Let's go to the movies so! One thing I regret from my previous.. life, is that I can't gorge myself on pop corn anymore. I liked pop corn. But at least my new ... diet doesn't give me a fat bottom. Every little victory count, don't you agree, Doc?
Matthew and Savanna opt to go to a movie in an attempt to re-connect with their humanity and, if just for a couple of hours, try and forget the unending horror of existence among the children of Caine - even if the underlying thought of feeding does cross your mind.
You stroll into the AMC River East 21, and look at the offerings for viewing at this time of night, seeing that "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" is the only film that hasn't started for the evening yet.
The theater is only about a quarter full, so you have your choice of seats.
Any particular thing either of you would like to do during the movie beyond watch the movie? Anything afterwards?
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
The badly scarred man continues to silently approach while another man steps out of what can only be described as all-concealing shadows. A man that Alexander called Talley the Hound, if tales are to be believed a former high ranking member of the Sabbat.
"Very well." the Hound says. "Good to formally meet you, Edwin."
Gesturing to the scarred man, he adds, "This is Olaf, also known as the One-Eyed King.
[b]"As I told you the other night," Talley says to Ollie, "there are many forces at work here. Chicago is a powder keg and soon a war will begin for who will rule her. Surely Kevin Jackson will do whatever he can to hold to power. Why else would he be so quick to take the Inner Circle's interest in bringing my Clan into the fold here? I know of the presence in Gary that would seek to return."
Glancing pointedly at the scarred man, he adds, "I seek the return of another."
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin cannot resist and speaks, "By another, do you mean to say that Lodin did not suffer the Final Death or do you mean to say that you have found and assisted Shining Deer's rise from Torpor?
Though if the latter is the case, then perhaps my understanding of the methods of the Sabbat, or former Sabbat, were greatly exaggerated as I would have suspected that Amaranth would have been the end result if an Elder were located and vulnerable.
In the former case I find the odds dubious as it is common knowledge that Lodin was killed by Lupines who are not known for their mercies when it comes to our kind".
Edwin remains silent on the presence in Gary that would seek to return though it is seems clear that the Lasombra Elder is indeed well informed.
He pauses and continues, "The Second Inquisition has made strange bedfellows. Is it Inner Circle pressure or pressure from Mortals that has brought the Lasombra into the Camarilla? A question I have wanted to ask since I first laid eyes on you at Jackson's Conclave but didn't have the opportunity, or perhaps the gumption, to ask.
I must confess to being ignorant of the history that formed the two Sects. As a member of Clan Tremere, there are truths held to be self evident that appear to not be as truthful as my time in this existence has progressed, such as Sabbat are the personification of evil".
"I can't remember the last time I had popcorn even when I was kine. Truth be told I wish I'd had it a few more times in my life. It doesn't seem likely I'll be partaking in it anytime soon."
Dr. Baker is completely sated, though were any of his kind truly ever? Still, he's able to keep his hunger pangs to a few fantasies he's easily able to suppress.
"Ah, here! The only movie to have not started yet. I believe this is a sequel, no? I find it so hard to keep up with the entertainments of the youth. I fear I'd be hopelessly lost, but I'm willing to watch it if you are. If nothing else, its great fun analyzing the various mental afflictions of the characters."
"Wicked may also be playing if you were in the mood for a musical." I wonder if Dorothy will be in this one-- or Toto!"
Matthew has no real plans but to enjoy the movie and the company, though he'll keep a passive eye out for any sign they're being tailed.
Ollie whistles at the word Lasombra and the talk of the Sabbat, "I see. Well obviously I don't see as quickly as Edwin but I admit, I'm curious as to hear your answers to his questions myself."
Talley smiles. "I do not know who or what this Shining Deer is, but if it is an elder Cainite, I assure you my blood would be stronger for have known of it."
The scarred man now known as Olaf speaks in a heavily Norwegian voice, "No...the Lupines are not merciful, but their fury is not enough to destroy a King."
Getting a closer look the scarred man, you see his one remaining eye is ice blue and a few shocks of pale blond hair remain on his head.
Turning his attention to Edwin's second question, Talley says, "A little of both, plus factors internal to the Sabbat itself."
"The Sabbat is not what it once was, and has not what it was intended to be for a great deal of time. Ironically, the new stance of the Camarilla's Inner Circle is closer to what the leaders of the Sabbat originally wanted than what the Sabbat has been in recent nights. Add to that the dangers the Second Inquisition brings...surely a Tremere understands that more than most, given what has become of Vienna."
I'll give Savanna a chance to chime in before posting more for she and Dr. Baker.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin shrugs at this Olaf character, "I will grant you that I have heard that Lodin was a powerful Kindred but he's been missing for what, twenty, twenty-five years? Even if he does exist still, why would he align himself with the Lasombra and why now, after all of this time? Would he not be able to simply seize power once more through the Blood Bond of his Childer, Kevin Jackson?
I admit, I am a scholar and not a political power player and I have no Childe of my own so perhaps I am simply mistaken but I see no reason why if Lodin didn't wish it, he couldn't seize the Princeship right now.
Now if you are "producing" a Kindred named Lodin, that is certainly an interesting approach. I suppose then I could see the Lasombra as powerful as your reputation states that you are, ah.. Talley, or is it Lord Talley, quite frankly I'm not certain how to address you, being the power behind the throne of this "Lodin".
Either way, are you seeking Ollie and I suppose by extension, our Coterie's support in this endeavor?
Then that begs the question to what end, certainly we have numbers but no real influence politically. And if it's a fight you seek then certainly there are better choices than us. Most of my Coterie are scholars, well except Jack and I think Ollie".
He pauses, "Yes, I understand the power of the Second Inquisition more than most. Before its ugly head reared I was a resident of the Vienna Chantry. Only by dumb luck was I traveling at that moment else I would be ash on the wind".
He opens his mouth to say more fascinated by the tip of the iceberg revelations that Talley has hinted at, but holds giving Ollie a chance to speak for himself!
I don't know that movie, and I have no idea what is it about, so no spoiler Doc please, and let's watch it!
GM:
if there are humans ( a young couple preferably, or young teens) waiting to take a ticket for the movie after us, Savanna buy them each a large box of pop corn.
My doctor has forbidden me to eat these, but I so much enjoyed pop corn when I was younger that I want you to accept these, as a gift. Please. It will really put some joy in my heart if you accept.
Savanna has "blush of health" merit, and so can pass as human more easily
"It's true. I never claimed to be a highly educated man before or after my death. Lodin i heard about... he was no friend to my Clan that I hear at least not back in the day. I don't like Jackson, but why would I want Lodin or a Lodin stand in in his place when all that means is a more efficient collar around my neck?" It's a testing statement, to see how the kindred they speak to reacts. He's not going to flat out declare his Anarch leanings but he wouldn't be surprised if they knew already or suspected.
Something about Olaf has Ollie on guard, not hostile, but wary.
The movie is enjoyable enough and easy enough to follow along with even if you hadn't seen the previous two movies in the series. Exiting the theater it does not seem that you've been followed by anyone or anything.
Savanna notices a young couple coming in for the next show and offers buy them popcorn.
Savanna wrote:
"My doctor has forbidden me to eat these, but I so much enjoyed pop corn when I was younger that I want you to accept these, as a gift. Please. It will really put some joy in my heart if you accept."
"Thanks." the male of the couple says with a tinge of confusion in is voice. "Come on, babe. We need to get to our seats. Thanks for the popcorn!" the female says dragging the male along with her.
Anything else tonight? It's close to 1 am.
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Talley grins while Olaf seems to scowl - it is hard to tell precisely, given the damage to his face. "Twenty to twenty-five years...yes, that sounds about right for a Cainite to be in torpor following a devastating, but not fatal battle."
"Kevin is a pretender...if any of the Childer would have taken the throne, it should have been Neally or Ballard." Olaf seemingly growls. "As to why a Gangrel would want Lodin back, well Lodin has certainly learned the value of the most beastial of the clans - especially in light of his encounter with the Lupines."
"As to why you and your little coterie," Talley begins, "You are a largely unknown quantity. That in itself is a rare advantage in our world. Unknown quantities, particularly those of younger vintage can make one's enemies either overly cautious or foolhardily aggressive. Both lead to mistakes, particularly when one such as Kevin Jackson is concerned."
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin doesn't appear convinced by the argument, "Are you saying that Lodin managed to slay the Lupines and pull himself to safety somewhere and lay in torpor all these years only to be discovered by the Lasombra?
And why would he align himself with a Clan that as a Camarilla Prince he would have been at least, if not more opposed to, than he was the Anarchs?
In addition, I still do not understand why the Prince cannot simply waltz back in and command his Childer to obey. Did he not Blood Bound his own brood?
Perhaps I protest too much but even if I am not one in a position to demand such answers, and perhaps I am not, no doubt someone else of much greater influence than I would want to know as much if not more".
After Talley gives the explanation as to utility of the Coterie, "Suddenly I feel as if were a little worm on a big hook.
We're bait to draw out the ire of Jackson eh? I find it hard to believe he would fear us..."
He pauses, "Truth be told, I would personally be much more comfortable, despite my seeming misgivings, to the return of Lodin versus Maxwell.
This Maxwell was Prince in a different age. Lodin, from what I understand of the history of the city, kept the peace outside of feuds with the Anarchs. For one such as myself, that is all I desire. To be left alone with a stable head of State, as it were, above me allowing me to conduct my affairs unimpeded.
Were we to say, support the return of Lodin, who else is aware of and interested in such a development?"
The movie was not quite to the good doctor's tastes, but it does amuse him. In away, heist films were not so different from what they themselves were planning. It was all about getting the right team together. And if nothing else, it was good to put his mind towards light entertainment for a few hours.
"Well, that was fun. And I had delightful company. We'll have to consider doing this again sometime; things such as this can help remind us of the simple pleasures of life." He watches her hand the popcorn away with a slight smile, his eyes following the happy young couple. Ah, youth.
Nothing from me, though as a gentleman Dr. Baker will take his companion home before retiring to his own, assuming she's comfortable with that.
Savanna gladly accepts Dr Baker companionship until her home.
Her voice, as she speaks, seems to take an imperfect Southern accent
Happy to see good manners ain't lost everywhere suggha, and that a real man knows how to treat a lady. Now be quick,Sir, don't tarry, we need to fixin" to get some rest afore the sun rises. Thank you for the night out.
Ollie tries to sort this Olaf guy out... It's not just a bad vibe, an obviously scarred kindred talking about Kings being able to hold their own against lupines sounds almost worshipful of said king...
Perception plus Empathy?4d10 ⇒ (6, 6, 3, 3) = 18 Or int plus Investigation to sort stuff out?3d10 ⇒ (7, 10, 8) = 25
Dr. Baker and Savanna decide to call it a night while Ollie and Edwin continue their meeting...
Ollie:
You don't get the feeling that Olaf "worships" Lodin, but it would certainly seem that he has a great deal of confidence in the thought-to-be-dead Ventrue.
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Olaf responds to the mention of Lodin's rule. "Many of those squabbles with the Anarchs were the doing of the Primogen, and many of those have left save for Critias, Khalid, and Annabelle. In fact the Primogen were very much against Lodin's embrace of Capone and Jackson, as they thought that Lodin was getting too close to the Anarchs by embracing those two."
"Who else is aware of, and longs for the "return of the king"?" Talley almost mockingly asks, "Annabelle for one. Horatio Ballard for another."
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin and Ollie:
Edwin asks one more question then issues a statement, "I am unclear how Capone and Jackson are akin to Anarchs, because they were criminals as Mortals?
I must confess that the return of Lodin would appear to solve Chicago's leadership vacuum, let me discuss this with my Coterie".
"I'm with you, Jackson and Capone never struck me as Anarchs either from what I heard. Just a different chain of command," He looks to Edwin "Let's see what the others think. I'm not crazy about it, but I'm not ready to dismiss it out of hand." He looks to Olaf and Talley "Appreciate your... sales pitch."
Olaf laughs. "I never said that Capone and Jackson were Anarchs...the Primogen are the ones that believed the criminal element the two came from was closely associated with the Anarchs...but that is neither here nor there."
Talley nods.
"By all means, discuss this with your friends, but do not delay too long" the Lasombra adds threateningly.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin sighs at the threat and despite his own general distaste for confrontation he feels compelled to respond, "With a tone such as this, I'm not sure you're all that much different from the current Prince who used threats to justify his own tenuous hold of the city. While there is little doubt that the two of you could easily slay us here and now, I have to wonder, is that the sort of support you are seeking? The cowed? If we are so cowed by you, how could we stand against the current Prince, after all a coward isn't much of an ally. We would stand with you until such time as we could flee or if it seemed that you were losing, we might then switch sides to preserve our own hides. Contemplate this as we contemplate how to convince our friends that your cause is the correct cause to back versus the cause of an anachronistic borderline anarch Brujah". Edwin bows and he withdraws with Ollie and Buttons.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Assuming I didn't just doom us both, let me know when we are way out of sight ST and I would like us to briefly head somewhere else other than HQ tonight...
Talley laughs at Edwin's comment. "Apologies. My words were not meant to be a threat, regardless of my tone. Too many years among the Sabbat I suppose. We look forward to hearing your response soon."
You head out and getting out of sight isn't too difficult, seemingly away from Talley and Olaf shortly after boarding a northbound red line train.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie and Buttons:
"Well, we still exist so it could have gone worse.
This is quite a shocking development".
As the train makes its next stop, Edwin motions for Ollie and Buttons to follow him. He calls Ladislav requesting a pick up.
"I wish to visit a new ally to discuss this development. I am shocked that they would drag out some ridiculous story about the survival of Lodin, but what better way for former Sabbat to control Chicago? If I am not mistaken, they have powers that can make anyone look like the former Prince..."
ST, once Ladislav arrives, Edwin directs him to drive to the University, Edwin would like to pay a visit to Criatias.
Looks like Ollie and Edwin still have a bit to accomplish tonight. Is there anything Matthew or Savanna would like to do yet tonight?
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Ladislav arrives and almost immediately takes note of his master's concern.
"Is everything alright, sir?" the revenant asks as he begins to drive toward the University. Some thirty minutes later, you arrive outside of the University. It is rather late, but that shouldn't matter overly much given who you wish to speak with...provided the doors are unlocked this time of night.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin shakes his head at Ladislav, "Unfortunately my friend, no. Much as I wish to focus on my studies, the world has a way to pull me away from those desires.
First, we fled from Europe and settled here. a place that was supposed to be settled.
Now we come to find out that chaos is here as well.
Trouble yourself not my friend, I shall find a way..." He stares out the window in silence until they arrive at the University.
Once the pull over Edwin asks Ladislav to drive around a bit, "Go not too far as I am not sure how soon I may need you again my friend!"
Edwin motions for Ollie to follow him and he heads to now familiar building and hallway of the Elder.
As always, when Buttons gets out of the vehicle he sniffs about getting used to the smells briefly, and goes on guard mode. Ollie pats his dog and follows Edwin, "Survival huh? Guess any event you can walk away from." He chuckles but clearly still has reservations.
Opening the side door you make your way upstairs to the office you had visited a few nights ago. The door is cracked and faint light pours through that crack.
A baritone,Greek-accented voices calls out, "Good evening, please come in. What is it you seek tonight?"
It is unclear if Critias knows who is outside his door, but you suspect he knows exactly who is outside his door.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin enters the room and gives a formal bow, "Good evening Elder. I have with me Ollie and his trusted companion Buttons.
I apologize for disturbing you, but just this very might I cam across some information that throws much of what we discussed into chaos and I get the sense that it is something important for you to know, in light of our arrangement".
Ollie gives a respectful nod "Professor." He believes that's one thing some call the Elder and it seems respectful enough. Critias is a legend among Kindred, even a less than academically inclined guy like himself knows of him.
"Oh? And what might that be, young Edwin?" the ancient Brujah asks.
"More players on the board than you previously thought? That is always the case, my friend. It is just that normally so many of those players stay in the proverbial shadows...and in some cases literal shadows it would seem these nights."
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
Edwin frowns but responds, "The supposed return of Lodin as a contender for the Princeship. However, it appears that his main set of supporters are the Lasombra.
I find it odd that the Lasombra suddenly have discovered Lodin 30 years after his Final Death at the hands of Lupines. Is the Sabbat not known for the ability to change their appearances? It would appear to me, and perhaps I am just becoming paranoid, that the Sabbat wishes to soft coup Chicago by installing "Lodin" as Prince.
And even if Lodin were Prince cold he not simply utilize his blood bond to command Prince Jackson to step down?
All that said, I presume that you would still wish to support Maxwell? Nicolai does, of course, that is before I knew what I no know about the "Return of the King" as the odd ally of the Lasombra call it" Edwin pauses and waits for a response from Criatias.
"Lodin you say?" Critias asks, surprise creeping into the elder's voice.
"Not terribly likely, but not impossible I suppose. The Ventrue are known for their mastery of the discipline of Fortitude as well as much as their mastery of Dominate."
Critias gets a somewhat quizzical look on his face as he addresses the next matter. "I suppose it is not surprising that a member of the Tremere, of all Clans, has an incomplete understanding of the Blood Oath, given how you and clanmates are partially bound to your clan. For the Blood Oath to remain, the thrall must continue to receive blood from their regnant, lest the bond fade over time, typically one year and a day from the completion of the bond."
"So, if by some miracle Lodin does still exist, his absence these last three decades would have severed any bonds that he held on his Childer, or anyone else for that matter."
"We once controlled Lodin, he was a figured-head for the city while the Primogen council truly ruled Chicago. A returning would need our help and be more...cooperative than he was before Lodin was installed as Prince."
"Going by that logic, let's say the Lasombra found a dying Lodin who survived because of his fortitude. Let's say instead of staking him, they blood bound him? AIn't it true it doesn't matter how old you are, even a novice can bind an elder after three drinks? Most times anyway? Disguise might not be needed."
Frankly the idea of being blood bonded creeps Ollie out. He avoids it religiously which is to say he'd rather NOT have his new religion being worshiping some other kindred.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
"A grim thought Ollie and an excellent point.
Perhaps it is my survival instinct alone driving me, but I would prefer to back the candidate that the Elders approve of. I'd rather not be standing against Kindred alive before the time of Christ or Elder Wizards who have forgotten more rituals than I've read about. It will not be clear until tomorrow where Khalid stands...
Of course, that said, without Criatias or Nicolai at my side, I'd stand little chance if Talley drew steel upon me or dropped shadows around me".
Edwin pauses a grim look upon his face, "Are you saying you prefer Maxwell because he will be more controllable than Lodin or Jackson or because he is of your Blood? I suppose it's irrelevant either way, I would prefer to side with the side that is most likely to win, not lose".
"That is correct, Ollie. Strength of blood matters little as it pertains to the Blood Oath.
"Lodin, should he actually still exist, would be a wild card in this scenario. He was able to be controlled before and I suspect that he would be again for the opportunity to regain praxis over the city of Chicago. I will admit, I would see it as an added bonus were Maxwell to return, simply to have a Brujah - even if he is a nephew rather than a direct descendent of I - at the head of the table rather than a damned Ventrue."
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, & Buttons:
"I see, though Lodin would be controlled by the Lasombra in this case...
So whether this is the real Lodin or another Kindred masquerading as Lodin, is irrelevant. Well, the relevance for my Coterie, including Ollie, is that the Lasombra strongly hinted though Talley pulled back the threat a bit, that were we to not get on board with the Return of the King, our existences may be forfeit.
This seems to have little distinction from the threats made by Prince Jackson.
Truth be told, I was somewhat taken by the idea of the return of Lodin as a force for stability considering what I had heard of the city from the Regent prior to Lodin's death.
But of these three contenders, Maxwell was the only one to not threaten to slay us if we chose not to support him. That in itself has some great value.
I thank you for your time Elder. Tomorrow we shall meet with Khalid. Assuming that he too approves of Maxwell's return, that is three of the Primogen or former Primogen backing his claim to praxis quite significant".
Edwin is about to leave but has another thought he feels compelled to share.
"What of the other Primogen? Annabelle, Tyler, and Inyanga? Or has the Gangrel Elder withdrawn from that position? If those three split their support, that would be a significant boost for Maxwell no?"
"Neither Tyler nor Inyanga have been seen since the formal departures of Clans Brujah and Gangrel from the Camarilla - even if there are still members of both of those Clans that hold powerful positions within our city." the ancient begins. "It does not make me sad that Tyler is gone, seeing as she had committed Amaranth on one of my Childer..."
"Damien, my Childe is the Sheriff. Rosa Hernandez is the de facto leader of the Gangrel in the city, and sits on the Primogen council these nights. Although I do confess, I do not know her leanings in any of this business, or even how much she knows."
Turning his attention the subject of the Toreador Primogen, he says, "She once was a staunch supporter of Lodin, but the two had a bit of a falling out just before the Prince's assumed demise. I have doubts she would welcome him back with open arms, but members of her Clan can be rather flighty."
"Rosa isn't as ...garou friendly as Inyanga was said to be, that much I can share with you all because it's not exactly a secret." The Gangrel in the room says.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Edwin, Ollie, and Buttons:
Edwin turns to Ollie, "Well, all there is to do is to see the last Primogen tomorrow, after we speak with him, we can discuss further with the Coterie what is what.
Thank you for your time Elder, I shall of course inform you of what Khalid has to say tomorrow night if that is alright with you?"
Regardless Edwin leads the way out.
"There is much to contemplate tonight Ollie, I say we head back and get some rest before tomorrow nights last meeting, do you think the others would wish to come with? Plus, we will need to see what it is they discovered in their own meetings".
I think that's all from me, let's get the rest of the group back in for the next night unless you have something more for us ST!
Dr. Baker rises. His first order of business is to try and attend his therapy session with his special patient for this evening. During the midst of it, he attempts to subtly sub off his herd member, taking a small nibble.
If he recalls correctly, there's supposed to be some meeting held later tonight. He will wait until the rest of the group gets in contact. Until then it is business as usual for him and Winthrop.
We've never really delved into Matthew's schedule, but I imagine he has a few night patients, though only one a night is selected for feeding. With humanity 7 I don't know exactly at what time he'd wake up, but I'm thinking he'd have at least 3 or so; until recently he rarely found himself drawn into the wider vamperic community outside his monthly Elysium trips. He'll focus on his mundane job for now. If the meeting is supposed to happen before his work is completed, he'll dominate his remaining patients into thinking they had a productive session if possible; failing that, he'll apologize profusely and cancel.
Edwin Wagner 12th Generation Tremere | Will 6 | Blood Pool 10/12 |
Upon rising, Edwin will cast his rituals Deflection of Wooden Doom.
Edwin will text Statia that he has further business this evening but ask her availability for the next evening.
Thereafter, he will seek to bring everyone together for a meeting to get an update from Matt and Savanna and of course provide to them the events of the two previous meeting he had and of course to invite them to the final meeting tonight.
When awake, Savanna takes an hour to shower, comb her hair, and then opens her computer to work on her required project, finding a potential building for her contractor.
Maybe there are a few new buildings on the market now?
She puts all the information she has, and, crossing her fingers, send them to the AI, hoping for some revelation
Statia is disappointed by the delay, but says she understands. After casting your ritual you send out a text to you coterie-mates, even the more absent ones like Calliope, Alexander, and Jack in hopes of hearing if there is anything new to report.
Dr. Baker:
Your evening thus far has gone according to plan. Your patient/meal for the evening has arrived and left already when you phone buzzes with a message from Edwin. He would like everyone to come to the Temple tonight.
Savanna:
Much to your disappointment, there doesn't seem to be anything new on the market that would suit the needs of your project. Not that surprising really, as you are looking for a fairly specific type of building.
You're about to punch in new search with some different parameters when you phone buzzes with a message from Edwin. He would like everyone to come to the Temple tonight.
Ollie:
You wake up, or should I say you are woken up by Buttons. It would seem your faithful hound would like to at the very least head outside to take care of some necessary business.
On your way back to the Temple, your phone buzzes with a message from Edwin. He would like everyone to come to the Temple tonight.
What you have in the profile looks like a good start. I would like to see some of the fluff in the profile along with clearer definition around some of the merits (Contacts, Enemies, Stalkers, etc.)
As far as the stat line, I would like to see Health, Willpower, Hunger, and Humanity. Any other info you'd like to put in there like generation and clan is fine too.
Hunger will start at 1 for everyone. The only way to get hunger below 1 is to completely exsanguinate/kill a human when feeding.
Kazmanaught here! I ended up going in a different direction. Please take a look at my character sheet/backstory! I didn't really put much in about my sire because I don't know what you'd like to do for that part. I took the Descendant of Lodin loresheet, and I'm happy to put up to 3 of my advantages dots towards our group!
I'd like to add some shared backstory elements into my sheet at some point, but since we don't know who everyone is yet, it's hard to do that!
I will add fluff/definition of the merits ASAP in the discussion thread (hopefully tonight? I'm trying to help my partner, who has never played a ttrpg before, create a Pathfinder 2e character) and see about those shared backstory elements we can work on.
I’m getting into the nitty gritty of crunch today. Some questions for you, ST Talomyr:
What skill would cover mechanics and electronics? Things like physically assembling/repairing/installing various hardware for vehicles, sound systems, arcade/pinball machines, etc. as opposed to any software.
Is Thin-Blood Alchemy considered a Clan Discipline or Other Discipline for experience point costs?
I’m getting into the nitty gritty of crunch today. Some questions for you, ST Talomyr:
What skill would cover mechanics and electronics? Things like physically assembling/repairing/installing various hardware for vehicles, sound systems, arcade/pinball machines, etc. as opposed to any software.
Is Thin-Blood Alchemy considered a Clan Discipline or Other Discipline for experience point costs?
Thanks :)
Physical mechanics would likely fall under Craft, while electronics and such would fall under Technology.
Thin-Blood Alchemy is considered an In-Clan discipline as far as XP costs go for Thin Bloods.
Kazmanaught here! I ended up going in a different direction. Please take a look at my character sheet/backstory! I didn't really put much in about my sire because I don't know what you'd like to do for that part. I took the Descendant of Lodin loresheet, and I'm happy to put up to 3 of my advantages dots towards our group!
I'd like to add some shared backstory elements into my sheet at some point, but since we don't know who everyone is yet, it's hard to do that!
I'll take a look tonight or tomorrow and provide you feedback.
Here’s my write-up. Everyone is free to read it, in fact I’d appreciate any feedback or suggestions all of you may have. I’ve made notes throughout.
Krzysztof “K” Sobczak, aka Outrun
Top o’ the Sheet:
Chronicle ST Talomyr’s Chicago by Night
SireSomeone rash and 13+ generation Concept Fast & Foolish vampire wannabe
Ambition Earn Camarilla’s trust
Desire Prove himself to his coterie
Predator Scene Queen (street racers) or Blood Leech if this helps story-wise with coterie Clan Thin-Blood plus one for reference if Clan Curse flaw is taken Generation 14+
Blood Potency 0
Attributes:
Physical
Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2
It’s all in the reflexes. Social
Charisma 3, Manipulation 1, Composure 2
People like being around him, but don’t take his advice. Mental
Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Quick thinking and present in the moment. Health 5
Willpower 5
Humanity 7
Skills:
Physical
Athletics 3, Crafts 2 (vehicles), Drive 4 (getaway), Larceny 3, Stealth 1
He’s got the moves, especially behind the wheel. Social
Performance (dance) 1, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 2
He’s got some hustle, and can bust a move. Mental
Awareness 1, Tech 2
Keeps an eye out; electronics hobbyist.
Disciplines:
Thin-Blood Alchemy 1 possibly 2 depending on xp expenditures
-Distillation Method: Fixatio
Prefers to cook on an exhaust manifold, but a hot plate or electric stovetop will do in a pinch.
-Formulae
Haze. Exhaust fume infused blood cooked down and filled into a custom one-hit atomizer; vaping vampire-style.
I may take one more Discipline via the Thin-Blood Merit ‘Discipline Affinity’ if I take the Thin-Blood Flaw ‘Clan Curse.’
Thin-Blood Merits & Flaws:
These are largely undecided, as I think they’re going to impact / be impacted by coterie dynamic. But here are my thoughts:
Flaws
Branded by the Camarilla.
K “turned himself in” to the Camarilla in his bid to join their ranks.
And 2 of the following:
Shunned by the Anarchs?
He took part in an inter-vamp battle with Anarchs, and the word’s out that he’s not on their side.
Clan Curse ?
May be interesting plot point if he exhibited his Sire’s bloodline, especially if his Sire is anonymous (or wants to be,) and/or a member of a Clan represented in the coterie.
Vitae Dependency ? (paired with Blood Leech predator)
May be an interesting dynamic for the coterie, where he’s basically dependent on one or more of them to maintain his full potential: what does he have to do to earn access to Discipline use, and what’s him being powered up worth to the rest of the coterie?
Merits
Lifelike
Part of my idea for K is his naïveté towards the full horror of being a vampire; he lacks many of the physical transformations that mold the unlives of full-bloods, and takes this for granted.
Day Drinker?
Interesting to further bolster the above naïveté concept, but I can see this becoming disruptive to play, so maybe not? or
Vampiric Resilience
If Day Drinker isn’t taken. Still plays up the same concept - he takes for granted he’s got full-blood resilience without the loss of normal human biological functions.
Discipline Affinity?
If the Clan Curse flaw above is taken, I may take this for one of that Clan’s Disciplines to lean into the premise. or
Thin-Blood Alchemist
If Discipline Affinity isn’t taken. If I don’t take this as a merit, I’ll buy 1 rank with xp.
Advantages & Flaws:
Flaws
Influence 1 - Disliked (law enforcement)
Known troublemaker. He’s got no record as an adult, but only because they’ve never managed to catch him in the act.
Bonding 1 - Bond Junkie?
Could be interesting if Vitae Dependency is taken as Thin-Blood Flaw above.
Adversary 1 - Neonate?
If we want to go with an anonymous Sire, they could be sabotaging K behind the scenes in the hopes of erasing their mistake.
Merits
Looks 2 - Beautiful
All this and looks, too!
Backgrounds
Haven 2 - small, mobile?
Obviously “mobile” isn’t an option in the rulebook, but thought it would fit if K had a low-key sedan or conversion van he sometimes sleeps in (or in the trunk, if sedan.) If not, I’ll just reassign the 2 points into my other existing Advantages.
Contacts 2
”The Dean,” leader of his old chop shop crew, the HK Grads.
Resources 1
Currently working occasional small-time, low risk criminal jobs.
Experience Total / Spent:
15/0 (15 to spend)
Convictions & Touchstones:
Some ideas
“Hate the game, not the player.”
-Hastings, rival street racer. Much better financed, she often beats K through sheer mechanical advantage; while the two don’t like each other, they respect each other.
“Everybody’s got a shot.”
-Tina G, ex-girlfriend from his teens. Applied herself at school, got scholarships for college and law school, and just got hired at a prestigious law firm in the city.
“Always back your partner’s play.”
-Dante Green, Tina G’s brother and fellow member of the HK Grads. Went along with his crewmates despite disagreeing with a job, purposefully got caught by police to allow others time to escape when the job predictably went awry; currently serving time in Hill Correctional.
Other Details:
True Age 26
Apparent Age 23
Date of Birth 08/05/1996
Date of Death 08/05/2019
Appearance 80s retro: clean-cut, customized varsity and bomber jackets, jeans, high-end sneakers, sunglasses.
Distinguishing Features Good looks, 80s style, ‘HK Grads’ varsity jacket, aggressive positivity.
Random Bits HK Grads varsity jacket has patches for every kind of car he’s stolen; loves stand-up arcade and pinball games; favorite car is the 1989 Trans Am Turbo; learned early that folks are more attracted to someone who’s willing to dance with them; customization is key - ready made is for suckers; favorite movie is the 2009 anime Redline.
History Grew up poor in the city, juvenile delinquency led to recruitment in the HK Grads (Hard Knocks Grads,) a local chop shop crew. Learned professional car theft, car mechanics, street racing, and getaway driving. Known professionally as ‘Outrun’ - originally coined by his crew due to his obsession with synthwave and retrofuture aesthetics, it’s relevancy expanded with his turn as street racer and wheelman.
Was rashly Embraced to serve in an ill-conceived attack on rival vampire; operation was a disaster, but K survived through skill and luck. Learning that the Camarilla were the Big Name in vampire affairs, presented himself to them for probationary membership. Has since learned the basics of Thin-Blood Alchemy from fellow thin-bloods and experimentation.
Purposefully leaving room for expansion and details to be determined with ST and coterie input. Some ideas include anonymous Camarilla Sire who Embraced K without sanction for a similarly unsanctioned action against rival vampire - Sire is trying to keep K down to protect themselves, and/or maybe K is being used as bait by Sire’s Clan to out them; K possibly being blood bound to a fellow player or NPC due to Vitae Dependency flaw.
Looks like we might have all the takers we're going to have for this one. If any you have someone else in mind that might be interested, please send them this way.
I know someone in RL who may be interested, but they'd be new to PbP. I'll check with them this weekend.
Speaking of Spring Break - I am going to be out of town next week (April 5th and 6th, going back home on the 7th) and may not have access to a computer.
I usually don't have cell signal out at the cabins my partner and I go to, but they've been installing cell towers for a bit, so who knows...
I'm going to work on the assumption that I don't have cell signal, but if I do, I'll make sure to let you all know. I post from my phone all the time, so keeping up that way won't be an issue :)
Thanks for the heads up. I'll be doing a bit of traveling the next couple of weeks myself - some business, some personal - but posting shouldn't really be disrupted.
We'll see if goodwicki's friend would like to join us, if so we'll give that individual a bit yo put together a concept and the move into the coterie building aspect of this. If goodwicki's isn't interested, we'll move into that phase a bit sooner.
Kazmanaught here! I ended up going in a different direction. Please take a look at my character sheet/backstory! I didn't really put much in about my sire because I don't know what you'd like to do for that part. I took the Descendant of Lodin loresheet, and I'm happy to put up to 3 of my advantages dots towards our group!
I'd like to add some shared backstory elements into my sheet at some point, but since we don't know who everyone is yet, it's hard to do that!
Okay a couple of things:
Who taught you Protean? It's not a clan discipline for the Ventrue, so you had to have someone teach you. In this edition in order to learn a new discipline you do not have dots in you need to drink blood of the correct resonance (not an issue) AND drink from the vampire teaching you. Is that something you would like to define, or do you want me to. Either way, Jack would start 1/3 blood bound to that teacher.
The Brujah and Gangrel are both common enough that learning about them is not an issue - The Lamia, being a bloodline of the Hecata are not as common. Given Jack's lack of age, I'm not so sure that he would know about them, let alone specifics around their ways of thinking.
For Advantages you get 7 points. The Loresheet advantage works a bit differently. Having level 3 does not give you level 1 and 2 along with them, so if you want all 3 that would cost 6 of your dots - which you have assuming you do not leave any to contribute to coertie merits.
A Blood Leach predator type could be interesting from a roleplaying standpoint - would you seek to kill other vamps, or are looking for a more consensual feeding style here? Both have their drawbacks - one leading to becoming persona non grata/smoking pile of ashes quickly, the other likely leads to the blood bond.
Stealing K’s style because I like the little ooc comments! Sorry this took me so long.
Calliope Marchette
Clan Toreador, childe of Mateo Garcia, 13th Generation
Predator Type: Scene Queen (Art Scene)
Desire: (Not sure yet)
Ambition: Earn enough prestige within Toreador and the Camarilla to get out from under Mateo’s thumb
Clan Bane: Aesthetic Fixation
Attributes:
Strength 1
Dexterity 3
Stamina 2
Weak, gaunt, but quick and confident on her feet and with a paintbrush.
Charisma 4
Manipulation 2
Composure 3
People like to be around her, they listen, and she keeps her cool in the face of temptation and jerks…especially useful when dealing with her hot-headed Sire.
Intelligence 2
Wits 2
Resolve 3
Pretty average, but has a laser-focus on her goals and her craft.
Mental
Academics (Specialty: Fine Arts) 3
Awareness 3
Finance 1
Occult 2
Technology 1
Knows a lot about the arts; has eyes in the back of her head; manages her money well; dabbles in weird and occult stuff; a fair hand with modern technology.
Physical
Craft (Specialty: Painting) 4
She’s really good at painting.
Social
Etiquette (Specialty: Art Scene) 2
Insight (Specialty: Emotions) 2
Intimidation 1
Persuasion 3
Subterfuge 2
Sweet talker; chipper; sensitive to people’s moods and will play on that to get what she wants.
Fame 1 (Predator Adv)
Her artwork is making waves due to its unsettling nature; the vampire community is into it.
Contact 1 (Predator Adv)
She is in good with a gallery owner in downtown Chicago, Icarus Jones, who has hosted a few of her art shows. Her connections within the Toreador have netted Jones several prestigious artists using his space and her looks on her favorably.
Disliked 1 (Predator Flaw)
Calliope absolutely stepped on a few toes on her way to her current fame. There are a few fellow neonate artists who were passed over in favor of her, and they want her to regret it.
Haven (Adv) 1
Haven: Security (Adv) 1
Haven: Haunted (Flaw) 1
Herd (Adv) 2
Resources (Adv) 2
Status (Adv) 1
Stalkers (Flaw) 1
Explained these in history.
Total XP: 15
Total Spent: 0
Convictions & Touchstones:
Conviction: Keep it weird.
Touchstone: Professor Dolores Hickam, her advisor. Encouraged Calliope when the young woman began to experiment with her new style.
Conviction: Question everything.
Touchstone: Calliope was much closer to her father than her mother. He taught her vital analytical and critical thinking skills.
Conviction: When a friend asks for help, you help ‘em.
Touchstone: Charity Remson, childhood friend from K-12. A case of opposites: Charity came from a poor rural family instilled with solid values and intense work ethic. Threw down multiple times on Calliope’s behalf.
Age, Appearance, etc.:
True Age 35
Apparent Age 30
Date of Birth February 17, 1988
Date of Death December 9, 2018
Appearance Thin, just on the edge of gaunt. Much of her torso and arms are tattooed in thin, winding lines that create occult symbols, skulls, and thorny, flowering vines. Thick, waist-length, straight black hair. Wears glasses with thick black plastic frames despite not needing them.
Distinguishing Features Goth af. Bubbly in a way that juxtaposes her appearance and art.
Random Bits Owns a rather large collection of first edition H.P. Lovecraft writing as well as various horror movie props, classical art prints, and various occult oddities. Her one bedroom apartment is a mix between an art studio and an oddities museum. To protect her collection and to keep sunlight from streaming in accidentally, she has a series of cameras and high-tech locks installed around all her windows and doors (Haven: Security).
Recently, it seems as though one of her oddities may have also brought a spirit with it, and Calliope is thrilled rather than annoyed by the development. She’s started to affectionately refer to the entity as “George.” (Haven: Haunted flaw).
History:
Calliope grew up relatively well-off. Her father is indie horror filmmaker and her mother is a suit at a major production company, both of whom happily supported her passion for painting. Her parents nurtured the talent and Calliope ended up attending Chicago University’s art program, earning a degree in Fine Arts with a focus in painting. She received a rather large inheritance from her grandmother which supports her even now.
During her time at the University, Calliope dated another art major–a strange young man named Alistair Pickman, a name that should have been a red flag in itself. Calliope’s fascination with weird, occult things drew her to him and eventually led to her getting involved in some weird cult behavior before Pickman abruptly broke up with her and transferred schools.
During her time with Alistair, her art nouveau paintings began to take on a strange quality–the young artist began to experiment with dissonant, contrasting shapes and colors; the uncanny valley; and abject, macabre scenery. When one gave her work a passing glance, it was easy to miss the unsettling details, but the longer one stared, the more disturbing imagery they would notice.
Her artwork began to get attention for its unique, horrifying feel and appealed especially to the Night scene, which is where she unknowingly attracted the attention of members of the Camarilla. She was eventually Embraced by Mateo Garcia as a means of securing influence for himself and fostering Calliope’s desire to explore the beauty of the abject further.
Calliope has been a vampire for five years now. Within her first year, she began to receive strange postcards from her former lover, Alistair Pickman. He always seems to know where she lives; what she’s doing; and makes sure to let her know. Despite the fact that she is now a predator, the painter is unsettled and frightened of the stalker.
Calliope’s artwork has netted her no small amount of fans, especially since a painting of hers was recently featured on a well-known horror TV show. From this large fanbase, Calliope tends to feed–she prefers to feed from those who share her interest in the Weird.
Potence isn't a clan discipline either. I don't mind being 1/3rd blood bonded to 2 other vamps. I'm happy to come up with something, but I do prefer GM surprises. Perhaps we could work together? Or perhaps one of the people who helped him learn it was a Lamia?
As far as the Lamia goes, Jack hangs around a Tremere (Edwin) who might have been able to educate him on these things? Or perhaps the fact that all Ventrue are treated as Mawla 1, they might have mentioned this thing of interest to Jack? If you'd like, I can change my specialty from brawl Kindred to Politics Hecatae? I had hoped that 3 drops might be enough though.
In terms of Loresheet, I see how that was confusing. I bought the level 1 and the level 2 abilities, not the level 3 ability. So I should have 4 drops leftover, down to 3 after the high functioning addict, which I'm ok with putting towards coterie creation.
@ST Talomyr Any interest in pursuing a narrative where K's Sire is an anonymous Camarilla neonate looking to "fix his mistake" without incriminating himself? If so, what Clan would be a good fit for the Sire - I'd take some of the Clan-specific merits and flaws available to Thin-Bloods.
@Everyone I'd like to take the Blood Leech predator type along with the Vitae Dependency and Bond Junkie flaws. My idea is he'd be feeding from one or more of his fellow coterie members.
Any takers/volunteers to be his blood source?
If we go with both an anonymous Sire and Blood Leech, perhaps K's Sire could be from the Clan of whomever is feeding him. The Clan's keeping tabs (and a blood bond) on K while keeping an eye out for clues as to his Sire's identity, so the culprit may be appropriately punished. In this scenario, I imagine the initial opportunity for K to prove himself to the Camarilla is more just a carrot to keep him around and alive long enough for the Clan to clean up their mess.
Blood in exchange for access to experiment with Thin Blooded Alchemy? Probably yes, especially considering the connection that my character has with the Ducheski.
Blood in exchange for access to experiment with Thin Blooded Alchemy? Probably yes, especially considering the connection that my character has with the Ducheski.
Calliope Marchette wrote:
Calliope would be open to be a blood source as well. Coterie bonding!
Sweet! I’ll definitely roll with Blood Leech/Vitae Dependency/Bond Junkie then.
Hi, I'm goodwicki's friend. I copy/pasted his character sheet format, but didn't go into text formatting beyond spoilers. There's some blanks to fill in, but is pretty much done. Sorry for the lengthy History write up, hence the TLDR.
If there's a list of Nosferatu sires available I'm happy to pick or be assigned one.
Also happy to address any problems or questions.
Alexander Armarius:
Chronicle: ST Talomyr’s Chicago by Night
Sire: 12 generation Nosferatu
Concept: Armchair sleuth and bibliophile
Ambition:
Desire:
Predator: Sandman*
Clan: Nosferatu
Generation: 13
Blood Potency: 1
Backgrounds
Contacts 2 / cold case CPD detective
Haven 2 (coterie pool if needed)
Lorebook 1 / The Week of Nightmares. Oral History.
*Resources 3 (+1 from Sandman predator)
Experience Total / Spent:
15/0 (15 to spend) Saving in case needed for coterie stuff.
Convictions & Touchstones:
“Print is NOT dead” or maybe “Always keep hard copy.”
-Head of the SCRC department at his old job.
“There’s no such thing as a perfect crime.”
-Fictional John Walsh-like figure (the guy from America’s Most Wanted)
Other Details:
True Age: 76
Apparent Age: 75
Date of Birth: 10/08/1948
Date of Death: 02/16/2022
Appearance: Monstrous
Distinguishing Features: Default voice is a whisper. Immaculate handwriting. Spiral-bound notepad. Fanny pack.
Random Bits: Prints out webpages.
History::
Alexander graduated from the University of Chicago with Library Sciences degree, then worked at the university’s Regenstein Library from 1970 - 2000, many of those years spent attending to the Special Collections Research Center. A recluse by nature, he loved curating and restoring rare books, manuscripts, etc at work and collecting (hoarding) and reading local newspapers, magazines, and the like at home.
As talk about moving towards a digital format for general library access started to become reality, Alexander retired at the age of 52. He felt ill equipped to assist with this digital future, indeed was depressed by it. He’d invested heavily in the tech industry on the suggestion of university colleagues, but, disillusioned with the promises of new digital technologies, he cashed them out. Lucky for him, he did so at the height of the dot-com bubble, securing a nest egg sizeable enough to see him through his retirement. Despite his resignation he would still visit the library so often many of his co-workers never realized he’d retired.
He began to pursue his interest in local unsolved mysteries. With access to extensive print collections both at the library and at home, he researched cases of missing persons, unsolved murders, and other local enigmas from decades past. Each case got its own notebook, filled with all the reported facts he could find and his own personal notes. After several years he solved his first case - he deduced an infant missing from a Chicago hospital in 1978 had been taken and raised by an on-site electrician and was now a local tv weatherman. He approached the man with his findings. After laying out all the evidence, the man arranged a DNA test and proved Alexander correct.
Subsequent years brought more victories. He mostly solved little-known crimes decades after those involved were dead, but had some that could still be prosecuted. Alexander grew bolder in his research - conducting phone interviews, visiting the locations of mysteries in person, filing Freedom of Information requests. He even learned how to use the internet he’d so despised, though he was sure to print out all the information he found there for reference. He developed an amicable relationship with the Chicago PD’s poorly staffed cold case unit, he communicates by phone and mails them copies of his research and findings.
Over the past few years Alexander began to see patterns in unrelated mid-century (1940s - 1960s) missing persons and murder cases based around Lake Calumet. His research eventually led him to a defunct electrical substation, in the shadow of a landfill and half-swallowed by marsh. His curiosity got the better of him, and the old man pushed his way inside, believing the crimes and their perpetrator to be nothing but history.
In fact the perpetrator was still very current. The vampire, a Nosferatu, had used the station as its main haven for decades after it had been embraced in 1940, and was the killer behind Alexander’s cases. It had since moved on, but still used the station a retreat from time to time. That night was one of those times. As an intruder Alexander intrigued the vampire. A feeble septuagenarian armed with a flashlight, memo pad, and polaroid camera, stumbling into its lair. As it wasn’t hungry, it let him live, observing him as he made notes and took pictures. Followed him back to his house, a maze of old filing cabinets filled with professionally archived periodicals dating back more than a century. Read his notebook meticulously detailing how he’d deduced the seemingly unrelated cases were the work of the same criminal, who had performed the murders somewhere in a narrow stretch of south Lake Calumet.
The Nosferatu knew then and there that Alexander was a kindred spirit. He was also too dangerous to allow to live. So rather than destroy him, it embraced him while he slept, and brought him back to its lair for induction to the Clan.
Alexander’s transformation has been particularly rough. He’s not just unpleasant to look at, he’s nightmare fuel. His new appearance combined with his natural tendency for reclusivity mean he avoids being near mortals whenever possible. Unwilling to face a struggling victim he feeds the same way his sire embraced him, on sleeping victims. Motels and nursing homes mostly. He still visits the library after-hours, familiarity and new-found abilities allowing him to enter and leave largely undetected. He still studies history and unravels mysteries, he’s just got a new set of data to familiarize himself with. Is intrigued by the Week of Nightmares and has begun to gather information on it.
TLDR: Old recluse librarian-turned-amateur detective linked Nosferatu’s haven to decades old killings, was embraced by said Nosferatu for a job well done. Now hunts people while they sleep and researches vampire mysteries.
@ST Talomyr Any interest in pursuing a narrative where K's Sire is an anonymous Camarilla neonate looking to "fix his mistake" without incriminating himself? If so, what Clan would be a good fit for the Sire - I'd take some of the Clan-specific merits and flaws available to Thin-Bloods.
That could be an interesting take. Any clan could fit for that, although the Nosferatu would be a bit more difficult given their particular Bane.
Of the clans, the ones most likely to "embrace recklessly" are the Toreador, Brujah, and Gangrel, so one of those would be the easiest.
Hi, I'm goodwicki's friend. I copy/pasted his character sheet format, but didn't go into text formatting beyond spoilers. There's some blanks to fill in, but is pretty much done. Sorry for the lengthy History write up, hence the TLDR.
If there's a list of Nosferatu sires available I'm happy to pick or be assigned one.
Also happy to address any problems or questions.
** spoiler omitted **...
Welcome, Rackhir. Based on the name, I assume you are a fan of the Eternal Champion series?
As far as your backstory goes, it would make sense to me to have your Sire be Wauneka or Grimm (See my profile for a very brief description of the pair. To keep you closer in generation to the others, I think Grimm might be the better choice, which would make you 11th Generation.
Waneka is Grimm's Sire and the pair are information brokers in city - each having a particular area of focus. Alexander's area of focus would be an area that neither of them are particularly strong in, so that would be benefit to the Clan. We can flesh out the particulars as we go along, be it here or in PMs.
Potence isn't a clan discipline either. I don't mind being 1/3rd blood bonded to 2 other vamps. I'm happy to come up with something, but I do prefer GM surprises. Perhaps we could work together? Or perhaps one of the people who helped him learn it was a Lamia?
As far as the Lamia goes, Jack hangs around a Tremere (Edwin) who might have been able to educate him on these things? Or perhaps the fact that all Ventrue are treated as Mawla 1, they might have mentioned this thing of interest to Jack? If you'd like, I can change my specialty from brawl Kindred to Politics Hecatae? I had hoped that 3 drops might be enough though.
In terms of Loresheet, I see how that was confusing. I bought the level 1 and the level 2 abilities, not the level 3 ability. So I should have 4 drops leftover, down to 3 after the high functioning addict, which I'm ok with putting towards coterie creation.
Potence I'm not as worried about as it is a fairly common discipline, and you could have any number of sources for that one.
I think I'd prefer to work with you on who you are a 1/3 bound to. In V5 there are 3 clans that have Protean as a clan discipline. The Gangrel, The Ministry (Setites), and the Tzimisce. Do you have a preference for which way to go there? The Gangrel are far more common in the city, but the others do exist.
As far as the Hecata thing goes, lets build toward that in game rather than starting out with a bunch of knowledge. We can say you've heard of them (the Lamia bloodline) and have a little idea of what they are about but that's about it. Fair enough?
@ST Talomyr Any interest in pursuing a narrative where K's Sire is an anonymous Camarilla neonate looking to "fix his mistake" without incriminating himself? If so, what Clan would be a good fit for the Sire - I'd take some of the Clan-specific merits and flaws available to Thin-Bloods.
...Of the clans, the ones most likely to "embrace recklessly" are the Toreador, Brujah, and Gangrel, so one of those would be the easiest.
Toreador or Brujah seem a better fit.
@Calliope I don't want to step on anyone's toes - any objection to K having an anonymous Toreador Sire? Mechanically it would give K the Toreador Bane and Celerity. Narratively it might provide another reason why Calliope is feeding him. If not, no worries, we'll go with Brujah :)
Welcome, Rackhir. Based on the name, I assume you are a fan of the Eternal Champion series?
I am. Mainly the Elric-related work, some von Bek stuff, and early Hawkmoon. By no means have I read them all. I tried buying the collected series White Wolf put out in the 90s, but never got them all and have misplaced several since then. Moorecock put out a new “complete collection” a few years ago but I cringe at buying the same stories for the second (or third or fourth) time repackaged in a different order. And it’s 30some books.
ST Talomyr wrote:
As far as your backstory goes, it would make sense to me to have your Sire be Wauneka or Grimm (See my profile for a very brief description of the pair. To keep you closer in generation to the others, I think Grimm might be the better choice, which would make you 11th Generation.
Waneka is Grimm's Sire and the pair are information brokers in city - each having a particular area of focus. Alexander's area of focus would be an area that neither of them are particularly strong in, so that would be benefit to the Clan. We can flesh out the particulars as we go along, be it here or in PMs.
I think K is pretty much done - alias is here. I'm still working on the alias name; his full name + K nickname + Outrun moniker is over the character limit, so will have to cut something out - it's like they don't expect your character to have three names. I still have some xp to spend, but will do that during/after coterie creation.
Tomorrow afternoon I'm leaving for an international trip, returning in 10 days. Posting will likely be spotty, but will try and catch up every night on my phone.
Okay, the next steps are to decide on Chronicle Tenants and build the Coterie.
For Chronicle Tenants - its really an agreement between the players/characters of what it is that has brought you together as a coterie and what do you hope to accomplish as a group. This can be a bit vague like "Protect a given neighborhood" or advance within the Camarilla (preferably with a focus of how you intend to do that) or as specific as you would like. At this stage this is also where you would decide upon "rules" for your coterie. Have you sworn loyalty to each other? If so, what are the consequences should those loyalties be broken, where does the group fall on the morality scale? Do you care about human life or are they just food.
Lots of things can be discussed at this stage.
Obviously this all goes hand in hand with the building of the coterie.
This weekend I will try and get to my Convictions and Touchstones which would probably help in this process.
My character is a New Age Blood Cult leader, he is also interested in "deeper occult" mysteries, quite actively so. So for him the accumulation of knowledge and expansion of his "flock" are important. He also has to be careful about showing his face TOO much based on his background.
I guess I have to figure out if my PC is a "guru" seeking to enlighten or exploit that flock. Based on that motivation would probably be how he perceives the Coterie. Of course, if he sees the Coterie as a means to an end he would not come right out and say that! Whereas, if he sees the Coterie as a group of equals on a quest for knowledge he also might not say that either as it didn't pan out that well for Clan Tremere AND Vampires have a general distrust of one another so even if he were to feel that solidly disposed towards the Coterie he would likely be at least apprehensive (if not outright fearful) of letting the rest of the group know how "undying" his loyalty is for fear of betrayal.
I will ponder a bit more this weekend the questions posed above ST.
One question related to mechanics, do we start with other "coterie" points to build backgrounds or do we have to take those from our starting points? If we have to take from our starting points, I will probably back out a point or two to assist with Coterie building.
There are a certain amount of coterie points and some coterie specific advantages. As to the number, I'm not sure off the top of my head and I am traveling on business until late Friday night.
The cabins I'm visiting have wifi now (they didn't before!) So I'll be able to check up on things. I'll post my thoughts this evening when we're settled in.
With Shadow's boy being into occult stuff, that would be a link for Calliope. She dabbled in a cult pre-Embrace and that's when her artwork started getting weird. I can see her hoping to find inspiration for her next big masterpiece with that.
I think one of her personal goals would be to create that next big masterpiece. That would get her ahead in the Camarilla (another goal), hopefully enough so that she's less at the mercy of Mateo (sire).
Calliope would likely just see humans as food. Pretty good, interesting food sometimes. But food.
It would be interesting if Calliope knew Alexander in passing because she is a college graduate and spent some time in libraries, lol.
Alexander is into local history and mystery, wants to learn how secret supernatural history has affected the mortal history he already knows. He wouldn't be ready to dive right into ancient mystic enigmas, but could become drawn in if linked to a more contemporary investigation.
Anyone with a personal library would be a big draw for him. As would anyone purporting to know about local vampire history, or with contacts who know such things. He is more likely to swear loyalty to a cause than to an organization.
He definitely still values human life. Needing to feed on people is an unfortunate necessity. Vampires are a type of person, neither superior nor inferior to mortal humans.
Being acquainted with Calliope in passing from mortal life is reasonable. The mutual recognition of a fellow stackrat.
Jack on the other hand is big on individual loyalty. I don't see him as being as big on reading, but he does admire strength in all of it's forms, and seeks enlightenment through getting stronger. Accumulating knowledge is a form of getting stronger. As he views loyalty and camaraderie as another form of strength, he would seek a tight knit group. He sees most other Ventrue as being too snobbish. Jack doesn't mind being the muscle for a group as long as they aren't being insulting to his intelligence.
As a player, I prefer loyalty to scheming against each other.
I'd like to advance through the Carmilla, although I'm not entirely sure how he'd go about it. He is far less charismatic than most of the other vampires here. Also he's far worse at wits than everyone else. His internal fortitude (from the discipline) makes him harder than usual to manipulate though.
As far as humans, he only respects them if they embody strength. That could be physical fitness, an activist standing up for their personal convictions, or someone who bears an immense emotional load without losing themselves, but the average citizens are beneath him. Besides, unlike Calliope, he can't eat most of them :)
Unrelated, but Jack would be fine with providing blood for K, as long as K was a loyal "family" member.
Based on input, I can see us swearing loyalty to one another and our aims being advancing in the Camarilla...we have similarish goals and can help out one another. We're all young vampires (as in, not been vampires terribly long :P) and need some backup and all.
Looks like there are established Coterie "packages". I think the one that I like best based upon the mix of characters we have is "Think Tank" (source Cult of the Blood Gods).
A coterie type created from advisors, strategists, and researchers for a given cult.
(The Cult here could be the Blood Cult that Edwin is trying to create as a Mystery Cult within the local Scientology followers of Chicago).
If I understand correctly, we would gain the following Background Advantages:
Domain - Chasse 1 - A city block of hunting.
- Lien 3 - The ease of interaction between the domain’s mortals
with the coterie +3 to rolls (does NOT apply to Hunting).
Allies - 3 (Analysts, bureaucrats, soldiers, etc)
Haven - 1 (Small office to work in)
Possible extras: Resources (Profits made from selling their services), Retainers (Librarians, scholars) [Not sure if WE spend our personal points here or if the ST grants such points based on his discretion].
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The link that I found also has something called Coterie Clan Merits, pretty neat. "Kindred can also purchase Coterie Merits at Character Creation, these are merits tied to specific clans but they can generally be activated by anyone within the group. In some cases, only one member of the coterie can use the given Merit in a session based on who needs it the most". (Source, Vampire the Masquerade Companion).
This of course, assumes that the ST would allow this. Tossing it out there as it's pretty cool stuff.
