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Brisbane 2017 Chronicles of Darkness: Take Back the Night
Brisbane, the city of the spike, is thriving metropolis of chrome and steel. A giant monolith stretching from the Gold Coast in the south to Caboolture in the north and encompassing all of Ipswich. A sprawling energized metropolis fuelled by the hopes and dreams of the ten million people the live in the shadows of the glittering skyscrapers. Always looking forward, never backward.
Organised! Efficient! Industrial!
Those were the slogans that put Brisbane on the map in the 70’s and continue today. A sprawling, well organised industrial capital city designed and built on crushed dreams and held together with bands of commerce flowing from industry. Designated business hubs serviced by efficient public transport to nearby high density housing alongside old growth forest and protected green and sacred spaces, and pulsing entertainment precincts revitalize the population and add a shimmer to the chrome and steel. It’s an industrial city that has not lost touch with her soul.
Big Brother is watching
Yet beneath the glitz and the perceived powerhouse capital lies another city, one of iron control, and fear. Starting in the 70’s the city embraced an era of ‘reconstruction’ under progressive governments, the shattering of dreams, the crushing of hope, and the building of the bright new future. Three decades of ‘restructuring’ under various governments always towards an Organised, Efficient, Industrial city has seen Brisbane become a stratified city. There are designated social zones and their immediate area of employment that contain all but the most determined. Swaths of defined zones struggle for funding for maintenance beyond the bare minimum, while others fight against rezoning. Amid this are still large swaths of land zones ‘for future development’ that are the battleground for industrialists, environmentalists, entertainment and real estate alike. The city is layered socially, bound with red tape of zoning and transport. An efficient police force keeps the peace with swift brutality, and everyone knows that Big Brother is always watching- and that someone is watching Big Brother. People disappear, just don’t think too hard about it. Ask too many of the wrong questions and suddenly you don’t have a job and rent is due. Then you are on the unemployment queue, then shortly on a train or a flight to a new job in an internet black spot- or worse, a mining job on a 12 month contract somewhere. If you like your comfortable apartment and a normal life, don’t ask too many questions or dig too deep.
Fear of the Dark
It is an unspoken acceptance that below the façade of iron control lies fear. Fear of the dark. Fear of what came before. Fear of what cannot be contained by zoning, or by population, or by designated zones. Beneath the zoning of “green zones” for environmental protection, heritage and sacred spaces, lies the fear of the unknown- permeating everything and lying like an ignored splinter in the mind. For the most part it is contained by the structures, zones, roads and social control that fill the city… for now. Perhaps this explains the sudden surge in construction throughout the region? One Tree Hill, Boggo Road Jail, the Mayne heritage, Mt Gravatt, and the Place of the Echidna are among many places that have been zoned as ‘sacred sites’ or ‘areas of historical importance’ and then studiously avoided by a population that feels the connection to the unseen, but fears it. Time will tell what truly lurks within these places of power.
Vampire Specific:
Tall Poppy Syndrome: Brisbane defines it, Brisbane embodies it.
Bad things happen in Brisbane. The higher the mountain you climb, the harder the wind blows. Searching through the scattered annals of kindred who have visited Brisbane comes the disturbing pattern that few care to think about, blinded as most seem to be by the promise of the glittering tomorrow. Brisbane has hosted three powerful courts, each more powerful than the last, each built from the ashes of the previous one. Will history repeat itself?
First Court of the Invictus 1860-1899
The First Court of Brisbane under the ancient Lord Orion (a revered elder) fought a bloody turf battle through the 1890’s across the field of politics, power struggles, unions, black markets and smuggling rings before succumbing to the younger, more energised Acolytes. Almost none remain who remember these days and records are scant.
Second ‘court’ of the Acolytes 1900-1959
The Second ‘court’ of the Acolytes, predominantly younger blood who eschewed the established western power structure, hunted down the ‘elders’- the more established kindred- until none contested their power and ferocity. Under Prince William, age was a liability, traditional structure was a crutch, pompous titles of pointless functions were a hindrance, desire to grasp the future was all that counted then. For nearly five decades the Acolytes ruled uncontested with savage brutality and instilled the ingrained fear of the night into the city itself. Indeed few mortals wish to dwell on the past, so mired is it in fear, and some say it is what paved the way for the city to become what it is today: A city refusing to look back, always looking forward for fear of the past. The Acolytes grew in number and power, and their presence stained forever the night with a fear that stays to this day.
Then in 1959 came the owls. Few at first, but potent and terrifying, they emerged from the temple at Mt. Coot-Tha having twisted and fed upon the strongest… the court began to tear itself apart as kindred turned upon kindred. ‘The Torment’ was the foremost Owl, who delighted in twisting kindred against each other, and for a decade the kindred fought a losing battle against an ever growing Parliament of Owls. The battle between the vampires and ‘The Torment’ spilled slowly into the mortal world, already rife with half a century of fear of the monsters in the dark.
Into this disaster came Mahyar al-Sahand- a young Mekhet who was a Middle Eastern priest of the Lancea Sanctum, and who brought with him the weapons to fight the Owls. With his teachings the priests of the Lancea Sanctum were able to repel the owls. But it was not enough. The Owls were too many. Inexplicably in 1969 the Owls vanished along with the most powerful of the Lancea Sanctum and almost all the mekhet, leaving behind a city ruined by fear. Almost all the powerful kindred were dead or in torpor and the mortal world was ever more terrified of the dark. Even to this day few dare to go near Mt. Coot-Tha, for malevolence still hangs there like an acrid stench and the Sanctified feel their power drain away most unnaturally.
Third Court of the Invictus – 1969- 2010
Out of the ashes of the Acolyte court of Prince William rose a vibrant young survivor named Christopher, who cobbled together an alliance and dragged the Invictus to power- but not without influencing and being influenced by the city. Fear set in, there was something out there and the kindred of the Third Invictus Court vowed never to be caught unprepared. With a tentative agreement from the other supernatural beings, the city moved forward towards a bright new tomorrow and never looked back. The Brisbane Plan, that set the path for the city ever since, was part supernatural agreement, part industrial development, part social control, part preservation act. Was it the kindred, or other supernaturals, or the mortals who desperately sought the safety of predictability and mundane banality? No-one knows but it forever shaped the city.
For four decades the Third Court under Prince Christopher grew, as did the city; slowly at first, then faster after the dreams and hopes of all others had been crushed. Then Prince Christopher, barely in his 90th year, was replaced in a bloodless coup in 2000 by his sire, and once again the city prospered under firm leadership. However in Brisbane success and age in office seems to bring complacency and the court grew in power and decadence. In 2010 at the heights of power and decadence came the first slivers of doubt- had the court grown too proud? Too powerful? Too complacent? Few asked, and even fewer listened. Fewer prepared. It was not enough. A rebellion tore the court apart, Kindred fought Kindred, and in the wake Vernon Sawyer wrested power from the ashes of Prince Catherine. With the assistance of Jonas Lang and Varouna Ratti he reformatted the government into a Parliament, and held power for a few months before supernatural news from the city went inexplicably dark. No Kindred have left the city since, and those that enter are not seen or heard from again.
Themes:
Paranoia: Big Brother is watching. Always watching. People disappear. Bad things happen to people and kindred and supernatural alike that seldom have a palatable reason.
Fear: A better tomorrow (don’t think about the past). The city is focused on the future, building a brighter future, and few wish to dwell on the past. It is an aversion that none can u0-876nderstand. In the past there was uncertainty, terrible crime, rampant corruption. Now there is the fear to returning to the past, of losing the protective insulating structure that keeps out the
Turf War: The city zoning creates areas that are more desirable than others, designated high density housing offers different opportunity to 24/7 industrial zones, and protected sacred spaces.
Social Control: The city zoning creates control, a vigilant police force keeps crime down but also regulates entertainment, transport charges to the closest business hub are minimal travelling further is exponentially more expensive. The majority of housing serves one industry hub and population does not flow freely. And of course, everywhere, Big Brother is watching, it’s so ingrained that people accept it as normal.
Practical Considerations:
- 1. No kindred (or other supernaturals) have lived in Brisbane for the past 6 years so there are no established super naturals in the area (that anyone is aware of).
- 2. Any supernatural that visited the city longer than a month after 2010 has disappeared.
- 3. There are very very very few surviving supernaturals in the city at the start (this can change)
- 4. Survivors from Brisbane are exceedingly rare (1-2) and subject to VST approval.
- 5. Tall poppy syndrome is explicitly manifest: the older, the more unique, the more powerful, the more influential you are; the wind blows harder at the top of the mountain. Prepare for lots of challenging plot and play. If you dont like big scary plot, dont draw it's attention.
- 6. Mortals/companies/holdings can start at a max tier 2 at creation. There are too many other established companies to 'start' at a higher rating.
- 7. There are areas/items mentioned that specifically favour or hinder some clans/covenants, discovering them is part of the fun.
- 8. There is something big and bad out here, or maybe it’s the city itself is hostile.
- 9. There will be a limited amount of Elders in the game at the start, 1:10 ration. Elders do not risk their unlives, thats what minions are for. Elders will be expected to actively create and drive plot.
- 10 Plot Stick: This will apply to all elders, bloodlines, anyone unique or different. The city will lovingly craft a place for you and shunt you to the Tall Poppy Syndrome category. So careful payers only as this is a high risk area of play.
| Tier | Company | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | ISU Foundation | Charitable foundation : Medical |
| 5 | Nickle Qld | Mining |
| 5 | Allied Construction | Infrastructure builders |
| 5 | Melson & Nurdoch | Legal Vultures |
| 4 | MineTech | Mining software and support |
| 4 | MineTech | Mining software and support |
| Tier | Crime Organisation | Description Tier |
|---|---|---|
| 5,4, | None | |
| 3 | Ivory Lotus Triad | Triad gang that deals mostly in prostitution and heroin. |
| 1 | Dogs of War Gang | Bikie Gang based on the southern end of the Gold Coast, dealing mostly in drugs and small arms. |
| 1 | Mafia |
| -Tier | Police Divisions | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Internal Investigations | DST Only |
| 5 | Crime Command | Everything crime related, forensics, dog squad, etc |
| 5 | Ethical Standards | Everything relating to internal organisation. |
| 5 | Road Command | Everything Transport |
| 5 | SERT | DST Only |
| 5 | Commands: Northern, Metro, South, Eastern, Western | All commands (except Internal investigations/SERT) for one of the city divisions. |
| -Tier | Prominent Mortals | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Mayor/ Premier etc | DST Controlled |
| 4 | Mr Nugent | Industrialist CEO of Mining QLD |
| 4 | Deputy Mayor Mayne | Deputy Mayor |
| 4 | Garry Vandergast | Councillor for Transport |
Documented Progress
- Items: Designated Person Stage
- 1. DSS DST with input from Requiem/Mage/Changeling
- 2. VSS Aaron Review
- 3. World Building/ Brain storming Jag to document, Input from membership First Draft 1/7/2016
- 4. City Background Jag to create based on brainstorm sessions, Aaron to review. First Draft 1/10/2016
- 5. City Background 2 Jag to created for revieve Second Draft 21/10/2016
- 6. Chronicle History Once VSS and background history is sorted. First Draft,
- 7. DSS – Zoning DST w/ Input
- 8. DSS- Sacred Spaces
- 9. DSS- Mortals Tier 4 & 5 companies, Tier 4 & 5 Mortals VST’s to have input into what antagonists they want set up as background. :DST ?
- 10. DSS – Mortal Groups/Antagonists/ Crime / Unions/ Industry VST’s to have input into what antagonists they want set up as background. DST ?
- 11. DSS- Supernatural Overlay Hedge, Astral, anything else? Mage/Changeling
- 12. VSS – Necropolis Aaron to overview, but this can be built by PC’s as they explore the city. VST Requiem once we have Nos
- 13. Intro Plot Aaron – Split city into groups
Still Required:
- 1. Stratified city into social zones however with scope for Social and Industrial struggle of zones of development for people to capitalize on. Zoning to be done by DST in concert with other Genres.
- 2. Organised Industrial City. Big Brother is watching you, and someone is watching Big Brother.
- 3. Organised and brutally efficient Police force with only a smattering of organised crime.
- 4. Current Physical locations eg One Tree Hill, Boggo Road Jail, Dreamtime sacred places that tie in with past history and reveal an interesting aspect of Brisbane that will impact on the game.
- 5. Well defined mortal lay out of city viz Tier 5 companies, Tier 4, Big Mortal Names
- 6. Defined status groups with flavour text for who they are and what the do, same with names NPCS and the unwashed masses. (ripped off blatantly from Perth )
- 7. Defined places of importance/Ongoing Effects: Mystical/sacred to each group, and to groups longs past.
- 8. Supernatural Brisbane: Defined Threats/Obstacles Well defined cross genre history (up to the bit when everyone suddenly dies/disappears)
- 9. Well documented Hedge/Necropolis/Supernal overlay to city
- 10. Shared City Background: Secret plot to be unravelled as the chronicle continues. Same plot for Changeling/Mage but with different alternatives. Plot can be ignored by anyone who is uninterested by the