stick with the base setting in the V20 book- the Sabbat and Camarilla are at war, the Gangrel and Brujah are still in the Cam (or at least a large number of them are and the clans have seats on the Inner Circle), London and Vienna have not fallen.
The setting would be modern day NYC, using the 2001 New York by Night book as a base even though it's pretty out of date when it comes to describing the city. NYC was a longtime Sabbat stronghold but the Camarilla took it back (we'll move it back by about a decade) in 2012. We'll say Calebros agreed to be interim Prince for 10 years to stabilize the city and recently stepped down and the Camarilla generally controls the best domains in Manhattan and Brooklyn but more interspersed domains in Queens and the Bronx and most Cam vampires wouldn't be caught dead in Staten Island.
I would like the PCs to be an existing coterie of experienced but not elder vampires. It would be cool if one or more of the PCs was a member of the Camarilla- if everybody wants to submit a Cam concept I'd be willing to give everybody a free dot in Status, but if not I can live with a mixed coterie where one or two PCs has been selected for membership but the others haven't.
We'll use V20 rules, make the PC as a neonate and then add 35 XP to put them right on the cusp of ancilla-equivalent level. For now, though, I'm just trying to see if anyone is interested and discuss concepts so we can get connected characters.
So with all that said, does anyone want to play?
Dot for interest
Also dotting for intrest!
Cool. I'd prefer to have at least 4 players but if we get at least 1 more person we can run with 3.
To keep the thread active and near the top of the Recruitment page, we could talk concepts. Do either of you have an idea for what you want to play? Preference between Cam and Anarch?
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I'm actually very interested in this. I loved the novels, but never got around to playing the RPG. So, obviously, I'd be learning the system from scratch and catching up on the lore.
Are there any others you'd recommend, even if they're not required or needed? Would you allow them, or just want to limit this to the Core book?
Sure, I'll make my interest known. I'm thinking over what sort of mortal my character was pre-Embrace...
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I'm actually very interested in this. I loved the novels, but never got around to playing the RPG. So, obviously, I'd be learning the system from scratch and catching up on the lore.
Oh wow, you read the clan novels? I remember seeing them at the FLGS back in the day but never picked one up. How were they?
Are there any others you'd recommend, even if they're not required or needed? Would you allow them, or just want to limit this to the Core book?
Yep, that's the right book. The mechanics are pretty simple, you roll a pool of d6s (usually Attribute+Skill/Ability) against a target number (usually 6 but it can be modified up or down) and the number of successes determines how well you do.
I found this really basic character creator yesterday. It doesn't explain anything but it does the math for you so it could be helpful if you're just learning the rules. There are also the various clan books that dive more deeply into each clan if you really want to learn about a specific one that interests you.
I might also recommend the New York by Night book but it's not necessary.
Sure, I'll make my interest known. I'm thinking over what sort of mortal my character was pre-Embrace...
Awesome! That's 4! Let's talk concepts. What is everybody thinking- Cam, Anarch, Giovanni, something weird?
I was thinking my character was going to be one of New York's upper class turned cat burglar out of a mix of boredom and contempt for her peers with perhaps a dash of compassion for the poor. She had quite a few successful burglaries under her belt--and that's what caught the eye of her sire.
Her sire observed her, sent an anonymous tip or two about particularly valuable items with little security to protect them, and generally sought to groom her to become an agent of theirs--willingly or not. As the tips continued to be both truthful and valuable, she became quite a thorn in the side of the NYPD--especially since her targets weren't just other socialites, but CEOs, presidents of police unions and particularly wealthy politicians.
Ultimately, her luck would run out one fateful Valentine's Night--one of her tips led her to a mansion that turned out to be the private residence of a Mafia boss that had been under police surveillance for some time. The cops arrived during her burglary and raided the place, provoking a gun battle between the cops and the Mafia that she was caught in the middle of. The raid forced her sire's hand, and they rescued her after she got caught in the crossfire.
After pulling her to safety, the sire decided that as far as she was concerned, she owed them her life--and Embraced her against her wishes.
Just a rough draft, here. I'm not sure what clan would be the most suitable one for her, but she could easily be a Cammy or Anarch.
How soon do you need a full character sheet, GM?
Is this still open for recruitment? I'm a long time VtM player and would love to play again.
I have a partially finished Gangrel I was working on for another game that seems to have fallen through.
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I'm actually very interested in this. I loved the novels, but never got around to playing the RPG. So, obviously, I'd be learning the system from scratch and catching up on the lore.Oh wow, you read the clan novels? I remember seeing them at the FLGS back in the day but never picked one up. How were they?
TBH, it was 15 years ago that I read them. They were fun reads, and I loved the setting and flavor, but I don't remember details. If I was playing in a long-term campaign, I'd certainly reread the book for my character's clan.
I found this really basic character creator yesterday. It doesn't explain anything but it does the math for you so it could be helpful if you're just learning the rules.
That site looks useful. I found a couple android apps, but none of them seemed to be quite right.
There are also the various clan books that dive more deeply into each clan if you really want to learn about a specific one that interests you.
I might also recommend the New York by Night book but it's not necessary.
I think I'll likely buy the clan book for whichever one I build, and certainly the NY by Night. Thanks.
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I've got 2 character concepts. When I think about building a VTM character, I feel like starting with the Clan (maybe because of my first exposure being the Clan novels.)
First option is a Ravnos scoundrel / con-man / professional party crasher. Gorgeous, popular, well-connected but not famous, able to slide into any situation and have everyone instantly accept him and eventually love him. Attributes: Social>Physical>Mental
Second thought is a Toreodor club/event producer. Also gorgeous, out-going, but more thoughtful. A planner who finds the joy of art in the art that she facilitates and others create. Attributes: Social>Mental>Physical
TBH, it was 15 years ago that I read them. They were fun reads, and I loved the setting and flavor, but I don't remember details. If I was playing in a long-term campaign, I'd certainly reread the book for my character's clan.
I suspect you would find the 2nd ed. Clanbook, Revised ed. Clanbook, and the V20 book, Lore of the Clans more useful for getting the flavor of your chosen Clan. The Clan novels, while good, were truly character focused more than over-arching the is what it means to be part of clan X.
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I think I'll likely buy the clan book for whichever one I build, and certainly the NY by Night. Thanks.
Oh, yeah, Sorry for the confusion. I did refer to the novels earlier and then switched to meaning the splat rulebooks. I grabbed both the Ravnos and Toreador books that Talomyr referred to, plus NY by Night.
I saw in the Ravnos book that Ravnos and Gangrel kind of despise each other. Are interclan issues like that brought to the table, or is some of the Lore hand waved away in order to make the group work? If it's an issue, I could switch to my Toreador concept if ElbowtotheFace is bringing a Gangrel.
My initial concept is an off Broadway aspiring actor who got noticed by a company of Vampires (Probably either Toreador Tremere or Giovanni) and was turned to join.
Yep, that's the right book. The mechanics are pretty simple, you roll a pool of d6s (usually Attribute+Skill/Ability) against a target number (usually 6 but it can be modified up or down) and the number of successes determines how well you do.
I'm sure the bolded above was a typo, but as at least one player is new to the Wod it is a pool of d10's.
If the game is not full and I am allowed to make a character for this, I suspect I'd go the full fledged Camarilla member Tremere route - and likely re-skinning one of the two that I had made for other games that didn't pan out. Which one, I guess that depends on what sort of game
karlprosek intends to run in terms of combat vs. political intrigue.
How soon do you need a full character sheet, GM?
Let's talk concept and get everybody on the same page before we do sheets.
With that background I might be inclined to go Nosferatu. It's a neat inverted setup with your socialite background, your sire's an information broker, and the Nos have a fairly sizable presence in the city (with the stepping-down Prince even being a Nos himself).
Is this still open for recruitment? I'm a long time VtM player and would love to play again.
Yeah, definitely. We're still discussing concepts. Plus I doubt I'm going to get inundated with PCs so we can probably just consider this an open call for players, at least until we start play.
I have a partially finished Gangrel I was working on for another game that seems to have fallen through.
Cool. Give us the elevator pitch, Elbow. What's this Gangrel about?
First option is a Ravnos scoundrel / con-man / professional party crasher. Gorgeous, popular, well-connected but not famous, able to slide into any situation and have everyone instantly accept him and eventually love him. Attributes: Social>Physical>Mental
Second thought is a Toreodor club/event producer. Also gorgeous, out-going, but more thoughtful. A planner who finds the joy of art in the art that she facilitates and others create. Attributes: Social>Mental>Physical
I love a good conman as a Face, Nomad. The Tory might fit better if it looks like the whole crew is going to go Cam, though.
My initial concept is an off Broadway aspiring actor who got noticed by a company of Vampires (Probably either Toreador Tremere or Giovanni) and was turned to join.
Sounds great. Giovanni theater kid sounds fun! What kind of abilities are you hoping to give this aspiring actor? Magic (either of the Thaumaturgy or Necromancy kind) or classic vampire abilities (Auspex, Celerity, Presence)?
If the game is not full and I am allowed to make a character for this, I suspect I'd go the full fledged Camarilla member Tremere route - and likely re-skinning one of the two that I had made for other games that didn't pan out. Which one, I guess that depends on what sort of game karlprosek intends to run in terms of combat vs. political intrigue.
Once we get concepts nailed down I'm going to ask for 3 character goals to get story hooks from your characters' backgrounds. I have a couple of ideas plus what's in the New York by Night book, but if I had to hazard a guess right now I'd say it will probably be something like 2/3 talky-talky and 1/3 shooty-stabby. That also depends on the PCs strengths and personalities, though.
I'm sure the bolded above was a typo, but as at least one player is new to the Wod it is a pool of d10's.
You're right it's d10s, typo!
Just going on what's been mentioned above we've got:
Dragoncat's cat burglar (could be Cam or Anarch)
Elbow's Gangrel (could be Cam or Anarch)
Nomad's Face, either a con-man or club promoter (Cam Toreador or independent Ravnos)
Keeper's actor (probably Cam? even the Giovanni could be Cam or affiliated)
Talomyr's Tremere (Cam)
That group seems to be leaning toward a Camarilla coterie. That being the case, let's discuss one of the main things I want to do different from the normal V20 setting. I like how V5 has the Cam as a kind of elite secret society controlling the world/fraternity of obnoxious douchebags/basically an organized crime ring. So instead of the Camarilla accepting everyone and expecting all vampires to abide by their Traditions, they only admit a few select vampires.
The default vampire is an Anarch or an independent who might not even know what clan their sire is from, while the Camarilla is the elite. That being the case, somebody had to pick you out of the unwashed masses and sponsor you into the club. So- why did they do that? What's so special about your Toreador that differentiates them from the 13th Gen rabble stripping for Boss Callihan down in Staten Island?
It could be as simple as nepotism- your sire is a member, you were trained and groomed and when you were released you were introduced to the Prince (not necessarily the Prince of New York City, since this town has only been a Cam city for a mere decade) and became a neonate.
It could be that you were involved in the war for the city 10 years ago and were rewarded with membership.
It could be that you're just so damn pretty/charming/good with money/whatever that the Camarilla decided they just couldn't do without you.
So as we're fleshing out our concepts, why is your PC special and worthy of membership in the Ivory Tower?
Also- if the group doesn't want to be a Cam coterie, that's fine too. It just seemed like the majority were leaning toward the Camarilla. To me that leans toward intrigue, politics, money, and influence.
But I just know I want to play vampires in modern night NYC- you guys tell me what we're going to play. If I get a John McClane, Jason Bourne, John Wick, and John Constantine I'm not going to force the game to be about board meetings and hostile takeovers. But if you want to fight vampire ninjas or run away from horrible monsters in the sewers, I can definitely do that too.
If the rest of the group would prefer to go anarch, I can do that too. Just was leaning Camarilla since the last VtM game I played in was a V5 anarch game.
If the rest of the group would prefer to go anarch, I can do that too. Just was leaning Camarilla since the last VtM game I played in was a V5 anarch game.
I'm fine with some PCs being Cam and some being Anarch. That might even be fun, having some PCs invited to events the others can't go to. "Sorry, man, but I have to go to Elysium tonight. The Prince is giving some big speech. We'll hang out later."
I want the PCs to be a coterie but I can work with a mixed coterie. More important than the PCs all being from the same sect is that they all know each other and have a shared level of trust in each other.
Admittedly, I was leaning a bit towards Brujah with my cat burglar, but Nosferatu's also a great fit...
Roos van Hoek (pronounced “Rose” and that’s what it means) is a tall (175 cm / 5’ 9”) lithe and classically gorgeous blond with light pink highlights in recognition of her namesake. Born and raised in Amsterdam, she’s fluent in several languages of course, including Dutch, English, German, French, and Italian (though she prefers not to speak Italian. Too many bad memories of that particular ex-boyfriend she learned it for.)
She’d been working as an assistant club promoter and show producer at one of the many clubs in the Rembrandtplein neighborhood and also sidelining at the privehuis Park 118 (an IRL legal brothel) when she was discovered by her sire. He initially simply fell for her classic physical beauty, but was also impressed by how hard she worked at the club and at the huis. At the club, she was always the one fixing any problems that arose, placating the high roller clients, and resolving the issues that seemed to follow the itinerant DJs everywhere. Smart, diplomatic, a natural leader, and hard-worker.
After her Embrace, she continued working at both the club and the huis. The club as cover and for money and the huis as a way to feed, make some money, and have a little fun, too. She was brought into the Camarilla because they saw leadership potential in her for her work ethic and her drive.
But now with the retaking of NY and the change of leadership, the Consortium has sent several of their younger Generation to the US to help support the next Prince and ensure their success. They got her set up as an event producer at a new club in Chelsea, got her a condo in SoHo, and put her in touch with a Toreador ancillae in the music business. Of course she attends events at Elysium: it’s exactly why they shipped her across the ocean in a damn box with a bag of blood for an inflight meal.
Goals. Her Three R’s:
Rise. In kine society as a producer, in Kindred society as a member of the Camarilla. She wants to be successful in everything she does.
Recapture. Find the bliss of the best sex she ever had, but not with a Kiss. As wonderful as the Kiss is, she misses how good real passionate intimate sex could be, and she’d love to feel that again. Of course, her sire and others tell her it that it won’t be sex that will fill the hole in her soul, so she’ll keep looking for other ways to experience that sheer bliss again.
Respect: Too many times to count, she’s been disrespected because of how she looks. By huis clients; by talentless, arrogant DJs; by obnoxious club patrons with too much money and too little basic decency; by rando’s on the damn street. Enough! She will have the respect that she is due, and the next jackass that steps across the line gets his head torn off. Maybe literally.
Talomyr here. Michael Halifax is the Tremere I will be rebuilding for use in this game, please don't pay too close attention to the details currently in the profile.
Questions for karlprosek:
1) I know you are using V20 and have recommended New York by Night, but are there any other recommend sources for character creation, or more importantly any sources from VtM you would rather we didn't use - I ask as I have a rather extensive collection of WoD books and as with any game system some of them are better/more suitable than others.
2) You say above that London and Vienna have yet to fall (Great! Not big on that particular story arc in V5), but what sort of things have happened? Are we rolling meta-plot back to the end of Revised/beginning of V20? Have any of the events described in Becketts Jyhad Diary occurred? Has the fracturing of Clan Tremere begun? (House Carna etc.)
Thanks.
I'm liking the idea of a Giovanni focusing on Necromancy with a bit of Thaumaturgy (Possibly getting into playwrighting stealing ideas from dead people) I should have more deatils in a couple of days!
So I've decided my character's going to be a Nosferatu--I've settled on an appropriate avatar.
I've got her starting stats ready; I'll see about transferring them to her profile in a bit.
Goals. Her Three R’s:
Rise. In kine society as a producer, in Kindred society as a member of the Camarilla. She...
That was great, Nomadical. Love it, 100% approved, go ahead and write up a starting neonate sheet if you have time. Once I see that we'll add XP to level the PC up a bit.
1) I know you are using V20 and have recommended New York by Night, but are there any other recommend sources for character creation, or more importantly any sources from VtM you would rather we didn't use - I ask as I have a rather extensive collection of WoD books and as with any game system some of them are better/more suitable than others.
I have pretty much all the books WW put out but the only metaplot relevant to the game is what's in the V20 book and NYbN. I'll only really be looking at the V20 book, NYbN, and the relevant Revised Clanbook if you refer to information in it.
2) You say above that London and Vienna have yet to fall (Great! Not big on that particular story arc in V5), but what sort of things have happened? Are we rolling meta-plot back to the end of Revised/beginning of V20? Have any of the events described in Becketts Jyhad Diary occurred? Has the fracturing of Clan Tremere begun? (House Carna etc.)
Current metaplot is the base as laid out in the V20 book plus NYbN, with the differences I described in the first post.
I'm liking the idea of a Giovanni focusing on Necromancy with a bit of Thaumaturgy (Possibly getting into playwrighting stealing ideas from dead people) I should have more deatils in a couple of days!
A playwright who steals ideas from ghosts sounds pretty cool, KeeperofRunes! Look forward to seeing it.
dotting
We're open for more PCs, Grimdog! Let us know when you come up with a concept!
Likely PCs:
Roos van Hoek, Toreador club promoter (Nomadical)
Veronica Lasky, Nosferatu cat burglar (Dragoncat)
Michael Halifax, Tremere (Talomyr)
unnamed Giovanni playwright (KeeperofRunes)
Mentioned:
Gangrel (ElbowtotheFace)
Her profile’s built, but I’ll happily take some feedback and tweak it before we begin. For instance, did I short something that’s critical or put too much resource into something that’s useless? Or did I put points in the wrong Attribute given what I’ve said about her personality?
For leveling, I plan to increase Presence, add Melee, and increase Firearms based on her learning/upgrading her skills in the New World. I'll gladly take suggestions on where to use the remainder.
Apparently, however, you can’t learn new Languages using XP because they’re a Merit. Huh? She can learn C++ by using XP for Computers, but can't learn Spanish? I’d like to level her Language to represent her coming to NYC and learning Spanish along with - for lack of a better word - “Jive.” That modern, urban patois that I swear I couldn’t understand when I was in the City recently, but which she would need for working in clubs. But it would be Storyteller’s call as to how much XP that would cost (and in light of her having Natural Linguist, also.)
Paris was born and raised in Portland Oregon she grew up a fairly normal child taking an early interest in music. She learned to play piano at around 4 and started writing pieces by 7, in middle school she took an interest in theatre and started acting, she quickly found that she had little talent for it however she could sing quite well. She started work writing plays by early high school which she also found she wasn’t especially talented at; she could make words flow beautifully but couldn’t keep plots reasonable whatsoever. She also found she did have talent at Sound design where she focused along with music.
This all led her to NYU Steinhardt in New York for college to study Composition where she quickly started collaborating with writing students at Tisch to write musicals. She had a few minor flops off Broadway before graduating. After graduation she went on to Study at Tisch in the Musical Theatre Writing Program with emphasis on composition and lyrics. There she met her Sire Rudolph Puca a faculty member who taught book writing. He took an interest in her due to her musical abilities. He invited her to a writer’s circle in the Upper West side where he introduced her to a group of actors and writers that she met with for a few months before her embrace.
The group was a small mixed clique of Giovanni Ventrue and Toreador vampires looking to make a name for themselves within the city to leverage their way into the Camarilla hierarchy through influence. They hoped to help her to hone her abilities to some extent and get her to work with literal Ghost writers. At this point Paris saw no way forward except for with them so she agreed. She started working with necromancy and writing well finishing her studies which Rudolph helped her to make arrangements for. And then went on to start writing for the group which started to amass some influence with a few musicals off Broadway. And with her new somewhat removed perspective Paris has gained some stronger acting abilities.
3 goals
To gain power and influence both in Kine society and within the Camarilla. Paris has kept a fair bit of her humanity and as such her dreams from life have not faded much at all but she also wants to ensure her new life is situated as well. (Long term goal Broadway show written and possibly starred in)
To gain wealth, having lived as a starving student in New York Paris wants to get out of that and be comfortable if not wealthy
To be admired Paris lived her life in the background, she wants to step out and be seen and desired. She wants to become a star.
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ok...character is loosely based off a previous character.
he's former Russian army, tough, good with guns and a mean SOB. He got hooked up with the Russian mob after he got turfed/discharged from the army(havent figgered that out yet), then he was ordered to go to NY to help shore up the spreading mob presence in Brighton Beach. He got mixed up with a shady dude affiliated with the mob, and got turned after being a ghoul for a bit. his sire got whacked, but he still has ties to the mob, but not as strong as they were...
Michael arrived in NYC as an 18 year old, eager to be away from his overly religious parents in 1972. Michael has been the "owner" of the Gryphon bookstore at 75th and Central Park for just under 13 years, taking over the shop from his sire, Xavier Delacroix, a Tremere of Manhattan during the days when the island was all the Camarilla had of the Big Apple.
Those who were there, know that the Camarilla's retaking of New York was not without its costs, Xavier was one of those costs. With Xavier gone and the Sabbat incursions into Manhattan growing more and more frequent in those days, Michael kept a low profile, biding his time, hoping against hope that someday the Sabbat would no longer be here.
Low and behold that day finally came 10 years ago, and with that a great influx of new Camarilla Kindred into New York. Michael found himself pushed back further in the Pyramid than he would have liked, but he understood the situation, even if he didn't particularly care for the methods or the seemingly lack of ambition of Aisling Sturbridge, the newly appointed High Regent of the Five Burroughs. Fortunately for Michael, he found a like-minded Warlock in the Regent of the recently reopen Kenilworth Chantry, Lord Ephraim Wainwright. Michael could prove himself a useful tool, if not ally to Wainwright, whereas the Regent is loath to leave the Chantry, Michael is no stranger to manipulation of others to get his way outside of the Chantry. Maybe they both could get their ways.
2+ Goals:
1) Gain power and influence within the Camarilla.
2) Increase his rank and standing within House and Clan Tremere - Perhaps even as high as Regent of his own Chantry, and if he can ride the coattails of Wainright as he moves on to bigger and better things, all the better.
3) This one I'll save for now until I have a better understanding of the Coterie.
By the way, if there’s anything in here that doesn’t work with lore let me know. I’m very new to the system and world!
Still here. Working on finalizing my character's background, personality, description and goals.
Each virtue starts with a dot and then you have 7 more to assign (you can spend freebies for more dots)
You'll only have one of the two listed with the slash based on what form of morality you follow. For Humanity it's Conscience and Self Control.
Room for six? If so let me know. Love the game bunches and been playing and running for years. Been in Storytellers game for five years and doing my own game for a year on the boards here, and looking for a game to play in now since Story went on hold.
I have had a Malkavian on the mind who uses dominate to move from body to body like the TV show Sliders/Quantum Leap always trying to find his body of which he forgets due to his mental illness and waking up the next night in a new body.
I could also do it with a Lasombra as well and go with him sleeping with true faith in a church and amnesia with the same above idea.
I like either and both are interesting in their own ways.
Assuming this is still open, karlprosek , how do you feel about Lasombra antitribu or bloodlines like Samedi or the like ?
All- sorry, I was having computer problems. Fixed now, should be posting normally.
Her profile’s built, but I’ll happily take some feedback and tweak it before we begin. For instance, did I short something that’s critical or put too much resource into something that’s useless? Or did I put points in the wrong Attribute given what I’ve said about her personality?
For leveling, I plan to increase Presence, add Melee, and increase Firearms based on her learning/upgrading her skills in the New World. I'll gladly take suggestions on where to use the remainder.
I'll take a look when I catch up with back posts.
Apparently, however, you can’t learn new Languages using XP because they’re a Merit. Huh? She can learn C++ by using XP for Computers, but can't learn Spanish? I’d like to level her Language to represent her coming to NYC and learning Spanish along with - for lack of a better word - “Jive.” That modern, urban patois that I swear I couldn’t understand when I was in the City recently, but which she would need for working in clubs. But it would be Storyteller’s call as to how much XP that would cost (and in light of her having Natural Linguist, also.)
Hmm. Is that so? We'll call learning new languages after initial character creation the Professional Skill/Language ability- it's just a 1 point Merit so let's just say you need to buy 1 dot of the ability to speak/read the language at native fluency. And since you have Natural Linguist we'll say you also get 2 languages per dot.
The group was a small mixed clique of Giovanni Ventrue and Toreador vampires looking to make a name for themselves within the city to leverage their way into the Camarilla hierarchy through influence. They hoped to help her to hone her abilities to some extent and get her to work with literal Ghost writers. At this point Paris saw no way forward except for with them so she agreed. She started working with necromancy and writing well finishing her studies which Rudolph helped her to make arrangements for. And then went on to start writing for the group which started to amass some influence with a few musicals off Broadway. And with her new somewhat removed perspective Paris has gained some stronger acting abilities.
I like this concept a lot, Keeper. Just a couple of questions- when was your PC born and embraced? Do you intend for them to be a new vampire? I have no problem with that- if you want your PC to be new to the world of vampires like you're new to the game system, that works perfectly. We could simulate that by limiting the expenditure of your XP to anything except Disciplines.
Do you want to sketch out two or three of the Giovanni, Ventrue, and Toreador vampire artists you described and I'll write out a couple to flesh out Paris's sire's coterie?
I have had a Malkavian on the mind who uses dominate to move from body to body like the TV show Sliders/Quantum Leap always trying to find his body of which he forgets due to his mental illness and waking up the next night in a new body.
I could also do it with a Lasombra as well and go with him sleeping with true faith in a church and amnesia with the same above idea.
I like either and both are interesting in their own ways.
Interesting idea. So you'd spend all but 1 of your Freebie points on 2 dots of Dominate? You'd max out Charisma with Social as your primary and put the max 3 dots in Intimidate, no Freebies to max out Intimidate though. That sounds interesting. Tough to pull off enough successes every night to be able to use Dominate on subsequent nights, though- you'd need to be able to regularly roll 4 successes against difficulty 7 with your 4 dots of Manipulation and 3 of Intimidate. What happens if he can't Possess a new mortal by the end of the night?
Or since he's Malkavian, does he just think he's moving from body to body every night but he's actually not?
Assuming this is still open, karlprosek , how do you feel about Lasombra antitribu or bloodlines like Samedi or the like ?
We're definitely still open.
I like Lasombra antitribu and think it makes sense that some might be in NYC in the decade after the Camarilla took the city from the Sabbat, since the Camarilla has been making a concerted effort to eradicate any remaining or reported Sabbat from the city.
I'm fine with bloodlines. I don't know a whole lot about Samedi, to be honest, but I've been thinking about giving one of the Prince contenders a Kiasyd advisor in their coterie so I don't have any problem with weird bloodlines.
Likely PCs:
Roos van Hoek, Toreador club promoter (Nomadical)
Veronica Lasky, Nosferatu cat burglar (Dragoncat)
Michael Halifax, Tremere scholar (Talomyr)
Paris O'Sullivan, Giovanni playwright (KeeperofRunes)
body-switcher, Malkavian or Lasombra (Edelsmirge)
Mentioned:
Gangrel (ElbowtotheFace)
Lasombra or Samedi (Ridge)
Ridge here! Actually, since I last posted, I got an idea for a Brujah. I tried to figure out a reason why he wouldn't be all Anarch, then saw the Old Pal merit and got inspired, assuming an 'old pal' can be a family member or two who also got embraced.
Obviously they'd move in different circles
I'm putting this in spoilers so it doesn't wall of text you too hard but this is what i have so far
Do you know what a Shovelhead is? My family and I do; what's left of us anyway. That's a term for a mass embracing method the Sabbat use on anyone they can find for reinforcements when taking a city from the Camarilla. They grab some poor sots, embrace them, beat them over the head with a shovel then bury them. The lucky ones who get out come out crazy enough and hungry enough to be useful as fodder. The few shovelheads that survive (and some lick told me that 9 out of 10 don't) get a chance to become REAL Sabbat.. whatever the hell that means. I don't know all the details. We never got that far in their psycho blood cult.
My Sire was a punk rocker on steroids name Skudge. I know this, because as he drank me near dry and shoved blood into my mouth, he said "Enjoy the taste of Skudge, jock boy, let's see if we can make a brujah out of you"
Oh yeah, I should mention that 'Jock' part. I was actually enjoying a pretty sweet baseball scholarship at the time when I got together with my family and we got picked for Shovelhead duty. Where was I?
Oh yeah, Skudge was giving me some Vitamin O. To his credit, his blood tasted better than his name. We hadn't been completely buried when a Cam crew came to the rescue, too late to save our lives (Not that that was their goal) but just in time ambush Skudge and his Sabbie friends before they could bury us completely. There was gun fire, knives, and I think I remember some guy with a Katana if you can believe it. I rose out of my half dose of soil and , grabbing the nearest thing I could use as a club, beat the unliving hell out of the back of Skudge's head with hands used to batting homers and a heart filled with Brujah rage. I have never been that angry in my life. I used to be a calm and mellow guy.
Used to be.
I won't say I turned the tide in helping our inadvertent rescuers, but I guess I impressed them enough that they didn't destroy my family and I as Masquerade violations. Grandma and Dad didn't make it. Mom and Sis did but they were shaken. To make a long story less long, I helped out with some more fighting. And then we awaited our fate.
Did you know Tremere can blood check your lineage? That, and my obvious temper, appeared to be the best 'proof' that I was a Brujah. If I'd known then what I know now I'd be a lot more skittish about that magic blood test. Otherwise I'd be labeled a 'Caitiff' like Sis was. Oh she had the test, but apparently her lineage was a muddle or something. She's still got a chip on her shoulder about that one. Mom? Mom turned out to be the real prize. Turns out she was a Lasombra, and if it wasn't for the fact a rare Lasombra Antribu was one of our rescuers, she'd have likely been burned for safety as soon as they saw she had no reflection. Apparently she was going to be a target number one on future Sabbat hits. Sis might just be destroyed because she wasn't special enough.
I got ready to die by their side defending them, but the Lasombra Antribu made this snotty gesture to his fellows, and asked to talk to me alone. A bargain was made. I won't go into the whole of it, but apparently a lot of Brujah are not down with the Camarilla. Newly brought in, they thought I might be more 'reasonable'. He meant tractable, but he worded it nicely. If I avoided the Anarch movement, mom would be protected, Sis would be tolerated. I haggled ... yeah, I know, with what? But I tried. I ended up with a few more perks for us all. Sure, it's lame, but I was the man of the family now.
Years passed, and well, we changed. I started out as begrudging sockpuppet masquerading as a 'loyal brujah'. Ra Traditions, Ra the Prince! It did seem to placate some of my clanmates that they had another 'voice' sitting in on the formal stuff, even as they gave me the side eye. I suspect some of them knew I was a token Brujah. But despite the hazing, I started to realize the Anarchs had some legit gripes, and , with my debt paid off to our benefactor, I began to bring Anarch complaints to the Prince in what I Hoped was a reasonable fashion. I usually got ignored, but I tried. That said, the Camarilla isn't a waste either. The Traditions are the sort of rules that would have saved my Grandmother and Dad from death, and the rest of us from UNdeath. Do I ever get the urge to embrace someone myself? Sure. But no shovels will be involved, thank you very #$#$ing much.
Sis bought into the Anarch stuff hook line and sinker. I think her biggest regret is she got embraced with such a conventional haircut. I can't blame her for choosing the Anarchs. They're still jerks to Caitiff but at least they TRY to see them as peers. The Camarilla treats her like a mistake. She's far more rebellious than I am, and I worry it's going to get her in trouble one day. Hell, it may get her dusted one day and I have to make sure that doesn't happen.
Mom is on the other side of things now. Mom used to be unassuming, dressed a bit frumpily, and maybe a touch too meek for her own good. Now, more and more, she seems more confident, more polished, and more sophisticated. She wears expensive evening gowns and jewelry. How she knows she looks in it when she can't see her own reflection I have no idea. All I know is I'm tired of the MILF Jokes some guys (And gals) make about her. She's PROUD of being a Lasombra , despite the fact it was pretty much bloody potluck who bit and drained who. She seems to have bought into the Tradtions full swing and finds the anarchs foolish.
Mom and Sis aren't talking much. Sometimes I'm really tempted to join the Anarchs fully, but they do need someone who is willing to show up and try the 'official' channels now and then. By now I've figured out there's probably a lot more going on than I ever would have guessed. I think I've been played far more than just being a useful bridge between Anarchs and Cam interest. But while my debt is more than paid, it appears I'm stuck. That is, if I want to keep doing the right thing and looking out for family while making sure the elders hear how the young feel, and the young get the news on the WHYS the elders don't realize folks want to hear even if they don't agree.
I either need to get better, or I need to get out; either could cost me some part of my humanity.
If Shane's mother ending up as a Lasombra ANtitribu doesn't work for you, one could easily make her a Ventrue who , saved by one of that Clan, decided she could be 'fostered' . Sis as Caitiff seemed like a good reason for anyone to want to go Anarch, but she could easily be any clan that suited.
Of course, that's if you allow 'escaped Shovelheads' as a concept.
Shane's goals would be
1) Care for his family
2) Either become an EFFECTIVE rep for Brujah to the Cam, or just join the Anarchs and be free of them; without losing a family member.
3) Build up resources for his own lifestyle, and to better deal with the Sabbat if/when they come calling again
My back up idea is playing a Lasombra Antitribu or Ventrue who was a member of the Navy or Coast Guard, and now seeks influence over New York City Ferries and docks.
Of course, that's if you allow 'escaped Shovelheads' as a concept....
Love it! Escaped shovelhead family with built-in NPCs is an excellent setup! How long ago were Shane and his family forcibly embraced? Could be as recent as the war, could be a while ago.
If it was a while ago, I could see mom making a play for the Prince-ship along with the other named NPCs from NYbN. That would be interesting, with an anarch Caitiff daughter and an ambitious Brujah son.
Of course, that's if you allow 'escaped Shovelheads' as a concept....Love it! Escaped shovelhead family with built-in NPCs is an excellent setup! How long ago were Shane and his family forcibly embraced? Could be as recent as the war, could be a while ago.
If it was a while ago, I could see mom making a play for the Prince-ship along with the other named NPCs from NYbN. That would be interesting, with an anarch Caitiff daughter and an ambitious Brujah son.
Thank you! Not sure how ambitious Shane might prove to be, but he does have some built in motivators. I left the names for his mother and sister to be determined later after I was sure you were okay with the idea, though it's possible his mother's maiden name was something classically Iberian for that extra Lasombra touch if you have plans for her.
I left the date open to make sure it was okay with you. Could be a mere 11 years ago, or even another Sabbat attack on another city more than 20 years ago depending on what works for you best. If you want Shane's mother to be a contender, then the Embrace probably would have been further back with time for each 'surviving' member of the family to have adapted to their condition and even for their personalities to change drastically as my rough draft story indicated it was already :)
I'm still tinkering with the sheet. Shane ended up with a decent humanity and virtues on a rough draft. I may have to finagle some things down though to give him a way to do more than just survive.
My thought was he might have as a domain a small apartment complex that he pretends to be the Landlord's nephew on or something. This would give him an excuse for a herd as well. But I'm open to other ideas there.
Ironically, I don't think I've ever played a Brujah before but put me down for one aka Shane as he meets your approval while still needing a few touches.
Confession time--I've hit a bit of a writing block with Veronica. The whole 'cat burglar' concept didn't gel as well with me as I hoped.
I do have a Tremere lawyer I could refurbish for this...