This is not Twilight. This is not True Blood. Forget the fanciful tales you've seen with Vampires disguised as high school kids, falling in love, and holding onto their humanity for longer than a few turbulent and self-destructive years. This is The Masquerade. --------- Vampires, or Kindred as they tend to call themselves, are living dead monsters. Vampires do not fall in love with humans because deep down, they're kind and caring people. That scenario is fiction that humans tell themselves so that they won't fear the monsters that stalk in the night. Vampires do not protect and watch-over pretty teenagers because they remember being young themselves. They stalk, they manipulate, they consume, and they only care about themselves. Vampires do not hold stable jobs, they don't collect an honest paycheck, and they will never fit into mortal society. Each has The Beast within, each struggles with the urge to kill, dominate, and consume. While evil is not forced upon them by nature, it is an inescapable element of their nature that most succumb to over their years of immortality. Evil acts become easier as they grow in power and influence. Theft becomes simple and common, and murder becomes nonchalant. Immortality comes at a price, however. To sustain their undead existence, Kindred must feed on fresh human blood (only the very lowly or penitent survive on the blood of animals). Only the blood of mortals, Vitae, is important to a Vampire. They do have feel the same emotions or motivations as mortals do; only the blood matters. To have a unending supply, they must manipulate, deceive, torture, and sometimes kill. -------- "The Kiss" campaign will use the Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition rules and setting. The story itself focuses on Kindred living in Austin, Texas, USA (with a World of Darkness filter). Players assume the role of a newly arrived Kindred to the undead society of Austin, and will be drawn into a situation that has the potential of breaking the Masquerade if not delicately handled. The story initially follows the arrival of several new Kindred, you among them, who have fled from various cities in North America after a series of brutal Sabbat takeovers. The Prince of Austin has graciously declared her city a refuge for those who survived the takeover of their city. As you struggle to acclimate to your new haven, victims of what can only be a Vampire's "Kiss" begin to surface with full memory of their encounter. As you are among the newly arrived, The Prince and her cohorts suspect you and your fellow refuges are to blame. You will need to form temporary bonds, discover your enemies, secure your powerbase, and ultimately solve the mystery of "The Kiss" to survive.
