Vampire: the Masquerade Sandbox Interest Check

Started by AndyZ, May 19, 2016, 02:46:19 PM

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AndyZ

Repeated personal experience has taught me that sandbox games work much better on forums than games that focus primarily on plot.  To that end, I've got a Vampire: the Masquerade sandbox game idea in mind.

I don't have the entire concept in mind yet (I only came up with it an hour or so ago) but the basic idea revolves around a Camarilla fictional city that has recently recovered from a Sabbat attack.  With the last stragglers of the Sabbat on the ropes, the Camarilla need to rebuild their numbers to become a flourishing city once again, leaving the Prince to be much more accepting of creating new Kindred.

People who are new to the game will be encouraged to start the game with a PC Sire, but not required.  As things get going, recruitment will come in the form of particular players trying to find PCs to play their childer.

I intend to have two different tiers of players.  Standard characters will be made using standard rules, but characters in positions of power will be given bonuses in exchange for some compliance with the status quo.  For example, if I give someone beefed-up stats and let them be Sheriff, I expect them not to try to stake the Prince.  This will allow people to play characters which would normally only be NPCs, filling out the game and taking a lot of the load off of the moderators.  Naturally, standard characters are free to plot to their hearts' contents, but will (as usual for VtM) be at the disadvantage of being much younger and less powerful.

Although hunting down the last stragglers of the Sabbat will provide some degree of combat, the majority of this game will be sandbox and political, building alliances and the like.  As is normal, outright slaying of an enemy in Elysium will be punished, but getting the Harpies to so humiliate an enemy that they commit suicide is perfectly fine.

This being Elliquiy, spending blood to make yourself appear more human (breathing, warming the body, being capable of sexual intercourse, etc.) will only cost one blood point, and the Blush of Health merit will explicitly allow sexual intercourse as well.

All are welcome regardless of sex, gender, or sexual preference, and you aren't required to play your own biological sex.  If you want to play someone who got captured by the Sabbat and fleshcrafted into the opposite sex by a Tzimisce before being rescued, by all means.

That said, I'm only allowing Camarilla, though that includes Lasombra Antitribu and members of the Assamite, Followers of Set, Giovanni and Ravnos who have pledged themselves to the Camarilla.

I'll be using the Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary rulebook.

If there are questions, concerns, things I've forgotten, or whatever, feel free to ask.
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wander

Sounds good, you have my interest. :)

Creating a Vamp character takes some time with V:tM 20th, so can't really say atm what my own character will fall under, very interested to play however.

Hobbes1266

Would humans or ghouls be acceptable? How about other world of darkness creatures? I don't have anything in mind at the moment but I would like to make sure I know my options.

AndyZ

Humans and ghouls are absolutely options.  Other supernaturals I'd be much more iffy on.

I may end up allowing humans who don't have sheets and just want to freeform if there's call for it, but we'll see if anyone wants to do so before I decide on that (or if people object to the concept).
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Landshark

Very interested! Are there particular positions already claimed by NPC's? How close are you adhering to system?

Kolbrandr

potentially interested depending on the guidelines for statting up characters in positions of power (throw dots at a sheet within reason of backstory? other? how old is preferable? that sort of shmear). Happy to do things like take up pc childer and/or work in service of whatever narrative over-agenda.

Though I'd really rather not see other supernatural types besides vampires and ghouls in game.

AndyZ

The basic idea for NPCs is that I want to have people who can handle some of the higher positions without upsetting the status quo.  It's easy to understand a Seneschal who desires to become Prince, or a Sheriff who can rip out a Prince's heart, and all the other sorts of underhanded deals that might go on, but trying to mix all that in with a normal group would cause too much chaos for a stable game.

In particular, I hope to create a setting that has some reasonable degree of stability.  The PCs might hope to overthrow the Prince, and - given time and effort - maybe they'll pull it off.  I just want to ensure that - like a standard game - the PCs are the movers and shakers and not the NPCs.  Rather than spending a lot of time in actual combat, the Sheriff's job will effectively be to hand out tasks to their Hounds, with the occasional staking a naughty PC and delivering them to the Prince.

I would most likely take the spot for the Prince position, leaving lots of things open like Seneschal, Keeper of Elysium, Sheriff, and so on.  Most likely I'll set the NPCs as Ancillae and give them 100 xp on top of standard stats, but that number isn't set in stone yet.

If I did allow non-vampire supernaturals, I'd likely give them similar NPC rules, where their participation is written with particular pre-planned expectations instead of being movers and shakers.  Even then, I'm rather iffy.
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Hobbes1266

If I were to make a human, could I just use the rules for making a vampire without a clan or disciplines or should another method be used?

AndyZ

I think I'll leave it up to a vote whether people will start with the default human/ghoul stats or if they can ramp up higher.  If you have a preference, feel free to weigh in.

Also, for the NPCs, I'll let people cash in a bit of their Humanity at 2bp per lost dot to represent age and sacrifices made to acquire something else.  (Raising Humanity is 2bp per dot, so the number is easy enough to recognize.)
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wander

I'll do some work on putting a Vampire together, maybe done tomorrow, maybe the next day. As I work through, I'm figuring a concept will show itself and drive me the rest of the way through, vampires aren't exactly restricted when it comes to options which makes it tough to nail down what would suit me best... ^^;

Hobbes1266

Would it be alright if I played a human who survived an attack from the sabbot when they invaded?

Orange Marmalade

Massive VtM fan here - definitely would love to jump in!

Possibly as a Seneschal or Sheriff, not sure on the clan yet... or maybe a Lasombra Anti Keeper of Elysium?

Kolbrandr

Quote
I would most likely take the spot for the Prince position, leaving lots of things open like Seneschal, Keeper of Elysium, Sheriff, and so on.  Most likely I'll set the NPCs as Ancillae and give them 100 xp on top of standard stats, but that number isn't set in stone yet.

If you look at various npc write-ups for such as have filled those positions in varying books, 100 xp doesn't.. really come up on taking you there. I suppose it depends on the sort of city you have in mind (Europe or North America as far as their different in game standards for neonates/ancillae/elders, somewhere where almost everyone is basically young-ish like post Camarilla conquest New York in Vamp revised, that kind of thing).

AndyZ

Quote from: wander on May 19, 2016, 07:39:43 PM
I'll do some work on putting a Vampire together, maybe done tomorrow, maybe the next day. As I work through, I'm figuring a concept will show itself and drive me the rest of the way through, vampires aren't exactly restricted when it comes to options which makes it tough to nail down what would suit me best... ^^;

I should note I'm not really ready to start taking characters yet.  I haven't fully fleshed out the setting, and this weekend is going to be crazy for me.  This was meant to just be an interest check and start getting things planned out.

Quote from: Hobbes1266 on May 19, 2016, 07:58:19 PM
Would it be alright if I played a human who survived an attack from the sabbot when they invaded?

Sure, though you've very likely had your memories erased, unless you have particular plans which will keep you from being a threat to the Masquerade.

Quote from: Orange Marmalade on May 19, 2016, 08:42:47 PM
Massive VtM fan here - definitely would love to jump in!

Possibly as a Seneschal or Sheriff, not sure on the clan yet... or maybe a Lasombra Anti Keeper of Elysium?

Being from a non-Camarilla Clan will make it more difficult to claim any position of power, though not impossible.

Quote from: Kolbrandr on May 19, 2016, 09:21:06 PM
If you look at various npc write-ups for such as have filled those positions in varying books, 100 xp doesn't.. really come up on taking you there. I suppose it depends on the sort of city you have in mind (Europe or North America as far as their different in game standards for neonates/ancillae/elders, somewhere where almost everyone is basically young-ish like post Camarilla conquest New York in Vamp revised, that kind of thing).

I'm planning on a North American city where much of the recent attacks have left relatively newer Kindred in charge.  NPCs will get XP as well as PCs, but I want to create the possibility for enterprising PC Kindred to attempt to claim positions as well.

When I have the chance, I intend to start a World-Building thread, which will be open for everyone to offer suggestions.
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Lockepick

Like what you see? I am currently looking for new plots!

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LordRod

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AndyZ

I'm rather reluctant to allow all the Bloodlines.  For one, there's a crazy amount of them, and it'd make it more difficult to have decent representations for the seven Camarilla clans when things will likely already be spread out over all the different Clans.  For another, Gargoyles are flying Masquerade breaches without all the roleplaying opportunities of the Nosferatu, and I'd be concerned just how well playing one would work in a sandbox game.
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LordRod

Then I'll take my staple Ventrue MindFucker. :D

So still very interested :D
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wander

I'm building a Vampire up now, even if you're not looking for characters now, it's basically so I have a vamp ready on my Notepad and have them saved for other vampire games that come up. :)

I think whatever Disciplines attract me the most will help with what Clan I choose, it's really hard to make a choice based just on their profiles, each one has something unique about them... I'm spoilt for choice!  ;D

Vergil1989

I should be able to find a PDF for the 20th Anniversary rulebook online somewhere, but I DO have a clanbook for both the Toreadors and the Followers of Set.  I'm actually writing a fanfiction story called Trouble With Gehenna over on Fanfiction.Net, despite the fact I don't know as much about VTM or Bloodlines as some people I imagine.  Still, I know enough to get by, and I've had fun reading about this particular variant of vampire and their supernatural cousins.  ;D  My point is, if I do make a character, chances are I'll likely do a Toreador or Followers of Set, not sure which, but I'd need a character sheet when you get a chance and probably a bit of help putting a character together.  I'm new, or to use an in-game term, recently 'Embraced', and I'd probably play a similar character idea, just someone trying to get by in the Camarilla.  ;D  Anyway, I hope this kicks off.  Adios and good to play with you again AndyZ.  See ya!
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AndyZ

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LordRod

Oh hey, I knew getting this when I got my mage 20th book would come in handy.  Neat. :D Should we be making chars? I mean we are still in interest phase...
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Blythe

Blast, I told myself I'd wait before posting interest...but arrrgh I'm too interested to wait!

Definitely interested. Probably with a male Nosferatu of some sort~

AndyZ

Still in interest phase for now.  I mean to get started on a Worldbuilding thread but this weekend is going to be crazy for me and I don't trust family to leave me enough oxygen to think things through properly.
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Orange Marmalade

Sounds like you've got plenty of interest :) We shall eagerly await world building and more info!