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Thread: Montreal of Darkness
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2010-02-09, 06:39 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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Montreal of Darkness
Hello there. I am currently starting up a game of WoD set in my home city; Montreal. My sole player (for now) never played anything related to WoD. He doesn't know the rules, the setting. He lives in Quebec too, but still hasn't cross the... veil.
I know that for some reason, Montreal holds a special place in the old World of Darkness's mythos. It was the first city to have been given a specific rulebook (I never understood why). The freaking mountain around (and UPON) which the city is built is a prison for a powerful demon! It's the most respected Sabbat stronghold.
I have read Montreal at Night, but since I am not 100% sure I want to play a Vampire game. I just want my player to be in the old World of Darkness (with the NWoD rules), and try to survive as a petty mortal.
Now.. the mythos of vampires is strongly established. But what about the Mages/Technocracy? What about the Werewolves? Any people have suggestions to add to this city about this, or maybe they have heard additional canon elements about it?
If I had to guess, there could be a Werewolf community living on the Mount Royal, to be the guardians of the Demon living there. These werewolves are also living in the indian reserves around the city. Seeing the city's high religious past, maybe the Celestial Chorus used to have pretty strong power bases there..? But the Quiet Revolution of the 60s was a violent victory of the Technocracy against them, and they settled into the city. Virtual Adepts used it as one of their main circle, until they split from the main Technocracy...
Anyway. I am in need of inspiration. If you can find interesting ways of twisting established canon, I don't care; my player don't know nuts about the world, so I can simply throw him deep into mysteries like I would do a Cthuluh investigator
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2010-02-09, 06:44 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Location
- Montreal
- Gender
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2010-02-09, 06:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Gender
Re: Montreal of Darkness
Land donated by McGill to the university, ON the Mount Royal. McGill probably was a sabbat-controlled person, as by Montreal at Night, it is said that the multiples church denomination were harnessed by the Sabbat...
Good luck
edit: (OOC: and learn some french You will be able to better mix in better with the french population, as trying to speak french to them is always considered a nice gesture, they might willingly and politely switch to english quickly)Last edited by SolkaTruesilver; 2010-02-09 at 06:58 PM.
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2010-02-09, 07:04 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Location
- Montreal
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Re: Montreal of Darkness
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2010-02-09, 07:24 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
- Gender
Re: Montreal of Darkness
Best way you'll ever learn french is read a book you already know, but the french version. Have a french/english dictionnary by hand in case of words you can't figure out. The whole point is figuring out the language.
Eventually, watch french shows/movies (maybe with english subtitles) so you can get the auditive cues. I might suggest actual QUEBECOIS movies/shows, so you will be used to our accent (we are to the French what you are to the English).
When you will feel secured ennough with french, I suggest watching french shows with french subtitles, so you will be able to see how to pronounce specific words.
Edit: as a quite ironical twist, my player isn't very good in english, so I actually decided to use our RPG session set in the "real world" to help him practice with his own english, when he'll meet anglophone NPCs. Maybe you could join the game and try to gap the language bridge while battling cthulu-spawned horrors?
A true example to all Canadians.
(Where u from?)Last edited by SolkaTruesilver; 2010-02-09 at 07:30 PM.
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2010-02-09, 07:29 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
Re: Montreal of Darkness
Shows like the simpsons are also really easy to watch in another tongue, they're a great way to learn.
If you hang out with french guys, you'll learn a lot faster too.
Also, learn to watch and enjoy(it's really not that hard since it's such an awesome sport) hockey.
And do NOT root for BostonLast edited by BenTheJester; 2010-02-09 at 07:35 PM.
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2010-02-09, 07:32 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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Re: Montreal of Darkness
That's a good way, indeed. But watch the Quebecois's version. There are 2 french Simpsons version. If you watch the French's, you won't understand a thing in Quebec.
Also, French-speaking RPG groups. That's how I practiced my english a lot in Dubai, I joined an English-speaking RPG group, and managed to build my social network in a foreign land that way :-) (RPGs, is there a thing they can't do?)
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2010-02-09, 07:35 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
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2010-02-09, 07:37 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Location
- Montreal
- Gender
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2010-02-09, 07:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Location
- Montreal, Canada
Re: Montreal of Darkness
You could turn it (the prison) into a place of pilgrimage for those who know about it. Where humans gather to train to survive. The city itself could also be a neutral meeting ground for the different factions as the wards around the tomb could severely hamper everyone's powers. Giving humans an edge.
That could also let you use Montreal as a diplomatic warzone. And since the Chorus lost influence and power, they no longer keep the peace by obliterating anyone on their turf.
I would make the Mages/Technocracy centered around downtown. With resentment from at least 2 different factions. Leftovers of the old English elite and the rising forces of immigrants and the French (who are rather new comparatively since they only started in the revolution years).
I would make the Celestial Chorus a retired power, driven outside the city with a few dying strongholds here and there. Just pick any church really. The mountain is definitely the only place where Werewolves could hide in the city. If you want a real place of power for the Chorus, make it out of the way, somewhere in the North shore where strangers (anyone who doesn't speak French as a native tongue with the right accent) is seen as suspicious.
Remember that Montreal is quite diverse, and we also have a lot of weird ''new'' religious sects so cultists are fair game too. As for vices, well being a student I'm sure you know what's available.
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2010-02-09, 07:42 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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Re: Montreal of Darkness
Montreal is ripe with RPG groups, you won't have any problem about that.
As to find French books, I'd suggest Amazon.ca, archambault.ca, renaud-bray.ca. I don't know if they deliver, however.
Originally Posted by BenTheJester
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2010-02-09, 07:47 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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Re: Montreal of Darkness
Ohhh.... are the Raelites a weird kind of Mages? They are the fusion of Cult of Extasy, Celestia Chorus and Sons of Ether?
(If you don't know what I am talking about, just google Rael's religion. They are... peticular).
I'd put the remaining bastion of Celestial Chorus in Lac-Saint-Jean, actually. Hm.. Quebec/Montreal antagonism might also have a surnatural base. Would be interesting
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2010-02-09, 08:19 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2005
Re: Montreal of Darkness
I'm way over here in Alberta, so my knowledge of Montreal is still slightly limited. However, as far as I can tell, Just for laughs and other comedy festivals are pretty big stuff there, which I imagine you should work in somehow.
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2010-02-09, 08:29 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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Re: Montreal of Darkness
More than Just For Laugh, my friend. There is about a dozen events during Montreal's summer that makes the city buzling. Many of these events' entertaining elements are actually free to enjoy. Jazz Festival, F1 racing and Arabian movie festival jumps to mind, but there are others.
It must be a vampire buffet...
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2010-02-09, 11:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2008
Re: Montreal of Darkness
Wait, he's just a regular human that can see the monsters? (Isn't that called a witness or something?)
Would Hunter be better? (or at least more "I can do something!")
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2010-02-10, 07:47 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Gender
Re: Montreal of Darkness
He hasn't seen the monsters yet. Buy he soon will. I am not sure about Hunter, I don't know these rulesets. I thought maybe make him a Technocracy Agent. Or just a Punisher-like inquisitor. Or anything, really
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2010-02-10, 01:48 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2010
Re: Montreal of Darkness
Hey. Good to see another Montrealer getting into the WoD. My Chronicle isn't actually set in Montreal, but before we settled on New Orleans, I have to admit that Montreal was a pretty good option. There's plenty of really good locales you can use. I remember thinking about a hunt in the metro, trapped with a demented werewolf (doubled with the imminent threat of being run over by a barelling train). Apart from the parc Mont-Royal, you could use the UDM or McGill and have your player investigate disapearances in the winding halls of the universities. Of course, you can't forget about the Oratoir St-Joseph either. I can't think of a better place for a haunting, or maybe a certain priest who only holds private midnight masses. All in all, a really great setting for WoD.
Also, I don't recommend using Hunter at first. It has a lot of good rules, but if it's your player's first time, I think it's far better to have him be a normal human in order to really impress upon him the nature of the WoD. You could always introduce certain vigils later in the game once you've established the proper feel.
Really fun system and, with the right Storyteller, you can fashion truly memorable games. Plus, nothing beats seeing D&D-accustomed player walk into their first hunt and slowly realize that, in WoD, they're the prey. Hope you have fun.