Not a problem. I’m sure we’ll have several goes at combat rounds etc
I will try and make it in time for 1300
Just to make sure I have the right kit to hand - it’s still basically a bunch of d10s, right?
A bunch of d10s, yes. But you need up to 5 of them to be a distinctive colour or pattern, to use as Hunger dice.
From discussion in the play test of the game mechanics:
Suggested that the PCs are Coterie type Cerberus: Exists to protect a certain spot or important location, e.g. a grave or priceless relic.
The thing being protected is the grave of “St Jasper” - a Calvinist vampire hunter from around the time of John Knox. He was buried with ancient knowledge of how to defeat vampires (from the 1st Inquisition). Being nicknamed St Jasper would have outraged him. His spirit or some other remnant/supernatural thing still haunts the crypt where he is buried. The crypt is in the basement of what is now a Goth Club.
When the Camarilla ruled Oldcastle, bigger and more important vampires than you guarded the grave. Now they are all dead or vanished to the Beckoning in the East. You’ve kind of been handed the keys and told that it is your responsibility now. You really don’t want the 2nd Inquisition finding all this ancient knowledge.
This type of Coterie gives you an adversary, a haven, bonuses to feed, and minuses to foes trying to infiltrate.
Characters: power level is Neonates
Roger - is going with his idea of Polish enforcer for a local gang. The gang sometimes supplies muscle for the Goth Club door staff. Clan possibly Brujah or Gangrel.
Tom - working class drug dealer with conflicted loyalties (his kids versus his new vampire ‘family’). Sells drugs in the Goth Club. Clan undecided.
Dave - was in the Goth scene in the 70s/80s. Embraced in the 80s by the Tremere and taught rituals to help guard the crypt of St Jasper. Happy that the ‘obey your elders’ version of the Tremere has vanished and been replaced by the ‘do what thou wilt’ version (House Ipsissimus).
John and Mike - are you happy to fit your characters in this? e.g. John’s online friends keep an eye out for interest in St Jasper; Mike’s library has some old books from the time of St Jasper.
Suggested Tenets:
Blood is thicker than water - conflict between belonging to human ‘family’ and vampire 'family.
Don’t make waves - try not to get noticed by anyone or anything
3rd Tenet TBD.
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Form fillable fan version of character sheet is available here: https://teylen.blog/2018/08/03/custom-character-sheet-pdfs-for-v5/
Stuff I’ll need to know from your chargen for the first session of plot:
- Who your sire is and your relationship to them (love 'em, detest 'em, wonder why they never call, terrified of them, etc).
- What your personal convictions are (1 to 3 of them)
- Who your mortal touchstones are (one for each personal conviction)
I think I’ll drop out of this. I’ve been feeling less keen, and you have enough players without me. Sorry!
Ok, no problems.
See you at Stabcon?
Tom and John have dropped out. So that leaves Roger, Dave and (maybe) Mike.
Oh dear. Well, I’m still up for it!
That’s definitely the plan.
Can’t make it.
I am reading the Oldcastle novel, so that’s a plus
OK. I’m still in if others are.
Now, having just got through the rule book I’m full of ideas for a character and absolutely no idea what’s practical in rule terms so bear with me.
I was fascinated by the tunnels leading from the hospital (I did get that bit right, didn’t I?) and the serial killer plague in Oldcastle.
I’d favour being a neonate: I’m not sure I can play a ‘young person’ in a manner that wouldn’t be embarrassing. So what I was thinking was an academic type who took off after his graduation from Oxford to work for a time in the East End ‘colony’, doing good among the poor and needy as WW2 begins to loom.
There was this charming chap who worked there in the evenings…
So he finds himself forcibly converted to a Tremere and working as the older vampire’s apprentice and dogsbody.
Decades pass. And eventually ‘Teacher’ hears of the Oldcastle anomaly. Suspecting his apprentice/journeyman of being less than totally loyal he orders (my character) to go and investigate “and don’t come back until you’ve found the cause!”
He then goes off to Vienna for a special conference on the disloyalty of the younger vampire and is never seen again due to the destruction of Tremere HQ.
My character is still there. He could be working in the hospital (a phlebotomist is a good job if you can avoid drooling) or at the university. He still hasn’t found the cause of the serial killer epidemic but he’s sure there is one.
Is this do-able?
Have we decided what the coterie is focused on?
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Hi Mike - thanks. Yes, there are tunnels under the hospital. Official ones (leading to storerooms for cleaning supplies, overflow mortuary, etc) and abandoned ones (where drunken medical students go on a bet) and probably a bunch of secret and/or blocked up ones. Some no doubt used by Nosferatu or were-rats.
Tremere academic is fine. (Dave is also being a Tremere). You’ll have to choose which House you (or your sire) belong to. The Anarchs are okay about House Carna and House Ipsissimus, and will be deeply suspicious of House Tremere and assume you are a Camarilla spy.
- House Carna rejects the old ways (male dominated, recruiting people who want power) and instead recruits people who love magic for its own sake: new age magic and ancient shamanistic religions.
- House Tremere hankers for the past and sticks to power-hungry academics and occultists, preferably white and male.
- House Ipsissimus seeks spiritual enlightenment and eschew politics. Their religious rituals involve violent bloodletting and sacrifice. They recruit from the Aleister Crowley “Do What Thou Wilt” variety of occultists and magicians.
Working at the hospital or working at the chunk of Dundee university that lives in Oldcastle are both fine by me.
Coterie type: Cerberus. Exists to protect a certain spot or important location, e.g. a grave or priceless relic.
The thing you are guarding is in the basement of a Goth Club: the grave of a Calvinist vampire hunter from Mary Queen of Scots era. Weird supernatural stuff haunts the place. Secret knowledge is buried there which the humans must never find. Not to mention keeping the sticky paws of other vampires and other supernatural beasties off it.
So the game will be focused round that location. Stopping ‘burglars’ nabbing the stuff. Researching where other similar hidden things might be. Covering up supernatural shenanigans that might draw human attention to the place. Trying to influence local vampire decision makers, so that they don’t accidentally reveal the hidden things (“The elders have told the local council to pull down your club and build luxury flats and a blood bank on the site.”).
Plus other plots about local politics, and Anarchs vs Camarilla politics.
Is anyone getting the Vampire related emails I’ve sent? (via the mailing list Roger set up)
At expo. Latest I have are 20 and 30 May.
Enjoy Expo. Those are the only ones, but I mever got any acknowledgements, so was worried that spam filters were eating them.