{Vampire: The Masquerade - OOC} New York by Night

[Ashrem Bayle]

Sorry. As I said a few pages back, 6 months tops.

A big part of this game is going to be about starting your life over as a vampire.

It shouldn't be too hard to adjust your background.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Kindred of Note

Katherine Weise
A relative newcomer, she is very active in the politics of the Kindred. She take interest in most of the affairs of the elders, but does not seem to be interested in the position of Prince herself. Instead, she seems to use her influences to further her own personal goals.
Katherine appears to be rather pretty young lass with chestnut curls embraced during her late adolescence. She is always seen with a silk scarf rapped around her neck and face that covers her mouth. Her demeanor suggests that she may be older than she lets own.

Theo Bell
Theo was instrumental in the siege of New York from the Sabbat. He is an Archon* (read enforcer) of clan Brujah and has a reputation of being the kind of person who will beat you to a bloody spot and ask questions later. He has been put in place to support Calebros, the new Prince. Rumor has it he was a slave in the south before his embrace.
Tall dark and handsome, Theo is a well muscles black man who often sports a goat-tee and New York Yankees hat.

Elizabeth Horsmanden “Marlena”
Apparently only recently arriving in NY, Marlena has jumped into Kindred politics with both feet. She seems to have made it a point to at every Elysium** since her arrival. She seems to be a contender for one of the Primogen*** positions. Rumor has it that she is a Brujah.
She appears to have been embraced in her late twenties. She is athletically built and has long black hair. She would be considered beautiful if it weren’t for the corneal infection she had before the embrace. She often wears sunglasses even inside sense her enhanced vampiric senses aren’t hindered by them.

David Morgan, The Scourge
David is a wholehearted traditionalist who has decided to take the world on his shoulders. He came to New York to find a purpose for himself. It turns out, he did. Calebros appointed him as the scourge**** after he fought well in the battle against the Sabbat.
He takes his duty very seriously and brooks no nonsense.
David is not a large man, but he carries a great deal of bulk on his medium sized frame. He tends to prefer dark clothing which often reflects his mood.

Carter Vanderweyden
Carter, like many other Kindred, came to New York looking for an opportunity. His level headedness and fairness landed him in a position as advisor for Calebros. Now since Calebros has announced that he plans to step down, rumor has it that Carter plans to make a bid for the Princedom. He has support, but some fear his frankness and strong traditional tendencies may make him a bit of a tyrant. Second, Carter is prone to blackouts during which time he acts normally, but he can’t recall what happens during these times later. Most believe him to be of the Malkavian clan.
Carter is a calm and intelligent kindred. He is the “eye of the storm” and rarely gets ruffled. He wears high fashion clothing and wears his dirty blond hair tousled on top and short in the back.

Calebros, the Erstwhile Prince
Calebros had been a resident of NY for the last 50 years. Even while the Sabbat was dominate, he and his fellow Nosferatu scurried through the dark sewers and listened to the world above. It was his information and intelligence that landed him in the position he is in today.
When the smoke from the battle with the Sabbat cleared, Calebros rose as the Prince***** of New York. The elders of the Camarilla proclaimed him prince and then promptly left the city in his hands to deal with. Calebros has made it clear that he does not want the position, but will see it through until a better candidate steps forward. That candidate must fit his own criteria and have the backing of the primogen council.

Qadir al-Asmai, the Sheriff
Qadir took part in the siege on New York like many others did. His track record there and his duties served in the past gained him the position of Sheriff******. Qadir has a reputation of being a very proficient hunter of the undead. He is rumored to have served a sheriff and scourge in other cities and has the job here in NY because he is good.
Qadir is straight and to the point. His job leaves little room for the politics and manipulation so ingrained in most kindred. He looks like he might easily be a mid-eastern Sultan so striking is his appearance. His hair is long, wavy and black and he keeps a finely trimmed goatee. Despite his position, Qadir dresses in fine suits and adorns himself with elegant jewelry such as watches and pendants.

Aisling Sturbridge, High Regent of the Chantry of the Five Burroughs
Aisling was called from Atlanta to New York to help with the siege. Her superiors within the clan called on her for her expertise in dealing with the Sabbat. Aisling has yet to leave New York and currently works to build the Tremere’s influence within the city.
Aisling is a beautiful woman who appears to have been embraced during her mid twenties. She is very analytical and seemingly wants to study everything. She often dresses down her femininity, wearing tailored suits and even sometimes glasses. Some vampires claim that she looks at them as if studying them through a microscope.

Valentine
A resident of New York city since before the fall of the Sabbat, Valentine has remained hidden until the camarilla took the city. Now, Valentine has become a significant figure among New York’s Kindred. His wealth, garnered from import and investment companies, has earned him a play among the social elite. Valentine is the man you want to talk to if you want to “make it in the world”. He has a reputation of always willing to lend a hand to those who want to “climb the ladder”. Though of course, then you owe him for his help. Valentine is of Ventrue descent and most know this.
Valentine always dresses as the epitome of the latest fashions. Valentine has sharp features and reddish brown hair that was long before his embrace. However, he has a servant cut his hair each night.

Stephen Patrick Maslowe, “Mazz”
Mazz, as he is called, has set himself up as a local gangster. His reputation has spread into the mortal realm and often finds himself on the cover of the paper and other such nonsense when the reporters can’t find a better story. By default, Mazz has become one of New York’s high profile Kindred. Mazz’s reputation as a quaint “old-style” gangster, is part of the reason the locals love him. He has been in the press lately with his “rough sex fetish” in which the girls where left. Bloodied, bruised, and weak. Still, they come back.
Mazz stands out as being one part hooligan, one part glam, and one part dandy. He dresses in high fashion clothes and it is rumored that he carries an old revolver from the nights of the Wild West. Rumor has it that he is a member of clan Brujah.

Hellene Panhard
Hellene was embraced many years ago simply because her sire needed weapons. She was. Hellene was born into a wealthy family of bankers and, instead of fighting physically; she was able to call upon that wealth to help fund the battle. Because of the manner of her embrace, Hellene was considered a bastard childe. However, she vowed to rise above that. In fact, she intends to become Prince of New York City. Liberal minded, for a Ventrue, Hellene hopes to win over the support of her fellow Kindred with promises of a loose reign and fair judgments. She favors reconstruction before restriction.
Hellene is rather plain looking to be a Harpy. She is slightly plump, but carries herself with considerable grace for a woman with her build.


Groups and Cotories

The Tremere of Note
Asiling Sturbridge – The High Regent of the Five Burrows.
Eugenio Estevez “Genie” – a reclusive regent who specializes in Spirit Manipulation.
Lord Ephraim Wainwright “Imp” – a dwarf regent of astounding (heretical?) occult lore.
Masika St. John, the CamNet Innovator – the inventor of Technomancy.

The Harpies
Mazz – an old-time gangster who has been in the spotlight lately.
Thomas Arturo – an architect before the embrace, he now builds havens for other exclusive kindred.
Hellene Panhard – a very resourceful woman with an eye for the Princedom.

The Midnighters (Coterie)

A group of young vampires born out of a common love for street racing. The have managed to make a few contacts among the police to better stay out of trouble. They shy away from politics in favor of fun.

The Sabbat
The Sabbat, devil worshipping heathen vampires who have rejected their humanity and embraced the beast, the name itself is like a boogieman to young vampires of the Camarilla. Their presence in the big Apple was all but stamped out during the siege laid by the Camarilla and their mortal pawns. Still, rumor has it that a few packs roam the streets at night. Maybe this is just stories told to keep the children in line…….maybe not.

Note: These are not all of the vampires in the city. There are still dozens that hold no claim to Kindred infamy or just haven’t been met by the PCs yet.


______________

If you want to include these vampires in you background, let me know.

I'll get up pictures for each Kindred and definitions for the words with "*"s soon. I'll put them in the Rogues Gallery then.

 

[KitanaVorr]

Kitana - Vychtorya could have been scouting out the local club scene looking for new talent. She could lure your character into being a vampire by taking you to high society parties like you would have been used to in Texas with the parents you had and offering you a permanent position at the club, a nice apartment, etc...Or, I can understand that your character may not want to be a vampire if you have a religous background. Vych could force the issue too if you wanted. If Ashrem lets her be a little older vampire as I asked above, my character wants a daughter to do things with like she did with her own mortal mother. Vych wants that badly. Maybe badly enough that she would go against her humanity for it. Anyway, just a couple of thoughts. I'm sure I'll have some more later. If these aren't a way you'd like to go, that's okay too.

I like the idea of them knowing each other via the club scene. Cate's been trying to get her music (the songs she wrote herself) out there. It is feasible that they would run into each other.

Cate herself is not religious, but her parents are, so some of that will come up during her period of adjusting. She desparately wants to prove herself to her parents, and she knows they would never accept her as a vampire, that they would consider her a demon, a hellish abomination.

Also since she comes from wealth, she's not too impressed with it. However, making contacts to get wealthy patrons for her music, that she would like. She's more into her creating music and proving to her parents that she was right about her decision. Its her obsession.

LOL hmm...I don't know if I want a "mommy" though

 

[KitanaVorr]

Originally posted by Ashrem Bayle If you want to include these vampires in you background, let me know.

Hmm I think it would be feasible if any of them hung out at some nice jazz or rock clubs, they would find Cate familiar.

Valentine does sound pretty interesting! And if he's such a mover and shaker, he would be someone that Cate would want to meet to get him to be a patron of her music. Of course she obviously doesn't know he's a vamp.

btw

after reading the pdf V:tM that reapersaurus sent me I'm going to up her Appearance to a 5 to make her very striking so it helps her charisma/social interaction/networking opportunities.

Makes her kind of perfect for the mythical siren, eh? luring men to their doom...oops...that would probably the be vamp Cate...not the sweet southern Cate....I must be thinking of Enraela again...lol different game...

 

[reapersaurus]

LOL hmm...I don't know if I want a "mommy" though

hmmm.... there's that freaky vampire "sire" and "childer" thing coming up again.

Honestly, it kinda creeps me out (personally now) how Vampires use this parochial or matriarchal life structure, throwing away their mortal coil and clinging to their Sire like a parent.

But I guess that's kind of the way it is in vampiredom.
?

All the things I've read have vampires "aching" to Embrace someone that piques their curousity, or revives their imagination, or turns them on, or makes them feel again after being dead for so long (dead in MANY ways ).

As for Nikolai, the 6-months-as-a-vampire makes sense, power-wise (since he's new, but been acquiring as much power as possible in 6 months : he'll have 5 Discipline points probably).

But character-wise, it would make sense that he'd have been a vampire for probably 10 years at least.

See, the general idea of the character is as a Tragic Character, who was physical (a bodyguard), and much in love when Tragedy entered his life in the form of a deranged Vampire of old (a corrupted Toreador who snuffs out True Love whenever he experiences that wretched rare human gift).
This tragedy changes Nikolai, so that his only thought is Revenge.
He scours the world, changing himself, becoming an Academic, trying to find power in ancient texts and Rituals and magic, eventually falling in with a vampire hunting group of humans (the rare humans who actually know they exist).
He views all vampires as a scourge on humanity, by extension hating them, projecting his hatred of The-One-Vampire-that-slew-his-love (a.k.a. The Monster).

Over the years of Hunting, he begins to see that no human force will be able to be Strong enough to present a credible threat to The Monster.
So he is approached by an exotic book-dealer (his Sire), and offered the means by which to destroy The Monster by becoming that which he hates the most.

Classic tragi-drama, no?

After becoming Embraced, his only thought is acquiring enough Power to kill The Monster.

Now this desire for revenge and power has not been without cost.

He has slowly lost the True Memory of his Humanity and his Love for HIS Victoria (while my wife plays Vychtorya, I made Nikolai's love be named Victoria : they do not know each other, and will not become "an item" : I'm planning in the future for Vychtorya to help spark the memory of Nik's Victoria, and hopefully be the catalyst for him to claw back to being closer to a Human).

So at this point in his life, he's a rather nasty, amoral, do-anything kind of guy. Though his motives are basically pure, the means by which he acquires the power could be rather grisly. Thus he has rather low Humanity score, but over the course of the Chronicle, would become more Human if he can be reminded of what Love was like.

So that's why it'd be cool if he had been a Vampire for awhile, having been steeped in evil and selfishness for years before turning back to The Light, but that's cool if I condense it to 6 months of decrepitness...

I'll be posting my character and the "answer sheet" shortly (tomorrow at the latest, hopefully).

edit: if anyone has a good name for The Monster, I'm all ears.
The Heartstealer, or The HeartKiller... something like that - he's a legendary, quasi-mythic vampire that's been around for centuries thats even a Mystery to the vampire community.

 

[KitanaVorr]

edit: if anyone has a good name for The Monster, I'm all ears.
The Heartstealer, or The HeartKiller... something like that - he's a legendary, quasi-mythic vampire that's been around for centuries thats even a Mystery to the vampire community.

How about Heartsbane or Lovesbane? Hey if he's so mythical, maybe there are myths about him in human mythology. Sounds like a good topic for one of Cate's songs, lol

 

[Shalimar]

Heart-Fang, Fang-Face, Casanova,or Old Long Fang might work Reap

 

[Jemal]

About the prince/primogen thing - He's kinda new and still working that out.

Of course, resources and power in the mortal world are important as well. Having contacts within newspaper publishers, advertising, the city council, airports, import and exports etc. can all work to further your goals.
Yep, working stuff like that into background (Contacts/allies)

Another question: When exactly where you embraced? One place says a couple of weeks ago, another says 2 days, and another place said last month.
Whoops.. I was changing it a few times trying to get it to fit right.. At one point or another I was sired at every point in the last 6 months. I'll edit it to the right point.

I'm also curious as to why you where embraced right away and never served time as a ghoul like your parents did/do. I don't mind or anything, but I'm curious why Nathan decided to skip that step with you.
um.. because I'm so damn kewl? Actually it's been part of his plans for a while to turn me. The main part of the reason he skipped that step is because He wanted me to be by his side with my present talents, when I'm at the top of my game. Also he embraced me before my parents b/c he's trying to move into the computer age and my skills with newer stuff helps him do that, seeing as how I'm very loyal to him.

 

[KitanaVorr]

so what are we waiting for to start the game (besides Timothy) ?

 

[reapersaurus]

2 questions:
1) I am totally blanking on the rules for making a human.
Why do they get 21 freebie points?
And Kitana, are you going to change the whole point structure once you're Embraced? That's kind of tough to have to create a human, with their points, and no powers, etc, then make a Vampire later.
And did you decide - oh geez!

I just realized that Vychtorya typed out a long post asking you questions about both your characters, and your opinions on whether and how they would be 'involved'.
It must have been lost when the power went out here the other night.

So Kitana - I'll ask for her - do you WANT to be a Toreador?
It sounds to me that your character is most like that clan - have you gotten to read up on the different clans?
If so, do you WANT Vychtorya to bite you?
You would be Toreador then, and she would be your Sire, but not your 'mommy' per se (since she will only have been Embraced for 6 months, and she's only 30 human years old, I think she said she would be Embracing you because of your artisitc talents.)

She was thinking that since New York has such a small number of vampires, than the traditions that usually keep the # of Embraces would probably be loosened here, and of course the Toreador house must grow, so why not take the opportunity to bring a high talent into the fold, and also 'test' out the vampire ability, since you would be her first childe.

2nd question (for Ashrem):
How do you want to run the # of Rituals that Nikolai would have?
Maybe you have access to some of those rituals from various sources (mainly the Core rulebook, Clanbook : Tremere, and Blood Magic:SoT, even some speciality ones in Blood Sacrifice)?
There are so many, it would be a shame not to be able to use a few of them if your Chronicle calls for them...