[St. Lawrence By Night] - Vampire the Masquerade V20 - [Recruitment is OPEN]

[TheWanderingMuse]

The Giovanni presence in the city of St. Lawrence continues to grow, and we’re not yet clear of their intentions. The Camarilla cannot allow a presence like that to go unchecked. Although the city is but a shell of what it once was there is a significant population there and plenty of potential. While not an attractive appointment by any means… we need to establish a presence and secure a foothold in that city. I don’t care who you send, but the Camarilla must gain and maintain control of St. Lawrence!                                                   - Alexander Winston, Justicar of Clan Toreador

[Translated from Italian]   We have completed the first phase of securing our territory in St. Lawrence, but it seems as if the Camarilla has already gotten word of our intentions. It's unclear if they know of the artifact we're attempting to retrieve or if they're simply responding to our appearance in numbers, but whatever the case they have rushed to install a Prince and a Primogen Council to oversee the city. While the reception has been a bit cold and distrustful, the Camarilla doesn't seem to be aggressively challenging us in the new city. For now, they seem to be only watching and waiting... to what end, I am not certain. I will continue to update you in the coming nights.                                                  - Carmine Giovanni, Anziani Council Member

Map of St. Lawrence

Current Map of St. Lawrence (Full Map Here)

The City of St. Lawrence

For years St. Lawrence prospered as a large industrial and manufacturing city in the northeast. Textile mills, automotive factories and steel mills provided a backbone for the city’s economy and an endless amount of jobs and opportunities for the nearly 6 million people who resided there at the height of its prosperity. For decades the city had a small but powerful Kindred population and was firmly in control of the Camarilla.

Then came the end of the Second World War. While the city had enjoyed heightened prosperity during the war efforts it was cities such as New York, Baltimore, and Boston that soon far surpassed St. Lawrence in the aftermath. As the world settled back into an uneasy peace and more and more of the United States manufacturing needs were handled overseas St. Lawrence was one of many many cities to crumble economically.

First the mills began to close, then the factories, and soon the entire city fell into a recession of its own, one more devastating than that of most of the other cities in the United States felt. With St. Lawrence well removed from most of the popular shipping lines and hours away from the other large cities, it soon began to crumble. Those in the city who could effort to left, but the nearly 4 million that couldn’t stayed and persevered through the hard times.

During this time of economic regression and city-wide degradation the city was deemed unimportant and of little interest to the Camarilla. Little by little the Kindred community shrank as individuals were called upon to travel to other cities and handle other needs, most never to return. The city was left with little more than a sparse Anarch presence and no Camarilla presence to speak of.

As the 21st century dawned and coastal real estate and remote corporate locations became more commonplace, St. Lawrence was once again showing up on the radar. Steadily more and more business began to buy into St. Lawrence and move operations there as they took advantage of a now more desirable location with cheap, eager labor. During this revival, the city also began to attract the attention of a group of business-minded entities: the Giovanni.

Seeing such a large, destitute population and the very attractive tactical location of the city the Giovanni began purchasing land and assets within the city and sending a handful of the family to begin establishing a beachhead for a larger Giovanni presence to further allow them access to the New World.

When the Camarilla learned of it, they were quick to shift resources towards the city and began a rushed process of installing a presence capable of contesting the city and keeping a close eye on the growing Giovanni threat.

The Game

St. Lawrence by Night is rooted in a Vampire the Masquerade V20 system which plays out as a storyteller-driven collection of one-on-one stories which take place in the same city and have the ability for crossover and collaboration with other players while maintaining the opportunity for free-form and open sandbox stories.

Experience Level for Players – As this game has the opportunity to keep the story between the storyteller and player in a one-on-one framework it allows me to use in-character immersion to explain the city dynamic, the abilities of your character, and how the system works. This is also a slight departure from a true tabletop session as more emphasis is placed on the story and rolling and game mechanics are used lightly to enhance the story, not bog it down.

Can I interact with other players in the city? – Absolutely! The unique system I run allows players the opportunity to run completely solo in a storyteller-driven game, to team up with other players and operate as a group the entire time, or anywhere in-between. This game is created with posting frequency and real life in mind. Allowing the flexibility for each player to move at their own pace and remain independent from other players make it a very successful platform.

How does time work in St. Lawrence? Due to the nature of the game and some of the mystery, surprise twists, and hidden plots: St. Lawrence by Night is played a little differently. This allows me to keep on top of each character's story, work on crossovers and city-impacting events, and keeping everyone engaged on a consistent basis. The details for SLbN timelines are as follows:

• One Active Thread - Each player will only be allowed to have one active thread at a time - This makes continuity more seamless, allows for city-impacting events, and lets me stay on top of each player's story.
• Every two weeks IRL will equal one night inside St. Lawrence - Each character has two weeks to work on what their character does during the current night. This gives plenty of time to allow players the freedom of a less-demanding post requirement but still keeps the game progressing at a good pace.
• Historic and History Threads allowed as well - This would allow players to flesh out backgrounds or previous interactions with other players or NPC's to help flesh out their character.

What is the story to smut ratio? Story is paramount in St. Lawrence, but that being said: each player is free to explore whichever aspect(s) of the game they find most enjoyable. If someone wishes to create a character who seeks carnal pleasures and wishes to explore the city in that vein then that would be supported. Ideally there would be more story to smut, but my job as a storyteller is to help tell the story of your character, regardless of where that leads.

Is there a minimum amount of posts a player needs to maintain? No. Most days I will be able to reply at least once, but the story can move at whatever pace the players do. I feel as long as you can commit to 2-3 posts per week on average (I know real life happens and I am very supportive of that) then that would be perfectly acceptable.

Which clans can players choose from? I allow characters from all Camarilla clans and am open to bloodlines.

Factions/Groups Active in St. Lawrence: Camarilla, Anarchs, Giovanni, Followers of Set, Baali

Approved Clans

• Ventrue
• Toreador
• Nosferatu
• Brujah
• Tremere
• Malkavian
• Caitiff
• Gangrel

Restricted Clans (Justification and a compelling story needed)

• Giovanni
• Followers of Set
• Cappadocian
• Nagaraja
• Samedi
• Baali
• Ravnos

Forbidden Clans: Assamite, Tzimisce, Lasombra, Harbingers of Skulls, True Brujah, Salubri, Serpents of the Light, Gargoyle, Thinblood, Kiasyd

Is the game capped at a certain number of players? Yes. I'm a few years removed from running a group game and as such I don't want to overwhelm myself or sacrifice good player experiences with my replies and availability as I take up the reins once more. I am looking to keep the player count between 4-8 active players at all times.

Next Steps
1. Leave a reply here stating you're interested
2. Send me a PM with your top 3 clan choices
3. Include how much experience you have with V:tM (none is perfectly fine)
4. Give me an estimate on how many replies per week you would be comfortable with
5. Give me a short explanation on why this game intrigues you

If you have any additional questions, please post them here so I can answer them and update this post

Thanks!
Muse



Here's a sneak peek at some of the revealed NPC's for the city: St. Lawrence by Night - Vampire the Masquerade City Reference Thread

[Callie Del Noire]

I’m interested.

I’m leaning towards outsiders.

[TheWanderingMuse]

I’m interested.

I’m leaning towards outsiders.

I'm glad you're interested, but I'm not currently including anything from Mage the Ascension or any of the other titles. This would be strictly for Vampire the Masquerade and related resources. Please send me a private PM if you're still interested and we'll discuss your character ideas and concept.

[Callie Del Noire]

I'm glad you're interested, but I'm not currently including anything from Mage the Ascension or any of the other titles. This would be strictly for Vampire the Masquerade and related resources. Please send me a private PM if you're still interested and we'll discuss your character ideas and concept.

That’s cool. Pm sent.

[SufferingPride]

Hey Muse! I'm very interested! PM sent already.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Welcome to E! What a blast from the past! :) I'm happy to see you again, my friend, and I look forward to seeing what character you explore the streets of the city with.

[Nicolae]

I'm definitely interested. Getting my PM ready now.

[Callie Del Noire]

How goes things eh?

[TheWanderingMuse]

I'm definitely interested. Getting my PM ready now.

Excellent, I'll be contacting you shortly. Thank you!

[Sysa]

Allow me to officially express my interest in joining.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Allow me to officially express my interest in joining.

Welcome to St. Lawrence! I've sent you some follow up info. Looks like your character is almost ready to be let loose on the city!

[Callie Del Noire]

I’m guessing I didn’t send enough info?

[TheWanderingMuse]

I’m guessing I didn’t send enough info?

Hey Callie, I'll PM you privately. I didn't get your story & character preferences response yet.

[Miroque]

@TWM: I send you application LONG time ago, and if there is room, I would still like to join.

EDIT: I resend that application to you Muse.

[queenkam234]

Interested!

[TheWanderingMuse]

Interested!

Excellent! Check your PM's

[Ashia]

Fascinating idea! Consider me interested!

[MarcothTalos]

Got any need for a Brujah looking Malkavian? :). Long time Malkavian player here, my name here is in fact the name of said character. Let me know if you have room or desire.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Fascinating idea! Consider me interested!

PM heading your way!

Got any need for a Brujah looking Malkavian? :). Long time Malkavian player here, my name here is in fact the name of said character. Let me know if you have room or desire.

Always looking for fresh meat! ;) PM heading your way

[MarcothTalos]

Responded :)

[TheWanderingMuse]

The ranks of the undead continue to grow! This is just a little bump to let everyone know I still have two spots remaining. If you're interested in knowing more about the game, please send me a DM.

Thanks!

[TheWanderingMuse]

One last spot open! PM me if you're interested in perhaps joining the ranks of the undead in St. Lawrence! :)

This game is new player friendly and you don't need to know any of the lore or mechanics for Vampire the Masquerade. This game places story above mechanics, and anything your character needs to know about the game and being a vampire will be explored in-game as your character comes to life.

[TheWanderingMuse]

I would like to announce that the next wave of player slots have been opened. The previous players have been introduced to the game and I'm now looking to add another 2-3 players! There are plenty of undiscovered plots, open mysteries, relationships to create and enemies to root out. Come join a game of intrigue, conspiracies, mysteries and excitement!

Please post here and send me a PM with your interest and we'll get the ball rolling.

I'm very much looking forward to meeting some more quality players!

[TheWanderingMuse]

The next batch of players have been onboarded! I'm ready to take on two more. Please PM me if you'd like to join the game.

[Unholy]

I am interested, and I sent a PM to you! :)

[TheWanderingMuse]

Welcome to the game, my friend! I've sent you the new player questionnaire to kick things off.

[Rajah]

I'd like to express interest if there's still that last slot open?

[TheWanderingMuse]

I'd like to express interest if there's still that last slot open?

Thank you for your interest, As for an opening, I still have some available, yes! Shoot me a PM and we'll get the ball rolling.

[TheWanderingMuse]

[ [ UPDATE ] ]

Due to popular demand, and the unique way St. Lawrence handles character threads, we're now allowing each person to have two active characters.

How is St. Lawrence different from most group games?

Unlike most group games, St. Lawrence is presented as individual threads for each user to start. It is a truly open world game where players are free to explore the city at their own pace, and by themselves, to develop and explore their characters, their goals, and their ambitions without being tied to one narrative. Each NPC inside St. Lawrence is developed as a complete character. They have their own goals, methods, and interests and the city is continually moving behind the scenes. Players are free to approach any NPC and see what they have going on and get involved with any aspect of the city they wish. There are always plots brewing and things happening, and occasionally players will have the chance to be involved with them however they see fit. St. Lawrence can be run solo, or can involve interacting with other players as often as you like. Your character options are limited ONLY by your imagination.


If there's no main storyline, how is this a group game?

There are plenty of storylines in the city, and which ones you become aware of are determined completely by your actions. All characters are in the same city and will see the consequences and benefits of each other's actions even if they don't interact directly with them. So if Player A decides they want to kill the Anarch leader, the other players will see ramifications of that. Perhaps a new Anarch will come to your character asking for their support in helping their bid to be the new leader. Perhaps the shipment of guns your character ordered from the leader will not be delivered now as the leader is killed and the contacts they had have been shattered. Even if you don't join threads with other characters, their actions will most likely impact you in some way.


But if there are no threads for specific events, how does my character join up with another character?

If your character heads to Elysium, and another character is already there, your two threads will join and you'll be able to interact. You can set up IC meetings for your characters and join forces for a common goal, or you can avoid other characters completely and explore the city and your own interests at your own pace. You'll never be forced into any storylines you're not interested in participating in.

That said, one of the first things I do is give new players a player questionaire which lets me know what interests your character has. If you give me a 8 out of 10 in mortal politics, you're more than likely to run into the new mayor looking for support in the city. If you put an 10 out of 10 in exploring other supernatural creatures in the city then you can bet you'll stumble across a victim of a werewolf attack or a pack of wraiths who seem to be focusing their attention on the old chapel outside of the city. I customize everyone's experience to their preferences so you'll never find yourself involved in a story/plot that doesn't interest your character.



If anyone has any additional questions on St. Lawrence, please ping me and I'll be happy to go into more detail. If you've alredy read this far, clearly you're interested... go ahead and ping me! I welcome all players and look forward to give you an amazing customized game experience that is guaranteed to keep you hooked and engaged!

[dezwithabat]

Is there still an opening for this? I'll need to read up on clans before choosing if you have a link to a good source?

[TheWanderingMuse]

Hi there,

Simply go to Google and search for V20 Corebook PDF. It's widely available for free. V20 is the edition I'm running for St. Lawrence.

[Outcast]

Asking here rather than via PM, in case the answer's helpful to anyone else...

Are there any types of character that you would be especially interested in seeing brought into the game?

[TheWanderingMuse]

Asking here rather than via PM, in case the answer's helpful to anyone else...

Are there any types of character that you would be especially interested in seeing brought into the game?

Great question, and no. We have plenty of openings, so really everything is wide open. I have plots and storylines for all clans, so if you wanted a unique experience, picking a clan that isn't already taken would be a tactic to go with. Right now we have a Malkavian, two Caitiff, a Toreador, two Tremere and a Nossie

[Outcast]

Are characters posted anywhere that can be peered at by nosy people?  :D

What's the sect / faction allegiance tally at the moment?

And would character creation be done in line with the V20 book, or sorted out on an individual basis via discussion?

[TheWanderingMuse]

Are characters posted anywhere that can be peered at by nosy people?  :D

What's the sect / faction allegiance tally at the moment?

And would character creation be done in line with the V20 book, or sorted out on an individual basis via discussion?

Yes, you can go to the main game menu here: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=323356.0 and peek at some of the uploaded character sheets and some of the known NPC's in the city.

The sect/faction relations is set up in the opening blurb about the city, but to save you some time: The Giovanni came to St. Lawrence to get a foothold in the northeast United States where the Camarilla and Sabbat had no presence. The Camarilla responded immediately to the threat and have been throwing anyone they could find up into the city to prevent the Giovanni from gaining an uncontested city in the center of some of the bigger strongholds of the Camarilla. The Setites have been formally recognized by the Prince and have been granted domain, and the Anarchs run wild in parts of the city simply because the Camarilla doesn't have the mainpower to effectively subdue them like they do in most cities. The two major factions are the Giovanni and the Camarilla, and they maintain an uneasy truce as each tries to prevent the other from gaining too much control. The Giovanni can't openly attack the Camarilla, because that would draw them into a conflict with the entire sect, and the Camarilla can't simply muscle the Giovanni out because they don't have the manpower.

Character creation is also found on that game link menu I provided above.

[Outcast]

Thanks.  I shall have a nose around in those threads.  :)

I was wondering what the distribution of PCs among the factions was... and whether there was anything (loyal Camarilla, eager Anarchs, or others) that was presently under- or over-represented.

In any case, I can see if inspiration strikes.  :D

[TheWanderingMuse]

Thanks.  I shall have a nose around in those threads.  :)

I was wondering what the distribution of PCs among the factions was... and whether there was anything (loyal Camarilla, eager Anarchs, or others) that was presently under- or over-represented.

In any case, I can see if inspiration strikes.  :D

Right now we have a Nosferatu, two Malkavians, two Caitiff, a Toreadoir, and a Tremere, all either unaligned or a part of the Camarilla.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Thank you everyone for all your interest! I am temporarily closing recruitment now until I get the next batch of players up and running. If you'd like to post and reserve your spot on the waiting list, please do so. As soon as I get the new players up and running I'll have a better idea of how many more players I'm comfortable handling.

If you've received a PM from me you are currently in the onboarding phase and your position in the game is assured.

Thank you everyone for the overwhelming responses!

[WhatLiesAbove]

I'd like to be considered for the next round of recruitment. If you'd be so kind as to reach out to me here, in messaging, or on discord, I would really appreciate it. Looks like a super-fun game!

[TheWanderingMuse]

Hey WhatLiesAbove,

I do have another slot that has opened up. If you're still interested, please shoot me a PM and we'll get the ball rolling.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Hello everyone!

The new players are up and running and i have the capacity to take on one or two more players. Please drop a message here and PM me if you're interested in joining the game.

[WhatLiesAbove]

I'm interested in joining!

[TheWanderingMuse]

@WhatLiesAbove - I have reached out and sent you the character questionnaire to kick things off.

For anyone else interested, I am accepting one more player at this time.

[Hellion]

@WhatLiesAbove - I have reached out and sent you the character questionnaire to kick things off.

For anyone else interested, I am accepting one more player at this time.

Definitely interested! While it's been a minute since I've played in a WoD game, I'm familiar with V:tM and the lore and would love a chance to play again.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Definitely interested! While it's been a minute since I've played in a WoD game, I'm familiar with V:tM and the lore and would love a chance to play again.

We'd love to have you! I have players of varying levels of game knowledge. Some have been storytellers in the past and others have had no knowledge of the game at all. That's part of the beauty of how St. Lawerence is run. Each character has their own thread and they explore the world at their own pace. How I normally handle that is I explain things in character, having the person being a newly embraced vampire who doesn't understand what they are and what they can do. I pair that with OOC communication as well, so no matter what familiarity you have with the game, you'll be able to jump right in and get rolling.

Not saying you'll need that level of help, I'm just showing that the only main requirement I have for joining the game is being a good writer and having the desire to learn the game as we go.

Please send me a PM and we'll start the ball rolling! Welcome to St. Lawrence!

[Mr Self Destruct]

I am absolutely interested in this! I'll shoot you a PM.

[TheWanderingMuse]

I am absolutely interested in this! I'll shoot you a PM.

Excellent! Looking forward to your message.

[Mr Self Destruct]

PM sent, good sir!

[TheWanderingMuse]

We've hit Big Game Status!!!

And, with that, we now have a few more open slots for players! Please post here and PM me if you're interested in stepping into the night and joining an incredible game!

**New player friendly: NO Vampire the Masquerade Experience needed**

[Pockets]

Gonna plant a flag of interest. Got some out of the box ideas for characters.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Excellent, Pockets! Shoot me a PM with some of your ideas and we'll get the ball rolling!

2 slots remain.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Currently have 2 open slots!

[ererruz]

Flagging my interest, sent you a PM with few questions, TheWanderingMuse.

[Lockepick]

Hello! Planting a flag for interest! Considering a 'Discarded CIA Asset' from the time of MK-Ultra in similar projects. Sending you a PM now!

[TheWanderingMuse]

Welcome to you both! I look forward to speaking to you guys about your ideas!

[Seshat]

If there is still an opening I'd like to voice my interest.

[TheWanderingMuse]

Hello Seshat! Please send me a PM and let me know what ideas you have for a new character.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

[TheLinguist]

This is my notification of intrest!

[Nicolae]

Is recruitment still open?

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Still taking new people?

[Red Stella]

I’m very interested, if you have any available openings currently, or in the future. 
I have some knowledge of the game, but very limited experience.
Perhaps Toreador, but I’d need a refresher on clans.

Thanks.

Red
💋

[Hades]

*Plants a flag of interest*

Giving the material a glance over, I'm leaning towards trying for a Giovanni, or perhaps a Setite.

[Kara Danvers]

*Plants a flag of interest*

Giving the material a glance over, I'm leaning towards trying for a Giovanni, or perhaps a Setite.

Takes no responsibility for bringing Hades here. 

[TheWanderingMuse]

St. Lawrence is opening its doors once again!

What makes St. Lawrence different from most group games?
One of the things I encountered with some group games was having trouble finding where your character fits in. Unless you join a game from the start, there always seem to be cliques and inner relations already established that make it hard to find an entry point.

In St. Lawrence, everyone is given a one-on-one story with a storyteller where you're immersed in a world wholly catered to your character. Moreover, you're never forced into larger group threads or intricate plots established long before you joined. Your character is given a total story entirely crafted for your character, which is meant to be a standalone story. While you're welcome and encouraged to interact with other players, we have many players who continue their plotlines within the city and never once cross paths with other players.

Their actions may impact what's going on in your story, and often NPC's will cross the path of multiple players and be colored by those interactions. Still, nothing is ever forced, and you're free to progress your storyline at whatever pace is comfortable for you. Anyone who has been in a group game and taken a week or two off knows how hard it is to jump back into a constantly progressing storyline that forces all the players to act in unison, and that is never the case in St. Lawrence.

We're also incredibly newbie-friendly, and I have no trouble teaching someone the system as we go. We have several players who had never heard of Vampire: the Masquerade or had only watched it being played on occasion. I'm more than happy to teach you the ropes as you go and help immerse you in the dark world of Vampire: the Masquerade.

For anyone looking to delve into an extremely addictive game, and explore an entire world crafted around your character, this is the game for you!

[Mythril]

I would be interested. I've played VTES, second edition, I think. I would like to play my favorite clan...the only clan...

Malkavian.

[TheWanderingMuse]

I would be interested. I've played VTES, second edition, I think. I would like to play my favorite clan...the only clan...

Malkavian.

Shoot me a PM and we can get the ball rolling!

[Ferretina]

If this is still open to new characters, mark me as interested! I have a couple of concepts already brewing. The PM is on the way!

[Aaerin]

Hello everyone, if there is a slot, I would be interested to play in this game.

I have played VTM a long while and also experienced a VTM game with V20 rules or two. :)