Jump to content

Rising Phoenix Gaming

  • Discord is live https://discord.gg/n3Gae5
  • Prowlers and Paragons
  • The New Age - A GURPS 4E Story
  • Chill - Tales of the Unknown
  • Three Leaves DnD 5E Campaign
  • Exalted - Legands of the North
  • Mage Revived
  • Code of Conduct Read in Rules Above

FACTIONS AND CC


Nina

Recommended Posts

Vampires

Undead humans who feed on blood and who do not age, due to their Immortality

 

 

 

I have to admit... at first, it felt strange, the metallic taste. But then, it was like electricity coursing through my body-- a million stars exploding in my mind all at once. It's like nothing I've ever felt before. It was amazing. And all I can think now is... I want to do it again.

”  — Camille about becoming a vampire in A Ghost Along the Mississippi

 

Vampires are magically reanimated human corpses which are inhabited by the spirits of the deceased person and who closely resemble the living human they were before their transformation. Vampires feed and survive on the blood of the living, typically on that of humans, and they can also transform other humans into more of their kind by sharing their own blood with them. Vampires are one of the many known supernatural species and were created by Dark Witches.

 

Creation

"She called upon the sun for life and the ancient white oak tree, one of Nature's eternal objects, for immortality. That night, my father offered us wine laced with blood. Then, he drove his sword through our hearts."

— about the creation of the first vampires.

 

A human who has consumed vampire blood in some way (whether by drinking it, having it poured into their open wound, or by being injected with it) and has subsequently died with the blood in their system will be magically revived as an undead vampire, just like the vampire who sired them. The exact nature of the human's death is irrelevant to this process; the only condition that must be met is that the body has to be more-or-less intact and able to function once they reawaken in transition, though the upper limits of physical damage upon a human body by which vampirism can recover has yet to be defined.

 

Vampire In Transition

In order to complete the transition into a vampire, the person must then consume a significant amount of human blood, at least 1-2 ounces, within the next twenty-four hours, or else they will die. Vampires can only feed on human blood in order to complete their transformation-- animal blood or vampire blood is not sufficient to finish the transformation from human to vampire. However, in this case, "human blood" can include the blood of a human witch, but not a werewolf. Additionally, the blood need not be from a live human; Medical Bags of human blood and drinking from the newly-deceased can complete the transition. Note that drinking from the newly dead while transitioning will also cause that dead person to awaken into transition themselves.

 

A vampire in transition is neither truly living nor truly dead until they make their choice to either complete their transition or to abstain from feeding and ultimately die. This puts the semi-vampire in a strange liminal space between the two states that can affect them in different ways. For example, a vampire in transition is immune to the effects of dark objects. In a similar vein, until a person in transition drinks human blood to complete their transformation, they will be not be susceptible to the standard weaknesses of a vampire (i.e. they can still walk in sunlight and can enter homes without an invitation).

 

Sirelines

Every regular vampire who has ever existed is descended from those of their kind known as the Original Vampires, who, unlike the majority of vampires, were turned not by dying with vampire blood in their system, but who were instead transformed using a spell that was cast using Dark Magic. However, the ritual that resulted in their transformation does have similarities to how normal vampires are turned, in that they had to consume blood before being killed while that blood was in their system.

 

After the Originals awakened in transition, they fed on the blood of another human and were officially transformed into the world's first true vampires, from which all other vampires have been created. Their blood possesses mystical properties that are passed down to each and every one of the vampires they sire, along with every vampire sired by their progeny, connecting all vampires to one of the six Original vampires from whom they are descending by a bloodline. Due to this link, the death of an Original vampire will result in this connection being severed, and every vampire in the deceased Original's bloodline will follow them in death within an hour. As of the beginning of this game two of the Originals are dead and the current identities and locations of the remaining four are unknown.

 

Physiology

"Look. We're vampires. We're a toxic species. Whether you wanna blame it on magic or biology, it's just who we are. When a human gets ravenously hungry, they eat a double cheeseburger. We kill people. Some of us are more extreme than others, but that's just who we are. When humans want to break free of complicated relationships, they go to therapy. Vampires get a pass."

—about vampirism

 

Blood is the main component of a vampire's diet, be it human, animal or vampire blood. According to the tale of their origin, the reason why vampires crave blood more than anything else was due to the immortality spell used by the witch who created the Original Vampires, which used the blood of a doppelgänger as the catalyst in the process that made them immortal, transitioning them into their new lives as Originals.. If a vampire fails to regularly drink blood, their body will become severely weakened, and will ultimately desiccate into mummification until they are able to get blood into their system.

 

Blood (especially human blood) does not only satisfy a vampire’s thirst, but it also heightens their supernatural abilities, making them stronger, faster, and able to heal much more quickly than they would after not eating for a significant period of time. The longer a vampire abstains from blood, the more likely the vampire of becoming feral until they are eventually unable to resist feeding on whomever they come upon. In many cases, a vampire who has been starved for a long period and is risking desiccation will eventually become so overwhelmed with hunger that the lose all sense of their humanity and rationality altogether and finally give into their bloodlust. It has been demonstrated that vampire blood, just as with human and animal blood, can be used to revive a vampire who has been desiccated (even if they ordinarily do not partake in the consumption of vampire blood), and it can also help a badly injured vampire heal more quickly if human or animal blood is not available. However, human blood is most compatible with a vampire's dietary needs, and because of this, the majority of vampires rely on it as their sole food source. Despite their main food source being referred to as "human blood," this term also extends to the blood of both witches and werewolves who are in their human form, as their blood seems to be functionally identical to that of regular humans.

 

Due to their acute senses, a vampire can detect whether or not a human has recently consumed alcohol or drugs, because their blood tastes unclean and can leave a vampire with a chemical aftertaste. This also extends to the herb vervain as well, as vampires who feed on a human who regularly ingests vervain will be burned and weakened upon contact with their blood, which can often be used to the human's advantage. Due to a vampire's amplified senses and feelings, their hunger cravings are much stronger and harder to control than the mundane hunger for food that they felt when they were humans, and this hunger will often be connected to and amplified by powerful emotions.

 

Vampires are magically preserved in the physical state that they were in when they died, therefore making a vampires body a freshly dead corpse, though it is reanimated and protected from decay with dark magic. Vampire's bodies remain in the same exact state as they were just prior to their deaths as humans (aside from the injuries or effects of most illnesses that caused their death, and cosmetic changes such as hair styles and coloring, or peircings and Tattoos) from an anatomical standpoint, except when it comes to their supernaturally-enhanced abilities and the addition of vampire's true face. Their true face is a slightly transformed version of their human face, which includes red, blood-shot sclera with protruding veins around the eyes, as well as elongated fangs. The bite of a vampire is so powerful that it can sever the limbs of both animals and humans, as vampires are known for having extremely sharp and strong teeth.

 

Similarly, a vampire has human-like physiology, and their bodies continue to function normally as long as they have a steady diet of human blood; for example, their heart still beats to pump the blood they've consumed through their system to maintain their vitality. Because of this, vampires can eat human food, though it doesn't sustain their life or provide any nutrition like blood does, and their digestive system will continue to process it and produce wastes just as a healthy human's does. Regardless, many vampires continue to eat regular food for several reasons, including out of human habit, to maintain human appearances in order to prevent their exposure, and to help sublimate their eternal hunger for blood and thereby keep their bloodlust at a manageable level.

 

Vampires can also become intoxicated by drugs such as alcohol and marijuana just as humans can, although they do have much higher tolerances due to their accelerated healing, which rapidly regenerates the cells damaged by these drugs which causes the sensation of being drunk or high. In fact, most vampires frequently drink alcohol throughout the day to help them deal with their perpetual hunger, much in the way that some vampires eat human food to help curb their cravings.

 

Vampires are immune to the majority of human diseases and illnesses. One exception of this rule is cancer, though vampires cannot actually develop it-- they have to have had the cancer prior to being turned, as vampire blood cannot cure it in humans. These aforementioned vampires continue to have cancer even after their transition is complete, as cancer cells rapidly regenerate in the presence of vampire blood due to the cells being functionally immortal; normal human cells have "suicide buttons" that allow them to die once their organelles have worn out, but cancer cells have no such button, and vampire blood only serves to accelerate the regeneration of cancer cells. The only known substances that can have a serious negative effect on vampires are vervain and Werewolf Venom.

 

Nature

"She is a different person. She's a vampire. We're a predatory species. We enjoy the hunt, the feed, and the kill. When the guilt gets too bad, we switch off our humanity and we revel in it."

—Damon Salvatore to Bonnie Bennett about a vampire's nature

 

"You feel like you could do anything. Be anyone. Beautiful things are more beautiful. Everything's heightened, you know? Just a little bit more intensely. Love more powerfully. [...] Anger becomes rage. When you're sad, you're in despair. Grief. Loss. It can cripple you. That's why so many of us turn our emotions off. It just becomes...too overwhelming."

— about the best and worst parts of being a vampire in The Last Day

 

Vampires have the capacity to be extremely feral, predatory creatures, and can be more beast-like and savage than their human appearance suggests. They growl, hiss, snarl, and curl their lips back when provoked, baring their fangs as a sign of aggression when faced by a threat.

 

Despite their nature, vampires are also capable of human emotions, such as compassion, love, and self-control. However, it's in a vampire's nature to be violent, and no matter what their morality or kindness, they will almost always resort to such acts if it's necessary for their survival. While vampires typically maintain their human personalities after their transformations (though magnified by the magical properties of vampirism), they are usually dehumanized to some degree, and due to both the violent tensions between witches, werewolves, and vampires (along with the in-fighting within the vampire community itself), violence, tragedy, and death of the aforementioned groups and humans caught in the crossfire seem to follow vampires wherever they go, even despite their best efforts to avoid it. Many (though not all) vampires are inherently selfish and consider other beings, especially humans, to be inferior to themselves, as they see themselves as the top of the proverbial food chain. Even the most compassionate of their kind will often resort to cruelty and torture if it means protecting themselves and their loved ones from danger.

 

However, vampires experience sensations and feelings much more intensely than humans, and as a result, they have a much more difficult time controlling their emotions, all of which are tied to their hunger in some way. Whenever a vampire is overwhelmed by powerful feelings (such as extreme hunger, fear, anger, happiness, love, etc.) their faces become pale, and blood rushes into the veins surrounding their eyes, darkening them tremendously. Their canine teeth will lengthen into fangs, giving them a more predatory look to scare off or threaten their prey and to aid them in feeding on humans and animals. This intensification of emotions experienced by vampires also extends to their personalities as well, both the good and the bad aspects of it.

 

Due to their intensely emotional nature, it is not uncommon for vampires wishing to maintain self-control to document their lives after their transition in journals. Though they have consistently shown considerable powers in recollection of specific memories and dates, vampires still need to peruse their journals in order to reflect on their feelings and other minute details during certain events. Another function of the vampire nature is the ability to "turn off" their humanity in order to make it easier for them to emotionally deal with feeding on (and occasionally even killing) humans to maintain their immortality.

 

Vampires who have used this coping mechanism have described the process as "flicking a switch," which essentially numbs their emotions and disables their ability to be empathetic, allowing them to shut out painful feelings such as guilt, grief, and sadness and turning off the part of them that makes them ashamed of their actions. Vampires with their humanity turned off often think of themselves as purely rational and logical and are not ruled by their emotions. They also have no problem feeding indiscriminately on whomever they please, either using mind compulsion to make the humans forget the experience or killing them outright with no shame or remorse.

 

Society and Culture

"And you know what makes me able to drink my fill and leave someone breathing and not rip their head off like my brother? It's that I can revel in it. I can make it fun."

 

Many vampires are nomads of sorts who periodically move around from place to place to make sure their immortality and lack of aging do not lead to their exposure as vampires to the general public. Some of them appear to attempt to take on identities within the human world and exist alongside humans, who take on a new identity, location, and career every thirty years or so. While others instead appear to enjoy living among humans mostly anonymously without making human attachments and then choosing to travel to new places for a change in scenery whenever the urge strikes them.

 

While the world does not appear to have an official rule-based vampire government (neither in an international level nor a national level), at least one place, the American city of New Orleans, Louisiana, has had a thriving permanent community of vampires from the late 18th through 19th and 20th centuries and into the early 21st century. For most of the community's existence, it was ruled over by a the Twin Originals Kirsten and Kristan Magnusson, then, prior to WWII, the pair disappeared and the control of the vampires was taken over by Lilith Rambaux, who had been, supposedly, sired by one of the twins around the time of the American civil war. She proclaimed herself to be the queen of the city and managed to broker a fragile peace between vampires, werewolves, and witches. Upon gaining leadership of the community, Lilith created many rules that she strongly enforces within the borders of New Orleans, which includes the following: vampires can only feed on tourists (though feeding on consenting locals seems to be allowed as long as they're willing to keep the secret or can be compelled to do so); and all vampires are responsible for keeping the number of vampire-related killings of humans to a minimum so as to not negatively affect tourism rates, which thereby affects their food supply and the city's general prosperity.

 

The number one rule of the community, however, is that vampires are forbidden from killing any of their own kind, and vampires who have violated this rule have faced strict punishment, such as one hundred years of solitary confinement and starvation in the Garden prison or even death. The only known vampires to avoid punishment for such a crime are the Queen, and those in her favor who, together, are far too powerful for any vampire in the community to force them to abide by the laws.

 

As previously stated, there is no international vampire government, or even a vampire government within specific nations. However, there have been vampire societies over the ages that the species has existed. The most well-known among them being The Strix, a congregation of the most ancient and powerful vampires the world has ever known. Created by The Original called Erick, who sought to seek out vampires with the time, resources, and inclination to enrich the world with the powers they possess. However, Erick was eventually forced to abandon the organization, as he was dismayed by the realization that he had gathered a large group of "narcissistic and sociopathic" vampires who were only concerned with gaining power, status, and wealth with which they could use to further their own agendas. The Strix still exist but stay mostly in Europe, North Africa, and Asia with only the occasional foray into America and inevitably New Orleans.

Age is a powerful status symbol in the global vampire community. One such reason for this is because the amount of history the vampire has experienced gives them a great deal of knowledge, which translates to certain bragging rights in the community, especially when the elder vampires interact with the younger vampires, werewolves, witches, and in-the-know humans they encounter. There are many examples of extremely old vampires whose age and history have gained them respect and status.

 

However, the main reason why age is a status symbol in the vampire community is because a vampire's age directly correlates to how physically powerful they are. As a vampire ages, their supernatural physical and mental abilities become even stronger and more advanced as well. While attitude, training, and catching an older vampire off-guard can occasionally compensate for another vampire's young age in a fight, an older vampire will nearly always win in a fight against a younger vampire in a one on one encounter. (I will make a separate post about Potency and the equivalent attributes that werewolves and witches have as there are specific new mechanics involved)

The sharing of blood between vampires is considered an intimate act and is not typically taken lightly, though it is not always this way; for example, some vampires have been shown feeding their own blood to their kindred and vampire friends to heal them after they have been seriously incapacitated by injury or desiccation. Between romantic partners, however, this is an incredibly intimate act that denotes the love between the two vampires, as well as the trust they share.

 

Attitudes Toward Humans

 

Vampires generally coexist with humans due to their shared origins and appearances. Humans are mostly oblivious to the existence of vampires outside of myth and movies, which makes it easier for vampires to commingle with their human cohorts without detection or exposure. Most of the few people who do know about vampires have either been killed to ensure their silence, compelled to forget their encounters with them, or, in some cases, are compelled not to speak of it to anyone, which lessens the chances that the vampire species will be exposed to the public.

 

Attitudes of vampires towards humans vary from individual to individual. Some see humans as simply food, servants, and/or entertainment, while others feel compassion for humans, remembering their lives before becoming vampires and not wanting to cause any more harm to them than necessary, and even regarding certain humans as close friends, lovers, or family. In general, vampires are known to see humans as less compared to themselves and ultimately regard their lives as being essentially insignificant, as humans are mortal whereas vampires live forever. As a result of their immortality and the fatal violence they witness on a regular basis, the death of a human who has no significant connection to the vampire is typically a non-event for them, and is either shrugged off as collateral damage or seen as a means to an end in part of whatever the vampire in question's current agenda is.

 

Human Awareness of Vampires

 

Only a handful of humans are aware of the existence of literal vampires. In history, there were periods of time where vampires were not so secret, but as of the 21st century, the majority of humans regard vampires as superstition, fiction, and myth, which is how most vampires prefer it to be, as it makes it easier for them to move through the world without detection. There are small pockets of in-the-know humans, however, and they usually are in one of two groups: either they are aware of vampires because they are acquainted with at least one of them, either due to friendship, alliance (such as the Human Faction in New Orleans), or, in rare cases, being attacked and not compelled to forget the encounter; or, they belong to a family or are associated with an organization who hunts vampires (such as the Guardians of the Dawn or the Town Council of New Orleans) or studies them to gain more knowledge of how they work (such as Whitmore College's Augustine Society).

 

Powers and Abilities

 

"[.her father.] He wanted to fight and be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite, we had to bite harder. Where they had speed we had to be faster. Agility, strength, senses."

—Annika explains the powers of a vampire to a new ally.

 

The supernatural forces that sustain vampires also endow them with superhuman physical abilities as well as powers of mind control. Their physical abilities such as strength, speed, agility, durability, healing and senses all grow stronger with age and experience. Vampires who feed on animal blood will not be as powerful as those who feed on human blood. Human blood is also known to increase the speed of healing when ingested by a vampire after being seriously wounded.

   

•      Super Strength: Vampires are noticeably much stronger than Supernatural Hunters, Immortals and Humans and slowly grow stronger as they grow older. They always have the advantage of superior strength in direct combat with a human. Even new vampires who are still in transition can toss an average-size, fully-grown human across a room with great speed and force. Their other feats include single-handedly lifting grown men high off the ground by the throat and snapping their necks, cutting off a person's head with their bare hands, and ripping out internal organs such as hearts with little to no effort. Their strength is also more powerful than that of Werewolves in their human form and, depending on the age of the vampire, can be equal to that of Evolved Werewolves. Their strength allows them to jump higher and further than any natural creature. Vampires who feed on humans are stronger than those who feed on animal blood.

 

•      Super Speed: Vampires are much faster than supernatural hunters, immortals, humans, and werewolves in human form. Vampires can accelerate their movements to cover short distances in an instant, usually faster than the human eye can see. When running across long distances, they appear as vibrating blurs of motion allowing them to appear or vanish quickly and quietly. Their reflexes and dexterity are similarly heightened, allowing them to catch certain projectiles such as arrows and thrown stakes in the air with ease. Like their strength, their speed also increases with age.

 

•      Super Senses: Vampires have extremely keen senses of hearing, sight, smell, and taste that far exceed those of humans and werewolves. They can hear whispered conversations, even ones in far of buildings and on phones, though most vampires typically learn how to tune out most ambient noises when it's not necessary to hear them—Josh, a newborn vampire, explained that vampires can turn their enhanced hearing off, which explains why they can occasionally miss auditory warnings (such as the footsteps of approaching enemies) when they're paying attention to other things. Vampires can also smell blood from several meters away, and see in total darkness. These senses improve and grow stronger with age and experience. Their senses of taste are also enhanced as well, allowing them to detect the presence of drugs, alcohol, or vervain in someone's blood.

 

•      Super Durability: Vampires can take a great amount of physical damage without being slowed down. Even vampires who have been shot with wooden bullets, which have a weakening effect on vampires, have been seen to continue fighting so long as they were not shot in the heart or the head. Vampires still react to physical force in a human manner, particularly young vampires, who will occasionally be affected even by human-strength-level force. Vampires can also still be stunned and dazed by strikes and trauma, though their tolerance for it will increase as they get older.

 

•      Healing Factor: Vampires recover tissue from any form of physical damage to their bodies within seconds, though they still feel the pain of a wound before it heals. Vampires can snap their bones back into place after they have been broken and have been seen to fully recover from gunshots, stab wounds, and torso impalement very quickly, so long as they had consumed a regular diet of human blood prior to the injury. Those vampires who feed on animals will still heal much faster than a human, but their injuries, especially severe ones, will take much longer to heal than a vampire who feeds on human blood. The only injury a vampire can sustain that cannot be healed on its own or by consuming more blood is a werewolf bite, a very rare magically-created serum to cure. Also, a vampire's enhanced healing is limited to physical damage to their bodies—many forms of magical damage and psychological damage are beyond its capability. Vampires cannot grow back body parts, though if the limb is reattached before the wound is heal it can be made whole through healing.

 

•      Immortality: A vampire stops aging once turned. Upon their transformation, vampires become immune to all conventional illness, diseases, viruses and infections. While vampires who were cancer-free as humans will be immune to cancer after they are turned, those humans who were turned while they had cancer will not only still have it as a vampire, but their newly-enhanced healing factor will accelerate the progression of the cancer cells over two-fold, nearly always causing the cancer-stricken vampire to kill themselves to end their suffering.

 

•      Enhanced Emotions: Vampires experience emotions more powerfully than humans. Emotions like love, joy, and happiness are magnified for vampires, allowing them to live life more intensely. This ability allows vampires to feel emotions at their peak regardless of their age. Original vampires have been shown experiencing emotions as powerfully today as they did 1,000 years ago. Conversely, sadness, depression, guilt, fear and anger are also amplified, causing many vampires to become so overwhelmed that they "turn off" their humanity to block out the more painful emotions. After time and practice, the overwhelming sensations of heightened emotions fade as the vampire learns to overcome their emotions without turning off their humanity all together.

 

•      Mind Compulsion: Vampires have the ability to influence and control thoughts, emotions, and behavior and can alter or erase memories.  A person who has consumed vervain is immune to compulsion i.e. witches

Vampire and Hybrid True Faces

 

•      True Face: A vampire's true face is the appearance they are hiding under their normal human face. When a vampire's true face is revealed, the sclera of their eyes turns blood-red, dark veins appear under their eyes as the blood pumps forcefully through them, and their canine teeth extend into razor-sharp fangs. On some occasions, a vampire's fang teeth can include both their canines and their lateral incisors, or both their canines and their premolars. A vampire's true face can be revealed whenever they wish, but it will appear against their will whenever they are aroused by the scent of blood, or are feeling intense emotions such as fear, anger, lust, sadness, etc. A vampire's fangs are extremely sharp which gives them the ability to tear into almost any substance (including and especially flesh) and tear off limbs. A vampire's true face will appear for the first time either while they drink human blood for the first time or shortly afterward. With the fangs come the darkened veins under the eyes as well.

 

Weaknesses

If vampires are killed by a wooden object stabbed through their heart, their body desiccates into a gray color, and their vampiric veins thicken and protrude from their skin. Removing the stake will bring the vampire back to life. (Tis is different than in the shows but nessecary for the game)


 

•      Animal Blood: Animal blood, while somewhat satisfying a vampire's hunger and sustaining their undead life, will make the vampire considerably weaker than they would be if they had drank human blood, causing their physical abilities to be inferior to a human-blood-consuming vampire, making them heal much more slowly, and making their compulsion less effective.

 

•      Broken Neck: Breaking a vampire's neck will not kill them, but it will render in a death like state for varying amounts of time, depending on the diet and age of the person in question.

 

•      Decapitation: Dismembering or manually removing the head of a vampire will result in instant and permanent death.

 

•      Desiccation: Vampires who abstain from blood for extended amounts of time will eventually desiccate and mummify. Witches can use magic to desiccate a vampire.

 

•      Fire: Vampires are highly flammable and sensitive to fire, and will quickly burn and die from it if the flames are not extinguished in time. This quality has been proven to be useful in disposing of the remains of a dead vampire without any physical evidence.

 

•      Heart Extraction: Removing the heart of a vampire will result in permanent death. Vampires have the strength to plunge their hands right through the flesh of humans (including witches), werewolves, or other vampires, allowing them to punch their hand through the thorax of a person and pull out their heart. If it is a vampire who has been subjected to this, then they will desiccate upon their death, causing their bodies to become a grey, dry husk with their vampiric veins exposed all over their body.

 

•      Invitation: Vampires cannot enter a home without an invitation by the owner. If a vampire that wasn't invited in a human's house is forcefully shoved into the threshold, they will begin to bleed from the nose and eyes and feel immense pain in a similar manner to a Pain Infliction spell.

 

•      Magic: Vampires are susceptible to the powers of witchcraft. This is inclusive of mystical objects. Witches have been seen to use magic to cause agonizing pain by inducing aneurysms in their brain or muscle spasms, telekinetically ripping out their hearts or snapping their necks, magically increasing their hunger for blood to unbearable levels, setting them ablaze with a single thought, and desiccating them to the point of mummification.

 

•      Physical Trauma: Minor physical injuries such as gunshots, stab wounds and broken bones will cause a pain and also slow them down. However, this is momentary as they will heal completely within seconds so long as they haven't been weakened by other means such as vervain or werewolf bites.

 

•      Sunlight: Sunlight and UV rays burn vampires on contact, and prolonged exposure will cause them to burst into flames and die.

 

•      Vampire Bloodline: If an Original vampire dies, all vampires descended from their bloodline will slowly perish as well.

 

•      Vervain: Exposure to or ingestion of vervain causes a vampire to become severely feverish and weak to the point that it can even hinder their healing abilities as well. Also, physical contact with vervain will burn a vampire's skin. Vampires cannot compel anyone who has ingested vervain or has it on their person.

 

•      Werewolf Bite: The bite of a werewolf, as well as doing physical damage, injects a toxic venom into the wound, which is extremely lethal to vampires. It will cause them to hallucinate, grow severely weak and go rabid until it kills them. Vampires suffering from the bite seem to always hallucinate either significant moments from their past, significant people in their lives, or specific actions of the vampire that they feel guilty or ashamed about. While typical vampires will eventually die from werewolf bites, it isn't lethal to Original vampires, though they still will experience the sickness and hallucination that accompanies it for several hours or even days, depending on how many bites/how much venom was ingested, until their body heals itself. A bite can only be cured by draining the blood of the werewolf that made the bite, by a magical surum which some witches know how to make or by drinking any amount of blood from a werewolf-vampire hybrid (very rare)

 

Myths

•      Garlic: The vampire's supposed repulsion towards garlic may have been a fabricated lie, similar to how werewolves are not actually immune to silver. This myth was presumably started to hide the fact that vampires are actually vulnerable to vervain.

 

•      Holy Items: The myth that vampires could be harmed using holy artifacts like crosses, blessed ground, and holy water may have circulated from the belief that they are unholy creatures originating from Hell and in league with the Devil.

 

•      Mirrors: The myth that vampires did not cast a reflection may have come from the belief that vampires had no souls.

 

•      Shapeshifting: The origin of the myth that vampires had the power to morph into a bat, wolf, rat, or a cloud of mist is unknown. It may be the result of a mistake of perception between vampires and werewolves.

 

•      Soulless: The belief that vampires are soulless beings may have stemmed from their ability to shut down their humanity, causing them to block out their emotions and behave without remorse or regret, giving off the impression that they have no conscience and by extension, lack a soul.

 

•      Death: Contrary to popular belief, vampires have beating hearts and they cannot function without oxygen. They will, however, be forced to revive after suffocation or oxygen deprivation but will only die again if the circumstances of their revival are less than favorable.

 

 

CHARACTER CREATION FOR VAMPIRES

 

CORE CONCEPT

What was your character’s name in life? What did

they do? Where and when were they Embraced? What

is their name now? Where are they now?

 

SIRE and Sire-lines

There are no clans in this game but there are sires and Sire-lines

you sire is the vampire that created you there are no benefits to who sired you beyond role playing. Your Sire-line is which Original your bloodline descends from. Again there is no mechanical difference in who your sire-line is, except for if your sire-lines original is killed well so are you luckily Originals are virtually unkillable. Note you cannot be sired by your Sire-lines Original.

 

The four survivng Originals are:

Annika – Annika was the oldest of the Magnuson children by several years. As such she was always the responsible one the one who kept the others in line. This carried over after her transition. Often referred to as Mother by the twins sometimes in an affectionate manner often as a derision.

 

Erik- Erick was the Third son and fourth of the brood. He was intelligent full of curiosity, imagination both a scholar and a dreamer. As a vampire he is the one who most looks upon his and his siblings existence as a curse and while the others have always at least claimed that turning a mortal was giving them a gift he now views it as cursing them to eternal darkness.. Full of melancholy he has embraced no one for over a hundred years and lives a solitary almost monastic existence.

 

Kirstan (twin sister of Kristen) and Kristen (twin brother of Kirstan) – The Twins the youngest of the Magnusons, The were barely out of their adolescence when they were turned and were full of life looking forward to experiencing all that life had to give them. Their transition made them hedonists of the most decadent sort. Of the surviving Originals the twins are perhaps the most dangerous caring only for themselves (in a most unhealthy way at that) and their family they are as uncaring, cruel, and as horrifying as any tale of vampires written in fiction. But they are also the most giving and free. They have no cares and are equally as apt to give a club goer they become enamored with a fortune in diamonds as they are to eat him as the whim takes them. Capricious is a good word to describe them

 

The Deceased Originals were:

Beck

Carson

 

At the beginning of the game the whereabouts of the four living Originals is unknown to any PC

 

ATTRIBUTES

Take one Attribute at 4;

three Attributes at 3;

four Attributes at 2;

one Attribute at 1.

Health = Stamina + 3;

Willpower = Composure + Resolve.

 

SKILLS

 

Skills tell the story of your character’s life. What did they do all day, when they could do things by day?

Think a little bit about what each Skill means in the context of your character’s life story. Did they get those three dots in Brawl after a shitty year as a bouncer in Pattaya, during a career in the merchant marine, or by going to a really good dojo in Gainesville

during college?

 

Professional Skills

You probably did best at what you had to do to earn a paycheck. You certainly got the most practice at it.

Your profession gives you two Skills at three dots (•••) and two Skills at two dots (••).

The words in parentheses represent specialties, which give a bonus to tests of that Skill in that specific area. Whenever you acquire your first dot in Academics, Science, Craft, or Performance, take a specialty in that Skill. Choose a professional specialty in one of your professional skills.

 

SAMPLE PROFESSION PACKAGES:

■■ artist: Craft (Art) or Performance • • • Insight • • • Academics •• Awareness or

Occult ••

■■ coder: Technology • • • Academics or Craft • • • Finance •• Persuasion ••

■■ executive: Finance • • • Intimidation or Persuasion • • • Insight •• Subterfuge ••

■■ investigator: Investigation • • • Insight • • • Awareness • • Brawl or Firearms ••

■■ junkie: Streetwise • • • Animal Ken or Brawl • • • Insight or Larceny •• Subterfuge ••

■■ mafioso: Brawl or Subterfuge • • • Streetwise • • • Intimidation or Larceny ••

Melee or Firearms ••

■■ scholar: Academics or Science • • • one other Mental Skill ••• Craft (Writing) •• Persuasion ••

■■ socialite: Performance or Technology • • • Finance • • • Insight •• Etiquette or Subterfuge ••

■■ veteran: Athletics or Awareness • • • Firearms • • • Stealth •• Survival or

Leadership ••

 

Life Event Skills

What major life events shaped you? Did you serve a tour in Iraq, go through an abusive relationship, win the lottery, or have kids? Did you get mugged and take up taekwondo? Whatever it was, it taught you something.

Specifically, one event taught you a Skill at three dots (•••) and another one taught you a Skill at two dots (••).

 

SAMPLE EVENTS

(pick or roll):

1. served in combat: Awareness or Firearms

2. bad breakup: Manipulation or Subterfuge

3. homeless: Streetwise or Survival

4. college: Academics or Science

5. political campaign: Politics or Subterfuge

6. crime victim: Brawl or Larceny

7. severe illness: Medicine or Insight

8. got rich: Finance or Etiquette

9. had kids: Insight or Persuasion

0. joined a cult: Occult or Intimidation

 

Leisure Skills

What did your profession pay for or your events interrupt? Did you run a triathlon or go to EDM festivals every weekend? What you do for kicks also teaches you things.

 

Take three leisure Skills at one dot (•) based on hobbies or other pastimes:

 

SAMPLE HOBBIES AND

PASTIMES

(pick or roll):

1. marathon runner: Athletics

2. gamer: Technology

3. maker: Craft

4. activist: Politics or Leadership

5. national guard: Firearms

6. hunter: Survival

7. actor or musician: Performance

8. cheater on your spouse: Subterfuge

9. night school: Academics

10. street racer: Drive

 

Extra Skills

Now go ahead and take those Skills you’ve had your eye on this whole time. Pick one of the options below:

Specialist: Take one more Skill at four dots (••••). If you like, you can change your

professional specialty to a specialty of this Skill. You cannot move a free Specialty

from Academics, Craft, Performance, or Science to a different Skill, however.

or

Generalist: Take two more Skills at two dots (••) and four more Skills at one dot (•).

 

Ideally, come up with a plausible reason for why you have these new Skills, but don’t bog down or kill yourself trying to figure it out

 

 

DISCIPLINES

Vampires are different in this game than in normal Vampire games one of the largest difference is in the availability of Disciplines. Since there are no clans and there is no distinction between Sire-lines all Disciplines (except for those listed below) are available to all Vampires

All Vampires begin the game with the following Disciplines:

Auspex •

Celerity •

Dominate •

Fortitude •

Potence •

You may then place three additional dots (•) in any available discipline you choose.

 

The following Diciplines are NOT ALLOWED for Vampires

Animalism, Protean, Blood Sorcery, Rituals, and Alchemy

 

PREDATOR

Pick your Predator type (p. 175) and apply it:

■■ Add one of the listed specialties.

■■ Add one dot to a listed Discipline.

■■ Apply any associated Advantages or Flaws.

 

ADVANTAGES

Spend 7 points on Advantages, and take 2 points of

Flaws in addition to the ones gained from your Predator type.

Add any new supporting cast from Advantages and Flaws to the Relationship Map.

 

Ignore any references to clans or clan restrictions. If a flaw or advantage is specific to only one clan in the book and would make no sense outside of that clan then that flaw or advantage is not available if in doubt ask me.

 

CONVICTIONS AND TOUCHSTONES

Select one to three Convictions. (p. 172)

Create an equal number of Touchstones (p. 173),

each connected to one Conviction and add them to the Relationship Map.

Set your Humanity to 7.

 

SEA OF TIME

Character Vampires could have been embraced 200 years ago or yesterday.... for the sake of the game when doesn't matter PCs are special thus you get the following benefits regardless of age.

 

■■ : Embraced between early 1800's and present

◻◻ Blood Potency 2

◻◻ Each player adds 2 points of Advantages

◻◻ Each player adds 2 points of Flaws

◻◻ Each player spends 18 experience points. Regardless of age

 

TRAIT COSTS: EXPERIENCE

trait                                    experience points

Increase Attribute            4 Experiences per dot

Increase Skill                  2 Experiences per dot

New Specialty                1 Experience point

Discipline                       3 Experiences per dot

Advantage                      3 per dot

Blood Potency               5 Experiences per dot

 

Humanity:                      2 Experiences per dot

Lost Willpower dot:      1 Experience

 

 

 

 

 

 

Werewolf

•      Transform into hyper-aggressive wolves on the night of a full moon, provided their gene has been triggered

When the full moon crests in the sky, whoever is unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf. [...] If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse. Werewolves will attack humans, but instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice -- vampires.

 

 

Werewolves (also called Lycanthropes, Loup Garou, Rougarou, Beasts, or even just Wolves for short) are a supernatural shapeshifting species of individuals who both willingly and unwillingly transform into large, fearsome, and extremely hostile wolves. Some werewolves are able to shift at will but not all, but all are foreced to trasform on the night of the full moon and the nights both preceeding and following. . They were created by the witch The Hollow as revenge against her tribe for killing her. Even in their human form, werewolves possess superhuman physical prowess, though not to the same level as a vampire, and their abilities are not as powerful compared to those they possess on the full moon while transformed. These creatures are the most dangerous enemies of vampires due to their venomous bite, which is lethal to them. Werewolves are also hardwired to kill vampires on sight in their wolf form, though they still hunt human prey whenever there are no vampires to kill.

 

Triggering The Werewolf Gene

 

Lycanthropy is an inherited genetic condition, and a person can only be a werewolf if they are born to at least one werewolf parent; they cannot be turned by bite or scratch as is commonly believed in folklore. Furthermore, the werewolf gene must be "triggered" by taking the life of a human, either intentionally or by accident, in order to gain access to their enhanced physical abilities, though this comes at the cost of transforming into a wolf during every full moon. It does not matter if the kill was accidental or intentional, premeditated or out of self-defense-- if a werewolf causes the death of a human in any way, their werewolf gene will be activated.

 

Because difficult-to-control anger and aggression are common personality traits in even those werewolves who have not activated their lycanthropy, the likelihood of them losing control of their rage and inadvertently triggering their werewolf gene by accidentally killing someone is quite high; it is even speculated that the anger and aggression inherent in werewolves is intended to increase the likelihood that a werewolf will activate their lycanthropy. However, it is possible for an untriggered werewolf to go their entire life without killing; in fact, this happens frequently enough that in some cases, a family's lycanthrope heritage will be kept a secret that will ultimately die with an ancestor, causing the knowledge of their heritage to be lost and remain unknown for generations that follow until a member takes a life and unintentionally triggers their curse; this has happened at least twice in the Lockwood Family's history.

 

After the gene is triggered, the werewolf's eyes will turn black and gold, and their latent powers (such as increased strength and accelerated healing) will activate instantly; from then on, they will be cursed to painfully transform into a wolf on the night of every full moon (although there are unique circumstances that will prevent a werewolf from having to turn, such as pregnancy (in the case of females), being an Evolved Werewolf, or possessing a Moonlight Amulet). A werewolf who has yet to trigger his or her curse only exhibits one characteristic of lycanthropy: increased aggression and anger on a general basis, which can become overwhelming fits of violent rage leading up to and during the nights of the full moon. Also, until their werewolf genes are activated, untriggered werewolves can be compelled by vampires just like any human, after the gene is triggered, however, they become immune to vampire mind control.

The origins of the Werewolf Curse and Werewolves were caused, like Vampires, by a witch. This powerful witch, who was known as "The Hollow", cursed the members of her tribe that were responsible for her murder and created the Seven Werewolf Bloodlines.

 

The Middle Ages

Werewolves actively populated the New World during the early Middle Ages during the time that Viking invasions began in Europe and the vikings made thy're discovery of America. Many villages across the land were highly populated by werewolves and they lived along side one another in villages. They also lived alongside humans, although to protect their human and untriggered loved ones, the wolves made sure that they had access to natural means of protection during the time that they were changed. One clear rule of the mixed village was that the humans were forbidden from being around the wolves while they were transformed for their own safety, as the majority of werewolves are unable to control themselves when transformed and could easily maim or kill any non-werewolf species in their vicinity.

 

Modern Times

According to A scholaer of the Supernatural, at least two werewolf packs have been around since what he calls the "beginning," which could be referring to the genesis of the werewolf race - the Crescent Wolf Pack and the North East Atlantic Pack.

 

The werewolves' power can be traced back to the myth of the Unification Ceremony, a ritual that bestowed certain unique abilities onto every member of a pack. While most of the history of werewolves remains unknown, it has been said that at the earliest point of their existence, each werewolf bloodline was distinct, and each had their own power—some possessed heightened speed, others had heightened strength, and some even had the ability to sense their enemies from long distances, presumably among other unique abilities. It was only after centuries of intermarriage that all werewolves ended up having the same powers, which is why there is a lack of diversity in werewolf abilities in the modern age.


 

Werewolf Settlements

 

Werewolves exist throughout the United States from the East to the West coasts, though they are not always easy to find. Most werewolves gather in packs, where some of them remain on the road, only gathering at the full moon so they turn freely in remote mountains or parks. Nevertheless, some werewolf communities will gather in one place and settle there to create long-term homes in towns and cities where they may make up a significant fraction of an area's supernatural population, such as the Crescent Wolf Pack and the Bayou Pack, who have settled in the greater New Orleans region on the southern coast of Louisiana.

 

Physiology

 

Food

 

Like normal humans, werewolves can eat human food if they wish. However, because they turn into ferocious beasts during the full moon, they are carnivores. When in wolf form, they can feed on human or vampire body parts and organs, but they are not required to ingest them in order to prolong their existence, like vampires, must do with blood. There are no known consequences from abstaining from human or vampire flesh while in werewolf form. It seems that most werewolves do not get to feed on humanoid flesh, because most tend to lock themselves up during the full moon, or are scared or distracted away from their victim before they can eat them.

 

Werewolves have not been seen to attack each other in human or lupine form, but have been known to hunt both human and vampire prey while transformed under the full moon.

 

Appearance

 

Werewolves in their wolf form are quite similar to natural wolves, although unlike natural wolves, werewolves have glowing yellow or orange eyes, wicked fangs, and a much more feral and predatory appearance. They can also be distinguished from regular wolves by their displays of supernatural strength, blurred speed, and size which is comparable to fully grown humans. The fur color of wolf forms differs from one to the other. Werewolves appear the same as any other human the rest of the month, aside from their enhanced abilities of speed, strength, and healing.

 

Werewolf Transformation

 

A werewolf will only transform into a wolf under a full moon. The first transformation is quite slow, and the person is subjected to at least five or six hours of intense, bone-breaking pain before the actual transformation. After the first transformation, the experience does not last nearly as long, but it is still painful and something many werewolves come to dread. Klaus mentions that embracing the transformation rather than fighting it as most werewolves do, would make the process faster. Hope Mikaelson, who was on her first transformation followed this advice and her transformation was considerably faster, taking only moments instead of hours. It is unknown if this is due to her unique nature or possible for any werewolf that accepts the transformation rather than fights them.

 

During the transformation, the body of the person is twisted in an unnatural manner as bones reshape and shift to form a wolf’s skeleton, causing the person immense physical and psychological pain. Later, the werewolf grows excessive body hair and becomes feral. Their irises turn golden-yellow, their sclera turns black, and their teeth elongate into canines before they finally transform into their wolf shape. A werewolf returns to their human form after a few hours, sometimes sooner, sometimes later. After the first transformation, the werewolf will experience muscle aches.

 

Older werewolves can control themselves to some extent on the night of the full moon, but many find it necessary to dose themselves with wolfsbane to weaken them before they lock themselves up in chains to prevent hurting anyone while they're transformed. Werewolves also feel everything more sharply in their animal form, especially familial ties.

 

Psychological Characteristics

 

Werewolves are known to be aggressive, strong and fast, even in human form. Those with the werewolf curse still latent can exhibit some supernatural traits which can be triggered by aggression, along with unusual physical strength for the person's given size and age, but they cannot fully transform, and they also have a tendency to black out when they become overwhelmed in fits of rage. Werewolves seem to have a strong sense of duty and loyalty to protect their own and feel a responsibility to help their fellow werewolves whenever they can.

 

Also, werewolves have a higher body temperature than humans. Once a werewolf has triggered their gene, their eyes turn gold (the eyes of a wolf) while enraged, or when feeling threatened. Activating the curse is also painful, as werewolves have been seen to double over in pain before their eyes change for the first time.

 

While some werewolves prefer to keep to themselves and keep their beastly natures hidden, most seem to aggregate themselves into packs and residing in areas isolated from general human society so they can run free on the full moons without fear of hurting or killing anyone.

 

Code of Loyalty

 

Werewolves are very similar to witches when it comes to their own kind. Unlike vampires, werewolves have an unwavering sense of loyalty, and will often bond with other werewolves they meet. They form packs and work with each other as sort of an extended family. The bond of loyalty between werewolves is so strong that while changed under full moons, the only beings they do not attack are other werewolves (regardless of whether or not they have activated their werewolf gene).

La Luna Sanguinis

 

According to lrgrnd, the werewolves had a ritual a thousand years ago by which, on a blood moon, they would hunt and purposefully trigger their curse by killing a human, willingly enduring the pain of their transformations in exchange for the strength they gained as warriors. This ritual was meant to be a rite of passage, where young werewolves embraced their nature rather than shying away from it; this is in stark contrast to many modern-day werewolves, who do whatever they can to avoid triggering their curses and having to deal with the pain of their monthly transformations.

 

Powers and Abilities

 

Werewolves' strength and speed are enhanced and are at their peak during time under a full moon. When angered or threatened, these powers and abilities are temporarily enhanced;

 

•      Super Strength: Werewolves possess supernatural strength that makes them far stronger than immortals, Supernatural Hunters and humans. For example, Tyler accidentally ripped the door off his locker and kicked a trash can several feet with ease right after he triggered his curse. There have been several occasions to suggest that untriggered werewolves possess more strength than any average humans, which would indicate some form of enhanced strength even before the activation of their curse. However, werewolves in their human form are not as strong as a vampire, and have even been shown to be far weaker on several occasions. But they've also shown to be strong enough to at least defend themselves, such as when Mason punched Damon across the room, or when Hayley pinned Diego up against a wall. When they are in their wolf form, their powers amplify to a degree that excels that of the non-Original vampires, making them more powerful than non-Original vampires. In wolf form, a werewolf can overpower and kill any non-original vampire with ease, an example of that being when Mason, in wolf form, tackled and overpowered Caroline, a new vampire at the time, or when Tyler was turning and overpowered Damon, a vampire over 170 years old, or even when Jules, while in wolf form, tackled and bit Rose, a 560 year old vampire. They can also defeat an Original Vampire in small groups, as four of them were able to overwhelm Rebekah enough to attack her, although she killed two of them; another example is an instance when two werewolves, using the stolen moonlight stones, were able to restrain Elijah long enough to incapacitate him with their toxic bites.

 

•      Super Speed: Werewolves are much faster than immortals, supernatural hunters, and humans. They possess this ability both in and out of transformation with an animalistic quickness; Stevie was able to duck and dodge Damon right before jumping on his back. However, the power is faster at night than in the day, due to the moon's presence, and their speed increases greatly when the werewolf is transformed during the full moon. Mason was able to hunt down Caroline and Stefan in the woods easily while transformed, even despite their vampire-enhanced speed. Some werewolves are shown to become nearly a blur like their vampire enemies; others have not. In wolf form, however, while under the influence of the full moon, they can use their speed to swiftly chase down their choice of prey; even vampires, as their speed rivals that of most vampires or possibly even exceeds it - during the battle between Elijah and Marcel's army, the fleeing vampires were all caught by the moonlight ring-empowered werewolves who managed to appear in front of them and set up ambushes.

 

•      Super Agility: Werewolves possess superhuman agility. Either in wolf or even in human form, they have demonstrated that they can move, jump very high, climb, flip, and run incredibly fast without difficulty or exhaustion. They can also jump down from incredible heights with almost gravity-defying grace.

 

•      Super Durability: Werewolves can take far more trauma than humans without nearly as much discomfort or injury, however, not as much as vampires. They can also exert themselves for longer periods without tiring.

 

•      Healing Factor: Werewolves possess superhuman regenerative abilities, meaning that if they are physically injured, their bodies will heal rapidly. Like vampires, werewolves can heal from the most grievous of injuries, even in human form, albeit more slowly in comparison to vampires. However, unlike vampires, when a werewolf’s neck is broken, they stay dead.

 

•      Super Senses: Werewolves have the extremely keen and heightened senses of smell, sight, taste, hearing, and touch inherent in all canines. Because they are supernatural and have powers that exceed their wolf counterparts, they can hear, see, and smell better than that of regular canines. With this, experienced werewolves such as Jules could sniff out vampires - something vampires themselves are incapable of - and Tyler could taste vervain placed in his coffee, which would otherwise be impossible, since coffee's intense flavor typically masks the taste of the herb. Untriggered werewolves are also gifted with more sensitive hearing such as when Tyler Lockwood was able to hear the Gilbert device.

 

•      Lycanthrope Enhancement: Werewolves are able to make their eyes glow when angry or threatened, but only for a short amount of time. When a werewolf is furious or forced to defend themselves, their anger increases all their power and abilities for a short period of time, which allows them to access some of the power of their wolf form to give them an edge.

 

•      Shapeshifting/Transformation Control: During a full moon, they will unwillingly transform from their human form and into their wolf form. However, if a female werewolf is pregnant, they will not turn for nine months as the transformation would kill the baby. After Hayley and Jackson went through the Unification ceremony, every werewolf of the Crescent Wolf Pack gained Hayley's ability to transform at will. With this control over their transformation, they can access the full potential of their wolf forms at anytime regardless of the moon phases by turning at will. In addition to the transformation control, the unification ceremony also gave the werewolves in attendance significantly augmented strength, speed, reflexes, thus making them physically more powerful than before, even in human form.

 

•      Werewolf Bite: A werewolf's venom is extremely lethal to non-original vampires. While an Original vampire cannot die from the venom, they are not wholly immune to the effects of the bite. For non-Original vampires, the venom acts as an poison of sorts that will enter the bloodstream and deliver the toxin throughout the body, producing discomfort and weakness. All vampires who are bitten will ultimately develop uncontrollable hunger that progresses to delusions, hallucinations, rabid rage, and dementia. After that point, non-original vampires will finally die, though many are "mercy-killed" before that point.

 

•      Full Moon: A werewolf's strength, speed, agility, and all their powers are enhanced to their peak during a full moon.

 

•      Immunity to Silver: Werewolves are immune to magic bonded to silver. Weapons made of silver might wound them, but the wound still heals at supernatural rates and will not be fatal to them.


 

Weaknesses

 

Vampires and werewolves can be damaged in the same ways humans can, and in most cases will only be briefly weakened. However, werewolves are still mortals, and thus can be killed or incapacitated in various ways.

 

•      Blood Loss: If a werewolf is severely wounded and bleeds out before they can heal, they can die. This was demonstrated when Stefan threw a stake into a werewolf's neck, hitting their carotid artery and causing the werewolf to bleed out and die before they could fully heal. Another instance was when Klaus impaled the werewolf Paige through the chest.

 

•      Broken Neck: Breaking a werewolf's neck will result in instant death.

 

•      Decapitation: Decapitation will result in instant death for a werewolf.

 

•      Fire: (Presumably) Fire can presumably kill a werewolf just as it can any mortal. It can also hurt them, though their regenerative cells allow them to heal burns much faster than an ordinary human.

 

•      Heart Extraction: Ripping a werewolf's heart out will result in instant death.

 

•      Magic: Werewolves are susceptible to the powers of witchcraft. This is inclusive of mystical objects such as the Starling Necklace, Gilbert Device, Papa Tunde's Blade, and Dark Objects. It is unknown if a Siphoner can siphon the magic from a werewolf. Multiple spells have been performed by witches against werewolves to cause several effects against them, such as slowing down or speeding up a werewolf's transformation on a full moon, inducing a werewolf transformation earlier than they would normally begin to change, telekinetically ripping a heart from a werewolf's chest, and cursing a pack of werewolves to be trapped in their wolf form at all times except for a few short hours during the full moon when they return to their human forms.

 

•      Mortality: Werewolves can die of old age and share many of the same weaknesses as non-supernatural beings (e.g. suffocation).

 

•      Physical Trauma: Minor physical injuries such as gunshots, stab wounds and broken bones will cause a werewolf pain and will also slow them down. Fortunately for them, this is only temporary, as they will heal completely within minutes. However, certain injuries, such as a slit throat or a snapped neck, have been shown to kill werewolves, as demonstrated by Hayley Marshall and Tyler Lockwood, respectively, prior to their transformations into hybrids.

 

•      Wolfsbane: When ingested, wolfsbane causes a werewolf to become severely weak and feverish. Also, If a werewolf's skin is exposed to wolfsbane, it will burn them.

 

 

Myths

•      Silver: Contrary to popular belief, werewolves are not weakened by or allergic to silver, silver is just pretty

 

•      Aconitum or Wolfsbane: Several myths have surrounded the use of this herb and its relation to and effects upon werewolves, including the myth that wolfsbane supposedly either causes or cures lycanthropy. These myths are false. But Wolfsbane does have an effect of werewolves beyond it normal effect as poison to humans. If a were ingests the herb either by mouth having it applied to a wond or injected it will poison her just as it would a normal human however due to a werewolves incredible healing abilities the poison will not kill them unless incredible amounts are taken into the system. Even though death is not likely in the case of wolfsbane poisoning while the herb is in the werewolves system that werewolf will be experience excruciating pain making her almost unable to perform any task without supreme effort. It also will make transforming into a wolf impossible and in fact if introduced into the system of an already transformed lycanthrope it will force her into her human form.

 

 

CHARACTER CREATION FOR WEREWOLVES

 

CORE CONCEPT

What was your character’s name in life? What did

they do? Where and when were they triggered? What

is their name now? Where are they now?

 

Tribes And Packs

There are no tribes in this game the wolves did at one time have bloodlines but they have been mingled to the point that the blodlines no longer exist in any sort of pure form. In fact most werewolves are completely in the dark about why thye are cursed or that there was ever such a thing as a bloodline. However packs do exist Werewolves are social creatures and the will tend to band together and form small communities. Thes are Packs and can be made up of 2 – 50 or even more werewolves. A pack includes both triggered and untriggard wolves.

 

There are two packs in the New Orleans area, The Crescent Pack and the Bayou Pack. Together they comprise about 250 werewolves about a fifth of which are triggered. The packs are not unfriendly but neither are they allies. The Crescents live in and around the city while the Bayou pack lives in the bayous

 

Character should belong to one of these packs or they may be transient at the start of the game

 

ATTRIBUTES

Take one Attribute at 4 must be a physical attribute;

three Attributes at 3;

five Attributes at 2;

Health = Stamina + 5;

Willpower = Composure + Resolve.

 

SKILLS

 

Skills tell the story of your character’s life. What did they do all day,

Think a little bit about what each Skill means in the context of your character’s life story. Did they get those three dots in Brawl after a shitty year as a bouncer in Pattaya, during a career in the merchant marine, or by going to a really good dojo in Gainesville

during college?

 

Professional Skills

You probably did best at what you had to do to earn a paycheck. You certainly got the most practice at it.

Your profession gives you two Skills at three dots (•••) and two Skills at two dots (••).

The words in parentheses represent specialties, which give a bonus to tests of that Skill in that specific area. Whenever you acquire your first dot in Academics, Science, Craft, or Performance, take a specialty in that Skill. Choose a professional specialty in one of your professional skills.

 

SAMPLE PROFESSION PACKAGES:

■■ artist: Craft (Art) or Performance • • • Insight • • • Academics •• Awareness or

Occult ••

■■ coder: Technology • • • Academics or Craft • • • Finance •• Persuasion ••

■■ executive: Finance • • • Intimidation or Persuasion • • • Insight •• Subterfuge ••

■■ investigator: Investigation • • • Insight • • • Awareness • • Brawl or Firearms ••

■■ junkie: Streetwise • • • Animal Ken or Brawl • • • Insight or Larceny •• Subterfuge ••

■■ mafioso: Brawl or Subterfuge • • • Streetwise • • • Intimidation or Larceny ••

Melee or Firearms ••

■■ scholar: Academics or Science • • • one other Mental Skill ••• Craft (Writing) •• Persuasion ••

■■ socialite: Performance or Technology • • • Finance • • • Insight •• Etiquette or Subterfuge ••

■■ veteran: Athletics or Awareness • • • Firearms • • • Stealth •• Survival or

Leadership ••

 

Life Event Skills

What major life events shaped you? Did you serve a tour in Iraq, go through an abusive relationship, win the lottery, or have kids? Did you get mugged and take up taekwondo? Whatever it was, it taught you something.

Specifically, one event taught you a Skill at three dots (•••) and another one taught you a Skill at two dots (••).

 

SAMPLE EVENTS

(pick or roll):

1. served in combat: Awareness or Firearms

2. bad breakup: Manipulation or Subterfuge

3. homeless: Streetwise or Survival

4. college: Academics or Science

5. political campaign: Politics or Subterfuge

6. crime victim: Brawl or Larceny

7. severe illness: Medicine or Insight

8. got rich: Finance or Etiquette

9. had kids: Insight or Persuasion

0. joined a cult: Occult or Intimidation

 

Leisure Skills

What did your profession pay for or your events interrupt? Did you run a triathlon or go to EDM festivals every weekend? What you do for kicks also teaches you things.

Take three leisure Skills at one dot (•) based on hobbies or other pastimes:

 

SAMPLE HOBBIES AND

PASTIMES

(pick or roll):

1. marathon runner: Athletics

2. gamer: Technology

3. maker: Craft

4. activist: Politics or Leadership

5. national guard: Firearms

6. hunter: Survival

7. actor or musician: Performance

8. cheater on your spouse: Subterfuge

9. night school: Academics

10. street racer: Drive

 

Extra Skills

Now go ahead and take those Skills you’ve had your eye on this whole time. Pick one of the options below:

Specialist: Take one more Skill at four dots (••••). If you like, you can change your

professional specialty to a specialty of this Skill. You cannot move a free Specialty

from Academics, Craft, Performance, or Science to a different Skill, however.

or

Generalist: Take two more Skills at two dots (••) and four more Skills at one dot (•).

Ideally, come up with a plausible reason for why you have these new Skills, but don’t bog down or kill yourself trying to figure it out

 

POWERS

Since we are using only the rules from Vampire5th all powers are basically a form of the same disciplines vampires can have. Flavor may be different but the way they work will be the same unless noted differently.

 

Werewolves do not have access to all of the powers a vampire can have and they do not have access to all of the abilities within all of the powers they can obtain. They do however have access to some Powers that vampires in this setting do not have.

 

All WEREWOLVES begin the game with the following Disciplines/Powers:

 

Disciplines: Animalism 1 (Sense The Beast), Auspex 1 (Choose a power), Celerity 1, Fortitude 1, Potence 1, Protean 1 (Eyes of the Beast)

You may then place three additional dots (•) in any available discipline you choose except for Protean which cannot be raised by more than 1 during during this step in character creation.

 

The above listed Disiplines/Powers are the only powers a werewolf can learn. Level Powers a werewolf can learn are limited a full list will follow at the end of this document.

 

 

ADVANTAGES

Spend 7 points on Advantages, and take 2 points of

Flaws one of which must be connected to your triggering event.

Add any new supporting cast from Advantages and Flaws to the Relationship Map.

 

Ignore any references to clans or clan restrictions. If a flaw or advantage is specific to only one clan in the book and would make no sense outside of that clan then that flaw or advantage is not available if in doubt ask me.

 

CONVICTIONS AND TOUCHSTONES

Select one to three Convictions. (p. 172)

Create an equal number of Touchstones (p. 173),

each connected to one Conviction and add them to the Relationship Map.

Set your Humanity to 7.

 

Cursed

Werewolf Characters default to Untriggered humans .... for the sake of the game If you wish you may play already triggered. If you choose to play untriggered You do not have any powers can no transform and your Primal Urge is 1

if you play an already triggered werewolf make the following adjustment

 

◻◻ Primal Rage 2

◻◻ Each player adds 2 points of Advantages

◻◻ Each player adds 2 points of Flaws

◻◻ Each player spends 18 experience points.

 

TRAIT COSTS: EXPERIENCE

trait                                    experience points

Increase Attribute            4 Experiences per dot

Increase Skill                  2 Experiences per dot

New Specialty                1 Experience point

Discipline                       3 Experiences per dot  (Protean may be raised to a maximum of 4 with experience. the fifth dot is a special exception and is only available through role playing)

Advantage                      3 per dot

Primal Rage                5 Experiences per dot

 

Humanity:                      2 Experiences per dot

Lost Willpower dot:      1 Experience

Special: Werewolves suffer Aggravated damage from fire only. They recover 1 + Primal Urge Superficial Health per turn. Werewolves gain claws and teeth, that deal non-halved Superficial damage (+3 damage modifier) to vampires, as well as +3 to all physical attributes when they shift to their wolf form. Werewolf claws and teeth do aggravated damage to humans including Witches, Untriggered Werewolves and Triggered Werewolves in human form.

 

POWERS THAT WEREWOLVES CAN LEARN AND USE

Animalism (Sense The Beast,Quell the Beast, Animal Dominion (Canine and Lupine only), Drawing out the Beast) May be used in human form

Auspex 1 (Heightened Sneses, Sense the Unseen, Premonition, Clairvoyance) May be used in human form

Celerity (All except Drought of Elegance) level one only in human form

Fortitude (Resiliance,Toughness, Defy Bane, Prowess from Pain ) level one only in human form

Potence (Lethal Body, Soaring Leap, Prowess, Uncanny Grip, Harrowing Howl (a version of EarthShock) Level one only in human form

Protean (Eyes of the Beast, Moon Kissed (once you have 4 dots in Protean the werewolf can now control his transformation and can Transfomr even when the moon is not full or during the day). Evolved (Only available though Role play At Five dots the Werewolf can Transform into an Manwolf war machine making her a match for even an Original, note that at this point inthe game this level of transformation is a myth)

 

 

The Witches  WITCHES ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED AS PLAYER CHARACTERS THESES RULES ARE STILL HERE SO CURRENT PLAYERS HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY AR UP AGAINST

Distinction

•      Architects of the Supernatural

•      Keepers of the Balance

•      Servants of Nature

The Italians call them Strega. The Yoruba of West Africa call them Aje, meaning mother. Where my mother was from, they called them Häxa. And here, we call them witch. Over the centuries, vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or ally, they have been a force to be reckoned with.

 

— about Witches

 

Witches are supernatural beings who are born with the power to affect change by magical means (Witchcraft). While many witches are the self-proclaimed "Keepers of the Balance," other witches have been known to work against the Balance and use their power for personal gain.

The Balance of Nature

The Balance of Nature is a spiritual belief system based around the observance of the Earth and reverence of Mother Nature. The goal of many witches is to honor the design of nature and to maintain balance within the natural world. The balance of nature is intimately tied to one's spiritual relationship with the Earth, and the idea that all living things (e.g. animals, humans, plants, etc.) are considered sacred, as they are all different aspects of nature. Contemporary witches would also agree that using modern ceremonies, rituals and shamanic practices is the best way to attune themselves with the natural rhythms of the universe in their efforts to obtain guidance and knowledge from wiser known witches called "The Spirits." However, according to Gloria, who referred to herself as "old-school voodoo," it is implied that not all witches follow this belief system, and have the free will to choose how they wish to practice their power.

History

The origin of witchcraft remains unknown, however, it is known that witches have existed for many centuries passing down their knowledge and skills through generations of family lines. Contrary to popular belief, witches do not receive their powers from demons, nor do they worship the Devil. Instead, witches consider themselves "the Servants of Nature," as they make it their duty to maintain balance within the world. Sheila Bennett had once stated to Bonnie that "witchcraft was rooted in psychic energy".

Magic

 

Witchcraft is a practice of magic that encompasses many different types of activities including astrology, divination, spell casting, and spirit communication. It includes the practices of many cultures, nations and religions as well as many books and writings dating back to ancient times. Depending upon the individual, some witches practice their power by certain belief systems, such as Shamanism, Voodoo, Wicca, or any number of other magical practices from countries and cultures all around the world. Although the majority of traditional witches are commonly portrayed as being kind and selfless humans who use their powers to maintain balance within the world, in the case of Esther and Qetsiyah, it has been proven that some witches are independent thinkers who may go against the Balance of Nature by practicing their powers for dark and sinister or selfish deeds.

Powers and Abilities

Basic Powers

The basic powers of every witch include:

•      Spell Casting: The power to change and control events through the use of incantations.

•      Channeling: The power to invoke extra forms of energy by focusing on external forces.

•      Potion Brewing: The power to brew and concoct potions, remedies and elixirs that have supernatural properties.

Other Powers

•      Telekinesis: The power to move objects and persons through mental influence.

•      Pain Infliction: The power to create excruciating migraines through supernatural means.

•      Elemental Control: The power to control and manipulate the elements of air, earth, fire, and water.

•      Divination: The power to divine future, past, and present events based off extrasensory perception.

•      Clairvoyance: The power to divine future, past or present events through instinctive knowledge.

•      Intuition: The power to divine future, past or present events through the use of instinctive knowledge.

•      Premonitions: The power to divine future, past or present events through the observation and study of dreams.

•      Psychometry: The power to divine future, past or present events through contact with or proximity to a certain object or person.

Uncommon Powers

•      Projection: The power to separate from one's body and project the mind to another location or to instantaneously travel from one point to another.

•      Transmogrification: The unique power to alter the physical structure of objects living or dead, changing their form.

•      Telepathy: The power that allows witches to access the minds of others through spells.

•      Possession: The power to jump one's spirit into the body of another, taking control of said host body.

•      Illusions: The power to alter the senses of others to perceive a false reality.

•      Dream Manipulation: The power to control people's dreams through spells.

•      Resurrection: The power to bring someone or one's self back from the dead.

Weaknesses

•      Disbelief: The act of denying or disbelieving in one's potential could cause a witch to inadvertently suppress their magical power.

•      Distraction: Denying a witch from concentrating or giving full attention to their spells, may render them ineffective. Since most spells are spoken verbally and take time to take effect, witches are vulnerable to attack before their completion. Additionally, certain spells require items, tools, and/or special events during casting, therefore they can't be invoked on mere whim.

•      Emotions: A witch's magic is subject to the influence of their emotional state and may fluctuate according to them when untrained.  Strong emotions such as worry and anger can fuel a witch's power while emotions such as fear may prevent a witch from properly accessing their powers.

•      Herbs: Ingestion of certain herbs can cause a witch to lose consciousness and prevent them from using magic for an undetermined amount of time. The Lobelia flower prevents concentration and the practice of magic and can be used to weaken a witch as one would weaken a vampire with vervain.

•      Witchcraft: Witches are still susceptible to the powers of witchcraft. This is inclusive of mystical and Dark Objects.

•      Mortality: Despite their mystical attributes, witches are still human and share many of the same weaknesses as non-supernatural beings (e.g. age, decapitation, disease, heart-failure, suffocation, snapped neck, etc.). However, witches can temporarily get around this weakness through the use of protection spells.

•      Overexertion: The excessive use of magic could lead to disorientation, nose bleeds, unconsciousness, and if taken to the extreme, death.

•      Nature: It is said that nature will always find a balance when witchcraft is performed, thus spells will always have loopholes. This means, among other things, that no being can be truly immortal.

Tools

 

•      Amulets: An object that is used to protect its wearer from harm.

•      Athames: A ceremonial dagger with a double-edged blade that is commonly used to direct energy.

•      Candles: A block of solid wax with an embedded wick that is commonly lit to to amplify a witch’s spell.

•      Cauldrons: A large metal pot that is commonly used to hold the ingredients for elixirs and potions.

•      Grimoires: A family journal is documented with magical recipes, rituals, and spells. Grimoires can also be used as a Talisman to represent a witch.

•      Herbs: Various flora used as ingredients to be incorporated into spells as binding agents.

•      Stones: Various minerals and ores used to boost or bind a witch's spell.

•      Symbols: Seals drawn or written used as physical representations of spells.

•      Talismans: An object that is used to magnify a witch's power and/or represent them supernaturally.

Spells and Rituals

 

One of the defining characteristics of a witch is their ability to cast spells; a "spell" being the word used to signify the means employed to carry out a magical action. A spell could consist of a ritual action, a set of words, a verse, or any combination of these. For reasons unknown, the majority of spells used by practitioners of Spirit Magic and/or Traditional Magic are spoken in an ancient language similar to Latin. However, witches who practice other forms of magic have been known to use spells in different languages; for example, the French Quarter witches of New Orleans performs many of their spells in language similar to French Creole, while the Travelers typically perform their spells in a language similar to Czech. However, the ancient witches Dahlia and Freya Magnuson have been known to perform spells using a language similar to Old Norse.

Relationships

Nature

"Witches have a connection to the Earth. We can literally feel nature."

 

The relationship between Nature and witches is a very deep and spiritual connection. While the majority of witches seem to respect Nature with just as much commitment and reverence as religious factions do about their churches or mosques, it has been proven that not all witches share this belief and have made malevolent acts against the Balance of Nature.

Witches

"Well, the way he sees it all witches are family. We're all bonded together by a code of loyalty to help each other."

 

The relationship among witches is generally a positive relationship where witches not only help and protect each other, but often treat one another as members of an extended family. However, while the majority of witches feel it is their duty to help their fellow man, it has been proven that some witches may disregard this belief and turn against their own people if it comes to it, such as with their own safety, that of their loved ones or that of their own beliefs.

Humans

"They also know it's absurd. Can't be true. I'm just the kooky old lady who teaches occult at the university. No one truly believes. They just poke fun. And let 'em, don't let them know the truth."

 

The relationship between humans and witches is generally a positive relationship, although this was not always the case. Throughout the past, more than half of the human population lived in fear of the supernatural community. This fear caused many human parents to teach their children to hate and persecute all creatures who were different from them, especially witches. This eventually led to some of the world's most infamous witch trials that massacred hundreds (possibly thousands) of witches. While it has been implied that more than half of those who were accused were entirely innocent, many of those who were killed were true witches. Throughout the centuries, it appears that the belief in the occult has dramatically declined to the point that many humans like to poke fun at witchcraft, a behavior many witches encourage to ensure their anonymity to the human world and allow them to quietly practice their craft in private.

Shamans

"Hear me, great spirit, hear me. We call upon you in this moment of need. We bring you an offering. A woman who desires justice for herself, for our tribe."

—Shaman Leader

The relationship between Shamans and Witches is largely unknown, but given their similar practices, one could speculate it would be neutral or positive. Like Witches, they share a very deep and spiritual connection towards Nature, abiding by its Laws while even calling upon it to create the powerful Shamanistic Huntress to oppose vampires.

The Spirits

"Witches talk, even on the Other Side. Who do you think makes all the rules?"

 

The relationship between the Spirits and the witches was more of a political relationship than a spiritual one. The Spirits were highly involved in the activities of witches and often communed with them during their rituals and spells. The Spirits were known to have created the laws of witchcraft and distributed punishments to any witch who disobeyed their rules.

The Ancestors

"New Orleans is full of ghosts. Our dead are always here, hovering. When supernatural creatures die they're doomed to spend eternity alone watching the world go on without them. Of course, that's not the cause for the ancestral witches, we linger in a different way. Consecrated in the Earth, replenishing its power."

 

The relationship between the Ancestors and the New Orleans witches was more of a political relationship than a spiritual one, as they were the power source of all New Orleans covens. They seemed to be a near divine pantheon to the living witches of New Orleans; the orders of the Ancestors were treated as divine edicts that were to be obeyed. However, the relationship between the Ancestors and the New Orleans witches varied from witch to witch. While some witches, such as the Elders, had a deep and powerful reverence for the Ancestors, other witches,  had a negative relationship, to which both viewed the other's ethics and political agendas as corrupt and sinister. Nevertheless, the Regent of the Nine Covens of New Orleans, had full access to the power of the Ancestors and could call upon them for assistance. When a New Orleans witch died, their body was consecrated and the magic in their bones and their spirit were released into the Ancestral Well. While this restricted the witches, both living and dead, to New Orleans, it gave the coven the power and knowledge of centuries worth of witches. However, every three hundred years, the connection between the living and dead witch would wane. In order to rebuild this connection, the Harvest Ritual was performed, in which the living would sacrifice four girls for the Ancestors to resurrect and subsequently guide to become pillars of the community.

Vampires

"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems. As much as we try to do to stay out of it."

 

The relationship between the vampires and the witches is a complicated one that is more often negative than positive. This is mainly due to the notion that since vampires were created from Dark Magic, and flout the natural design that all living creatures must die. Nevertheless, some witches are free-thinkers who have not only aided vampires, but befriended them. Other witches, however, have been known as "Witches for Hire" in regards to vampires, such as working to accomplish a common goal, combat threats from other vampires, or for simple business arrangements. While some are forced to work alongside vampires, these witches are not particularly fond of this label.

Werewolves

"Long ago, the witches and the wolves were at peace. Then came the vampires."

 

The relationship between werewolves and witches is a neutral to negative relationship. Werewolves and witches have been shown to be at odds more than allies. Apparently the two species did once have a strong relationship with one another, however, this was ruined by the inception of the vampires. However, witches and werewolves have been known to ally themselves with each other against their common enemy (the vampires), though these alliances are typically short-lived due to werewolves not wanting to be controlled. It was further revealed that the Werewolf Curse was cast upon a Native American tribe of Witches begetting the seven werewolf bloodlines.

Psychics

"All witchcraft was rooted in psychic energy. Before I knew I had magic, I believed I was psychic."

 

The relationship between witches and psychics remains largely unknown; however, since witchcraft was rooted in psychic energy, psychics could be the precursors to witches, though no such indication is accurately known.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHARACTER CREATION FOR Witches

CORE CONCEPT

What is your character’s name? What did

they do for a living if your not a Professional Witch? Have you always lived in New Orleans or are you new to the city, Are a member of one of the Covens or a solo practioner.

 

Choose a coven if you belong to one.

Coven

 

Coven, to be precise. Oh, you know, family of witches.

 

 

 

A Coven is a name used to describe a gathering of witches. A coven is generally a group of twelve or more witches who occasionally meet to practice magic, celebrate sacred holidays, and discuss topics on witchcraft. As shown on several occasions, covens seem to always have both a leader and followers.

In New Orleans, there are at least nine covens, all of which have detailed rules of conduct and a complex structure. All members of each of the nine New Orleans covens follow a leader known as the Regent. Together, the nine covens are a collective community that has Elders who guide them, and each coven individually has its own structure and different types of magic that they practice (such as Sacrificial Magic, Necromancy, etc) as well. However, they all appear to share their common form of witchcraft, Ancestral Magic, which they practice by drawing upon the magical power of the Ancestors.

To earn the title of an Elder, a witch must have the power bestowed upon them by another Elder, or, in the case where there are no Elders to pass on the power, the witch in question must be able to consecrate the mortal remains of a powerful witch.

Nine Covens of New Orleans

•      Algiers Coven

•      French Quarter Coven

•      Garden District Coven

•      Gentilly Coven

•      Ninth Ward Coven

•      Tremé Coven

•      Bywater Coven

•      Holly Grove Coven

•      Faubourg Coven

 

 

ATTRIBUTES

Take one Attribute at 4 must be a Mental attribute;

three Attributes at 3;

four Attributes at 2;

one Attribute at 1;

Health = Stamina + 1;

Willpower = Composure + Resolve.

 

SKILLS

 

Skills tell the story of your character’s life. What did they do all day,

Think a little bit about what each Skill means in the context of your character’s life story. Did they get those three dots in Brawl after a shitty year as a bouncer in Pattaya, during a career in the merchant marine, or by going to a really good dojo in Gainesville

during college?

Professional Skills

You probably did best at what you had to do to earn a paycheck. You certainly got the most practice at it.

Your profession gives you two Skills at three dots (•••) and two Skills at two dots (••).

The words in parentheses represent specialties, which give a bonus to tests of that Skill in that specific area. Whenever you acquire your first dot in Academics, Science, Craft, or Performance, take a specialty in that Skill. Choose a professional specialty in one of your professional skills.

 

SAMPLE PROFESSION PACKAGES:

■■ artist: Craft (Art) or Performance • • • Insight • • • Academics •• Awareness or

Occult ••

■■ coder: Technology • • • Academics or Craft • • • Finance •• Persuasion ••

■■ executive: Finance • • • Intimidation or Persuasion • • • Insight •• Subterfuge ••

■■ investigator: Investigation • • • Insight • • • Awareness • • Brawl or Firearms ••

■■ junkie: Streetwise • • • Animal Ken or Brawl • • • Insight or Larceny •• Subterfuge ••

■■ mafioso: Brawl or Subterfuge • • • Streetwise • • • Intimidation or Larceny ••

Melee or Firearms ••

■■ scholar: Academics or Science • • • one other Mental Skill ••• Craft (Writing) •• Persuasion ••

■■ socialite: Performance or Technology • • • Finance • • • Insight •• Etiquette or Subterfuge ••

■■ veteran: Athletics or Awareness • • • Firearms • • • Stealth •• Survival or

Leadership ••

 

Life Event Skills

What major life events shaped you? Did you serve a tour in Iraq, go through an abusive relationship, win the lottery, or have kids? Did you get mugged and take up taekwondo? Whatever it was, it taught you something.

Specifically, one event taught you a Skill at three dots (•••) and another one taught you a Skill at two dots (••).

 

SAMPLE EVENTS

(pick or roll):

1. served in combat: Awareness or Firearms

2. bad breakup: Manipulation or Subterfuge

3. homeless: Streetwise or Survival

4. college: Academics or Science

5. political campaign: Politics or Subterfuge

6. crime victim: Brawl or Larceny

7. severe illness: Medicine or Insight

8. got rich: Finance or Etiquette

9. had kids: Insight or Persuasion

0. joined a cult: Occult or Intimidation

 

Leisure Skills

What did your profession pay for or your events interrupt? Did you run a triathlon or go to EDM festivals every weekend? What you do for kicks also teaches you things.

Take three leisure Skills at one dot (•) based on hobbies or other pastimes:

 

SAMPLE HOBBIES AND

PASTIMES

(pick or roll):

1. marathon runner: Athletics

2. gamer: Technology

3. maker: Craft

4. activist: Politics or Leadership

5. national guard: Firearms

6. hunter: Survival

7. actor or musician: Performance

8. cheater on your spouse: Subterfuge

9. night school: Academics

10. street racer: Drive

 

Extra Skills

Now go ahead and take those Skills you’ve had your eye on this whole time. Pick one of the options below:

Specialist: Take one more Skill at four dots (••••). If you like, you can change your

professional specialty to a specialty of this Skill. You cannot move a free Specialty

from Academics, Craft, Performance, or Science to a different Skill, however.

or

Generalist: Take two more Skills at two dots (••) and four more Skills at one dot (•).

Ideally, come up with a plausible reason for why you have these new Skills, but don’t bog down or kill yourself trying to figure it out

 

POWERS

Since we are using only the rules from Vampire5th all powers are basically a form of the same disciplines vampires can have. Flavor may be different but the way they work will be the same unless noted differently.

Witches do not have access to all of the powers a vampire can have and they do not have access to all of the abilities within all of the powers they can obtain. They do however have access to some Powers that vampires in this setting do not have.

 

All WITCHES begin the game with the following Disciplines/Powers:

Disciplines/Powers

Auspex 1,

Blood Sorcery1,

Dominate 1,

Obfuscate 1,

Presence 1

Witchcraft – 1 (Details forthcoming)

Alchemy – 1 (Details Forthcoming)

Special: Magicians are as vulnerable as normal mortals, but can erect ad-hoc defenses using 1 Willpower point per incantation.

 

The above listed Disiplines/Powers are the only powers a wich can learn can learn. Level Powers a witch  can learn are limited a full list will follow at the end of this document.

 

 

ADVANTAGES

Spend 7 points on Advantages, and take 2 points of

Flaws one of which must be connected to your triggering event.

Add any new supporting cast from Advantages and Flaws to the Relationship Map.

 

Ignore any references to clans or clan restrictions. If a flaw or advantage is specific to only one clan in the book and would make no sense outside of that clan then that flaw or advantage is not available if in doubt ask me.

 

CONVICTIONS AND TOUCHSTONES

Select one to three Convictions. (p. 172)

Create an equal number of Touchstones (p. 173),

each connected to one Conviction and add them to the Relationship Map.

Set your Humanity to 7.

 

 Natures Balance

◻◻ Channeling 2

◻◻ Each player adds 2 points of Advantages

◻◻ Each player adds 2 points of Flaws

◻◻ Each player spends 18 experience points.

 

TRAIT COSTS: EXPERIENCE

trait                                    experience points

Increase Attribute            4 Experiences per dot

Increase Skill                  2 Experiences per dot

New Specialty                1 Experience point

Discipline                       3 Experiences per dot 

Advantage                      3 per dot

Channeling               5 Experiences per dot

 

Humanity:                      2 Experiences per dot

Lost Willpower dot:      1 Experience

Special:

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Nina locked this topic
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...