Vampire: The Requiem

Dracula

Hivemind — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:35:48 GMT

Can anyone tell me what book the new Dracula is in? I read the preview in the new GTM but it doesn't say what book or what is the deal with it?

Frenzy and Nightmare

UrienRakarth — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:41:15 GMT

A frenzied vampire (for example one that's riding the wave to kill a character) can be afflicted by Nightmare and flee?

In my chronicle as a storyteller i can never use one single tough opponent because one of my players with just Nightmare 1 can force him to flee indefinitely (the power costs nothing, and if it fails, and usually it doesn't, he can always retry the turn after). So i wanted to know if a vampire character can counter this power trying to ride the wave gaining the bonus to resist mental powers (+2 to resistance, -2 for the attacker), or as i suspect Nightmare is not a mental but it influence directly the Beast and so frenzy means nothing...

How can i solve this problem? And please don't say something banal like increase the number of opponents, because i don't want to (because of the story). And even if i put more opponent, he just can use nightmare more times and achieve the same result.

Granting visions?

wolfman1911 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:47:15 GMT

I have an idea for a ventrue lancea sanctum. For the concept I am using the rule out of the Mekhet clanbook that says all vampires are able to be embraced post mortem (or at least, the character thinks he was). Anyway, the character believes that after he died he went to Hell, and now he thinks that the best way to scare mortals straight is to cause them to experience the torment that he went through.

Is there any way that he could cause others to have visions of what he experienced, whether through dominate or auspex?

Elder out of torpor spreading disease

Kruhnk — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:07:06 GMT

Alright, say a Kindred comes out of a several hundred year torpor.

If that Kindred had routinely drank from victims of the Black Plague, would the Plague still be in his blood?

How would the modern world react to a spread of it?

Benevolent Morbus

AlsoAnima — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:23:19 GMT

Under the Cachexy discipline the Inflame and Accelerate Disease powers send diseases into remission or purge them on dramatic failures.

So as I was thinking about that, it came to my attention it never mentions if Morbus' can do so willingly.

Based on the fact that they can do it accidentally, it seems that they should be able to do it intentionally.

It's statutory rapetastic!

smee — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:20:31 GMT

I keep seeing the theme of old vampires falling in love with high schoolers pop up (Twilight, and the Vampire Diaries spring to mind, but there are others), and I got to ask is it just me or is it creepy? When I was in high school I remember thinking the 19 and 20 years who still hung around the school were kinda losers, what is up with someone who is a century plus doing it? I also don't get it from the vampires perspective I am past college now and I can't imagine being in a relationship with a teenager. Ignoring the obvious legal consequences for the moment, the fact is I am an adult and I have adult problems and pass times, even things I've enjoyed since I was a teenager (like this game for example, well OWoD but still) have undergone some changes in how and why I enjoy them, I can't imagine how having another hundred years under my belt would affect my out look.

All that being said I am thinking about starting a game to explore that with my players, but I was hoping to get some other opinions how having an elder vampire taking an interest in teenagers would play out and maybe get some ideas.

Vampire creation myths

Nomah — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:07:00 GMT

So with the oWoD dead and gone, along with it died the story of Caine as the vampire creation story.
While this leaves it open for me as the ST to style the creation myth however I want, I find myself having a hard time deciding what to do about this.

So what does everyone use as an origin story in their games?

Lets hear 'em

Requiem Dreams (WW Writer Contributions Welcome)

Vosoros — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:03:58 GMT

It’s been discussed once (twice, perhaps even three times), but I feel the need to brainstorm with fellow fans as to the possibilities - and I hope all will join me in such.

Vampire the Requiem may have sold the movie rights, but as an ardent fan I feel compelled to positively contribute to such effort. After all, is it just me thinking “What a pile of crap!” when watching the likes of Twilight? We need a Vampire move with style, finesse, and substance…to say the least.

So, lets brainstorm the best Requiem movie concepts ever…and pay that those who can do something about such things will take note of fans who have lived and breathed the Requiem material for years - some of whom probably know their stuff inside and out without the reference sources.

I’ll share a few thought to being! Personally, I feel that the Requiem Novels are the medium to forge a movie around. Honestly, I believe that A Hunger Like Fire would make for the most extraordinary Requiem (and vampire film per sae).

On such a note I can’t help but find my mind wondering as to actors and actresses whom would best embody the Kindred of Chicago…

Prince Maxwell Clarke: Michael Duncan Clarke (I think that’s the guys name) or Samuel L Jackson
Justine Lasky: Angelina Jolie
Scratch: Actor whom plays Serverus Snape in the Harry Potter films (Alan Rickman is it?)
Solomon Birch: Christian Bale

I feel we could do with relative unknowns in the lesser roles. Alas, that’s all I have for the moment - what do you think?

Malkavians?

The_Requiem — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:28:16 GMT

Do the rules for the Malkavians in the Ventrue Clanbook make the Malkovian bloodline obsolete? They seem to. Does anyone run the Malkavians as a bloodline or do you use the Clanbook rules?

Looking For Players PBP

Frost — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:17:42 GMT

We've moved to a new location and are open for all players.

What happens in the shadows of one of America's most famous tourist destinations? What actually pulls the strings and keeps the mortal population flowing into this den of iniquity slathered in pink puppy dogs and blue beach balls? Come and Danse your Requiem beneath the shadow of the mouse.

So come on, take a stop at our tourist trap on the highway to hell in the World of Darkness.

Dark Requiem
Central Florida

http://www.darkrequiem.org/forums/portal.php

Requiem of the Renaissance

Black Tower — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:46:41 GMT

Hey y'all I just recently got assassin's creed 2 and that got me to thinking wouldn't it be interesting to have a Renaissance Chronicle for Vampire?

I then thought well what book would I use because it is the Renaissance the Cathrin Movement would not really be existence yet or even the Ordo Dracul maybe a lot of what the core book talks about is based in the 21 century. I have not bought Fall of the Camarilla yet but I thought maybe that would be better choice cause it is post Cam and pre. modern night society described in the core book. Right?

So I ask which is better just going by the core book but with the mods or get Fall of the Cam and go by what they say?

Weapons to kill a Vampire

Shaila — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:25:35 GMT

Are there any types of weapons that are good for killing vampires? I mean besides a wooden stake, which is pretty obvious, Im thinking more like modern weapons, like maybe an improved piano wire type weapon, which could be used to decapitate vampires and so on?

The reason why Im asking this is well, first off, I could be nice to use a but more untraditional ways to kill off vampires in my vampire campaign.
And I have one of my players, whom has a somewhat weird relationship to his sire. His sire, finally seeing it wasn't a mistake to embrace the player, would like to give him a token of this, a symbol of pride.
Since the sire is an assassin, and rather good at it, I want it to be some sort of weapon, which has been passed on to him by his own sire and and he passes it on. So a side from it going to be pretty unique, I want it to be suitable to kill of both mortals and vampires.

Any ideas? Suggestions? Places where I should look?

Professional approach: Visceratika redux

abortedsoul — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:52:01 GMT

Alright, my idea with this (and for a couple of others, most notably Vicissitude) is to write up a rough-draft of what I want this discipline to look like, converted for V:tR. I was inspired by reading the new Obtenebration, and I couldn't help but wish I had this for a few other key disciplines. My thirst for seeing an updated version (along with a fitting bloodline write-up) was intensified by the fact that I've seen many sub-par attempts.

Not to say that home-brewed redux disciplines thus far have been crap; they have probably served their players and storytellers well. That said, I want something more polished. I want to, at the end of this thread, have a working description and power-list of Visceratika; one that, if you had seen it in published material, you would be glad that WW had decided to put in there. I'm not looking for something that is good enough for one NPC. I want this to be good enough for everyone else to use, as well.

That said, here is what I'm starting with:
Contegus
“I would mind my words while in such a sacred place, Stephen. Here even the breath you take is a gift from me.”

Parent Clan: Nosferatu
Nickname: Gargoyles
Covenant: Members of the Contegus line tend to cloy to situations that present simple and consistent interactions. They often serve the needs of other, more powerful Kindred in exchange for help up the inevitably long and slow climb up the hierarchy of the damned. Their steady nature and reliability are greatly valued by the Invictus and Lancea Sanctum.
Most often they are encouraged to stay by those vampires from the First and Second Estate that know of them.
Their solitary nature and focus on slow, steady progress proves invaluable to aspiring members of both Ordo Dracul and the Circle of the Crone.
The status quo is far too often disturbed by the Carthian Movement to sit kindly with many of the Gargoyles, especially those who have walked the long night for some time.
Appearance: Most Contegi prefer both the subtle and the timeless. Although some among their line have disturbing appearances, a majority of Gargoyles take some pride in a subdued and classy appearance.
Haven: Older structures are often preferred by a Contegus, but many settle for well-built and sturdy buildings of a more modern style. Although Contegi pick their havens primarily for their practicality, any excess is often built into the building and nondescript to casual examination. For instance, a young Gargoyle would scolded by her sire for seeking to purchase a gaudy strip-mall art gallery, but quickly applauded for acquiring an old brick warehouse on the cheap. Over the years, as a Contegus can bring more resources to bear, the interior of her haven often becomes more and more lavish with fineries of all kinds (neatly tucked out of sight, of course.) Security systems are often the first things considered when a Contegus seeks to secure a place to rest, as well as the most expensive and least-noticeable feature of a Gargoyle's haven.
Background, Character Creation: [unfilled]
Bloodline Disciplines: Visceratika, Obfuscate, Resilience, Vigor
[I haven't quite figured out how this is going to work yet, but Nightmare doesn't fit this bloodline at all and I want a reasonable way to write it out. Of course, I want it to be seamless, probable, and easily fit into a good story.]
Weakness: All Contegi suffer the weakness of the Nosferatu clan.
In addition, they are not easily roused. Due to their sedentary nature, any Contegus that rolls to rise due to a daytime disturbance takes a -1 penalty to her Wits roll. Waking in this way also costs 1 additional Vitae. (Note: The cost for rising at the beginning of each evening is unaffected by this weakness.)

Also, any dots invested in Nightmare are lost when adopting this line, or converted to Resilience or something similar.

Visceratika
[Description here about the power, fluffed up etc]
• Scry the Hearthstone
Cost: 1 Willpower
I'll have to figure out how rolls of this power will work later on. Remains in effect as long as the Gargoyle is within or in contact with the target structure. This can be used on anything up to the size of a large castle, including a cave complex, a theatre, a parking garage or a mansion. The Contegus gains awareness of his surroundings, see clash of wills etc.
Action: Instant

•• Bond with the Mountain This allows a Gargoyle to seek shelter within stone (or building materials that are stonelike, such as cement). A faint outline of the Gargoyle's shape can be seen by an sharp-eyed observer.
Cost: 1 Vitae
Per Protean 2, also need to figure out mechanic for alternate substances (to include soil)

••• Armor of Terra This power, combined with the unnatural resilence granted by Resilience, is the source of the Gargoyles' ability to withstand assaults that would tear lesser Kindred to shreds. The Gargoyles' skin is toughened and she gains a higher pain threshold. She also acquires a limited amount of immunity to fire (though is no less terrified of it).
Cost: 1 Vitae per scene
Dice Pool: Not actively rolled.
All incoming attacks suffer a -1 die penalty. The Gargoyle is also is treated as wearing armor with a value of 1 against all attacks (when used with other types of armor, use the greatest value.) Armor of Terra may not be invoked more than once per scene.
Additionally, Armor of Terra “downgrades” one point of aggravated damage per scene from fire to a point of lethal damage.

•••• Still Undecided Power I definitely need help filling up this slot. :)

••••• Flow Within the Mountain A Gargoyle is no longer confined to the location in which he Bonded with the Mountain. He may now travel through stone and concrete as if it where no thicker than a dense liquid. [Mechanics to come]

Thats as far as I've gotten so far. Any input would be appreciated. Tell me how this would have to look to both A) not appear out of place in published literature and B) fit neatly into your current story. Thanks!

Vampires vs Changelings. Advice.

AlsoAnima — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:52:12 GMT

I need advice on how to use Vampires as secondary antagonists in my Changeling Chronicle.

I've only run a few games so far. (Short Hunter, Shorter Geist) and now we're tackling Changeling, however I wanted to use Vampires as secondary antagonists because crossovers are very interesting and a big part of our games. Our next chronicle will be Vampire after the Changeling game. Any advice would be helpful.

Useful information(including Variant rules):

All Changlings suffered under the same keeper.

The Courts are relatively small in the town but consist of many experienced.

Changeling blood tastes like various sweet substances(Honey, Chocolate, Cream, Mocha, etc.) and Vampires can suffer addiction to Changeling blood.

The Primary antagonists will be first Fetches and then True Fae.

I can get access to most books of either line at my FLGS.

Embraced Mercenaries?

I Hate All Life — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:36:52 GMT

*looks around nervously, sets this link down, then wanders off nonchalantly*

Can Twi-vamps be done plausibly?

ChaosWolf — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:01:58 GMT

Yes, yes, I know you'll all probably want to stake me and leave me out to meet the sunrise for this idea, but I'm genuinely curious about this. Can a Cullen be played straight, if at all?

Mind you, I, like many of the rest of you, utterly loathe the writing of Ms. Meyer, and have zero intentions to even play a character styled after her blatantly-self-inserted author-avatar fantasy-fiction, but a niggling itch in the back of my head begs me to ask if such a sparkly abomination could, somehow, be done seriously, even if only as a mental exercise.

So... what do you think? I await your answers and/or flames, come as they may.

Requiem for Rome: using Mr. Senex in a game

DaveLongTooth — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:53:43 GMT

I was thinking about my Rome Chronicle and debating the idea of having the First Julii return from torpor near the destruction of his line by the nemeses. It could happen, maybe it won't. But I start thinking about his character sheet and cooked up this here.

What do you think? (keep in mind that this is a young nobleman that spent well over 300 years as a vampire and led the destruction of an entire "bloodline" of rival vampires)

Have you ever used a Kindred Legend in a game? Longinus? Dracula?

Let me know what you think.

Aulus Julius Senex

Description: looks like a vigorous young man descended from the most ancient of Roman noble family, but with corpse-like pallor and coldness of heart; he is fierce and passionate when acting but detached and calculating when thinking. A lot of his knowledge is obsolete, but his physical aptitudes are intact.

Clan Julii (Founder), Blood Potency 1 (Vitae: 10, 1 per turn)

Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Intelligence 5, Wits 4, Resolve 5, Presence 5, Manipulation 5, Composure 4

Academics 3 (Ancient history), Craft 2, Investigation 4, Religion 2 (Roman gods), Occult 2 (Striges), Warfare 5

Athletics 4, Brawl 4, Archery 3, Ride 3, Stealth 3, Survival 4, Weaponry 5 (Pilum, Gladius)

Animal Ken 4, Empathy 2, Expression 5 (Debate), Intimidation 5, Persuasion 5 (Position of authority), Socialize 2, Subterfuge 5

Animalism 5, Dominate 5, Resilience 5, Vigor 5

Health 10 (+5 Resilience), Willpower 9, Humanity 1 (Derangement: Megalomania)

Defense 4 (Armor 2; Shield), Initiative +10, Speed 14, Integrity 4

Status: Senex 5, Status: Camarilla 5, Fighting Style: Formations 3, Fighting Style: Grappling 2, Fighting Style: Boxing 3, Fighting Style: Spear 2, Striking Looks 2, Iron Stamina 3, Quick Draw (Weaponry), Danger Sense, Fast Reflexes 2

Combat: Pilum +3L, 14d (+5 Vigor); Gladius +2L, 13d (+5 Vigor)

City of Darkness Manchester

kris_ether — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:06:06 GMT

So yes I am returning to vampire after a 3 year break. I have the joy of doing this with a brand new rp group in Leamington Spa in the the UK. Moving has meant that I have left my old roleplay group, Dark_rp, and now started a new sister group, Etheric Labs. As a result I will be revisiting my Manchester chronicle and posting up the details of the game and the characters and episodes here and on Etheric Labs for your enjoyment.

For now a brief introduction, since a lot of this is going into a fan project of mine to make a sourcebook for the city (which means I am retconning a lot of things suggested in the Shadows over the UK book).

City of Darkness: Manchester
Manchester: Endless Waltz

Introduction:
One might think that Manchester is just full of people who complain about the rain, drink pints of Boddingtons and listen to Oasis. A city seen by most of Britain as a line of terraced houses on some soap opera, Manchester is stereotyped and simplified, distilled to its raw components, a city where every street has its tale to tell.
This begins the first is a series detailing the region of the north as part of a pseudo source book for the city where “it can’t rain all the time”. Following in the footsteps of the Dammed come the wilds of the Pennines and more.
Included in this look at ‘Madchester’ will be write ups of the key players of the setting for each game and also sample stories and gaming advice.

Manchester?
The city of Manchester presents many options to Storytellers and players alike. The city is a juxtaposition of ages and architecture, a cosmopolitan city trying desperately to crawl out of its former shadow. Many parts of the city are still under construction or decaying. There is a diversity of cultures present from China town to the Curry Mile. A vast amount of the population consists of students from all walks of life, and business walks side by side with the poor on these streets.
Having such a wide scope of culture allows for games of high society and gang warfare to be played out in the same local with ease. Housing some of the countries greatest clubs and most dangerous districts Manchester is a colourful city for the doom and gloom of the World of Darkness, if anything it embodies everything about this rejuvenated game world. Gothic punk has been reinvented into something sharper and darker; the only thing is this time around the real monsters out there don’t have names.

Theme?
Manchester in the overall sense of the World of Darkness represents a city that has always moved with the times, housing a melting pot of cultures and ideas. If anything Manchester is a place of opportunity and of evolution, the city acting as centre for the advancement of social, religious and scientific advances.
However all these revolutions and changes come with a price, the burden of history. All about Manchester are signs of times past, of stagnating suburbs and council flats, and of vengeance gone unchecked, brewing within the strife of communities clashing head on. In many respects Manchester can be treated like the Boston setting for Mage, where actions in the distant past are still important now as they were then.
Though on an individual basis the city presents three distinct themes for the core games.
For Vampire the focus is upon the Dance Macabre, with the players learning about the concept of power and of who actually pulls the strings in the game of politics.
For Werewolf the theme is of the Hunt, and of being mindful of ones territory and the responsibility that goes with it.
Finally Mage focuses upon the Occult Revolution, and the price that must be paid for progress, let alone the attainment of power and position.

Mood?
For mood we must think of how the city grew, and still grows. It strains at the seems as it moves into the 21st century, As one area grows and flourishes, another dies and becomes a cancerous hole for life in the city.
The city is at war with itself, with what it is becoming, and what it once was.
As the Second City, it never sleeps. Somewhere the lights are on and the music plays, this frenzy fuelling its growth and its cancer, the very things that the undead feed upon. As a vampire this constant balancing act could at any time tumble. The city it self is a reflection of what it means to be one of the Kindred, Werewolf and Mage. It is about the internal war of ones soul and the sacrifices that are made for the growth of ones self.

A Brief Overview of the History of Manchester.
Early Manchester
In the lands to become the county of Cheshire a tribe of Celts known as the Cornovii to the Roman invaders about the year 60 AD. The area was of importance to access to lead, silver and salt.
Around 79 AD Julius Agricola established the fort at the site now known as Castlefields. The name of this location in Latin was Mamuciam, meaning “breast shaped hill”. In 411 AD the site was abandoned. With its defenders gone the town fell to ruin to the predations of Angles, Danes and Saxons.
The lands so were in turn pacified by the Danes and in the 7th century Christianity had begun to spread in the region. The lands of Cheshire were part of the kingdom of Mercia, ruled over by King Offa. In order to protect his lands a Dyke was built from the north of the border with the Welsh, to the south, and past other regions, such a Herefordshire and the town of Kington (more on these places in upcoming mortal ghost stories).
Over the following centuries invasions took place from the lands of Ireland and the Danish lands in York to the east.
It was with the rule of Alfred of Great, whom assumed control of both Mercia and Wessex, that the region was fortified and pacified and by 980 AD had assumed the name of Legecaestrescir or ‘shire of the city of legions’.
In 1066 came the Battle of Hastings and the Normans, yet in the conquest of Britain the north of England put up stiff resistance. Large regions were burned and destroyed. The fiefdom of Manchester was given to Rogier de Poitevin, with the town mentioned in the Domesday Book as an ecclesiastical parish.
Part of the lands controlled by Rogier was given over to Albert Grelly, a region of land not too dissimilar to modern Greater Manchester.
Two centuries past and the cultures of the new and old merged to be that of English, and in 1322 the first recorded sign of the textile industry was made.

The Textile City
The growth and wealth of the city continued well on into Tudor times, with fabrics and flax being sold to the south of England and to France.
The rapid growth of this city though came with problems of it’s own as sanitation declined and outbreaks of plague.
In 1642 the town came under siege from the Royalists during the Civil War, the town being a supporter of the Parliamentary cause.
The 1700’s saw the rise of the town as a major industrial centre as river and road links were improved, the population increased and the lives of its population improved in turn. By the late 18th century the canals were being introduced, and the town of Manchester was the centre of this activity. The end of this century soon saw the new horizon of the steam age.
1819 saw the people of Manchester rise up against the poverty and social climate, with their march on St Peter’s being ended in what became known as the Peterloo massacre, as magistrates ordered troops to disperse the crowd.
Mills were filled with children, working for pittance in dangerous conditions, 14-hour days and left crippled. Housing was unsanitary and mortality rates were high amongst the poor. Employers built ramshackle homes in as little space as possible, 12 or so people shared the same room, 100 shared the privvy, a hole in the ground. Damp rose up the walls and rain seeped in. Cellar helped keep this at bay but this led to subtenants who were the root of most health problems.
It was the need for change that led to the town becoming a centre of radical thinking. Yet the town, despite its size, had no representation in Parliament.
Social reform was led by the British Labour Movement, forerunner to the Labour party. In addition women also had the start of equality in this city, with the foundation of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, winner the right to vote during the general election of 1918.

Into the 20th Century
By early 20th century the city had begun to improve with civic needs catered for. Schools, libraries, public baths, clean water and electricity, had all been installed.
It was war that saw the decline of the city as a textile centre, removed from its buyers it never returned to its former stature as importers turned to other sources.
Another war and no innovation led to the final death knell of Manchester’s textile industry, unemployment rose and by the 1960’s the industry was dead.
But that’s not the end. The area of Trafford Park, a major industrial centre, grew. Due to its proximity to the docks and the Ship Canal (yes 30 miles from the coast and Manchester has a docks for ocean going ships), many companies took advantage of the existing infrastructure.
However the city came into its own during the Second World War, with many companies adapting to the needs of the country, The Metropolitan Vickers Company produced the Lancaster and Manchester bombers. Radar was also developed and distributed by the very same company.
However during the Blitz around 70% of the Victorian buildings were obliterated, three nights prior to Christmas the city was bombed with incendiaries, setting the city ablaze.
Post war the city was slowly rebuilt, with families moved out of the slums to new residencies, the bombs and flames having given reason to wipe out Manchester more unsavoury background.
The inner city areas were replenished with immigrants, giving certain areas a particular aspect based upon their most predominant cultural background. Rusholme having taken on many Asian aspects.
Two decades saw the rise and fall of high-rise tower blocks for goal of improving living standards while in fact the tower blocks caused a rise in crime and seclusion.
The 1980’ saw worldwide recession and unemployment. Crime rose and drugs spread, and with it the city was embroiled in street riots.

The Bomb: 21st Century Manchester Rises from the Ashes
Saturday the 15th of June 1996 during the peak of the day saw the 3000 lb IRA bomb tear through the city centre. Warnings were given and the centre was partially cleared; yet 200 were injured.
The M&S building stood at the heart of the blast and was subsequently torn down, yet all things have a silver lining. The city was again to undergo another round of rebuilding, defiant of the bomb.
The end of the 20th century saw the end of the regeneration of the city centre and the modernisation of the city, yet with two of the cities oldest buildings, two inns, still remaining intact from the blast; the only true sign of the bomb now being a plaque on the post box that survived the direct blast.
Manchester now stands in the dawn of the new millennium undergoing great changes and rejuvenation, while in the streets apathy and fear rule as people turn inwards and shut themselves away from the world.

Havens of the Damned.
Manchester stands as a juxtaposition of churches and gothic halls, intermingled and crowded by red brick, industrial, buildings; cotton mills and ware houses. Towering spires of concrete stand abandoned and worn and weathered, with new towers of glass and steel rising up amongst a forest of towering cranes.
The peoples of Manchester come from all around, filling the streets with every race and colour, this mix making the city a modern cosmopolitan hub, and a centre for conflict and strife. To the edges of Manchester the business makes way for suburbs of concrete flats, Victorian homes and council estates; the residents sheltered away from the oppressive street violence and fear of others, cloistered in their crumbling homes while the young and rich languish in the inaccessible apartments of the inner city.
The districts of Manchester are wide and ranging; the garish neon lights of the boisterous “Curry Mile”, the forgotten and defensive Victorian past of Victoria Parks, the ravaged streets of Moss Side and Newton Heath, and the town of Blackley, encroached upon by the industry of the city. The centre of the city holds the colour of China Town and the rowdy bars of the “Gay Village”, lining the old canals.
South of the city centre is the university campus of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan, and along this way runs the busiest bus route in all of Europe.
North, past the trendy and bars and clubs of Deansgate, and across the River Irwell, is the city centre of Salford, a city that once claimed Manchester as it own, though soon was enveloped by the city to be, becoming part of the region of Greater Manchester. Salford in comparison is a reflection of Manchester past, a collection of gloomy concrete offices and run down shops.
Towards the west the suburbs run for miles, broken by the odd patches of greenery and fields, and soon one finds that they have passed from the fiefdom of Manchester into that of Liverpool. In the east the suburbs run to the town of Oldham and then onwards towards the mountain range of the Pennines and the dangerous hunting ground of the most feral and ancient Lupines, though in honesty many of the Lupines claim territory about the city, forming a ring about that which is left for the vampires in the city centre.

The Hidden: The Kindred of Manchester.
Manchester and the region has always had some form of vampiric influence, however there were never great numbers of these creatures to form any type of society, hindered by the small population of the region.
This all changed in the 18th century as the world advanced and industry and trade expanded across the globe, with Manchester at the heart of this trade. In to this centre of growth came the first true lord of Manchester, the Cardinal James Furlong. In 1745 he came upon the city with his entourage of Inquisitors and scourged the city of unbelievers and feral Damned, all under the cover of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s uprising. Once war had passed the self claimed Cardinal set to work moulding the city about the churches and parishes, bringing faith to these down trodden kine.
As time passed the Cardinal became aware of his alienation from the world about him and sired Jonathan Williams, the son of a world trader in teas and other oddments from the east. Williams had knowledge of the new sciences of this age and of the peoples that were flocking to Manchester from the colonies; he was the perfect liaison with the masses and the neonates.
Time passed and the Second Estate held its divine position with the support of the Invictus. These two saw that the other rivals where kept in place, in the dark amongst the swelling masses. But with all the best laid plans, rot sets in at the core.
1819, the Peterloo massacre saw the beginning of things to come, of revolution. For the Lancea Sanctum the lupines that populated the fields around Manchester were a true beast amongst men that had no place in God’s order, and so the Cursed took it upon themselves to persecute these creatures of the moon. Amongst this growing hatred kindred flocked to opposing sides, with the Circle supporting what lupine allies they had, and the few other kindred acting in support out of spite for the Lancea.
In the massacre many men died, but during the night the conflict still raged, with an eventual truce being drawn up by Williams and his troupe, with aid from the more accepting lupines.
Science surged on in the city with great buildings and universities being constructed, many of which were funded in part by Williams, a legacy that today he now reaps.
The summer of 1839 was the start of the upheaval of the diocese of Manchester. With the Chartist movement in full swing the kindred in power feared for their control if they lost their precious pawns. But no matter how much they aided their human minions the true threat lay right under their noses. In the night of the festival of Ascension, the 24th of May, a band of kindred neonates and Ordo members, stormed the havens of the primogen council and the leaders of the Invictus and the Lancea. In a night of blood shed and rebellion Manchester fell and out of the ashes rose the new council of equality, inspired by their colonial cousins the Carthians had arrived in Manchester and at their head was Williams.
For the next few decades this new group took a grip of Manchester, fearing reprisal from their fallen masters. The Ordo and the Circle heeded this new group seeing how many of their own youth flocked to its banner, both covenants realised the benefit of siding with this sizable political group.
Over time the Lancea Sanctum recovered and played by the rule of this new equality, accepting the benefits of the open climate yet acknowledging the safety gained by this new method of rule. Only the Invictus truly suffered, bolstered only by those who tired of the parliamentary games and sort more direct means to power.
The Prince, or Chairman, as Williams was known, took advantage of the method of equal rights, setting rivals against each others throats, perfecting the trade of boons and votes, but always holding over all parties the fear of the unheard masses if any single one strayed too far from their given position.
The primogen council in turn evolved, acting as board members, one from each covenant and clan, all with equal say in the ruling of the city. However this peaceful game of favours and blackmail can last only so long.
Rumours of revenge spread through the Lancea, seeing that old alliances be made again, that the unclean be put back under the heel of God. The Invictus also hungered power and saw the time ripe to take the stage. Murders and battles rage during the nights of the Second World War, only quelled by luck.
In one nights bombing of the city, the raging fires killed the uprising. Many kindred died in the blaze as buildings and homes where destroyed by the incendiary bombs. However Williams survived secreted away from the devastation. When the dust cleared he quickly went about rounding up the surviving neonates and ancilla, quickly reforming the Carthians to deal with any snap attacks from the other covenants.
The resulting expansion of the city in the following years renewed aggression between the kindred and the lupine, leading to the uneasy borders drawn up around the city centre. Even today the borders are reviewed each year with packs accepting the cordial manner of these Carthian vampires.
The last attempted uprising took place during the recession of the 1980’s. As unemployment rose the police was hindered ever more, and under the guise of unrest and riots the Ordo fabricated the means to attack the very heart of the Carthian movement. In 1983 their plans cam to a head, as they pursued a running battle across the face of Manchester. Many on both sides were put to final death. It was only through the intervention of the Lancea that the tables turned and the Carthians and their old enemies obliterated the Ordo in a weekend of fires and street battles.
The result of this attempted coup is the exemption of the Ordo Dracul covenant from any voting rights for 50 years, and no presence in the Chamber (primogen council). For many of the sects this is a blessing as for the past 20 years all have been making effective use of this power over the Ordo.

Sample of the chapter to my ebook (yes while writing one for Changeling) is here

Vampire chapter sample

Metamorphosis: the return of the Kiasyd

Oneirovore — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:18:21 GMT

So last night i was trying to think of a way to makea HedgeBar-Inn that drew in dreamers stuck in guilt ridden nightmares so as to have thier deams enacted on the stage for the amusment of the patrons dinning and watching the show.
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but then i started to think of the owner of the Inn came up with a great back story of an old maimed LSotUR, of a man who joined the LordSages as a vampire hunter to avenge the death of his wife a single mother he met after his durance{haven't really worked out how or why she was killed by vampz maybe borrowed money from a ghoul loanshark} well afew years after bliss Fate turned upon them and bite them in the neck hehehehehehe   So the son wasthere wwhen the murder happened being about 5th-teen at the time Vows with his step father to avenge the mother sso some time passes let say from 1989-1993, and they ben some what successsful made a name for them selves in afew cities but still haven't found the one who killed the mother when Fate turns upon them again the Killer Returns but in this confertation the vampire embaces the stepson

so now loving the son with all his heart and just not finding it in whats left of his soul to kill the son he loves they strike a new Pact to veng not just the mother but the curse of unlife inflicted upon the son
   the only part that applies to the story is "if you shall ever hurt me i'll be forcced to slay you "      so then the day comes that the son goes into frenzyand turns upon the Father deciceds to spar ehis son that he staked .........   But he with draws from the life of hunting and with his son in a duffle sack headed into the Hedge to find a place he can live out the rest of his life in some what peace

but the LSotUR wouldn't leave him alone asthey dont want to sqander a resoure of vampiric knowledge made offers of the help and assisted in consturting the Inn as a heaven/library/storehouse for members of the LSotUR w/ the old man trusted as its carekeeper

now the KIASYD the son dwells in the basement of Inn in a stone coffin a metamorphosis is happen .........fed a study diet of changeling and hobgoblin blood something is bound to happen........now he is just a staked cadaver covered in a cocoon of bug webs caked in the blood of his feedings

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so now i need to work out a vampire in the Hedge but i dont have the VampCoreBook

but i'm trying to figure out how the VampiricSon is goiing to affect the Hedge and how the Hedge is going to affect him.
+any vamps who enter the Hedge or that are lost in the Hedge are drawn to the Inn
+how or can the vampire huant the grounds of the hollow using astal projection
+the psychoactive Hedge always cast the Inn in dusk and fog  [old manMOON:wyrd?-son:BP3}
+now by my understanding is that a vampire has to be BloodPotency 6 to creat his own bloodline, so if i spend six merits pts to bring his blood potency up to BP3 so can a vamp gain exp while stuck in tapor if it is able influance the Hedge thru his tapor dreams or the dreams of the patron who sleep in the Inn to manipulate the Inn's Patrons
+
+

Celerity idea

Newes — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:50:48 GMT

I know celerity has been discussed into the dirt in several threads in the last month, so I want to keep this simple: To avoid certain complaints about Celerity, I'm thinking of changing it so that it:

Adds to dexterity (like Vigor to strength)
Lasts one scene for one vitae
Grants the standard Celerity defense bonus plus any bonus stemming from higher dexterity
Grants the standard Celerity initiative bonus
Does NOT multiply speed beyond what is granted by the increased dexterity

Basically I want the vampire to become inhumanly agile with incredible reactions without letting them outrun speeding cars.

Has anyone tried anything like this? Any ideas on its practicality?

Bloodline Idea: (Daeva) "Saviniens" AKA "Poets"

Iconoclast — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:51:26 GMT

The inspiration for this bloodline is one of my players who really wanted to ham up the emo-vamp idea. So I came up with this bloodline and I'm interested in feedback. I had particular trouble nailing down the weakness, but I feel it should be something similar to what it is now - basically: failure to inspire what they consider "love" makes them cry a lot. I'm struggling with it because what happens if the character is already suffering from that derangement?

Here it is in a very abbreviated form, but I have a full write-up too. Some devotions follow, but they're just concepts right now.

Savinien Bloodline

"I... I think I love you."

(Symbol: a valentine heart wrapped in barbed wire)

Poets believe they still have the capacity to love and be loved. So desperate are they to demonstrate this, that they find soul mates in all manner of places from dirty alleys, to dingy bars, to the ballrooms and foyers of high society. They so firmly want to believe in love that failure to achieve it sends them into deep bouts of depression and self-loathing. To other clans, Poets are seen as cry-babies and emos, more content to weep for their losses than to get up and seize their Requiems. Even when a Poet finds love, it does not last. The search is endless and often painful, but love is worth it.

Other Clans who know of the Saviniens see them for what they really are: delusional hedonists. Poets claim to seek and fight for love, but all they are really doing is compiling a list of their sexual conquests and crying about feelings they no longer have. Poets are trying to rekindle their dead emotions through physical sensation. These same vampires who would condemn the Poets also find them occasionally useful - by pretending to be a seeker of love, a vampire may earn a temporary ally, willing to help in the quest almost without recompense, solely in the name of love.

Parent Clan: Daeva

Nickname: Poets (or Hedonists behind their backs)

Background: Poets, like all romantics and dreamers, come from all walks of life. As mortals, they lived and loved (or sought it), often passionately. Saviniens may embrace anyone who displays a passion for love - but with their view of love being twisted, they see this passion even in philanderers and abusers. A Poet is just as likely to embrace a foul, murdering rapist immediately after the crime as he is to embrace a wide-eyed dreamer in the middle of a whirlwind romance.

Bloodline Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Majesty, Vigor

Weakness: Poets share the weakness of their parent clan. In addition, all Poets are prone to Depression and automatically gain this derangement when they are embraced; however, the derangement only manifests when an attempt to activate Majesty (or any devotion requiring it) fails. The first failure in a night results in a Depression that lasts for the rest of the scene. The depression can be lifted by a successful use of Majesty, but a second failure in the same night aggravates the condition and the Poet remains depressed for the rest of the night. The depression lifts when the Poet rises the next night. As an optional rule, Poets who refuse to use Majesty for a number of nights equal to their Humanity are subject to the depression until they use the discipline (or a derivative devotion) - if the power succeeds, the depression is instantly lifted; if the power fails, the depression lifts the next night (the point is that they must *try* to woo somebody).

Concepts: Obessive Stalker, Confused Dreamer, Naive Prostitute, Ignored Housewife, Lonely Dependent, Narcissistic Sadist

Devotions

Beacon of Hope (Auspex ●●, Majesty ●) -- Remember Armand? Remember how he could silently call the despondent and suicidal to him? That's what this devotion does. Poets make these losers think that they can be saved -- and the Poet is the one to save them.

Reciprocation (Auspex ●●●●, Majesty ●●●●) -- Target becomes fixated/obsessed with the poet. The victim knows always where the Poet is and can (and will) find him until the effect wears off. The idea is that the Poet uses this and believes that the victim stays in his presence because she loves him and can't leave him. (Hey, Sevinians are delusional)

Furtive Glance (Auspex ●●, Celerity ●) -- gain one piece of information from a subject with just a glance. Information is random the first time, but subsequent uses in the same night on the same subject give only the same information. The Poet has to fully use Auspex ●● to gain any more info.

Animalism question

wolfman1911 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:51:17 GMT

I was wondering something that makes me wonder about the usefullness of Animalism. The book talks about how the usefullness of the information you gain with Feral Whispers is dependant on the intelligence of the animal, doesn't that mean that the information you get out of it wouldn't be terribly useful?

For example, I am working on a concept of a Ventrue who lives in a city with a large rat population. He would intend to use those rats to keep tabs on his rivals (and ideally, as many kindred as he could). What kind of information would he be able to get? Obviously he couldn't get them to report what was said, but could he even get the rats to identify one person as opposed to another?

Player Opinions on a Combine Vampire: The Masquerade and Requiem Settings

Phalin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:06:23 GMT

Hi all

Hope you can help use out with this,

A group of us are working on an combined Vampire: the Masquerade / Vampire: the Requiem Setting with the intention posting it on the internet once it is completed to help satisfying players of both games,

So that I would like you to do if you would be so kind is to post any Suggestion you have or tell me what you like about etch game, rules, bloodlines, back store, or just something you’d like to see included

Thanks

Ps: This is posted this in OWoD and Requiem Forums, So Just Post in One of the Two, Thanks

Ps: Yes we are probably mad for attempting this.

Dance de la Mort demo chronicle - your experience?

BFrost — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:34:22 GMT

Hi, all!
I'm about to run the demo chronicle. So if anyone wishes to share their experience with it, I'd really appreciate it! How did it go, were there any holes in the script, what are your opinions on the NPCs?
Thank you in advance!

Depopulation

generalvostok — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:07:15 GMT

Recently, I find myself remembering a passage describing various ways in which the vampire population of a city might have been decimated, including lightning striking all of the undead inhabitants of a city either in Portugal or Spain, but I can no longer recall either which book this was located in or the context of the passage. Can anyone recall which supplement this was found in, or am I misremembering?