Where Darkness Reigns
Character Types
Humans
We expect to see very few humans, if any at all, in these rooms.You are pure mortal though you have the choice later on to experience any part of the world of darkness.
Pros: A never ending myriad of complicated role playing scenarios.
Cons: Highly susceptible to supernatural powers.
Mortal Themes
Tthe following themes can be expecte from Mortals: (suggestions, ideas)
- Ignorance: and all that implies, not just supernatural
- Corruption: what’s worse then real monsters? Human ones of course.
- Violence: this is New Orleans
- Mystery: something’s just aren't right, I wonder why?
- Paranoia: the residents of New Orleans know they live in the "black magic" capital of the country if not the world, they know their city is a pit of voodoo and knowing such things undoubtedly causes you to be cautious about who you trust, where you go and when you go there.
- Vice: The wanton violence and murder in the City is not a random anomaly, New Orleans has always had a special place for its citizens who gave in to greed and debauchery. These are the people that get ahead in The City Politicians, Legal Sharks, and Corporate Tycoons etc.
Vampires
The undisputed rulers of the night. Addicted to precious blood, they use it to activate their powerful disciplines and figment life.
Pros: Very near invulnerable to firearms. Ability to use blood to heal and increase physical properties. The powers of the Disciplines of the blood . The ability to enslave nearly anyone if the sip from your blood.
Cons: Only active at night (no expectations, it is a curse not a gift). Fire and sunlight could easily kill you (rather, will kill you unless you have a massive good excuse). Dead and strict code of rules to follow to keep the Kindred secret. You are also a predator, and the Hunt takes precedence over all things. (Though you can still be a sensual creature of the night, my pretties).
CLANS & DISCIPLINES ALLOWED
Every clan has three in-clan Disciplines which they pick up more readily and do not require training to learn. Many clans also have signature Disciplines that are not widely known outside of their clan and are sometimes carefully guarded, though this varies from clan to clan. Unique Disciplines are not common in the Camarilla, which is largely a revisionist history issue; Camarilla vampires are the default characters for VtM and most of their Disciplines are classic vampiric powers. Conversely, the Sabbat and Independent Clans have powers which are not part of traditional vampire literature and were introduced later.
The in-clan Disciplines of each clan are listed below:
Camarilla
- Malkavian: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate
- Nosferatu: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence
- Toreador: Auspex, Celerity, Presence
- Tremere: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy
- Ventrue: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence
- Lasombra: Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence
- Tzimisce: Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude
- Brujah Antitribu
- Gangrel Antitribu
- Malkavian Antitribu
- Nosferatu Antitribu
- Ravnos Antitribu
- Toreador Antitribu
- Tremere Antitribu
- Ventrue Antitribu
Sabbat
All characters are taught either by their Sire, a Mentor, or nightly unlife on the streets a little bit about the history, structure, and politics of Vampires in the World of Darkness. Further knowledge can be gained through the secondary abilities of Kindred Lore or Clan knowledge (specific for each clan, or bloodline the knowledge pertains to). The following represents a general knowledge that most Kindred can be assumed to posses regarding their kind.
Innate Abilities: Vampires have the ability to grow (drop) their fangs out to puncture their
victims while hunting or in combat. They have the ability to use the blood in their systems to
increase their strength, dexterity, and stamina. They can also use the blood in their system to heal
damage done to them.
Strengths: Vampires do not age, suffer from diseases (though they can carry and pass them on),
or suffer from other mortal ailments. They only take half damage from crushing type wounds
(i.e. bullets, fists, or falling). They do however; take full damage from slashing and piercing
wounds (i.e. knives, swords, or stake).
Weaknesses: Vampires take extra damage from fire, sunlight, and the claws or fangs of other
supernatural creatures. A stake through the heart will not kill but will paralyze a vampire.
When dawn approaches a vampire becomes weekend. When the sun is up they are almost
powerless and almost always asleep. It is during this period that the vampire’s body maintains
itself and forces it back to the condition it was in the night it was embraced. Thus a hair cut or
altered, scars, tattoos, and many other temporary effects will disappear by nightfall the next
evening. A vampire’s body requires the use of blood to maintain itself. Every night, the
vampire’s body spends a small amount (1 blood point) to achieve this. If the body is empty of
blood it begins to deteriorate. If this deterioration goes too far the vampire will enter a coma like
state called Torpor.
Torpor: Occasionally a vampire will take a huge amount of damage and go into this state. This
state, as already mentioned, can also be brought about by lack of blood or voluntarily if the
vampire wishes to remove themselves from the world for a time. Basically this is a form of
hibernation that a vampire enters. If the vampire enters torpor voluntarily they can chose when
they will awaken (to within an hour). If a vampire is forced into this stated because of massive
trauma or lack of blood there is no way to know how long they will stay that way.
Blood: The blood of a vampire is very potent. If it is ingested by a mortal creature (not just
human), they become ghouls. Ghouled creatures are still living but gain some of the strengths of
vampires such as slowed aging, able to heal wounds as a vampire, and increased strength. If any
creature drinks the blood of a single vampire on three separate occasions they will become a
willing slave of the vampire they drank from, this is known as a Blood Bond. If a vampire
completely drains a human (and some other creatures) of blood and then feeds them a small
amount of their own blood they will turn the victim into a vampire, this is called the Embrace.
Diablerie: The greatest crime among the kindred. This is where one vampire not only drinks all of
the blood of another vampire but goes so far as to drain the victim’s very essence and soul
absorbing it. This act destroys the soul of the victim and gives the aggressor power.
Diablerie: The greatest crime among the kindred. This is where one vampire not only drinks all of
the blood of another vampire but goes so far as to drain the victim’s very essence and soul
absorbing it. This act destroys the soul of the victim and gives the aggressor power.
Disciplines: Vampires are capable of supernatural powers called Disciplines. These Disciplines
are often fueled by the blood of the vampire. There are many disciplines, and most can be
learned by any vampire (though some require a teacher). Some disciplines are closely held Clan
secrets.
Generation: Cain (son of Adam and Eve) was the first vampire and is considered the first generation. He is the only first generation vampire to ever exist. Each vampire counts their Generation by how far removed they are from Cain (with Cain being 1). The closer to Cain a vampire is, the more powerful they are. For instance a 5th generation vampire is closer to Cain and more powerful then a 12th generation vampire. One might say he is of higher generation.
The following is a breakdown of the generations of vampires:
1st Generation Cain the origin of vampires
2nd Generation The direct children of Cain all of which have meet final death.
3rd Generation The Antediluvians. These are the founders of the 13 Clans all of which are dead or in Torpor.
4th & 5th Generation The Methuselah. These are the most powerful of active vampires most of which are 1,000 years or more old.
6th, 7th, & 8th Generation The Elders most of whom are a few centuries of age or older. The rank of Elder must be earned through long
experience and gathering power.
9th to 13th Generation Younger vampires who make up the bulk of the kindredpopulation. Most Ancillae and Neonates come from these generations.
14th & 15th Generation The Thin-bloods most of whom are incredibly weak and not even able to embrace childer. These vampires are
usually less then 15 years old and a treated as second class citizens (often below that of ghouls) in kindred society.
Werewolf
These bestial creatures can take five different forms and are heavily effected by the moon (Human, Half Human, War Form (ever seen Underworld?), Half Wolf, and Wolf). They are some of the strongest things in the World of Darkness and their fury is unmatched.
Pros: You can turn into crazy badass forms that can wreck some serious havoc or just look cool. Added benefit, werewolves have a rapid healing (much like wolverine) that lets them shrug off all but the mightiest blows….
Cons: …except silver. Silver negates this healing power. Also werewolves are heavily effected by their emotions and sometimes cannot control themselves. They are as likely to befriend you as rip you in two. And an angry werewolf is perhaps the scariest thing when he turns into his war form to destroy everything in his path. Anyone that tries to talk him down might be his next victim.
Information on Werewolf - ideas and character concepts.