I have, recently, found an old passion for an old cliche emerging from my imagination once more. To cut a long story short, I've regained my love of the beautiful melancholy and gorgeous romance that can only be found through vampires. While I am aware that, as a result of the manner of people that have, both in the media and in global roleplay communities, misrepresented all that a vampire can be, the idea of vampire themed roleplay has become almost taboo in its stereotypically bland genericism.
However, I believe that, like with all such things, it's not so much the actual style of play itself that's intrinsically godawful but the style in which the play is performed. When I talk about the generally awful cliches that have arisen around the image of the vampire in popular culture I refer to the images of well groomed, super-slick types in trenchcoats that the tasteful among us have learned to hate and that the tasteless among us regularly roleplay as. The modern vampire, or the vampire in any manner of situation is, quite simply, a hugely contested subject that I am very much willing to fight for if the results shatter all the illusions of godawful vampire roleplays forever for all those concerned.
On that note, I will move onto the actual roleplay I am seeking in itself. This is not to be a persuasive essay on the sheer potential of vampires and how often it is disregarded. Instead, I'd like to note that I am looking for someone to play out something cliche shattering with me. I feel that, of all the different ways in which every media mentionable has portrayed the vampire, White Wolf's Vampire: the Masquerade truly is the most potentially beautiful and potentially godawful of all.
Most people who roleplay this game seem to view it as an excuse to be, quite simply, goths with super powers and an extra excuse for angst. Failing that, many seem to view it as an excuse to live out all manner of horrible snuff fantasies. Failing even that, many seem to view it as akin to D&D and the like - a violently adventurous spree, punctuated by 'blowing shit up' and the use of 'kewl powerz'. Needless to say, I don't wish to play it like that and, I would imagine, neither would White Wolf. There are, afterall, SO many phrases in their books that dictate that none of the above styles of play are what Vampire is about.
In short, I wish to explore a particular facet of the game in a distinctly rules-lite style, leaving the focus on roleplay and character development; the rules only existing as guidelines - what a character can and cannot do. I would very much like to explore the more personal side of it all; yes, folks, you guessed it. I want to explore relationships in the Old World of Darkness and how a certain curse can effect them. Now, although I've narrowed it down, the possibilities are still, potentially, endless. Vampire is just so very versatile! However, first I will lay down a few house-rules with regards to what I am looking for and what I am not looking for.
I am looking for...
- A roleplayer, preferably female, to play roughly the same amount of characters as me in this situation - if you double up then so will I, if you so desire; if you play an enire cast of characters, then so will I, if you like. This roleplayer would be playing the female (or close to it) half of the relationship in most situations. Vous Comprendez?
- A writer, more than a roleplayer. There are two supremely important things in this respect and one of them happens to be how you write. I have not been knocked off my feet and, what's more, I have not felt inferior to anyone I have written with in a long while. In other words, I want it all - gorgeous imagery, metaphor, poetic license, an awareness of the English language in itself. I desperately want someone who can, at least, equal me and, through this, better me as a writer. Call me a snob, call me arrogant if you will but, if you are the person I'm looking for, you won't be afraid of what I just said. (I apologise for sounding cold and unpleasant; I am actually suspiciously nice as a person. I'm simply an idealist when it comes to writing.)
- The second supremely important quality I am currently looking for in roleplayer and writing partner is a talent for characterisation. Need I say more? I desire that each of the characters we play be as believable as the next. I want them to breathtakingly human or, if need be, realistically but brilliantly inhuman.
- A roleplaying and writing partner with EITHER a good enough grasp of Vampire: the Masquerade as a setting (knowledge of the rules is, generally, unneccesary) OR one with the mind of an eager student - if you're willing to learn then I'm willing to teach. I shall try not to be too boring a tutor.
I am not looking for...
- Writers-cum-Roleplayers who would put their character in a trenchcoat and mirrorshades without, first, writing me an essay justifying their actions (God, I really am getting into this whole teacher role, it seems). I hope I do not need to reiterate that I desperately do not want to be writing about clones of Matrix characters with the addition of retractable fangs.
- Writers-cum-Roleplayers who are only interested in the sexual side of this exercise. While there is, most likely, to be, at the very least, a good deal of sexual tension (and what follows on its heels) in this collaborative story, it is the emotion behind it (or, in some cases, the lack thereof) that is to be the focus of the thing itself. (Yes, I'm aware that White Wolf tend to state that Vampires don't/can't act sexually except as part of a facade, I prefer to fudge this concept in what I believe is a justifiable way - Vampire can feel passion but normally though their Beasts, in a similar way to the passion they feel while frenzying or feeding. They are highly emotional beings, rather than entirely cold and numb creatures, the manner in which they show this simply varies from Vampire to Vampire. I'll gladly explain more about this if asked.)
- Writers-cum-Roleplayers who are, to put it simply, average on the writing and characterisation fronts.
Thank you for sitting through that. If you believe you meet the criteria, then please read on.