I'm looking for a small group of players for a rousing game of Vampire: The Dark Ages. (Note to those who own white wolf material: that's Vampire: the Dark Ages, and not Dark Ages: Vampire. I like the older version better, sorry.)
Anyway, in case you are unfamiliar with the setting, this takes place in a darker, more "gothic" version of Medieval Europe. The period is known among vampires as "The Long Night" and is only roughly based in authentic history. So feel free to include inspiration from the 15th century (or the 5th!) During the 1100s. Which is when we will be playing.
I'm going to wait until I know there is interest before I post more setting info. Although I will answer questions. So do ask them.
Now then, onto the Rules & then some teaser info for those who might not know the source material. Also, a note to all such newbies: there's no such thing as a stupid question, but you really can find a ton of information on Vampire: The Dark Ages with a quick google search.
1. It's your responsibility to read and follow these rules. If I catch you slipping, you're character will suffer. Three strikes and you're out.
2. I'm looking for a small group. So, if I get a lot of interest it will not be first come=first served. It will be best CS=first served.
3. Do not godmode, minmax, powergame, metagame, minigame, megaman, attempt to control another's PC or an important NPC in your post, kill a vampiric elder or other elite caracter in one fell slice, or any other such thing.
4. I am just and patient. Do not attempt to circumvent my authority, and I will remain a kind and loving Storyteller/GM/DM. Just consider that within play, I control Mother Nature, Science, Magic, Fate, God, Satan, Caine, Lilith, The Old Gods, Cthulhu, and any other powers that may or may not be.
5. Even the most naive and empathic Toreador is an undead blood drinker with a beast of vampiric hunger inside them, who will die in flames if left staked beneath the rising sun. No twilight pansies. No sparkling. Nothing too emo. No lame imitation vampires. None of it.
6. Vampires only. No zombies. No ghosts. No werewolves. No dhampyrs (these undead don't breed, nor can they naturally engage in sex anyway). No mortals. No ghouls. We are playing as Vampires.
7. One character per player at first. Do well with your primary character and you will earn the right to more.
8. Allusions to graphic content are fine. Explaining that graphic content has occured is also fine. Going into slow motion play-by-play detail of graphic content is generally best kept in PMs.
9. Harsh as some of these rules might sound, I'm here for you as much as I can be. If you have any questions, concerns or anything, PM me.
The Vampire Clans:
Assamites - The followers of Haqim (Assam). A clan of middle eastern assassins and scholars who hate other clans. Their weakness is that they crave the blood of other vampires. Their strength is in their ability to be silent and deadly.
Baali - A secretive clan of devil worshippers. Their weakness is that they are affected by religious symbols and that they are easily damaged by blessed weapons. Their strength is in the dark magic they weild and the demons who aid them.
Brujah - Noble knights and viscious warlords this is a clan of rebels and humanitarian philosophers. Their weakness is that they are quick to anger and easily fall into a bestial frenzy. Their strength is increased speed and strength.
Cappadocians - The clan of death. Morbid scholars obsessed with death, decay and the afterlife. Their weakness is that they look dead and corpselike and have difficulty in social situations. They have the ability to mimic they affects of death and decay in themselves or others.
Followers of Set - A clan from egypt, full of criminals and tempters. Their weakness is that they are damaged far worse by sunlight than other vampires. Yet they have the power to mimic the abilities of snakes. The powerful ones can even shapeshift into enormous serpents.
Gangrel - A feral clan of pagans, hunters and others who prefer to share their nights with animals rather than humans. Their weakness is that whenever they fall into a frenzy, they emerge with an animalistic feature. Yet they have great strength and the ability to shapshift into animal forms.
Lasombra - A spanish and italian clan of nobles and priests. Their weaknes is that they cast no reflection. But their strength is that they can create illusions and even sometimes weapons from pure shadow.
Malkavian - A clan defined by it's weakness: madness. Every member is irrevocably insane. And yet, they all seem to have remarkable insight into hidden truths. They also have the power to inflict varying degrees of madness upon others.
Nosferatu - The ugly ones. Every nosferatu has a twisted and horrible form. Some look like rotted corpses, some like diseased lepers, some are downright demonic. Their weakness is their hideous appearance. Their strength lies in stealth. They can become invisible or even cast the illusion of being someone else entirely.
Ravnos - The trickster clan. Full of rogues and wanderers, called "gypsies" in these times. Their weakness is that every member has a temptation which they will never be able to abstain from. Their gift is that they can cast illusions. Sometimes the illusions can last for great lengths of time.
Salubri - A nearly extinct clan of healers, peacemakers and even the occassional demon hunter. There are few left and with each member baring a third eye upon their foreheads, they are easy to pick out of a crowd. Their weakness is that the receive damage when drinking blood from the unwilling. Their strength lies in their third eye. Through it they can see the threads of life and death and they can manipulate them.
Toreador - A clan of artists and art lovers. Romantics. Playwrites. Craftsmen. Their weakness is that true beauty renders them in such awe, that they are effectively paralyzed. Their gift is for enthralling and seducing others.
Tremere - A newly formed clan of wizards who stole the blood of Salubri and Tzimisce elders. Their weakness is mystically enforced loyalty to the entire clan. Their gift is sorcery.
Tzimisce - The noble voivodes of eastern europe. They rule their lands with an iron fist. Their weakness is that they must sleep with soil from the area that was their home when they were turned. Their gift is their ability to reshape flesh and bone, permanently, into different forms.
Ventrue - The bluebloods. An aristocratic clan of the highest nobles who consider it their duty to rule and shape vampiric and mortal society alike. Their weakness is that each member has only one specific type of person who's blood will nourish them. Their gift is to dominate the minds and wills of others.
(Ahem!) Caitif - The clanless. Outcast and untrusted by other vampires. They lead a difficult existence. There weakness is that other vampires are loathe to trust or interact with them, nor will they generally hold positions of power in vampiric society. Even I nearly forgot to mention them, that's how unimportant they are. Their gifts can be just about anything, but there needs to be a damned good reason for it if it's one of the clan's specialties.