Setting: New Orleans, 2018. Despite humanity’s best efforts, New Orleans still breathes strong in its drunken, sordid unlife. The youth of the Camarilla has closed its doors to all but the trusted of the children of Cain, protecting their number against the threat of the Second Inquisition following a bloody, violent year of a score of losses during day-time raids. Absent the counsel of their elders, the court of the interim Prince - the Malkavian, Alonso Cortes - has become a cut-throat and deadly regime, where the ranks those who pose the greatest threat to their Masquerade have been culled and daring fledglings face execution if breaches are discovered. Some fault the madness of the childe of Malkav for this sudden and heedless violence, though most - the survivors, his Primogen - support the ruthlessness of the modern monarch. The Unbound and the Anarch of New Orleans rome the city beyond downtown’s protected borders with unerring caution, struggling for their survival with each setting of the sun and coming dawn. By necessity, you have been drawn together - a shambled and youthful Coterie of misfits, comprised of Anarchists or neutralists, aspirants hoping to claim acceptance to the court of Cortes or a mere passerby - and survive as one, braving the dangers of a modern night and the threat of a new Gehenna. One still night, a local Unbound figurehead summons you each to a dive bar rooted in the real heart of New Orleans; Duke, perhaps the most stable of the loners, warns only that the matter revolves around Zed, a Brujah fledgling who counts himself among your five-man number. The only explanation he has given promises that all you need to know will be revealed upon your inevitable and necessary arrival. Foreword: Welcome to New Orleans. I wasn't born here. I've never even been here. I hope, though, that we can build it to be visceral and real and haunting. World of Darkness has always been - at its core - a game of personal horror. I think I'll be able to foster a familiar sense of dread within you all. I've read of many player's apprehension for the Fifth Edition of Vampire: the Masquerade, most of which tend to revolve around the abandonment of its grungy, gothic world and the genocide of Cainite society core to the evolving meta-plot of the fiction. I want to ease those concerns by saying we will be engrossing ourselves within a dark, consuming world of intrigue and unseen costs, if only for a single session. Myself and my first player's schedules require that this game take place on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, mid-day (starting anywhere between 3 to 10 PM) EST. I welcome any and all interest, but I'll confess up-front that we don't have a set date to start. The game itself is practically drawn-up and plotted, the assets in the process of being gathered... we're only waiting for a right and willing Coterie to form. When we have, I'll consider our collective schedule - I'm only waiting on you. Does this have the potential to grow into a Chronicle? Maybe. If I feel the group has good rapport and we all enjoy ourselves, I'd be entirely open to the concept of building this into a multi-layered, more complex beast. Who knows. Let's tackle the basics first, though... Q&A: Q1: Do I need to have experience with World of Darkness?
No, you don't. Not at all. There's one book you'll need - maybe two, if you're feeling saucy - and that's 1. Vampire: the Masquerade 5th Edition and 2. Beckett's Jyhad Diary. I'd be more than happy to walk you through character creation.
Q2: What are the rules of character creation?
I want you to start with a mortal base first. Who were they before they were embraced? What did they do? Then, I want you to tackle the rest of it - the embrace, the world they were brought into (whether it be inside or outside of the Camarilla.) All characters will be fledglings, and embraced within the past few years or decade. They could have been Camarilla before and suddenly ousted once New Orleans closed its door to the younger, more dangerous Kindred of the city - the ones who threaten the Masquerade by their indiscretions and obsession with modern technology most. They could just be loners, outcast by their own desire. They could be Anarchs, too. And then, create them with the following...
Attributes: Among the 9 available attributes, pick one Attribute at 4, three attributes at 3, four attributes at two and one attribute at 1.
Skills: Choose from the following trees.
Jack of All Trades: One skill at 3, eight skills at 2, ten skills at 1.
Balanced: Three skills at 3, five skills at 2, seven skills at 1.
Specialist: One skill at 4, three skills at 3, three skills at 2, three skills at 1.
Skills, specialties: Pick a free specialty for Academics, Craft, Performance and Science ( Assuming you have points in those skills ) and pick another free Specialty for a skill of your choice.
Disciplines: Of your character's 3 Clan Disciplines, pick 2 of them. One of them starts at Level 2, the other at Level 1. Keep in mind that many disciplines offer more than 1 power option at each level, so you must pick which of the two available powers you wish your character to have. Predator Type: This is the way in which your character manages their hunger. This gives you an additional discipline, advantages/flaws, etc. Advantages: 7 advantages, 2 flaws.
Convictions: Select from 1 to 3 Convictions. Touchstones: Select an equal number of Touchstones.
Generation: 12th or 13th. 1 BP.
Q3. Who are you looking for exactly?
I’m looking for anyone who’s willing to foster a dark, challenging sort of story. It’s more a test run of a sort that I’m drawing you all into. If you think you might be interested in this and the guaranteed one-off that it is, I’m looking for you. If you’re easily offended, looking for something a little more light-hearted or just want to joke around and roll some dice, I’m not sure this will be the game for you. The game will be hosted on Roll20, and we'll use Voice over Discord.
Q4. What should I do after reading all this?
Post here or PM me. Or, add me to Discord at In Jest#3407. Shoot me an idea of the character you want to play with the setting in mind. Explain why you’re interested, and what you think you could bring to the figurative table - tell me your history, or tell me a story.
I’m just trying to gauge who you are as a player. I’d like to think of myself as a pretty good judge of character.
You can tell me a little bit about yourself and your availability, and we can go from there. I look forward to hearing from you. :)