Post by Luke on Apr 11, 2008 15:58:08 GMT -5
(( For those of you who are uncertain where to find the newly posted VSS I have provided it here, copy & pasted from the approvals database. ))
Domain/Chapter Venue VSS Name Storyteller
•NE-005-D (Ashen Plains) LR - LARP - Requiem Forgé Dans le Sang Chad Parker
VSS
VSS: Forge Dans Le Sang
Lincoln, Nebraska Requiem Venue
GENRE:
This VSS applies to the Requiem venue in Lincoln, NE.
ST CONTACT:
Lead On-Site Requiem ST: Chad A. Parker (BlacksmithVST@gmail.com)
US2007049854
SETTING:
Our venue is set in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, to its outside limits. Any play extending beyond Lincoln’s city limits will be relegated to downtime, but for special exceptions to be determined by the VST. Any interaction with Omaha, Nebraska City or elsewhere may be frozen and handed to the ST appropriate to the area. It should be noted that Nebraska City is the purview of the DST.
Some of the locations and policies of Lincoln within the WOD have been altered to preserve continuity (or to protect the innocent). Kindred involvement in Lincoln has altered city policy to the point that many areas are open all night, or policing is lax at best. The Lincoln Underground, in reality, is non-existent, but in game, mysterious arrays of sub-basements and tunnels have been burrowed below ground. None know the full extent of these tunnels and chambers; only a few have been found.
The area of 27th street and Vine, all the way North to the 27th street Viaduct is undergoing a major facelift since the advent of the Phoenix Foundation, a charitable organization serving the Lincoln area. (This preserves continuity with the Mage venue; kindred find it hard to gain a toehold here) Oddly enough, in reality, the same area is undergoing a similar facelift, and provides a rather satisfying visual aid.
THEME/MOOD: (See also: History, below)
Forge Dans Le Sang, roughly translated from French, means “Forged in Blood”.
The act of forging any implement implies heat, energy and toil. To forge an implement in blood shows great pain involved, or ritual. Slag flies and abominable heat sears. The bellows pump sending the flames to roaring like a thronging mob enraged. The material is forced into the shape, controlled only by the care of the crafter.
Lincoln is such a handcrafted city, and the city is imperfect, flawed. The nefarious purposes to which Lincoln is put are not necessarily those intended by the maker and it then becomes the crucible in which the mortals and kindred are softened, the hammer by which they are shaped, the anvil upon which they are beaten, and in blood…
In blood are they all tempered.
BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
(a how-to with Jack Blaine)
I’ve been in Lincoln since before it was called Lincoln. I’ve seen Kindred of every stripe pass through, stake claims… hell, I’ve staked a few myself. Both claims and Kindred. The Invictus built this place from the ground up, or so they’d have you believe. Don’t kid yourself. It was the mortals that built this place, with their own blood, sweat and tears. The Invictus are just doing what they do best; taking credit for someone else’s work.
Used to be that Lincoln was full of promise and opportunity. The people were energized and worked hard and honest to carve out their niche here. The kindred were like that. The Courts were polite and thoughtful, with the odd exception.
Nowadays, I don’t recognize the place. It’s dark, dangerous. Just look at the way the mortals pick up their pace when they pass a really dark alley, and keep looking over their shoulders. Police can’t keep up with the crime, humanities are under funded, and the politicians- well, at least you know what to expect with them… Let’s just say it’s pretty obvious where kindred come from; it’s only a bit of vitae and a little death that make us any different. Nowadays, the exception’s the rule.
Lincoln’s ruthless, atrophied, and diseased. Whether or not the city council or mayor make strides to beautify the place, the streets remain ugly. It’s hard to tell the bad guys from the good anymore, if any good guys are left at all. Turn off all the pretty lights, and this city is grey.
From the capitol building to that crack house down the street, all those mortals out there have problems. They’ll sink or swim, sure, but whether you let them’s up to you. Some of those people can do for you, but they’ll want something back. That hooker over there don’t suck cock for her health; she wants paid for it. The pimp back by the dumpster standing on the broken bottles and used needles has a nine millimeter money-shot for her if she don’t pay him. The junkie shaking over there at the corner gas station has to make sure the other cops don’t find out about his heroin addiction when he busts the pimp. Problem is he has to see the pimp shoot her for it to stick. The guy she’s blowing is the District Attorney. See how this shit stacks up?
Lincoln’s got us dead to rights. This city’s got ruthlessness the Invictus can’t match. It’s got a mob-rule that the Carthians’d die for. The Lance would balk at its zealotry. The Ordo have to be scratching their domes at how convoluted the human philosophy is. The Crone can’t evolve fast enough to match ‘em. All that is wrapped up into a package so lawless we unaligned have to give ‘em a bow. Be careful while you’re eating the city that it don’t eat you. Seriously.
We got our problems too, and they’re a’ stacking up. Clan and covenant wars come and go; the philosophy of one is a club to another’s skull. Being Gangrel myself I could give a shit less about the whole thing, and being unaligned, come to think of it, I really can’t give less of a shit. Zilch on the give-a-shit-o-meter.
That don’t mean I don’t pay attention, though. Being ignorant is a good way to get dead, or worse. Knowing who’s who and what’s what can make all the difference in whether you’re the master or the slave, and even those fortunes change by the hour ‘round here.
The old ply their influence and grind the young into gristle in the machine, and the young join together to defend themselves from the scary old bastards who they outnumber by a lot. Sounds good on paper, but if those neonates are of differing covenants, or even the same for that matter, the coteries don’t last. It all hinges on where loyalties lie. That’s at the bottom of it. Clan, Covenant or coterie. Pick your poison. Each has its benefit and its drawbacks.
To top that off, we got other cities full of kindred close by who think they should be able to use Lincoln as their playground or even battlefield. Those who live here are constantly pissing over controlling our own destinies and clinging to every resource we got, not to mention not getting offed by some out-of-towner who can’t seem to get it through his head that thing about domain isn’t just for his benefit. Who lays down the law?
Can you do all this alone? Some people do, but don’t like their lives much. Neither do the ones who aren’t going it alone. They’re so paranoid of their “allies” knowing so much about them that they spin their wheels worrying as much about their own as they do the guys “clearly” on the other side. Xenophobia and Paranoia: Two of the biggest words I know, and I have a better than personal relationship with both, thanks.
Why not just kill them? I’ll tell you why not. Clan and Covenant wars aside, which you could start a lot of by killing just one kindred, you could spark off a war between domains. Fighting leads to noise, and noise attracts mortals. Break the Masquerade around here and that’s a sure way to a shallow grave. The prince of the day will see to that. And that’s if the mortals don’t burn us all out first. It’s like Newton said: each action has an equal and opposite reaction. Kill them? No. It’s a can of worms you don’t want to open. Consequences. Another big word that can end your life.
So how do you fight the other kindred? The mortals, stupid. Get as much of mortal society under your belt as you can, man. Smear the old fucker’s allies in the papers, get that arrogant Invictus bastard’s favorite retainer arrested, rezone the damn harpy’s haven and have it bulldozed; that’ll teach her to embarrass your ass in front of your sire or covenant! Oh, but be real careful to not get caught. Remember Newton’s Laws, always… Along with the traditions.
(And how and when to break them)
Head spinning yet? We ain’t done here. All through this, there’s the Beast inside you,
Foaming at the mouth and waiting to drag your ass screaming to hell. Remember him? Yeah. Yet another reason not to kill. All through this Requiem (what a pretentious friggin’ nickname for this head-job, huh?) and your Danse Macabre (I might puke) you gotta wrestle your beast to the ground like President Bush does the English language every press release. You lose to that bastard (uh, the Beast, not Bush), and you cause a shitstorm for all of us.
How can you win? Against the Beast? Do any of us know? I don’t know if we can be redeemed, but I’ve held it together for this long.
Damnation vs. Redemption, you say? Yeah. I guess it really is kinda like that. I’ve just never put the words to it. Know your Beast and know yourself. That’s the key. Keep yourself well fed and keep a handle on your self. Your actions are your own, and they’ll come back on you, for good or ill. That’s all the advice you get.
You’re on your own, kid. Good luck.
PLAYER ADVISORY: (Explicit Lyrics!)
The World of Darkness is not a happy place. From time to time, the ST staff may use adult themes, vivid descriptions, controversial locations and contentious social issues to bring the WOD to life. For those familiar with the WW tabletop material, some plot elements or themes could be considered “Black Dog” material. Such themes and issues may include: racism, sexism, bigotry, prejudice, tragic events, sexual assault, and extreme violence. If at any time a player feels uncomfortable, that player should inform the member of the ST staff nearest them immediately. Staff will excuse the player from the scene and give the PC to a Narrator or other designated representative to finish out the scene without breaking continuity.
Style of Play: (1-5 rating)
Action 3
Combat 1
Darkness 5
Drama 3
Intrigue 5
Mystery 4
A NOTE ON PLAYER RESPONSIBILITY:
This game is meant to be fun. Being screwed over by players who understand the rules better than you do is no fun. The game is not about membership class, or how many dots you have on your character sheet, but in the interaction between players and storytellers alike. It’s not so much what your character can do; it’s what kind of player you are.
CHARACTER TYPES:
All characters must be approved by the Lead ST (or the ST empowered by same to do so) before entering play.
Allowed Types:
• The base five clans/covenants plus unaligned kindred.
• Bloodlines from sanctioned White Wolf materials (whether new or previously approved) ONLY with on-site VST approval and appropriate approval numbers
• Ghoul Player Characters
• This venue prefers combat as a last resort, so players are encouraged to create or bring characters that do something other than beat people up. As a social monster, a kindred who cannot compete socially quickly becomes a slave or watchdog, a role better left to an NPC. Be very sure you want to explore this type of role play if you make a combat-oriented character.
Disallowed Types:
• PC Seven are prohibited.
• PC Brood are prohibited without heavy ST guidance, not to mention top approval.
• The ST may disallow any character that is deemed unbalancing or contrary to the theme/mood of the game
• Characters written to be PC-killers will not be approved for play. Leave the brainless bruisers for the realm of NPC.
• Characters that are written to be wholly dependent upon or unplayable without a specific PC or NPC will be denied as written. The ST will work with the player to build the persona into one that can stand alone despite the co-dependent streak. This applies to ghouls. Life goes on, even though your regnant bit the dust. Welcome to the World of Darkness, bud!
VENUE RULES:
This venue uses the rules set forth in MET: World of Darkness, MET: Requiem, the Camarilla Rules Addendum and all appropriately sanctioned materials mentioned therein. Any items not covered in these sources are considered to be Master approval required items, and will require pre-notification of the Lead On-Site Requiem ST. The ability to present the appropriate approval numbers is required.
The Code of Conduct is, of course, in effect as in every Camarilla sanctioned event. Please refer to the membership handbook, pages 12-18. Refresh your memory of the Code often, and stick by it.
As per preference of the members, we will lean heavily to moderation of scenes with approval of all parties involved in the scenes. Draws are sometimes necessary, but we want to reduce the break-up of role play whenever possible by minimizing time spent on mechanics.
While not required, costuming is worth an extra XP each game. Cap XP awarded without costuming is 4 xp. If you can’t afford to wear what your character would, any reasonable approximation can be upgraded with a tag. A tag alone is never a costume unless the player is drafted for an on-the-fly NPC.
Tags will be required for readily noticeable physical traits not otherwise costumed for. All size modifiers, physical merits and flaws and bulky or visible items (read here weaponry) must be represented with a tag or item card prominently displayed. Twilight projection and “no taint” should also be demarcated in some manner, whether by hand signal or with a tag. Tags will be provided by ST staff.
Vitae/Willpower
Vitae:
Characters that reside in Lincoln and are assigned to the Lincoln VSS will have vitae tracked, rather than doing draws for blood. Each game, adjustments are made to the blood pool of each Lincoln character for city conditions, as the ST deems necessary. Every character is assumed to hunt each night, gaining one blood safely. More can be gleaned through the merits Haven Location and Herd. The Ordo Dracul’s Coil of Blood is also a major advantage in maintaining blood levels. Other Clan or Covenant-specific advantages will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Each night that passes between games and downtime will be figured into the blood pool. Expenditures of blood are tracked as used, whether in game or downtime and is the player’s responsibility to track, with notification to the ST before and after the game, as well as during downtime. The ST will keep track as well, having a running total of vitae (and willpower) for each kindred and ghoul in the venue.
Haven Location: Each dot of the Haven Location merit represents one blood point the character may add to his blood pool, and applies to blood gleaned in a two week cycle. To wit, the Haven Location merit may be applied to hunting on the first two weeks of the month, and again the last two.
Herd: The Herd merit is perhaps the most vital component to a safe and readily available blood supply. For our purposes, each dot in Herd represents a number of individuals who make themselves available to the kindred in question.
Herd (dots) # of Individuals
1 1
2 3
3 5
4 10
5 25
Mortals regenerate a single blood trait every two days (with certain rare exceptions). Kindred should keep this in mind when utilizing their herds, so as not to overuse them. A mortal drained of 40% of his blood will die without medical treatment; a member of a kindred’s herd tapped too often will be hospitalized or worse. Using a sort of kindred version of ‘crop rotation’ works well.
Visiting characters will do draws for blood considered on a case-by-case basis. Normally, the visiting kindred’s draw will be unmodified, due to lack of access to his/her own herd and Haven. Certain local modifiers will apply, at the ST’s discretion.
Willpower:
Characters start with full willpower, less any appropriate amount for Bloodline weaknesses, sustaining of ghouls, or other restrictions. Each downtime week, each PC is presumed to regain one willpower point as stated in the WOD MET rules. If the character has a specific bloodline weakness or other restriction to this, this is subject to change per ST decision. Any regained willpower earned from portrayal of Virtue or Vice must be approved by an appropriate member of the ST or narrator staff.
Willpower will be tracked just as vitae is.
Narrator and VST empowerment in Mass Combat Scenes:
ST staff will moderate any mass combats where all involved members grant permission to ensure flexibility, realism, and to save time. All efforts will be made to maintain continuity, and player input for their character’s reactions will always be noted in moderation of these scenes.
If players argue with any of the ST staff’s calls or otherwise disrupt the flow of combat rounds with idle discussion, that player’s character will be subject to ST sanctions. The Lead VST’s main priority is to get through the entirety of the game with as few time consuming challenges as is possible, and will have little tolerance for counter-productive disruption of game flow. The staff member will warn the player on the first offense, and if the behavior continues, the player may be excused from the scene. Another member of the ST staff will play the character for the sake of continuity, and that member can expect a discussion with the Lead VST when game is called. Time will not be taken from other players to discuss sanctions during game time.
The consequences for argumentative or disruptive activity can include:
Docking some or all xp for the night, depending on severity of offense
Removal from the scene
Possible dismissal from the game for the night
Proxy
Planned proxy will only be allowed if the ST staff has notice of the character’s presence 48h previous to the character’s arrival with the appropriate documentation as discussed in the Character Restrictions section. Emergency proxies will be considered by the ST's on a case-by-case basis. Documentation required for all proxies includes a full character sheet, current XP log, motivations for the proxy, reasons for being in the area, how your character will be arriving to Lincoln, and all other documentation required for any visiting character as per above.
Each proxy must be filed with the VST and notification to the DST, for continuity purposes. Proxies that involve the “death squad” will be heavily monitored for balance. Proxies for teaching will abide by time for teaching rules appropriate to what is being taught, plus whatever complications the ST decides come up.
Character Sheets, Backgrounds, and XP Logs
A complete and accurate character record is vital to preserving game continuity, balance and fun. It is the player’s responsibility to provide and upkeep her own character sheet, and log all XP expenditures with her lead ST every month for approval and accuracy of
ST records. If there is a discrepancy between the records the player keeps and the records the ST possesses, the ST version of the character sheet will be considered the accurate one. XP logs are included in this rule, and it is also the duty of the player to maintain a complete and accurate XP Log.
The Character History, or Background, is an important tool for roleplayers and storytellers alike. Without a solid history, it is difficult to gauge your character’s reactions to situations, as well as his goals, fears and even his personality. Telling the story for a character without a history becomes difficult, making them no more than a collection of dots on a piece of paper. The character background is paramount to the storyteller’s ability to tell an engaging and compelling story for each individual character. It is for this reason that character histories are mandatory.
What are the components of a character history?
• Setting the time, place, and conditions of the character’s life; the “who am I?” portion of the story. Within this section, should be included the building of the character’s hopes and fears, their quirks and personality as a whole. Along with the kind of life skills they learned and talents they possessed in life.
• How the character first came into contact with the supernatural, and the servitude to and/or embrace by the sire. Include how the character reacted to the revelation that these wives’ tales and children’s nightmares were actually real.
• The formative years of the embrace to present. What the character learned and how they react to given situations. Prejudice, habits, and general outlook are vital to characterization, and having goals preset for your character will add to the fun.
Approval Items
• Approval items must be cleared by the VST , with appropriate approval numbers
• The ST reserves the right to ask that a power or item that is deemed unbalancing not be used by a visiting player with a previously approved character sheet, XP Log and appropriate approvals. All efforts will be made to ensure that this rule does not “castrate” the character in question, with regards to his/her interaction in the Lincoln venue. The ST reserves also the right to lift this restriction at any time, should it be apparent that other players are taking advantage of this rule and the player it affects, or for story purposes.
Downtimes
Downtime scenes figure very heavily into this VSS. Vampires don’t just sit on their laurels until the second Saturday of the month; they are secretive and cunning creatures with clandestine goals, burning hatreds, and paranoid fears. Thus, players in Forge Dans Le Sang are encouraged to partake in downtime actions.
A downtime is any in character action that takes place outside a sanctioned game. It is requested that each intended downtime be reported to the ST before hand, and the impromptu scenes that inevitably occur be reported afterward. E-mail is preferred, to the ST e-mail address posted above. In the e-mail, be sure to include the players’ names, Cam #’s and the characters present, as well as the general mode of discussion or action.
Documentation is necessary, since downtime is worth xp. The ST can’t award xp for scenes that aren’t reported.
Worth of downtimes: As per the addendum, downtimes can be worth 1 xp all the way to 3 xp per scene, capping at 5 total for the month.
HISTORY:
(The Abridged History of Lincoln)
Lincoln: Under the Surface
On the surface, Lincoln is much like any other Midwestern city. From the populace itself to the infrastructure, culture to business, the city evolves and grows, degenerates and dies, as any other. The history evolves as the city itself does, and can be found in any library, museum or historical society waiting to divulge the (albeit expurgated) truth behind the state of things in the here and now. Ask any good PR official about the city, and it’s a good place to live and work and raise children.
But his smile will be wooden.
Under the surface is where the bright city lights don’t quite reach, where the society parties and gala events miss the large majority. Here there is crime, violence, depression. Here there is despair and hopelessness. Here there are the human monsters that grind people to dust and devour hope, the city a machine that consumes lives. It is the reality the PR official hopes beyond hope you won’t ask after, and it is where most of us live every night.
In these shadows, the Kindred rule the night, thwarted only by one another’s schemes, and daily, by the sun. Kindred fingers have touched nearly every aspect of Lincoln’s inner workings, at some points inquiring, manipulating, or controlling outright. This control has been tenuous at best, however, so much so that even the immortal are not immune to the meat grinder that the city has become.
Crime, corruption and destitution are everywhere, evolving to fit their surrounds by tax bracket, culture, and location. The police are castrated by their own criminal element, the courts little more than an abattoir through which the city rids itself of the foolish, unlucky, or ironically, the just.
Evolution
Three capitol buildings have been constructed in Lincoln’s history. The first two mysteriously fell apart, the second burning in the end. The third, its construction finished in the mid 20th century, stands today, some scholars claiming that the architecture, rife with statuary and semi-pagan symbolism, appeases some sort of spiritual entity or forces ingrained in the land itself. It may be for reasons of keeping those forces appeased that no structure in Lincoln may lawfully be built taller…
In the earliest times that Kindred began populating Lincoln, each covenant was represented intermittently well.
• The Carthian Movement: The Carthians were mostly transient to all appearances, though displayed great influence in embarrassingly large doses to several Invictus Lords and Ladies across the years.
• The Circle of the Crone: Early in the history of Lincoln, most of the Crone were of Native American descent, and as such, were met with suspicion and derision by most of the other covenants. Few of them were left to their own devices, since the Sanctified held great sway at that time. All of the Crone mysteriously vanished about the time of the fall of the second capitol building. An Ordo scholar believes that they brought their own deaths upon them by means of a ritual they did not understand nor were meant to have. By the mid 1900’s, at the time of the third and present capitol building’s construction, the Crone finally enjoyed some notoriety, having repopulated quietly as the Sanctified’s mortal influence eroded as below…
• The Invictus: The Invictus were ever the pioneers in Lincoln’s history. They were here when the first Kindred settled down and began building power. They have risen to power—and fallen hardest. Each time the capitol building fell, it was an Invictus who screamed and ranted or watched his investments ruined. Thierry de’Laudaire, an Invictus Lord and Alder burned to death in the resulting conflagration of the second Capitol. Several died at the hands of mysterious attackers, and some simply disappeared.
• The Lancea Sanctum: The Lance enjoyed their greatest power from the 1890’s until just after the third capitol was completed. The Sanctified seemed over the years to be engrossed in some great project, funding archaeologists and patronizing the University and Historical Society. Their eternal struggle against the Crone waxed and waned, with the Sanctified often on the winning end. They and the church wove into every aspect of life in the city, and even the Invictus could not touch their influence. However, with the capitol came the legislation for separation of church and state, which was the knell of death for Sanctified power in Lincoln. The Lancea Sanctum who remember it still harbor doubts toward the Invictus over this…
• The Ordo Dracul: Washing in and out of Lincoln like esoteric tides, the scholars and explorers of the Ordo Dracul rarely stayed long. Many of them were quiet and kept to themselves, studying some mystery or another, raising their voices only, it seemed, to educate and silence quarrels. Perhaps it was the unusual number of Gangrel who seemed to make up the bulk of the membership that made them seem nomads, but they were certainly on the move. Even the quieter Mekhet were abuzz with activity, one going so far as to end her enmity with the time’s Crone leader to substantiate the blood-witch’s omens. Since then, the Ordo has seemed largely inactive.
• The Unaligned: The presence of the unbonded has ever been an Invictus-PR-man’s nightmare. They would love to gloss over their very existence, perhaps enough to do away with them. The kindred who would not bow to the covenants had it hard in the beginning, all over the timetable, for that matter, but some stalwart few persevered. Not many remain to these nights, but there are rumors of a couple who persevere from the very first nights of Lincoln. It could be from them that the truth of Lincoln’s long and shadowed history…
Domain/Chapter Venue VSS Name Storyteller
•NE-005-D (Ashen Plains) LR - LARP - Requiem Forgé Dans le Sang Chad Parker
VSS
VSS: Forge Dans Le Sang
Lincoln, Nebraska Requiem Venue
GENRE:
This VSS applies to the Requiem venue in Lincoln, NE.
ST CONTACT:
Lead On-Site Requiem ST: Chad A. Parker (BlacksmithVST@gmail.com)
US2007049854
SETTING:
Our venue is set in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, to its outside limits. Any play extending beyond Lincoln’s city limits will be relegated to downtime, but for special exceptions to be determined by the VST. Any interaction with Omaha, Nebraska City or elsewhere may be frozen and handed to the ST appropriate to the area. It should be noted that Nebraska City is the purview of the DST.
Some of the locations and policies of Lincoln within the WOD have been altered to preserve continuity (or to protect the innocent). Kindred involvement in Lincoln has altered city policy to the point that many areas are open all night, or policing is lax at best. The Lincoln Underground, in reality, is non-existent, but in game, mysterious arrays of sub-basements and tunnels have been burrowed below ground. None know the full extent of these tunnels and chambers; only a few have been found.
The area of 27th street and Vine, all the way North to the 27th street Viaduct is undergoing a major facelift since the advent of the Phoenix Foundation, a charitable organization serving the Lincoln area. (This preserves continuity with the Mage venue; kindred find it hard to gain a toehold here) Oddly enough, in reality, the same area is undergoing a similar facelift, and provides a rather satisfying visual aid.
THEME/MOOD: (See also: History, below)
Forge Dans Le Sang, roughly translated from French, means “Forged in Blood”.
The act of forging any implement implies heat, energy and toil. To forge an implement in blood shows great pain involved, or ritual. Slag flies and abominable heat sears. The bellows pump sending the flames to roaring like a thronging mob enraged. The material is forced into the shape, controlled only by the care of the crafter.
Lincoln is such a handcrafted city, and the city is imperfect, flawed. The nefarious purposes to which Lincoln is put are not necessarily those intended by the maker and it then becomes the crucible in which the mortals and kindred are softened, the hammer by which they are shaped, the anvil upon which they are beaten, and in blood…
In blood are they all tempered.
BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
(a how-to with Jack Blaine)
I’ve been in Lincoln since before it was called Lincoln. I’ve seen Kindred of every stripe pass through, stake claims… hell, I’ve staked a few myself. Both claims and Kindred. The Invictus built this place from the ground up, or so they’d have you believe. Don’t kid yourself. It was the mortals that built this place, with their own blood, sweat and tears. The Invictus are just doing what they do best; taking credit for someone else’s work.
Used to be that Lincoln was full of promise and opportunity. The people were energized and worked hard and honest to carve out their niche here. The kindred were like that. The Courts were polite and thoughtful, with the odd exception.
Nowadays, I don’t recognize the place. It’s dark, dangerous. Just look at the way the mortals pick up their pace when they pass a really dark alley, and keep looking over their shoulders. Police can’t keep up with the crime, humanities are under funded, and the politicians- well, at least you know what to expect with them… Let’s just say it’s pretty obvious where kindred come from; it’s only a bit of vitae and a little death that make us any different. Nowadays, the exception’s the rule.
Lincoln’s ruthless, atrophied, and diseased. Whether or not the city council or mayor make strides to beautify the place, the streets remain ugly. It’s hard to tell the bad guys from the good anymore, if any good guys are left at all. Turn off all the pretty lights, and this city is grey.
From the capitol building to that crack house down the street, all those mortals out there have problems. They’ll sink or swim, sure, but whether you let them’s up to you. Some of those people can do for you, but they’ll want something back. That hooker over there don’t suck cock for her health; she wants paid for it. The pimp back by the dumpster standing on the broken bottles and used needles has a nine millimeter money-shot for her if she don’t pay him. The junkie shaking over there at the corner gas station has to make sure the other cops don’t find out about his heroin addiction when he busts the pimp. Problem is he has to see the pimp shoot her for it to stick. The guy she’s blowing is the District Attorney. See how this shit stacks up?
Lincoln’s got us dead to rights. This city’s got ruthlessness the Invictus can’t match. It’s got a mob-rule that the Carthians’d die for. The Lance would balk at its zealotry. The Ordo have to be scratching their domes at how convoluted the human philosophy is. The Crone can’t evolve fast enough to match ‘em. All that is wrapped up into a package so lawless we unaligned have to give ‘em a bow. Be careful while you’re eating the city that it don’t eat you. Seriously.
We got our problems too, and they’re a’ stacking up. Clan and covenant wars come and go; the philosophy of one is a club to another’s skull. Being Gangrel myself I could give a shit less about the whole thing, and being unaligned, come to think of it, I really can’t give less of a shit. Zilch on the give-a-shit-o-meter.
That don’t mean I don’t pay attention, though. Being ignorant is a good way to get dead, or worse. Knowing who’s who and what’s what can make all the difference in whether you’re the master or the slave, and even those fortunes change by the hour ‘round here.
The old ply their influence and grind the young into gristle in the machine, and the young join together to defend themselves from the scary old bastards who they outnumber by a lot. Sounds good on paper, but if those neonates are of differing covenants, or even the same for that matter, the coteries don’t last. It all hinges on where loyalties lie. That’s at the bottom of it. Clan, Covenant or coterie. Pick your poison. Each has its benefit and its drawbacks.
To top that off, we got other cities full of kindred close by who think they should be able to use Lincoln as their playground or even battlefield. Those who live here are constantly pissing over controlling our own destinies and clinging to every resource we got, not to mention not getting offed by some out-of-towner who can’t seem to get it through his head that thing about domain isn’t just for his benefit. Who lays down the law?
Can you do all this alone? Some people do, but don’t like their lives much. Neither do the ones who aren’t going it alone. They’re so paranoid of their “allies” knowing so much about them that they spin their wheels worrying as much about their own as they do the guys “clearly” on the other side. Xenophobia and Paranoia: Two of the biggest words I know, and I have a better than personal relationship with both, thanks.
Why not just kill them? I’ll tell you why not. Clan and Covenant wars aside, which you could start a lot of by killing just one kindred, you could spark off a war between domains. Fighting leads to noise, and noise attracts mortals. Break the Masquerade around here and that’s a sure way to a shallow grave. The prince of the day will see to that. And that’s if the mortals don’t burn us all out first. It’s like Newton said: each action has an equal and opposite reaction. Kill them? No. It’s a can of worms you don’t want to open. Consequences. Another big word that can end your life.
So how do you fight the other kindred? The mortals, stupid. Get as much of mortal society under your belt as you can, man. Smear the old fucker’s allies in the papers, get that arrogant Invictus bastard’s favorite retainer arrested, rezone the damn harpy’s haven and have it bulldozed; that’ll teach her to embarrass your ass in front of your sire or covenant! Oh, but be real careful to not get caught. Remember Newton’s Laws, always… Along with the traditions.
(And how and when to break them)
Head spinning yet? We ain’t done here. All through this, there’s the Beast inside you,
Foaming at the mouth and waiting to drag your ass screaming to hell. Remember him? Yeah. Yet another reason not to kill. All through this Requiem (what a pretentious friggin’ nickname for this head-job, huh?) and your Danse Macabre (I might puke) you gotta wrestle your beast to the ground like President Bush does the English language every press release. You lose to that bastard (uh, the Beast, not Bush), and you cause a shitstorm for all of us.
How can you win? Against the Beast? Do any of us know? I don’t know if we can be redeemed, but I’ve held it together for this long.
Damnation vs. Redemption, you say? Yeah. I guess it really is kinda like that. I’ve just never put the words to it. Know your Beast and know yourself. That’s the key. Keep yourself well fed and keep a handle on your self. Your actions are your own, and they’ll come back on you, for good or ill. That’s all the advice you get.
You’re on your own, kid. Good luck.
PLAYER ADVISORY: (Explicit Lyrics!)
The World of Darkness is not a happy place. From time to time, the ST staff may use adult themes, vivid descriptions, controversial locations and contentious social issues to bring the WOD to life. For those familiar with the WW tabletop material, some plot elements or themes could be considered “Black Dog” material. Such themes and issues may include: racism, sexism, bigotry, prejudice, tragic events, sexual assault, and extreme violence. If at any time a player feels uncomfortable, that player should inform the member of the ST staff nearest them immediately. Staff will excuse the player from the scene and give the PC to a Narrator or other designated representative to finish out the scene without breaking continuity.
Style of Play: (1-5 rating)
Action 3
Combat 1
Darkness 5
Drama 3
Intrigue 5
Mystery 4
A NOTE ON PLAYER RESPONSIBILITY:
This game is meant to be fun. Being screwed over by players who understand the rules better than you do is no fun. The game is not about membership class, or how many dots you have on your character sheet, but in the interaction between players and storytellers alike. It’s not so much what your character can do; it’s what kind of player you are.
CHARACTER TYPES:
All characters must be approved by the Lead ST (or the ST empowered by same to do so) before entering play.
Allowed Types:
• The base five clans/covenants plus unaligned kindred.
• Bloodlines from sanctioned White Wolf materials (whether new or previously approved) ONLY with on-site VST approval and appropriate approval numbers
• Ghoul Player Characters
• This venue prefers combat as a last resort, so players are encouraged to create or bring characters that do something other than beat people up. As a social monster, a kindred who cannot compete socially quickly becomes a slave or watchdog, a role better left to an NPC. Be very sure you want to explore this type of role play if you make a combat-oriented character.
Disallowed Types:
• PC Seven are prohibited.
• PC Brood are prohibited without heavy ST guidance, not to mention top approval.
• The ST may disallow any character that is deemed unbalancing or contrary to the theme/mood of the game
• Characters written to be PC-killers will not be approved for play. Leave the brainless bruisers for the realm of NPC.
• Characters that are written to be wholly dependent upon or unplayable without a specific PC or NPC will be denied as written. The ST will work with the player to build the persona into one that can stand alone despite the co-dependent streak. This applies to ghouls. Life goes on, even though your regnant bit the dust. Welcome to the World of Darkness, bud!
VENUE RULES:
This venue uses the rules set forth in MET: World of Darkness, MET: Requiem, the Camarilla Rules Addendum and all appropriately sanctioned materials mentioned therein. Any items not covered in these sources are considered to be Master approval required items, and will require pre-notification of the Lead On-Site Requiem ST. The ability to present the appropriate approval numbers is required.
The Code of Conduct is, of course, in effect as in every Camarilla sanctioned event. Please refer to the membership handbook, pages 12-18. Refresh your memory of the Code often, and stick by it.
As per preference of the members, we will lean heavily to moderation of scenes with approval of all parties involved in the scenes. Draws are sometimes necessary, but we want to reduce the break-up of role play whenever possible by minimizing time spent on mechanics.
While not required, costuming is worth an extra XP each game. Cap XP awarded without costuming is 4 xp. If you can’t afford to wear what your character would, any reasonable approximation can be upgraded with a tag. A tag alone is never a costume unless the player is drafted for an on-the-fly NPC.
Tags will be required for readily noticeable physical traits not otherwise costumed for. All size modifiers, physical merits and flaws and bulky or visible items (read here weaponry) must be represented with a tag or item card prominently displayed. Twilight projection and “no taint” should also be demarcated in some manner, whether by hand signal or with a tag. Tags will be provided by ST staff.
Vitae/Willpower
Vitae:
Characters that reside in Lincoln and are assigned to the Lincoln VSS will have vitae tracked, rather than doing draws for blood. Each game, adjustments are made to the blood pool of each Lincoln character for city conditions, as the ST deems necessary. Every character is assumed to hunt each night, gaining one blood safely. More can be gleaned through the merits Haven Location and Herd. The Ordo Dracul’s Coil of Blood is also a major advantage in maintaining blood levels. Other Clan or Covenant-specific advantages will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Each night that passes between games and downtime will be figured into the blood pool. Expenditures of blood are tracked as used, whether in game or downtime and is the player’s responsibility to track, with notification to the ST before and after the game, as well as during downtime. The ST will keep track as well, having a running total of vitae (and willpower) for each kindred and ghoul in the venue.
Haven Location: Each dot of the Haven Location merit represents one blood point the character may add to his blood pool, and applies to blood gleaned in a two week cycle. To wit, the Haven Location merit may be applied to hunting on the first two weeks of the month, and again the last two.
Herd: The Herd merit is perhaps the most vital component to a safe and readily available blood supply. For our purposes, each dot in Herd represents a number of individuals who make themselves available to the kindred in question.
Herd (dots) # of Individuals
1 1
2 3
3 5
4 10
5 25
Mortals regenerate a single blood trait every two days (with certain rare exceptions). Kindred should keep this in mind when utilizing their herds, so as not to overuse them. A mortal drained of 40% of his blood will die without medical treatment; a member of a kindred’s herd tapped too often will be hospitalized or worse. Using a sort of kindred version of ‘crop rotation’ works well.
Visiting characters will do draws for blood considered on a case-by-case basis. Normally, the visiting kindred’s draw will be unmodified, due to lack of access to his/her own herd and Haven. Certain local modifiers will apply, at the ST’s discretion.
Willpower:
Characters start with full willpower, less any appropriate amount for Bloodline weaknesses, sustaining of ghouls, or other restrictions. Each downtime week, each PC is presumed to regain one willpower point as stated in the WOD MET rules. If the character has a specific bloodline weakness or other restriction to this, this is subject to change per ST decision. Any regained willpower earned from portrayal of Virtue or Vice must be approved by an appropriate member of the ST or narrator staff.
Willpower will be tracked just as vitae is.
Narrator and VST empowerment in Mass Combat Scenes:
ST staff will moderate any mass combats where all involved members grant permission to ensure flexibility, realism, and to save time. All efforts will be made to maintain continuity, and player input for their character’s reactions will always be noted in moderation of these scenes.
If players argue with any of the ST staff’s calls or otherwise disrupt the flow of combat rounds with idle discussion, that player’s character will be subject to ST sanctions. The Lead VST’s main priority is to get through the entirety of the game with as few time consuming challenges as is possible, and will have little tolerance for counter-productive disruption of game flow. The staff member will warn the player on the first offense, and if the behavior continues, the player may be excused from the scene. Another member of the ST staff will play the character for the sake of continuity, and that member can expect a discussion with the Lead VST when game is called. Time will not be taken from other players to discuss sanctions during game time.
The consequences for argumentative or disruptive activity can include:
Docking some or all xp for the night, depending on severity of offense
Removal from the scene
Possible dismissal from the game for the night
Proxy
Planned proxy will only be allowed if the ST staff has notice of the character’s presence 48h previous to the character’s arrival with the appropriate documentation as discussed in the Character Restrictions section. Emergency proxies will be considered by the ST's on a case-by-case basis. Documentation required for all proxies includes a full character sheet, current XP log, motivations for the proxy, reasons for being in the area, how your character will be arriving to Lincoln, and all other documentation required for any visiting character as per above.
Each proxy must be filed with the VST and notification to the DST, for continuity purposes. Proxies that involve the “death squad” will be heavily monitored for balance. Proxies for teaching will abide by time for teaching rules appropriate to what is being taught, plus whatever complications the ST decides come up.
Character Sheets, Backgrounds, and XP Logs
A complete and accurate character record is vital to preserving game continuity, balance and fun. It is the player’s responsibility to provide and upkeep her own character sheet, and log all XP expenditures with her lead ST every month for approval and accuracy of
ST records. If there is a discrepancy between the records the player keeps and the records the ST possesses, the ST version of the character sheet will be considered the accurate one. XP logs are included in this rule, and it is also the duty of the player to maintain a complete and accurate XP Log.
The Character History, or Background, is an important tool for roleplayers and storytellers alike. Without a solid history, it is difficult to gauge your character’s reactions to situations, as well as his goals, fears and even his personality. Telling the story for a character without a history becomes difficult, making them no more than a collection of dots on a piece of paper. The character background is paramount to the storyteller’s ability to tell an engaging and compelling story for each individual character. It is for this reason that character histories are mandatory.
What are the components of a character history?
• Setting the time, place, and conditions of the character’s life; the “who am I?” portion of the story. Within this section, should be included the building of the character’s hopes and fears, their quirks and personality as a whole. Along with the kind of life skills they learned and talents they possessed in life.
• How the character first came into contact with the supernatural, and the servitude to and/or embrace by the sire. Include how the character reacted to the revelation that these wives’ tales and children’s nightmares were actually real.
• The formative years of the embrace to present. What the character learned and how they react to given situations. Prejudice, habits, and general outlook are vital to characterization, and having goals preset for your character will add to the fun.
Approval Items
• Approval items must be cleared by the VST , with appropriate approval numbers
• The ST reserves the right to ask that a power or item that is deemed unbalancing not be used by a visiting player with a previously approved character sheet, XP Log and appropriate approvals. All efforts will be made to ensure that this rule does not “castrate” the character in question, with regards to his/her interaction in the Lincoln venue. The ST reserves also the right to lift this restriction at any time, should it be apparent that other players are taking advantage of this rule and the player it affects, or for story purposes.
Downtimes
Downtime scenes figure very heavily into this VSS. Vampires don’t just sit on their laurels until the second Saturday of the month; they are secretive and cunning creatures with clandestine goals, burning hatreds, and paranoid fears. Thus, players in Forge Dans Le Sang are encouraged to partake in downtime actions.
A downtime is any in character action that takes place outside a sanctioned game. It is requested that each intended downtime be reported to the ST before hand, and the impromptu scenes that inevitably occur be reported afterward. E-mail is preferred, to the ST e-mail address posted above. In the e-mail, be sure to include the players’ names, Cam #’s and the characters present, as well as the general mode of discussion or action.
Documentation is necessary, since downtime is worth xp. The ST can’t award xp for scenes that aren’t reported.
Worth of downtimes: As per the addendum, downtimes can be worth 1 xp all the way to 3 xp per scene, capping at 5 total for the month.
HISTORY:
(The Abridged History of Lincoln)
Lincoln: Under the Surface
On the surface, Lincoln is much like any other Midwestern city. From the populace itself to the infrastructure, culture to business, the city evolves and grows, degenerates and dies, as any other. The history evolves as the city itself does, and can be found in any library, museum or historical society waiting to divulge the (albeit expurgated) truth behind the state of things in the here and now. Ask any good PR official about the city, and it’s a good place to live and work and raise children.
But his smile will be wooden.
Under the surface is where the bright city lights don’t quite reach, where the society parties and gala events miss the large majority. Here there is crime, violence, depression. Here there is despair and hopelessness. Here there are the human monsters that grind people to dust and devour hope, the city a machine that consumes lives. It is the reality the PR official hopes beyond hope you won’t ask after, and it is where most of us live every night.
In these shadows, the Kindred rule the night, thwarted only by one another’s schemes, and daily, by the sun. Kindred fingers have touched nearly every aspect of Lincoln’s inner workings, at some points inquiring, manipulating, or controlling outright. This control has been tenuous at best, however, so much so that even the immortal are not immune to the meat grinder that the city has become.
Crime, corruption and destitution are everywhere, evolving to fit their surrounds by tax bracket, culture, and location. The police are castrated by their own criminal element, the courts little more than an abattoir through which the city rids itself of the foolish, unlucky, or ironically, the just.
Evolution
Three capitol buildings have been constructed in Lincoln’s history. The first two mysteriously fell apart, the second burning in the end. The third, its construction finished in the mid 20th century, stands today, some scholars claiming that the architecture, rife with statuary and semi-pagan symbolism, appeases some sort of spiritual entity or forces ingrained in the land itself. It may be for reasons of keeping those forces appeased that no structure in Lincoln may lawfully be built taller…
In the earliest times that Kindred began populating Lincoln, each covenant was represented intermittently well.
• The Carthian Movement: The Carthians were mostly transient to all appearances, though displayed great influence in embarrassingly large doses to several Invictus Lords and Ladies across the years.
• The Circle of the Crone: Early in the history of Lincoln, most of the Crone were of Native American descent, and as such, were met with suspicion and derision by most of the other covenants. Few of them were left to their own devices, since the Sanctified held great sway at that time. All of the Crone mysteriously vanished about the time of the fall of the second capitol building. An Ordo scholar believes that they brought their own deaths upon them by means of a ritual they did not understand nor were meant to have. By the mid 1900’s, at the time of the third and present capitol building’s construction, the Crone finally enjoyed some notoriety, having repopulated quietly as the Sanctified’s mortal influence eroded as below…
• The Invictus: The Invictus were ever the pioneers in Lincoln’s history. They were here when the first Kindred settled down and began building power. They have risen to power—and fallen hardest. Each time the capitol building fell, it was an Invictus who screamed and ranted or watched his investments ruined. Thierry de’Laudaire, an Invictus Lord and Alder burned to death in the resulting conflagration of the second Capitol. Several died at the hands of mysterious attackers, and some simply disappeared.
• The Lancea Sanctum: The Lance enjoyed their greatest power from the 1890’s until just after the third capitol was completed. The Sanctified seemed over the years to be engrossed in some great project, funding archaeologists and patronizing the University and Historical Society. Their eternal struggle against the Crone waxed and waned, with the Sanctified often on the winning end. They and the church wove into every aspect of life in the city, and even the Invictus could not touch their influence. However, with the capitol came the legislation for separation of church and state, which was the knell of death for Sanctified power in Lincoln. The Lancea Sanctum who remember it still harbor doubts toward the Invictus over this…
• The Ordo Dracul: Washing in and out of Lincoln like esoteric tides, the scholars and explorers of the Ordo Dracul rarely stayed long. Many of them were quiet and kept to themselves, studying some mystery or another, raising their voices only, it seemed, to educate and silence quarrels. Perhaps it was the unusual number of Gangrel who seemed to make up the bulk of the membership that made them seem nomads, but they were certainly on the move. Even the quieter Mekhet were abuzz with activity, one going so far as to end her enmity with the time’s Crone leader to substantiate the blood-witch’s omens. Since then, the Ordo has seemed largely inactive.
• The Unaligned: The presence of the unbonded has ever been an Invictus-PR-man’s nightmare. They would love to gloss over their very existence, perhaps enough to do away with them. The kindred who would not bow to the covenants had it hard in the beginning, all over the timetable, for that matter, but some stalwart few persevered. Not many remain to these nights, but there are rumors of a couple who persevere from the very first nights of Lincoln. It could be from them that the truth of Lincoln’s long and shadowed history…
