Sydney Lost VSS
ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
1: Venue Name, Number, Domain Name, Number
East of the Sun, West of the Moon (number to be supplied on approval)
part of the Harbour of Darkness (number TBA)
2: VST & VC Names and membership numbers
VST: Michael McDonald AU2011100002
VST Email: VST.Lost@Sydney.beyondthesunset.org.au
VC: Jason Cebalo AU
VC Email: VC.Lost@Sydney.beyondthesunset.org.au
3: Game Location, Time and Fees
Game is held at 19 Sydney Street, Marrickville.
Game is held on the fourth Saturday of the month, gathering at 6.30 pm for a 7 pm start.
Game cost is $7 per player.
4: Mailing lists, websites and other online resources used
Mailing List OOC: ooc.Sydney@lists.camarilla.org
Mailing List IC: currently there is no IC mailing list for Sydney but one will be set up.
Wiki: http://wiki.beyondthesunset.org.au/index.php?title=Sydney_Lost
GAME INFORMATION
1: Genre
Changeling: The Lost
2: Setting
The game is set in modern Sydney (with the typical World of Darkness twist). Sydney for the Lost is a savage and wild place, full of urban legends, stories of missing people, and things that “go bump in the night”. Beyond this world, the Hedge is a place only entered with caution and preparation, as things are never as they appear and the threat is very real. Changelings have had to fight for Hollow in the Hedge and must constantly ward against danger. There are also some Hedge Gates around that are permanently open (though many of the Lost do not realise this).
The Lost in Sydney have learnt that survival depends on reliance on other changelings but trust of those beyond motley or Court is tenuous at best. Sydney history over the last century is filled with political conflict, discrimination and persecution within changeling society. This has resulted in a large freehold, recently come under the power of the Seasonal Courts after the death of the North and East monarchs, a smaller and separate freehold comprised of changelings of the East Court, and a scattering of separate motleys who have limited dealings with the freeholds.
The primary locations the players will gather aside from the Hedge are the Court commons (each has their own due to the distrust of other Courts and the exact locations of these are only known to those inside the Court), the Freehold commons (The Grand Hall in the north), and The Rose and Briar (Private bar, run by members of the Freehold).
3: Theme(s) & Mood
Uncertainty & Survival: Players will be presented with a world where the single changeling may not be able to survive, but knowing who to trust is difficult. Dangers are present both in and out of the Hedge, and it is difficult to say what will draw the attention of the True Fae. The Lost are never really sure what skills they will need to overcome the challenges that lie ahead of them.
Trauma (and coping): Every changeling is fundamentally broken – as sharp as steel, as brittle as that sugar glass or balsa chair you use to bang someone's head with. Players will be challenged to confront their trauma, be presented with opportunities to heal, or be given more.
Identity: Is the person kidnapped the person who returned? Is the person who returned the person I am now? If I saw my wife in the street would she recognise me, would I recognise her? Where is my fetch? Is the fetch a part of me or is my fetch my enemy?
Political Intrigue & Conflict: Can the Freehold come together under the new leadership of the Seasonal Courts to rely on each other? Everyone has their own agenda. Every court, every motley, every changeling has their own particular demons. Is the newly formed “Eastern Freehold” a threat to the other changelings in Sydney? The directional courts have bled members leaving a few random motleys around – can the players ally with them or are they against them?
Pomp and Circumstance: Now that the Seasonal Courts have been liberated and had power handed over to them by the Directional Courts, everyone must learn a new etiquette and social hierarchy. Players will have a veneer of showmanship, attempting to establish status and importance within the new Freehold landscape.
4. Styles of Play (1 – Never Present, to 5 – Always Present)
Style of Play |
Description |
Rating |
Action |
Combat and Challenges |
2 |
Character |
Development, personal dilemmas and choices |
4 |
Darkness |
PC death or corruption |
3 |
Drama |
Ceremony and grand story |
4 |
Intrigue |
Politics and negotiation |
4 |
Manners |
Social etiquette and peer pressure |
4 |
Mystery |
Enigmas and investigation |
3 |
Pace |
How fast do stories emerge, develop and resolve? |
2 |
5: Preferred character types, and restrictions
The Freehold open to the players this chronicle is run by the Seasonal Courts. The main court make-up is the four seasonal courts, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter; with South and West serving as lesser Courts.
Due to in game history, North is fundamentally weak (almost non existent) and East is represented by another Freehold. Players wishing to play North and East will have to take this into consideration, but will not be refused provided adequate justification is provided.
Representatives of the Sun, Moon, Dusk and Dawn courts will not be refused, but players are advised that these courts are not functioning as political entities in the city.
It is further noted that, due to the underlying tensions no-one will admit to, courtless are advised against, in order to involve players in the political intrigue facets of the game.
Player characters not to have been present in Sydney before 1980, and verbal knowledge from that period will be difficult to get and will need adequate justification. The standard response from any that were present then is “We do not talk about that time”.
6: Location of Venue history information
Wiki: http://wiki.beyondthesunset.org.au/index.php?title=Sydney_Lost_History
7: Transport In/Out Information (threats, methods etc)
Sydney is a metropolitan area made up of dense city surrounded by sprawling suburbs. Beyond the suburbs is rural NSW which is hills, plains and other towns (coastal and inland). As Sydney is a major city, it is accessible by plane (with both a Domestic and International airport located in Sydney south), train (CountryLink and CityRail), a variety of major roads running in from the South, West and North, and also by sea (being a major shipping hub for the NSW coast). Airport security is more strict than it once was, and Customs are picking up many prohibited international shipments both by sea and air.
EXTERNAL FACTORS INFORMATION
1: Experience Awards
Game Attendance: 3 XP
Downtime Report: 2XP
VST discretion for game related matters: 2 XP
VST discretion for other genre matters: 3 XP
No character can earn more than 10 XP in one month, except where noted in the Beyond the Sunset Rules Addendum.
2: Custom Rules
If it isn't in your downtime, it didn't happen!
If you want to be able to justify an XP spend or new equipment or anything that isn't a “soft roleplay” conversation, then you (and/or the player doing it for you) needs to submit a downtime with the event/training/craftwork/activity/etc included. Also, XP spend not submitted in a downtime will generally not be updated on a player's character sheet. Exceptions to this ruling are at the discretion of the VST (and would be for things like last minute pre con changes and stuff like that).
3: Downtime Handling Procedure
Downtime reports to be supplied by the first Saturday of the following month, in accordance with domain guidelines, to syd.reports@gmail.com. Downtime reports submitted after this date may be accepted and awarded XP at the discretion of the VST.
XP expenditures, and maintaining skills do not require a set number of downtime actions. XP expenditures will be approved based only on the justifications given by the player and the VST's professional opinion. Understand that some XP expenditures will required significant character development before being approved.
4: Crossover limitations (Physical, merit-only, information, firewalled/none) and expectations. (NB: all crossover requires both Mid Approval and the approval of the appropriate VST)
As per the corresponding Beyond the Sunset Rules Addendum.
NEW/INTERSTATE PLAYERS
1: Information for New Players (i.e. new to the club)
New Players are encouraged to contact the relevant Venue Story Teller at least three days before game. For contact information please see Administrative Information: Section 2. Information relating to our specific games and White-Wolf’s World of Darkness can be found on the Beyond the Sunset Wiki - http://wiki.beyondthesunset.org.au
2: Information for External Folks (from other Domains)
Character Sheets for character outside of Sydney should be sent to the DST and VST at least one week before a game (where possible). Character sheets for characters outside Australia should be sent through the relevant Story Teller Channels at least two weeks before game in case any conversions need to be made.