Storyteller needs advice! (owod)

[Dizzied]

Heya everyone...I've got some cool ideas for an old world of darkness game, where the players can play pretty much anything they want from the roster- werewolves, vampires, mages, hunters, etc.  The plot is broad enough to include them all.

Unfortunately, it doesn't prevent them from killing each other along the way.

I'm trying to avoid things like "you all start as friends" or devices like that.  I like group dynamics, intraparty conflict, and things like that.  But I don't want that to keep them from being able to work together when they have to.

Has anyone ever run a "freak" game?  (I hear thats what they're called when you allow any supernatural being.)  What are some good ways to keep the party off each others throats? 

[HairyHeretic]

Two things come to mind

1 - enlightened self interest. Make it in their best interests to work together

2 - You will or else! They've been ordered to work together.

The second option is very much dependent on the plot you're going for.

The first is probably easier to do. Maybe give them an aggresive enemy that forces them to work together? Perhaps one particular hunter faction ... some kind of ultra conservative religious group is probably an easy one. Wipe out the monsters and freaks simply because of who they are, and the other hunters because they're obviously tainted by the darkness, and lack our purity to keep them whole.

[Dizzied]

Hm...enlightened self interest sounds like it would fit the plot fairly well.  I want the story to be introspective for each character in some way- maybe obtaining enlightenment will be their goal.  However, naturally, they'll all have their own view on what 'enlightenment' is.  (Ascension for the mage, Golconda for the vampire(though they might not even be interested in that >_< ) )

I'm trying to avoid making them work together because they have to (though I know I shouldn't be terribly choosy with such a slim chance of success.)  If they can tolerate each other, I think that will be enough to send them through the first story.  And after they finish that, I think they'll have a bond strong enough to keep them together.

I considered the idea of a master, some kind of powerful mage or something, summoning them all and offering them tutelage.  She'd inform them that if they truly wanted to become powerful, like herself, they'd need to work together and learn from one another.  But I'm afraid that would feel constricting for them...do you think its too powerful?  Like a plot device almost?

[Mudchaser]

Have you considered asking the players to connect their characters with at least two other characters?  Such a tactic takes a bit of work, especially on the behalf of the players, but it can also be pretty rewarding.  Perhaps the werewolf is the brother of a witch, who used to be best friends with one of the vampires back in school, who has a crush on the werewolf, but won't admit it.  It creates inherent hooks, goes beyond a mandate of "you're all friends" by allowing the players to decide what sort of relationships they want, and while it doesn't inherently prevent conflict, it ensures the conflict is generally the interesting intra-party drama, rather than intra-party murder.

[Dizzied]

Thats an interesting idea, I'd thought of asking them for connections.  If my players were a bit more organized, I might try it.  But alas, alot of them are horribly organized.  I don't think I could rely on them to work this out themselves, and if I wanted to start on time, I don't think its a good option to take.  >_<  It might work if I assign them relationships, but I feel that would take too much freedom from the players.

[Oniya]

I was in a campaign that allowed any WoD-type character once, including a variety of fan-created Internet creations (Noun: The Verb-ing) and it literally went nonstop for years (with bursts of 24/7 gaming, since one of the ST's was on medical disability).  The hook for getting them in was a potential calamity bigger than all of them, involving Secret Organization X collecting several powerful artifacts.  Now, naturally, no group is going to want to let the others get hold of all of them, giving you that intraparty political hook, but no one group is going to be able to effectively combat Secret Organization X (If you know werewolves are after you, you know what weaponry to stock up on.)