Ideas for Vegas-based V:tM game...

[TheCountAlucard]

It seems to me that almost every one of my gaming friends is more than willing to play a game, but I seem to be the only one genuinely willing to run a game. Well, I had just started reading the Vampire: the Masquerade core book at the time, and I asked them if they'd be interested in that sort of game. Of course, I ended up being the one picked to run it.

We ended up deciding to set it in Las Vegas in the year 199X. Since the only book I've really got is the core book, I really can't look anything up, so I decided that it was Camarilla-controlled, with Sabbat attempting to muscle in, 'cuz, well, they're the Sabbat, y'know?

Anyway, everyone's got their characters made, and now all I need are some ideas for what to do...

[YPU]

What sort of game style do your players like, ie where do they stand on the subtle vs brute, combat vs puzzle bars and the like. Vegas I think would offer enough of all anyway. Also, from what I heard from a scion game, Vegas is rather easy to hide in as there are enough wonky things already.

[tyfon]

As far as I remember there was one of adventures in "Nights of Prophercy" featuring LV.

[bosssmiley]

@OP: What, you never watched "Casino"?

PS: "Gil Grisson: Vampire Hunter". That is all.

[Satyr]

One of the problems in vampire chronicles is often, that the question is not if but when the first PC betrays the rest of the group, and that there is often no real reason for the group to cooperate respectively the reasons for concurence are more prominent. So if you want your group to work together, give them a mutual motivation to do so.
The other question is the intended power of the chronicle - do you want to play a bunch of neonates who have little to no influence? Or, and this worksa particularly well with Vampire, do you intend to let players play more competent and powerfl characters? One of the most interesting campaigns for Vampire for me were those ones were the PCs hold places of powers or were officials in their town and had to cooperate to control their hunting ground and defend it against other groups of individuals.
With your setup and the external threat of a Sabbat invasion you give the PC's a reason to stand together and to actually defend the city, because they would lose their own holdings if they retreat.

[TheCountAlucard]

@OP: What, you never watched "Casino"?

Nope.

Anyway, I'll give a brief overview of the characters here...

P1's character is a Brujah, an executive in an accounting company who grew fed up with his career and now seeks to live out unlife to its fullest.

P2's character is also a Brujah, and is the owner of a somewhat-prestigious all-night tattoo parlor.

P3's character is a Nosferatu who turned to thievery in his life, and now spends his nights thinking up new heists.

P4's character is a Gangrel and a childhood friend of P3's. He owns an apartment with P3.

P5's character is a Tremere and a 19th-century detective. Today he runs a detective agency, using his magic to aid in his investigations.

P6's character is a Giovanni that enjoys the benefits of Las Vegas. While he's not in love with the Camarilla, he still favors its traditions over those of the Sabbat.

P7's character is a Lasombra who was bitten as a child. He was "adopted" by the Toreador primogen.

P8's character is a Malkavian, and works in computer maintenance for a variety of companies around Vegas. His derangement causes him to spend blood points at inappropriate times.

[tyfon]

Nope.

Anyway, I'll give a brief overview of the characters here...

P1's character is a Brujah, an executive in an accounting company who grew fed up with his career and now seeks to live out unlife to its fullest.

P2's character is also a Brujah, and is the owner of a somewhat-prestigious all-night tattoo parlor.

P3's character is a Nosferatu who turned to thievery in his life, and now spends his nights thinking up new heists.

P4's character is a Gangrel and a childhood friend of P3's. He owns an apartment with P3.

P5's character is a Tremere and a 19th-century detective. Today he runs a detective agency, using his magic to aid in his investigations.

P6's character is a Giovanni that enjoys the benefits of Las Vegas. While he's not in love with the Camarilla, he still favors its traditions over those of the Sabbat.

P7's character is a Lasombra who was bitten as a child. He was "adopted" by the Toreador primogen.

And they are forming coterie because ...?

This is basic question You must answer

[TheCountAlucard]

And they are forming coterie because ...?

This is basic question You must answer

Well, we had a bunch of solo session last time that eventually got them together as a group, with the exception of P1 and P8. The different characters had, in their own ways, stumbled upon a Sabbat pack that had infiltrated the city.

[tyfon]

7 characters - it is plenty - especially for WoD... Could You tell me if all players are present ? I see that you rapproach is quite individual, it implies rather DM-player than DM-group interaction which is fine. You have some characters that belong to non-camarilla clans, and some have very rigrid chain of command - this is also fun, because You could play conflict of intrests within party.

Las Vegas metropolitan area holds about 2 mln people, + tourists, that 'd make around 3 million, I'd guess. Be aware that such population can sustain about 30 vamipres - in that case your players form actually biggest vampiric party in area. Option a) is roll with it. It's actually fun, there are only few elders and players are generally on their own. If they are to fend off Sabat they are going to have good plan, or stats better than neonates. Possibly, both traits. Otherwise, I'd recommend increasing city population - to hold - let say - 50 kindred.

Sabat packs are propably nomadic, but even then they have some encampent - maybe one of suburbs in metro area ? It's more than possible that one of city kindred is a spy. Get "midnight Siege" - it is nice sourcebook about vampiric warfare.

Keep in mind that LV is very sensitive when it comes to masquerade breach attacks - those are usually covered up as "terrorism" and "gang fights" - both those damage tourism, which is one of most profitable industires in city. It is possible that there are very severe feeding laws in the domain (for example every killing tourist when feeding is equal to banishment or blood hunt). Sabat parties crashing into that city could really make life nasty for camarilla.

So much to write ;/

Players

1 - Kind of PricewaterhouseCoopers analyst on loose ? Too little to say. What is he doing? His influence? Domain?
2 - Quite typical, would be nice if he, and player 1 were connected by blood (no, not on anteduvilan level)
3 - Great for information gathering. Maybe he would search for sabbat spy ?
4 - In your campaign gangrel clan is still member of camarilla or not? In second situation - it presents interesting choices ...
5 - They could begreat team with nosfer - is there chantry in city ? how numerous ? Maybe character has been sent there for purpose, but elders kept this away from him ?
6 - he is propably only giovanni on domain. O are there forming separate group? What are clan aims there. Remember they are like tremere but worse. One command from Venice and he will be spying for sabbat. Great for interaction with Sabbat (he is unaligned, meeting could be arranged by his elders)
7 - Pitty You do not have Torreador here - 'd form great connection. Lasombra kill antitribu on-sight, and character should be confronted with parrent clan. They could try to recruit him. Or kidnap and force to join. When there is a siege then lasombra antitribu is generally considered worthy target for war party (for ideologicall reasons) - so he will be interesting for sabbat spies.

More devious : maybe his embace wasn't that 'casual' ? Maybe he is spy that is not aware of that ? This would be great for plot.

[TheCountAlucard]

1 - Kind of PricewaterhouseCoopers analyst on loose ? Too little to say. What is he doing? His influence? Domain?

Well, these days, he seeks to enjoy himself, although he's willing to assist others with financial issues, provided the mood strikes him.

4 - In your campaign gangrel clan is still member of camarilla or not?

In my game, Gangrel are still affiliated with the Camarilla.

5 - They could begreat team with nosfer - is there chantry in city?

Not decided yet. I'm still kinda new at this...

7 - More devious : maybe his embace wasn't that 'casual' ? Maybe he is spy that is not aware of that ? This would be great for plot.

In fact, the player and I worked it out - his character was sired with the intention of infiltrating the Camarilla. However, before the plan could be implemented, he ran away from the Sabbat.

[tyfon]

Well, these days, he seeks to enjoy himself, although he's willing to assist others with financial issues, provided the mood strikes him.

Having money could be great advantage during wartime. Actually,It's one of biggest assets of Cammarilla, because they are generally better when it comes to mortal institutions. On other hand Sabbat will try to subtly influence business in city - this is kind of most kindred-game: you never see enemy, yet You can lose your unlife. Consider scenario where one of assistants is presenting data about company wrongdoings to media (cause he/she is ghouled by sabbat). Then some mysterious private equity fund is buying cheap shares of players company. Nice thing could happen

In my game, Gangrel are still affiliated with the Camarilla.

Hmm... look to the countryside around LV - there could be some good options there for this player.

Not decided yet. I'm still kinda new at this...

This is kind of important - Tremere are fierce enemies of Sabbat. Are there Tremere antitribu in your game ?

Keep in mind that destroying chantry Sabbat always considers it's main goal during siege.

In fact, the player and I worked it out - his character was sired with the intention of infiltrating the Camarilla. However, before the plan could be implemented, he ran away from the Sabbat.

Heh... and maybe there is blood bond to Sabbat? or he is dominated? Or worse, one of his elders (elders, elders) is going to dominate him from distance (lvl 8), basing on fact he have seen him ? Sabbat uses even tricks, where they replace soul in the body to put spy into the city.

[TheCountAlucard]

This is kind of important - Tremere are fierce enemies of Sabbat. Are there Tremere antitribu in your game?

Err, I had gone with what the book said, with all the Sabbat Tremere being destroyed in some incident in Mexico...

[tyfon]

Err, I had gone with what the book said, with all the Sabbat Tremere being destroyed in some incident in Mexico...

Some incident ? he hehe heheheh....

Arr right - vtm reviced without nights of prophercy :)

[TheCountAlucard]

Some incident ? he hehe heheheh....

Arr right - vtm reviced without nights of prophercy

...Something like that...

[tyfon]

I do not have many ideas now. How long isYour chronicle going to be? If long, then I think it'd be good to not focus on Sabbat threat. Yes, there are somewhere, yes, players should prepare/counter their moves, but it should not be central point. There should be enemies within Camarilla, some politics and personal life (errr... unlife). If you go into this Sabbat/Cammies stuff, You will end with war pretty soon, and this is fine, but at same moment takes a lot of climate from the game.

Again, If You are looking for ideas I'd recommend borrowing/buying/finding somewhere "Nights of Prophercy" - It has whole chapter about LV and adventure taking place there (with hunters)

[Fishy]

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. He's back.

[Oracle_Hunter]

OK, disclaimer: I've always found the stock Vampire setting pretty trite. Bunch of angsty undead dealing with their unlife. I know you can run a Vampire game like it says in the books that is not this, but man, the setting just rubs me the wrong way.

That said, here's how I've made Vampire fun for me, and it might be a nice flavoring device for you.

Watch some movies about Las Vegas, or watch TV shows set there. Pick one that has a nice flavor to it, and pump your game full of that.

Personal Anecdote

Spoiler

Show

One of my best Vampire games was set in Miami in the 80's. 2 of the vampires worked for the police (the Prince's Sheriff was the head man) and became embroiled in a dispute involving gun-running Sabbat and a Setite prostitution ring.

If you don't see where I'm going yet: Miami Vice.

It helped me flesh out the "flair" of the region, and it really helped my players get a sense of the setting. All of them were new to Vampire anyhow, and I did allow all the regular metaplots as well, but the story and the themes were very much Miami Vice.

Unintentionally on my part, the 2 police vampires were thrown off the force for botching the security for a couple of Elder Vampires being shipped in as freight, but after uncovering and foiling a plot to overthrow the Prince, the Sheriff begrudgingly let them back on the force. The chronicle ended with them high-fiving.

Your players don't need to be familiar with whatever source material you use - they should be vaguely conscious of the Viva Las Vegas tropes, so playing up those tropes should help get them cemented into your setting, and therefore the plot.

[OverdrivePrime]

Personal Anecdote

Spoiler

Show

One of my best Vampire games was set in Miami in the 80's. 2 of the vampires worked for the police (the Prince's Sheriff was the head man) and became embroiled in a dispute involving gun-running Sabbat and a Setite prostitution ring.

If you don't see where I'm going yet: Miami Vice.

It helped me flesh out the "flair" of the region, and it really helped my players get a sense of the setting. All of them were new to Vampire anyhow, and I did allow all the regular metaplots as well, but the story and the themes were very much Miami Vice.

Unintentionally on my part, the 2 police vampires were thrown off the force for botching the security for a couple of Elder Vampires being shipped in as freight, but after uncovering and foiling a plot to overthrow the Prince, the Sheriff begrudgingly let them back on the force. The chronicle ended with them high-fiving.

That is forged of purest awesome upon the anvil of win! Sounds like a chronicle that will always be talked about by your players, just before sighing fondly.

[Oracle_Hunter]

That is forged of purest awesome upon the anvil of win! Sounds like a chronicle that will always be talked about by your players, just before sighing fondly.

It was truly the Greatest Game I have ever run. I tried to top it with a Roaring 20's setting, but that ended poorly thanks to the "paranoid" speakeasy owner failing to... well, be paranoid about the nice vampiric chap who wanted to go into business with him.