Dark Ages Vampire - Bloodlines

Game Master Dennis Harry

Bloodlines is a continuation of the now defunct table top Dark Ages Vampire game wherein the PC's have created lineal descendants throughout the ages.

Attendees seeking a seat or have a seat in the Inner Circle:

Assamite - Lord Bajazet al Nasir.

Brujah – Lady Meridie de Chancie, Lord Criatas, “Dark”Selena, Robin Leeland.

Cappadocian – Lord Benne.

Gangrel – Milov Petrankov.

Lasombra - Prince Narses the Archbishop of Nod

Malkavian – Antione le Fanu, Lutz von Hohenzollern.

Nosferatu – Cristo Petradon, Simon.

Salubri – Brian Stack.

Setites – Sadir.

Toreador – Rafael de Corazon, Francois Villon, Helene la Jouste.

Tremere - Radek, Mistress Fanchon.

Tzimisce – Myca Vykos.

Ventrue – Alyssa Gilbert, Lady Jadviga Almanov, Lanzo von Saschen, Prince Alexander.

Remember - only those listed get votes. Of course influencing their Childer can go a long way to getting a vote.

Social Combat:

Let me first thank Sir Dunstan and his excellent Game of Thrones campaign as the inspiration for this rules tweak. A shout out to Vitaliano who also does an excellent job as a player in that campaign.

Game of Thrones has a Social Combat system that, while not translatable directly, I used as inspiration for this campaign.

This is a proposed rules set and I am more than happy to hear feedback from Players before I implement it in full.

Roleplaying is still required to get your point across. However, I think a mechanical system could be beneficial for this scenario, a scenario quite unlike anything I have ever done in a Vampire game before.

Making My Case

To convince a “voter” to side with your Sire, you may roll the following set of Attributes and Abilities:

1. Against someone who is clearly NOT in your favor --- Manipulation+Subterfuge+Politics
2. Against someone who is NEUTRAL – Charisma+Expression+Politics

The difficulty of all rolls is that Cainites Willpower. You will need to score as many successes as they have Willpower to win the contest. Once you engage the voter, you will only have three rounds to make your case and can only attempt do so one time per night.

If you have Presence – Awe or Enrancement, you may attempt to use these powers in conjunction with the above roll. Each success utilizing that Discipline gives you one more success on your total roll.

Beware, failing in using Presence in Elysium can lead to Sanctions by Thomas Brexiano.

Also beware, Cainites may try to turn this system around on you…

But What if Someone Else Tries This on a Voter I just Brought to my Side?

Amount of successes is a key factor here, you will want to score as many success as you can to ensure that a rival does not try to take that vote from you!

Certain NPC’s already believe that others are in their favor and would never change their votes. Those will be the toughest cookies to break.

Note this system cannot be used on:

Your In-Clan rivals, no amount of sweet talking or bribes will change their minds they all want this position badly.

Prince Narses, he simply will not entertain such discourse. Of course, this does not mean you cannot try to get into the ears of one of his Childer to have them speak with him…

Discerning My Quarry’s Intent

How can I tell if someone is for or against me despite what they are saying?

Make a Perception+Empathy+Politics roll.

The difficulty is 10, less that Cainites Humanity score. Those closer to the Beast are much harder to read. For every Century over 300 years that Cainite has lived, the DC will be increased by 1, topping out at 10, as these Cainites have well and truly mastered this game to have existed for so long in the first place.

Once you engage the voter, you will only have three rounds to ferret out their intent and can only attempt do so one time per night. You will need to score as many successes as they have Willpower to ascertain their intent.

If you have Auspex – Read the Soul or Invade the Mind, you may attempt to use these powers in conjunction with the above roll. Each success utilizing that Discipline gives you one more success on your total roll.

How else can I make my case?

The use of Presence, while frowned upon, is much less cause for censure than using Dominate. Dominate does not work on a Cainite whose blood is closer to Caine than your own. If you seek to use Dominate to convince a voter (or perhaps one of the Childer?) to vote for your Sire, it would be best used elsewhere in the city.

Boons – the boon system of quid pro quo can also be used to gain votes. You will need to offer something of course that that voter does not have or cannot get from another candidate.

Eliminate my rivals. This one is obvious though failure to do so without detection may subject YOU to the Final Death!


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Alessandro Khadaji wrote:
Andrew the Hardy, Lord of Moray wrote:
Balanced?
Some social, some physical... spread broad spectrum. As opposed to Fortitude 3, my initial instinct.

; )


Got the fan yesterday and installed it today...


Cool deal. Hope everything is working.


Shadow's Status

I will update the thread for the current Day but will get back to Downtime doings tomorrow.


Shadow's Status

I will be updating Downtimes one per night till I get all characters done. Then I will go back and resolve any open points. Cristiano, as you need some RP we will be building your Downtime over the course of the next week or so.


Quick heads up... I probably won't be posting tomorrow, bicep reattachment surgery. We'll see about after. Probably back Saturday.

Will do my best.


Alessandro Khadaji wrote:

Quick heads up... I probably won't be posting tomorrow, bicep reattachment surgery. We'll see about after. Probably back Saturday.

Will do my best.

Really, dude? It's one bicep. Use the other hand to type. ;P


Currently without internet access. Posting this via my phone. Will try and get a reply up soon, hopefully.


Shadow's Status

OK no worries, post when you can, I know intricate posting on a phone is a pain.


Shadow's Status

I will have a very busy weekend but will try to get at least one Downtime per day completed.

I am hoping to be ready to move on post downtime in the next 7-10 days.


Shadow's Status

Weekend was even worst than I anticipated. Will get back to the Downtimes tomorrow night.

Downtimes

I will handle Xing Shi next and Michele Querini after.

After those are done, I will bein responses to those who have asked follow up questions.

Hopefully Cristiano's internet/computer issues will be cleared up the next few days so we can handle his Downtime sessions as well. If everything else is ready to go, we will have to cut those a bit short so we can get back into full Gameplay with all 13 Clans.

Was hoping to be through all of this by now but summer weekends have caught me with very little time.

In Game Play

Hopefully within the next few days Baldemar by Day will be complete and we can move on to the evening individual sessions with Baldemar and Lorenzo.

Once these sessions are done, I will get to the Downtimes you both as well.


I'm fine on hiatus. Returning with new episodes!


Shadow's Status

Hitting the wall here, Caps I will get to your Downtime tomorrow, I have it all pretty much mapped out I just need to type it all up.


Shadow's Status

Bee workin round the house like crazy, its looking like Friday at best for Downtimes, will try to get both Xing and Michele done for that day though.


Shadow's Status

5d10 ⇒ (9, 1, 8, 10, 9) = 37


Shadow's Status

7d10 ⇒ (10, 3, 2, 1, 7, 4, 7) = 34


Shadow's Status

Getting tired, here. By Friday I will respond to all of the open Downtime Responses.

Baldemar will be hack posting tomorrow. I am hoping that he and Lorenzo will have their sessions done by next week so we can move into full In Game action again. Cristiano, I have a post up for you as well.

As I discussed with Cantor, feel free to RP more with your Sires or other NPC's you know of you want to. Fellow PC's are off limits at the moment.

Silver Crusade

Male Clan Gangrel, Childe of Milov Petrankov - 5'10 Eastern European Male in his early 30's - Willpower: 3/7, Bloodpool: 8/20, 4 per turn, Survivor

Just wanted to check, when you say RP with Sires, do you mean sort of like monologuing, or do you mean RP between our characters and the ST? I didn't want to postpone your finishing up Downtime prep.


I think he means interact and he'll reply as the Sire.

I think he's just not ready to interleave all the story lines. Stay in your swim lane... :).

Silver Crusade

Male Clan Gangrel, Childe of Milov Petrankov - 5'10 Eastern European Male in his early 30's - Willpower: 3/7, Bloodpool: 8/20, 4 per turn, Survivor

Not a problem. I've been in different games that did similar things both ways, so I just wanted to make sure.


Shadow's Status
Alessandro Khadaji wrote:

I think he means interact and he'll reply as the Sire.

I think he's just not ready to interleave all the story lines. Stay in your swim lane... :).

Yep this :-)

I will complete responses to you all tonight and finish Lorenzo Downtime as well. I am hoping Baldemar posts by Monday, his time for connectivity has been cut back severly.

I will be starting full game play post Downtime on Wednesday night.


That, from me, was by no means authoritative.

Just my take. We have the time to spend with our sires, so we can plan, scheme, express ourselves, ask, etc...


Shadow's Status

Will have everything up tomorrow want to post it all at the same time.

Great post Cantor, will be responding to that as well tomorrow.


So I was not sure how much or any that you were including stuff from wraith, is it a simple version or the full on thing.

DM

Spoiler:
Andrew recalls the ghost he encountered and wants to free it for both not killing him out right and for helping him.....

So he is hoping Brian knows what it takes to do just that....


Shadow's Status
Andrew the Hardy, Lord of Moray wrote:

So I was not sure how much or any that you were including stuff from wraith, is it a simple version or the full on thing.

DM ** spoiler omitted **

I have not decided yet. I have the Wraith books, not all of them but enough to incorporate those rules. Same with Mage, Werewolf, and Changling. It depends how involved the characters become with these other Supernaturals which will determine what rules set I will use.


I can pump Animal Ken, Werewolves please.

Would Alessandro need to move to London?


Shadow's Status
Alessandro Khadaji wrote:

I can pump Animal Ken, Werewolves please.

Would Alessandro need to move to London?

Yeah no, werewolves don't like that...

No, he is stationed here in Venice on purpose. Of course, who knows what the future will bring!


Shadow's Status

When I get home fro dinner tomorrow night, Downtime will be over and I will post for all 13 of you in the Gameplay Thread.


Shadow's Status

Please move any leftover Downtime play to the Discussion thread and continue to Spoiler it.

Thank you.


Shadow's Status

Andrew the Hardy Downtime:

It may well have been the bodies located so near the pipeweed that gave it something, distinct as it sat in the ground... A bit of an unnerving thought even to your dead cold blood.


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Shadow's Status

Downtime Lorenzo Cappelli:

Lord Benne nods to you to remove the bonds.

Yeti shrugs, "Well my mission failed so I suppose I could tell you. My Sire wished me to follow the trail of a Cappadocian who used to reside in Constantinople, an Alexia Theusa".


Shadow's Status

Downtime is officially over, except for a few stragglers who can post here.

I have posts up for everyone but Sir Baldemar. I have given him until next Tuesday to post or PM me. If I do not hear from him I fear I will have to move on, unfortunately.

If that does come to pass, I will begin to Recruit for his spot.


5th Generation Cappadocian | Bloodpool: 26/40 | Willpower: 6/8

Downtime Lorenzo Cappelli:

"Why did your sire wish you to trail this particular Cappadocian?" Lorenzo asks, as much to Lord Benne as Yeti.


I Eat Cannibals

Hi everyone, sorry to bust in here like this but your DM gave me the go ahead.

We just started a run through the Tomb of Horrors and our beatstick has gone missing. If any one wishes to join just click on this avvy.

Please feel free to contact me via PM or pop on over to here

Thank you for your time


Shadow's Status

Downtime Lorenzo Cappelli:
Yeti stands and stretches, "I am parched, perhaps a drink will jog my memory as to what I was seeking her for..."

Lord Benne nods, "I shall fetch a suitable candidate", one of the monks loyal to the Giovanni comes rushing in the room as if runnig a race.

"Feel free", states Lord Benne.

Yeti falls upon and devours the man's blood.

Despite gorging on blood he still appears to be a rotting corpse.

Looking down at the now corpse,"Sorry I did not mean to slay him".

"Worry not you saved us the trouble", replies Lord Benne. "You were saying?"

Yeti pauses for a moment, "A yes, my mission. Alexia Theusa is a rogue Cappadocian one unaffiliated with her Clan. The Baron had stolen many of her secrets, he wanted the rest from her. Alas, the trail had gone very cold by the time I started looking and when I was captured... well you know the rest".


5th Generation Cappadocian | Bloodpool: 26/40 | Willpower: 6/8

Downtime Lorenzo Cappelli:

"Secrets? What sort of secrets?" Lorenzo asks, pressing for more information out of curiosity more than any true desire to know what the secrets may be.


Andrew the Hardy Downtime:

Spoiler:

@ Brian "Tha dead seem tah make tha life hard fer tha plants, mayhap a prayer will consecrate tha land enough tah end tha blight upon it."

Andrew kneels in the dirt plot he invokes a prayer over the land to cleanse the taint of death from it....

"Please join in tha convocation."

Let me know if I need to roll something...


Shadow's Status

Andrew the Hardy Downtime:
No roll necessary. Great idea to infuse the plants with new life with your merit and with your Faith! I may well have to do something interesting with that crop...


Shadow's Status

Downtime Lorenzo Cappelli:
Yeti Samedi cackles, "Many secrets did that one carry in her chambers beneath the city of Constantinople. The rest have been lost as she fled before the city fell and has yet to return.

The Baron did not share those secrets with me though he did teach me the powers that he knew. Those the Giovanni wished to wrest from me and alas I was unable to resist the powers of Ambrogino. Why he did not destroy me thereafter I cannot say. Perhaps he feared that my soul would be captured by Augustus and that I would reveal Ambrogino's betrayal".


Shadow's Status

This game has gone on a LONG time. Many of you have met each other and many of you have not.

I am going to briefly jot down who knows who and how, if I miss anything, please let me know:

Lorenzo Cappelli:
(1) Michele Querini - you met him regarding the break in at your brother's warehouse where he was a client renting space, he was also a former patient of yours as a physician.
(2) Michael Santo - you met him when inspecting the dead body of Hans (oh so long ago) he was Hans' employer.
(3) Alessandro Khadaji - you met him at lunch with Christopher Dandolo for the first time, approximately 2 weeks ago you and Dominic sold him a controlling share in your business.
(4) Andrew the Hardy - you met him in the past questioning his involvement in breaking onto the warehouse.

Cantor:
(1) Michele Querini - you met him at Greetings asking him for assistance in escaping there, he did not come to your aid.
(2) Michael Santo - you saw him in passing at Palazzo Abadessa where he seemed to be delivering Herd for your Clan to feed upon.

Bassanio Strozzi:
(1) Andrew the Hardy Lord of Moray - you closed a loan with a Federico of Venice with Andrew as the guarantor of the loan.

Andrew the Hardy Lord of Moray:
(1) Lorenzo Cappelli - you met him in the past regarding certain contents inside of his brothers warehouse.
(2) Michael Santo - You ran across him in the graveyard battle against the minions of the damned.
(3) Xing Shi - you met her at Way of Kings Inn. You aided her in disposing of a naer do well. You met her again recently as a Vampire in the streets of the poor section of Venice.
(4) Vitaliano da Riva - you met him your first night feeding, he seemed to be a human who catered to Vampire feeding habits.
(5) Baldemar de Frisia - you met him after the graveyard fight, supposed to complete investigations with him but were in turn Embraced and advised not to continue to do so.
(6) Bassanio Strozzi - he lent Federico the funds for his pipeweed farm.

Alessandro Khadaji:
(1) Lorenzo Cappelli - you met him at lunch with Christopher Dandolo for the first time, approximately 2 weeks ago you bought a controlling share in his business.
(2) Xing Shi - you met her as Il Corvo and then again later when you were not, she did not recognize you but she was following you and Sebastian.
(3) Baldemar de Frisia - you saw him on Captain Menini's doomed ship an assisted him in getting off.

Giovanni Dal'este -
(1) Michael Santo - you saw him in passing at Al Ponte Mocenigo where he seemed to be delivering Herd for your Clan to feed upon.
(2) Bassanio Strozzi - you saw him in passing at the party with Aitana the night you were Embraced by Bajazet but did not interact with him.

Cristiano Lintini -
You have yet to meet any other PC in person.

Finn Garrety:
You have seen Michele Querini and Cantor though you were in a cowl at the time, did not speak to them and look completely different now...

Michael Santo:
(1) Lorenzo Cappelli - you met him when he was inspecting the dead body of Hans.
(2) Michele Querini - A client with whom you do much business.

Michele Querini:
(1) Michael Santo - A vendor with whom you do much business.
(2) Lorenzo Cappelli - you met him regarding the break in of your crate at his Brother's warehouse, he was also your former physician.
(3) Xing Shi - she has plagued you and tried to kidnap you for her "employer".

Vitaliano da Riva:
(1) Andrew the Hardy Lord of Moray - you met him in an alleyway as a Vampire and offered him your services.
(2) Xing Shi - you met her in an alleyway as a Vampire and offered her your services.

Xing Shi:
(1) Andrew the Hardy Lord of Moray - you met him at Way of Kings Inn. He aided her in disposing of a naer do well. You met him again recently as a Vampire in the streets of the poor section of Venice.
(2) Alessandro Khadaji - you met him in the city a few weeks back, I believe following he and another man.
(3) Michele Querini - your borderline arch nemesis amongst PC's. He has caused you a lot of grief...

Former PC's ----

Sergei Volkov - Lorenzo, Michael, Michele, Xing, Andrew and Alessandro have all had one or more run ins with Sergei.

Katriana Volkov - Lorenzo, Michael, and Michele have all met her. Lorenzo had a bad meeting with her.

Gunther Thesing - Michael, Xing, Cantor, and Alessandro have met him or have a close relationship with him. Adrew, you once had a drink at his Tavern but never spoke to him.

Baldemar's status is up in the air at the moment. More on that for Wednesday if need be.


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Shadow's Status

Soon I will be posting for the entire group for the first time since the inception of the game.

It only took 3 1/2 years to get here :-)

As we are almost there, I believe some sort of posting requirements may be necessary to keep things moving.

This is a slower paced game then most PbP's, it is also much less action oriented so the situations will frequently be social.

Here is what I propose:

1. Each player should try to post at least once every 48 hours.
2. If a player is unable to post, I will consider them to be either disinterested in the events taking place or simply staying quiet for other purposes. Either way that is fine though it may lead to losing benefits to your character in game. The scene will then move forward or a new scene will take place depending on the situation.
3. If it is a decision which IS one that the player must make a decision regarding, I will DMPC them if they have not responded within that 48 hour window.
4. Weekend posting is optional though I do post on the weekends, sometime more frequently when I have nothing else that needs to be taken care of (such as this weekend). I will post large updates on the weekends on occasion.
5. If a player is unable to post for two weeks, he will be considered a DMPC until he returns.
6. If a player is unable to post for 1 month I will find a replacement for that player.

Let me know if these new standards are agreeable as a great deal of the action in the game will involve many if not all of you at the same time.

These new standards will be effective on the date of the first post which include ALL PC's.


Clan Malkavian Blood Pool 19/30

Sounds fine by me


5th Generation Cappadocian | Bloodpool: 26/40 | Willpower: 6/8

Agreeable to me.


Whew what a crazy weekend!! I am just getting caught up on some of my games, though I am on my way to work right now. Will try to get posts up as required tonight, though it is my real life Rise of the Runelords game so unsure if I will or not.

I too am agreeable with those posting guidelines.


I am slow on weekends only....


Shadow's Status
Cristiano Lintini wrote:

Whew what a crazy weekend!! I am just getting caught up on some of my games, though I am on my way to work right now. Will try to get posts up as required tonight, though it is my real life Rise of the Runelords game so unsure if I will or not.

I too am agreeable with those posting guidelines.

Tomorrow it is, I never post on the nights I run table top, too much to do to prep for a game.


Shadow's Status

It seems I have lost Bassanio and Baldemar!

I believe I will ave both replaced within the week.

Michael Santo will be posting soon as I have been in communication with him. Cristino Linitini also reported in yesterday so I expect he will have something up in a day or two as well.

ONce everyone has checked in, we can move forward into the building and the Conclave will begin...


Clan Malkavian Blood Pool 19/30

Oh no, losing disciples...I mean comrades is not good.


Shadow's Status
Vitaliano da Riva wrote:
Oh no, losing disciples...I mean comrades is not good.

:-). I think I have a post up for you on the prior page Dr da Riva ;-)


Clan Malkavian Blood Pool 19/30

Woops >.> I missed that, I thought it was a segway to the big meet-up. But I am more then happy to Roleplay the way there ^^

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