I think it's very important to give some perspective on an especially poignant historical event that sits as an integral background of this game. While we are all here to have fun playing in a supernatural setting, and the game doesn't actually take place in Belfast, we should all have the maturity to understand what it is we are role-playing, and what our stories mean when we pick up our character sheets. There are a number of concepts dealing with Ireland's wars and varied conflicts for independence from colonial rule. These concepts are more than just your average elder vs. neonate politics; these are volatile and emotional concepts driven by real fear, hatred, tyranny and death. Regardless of our individual political beliefs, this game presents an opportunity to truly explore the struggle of people held down by oppression and violence, both real and perceived. Many of the characters have lived/existed through The Troubles, and those concepts shouldn't be played in a caviler manner. Additionally, there are more than a few of the Kindred in Dublin that have been privy to centuries of this type of crushing war and turmoil. Hopefully, these videos can give a modicum of perspective on what that exactly entails.
I know that a few simple videos about the struggles in Northern Ireland barely scratch the surface of the entire situation. There are a ton of resources available for the interested and discerning player. Here's a list of some of the films set to the backdrop of The Troubles. I especially recommend "Hunger", which is currently available on Netflix to watch instantly, along with a number of other films on that list.
That's all for tonight, and I hope you all keep having fun.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The annual Dublin Samhain festival
Samhain is an ancient tradition among the people of Ireland. Dating back to the 8th century AD, it is a festival linked to both Celtic cultures as well as the Catholic All Saints’ Day. Originally, it was a festival celebrating the end of the harvest, the end of the “lighter half” and the beginning of the “darker half. It was celebrated over the course of several days, and had many of the same elements of a Festival of the Dead. 
Over the years, Samhain has evolved into what we know of today as Halloween. Halloween in Dublin is very much an important aspect of the local culture. It is steeped in the ancient traditions of the land, but has evolved to meet the modern day. Indeed, as important as it is to the kine of Dublin, it’s even more important to the kindred population. The Prince of Dublin has celebrated Samhain to one degree or another for as far back as anyone in the city can remember. 
Over the last twenty years, the festival has started a few days before the 31st, and generally ends on the first or second of November. Typically, there is a neighborhood wide party that starts at the Tír na nÓg and leads many blocks to the Arbour Hill Cemetery. There, kine and kindred alike go to pay their respects to the dead, as well as visit, “The Lord of the Dead.” 
At the Tír na nÓg, none are allowed entry to the pub without some sort of costume. Those that wear vampire costumes are rewarded with free drinks. Anyone with a traditional Celtic costume is rewarded with free drinks, and food, as well as the opportunity to confess their sins to the “Lord of the Dead”. It’s become a local past-time to get the opportunity to visit Arbour Hill on Halloween, as it is said the the Lord of the Dead grants you a single wish if you pay your true respect to the spirits of the dead. It’s cautioned that if you do not show respect, and treat the visit like a joke, you will be overwhelmed with the terror of the walking dead.
For the kindred in the city, this event is unprecedented. It’s an opportunity to ignore the masquerade and feed upon the disrespectful mortals of the city without fear of the Prince’s wrath. At the Graveyard, all the Kindred in the city ignore the masquerade and must dress in the clothing a dead person would be buried within the cemetery. Many will use make-up or even Obfuscate powers to appear more convincing. The vampires must remain out of sight until the mortal begins snickering or disrespecting the dead. If the mortal does not take the ritual seriously then they may be fed from under the watchful gaze of the hierarchy. The mortals are always given a wild story regarding the dead being arisen and walking in the graveyard and are dominated and driven back to the block party terrified. Those mortals who show respect to the spirits of the deceased, and bring a gift to honor the dead, only ever see "The Lord of the Dead" sitting on an unmarked tomb. They are granted a wish...
This festival is the only time, as per the treaty with the Lupines, which Kindred are permitted to feed on native mortals in Dublin. The festival is meant to honor the spirits of Ireland’s deceased, and to assure that those who dwell within Dublin do not forget what their ancestors have sacrificed. Many kindred and kine alike tell tales of feeling and seeing the presence of spirits on these nights, and some especially skilled kindred know that the veil between the land of the living and the land of the hereafter are especially weak on these nights. Thursday, October 20, 2011
Stuff for people to read. And stuff.
I want to go over a few things that we touched on last Friday, as well as touch on some things we haven't yet stated.
First, it's important for our game and plots that if you're not planning on making it to game, you try to drop us a line and let us know you won't be available. We understand that other things come up and that often times you'll have plans dropped on your lap with very little notice. All that we ask is that you try to be courteous and pass the info on to us if you can't make it. This is double important for people who play characters with an important position in the city. If you can't make it to the game on a regular basis, you shouldn't play a character with an important role in the game. That's just simple logic. I'm definitely not getting specific with names, as most players have been plenty thoughtful and mature about attendance. This leads me to the crux of my point here: We've implemented a three week rule concerning attendance to the game. Meaning, if you don't show up for three weeks, and you haven't given us a suitable reason for your absence, you'll no longer have access to your character. We're not going to waste time putting your character in an inactive roster or holding to a sheet for someone who doesn't intend to show up more than once a month. If you've made special arrangements ahead of time, that's fine. Otherwise, so sorry, but we're just not going to cater to people who don't give any concern.
Second, as we stated at post on Friday, our game is not a costless venture. We are more than willing to run a free game, but we are willing to accept your charity and investment into our chronicle. We put in a great deal of time and energy, as well as our own personal funds into this game so that we can hopefully provide a few hours of entertainment to you every week. We will accept any worthwhile form of charitable donations for your gaming pleasure. We would like to have special events where we can run a session at an alternate location, dress up and enjoy the full potential of a masquerade LARP. We will never ask you to pay to play at CoD, but we may ask you to pay if we have a special session at a different location. If we can scrounge up enough cash from donations... ramble ramble ramble, you get the picture.
Third, there are two sides to live-action gaming. There is the actual "during game" process, and there are the side-scene, off site activities. While we feel that a great number of events have happened in the last three weeks, we've yet to have any side-scene requests from players. Don't be bashful about post-game side scenes. We meet on Wednesday nights to discuss game plots and etc., so if you're interested in interacting with the world outside of game night, feel free to contact us. We want to generate your interests and share our vision with you. Please, take advantage of the offer.
That's it for now. More updates as they occur to me.
First, it's important for our game and plots that if you're not planning on making it to game, you try to drop us a line and let us know you won't be available. We understand that other things come up and that often times you'll have plans dropped on your lap with very little notice. All that we ask is that you try to be courteous and pass the info on to us if you can't make it. This is double important for people who play characters with an important position in the city. If you can't make it to the game on a regular basis, you shouldn't play a character with an important role in the game. That's just simple logic. I'm definitely not getting specific with names, as most players have been plenty thoughtful and mature about attendance. This leads me to the crux of my point here: We've implemented a three week rule concerning attendance to the game. Meaning, if you don't show up for three weeks, and you haven't given us a suitable reason for your absence, you'll no longer have access to your character. We're not going to waste time putting your character in an inactive roster or holding to a sheet for someone who doesn't intend to show up more than once a month. If you've made special arrangements ahead of time, that's fine. Otherwise, so sorry, but we're just not going to cater to people who don't give any concern.
Second, as we stated at post on Friday, our game is not a costless venture. We are more than willing to run a free game, but we are willing to accept your charity and investment into our chronicle. We put in a great deal of time and energy, as well as our own personal funds into this game so that we can hopefully provide a few hours of entertainment to you every week. We will accept any worthwhile form of charitable donations for your gaming pleasure. We would like to have special events where we can run a session at an alternate location, dress up and enjoy the full potential of a masquerade LARP. We will never ask you to pay to play at CoD, but we may ask you to pay if we have a special session at a different location. If we can scrounge up enough cash from donations... ramble ramble ramble, you get the picture.
Third, there are two sides to live-action gaming. There is the actual "during game" process, and there are the side-scene, off site activities. While we feel that a great number of events have happened in the last three weeks, we've yet to have any side-scene requests from players. Don't be bashful about post-game side scenes. We meet on Wednesday nights to discuss game plots and etc., so if you're interested in interacting with the world outside of game night, feel free to contact us. We want to generate your interests and share our vision with you. Please, take advantage of the offer.
That's it for now. More updates as they occur to me.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Nightlife of Undeath
Dublin has a rich and thriving nightlife that is as diverse and as interesting as the people that inhabit this quickly growing city. The mortal denizens unwittingly move among the damned, as the kindred stalk the endless masses in search of a glimpse of their former humanity, the succor of their raging beast, or simply the satiation of their endless hunger. While the parties move and the populous changes their interests with a whim, these are some of the more popular night spots frequented by the Dublin Kindred.
Tír na nÓg -
Rumored to be a favorite haunt of Prince Dónal O'Connor, many kindred gather here on a regular basis. It's enjoyed for its relative safety and "old-school" feel. A traditional Irish Pub, The Tír has been a staple of Dublin's Jervis Street for three decades. It serves mostly locals and is open 7 days a week.
Arlington Hotel Temple Bar - Temple Bar (Irish: Barra an Teampaill) is an area on the south bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin, Ireland. Unlike the areas surrounding it, Temple Bar has preserved its medieval street pattern, with many narrow cobbled streets. It is promoted as "Dublin's cultural quarter" and has a lively nightlife that is popular with tourists. Temple Bar is in the postcode Dublin 2 (D2) The Arlington Hotel Temple Bar is ideally located in the heart of Dublin City Centre opposite Dublin Castle.
The Village - The Village is a state-of-the-art music venue situated next door to Whelan's on Wexford Street, Dublin. The venue was an old nightclub owned by Mean Fiddler, but since 2003 has been turned into a music venue. It has a large balcony right around the venue onto right up by the stage and has a capacity of 550. Known to be a favored haunt of Dublin's Anarchs, many of them can be found enjoying the local live music scene during the summer and fall season.
The Church Cafe Bar - Known simply as The Church, this is Dublin’s most unique establishment, with five distinct settings on four levels. The Church is the 'local' of choice for native Dubliners and has wowed visitors from all over the world who come to experience the very special atmosphere. The spectacular surroundings together with the special ambiance and atmosphere of The Church allows all of its guests to experience the very best hospitality. Often frequented by American and non-native visitors of Dublin, this nightclub is a favorite for local Kindred out on the hunt. Prince Dónal strictly forbids feeding from Dublin natives, and as such, this location is prime hunting grounds for the native Kindred.
The Button Factory - Nestled in Dublin's "Cultural District", the hen-party over-run area of Temple Bar, The Button Factory has gone through more re-branding, and revamping in its short history than most of the city's other music establishments. That said, it's a quality venue, with decent sound system, a good high stage allowing a clear line of site for all - from six-foot mod to five-foot emo alike. A favorite of the late teens to early twenty year old set, The Button Factory does, to its credit, run both local acts needing a decent environment to make an impact, and quality international acts, where the fan gets an opportunity to see big names in a small environment. Often prone to rowdy shows on the weekends, many Brujah neonates, and the occasional elder, enjoy letting loose at this establishment on Friday and Saturday nights.
Bruxelles - Bruxelles is situated on Harry Street just off the middle of Grafton Street. Bruxelles has something for everybody. Upstairs is the casual pub playing the latest music, downstairs has both a rock music area and an alternative music area. The atmosphere is lively yet laid back. The pub is open late at the weekends until 2.30am. The pricing is reasonable compared with the surrounding area. Service is fast and the staff are friendly. Due to it's unique atmosphere and music, Bruxelles is very popular so get there early if you want a seat.
Fitzsimons Hotel Temple Bar - The Roof Terrace at Fitzsimons Hotel Temple Bar is the number one rooftop bar in all of Dublin. This bar is very special and people can have this venue reserved for some very special occasions and other events. This restaurant and full bar allow people to dine and drink all their favorite cocktails in the open air and be able to admire the stunning night sky of Dublin. A favorite location of many of the city's more traditional elders, Phillip, Elder of Clan Tremere, can be found here many nights of the week enjoying the atmosphere of Temple Bar.
The Twisted Pepper - Located just two doors away from The Academy, Twisted Pepper is both a swish bar and underground club. The club, which was formerly known as 'Traffic', was taken over by well known and highly regarded Dublin promoters Bodytonic last year and has since gone through an extensive facelift. Open Wednesday through Sunday the club caters to the gay and lesbian crowd during the week, and dedicated electronic music lovers on weekends, mixing house, techno, disco, funk, soul & reggae. 'Mud' is the name of Friday nights, and 'POGO' is Saturday nights, both mixing local acts with international guests. The Catiff known as Victor frequents this location quite often, and is well known by the staff and patrons.
Dandelion - Dandelion Bar is a stylish sports bar overlooking St. Stephens Green and just a stone’s throw from Dublin’s celebrated shopping district of Grafton Street. Sports fans can enjoy their favorite sports on our giant 18ft screen or on any of 16 16 strategically located plasma screens so that they won’t miss a single second of the important game – regardless of where they are in the bar at the time! Dandelion Bar is a place to enjoy simple, great quality gourmet bar food; all served with the legendary good humor of one the most hospitable countries in the world.
While this is in NO WAY an exhaustive list of nightlife of Dublin, it should represent a fair cross-section of the places the Kindred of this city go to let loose and drive away the ennui that so many succumb to.
Tír na nÓg -
Arlington Hotel Temple Bar - Temple Bar (Irish: Barra an Teampaill) is an area on the south bank of the River Liffey in central Dublin, Ireland. Unlike the areas surrounding it, Temple Bar has preserved its medieval street pattern, with many narrow cobbled streets. It is promoted as "Dublin's cultural quarter" and has a lively nightlife that is popular with tourists. Temple Bar is in the postcode Dublin 2 (D2) The Arlington Hotel Temple Bar is ideally located in the heart of Dublin City Centre opposite Dublin Castle.
The Village - The Village is a state-of-the-art music venue situated next door to Whelan's on Wexford Street, Dublin. The venue was an old nightclub owned by Mean Fiddler, but since 2003 has been turned into a music venue. It has a large balcony right around the venue onto right up by the stage and has a capacity of 550. Known to be a favored haunt of Dublin's Anarchs, many of them can be found enjoying the local live music scene during the summer and fall season. 
The Church Cafe Bar - Known simply as The Church, this is Dublin’s most unique establishment, with five distinct settings on four levels. The Church is the 'local' of choice for native Dubliners and has wowed visitors from all over the world who come to experience the very special atmosphere. The spectacular surroundings together with the special ambiance and atmosphere of The Church allows all of its guests to experience the very best hospitality. Often frequented by American and non-native visitors of Dublin, this nightclub is a favorite for local Kindred out on the hunt. Prince Dónal strictly forbids feeding from Dublin natives, and as such, this location is prime hunting grounds for the native Kindred. 
The Button Factory - Nestled in Dublin's "Cultural District", the hen-party over-run area of Temple Bar, The Button Factory has gone through more re-branding, and revamping in its short history than most of the city's other music establishments. That said, it's a quality venue, with decent sound system, a good high stage allowing a clear line of site for all - from six-foot mod to five-foot emo alike. A favorite of the late teens to early twenty year old set, The Button Factory does, to its credit, run both local acts needing a decent environment to make an impact, and quality international acts, where the fan gets an opportunity to see big names in a small environment. Often prone to rowdy shows on the weekends, many Brujah neonates, and the occasional elder, enjoy letting loose at this establishment on Friday and Saturday nights. 
Bruxelles - Bruxelles is situated on Harry Street just off the middle of Grafton Street. Bruxelles has something for everybody. Upstairs is the casual pub playing the latest music, downstairs has both a rock music area and an alternative music area. The atmosphere is lively yet laid back. The pub is open late at the weekends until 2.30am. The pricing is reasonable compared with the surrounding area. Service is fast and the staff are friendly. Due to it's unique atmosphere and music, Bruxelles is very popular so get there early if you want a seat. 
Fitzsimons Hotel Temple Bar - The Roof Terrace at Fitzsimons Hotel Temple Bar is the number one rooftop bar in all of Dublin. This bar is very special and people can have this venue reserved for some very special occasions and other events. This restaurant and full bar allow people to dine and drink all their favorite cocktails in the open air and be able to admire the stunning night sky of Dublin. A favorite location of many of the city's more traditional elders, Phillip, Elder of Clan Tremere, can be found here many nights of the week enjoying the atmosphere of Temple Bar. 
The Twisted Pepper - Located just two doors away from The Academy, Twisted Pepper is both a swish bar and underground club. The club, which was formerly known as 'Traffic', was taken over by well known and highly regarded Dublin promoters Bodytonic last year and has since gone through an extensive facelift. Open Wednesday through Sunday the club caters to the gay and lesbian crowd during the week, and dedicated electronic music lovers on weekends, mixing house, techno, disco, funk, soul & reggae. 'Mud' is the name of Friday nights, and 'POGO' is Saturday nights, both mixing local acts with international guests. The Catiff known as Victor frequents this location quite often, and is well known by the staff and patrons. 
Dandelion - Dandelion Bar is a stylish sports bar overlooking St. Stephens Green and just a stone’s throw from Dublin’s celebrated shopping district of Grafton Street. Sports fans can enjoy their favorite sports on our giant 18ft screen or on any of 16 16 strategically located plasma screens so that they won’t miss a single second of the important game – regardless of where they are in the bar at the time! Dandelion Bar is a place to enjoy simple, great quality gourmet bar food; all served with the legendary good humor of one the most hospitable countries in the world.While this is in NO WAY an exhaustive list of nightlife of Dublin, it should represent a fair cross-section of the places the Kindred of this city go to let loose and drive away the ennui that so many succumb to.
Q and A
Just so everyone is aware, we are trying to create a living, constantly evolving game that all of you can enjoy.
Some questions have arisen about various minute, but non the less important, details in regards to rules. So, here are some of the frequently asked questions and the answers to those questions, in no specific order.
Q. How often can we use influence and how often do we get it back?
A. You can use your influence whenever you want, and you can submit influence at any time during the week, but your actual alloted points only refresh once a month, at the first session of the month. We will take your points into consideration when you submit influence expenditures, so specific items of interest may be more or less effective, depending on how you use those points. *Side Note* We typically prefer a more abstract and narrated approach to influence use, and are more receptive to that than the typical "growth" default.
Q. Can I just hop on the phone and call up my influence to get me out of a jam?
A. In a word, no. Influence represents your sway over groups of mortals, not control over institutions. For something like this scenario, you'd need allies, contacts or retainers to get you out of a quick jam.
Q. When do my abilities refresh?
A. Your abilities refresh every session. To clarify, at the beginning of every game session, your abilities will refresh. If you run a side-scene that takes place on a different day than the actual game, your abilities and traits will be fully refreshed, unless the circumstance dictates otherwise. Willpower refreshes at the standard rate.
Q. Do backgrounds cost XP as I gain them? Can I buy backgrounds with XP?
A. If, in the course of the game, you gain new backgrounds or influence, you are not required to purchase them with experience points. These are benifits of being active and exploring your world. That said, you cannot purchase backgrounds after character creation. If you want more contacts, you better get out on the streets and find some.
Q. Lores? How do they work?
A. Lores represent more than just simple working knowledge of a particular concept. They represent actual time learning and studying about the more intimate aspects of that specific concept. Here's how the Vampire Storyteller's Companion breaks down Camarilla Lore: 1. Student: What any member would know if she bothered to ask. 2. College: What most Ventrue know. 3. Masters: What most Nosferatu or Tremere know. 4. Doctorate: What most Princes and Archons know. 5. Scholar: What only the Justicars and Inner Council know.
To put the idea into perspective, Lores should be used as a general guide of crucial knowledge and not a crutch. If you are concerned about Role-playing correctly, use this generalized guide when portraying your character. At the end of the day, challanges involving knowledge about a specific concept will be retested with the appropriate lore.
Q. How much time does it take to learn a Ritual? Do I need influence? Can I make my own ritual?
A. As per the Laws of the Night, when you learn an additional level of a path of Thaumaturgy or Necromancy, you will gain a corresponding ritual of appropriate level. Having said that, there may be case by case restrictions on what rituals are available to the player as he raises his path. There is no concrete answer to this question one way or another. Simply, as you increase your path rating, you will be allowed to take a ritual of equal level for no cost. To take a ritual outside of this context, there will be a requirement of time and influence, but no XP cost. We will set time constraints on an individual basis. Unfortunately, we are not currently allowing players to create rituals or paths. While this may change in the future, there is no forseeable reason to allow this at this time.
Q. That player isn't role-playing his character correctly. What can I do?
A. Unfortunately for some, this is a game of nuance and subtlty. While you may disagree with how a player roleplays, there isn't much you can do besides address the storytellers about your concern. We will take all issues under advisement and deal with it as it comes up. We will NOT tell you about the end result of our interactions. At the end of the day, some people have to just learn to get along or avoid conflicts with people they don't exactly like. As storytellers, we have to be as impartial as possible and come to an amicable conclusion.
Q. I don't like what Nate said, can't I just go to Chance? Vise Versa?
A. Sure, as long as you don't mind being asked not to come back to the game again. We aren't getting paid, and we have enough drama in our own lives. There is no reason that we should have to deal with childish nonsense from grown adults. If Nate says no, take it as gospel. If Chance says no, it's the word of God. The only way this could be overturned, or addressed or debated would be at one of our meetings on Wednesday. We are not in the business of undercutting one another, and evidence showing a player perpetraiting this behavior will be kindly expelled. Any call by a storyteller will stand. If you think it's unfair, feel free to state that opinion to us after the game, and we will adress it. We will not change it. We will explain why we made the call, and that's that.
Q. V20. It's awesome, right?
A. We haven't read it. We're sure it is. We're not using it though.
Q. Can I hide my Thaumaturgy use? I could in every other game.
A. In a word: No. As written in the Laws of the Night: "Thuamaturgy does rely on speaking magical phrases and gestures, and as such, its use is generally noticable." This means no stealth Thaumaturgy. You cannot stand next to someone and use a Thaumaturgy power and tell them they don't notice. Sorry. Nope. Not going to happen.
Some questions have arisen about various minute, but non the less important, details in regards to rules. So, here are some of the frequently asked questions and the answers to those questions, in no specific order.
Q. How often can we use influence and how often do we get it back?
A. You can use your influence whenever you want, and you can submit influence at any time during the week, but your actual alloted points only refresh once a month, at the first session of the month. We will take your points into consideration when you submit influence expenditures, so specific items of interest may be more or less effective, depending on how you use those points. *Side Note* We typically prefer a more abstract and narrated approach to influence use, and are more receptive to that than the typical "growth" default.
Q. Can I just hop on the phone and call up my influence to get me out of a jam?
A. In a word, no. Influence represents your sway over groups of mortals, not control over institutions. For something like this scenario, you'd need allies, contacts or retainers to get you out of a quick jam.
Q. When do my abilities refresh?
A. Your abilities refresh every session. To clarify, at the beginning of every game session, your abilities will refresh. If you run a side-scene that takes place on a different day than the actual game, your abilities and traits will be fully refreshed, unless the circumstance dictates otherwise. Willpower refreshes at the standard rate.
Q. Do backgrounds cost XP as I gain them? Can I buy backgrounds with XP?
A. If, in the course of the game, you gain new backgrounds or influence, you are not required to purchase them with experience points. These are benifits of being active and exploring your world. That said, you cannot purchase backgrounds after character creation. If you want more contacts, you better get out on the streets and find some.
Q. Lores? How do they work?
A. Lores represent more than just simple working knowledge of a particular concept. They represent actual time learning and studying about the more intimate aspects of that specific concept. Here's how the Vampire Storyteller's Companion breaks down Camarilla Lore: 1. Student: What any member would know if she bothered to ask. 2. College: What most Ventrue know. 3. Masters: What most Nosferatu or Tremere know. 4. Doctorate: What most Princes and Archons know. 5. Scholar: What only the Justicars and Inner Council know.
To put the idea into perspective, Lores should be used as a general guide of crucial knowledge and not a crutch. If you are concerned about Role-playing correctly, use this generalized guide when portraying your character. At the end of the day, challanges involving knowledge about a specific concept will be retested with the appropriate lore.
Q. How much time does it take to learn a Ritual? Do I need influence? Can I make my own ritual?
A. As per the Laws of the Night, when you learn an additional level of a path of Thaumaturgy or Necromancy, you will gain a corresponding ritual of appropriate level. Having said that, there may be case by case restrictions on what rituals are available to the player as he raises his path. There is no concrete answer to this question one way or another. Simply, as you increase your path rating, you will be allowed to take a ritual of equal level for no cost. To take a ritual outside of this context, there will be a requirement of time and influence, but no XP cost. We will set time constraints on an individual basis. Unfortunately, we are not currently allowing players to create rituals or paths. While this may change in the future, there is no forseeable reason to allow this at this time.
Q. That player isn't role-playing his character correctly. What can I do?
A. Unfortunately for some, this is a game of nuance and subtlty. While you may disagree with how a player roleplays, there isn't much you can do besides address the storytellers about your concern. We will take all issues under advisement and deal with it as it comes up. We will NOT tell you about the end result of our interactions. At the end of the day, some people have to just learn to get along or avoid conflicts with people they don't exactly like. As storytellers, we have to be as impartial as possible and come to an amicable conclusion.
Q. I don't like what Nate said, can't I just go to Chance? Vise Versa?
A. Sure, as long as you don't mind being asked not to come back to the game again. We aren't getting paid, and we have enough drama in our own lives. There is no reason that we should have to deal with childish nonsense from grown adults. If Nate says no, take it as gospel. If Chance says no, it's the word of God. The only way this could be overturned, or addressed or debated would be at one of our meetings on Wednesday. We are not in the business of undercutting one another, and evidence showing a player perpetraiting this behavior will be kindly expelled. Any call by a storyteller will stand. If you think it's unfair, feel free to state that opinion to us after the game, and we will adress it. We will not change it. We will explain why we made the call, and that's that.
Q. V20. It's awesome, right?
A. We haven't read it. We're sure it is. We're not using it though.
Q. Can I hide my Thaumaturgy use? I could in every other game.
A. In a word: No. As written in the Laws of the Night: "Thuamaturgy does rely on speaking magical phrases and gestures, and as such, its use is generally noticable." This means no stealth Thaumaturgy. You cannot stand next to someone and use a Thaumaturgy power and tell them they don't notice. Sorry. Nope. Not going to happen.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Important Info to Remember.
Ok guys, just wanted to go over a couple of things.
As I stated before, we aren't planning on having any "House Rules". That being stated, it will be important to note that we do have very specific interpretations of some hot-button rules. I want to preface the following with one simple idea: when rules questions or debates pop up (as everyone who's ever played this game KNOWS will happen), we will try to adjudicate these situations as logically and as fairly as possible. We are not in the business of screwing anyone over, nor do we wish to play favorites with any player. We can all hang out on our own time and slap each others backs for how individually awesome we are. When we are running this game though, we are here to tell a story with all of you as the central focus. If it seems silly and illogical to you, we will listen to your issue and try to accommodate your needs. Anyways, let's get down to brass tacks.
1. In many games, the staff will require a storyteller or narrator to be present during combat. We don't personally agree with this concept. We feel that combat should be a last resort when role-playing has failed, and the parties involved should be adult enough to adjudicate the scenario amongst themselves. To that end, as long as the parties involved are satisfied with the outcome, we don't care how you choose to do it. Now, if an issue arises where someone thinks they've been taken advantage of, or perhaps cheated by their fellow player, this issue needs to be addressed immediately. Often times, people will wait hours or days, stewing about their perceived injustice, harboring anger or ill will, perhaps leaving a game because it goes unaddressed. If something like this occurs, remain calm and immediately find a Storyteller. We will hear both sides of the issue and come to a mutually acceptable decision about the scene. If we find that the rules were followed in the scenario in a way both players agreed upon, we will follow the rules of Mind’s Eye Theatre first. It’s very sad when characters die or players lose something they were trying very hard to gain, but it does happen. Try to remain mature about these things.
2. Consistency. We will make ardent strides to remain consistent with our rules and scenes. In many other games, consistency has been a major issue among staff, in regards to how rules are handled. Often times, players will find this to be bothersome and generally distracting from game-play. Our goal is to provide an immersive and challenging environment for players to enjoy, not arguing arbitrary rules and systems. There is nothing more distracting than seeing 6 people off to the side engaging in a debate with storytellers about the difference between two random disciplines. There are acceptable times and places for these debates, but the middle of in-game role-playing is not one of them. We, as storytellers, are going to adjust the rules, at times, to better fit the scenario. If the storyteller makes a call, another storyteller will NOT overturn that. Aside from extenuating circumstances, we will try to remain as close to the agreed-upon rules as possible.
3. Combat. I won’t overly dwell on this particular issue, but I will state, we will be using Dark Epics for our combat system. We do not want to spend a great deal of time involved in the same drawn out, boring, epic combat scenes that most but a few find utterly boring. We may, at times, request that the parties involved try a more cinematic approach, or try to advance the combat at a more rapid pace to forward the scene. If an agreement can be met, we will use this method. If not, we will use a more conservative approach. Some Disciplines allow for additional retests in combat. These retests can be canceled. Only retests from the same category allow for canceling retests. For example: One person with Might can cancel another person’s Might. In addition, that same person with the dodge ability could cancel someone’s dodge ability. He could not use his Might to cancel his opponent’s brawl ability. The only exception is Willpower. Willpower can never be canceled. Order of combat is very simple: At the beginning of the round, the person with the highest trait score in any category (Mental, Social or Physical) declares first. The declarations descend from highest to lowest trait score, keeping in mind that each player can only be targeted by one Mental, Physical or Social challenge per round (Barring Celerity actions. This differs from Dark Epics because, well, it’s Celerity and that particular inclusion seems illogical). Up to 5 combatants can take part in a physical action against one player, and the intended victim must declare a trait in defense of each individual attacker. Celerity rounds, for a mob combat scene, will be considered “separate rounds” for this scenario, and treated the same as the base round for the intent of declaration and defense. It is important to note that DEFENDING IS NOT AN ACTION. All players may defend against an attack and declare an action in the same turn. Thus, you may dodge or “soak” an attack, since your goal is not to be hit or damaged, as well as declare an action as well. With that said, in a non mob combat scene, it is totally appropriate for two characters to agree upon speeding up combat by taking their respective actions at the same time. Instead of the age old “You go, then I go” mentality, the players could both declare their desired outcome and then make the challenge. The winner of the test is the victor, and is the one that does damage or what have you. For example: Falco’s character wants to punch Chris Knuth’s character in the face. Chris, feeling he’s superior in skill opts to also punch Falco’s character. To save time, they’ve agreed to act in unison. Falco bids that he’s brutal enough to punch Chris and Chris declares that he’s Potent enough to smash Falco. They go through the standard tests, and Falco pulls out the victory in the end. Chris’s character would take the damage, while Falco’s character remains unscathed by the flying fist.
4. I almost forgot. In-game vs. Out-of-game. Many people come to game to socialize and talk about all the stuff they did during the week and play catch up with friends. While this is acceptable in most games, or at least mildly frowned upon, we would prefer the OOC chats to take place before 7 or after 11. If you drop character, or have OOC conversations during game, it's very distracting. It ruins people's suspension of disbelief and destroys ambiance. We believe people should be prepared to play their character, dressed in a costume of their choice and indulge in the fantasy we've agreed to create when they arrive to the site. It is your responsibility to stay in-character. As such, if you become disruptive, we may take you aside and inform you that you're being a disruption to the game. Beyond that, we are willing to take more extreme measures if a particular character continues to be disruptive. We understand that some level of OOC conversation is bound to occur, especially in side -scenes or during combat. That is totally acceptable. What is unacceptable is sitting on a side wall, waxing about how stupid your customers are at work. Please reserve those conversations for before 7:00 PM or after 11:00 PM. The storytellers will be happy to listen and even join in.
In the end, we intend to try to keep things as simple as possible. Our goal is to focus on role-playing and not all the negative aspects that games of the past have suffered from. We are more than willing to hear out any opposing viewpoints or constructive criticism. In the end, we don’t care what you as the player decide you want to do; we just want it to make sense. Sometimes, murdering that neonate for accidentally scuffing your shoes, or even calling you a crusty bastard, simply doesn’t make any sense. Think things through, come to an agreement with your fellow gamer, be mature and have fun.
As I stated before, we aren't planning on having any "House Rules". That being stated, it will be important to note that we do have very specific interpretations of some hot-button rules. I want to preface the following with one simple idea: when rules questions or debates pop up (as everyone who's ever played this game KNOWS will happen), we will try to adjudicate these situations as logically and as fairly as possible. We are not in the business of screwing anyone over, nor do we wish to play favorites with any player. We can all hang out on our own time and slap each others backs for how individually awesome we are. When we are running this game though, we are here to tell a story with all of you as the central focus. If it seems silly and illogical to you, we will listen to your issue and try to accommodate your needs. Anyways, let's get down to brass tacks.
1. In many games, the staff will require a storyteller or narrator to be present during combat. We don't personally agree with this concept. We feel that combat should be a last resort when role-playing has failed, and the parties involved should be adult enough to adjudicate the scenario amongst themselves. To that end, as long as the parties involved are satisfied with the outcome, we don't care how you choose to do it. Now, if an issue arises where someone thinks they've been taken advantage of, or perhaps cheated by their fellow player, this issue needs to be addressed immediately. Often times, people will wait hours or days, stewing about their perceived injustice, harboring anger or ill will, perhaps leaving a game because it goes unaddressed. If something like this occurs, remain calm and immediately find a Storyteller. We will hear both sides of the issue and come to a mutually acceptable decision about the scene. If we find that the rules were followed in the scenario in a way both players agreed upon, we will follow the rules of Mind’s Eye Theatre first. It’s very sad when characters die or players lose something they were trying very hard to gain, but it does happen. Try to remain mature about these things.
2. Consistency. We will make ardent strides to remain consistent with our rules and scenes. In many other games, consistency has been a major issue among staff, in regards to how rules are handled. Often times, players will find this to be bothersome and generally distracting from game-play. Our goal is to provide an immersive and challenging environment for players to enjoy, not arguing arbitrary rules and systems. There is nothing more distracting than seeing 6 people off to the side engaging in a debate with storytellers about the difference between two random disciplines. There are acceptable times and places for these debates, but the middle of in-game role-playing is not one of them. We, as storytellers, are going to adjust the rules, at times, to better fit the scenario. If the storyteller makes a call, another storyteller will NOT overturn that. Aside from extenuating circumstances, we will try to remain as close to the agreed-upon rules as possible.
3. Combat. I won’t overly dwell on this particular issue, but I will state, we will be using Dark Epics for our combat system. We do not want to spend a great deal of time involved in the same drawn out, boring, epic combat scenes that most but a few find utterly boring. We may, at times, request that the parties involved try a more cinematic approach, or try to advance the combat at a more rapid pace to forward the scene. If an agreement can be met, we will use this method. If not, we will use a more conservative approach. Some Disciplines allow for additional retests in combat. These retests can be canceled. Only retests from the same category allow for canceling retests. For example: One person with Might can cancel another person’s Might. In addition, that same person with the dodge ability could cancel someone’s dodge ability. He could not use his Might to cancel his opponent’s brawl ability. The only exception is Willpower. Willpower can never be canceled. Order of combat is very simple: At the beginning of the round, the person with the highest trait score in any category (Mental, Social or Physical) declares first. The declarations descend from highest to lowest trait score, keeping in mind that each player can only be targeted by one Mental, Physical or Social challenge per round (Barring Celerity actions. This differs from Dark Epics because, well, it’s Celerity and that particular inclusion seems illogical). Up to 5 combatants can take part in a physical action against one player, and the intended victim must declare a trait in defense of each individual attacker. Celerity rounds, for a mob combat scene, will be considered “separate rounds” for this scenario, and treated the same as the base round for the intent of declaration and defense. It is important to note that DEFENDING IS NOT AN ACTION. All players may defend against an attack and declare an action in the same turn. Thus, you may dodge or “soak” an attack, since your goal is not to be hit or damaged, as well as declare an action as well. With that said, in a non mob combat scene, it is totally appropriate for two characters to agree upon speeding up combat by taking their respective actions at the same time. Instead of the age old “You go, then I go” mentality, the players could both declare their desired outcome and then make the challenge. The winner of the test is the victor, and is the one that does damage or what have you. For example: Falco’s character wants to punch Chris Knuth’s character in the face. Chris, feeling he’s superior in skill opts to also punch Falco’s character. To save time, they’ve agreed to act in unison. Falco bids that he’s brutal enough to punch Chris and Chris declares that he’s Potent enough to smash Falco. They go through the standard tests, and Falco pulls out the victory in the end. Chris’s character would take the damage, while Falco’s character remains unscathed by the flying fist.
4. I almost forgot. In-game vs. Out-of-game. Many people come to game to socialize and talk about all the stuff they did during the week and play catch up with friends. While this is acceptable in most games, or at least mildly frowned upon, we would prefer the OOC chats to take place before 7 or after 11. If you drop character, or have OOC conversations during game, it's very distracting. It ruins people's suspension of disbelief and destroys ambiance. We believe people should be prepared to play their character, dressed in a costume of their choice and indulge in the fantasy we've agreed to create when they arrive to the site. It is your responsibility to stay in-character. As such, if you become disruptive, we may take you aside and inform you that you're being a disruption to the game. Beyond that, we are willing to take more extreme measures if a particular character continues to be disruptive. We understand that some level of OOC conversation is bound to occur, especially in side -scenes or during combat. That is totally acceptable. What is unacceptable is sitting on a side wall, waxing about how stupid your customers are at work. Please reserve those conversations for before 7:00 PM or after 11:00 PM. The storytellers will be happy to listen and even join in.
In the end, we intend to try to keep things as simple as possible. Our goal is to focus on role-playing and not all the negative aspects that games of the past have suffered from. We are more than willing to hear out any opposing viewpoints or constructive criticism. In the end, we don’t care what you as the player decide you want to do; we just want it to make sense. Sometimes, murdering that neonate for accidentally scuffing your shoes, or even calling you a crusty bastard, simply doesn’t make any sense. Think things through, come to an agreement with your fellow gamer, be mature and have fun.
Dublin.
The city of Dublin is one of the brightest and fastest growing cities in Europe. Prosperity and modernization are everywhere you look. In the World of Darkness though, the shadows loom a little bit longer, the nights are a little bit darker, and the scars of war and hardship run a little bit deeper.
The Irish have been fighting against British rule for centuries, and Dublin sits as the center of Irish growth, independence, free thought and is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. In the mortal world, the turmoil against the British culminated with The Easter Rising of 1916, the Irish War of Independence, and the subsequent Irish Civil War. In the world of the Kindred, one individual has been central in defying London’s influence and maintaining unity in Dublin: Prince Donall' O'Connor. Little is known about the Prince’s history before the 1700’s. Those of his coterie rarely discuss how he came to be in Dublin, but it’s well known by the Camarilla in the city that his hatred for England runs deep and crimson. During the 19th and early 20th century, Donall' came to control Dublin as a free state, using both Dublin and Belfast as his personal staging ground against London and Prince Mithras. The turmoil and warfare was generally overt at this time, skating perilously close to shattering the Masquerade. Donall' and his Coterie cared little about the edicts of the Camarilla, claiming that any organization that would support the oppression levied by the Ventrue ancients was just as guilty of treachery against the Irish and Scottish people.
The war continued to rage until late 1921; Dublin was visited by a massive contingent of Archons and at least 2 Justicars. It was then that the ultimatum was levied to the kindred of the city. The Toreador Justicar, Gunther, presented his case to the city, especially Donall', very plainly; either the city join the Camarilla and play the Jihad by the traditions, or Donall' would be red-listed and hunted, along with his coterie. He plainly stated that the Camarilla as a whole had no interest in taking a side in this war, nor did they wish to show partiality towards either region. What he did state was anyone violating the traditions of the Camarilla would be viewed as a hostile threat. Gunther offered Donall' full rights as Prince and accepted him as sole purveyor of the domain. Then, reiterating his point, told Donall' that if he turned down the offer, the Camarilla as a whole would then become his enemy as well. Begrudgingly, he accepted the title.
Since then, Dublin has been a city quite a bit unlike many others. The Prince and his coterie are strongly individualistic, and don’t favor the pomp and circumstance of many other contemporary, traditional Camarilla cities. While they do follow the Traditions of the Camarilla, they are apt to enforce them with their own interpretations. All the positions of the Camarilla are in place, but in a much more casual fashion. Acknowledged kindred are treated more like family and less like subjects in a kingdom. The Brujah Prince has stated that he has a strong distaste for imperialism, and runs his city very similar to the kine politics of the area. Status and standing are important, but not as important as general respect and solidarity.
While Dublin remains peaceful, it is a careful balancing act. In the late 1800’s, an agreement was reached with the sizable lupine population of Ireland. Prince Donall’ and the head of the lupines were able to come to tentative terms of peace, preventing the slaughter of the Vampires of Dublin. Included in this treaty were the conditions that the Vampires do not feed from local Irish kine, and that the Vampire population respect and avoid the ancient burial landmarks in Ireland. Since then, it has been the Prince’s edict that this treaty be followed to the letter. Many foolish Kindred have met their final death after violating these laws.
In addition to this remains the quiet, simmering war against London and now Queen Anne. It is believed that Mithras has taken to Torpor, and his lapdog, Anne, has taken the reigns of his domain. Tonight, the Jihad is played through influence and kine, but can be just as brutal and volatile as any mortal civil war. Things are always just a few heartbeats away from exploding.
You are one of the kindred of Dublin; a city of pride, growth, fierce nationalism and history. You stalk the shadows, trying to fit into a culture that is quickly passing you by. Your beast urges you to give up all your mortal trappings, whispering obscenities into your soul. Will you survive the final nights, and what will be left of you?
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