Wolves of the Sea - Viking Era Vampire: The Dark Ages

[Oneiros]

We've got a decent amount of people interested and the game will be starting soonish, but there might still be time and room for another player or two.

Okay, so, this is eating away at me and I decided I have to try and turn it into a game. I simply must.

This is a game set in the World of Darkness universe, during the Viking golden age, around 850 AD. This places it a few hundred years before the usual timeframe of a Dark Ages game. The Tremere do not yet exist as a clan, but do exist as mortal (but powerful) sorcerers in the Order of Hermes. The Salubri are not as feared and persecuted as they will soon come to be, though they are still a reclusive and solitary lot. Caitiff are somewhat rare in the north, because a young, possibly thin-blooded, solitary vampire has very little chance in the harsh Scandinavian wilderness. Werewolves are fairly common in the region, and vampires best stick together and keep clear of them.

Other than that, based on geographic region and societal differences, some clans are far more likely to have embraced vikings than others. This doesn't mean I will absolutely not accept a character with an... unusual clan choice, however, you will have to be very persuasive and have a very good reason (and very good backstory) for choosing that clan.

Update: Because I had missed references to a scandinavian sect of the Followers of Set, I'm upgrading them from 'very unlikely' to somewhere between 'unlikely' and 'somewhat likely'. They're probably fairly rare but not unheard of. I'm not perfect and I can't memorize every sourcebook (and don't have access to some of them at the current moment) so if anyone notices me making a mistake like this, feel free to call me on it. I'm open to corrections, and if I have a reason for making things a particular way (for sake of easiness perhaps), I'll make it known.

List of clans in order of likelihood

Pretty likely:
Gangrel
Brujah
Malkavian
Ventrue

Somewhat Likely:
Assamite
Toreador
Nosferatu
Lasombra
Follower of Set

Unlikely (but still possible):
Tzimisce
Salubri
Lhiannan
Caitiff

Very unlikely:
Follower of Set
Ravnos
Cappadocian
Lamia
Laibon

No:
Tremere, or any other clan or bloodline that doesn't yet exist ;)

I think the setting has a lot of potential. I'd like to draw some inspiration from the show Vikings, but also from various other places as well. Werewolves may be used as antagonists (though I'm not allowing them as player characters right now). I'm thinking that I will allow a mix of humans and vampires, and this game will be LGBT friendly, because I'm like that, though there is a cultural taboo against Viking men taking a bottom or passive homosexual role. Not saying they can't, they'd just probably be sneaky about it.

I'm willing to allow people who are unfamiliar with World of Darkness to create human characters, who can then be embraced by one of the vampires in-story at some point, allowing them to actually learn about their clan and abilities within this universe along with their player. Default generation is around 10-ish. I'm going to roll for everyone's generation after they create a character. I'm not planning on this being a system game, unless there's a lot of interest in doing so. So! Any interest?

Character Sheet. Fill out only what is applicable, and if you need help with anything, feel free to ask. Either post finished sheets here for feedback or PM to me.

Name:
Player:
Clan: Remember, humans or ghouls are available as well (though you might want to pair up with a current character if you want to make a ghoul). Humans may be embraced or ghouled at a later time.
Generation: This will be determined via a public roll once your character is accepted, but will be somewhere between 9-12, with 10-11 being the most common. This will affect your blood pool, how high your discipline skills can go and how often you can use them.

Appearance:
Physical Traits: Use this section to make concise notes of any particularly unusual physical traits your character has - for instance, the exact nature of their deformities if they're Nosferatu, their specific animal traits they've acquired for Gangrel, if they can't retract their fangs, are missing an eye or a limb, et cetera.

Personality:
Mental Traits:  Similar to the physical section, anything particular mental quirks they have - Malkavians (or anyone suffering from a mental illness) should note their specific derangements, any particular superstitions, or if they are a vampire, if they have a feedng quirks or exclusivities (such as only feeding from virgin women, or only feeding from animals, or whatever).

History: A brief history of your character. Remember to include things like how old they are, how/why they were Embraced, a general idea of who their sire is, where they usually retire during the daytime, so on.

Disciplines: Vampires/Ghouls only. Write down the disciplines you would like to have here. No more than three - if your discipline isn't one that is 'standard' for your clan, please provide adequate backstory to explain how your character came to be trained in that particular discipline. Remember that your skill in these disciplines will likely not exceed level 4, and probably not be level 4 in all three disciplines (I'm willing to negotiate, but bring a good story). Thaumaturgy is not available to Vampires at this time. This section is not necessary for humans.
Weapons: Your character's weapon(s) of choice, that they are reasonably proficient in. Only viking-era weapons, of course.
Skills: Any paricularly useful skills your character might have. Feel free to take inspiration from any resource books you might have access to, but remember to account for how your character has a high skill in anything in particular. For instance, if they speak five different languages fluently, please account for how they aquired them, and make them realistic for your character's age and background. Being literate is a skill you should note here - literacy is somewhat uncommon for warriors.
Resources: Any particularly useful resources, such as armor, money, contacts, so on. Once more, feel free to use sourcebooks, but please account for how they acquired these, and make them reasonable.

Sexuality: Orientation and whether they have any leanings towards dominant or submissive, or anthing similar.
Associated Kinks:
Ons/Offs:

Code Select Expand

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Player:[/b]
[b]Clan:[/b]
[b]Generation:[/b]

[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Physical Traits:[/b] 

[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Mental Traits:[/b] 

[b]History:[/b]

[b]Disciplines:[/b]
[b]Weapons:[/b]
[b]Skills:[/b]
[b]Resources:[/b

[b]Sexuality:[/b]
[b]Associated Kinks:[/b]
[b]Ons/Offs:[/b]

The geographic setting is probably going to start somewhere in southern Sweden/Norway, but the story will probably move the characters around quite a bit. They may head up further north in the winter to take advantage of the long hours without sunlight, and certainly raids and trading journeys to far-off lands will occur. Your character is not required to be Scandinavian, but there should be a feasible reason why they are in the region.

Since there were some questions about it, here's some sex mechanics for vampires in this game. I should note this game will not be 100% centered around sex - I do want there to be story and adventure and whatnot - but let's face it, Vikings screwed almost anything slow enough for them to catch. It's definitely gonna happen, and I encourage everyone to have fun with it.

Vampire sex mechanics

I don't really like the iea of asexual vampires the way they are presented in WoW sourcebooks, where feeding totally replaces sex. I like them to have the option of it, at least. So, vampires in this game can have sex if they want to, and are capable of enjoying it.

Since expenditure of blood is required to warm a vampire's skin or make their heart beat, they require a reasonable amount of blood in their system to be able to 'get it up', so to speak (this includes for women). A significant expenditure of blood isn't required to have sex, but it is required to warm their bodies, say, if they don't want a human to know they're a vampire. Otherwise they'll still feel cool to the touch. A well-fed vampire can become aroused fairly easily, but a hungry vampire will be too distracted by the need to feed from someone to be able to have sex. However, since feeding is so enjoyable, for the vampire and usually for the human as well, they could easily become aroused from the act itself.

Since it can be rather off-putting for a vampire's bodily fluids to all be blood (and blood is an awful lubricant), I'm mostly ignoring that. They do not cry, sweat, spit, or ejaculate blood. They do need blood in their body to be able to produce said bodily fluids, but they are normal. Mostly. There is a slight difference in taste and color - a vampire's fluids would taste slightly like blood, and be slightly red-tinged. Also, unless they've actually spent blood to warm their bodies, it will be rather cool in temperature compared to a human's.

This isn't to say you can't have an asexual vampire, or even a vampire who ejaculates blood if that's what you honestly prefer - just that it will be an unusual feature that you should note in your character sheet, and people may react to it in-character.

Ghouls are still alive and therefore can have sex normally.

Also: Since it's so important to how many things about vampires work, blood pool will probably be something that will be kept track of. This will likely be the only thing imported straight from the system, and otherwise the game will be freeform (unless, like I said, there's a lot of interest in using the system as a whole, but there hasn't been anything yet so it's looking like blood pool will be the only thing kept track of in actual numbers).

OOC thread: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=177150.0

[Blythe]

My interest is extremely piqued, if you aren't bothered by being in another group with me. I'd be interested in playing a Malkavian, perhaps a skald/bard who believes his mind has been touched by Odin. I'd also be somewhat interested in playing a Nosferatu berserker. Whichever is better for the campaign is the one I'd play, but either way, I'd be interested in my character being male.

[Oneiros]

Of course I'm not bothered by you wanting to join ;) I think Nosferatu and Malkavian are reasonable choices, though I admit I have a soft spot for Malkavians in particular. ...now I'm randomly sad from remembering that my Malkavian t-shirt vanished when I moved the first time >.> *sniff*

[Blythe]

A Malkavian skald it is then.  ;D

*feels bad about your Malkavian shirt  :'( *

I did have a question. It's an oddly specific one. Would it be possible for my Malkavian to be a practitioner of seidr? While I know that the practitioners are typically female, the god Odin did practice it himself, and I like the idea of a Malkavian who believes that Odin whispers to him the secrets of "magic." (of course, it could just be his vampiric Disciplines making him think he has "magic" )

EDIT: Oh, thought I should add, if the answer is no, it's no big deal. Just something I wanted to ask about.  :-)

[Oneiros]

Sure! I see no reason why not. Malkavians aren't known for doing things according to what is expected of them, after all.

I'm trying to decide what I want to play still... I don't normally play Brujah or Gangrel. I'm rather enamored of Salubri, but they're tricky to play. And I love Tzimisce but they aren't terribly suited to the setting. I think I might have to go with Gangrel >.>

[Lockepick]

Loooooove me some Viking action.

Probably interested in exploring the idea/taboo of being a submissive in a homosexual pairing. It sounds interesting plus, well, the obvious appeal of being railed by Vikings. I'm going to do some research on archetypes and I'll get back to you guys.

[Oneiros]

Excellent. ;D I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Definately interested, but I will have to kinda check my posting schedule.  Also not sure which clan I'd play in a viking setting.  Leaning toward a Brujah.

[Blythe]

*tries not to do cartwheels of joy when seeing lockepick's and Pumpkin Seeds' names*

So I've got a character in my mind. *ponders* Fedora, is there any particular way you'd like us to submit a character concept?

EDIT:

I'm trying to decide what I want to play still... I don't normally play Brujah or Gangrel. I'm rather enamored of Salubri, but they're tricky to play. And I love Tzimisce but they aren't terribly suited to the setting. I think I might have to go with Gangrel >.>

Gangrel are awesome. I know Salubri are tricky to play, but you're shooting for pre-Tremere, right? The warrior branch of the Salubri would still be around, wouldn't they? They seem like they'd really fit into a chronicle like this, to my mind, although the healer branch doesn't seem well-suited.

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Not sure how viking that is but thinking somewhere along those lines.

[Oneiros]

It's not strictly a historically accurate, but it's Viking enough ;) Welcome aboard!

*tries not to do cartwheels of joy when seeing lockepick's and Pumpkin Seeds' names*

So I've got a character in my mind. *ponders* Fedora, is there any particular way you'd like us to submit a character concept?

EDIT:
Gangrel are awesome. I know Salubri are tricky to play, but you're shooting for pre-Tremere, right? The warrior branch of the Salubri would still be around, wouldn't they? They seem like they'd really fit into a chronicle like this, to my mind, although the healer branch doesn't seem well-suited.

I'll throw together a character sheet in a bit that people can start filling out and either posting here or PM'ing.

Warrior Salubri would be fairly well suited, though they're very picky about who they embrace, and Vikings are usually 'too violent'. It's up there under 'not impossible'. Though, I'm starting to like the idea of Gangrel. ;)

[Oneiros]

Alrighty, I have a character sheet template - going to put it up in the first post.

[Blythe]

Okay, I'm going to give this a go making a character sheet. It turned out....much longer than I thought it would. Er...sorry for my wall of text. If I've screwed up anything, by all means, call me out on it and correct me. Instead of putting in the "Appearance" area, I found a picture I really liked for a character appearance, if that's okay.

Oh, I forgot to mention: I'm open to having my character have a ghoul (would rather like that, actually), and I'd also be willing to have my character Embrace someone, so long as it seemed in character for him to sire.

Rather Long Character Sheet

Name: Eyvindr Einarson
Player: Blythe
Clan: Malkavian
Generation: [To Be Determined By Dice Roll At Later Date]

Physical Traits:  The only real thing to note is that he's maintained a blush of health; he's still slightly warm to the touch and doesn't have that unhealthy pallor of other einherjar.

Personality: Eyvindr is two parts religious zealotry, two parts entertainer, and one part passion. He mostly enjoys his undead existence, seeing it as a blessing of the One-Eye. He's boisterous and fun-seeking, and he enjoys adventure as much as the next man or woman, although he is more of a tactician than an outright brawler. His preference for ranged weapons is rather high; he prefers to save brawling as the rough foreplay he might have with a lover. While many Malkavians are seen as agents of Loki, Eyvindr is offended by the concept of that, and he'll do his utmost to ensure people know he follows Odin.  Eyvindr tends to think of the "bigger picture" of combat and raids nowadays after spending his youth and early years of his Embrace seeking only personal gain. Now life is about honor--not just his own, but the honor of any who follow the Aesir.

Because he was born in 700 AD, during a time of great linguistic change for the Scandinavian culture in general, he tends to sound very "old fashioned" when he speaks, but this only adds to his allure as a wise skald. He's a wordy bastard as a skald--he loves talking and loves language.

Malkavian Derangement: Fantasy. Eyvindr truly believes he hears the voice of the Allfather commanding him to perform certain tasks. These tasks can range from anything as simple as a publicly sung saga to praise another warrior to punishing those guilty of "secret murder" by hanging them by the neck from trees until they're dead.

Mental Traits:  He follows the Road of the Aesirgard (Wolves of the Sea, pg. 73)

One mental trait Eyvindr is known for is that he's kenning-wise; he understands the common sayings and beliefs of the people, having a sensible and worldly wisdom that appeals to the masses.  He sometimes whispers strange things out loud. Sometimes it's just because he's working on his next saga,but other times he's letting slip what he believes Odin is telling him. He's nomadic at heart. It's hard to Eyvindr to imagine settling down anywhere, so he's kind of the opposite of territorial. He simply does not mind other vampires being around, and in fact, he finds the company somewhat welcome.

History: Eyvindr did not initially seem born to great things, but more was woven into the tapestry of his life than anyone might have believed. Initially, Eyvindr was born sickly in the year 700 AD in what is now Norway, in a small coastal town called Ullr; his father, Einar, didn't believe his son would survive. He left the infant to die through exposure to the harsh icy environment, but more than a day later, his woman could not bear losing her youngest child, and she returned to where Einar had left the babe....to find the child shivering and weak...but not dead. Obviously Hel had turned the boy away from her halls, so Eyvindr's mother believed, and she brought him back home, with Einar agreeing that if the babe had survived a sun and moon fully exposed and lived...then surely this "weak" offspring had merit.

Eyvindr grew older, stronger, and he eventually discovered he had a talent for composing sagas and making brags (and upholding those brags). He was a handsome enough young fellow, and soon it was time for him to learn the ways of raiding and war. He had no strong skill with blades or long term brawling (although he was...passable), but he was a clever archer, able to make calculating and tricky shots at a distance, which made him invaluable as a member of any raiding party for his capability to take down fleeing foes and hunt to restock the longship with supplies of fresh meat.  Soon he undertook instruction and learning from priests of Odin when he was eighteen, and he grew wise in the lore of the gods. Eyvindr particularly enjoyed singing the praises of Odin the One-Eye, the Lord Necromancer, the god he believed was responsible for keeping him safe from Hel, and he was devoted. Little did he know that a priest of Odin was one of the blessed einherjar, a dead warrior who walked with Odin's blessing, and the talented youth was deemed worthy of being watched.

During a raid on Ullr from a more aggressive settlement to the north, Eyvindr was given a chance to prove himself in battle. His father was slain, but Eyvindr took his father's bow and swore vengeance on the man who'd killed his father...and with one shot in the dead of night, put an arrow through the killer's right eye. The einherjar watching Eyvindr, a Malkavian by the name of Geir, saw the coup de grace to the eye as a sign from Odin that Eyvindr was a warrior meant to serve eternally. The town of Ullr repelled the raid that night, and Eyvindr thought that he would now truly be a man after surviving his first fight. Except he never lived long enough to tell his mother he'd avenged Einar. Geir took him and Embraced him then, bringing the young man into the ranks of the einherjar. Eyvindr's religious devotion spiraled into a derangement, and Geir explained the will of Odin to him. The two men helped to rebuild Ullr over time, but eventually the fact neither of them aged made the townsfolk ill at ease, even if they never said so, and they left the town to it's own devices (and within two decades, Ullr would succumb to the repeated raids of their more aggressive neighbors).

Geir and Eyvindr traveled together for some time as lovers, with Geir teaching Eyvindr the ways of seidr--special sex rituals and rune reading that normally was only meant for women to know, but both men felt that if Odin had dressed as a woman to learn the secrets of magic, then they were obligated to live by his example and learn women's magic. He learned the songs and chants of magic, and he practiced the making of charms made of rope. (In game terms, this would be when Eyvindr learned his rune rituals--everything else is just him being convinced his Disciplines are actually the magic of seidr).

Eventually Geir and Eyvindr parted ways, with Geir finding himself sinking into torpor and Eyvindr seeking glory in the name of Odin.

[Wherever the chronicle begins, Eyvindr would be travelling as a skald who composes sagas, likely just arriving in the settlement/area the chronicle takes place in. He might have a reputation, since some considerable time has passed, of punishing the ungodly in Norway, but in any other area, he's likely either just seen as some pious wandering bard touched by the gods]

Disciplines: Dementation (4), Auspex (3), Obfuscate (2) (He will use them all equally, admiring the way Dementation opens minds to Odin, Auspex for it's ties with seeing what is hidden, and Obfuscate for...well, frankly, for letting him get closer to people he wants to seduce. This means that as the story progresses, he'll try to increase his abilities in Auspex and Obfuscate)

Weapons: Hunting bow and quiver of black-feathered arrows, longsword.

Skills: Consider him a very practiced hand at archery, even though it's not a celebrated combat skill for Vikings. He's skilled with sagas and brags, and he's got a talent for rune-lore, the ability to cast and read fate as dictated by the runes. He's a survivalist, since he's nomadic, so he's good with survival skills, particularly involving finding shelter or getting makeshift shelter. He can brawl, but he prefers to dodge. He's passable with his longsword, but he's not that great with other melee weapons. He's also a crafty liar and sneak, although a patient person willing to sift through his words could discern his lies or try to track him down. He's also taking some time out to learn about Scandinavian laws, although he's a novice at best at that.

Unique Ability:Rune Rituals
If Eyvindr is willing to shed some of his blood when he casts and reads his runes, once per night, if any of the following runes appear ["The Self" (Mannaz), "Disruption" (Hagalz), or "Protection" (Algiz)], Eyvindr can use the insight he gains from that reading to either make a fortuitous decision/avoid a bad choice for himself or can aid whomever he's doing the reading for to do something similar. It seems the cursed blood of the Kindred in his veins favors him in this regard...

Resources: Probably not much. Just enough to get him by for about a week. Otherwise, he's really only got the armor he wears, just enough materials to start a fire if necessary, and he keeps equipment to repair his bow and fletch more arrows. As a skald, he's really not got much to trade or barter. He does have a silver holy symbol of Odin around his neck, but he will not trade or barter it. He's probably going to rely on his ability to hunt and sell game or earn a living as a skald just to get by. He tends to purchase instruments for his music as he needs them rather than keep one special one.

Sexuality: Bisexual Switch (his mood dictates his current fancy)

Associated Kinks: Bondage (ropes in particular), dub-con (starts off non-con but due to his seduction attempts, perhaps people give in), Non-con (ask first to determine if it makes sense at the time), Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Bloodplay, Sadomasochism, Ritual Sex

Ons/Offs: The only two set Offs I have for any game are snuff and scat. As for Ons, well, the Associated Kinks list tells you a bit of what I'm looking for in regards to Eyvindr, but I'm open to other kinks if they make sense.

[Oneiros]

He looks great, Blythe. I like him. :) it's getting a bit late for me so I'll be finishing up my character tomorrow.

For future reference: if anyone wants to use a picture instead of describing their appearance, that's fine with me. Just make sure you note anything unusual if it's not obvious from the photo in the physical traits section.

[eBadger]

Oh my. 

Interested, and will put something together in the next day or so.  I shall try not to geek out completely on vikings.  Also, I shall try to remember all the awesome stuff I once knew about them and have now completely forgotten. 

I...think I'm leaning towards a character that's half feral, half mad, so will have to ponder whether malkavian or gangrel works better.  Basically, a very old (in age, meh re: generation) vampire that's misconstrued as a local spirit or elf (pre tolkien!) and both preys upon and protects the local village. 

As to the overall campaign, what's bringing us together/what are we doing?  I'm going to have a very different character to go viking to Ireland or to play politics with the forming kindred-state. 

[Oneiros]

Hi there! Good to see another person interested. :)

I haven't quite decided what will bring everyone together just yet, but I do know that both politics and viking raids, as well as trading expeditions that may well take them very far from home, will be explored. At some point there will also be some clashing with werewolves.

I'm thinking perhaps the easiest way to bring everyone together would be to start with a powerful, low-generation vampire Jarl calling together the vampires in the region to discuss current business and voyages coming up. He probably lives in a large village, and oversees a lot of smaller ones. He'll be more of a storyteller character than my actual character, someone with a lot of power that everyone in the region is supposed to answer to, who doesn't actually go on raids or trading voyages, so he won't be in a lot of the story, considering most of it will probably take place elsewhere.

I think a feral vampire is an interesting idea (both Ganrel and Malkavian have potential, or even Nosferatu - they could be considered by the village to be a troll, there's a lot of colorful troll mythology in Scandinavia), but they might be somewhat difficult to work into the story on a long-term basis, especially if they have ties to a single village. There may be ways to work around it if you have your heart set on it, I'm just letting you know it might be a bit rough on your vampire to be away from home and around other vampires/humans if they're used to running around alone in the woods. It could be an interesting point of conflict though - perhaps they finds themself without a village, because during the day, when they were unable to protect it, it was attacked and decimated?

[eBadger]

Hmm, yeah, still some potential, but I'll want a more social creature...will give it a think. 

[Oneiros]

I look forward to seeing what you come up with ;)

Someone asked me some good questions about how vampire sex is going to work in this game, so I'm going to be typing up some basics and adding it to the first post for easy findability.

[Blythe]

I...think I'm leaning towards a character that's half feral, half mad, so will have to ponder whether malkavian or gangrel works better.  Basically, a very old (in age, meh re: generation) vampire that's misconstrued as a local spirit or elf (pre tolkien!) and both preys upon and protects the local village. 

If you go with a Malk, let me know. I'd love to bat some ideas around if our Malkavain characters have previously met before or not.  :-)

Someone asked me some good questions about how vampire sex is going to work in this game, so I'm going to be typing up some basics and adding it to the first post for easy findability.

Oh good. I admit, I was wondering about vamp sex, but was a bit too shy to inquire.  ;D

[Oneiros]

Whew, finally got my character figured out. ::)

Brandulf

Name: Brandulf (often goes by the nickname Ulfr - 'wolf')
Player: Fedora
Clan: Gangrel
Generation: (TBD)

Appearance: Brandulf is of an average height and weight, with slightly wavy, dark brown hair, and the pale blue eyes that are common amongst Norsemen. He as an atheltic, slightly muscular build, with strong arms and shoulders from swinging heavy swords and warhammers. His body is not smooth, with both a layer of fine, dark hair on most of it, and a variety of old scars from battle, and occasionally from rough sex. People can find his soulful eyes beguiling, at least if they don't catch the light shining in them, and the way he doesn't smile fully mysterious.

His skill in Protean enables him to take the form of a wolf, or a large magpie. He looks like a normal animal in these forms, though his eyes are still the same striking blue color (with the reflective layer behind them). As a wolf, he can only bark and growl, but as a magpie he can actually 'speak' in simple words or imitate other sounds.

Physical Traits:
Tapetum: His eyes shine like an animal's when the light hits them just right. This allows him to see slightly better in the dark, but can be disturbing to humans who catch sight of it.

Canines: His canines, on both his upper and lower jaw, are enlarged and elongated and cannot be retracted. This causes him to speak with a slight lisp that he is rather self-conscious of.

Knot: His penis, while average-sized and mostly resembling a human's, swells suddenly at the base as he approaches orgasm. If he's not careful, he can actually tie with a partner, leaving them both stuck for several minutes while they wait for it to subside.

Personality: Brandulf is fiercely loyal to his allies and vicious to his enemies, though he sometimes comes off as rather impulsive or even slightly dim. People tend to think he's somewhat slow due to his reluctance to engage in conversation, assuming perhaps it's going over his head, but his quiet behavior in social settings is largely related to the fact that he's observing intently. He does have a good sense of humor, but it can be difficult to get out of him, and because of the way he remains very quiet and doesn't smile widely (not wanting to show his teeth), they usually assume he has none at all.

He has a somewhat short fuse, but this seems to only be related to bursts of 'normal' temper rather than full-blown Frenzy, and he seems to calm down just as quickly as he gets angry. There's usually a period of barking and growling, occasionally progressing to brawling and scrapping, but rarely to a point where anyone is in danger.

He is much more comfortable around animals than he is people, and his proficency in the Animalism discipline allows him to speak to them or call them to himself, though he can only do so with willing animals - and he can't guarantee they won't be hostile when they show up.

He has a good memory of specific events, but some problems with the passage of time, sometimes not knowing if an event that happened a week ago happened earlier that night. He is rather math illiterate, and has trouble with cardinal directions - or even telling his left from right. Despite being math-challenged, however, he is somehow able to keep perfect track of his 'pack' - crew, herd, and so on - in his head without counting. Perhaps by a combination of sight and smell, he's able to tell immediately when someone is missing from his group, even if it's a couple dozen people or more, usually before anyone else realizes they're gone. This, of course, has its limits, he can't tell if a single person sneaks out of a larger crowd, for instance.

He behaves in a rather promiscuous manner, having sex with anyone and everyone he finds remotely attractive that will stand still long enough to let him, not really forming strong bonds with any of them. His sense of smell seems to let him know when someone is feeling in the mood, and he's been known to pounce on people and get right to it with very little foreplay (or regard for where they are) if he gets the impression they are receptive. However, he usually takes the hint if someone tries to fight him off, even if he's stronger than they are, and will let them go.

Mental Traits: 
Wolf Behavior: Brandulf is prone to dog-like or wolf-like behavior at times, including howling at the moon, growling, marking his territory (thankfully, vampires don't urinate, so he doesn't piss on everything to claim it), and sniffing inappropriately at unfamiliar people. He's also prone to random distractions (Squirrel!) if he hears or smells something that catches his interest. He also melts if you scratch lightly at his scalp or behind his ears.

Flesh Eater: Though he's capable of feeding normally, without killing whomever he's feeding on, he sometimes eats chunks of raw flesh off of freshly slain people or animals, even though it usually isn't necessary to his survival. It seems to be something he is compelled to do, though he can extract a point of blood from a corpse that someone else has drained, as long as it isn't totally mummified and turned into jerky.

Acute Smell: This is both a blessing and a curse. While he is able to use his nose for tracking prey or following someone, this sensitivity can also be a severe hindrance. He is easily distracted by interesting smells, and strong smells can be utterly overpowering and physically uncomfortable.

History: Brandulf grew up in a small village further north, and had a rather uneventful childhood. The oldest child and only son of his family, he grew up protecting his younger sisters from the rest of the world. His father was a hunter, and raised dogs for hunting, something that Brandulf became familiar with as well, though he never really took to a bow. The village was small and peaceful, until one winter night when he was twenty-eight.

While he and his father were out hunting, someone or something came upon the village and slaughtered everyone in it. Returning home to a silent village, his mother and sisters gone, Brandulf and his father were both devastated. Brandulf couldn't forgive himself for not being home when the attack happened, not being there to protect his family, and without saying a word to his father, he wandered off into the wilderness, without taking any supplies with him, perhaps hoping to die.

He made it quite a ways before he realized he was being tracked by something in the night. Rather than flee or submit to the beast, even though he was unarmed, Brandulf fought valiantly when he was attacked by a huge vampire. He was no match for the creature, despite his best efforts, though even as his blood drained away from him and death seemed inevitable, he continued to fight. Perhaps admiring his spirit, the vampire fed him on some of his own blood as Brandulf lay dying, and he rose as a creature of the night himself.

His sire left him in the wilderness after embracing him, and Brandulf spent a full year and a half in the woods alone, living off of whatever he could find, hiding wherever he could find shelter. It was a hectic time, and he wondered what the point of all of it was until he stumbled into another vampire's hunting grounds. The vampire, Arnthor, recognised him as kin, and seeing as Brandulf had survived more than a year on his own (which he now understands was a test of his fortitude), he took him under his wing.

Brandulf spent much of the next thirty years with Arnthor, learning the ways of the Gangrel and how to unlock his new abilities. Though he and Arnthor parted ways as friends some two decades ago, they still run into each other from time to time, and catch up on what the other has been up to before departing once more.

Brandulf occasionally returns to the decimated village he came from, paying his respects to his lost family, and looking for whatever killed them, though he has yet to solve that mystery. He's gradually returned to 'civilization' somewhat, though he still spends a lot of time in the woods, he probably spends an equal amount in towns and amongst people.

Disciplines:  Animalism (level 2), Protean (level 4), Fortitude (level 2)
Weapons: Brandulf is most comfortable swinging something huge and heavy - a two-handed warhammer or broadsword, and not with a shield. He prefers lighter armor that he can move around quickly in as well.
Skills: Brandulf knows the basics of bowmaking and fletching, but is rather bad at it. His most useful skill is probably his above-average ability to track people by scent alone.
Resources: Brandulf has a basic set of light armor and a broadsword that he carries on his back. Since he doesn't need to buy much, he doesn't have much in the way of money, though he does gather pelts from animals that he kills for trading in case he does.

Sexuality: Bisexual, dominant - though he has a wolf-like instinct to submit to someone if they prove themselves to be much physically stronger than he is by pinning him down, this hasn't really come up for him yet.
Associated Kinks: Blood, rough sex, domination/submission, ritual sex, potential for DC/NC (either as a giver or reciever). Plus, as mentioned above, his unusual genitalia.
Ons/Offs: Scat/urine/vomit all do nothing for me. Given the fact that he eats raw flesh occasionally, gore is not entirely off the table.
My O/O thread

Btw, people who might be intimidated by huge character sheets - don't feel obligated to write as much as Blythe and I have! For instance, you don't need a full history, as long as your significant advantages are accounted for in a reasonable fashion.

[Blythe]

Should I put in what level my character's Disciplines are at..?

[Oneiros]

If you'd like to. I assume you know exactly what discipline levels he's capable of using, so it's not totally necessary, but might be useful to note down.

[Lockepick]

And then there's me! I almost named my guy Ulf.

Sheet for Bjarg Eitrailf

Name: Bjarg Eitrialf
Name Root: Bjarg = Rock/Mountain. Eitri = Dvergar blacksmith that created Mjöllnir. -Alf = Suffix referring to a Dvergar that is beneficial/lucky to have around.
Player: Lockepick
Clan: Gangrel
Generation: TBD

Physical Traits: Bjarg was embraced at 20 years old. He has dark hair atop his head, and a dark short beard; as large as the forge will let it grow. His life as a blacksmith has given him a strong chest and arms, but has also taken his left ring and little fingers, and given him a scar on the top of his right thigh. Past frenzies have elongated his canines, sharpened his ears, and added a yellow glint to his otherwise dark eyes.

Personality: Bjarg used to be a nervous man living by the standards set by the warriors who frequented his father's shop. Now he has more confidence. He knows he's not the strongest in every capacity, but physical strength is only one arena. Bjarg has been given a second chance on life, and is going to enjoy this one. Without the threat of a 'natural' death or social norms and expectations to keep him down.

Mental Traits: Bjarg is Rune-Wise in the most basic sense of the word. He has learned to use runes with his own vitae to imbue items that he has personally crafted. Like the Dvergar of old, any object enchanted can't handle the touch of the Sun, turning to dust in its presence. Whether it's from Bjarg's high levels of Fortitude, or from experience facing the Red Fear in his forge, Bjarg is better than most at keeping the Beast at bay in regards to Fear Frenzy. Finally, Bjarg follows the Path of Humanity, though seeks to join the Via Einherjar.

History: Bjarg came from a line of blacksmiths in the Southern part of the continent, born in 804 AD. The sons of the family were raised as blacksmiths, and the daughters were married off to anybody with control over ore or mining. He never considered any other line of work; it's hard to guess if his proclivity for blacksmithing came from being forced into the line of work, or if it was the other way around.

His mother died trying to birth a third sibling for Bjarg, and the previous two siblings died before their twentieth year. Bjarg worked along side his father until an injury made him unable to swing the hammer. His father spent another year offering whatever wisdom he had, before going out into the wilderness to die. Bjarg should have found a wife by this point, but his tastes didn't take him in that direction, and running the forge alone proved enough of a distraction to keep people at odds.

He went drinking with one of his more prominent customers, a famous warrior, after closing up shop one night. After listening to the warrior's stories for the night, the two went off and spent the night together. The next night, the warrior thought it would somehow improve his own station to make his 'conquest' known to the public. Bjarg's honor on the line, even if the conquest was accurate, he was obligated to fight the warrior. He was no match, and lost miserably. He would have most likely died in the streets, if not for a Gangrel named Sven.

Sven offered Bjarg another chance at life. Another chance at proving his strength and courage. Sven saw the potential, even if Bjarg did not. At the time, Bjarg wasn't thinking of how to better his life, only that he had an opportunity to live it. It was a decision made out of cowardice. As he grew into his new life as a Kindred. Gradually, over the course of years, Bjarg began to grow into his new role as an Einherjar. Sven taught him the secrets of the blood, including the Einherjar's power over runes. He learned to care less about the metrics of strength that mortal men, and see the obvious strengths of Einherjar and immortality.

After ten years, Sven simply left one night before Bjarg woke. Sven had left hints that it was time for the two to leave, and Bjarg even knew it was necessary for his growth, but it didn't make it any less painful. He traveled for another ten years before settling down with the Jarl, and has been there ever since.

Disciplines: Fortitude 4, Protean 3, Animalism 0, Potence 2
Weapons: A hand-axe with an over-sized wide back, covered in runes, not showing any of the typical 'pattern-weld' designs that blacksmithing techniques of the time caused. He's got a round wooden shield with heavy leather bolted against the material, also carrying rune markings. He has Claws of the Wild, but typically uses them as a tool more than a weapon.
Skills: Blacksmithing, Commerce, and Business.
Resources: 'Stedhiafli,' Bjarg's Hand-Axe, exceptionally effective as a weapon and as a crafting aid; 'Daudhadagrvol,' Bjarg's Shield, which bolsters Bjarg's stamina after he's been struck in a scene.

Sexuality: Homosexual, Submissive
Associated Kinks: Roughhousing, Blood, Battlefield sex, D/s, Dirty Talk, Humiliation, Power Play.
Ons/Offs: Scat/Vomit.

[Oneiros]

Oh, he's cute. I like him ;) and your sheet looks good. I like the enchanting ability he has.

I'm loving the men so far, but I'd also love to get a couple women up in here too. I haven't played one in ages, but I might make one if we don't attract any.

[Blythe]

I did talk with Pumpkin Seeds over YIM, and she's toying with making a female Brujah, but I'm not sure how sure she was about that.

Also, edited my sheet to reflect my Road and what rank my Disciplines are at.

[eBadger]

I suspect I'll end up with a female simply because all the decent pics I can find are feminine. 

Waffling between many concepts atm, kinda need to flesh them all out and see which one works the best.  (edit:updated)

1. Toreador Varangian 'nobility' with Byzantine polish, either fleeing something or seeking to carve out her own desmesne (or both)
2. Gangrel nearly feral nightmare-in-the-darkness, fun image but lacking much depth currently
3. Ventrue Christian missionary, the lone survivor of a group sent to convert heathens

Probably #1, I think. 

[Pumpkin Seeds]

A female Brujah is pretty much where I'll be I believe.  Just trying to get the flavor and background right in my head before setting things down in writing.

[Lockepick]

I like the enchanting ability he has.

Yeah! We were talking about whether the Sun destroyed just the enchantment, or the whole weapon. Then I found lots of myth about how the Dwarves/Dvergar were destroyed by the sun and went with it.

[Oneiros]

Yeah! We were talking about whether the Sun destroyed just the enchantment, or the whole weapon. Then I found lots of myth about how the Dwarves/Dvergar were destroyed by the sun and went with it.

I think it works well. And I like the idea of vampiric enchantments that crumble in the sunlight... ooh, maybe some of the more powerful ones also require to be bathed in blood occasionally to keep it potent.

Probably #1, I think. 

I love the idea of a Toreador in the group, whether it ends up male, female, or non-gender binary. I know I said I had a soft spot for Malkavians and Tzimisce already, but Toreador are definitely right up there with them. Those three are probably my top favorites. Though I will say the idea of a Christian Ventrue ending up amongst them is also very interesting.

A female Brujah is pretty much where I'll be I believe.  Just trying to get the flavor and background right in my head before setting things down in writing.

I also love the idea of a hot-blooded Brujah in the mix. I love warrior viking women. ;)

[Madriv]

INTERESTED. Damn you. *licks*

[Oneiros]

Yesssss. Join usssss.

*licks Mad back* ;)

[bubby]

ME!!!

Omg me... I could indeed join as a human (shieldmaiden) and be taken into a Clan. Gangrel maybe?

[Oneiros]

Welcome aboard! ;D Glad to have you. We definitely have some Gangrel, there may be other clans joining the fray as well.

[bubby]

Sweeeeeeet.

Now wait a sec... you mentioned this being a sausage-fest (not that I mind!  ::) ) but if I make a female char will she even fit in at this point?

[Kevben Battleheart]

Damn lol. I probably shouldn't be doing this, but you have combined two things that have intersted me; my love of the Norse and my intrest in WoD (of which I know nothing of but always wanted to get into.) Consider me cautiously interested at the moment.

[Oneiros]

Welcome! We'd be glad to have you along for the ride if you decide to join us. ;)

Something struck me that I wanted to clarify, also (added this to the first post so new people will see it):

This game will not be 100% centered around sex - I do want there to be story and adventure and whatnot - but let's face it, Vikings screwed almost anything that was slow enough for them to catch. It's definitely gonna happen, and I encourage everyone to have fun with it, because I sure will. ;)

[bubby]

KEV!

*Pounce*

Join!

[Kevben Battleheart]

KEV!

*Pounce*

Join!

Lol chances are I will, but y'all are gonna need to bear with me as I know nothing of WoD, so I'll have to do some research.

[bubby]

Lol chances are I will, but y'all are gonna need to bear with me as I know nothing of WoD, so I'll have to do some research.

Me either hun. I'm making a human to begin with. To tone down your research, simply look up what the acceptable Clans are like, personality wise. I personally, due to how my chars tend to be, lean towards Gangrel with female chars, and LaSombra or Gangrel for male chars.

[Oneiros]

If there's anything you want help with, or want some information on, feel free to ask. ;)

It might be easiest to roll a human, with the option of becoming a vampire later, if you're unfamiliar with the game. Of course, it'll limit your choice of clan somewhat, though there may be NPCs from other clans later that could broaden your choice.

[bubby]

*Returns to her pic search, to spark character muse*

[Madriv]

Nosferatu idea bubbling up. No "willing" viking booty for me.  ;)

[Oneiros]

There's always Obfuscate. ;D

I'm re-watching Vikings for inspiration. Mmmm, Rollo. >.>

[Blythe]

Nosferatu idea bubbling up. No "willing" viking booty for me.  ;)

*collapses into a happy Bly puddle at the idea of a Nos character in the group*

*has a terrible obsession strong liking for Nos*

[bubby]

Lol.. seriously! Will I be the only female in the group?

[Blythe]

Lol.. seriously! Will I be the only female in the group?

Pumpkin Seeds should hopefully be making a female vamp of the Brujah clan.  :-)

[Oneiros]

I told you it was a sausage fest. Again, not complaining... ;)

[Madriv]

*has a terrible obsession strong liking for Nos*

So what it is that grabs you about them? Gimme character fodder.

eBadger was talking about making a girlie Toreador. (Was that redundant?  :P )

[Oneiros]

Nosferatu are like vampire ninjas! They're spies and thieves, masters of disguise, a wolf in sheep's clothing. ;)

[Blythe]

So what it is that grabs you about them? Gimme character fodder.

Probably the fact that any character interactions with Nosferatu can't be just appearance based (all hail clan weaknesses). There's got to be some fire, some banter, something genuine to build on, and of course, Nosferatu that specialize in Obfuscate have a very "now you see me...now you don't" sort of allure to them.

Always thought that a Nos with Obfuscate could be one hell of a trickster. Their level 3 Obfuscate power lets them essentially wear anyone's face/appearance like an illusion--it makes me think of Loki and his ties to the more monstrous races, like trolls and giants.

[bubby]

MMmm... not really the answer I was going for. If I make a female char, she'd only be interested in male chars. SO... will we have any hetero or bi male chars?

[Blythe]

I'm playing a bi male; Fedora has a bi male as well. ;D

[Oneiros]

Indeed. Two of the three with character sheets are bi, at least. A Gangrel and a Malkavian. That's just the first three characters that have been made so far. ;)

[bubby]

Oh thank GAWD!  ::)

Ok then... pic found and char sheet being worked on!

[Oneiros]

Mine is definitely not picky, though he is drawn to warriors - men, women, doesn't matter. A shieldmaiden would catch his eye. ;D

[bubby]

Holy crap, I've just suddenly hit a wall of blankness. I've started on that char sheet, but to be able to continue with any sort of history or anything, I need to rest. If I don't get it up later tonight, I will for sure tomorrow.

[Oneiros]

Take your time! We aren't going anywhere without you. ;D

[bubby]

*Blushes and hugs*

[eBadger]

Aesahildr Audunardottir

Soooo like others, I got...wordy. 

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

   

Aesahildr Audunardottir
Player: eBadger
Clan: Toreador
Generation: Whatevs

Appearance: Aesa maintains a blush of health, and can pass with little difficulty as a pale human – common enough in the north.  She is undeniably beautiful; in the south, her coloring gave her an exotic look, while here in the north the same allure stems from her courtesan’s arts and a body untouched by weathering and unbent by hard labor.
 
Physical Traits: Aesa was possessed of a surreal grace even before her embrace, and the unnatural quickness of a Toreador has only intensified this.  Her voice drips honey, the simplest movement is mesmerizing, and she has danced to seduce emperors.  She is able to consume mortal food. 

Although she doesn’t lack for strength or endurance, she knows herself no match for the power of a northman.  She is small and thin, and often underestimated by those who tower above her, which proves occasionally frustrating but frequently beneficial. 

Personality: Overcoming adversity to rise to power has left scars on Aesa’s personality.  Although she rarely lets her temper show, she is swift to anger and slow to forgive, delighting in a slow, painful revenge or the quick, brutal domination of a foe.  She values loyalty and is given it unquestionably by her warriors, but she has none that would be defined as friends.  Aesa is best approached with respect and reason, and is a born capitalist: a deal is always to be struck. 

Mental Traits: Aesa is clever and swift thinking; although no scholar or serious intellectual, she is respected for her mind as well as her grace.  She is well educated and literate.  A woman who has overcome the limits of gender, race and class, she is possessed of an indomitable will and charisma – a force strong enough to compel the proudest warriors to obey. 

History: Born on the shores of the Dnieper about 75 years ago, Aesahildr was raised the daughter of a powerful Rus merchant lord and raider.  Her upbringing was brutal and nomadic, mostly spent aboard ship and in small, temporary villages.  Aesa thrived on the challenges and loved the deadly freedom of the Rus, blossoming quickly into a young woman strong of back and lithe of limb.  Competition for her hand was already promising to be fierce when her father heard tales of the wonders of Constantinople, and saw opportunity.  Turning his karfi south, he sought new markets and an ambitious match for his daughter.

Exotic, graceful, and possessed of completely unique coloring, Aesa gained quick interest within the legendary city.  The keen competition between merchants for her favor also began to change her; she began to cast off the mantle of dutiful child and become an independent, ambitious woman. 

It was then that her sire found her.  Her exotic appeal was obvious, her potential as a work of art unquestionable, and her aspiration an easy lure.  On a clear, warm evening a man of rank and fortune arrived on Audun’s step to bargain for his daughter and, unlike so many before, this offer couldn’t be refused.  Aesa found herself not a wife but a courtesan, and never saw another sunrise. 

For ten years she never left the man's palace, learning the arts of court, performance and politics first from Stephanos and then from a long series of tutors: men and women who would thereafter disappear across sea, or beneath it.  Word of a Rus visit was stifled or discounted.  Thus it was that, when she was finally introduced, her skills were far beyond those of her peers and bolstered by natural talent and exotic appearance.  She was, predictably, a sensation at court – she worked her way swiftly through lesser nobles and officials, was snatched up by great men and briefly gained the interest of the emperor himself. 

Inevitably, however, she learned the secret price of immortality and the fickle nature of the Toreador.  As more Rus worked south, she became less exotic; although no less a courtesan – more, in fact, for she continued to master the arts of courtesan and vampire – her star began to fade.  Also, her unaging nature became more impossible to ignore.  Finally, after less than two decades in court, she took a rich, aged official as husband and retreated from the public eye. 

She’d arranged her marriage well, however, and quickly found herself widowed and wealthy.  She then turned her efforts to politics – both within the human court and the vampiric.  She was not without success, but quickly felt herself hampered by her gender and a sire who found her at first to be useless baggage and then, increasingly, competition. 

For the first time she truly began to fear for her safety.  After one misguided attempt to assassinate her – a poor fool who didn’t realize her nature – she journeyed north to return to her people.  She was recognized by her brothers and a few others, now elders of the clan: and she used her eternal youth and supernatural powers to convince them she had touched Valhalla and could grant them, as well, the strength and longevity of epic warriors.  She returned to Byzantium with forty Norse warriors, a group of fiercely loyal, intimidating and capable troops that would inspire the later Varangian guard. 

In the end, however, Aesa proved less fortunate at the subtle, slow intrigues of kindred than she had been inspiring lust as a courtesan.  Not that she was incapable, which would likely have made her safer, but the success of a young vampire brought quick censure from one of the oldest courts in the world.  In the end, it was her own sire that turned upon her.  Stephanos felt every reproach toward her reflect upon his own pride, and every growth in her influence erode his own.  Eliminating her promised to remove an irritation and curry the favor of the elders.  This began a year long feud of strike and counterstrike, disastrous to both kindred.  Aesa lost half her huskarls, while Stephanos watched both his newest protege and trusted seneschal beheaded. 

Finally, fed up with the conflict and the chaos it brought, the elders forbid any further action by the kindred against one another and gave Aesa three months to leave the city.  Although the appeal of becoming a courtesan in a new city – Venice, or Acre, or Alexandria – was very strong, her followers showed no interest to travel south and Aesa too felt the call of the land of her ancestors.  An escape from civilization would also be the best way to avoid the influence of her irate sire. 

After due consideration, she concluded that a careful expedition might gain power bringing civilization to the savage lands and therefore turned her fortune and time towards preparation.  She would not rely on force of arms, but on technology and alliances, so she didn’t seek to gather more soldiers but instead recruited skilled craftsman with promises of opportunity and adventure, or simply purchased able slaves outright.  Tools and bribes figured as prominently into her cargo as trade goods. 

Months later her expedition arrived in the Baltic, mostly intact, aboard three small boats.  She set her sights upon the village of Heior, a settlement of some few hundred that would provide access to iron and wood for her craftsman, the sea for trade, and abutted a cave-riddled cliff for security.  During a feast she wove her subtle temptations around the jarl Nefgeir, a vicious man disliked by his people who ruled only through fear.  Aesa lured him into grandiose brags, then derided him for his foolishness.  Humiliated, the Nefgeir demanded a duel and Aesa herself granted it; the speed of her blade was enough to slay him easily.  A brief fight erupted as a dozen kin and loyal huskarls sought to avenge him and take his place, but it was dealt with quickly and lethally.  Within hours of arriving, Aesa was the undisputed jarl of Heior. 

Weeks after that bloody night, she has solidified her control, set her plans in motion, and stands ready to step onto the stage of local politics.  She has no intention to compete for leadership; instead, she seeks to present herself as an irresistible ally and an undesirable foe. 

Religion: Aesahildr was raised in the worship of the norse gods, and has never cast this off despite the ire of Stephanos and thorough instruction on the teachings of christianity.  This is not to say she is the most devout of followers, being a bit of a cynic, but she has legitimately concluded that she is now a valkyrie: for undeniably she chooses who lives, dies, or fights eternally for glory. 

Disciplines: Auspex 3, Presence 3, Celerity 4

Weapons: Aesa has performed more than a few kills with her long, slender dagger, although she tends to rely on her speed or guile to set up a strike rather than melee skill.  She routinely carries a sword – like those of her men, a fine example of Arabic metal crafting, and recently inscribed with enchanted runes – but wears it and her reinforced leathers mostly as a badge of authority; she has a rudimentary understanding of swordplay but little inclination to participate in toe to toe fighting. 

Skills: A highly trained courtesan, Aesa possesses many skills in the arts including dancing, singing, instruments and conversation.  She is a capable administrator, having run her own large household for many years before organizing her current expedition.  Aesa speaks four languages: Norse and Slavic from her early years and Greek and Latin from her time in Byzantium.  She is literate in the latter two, but has only a slight understanding of runic.   She has a limited knowledge of skaldic arts. 

Resources: Aesa came well equipped for her expedition.  Three karfi contain trade supplies and tools, as well as 70 followers: mostly skilled tradesman, smiths and carpenters and masons, but also a score of veteran huskarls equipped with mail hauberks, helms, and fine steel weapons, enhanced by the power of a ghoul to make a small but devastating force.   

She has recently taken control of the hall and town of Heior, a fairly humble village chosen for its natural resources – access to ore, wood and sea - rather than any role as a local power. 

Sexuality: Aesa is bisexual, although she tends to favor the fairer sex, both for aesthetics and because they tend to have less illusions of ownership or control.  A woman who has clawed her way to power, she revels in the taste of more and abhors the loss of any: she is strictly dominant.  Note that while I’m hetero, I’m not averse to having Aesa play with men if it arises in the story. 
Associated Kinks: Domination, humiliation, exhibitionism, orgasm control, whips. 
Ons/Offs: Submitting is a definite off.  Otherwise, I’m open to anything – read my ons/offs, and be assured that I will never be offended if you ask (actually, I tend to take it as quite a compliment). 

 

Summary: A Rus viking who became a toreador courtesan from the Byzantine court, Aesa has made her way north with an elite group of warriors and craftsman to seize the small village of Heior and begin to involve herself as a force in local politics. 

Potential character links: Aesa feels the keen need for allies, and wouldn't be averse to embracing anyone whose capability and loyalty she was sure of.  This could be one of her craftsman or huskarl warriors, or a promising maiden to serve as an apprentice of sorts. 

She is also willing to pay or ally with anyone who will aid her in return, following the ancient tradition of the jarl.  Any kindred wanting safety in a vampire-controlled village or a chance at future craft goods or spoils might find a place in her hall. 

And finally, anyone approaching Aesa with less than outright hostility will be met with offers of friendship. 

Group role: Aesa is primarily a social creature.  Her talents as a courtesan, disciplines, and fledgling political clout can open all but the most hostile doors.  She's no mere political prop, however.  Her leadership can provide some NPC support when needed while Heior offers group members a secure haven and gathering place, transportation, and a reliable source of supplies.  Her offensive abilities aren't top notch, but it would unwise to dismiss her entirely.  Finally, a cunning mind and six sharp senses can provide important information. 

[Oneiros]

I think she looks awesome. And I look forward to seeing the dynamic between a Nosferatu and a Toreador. ;)

[eBadger]

I think she looks awesome. And I look forward to seeing the dynamic between a Nosferatu and a Toreador. ;)

Thank you!  I'm kinda proud of how I managed to fit some things together: the rise of a glorified prostitute to wealth and power among brawny, sweaty meat shields through those most Toreador of things, beauty and craftsmanship. 

As for dynamics, we'll see.  I don't buy much into the Toreador-as-useless-gossips cliche (hopefully that comes across), nor will she feel the need to start rivalries over petty cosmetics when she's desperate for allies.  I'm actually envisioning her more as the glue to hold our group together. 

[eBadger]

I also noticed a couple people mention they had no experience with the game, so a couple quick bits of info/advice/links:

Wolves of the Sea, a sourcebook for VtDA Vikings.  It has some good (generally accurate) info on the vikings (although it seems to strangely exclude any mention of their eastern travels) and lots on vampiric society in the north. 

As a quick summary of clans and their weaknesses:
Pretty likely:
Gangrel - Wild, powerful and animalistic, they gain beastial features as they lose control
Brujah - independent minded warriors of exceptional lethality, they're quick to lose their temper - explosively
Malkavian - observant, stealthy and capable of mental tricks, they're all a bit insane
Ventrue - nobility with great force of will and fortitude, they're very limited in their selection of prey

Somewhat Likely:
Assamite - saracen assassins, good at sneaking and killing, they thirst for the blood of other vampires
Toreador - performers and observers of great skill, they can become entranced with beautiful things
Nosferatu - animalistic and sneaky, they're inhumanly ugly
Lasombra - powerful physically and socially, with the ability to control shadows, they cast no reflection and are very sensitive to sunlight

With all those listed, however, I would suggest simply reading over some of the characters already presented and picking one that would logically work as a sire for your ghoul.  There aren't really any BAD vampire clans.  Or, post your concept and we'll figure out a good spot for you to fit in. 

And finally, a great source of names. 

[Madriv]

So I was flipping through my Dark Ages book & Storyteller Secrets last night (could NOT find my Nosferatu clanbook, dammit) and I noticed two mentions of a Scandinavian branch of Setites who worship Jormungandr. I am intrigued.  ::)

And thanks for the resources, eBadger!

[Lockepick]

@eBadger: That is a freaking awesome pic, BTW. Love it.

[Blythe]

Good sources and nice summary of the clans, eBadger.  ;D

So I was flipping through my Dark Ages book & Storyteller Secrets last night (could NOT find my Nosferatu clanbook, dammit) and I noticed two mentions of a Scandinavian branch of Setites who worship Jormungandr. I am intrigued.  ::)

I've never gotten to play alongside a Setite before. *is intrigued*

[bubby]

Currently working on owed posts before my partners drop me, then I'll work on my char sheet. Found a name and a pic... woo!   ::)

[Oneiros]

As some of you may have know, I've barely slept in the last two days, waiting for my baby sister to give birth >< My nephew is finally here and I can relax... so I might not be here tonight. It has been an emotionally exhausting couple of days and my dad me it soooooo much worse, because he's an asshole.

So feel free to plot and whatnot, I should hopefully be back and more rested by tomorrow.

[bubby]

As some of you may have know, I've barely slept in the last two days, waiting for my baby sister to give birth >< My nephew is finally here and I can relax... so I might not be here tonight. It has been an emotionally exhausting couple of days and my dad me it soooooo much worse, because he's an asshole.

So feel free to plot and whatnot, I should hopefully be back and more rested by tomorrow.

Relax! Sounds like you need/deserve it.

[Lockepick]

Take your time! I appreciate the heads up. That way if I DO get upset with the wait, I know that it's the nephew's fault, and I can take it up with him. :)

[Blythe]

Congrats on to your sister for the birth of her son! And you for having a new nephew.  :-)

As for plotting and suchnot, I'm more than willing to plan with anyone who'd like to create ties to my character of Eyvindr.  ;D Post here or PM me, and I'll be guaranteed to reply.

[eBadger]

No worries, Fed, get some rest and we'll see you tomorrow!

As for plotting and suchnot, I'm more than willing to plan with anyone who'd like to create ties to my character of Eyvindr.  ;D Post here or PM me, and I'll be guaranteed to reply.

I posted a few potential character links for Aesa with her character, let me know if one interests you (same to others)

[Blythe]

She is also willing to pay or ally with anyone who will aid her in return, following the ancient tradition of the jarl.  Any kindred wanting safety in a vampire-controlled village or a chance at future craft goods or spoils might find a place in her hall. 

This catches my eye, particularly the word "pay." Eyvindr is a wandering skald, and he is almost always short on money or resources. He'd also be intrigued at the idea of safety in a vampire controlled village; he doesn't have Protean, and shelter can be hard to come by.

If Aesa is concerned with her reputation and allies, having an extremely talented skald known for "listening and obeying" the gods might be helpful--Eyvindr could turn his talents to composing pieces that enhance and brag about her and give her a rather glowing reputation. He also enjoys good company, being a fairly social Kindred. His small talents in Obfuscate and his ability with Auspex also make him a handy scout or spy, so he's got some skills to offer in return for pay and for shelter.

[bubby]

Once I make my char, (soon, only one more owed post to go!) I'd like to confer with whoever would be interested in taking on meeting up with her. PM's open!

[Lockepick]

@Fedora: Delayed response, but if we're using the Sorcerer rules as a basis for Bjarg's Enchanting -- it does require regular 'maintenance' with blood. Theoretically it would be 1 vitae / check, and it lasts for successes in scenes. Since we're going rules light, I imagine it would just be every couple days, and probably before and/or after any big fights.

I know we had discussed there being a Jarl at some point. Can somebody give me a quick description of what a Jarl and Hall are within Kindred Society?

Is Jarl = Prince, and Hall is a group haven? How many Halls are going to be in the area?

Bjarg wouldn't be running his own Hall, that's for sure. He's got money from people buying his wares, which sell at a high price. He could easily pay with money, as well as his services.

[Oneiros]

Thank you everyone <3 He certainly took his sweet time getting out of there. ::)

@locke- don't worry about success rolls. We can give it a flat rate, say that when the weapons or armor are 'fed' the enchantment is active for a day or two. After that time period, the enchantment goes inactive, and the equipment behave as normal until more blood is spent on them. I assume anyone who has armor or a weapon from him is in charge if their own upkeep of this.

Within kindred society, for the purposes of this game, I'm thinking there is probably a Prince of the region who oversees several vampire Jarls. So while Aesa has control over a small village, there's still someone else above her in terms of the ruling hierarchy who controls all the halls and villages in the region. And not all jarls are vampires, though humans, of course, don't have a vampiric prince to answer to - the region that our characters are occupying has a number of small kingdoms, and within the next several decades they'll be united (and captured) into a larger kingdoms. Similar to how the US in Vampire:the Masquerade has a human president, but there's still areas encompassing smaller regions within the US where vampire princes rule.

The region our characters are in is likely under control of the kingdom of Denmark at the time of the story beginning, however, relatively soon (in vampiric terms) there's probably going to be a lot of changes to the region and a lot of fighting - Denmark and Sweden really did not get along. With Norway just kinda stuck in the middle of it and changing hands back and forth. But enough of the history lesson!

There are probably a number of halls in the region, and several of them are vampire-owned. Some are bigger than others, with a few of smaller nearby villages under their control and protection. They probably fight here and there, and I'm thinking the vampire prince in charge of the local vampire Jarls is probably Brujah. As I stated before, they'll be an NPC character that has some bearing on the story, but won't necessarily be a large presence. The prince certainly won't be going on any raids or trading expeditions, obviously. Bjarg, since he has some community ties, probably lives under a vampire Jarl. He can either be part of Aesa's village, or can have an unnamed vampire Jarl he lives under at the beginning if you like.

Perhaps we should make an OOC thread for people to hang out in and discuss plots. I'll put that together in a bit.

[bubby]

I'll try and get my character completed and up tomorrow.

[Oneiros]

Take your time, bubby. There's no rush. An OOC thread will be going up soon, but IC probably won't start for a bit yet, so you have time ;)

[Oneiros]

I upgraded the status of Seties from very unlikely to a bit more likely.

Also here is an OOC thread:

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=177150.0

I'm putting the game in the 'extreme' board simply beacause I don't like being restricted >.> Plus apparently bloodplay counts as 'extreme', and these are vampire vikings we're talking about. There's definitely going to be blood involved.

I'm also going to make a character sheet thread later today (or mayabe tomorrow) and start moving peoples' sheets over, so if your sheet is already up and you have any last-minute corrections or changes, now's the time to do it.

[Lockepick]

I updated Bjarg's character sheet a little to reflect that he's supposed to have a stupid-high Courage Stat to choose to work next to a source of fire (the forge) for a living.

[Madriv]

Name: Glamr Tree-Foot
Player: Madmartigan
Clan: Nosferatu
Generation: 10

Appearance:  (minimal polite obfuscate) Human-shaped, with a curved spine that makes him appear shorter than the average man or woman. His limbs are bowed, his gait uneven. His facial features are sharp and feral; his cheeks are striped with scars from either pointed ear to the corners of his mouth; his eyes wide set, perfectly round and black. He has no beard. His tangled hair falls below his waist, knotted with bits of bone and mottled wolf-grey in color. He only speaks in tight-lipped whispers that show no teeth. Both mouth and eyes are ringed with black stains. A sickly sweet stench clings to him at all times, reminiscent of little dead things mixed with leaf mold.

Further Details

Physical Traits:  (natural) His skin is purplish-blue, darkening to a rotted indigo hue on his extremities. Almost every inch of his body is covered with fine, hairlike, poisonous spines that cause extreme pain to anything living or undead that might accidentally touch his bare skin. His fingers and the toes on his left foot are capped with jagged claws that splinter and break when they touch living flesh, leaving shards that fester rapidly and inevitably result in death. His right leg terminates in a twisted mass of root-like tendrils from the knee down. There is a similar mass at his groin that no one living has clearly seen. To properly feed, he must crack his jaw open; his maw, when opened ear to ear, is packed with needle fangs and a swollen black tongue that can wrap around his head. He is unable to voluntarily close his mouth once opened; in order to be able to speak again he must first stitch the edges back together.

Merits: Gaping Maw (2pt), Sleep Unseen (2pt)

Flaws: Necrophile (3pt)

Personality: Pragmatic, mischievous, obscene.

Mental Traits: Due to the discomfort and extreme messiness of attempting to feed with his deformity, Glamr prefers small animals that can be crushed and swallowed whole as his basic sustenance (spitting out bones and fur sometime afterward). For more substantial meals he hangs and drains large prey - animal or human - to drink the blood at his leisure.

History: Glamr was a shepherd's son by birth. His family was part of a prosperous community with a medium-sized village near the coast as its center. He was an unremarkable boy by all accounts; most of his days were spent grazing his flocks, tanning hides, gathering herbs for his mother - a wise woman - and killing wolves. He did not raid in other lands but he learned, as all men did, how to defend his property. Foreign warriors attacked the village every few seasons; in his first skirmish he killed two but lost half of his right leg to an ax blow. He crafted himself a wooden brace to replace the missing limb and gained the name "tree-foot".

He was married late, by his seventeenth year, to a woman he liked well enough but who proved barren. As he lost interest in his own bed his lust grew for his elder brother's wife, a very beautiful woman who had already produced two strong boys. The attraction was not mutual and his brother warned him to turn his eyes elsewhere.

Soon after this the village was visited by a traveling sorceress. She consulted with Glamr's mother on matters of plants and medicines, staying in the family's hall over the winter. Though hideous, she was wise and clever with words. She saw Glamr's desires and asked for a boon to bring his lustful dreams to fruition. Every night for many weeks, Glamr drained his wife of a little blood which he then gave to the volur. Inevitably his wife grew weak and died just before the equinox. She was not much mourned by Glamr himself.

Spring brought raiders once more and the opportunity Glamr had been promised. While battling the bestial warriors, he saw a chance to strike his brother from behind as they caught their breath behind a half-burnt cow shed. His brother's death was blamed on the raider that Glamr brought down in full sight of the village, and so Glamr gained prestige. He made his desire plain to take his brother's wife as his own, not realizing that she had seen him kill his own kin. She tried to shame him in front of the jarl and council but could not prove her case. She was destined to belong to Glamr.

The night he went to claim his right, she lay still in his brother's bed. Her eyes were full of hate but she didn't push him away, didn't cry out, didn't lift a finger against him as he sated his lust. He dozed next to her but awoke soon for more. Still she didn't resist, though neither did she respond. All through the night he took her until her womb overflowed with his seed and her eyes grew softer towards him - or so it seemed by moonlight.

At dawn he touched her cool skin, spoke loving words, mounted her once more... and realized she was dead. Had been dead for some hours. Her lips - and now his - were stained with the blackest poison she'd taken at dusk the day before. Not only had he murdered his wife and his brother - he'd violated the corpse of his sister-in-law.

Glamr fled into the forest, guilt and madness finally breaking his mind. He found the sorceress in a cave, gathering deadly mushrooms. He attacked her for her deception and she responded by tearing out his throat with her rotten teeth before feeding him a noxious stew made with her own vitae. She was not only a practitioner of seiðr, she was a draugr and his Sire. He suffered for many nights through the transition while she explained his new existence. Too monstrous to remain human, he was now a true monster, a Childe of Loki, burdened with the duty to constantly test the children of Odin and sometimes give them what they wanted... though never in the way they wanted it.

They traveled together but a short while, until Glamr gained the ability to call animals for blood. The Nosferatu clan was very small, its members spread far across the northern lands. Glamr learned the rhythms of travel, of how to make himself welcome at the periphery of villages for a few seasons at a time until he had learned all he could of the local flora and fauna, the peoples' sagas and songs. Then he moved on. Some years passed without human contact. Others were full of births and wounds and death and blood offerings. The variety was important, as was learning more about the other breeds of draugr who walked the earth and fancied themselves einherjar.

Disciplines: Animalism 3, Obfuscate 3, Potence 1

Weapons: Poisons, pointed sticks, swarms of charmed beasts, and his own body are his weapons of choice. He learned, in his travels, how to craft blowguns, weave nets, and construct deadly traps to protect his hiding places from sentient things.

Skills: Seiðr (sorcery), herbcraft, medicines, poisons, surgery, butchery, wound-tending, skinning, tanning, leatherwork, snares. He has rudimentary reading skills (Old Norse) and is fluent in Nosferatu symbology.

Resources: Glamr carries two bone knives: one curved in (sickle), and one curved out (skinning knife). Everything he wears (gloves, tunic, leggings, kilt, cloak, hood) is made of leather, fur, and bone. He is privy to small, hidden caches of gold shared and maintained by other Nosferatu who travel the north lands. His expertise with skins, herbs, and sorcery make him welcome in most villages, at least initially. He keeps no human ghouls, only animals.

Sexuality: Not gender-specific
Associated Kinks: Necrophilia (dead things can't say no), masochism (bad touch is better than no touch at all)
Ons: Skin, blood, bones, knowledge
Offs: Metal, fire, arrogance, vampires with perfect teeth