Moderator: Mods
I've been laying the groundwork for my module, I'm calling it "Countenance" as a working title. Something interesting that I've been doing in illustrating the background is to elucidate the history of vampires within the city, with attention paid to specifically who came to the city first, and developing the interplay over generations as new clans and covenants established themselves within the city. Something that I'd like to see more of in vampire games is the acting out of ancient rivalries between elders played out between neonates. To help facilitate this, I've sort of added a third qualifier to a vampire that is to be established at character creation: lineage. Though a potential PC in this module could be coming in from outside the city, it may be desirable to require the PCs to choose a sire from a list of vampires that are defined characters, and certain backgrounds might be mandatory in order to select a sire, or perhaps the attributes of a sire and his rivalries might be given to the PC free of cost, seeing as they come with both positive and negative plot elements. I'm giving each of 12 elders a thorough treatment, and though a few other vampires came to the city from outside, these 12 are the original movers and shakers. I think a player should be able to choose their clan, covenant, and lineage, being able to trace their sires through various conflicts clear back to a mysterious and secretive elder, and thusly have plot effects that are beyond the immediate awareness of a neonate. Just as a clan or covenant has it's own short and long term goals, so might a specific lineage. For example, a new kindred is directly descended from the first vampire to come to the city. He might have access to ancient crypts, libraries, and secret passages that have always been there, but his sire will compel him to work towards the goal of reclaiming the entire city as their domain, even other kindred within their clan might be considered rivals, if they did not descend from the same lineage.
I'm also going to try to illustrate mortal society, such that institutions and individuals access to whom is the basis of influence and status have names and histories. I'd like to put labels on things a bit more. Two kindred who both have deep investment in a given infrastructure, say, competing political lobbies, might be able to increase their respective influences by damaging the other, or they could attempt to merge their interests and develop stronger net influence, but require cooperation.
In starting this project I'm seeing how much I learned from running OKC nights, and from playing Summer Game for as long as I have.
I know there aren't plans right away to run a table top Nwod vampire game, but I'm going to build the module anyway, if for no other reason than because it's fun and I'm good at it, and it might see use by one of the GMs in the group, or maybe someday even by myself.
I've noticed that writing a setting that is not necessarily intended to by run by me, that I'm putting more detail and explanation into things, because even though I could probably ad hoc it, the person running it might prefer not to do that, and I would be doing them a favor by giving them both broad sweeping background and specific plot detail.
By intending the game to be a single covenant scenario, I'm developing smaller picture plot. For games in which the players are of mixed clans and covenants, essentially they have to be a coterie, and the need for secrecy of clan and covenant activities precludes a lot of plot courses, I mean, there's no way that an Ordo Dracul kindred is going to bring a couple Carthians along to go take over a Dragon well. It seems to me that multi-covenant PC parties demand more broad sweeping plot elements than single-covenant PC parties do. A threat to vampires, the masquerade, or something like that is more usable as a plot element for multi-covenant than is something like a long standing territory dispute, or a valuable research project, or recruitment efforts, all of which could be the bread and butter of a single-covenant game. However, I'm not writing the module to be played by a specific covenant party, in fact the module should be reusable from different covenant perspectives, that may even provide more allure to the module. I might flavor the plot elements for each covenant to provide a different style of game play, such that a given story arc can be played five times with very different revelations for each group, and a different outcome.
Quick footnote, as much detail as I'm putting into this module, it should be relatively easy to run. Though I don't like linear plot lines, I do think that with a module built like this, they can be acceptable. As much as I like a sandbox setting, and this will definitely be that, I do plan to provide a time line of events that conspire to involve the PCs, regardless of their allegiance.
If anyone is interested in methods I'm using to build a setting just tell me and I'll attempt to illustrate how I go about doing this. And yes, I'm just doing this for fun.
I'm also going to try to illustrate mortal society, such that institutions and individuals access to whom is the basis of influence and status have names and histories. I'd like to put labels on things a bit more. Two kindred who both have deep investment in a given infrastructure, say, competing political lobbies, might be able to increase their respective influences by damaging the other, or they could attempt to merge their interests and develop stronger net influence, but require cooperation.
In starting this project I'm seeing how much I learned from running OKC nights, and from playing Summer Game for as long as I have.
I know there aren't plans right away to run a table top Nwod vampire game, but I'm going to build the module anyway, if for no other reason than because it's fun and I'm good at it, and it might see use by one of the GMs in the group, or maybe someday even by myself.
I've noticed that writing a setting that is not necessarily intended to by run by me, that I'm putting more detail and explanation into things, because even though I could probably ad hoc it, the person running it might prefer not to do that, and I would be doing them a favor by giving them both broad sweeping background and specific plot detail.
By intending the game to be a single covenant scenario, I'm developing smaller picture plot. For games in which the players are of mixed clans and covenants, essentially they have to be a coterie, and the need for secrecy of clan and covenant activities precludes a lot of plot courses, I mean, there's no way that an Ordo Dracul kindred is going to bring a couple Carthians along to go take over a Dragon well. It seems to me that multi-covenant PC parties demand more broad sweeping plot elements than single-covenant PC parties do. A threat to vampires, the masquerade, or something like that is more usable as a plot element for multi-covenant than is something like a long standing territory dispute, or a valuable research project, or recruitment efforts, all of which could be the bread and butter of a single-covenant game. However, I'm not writing the module to be played by a specific covenant party, in fact the module should be reusable from different covenant perspectives, that may even provide more allure to the module. I might flavor the plot elements for each covenant to provide a different style of game play, such that a given story arc can be played five times with very different revelations for each group, and a different outcome.
Quick footnote, as much detail as I'm putting into this module, it should be relatively easy to run. Though I don't like linear plot lines, I do think that with a module built like this, they can be acceptable. As much as I like a sandbox setting, and this will definitely be that, I do plan to provide a time line of events that conspire to involve the PCs, regardless of their allegiance.
If anyone is interested in methods I'm using to build a setting just tell me and I'll attempt to illustrate how I go about doing this. And yes, I'm just doing this for fun.
Honestly, detailing the creation process would actually both lighten my workload, provide documentation and guidelines for anyone wanting to build a similarly detailed setting, and attract more potential interest in playing or running. I'll start a new thread in general. I'll call it "Countenance", after the working title for the setting.
So far it looks like 5th age is getting the best response. I have been spending some of my vacation time working on the setting some and will hopefully not need more than a week or two at most to have enough ready to start a game.
So I need to get a roll call on who all is available for Friday afternoon/evening since that is the time slot i am really looking at. I probably can fit 4 to 6 players and need to see who all is interested for sure. So far i know Steven and Cheyne are good for it, but i need others.
So I need to get a roll call on who all is available for Friday afternoon/evening since that is the time slot i am really looking at. I probably can fit 4 to 6 players and need to see who all is interested for sure. So far i know Steven and Cheyne are good for it, but i need others.
well I should find out next week when my schedule will be since two weeks from now I will be on it... I am interested in the 5th age game but other than the weekend I cannot commit just yet since I may be unable to get off work till 9pm... and depending on everyone else that may be fine but I just wanted to give heads up...
That which is not dead can eternal lie and with strange eons even death may die
My Color is Blue
I value Knowledge, logic, and deceit. I love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At my best, I am brilliant and progressive. At my worst, I am treacherous and cold. My symbol is a water droplet. My enemies are green and red.
My Color is Blue
I value Knowledge, logic, and deceit. I love to pursue wisdom but also to manipulate and deceive. At my best, I am brilliant and progressive. At my worst, I am treacherous and cold. My symbol is a water droplet. My enemies are green and red.