Vampire the Masquerade: Black Gold [Closed for now!]

Started by Blythe, February 22, 2016, 03:04:21 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Blythe

Edit: A lot of people have shown interest, but I really can only take 4 to 6 people, no more. From here on in, only those who've already posted in this interest check should continue onward with interest/character creation. (They are listed in the 'Current interested players' list.) I will ideally pick my 4 - 6 players from this group. It is not first-come first-serve, but rather who has strong concepts for characters and which players that I feel would mesh (with each other and me) and make a good group. I am sorry for anyone who may have seen this before and couldn't post interest in time, but I have to have a cut-off point somewhere. If I don't get my 4-6 players with this batch of interest, I'll re-open for further interest.

Current interested players: Geeklet, RubySlippers, Kolbrandr, wander, VonDoom, Orange Marmalade, AndyZ (unsure?), Wolfling72, Elven Sex Goddess, CShades, VioletPanda, lockepick





Tulsa, Oklahoma was known at one point as "the oil capital of the world." While that usage has eroded over time and as other cities emerged into prominence, Tulsa remains a city that attracts certain kinds of business. Located in a state that is otherwise construed as inconsequential or meaningless by many other places in the USA, it has been and still remains a hubbub of Kindred activity. You can tell because Tulsa has one of the highest crime rates in the nation. Racial tensions are at the highest they've ever been, too, which doesn't make living in Tulsa any easier.

The city tentatively remains under Camarilla control...but not without heavy cost. Neonates meet their Final Death frequently in these modern nights. The Sabbat is prevalent in the South, particularly this close to Mexico, and the Lupines often dominate the southeastern portion of the state for the strong ties to nature it maintains. The Prince of Tulsa, an enigmatic Gangrel referred to as Silverwatch, frequently is in torpor, which leaves the Sheriff and Keeper more often than not responsible for keeping things stable. With rather limited success.

Cue the beginning of this particular tale...

Something has been discovered in one of the deep oil wells outside of Tulsa. The Prince has awoken from her latest Torpor. Lupine attacks are on the rise, and a truce with them is nowhere in sight. The Camarilla establishment is struggling to avoid catastrophe and have, with Silverwatch's permission, been siring exceedingly frequently in order to keep up their numbers.

Your characters are some of these new Kindred, Embraced within the last 25 years. 

These new neonates will find themselves in the middle of the Prince's mad schemes, the chaos of the Tulsa night, and the encroaching potential doom of death at the claws of the Lupines or by the hands and fangs of the Sabbat.




~ FAQ for this game, if I run it ~

- You must be willing to write with crossgender writers (Lords who write female characters, Ladies who write male characters, Lieges who write characters not of their own gender identity).
- We'll either be using the Revised edition or V20. I haven't decided yet. But yes, this is a system game. You'll need the rules to play. I'm open to player input about which ruleset to use.
- Game will go in the Extreme Small Groups section.
- I am requiring all characters be 18 or older.
- I strongly prefer no anime images for characters, please.
- Any issues with another player should first be attempted to be resolved with that player privately. If that's not possible, approach me in private to discuss the matter. I don't particularly like drama.
- Respect people's O/Os. Should go without saying, really.
- LGBTQA characters welcome. Any character gender is fine. Characters of all ethnicities accepted.



Important NPCs - Read if you have time

Prince Silverwatch: The current Prince of Tulsa, also sometimes referred to mockingly as "Big Chief." She is a member of the Choctaw Native American tribe. Anyone calling her "Big Chief" within her hearing is typically never heard from again. Commonly assumed to be a Gangrel of the 7th generation and assumed to have been Embraced some time in the 1700s. She is a lean looking woman of caramel complexion, long black hair, and burning silver eyes, which many believe is the origin of her current name.

Twister: The resident Harpy. A rather irritating Nosferatu of the 11th generation who is very tech-savvy and well-known for spying on virtually everyone. He also flirts with or hits on pretty much anything that moves. Want someone's reputation tarnished? You go to Twister. Want to buy or sell information? Go to Twister. He's one of the few Kindred who isn't disdainful or hostile to neonates, although he isn't exactly friendly, either.  Twister is a skinny gnarled looking thing with a mouth full of horrific razor-sharp teeth. He's frequently at Elysium...much to the chagrin of other Kindred. Alone of all the 'big names' of Tulsa, he is not from Tulsa personally, having only moved there in the past ten years.

Esteban Vasquez: The current Sheriff is a 12th generation Brujah. He's a chatty sort, fluent in several languages, and he enjoys playing the rough game of politics in Tulsa. He longs to take Silverwatch's place, but he knows he has no chance of taking her on in  fair fight, nor has he had the opportunity to diablerize her. Most people are aware of his ambitions in that regard. Esteban is a proud Latino, and he was Embraced fifty years ago. That being said, Esteban is currently responsible for the mass-Embraces under Silverwatch's direction.

Agnes Gray: A 12th generation Ventrue...and the local Scourge. She is icy pale with a head of white-gold curly hair, silent as a mouse, and most 14th and 15th generation vampires never hear her approaching. She is insanely loyal to Silverwatch, and many hypothesize that Silverwatch has her under a Blood Bond. Agnes was Embraced about seventy years ago. She is incredibly conservative in her ideologies...but Silverwatch tends to keep her in check.

Marian Acker: A prim looking Toreador who functions as this Domain's Keeper of Elysium. She is a tall curvaceous woman who is always dressed in the finest fashions. She is of German descent. While she looks prim on the surface, she's well known for being an incredible gossip and sexual deviant. Marian keeps her lovely brown-black curls tied in a bun and is usually seen only at Elysium unless otherwise by appointment. She's most likely of the 13th generation, Embraced to replace the last Keeper, and has a chip on her shoulder about this.


This is just an interest check so far; if there's sufficient interest, I'll elaborate on a story and get a possible character sheet skeleton up. The story will revolve around trying to stabilize Tulsa. I'd only want maybe 4-6 players, tops. Camarilla clans are all acceptable, no Sabbat clans permitted as playables, Bloodlines are possible but need to be vetted with me first.




To answer a couple of unspoken questions:

- Why Tulsa?
Unlike many other places in the classic lore, there's not a lot about Tulsa. It's a good blank slate, and I'm familiar enough with it to feel confident writing it.

- Why Masquerade instead of Requiem?
I have a nostalgic preference for Masquerade.






CS Skeleton

Name:-----Player:-----Experience:0
Concept:-----Nature:-----Demeanor:-----
Clan:-----Generation:13th


~Attributes~

Strength:●○○○○Charisma:●○○○○Perception:●○○○○
Dexterity:●○○○○Manipulation:●○○○○Intelligence:●○○○○
Stamina:●○○○○Appearance:●○○○○Wits:●○○○○


~Abilities: Talents/Skills/Knowledges~
Alertness:○○○○○Athletics:○○○○○Brawl:○○○○○Dodge:○○○○○Empathy:○○○○○
Expression:○○○○○Intimidation:○○○○○Leadership:○○○○○Streetwise:○○○○○Subterfuge:○○○○○
--
Animal Ken:○○○○○Crafts:○○○○○Drive:○○○○○Etiquette:○○○○○Firearms:○○○○○
Melee:○○○○○Performance:○○○○○Security:○○○○○Stealth:○○○○○Survival:○○○○○
--
Academics:○○○○○Computers:○○○○○Finance:○○○○○Investigation:○○○○○Law:○○○○○
Linguistics:○○○○○Medicine:○○○○○Occult:○○○○○Politics:○○○○○Science:○○○○○


~Backgrounds, Disciplines, and Virtues~

Background1:○○○○○Background2:○○○○○Background3:○○○○○Background4:○○○○○Background5:○○○○○
Discipline1:○○○○○Discipline2:○○○○○Discipline3:○○○○○
Conscience/Conviction:●○○○○Self-Control/Instinct:●○○○○Courage:●○○○○


Humanity:○○○○○ ○○○○○Willpower:○○○○○ ○○○○○Blood Pool (10 max, 1/turn):○○○○○ ○○○○○


~Specializations & Languages~
Attribute/Ability: Specialization


~Merits/Flaws~
Merits:
(- pt) Merit:

Flaws
(- pt) Flaw:


~Equipment~




Point allocation notes

Attributes: 7/5/3
Abilities: 13/9/5
Disciplines: 3 Points
Backgrounds: 5 Points
Virtues: 7 Points
Freebies: 15 Points

Freebie Costs:
Attributes: 5 per dot
Abilities: 2 per dot
Disciplines: 7 per dot
Background: 1 per dot
Virtue: 2 per dot
Humanity: 1 per dot
Willpower: 1 per dot




Edit: (credit to Wikipedia for the info)

About Tulsa!

Tulsa's current population is around 400,000 people. Typically Kindred ratio about 1 to 100,000, but the Domain of Tulsa is not just the city, but much of the outlying Tulsa County and other areas, which ballons the population up a couple of hundred thousand. There is a larger concentration of Kindred in this area than normal.  The meandering Arkansas River passes through the city of Tulsa, so for a landlocked location, there's actually some river-based traffic and commerce that heads east towards the Mississippi river, of which it's a tributary.  It's also around the Ozarks, so this is a city right on the cusp of nature. Kindred don't have to go far to be away from the city. Finance, the tech industry, big oil--these are the big industries of Tulsa. Tulsa is more diverse than other cities in Oklahoma, but it should be noted that Oklahoma is often religiously conservative...which is something the local Kindred often struggle with.

Tulsa can best be divided into a few sections (information pulled from Wikipedia, which is fairly accurate):

The Downtown: This section of Tulsa is around one and a half square miles and is the nexus of several important highways through the state of Oklahoma. This is primarily Tulsa's business district. There have been attempts to highlight tourism through this area and capitalize on historic value, but in truth, Midtown is better for that. It is the location for a lot of arenas and convention centers. With it being a space highly in the public purview, Downtown is the most likely location of Masquerade breaches. The Prince, Sheriff, and Scourge are all likely to be harsh with offenders in this area. This is where Ventrue and Toreador are most likely to have business connections

Midtown: This is a more historical/residential section of Tulsa. The architecture ranges from Greek Revival to art deco. The iconic and almost unbelievably beautiful Swan Lake neighborhood is in this area. The Woodland Hills Mall and the Southern Hills Country Club are both located here. There is also a prominent museum, the Philbrook Museum, which sprawls over 23 acres....and it is location of Elysium. It is typically bought and reserved in advance for Elysium in order to keep out mortals, although it isn't always. Tremere are more likely to be able to establish chantry houses in this area. Much to everyone's chagrin, the Nosferatu also seem to like Midtown and dwell in the sewer systems here more often than they do elsewhere.

West Tulsa: The favorite spots of loners, Gangrel, or anyone who likes nature and being left the hell alone. Includes major parks, reserves, and the big oil refineries. This is where you see the biggest nexus of business and nature, though, and periodically there's some conflict about drilling vs. preserving the wildlife. Oftentimes people trying not to be noticed by the Camarilla establishment hide out here.

Northern Metro: This is where a lot of the travelling gets done. The airport, a couple of museums, the zoo, etc., this is where a lot of foottraffic comes in. This is where Tulsa used to funnel tourism, and where it still makes a lot of its money. Masquerade breaches are very common here as well, and again, the establishment is harsh about it in this area, as it's harder to cover up.

Black Howling

Tentatively interested... well read tentative as "If I can find my books".

Geeklet

I'll have to think of a character, but if it is revised, I am down. I don't know much about the differences V20 brings.

Kolbrandr

#3
Interested if Revised, I was honestly really not fond of the changes V20 introduced, in that I liked revised, and V20.. definitely did not (it felt a bit like the devs going "forgive us for revised!", and when that was the edition I mostly played and liked.. well, felt kinda insulting). Would it be standard creation and such?

Blythe

Glad to see some interest so early!  ;D

It would be standard creation, yes.

As said, I'm open to using whatever ruleset my players prefer; I have both Revised and V20, so if the majority wants Revised, that's what system I'd use. :)

wander

Keeping an eye on this, Vampire wasn't my main jazz but I would like some owod (actually wod in general!) goodness to play. No character concept from me yet, I'll see what others are considering and bringing to the table. :)

VonDoom

Definitely interested. My own vote goes to ... well, Revised because it still has a lot more material, but I wouldn't mind incorporating some (or all) of the V20 changes.
Now this is the Law of the Jungle-
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may  prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.

-Rudyard Kipling, "The Law of the Jungle"
O&O

Crash


"Sorry, you must survive at least 3 games with me before we can chat like this."
Congratulations, you've unlocked Flirtatious Crash! - Envious

RubySlippers

I love vampire but this seems to me another your born to die for the MAN plot, now what if a player favors the softer approach than fight your average Ventrue is hardly going to be some great soldier.

Orange Marmalade


Blythe

#10
Quote from: RubySlippers on February 22, 2016, 05:24:17 PM
I love vampire but this seems to me another your born to die for the MAN plot, now what if a player favors the softer approach than fight your average Ventrue is hardly going to be some great soldier.

Outright physical combat isn't going to be a priority in the early stages of the game, not unless players would like that. But it will come up at some juncture most likely--Lupines and Sabbat are around, after all. I'm not going to have it come up often since combat can be tricky on forums, and I'm not going to throw things at characters that aren't somehow winnable. Will it be challenging? Sure. But the game certainly won't be a genuine "born to die" affair.

Ideally, this is a plot that's more about the neonates saving/stabilizing Tulsa, thriving in the face of obvious adversity, and making their own marks there. How they choose to do those things, though, that's where it's meant to be fun.  ;D




Also, for everyone interested--if you have questions, please feel free to ask. If you want me to elaborate on things, ask! :)

Black Howling

Given I can't find any of my books, and I'm not as familiar with the rules as many others, I'm gonna have to withdraw from the interest crowd. The idea looks awesome, though; and hopefully it blooms out well for everyone involved.

AndyZ

It's all good, and it's all in fun.  Now get in the pit and try to love someone.

Ons/Offs   -  My schedule and A/As   -    My Avatars

If I've owed you a post for at least a week, poke me.

Geeklet

Quote from: RubySlippers on February 22, 2016, 05:24:17 PM
I love vampire but this seems to me another your born to die for the MAN plot, now what if a player favors the softer approach than fight your average Ventrue is hardly going to be some great soldier.

As someone who is plotting a possible Ventrue.. thats what ghouls and retainers are for. :P

Wolfling72

Blythe you already KNOW that I want in so desperately...
O/O's
Snippets
A/A's
Wolfi Recommends- changes weekly
Keep it vampirated and melanated.

Elven Sex Goddess


wander

Oh, I have a question...

Which clans and bloodlines will be allowed? Seeing as there are so many of them. I'm spoiled for choice, don't know where to start and would love to know what any ruling for that would be.

Blythe

#17
It looks like everyone prefers Revised so far or has no preference, so we can go with Revised.   :-)

Players can user Mythweavers to build a sheet, or you can post the raw stats here formatted however and I'll format them into this CS skeleton (I'm not asking players to format things in this table themselves since it's a pain in the butt--if you get me the stats, however they look, I can do the formatting unless you want to yourself.  ) :

I would also like to see a small blurb, at least a paragraph or so, about your character's personality/history. Character creation is standard, no additional EXP, up to 7 pts worth of Merits, maximum 7 pts worth of Flaws.

CS Skeleton

Name:-----Player:-----Experience:0
Concept:-----Nature:-----Demeanor:-----
Clan:-----Generation:13th


~Attributes~

Strength:●○○○○Charisma:●○○○○Perception:●○○○○
Dexterity:●○○○○Manipulation:●○○○○Intelligence:●○○○○
Stamina:●○○○○Appearance:●○○○○Wits:●○○○○


~Abilities: Talents/Skills/Knowledges~
Alertness:○○○○○Athletics:○○○○○Brawl:○○○○○Dodge:○○○○○Empathy:○○○○○
Expression:○○○○○Intimidation:○○○○○Leadership:○○○○○Streetwise:○○○○○Subterfuge:○○○○○
--
Animal Ken:○○○○○Crafts:○○○○○Drive:○○○○○Etiquette:○○○○○Firearms:○○○○○
Melee:○○○○○Performance:○○○○○Security:○○○○○Stealth:○○○○○Survival:○○○○○
--
Academics:○○○○○Computers:○○○○○Finance:○○○○○Investigation:○○○○○Law:○○○○○
Linguistics:○○○○○Medicine:○○○○○Occult:○○○○○Politics:○○○○○Science:○○○○○


~Backgrounds, Disciplines, and Virtues~

Background1:○○○○○Background2:○○○○○Background3:○○○○○Background4:○○○○○Background5:○○○○○
Discipline1:○○○○○Discipline2:○○○○○Discipline3:○○○○○
Conscience/Conviction:●○○○○Self-Control/Instinct:●○○○○Courage:●○○○○


Humanity:○○○○○ ○○○○○Willpower:○○○○○ ○○○○○Blood Pool (10 max, 1/turn):○○○○○ ○○○○○


~Specializations & Languages~
Attribute/Ability: Specialization


~Merits/Flaws~
Merits:
(- pt) Merit:

Flaws
(- pt) Flaw:


~Equipment~




Point allocation notes

Attributes: 7/5/3
Abilities: 13/9/5
Disciplines: 3 Points
Backgrounds: 5 Points
Virtues: 7 Points
Freebies: 15 Points

Freebie Costs:
Attributes: 5 per dot
Abilities: 2 per dot
Disciplines: 7 per dot
Background: 1 per dot
Virtue: 2 per dot
Humanity: 1 per dot
Willpower: 1 per dot


Because there does seem to be a lot of interest, this game isn't first-come first-serve.

My posting rate is once a week or so, and slower posters are probably more preferred than faster ones for this particular game, since my own posting rate is often not very fast.




Quote from: wander on February 22, 2016, 06:58:16 PM
Oh, I have a question...

Which clans and bloodlines will be allowed? Seeing as there are so many of them. I'm spoiled for choice, don't know where to start and would love to know what any ruling for that would be.

All traditionally Camarilla clans are permitted (Ventrue, Toreador, Brujah, Nosferatu, Gangrel, Malkavian, Tremere).

No traditionally Sabbat clans are allowed (Tzimisce, Lasombra).

Bloodlines are only available on request, but I can tell you that True Brujah are right out.

Independent Clans (Ravnos, Giovanni, Assamite, Followers of Set) are probably too specialized for this particular story, but if you can justify a character concept that works and have that character be loyal to the Camarilla rather than their Clan interests, I'd consider it.

14th and 15th generation vampires not permitted.

Wolfling72

*notes that Malkavians are a go, plans accordingly*

O/O's
Snippets
A/A's
Wolfi Recommends- changes weekly
Keep it vampirated and melanated.

Blythe

Quote from: Geeklet on February 22, 2016, 06:33:32 PM
As someone who is plotting a possible Ventrue.. thats what ghouls and retainers are for. :P

*nodnod* Ghouls/retainers are things I'll encourage. Also, yay, Ventrue!  ;D

Quote from: Black Howling on February 22, 2016, 06:11:31 PM
Given I can't find any of my books, and I'm not as familiar with the rules as many others, I'm gonna have to withdraw from the interest crowd. The idea looks awesome, though; and hopefully it blooms out well for everyone involved.

Sorry to hear that, Black Howling, but thank you regardless for the initial interest. :-)

Quote from: AndyZ on February 22, 2016, 06:24:23 PM
*leaves a plate of cookies*

oooh cookies!  :D

Quote from: Wolfling72 on February 22, 2016, 06:34:44 PM
Blythe you already KNOW that I want in so desperately...

Quote from: Wolfling72 on February 22, 2016, 07:09:50 PM
*notes that Malkavians are a go, plans accordingly*



Wolfliiiiiiiing <3

Quote from: Elven Sex Goddess on February 22, 2016, 06:51:58 PM
Interested, Idea for a gangrel woman.

This is an awesome picture, really great possible character image!  :-)

RubySlippers


Wolfling72

Cuddles Blythe It's like you toss this bait out, KNOWING that I will come sniffing around...

By the by, 13th gen?
O/O's
Snippets
A/A's
Wolfi Recommends- changes weekly
Keep it vampirated and melanated.

Blythe

Quote from: RubySlippers on February 22, 2016, 07:13:53 PM
And Clanbooks allowed?

Any Clanbooks for permitted playable clans are also permitted. They have to be the Revised clanbooks, though.

Blythe

Quote from: Wolfling72 on February 22, 2016, 07:14:07 PM
Cuddles Blythe It's like you toss this bait out, KNOWING that I will come sniffing around...

By the by, 13th gen?

13th gen permitted, it's just 14th and 15th that are not.

wander

Okay, I'll start looking at clans tomorrow and see what inspires me most, then look to making a character sheet.