The Protectorate VSS

BASIC INFORMATION

• Organization: GWB
• Domain: Mid-MO by Night
• Genre: Cross-Genre CofD (all but Hunter: the Vigil)
• VSS Name: The Protectorate
• Co-VSTs: Dawn Gott (GWB2006047642) and Jessica Orsini (GWB2006037576)
• Co-VST email: vst.crossgenre.mmbn@gmail.com
• VSS Publication: 03/06/2017

STYLE OF PLAY

• Physical: 3
• Mental: 3
• Social: 5
• Action: 3
• Character Development: 5
• Darkness: 4
• Drama: 4
• Intrigue: 4
• Manners: 3
• Mystery: 4
• Pacing: 3

Each of the above operates on a scale of 1-5. 1 means that the element in question will rarely be present, 3 meaning it will regularly be present, and 5 meaning it will always be present.

VENUE DESCRIPTION

Mood:

• Change can be terrifying.
• Safety in numbers.

Themes:

• The unknown in the dark
• New vs. Old
• Hell is other people

History and Setting:

The city of Columbia was founded in 1821. Kindred didn’t move into the area until the founding of the University of Missouri in 1839. The Invictus were first, followed by the other covenants. The kindred survived the chaos of the Civil War and reconstruction by a strict adherence to The Traditions, a practice that continues to this night.

Many have held the title of Prince through the years, mostly Invictus. In 1998 the sitting Prince met with final death under very mysterious circumstances. Since then any Kindred claiming Praxis has also died. Some have even tried claiming praxis over other cities in the domain. All have met the same mysterious end. Some have started calling this phenomenon the "Praxis Scourge" or just "The Scourge". As a result the Kindred have moved to a council system led by the heads of the Covenants. Elders left the city in 2013, after the last attempt to claim praxis failed, leaving the ancillae in charge. While the views toward the Scourge vary from covenant to covenant one thing is clear, whoever solves its mystery will be Prince of the City.

Recent History:

In the winter of 2016, "The Scourge" took a turn for the worse. No longer was it limited to declarations of Praxis; now any Kindred in the area who tried to commit an act of violence -- of any sort -- would burst into flame.

Faced with this dire new threat, the handful of Kindred who did not flee picked up on leads left by those who had, and traced the problem to its source: a mortal with mental talents who had been bound somehow to a spirit of fire. Despite the risk, this band of Gangrel took on the threat... and finally, despite grave burns, brought an end to "The Scourge".

Afterward, they started putting together the rudiments of a society again. Other Kindred, hearing of the end of the problem, have begun cautiously returning to the city, making their way to the longstanding Elysium of the Guitar Mansion to introduce themselves. But with an Unaligned Prince, stability has been hard to secure.

But all of this activity, all the turmoil with the final death-throes of The Scourge, alerted the hunters. They arrived well-armed, well-trained, and with what appeared to be government backing. The small court of Columbia was insufficient to deal with the threat. As a last resort, the vampires reached out to other creatures of the night...

...and to their surprise, they responded. Initial discussions were tense, to say the least. But eventually, they agreed that mutual defense was the best option. And a protectorate was formed.

Population:

The Columbia domain is unique, in part because of it’s chaotic history. None of the supernaturals have escaped the upheaval in the region. Unlike its more urban neighbors, Columbia’s Kindred population is a mixed bag of character types. It’s an urban area surrounded by small towns, and farming communities. In between these areas are miles of woods, and farm lands. Because of this, Columbia has earned the reputation of being a frontier town. The Praxis has only recently settled, but the crown never rests easy on an Unaligned head.

The local Forsaken range in type from city wolves to rural, though most live outside of Columbia. The Werewolves have found it difficult to hold packs together under the attacks from the Pure. With the Beshilu experiments recently discovered by two local werewolves, it is known that there is another enemy at the gates. Exactly who or what this enemy wants is still unknown.

The mage Consilium was doing fine, or so the rest of the greater magical community thought. When they attempted to contact them about the strange arsons in the city, they couldn’t reach the members. Several mages traveled to Columbia but found only a few of the former members. The only thing the remaining members had in common was that they all missed a city-wide meeting the month of the arsons.

Travel:

While leaving Columbia to visit the smaller towns in the Domain is not unusual, it is not done lightly. The Kindred instinct to stay close to the food source is a hard one to overcome, but it can be done with a few hours of planning.

Proxy:

Requests for Proxy play must be received by the co-VSTs no later than 48 hours before game. Proxy requests must include a character sheet, a description of the character’s personality, and a statement of preferred actions for a range of events. Proxy play is “hard RP”; it is altogether possible for a character to die in proxy.

Character Creation:

New characters sheets, XP logs, creation logs, and backgrounds should be sent to the VST before they enter play. Editable character sheets are available at http://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com and automated sheets are available on the SPI Wiki. It is the responsibility of the player to send a new, updated character sheet when EXP is spent.

Experience:

Beats are awarded in accordance with the Group Beats system. Exception: Beats awarded for Downtime Actions are on an individual basis.

Downtime Actions:

Downtime Reports are due no later than one week prior to game. Characters can undertake a number of significant Downtime Actions equal to their Resolve.