Okay, I've been reminded of something. The city hierarchy is picking the vampires for this Sabbat-hunting coterie for special purposes, most of which will be working together. So I'd like you all to work together in creating backgrounds, personalities and such. You're still vampires, and I understand that, but having some amount of camaraderie is a must.
You don't need to know each other outside of a passing resemblance (as the population of Kindred for Fairhaven isn't so big that you wouldn't know most of your peers by sight (those you could see).
Edit: Don't mind him, he's just giving me a hard time.
I've only ever played Gangrels before. I suppose I could try out a Toreador?
Are you really averse to Toreador?
Nope, not at all.
Ok let me know if its problematic. I went with Gangrel mainly because it would be kind of a change of pace from the characters I usually play and the concept/starting I had seemed like it was a bit stronger.
And the original concepts I had for each of the remaining clans, one of them didn't work so well imo when you added conflict to the mix. The toreador that immediately came to mind was a fish out of water (akin to Depp's Crane in Sleepy Hollow) ; an intellectual through and through. When you added celerity or super-powered type stuff I felt it kinda ruined the character or feel I would want....
Whereas the Gangrel I had in my has more a of Yojimbo ,Eastwood cowboy, or Hauer as the Hitcher vibe. So combat seemed like it would work better.
If you still have room I would like to join. I have never played a pBp game so if my inexperince would be a problem it wouldn't bother me to be left out. I would like to play a character like the wolf from pulp fiction or like Ciaran Hinds (had to look up name) character from Munich. A character who helps take care of the after action clean up with connections between the mortal world and the camarilla, whos mainly focused on perserving the masquerade. I think this would fit in well with the premise of the game as the character is assisting the group in keeping their aggresive actions hidden from both the sabbot, mortal word, and other vampires. I feel like a Ventrue would be best for this concept but I would be fine trying to make it work for any clan that hasnt been picked.
I've only ever played Gangrels before. I suppose I could try out a Toreador?
Are you really averse to Toreador?
Nope, not at all.
Ok let me know if its problematic. I went with Gangrel mainly because it would be kind of a change of pace from the characters I usually play and the concept/starting I had seemed like it was a bit stronger.
And the original concepts I had for each of the remaining clans, one of them didn't work so well imo when you added conflict to the mix. The toreador that immediately came to mind was a fish out of water (akin to Depp's Crane in Sleepy Hollow) ; an intellectual through and through. When you added celerity or super-powered type stuff I felt it kinda ruined the character or feel I would want....
Whereas the Gangrel I had in my has more a of Yojimbo ,Eastwood cowboy, or Hauer as the Hitcher vibe. So combat seemed like it would work better.
That's good, I promise we'll get to sheets soon, I just want everyone decided on a clan before we get down to the nitty-gritty.
If you still have room I would like to join. I have never played a pBp game so if my inexperince would be a problem it wouldn't bother me to be left out. I would like to play a character like the wolf from pulp fiction or like Ciaran Hinds (had to look up name) character from Munich. A character who helps take care of the after action clean up with connections between the mortal world and the camarilla, whos mainly focused on perserving the masquerade. I think this would fit in well with the premise of the game as the character is assisting the group in keeping their aggresive actions hidden from both the sabbot, mortal word, and other vampires. I feel like a Ventrue would be best for this concept but I would be fine trying to make it work for any clan that hasnt been picked.
That's actually a very apt character model for this game. Inexperience is the name of the game here, it's a chance to have fun playing a good game and get used to something unfamiliar yet interesting. If you want Ventrue, it's yours.
For a rundown of called Clans:
Tremere
Gangrel
Toreador
Ventrue
Brujah
Nosferatu
Malkavian
Once we're all settled on this arrangement, we'll get down to sheets.
If you still have room I would like to join. I have never played a pBp game so if my inexperince would be a problem it wouldn't bother me to be left out. I would like to play a character like the wolf from pulp fiction or like Ciaran Hinds (had to look up name) character from Munich. A character who helps take care of the after action clean up with connections between the mortal world and the camarilla, whos mainly focused on perserving the masquerade. I think this would fit in well with the premise of the game as the character is assisting the group in keeping their aggresive actions hidden from both the sabbot, mortal word, and other vampires. I feel like a Ventrue would be best for this concept but I would be fine trying to make it work for any clan that hasnt been picked.
This sort of character is absolutely essential to the way the Camarilla works. Eventually, one way or another, you'll frenzy and kill someone you didn't mean to and then there's a mess to clean up.
The side effect that the "cleaner" earns a crapton of favors from everyone... and has a lot of blackmail material later... is not to be underestimated either...
Yes, but unless the "Cleaner" has some good protection, all those favors he has are worthless when he decides to try to cash one in with the wrong vamp in the wrong dark alley.
Yes, but unless the "Cleaner" has some good protection, all those favors he has are worthless when he decides to try to cash one in with the wrong vamp in the wrong dark alley.
Murder is punishable by execution in every possible instance.
And "favors" are generally very public. "You owe me a Major Boon" is tracked by the local Harpy and the Harpy typically doesn't bother asking what the boon is for. Also, elders with Auspex who don't care much for murder make it pretty ahrd to get away with. In point of fact, a boon not tracked by the Harpies isn't really much of a boon, and is therefore not nearly as useful.
Not impossible, of course. Never impossible. Just... difficult.
Ironically enough, in the Camarilla, having someone owe you a favor makes you pretty much safe from them... because guess who everybody's going to assume did it if anything happens to you?
Besides, meeting in a back alley is silly. That's what Elysiums and crowded nightclubs and other places where whipping out a big can of whoop-ass is extremely inadvisable are for. One of the pre-requisites for a good Elysium are plenty of secluded corners that make it harder to eavesdrop without being caught. Obfuscate notwithstanding, of course.
I'll get up a full concept later in the week, but with Christmas preparations taking up most of the time, I'll just toss up a short note so people know what to expect from the nosferatu.
He'll be a criminal from one of the major cities who kept up a life of crime after the embrace, but had to split in a hurry after the mortal law almost caught up to him and his Sire gave him a stern talking to, regarding the Masquerade. He's still a criminal, but he has moved up in the world, becoming more of a cat burglar than an armed robbery guy, using the gifts of the embrace to good effect. He'll be the sneaky guy who gets into places, listens to things he shouldn't and, if needed, will leave a dagger in someones back on the way out.
Krata's got it right on the nose. A cleaner is essential, but then again, so is everyone else. The Brujah, Gangrel and Toreador are front-line combatants, while the Malkavian and Tremere are mid-range combatants. The Nosferatu is recon and stealth (try fighting when you've got a Nossie using CoS with a stake in hand ready to put it through your heart), while the Ventrue can sit back and watch, cover their rear and warn if renforcements come up (though even a Ventrue can be handy on the field, from guns to melee depending on his breeding). And that's just a standard arrangement with plenty of opportunity for improvisation.
I realize Christmas is close, which is why I'm not pushing anything. Most likely we won't be starting until after the first of the year, when everything's settled down, so take your time and really think about things.
Edit: I used the wrong term in my first post. The Prince and Primogen are putting together a coterie, not the Justicars. My mistake.
I'll get up a full concept later in the week, but with Christmas preparations taking up most of the time, I'll just toss up a short note so people know what to expect from the nosferatu.
He'll be a criminal from one of the major cities who kept up a life of crime after the embrace, but had to split in a hurry after the mortal law almost caught up to him and his Sire gave him a stern talking to, regarding the Masquerade. He's still a criminal, but he has moved up in the world, becoming more of a cat burglar than an armed robbery guy, using the gifts of the embrace to good effect. He'll be the sneaky guy who gets into places, listens to things he shouldn't and, if needed, will leave a dagger in someones back on the way out.
It's good to see someone play a Nosferatu as something other than a straight up "I Know Everything" info broker.
I'll get up a full concept later in the week, but with Christmas preparations taking up most of the time, I'll just toss up a short note so people know what to expect from the nosferatu.
He'll be a criminal from one of the major cities who kept up a life of crime after the embrace, but had to split in a hurry after the mortal law almost caught up to him and his Sire gave him a stern talking to, regarding the Masquerade. He's still a criminal, but he has moved up in the world, becoming more of a cat burglar than an armed robbery guy, using the gifts of the embrace to good effect. He'll be the sneaky guy who gets into places, listens to things he shouldn't and, if needed, will leave a dagger in someones back on the way out.
It's good to see someone play a Nosferatu as something other than a straight up "I Know Everything" info broker.
Nosferatu are one of my favorite Clans.
Drake won't let me play them anymore.
For very specific reasons.
Harmonic Drake on
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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INeedNoSaltwith blood on my teethRegistered Userregular
Also, I love oWoD. The Anarchs are balls-to-the-walls awesome.
See, the Cam doesn't have to be just about politics and stuffy elders. There's plenty of room for advancement. I'm hoping to show that through this chronicle.
Harmonic Drake on
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
No matter how bad you think the Camarilla are, the Sabbat are worse. It's all about the lesser of two evils.
The Sabbat are worse, yes, but that's not the point I'm trying to make. It's about showing how a Camarilla vampire can still succeed and advance without the need for the debauchery and frenetic destruction of the Sabbat.
Edit: As a matter of fact, I'm rather fond of the Giovanni, and the Anarchs/Independents do have their place in the World of Darkness. Just not right now.
Giovanni: If you can't keep it in your pants, keep it in the family.
KrataLightblade on
LEVEL 50 SWORD JUGGLER/WIZARD!
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
Rough draft:
Stewart is still new to the ways of the blood. He was incorporated into the Pyramid because of his employment. During off hours at the library, he was often found researching certain dusty tomes that gained him insight into aspects of the occult he had no business learning about. These bits of knowledge only drove him to dig deeper, and it wasn't long before a fellow associate at the media center put a stop to his prying for good.
Fortunately for him, his knack for gathering information made him more useful undead than dead, so he became a Neonate shortly thereafter. He has yet to grasp more than the fundamentals of the initial Path, but he is a quick study, quicker than even the Regent may yet be prepared for. Before long, he plans to not only match their expectations, but surpass them.
Krata:
I love their genteel and business savvy aspects. The incestial relations, not so much.
I always wanted to play a Setite and have had a great time with them as villans and npc's. Ravonos are also pretty fun I feel.
I have the nWoD vamp book right now and not the old one anymore, but I have the werewolf book of the right edition to know the system and I will borrow a friends vamp to remember all the vamp critical stuff.
Feygor on
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
The only indie I've ever gotten to play was Giovanni. I've always wanted to try a Ravnos, but I've never gotten much chance. I have to try Lasombra at some point. Setites are also cool.
Nice rough draft, CJ. Simple, yet effective. I'm playing a more information rat-than-Tremere right now myself, it's kind of fun getting away from Thaumaturgy as my bread-and-butter for once.
Feygor, if you need info on Vampire, just let me know and I can PM you the details. The Werewolf system isn't very good since this isn't like nWoD and the different game systems aren't inter-connected. There's not really a lot to it, it's more about rote memorization of what stats go with what power, so you shouldn't need a book, just a character sheet.
They actually can be, yes. Some Toreador focus on martial prowess, becoming something akin to 'blade-dancers' through mastery of Celerity. That's an example of what might work for this campaign, but it's not what you're limited to. A Toreador can also help in battle by being a scout, or a being of Presence, making their enemies love them in order to give your coterie a chance to attack. Of course, your coterie might also be affected by your glorious self, but hey, what's reward without risk?
They actually can be, yes. Some Toreador focus on martial prowess, becoming something akin to 'blade-dancers' through mastery of Celerity. That's an example of what might work for this campaign, but it's not what you're limited to. A Toreador can also help in battle by being a scout, or a being of Presence, making their enemies love them in order to give your coterie a chance to attack. Of course, your coterie might also be affected by your glorious self, but hey, what's reward without risk?
Best way around that: Warn them you're going to pop Presence ahead of time and make sure they can't percieve you until you're ready for them to.
Modern technology works great for this. Having half a dozen vampires pop our of ambush on a prearranged signal sent from a walkie-talkie, cellphone, or hell a signal flare going off can be more than moderately effective.
Especially once you hit Presence 5 and you blow Majesty all over the other guys...
Man, I haven't thought about all this in quite some time. I'm sorry I missed the sign-ups. It doesn't matter, my favorite character was a Salubri (spelling?) anyways. Give me the persecuted clan any time. Only 7, and you have to "eat" your sire after they teach you everything? Yes, please.
Don't worry, I plan on running more games so all of you WoD fanatics can get in on the action. Salubri are cool, yeah, and yes, bullets do lethal damage when fired at the head, but remember that called shots are higher difficulty. For example, the head is a +2 difficulty, but it also increases the damage pool by 1.
Krata, again, has a point. Practicing such tactics before a fight is a good way to catch someone off-guard, especially if the Toreador is the only one there and they're all looking at you.
By the way, someone in the coterie is going to need to take some Drive. Someone's got to cart the lot of you around the city, after all.
Posts
You don't need to know each other outside of a passing resemblance (as the population of Kindred for Fairhaven isn't so big that you wouldn't know most of your peers by sight (those you could see).
Edit: Don't mind him, he's just giving me a hard time.
Are you really averse to Toreador?
Ok let me know if its problematic. I went with Gangrel mainly because it would be kind of a change of pace from the characters I usually play and the concept/starting I had seemed like it was a bit stronger.
And the original concepts I had for each of the remaining clans, one of them didn't work so well imo when you added conflict to the mix. The toreador that immediately came to mind was a fish out of water (akin to Depp's Crane in Sleepy Hollow) ; an intellectual through and through. When you added celerity or super-powered type stuff I felt it kinda ruined the character or feel I would want....
Whereas the Gangrel I had in my has more a of Yojimbo ,Eastwood cowboy, or Hauer as the Hitcher vibe. So combat seemed like it would work better.
That's good, I promise we'll get to sheets soon, I just want everyone decided on a clan before we get down to the nitty-gritty.
That's actually a very apt character model for this game. Inexperience is the name of the game here, it's a chance to have fun playing a good game and get used to something unfamiliar yet interesting. If you want Ventrue, it's yours.
For a rundown of called Clans:
Tremere
Gangrel
Toreador
Ventrue
Brujah
Nosferatu
Malkavian
Once we're all settled on this arrangement, we'll get down to sheets.
Yeah, they're pretty nasty. What are even worse are the Nicktuku.
This sort of character is absolutely essential to the way the Camarilla works. Eventually, one way or another, you'll frenzy and kill someone you didn't mean to and then there's a mess to clean up.
The side effect that the "cleaner" earns a crapton of favors from everyone... and has a lot of blackmail material later... is not to be underestimated either...
Murder is punishable by execution in every possible instance.
And "favors" are generally very public. "You owe me a Major Boon" is tracked by the local Harpy and the Harpy typically doesn't bother asking what the boon is for. Also, elders with Auspex who don't care much for murder make it pretty ahrd to get away with. In point of fact, a boon not tracked by the Harpies isn't really much of a boon, and is therefore not nearly as useful.
Not impossible, of course. Never impossible. Just... difficult.
Ironically enough, in the Camarilla, having someone owe you a favor makes you pretty much safe from them... because guess who everybody's going to assume did it if anything happens to you?
Besides, meeting in a back alley is silly. That's what Elysiums and crowded nightclubs and other places where whipping out a big can of whoop-ass is extremely inadvisable are for. One of the pre-requisites for a good Elysium are plenty of secluded corners that make it harder to eavesdrop without being caught. Obfuscate notwithstanding, of course.
He'll be a criminal from one of the major cities who kept up a life of crime after the embrace, but had to split in a hurry after the mortal law almost caught up to him and his Sire gave him a stern talking to, regarding the Masquerade. He's still a criminal, but he has moved up in the world, becoming more of a cat burglar than an armed robbery guy, using the gifts of the embrace to good effect. He'll be the sneaky guy who gets into places, listens to things he shouldn't and, if needed, will leave a dagger in someones back on the way out.
I realize Christmas is close, which is why I'm not pushing anything. Most likely we won't be starting until after the first of the year, when everything's settled down, so take your time and really think about things.
Edit: I used the wrong term in my first post. The Prince and Primogen are putting together a coterie, not the Justicars. My mistake.
It's good to see someone play a Nosferatu as something other than a straight up "I Know Everything" info broker.
Nosferatu are one of my favorite Clans.
Drake won't let me play them anymore.
For very specific reasons.
You say that like I almost wiped out half of the population of Fairhaven in one night.
See, that's not so bad, but it was the ancillae and ELDER population you got your claws into.
Exactly.
Also, I love oWoD. The Anarchs are balls-to-the-walls awesome.
See, the Cam doesn't have to be just about politics and stuffy elders. There's plenty of room for advancement. I'm hoping to show that through this chronicle.
See, I said Anarch. So it's really not.
Edit: As a matter of fact, I'm rather fond of the Giovanni, and the Anarchs/Independents do have their place in the World of Darkness. Just not right now.
Fortunately for him, his knack for gathering information made him more useful undead than dead, so he became a Neonate shortly thereafter. He has yet to grasp more than the fundamentals of the initial Path, but he is a quick study, quicker than even the Regent may yet be prepared for. Before long, he plans to not only match their expectations, but surpass them.
Krata:
I love their genteel and business savvy aspects. The incestial relations, not so much.
I have the nWoD vamp book right now and not the old one anymore, but I have the werewolf book of the right edition to know the system and I will borrow a friends vamp to remember all the vamp critical stuff.
Feygor, if you need info on Vampire, just let me know and I can PM you the details. The Werewolf system isn't very good since this isn't like nWoD and the different game systems aren't inter-connected. There's not really a lot to it, it's more about rote memorization of what stats go with what power, so you shouldn't need a book, just a character sheet.
You aren't old enough to have reached Age 1, so nothing above 60 years or so. Generational maximum of three, four if you can be convincing enough.
They actually can be, yes. Some Toreador focus on martial prowess, becoming something akin to 'blade-dancers' through mastery of Celerity. That's an example of what might work for this campaign, but it's not what you're limited to. A Toreador can also help in battle by being a scout, or a being of Presence, making their enemies love them in order to give your coterie a chance to attack. Of course, your coterie might also be affected by your glorious self, but hey, what's reward without risk?
Best way around that: Warn them you're going to pop Presence ahead of time and make sure they can't percieve you until you're ready for them to.
Modern technology works great for this. Having half a dozen vampires pop our of ambush on a prearranged signal sent from a walkie-talkie, cellphone, or hell a signal flare going off can be more than moderately effective.
Especially once you hit Presence 5 and you blow Majesty all over the other guys...
Sounds like it's gonna be fun, though.
Krata, again, has a point. Practicing such tactics before a fight is a good way to catch someone off-guard, especially if the Toreador is the only one there and they're all looking at you.
By the way, someone in the coterie is going to need to take some Drive. Someone's got to cart the lot of you around the city, after all.