reins of power - new years - vtm
reins of power - new years - vtm
reins of power - new years - vtm
REINS of
POWER
A NEW YEAR’S STORY FOR
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Murder 15
Method of Discovery 15
The Crime Scene 15
Further Interviews 16
Confrontation 17
Epilogue 17
INTRODUCTION
A New Year, a new regime! new places, and decide for themselves how to handle
Reins of Power is a short one session story for the issues at hand.
Vampire: The Masquerade. It is best suited for a The story is broken down into four chapters.
group of four or five Anarch Kindred, although you can
change details to make it fit different characters.
It is New Year’s Eve, and the times are changing. Chapter One: Taking the Reins
The old Baron, a corrupt and wicked fellow, has The characters start in the old Baron’s office at 7:30
been unseated by the players’ coterie, leaving a power p.m. on December 31st, meeting with Ichabod.
vacuum that must be filled. The characters must Ichabod, now free of his blood bond, recognizes the
replace the Baron immediately. They may seize the need for new leadership in the new year. He lays out
city for themselves or assume the role of kingmaker, the city’s current issues, giving them a sense of who the
throwing their support behind another Anarch. power players are in the city and how the characters
As they discuss these possibilities, a horrific crime may win them over.
occurs. Ichabod, the old Baron’s ghoul, who had
earned more respect from the Kindred community
than his master ever could, is found murdered. He
Chapter Two: First Meeting
is killed in an alley behind a popular nightclub. His The characters decide who they meet first. They discuss
throat cut and a stake driven through his heart, consolidating the power of the city under a Baron and
the public nature and grisly details of the murder learn what they need to win the vampire’s support.
may threaten the Masquerade by arousing Second This could be anyone on the list provided by Ichabod.
Inquisition suspicion.
Now, the characters are not only under the gun to Chapter Three: The Murder
find a new Baron, they must deal with a murder and a
Ichabod’s body is found impaled near a popular
Masquerade breach. The clock is ticking, and nature
nightclub. The circumstances of the murder threaten
abhors a vacuum.
the Masquerade and must be addressed immediately.
Setting
The story takes place in a mid-sized Anarch controlled
city. The former Baron was cruel and ineffectual, but
he was very good at maintaining the Masquerade. In his
mind this kept the hunters and the Camarilla out of his
domain, so it was vitally important. This doesn’t mean
the territory is a stranger to violence between Kindred,
just that most such altercations take place far from the
prying eyes of the kine. Ichabod’s murder flies in the
face of that tradition and threatens to throw the entire
city into upheaval.
Chronicle Tenets
Reins of Power assumes the group is using the Creed of
Justice Chronicle Tenets:
Never kill the innocent
Be your own, never submit
Without a cause, you are nothing
Coterie Type
When sitting down to play, the group should select a
coterie type. This story and the characters provided
with it lends itself to coteries such as the Champion or
Fang Gang types. However, this is not set in stone. If
the players would like to select a different coterie type,
have a brief discussion with the Storyteller before play
begins to make your selection. ■
Chapter One:
TAKING THE
REINS
The scene takes place shortly after 7:30 p.m. on December 31st in a small office
upstairs from a dive bar where the Baron conducted most of his business. Here,
the coterie meets with Baron English’s former ghoul, Ichabod, to discuss the next
steps in their plan to free the city from Baron English’s abuses of power.
The Set Up
You confronted the Baron and gave him two options:
either flee the city or suffer the consequences. A
Read the following set up to your players: coward at heart, he chose the former and left the
city empty handed.
It was risky, but it paid off.
You debated whether you should have destroyed
Your coterie — the vampires you trust the most him, but the fight would have been a dangerous one,
in this Anarch city — have driven away the city’s with little chance for all of you to survive. Better let
corrupt Baron: “Sly” Guy English. The bastard was him escape and deal with him another night.
exploiting his position and acting like a Camarilla
Now you stand in the Baron’s office with Ichabod,
Prince, demanding boons — boons! — for even the
a ghoul who has served every Baron in this city for
smallest favors.
nearly 40 years. They say he knows where all the
Your coterie has chipped away at the Baron’s power bodies are buried and who did the digging. Ichabod
for months, leading up to a final direct assault. To reminds you that time is of the essence. You have
gain access to the Baron’s haven, your coterie took decisions to make.
out his guards and made your way into his office.
Maeve
A Malkavian who seems to know everything that is about to happen.
Her influence is the most subtle, using her predictions to both help
and hinder the plans of others. She seems to be everywhere, using her
powers as she sees fit, as if she is building a tapestry of control in the
city that only she can perceive.
Bobby
A Nosferatu anarchist artist with an incredible amount of pull in the
art world. They have no idea who he is, but his street art has raised
public officials and brought them down. Just one graffiti image on a
train or a bridge and he can make or break your career.
Celene
An occult soccer mom from the 80’s Satanic Panic. She is the leader
of every witch’s coven, pulling an incredible amount of income and
influence from the suburbs. Celene is also the “go to” whenever arcane
issues arise, providing invaluable assistance when things go bump in
the night.
Bill Duke
“Big Bill” Duke is the muscle. That’s it. No vampire in the city can
throw down with him. No three vampires can throw down with him.
An expert on tactics, weapons, and violence, if any physical threat
shows up, you call the Duke. It’s just that simple.
Number Five
The most enigmatic of the city’s movers, the Kindred known as
“Number Five” has an army of the poor and wretched at their
command. The working poor, the unemployed, the homeless and
helpless have found hope under their shadow, and they act for them
without question.
The Ghoul’s him being the Alfred to their Bruce Wayne. He can tell
them anything they need and does it willingly. Make
Assistance
them look forward to having him by their side. That
way when they lose him in such a grisly manner, it will
hit them hard. ■
Ichabod tells the coterie he has much cleaning up to do
after the Baron’s rapid departure. He will be here when
they are ready. He also gives them a business card and
Chapter Two:
THE FIRST
MEETING
The coterie chooses which of the vampires on Ichabod’s list to interview.
It could be any of the five. Their goal is to either convince the Storyteller
character to become Baron (with their support), or they are seeking the
Storyteller character to support one of them as Baron.
Bobby
millionaires) have vanished from the streets, and
everyone attributes those disappearances to Bobby,
whether he was responsible or not.
The Shadow Artist Sometimes he is responsible. The blood of such
Bobby is a Nosferatu street artist. You can find his people tastes as sweet as that of any other mortal.
graffiti everywhere. Before he became a vampire, he
was studying at the university, getting his art degree.
Now, he decorates the city with politically charged, Roleplaying “Bobby”
anti-capitalist street art. Bobby’s parents are still alive Art is the key to moving hearts and changing minds.
and believe their son was either killed or kidnapped. Movies, TV, books, radio, all the rest are tools to
Police never found the body. He keeps track of them changing the zeitgeist. Whomever controls art controls
and helps them out in small, discreet ways to maintain the city and the lives of those who live in it. The ones
a connection to his humanity. who want to stop or censor art are the ones who are
Physically, Bobby is surprisingly nondescript, given afraid of losing control. They are the ones who are
his outsize fame. With his hoodie and sunglasses, his guilty of some crime and art reminds them. It won’t let
face looks like he’s suffered severe burns. If he takes the them forget. This has been true since the first cities, and
glasses off, his skin looks so badly damaged a mortal it remains true today.
might ask how he’s still alive. Bobby wants nothing to do with being Baron. No
A posture of fairness and justice is essential to amount of persuasion or bribery can convince him to
Bobby’s popularity, and he makes an effort to maintain take the job. If the coterie explains how they reposed
the posture of a rebellious vigilante. More than once, Baron English, Bobby agrees to back any coterie
violent or anti-social criminals (as well as sociopathic member they nominate to be Baron. He couldn’t stand
the previous Baron and is thrilled to see him gone.
Where to Find Him home, car, wife, kids, dignity and respect. For two
If the coterie wants to find him, they should go to the years, they were homeless. Forgotten. Useless. Surviving
sewers. As long as they make themselves known in on wits alone. Then, they met a shadowy figure who
some fashion, it doesn’t take long wandering beneath promised they could earn it all back. With nothing
the city with the sounds of revelry and traffic overhead to lose, they agreed. That was their Embrace into
before the coterie is approached by a Nosferatu. the Ventrue. Now empowered with an unlife free of
Speaking from the shadows this vampire tells the principles, morals, or ethics, they could rebuild their
coterie he’s at one of the city’s bridges, “doing his existence. Unfortunately, their mortal life moved on
work.” They can find him there, though only after without them. Their wife remarried, and their children
they’ve met with another Kindred from the list. didn’t recognize them. Everything they wanted was
gone, and they gave up everything to get it. Infuriated,
they rebelled against the clan, refusing to give them
The Murder anything. They defected to the Anarchs and started a
Motive: Ichabod discovered Bobby’s true identity and new unlife here in a free domain.
used threats against his still-living family to compel And what an unlife they started. Instead of moving
obedience from the Nosferatu. back into the world of finance, they used their time
Alibi: If the characters look for the Nosferatu first, on the streets to build an empire of their own. They
he is not in the sewers and is not available. His alibi is provided the homeless of the city with refuge on the
that he was following the old Baron, making sure he theory that by focusing on the downtrodden, they
left the city. Since the old Baron is gone, there’s no could exploit something no other residents of the
contacting him to confirm the story, nor would he domain even thought of as a power base. Besides,
know since Bobby followed him under Obfuscate. grateful people make good servants.
To verify his story, the coterie must rely on Auspex Number Five has acquired a number of towering,
(meaning relying on Celene or Maeve, p. 13 and 12). ruined buildings in the city’s rotting districts. Not
Keep in mind that Dominate cannot be used to extract fancy, but warm beds and clean clothes go a long way.
information. And if you get a chance to pay your benefactor back
by doing a bit of work, why not? They have rebuilt the
Clan: Nosferatu city’s homeless population into an army.
Blood Potency: 1 As befits their new lifestyle, Number Five has
General Difficulty: 4 / 3 decided to give up their old personal style and dress in
Standard Dice Pools: Physical 7, Social 4, Mental 6, something that befits the streets. They’re not entirely
Disciplines 6 successful in this; they look androgynous and stylish, all
Secondary Attributes: Health 6, Willpower 5 their clothes new.
Exceptional Dice Pools: Stealth 8, Performance 8, They took the pseudonym “Number Five” as a
Academics 8 reference to the day they lost everything. Only they
Disciplines: Celerity 1 (Rapid Reflexes), Obfuscate know its meaning, and when people ask, they always
5 (Cloak of Shadows, Unseen Passage, Mask of give a different answer.
Thousand Faces, Vanish, Cloak the Gathering),
Potence 3 (Soaring Leap, Prowess, Brutal Feed)
Roleplaying Number Five
Number Five
They have a dozen different pseudonyms, and they
employ them to use and abuse the financial district of
the city. Breaking every law they can, they are both a
Speaker for the Downtrodden literal and figurative vampire feeding off the wealthy.
Once upon a time, Number Five was a successful hedge They detest the rich and powerful, doing everything in
fund manager making millions annually. When the their power to undermine the property-owning classes.
subprime mortgage crisis hit in the late 2000’s, they They don’t trust anyone with power. They don’t trust
were one of the ones hit hardest. They lost everything: anyone with money. The people they do trust are the
10
people who depend on them. The people they saved. had on them, Number Five responds that they’re
These people know the true value of a dollar, which is embarrassed by nothing. Anything Ichabod knew was
nothing at all. The only thing that matters is solidarity. unlikely to bother them in the least.
Something many Anarchs seem to have forgotten.
Number Five is initially reluctant to accept nomination Clan: Ventrue
as a Baron. The coterie can talk them into accepting the Blood Potency: 1
position through social conflict. Coterie members use General Difficulty: 4 / 3
Charisma + Persuasion or Manipulation + Politics against Standard Dice Pools: Physical 4, Social 7, Mental 7,
a Difficulty of 3, depending on the sincerity of their pitch. Disciplines 6
If the test fails, Number Five refuses the position but Secondary Attributes: Health 5, Willpower 8
pledges to support any member of the coterie who would Exceptional Dice Pools: Etiquette 8, Insight 8,
step up. If pressed, Number Five explains that they see Leadership 9
great qualities in the coterie and feel that the coterie should Disciplines: Dominate 1 (Compel), Fortitude 2
see through what they began by freeing the city from (Unswayable Mind, Toughness), Presence 3 (Awe,
English’s inequitable grasp. Lingering Kiss, Entrancement)
11
The Murder
Motive: Duke hates bullies, dictators and anyone who Maeve
abuses power. Even when Barons fell here, Ichabod
Blood poet
stayed in power, finding service with the next Baron.
Maeve does not remember her past. She doesn’t
That alone wasn’t enough to earn Duke’s homicidal
remember yesterday. She does remember tomorrow,
ire. Ichabod kept secrets on most Anarchs, including
and she can tell you all about it. Sometimes when
Duke. Ichabod knew Duke slew his sire and Duke
she’s in a philosophical mood, she believes she’s living
knew it was a matter of time before Ichabod would
backward through time. She likes to speak in a strange
leverage that information. This makes him the
dream language that makes a kind of sense if you’re
most obvious murderer. For the sake of variety, the
paying attention. She finds pet projects in other
Storyteller can make someone else the murderer too,
vampires and tries to rearrange their unlives to suit her
but Duke is the default choice.
own poetic sensibilities and symbolic connections.
But Maeve’s mayhem is not entirely malevolent. In
fact, in her own mind it’s not malevolent at all. It can
take the form of random acts of kindness, empathy, and
generosity. Simple gestures that remind you that even
in the darkest of worlds, there are still flowers growing
12
between the cracks in the dirty pavement. That it can Alibi: When asked where she was at the time of
also take darker forms when she feels her vision is not the murder, Maeve does not know: “That’s the past.
being respected is something she likes to forget. I don’t remember the past.” Any attempt to divine
Maeve and Celene have a secret and complicated the truth from Maeve reveals she genuinely does not
relationship. As Maeve understands what happened, remember the earlier part of the evening. If the party
she tried to express romantic interest in Celene, only asks Celene to help verify Maeve’s innocence, she takes
to be turned down, perhaps because the poetics of her the opportunity to lie and frame Maeve. A successful
communication were admittedly confusing. Because Resolve + Insight test at Difficulty 3 indicates Celene is
of this unfortunate episode, it’s clear to Maeve that lying. This likely casts suspicion on her.
Celene now sees her as a personal threat. Maeve refers
to Celene as “the woman who will betray me.” Clan: Malkavian
The first impression given by Maeve is not all that Blood Potency: 1
strange. She looks like she could work at a PR company General Difficulty: 4 / 3
or a book publisher, put together well enough that a Standard Dice Pools: Physical 4, Social 8, Mental 8,
professional career is not impossible. It’s after she starts Disciplines 7
to speak that her unique nature becomes apparent. Secondary Attributes: Health 5, Willpower 3
Exceptional Dice Pools: Stealth 7, Academics 9,
Occult 9
Roleplaying Maeve Disciplines: Auspex 5 (Sense the Unseen,
“The horned serpent sheds its skin at dusk.” Premonition, Scry the Soul, Spirit’s Touch,
Speak in cut ups. That is, get yourself a number of Clairvoyance), Dominate 2 (Cloud Memory,
provocative words and phrases, cut them up, throw Dementation), Obfuscate 3 (Cloak of Shadows,
them in a bowl. Whenever anyone talks to her, draw Unseen Passage, Mask of 1,000 Faces)
random words and phrases from the bowl and link
them together. It doesn’t matter if they actually address MAEVE CUT UPS
what the other person was saying. Players may interpret Just pick random words and put them together, or write
her response in the way they want, either as nonsense them out, cut them up, and draw them randomly from
or some cryptic and prophetic reply. In fact, check the a bowl: swamp blade hearthstone overriding poems
nearby sidebar for some examples. juxtaposition west ashes sublime blade triumph truth miracle
Maeve likes carrying an old-fashioned Polaroid camera batman without ashes west metro sublime mercy safeword
(you can still get film!) and taking pictures of everyone.
She always gives the picture to the subject: “A memento!”
Celene
Maeve agrees to whatever the coterie suggests. If they
ask for her support, she offers it. If they ask her to be
Baron, she joyfully accepts.
Covert occultist
Celene was Embraced in the 80’s during the Satanic
Where to Find Her Panic. She was part of a coven of witches trying to
She finds them. While they are looking for her, she duck under the media scrutiny, caught the attention
appears behind them. “You will be looking for me,” she of a Tremere, and was brought into the fold. She spent
says. Then, a conversation they won’t forget. 20 years under their tutelage, bound to her masters
by Blood and dire oaths. Used as little more than a
The Murder presence in rituals, they regarded her as a “lesser,”
Motive: As far as other Anarchs know, Maeve got calling her “the stay-at-home witch.”
along with Ichabod as well as anyone else she interacts Finally, she met an Anarch at a gathering. The two
with. If she had a motive for murder, no one knows women spoke the entire evening while the other Tremere
what it is. engaged in politics. At the end of the evening, the Anarch
13
made an offer: boons in exchange for Celene. At first, more than a lost little girl looking for a mother.” Or
Celene was insulted, but as she watched the Tremere perhaps use your talents to convince the coterie she was
consider the offer, she realized she was little more than responsible for the murder.
property in their eyes. The Tremere eventually refused If offered the role of Baron, Celene gladly accepts.
the offer, and Celene watched her only opportunity for She often oversees several groups at once. She figures her
freedom vanish. Until 2008, that is, when the Pyramid experience with the covens qualifies her to lead. However,
came crashing down. In the chaos and confusion, Celene Celene is equally comfortable exercising influence on the
was able to escape her Tremere masters and run to the Baron rather than taking the position. She’s done so for
Anarchs. There she remained, slowly gaining knowledge ages, why stop now? If the coterie suggests one of their
and power, creating her own coven of witches worshiping own for the job, Celene pledges her support.
the Babylonian goddess Inanna. She became one of the
most powerful vampires in the city with her faithful
devoted and stolen rituals. Barons called upon her occult
Where to Find Her
Celene is in the suburbs making her haven in a three-
expertise, and she earned even more political power with
bedroom home with two of her live-in blood doll
her invaluable knowledge. Many consider her to be the
lovers. The coterie can find her there.
second most powerful vampire in the city which also
makes her a prime candidate for Ichabod’s murder.
There is also the problem of Celene’s failed attempt The Murder
to bring Maeve into her coven. She saw the Malkavian Motive: Everyone knows Celene is power-hungry. It’s
as a seer and wanted her… in more ways than one. not far-fetched to believe she may have killed Ichabod
However, Maeve refused Celene’s offer, and the to remove any opposition to her ascending to Baron.
Tremere took this as a personal insult. However, since she didn’t immediately make a play for
In terms of her personal style, Celene tries to walk the role, it seems unlikely.
the line between discretion and a desire to be dramatic. Alibi: Celene was across the city performing a
After all, what’s the point of being a blood witch if Midwinter ritual. The other witches can confirm
you can’t look like it? Unfortunately, the unlife of the Celene’s presence at the time of the murder.
vampire is such that the strangest affectations are best
left to exclusive Kindred gatherings. Clan: Tremere
Blood Potency: 1
General Difficulty: 4 / 3
Roleplaying Celene Standard Dice Pools: Physical 4, Social 5, Mental 8,
“Am I Tremere? Depends on who’s asking.” Disciplines 7
You were once little more than a glorified servant for Secondary Attributes: Health 5, Willpower 6
the Tremere. Now, you are a major power player in the Exceptional Dice Pools: Academics 9, Occult 9,
city. The Baron calls on you whenever anything occult Awareness 9
shows up and relies on you to fix it. You have created Disciplines: Auspex 4 (Heightened Senses, Premonition,
several covens around the city, placing yourself at the Scry the Soul, Spirit’s Touch), Blood Sorcery 3 (A Taste
head. Your followers see you as the high priestess of a for Blood, Extinguish Vitae, Blood Potency, Rituals: Blood
powerful and hungry goddess. Act like it. Walk, Truth of Blood, Essence of Air)
You know secrets. You have power. And if anyone
wants you to share, they’d better damn well show As the players’ characters move through the city, they
you the respect you deserve. Yes, you are devoted to see mortals engaged in their New Year’s celebrations
the solidarity and freedom the Anarch Movement and Kindred preparing to exploit the occasion in their
promises, but you also know the power you hold. You own ways. Who wants a second-hand champagne buzz
don’t demand payment or boons or any such nonsense, from a drunken mortal?
but you do demand respect. If asked about Maeve, be When the interview is over, move on to Chapter
dismissive and patronizing: “That crazy bitch is nothing Three. ■
14
Chapter Three:
MURDER
A The Crime Scene
s soon as the coterie finishes their first
interview, they receive news (see Method
of Discovery, below) that Ichabod has
been murdered. His body was left in Through their Contacts (or a Storyteller character’s
an alleyway near a busy nightclub called The Body contacts), the coterie may be able to get a look at
Shop, his throat cut, his mouth full of red roses, and a the crime scene. They might try sneaking onto the
wooden stake shoved through his heart. After he was scene with Composure + Stealth to blend in like they
spotted by a security guard taking a cigarette break, the belong there (Difficulty 5 if you don’t look the part or
police blocked off the alley, but it takes mere moments have the right papers, Difficulty 3 with a reasonable
for a crowd of drunken partygoers to amass just beyond disguise, or Difficulty 2 with a convincing Mask or an
the police line, trying to get a glimpse of the scene. expert disguise), or by leaning on Obfuscate. Cursory
examination of the scene, even from a distance, reveals:
Method of Discovery
Police are here
There are six cars (two cops per car)
That does not include the two detectives on the case
The coterie can discover this news from any of the An ambulance from the local fire department to
Contacts listed in their character sheets. Since most transport the body to the police morgue for further
vampires don’t use cellphones because of the Second investigation
Inquisition threat, it should be an actual physical visit Once inside the scene, or by successfully
from a beat cop, a reporter, or some other Contact. interrogating bystanders with a successful Charisma
Look at the influences on the coterie’s character sheets + Persuasion or Manipulation + Streetwise test at
and decide which one it is. Or, perhaps, all of them Difficulty 3, the coterie can discover the following facts:
become informed at the same time. Ichabod’s body is propped up in a seated position
Alternatively, the Storyteller can place the news in the in an alleyway outside a popular nightclub.
mouth of one of the five notable Anarchs. You can choose His throat was cut by a heavy bladed weapon,
any of them, including the Storyteller character they just possibly a sword or large knife.
interviewed. At the end of the interview, another vampire He has a wooden (rowan wood) stake thrust
approaches, whispers in their ear, and the Storyteller through his heart.
character tells the coterie the news. Which Storyteller His mouth is full of red roses.
character informs them, of course, will flavor the scene
based on their own motivations, innocence, or guilt.
15
Further Interviews
mortem. The cause of death was blood loss from
the throat.
The crime scene looks an awful lot like a ritual.
None of the coterie has the Occult Skill, leaving At this point, the coterie has three goals:
them at the mercy of others’ knowledge. This leaves Settle the matter of the new Baron. Ensure they’re
them talking to Celene, who they may believe has a seated and supported.
motivation to mislead them. According to Celene Find who murdered Ichabod and ensure
the ritual trappings are theatrical and have no appropriate punishment is dealt out.
connection to any actual practice she is aware of. An Forestall the potential Second Inquisition interest
Intelligence + Insight test at Difficulty 3 indicates caused by the murder.
Celene is being honest. The coterie may choose whom they want to
The murder may rouse the interest of the Second interview, finding each of them in the locales listed
Inquisition because of the presence of the stake, under their descriptions in Chapter One. ■
a classic vampire trope. The coterie must find a
way to repair the breach before Second Inquisition
hunters catch wind of the murder. Number Five,
Celene, and Bobby can exert the greatest influence
among the kine.
Number Five has connections throughout the
underworld who could provide a patsy for the
police to arrest. The alleged murderer will confess
and soon be carted off to prison, where he’ll spend
the rest of his days. He doesn’t mind. He knows his
family will never be cold or hungry again.
Bobby’s influence relies on his extensive proficiency
with Obfuscate. Bobby can sneak into the morgue
and falsify reports, sneak into the control room at
the news station and change details in the script for
the morning’s broadcast, or walk into the police
station evidence locker undetected.
16
Chapter Four:
CONFRONTATION
I
n this chapter, the coterie must process say as Baron, he plans to hold very few rules over the
everything they’ve learned. Then, they must others. They gotta uphold the Masquerade. Other
make some hard choices. than that, he declares that ghouls need to be kept
in check, and if they start meddling in the affairs of
If one of the coterie is the new Baron, they must other Anarchs, they need to be put down. Quickly
decide who they feel is guilty and how they should be and quietly. The coterie may have a change of heart
punished. and try to take Duke down at this point, if they
If Celene is Baron, she uses her network of contacts know he’s guilty.
to cover the breach and orders Maeve to be Once this scene plays out to its conclusion, the
destroyed for the crime unless the coterie provides Anarchs part ways, ready to put the prior year and
evidence of Big Bill Duke’s guilt. If Duke is proven its tribulations to rest.
guilty, Celene begrudgingly releases Maeve, who
Epilogue
bewilderingly kisses Celene on the check before
fleeing into the night.
If Maeve is the new Baron, she gathers the city’s
Kindred on the roof of one of Number Five’s After the events of this New Year’s Eve, the city has a
buildings. Her nonsensical speech is punctuated new Baron. This could be a boon to the local Anarchs
by random fireworks in the sky behind her or a case of having traded one tyrant for another. Only
representing the final throes of the people’s time will tell. Regardless, the coterie deserve some sort
festivities, long after the city’s official celebration of reward.
has died down. She seats each of the Kindred in a For the hell you put them through, give everyone up
circle and walks around the outside of the circle to 3 XP.
spewing her nonsensical jargon until she gets Also, if they have won any allies or made any enemies
behind Duke. She stops and abruptly draws a blade in the course of their investigation, make sure they
holding it to Duke’s neck and asks the coterie, write those down on their character sheets.
“Mercy or justice?” This occurs whether any
evidence is presented about Duke or not, as Maeve
knows the truth thanks to her Auspex. She honors Appendix: Players’
Characters
the coterie’s verdict.
If Number Five is the new Baron, they turn to the
coterie for guidance. Regardless of how much or little
evidence is at play, Number Five wants the coterie to Here’s a coterie of players’ characters for use with this
take a stand and make their case for justice. story. You can play it with these characters or use your
If Duke is Baron, he orders the others to use their own. If using these characters, give the players both
contacts to cure the Masquerade breach and makes their characters and the handout Coterie History. If
a speech about how Ichabod was a stain on the city using characters of your own, consider how they can
and a disgrace to the Movement. He then goes on to the details in Coterie History be applied to them. ■
17
Coterie History
A year ago, you all escaped from a terrible city. The Prince was a blood-
thirsty tyrant, who thrived on melodrama and revenge. He believed he was
the world’s greatest lover, the world’s greatest politician, the world’s greatest
musician, the world’s greatest everything. Anyone who dared to even think
of questioning him was thrown to his war dogs: a group of incredibly dan-
gerous vampires who followed his orders without question.
Each of you knew you had to escape, but he prevented any Kindred
from leaving. He held nightly court, demanding every member of his city
attend. As punishment for even minor indiscretions, he demanded his citi-
zens be Blood Bound to him. Anyone who ran… the war dogs hunted them
down and brought them back.
There was no escape. No hope. Until you found each other.
Together, you were able to escape the city. Using your unique abilities,
you got out of that place. Unfortunately, one of you — the vampire you
knew as “Richard” — did not make it. He was the one who figured out ways
for you to avoid Bond fade. When you ran, the war dogs found you. Rich-
ard bought you the time you needed to escape.
Sick of the Camarilla, you ran to the nearest Anarch city. Here, you
thought you found a place of safety, but the Baron turned out to be just
another power-hungry beast. His ambitions and appetites endangered the
safety and reputation of the city. You decided that if the Anarchs refused to
live up to their values, you’d enforce them for them. Your coterie removed
the Baron from power.
You’ve created a power vacuum in the name of justice. Now, you must fill
it while contending with the worst Masquerade breach the city has ever seen.
18
19
DI S C I PL I N E S
Presence ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Obfuscate ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Awe Cloak of Shadows
Unseen Passage
Mask of a 1000 Faces
¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡¡¡¡¡
Spent Experience
Apparent age
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of birth
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of death
Notes
Appearance
Distinguishing features
History
© 2024 Renegade Game Studios. All Rights Reserved. © Paradox Interactive AB (publ)
Simona Gonzales
You grew up in a garden. Your mother loved gardening, and
you grew up with dirty hands and dirty feet and it didn’t
matter at all. And while she was discreet, you also knew she
very quietly revered an Earth goddess, maintaining a small
shrine in your backyard. Your father died when you were
only eight months old but your mother had a number of
romances — many at the same time — and you grew up with a dozen different men in the
household. Then, at eighteen, when you were ready to graduate from high school, you were
nearly killed in a car accident. In the hospital, barely clinging to life, the man from the other
car snuck into your room and Embraced you, making you a vampire. You were horrified by
what he had done and ran into the night. He tried to catch you but without success.
Eventually, you discovered others of your kind and you became a member of the Camarilla,
but under the reign of Prince Olgan, a brutal and inhuman tyrant. He was fascinated by
your innocence and beauty and put you with his war dogs: powerful vampires who kept the
peace in his city. Not only peace, but obedience. He used the Blood Bond to bring you under
his control and his war dogs trained you to be a hunter, using your Gangrel gifts to track
down those who tried to escape the Prince’s authority and his city. It seemed this would be
your unlife for all eternity until you met Richard, a vampire who was also looking to escape.
He gathered a small group of vampires, including you, and together, you were able to get
free of Prince Olgan’s power. But Richard did not make it. He was caught by Olgan’s war
dogs, buying all of you time to run. And run you did, until you reached this city, an Anarch
domain where vampires could exist without the shadow of tyranny. But corrupt leaders can
rule even among the Anarchs…
Clan: Gangrel
Ambition: Create a family
Desire: Punish the Camarilla
Predator: Alleycat
Humanity: 6
Generation: 13
Blood Potency: 1
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4; Charisma 2, Manipulation 1, Composure
3; Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 3
Secondary Attributes: Health 9, Willpower 6
Skills: Brawl 2 (Grappling), Craft (Gardening) 3, Drive 2, Firearms 3, Melee 3, Stealth 1,
Survival (Tracking) 4, Animal Ken 1, Streetwise 2, Awareness 1
Disciplines: Potence (Lethal Body) 1, Fortitude (Resilience, Toughness) 2, Protean (Eyes
of the Beast) 1
Advantages: Contacts (Criminal) 3, Haven 2, Resources 1, Influence (Street Gangs) 2,
Herd (Street Gangs) 2
Flaws: Folkloric Bane (Silver) 1, Folkloric Block (Garlic) 1
22
DI S C I PL I N E S
Potence ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Fortitude ¡¡¡¡¡ Protean ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Lethal Body Resilience Eyes of the Beast
Toughness
¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡¡¡¡¡
Spent Experience
Apparent age
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of birth
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of death
Notes
Appearance
Distinguishing features
History
© 2024 Renegade Game Studios. All Rights Reserved. © Paradox Interactive AB (publ)
Charles Pyke
You grew up with parents who loved science fiction. You picked up books
when they were done and read them with a kind of speed that seemed almost
supernatural. One time, you read an 800 page novel in just one weekend.
Your parents encouraged you to read more, and soon, you were an
expert on all things science fiction. You also loved watching it on TV
and grew up with a post-humanist attitude toward politics, religion, and culture. You
believed the human body is an engineering project and that the world should adopt
the best of all systems and not be trapped in just one viewpoint. You went to college,
studying political science, and made a name for yourself. A promising career was ahead
of you. Then, you were Embraced.
The Ventrue are always on the lookout for political masterminds. Unfortunately,
they didn’t expect you to be a freethinker as well. You recoiled against the structure of
the Ventrue and the Camarilla, seeing both as medieval relics at best and tyrannical at
worst. But they didn’t give you a choice. The Prince of the City, Olgan, used the Blood
Bond to bring you under control and used your political acumen to his best advantage.
It was only when you met the vampire called Richard that you escaped that city and
made it here with your friends: your “coterie.” Now, you use your persuasion (and
manipulation) skills to aid your allies when teeth and claws are not an option.
Clan: Ventrue
Ambition: Consolidate Anarch power
Desire: Gain acceptance and overcome prejudice
Predator: Consensualist
Humanity: 8
Generation: 13
Blood Potency: 1
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 1, Stamina 2; Charisma 4, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3; Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 3
Secondary Attributes: Health 5, Willpower 6
Skills: Athletics 1, Drive 1, Larceny 1, Etiquette 2, Insight 2, Intimidation 2, Leadership
3, Persuasion (Victims) 3, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge (Political subversion) 3, Academics
(Political science) 2, Awareness 1, Finance 2, Investigation 1, Medicine 1, Politics 2
Disciplines: Presence (Awe, Lingering Kiss) 2, Dominate (Cloud Memory) 1,
Fortitude (Unswayable Mind) 1
Advantages: Haven 3, Herd 2, Resources 3
Flaws: Masquerade Breacher 1, Prey Exclusion (Non-consenting) 1, Shunned
(Camarilla) 2
25
DI S C I PL I N E S
Presence ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Dominate ¡¡¡¡¡ Fortitude ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Awe Cloud Memory Unswayable Mind
Lingering Kiss
¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡¡¡¡¡
Spent Experience
Apparent age
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of birth
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of death
Notes
Appearance
Distinguishing features
History
© 2024 Renegade Game Studios. All Rights Reserved. © Paradox Interactive AB (publ)
David Jefferies
“Science is the tool we use to separate the things that are true from the things we
want to be true.” You loved that quote when you heard it and decided to spend
the rest of your life dedicated to it. You went into the sciences, studied hard,
and you lost a lot of potential friends and lovers because of that philosophy.
After graduation, you delved into one of biology’s greatest mysteries: an
incredibly rare blood disease that took your older sister away. You spent a
decade working on the problem, and one day, you cracked the code. Your
research spearheaded a cure. In your heart, you knew your sister would never
know, but a small part of you wished she could. Then, you were Embraced.
The vampire Prince Olgan learned about your research and demanded
you find a cure for his condition. He kept you locked up, keeping your brilliant mind all
for themselves, and believed making you a vampire would give you additional motivation
to find a cure. Instead, you used that mind of yours to find an escape. Your captor gave
you access to any books you needed and the materials necessary for your research. Instead
of finding a cure for vampirism, you discovered a way to weaken the Blood Bond and you
used it, freeing yourself from his control. When a vampire called Richard approached
you about escaping the city, you shared that knowledge with him and the others who
helped you escape. However, Richard did not make it. He fell buying the rest of you time
to get away from Olgan’s war hounds. Now, you reside in an Anarch city free from the
Camarilla, and your coterie protect you while you carry out your experiments. In fact, your
next project is your most ambitious: curing the vampiric condition.
Clan: Malkavian
Ambition: Cure vampirism
Desire: Be recognized for your intelligence
Predator: Sandman
Humanity: 7
Generation: 13
Blood Potency: 1
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2; Charisma 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3; Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Secondary Attributes: Health 5, Willpower 6
Skills: Leadership (Liberation struggle) 2, Persuasion 1, Streetwise 1, Academics
(Medical history) 2, Awareness 2, Finance 1, Medicine (Anesthesia) 3, Occult 3, Science
(Biology) 4, Technology 3
Disciplines: Auspex (Heightened Senses, Premonition, Scry the Soul) 3, Dominate
(Cloud Memory) 1
Advantages: Resources 3, Bond Resistance 1, Herd 2, Influence (Medicine) 2
Flaws: Prey Exclusion (Uneducated people) 1, Addiction (Morphine) 1
28
DI S C I PL I N E S
Auspex ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Dominate ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Heightened Senses Cloud Memory
Premonition
Scry the Soul
¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡¡¡¡¡
Spent Experience
Apparent age
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of birth
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of death
Notes
Appearance
Distinguishing features
History
© 2024 Renegade Game Studios. All Rights Reserved. © Paradox Interactive AB (publ)
Bigwig
Someone once described you as “having shoulders in two time zones.”
Well, if the shoe fits, you use it to beat fools into submission. You were
a pro wrestler back before Prince Olgan Embraced you. Since then,
you served as one of his war dogs, a group of vampires the Prince used to keep
peace and order in his city. You did some terrible things, stuff you wish you could
forget, honestly. You hunted down other vampires, and with your brothers, you tore them
to pieces. All in the name of the Prince. He forced you to drink his Blood and that made
you his eternal servant. And you didn’t care. That is, until he used that Bond to force you
to tear apart a family of four. Then, something snapped in you. Another vampire called
Richard gave you a solution, a way to break the Blood Bond and be free. You accepted his
offer and helped a small group of vampires escape the city. Unfortunately, Richard didn’t
escape with you, buying you and the others time to flee.
Now, your coterie resides in an Anarch Free City, far away from Camarilla domains
and their Princes. One of them gave you the nickname “Bigwig” (from some book about
rabbits), and because you liked the sound of it, you kept it. Later, you actually read the
book and understood the nickname, and now you embrace it. You are their guardian, and
for helping you escape the city, you would do anything to keep them safe, even risk your
own undead existence.
Clan: Brujah
Ambition: Protect my friends
Desire: Prove I’m not as dumb as I look
Predator: Alleycat
Humanity: 6
Generation: 13
Blood Potency: 1
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3; Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Composure
3; Intelligence 2, Wits 1, Resolve 2
Secondary Attributes: Health 6, Willpower 5
Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl (Grappling) 3, Drive 2, Firearms 1, Melee 4, Animal Ken 1,
Intimidation 3, Streetwise 2, Awareness 3, Medicine 2
Disciplines: Potence (Lethal Body, Prowess, Brutal Feed) 3, Celerity (Rapid Reflexes) 1
Advantages: Contacts (Criminal) 3, Haven 1, Resources 3, Short Bond 1, Bloodhound 1
Flaws: Ugly 1, Folkloric Bane (Crosses) 1
31
DI S C I PL I N E S
Potence ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ Celerity ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
Lethal Body Rapid Reflexes
Prowess
Brutal Feed
¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡¡¡¡ ¡¡ ¡ ¡ ¡
¡¡¡¡¡
Spent Experience
Apparent age
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of birth
¡¡¡¡¡
Date of death
Notes
Appearance
Distinguishing features
History
© 2024 Renegade Game Studios. All Rights Reserved. © Paradox Interactive AB (publ)