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Ichneumon
2010-07-30, 07:40 AM
Alright, I'm planning on a short Vampire: The Requiem chronicle and I need some help on the plot and planning the "encounters".

This is the basic idea of the story/setting: The city's Nosferatu Prince has a profound hatred for the Invictus and has been leading a very brutal and savage witch hunt against any kindred with ties to the Invictus. At the beginning of the chronicle this had caused most of the Invictus in the city to be dead or fled. To restore the kindred population of the city the Prince has ordered some of his most loyal followers to "recruit some new blood". Amongst These neonates will be the players.

Now, because the Invictus had members at every part of vampire society, there is a big opportunity for promotion and gain of status. The Prince has awared a price to the kindred of the coterie that first manage to find and track down the last remaining few Invictus.

In a series of "encounters" the players will have to track down these last few Kindred, who will be hiding and planning on escaping the city. Depending on the player's preferences I might include more social/political encounters, actual "detective" work or fight scenes.

After 2-3 of these "encounters" they'll have enough clues to find the Invictus and kill them.

Now, what's my problem?

My problem is that I'd like to include a chase-scene as one of the "encounters", mostly because I like rp'ing chase scenes. However, I don't want them to catch the particular kindred right away and doing a chase without the players having a chance to "win" wouldn't be fun for them. Now, my question is, do any of you have any good advise on how I could maybe let them win, catch the person they're chasing, and still don't get all the information?

Any other thoughts and opinions would be helpful too.

JeenLeen
2010-07-30, 08:30 AM
Note: I've only played V:tM, but I assume this carries over.

You could have them chase a ghoul loyal to one of the vamps they are hunting. If the ghoul escapes, he can give warning to his master. If they capture him, the loyalty of a ghoul makes it very hard to get information out. Or, to make extra sure, you could have the ghoul have a cyanide (tooth?) capsule and orders to commit suicide if captured.

Capturing the ghoul hinders the escaping vampires plans to escape, since they lose one of their operatives. Not capturing him puts them more on alert (or at least on alert of the players' coterie.)

Ichneumon
2010-07-30, 12:23 PM
Thanks, that's a very good idea. Ghouls are mortal servants/slaves of kindred right? (Haven't been playing V:tR for so long)

JeenLeen
2010-07-30, 12:35 PM
Thanks, that's a very good idea. Ghouls are mortal servants/slaves of kindred right? (Haven't been playing V:tR for so long)

In oWoD, ghouls are humans that have drunk vampire blood from a single vampire often enough (3 times, I think within a given time span). It creates a bond called a 'blood bond.' Over time, this bond can give the ghoul Disciplines. The ghoul can also telepathically contact his master, although I think there are limits about this or it takes a certain amount of time.

In exchange, ghouls essentially lose their freedom of will. They are fully devoted to the vampire and will obey any orders. If the vamp tells a ghoul to kill his wife, he'd be happy to do so. A ghoul ordered to keep a secret can forced to tell someone (i.e., a torturer), but it might require special means. The vampire might also be able to telepathically take over the ghouls body, but I'm not as familiar with that mechanic.

Blood-binds can be broken. I know there's at least a True Magick rote (Mage: The Ascension) that can do it, though it's high-level and rare to even know how to do it. I assume there are ways outlined in the Vampire books about how to break a blood-bind as well.

There may be more, but I don't know it. My info comes from reading V:tM probably over a year ago and a PC getting blood bound in my current Mage: The Ascension game. And again, my knowledge is oWoD, so I don't know what if anything changed in nWoD.


Edit: to clarify, ghouls are the same person, with their own objectives and will. They are just magically forced to willingly obey any order from their master. Even knowledge of this fact does not negate it, as they trust and love their master.