KANSAS CITY BY NIGHT

DISCLAIMER, PLEASE READ: Vampire the Masquerade® is a "Storytelling Game of Personal Horror©".  The themes, tones, and subjects encountered will be of an adult nature.  The subjects encountered during a game session are entirely fictional, but may be considered offensive.  Possible scenarios may include, but are not limited to:  racism, sexism, murder, rape, drug usage, explicit language, torture, violence, religious intolerance, mysticism, politics, graphic sexual perversion, mistreatment of animals, child endangerment, kidnapping, backstabbing, treachery, and cruel unusual punishment.  By being physically present during a game session (i.e. a player, an observer, on the phone with a player or observer, etc.), it is considered "Implied Consent".  If you are uncomfortable with these subjects, please refrain from attending.  A live game session will not be stopped, nor will any story, scene, or element be altered or "watered down" to accommodate your comfort level.  To eliminate the majority of conflicts, and in the best interest for everyone involved, you must be 21 yrs. old to be present during a session.

The Birthplace of Jazz.  The City of Fountains.  The Barbecue Capital of the World.  This is our setting… a veritable "shepherd's pie" of culture, history, and heritage.  The polished lights of the Country Club Plaza, the smog-filled streets of the West Bottoms, the seedy jazz clubs of 18^th and Vine, the historical sites of Independence, the artistic flourish of Soho, the "alternative" nightlife of Westport, and the venture-capitalism of The Power and Light District… all wrapped up together in one little "city".  A city this may be called, but unlike any other, for the air carries the fragrance of the country nearby.  For a city which stretches over 100 miles in radius, it boasts only about 500,000 residents.  A farmer's field is only a 5-minute drive from any point in the city.  Crops and livestock are just as common as taxis and buses.  Only here can you hit a deer in rush-hour traffic.  With areas like Swope Park, Waterworks, Maple Woods Nature Sanctuary, and Penn Valley Hill, hints of the country are never too far away.  It is here where we derive our conflict.  Rural meets Urban everyday, and everyday the conflict worsens.  The "cowboys" clash with the "gangstas".  The "good ol' boys" clash with the "urban developers".  The warm smile and hearty handshake of country-life combines with the cold & heartless malice of the inner-city in an unnerving harmony.  Paranoia is an ever-present commodity.  Who can one trust?  What am I being labeled as?  Who's really in control?  The threat of violence plagues the streets at every turn… despite the neighborhood you're in.  The rich upper-class suburbs of Loch Loyd and Briarcliff West are just as threatening as the poverty-stricken ghettos of Northeast and Paseo… sometimes more so.  And that's just the mortals!  Vampires populate the city, seeking refuge where they can, pushing hard for power & control over the urban developments… knowing all too well the threat of the Werewolves (who see the concrete creeping closer to their sacred lands) is only a stones-throw away.  Throw in the Mages, who see significance in the city's geographical location, and the numerous Wraiths who make the city one of the "most haunted" in the nation, and you have the perfect breeding grounds for chaos and fear.  And, with the recent introductions of major telecommunications and industrial hubs (i.e. Sprint, GM, Verizon, Ford, Time Warner, Everest, and Harley Davidson HQ's), a new threat makes its presence known... a threat to all people, supernatural or otherwise.  From this chaotic darkness of tension and fear, can the creatures of the night attain unity to combat a common enemy?  Hello.  Welcome to The Heartland.  Welcome to Kansas City.

HOUSE RULES:

1.  This above all:  Keep your "drama" in the game.  This is a drama-free zone, and it will not be tolerated.
2. Respect my home, my wife and children have to live here the other 6 days of the week.
3. Alcoholic drinks may be utilized in moderation during game, but are highly discouraged.  This is a social RPG environment, and it's meant for fun, but it's not a college house-party.
4. My wife is not your maid, and I'm not your butler.  Ask first, but get it/clean it your own damn self.
5. Children are welcome provided they do not become a distraction.  We have a playpen and several comfy spots for kids to sleep if needed.
6. Maintain civility and a moderate noise level, as I do have neighbors.
7. Smoking is done outside, and outside only. Again, moderate the noise level.
8. Wash your feet & wear clean socks prior to coming over.  Also refrain from eating broccoli, burritos, beans, cheese dip, or any other type of food substance which induces uncontrollable gas.  Unless you plan on vacuuming or de-fumigating my home, shoes WILL go off at the gate.
   • A can of Lysol will be shoved up the ass of those with Irritable Bowel Discharge (JAY!)
9. Food, snacks, and drinks are a community effort.  Please forward all food preparation/cooking inquiries to my wife, Madame Jade, Master of Culinary Arts and Eminent Domain of the Kitchen.
   • Please do not bring kitchen/food issues to me, as I have no say over that portion of my home.
10. At the end of the night: Close the books, put away the dice, and remember that IT'S JUST A GAME!  Being mad at someone in real-life because of something which happened in-game is a waste of time.
    
    

META-GAME GUIDELINES FOR "KC BY NIGHT"

• Total player limit caps at 6.  No more will be considered.
• If an opening becomes available, any new prospective players will be required to observe one full session.  This is essentially a meet-n-greet, for both ST and Player alike.
• Your written character background will serve as your player petition.  It will be reviewed by the ST, and if approved, will secure your spot in the Coterie.
• Games are held weekly on Saturday nights.  Locations & times will be decided the prior week. 
• Once in character, stay in character.
• LARP hand-signals are expected to be used, even when not in a LARP session.
• If you choose to be a player, please adhere to the schedule of sessions.  It is a major hindrance to the other players when one of their "coterie members" is absent or late frequently. 
  1. NOTE:  We all understand that life happens, and that's perfectly fine.  In the event of absence, your character will be removed from the scene, and there will be no XP applied for that session.  If multiple players have issues on a given night, the session will be postponed, and no XP loss will apply.
     
     

CHARACTER CREATION PROCESS

1.       Create a written Vampire character background with the following details:

·         Name, Age, Appearance, Date Embraced

·         What were you in life?

·         What events lead up to your Embrace?

·         What motivates you to keep waking up every night?

·         Why are you in Kansas City?

2.       Record (in pencil) your character's stats on a generic Vamp sheet.

·         Use Core-Book defaults for new characters.

·         Spend all points given, and finalize Merits/Flaws before submitting for approval.  Characters who do not reflect all points spent will not be approved.

·         If awarded extra XP, apply it & re-submit.

3.       Document gear, carried equipment, Backgrounds, vehicles, Haven, etc..

·         Remember, the more detailed, the better!

4.       Submit all for approval.

·         Once approved, the ST will keep a copy of the character.

·         When "leveling" your characters, let the ST know so that his copy of your sheet can reflect your stat changes.

IN-GAME GUIDELINES

v  APPROVED BOOKS:

§  Vampire Core Rules Book (green cover, rose)

§  Vampire Player's Companion (light-green cover, biker chick on front)

§  Clanbooks (thin, soft cover, clan-specific)

v  All 13 clans listed in the base core-book are available for character creation.

Ø  Sabbat characters:  study your clan's ideals & motivations.  Put some thought into your character beyond just a mindless grunt who kills everyone he meets.

Ø  Independent characters:  study your clan's ideals & motivations.  Give yourself purpose beyond stereotypes, and base your actions thusly.

v  All characters will be created from base core-book defaults. 

Ø  Apply all freebie points, merits, flaws, and backgrounds before submitting for approval.

Ø  Once approved, an amount of XP may be awarded as a bonus for character detail.

v  If you'd like to bring in an "Established Character", convert it as detailed below.

Ø  The character's stats will be equal to base core-book defaults, plus 150 XP.

Ø  Allies & Contacts are assigned by the ST for the chronicle setting.

Ø  Possessions are valued & should reflect your Resources score.

v  All Havens, Resources, Vehicles, and Gear should be detailed in writing before start of game.

Ø  Resources background will be enforced.  If you have 3 dots in Resources, you won't have 4 Hummers, an Apple iPhone, and a 4-story house… unless you're a damn good thief!

Ø  Where do your Resources come from?  Investments?  Inheritance?  Business?  Extortion?

Ø  When designing Havens, graphic layouts are preferred.  Get as detailed as possible.  Remember, you're only limited by number of dots in Resources and your imagination!

Ø"I have a laptop, a cellphone, and a car."  Ok, that's great.  What kind of laptop, cellphone, and car?  Realistic details only enhance your character… if need-be, go to websites like Dell, Cingular, or Edmunds and print off a description of your items!

v  Backgrounds may be INCREASED with XP, but cannot be PURCHASED with XP

Ø  XP Point Cost for increasing Backgrounds:  CR x 6

Ø  GENERATION CANNOT BE INCREASED WITH XP! 

Ø  New Backgrounds are earned in-game, not purchased. 

§  Ex:  You can't decide one day "Hmm… I want to make some stronger Allies" and then POOF, it happens.  It takes time to build rapport & make allies.  

§  If you wish to obtain a new background, let me know & an in-game system will be devised.

v  "Generation"

Ø  Generation can only raised one of two ways:

§  Using default background/freebie points during character creation

§  Committing diablerie on a higher generation character in-game

v  "Diablerie"

Ø  Diablerie is the process of consuming another vampire's blood and life-energy

§  System for diablerie will be done in-game according to core book system

§  Diablerie is a very physically and mentally draining process, and therefore cannot be performed more than once in a 6 month timeframe.

v  PLAYER VS. PLAYER or "PvP"

§  Definition:  "Competitive and/or conflicting interaction within a game between two live participants."

·         Examples of "PvP" Conflict (not a complete list):

¨       Theft/Property destruction

¨       Social one-up-manship

¨       Political maneuvering

¨       Economic domination

¨       Romantic affairs

¨       Combat

§  "PvP" is LEGAL, provided a few basic guidelines are understood:

·         "Grief" (player harassment), and "Revenge" moves will not be allowed.

·         Unmotivated killings will not be allowed.

¨       Example:  "OOOOH!  ME BIG BRUJAH!  BRUJAH HATE TOREADOR!  BRUJAH SMASH!  BRUJAH SMASH TOREADOR!"   Yeah, go back to Faerun there, Chuckles the Barbarian.  I'm sure your Magical +5 Club of Ill-Conceived Notions will work just fine there.

·         If a player is killed, a new character may be brought in.  This character WILL NOT be a friend, relative, old classmate, or even butt-buddy of your previous character… and therefore would have no motivation to single out the player's character that killed you.

These rules have been instilled to ensure the smoothness of gameplay & character creation, and to enhance the challenge & fun that comes along with role-playing games.  If you feel something should be added, changed, or altered, please let me know.  After all, this is YOUR game!

In your most humble servitude,

Anthony M.

Storyteller, World Creator, and All-Around Macabre Lunatic