[VTM][LARP] Filling out character Backstory

[Elricaltovilla]

I'm playing in an upcoming LARP at my school, it's going to be a VTM Sabbat game, and I'm playing a Gargoyle Antitribu on (currently) Path of Honorable Accord.

What I need help with is filling out his backstory and figuring out what would drive him to want to become a Templar. I don't think he's actually aware he wants to become a Templar, but it's a goal for the character I've set for myself.

Since I assume you all are much better at lore than I am, can you provide me with some hints and tips for background and roleplaying stuff? My ST said "not to worry about backstory too much" but I'd like to know my character going into the game.

THANKS!!

[sktarq]

Well Gargoyle siring is one of those points that various ST's have different thinking on so doublecheck what your host thinks of it. I mention this because it will determine if you have the option of being sired into the Sabbat or breaking loose from the Warlocks of the Cam. Though frankly I'd think that has a better story line for you anyway. The idea of being used as a guardian fits in well with both Honorable Accord and the eventual wish to be a templar. If the Blood bond was the thing that kept you loyal to a group (the warlocks) that you didn't respect it would be a good reason for why You would leave the Cam afterward. Also to back that Idea if you had a low humanity through the actions the warlocks asked you to do. Say a Sabbat raid was what killed off you regnant-and when the blood bond snapped you followed these other vampires you had heard about - and the talk of breaking free of the ancient masters struck a cord....

[Elricaltovilla]

That's pretty useful information. As I understand it, if I want to be born into the Sabbat I can be. I had originally created the character with that idea in mind, especially with him having access to a couple levels of Protean (Yay Agg Claws). But I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch for him to have been "rescued" from the Warlocks.

[The Glyphstone]

You could still give him out-of-clan Protean at chargen as a rescued minion. Call it a latent expression of the Gangrel blood they originally used to create the Gargoyles, or just Crazy Tremere Experiments!

Out of idle curiosity, is your troupe sticking with Laws of the Night, or are you switching to the new By MET: Vampire The Masquerade book that just came out?

[Elricaltovilla]

You could still give him out-of-clan Protean at chargen as a rescued minion. Call it a latent expression of the Gangrel blood they originally used to create the Gargoyles, or just Crazy Tremere Experiments!

Out of idle curiosity, is your troupe sticking with Laws of the Night, or are you switching to the new By MET: Vampire The Masquerade book that just came out?

Its the newest one. I like the latent expression of Gangrelness, but I might have to run that particular idea by my ST. He helped me make the character and when I asked him "What should I say happened in his past that he got Protean Powers?" He replied "He's in the Sabbat, no one cares."

He's a very lax ST when it comes to stuff like that.:smalltongue:

[sktarq]

also depending on how thoughtful a character he is (Gargoyles not being Mental Primary all that often) he may have chosen to follow the Sabbat after the Blood Bond broke (thanks to the Sabbat) perhaps even shadowing them for time. May help explain a deep dive into the alternate philosophy of Honorable Accord and the like. If you need that. Or a good brainwashing when the Sabbat Grabbed him.

[The Glyphstone]

Its the newest one. I like the latent expression of Gangrelness, but I might have to run that particular idea by my ST. He helped me make the character and when I asked him "What should I say happened in his past that he got Protean Powers?" He replied "He's in the Sabbat, no one cares."

He's a very lax ST when it comes to stuff like that.:smalltongue:

See if you can get Temporis then, if no one in the Sabbat cares where you got your powers.:smallbiggrin:

[Elricaltovilla]

See if you can get Temporis then, if no one in the Sabbat cares where you got your powers.:smallbiggrin:

Seeing as it was a 4 point merit for access to protean, and I'm limited to 7 merit points at creation... that might take a while.

[The Glyphstone]

Seeing as it was a 4 point merit for access to protean, and I'm limited to 7 merit points at creation... that might take a while.

4 merit points? Protean's not a Common Discipline, so it would cost 5 Merit points if you purchased permanent access to it. I figured you just bought yourself the first 2 levels with starting XP.

[Elricaltovilla]

4 merit points? Protean's not a Common Discipline, so it would cost 5 Merit points if you purchased permanent access to it. I figured you just bought yourself the first 2 levels with starting XP.

The ruleset we're using says 4xp for rare clan disciplines plus whatever you spend xp on for their levels. Or maybe it was 4 points just to be a gargoyle I don't remember.

[The Glyphstone]

The ruleset we're using says 4xp for rare clan disciplines plus whatever you spend xp on for their levels. Or maybe it was 4 points just to be a gargoyle I don't remember.

Ahk, houserules then. By the book lists Protean as an Uncommon Discipline. And it would cost 5 merit points (not XP, they are different) to be a Gargoyle in the Sabbat setting, so I'm just going to give up then.:smallbiggrin:

[Driderman]

How do you even play a Gargoyle in LARP'ing, out of curiosity.

[Elricaltovilla]

Ahk, houserules then. By the book lists Protean as an Uncommon Discipline. And it would cost 5 merit points (not XP, they are different) to be a Gargoyle in the Sabbat setting, so I'm just going to give up then.:smallbiggrin:

They're definitely not house rules, I just don't have access to my PDF to tell you what page I'm referring to because I'm at work.


How do you even play a Gargoyle in LARP'ing, out of curiosity.

I don't know yet but I just found out I'm being voiced by Keith David, so that's a good start lol:smalltongue:

[The Glyphstone]

They're definitely not house rules, I just don't have access to my PDF to tell you what page I'm referring to because I'm at work.

:

I do though, and the numbers you're giving don't add up.

Rare Clans in the Sabbat Setting cost 5 Merit Points, Gargoyle is mentioned in the list of Rare Clans.

General Merit: Additional Uncommon Discipline costs 5 Merit Points, Protean is mentioned in the list of Uncommon Disciplines.

Page 112 of the book says
"With the Storyteller’s permission, you may also
buy the first 3 dots of non-native, “out-of-clan” disciplines,
so long as those disciplines are common to the setting."

So if you're going by-the-book, you would have needed 5 merit dots to be a Gargoyle, leaving you with 2. That's not enough to get Protean as a permanent in-clan discipline, so the only way to start with it would be buying it out of your 30 freebie Experience (would cost 12 XP, or 15 for a 6th gen).

So color me confused.:smallconfused:

[Elricaltovilla]

Like I said, I was probably misreading things. I only have the first 2 dots of protean and I wasn't planning on buying more. So with your explanation of the rules I probably just bought the two dots of protean and spent the merit points on being a gargoyle.

[The Glyphstone]

That makes more sense.

The Temporis thing was a joke anyways, it's weaker than Celerity until level 5 and much harder to get.

[TaintedDeity]

On the subject of backstories in LARP in general there's the idea that you should leave some gaps in your backstory. Sure, its nice to have an air tight background to rely on, but if you leave gaps it opens up a lot of options, more in the vein of improv style theatre.

If there's a plot that only affects certain people or a certain area leaving gaps leaves you open to retroactively write it into your background. Similarly if another player is struggling to get involved and comes up to you and asks for help, if you have gaps they can quite easily become a part of your story.