[UN] World of Darkness

[Lycan Queen]

The smell of salt permeates the air, the sea tossing and turning in its ever restless slumber, and the people of the port hardly notice. Day in and day out, they go about their business, blind to the world that lies underneath them. They know nothing about the Technocracy, nothing about the war between the Camarilla and the Sabbat, and certainly nothing about the Wyrm that threatens to end the world itself. However, all three of the supernatural defenders of the world know nothing about the Changelings.

These beings claim to be from a dark world called Arcadia. They say their bodies are twisted and warped because some powerful beings called the True Fae kidnapped and enslaved them. They say that people who look just like them have been living their lives while they suffered under the cruel madness of the Fae.

This fourth group is growing in population within the city walls, and it's making all the other supernaturals a little worried. As if that wasn't enough, there are Changelings who say they've seen and heard things from their masters. Something about an Invasion. But, stories have conflicted on just about everything. Will the Fae invade the Earth? Will the Changelings rise up and claim Arcadia as their own? Or, will some new, strange force come in and try to take both?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, I eventually want this game to get big. Basically, it'll be an open book for people to write the story as to how the city works, who's in charge, and what their doing. I may do it as a system, but here's the thing. Everything is going to be using Old World setting except for Changeling. I'm bringing the Lost to the Old World, and throwing in the twist of Invasion so they have some kind of doom thing to fight/conflict over.

Don't have any clue what I'm talking about?
Fear not! Those who are new to either the old world setting or the entire thing in general, I have the books. ALL OF THEM. I am working on making at least a basic terminology thread as a source reference for newbies, and I will be working with people on a one-on-one basis to get them situated.

NOTE!
I'm going to put in as little powerful NPCs as possible. I want people to fill the void by playing the leaders of the various factions and set up the politics themselves. That said, I'm trusting that people who choose to play leaders will do so appropriately. There will be other people, PCs and NPCs, just waiting for you to screw up to take your place, and I am not afraid to act realistically. In fact, if you come up with a plot with other players for a change in the power base, awesome!

Supernatural Population
Okay, the canon plot can start with the city's founding in about the 1700s and end around 1999 with all of the plots coming together for the whole end of the world stuffs. Yes, there are a lot of supernatural beasites you can play, but the population of the city itself, along with the various port towns that surround it in the area, is going to be huge.

This whole city and the areas around it are fictional, and I'm debating where the city will be placed. Some of me wants to have it in America, especially because I've had the itch to do WoD in the Prohibition Era, but I'm open for suggestions.

The following characters will be available for play:

The Main Groups
Go ahead and make multiple characters for these groups. Most of them are the ones fighting said end of the world or are neutral in the conflict.

Vampires (Camarilla and Neutral Clans)
Garou (Werewolves)
Mages
Changelings
Bastet (Werecats)*
Rokea (Weresharks)
Corax (Wereravens)

Restricted
Because these groups are in direct conflict with the main groups, I will be a bit stingy on who I let play these. Don't abuse the privilege.

Vampires (Sabbat)
Ratkin (Wererats)
Ananasi (Werespiders)
Technocratic Mages
Fomori**
Black Spiral Dancers**

*I have a plot for the Bastet, so anyone who wants to play one, PM me first. You can play different Tribes outside of this plot, but I want people involved with this first.

**Expect the character to have a very, very, VERY short lifespan, as any Garou or other kinds of shifters who spot you will try to kill you on the spot. These ones are more restricted than the others because of this. Go ahead and take the challenge, but I'm putting a lot of trust into you for allowing it.

Hunters
I haven't even touched any of the Hunter books. If someone can give me a summary, I'd be glad to, but I'm not so keen on the idea. Anyone wanting to play one will have to talk to me for a long time.

This is more or less an interest check, but with enough interest I will put up the OOC thread soon! As for the board, I'm thinking either NC-E for potential animal form/hybrid form smex, or Extreme, as things could get so very quickly. Very open to suggestions!

[Yosho]

Looks interesting. I just recently got interested in the new world of darkness stuff so a game of it sounds fun.  I must say though that I am not all that acquainted with the setting and rules though.  If anything I would like to be with the mages.
Thanks.

[Kolbrandr]

Sounds interesting. This would be system based? Freeform based? Any character creation guidelines beyond get a concept approved, throw dots at a sheet, and don't be ridiculous about it?

I'd prefer something using the system, it would let me get some mileage out of the vast collection of supplements and rulebooks under which my bookshelves creak in protest and outrage.

[Callie Del Noire]

Old or New World of Darkness.. I miss the old one.. much more fun

[Lycan Queen]

@Callie
Everything except Changeling is old world. New world Changeling will be used in place of the Dreaming.

@Kolbrandr
Mostly freeform, although you can create a full out character sheet if you want to. It's just that I'm using some old and some new, so it'll mostly be a pain for people playing Changelings.

@Yosho
A mage, huh? Don't bother with new world Mage, the book is confusing and the plot makes no sense.

Old World Mage is about the Ascension Wars. The goal for most mages is to understand the way the world and magic works to the point where they Ascend, becoming nearly godlike in powers. Four different groups fight over reality itself, and have their own ideas of what Ascension really means.

The main "good guys" are the Traditions, nine different political factions of mages who namely believe in personal Ascension.

On the flipside is the Technocracy, mages who scorn magic entirely and seek to unite the world with technology.

For the Nephandi, dark mages who deal with demons, Ascension is literally Descension, plunging the world into an eternal darkness for their masters.

Finally, there are mages who have lost all grip on reality, the Marauders. A more wandering group of crazed individuals than really a faction, they are dangerous to all, as they seek to "enlighten" the world by forcing their reality upon everyone else.

For the system bit, there are nine Spheres of Magic, nine different ways to manipulate reality. Correspondence, Matter, Prime, Life, Entropy, Spirit, Mind, Time, and Forces. Every mage who Awakens has what is known as an Avatar, the very soul of the mage's magic, a guide on the path of Ascension.

However, bending Reality too far has repercussions. Paradox is the force that hits a mage whenever vulgar (obvious) magic is performed, varying on the level of intensity depending on how far you try to bend reality. Let Paradox stack up too high, and Reality itself boots you from existance for a while. This is how we get Marauders.

Okay, those are the basics. PM me and I'll get into the nitty gritty details.

[WyzardWhately]

I would love to play this game. 

I'm not sure what I'd want to play, though.  I'm most fond of the mages, and I'd love to play a senior Son of Ether or Order of Hermes*.  I also love the Corax, although, to be frank, they're appallingly wussy.  Maybe a Bastet - the Garou are neat, but their internal politics always irritated me.

*This is due to my villainous streak.  We all know that the Technocracy are really the good guys in the WoD.   ;D

[Lycan Queen]

XDDDDD Of course we do. You can take up multiple characters if you want, as all of those concepts sound reasonable to me.

I also got a PM asking about the Kindred of the East. As I'm still reading the books just now, I'm not quite sure what to make of them. I may make an allowance for one or two, but I've heard how powerful they are, so those characters would be even more restricted than the Fomori or the BSDs. The jury's still out on this one, so yeah...

[the fox without]

It sounds like an interesting rp, I'd join, except I have no idea what most of what you are talking about, I've never heard of this book series.

[Callie Del Noire]

Once played a renegade technomancer.. Iteration Xer who had blown off her programming. She had a weapon talisman. A MASSIVE railgun. HUGE forces effect. She was scared to use it cause it was almost like putting an X on google maps saying 'turn coat here..send HitMarks'

Wound up losing it in a 4 way grand melee in downtown charlotte. Maruaders vs Tradions (and her) vs Technomancers vs Nephandi.

I'd say the Maruader's won.. they called their friend George in from the Umbra. George was 150 feet long oriental dragon. Then ensuing reality storm destroyed the building the Nephandi were doing their ritual in while we ran for our lives.

[Lycan Queen]

@the fox without
You don't have to know everything about this, or anything at all. I'll be happy to provide summaries for anything you're curious about.

@Callie de Noire
Lol! Yeah, the Maruaders are quite an....interesting group. Me, I'll probably bring in a few characters as well. Mages from me would either be Cult of Ecstasy or Virtual Adepts. Technnocrates aren't my thing, but I wouldn't keep anyone else from playing them.

[Brandon]

I am somewhat interested even with Old world settings. Personally I would love to play Wraith again if we could add that in

That said, I also believe that almost every one of the New world settings are awesome in a different way. You should seperate views of the two as different but not better and/or worse

[Oracle]

Curse my newness to the WoD.... I'm going to be honest, I'm a NWoD. I just started playing Vampire the Requiem back in Feb/Mar. 2009. And then Changling the Lost in Mar. 2009. So, I"M A TOTAL NOOB!!!! ><

But I am still interested in this RP. Just a quick tutorial and I'll be set.

And if there's something in my posts that's not correct with the systems... Some one please pm me and tell me so that I can go back and fix it. And tell me what I can do to fix it and make it in line...

[Lycan Queen]

Again, willing to teach total n00bs. Character sheets are optional, although I'd like to have everyone work out the powers and supernatural bits first. The Requiem is good, I just like the setting of the Masquerade better. Plus, the butchered the Brujah and Malkavians (which are NOT Malkovians...)

[the fox without]

I'd be happy to learn, so when you get the chance I'll be there

[Lycan Queen]

No problem at all! I'll start sending out PMs immediately, so that I can get everyone sorted out.

[Vandren]

Could be very very interested.  It's been along time since I last did oWoD freeform.

As far as a few basic character ideas . . .

1) Young Ravnos (started out as a Brujah ghoul cop slated for Embrace, but the Ravnos got him first, randomly).

2) Young Silent Strider questing "knight" (Arthurian-style, seeking the Grail out of a belief that the Cup will bring the end of Set's followers and free the Old Kingdom).

3) Can very easily put together a Brujah, Gangrel, Nossie, or Tremere Primogen (done all four in the past at various times).

(Have a decent chunk of the V:tM, W:tA [inc. Gurahl, Mokole, Nagah, and Ratkin], and M:tA books, plus KotE, Mummy, Outcasts, Ghouls, Kinfolk, and Chicago by Night; only a handful are Revised ed.)

[Lycan Queen]

All of those ideas sound excellent. We do need people to fill in the gaps, as I don't want to create a list of powerful NPCs to run the city. And remember, multiple characters are allowed and encouraged. Take as many as you feel you can roleplay.

[WyzardWhately]

Okay, I think what I am going to do is (eventually) bring in two characters - one Mage, and one changing breed.  That way I can get my wizardry on and also some physical savagery on. 

I have two questions:

1.  Are we using the system, or just going freeform with this?

2.  I was digging through my mental file of "character concepts I've never got to play" and realized that I still have an oWoD one.  I'd dearly like to get to play a Mokole, but they're not on your list.  Let me know.

[Lycan Queen]

I may end up using system, with the Changelings going through an overhaul to bring nChangeling to oWoD. However, I'm not a stickler for stats, so I'd just namely just want the specific supernatural related bits.

And a Mokole....That would be interesting. While I want to keep things from getting out of control power wise, the Mokole are fascinating in themselves. I'm going to trust people to play things I normally wouldn't allow because Elliquiy is such an awesome place with lots of mature people. We can go over the specifics via PM, I just trust you not to abuse such an exotic character.

[WyzardWhately]

Go ahead and shoot me a PM regarding it whenever you like.  The downside to a mokole, as opposed to the other changing breeds, is that IIRC they only have three forms, and the middle one isn't even vaguely humanoid in most cases.  There are some story drawbacks to that.  I will continue to consider the matter.

[Oracle]

Again, willing to teach total n00bs. Character sheets are optional, although I'd like to have everyone work out the powers and supernatural bits first. The Requiem is good, I just like the setting of the Masquerade better. Plus, the butchered the Brujah and Malkavians (which are NOT Malkovians...)

I would do charry sheets for basic powers, not for the most bang for my Experience buck... that's just stupid. But I'm not gonna make them friggin' combat monkeys either... that's no fun if they're overpowered and have no sensible weakness.

I'd probably do a Vamp and Werewolf, though what clans or tribes I have no idea... Though something along the NWoD Mehket line would be nice. And I've never played either of the Werewolf games... but I do love werewolves... :D

[Lycan Queen]

@Oracle
Well, it depends on what kind of character concept for the character. Darkness type characters are usually the Lasombra, one of the lead forces of the Sabbat.

As for Werewolf, I will send you a base summary of all the Tribes so you can pick the one best for you.

@WyzardWhately
PM sent! With that, I will be going to bed for the night. Expect me up tomorrow to start shooting off more PMs and getting this thing organized. Thank you for such an enthusiastic response from both people familiar with the system and newbies! The characters submitted so far have been very interesting, and should make for quite a neat campaign. I shall have to start making some female characters to help balance things out.

[Callie Del Noire]

I'll see if I got some of my OWoD books on my drive archive and PM you an idea or three... I'm not into NWoD..

One of the test plays I saw earlier on had a Vampire die when a mall cop shot him with a 38

[Crovonovin]

I'm really short on time here, so I apologize that this is so woefully brief, but I would absolutely love to get in on this.  I've been very curious about the World of Darkness settings for awhile now, but my knowledge of them has basically been restricted to perusing wikia articles and tvtropes.  I can say for certain that I would love to play a Rokea, as they proved immediately fascinating once I discovered that werewolves weren't the only sort of shifter in this universe.  All the more so because I've been unable to find very much information on them.  I recall that they are a bit more...distrustful of humans and those who associate with them, if only because they hold strength in such high regard.  And that those who choose to live among humans are generally a bit more noticeable due to "fishy" deformities in their human guises.  And more concrete information would be appreciated!  Along that vein, I may also be interested in making a Ananasi, for a bit of conflict...though I know even less about them!  Nearly nothing in fact!  I just enjoy the idea of shifters with less typical forms.

Changelings are another interest.  I know information regarding their revamp for the New World of Darkness, what with them being deformed humans instead of...what was it originally...part fairy from the start?  I always preferred fairy tales where the fair folk were accurately depicted as downright malicious, but having them be out and out lovecraftian horrors is just fantastic.  And I've always been a fan of playing characters who've been...twisted around a little bit.  Any information about how you're going to try and reconcile the old and new systems would be handy.

Beyond that, any other basics you can think of would be wonderful!  I'm sorry if I'm asking a bit much, but I'm excited!  And taking longer than I promised I would, egad!

[grdell]

I LOVE the OWOD. I don't like the new stuff at all. I have always been a huge fan of Mage, and jump on any opportunity to play one.

My favorite tradition is the Cult of Ecstasy (I'm a musician in RL, so I always end up playing one), but can play most of the traditions (the only one I really can't get into at all is the Celestial Chorus).

How soon do you want character concepts?

[Vandren]

I just enjoy the idea of shifters with less typical forms.

Actually, both were-spiders and were-sharks are fairly typical, outside of Western culture.

For oWoD sources, I'd recommend Players Guide to the Changing Breeds as it covers all the non-Garou in reasonable detail (enough to use them effectively without including as much info as the eleven individual books).  It includes: Ajaba (hyena), Ananasi (spider), Bastet (cat), Corax (raven), Gurahl (bear), Kitsune (fox), Mokole (reptile), Nagah (snake), Nuwisha (coyote), Ratkin (rat, duh ;) ), and Rokea (shark).  All the most common werebeasts from folklore around the world.

Ananasi
- use blood instead of Rage (by spending blood, they can change form, gain extra actions, heal wounds, and create webs)
- have four forms: homid (human), lillian (humanoid-spider; or D&D drider-like), pithus (giant spider), crawlerling (hundreds of normal size spiders)
- their aspects are Wyrm (hatar), Weaver (tenere), and Wyld (kumoti)
- their Gifts are too varied for a complete list, but they do appear to have three or four factions

Rokea
- fairly rare, especially on land; must return to the ocean to replentish gnosis (thus the land-dwelling rarely go far from the coasts)
- auspices: brightwater (warrior), dimwater (leaders/mystics), darkwater (curious/inventive, very rare)
- forms: homid (human), glabrus (shark-like man), gladius (humanoid-shark), chasmus (giant shark), swimming jaws (normal shark)
- breeds: homid (human-born) or squamus (shark-born) only
- most of their gifts are water based

[Crovonovin]

Alright, I think I've got it.  Anything else I'm hazy about with 'em I'm sure can be solved by a few minutes of perusing the wikia, and I've already begun sifting through information on Changeling: The Lost.

With that in mind, some sort of catch-all character sheet would be great for getting ideas in order.

[Lycan Queen]

@Shihong
Another Rokea! Always happy to have more aboard. I can give the summary of the Rokea book and backstory.

As for Changelings, these poor souls are people who were kidnapped by the True Fae to their land of Arcadia, where they were servants/slaves/pets/whatever of their new masters. Their time spent in this land of madness, having to eat and drink the things there, warped their bodies. When they escape and return to Earth, they find that everyone sees them as normal people (The Mask), but underneath, they are forever changed (The Mein).

@grdell
Give me character concepts ASAP! A Cult of Ecstasy mage would be excellent!

[precious]

Oh, Ananasi.  My faaaaaaaavorite!  Well, aside from Tremere, which I play with RELISH. 

In other words, I'm interested! 

[Lycan Queen]

Good! An Ananasi and/or a Tremere would be excellent! Send over your character ideas ASAP and we can add you to the story.

Plus, it's good to see another girl interested in this. So much testosterone... ;) I kid, I kid.

[WyzardWhately]

What we need is something along the lines of a gorgeous little Toreador, etc.

[Transgirlenstein]

I did have an idea for a Gangrel that was a bit different then most Gangrel styled concepts.

[precious]

mmm, gangrel!

[Elohim]

I noticed that the book was not yet mentioned,  but would you have a spot for one of the Nagah.  I know that in general they aren't really known for playing well with other shifters,  as they've so far successfully duped the other changing breeds (Well at least most of the garou) into believing that they're extinct.  They're not really on the high end of the power spectrum,  and many of their abilities are more useful in a nest of 2-3 other nagah...  but,  I really would like to give one a shot.

I'm not entirely sure of the setting...  but if its a warm coastal area instead of a cold one.  I was thinking perhaps your typical beach bunny,  who was actually born as a serpent.  Despite knowing her place in the Dharmic cycle she's kind of been ignoring her purpose, because she's been having way to much fun living life as a human.

If this doesn't seem possible,  I have a few other Old World of Darkness characters that have been waiting to be used since everyone moved to NWoD.

[Lord of Shadows]

Before I start to throw myself into this as a player I would like to ask if you would need some help of running this Lycan?

[Transgirlenstein]

I wanted to play a more serpentine Gangrel (instead of the more wooly ones) is from a rather rich family.  She tends to donate a lot of money publically to wildlife charities...and not so pubilically to more radical groups ^^.


As Nagah rock..let Seraph play one!!!

[Lycan Queen]

Let me say this again: you guys are awesome. The character concepts I've gotten so far are amazingly detailed, and the diversity of the cast will truly make for an epic story.

I'm thumb typing this on my phone right before work, so I'll answer people individually when I get home. Anyone willing to help flesh out the plot is welcomed to throw me a PM. I want this to be a group project, so that we can all have a good time.

Yeah, I shall make characters, too. Like I said before, though, I promise not to make all powerful deus ex machina NPCs. So if ya want a plot with me, send me a PM!

[Lycan Queen]

Okay, now that I'm home, NOW I can answer everyone individually.

@Queentrippingserpent
Gangrel idea approved! Get working!

And....<<....>>...Wow, that was short. Already sent Seraph a PM...so yeah. Gonna go answer more PMs now.

Also, OOC threads going up soon!

[Transgirlenstein]

I dont have any of the books but isnt there a different powerset for "City" Gangrel?

[Callie Del Noire]

I hope that there will be room when I finally get access to my books. ;(

[Lycan Queen]

I think there might be. I have the Gangrel clanbook, so let me check that out, and I'll send a PM your way with the answers.

[Lord of Shadows]

A city gangrel has the disciplines of Celerity, Obfuscate and Protean (p71 Vampire the Masquerade)

[Vandren]

Yep, City Gangrel disciplines appear in V:tM main book (revised ed.) or the earlier edition of Player's Guide to the Sabbat.  They're not in the early (pre-Revised) eds of the clanbook.

Speaking of which . . . going with the Revised era oWoD (no Ravnos, Gangrel aren't Camarilla, no Tremere-antitribu, Assamite overcome the blood curse and splinter [some joining the Camarilla, others going independent], etc.) or pre-Revised era for the storyline?

And I've got two characters underway:
1) Nosferatu Primogen (relatively young elder, about 300 years awake)
2) Silent Strider philodox questing knight (very young, starting level, rank 1)

Still tossing around the idea of a Ravnos neonate or a Gangrel ancilla.

[Lycan Queen]

The book I like using best story bits wise is Laws of the Night...especially since Masquerade revised edition says nothing about the Lasombra and the Tzimisce, which are open clans. For the city Gangrel, the clan disciplines still stand, though.

[Transgirlenstein]

Excellant, I'll start writing up my Gangrel's stuff

[Vandren]

The book I like using best story bits wise is Laws of the Night...especially since Masquerade revised edition says nothing about the Lasombra and the Tzimisce, which are open clans.

Ok, not familiar with Laws of Night (tried to avoid the MET stuff).

Lasombra and Tzimisce are in Revised (main book and Blood Magic at the very least)