Vampire: the Masquerade; some support?

[Collin152]

So, in a breathtaking surge of interest in roleplaying among my friends (myself blaming the vampire obsession that so overtakes them), we are soon to begin playing Vampire: the Masquerade.
Now, myself being myself, I get to take the role of storyteller. Yay.
Now, myself being very new to the system, and all but one of my players being completley unrehearsed in roleplaying, I've been trying to come up with a plot that is engaging, but at the same time, not beyond them.
I'm kind of at a loss here, stuck in the mire of ideas, as it were. I have some basic concepts, but I'm lacking the things to tie it together. Beign as insane/creative as I am, this lack of filler ideas surprises me.

So, playgrounders! I want plot tips. Not the generic kind you'd give to anyone developing a storyline, just short, hard and fast scenarios for me to tie together. Trust me, it's not a patchwork quilt of ideas I'm making here, my brain just can't make much more original material for the moment.

[Dan_Hemmens]

Begin with the PCs as humans and make the first scenario their embrace. If they're cool with all being the same Clan, you could even give them one sire (and free Generation dots, since they'd all be the same).

Other than that ... what sort of ideas are you looking for? Vampire's got a lot going on, without being more specific, there's not a lot I can do to help.

[Zeta Kai]

Choose an enemy organization from the Antagonists section of the book. The Sabbat, Lupines, the Feds, the Order of Leopold/Inquisition, Fae, Ghosts, Mages, whoever. Choose one group that you want to be the Hidden Threat, the Constant Malice working against your players. In the first few sessions, drop a few hints as to their power & agenda, but don't over-sell it. Mention a couple of other possible enemies as well, just to lay down some red herrings.

Then (about 4-8 play sessions in) hit where it hurts. Have your Constant Threat do something awful. Kill the party's sire, burn down their haven, slaughter their herd, whatever. The enemy does something truly obnoxious, & is all the more contemptible for being currently untouchable. Your party's morale is shattered, they're on the run, the enemy left a calling card & nothing else, anything to have the party hurt & angry at their new foes without being able to exact immediate revenge.

The rest of the plot practically writes itself. Complications can include mysterious allies, betrayed alliances, hard-to-find clues, princely edicts, imperitive missions, murdered allies, etc. Have fun spinning a tale of vengeance, honor, & redemption.

[SamTheCleric]

Have an NPC in the group, a very likable toreador.. he's traveling with the group and has become part of their coterie.

About 3-4 sessions in... have him "take off to take care of something" only to have the prince declare a blood hunt on that individual for attempted diablerie and for consorting with the Sabbat.

BAM... now the PCs are on the hunt... because they were closest to him. Not only that, but they are under a watchful eye from the Sheriff and Scourges... seeing as they could be involved.

[Collin152]

I feel like some of you may be psychic.
I like what I'm hearing, to say the least.
Now, for specificnessity.

Begin with the PCs as humans and make the first scenario their embrace. If they're cool with all being the same Clan, you could even give them one sire (and free Generation dots, since they'd all be the same).

Other than that ... what sort of ideas are you looking for? Vampire's got a lot going on, without being more specific, there's not a lot I can do to help.

Well, I fully intend to do the Embrace-scenario thign with each of them, if only to introduce the concepts of roleplaying and the atmosphere of the game.
As for Clans, one is for sure Toreador, and the rest I have reason to believe are all fellow Toreadors or Malkavian.

Specifically... Well, I'll get to that later on.

Choose an enemy organization from the Antagonists section of the book. The Sabbat, Lupines, the Feds, the Order of Leopold/Inquisition, Fae, Ghosts, Mages, whoever. Choose one group that you want to be the Hidden Threat, the Constant Malice working against your players. In the first few sessions, drop a few hints as to their power & agenda, but don't over-sell it. Mention a couple of other possible enemies as well, just to lay down some red herrings.

Strangley enough, I've done this so far. The Inquisition I had decided would be the primary antagonist. My main problem is what to have them do while it eases into the spotlight.
Also, I've been pondering on having some vampire manipulating the Inquisition for his own purposes. Would that end up being too complex, do you think?

Then (about 4-8 play sessions in) hit where it hurts. Have your Constant Threat do something awful. Kill the party's sire, burn down their haven, slaughter their herd, whatever. The enemy does something truly obnoxious, & is all the more contemptible for being currently untouchable. Your party's morale is shattered, they're on the run, the enemy left a calling card & nothing else, anything to have the party hurt & angry at their new foes without being able to exact immediate revenge.

I already have plans for the Inquisition to capture the Toreador player's Sire.
What happens to him, though, I haven't decided yet.

The rest of the plot practically writes itself. Complications can include mysterious allies, betrayed alliances, hard-to-find clues, princely edicts, imperitive missions, murdered allies, etc. Have fun spinning a tale of vengeance, honor, & redemption.

Will do. By Princely edicts, what would you recommend? I'm falling in love with my Prince, you see, and I want them to kill him, eventually, so he needs a bit of depth.

Have an NPC in the group, a very likable toreador.. he's traveling with the group and has become part of their coterie.

About 3-4 sessions in... have him "take off to take care of something" only to have the prince declare a blood hunt on that individual for attempted diablerie and for consorting with the Sabbat.

BAM... now the PCs are on the hunt... because they were closest to him. Not only that, but they are under a watchful eye from the Sheriff and Scourges... seeing as they could be involved.

Hmmm... if a Blood Hunt is called on ones Sire, how does that reflect on oneself?

[comicshorse]

Also, I've been pondering on having some vampire manipulating the Inquisition for his own purposes

.

The big problem with this is that Inquisitors tend to have True Faith which has a chance of reduing any vampire, no matter how powerful, to a panicky mess. Needless to say this makes manipulating them a bit tricky.
Also co-operating with Inquistors is the kind of crime that will get Archons on you and that is a lot of trouble for any vampire.

Hmmm... if a Blood Hunt is called on ones Sire, how does that reflect on oneself?

There's a reason one of the books has INFAMOUS SIRE as a flaw. General theory is if the Sire went bad, then the Childer is likely to as well.

Advice in general I presume your game has a home city. Work out the Vampires of your city first. You'll be amazed at how many plots jump out at you when you think about theses NPC's all existing, and fighting over, the same city.

[DeathQuaker]

They should be mistrusted if their Sire is mistrusted... but at the same time, they should definitely be given the opportunity to prove their loyalty to the Prince and the Camarilla by giving them a chance to turn on their Sire.

Me, I'd probably have someone ask them to hunt down their Sire. If they do, then they're obviously traitorous types who'd turn on their own Sire. If they don't, they're disobedient and untrustworthy, and must be punished. Either way, the older vamps get to use the neonates as scapegoats for their problems. The real challenge is to use equal wiles to wriggle out of that and transfer the blame elsehwhere--perhaps even proving the Sire innocent (even if he is trule guilty) and showing it really is this OTHER ancilla who was doing bad things.

Actually, this is why I never played Vampire that much. It's too easy to use the backstabbing and politics to make the PCs helpless most of the time--but if they're good players and enough options are laid out, they can usually find their way to option C and become successful....

[Collin152]

The big problem with this is that Inquisitors tend to have True Faith which has a chance of reduing any vampire, no matter how powerful, to a panicky mess. Needless to say this makes manipulating them a bit tricky.
Also co-operating with Inquistors is the kind of crime that will get Archons on you and that is a lot of trouble for any vampire.

Ah, True Faith, that's right.
obviously, seeing as the vampire I'm pondering is a Tscimize, and therefore likely to be a little freaky looking anyways, he'd be manipulatign by proxy.
As for the Archons... well, he doesn't expect to get caught, if he's already dealing with people who want his destruction.

There's a reason one of the books has INFAMOUS SIRE as a flaw. General theory is if the Sire went bad, then the Childer is likely to as well.

Excellent.

Advice in general I presume your game has a home city. Work out the Vampires of your city first. You'll be amazed at how many plots jump out at you when you think about theses NPC's all existing, and fighting over, the same city.

Already working on it, surprisingly.

They should be mistrusted if their Sire is mistrusted... but at the same time, they should definitely be given the opportunity to prove their loyalty to the Prince and the Camarilla by giving them a chance to turn on their Sire.

Me, I'd probably have someone ask them to hunt down their Sire. If they do, then they're obviously traitorous types who'd turn on their own Sire. If they don't, they're disobedient and untrustworthy, and must be punished. Either way, the older vamps get to use the neonates as scapegoats for their problems. The real challenge is to use equal wiles to wriggle out of that and transfer the blame elsehwhere--perhaps even proving the Sire innocent (even if he is trule guilty) and showing it really is this OTHER ancilla who was doing bad things.

So, no matter what, they get to betray someone? I like it. Blood Hunt plot has been put in the books.


See? I'm already getting some real nice ideas mixing up in this pot of insanity I call a mind.

[Coplantor]

Their sire gives them the order to strike against enemies of the masquerade. The encounters should be difficult, they will probably be in danger of exposing the truth about vampires. The thing is that the sire is actually a member of the sabbat pretending to be of the carmilla?. In the middle of the adventure, other vampires attack the party calling the traitors. The sire sent a second group to attack them thus decreasing the chances of being discovered and using them as scapegoats (wich sounds like spacegoats wich is also awesome).

And remember that everything explodes. EVERYTHING!

[comicshorse]

obviously, seeing as the vampire I'm pondering is a Tscimize, and therefore likely to be a little freaky looking anyways, he'd be manipulatign by proxy.
As for the Archons... well, he doesn't expect to get caught, if he's already dealing with people who want his destruction.

Well trying to kill bunch of new vampires and dealing with the Inquistion both carry the same penalty : Death. The difference is the first one only gets those vampires and maybe the local Sherrif on your head, the second one gets Archons after you and they will be in a different league of power and capabilities.

As for the manipulating by proxy that may woirk but True Faith is massively unpredicatable. They may be able to 'smell' the evil intentions on the Tszimisce pawn orconvert him to their side. The Inquisition is said to have been a Kindred crweation originally and see how well that turned out.

[dworkin]

I always found the tabloids a constant source of inspiration for plot points in Vampire. It took the players a while to work out who the insane gangrel with the bat beast features was.

Another approach. Everyone is part of a secret society, working to take over the world. Everyone. The milkman. That homeless man on the corner. Your mom. They are all in some secret organisation. It is to the players eternal misfortune that they are not. This is actually inspired by the game Paranoia (where everyone is in a secret society) but works well in Vampire.

[Thrud]

I love the Storyteller system, although I don't much care for the newest version, so bear in mind that I can't get into too many specifics due to a lack of knowledge of the newest stuff. However, something that can be a lot of fun later on in the game can be to pick up some of the other games and learn them without letting the players know anything about them, and use enemies from those games, using their rules. They mesh surprisingly well. This is not something to be tried right at the beginning, but after the party has some experience, introducing a rogue mage with a vendetta against vamps, or a lone Garou (werewolf) out hunting members of the coterie for some infraction or another that they don't even know they committed (like wandering too close to a garou Caern) Heck, you could even introduce them by having a player feed off a Garou by accident. This can cause the vamp to frenzy, but can also lead to greater strength or speed (some sort of temporary boost to potence or celerity). This can get players into a LOT of trouble, 'coz they might interfere with the pretty fragile peace that exists between city garou and kindred, which could get the Prince pissed at them. Man I love storyteller, there is just so much depth there that you can use.

[TheElfLord]

While it may be hard, If you are planning on featuring the Inquisition as the primary Antagonsits, you maght want to see if you can get your hands on the Second Ed book Inquisitor. It's meant to help PCs play inquisitors, but has great background information that could add depth to them as antagonists also.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Have an experienced Ghoul Player or NPC who doesn't desire to be embraced at this point but desires reliable sources of Vampire Blood.

The Ghoul could witness a recently awakened fledgling unaware of their sire and what just happened (Out Drinking or Mugging/Robbery gone wrong not feeling right regaining consciousness awkening with strange cravings).

The Ghoul is willing to help mentor the fledgling vampire explaining the rules of their new existence for reliable future vampire blood sources and favors.

In your game the Ghoul could know or have a good ideal of who sired the fledgling or be completely oblivious.

Perhaps the Ghoul sired the fledging or other fledglings after the victime was drained by another Vampire using some of his Vampire blood carries inside himself. Maybe the Ghoul killed and turned the fledgling.

[toddex]

Have them play hunters. 100% cooler then playing a lame boring vampire.

[GolemsVoice]

I am currently in a campaign of V:tM, and therefore I tell you not to make one mistake: It's not the insanely good plot, but how your players feel in it. Our current DM is a real fan of the World of Darkness, and you can tell that by the way he loves every single character, which is, of course, a good thing.
But he makes on mistake. He let's the players feel to powerless and helpless in his web of intrigue. While V:tM may actually encourage this, and I know that is the way the wheels turn in the vampire society, it makes for a boring game. Why ally yourself with somebody if you know you will be betrayed? Why try to solve mysteries if you know you can't advance the plot really? Why do something when you know it will be futile/pointless/dangerous?
So, despite your new vampires will be those that are constantly picked on, let them have their success, and reward them, and give them the feeling they can actually move something. With the Inquisition (your players will not expect the Inquisition, no one does) as an antagonist, this will be easier, because your enemies are only humans, with all their flaws and their rather unsubtle zeal.

[toddex]

Boo! Go humans!! Hunters for life!

[comicshorse]

But life for you is such a tiny thing, little mortal

[Collin152]

Well trying to kill bunch of new vampires and dealing with the Inquistion both carry the same penalty : Death. The difference is the first one only gets those vampires and maybe the local Sherrif on your head, the second one gets Archons after you and they will be in a different league of power and capabilities.

As for the manipulating by proxy that may woirk but True Faith is massively unpredicatable. They may be able to 'smell' the evil intentions on the Tszimisce pawn orconvert him to their side. The Inquisition is said to have been a Kindred crweation originally and see how well that turned out.

Can't make an omlette without risking death. Obviously this isn't a very... smart.. vampire... eh, I'll work on it.

If I'm telling the story, and if the proxies don't know that they are being used to further the vampires' ends... Ehh, I'll have to work on this a lot.

I always found the tabloids a constant source of inspiration for plot points in Vampire. It took the players a while to work out who the insane gangrel with the bat beast features was.

Another approach. Everyone is part of a secret society, working to take over the world. Everyone. The milkman. That homeless man on the corner. Your mom. They are all in some secret organisation. It is to the players eternal misfortune that they are not. This is actually inspired by the game Paranoia (where everyone is in a secret society) but works well in Vampire.

So... The papers with the doctored photos, but with vampire pics in it? And the players are sent out to take them down for such a breach of the Masquerade? I like that.

The secret society bit, not so much. Makes the players feel.. insignificant.

I love the Storyteller system, although I don't much care for the newest version, so bear in mind that I can't get into too many specifics due to a lack of knowledge of the newest stuff. However, something that can be a lot of fun later on in the game can be to pick up some of the other games and learn them without letting the players know anything about them, and use enemies from those games, using their rules. They mesh surprisingly well. This is not something to be tried right at the beginning, but after the party has some experience, introducing a rogue mage with a vendetta against vamps, or a lone Garou (werewolf) out hunting members of the coterie for some infraction or another that they don't even know they committed (like wandering too close to a garou Caern) Heck, you could even introduce them by having a player feed off a Garou by accident. This can cause the vamp to frenzy, but can also lead to greater strength or speed (some sort of temporary boost to potence or celerity). This can get players into a LOT of trouble, 'coz they might interfere with the pretty fragile peace that exists between city garou and kindred, which could get the Prince pissed at them. Man I love storyteller, there is just so much depth there that you can use.

Well, I'm using the Old World of Darkness, not the new one (Requiem= bleh), so no worries. I fully intended to introduce the other book's creatures, though unfortunatley I can't say they know nothing about them. They certainly don't know as much as I already do, though, so I'll leave that door open. Garou-Kindred war... pissed off Prince... I like that idea. After they take the Inquisition down (or more likely, manage to keep hidden from them on a more permanent basis...), werewolves it is.

While it may be hard, If you are planning on featuring the Inquisition as the primary Antagonsits, you maght want to see if you can get your hands on the Second Ed book Inquisitor. It's meant to help PCs play inquisitors, but has great background information that could add depth to them as antagonists also.

Well, getting my hands on it shouldn't be a problem. I shall take your advice, I think.

Have an experienced Ghoul Player or NPC who doesn't desire to be embraced at this point but desires reliable sources of Vampire Blood.

The Ghoul could witness a recently awakened fledgling unaware of their sire and what just happened (Out Drinking or Mugging/Robbery gone wrong not feeling right regaining consciousness awkening with strange cravings).

The Ghoul is willing to help mentor the fledgling vampire explaining the rules of their new existence for reliable future vampire blood sources and favors.

In your game the Ghoul could know or have a good ideal of who sired the fledgling or be completely oblivious.

Perhaps the Ghoul sired the fledging or other fledglings after the victime was drained by another Vampire using some of his Vampire blood carries inside himself. Maybe the Ghoul killed and turned the fledgling.

A supportign character with all the answers...
Meh, I hate giving ghouls a good name. i prefer making them seem like despicable drug addicts.

Have them play hunters. 100% cooler then playing a lame boring vampire

not going to happen. If they aren't vampires, there's a chance they'd play Demon, but they'd never be humans. That's why they're playing- escape from their humanity.

I am currently in a campaign of V:tM, and therefore I tell you not to make one mistake: It's not the insanely good plot, but how your players feel in it. Our current DM is a real fan of the World of Darkness, and you can tell that by the way he loves every single character, which is, of course, a good thing.
But he makes on mistake. He let's the players feel to powerless and helpless in his web of intrigue. While V:tM may actually encourage this, and I know that is the way the wheels turn in the vampire society, it makes for a boring game. Why ally yourself with somebody if you know you will be betrayed? Why try to solve mysteries if you know you can't advance the plot really? Why do something when you know it will be futile/pointless/dangerous?
So, despite your new vampires will be those that are constantly picked on, let them have their success, and reward them, and give them the feeling they can actually move something. With the Inquisition (your players will not expect the Inquisition, no one does) as an antagonist, this will be easier, because your enemies are only humans, with all their flaws and their rather unsubtle zeal.

I love this advice, and I will take it to heart. I fully intend for them to be actively affectign this world. Why, I intend for them to kill the Prince. Course, they don't get to replace him... But that's just as well.
And I think they'll expect the inquisition. Expect the unexpected and all that jazz.

Boo! Go humans!! Hunters for life!

Please don't bash my players' choices.

[comicshorse]

Can't make an omlette without risking death. Obviously this isn't a very... smart.. vampire... eh, I'll work on it.

If I'm telling the story, and if the proxies don't know that they are being used to further the vampires' ends... Ehh, I'll have to work on this a lot.

Hmmm, didn't mean to be so obstructive. Maybe a better idea might be to have the Hunters be an idependent group, still skilled and smart but without the centuries of institutional and huge resources of the Inquisition.
Also that way if the P.C.s do win they can relax and not worry that even know a new group of Inquisitors is being despatched from Rome ared with all the old one's reports on the P.C.s.
Just a thought

[Gavin Sage]

I love the whole World of Darkness setting. Though the one thing that annoys me greatly is how combat tends to be the players just hoping to survive or struggling to get anything done. Maybe this is just me but if you are taking advice mine is be careful about any combat, since the games I've played tended to have the players badly outgunned. Though a lot of this is that the game is trying to discourage combat entirely. I still find it annoying though when the only way to win in combat is to be a twigged out power-gamer because you're fighting elders or packs of lupines or some demon with fire attacks all the time.

[Collin152]

I love the whole World of Darkness setting. Though the one thing that annoys me greatly is how combat tends to be the players just hoping to survive or struggling to get anything done. Maybe this is just me but if you are taking advice mine is be careful about any combat, since the games I've played tended to have the players badly outgunned. Though a lot of this is that the game is trying to discourage combat entirely. I still find it annoying though when the only way to win in combat is to be a twigged out power-gamer because you're fighting elders or packs of lupines or some demon with fire attacks all the time.

I have a tendancy to throw thigns that are too weak at my players, and they'll be fighting humans for a while, so i think this isn't going to e much of a problem.
Duly noted, though.