Darkness Emergent Event Name:  “Love Lies Bleeding”

Get your ticket here:  @ ByNightStudios

Cost: $5 (goes to the event Charity!)

Style: Nordic

Challenge Style: Consensual, Dramatic, Narrative

Storyteller: Nycci Daniels ([email protected]) 

Email for Sheets and Questions:  Nycci Daniels([email protected])

Books for Reference:  War of Ages , MET Vampire: the Masquerade 

Pre-Gens:  Limited Number Available at Check-In

Date: 1222

Restrictions:

• No GIovanni
• Tremere are still fairly new and are extremely mistrusted!

Character Creation:

• Per Page 84 of MET: VTM and Character Creation: Nordic
• Generation starts at 10th for free and is capped at 6th.
• No flaws/merits/skills/powers related to technology may be taken.
• Tremere automatically gain the Notoriety flaw
• Note:  This is a light version of the 2013 VtM Rules which require a passing knowledge of both Mind’s Eye Theater Vampire: the Masquerade rules as well as War of Ages Nordic LARP knowledge.

Setting: The setting is based around a V20 Dark Ages Setting in Paris, France using the War of Ages: Nordic “rules”. Characters may select from any of the core clans with the understanding that some aspects of the characters as presented in War of Ages do not translate to a Dark Ages setting. Characters may choose to be from any of the major Courts & Fiefdoms of the Dark Ages world including:

• The Fiefs of the Black Cross (Must be a vassal to Hardestat or one of his prominent vassals)
• The Baronies of Avalon (must be a vassal to Mithras or one of his vassals)
• They Courts of Love (Must be a vassal to Matriarch Salianna, one of her vassals or sworn to Prince Alexander)
• The Sea of Shadows (Must be a vassal to Lord Montano or one of his vassals)
• The Obertus Landholds
• The Voivodate
• The City-States of Italy
• The Midnight Crescent

Each of these are considered “Factions” for the purpose of gameplay and have their own motivations as listed below.

Factions:

The Fiefs of the Black Cross

Those loyal to the Black Cross have sworn their allegiance to Hardestat or another of Hardestats vassals.  They are in Paris because Hardestat’s vassals see an opportunity should the boy Prince of Paris fall to his enemies.  While they would not outwardly admit they are spies, let’s be honest, they are.  

The Baronies of Avalon 

Those loyal to Mithras or his vassals are truly a sight to behold.  Hailing from a land that would produce some of the most notable members of the monarchy (human and vampire), the Mitracites are present in “support” of the boy Prince…or are they? Their motivation is to seize power wherever they can. If that means taking their precious ghouls or accidentally “embracing” some of their more notable french mortals, they are prepared to cause their own bit of chaos.

The Courts of Love

The Courts of Love is split in two – those who are members of this faction are either loyal to Matriarch Salianna or sworn to Prince Alexander, the boy Prince of Paris. There is strife brewing in the Courts of Love.  Those loyal to Salianna know that the trouble is brewing.  Those loyal to Alexander could care less and enjoy the pleasures of the night just a bit too much. That being said, all are wary of Prince Alexander’s obsession with the lovely Lorraine, the childe of Salianna.

The Sea of Shadows

Hailing from the Mediterranean, those who are part of the Sea of Shadows faction are present to attempt to gain support of other factions and to undercut those who would support the City States of Italy.  The early whisperings of a revolt are happening, and the more support that those followers of Lasombra and Montano can gain – even with dark promises of abyssal magics, the better off they are in the future that is to come. 

The Obertus Landholds

Though this territory does not officially exist, those who are part of this faction are present on behalf of their feudal lore, Myca Vykos in hopes to secure a treaty with the leaders of the Voivodate and the Fief of the Black Cross. The more favors and boons they can secure that can be cashed in, the better their chances of carving out their own area within Eastern Europe.  

The Voivodate

Led by the elusive and powerful Rustovich, the faction of the Voivodate are known for their warfare, their mysticism, and most of all, their ability to adapt to nearly any situation. Those of this faction are present because they are aware of the upstarts from nearby domains who seek to break away from the Voivodate and form their own area.  Will this work? Will it fail? They know what the stakes are, and they are present to see if it is worth their time and to determine who (if any) are willing to lend their support to these upstarts.  Not to mention, another war is brewing and the very possibility of a new threat to the Cainites in the form of the Tremere exists…well, allies against a common enemy are a very good thing to have.  

The City-States of Italy

The stronghold of the Cappadocian, the members of this faction are all Cappadocians, or those individuals who were born into the mortal Govanni family and retain their loyalty to “Uncle Augie”. Those who are present from this faction are there to gain support for the Cappadocians and for the Giovanni.  Each member of this faction has been tasked with a very important duty – to find one member of each clan who is worthy and trustworthy to join Augustus Giovanni for a future party at his home – date to be determined later. 

The Midnight Crescent

While not expressly invited to this soiree, those who are members of this faction are not barred from attending – they simply did not receive an invitation. Those that are present are there because someone else has invited them. The reason for them traveling this far is very specific. ST NOTE: This faction may be chosen, but expect that there may be very little interaction with the plot.

Powers:

• See the creation document here: Character Creation: Nordic

Out Of Character Mechanics:

Tokens:

Tokens are broken down into 3 main categories:

• Damage tokens – This is a token that is utilized to show you are inflicting pain or damage on another character.  Damage tokens can be negated by Resilience Tokens.
• Resilience Tokens – A Resilience Token is used to show that you stand strong in a conflict – even if you are beaten up badly, you stay on your feet or you protect someone at the expense of yourself.
• Escape Tokens – Escape Tokens are used if you have a power that allows you to escape a conflict. These are limited as they are considered “last ditch efforts” and take considerable toll on the user at the expense of their own safety.

Really, Really (from War of Ages, pg 226-226)

The words “really, really” tell the target that a Discipline power is being used so they know

to react appropriately. For example, a Presence Discipline power could be enacted against a

target by saying: “You really, really like me.”  A core concept of collaborative LARP play tying

into how “really, really” works is that the victim of a power decides how they want to play it. This

means that when you use a power on someone, you are making an invitation for them to engage in a scene with you. 

However, they can also play it their way. This can happen for many reasons. For example, you use the Presence power Majesty on another character by stating “You really, really love me.” However, for whatever reason they do not want to play that kind of attraction, so they decide to react to the power by being so bashful and shy by the love they feel for your character that they remove themselves from the scene.

Up or Down (From War of Ages, pg 226)

A method used in some Nordic Vampire LARPs, Up-Or-Down is a very specific use of Dementation-style Dominate powers where the power either heightens or dampens the current

emotions of the target. The use of the power is signaled by either lifting or lowering your

hand as if you were trying to signal someone to change the volume on a stereo.

In practice, Up-Or-Down works well in LARPs because the target player can react to it however

they wish. They can use it as an invitation to go overboard with highly emotional play or

do something more subtle, according to their reading of the scene.

Additional Out of Character Mechanics (all from War of Ages):

Black Box

Monologue Box

Play to Lose

Plot: The year is 1222, the Ventrue Prince Alexander of Paris has called a grand gathering in which he intends to declare his eternal love for the beautiful Lorraine, Childe of the Toreador Matriarch Salianna. He has opened the doors to the grand palace of the Premiere Arrondissement in Paris to members of the neighboring fiefdoms, fully aware of the drama that this may cause. For one night only however, he is welcoming both high and low clans with one simple rule – the gathering is a sacred Elysia, which may not be broken upon penalty of death. From the Fiefs of the Black Cross to the Voivodate of the East, Cainites have traveled to Paris to look upon the boy Prince of Paris. 

In the shadows, revolution is brewing – unrest in the Sea of Shadows, secrets seeping from the graves of the Italian City-States and even secret alliances among the fiends of neighboring states. In the shadows, a Toreador Matriarch waits for the perfect moment to strike against her enemy, calling upon her allies from among the followers of Mithras and Hardestat.

Then there are the Tremere, a rising threat in the darkness  – are they to be trusted? Can they become unlikely allies in the war that is brewing among Princes and Elders?

Unto the Cainites of the CIvilized (and Uncivilized World) – 

In a few short cycles of the moon, I, Alexander of Paris, undisputed King of Kings within France, shall declare my eternal love to the enchanting and beautiful Lorraine. I invite all those who would be willing to brave the perils of travel to join me in my Court for a night of celebration and revelry. Let this be a night when we celebrate our immortality and eternity. As Plato so deftly spoke in his Phaedrus, “the madness of love is the greatest of heaven’s blessings…”

Alexander

Ventrue Prince of Paris