Armidale Requiem VSS

Vampire: the Requiem VSS

Venue Style Sheet Vampire: The Requiem - Armidale New South Wales
This guide works in conjunction with the domain style sheet located HERE

The Armidale Requiem Venue is based in and around a greatly altered Armidale. All other towns in the area are considered unchanged, and outside the scope of normal games.

The Requiem venue hosts a single, monthly core Requiem game. All other games are considered supporting games. These include clan, covenant and coterie meetings. These games are mostly considered supplementary to the core game, do not require an ST presence and are limited in the XP awards that may be granted.

Administration Information

Venue Name, Number, Domain, Number
Armidale Requiem, AU-VR06, PTAPAU032

VC/VST Names, Membership Numbers, Contact Information
VST: Joel Gilleland, AU2001100365, vst.requiem.arm@gmail.com
VC: y, AUy, vc.requiem.arm@gmail.com

Game Location, Times And Fees
Education Building, University of New England, Armidale
Time 6:30pm, 1st Saturday each Month
$4 (or $10 for all Armidale's games)

Lead Assistant: TBA
Temporary Narrators: May be appointed for any game when necessary.

Mailing Lists, Websites and Other Online Resources Used
Domain, national and organisational information is posted over: [1]
Requiem IC discussions occur over: [2]
Venue’s dedicated website is: [3]

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	3
Darkness	PC death or corruption	2
Drama	Ceremony and Grand Story	4
Intrigue	Politics and Negotiation	5
Manners	Social etiquette and peer pressure	4
Mystery	Enigmas and investigation	5
Pace	How fast do stories emerge, develop, and resolve?	2

Action - Combat and Challenges - 2

Kindred are immortal, powerful and fragile. The games focus may be political, but there is a demon, a beast inside every vampire waiting to come out at the slightest provocation and wreak havoc. Yet for a being that could live for ever, the question becomes "Why risk eternity for a moment of anger?". For those players with a taste for the combative, there will often be the chance for some rough-housing but it is by no means the games focus.

Character - Development Personal Dilemmas and Choices – 3

For each of you, every game is about your character. The decisions you make, the path you choose will shape not only your character, but the characters around it, and the world around it. Every action or choice has consequences, but similarly have benefits. It’s up to you and your character to make those painstaking decisions. Murder, slavery and even the power to consume a soul are all tools that come naturally to the Kindred, all for the low price of your humanity, and possibly of losing yourself to the beast forever.

Darkness - PC Death or Corruption - 2

Though tough choices are a dominant feature in this game, PC Death and Corruption is actually relatively rare. The death of an adversary should be pretty low on a vampires list of possible methods of prevailing. To murder without cause, without provocation can damage the humanity in kindred. Each kill makes the next a little easier, until one day its second nature, the day after that, the mind is gone, and you are a beast. A dog. A tormented creature with nothing left but to be put to rest by what were once your own kind. Vampires are immortal, and tread carefully, slowly. Death and corruption will occur, but not with any frequency.

Drama - Ceremony and Grand Story - 4

The bread and butter of LARP. Drama is what makes for a cool game. Without drama, the game is cold, mechanical. It’d be like watching The Matrix acted out by a pair of mimes on stage. Sure, a little amusing at first, but it would get old fast. The drama, the speeches, the tension, the suspense and the mystery are all what make a LARP so much fun. There is no other system better equipped to deliver it. You are an immortal, why waste time on petty gestures and grudges when you can arrange a ball (or a betrayal) that could be remembered and talked about for centuries. You can help by helping the flow of the game. If your arch-enemy is in mid-speech, don’t shoot him in the face, let him finish if at all possible. Relent to challenges, narrate a scene between yourselves without lame mechanics and you’ll have more fun.

Intrigue - Politics and Negotiation - 5

The core of Vampire: The Requiem. Polite, courtly vampire society revolves around intrigue. They are few in number, but they have systems, positions, status, boons and entire chains of fealty dedicated to maintaining a delicate political atmosphere. By using politics and negotiation to get their way amongst their own kind, the Kindred allow themselves to forgo violence and chaos in favour of a fake smile and a timely bribe. Keep your friends close, your enemies closer and make them all pay as much as you can get away with. Boons are a key function in most polite kindred society and they all adhere to its laws, save unbound rabble. Playing this game will make it more fun for you, this genre was built with this stuff in mind, give it a chance.

Manners - Social Etiquette and Peer Pressure - 4

If intrigue was a vehicle you’d use to drive through the Requiem, manners would no doubt be the road. Manners pave the way for politics and negotiation to take place. If you’re insulted in court, and you kick and scream and yell and wave your weapons about in the air screaming bloody murder, then, no doubt you’ll be in far more trouble than your adversary. On the other hand, you can politely inform those present that you have taken exception to his comments, and demand satisfaction in the form of boons, blood or more. Manners allow for polite conversation, discourage anger and violence (and frenzied messes) and allow kindred society to function with some degree of civility. Keep this in mind, and take note of the people at games that seem to accomplish the most. They’re always the nice seeming ones.

Mystery - Enigmas and Investigation - 5

Does the Bishop have a shameful vice that can be used to discredit them, does the Invictus Knight have a mortal ward you can exploit to gain leverage over them? There are secrets behind the smiling faces, betrayals that even the Harpy hasn't yet heard, and secrets enough to keep even the most curious Mekhet sated. Plot to overthrow the Prince, or simply try and work out who left that warning in your Lair. Uncovering the whereabouts of that hunter group could easily get you in good graces with the court officials. Mystery is an important part of the World of Darkness. Even Kindred, with the eternity of knowledge and even psychic power do not know even close to everything that inhabits the world they live in. The mystery is what makes the world dark, spooky and terrible. Kindred and mortals winding up on the streets missing their eyes and teeth is one thing, but not knowing if it’s a mad man, or something much darker, perhaps even unnatural takes the game to a new level. Most of my plot will involve a good amount of thinking and resourcefulness on your part.

Pace - How Fast do Stories Emerge, Develop, and Resolve? - 2

For the most part, the plots and stories in this game will range anywhere from 3 months to a year. Many plots will follow on from something your character has done, or instigated. In this game, the things you leave behind will come back to haunt you. If you’re smart and persistent, you may well overcome your problem in a single night.

Being lazy, stubborn, apathetic or stupid will wind up causing you grief. In the game I run, when you ignore plot, it doesn’t just fade away. The powers behind these plots have plans, and you’ll be allowing them to be fulfilled unchallenged. That often ends badly for your characters. On the other hand, there is always something to gain from pursuing plot arcs. Not the least of which is the awesome fun you’ll have along the way. If you attack a plot head on, you’ll draw attention but likely push it in the direction you’re after. If you simply observe, you’ll likely figure a lot out, but the plot will go ahead unhindered until you intervene. Ignored plots will grow to other stages, leaving the court with much bigger issues than originally planned, which will end up even worse for you when they found out your apathy allowed a catastrophe to happen.

Storytelling Mechanics

Damnation City: We will not be using the “Domain” merits from Damnation City. The storytelling team is working to produce an alternative domain/territory tracking system where necessary.

Feeding (MET Requiem p.230): Blood totals are calculated as dictated in the MET Requiem book, supplemented by the Bloody Lands territory system.

Carthian Law: TBA

Humanity Loss: It will happen. Be warned.

Allies, Contacts, Retainers, Staff and Status: These merits are not limited to a single downtime action or single action per game. Players are free to use these merits as often as they wish, but remember that abuse WILL lead to lost dots and hardships for your character. Use common sense when using these items. Use them when you need to, not just because you have them. Remember also what each of these merits represent:

Allies - are friends and associates that you can count on the help you out sometimes. They are not servants, flunkies, minions or yes-men. You must ordinarily ask for them to act on your behalf.

Contacts - collect information and pass it on to you. They are passive, require no roll and need minimal maintenance. Contacts may pass on information they feel is relevant to you without your asking.

Status - is a representation of direct and recognised authority in the chosen organisation. Your character has official special access, rights or control over places, people and resources. A character should be a member of an organisation to have status in it, and is expected to fulfil the requirements of that position.

Retainers - are your personal, loyal servants. They do what you ask them to do. When using and buying retainers consider the appropriate dot value carefully. The dot value of the retainer will count for a LOT more than the stats we put on their sheet. Special retainers granted by special abilities (zombies, homunculi etc) are exempt from this restriction. When purchasing a Retainer, inform the ST of its primary function, and the ST will make calls based on the dot value of the retainer. As a general rule, the dice pool for a retainer will 2 x the dot value of the retainer. So if you purchase a “Gunman” at 1 dot, then the Gunman’s pool will be 2. A bonus of up to +5 or -5 may be applied for situational modifiers, such as tools, weather conditions, etc.

Downtime: As normal, characters receive 2 downtime actions per dot in resolve, per game period. A player may either submit all their actions at once or 50%, reserving the other 50% for acting in response to the VST's response.

Learning out of clan disciplines - requires a number of actions be spent equal to the level of the power being learnt. These actions must be spent by both the student and teacher in downtime. Out of clan Vigor, Celerity and Resilience may be learned without a teacher, but the student must spend actions equal to twice the level of discipline being learned if a teacher is not assisting (as if the character is both student and teacher).[1]

Learning devotions - (including Invictus Oaths) from a teacher requires a number of actions be spent equal to half of the devotions prerequisite dots, rounded up. These actions must also be spent by the teacher. A character learning devotion without a teacher must spend actions equal to the devotions prerequisite dots.[1]

Rituals - of levels 1-3 cost one action by both student and teacher. Level 4 & 5 rituals cost 2 actions from both student and teacher. A character trying to acquire a ritual without a teacher must spend actions equal to twice the rituals level.

Coils - require a number of actions to learn/teach equal to the new level being purchased for the student (for both teacher and student). As with other powers, a character developing this power on their own must spend a number of actions equal to twice the new level being purchased.

A downtime action may be spent for additional feeding on in the territories you have access to OR to feed in someone else's territory; the exact amount will depend on the territory used at the time.

• Surprise: When testing for surprise, the surprised character(s) will get a penalty to the draw equal to the surpriser’s successes on an appropriate draw, usually Dexterity + Stealth + Obfuscate (if applicable).

Eminence and Ascendance (MET Requiem p.290): Will be decided and only changed on a monthly basis. On the date of the game each month the total status of characters that attended the games in the prior month will be calculated. The resulting eminence and ascendance from this calculation will apply for the entirety of that month.

Invictus Oaths (Invictus p.182): See the addenda for details.

Note that a character that swears many oaths, without the Resolve (DT Actions) to fulfil them will likely find himself in a lot of trouble as he or she is unable to fulfil their oaths (and suffer the subsequent consequences). A character will not be subject to the above penalties if the character is rendered unable to perform the actions required against his/her will.

Haven Merits: Will have more appropriate, game affecting statistics. Havens are important, if not ESSENTIAL to a vampire’s existence. Other creatures have the luxury of staying where they like. When you’re a vampire during the day, you are comatose, will likely not wake up and the slightest pinprick of sunlight has the potential to destroy you completely. As a note, the merits Temple and Haven are completely interchangeable and are identical all respects. To gain the additional benefits listed below, a haven must be written up to the satisfaction of the storytelling team.

Location: Will give you a bonus to your blood supply. The merit itself represents easy feeding around the haven. It represents the ease with which your character can feed in downtime. It represents convenience. This does not apply to random feeding scenes at games. A character can only benefit from one haven location at a time. You can’t simultaneously feed from 3 locations. This bonus, however, can apply to multiple characters staying in one haven.

Security: Will provide the usual benefits as per the requiem book. In addition, however, each dot in haven security will represent one obstacle that must be overcome by potential intruders. Alternately, the merit can represent the security systems listed in the Armory book (p.179). The dots in Security must equal or exceed the resources dots needed to ordinarily buy these security systems. Your haven write-up must include potential draws for overcoming each obstacle your security represents.

Size: Will determine exactly how much space is covered by your other haven dots. It is by far the most underestimated of the haven class of merits. Haven size need not necessarily represent the actual size of your haven. For example, a character may own and sleep in a large sprawling country estate. At haven size 1, this estate has only a single room that the resident can count on to keep the light out and intruders at bay. At size 5, the entire estate is rigged with security systems and the resident(s) can find a place to bunker down within moments so long as they are anywhere on the grounds, even out in some field. It’s a big difference. As a note, a haven with zero size is effectively a character getting all his sunny protection from a coffin or box. If that gets taken away, you’d better have a contingency or some pretty darned exceptional sunscreen.

Library: The Temple: Library merit may be purchased as Haven: Library for any character, regardless of covenant, at low approval. Note, however that those not in the Circle of the Crone will need to provide much stronger justification as to why they have such an extensive, and genuine, library on the occult and how they attained it.

Frenzy (MET Requiem p.253): Terrible and feared destroyer of countless requiems throughout the ages. Frenzy sucks. The beast is a vampire’s greatest adversary. It is simultaneously terrifying and exhausting. The beast is indiscriminate and brutal. A few clarifications on frenzy and the way it rolls in the Saturnalia venue.

Bringing someone out: If you enter frenzy, it takes a lot to bring you out again. Gone will be the days of touching your mate on the shoulder and saying “Come on mate, settle down” to bring him out of frenzy. If you want to bring him out, you need to arc up you need to yell and plea, you must grab their attention with everything you have and demand or beg them to stop. Anything less will fall on deaf ears and will not even warrant a card draw. You need to accumulate a number of successes on your “bring out of frenzy” draw as the frenzied character needed to resist the frenzy in the first place. If they’re really angry, it takes a lot to calm them down. After performing this action you have the targets attention and for better or worse, you are his new target/meal if he’s still in frenzy.

Willpower: Once in frenzy, you can spend willpower to control your actions for one turn a piece. You can spend as much of this as you wish, but unless something drastic changes, you WILL still frenzy. Don’t take the lame route and act normal during this time. You’re effectively struggling to contain the equivalent of a demonic possession.

Successes to resist: Read the book. If you get hit, you need to accumulate 5 successes to avoid that frenzy. After the first draw, you resist frenzy for a number of turns equal to that draws successes. You draw the next card at the end of those turns. This continues, until you total the 5 successes or fail a draw. If you don’t spend the action, you frenzy. If you fail a draw, you frenzy. A draw to resist frenzy is reflexive.

Rage Frenzy: When in anger frenzy the character attacks indiscriminately. If you’re there, you’re in danger. When in anger frenzy, your character will spend blood, willpower and whatever else he can to cause as much damage as possible with no regard to the consequences. This includes the use of physical disciplines (including protean) and abilities. A frenzied character will not use any weapon more complicated than a thrown piece of furniture.

Hunger Frenzy: Your character will feed from anything it can. He will use as little vitae as possible to sate his thirst as quickly as possible. Note that a character with a blood potency of 7 or higher cannot feed from mortals, so any hunger frenzy they enter will target kindred specifically. Don’t be in the room when this happens.

Fear Frenzy: You will flee as fast as possible, as far as possible. Not stopping, not slowing. Any powers that might assist with such as escape are used constantly until the frenzy is over. Even once the source of the frenzy is long gone. Your character will spend blood, willpower and whatever else he can to get as far away as possible with no regard to the consequences. This includes the use of physical disciplines and other abilities.

Excluding hunger Frenzy, the beast will cause your frenzied character to always use as much blood, willpower and disciplines as possible to achieve its ends.

These frenzy guidelines may seem harsh, but that’s the way it works. If you frenzy, chances are you’ll be drained of blood by the end. Hunger means that someone else likely is. Frenzy is the reason vampire society is so polite and political. Consider this before assaulting your enemy, he may frenzy, and hit you, then you’ll frenzy and so will your blood-bound childe and anyone else that gets involved. Once it’s all over, the blood and ashes are cleaned up, and the fingers will be pointing at you.

Character Creation

Characters of advanced age will generally not be considered. The Requiem Genre is one based on a younger age group than other types of Vampire settings.

a. Existed before 1900AD: Winner!
b. Existed before 1800AD: With good justification, yup, I’ll approve them.
c. Existed before 1600AD: Not likely.

The reasoning is that I want the majority of PCs to come from the "Modern History" eras. The Requiem books focus on younger vampires, and that's how I want the game to feel. I want older vampires to mean a lot. I want them to be scary by virtue of just their age, not the MC the player behind the PC has. I'd like to see a younger character age average than we have had in the previous chronicle. That’s how the setting is written, and the age brackets above are there to drive that home.

To give an idea of what I consider "Modern History". Not being a History professor, I’m no expert. I doubt many of us are. I want most PCs from category A with a few at B, and one or two rare exceptions at C.

Also, a basic list of character creation questions i'd like submitted with each character application: here. They aren't necessary, but they are helpful.

Secondary Characters

As a general rule, secondary characters will not be permitted on the Armidale Requiem VSS. Why? For purely selfish reasons,

1) I will be delivering Covenant Plot, Clan Plot, Background Plot and Meta plot, if I'm working to give your characters a real input into the world I don't want it diluted over multiple characters and increase the workload and risk of knowledge overflow.

2) There should be no such thing as a disposable character (unless it's an NPC), using secondary characters encourages throw away concepts and discourages investment in the game. Every entity (unless created to be suicidal) should struggle to survive, if not to win, Vampires that act contrary to that lack substance and believability.

Proxy Rules

Please ensure you get you proxies to me at least 1 week before the game. Make sure you include travel instructions (Including defined Merit use).

All proxy statements must include the declaration: “I have attached my character sheet with complete experience point log and item listing, both of which are a true and accurate record of the character. I understand that in requesting this proxy, I am handing control of my character to another Member to portray as if it were his or her own character, and as such the risks inherent with a character attending a normal session may be faced, up to and including death."

Consider your proxy carefully, and please give as much time as possible before the proxy date. Triple check the following:

You MUST find a live body (preferably someone that can do it justice) to portray your character in game. The VST has enough imaginary friends and does NOT need more.

Make sure your travel arrangements are sound and safe, consider the distance you need to travel and the time it takes to organise plane flights etc. Make arrangements for you PCs accommodation. Note what you bring with you, and how (weapons, retainers, vehicles, luggage)

Travel

Air Travel:

Flights originating from outside Armidale will ordinarily land at Morningstar Field Airport. There is however a small private airport shared by Sumarez and Moore Park

Road Travel:

With multiple roads and approaches into and out of Armidale, road is the travel method of choice for those wishing to be more circumspect. Even so, roads do leave some predictability in travel, and it is not completely unheard of for the occupants of a lone car to vanish without trace once it leaves the comforting lights of the city.

Rail Travel:

The All-Stops, Sydney to Brisbane train, does overnight in Armidale. However there is also a non-stop express.

Experience Awards

Potential XP each month are as follows: (Max 8/Month).

Attendance XP: (Max 5/ Game)
Core Game (Armidale Court): 3 XP
Mention during "Circle of Love": +1 XP This is usually due to Exceptional Costuming, RP, or Contribution
Winner (most mentions) "Circle of Love": A further +1 XP

First Two Games Played (New Players): 1XP.

Between Game XP: All at ST discretion. (Max 3/Month Total)
Support Game Attendance (Scheduled Scenes, RTRs, etc): (Max 1/Game)
Character Detailed Downtime/Game Summary/Live Journal Entry: 1XP (Max 2/Month)
Special Character Write-up/Story/Plot/IC Media Release: 1xp (Max 3/Month)

Draft Sydney Reset History

A draft history of the Sydney post reset Requiem venue can be found here: Sydney Requiem Reset History

Last Updated 13 February 2013