World of Darkness 2nd Ed (Interest Check and Storyteller Search)

[Op3999]

This is a thread looking for a Storyteller for a 2nd Edition New World of Darkness game, also known as Chronicles of Darkness, centered around Beast characters.  In addition to myself, I have lined up two other players to participate in a Chronicles of Darkness game with characters already prepared and ready.  The characters in question are geared towards a Beast: The Primordial chronicle, but due to the nature of Beast, other supernatural types could be mixed in (and one of our players would definitely be interested in the addition of vampires to the plot).

If you're not interested in being the Storyteller for this game, but are interested in participating in a Chronicles of Darkness game in general, feel free to post saying you'd be interested in joining.  Just know that we are also looking for a Storyteller to take the lead of the game as well.  Finding someone for that role is a priority for us.

One more thing.  With my character, I'd like to experiment with hacking in a hollywood-esque style.  I don't necessarily want to take it as far as indiscriminately hacking the pentagon or anything, but I definitely do want it to be a useful skill to center around.  Some of the things he aught to be able to do include figuring out the password for someone's wi-fi, getting past security in someone else's computer when he's physically next to it and things like that.  I don't know a lot about hacking personally, so bear with me if you do, but the purpose of the skill is to to be able to gather secrets from people hidden on their devices and to justify his resources dots via credit fraud and identity stealing.

Anyways, I haven't seen any Chronicles of Darkness games... anywhere, really, so if you're interested, let me know and we'll see what we can put together.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PROSPECTIVE STORYTELLERS:  The following are some notes/ideas for what the setting could include and a possible framework to work with for the RP:

Our initial idea was to base the city somewhere near water.  A river would be best, but a lake or ocean would also work to satisfy any Makara cravings.  I was thinking that there'd be three strong factions present in the city.  The main one would be the Vampires with Invictus leadership and, as a result, a very strong and violent Carthian rebellion resulting in an ongoing Vampiric civil war.  The RP could start before it really gets moving or as that's developing, but that would be the progression of the Vampire's side of things. 

Next would be Sin-Eaters (which would be difficult given the lack of 2nd edition, but not impossible).  There would be a larger organisation to the Sin-Eaters than normal, creating a city-wide heirarchy that's religious in nature.  Sin-Eaters might take positions in the churches, but in reality, they worship the cycle of life and death (especially the latter).  The religious fervor that they follow keeps them organised, but also instills a distaste for the undead, visa vie the Vampires.  They may have a vested interest in seeing the civil war get more violent to further their cause.

Lastly, I want a significant Beast presence.  I imagine the Apex to be an oppressive Anakim (a Tyrant, perhaps) who, even outside of being a Beast, is a pretty formidable person, perhaps on the cusp of an Incarnate Inheritance, but they'd be pretty hard to find.  Mostly, the Beasts are just connected enough to know where to meet up, but their Apex seems not to want to be bothered and stays away from those meet-ups.  In reality, there's an underground fighting tournament that goes on and the winner gets to meet the Apex, although that's just so the Apex can dominate them in the ring and prove it's place on top to itself, maintaining a legend from the shadows.

I sort of imagine the RP centered around the group possibly as newcomers to the area who get entrenched in politics between the three factions and are eventually forced to align with one or more of them, siding with one of the Vampire groups for freedom or wealth, the Sin-Eaters because of what they can promise or their closest kin, despite the oppression of it's Apex.

[PixelatedPixie]

I wouldn't want to be storyteller, but would be interested as a player if a slot was open.

[Op3999]

I don't see why not.  We have three players for three characters so far.  What kind of character would you want to play?

[PixelatedPixie]

It would depend on the other character and story, but a Beast of some kind.  I would want to avoid overlap in the family/hunger as much as possible and would need to dig out my book. 

[Op3999]

That makes sense.  Currently we have:

Michael, an Eshmaki Hoarder (a Hydra)
Esther, an Ugallu Hoarder (a giant Vulture)
And possible Bidzil, an Anakim Punisher (a Wendigo)
Johnny, an Ugallu Nemesis (a Manticore)

However, if the hacking thing for my character doesn't work out, I may swap him out with another character of mine, Madison, a Makara Ruiner (giant catfish, freshwater) who has a more general, social/physical build.

If I've got my impressions of Beast right, though, I feel justified in not being too worried about overlapping hungers due to the flexibility in what that can mean.  Even some overlap in family would be okay, I think, given how variable individual Beasts can be as time goes on, you know?

[wander]

I'll join, depending on who the players are.

I have an Ugallu Nemesis character, he's kind of a creepy stalker type. His inner Horror/Nightmare looks like a Manticore though he has a sort of vengeful ghost feel to it too.

Though honestly, in group games it depends on other players.

[Op3999]

Ah, I see.  Well, the other players are VenusGuyTrap, playing Esther, and SeraphAzriel playing Bidzil.

I hope that info helps!  Your Ugallu sounds pretty cool!

[wander]

Cool, feel free to add me as a Player.

This is Johnny, my own Beast. Taken from my second solo request thread.

In the beginning there was the Dark Mother, in legend she goes by many names, Tiamat, Lilith, Echidna... To teach early humanity the dangers of what slunk about the dark she gave birth to all kinds of beasts, all the monsters of legend can track their lineage back to her. Now in modern times humanity has advanced and peeled back the curtains of the darkness surrounding them... They have grown complacent, cocky. However the children of Dark Mother still dwell in the dark recesses of the minds of humanity and her purest of children, the Beasts, dwell still within the darkness formed of nightmares to teach the lessons that humanity forget today. A Beast is someone who has been haunted by a Horror of the dream realm only to realise this is their rightful face in the dark, rising up against and becoming that horror to stalk others more deserving.

Johnny is one of these Beasts, a walking wolf in sheep's clothing and the Beast needs to feed. The Horror that makes up his soul is kept alive by the punishment of mortalkind for their trangressions... Locked behind the astral veil, Johnny is the one who has to feed it... In this world of darkness, vampires, werewolves, mages, fae, demons and other monsters, kin to the Horrors walk amongst the mortals hidden by their own masquerades. It is the goal of Johnny to teach humanity that there is a reason why they hid from the darkness and why it's still dangerous to venture within it alone. Through the hunting of his kin Johnny sates the Beast, teaching mankind by example of what happens when they think they're top of their food chain...

Now the question is, who will you be? Kin or The Punished?

Johnny's Character Sheet

Name: Johnny Dante
Concept: All Knowing Stalker
Legend: Judgemental
Life: Loyal

Family: Ugallu
Ugallu Birthright: Johnny can once per chapter place the Confused Condition on someone.
Horror Form:
Johnny's Horror is that of a lithe muscled and a murkily ashen skinned Manticore. The Manticore has a horrifying taunting rictus grin on it's face and
a plume of sheer black greasy hair for a mane. It can dislocate it's jaw to cause horrific damage on those it attacks. It has tattered bat wings coming
forth from it's shoulders that wrap around it's body like a cloak and it can move on all fours along with being bipedal. It has a similar build to a human,
whilst it is slightly longer it hunches over when atop it's back legs, it's arms swinging like pendulums making it roughly the same size as a human though
it is a rapacious, carnivorous and ego-bound thing.

Hunger: Nemesis (Punishment)
Kinships: ??
Lesson: Johnny teaches a lesson of humility, to appreciate close ones and ones self. He has a disdain of those who fish for sympathy and those who
think they are beyond reproach. For those who seek attention thinking they are or should be the centre of the world, or those who put themselves at
risk believing they are untouchable, Johnny is watching. For those with something to hide, whether in human form or through the summoned Lair of his
Horror, Johnny will bring his lessons of humility.

Intelligence 3
Wits 3
Resolve 2

Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Stamina 2

Presence 2
Manipulation 2
Composure 3

Mental Skills
Academics 2
Computer 1
Crafts 2 (Drawing)
Investigation 1
Medicine 1
Occult 2
Politics x
Science 2

Physical Skills
Athletics x
Brawl x
Drive x
Firearms 1 (Called Shots)
Larceny x
Stealth 2
Survival x
Weaponry 1

Social Skills
Animal Ken x
Empathy 2
Expression 1
Intimidation 1
Persuasion 1
Socialize 1 (carousing)
Streetwise x
Subterfuge 1

Merits (10 dots)
Allies (Assorted Friends and Family) (1)
Alternate Identity (1)
Encyclopedic Knowledge: Science (2)
Beast: Guilty Pleasure (degrading the haughty) (1)
Improvised Weaponry (1)
Beast: Killer Instinct (1)
Resources (1)
Sympathetic (2)

Speed: 9.
Initiative: +5.
Defence: 2.
--
Willpower: 5
Health: 7

Nightmares:
o All Your Teeth are Falling Out.
Intellect + Satiety vs. Stamina+Supernatural Tolerance.
Penalises physical actions and potentially any physical merits (such as Striking Looks) the target may have.
o You Deserve This.
Presence + Satiety vs. Composure+Supernatural Tolerance.
Inflict an unremoveable Guilty Condition on the target (reduces social defences) for the current scene and may spread to penalising physical defence.

Atavisms:
o From the Shadows (Perception rolls to notice Johnny fail when standing still or in a crowd of 10+ people, including photography and videos, though
not supernatural perception methods).
o Needs Must (Add Lair (1) to Perception rolls and ignore penalties up to same number. Johnny will also instinctively know when a potential meal is near
that can Sate his Hunger, though no info about what the person has done is given, nor does this sixth sense penetrate supernatural obfuscation).

Current Satiety: 5/10 (+1 if joined by another Beast).
Current Condition: Sated.

Lair
1/10 (2 Lair traits; 1 trait active per scene).
Johnny's Lair is made of his Heart Chamber and a burrow that connects to a second Chamber.

The Heart takes the shape of the upper floor of a long deserted house, the landing has an ominous presence to it, even when Johnny's Horror is
elsewhere in the Lair. The lighting is stuck in a barely lit twilight and on closer inspection the wallpaper is peeling and a musky scent pervades through
it. Stark shadows paint areas in sheer darkness like German expressionist art. Windows in this Chamber look out to nothing but pitch black night sky
and any who may try to exit through them will find themselves falling down a flight of stairs of the Burrow.
The Burrow is entered when taking the Heart's stairs from the landing downward (or trying to exit via window as mentioned above), though it also
connects from the second Chamber and leads to the Heart. From the Heart, the carpeted stairs of that chamber slowly shift to a tiled floor and the
walls and ceiling shift from the wallpapered home to the stark and overbearing tiles of an ancient subway tunnel. The tunnel seems to get either worse
lit or the surroundings get more filthy and in more urban decay depending on Johnny's whim. Going from the Chamber below to The Heart has this in
reverse, though the worn carpet and yellowed and torn wallpaper replacing the tiles gives no more comfort to those within than heading downward.
The Second Chamber resembles a lengthy tunnel one might find under a bridge or a length of subway tunnel under city streets. It is filled with the
squalor one may find in a tunnel that has been occupied by the homeless, though the Chamber is barren of life to anyone but those who have been
caught in it and the Beast. The design is not of a modern city, it has a dated look to it. There are lights near the ceiling though they flicker out and
come across as being pretty unreliable, casting wide shadows through the area. What seems like a twilit village at the other end cannot be reached,
there is only the tunnel, however a person in this Chamber may go towards the stairs at the other end (that now lead downward) to end up back at
the Heart as mentioned above through the Burrow.
Lair Traits:
o Poorly Lit: (characters will suffer -2 to perception rolls including ranged combat rolls, rising to -3 at medium range and -4 at long range)
o Diseased: (characters will pick up a moderate sickness from breathing in the musk or coming into contact with the filth of this trait when activated;
characters will suffer a -1 to all combat rolls, the penalty increasing by 1 for every other two turns of exertion, to a maximum of -5.)

Johnny's Equipment
Leather Jacket (1/0 armour, protects torso and arms)
Fandom T-shirts (+/-1 to social pools)
Suit (+/-1 to social pools, not always worn)
Digital Recorder (1 dot version)
Mobile Phone
Multi-Tool
Laptop (+1 to computer pools)
Cash on Hand (1 dot of availability)
Housing (which holds assorted useful items, 1 dot)

[ChaoticSky]

I would also be interested as a player, and possibly willing to play that vampire. What sort of interest did the Beast have in them?

[Op3999]

@wander:  Looks cool!  Out of curiosity, though, why Ugallu?  It's an interesting choice for a ghostly manticore.

@ChaoticSky:  It's less the Beast himself and more of a player interest.  I, personally, am more interested in the... stranger supernatural types (Changeling is my fave), but Seraph has always been a Vampire guy.  So, it's the kind of thing that we'd want to work into the plot as well given Beast's tilt towards crossover.  That said, if you wanted to play a Vampire, it'd be a built-in plot hook for that part of things.

[wander]

It'd be down to the GM, though Beast is built for crossover play. A Vampire would work fine with Beasts, though I'd be lack to have one around if PvP becomes a thing. Beasts can actually gain Satiety if they're witness to a vampire gaining Vitae (The 'Family Dinner' mechanic of Beasts. If they have Family Tie to said supernatural they may choose to gain +1 Satiety, so it's neat to have a supernatural in the party usually).
Btw, Family Ties is a condition placed down either via down-time bonding or through social-fu and gives a +1 bonus to aiding one another in rolls. A supernatural can have this persistent condition with as many Beasts as they like, which is pretty neat for both parties.

Op;
Ugallu fit the options I want to take down the road and they have atavisms I like. Also the birthright is something that's super cool. I worked a lot from the Kickstarter doc, I know it got edited slightly to make the final corebook, though that was down to people getting up in arms about how questionable the content of the book was *smh*

Anyway, as it's easier to be more generic starting off, it's mainly my pick for when I advance Johnny later.

[Op3999]

@wander:  Okay, now this actually brings up something I was wondering about when I was reading through the core book I have.  Regarding attaining new Atavisms, it sounds like you chose Ugallu to make sure Johnny had access to Ugallu Atavisms.  Do I have that right?

I ask because I don't recall there being too strict of rules regarding what Atavisms you could take after character creation.  Of course, you do have to choose a Family Atavism, but that's just one of the two starting ones.  After that, it seemed implied that the only limit is that it aught to make sense for the story.  An Anakim wanting to take a Makara Atavism should have a Makara in their group, ideally with connected lairs so that the Horror could frolic with it's watery friend and adapt to suit that relationship.

Do I have that right?

[wander]

Yep, pretty much you got it.
Though Birthright also sealed it for me. I believe it is different now in the corebook, though the Atavisms became something mechanically that led me to that choice when I made the character. I always pictured them as a spooky guy who down the road would become more flight based. They'd be stealthy, though the Eshmaki is all about tearing things apart and violence, whilst my character is all about them debuffs and weakening targets from the shadows. Though Namtaru's Shadowed Soul interests me, none of the other Atavisms of theirs do. Looming Presence would be the only Anakim atavism I'd take. I'm not too much a fan of Makara, though there may be like one atavism I may take.

In-Family Atavisms however cost cheaper, 3 experience to 4 experience to all others. ^^;
I also down the road would want Johnny to have all of the Ugallu atavisms whilst for some I may not want them. Though I made the character before this game and knowing what Beasts would be involved. Depending on Kinship, Nightmares may be tweaked, which should make more disparity if my character is stepping on anyone's toes.

[eternaldarkness]

True agony is finding a game you've been dying to play...but having no GM to run it. That being said, if one approaches i'm all in for a Beast character playing with themes of being overrun by a horde, a Beast whose whole lesson is 'You are outnumbered', since human beings love banding together for safety and protection.

[Op3999]

@wander: I can get the motivation there and I can think of at least one historical monster who doesn't really fit into any Family particularly better than others (hello, dragons), but so long as it fits your vision, I'm eager to see where it goes.  I am pretty happy with how they changed the experience gain system from the last version to this one, though, and I'm pretty optimistic about the pace of character progression.

@eternaldarkness: That's a pretty cool concept, imo!  They really will be outnumbered if everyone who's expressed interest in playing a character actually does (provided we also find a Storyteller by then).  It's been interesting to see how many others are interested in playing a Beast game given the thorough lack of them being run online.

[Angie]

Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh, I have so many problems with Chronicles, but I love the setting so much that I feel so tempted to jump in....especially because after my first few looks at Beast I started having Persona flashes (navigating nightmarish landscapes populated by cosmic horrors and your only defense is the equally cosmic horror living in your head? Sign me up!)...

At least I can offer some potential advice and NPC concepts if nothing else. Still, somebody stop me before I start diving in, or try negotiating to be a Sin-Eater or a Mage or if I can somehow crowbar it in a Princess before it's too late!

[Rajah]

Man, Princess is great. I always wanted to try a game of that run completely seriously, no tongue-in-cheek jokes, no "and now you shall deal with me, O Princess, and all the powers of anime," no sexualization, just friendship versus the darkness. But this is not that game. I do love Beast, especially when allowed to take creative liberties with the lore, and the vampire offer is actually pretty tempting...but you guys already have enough potential players that I can't imagine how the game is gonna get run without some paring down. If there ends up being a best-of application process I might throw my hat in the ring; otherwise good luck and best wishes.

You should post up some character pitches and setting ideas to see if you can hook in STs.

[Op3999]

I haven't had as much experience with Chronicles or NWoD as I'd have liked (and if I had, I'd be Storytelling this already), but from what I've seen so far, I quite like Chronicles.  The whole conditions system is pretty interesting, imo.

Anyways, I think you're right, Rajah.  I'll update my initial post to include a bit of brainstorming I've had, but I might as well add it down here at the last post as well.

Our initial idea was to base the city somewhere near water.  A river would be best, but a lake or ocean would also work to satisfy any Makara cravings.  I was thinking that there'd be three strong factions present in the city.  The main one would be the Vampires with Invictus leadership and, as a result, a very strong and violent Carthian rebellion resulting in an ongoing Vampiric civil war.  The RP could start before it really gets moving or as that's developing, but that would be the progression of the Vampire's side of things. 

Next would be Sin-Eaters (which would be difficult given the lack of 2nd edition, but not impossible).  There would be a larger organisation to the Sin-Eaters than normal, creating a city-wide heirarchy that's religious in nature.  Sin-Eaters might take positions in the churches, but in reality, they worship the cycle of life and death (especially the latter).  The religious fervor that they follow keeps them organised, but also instills a distaste for the undead, visa vie the Vampires.  They may have a vested interest in seeing the civil war get more violent to further their cause.

Lastly, I want a significant Beast presence.  I imagine the Apex to be an oppressive Anakim (a Tyrant, perhaps) who, even outside of being a Beast, is a pretty formidable person, perhaps on the cusp of an Incarnate Inheritance, but they'd be pretty hard to find.  Mostly, the Beasts are just connected enough to know where to meet up, but their Apex seems not to want to be bothered and stays away from those meet-ups.  In reality, there's an underground fighting tournament that goes on and the winner gets to meet the Apex, although that's just so the Apex can dominate them in the ring and prove it's place on top to itself, maintaining a legend from the shadows.

I sort of imagine the RP centered around the group possibly as newcomers to the area who get entrenched in politics between the three factions and are eventually forced to align with one or more of them, siding with one of the Vampire groups for freedom or wealth, the Sin-Eaters because of what they can promise or their closest kin, despite the oppression of it's Apex.

Thoughts?

[Angie]

The best I could do with this-since I don't actually own a copy of the Beast book-would be to redo Sebastian Delacrouix, but he's the kind of guy who's not interested in Sin-Eater politics-or supernatural politics in general. He's interested in doing the job, helping the dead move on. My other usual characters wouldn't work-Dr. Angelo would be rather combative with them, and MK1 comes from the Princess book and he'd care more about studying beasts and horrors, which admittedly might work out.

But Sebastian, a Silent from New Orleans? That might just work out, unless someone has a better idea for a non-Beast. "Oh, political machinations, that's great, this town is drowning in unquiet dead, I'm going to go do my job thanks."

[wander]

Sin-Eaters 2.0 is in development, though you may be better off adding in stuff that's already out; Demons, Uratha, Mages, Prometheans.

I can help with Changelings, I've seen a fair bit of Changeling 2.0 (that should be out relatively soonish, he says...), they will in the new edition have custom Courts, for example.

That said, I adore Sin-Eaters.

Angie;
Original Kickstarter Doc here which was been barely changed content-wise into the main book. This was released publically for free by Onyx Path on the Beast kickstarter page and still linked there, so I take it being still fine to look at.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7FqViticwNuOGZvcHh3V19rSms/view

[Op3999]

Well, admittedly, I don't have a ton of experience with it, but I remembering reading somewhere that Chronicles was supposed to be reverse compatible?  Unsure of that, but I do want to make one thing clear.

We would like to avoid Mages.

I have never felt like Mages fit in well into the larger WoD.  I never really understood why they're even kin to Beasts at the level of Vampires and Werewolves, either.  I mean, they separated Demons from Beast kinship and human psychics as well.  The whole Mother of Monsters thing doesn't really apply to Mages.  What fear do they represent?

I could write all day about what bothers me with the Mages, but in the end, it's just an unsavory part of the Chronicles of Darkness that me, Seraph and Venus would all like to avoid.

[Rajah]

Well, admittedly, I don't have a ton of experience with it, but I remembering reading somewhere that Chronicles was supposed to be reverse compatible?

It's technically reverse compatible, but you still need to be savvy enough to do your own conversions on a shotgun scatter of mechanics. Anything that deals damage, provides armor, interacts with Derangements, is a Merit, or runs into a handful of less-common rules updates has to be rewritten to the new paradigm.

[wander]

I have never felt like Mages fit in well into the larger WoD.  I never really understood why they're even kin to Beasts at the level of Vampires and Werewolves, either.  I mean, they separated Demons from Beast kinship and human psychics as well.  The whole Mother of Monsters thing doesn't really apply to Mages.  What fear do they represent?

That's fine. Now here's me playing devil's advocate.  ;D

Mages can change anything about reality they wish and they don't need your permission to do so. Often their hubris leads them to distance themselves more from humanity, being not able to defend against someone like that once they have you in their sights is pretty terrifying. They can do anything to your perception of what reality is. The enemy Tsukishima in Bleach's Fullbringer arc is a pretty good example of the existential horror a Mage can bring when they get their vengeful hubris on.

Example Nightmares are in the corebook to represent more about what is scary about Mages too.

I think Mages are linked to Beast in the way that both have an awakening in the Astral Realm via their dreams. A Mage is still in effect human, though their soul has been awakened to something larger. I'd say owod Mages would have fit better with Beasts sure (owod Mage lore is so good and their Avatars mark them as 'more different' to mortals than nwod Mages are). Also, reincarnation is a thing in Mage and World of Darkness as a whole, until there are more supplements out, it's hard to gauge a canon link, though potentially the Mages could be reincarnations of the Dark Mother's children.

Their shared link of the Astral Realm is the big obvious link however. Also both Mages and human psychics are classed as 'Fundamentally Human', not immediate Kin. Same as ghosts and any human with supernatural abilities, like Slashers. They represent humans that have a little of the Beast bloodline in them that has granted them their ability, at least in Beast's eyes (Another explanation given is these supernatural abilities simply make the Soul stir and react to them). This type of splat means Family/Kin powers have a weaker effect (Thicker than Water effect), or they're tougher to pull off with (fundamental humans add their supernatural resistance trait when a Beast attempts to spot Family Resemblence).

And after all that, I agree. I'm not a fan of Mages tbh in nwod and they're not really so suited to Beast compared to other splats.  ;D

[Op3999]

You're right about them being classed as Fundamentally Human, but I disagree with the idea of what Mages represent as a fear.

Historically, the use of magic isn't something that represents a fear, but a less scientific way of manipulating the world.  Can Mages be scary?  Of course!  People who can manipulate reality are, especially to those who cannot, extremely threatening, so how could they not be scary?  However, they're scary in the same way as someone with a gun is scary.  It doesn't tap into a primordial fear of the deep or the sounds in the dark, it's a tangible fear of someone with more power than you.  In a way, it's like the Anakim's tendency towards dominance or the Tyrant hunger, but however you spin it, it's something that falls under the purview of something Beasts already do, but in a more mundane fashion.

And that's only one part of why I wouldn't want to include them.  Can someone with power be scary?  Of course, but that goes for virtually any kind of power.  I mean an Invictus Vampire has that in terms of wealth and influence, but that character is also a Vampire, immortal and unstoppable (for the most part).  A Promethean could tear you limb from limb and I, for one, certainly don't want that happening to me, but what's scarier is the fact that it's a patchwork mockery of humanity that can only escape it's tortured existence by perpetuating the existence of it's own kind.

In my opinion, Sin-Eaters (and to a slightly different extent, Changelings) fulfill the Mage role while being far more monstrous in what they are.  Even Sin-Eaters, who should, arguably, also be Fundamentally Human, fill the role of a Mage while better fitting the theme of the overall World of Darkness by having a human-turned-monster of their own sharing their body.

[wander]

Very well put. I agree very much on the Sin-Eater aspect. As mentioned, devil's advocate.  ;D

Okay, to put things back on track, will yourself or the others be posting their character sheets up? It may help to see the party, so it'd be easier for others to make characters to fit in any gaps or avoid stepping on toes.  :-)