Content of the original first post of recruitment thread:
Spoiler
Constantinople
Embrace of the Vampire
A “Dark Ages: Vampire” Chronicle
Introduction:
510 A.D. – The Roman Empire has for centuries been the 1 constant in the ever changing western world. Rome’s days are numbered though and the empire has fallen. The Western empire is gone. For the past few decades, Western Europe has suffered from a decline in population, decline in technical knowledge, decline in living standard and overall societal collapse with the disappearance of large-scale trade and information networks. The glorious days of the past are long gone and replaced by an uncertain and dim future. Although most of the elder vampires in Rome still believe that “the eternal city” has a bright future, you realize they are just deluding themselves. In the past century the city’s population has declined from 800,000 to a population of just barely 30,000. Everywhere in the city aquaducts and other public buildings lie in ruin. The city is bleeding to its death, and if you stay, you know you’re going to die with it. That’s why you, together with a few others of your kind, have decided to join a caravan moving to Constantinople, now the biggest city in the world, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. If you are to survive: Look to the East, look to Constantinople, the New Rome. Not only is it the center of trade routes coming from all over the world, they have ivory, silks, and furs. It is a city filled with riches and it’s large wall and moats protect it from barbarian invasions. It is what Rome used to be,in almost every way, but how will it ever replace your home and will you be able to fit in? What kind of monsters walk the streets of Constantinople at night?
What:
I’ll be starting a Dark Ages: Vampire chronicle, set in the year 510 AD in the city of Constantinople. I’ll be looking for 4-5 players. The game will be a regular play-by-post on these forums. The game will be about a group of vampires, trying to make a new life in a new city. All that is needed to play the game is the Dark Ages: Vampire core rulebook (alternatively, if you only have Vampire: the Masquerade, you could play too, although there are some changes in the rules). I recently learned that there is a Constantinople source book, but we won’t be using that.
Historical info:
The backdrop of the game is fall of the Western Roman Empire, a few decennia ago. All of you, came originally from Rome and have seen Rome, also called the Eternal City, fall and decline. With the coming of the dark ages, civilization is declining. Dark times are ahead and even if you don't know it, you feel it in your bones. How can you survive through the eternal nights when everything you’ve known seems to crumble away? You flee from Rome, the city that has been your home, to Constantinople, the 'New Rome'. You don’t know much about the city, even less about it’s Kindred population, how will you adapt, how will you survive survive?
Now, since this is a historical game, taking place in a time long before modern times, I’d like to provide you with a few links that can give you a basic idea of the time period (yes, they are links to Wikipedia…): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Late_Antiquity and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline...e_Roman_Empire Don’t be afraid if you’re not an expert on the time period. Neither am I (although I did read a couple of historical textbooks in preparation of the game). Ultimately, this is just a game and we’re all just in it to have a fun time. To give you a bit more information on the city of Constantinople specifically, I’ve provided a little historical and demographic background on how the city came to be.
More Historical Information on Constantinople
Spoiler
Originally the city of Constantinople was known as Byzantium and it’s founding goes back a few centuries before the birth of Christ. It has always been a prosperous city and the most influential in it’s region, most likely due to its successful tuna fishery, but only since the reign of the Roma Emperor Constantine the Great (306 – 337 AD) has the city reached it’s current heights. By the time Constantine became Emperor, the Roman Empire had been split into two for administrative purposes- a Latin-speaking west and a Greek-speaking east- and a normal practice, with each half having it’s own Emperor. Constantine was Emperor of the Eastern Empire. He didn’t intend to share power with anyone though and although he didn’t dispute the reality of the division, since he preferred to stay in the East, he decided to create what the Eastern empire had lacked until now, a capital of equal standing to Rome. He picked Byzantium as the ideal location for the new metropolis. Building began in 324 and colonists were soon flocking in, attracted by Constantine’s offer of free ration for anyone who built a house in his ‘New Rome’.
Although Constantine was determined to make his New Rome a match for the ‘old’ Rome, with it’s monuments, circuses and bathing-houses, he was keen on emphasizing the key difference between the two: his capital was to be a Christian city from the start. He built a couple of vast cathedrals, the S. Sophia and the SS Apostoli, being the biggest. After his death, the city was renamed Constantinople in his honour.
The current emperor (it’s now 510 AD) is emperor Justin the First and in the previous few year, the city has been flourishing. The current population size is 50.000. Each day large quantities of Eqyptian grain arrive to feed the City’s citizens. The city’s wealth is growing each year with merchants coming to trade at the marketplaces and scholars coming to study in it’s libraries. The rich city with all of its treasure is well guarded too, with large double walls.
- before the prelude has ended, you'll also get a map with the most important locations in Constantinople -
A bit more information on the game, the setting, your character and the Kindred side of things:
Your character doesn’t have to be a neonate, maybe you’ve lived almost 150 years already, but mechanically we do all create starter characters. Although your character doesn't have to originate from Rome and might have travelled the world, he did live a very large part of his unlife in Rome. You might have been very influential in Roman Kindred politics or you might not, however, this is all mostly useless to you now, since you’ve left Rome, for one reason or another. Although you tried to find out as much as possible about the Kindred of Constantinople, you know next to nothing, except that the city is ruled by a draconic prince called John the Cappadocian, who has a lot of political power in Constantinople as the urban prefect ("The Cappadocian" is his nickname btw, it doesn't imply he's from clan Cappadocia). Rumors say he regularly tortures and blackmails both kine and kindred. (The exact amount of information you found out about Constantinople and its people/kindred will be covered in the prelude).
The caravan consists of around a hundred people – peasants, merchants and aristocrats - and 30 soldiers protecting them all. Much stuff is carried in large wagons pulled by horses. Other than you guys, there are three other Kindred travelling to Constantinople. One is, Titus Postumius of the House of Lentulus, a wealthy Toreador of an old Roman patrician family. The other is a Ravnos slaver, called Appius Afranius Arvina (nicknamed “Triple A”). The last one is a young attractive neonate Ventrue patrician girl, known to you only as "Lorena". She doesn't share much information, is very stoic, quiet and introvert. From her accent though you can deduce she's not from Rome, but likely from the region around Ravenna.
The game will begin with a prelude, starting when you’ve already been travelling a few weeks with the caravan. The prelude will allows us to cover all the information you gathered about Constantinople before you left as well as get to know each other. Although your characters might not have had a formal introduction, you have at least noticed one another already hunting amongst the other travelers. Tripple A decides it might be a good idea to team up, and share information and resources and invites all of you to his tent one evening. Given the nature of the Prince, Constantinople might turn out to be quite hostile and to survive in a new and unknown city, it might be a good idea to team up or at least get together now to learn as much about the city as you might know.
Character creation:
Spoiler
I don’t need pages of background/character history, but I want enough so I and the other players know who they are facing. If you want to write down a lot, please do, but I have good faith good characters can develop during the game. Before you start creating a sheet and write pages of background, I want you to give me a character concept and wait for my approval. This can be done in one or two sentences: “A young philosopher originally from Germany with megalomanic tendencies” is a character concept. I do this, because in case your concept doesn't work for the game I've planned, I have a change to point you in a different direction, before you waste a lot of time fleshing out your character.
I’d like you to mention in your background the following things, which can all be answered in 2-3 sentences, which help me prepare for the game.
* I want a physical description of your character and a personality profile.
* I want to know a bit about where he comes from, what his life was like before he got embraced.
* I want to know what your relation is to your sire and how you got embraced. If your sire is alive you are most likely never going to see him again, since you are leaving Rome and they are staying there. Did he or she knew you were leaving? How does this affect you?
* I want to know where/how your character used to live in Rome and where he usually feeds.
* I want you to tell me what your character does. How does he spend his (un)life. What motivates him to stand up each morning. What drives him? What are his goals, his ambitions? Also try to include some motivation on why he’s searching for a new life in Constantinople and his perspective on that: What is he running away from or what is he searching?
* What are your goals as a player for the character? What would you like to see done/happen to him in the game. It’s okay if you don’t know an answer. It’s okay for people to just enter and say “I’ll just enjoy the ride.” But if you have any wishes and tell me, I could adjust the story to it.
*Give me a secret of the character, something that only the character knows, and give me a secret that involves your character but that he is not fully aware of. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. If you want to, you may private message me them, if you want the other players to not know these secrets.
*Describe at least 3 people (kine or kindred) that your character is tied to. Two of them are friendly to the character and one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of your here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you. Of course almost all the people you know well will likely have stayed in Rome, but you could have some minor vague connections in Constantinople “a friend of a friend”, for example, that you hope will be able to assist and help you find your place in this foreign city.
*I'd like you to write a small scene introducing your character in a situation of your choice.
In the event that there will be more applications than available places, I will NOT give the places to those that showed their interest first. Instead, I will look at which characters I like best, which would work best together in the game I’ve planned and I'll also take into consideration my previous experience with some of the players. I hope people don’t feel bad about this, but I can’t possible let everybody in and I prefer to play with people I have reasons to believe are good/fun gamers. That doesn’t mean I won’t give someone new a chance, make a good concept and I’ll try to be fair and give everybody a fair chance.
Also, give a moment of thought to language. Your characters are from Rome, where they speak Latin and are moving to Constantinople where they mostly speak Greek. This doesn’t mean that your character can’t get by if he only speaks Latin, almost everybody that day could speak Latin & Greek, especially since latin was still the "official" language in which all official documents were written. All characters are allowed to understand 2 languages for free, so Latin & Greek. You’re free to change one of the languages though, to Egyptian, for example, to better fit your particular background.
Very important thing you should all read: This is a co-operative story telling game so if there are things that interest you, things would like to do, see or obtain let me know and I will work it in to the story as best as possible. If there are any things that bother you, anything you think I'm doing wrong, say so. A lot of times, it's just miscommunication. We're all here to have fun. As a storyteller, my main goal is to offer you a game in which you can do awesome stuff. I'm a non-native English speaker, so sometimes I have trouble finding the right words, so that might increase the chance of miscommunication a little. I don't mind character conflict as long as it adds to the game and doesn't ruin the fun of other players.
A last thing: I'm a huge supporter of fudging the rules if the rules are not clear and just continuing the game or allowing you guys to do stuff that's actually not allowed if it would create a more awesome game. However, I will NEVER intentionally cheat. So if you find me not following the rules, post it. Most likely it is a mistake on my part. Although I'm familiar with the rules, I'm no expert.
I expect the game to start in a week or two as I want to give people enough time to flesh out their characters enough and give me time to adjust the story to the different characters.
First of all, welcome to the game guys!
Some important things:
1. I'd like you to post, in your first post in this thread, everything you've created of your character, so that would be the sheet, but also the background information, and scenes etc. Everything, in a spoiler. This allows the other players to quickly look up and read the stuff of the other players without having to search for the information on the sheet or browse through pages of the recruitment thread.
2. Just so you guys know, all the IC actions will have to happen in the IC-thread, so no playing through Private Messages to me, even if you want things to stay secret for the other characters, it's not going to be a secret for the other players. It's more fun that way.
3. Choose a colour for your speech. In all of your posts, please start them with on the first line posting your character's name and all the names of the other characters that are with you at that moment in bold and DarkRed (see my first post in the IC-thread). Because we have a lot of different scene's happening all at once, it's easier to see what's happening where if we do that. Also, I'd advise you to read all the scenes where other people are in as well, since it is important.
4. Just to point this out, if you haven't noticed yet. I'm not American. I'm Dutch. This means that English isn't my native language and that I most likely make a lot of mistakes writing English. Although my English is quite good, sometimes I might misunderstand you (even if you think you're just using basic words) or I might use stupid mistakes in writing. Please feel free to point them out, but while reading, keep in mind it's not being written by a native speaker.
5. If during the game there is ever a point where you feel uncomfortable about something, or you feel you're being treated unfairly, say so. Chances are that I either misunderstand the rules, am ignorant of something, or just miscomprehend. Seriously, miscommunication is very quickly to happen on an internet forum, especially if not all people speak the same language natively.
6. I think we've agreed on the following, rules-wise: Use group-initiative for combat in most cases (maybe not in special cases), Rule of One still applies, Rule of Ten also applies.
If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to ask. Let the Vampire game, begin!
Oh and if I've made any mistakes in the IC-thread, character wise, please say so, it was a lot to write, so mistakes are likely to happen.
Last edited by Ichneumon : 02-09-2012 at 03:18 AM.
Including the Ghoul template:
+ 1 Willpower
Potence 1
Vampire blood pool: 6
Scene
Spoiler
“Boy? Boy!” The call rebounded through the maze of crumbling columns, making Taran wince in the shadowy nook where he had hidden.
“Don't yell”, he muttered as the girl froze and whipped around to face him. “You'll wake them”, he added after an awkward pause and softly tipped his dagger against the bars of the lions’ cage. The clinking sound made the girl shudder, but the great tawny cats just flicked an ear or two and slept on in their prison.
"I… I made up my mind", she said in a hushed tone, nervously looking over her shoulder when they left the dark hallway leading to the cages. "I thought about what you said, and I want to go."
He nodded thoughtfully as he plodded along beside her, the scrawny, half-naked slave next to the beautiful, expensively dressed Patrician. The only thing remotely akin between them was their obvious young age.
"I'll need your help", she said tentatively, as he gave no other sign that he had understood her. "You… you promised."
"Yes." Of course he had promised. And he kept his promises. Every single one of them.
Not that she could hear that in the single syllable he had uttered. So she continued: "I can give you money. I've… I've got quite a bit of money. And we can help each other over there in… in Constantinople, can we not?"
"Mh."
There it was, he thought. She seemed daunted by the long journey, but determined to undertake it now that she had made her decision. Determination. Good. He'd known she'd have it in her.
She jutted her chin and shot him a quizzical look. "So will you come?"
They had arrived at the dog kennels and he opened the heavy latch with ease. The enormous dogs who had waited patiently behind the bars now panted eagerly at his heels as he strode towards the back of the cage and took out a bulky bundle cunningly hidden under the animals' bedding. They sensed his excitement.
"You packed?", she asked incredulously. "But I thought you didn't believe I'd ever make up my mind!"
She could see his face in the gloom as he turned back to her, dark eyes glittering. "Never said that." A a half-smile curled the corner of his mouth. "Can't let you carry all that money alone, can I?"
Character image
Spoiler
__________________
~*~
"I wanted to see the universe,
so I stole a Time Lord
and I ran away..."
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Eva Reims
Speech Color: Plum
Introduction and description
Spoiler
“Where do I begin? Where did the truth end, and the lies start, if ever a truth was ever spoken to me…” She looked longingly out the window, searching for something I did not know. At first I wanted to believe it was God’s grace she sought, but I knew far better. No, I knew far better.
“Tell me, and our Lord forgives all.”
“I hope not, for some sins are repentance.” At first she said nothing, and I thought we would sit in silence until her voice spoke again. That voice, her warm, rich alto piercing my heart with every breath. “I was born to a Frank tradesman, and his wife. I believe she was a Frank too, though I could not say. My father gave me to the church before I could remember, his reasons gone with him. Yes, I grew up to serve Him, to be His bride. However, it is not God who leads the church but men, and monsters.
“He came one day when I was still a child, a handsome man of forty or so. He walked with… a presence that commanded respect, and love. Perhaps he was not so handsome after all, only the way in which held himself impressive.” More than anything I wanted to hold her at that point, to tell her everything would be all right. “He was from the Iberian peninsula, dark haired, and olive skinned. He plucked me from amongst the others. I thought he would take me to his homeland, but instead he took me to Rome.
“He taught me about God, but he spoke to me of other things. He taught me of demons, of dark rituals, of secrets… so many secrets.”
“He was no true holy man my Lady. What happened next?”
“He waited.”
“Waited?”
“Yes, he would leave at times, sometimes for weeks, months, even a year or two. He would always come back though. In the meantime I would study on my own, the books he instructed me too. I practiced my Greek and Arabic with the other servants. I tried my best to live up to his standards, and when I was full grown, a woman proper, he told me that I was sufficient.”
“Sufficient? You can read, write. You know holy scriptures, and even researched his dark texts. After all that he only thought you sufficient?”
“Yes. I was sufficient. He had wished for more, but that night he took me into his arms, and gave me the kiss of death.”
My stomach had turned when she spoke thus, thinking of the cruel man taking her innocence. Yet… this kiss of death seemed to refer to something else entirely. I inquired as much and her response… was troubling. This man, this fiend had warped her mind. She told me that she was no longer of the living, and that she drank blood. When she saw the look on my face, she laughed. Oh such a sweet sound it was, but so full of sorrow! I must admit I wanted her then. Yes, me a holy man wanting her, body, mind, and soul. I wanted to save her from her past, but I wanted her too. I was just another liar to her.
The traveler nodded as the man finished his story. “And then what happened, friend?”
“She asked for a few books from our library. They were in Chaldean, and none of us knew how to speak or read it. It seemed the least I could do for her.”
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No… truly you do not believe her? That she is a dead thing that lives off the blood of the living.”
“I do not believe, I know, and you have aided her in your ignorance.”
“What do you think you’re doing… help! Help!”
Eva Reims is a recently embraced girl of eighteen. She was raised in the church, but from an early age caught the attention of a Lasombra. He knew she would turn out to become a very beautiful woman, and if her mind proved as sharp she would be a valuable asset.
In Rome, she was kept behind closed doors most of the time, but occasionally he would take her along with him, never to somewhere as prestigious as Elysium, but on small errands at night. She spent most of her time studying, learning subjects mostly surrounding the occult, but also general academia and etiquette as well. She did not have friends growing up save for the kindred’s other servants but most had been broken in by use of dominate, leaving her with no one to have any deep bonds with.
He waited patiently, and though she did not meet his high expectations, she proved just sufficient enough for him to embrace Being given to the church at a young age had taken away her lowly status, and she had turned out far more beautiful than even he anticipated. With pale blue-grey eyes, and light gold hair, some claimed on the streets that it was not a Frank that left her to the church, but an angel. Not only this, but slowly he had been working to break her faith, and the night he embraced her, all the walls came crashing down around her. Heartbroken, betrayed, and without faith, she still could look her sire in the eyes though they no longer had the spark of life they once did. That too was a sufficient response to him.
Eva has only been kindred for three years. She fed by hiding herself behind a dark veil and cloak. Her natural aptitude at staying hidden ironic for one of such beauty. Besides, though her appearance may have helped her sire those few brief years, she found it a curse. Wherever she went all eyes would stare, not something she as kindred wanted. Though she hated her sire, she stayed faithful to him, and would walk at his side, only speaking when given permission, a decoration, like a flower on his shoulder. She saw many of the kindred of Rome during this time, but none closely.
Her freedom came at last when a man entered their church one day. She was out running an errand and was not around when the fight ensued. Suffice to say the stranger overpowered her sire, and he met final death at the hands of the stranger. It was as if her chains had been let loose, something far different than the quiet, well mannered doll the kindred of Rome thought of her emerged. Her voice came out at last, a rich alto. Her cunning also came out as she worked to keep at least a little of the hunting grounds her sire had left behind as rivals and friends scavenged the better part of it. However, she had no illusions that someone of something had killed her sire, and knowing that Rome was in its twilight, she found her way to the others, to join their journey to Constantinople.
The two things that drive Eva are knowledge and intrigue. With knowledge she can defend herself against the unknown in the world, and with intrigue, she can surround herself with favors and mundane power. However, she is still young, and there is so much she does not understand about kindred politics and the world of darkness. She does not trust friends, never having one, though she knows that there is strength in numbers, hoping for a new mentor, but one not so suffocating as her sire of old had been. Ti gain these ‘friends’ and protectors, she will lie, steal, and set to ruin hundreds, though whether she can bear the guilt is as of yet untested.
Secrets and Goals
Spoiler
My Goals for Eva: This is a character I’d really like to be playing court politics. Obviously she can’t walk in and run the place, but she can climb her way up slowly, creating a web of lies and confusion around her in the process. I’m also hoping that through the other PCs she gains at least a few people she can trust. Also I plan on having her face the moral consequences of her actions.
A Secret she Knows: She has delved into witchcraft, knowing how to curse people.
A Secret about her: The man hunting her is magi, one who believes his power stems from God. That is how he was able to kill her sire, for he is no normal human.
Connections
Spoiler
Blasius the Red is the sire of her sire. He frequents Constantinople but keeps his domain further south into Turkey. He is a very amiable and friendly man on the outside. He is likely to give a great big hug to anyone he thinks will accept such a greeting (and many he knows would not). However, like many Lasombra it is all just a game to him. He is as manipulative and cruel as the next, but his personal philosophy is to put on a kind face, and give a hearty laugh whenever possible, all the better to earn trust, and all the more frightening he’ll be when cruelty is demanded of him.
Alaric is Eva’s retainer. An old, stubborn Visigoth who claims to have been a mighty warrior in his youth. True or not, he in enraptured by Eva’s beauty and follows her as his last adventure. He cares little for the fact that she is in truth dead, laughing that he is almost dead himself. He can still wield an axe of sword as well as a trained soldier, and is still stronger than most men. A drunk, and foul mouthed, his only sense of duty seems to be towards Eva herself.
A nameless (for now) man hunts her. He is a magi, and is relentless in his pursuit to cleanse the church. Never mind that she no longer claims any ties, she once dared walk within hallowed ground as one of the accursed dead, and only holy judgment awaits her for it. Not only this, but anyone who helps the damned are equally guilty. A plain looking man, in plain looking garb, he can blend into a crowd, and his entire life has honed his skills to hunt his prey.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Ambrose of Corinth
Colour of speech: Purple.
Spoiler
INTRO:
Spoiler
"Brother Ambrosius?"
Ambrose sighed softly, a habit from his breathing days, and laid the pen down. After carefully cleaning the nib of, course. "Yes, brother Marcus?" he asked calmly and without looking up.
"Err... I... It's brother Clement. He... He's been mugged, brother. And he's hurt. Badly." There was a tremble to Marcus' voice at the end. He wasn't used to monks being assaulted in Eternal City. Not even after sunset. He would never survive in Rome if he didn't grow some thicker skin. Maybe even not then. Again Ambrose sighed softly. Looking up his, dark eyes sought out the kine monk who stood trembling by the door to the study. He was afraid. A part of him knew that there was something odd about "brother Ambrosius". That it was dangerous to cross him. Relaxing the lasombra priest flashed a disarming smile and wished he had some of those tricks of the ventrue. They could diffuse any situation with their power of personality rather than by altering or crushing the minds of the innocent. And he wasn't going to do that to a fellow man of the cloth unless he really had to. So instead he was forced to use the mundane way of doing things. Well, the Lord did not abide sloth anyway so...
"I assume brother Clement is already in the infirmiary and in good care?" He didn't even bother waiting for the human's nod before rising from his chair. "Very well, tell the bishop that I'll look into the matter of the Holy Mother's money. And thank you for trusting me with this."
Dismissing Marcus with a wave of his hand the lasombra slowly walked over to the narrow window overlooking the Tibern and draw a heavy breath of air. The smells of Rome rising up to greet him, coaxing him, tempting him to come out and revel. It was time to hunt.
...
Simon knew he was in trouble. Like any prey he instinctively knew a predator was nearby and it made him jittery. Especially when he couldn't spot his killer. Ambrose smiled coldly. The man was a brute. A sacrilegous thug. He preyed on the weak and the poor. Well, now it was tie to turn the tables. As the man turned a corner Ambrose hurried after him, making sure to being seen. The glance he got from the man was suspicious but unable to connect his feeling of creeping dread with the sight of a simple, skinny monk made the man sneer in contempt and turn on him. Channeling his fear into anger. Wrong choice.
"You got some real nerve walking out at night, father. One never knows what could ha-" His crude voice was cut off the moment Darkness enveloped the alley. And if he was going to yell, the soft, smooth, almost purring voice of his intended victim suddenly and completely tightened his throat to the point where speech was impossible. "One never knows what could happen Outside, my son? Oh, trust me. I know. But you don't until now."
The cloud of Darkness didn't hinder Ambrose's own eyesight and the look on the thug's face as he stumbled backwards made his smile widen. Not that it made him look any nicer. "God have mercy-"
"Mercy? God's mercy is for the deserving, Simon. And you have been judged... wanting."
The thug screamed then. But the cry hardly carried outside the cloud and he quickly stopped as Ambrose's teeth sank into his throat."
A minute or so later, after securing what was left of the money the thug had stolen and lifting the Darkness Ambrose caught and held the still breathing brute's gaze. Holding it firmly he gave him his instructions. You will forgot what just happened. Aside from the terror. You will seek out the authorities and turn yourself in. And you WILL mend your ways, my son. And then you will be absolved of your crimes. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
APPEARANCE:
Spoiler
Ambrose is a tall and gaunt man, appearing to be in his lower thirties.
He's too skinny to be considered handsome by any means, even if you factor in the smooth, pale skin of a cainite, but with a sharp intelligence to his eyes and force of personality that somewhat makes up for it. He has curly, almost black, hair, cut in a roman tonsure and dresses simply after the rule of Benedict.
BACKGROUND:
Spoiler
Born 472
Travelled to Ravenna 488
Presbyter by 492
Went to Rome 493
Fled Rome for Monte Cassino 498
Died & returned to Rome 501-502
Travelled to Constantinopel 530
Ambrose, he no longer recognizes his old name, was born in Corinth close to sixty years ago, in the Year of Our Lord 472 as the third child of four in a wealthy merchant's family.
From an early age Ambrose was a quiet, thoughtful and religiously inclined boy and noone was surprised when he decided to dedicate himself to God at the age of fifteen.
His father was a both a kind father and a practical man and not only did he genuinely want to help his son, one who didn't really stand to inherit his trade anyways, but he figured a son who was a presbyter, a priest, and maybe even a bishop would make a good contact for himself and his heir. So he made sure that the boy was allowed taken on by the episkopos, the bishop, Pietro II of Ravenna with whom he had had business dealings with for a long time. As a young man Ambrosius was eventually ordained at the age of 20.
The Bishop of Ravenna did however not keep the young presbyter in his own service. Recognizing the mental sharpness and the thirst for knowledge in his new priest Pietro wrote a recomendation for him to travel to Rome and study in the libraries of the Bishop of Rome. Ambrose wasn't hard to convince, during his time in Ravenna he had indeed discovered a love of academic pursuits, a thirst for knowledge.
Rome, however, proved a disappointment to the religious minded young Ambrose. He arrived shortly after his 21st birthday dreaming of a holy city, the city of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, a city of learning and a beacon of civilization. He found a run down city full of corruption.
He tried to bury himself in his studies, to let the secular world tend to itself while he looked to God. But even in the churches and libraries, among his own kind, sin and strife was everywhere. Still he endured, a stubborn recluse among his books. That is, until he heard about Benedict of Nursia. He too had found Rome a place of corruption and villainy, but instead of staying with the sinners he had withdrawn to a cave on Mount Cassino and was now the abbot to thirteen small monasteries on the mountain and around the lake below! For around him many likeminded christians had gathered, living together in peace and contemplation. After a few weeks of dithering Ambrose left Rome for Monte Cassino and the life of a monk, surely any lack of books and codices would be outweighed by the peaceful prayers that would let him get close to the Lord!
And indeed it did. The monastery was a slice of Paradise for the introvert young priest. Here he had all the time and quiet he needed for prayer and meditation and all the company he could want for theological discussion and, well... company.
Benedict of Nursia, a highly intelligent, even downright holy, man in his late thirties had set twelve monks as abbots for the monasteries in which he didn't live himself, but he visited them all and on occasion Ambrose managed to have quiet discussions with the future saint, a memory he cherishes still.
However, for the young priest-monk at least, this was not to last. One day in the early autumn of 501 Ambrose was asked to accompany his own monastery's abbot to the nearby town of Cassino where a young woman was suffering under a possession. Naturally the family of the woman had asked for Abbot Benedict himself to help them, but the abbot wasn't seeing anyone, secluded and working on perfecting the Rule of the monasteries and thus one of his immediate inferiors had gone in his stead. The abbot was a truly devout man, one with a true power to cast out demons and work other minor miracles. But even so, the battle was hard and the demon stubborn. They laboured through the entire night until the demon managed to get the abbot on the defensive, off balance. Ambrose, while lacking the faith in himself to find the strength of Faith in God to work miracles still managed to work up the courage to step into the fray, drawing the demon's attention. It cost him, the possessed woman flung him like a ragdoll across the room, crushing his hip in the process, but it bought enough time for the abbot to regain the command and in the end they managed to drive the demon out. Ambrose was carried home in triumph, but on a stretcher and it took months before he could stand up again, and he still has a severe limp to show for it.
But as word of his part of the effort spread, as it was bound to be, it attracted the attention of the wrong kind. Among the monks of Monte Cassino there lived at least one vampire called Hieronymos, Ambrose never learned about any more but it was hinted to him. This one, an old and clever Lasombra had hid among the christians since his own death in the first century and he was suitably impressed with the courageous, faithful and educated human that was Ambrosius. Masquerading as a brother he visited the young man often while he was unable to even sit up, always with some new theological point to discuss. And thus began a strange, dark, academic "courtship" that lasted until the monks working the infirmary declared Ambrose as healed as he would ever be. He would limp for the rest of his life, but he was otherwise in good health again.
The following night he died. Brother Hieronymos struck and without remorse or permission he killed and Embraced Ambrose. He then took the fledgling under his wing, retreated to the darkness and, while pulling strings to make sure noone thought too much about the sudden change in behaviour from Brother Ambrosius, waited out the winter. During those months before spring made the roads passable again he trained Ambrose in the basics of his new condition, and tried to help him come to accept his state as undead.
To Ambrose this was, naturally, a grieveous blow. Not only to his view of the world and his own salvation but it threatened his very view of the Lord Himself. He was beset with doubts about a caring and allmighty God and whether God had any plan for humanity or had simply abandoned it to the Dark.
But Hieronymos was there to help him immensly. The old vampire was indeed devout, although Ambrose never learned of the reason of the manner of his own Embrace which was uncharacteristically brutal, and he managed to convince the young vampire that even the Cainites had a place in God's plan. Fewer among the Damned sought to follow it, but it was there none the less. He inducted Ambrose into the mysteries of the Path of Heaven during these months and as spring approached he told his childe of the biggest of mysteries known to vampires: Golconda.
During the course of the winter months Ambrose sought and found the inner strength to turn the other cheek and actually forgive his sire.
With spring they returned to Rome and where the corruption and vice had once revolted Ambrose it now felt oddly comfortable. Not because he was tempted to throw the last vestiges of his soul away but because here there were a plethora of wicked men and women who deserved punishment. Drinking the blood of an innocent or (worse yet) a holy man or woman was anathema to both sire and childe but the evil doers of the civilised world? They deserved to be punished and thus gave the two Lasombra a chance to act as an extension of God's will. And his wrath.
They lived among the clergy of the city and studied together in the search of vampiric transcendence, of Golconda and they hunted in the docks and the slums of Rome, where crime and sin was rife. Hieronymos continued to train his childe, and in time had him ordained as an ashen priest as well as a mortal one.
Until one day they found a few obscure mentions of Byzantion, now known as Constantinople. As Hieronymos was to embroiled in both vampirical and ecclesiastical politics and too set in his ways they quickly decided that Ambrosius would be the one to go. Much to his own delight.
The elder vampire armed him with some information about allies, old and new, who could help the neonate out a bit, at the very least with some information about the city and it's inhabitants, and sent him on his way.
LINEAGE:
Spoiler
Lasombra
Montano
Roland of Massilia
Hieronymos
Ambrose
SECRETS:
Spoiler
1: Ambrose has a real, almost tangible lead in his search for Golconda. Whether it turns out to lead anywhere is up to the Storyteller (and I'd like Ich to give me some details on this lead. I'm not comfortable with fleshing that out myself since the nature of Golconda itself is up to the ST).
2: Unknown to Ambrose the demon he helped excorcise is seeking him out for revenge. He may or may not have already killed the abbot (let's call him Johannes). It's not very powerful, more dangerous than a simple imp but hardly on level with any kind of major demon. Thus it's probably going to try and tempt and corrupt Ambrose to begin with, prefering to make the devout vampire fall and only resorting to cruder methods should it prove useless. Essentially my Demon-hounded flaw is just about to take effect. ;)
IMPORTANT PEOPLE:
Spoiler
-Hieronymos: Ambrosius' sire and teacher. A lasombra on the Path of Heaven from the earliest nights of christianity. Died during the persecutions and rose again because a roman pagan lasombra was rather impressed with his piety and willingness to endure martyrdom.
-So far unnamed demon: Physically and mystically not particularly strong but intelligent and persistent. Enemy.
-Abbot Johannes: Ambrosius' former abbot. A rather heavyset, close to fat, but very devout monk.
-Possibly silphael's char.
BACKGROUNDS & OTHER CRUNCH INFO
Spoiler
KNOWN LANGUAGES:
Spoiler
Latin
Greek
Hebrew
ALLIES:
Spoiler
-Abbot Georgios, a mortal monk and minor assistant to the patriarch of Constantinople. Old friend of Hieronymos but unaware of the latters nature. Supposed to help with, among other things, a haven for Ambrose.
-Sarah, a vampirical "cousin" of Ambrose (the grandchilde of Roland) who has promised to keep an eye on the newcomer (at least after she was told that he was an academic to be considered an ally and asset rather than a rival)
CONTACTS:
Spoiler
-Major contact: Brother Thedosius, another roman presbyter and monk who abandoned the Eternal City for Constantinople.
-Minor contacts: Other monks and priests across Constantinople.
RESOURCES:
Spoiler
The amount of money he can raise from the church without raising suspicion.
WISHES:
Spoiler
To have a fun and lasting game.
To make this game go way beyond the initial part prepared by Ich. Preferably make frequent stops in time letting us play many different eras, maybe even witnessing some fun, important parts of history.
And for Ambrose to get something out of his search of Golconda. Either actually finding the true path to Golconda (prefered by your's truly, but way, waaay into the future). Or something else equally fulfilling. Anything that doesn't end in anti-climax, really.
Overly spoilered to make sure you don't read anything you don't want to.
Description:
Appears a man in his early thirties of swarthy complexion with black hair cut short in the Roman style and stubble he does not bother to shave off most nights. In excellent physical shape. Considered handsome by most though not a big talker. Projects the moderately cynical personality of a mercenary. While he holds no loyalty to anything but Alamut he does care about his reputation so will (generally) keep commitments he makes.
Background:
A Kindred for about a century Marcus was the second son of a an Alexandrian merchant. He was apprenticed to a smith and there learned something of the making and care of swords and armor before deciding he'd rather swing then make one. He became a private guard for merchants and a good one too soon protecting wealthiest men in the southern Med. That change one night when his employer was stalked for an unpaid debt to a vampire. Doing his job Marcus protected his employer. Sufficient was his skill with a sword that when it was done the vampire died the final death.
Watching this was the vampire's sire, the one Marcus' employer had actually offended. Impressed by the Marcus' skill the vampire took him while settling the debt. And so Marcus joined Clan Assamite and was brought to Alamut. Here he went through the training and rites of the clan, becoming respected for his skill with a sword. Here he first picked up the moniker "the Egyptian" to note his origins. After a time in Alamut Marcus returned to his previous employ, only now for Kindred and working for much larger sums. Five decades back he found himself where all roads lead and stayed there for an extended period. For over several decades Marcus plied his sword for one employer or another, growing wealthy. He fought in the shadows as Odoacer sacked the city and barbarians infested the Eternal City, but it was no avail. The barbarians and the pagans came in, Cainites as ever following the shifts in mortals. Rome was never the same and Marcus drifted quickly between contracts, but it was not the same. In recent nights he received a message from his sire, now in Constantinople and inviting his childe to join him. Aimless but ready to seek a new purpose Marcus answered the call and made his preparations to leave
Other Acquaintances:
Atia Thurina Major- Influential Lasombra in Rome of patrician family stock and Marcus' last employer in Rome. After the Sack of Rome she sought to retain as much influence for those Cainites of true Roman stock like her; opposing the flood of barbarians that shadowed the mortal conquest. She had no problem with a simple sword with no political delusions and they got on as well as any two Cainites could. The parting was amicable when Marcus decided to leave the city for New Rome.
Triple A- Marcus has taken a contract with the Ravnos slaver to supplement the mortal guards in the event of trouble. Obligating him to defend the caravan and employer, though he is not strictly a personal bodyguard. Triple A has made overtures of a more long-term relationship upon reaching Constantinople but Marcus has not yet agreed waiting to confer with his sire's plans.
Secrets:
-Marcus is that rare Cainite without many secrets and no political ambitions, something which has puzzled a few that have interacted with him. In typical Cainite fashion they assume he must be hiding something and go chasing phantoms.
-This is not to say that he is without secrets. Marcus' relate to clan business. He sends semi-regular reports to the Mountain on what he has heard (which as a trusted bodyguard is plenty) and has put his sword alongside his brothers on several occasions in ways that did not benefit his current employers.
Goals:
-Immortality is beginning to wear on Marcus. He's been a sword for hire for a long time and acquired decent of wealth with it. He is starting to quietly desire something more to fill his nights with though, it might be a noble purpose or simply developing a great vice.
Combat Equipment:
Two Handed Spear, Spathion (Bastard Sword), Gladius (Saber), Four Daggers, Small Shield, Light Armor, Light Helm.
As successful mercenary Marcus maintains a personal armory and is never without weapons. All are high quality and well maintained. Like any smart warrior he has several spares in storage. However what he carries on his person varies with the situation.
Mentor-Darius:
Marcus' sire and an elder among the Assamites. Of Persian extraction and several centuries old, he is a fairly benevolent sire but expects his child to stand on his own. Though is not above assistance. He was once known as a deadly swordsman (and still is) but over the centuries has become more of a scholar and learned something of Blood Magic from the Sorcerer caste. Currently in Constantinople though Marcus does not know for how long or what his sire's plans are. While Marcus respects his sire's skill and knowledge he is not slavishly loyal either.
Marcus carries a Pebble From the Mountain. The seemingly innocuous stone is a result of Darius' blood magic studies, a basic ritual creation that allows Marcus to contact his sire. Darius had made clear it is not to be used frivolously.
Enemy-Black Dog:
A rather infamous barbarian Gangrel wanderer who only goes by the name of Black Dog, which he rather resembles. Their enmity stems from the Sack of Rome when the Dog came looking for prey in the chaos. He chose Marcus' current employer though, something Marcus did not allow. After the Sack Black Dog disappeared but Kindred are rarely forgiving and never forget. Marcus doesn't know where the Gangrel went, or care which is sure to enrage Black Dog. Marcus is confident he can beat the Dog and has before, is probably a more skilled fighter on the whole, but failed to kill him despite trying.
Intro Scene:
Spoiler
Marcus stood by his employer silently tapping his foot with impatience. He didn't bother following every ebb and flow of these word games, he could already see the result. The Brujah didn't know it but he'd been played, just another fool barbarian kid that didn't know the score. He was sure Atia had said his name, but it wasn't going to matter.
They were in a brothel, his employers to be precise. She was taking every opportunity to enjoy the new Elysium status she'd secured for the place. And so one type of parasite had been exchanged for another this evening. Removing this interloper would be the height of the evenings activities. Around the room several Cainites exchanged knowing glances and quiet chuckles. They could tell where the game was heading. Parasites the lot of them, the elders were right to say that this infection was why the Ancestor had left them. These fools would revel in their back stabbing and corruption until it killed them all. Which was why he stayed out of it more or less. Everyone important knew his game the only game he'd ever played, just a sword was all he was. More fool them, they never questioned his presence simply forgetting without him even needing to veil.
The fool before him wasn't terribly important, but he was even more the fool. He might live another night if he'd stopped for a single moment to consider who was standing beside Atia resting one hand on his best sword.
“Whore! I'll rip your throat out with my bare hands!” The Brujah screamed, face snarling into a mask of rage.
That was the signal. Atia hadn't know the specific words but the plan had always been to drive this fool into a rage enough to attack. The Brujah launched forward not even thinking to pull the hachet tucked into his belt. He'd said bare hands and meant it. Poor choice. Drawing on the blood Marcus move into the path drawing out his blade in one fluid motion. Once, twice, three times he slashed. The Brujah was forced back. His next lunge came faster, but Marcus was ready and holding a steady defense that didn't even draw on the blood further. Like most fool Brujah he clearly thought strength had been the only thing that mattered in a fight, only a little speed added to the mix, and nothing resembling technique. Worse he tried to pair fist to blade. With effortless grace Marcus parried his opponents swinging fists. It didn't matter how powerful you when you couldn't hit anything. After letting his opponent drain himself Marcus now shifted to offense. In another second the fool Brujah's head hit to floor sendin into the Final Death.
The assembled Cainites all applauded, delighted with the show. Despite himself Marcus felt pleased, the nameless fool had been judged under the will of Caine and found wanting. That was well to applaud the elders taught. Though he doubted a single one of these gathered parasites understood the purpose of his brothers or that justice had been done. Still it was enough. With a nod to his employer he headed out of court. Of course the freedom to refresh himself from the ladies of the house had been included for the evenings work. Perhaps a bath could warm his cold flesh while he shared the ecstasy of the Kiss with the mortals.
It was something of a going away present too, for this would be his last night in Atia Thurina Major's employ. The Old Man had sent a message, asking for help far to the East. Perhaps New Rome would be more satisfying then this decaying metropolis had become. Atia had been a fine employer, but he tired of trying to throw back what had passed.
Last edited by Soras Teva Gee : 02-09-2012 at 08:17 AM.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
I've been thinking. It's seldom a good thing.
But I'm wondering about two things.
1: When I wrote my intro for the IC thread I realized something. One funny merit I'd like to have would actually be "Eidetic Memory". May I juggle the numbers a bit and take it? We've only just begun playing after all and it fits my concept of a HIGHLY intelligent and apparently rather logical and orderly, caininte.
2: Soras' first post made me realize I haven't thought about weapons. As soon as I'm able I'll buy the ability to summon tentacles to do stuff like that, but even now Ambrose has some slight knowledge in defending himself both with and without weapons.
May I let him have quarterstaff or something alike?
__________________
"Sometimes it's better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness" - Terry Pratchett
Big thanks to Savannah for the AWESOME Papa Wolf avatar!
Ramesses appears to be in his early twenties and is of middling height with short but well groomed black hair, his defining feature though is deep green eyes. Ramesses eyes are captivating, they draw the gaze of those he meets and seem to stare into the very depths of ones soul. Ramesses enjoys unlife, sampling all its many delights both moral and immoral, appearing to be a simple hedonist and nothing more, the truth of course is somewhat different. For to Ramesses these pleasures are but tools, to be used to help guide those around him onto the true path, onto Sets path.
ORIGINS
- Born 443 AD
- Died 466 AD
- Arrived in rome 470 AD
Ramesses was born into a large family of farmers dwelling along the banks of the sacred river, near decaying Memphis, and he had a mostly happy childhood until the year of drought, when the rains didn't fall and the nile dried up. For the first time in his life he knew hardship and want and so he cried, thinking that things could not get any worse but such is the folly of youth. Eventually, after some of his younger weaker siblings had perished from lack of food, Ramesses as the strongest of their surviving children was sold by his parents to slavers for 5 pieces of silver.
It was in the slave pits that Ramesses first met the one who would become his sire a Setite from the Garden of Asps, a great temple to Set hidden beneath Memphis, named Thutmose. Thutmose had come seeking fresh acolytes for the temple and when he looked into Ramesses shocking eyes he saw one who had already faced some of the revelations of the void and learn a part of great Sets truth, with that realisation a cold smile dawned on his face and he bought Ramesses back with him to begin a new life in the Cult of Set.
Young Ramesses proved to be a devout follower of the dark gods teachings, serving the priests of the temple well and offering them his blood when required. Finally after more than a decade of service on the night of the winter solstice Ramesses passed the revelation of Blood and joined the ranks of the blessed children of Set. The first few years of his unlife were spent in the Garden of Asps being taught by Thutmose about his new duties as one of the blessed childe of Set until word came that the High priest of rome, master of the temple hidden in the buried remains of Neros Golden Palace, had been forced into torpor by a local rival and so Thutmose was appointed the next high priest of Rome, Ramesses of course went with him and for the first time in his life left the desert sands of Egypt behind.
Arriving in Rome Thutmose soon settled into the role of Highest Priest, with Ramesses as his faithful acolyte and so they passed the next decades until a cabal of infernalists appeared in Rome around 500 AD. Despising those fools who willing consort with the Aeons in their most base forms, Thutmose ordered Ramesses to form a cortire of Setites to hunt down and slay the group. After months of careful searching they found the hidden stronghold of the cabal and launched a carefully planned assult, it went well until they penetrated the inner sanctum and discovered that the leader of the cabal was a Setite name Augusta who had bargined with a demon that called itself Ragnhildr, even going so far as to give it the body of a young woman to possess. In a fierce battle Ramesses cortire were able to force Augusta into torpor and destroy the body Ragnhildr possessed, though only Ramesses and one other Setite survived, a woman named Nefertiabet.
Now though Thutmose fears that the last of Romes influence is coming to an end and so seeks out other places to spread Sets divine word, sending his favoured Childe to Constantinople to spread Sets sweet corruption to the new Rome.
SECRETS
- Secret known to Ramesses: PMed
- Secret unknown to Ramesses: Augusta is Nefertiabets sire and she is also an infernalist like him.
IMPORTANT PEOPLE
- Nefertiabet was a close friend of Ramesses, they met shortly after he and Thutmose arrived and they worked well together. She left Rome in 503 AD to find a smaller community worth corrupting in Sets name (In truth she was afraid of being unmasked as an infernalist)
- Aurelius Pompeius is Ramesses favourite disciple who he has personal guided through Seven of the Nine gates of wisdom, a loyal ghoul Aurelius is the only member of the Cult of Set who is accompanying Ramesses to Constantinople.
- Eastmund Chlotichilda, a Germanic Tzimisce who came to rome with the Ostrogoths that killed Odoacer and took control of rome, he saved Ramesses life from a Lupine attack and so Ramesses owes him a life debt.
- The demon Ragnhildr promised Ramesses that they would meet again and that when they did he would beg to have "her" take his soul.
- Augusta currently sleeps in torpor beneath Rome but who knows what may happen in the furture to change that.
LANGUAGES
- Egyptian
- Latin
CHARACTER GOALS
- Found a local cult of Set
- Construct a magnificent hidden temple to Set
- Embrace Aurelius when he's ready
- Learn Greek from Aurelius
- Convert one of the other players to the Via Serpentis
VIA SERPENTIS HIERARCHY OF SINS & AURA
Spoiler
10:
-Failing to indulge your urges when they do not interfere with your work
-You must understand desire in order to teach it
9:
-Indulging your desires when they infere with your devotion to Set
-Desires are a means to an end not an end themselves
8:
-Failing to collect wealth and influence
-Every artisan must acquire the tools of his vocation
7:
-Failing to spread Set's truth among mortals
-If his name is forgotten he will cease to exist.
6:
-Failing to encourage mortals to seek their freedom from Osiris
-Your work is more important then anything except your worship of Set
5:
-Abusing a ghoul
-Your priests are disciples and gifts of Set
4:
-Supporting the rule of law in any way
-Osiris is the enemy of Set and you must take no action that aids him
3:
-Putting any other vampire under the blood oath
-Using the essence of Set to bind another vampire goes against the freedom he champions
2:
-Embracing one who does not worship Set
-Only the deserving may drink of the river between life and death
1:
-Failing to uphold Set's memory and worship him
-What you do means nothing without your devotion to Set
Aura: Devotion. The Tempter do everything with an eye to how they may might best serve their god. The aura modifier applies in attempts to win converts to their religion and rolls to resist powers based on other faiths.
INTRODUCTION SCENE
In a hidden chamber buried deep under Rome, crouched in the ruins of a Golden Palace built to honour the vanity of a now fallen emperor, a congregation gathers waiting, waiting for the one thing need to complete their group, the person they all look to with eyes filled with hope, hands outstretched and begging for absolution, their unholy shepherd a man who died more that four decades ago.
Standing in shadows behind a curtain the man that they await watches them all, a smile that on any other man, one who's blood still flowed hot through in his veins, would be described as warm but on the face of one who is dead was only cold, as cold as death. "See them kneeling there Aurelius" the man says without turning from the sea of faces "See them pleading in the dirt, demanding yes, that is the word, demanding that our dark father give them his blessing" the man shakes his head and sighs while another figure moves up from the darkness to stand beside him "They are fools Ramesses, not one of them is fit to be taught the higher truths" "Not like you, you mean?" the man replies a sly smile blossoming upon his face as he turns to the newcomer "You are correct, my friend they are not like you" "But they are still of use?" the newcomer replies "Oh yes, they are indeed of use, now they have waited long enough it is time for their priest to emerge" the newcomer holds out a heavy chalice while the man draws a knife and slices open his palm, letting the thick black blood ooze out to fill the chalice.
"Well Aurelius it is time for us to begin" saying that the man steps boldly through the curtain "My beloved children" he declares "I am pleased to see so many of you here to recive the blessing of Typhon, now don't be shy come forward and drink" at the look of absolute hunger on the faces before him, the man simply, smiles.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by flabort
Burnheart, thanks to you, everyday reality is just a little less desirable. Until this happens, I am just this much more insane.
Last edited by Burnheart : 02-09-2012 at 01:32 PM.
Description:Lucious is tall and angular in features, with longer dark hair and dark eyes. Dressed in black pants and shirt with a long jacket, is high boots are well polished and his expensive gloves are tucked behind his belt. Lucious's presence alone radiates importance.
Introduction:
Secrets and Goals:
Spoiler
Secrets:
Spoiler
Lucious's Secret: He is an infernalist Unknown Secret: Ruphaela, the old crone infernalist, is alive and a Malkavian. Her home was destroyed by Dariush (Lucious's soon to be sire).
Goals:
Spoiler
Story Goals:1. Find a ghoul amongst the merchant class
2. Find a domain within the merchant sector
3. Get in contact with the local politicians
4. Preach in the merchant district about the rights of business; use Presence, turn it into an opportunity to develope a name for himself.
Character Development:1. Pact with Demon: Dark Thaumaturgy 1
2. Perception 2 (4xp)
3. Obfuscate 2 (5xp)
4. Empathy 2 (2xp)
5. Archery 2 (2xp)
__________________
Spoiler
Active Characters:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MtA: Ethan Asiel "Exor" : Mastigo Guardian of the Veil, Blackmailer
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by Calenestel
I've been thinking. It's seldom a good thing.
But I'm wondering about two things.
1: When I wrote my intro for the IC thread I realized something. One funny merit I'd like to have would actually be "Eidetic Memory". May I juggle the numbers a bit and take it? We've only just begun playing after all and it fits my concept of a HIGHLY intelligent and apparently rather logical and orderly, caininte.
2: Soras' first post made me realize I haven't thought about weapons. As soon as I'm able I'll buy the ability to summon tentacles to do stuff like that, but even now Ambrose has some slight knowledge in defending himself both with and without weapons.
May I let him have quarterstaff or something alike?
1. sure, you may still change aspects of your character. It's only still the beginning of the game.
2. Yes, you may.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burnheart
I just realised we need to roll for starting blood pools [roll0]
Very goo point! Everone, please don't forget to do this.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
OK, let's see if I can still do that...
(1d10)[8]
So I have to subtract my customary 3 points from that, if i want to appear unharmed, don't I? 5 points ain't much... Hmmm, I'll probably only heal 2 levels, start the game at Bruised and keep at least 6 points. That should keep him civil...
__________________
~*~
"I wanted to see the universe,
so I stole a Time Lord
and I ran away..."
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Hoo boy. I hate blood rolls.
In a game like DnD it'd make sense, but to me Vampire is much less about rolls and more about roleplaying.
Take Ambrose for example. 20 blood points and very careful never to give in to his Beast. That means staying in the upper 3/4 of blood points so that even if he has to use more than just a few blood points there's still little to no risk of a hunger frenzy that would kill someone undeserving. At best I can hope for half-full. Against a cruxial part of my character? It's not even a matter of luck, but even if it was I'd be rather unhappy with leaving something that should be more a case of how I roleplay my character to chance like this. Not a fan. Not. A. Fan.
(1d10)[2]
I can't justify that roleplayingwise. I just can't.
__________________
"Sometimes it's better to light a flamethrower than to curse the darkness" - Terry Pratchett
Big thanks to Savannah for the AWESOME Papa Wolf avatar!
Last edited by Calenestel : 02-09-2012 at 02:43 PM.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Calenestel has a point... This is a good example: If Ambrose's blood pool was so low, he would have gone hunting first instead of sitting around in a tent full of people in front of whom it would look quite bad if he slipped up... Wouldn't he?
__________________
~*~
"I wanted to see the universe,
so I stole a Time Lord
and I ran away..."
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Although I do find blood rolls in general a good idea (they do depict how lucky your character has been in collecting blood) and personally I could even see how Ambrose, being so selective in who he choses to drink from, would be in trouble and might end up with a lower than preferable blood pool, I do not wish to limit roleplaying now, especially not in the prelude, and 2 blood points would severely impact the way he can play his character. whether we're going to use blood rolls in the future, I haven't decided yet, but I think you make a good case now.
Do any of you have an idea to decide on the number of blood points, if not by rolling randomly?
Last edited by Ichneumon : 02-09-2012 at 02:59 PM.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ichneumon
Although I do find blood rolls in general a good idea (they do depict how lucky your character has been in collecting blood) and personally I could even see how Ambrose, being so selective in who he choses to drink from, would be in trouble and might end up with a lower than preferable blood pool, I do not wish to limit roleplaying now, especially not in the prelude, and 2 blood points would severely impact the way he can play his character. whether we're going to use blood rolls in the future, I haven't decided yet, but I think you make a good case now.
Do any of you have an idea to decide on the number of blood points, if not by rolling randomly?
Damn, now I feel like I've been whining.
OK. To begin with, maybe half the bloodpool, maybe even slightly below that, would be OK. I didn't consider the self-imposed feeding restrictions I'm having.
But on the other hand... For me there will be three groups: virtuous clergy and innocents, those are strictly off limits, normal sinners (to be drunk from only for sustenance) and grave sinners (to be punished). And we've been travelling with fourty-something soldiers? I'd hardly call any of those "innocent". To top that off I have a hard time figuring that the caravann itself won't contain it's fair share of smaller sins. For example: gambling was a sin. (I mentioned gamblers in my IC post). I figured I'd have it fairly well in that department. Maybe I was wrong in that regard.
Still, to me blood rolls have never been a source of roleplaying, instead they have rathered been a straightjacket put on the first part of any game. At best it doesn't affect it. But that's my view of the matter and I'll concede the fact that it's not my game to run. That and I should probably shut up and wait for a definitive answer from Ich.
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Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Just take the roll and add a set number to it.. like 5.. I think all of us have blood pools of 15 or higher so thats fair. It also means that at a minimum you have 6 and aren't starving right out the gate.
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Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by Calenestel
I should probably shut up and wait for a definitive answer from Ich.
Quote:
Originally Posted by XianTheCoder
Just take the roll and add a set number to it.. like 5.. I think all of us have blood pools of 15 or higher so thats fair. It also means that at a minimum you have 6 and aren't starving right out the gate.
Good idea. This is what we'll do:
We'll add an amount of blood points to the roll equal to 1/3 of the blood pool maximum of that character's generation, rounded down. So, that would mean for Kindred of generation 7, they'd add 6 blood points. Generation 8 would add 5 and generation 9 would add 4. That would mean, in Calenestel's case, a starting blood pool of 8.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Fair and just. Agreed.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go and soak my self in the bath. Hard day and feeling some anxiety because of it. This way I'll be fresh and happy tomorrow.
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Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
I've played mostly with LARPing but we always found rules for things like starting condition best left to the ST discretion who favored you get to start at somewhere around full capacity. For exactly cases like Calen's above or worse. Simply using the chance rules I feel puts serious halters on roleplay, why would someone who's a cautious vamp let themselves be so down presuming we've all had peaceful conditions with presumably plenty of stops at towns and a substantial caravan with us?
While the Hunting rules work fine if for example you are trying to relatively quickly replenish a bloodpool in the course of play. We had a tough battle everyone goes to feed for an hour before heading back to court, boom good use. That's what they are there for to keep people from always having blood pools at max so people can be reckless with Disciplines. Its a little harder in my mind to extract them to every situation.
When say in off-screen downtime (like before play) what prevents say anyone with Resources from visiting a couple of random brothels and buying prostitutes. Given the effects of the Kiss how does a vamp screw that up? Then there's all the ways Disciplines and skills can help. With say Obfuscate you can broadly speaking walk into any farmhouse (or barn) without being noticed. Then there's how Gen lets you bank more which so help me we all bought I believe. Put simply presuming we've been under conditions that would let us hunt for most of the night why should anyone be low on blood?
I'd say a more fair would be we all start at a static value set by Ich (say 1/2 or 3/4 for example) or at the least add a bit to account for players being able to bank more then ten. Or at least something a free point per Gen dot minus one for prey exclusions, then a 1d10 roll.
If we are just doing a straight 1d10 roll though:
(1d10)[10]
EDIT All mah ranting ninja'd. So that should give me 16 to start. Huzzah for me I guess.
Last edited by Soras Teva Gee : 02-09-2012 at 04:41 PM.
Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
One minor point. Eva was embraced at eighteen years and in those times that was being a woman full grown. It's okay if other characters see her as only a girl (she defiantely is by kindred standards) but I don't think it should be a defining description for her.
And onto blood!
(1d10)[10](10)
Now let's hope this luck keeps with Eva when it counts.
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Re: [DA:V] Constantinople: Embrace of the Vampire OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burnheart
Bit of an odd question Ichneumon but does your user name come from the Ichneumonoidea family of parasitic wasps?
Yes, it does.
Also, I made a small diagram showing the lineage of all your characters and all the NPCs connected to them. If I made some mistakes or overlooked any of the NPCs you created, please say so, since I now just quickly skimmed over your sheets while creating this.
Last edited by Ichneumon : 02-10-2012 at 12:07 PM.
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