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Everything World of Darkness Ever - Vampire: Blood Dawn
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<blockquote data-quote="KirayaTiDrekan" data-source="post: 6471058" data-attributes="member: 6755061"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Vampires: A Primer</strong></p><p></p><p><em>OOC: The following are the basics of what you've learned about being a vampire, about your individual clans, and, most importantly, the Traditions. For those who know the game, this is old hat, but, it is presented from the perspective of your character's mentors so...</em></p><p></p><p><strong>The Basics</strong></p><p></p><p>You are immortal - you do not age, you are immune to mortal diseases, and you can use blood to heal most wounds almost instantly. Only fire, sunlight, and the claws and teeth of other vampires and other supernatural creatures can do lasting harm.</p><p></p><p>Blood is life - Drinking blood sustains you, allows you to heal and boost your physical attributes, and powers your Disciplines. Without blood, you will descend into a mindless frenzy in order to get it. If you somehow cannot feed you will enter a death-like sleep known as Torpor.</p><p></p><p>Superstitions are just that, for the most part - Garlic and running water doesn't affect you, and holy symbols and water only work if the wielder has true faith (a rare thing in these modern nights). A wooden stake through the heart will not kill you, but it will immobilize you, so be careful.</p><p></p><p><strong>Factions</strong></p><p></p><p>Chicago is firmly in the hands of the Camarilla, a very loose organization of kindred that promote the Traditions and enforce the Masquerade, believing that vampires must remain hidden, lest the inquisition be repeated to greater effect.</p><p></p><p>The Sabbat are spoken of by the Camarilla as near-literal demons, rampaging gangs of vampires who disregard the Traditions and just barely pay attention to the Masquerade, generally covering their tracks by killing all the witnesses. </p><p></p><p>Anarchs are usually younger vampires, idealists who feel that the middle ages inspired system of governance Camarilla vampires use is horribly outdated. Most Anarchs seek a more democratic and/or egalitarian system, though some are just in it for the violence.</p><p></p><p>There are also several independent clans that belong to no faction.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Jyhad</strong></p><p></p><p>Despite the loose alliance that is the Camarilla, most vampires are solitary predators. The Jyhad is an ancient, ongoing shadow-hidden game of one-upsmanship and prestation, manipulation and deceit. Mortal institutions, governments, religions, and corporations are the pawns as the kindred maneuver to secure power for themselves. Those who do not play the game inevitably end up becoming pawns in it.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>The Traditions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The First Tradition: The Masquerade</p> <p style="text-align: center">Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood.</p> <p style="text-align: center">Doing such shall renounce they claims of Blood.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The Second Tradition: The Domain</p> <p style="text-align: center">Thy domain is thine own concern.</p> <p style="text-align: center">All others owe thee respect while in it.</p> <p style="text-align: center">None may challenge thy word while in thy domain.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The Third Tradition: The Progeny</p> <p style="text-align: center">Thou shall only Sire another with the permission of thine Elder.</p> <p style="text-align: center">If thou createst another without thine Elder's leave, both thou and thy Progeny shall be slain.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The Fourth Tradition: The Accounting</p> <p style="text-align: center">Those thou create are thine own children.</p> <p style="text-align: center">Until thy progeny shall be released, thou shall command them in all things.</p> <p style="text-align: center">Their sins are thine to endure.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The Fifth Tradition: Hospitality</p> <p style="text-align: center">Honor one another's domain.</p> <p style="text-align: center">When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shall present thyself to the one who ruleth there.</p> <p style="text-align: center">Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">The Sixth Tradition: Destruction</p> <p style="text-align: center">Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind.</p> <p style="text-align: center">The right of destruction belongeth only to thine Elder.</p> <p style="text-align: center">Only the Eldest among thee shall call the Blood Hunt.</p><p></p><p><strong>Myths and Legends</strong></p><p></p><p>According to legend, the first Vampire was the biblical Caine, punished with eternal life for the murder of his brother. The third generation of vampires are generally acknowledged as the founders of the various vampire clans and are generally referred to as Antediluvians. </p><p></p><p>Some elder vampires whisper of Golconda, a state of being where-in the vampire's bloodlust, the Beast, is tamed. This transcendent state is scoffed at by most as an impossible dream.</p><p></p><p>Gehenna...the end of the kindred, when the antediluvians will rise up and consume their childer in an orgy of fire and blood. Most believe this too is a myth, though a few secretly believe that Gehenna is upon us already.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Clans</strong></p><p></p><p>Rhett learns of the ways of the Gangrel from Clara and Chloe - the Gangrel are barely members of the Camarilla, preferring the wilderness to the cities other clans favor. Chicago's Gangrel are led by Inyanga, though there is also a semi-independent motorcyle gang of Gangrel calling themselves The Wolf Pack that roam the Great Lakes region led by Tyrus. Chloe and Clara were once members of the gang but entered the service of the Ventrue, Capone, when they grew bored with Tyrus and his antics. According to the two women, Tyrus has contacts among both the sabbat and the werewolves and may have been responsible for inciting the werewolf attack on the city's vampires in 1993.</p><p></p><p>Rosanna learns mostly from Kathy and Annabelle about the Toreador - The Toreador have a weakness for art and beauty and can become enthralled by moments of beauty, whether a painting, patterns of light through the trees, or the beauty of a mortal. Annabelle is aloof and, according to Kathy, has become a bit paranoid recently, with the disappearance of her sire, Maria. Annabelle is secretly an ally of Modius, the Prince of Gary, Indiana. Though generally ignored by Lodin, Chicago's Prince forced Modius to swear fealty to him many years ago and Modius chafes at this constantly. Annabelle throws regular parties, which all Toreador in the city are expected to attend. Kathy manages to beg out most of the time, citing her responsibilities to Baby Chorus. </p><p></p><p>Li and DuSable have become inseparable as the older vampire seems to consider Li a true protege, something Marshall never was - There are only a few Tremere in Chicago, led by Nicolai, DuSable's sire, who was embraced when he was only 10 mortal years old, in the 1300s. Though Nicolai leads the Tremere, DuSable generally acts as the Clan's spokesman as many don't take Nicolai seriously due to his child-like appearance, despite his great age and experience. Besides Nicolai, DuSable, Marshall (who spends most of his time with Baby Chorus and is a severe disappointment to DuSable) and Li, himself, there is only one other Tremere in Chicago - Erichtho. According to DuSable, Nicolai embraced her during the 1800s out of a misguided belief that he was in love with her, having never experienced romantic love. She has always been fiercely independent and is a wild card, not adhering to the structures and rituals of the Tremere.</p><p></p><p>Ira learns much about the Ventrue both from Kevin and his own investigations; Angelina must rely on her stolen memories for the most part, though she does slowly manage to meet others of her clan one or two at a time as she prepares to reveal her existence to the Prince - Lodin has maintained a fierce grip on Chicago for decades, first coming to power in 1871, during the infamous Devil's Night fires. He has faced threats from anarchs led by the caitiff known as Maldavis; from the Toreador Prince of Gary, Modius; and from roaming packs of werewolves from Canada and defeated them all. His main means of maintaining power are through his numerous childer. Thomas Hinds was Lodin's first childe and was pivotal in gaining Lodin control of Chicago's mortal political leaders; however Hinds has recently turned rogue, joining the Anarchs, much to Lodin's fury. Edgar Drummond is loyal...and obsolete; he was instrumental in spreading Lodin's influence via his connections to the railroad as tracks were being laid across the country; now Drummond rots away with his railways, unable to adapt to a world of instant communication and air travel. Horatio Ballard holds sway over Chicago's banks and financial power, making him one of the most powerful vampires in the city; he is also the most disgusting - obese as a mortal, Ballard has managed to retain the ability to eat mortal food and he does so with great enthusiasm and excess. Al Capone, one of the most infamous gangsters in life, still influences the city's mafia after his death and rise as a vampire; it is no secret that Capone harbors a seething hatred for Ballard, though he dares not act against him directly...although recently Capone's demeanor has changed; the ruthless gangster has gone soft according to rumor and the word Golconda has crept in to conversations about him. Edward Neally was an up and coming political maverick in the 1890s until scandals caused a fall from grace; Lodin embraced Neally and molded him in to the perfect servant; Neally is now Lodin's right hand, managing clan affairs in the city while Lodin focuses on his duties as Prince. Jacob Schumpeter was embraced to give Lodin a more modern perspective on the financial world, meant to replace Ballard; Schumpeter is instead a disgrace and embarrassment, one Lodin would like to be rid of. Kevin Jackson was embraced to give Lodin influence among the rising gangs of the modern nights; one thing Lodin cannot overcome however, is his racism; Jackson knows this and is biding his time, quietly spreading his own influence. Joseph Peterson is Lodin's toady in the world of the media; Peterson uses his influence as a former journalist to quietly bury any news that might endanger the Masquerade. Bobby Weatherbottom is a recent addition to Lodin's brood, a teenage computer genius and hacker, embraced because Lodin and most of the other older vampires in the city cannot even begin to fathom concepts like the internet; unfortunately for Lodin, Bobby's embrace was the last straw for the other clans who had long felt that Lodin's creation of childer had gotten out of control; they threw in their support for an Anarch uprising and Lodin, in turn, had to call in favors from them to quell the Anarchs and their leader, Maldavis; Bobby, meanwhile, is the epitome of the reluctant vampire, spending his time with his mortal lover, Amanda. After the dust settled from the Anarch uprising, Lodin was back to his old ways, embracing the owner of the Succubus Club, Brennon Thornhill, in order to keep an eye on the popular vampire hangout and the Anarchs who often frequented the club. After a subtle reminder from the leaders of the other clans, Lodin wisely decided to court their favor by allowing several new vampires to be created on Halloween night by the other clans in exchange for permission to create one more childer of his own, Ira. </p><p></p><p><strong>December 19th, 1999</strong></p><p></p><p>Lodin has sent out invitations to a Christmas party and expects the city's newest vampires to be presented by their sires during the event. The party is to be held on the 81st floor of the Sears Tower. </p><p></p><p><em>OOC: For your next post, if you have any questions about anything posted above, you can post them in character and your mentors will try to answer them. Also, include any preparations you want to make for the party.</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="KirayaTiDrekan, post: 6471058, member: 6755061"] [CENTER][B]Vampires: A Primer[/B][/CENTER] [I]OOC: The following are the basics of what you've learned about being a vampire, about your individual clans, and, most importantly, the Traditions. For those who know the game, this is old hat, but, it is presented from the perspective of your character's mentors so...[/I] [B]The Basics[/B] You are immortal - you do not age, you are immune to mortal diseases, and you can use blood to heal most wounds almost instantly. Only fire, sunlight, and the claws and teeth of other vampires and other supernatural creatures can do lasting harm. Blood is life - Drinking blood sustains you, allows you to heal and boost your physical attributes, and powers your Disciplines. Without blood, you will descend into a mindless frenzy in order to get it. If you somehow cannot feed you will enter a death-like sleep known as Torpor. Superstitions are just that, for the most part - Garlic and running water doesn't affect you, and holy symbols and water only work if the wielder has true faith (a rare thing in these modern nights). A wooden stake through the heart will not kill you, but it will immobilize you, so be careful. [B]Factions[/B] Chicago is firmly in the hands of the Camarilla, a very loose organization of kindred that promote the Traditions and enforce the Masquerade, believing that vampires must remain hidden, lest the inquisition be repeated to greater effect. The Sabbat are spoken of by the Camarilla as near-literal demons, rampaging gangs of vampires who disregard the Traditions and just barely pay attention to the Masquerade, generally covering their tracks by killing all the witnesses. Anarchs are usually younger vampires, idealists who feel that the middle ages inspired system of governance Camarilla vampires use is horribly outdated. Most Anarchs seek a more democratic and/or egalitarian system, though some are just in it for the violence. There are also several independent clans that belong to no faction. [B]The Jyhad[/B] Despite the loose alliance that is the Camarilla, most vampires are solitary predators. The Jyhad is an ancient, ongoing shadow-hidden game of one-upsmanship and prestation, manipulation and deceit. Mortal institutions, governments, religions, and corporations are the pawns as the kindred maneuver to secure power for themselves. Those who do not play the game inevitably end up becoming pawns in it. [CENTER][B]The Traditions[/B] The First Tradition: The Masquerade Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood. Doing such shall renounce they claims of Blood. The Second Tradition: The Domain Thy domain is thine own concern. All others owe thee respect while in it. None may challenge thy word while in thy domain. The Third Tradition: The Progeny Thou shall only Sire another with the permission of thine Elder. If thou createst another without thine Elder's leave, both thou and thy Progeny shall be slain. The Fourth Tradition: The Accounting Those thou create are thine own children. Until thy progeny shall be released, thou shall command them in all things. Their sins are thine to endure. The Fifth Tradition: Hospitality Honor one another's domain. When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shall present thyself to the one who ruleth there. Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing. The Sixth Tradition: Destruction Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind. The right of destruction belongeth only to thine Elder. Only the Eldest among thee shall call the Blood Hunt.[/CENTER] [B]Myths and Legends[/B] According to legend, the first Vampire was the biblical Caine, punished with eternal life for the murder of his brother. The third generation of vampires are generally acknowledged as the founders of the various vampire clans and are generally referred to as Antediluvians. Some elder vampires whisper of Golconda, a state of being where-in the vampire's bloodlust, the Beast, is tamed. This transcendent state is scoffed at by most as an impossible dream. Gehenna...the end of the kindred, when the antediluvians will rise up and consume their childer in an orgy of fire and blood. Most believe this too is a myth, though a few secretly believe that Gehenna is upon us already. [B]The Clans[/B] Rhett learns of the ways of the Gangrel from Clara and Chloe - the Gangrel are barely members of the Camarilla, preferring the wilderness to the cities other clans favor. Chicago's Gangrel are led by Inyanga, though there is also a semi-independent motorcyle gang of Gangrel calling themselves The Wolf Pack that roam the Great Lakes region led by Tyrus. Chloe and Clara were once members of the gang but entered the service of the Ventrue, Capone, when they grew bored with Tyrus and his antics. According to the two women, Tyrus has contacts among both the sabbat and the werewolves and may have been responsible for inciting the werewolf attack on the city's vampires in 1993. Rosanna learns mostly from Kathy and Annabelle about the Toreador - The Toreador have a weakness for art and beauty and can become enthralled by moments of beauty, whether a painting, patterns of light through the trees, or the beauty of a mortal. Annabelle is aloof and, according to Kathy, has become a bit paranoid recently, with the disappearance of her sire, Maria. Annabelle is secretly an ally of Modius, the Prince of Gary, Indiana. Though generally ignored by Lodin, Chicago's Prince forced Modius to swear fealty to him many years ago and Modius chafes at this constantly. Annabelle throws regular parties, which all Toreador in the city are expected to attend. Kathy manages to beg out most of the time, citing her responsibilities to Baby Chorus. Li and DuSable have become inseparable as the older vampire seems to consider Li a true protege, something Marshall never was - There are only a few Tremere in Chicago, led by Nicolai, DuSable's sire, who was embraced when he was only 10 mortal years old, in the 1300s. Though Nicolai leads the Tremere, DuSable generally acts as the Clan's spokesman as many don't take Nicolai seriously due to his child-like appearance, despite his great age and experience. Besides Nicolai, DuSable, Marshall (who spends most of his time with Baby Chorus and is a severe disappointment to DuSable) and Li, himself, there is only one other Tremere in Chicago - Erichtho. According to DuSable, Nicolai embraced her during the 1800s out of a misguided belief that he was in love with her, having never experienced romantic love. She has always been fiercely independent and is a wild card, not adhering to the structures and rituals of the Tremere. Ira learns much about the Ventrue both from Kevin and his own investigations; Angelina must rely on her stolen memories for the most part, though she does slowly manage to meet others of her clan one or two at a time as she prepares to reveal her existence to the Prince - Lodin has maintained a fierce grip on Chicago for decades, first coming to power in 1871, during the infamous Devil's Night fires. He has faced threats from anarchs led by the caitiff known as Maldavis; from the Toreador Prince of Gary, Modius; and from roaming packs of werewolves from Canada and defeated them all. His main means of maintaining power are through his numerous childer. Thomas Hinds was Lodin's first childe and was pivotal in gaining Lodin control of Chicago's mortal political leaders; however Hinds has recently turned rogue, joining the Anarchs, much to Lodin's fury. Edgar Drummond is loyal...and obsolete; he was instrumental in spreading Lodin's influence via his connections to the railroad as tracks were being laid across the country; now Drummond rots away with his railways, unable to adapt to a world of instant communication and air travel. Horatio Ballard holds sway over Chicago's banks and financial power, making him one of the most powerful vampires in the city; he is also the most disgusting - obese as a mortal, Ballard has managed to retain the ability to eat mortal food and he does so with great enthusiasm and excess. Al Capone, one of the most infamous gangsters in life, still influences the city's mafia after his death and rise as a vampire; it is no secret that Capone harbors a seething hatred for Ballard, though he dares not act against him directly...although recently Capone's demeanor has changed; the ruthless gangster has gone soft according to rumor and the word Golconda has crept in to conversations about him. Edward Neally was an up and coming political maverick in the 1890s until scandals caused a fall from grace; Lodin embraced Neally and molded him in to the perfect servant; Neally is now Lodin's right hand, managing clan affairs in the city while Lodin focuses on his duties as Prince. Jacob Schumpeter was embraced to give Lodin a more modern perspective on the financial world, meant to replace Ballard; Schumpeter is instead a disgrace and embarrassment, one Lodin would like to be rid of. Kevin Jackson was embraced to give Lodin influence among the rising gangs of the modern nights; one thing Lodin cannot overcome however, is his racism; Jackson knows this and is biding his time, quietly spreading his own influence. Joseph Peterson is Lodin's toady in the world of the media; Peterson uses his influence as a former journalist to quietly bury any news that might endanger the Masquerade. Bobby Weatherbottom is a recent addition to Lodin's brood, a teenage computer genius and hacker, embraced because Lodin and most of the other older vampires in the city cannot even begin to fathom concepts like the internet; unfortunately for Lodin, Bobby's embrace was the last straw for the other clans who had long felt that Lodin's creation of childer had gotten out of control; they threw in their support for an Anarch uprising and Lodin, in turn, had to call in favors from them to quell the Anarchs and their leader, Maldavis; Bobby, meanwhile, is the epitome of the reluctant vampire, spending his time with his mortal lover, Amanda. After the dust settled from the Anarch uprising, Lodin was back to his old ways, embracing the owner of the Succubus Club, Brennon Thornhill, in order to keep an eye on the popular vampire hangout and the Anarchs who often frequented the club. After a subtle reminder from the leaders of the other clans, Lodin wisely decided to court their favor by allowing several new vampires to be created on Halloween night by the other clans in exchange for permission to create one more childer of his own, Ira. [B]December 19th, 1999[/B] Lodin has sent out invitations to a Christmas party and expects the city's newest vampires to be presented by their sires during the event. The party is to be held on the 81st floor of the Sears Tower. [I]OOC: For your next post, if you have any questions about anything posted above, you can post them in character and your mentors will try to answer them. Also, include any preparations you want to make for the party.[/I] [/QUOTE]
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