You gotta dig to put down roots
Setting
Character Creation
Beats, Experiences and Character Progression
Blood, Feeding and Willpower
Covenants:
• Commonwealth
• Prima Invicta
• Devil’s Eye
• Gaia’s Children
• Brethren of Past Faces
• Chosen
• Vow of Thorns
Status
Merits – New, Altered and Not Suitable for Play
Blood Sorcery
Cruac Rituals
Theban Sorcery Rituals
Daeva NPCs
Gangrel NPCs
Mekhet NPCs
Nosferatu NPCs
Ventrue NPCs
Decoded April 2019
Skeptic,
You must hurry. Their ritual preparations are almost complete. I will be unable to stall them much longer. In addition to our previous arrangement you will receive thirty thousand pounds if you have a solution in place before they begin.
Prince
___
Skeptic,
Fredonia is steadfast. Sowing doubt in her mind seems impossible. Is there no other way to stop it?
Quisling
___
Skeptic
What happens if the ritual fails?
Quisling
___
Skeptic
Surely a ritual half-complete is more dangerous than one done fully?
Quisling
___
They’re also in this Google Doc
December 2018 Newspaper
February 2019 Newspaper
April 2019 Newspaper
June 2019
The Cacophony is the vector of Kindred culture. It’s is how they communicate within and beyond their territories in a way that can never breach the Masquerade. It’s the underground journalism, literature, and art of the Damned.
And it’s everywhere.
Mortals and other supernaturals will not and cannot read it, you need to be on the right frequency to tune in, you need to have that Beast in the back of your soul to understand it. It’s in performance art, graffiti, the way the moss has grown on a wall, rhymes penned on bathroom stalls, flyers blowing as discordant notes on the wind. Walk into the right succession of alleys, basements, and bars, and they all weave together into a disjointed song.
Once you know that it’s there, it’s almost impossible for you not to notice the word on the street and the secret messages Kindred leave for each other. It’s a constantly shifting mass of noise, rumours, insults and warning, but beating through its heart are the Traditions.
They’re there, never changing.
—
Cacophony Game 1 – January 2018
Cacophony Game 4 – August 2018
Cacophony Game 5 – October 2018
Cacophony Game 6 – December 2018
Nicola Holland
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: The Devil’s Eye
A psychiatrist by training and the oldest member of the Devil’s Eye in Norfolk Nicola has become something of a leading voice in the Covenant for those rare times when everyone’s listening at least. She’s very much a person who prefers everything in its proper place and takes a very dim view of anyone interfering with her work.
Oliver Welch
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Unaligned
Oliver doesn’t need to prove he’s great, that should be self evident to anyone who meets him. A trust fund kid in his Kine life, he’s carried that self assuredness and privilege into his Kindred existence. He and Leo are often seen together, and regularly back each other up no matter the situation.
Hope
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: Gaia’s Children
Hope, along with her sisters Charity and Prudence, are a coven within Gaia’s Children dedicated to her reawakening. She’s often the most public facing of the three, seeming to believe that it’s her purpose to spread the word of Gaia, and the world to come.
Charles Mikleson
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: The Brethren of Past Faces
Charles is an inveterate gambler. He’ll bet on anything, anytime, anywhere. His life swings between extreme poverty and the occasional times when he’ll break even, but he doesn’t let that get him down. One day he’ll hit the big time and he’ll be set for life. ‘Til then, best to just enjoy the ride, right?
Olivia Krpyta
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: The Vow of Thorns
Olivia’s a frequent sight on the Racks of the City, although oddly enough not to feed. She’s a bit of a party animal and and delights moving through the Kine, giving some her attention and spurning others, only to change her mind and reverse the situation later on in the night. She’s flighty and a bit of a flake, but can mostly be relied upon to lend her talents to whatever the Avowed are attempting to do at the time.
Alistair Potts
Clan: Ventrue
Covenant: The Devil’s Eye
A member of clan Ventrue with an eye on the future, he’s got big dreams and the will to see them come to fruition. If the rest of the Kindred world refuses to engage with Norfolk, then he’ll make Norfolk a Kindred Utopia and show them all exactly what they’re missing out on.
Brother Clement
Clan: Nosferatu
Covenant: The Chosen
“Ask not what God can do for you, but what you can do to God!” Brother Clement takes to the task of the Chosen with the zeal that only a fanatic can bring to bear, mercilessly pursuing the faithless and the sinners of the world to bring them back to the proper path in life. He’s also a keen lawn bowls player, a subject he’s more than happy to talk about at length with anyone who expresses even the slightest interest.
Tommy Giovanni
Clan: Nosferatu
Covenant: The Giovanni
A gruff man of few words, clearly the muscle behind Silas’ bravado. Tommy’s the one the Sangiovanni send when the time for talking’s done, or in other words when you’ve fucked up beyond any hope of recovery.
The Crypt Keeper
Clan: ?
Covenant: The Vow of Thorns
No-one knows much about The Crypt Keeper. Their face is shrouded in the shadows cast by their wide brimmed hat and the long, dusty coat they wear does much to disguise their form. Anyone who’s met them’s best guess is that they’re a Nosferatu, but that’s honestly a guess. They’re definitely a member of the Avowed and as far as any of them are concerned they’ve never left the Crypt.
Leo
Clan: Nosferatu
Covenant: Unaligned
Partner in crime with Oliver Welch, which is probably the only reason he’s survived this long. He has a temper and is prone to rash behaviour which often leaves Oliver to smooth the situation over.
Brother Obadiah
Clan: Nosferatu
Covenant: The Chosen
A rarely seen member of the Chosen, Brother Obadiah prefers his actions to speak for him. The only exception to this is the third Sunday of every month where he holds a Midnight Mass for any Kindred or Ghoul who wishes to attend. Those who’ve attended say that he’s a fiery and very talented speaker.
Neville Dean
Clan: Nosferatu
Covenant: The Devil’s Eye
A recent arrival in Norfolk, Neville’s a keen biochemist and is apparently very much looking forward to the unique opportunities that Norfolk presents for his research. He’s a sociable sort, and is definitely looking to make some friends now that he’s gotten himself established.
Alicia Irwin
Clan: Nosferatu
Covenant: Gaia’s Children
Alicia’s a snarky, often contrary member of Gaia’s Children who will always take the difficult route in almost any conversation. This irreverent side of her fades away when it comes to the worship of Gaia however; there’s no questioning her faith (not to her face at least if you know what’s good for you).
Diane Giovanni
Clan: Mekhet
Covenant: The Sangiovanni
Diane’s not often seen around the city, generally if the Sangiovanni need to do something face to face Tommy or Silas take care of it. She has a reputation for being fair in her dealings with the Kine criminal world, with a streak of ruthlessness should the situation call for it. The Sangiovanni run the vast majority of the illegal import and export business into the County and have done so for the last fifteen years.
Zachary
Clan: Mekhet
Covenant: The Brethren of Past Faces
Zachary spends most of his time in a dimly-lit underground room with stone walls, muttering and tending to his charges. He was clearly embraced late on in his Kine life, appearing to be in his early seventies and almost blind. No-one’s sure how long Zachary’s been in Norwich, or how long he’s been a Kindred.
Ruth Bianchi
Clan: Mekhet
Covenant: Prima Invicta
Ruth used to be fairly proactive in her attempts to organise and broaden the Prima Invicta’s powerbase in the Kine world while ensuring the Masquerade was kept. Recently she’s taken a dejected turn and earned the nickname The Patron Saint of Lost Causes.
Trudy Mink
Clan: Mekhet
Covenant: Unaligned
Trudy does her best to put a positive spin on every situation and is often the first to suggest a hug as a means of solving a problem. She does her best to look out for everyone, Kindred and Kine alike, and just wants to make the night a little better for you than it was when you woke up.
Charity
Clan: Mekhet
Covenant: Gaia’s Children
Charity, like her sisters Prudence and Hope, is dedicated to the reawakening of Gaia. She refers to her Requiem as a journey that follows the tides of fate, and will go where the Goddess tells her and do as she’s instructed without question.
Jennifer Dearman
Clan: Mekhet
Covenant: Prima Invicta
Jennifer runs a small but successful hedge fund with, as the company literature puts it, “a broad and exciting range investment opportunities at every level.” She’s a well known face in local business circles and has recently been offering scholarships to promising candidates for the UEA’s Business School as part of her “Invest Locally, Ethically and Responsibly” campaign.
Silas Giovanni
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: The Giovanni
“You can tell Silas is lying because his lips are moving.” That’s what they say at least, though he very loudly objects to that description of him. He’s the one the Sangiovanni send when it’s time for discussions, and the most forward facing of the three of them. He’s entirely happy with his place in the family and utterly loyal to Diane as far as anyone can tell.
Rafael ‘Rafe’ Martyn
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: The Prima Invicta
A bounder and a cad, Rafe moves through Norfolk’s Kine high society in an eternal party where the entertainment is everyone around him. He enjoys manipulating the scene, raising someone’s profile only to have it come crashing down later on. There’s no end goal here, no grand plan, he’s just going to party until the end of the world dahling.
Sister Joan
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: The Chosen
Sister Joan knows her place in the Kindred world, it’s alongside her adopted Sire Brother Clement bringing terror and horror to the Kine’s nights. She’s preys on those who revel in excess, blending in with them, becoming their best friend before showing them just why it’s a very bad idea to stray from God’s path.
Tomas Prior
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: Gaia’s Children
Tomas was a mover and shaker in the society scene, and had a mostly friendly rivalry going with Rafe for a time. The game they played had no clear rules, at least to outside observers, and as far as Tomas was concerned her was always winning. He’s not been heard from recently, though most people are pretty sure he’s not dead yet.
Warren Rivers
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: Unaligned
Not known for being the smartest or most polite kindred, Warren seems to have a high opinion of himself, or perhaps just a low opinion of others. He and his crew run small time crimes out of a lockup, carjackings and muggings for the most part.
Cyril Smith
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: Prima Invicta
Cyril’s got the less than glamorous job of being the Prima Invicta’s tech support, though his true passion is DJing. He’s not the best out there maybe, but dammit he tries at least. Any day now he’s going to get a gig in Ibiza, honest, and then it’s goodbye Norwich, hello world tour. Yep, any day now.
Melvin Green
Clan: Daeva
Covenant: The Vow of Thorns
Melvin’s a nice enough sort, though some say that Mary’s touch has fallen heavier on his psyche than most. He doesn’t like to leave his Haven much, unless he feels Mary or another Avowed wants him to. He struggles to interact with people of any kind really and only really seems happy in the Crypt.
Alfred Pinching
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: Commonwealth
Alfred is a tall, outdoorsy man who was seemingly embraced in his mid-forties, though in all honesty it doesn’t seem to have particularly changed his life. He’s a quiet sort, keeps to himself for the most part though will always politely welcome guests who announce themselves in his small patch of territory in the South of the city.
Penelope Grant
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: The Devil’s Eye
A well meaning and perhaps slightly naive member of clan Gangrel who’s found no real friends in her Covenant. No-one outside the Covenant knows why, though there are rumours of an ideological split over research philosophies.
‘Magpie’
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: Unaligned
An itinerant member of clan Gangrel who definitely doesn’t play well with others. For the most part she sticks to the outskirts of the city and steers clear of other Kindred. She’s always accompanied by a flock of unnatural magpies, making it very hard to sneak up on her.
Xavier Jones
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: Prima Invicta
Xavier is the owner and proprietor of a small second hand bookshop in the Norwich Lanes and seems dedicated to acquiring knowledge of Kindred society from long ago. The bookshop holds open mic poetry evenings which he never fails to attend.
Prudence
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: Gaia’s Children
Prudence, along with her sisters Charity and Hope, are a decidedly odd trio, even by Norfolk Kindred standards. She’s passionate in her belief that she and her sisters hold the key to bringing about Gaia’s great awakening and the new age that will follow. She believes herself to be a weapon to be aimed at Gaia’s enemies and relishes any reason to do so.
Steph Aldgate
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: The Brethren of Past Faces
Steph’s a simple creature at heart, two things make her happy. Money, and being a member of the Disciples. She can ride where she likes, looks damn good doing it and she’s going to live forever. What more to unlife is there?
Joseph
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: The Commonwealth
The most recent Pledge to the Disciples, Joseph hasn’t really made much of a name for himself yet. That doesn’t mean he’s not eager to prove that he’s earned his place in the club and can do what’s necessary to keep it though.
Megan Carlisle
Clan: Gangrel
Covenant: The Commonwealth
Megan’s a true believer, both in the Disciples and the Commonwealth’s ideals. She’s never backed down from a fight, never let her comrades down when they were relying on her and never broken her word. The man’s doing his best to keep her down, but she’s not going to let him.
Blood is everything: Life. Food. Power. Ask five Kindred where they acquire their blood, you’ll get twenty answers.
Players will begin each game with 4 Vitae. Merits and Feeding Actions from the last downtime will add to this number. Any Vitae costs (such as Ghouls) will subtract from it.
Universal Kindred Merits that provide Vitae are Herd and Feeding Ground. There are other, Covenant-specific Merits that grant the benefits of Herd in addition to their other mechanics.
Most vampires learn numerous feeding practices throughout their Requiem, developing their own methods and tricks. With different skill sets, social circles, and Disciplines at their disposal, their best meal ticket can change night to night.
Broadly speaking these strategies will fall into two methods; aggressive (The Assault) or subtle (The Kiss). Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Normally, a vampire’s fangs retract, looking barely sharper than normal canines. At will, a vampire can unsheathe them to bite, and to feed. When feeding violently, the bitten Mortal gains the Scarred Condition. When feeding non-violently, the vampire’s fangs cause an enticing, invigorating sensation that distracts the victim, to draw attention away from the reality of the feeding. Some Kindred use this method as part of a seduction. A mortal bitten subtly gains the Swooning Condition. A Vampire may lick the wound after they have finished feeding subtly, leaving no trace of anything amiss. In either case feeding from a mortal leaves them with an unclear memory of what happened.
In reference to the effects of a bite, the word “mortal” applies to humans, ghouls, warlocks, and other things that are mostly human. Vampires, werewolves, fairies, and other things far removed from humanity are not normally subject to the Assault and the Kiss. The bite is pleasurable or unsettling; just not mechanically so. If the vampire knows she’s feeding from something not human, and knows that it is otherwise immune to the benefits of her bite, she may spend a point of Willpower to give them the Scarred or Swooning Conditions as normal. A Kindred bitten by another Kindred are aware of this effect, and instinctively see its use on them as abhorrent and degrading – it treats them how they treat their prey.
If you take a Feeding Action as part of your Downtime please add the mechanics you wish to use as part of it. The pools you use can be made up of three parts; an attribute, a skill and a Discipline. Sometimes more than one Discipline may apply. If so please note it in your Downtime and that will be taken into account.
For subtle feedings, examples could be a Ventrue who feeds through the use of their Dominate Discipline, or a Daeva could use their Majesty as part of seducing their prey to feed from them.
Their pools would be:
Ventrue: Intelligence + Expression + Dominate
Daeva: Presence + Persuasion + Majesty
On the other hand, if a Kindred is feeding aggressively a Mehket could hide in the shadows before dragging their prey in with them, or a Nosferatu could simply overpower their target.
Their pools would be:
Mehket: Strength + Brawl + Obfuscate
Nosferatu: Strength + Brawl + Vigour
These pools will be rolled as part of your Downtime. A Feeding Action will always grant you at least 1 Blood. If you succeed in a Feeding Action and have more successes than Blood you can hold, this will qualify you for the “Drinking Beyond Your Fill” Blood Beat.
In addition, players should include which Map Square they wish to feed in as part of their Feeding Action. This may be where your Feeding Ground is located, or it could be taking advantage of highly populated areas or ‘Racks’. Each Map Square will have a feeding value attached to it, the more built up an area is the more Kindred it can support and easier the hunting will be. Players should note that if too many Kindred attempt to feed in the same location there may be consequences.
Kindred are fundamentally unnatural and as such they do not regain Willpower for each night’s rest as Mortals and other living Supernaturals do. As such, all Kindred will start each game with a -2 from their total Willpower. In addition maintaining a ghoul only costs 1 Willpower a year. If you start play with a ghoul, the willpower cost will be taken in December 2018
This seems like a fair way of dealing with the Willpower element of Kindred, and we’re hoping as STs this will encourage our players to engage with their Mask/Dirge/Touchstone and the theme of the game somewhat – that you there’s a Monster inside you, something fundamentally inhuman that you need to hold back with every resource you can bring to bear.
However, every Kindred has three anchors that ground them in the reality of the mundane world: Masks, Dirges, and Touchstones. In addition to helping define their existence, anchors serve as a source of Willpower. Kindred do not cling to the mortal concepts of Virtue and Vice, as their very existence is mortal sin.
Each anchor has two conditions that give Willpower recovery. The easier recovers a single Willpower point. The harsher refreshes all Willpower. A character may only refresh all Willpower using an anchor once per anchor, per chapter.
Mask
The Mask is the bearing Kindred present to the world. It’s the façade, the pretty lie. It’s the excuse for why he can’t stay for breakfast in the morning. It’s the reason she gives the cab driver for dropping her off near an abandoned warehouse at odd hours of the night. It’s his excuse for barely touching his dinner. The First Tradition reads: “Do not reveal your nature to those not of the Blood. Doing so forfeits your claim to the Blood.” Kindred take this concept seriously, and extend it beyond the purview of their unnatural existences. Revealing oneself is a form of vulnerability. Vulnerability is a quick route to Final Death. Any time a vampire overcomes a small hurdle in defense of her Mask, she gains a point of Willpower. When committing atrocious or existentially risky acts in defense of her Mask, she regains all her spent Willpower points.
Dirge
The Dirge is the truth behind the lies. It’s the vampire’s secret self; it’s who he is when the lights are off and nobody is present to witness his dirtiest moments. It’s his dark indulgence. It’s the self-loathing she will never admit. It’s his desire for an end. It’s her need for companionship. A Dirge gives the Kindred a sense of identity. After all, her very existence is a lie. In the Danse Macabre, truth is rarely more than a pipe dream. For most vampires, honesty only exists within oneself. Defending that internal honesty helps her to maintain perspective. Any time a vampire withdraws from his outside life in defense of his truer self, he gains a point of Willpower. When committing terrible, damning acts in defense of his personal identity, he regains all his spent Willpower points.
Touchstone
A Touchstone is part of the mortal world, usually a living, breathing person. Rarely, it can be a place or thing. The Touchstone tests a vampire’s Requiem; and by her very existence, she asks challenging questions of the Kindred. She tests his values, his priorities, and his true nature. She touches his Requiem in a fundamentally positive way, even though her association might cause complications and tribulations for the vampire. Fundamentally a Touchstone is someone who reminds a Kindred that once, they were alive.
Character Creation
Kindred gain one bonus attribute dot as follows:
| Clan | Favored Attributes |
| Daeva | Dexterity or Manipulation |
| Gangrel | Composure or Stamina |
| Mekhet | Intelligence or Wits |
| Nosferatu | Composure or Strength |
| Ventrue | Presence or Resolve |
Take 3 Dots of Disciplines at Character Creation. 2 of these must be In-Clan and one may be Out-of-Clan.
| Clan | In-Clan Disciplines |
| Daeva | Majesty, Celerity, Vigour |
| Gangrel | Protean, Animalism, Resilience |
| Mekhet | Auspex, Celerity, Obfuscate. |
| Nosferatu | Nightmare, Obfuscate, Vigour |
| Ventrue | Dominate, Animalism, Resilience |
If you wish to buy Out-of-Clan, you will require a teacher for any of the Disciplines in italics that are Out-of-Clan for you, as they are unique to each Clan. Please describe how you learned the unique Out-of-Clan Discipline in your Concept Questionnaire. Common Out-of-Clan Disciplines e.g. Animalism, Obfuscate or Vigour may be learned without a teacher.
Lost Century Blues 