Kindred Status Merits

Given that there seems to be some confusion as to how the Status merit works when applied to clan, covenant and (the vampiric) city, we thought we’d take the opportunity to clarify and also tweak the rules to produce a better play experience.

The Status merit is bought separately for each different kind of Status at 1 Experience per dot, with each kind of Status having 1-5 dots available. This covers mundane Status (in professions or areas of the setting) but the clarifications we want to talk about are specifically the Kindred Status merits.

Each character has three kinds of Status available: clan, covenant and city. The default for each character that we recommend is one point of Status in each.

City Status means that you’re acknowledged in Kindred society and protected by its laws, and can hold Feeding Grounds.
Clan Status means that your clan accepts you as one of theirs and their structures (e.g. the Necropolis) will allow you access without any trouble.
Covenant Status means that your covenant accepts you as one of theirs and, more importantly, will potentially allow you access to their secrets.

The likelihood is that every character will have a dot of each of these - if you start the game with 2 or 0 points of Status in any of these, make sure to talk to the STs about it, as it is unusual for a starting player character. It is possible for these to change in play but thanks to the Sanctity of XP, you will have the Experiences for any stripped Status merits returned to you so you can spend them on something else or work to regain your Status.

You will have a primary Status for both clan and covenant. This is your character’s clan (or the clan they have announced themselves to be part of publicly, if they are hiding their clan) and the covenant they are part of at the start of play. If they are Unaligned at the start of the game, primary covenant Status will be the first covenant they join in play.

Their primary Status can potentially change. This is unlikely to happen for clan but is possible, if your character has their Clan Status stripped and is adopted by another clan - this happened in our previous chronicle. However, this is an exceptional situation and you should talk to the STs about it should something like this occur.

By the word of the rules, a character’s secondary Status in other covenants cannot equal their primary Status (so, if your character originally joined the Lancea et Sanctum, they would need to have 2 dots of Lance Status before they could buy 1 dot in Invictus Status). However, we are changing this: your character’s secondary covenant Status cannot exceed your primary covenant Status but can equal it (so, now the Lancea et Sanctum Kindred only needs one dot of Lance Status before they can gain a dot of Invictus Status). This is for simplicity and because of the lower power levels in our game.

Your character can only have access to the covenant secrets of your primary covenant (Cruac, Theban Sorcery, Coils of the Dragon, Invictus Oaths and Carthian Law) without risking serious in-game consequences. A player character or NPC can potentially teach you the secrets of their covenant when it is not your primary covenant, but it is highly dangerous for both teacher and pupil, leading to at best expulsion from the covenant and at worst...well, whatever punishment the covenant can cook up to fit a crime of that magnitude.

If you started in one covenant and have become disillusioned, don’t despair! You can change your primary covenant. In-game this involves finding members of that covenant who are willing to accept you into their society, then letting the STs know you want to change your primary covenant. Once you have changed your primary covenant and gained Status within it, you can learn that covenant’s secrets with minimal repercussions, though there may well be social consequences for your character from their old covenant, especially if they have learned covenant secrets in the past. Depending on your relative levels of covenant Status, you may lose some dots of Status in other covenants and mentors may become less accessible. However, any merits you no longer have access to will be refunded or you will have the opportunity to regain them.

Your total number of Status dots in all the covenants put together cannot exceed 5 at any point.

If this seems overly complicated, please do come and ask an ST to explain it. Changing covenants is meant to be a big deal in the game and should be an important part of your character’s arc, but we also need to make sure there are restrictions on and consequences for covenant secrets being shared. It is possible to hold secondary covenant Status and even be part of the Circle of the Crone’s Chorus or a Lay Member of the Lancea et Sanctum without changing covenants, but learning any of the unique mechanics of that covenant or covenant secrets will have the consequences discussed above. Covenants guard their knowledge fiercely and don’t take kindly to people joining just to learn them. For instance, we have an NPC called Melissa Pryor who has declared herself ‘covenant neutral’ - she started in the Invictus and has 2 dots of Invictus Status, but she also has a dot of every other covenant’s Status except the Carthian Movement. She does not have access to Cruac, Theban Sorcery or Coils (or at least, if she does, she’s keeping it quiet).

Example:
Larry is a Lancea et Sanctum vampire with 1 dot of Lance Status as his primary covenant Status (and 1 dot each of Gangrel and City Status). He finds himself increasingly drawn to the Invictus rather than the Lance and an Invictus player character, Tommy, helps him to gain the respect of other Invictus, meaning that he can buy 1 dot of Invictus Status. All fine and dandy. If Tommy then teaches Larry Invictus Oaths and anyone finds out, both Larry and Tommy are in all kinds of trouble.

Larry decides that he wants to learn Invictus Oaths and become a Notary, but he doesn’t want to risk him and Tommy being chucked out of the Invictus for it. He tells the STs that ha wants to change his primary covenant to the Invictus, meaning that the Lancea et Sanctum is now his secondary covenant Status. He can now learn Invictus Oaths without it negatively impacting his standing in the Invictus. However, he also knows 1 dot of Theban Sorcery - the Lance don’t like him leaving the covenant with that ability, so he has to assure them that he will not use it and if he does use it again and anyone finds out, he’s in trouble! He also finds that his mentor in the Lance is more distant and his old friends and allies there trust him less, and some in the Invictus suspect him of being a Lance infiltrator. He can work on these through socialising and proving himself trustworthy, and potentially keep his Lance mentor or have the Experiences refunded.

As a final point, the effective maximum any player character can have in a single clan, covenant, or city Status is 3.  If you get more Status than that in one group or the city as a whole, you’re moving into the lofty arena of the High Court, and so will become an NPC.  Don’t worry, we won’t impose this on anyone, although it’s a fine end of game goal to have for your character.

As ever, if you have any questions about this or want to clarify anything about your character’s Status merits, please e-mail us at shadesofnorwichdarkmetropolis@gmail.com.

FAQs: Wave 1

Welcome to our first FAQ post. As you may notice, we haven't included all of the questions here! These are the queries that we feel are most relevant at this stage, before the first concept discussion session.

Thank you for all your questions, and please keep them coming - especially if any of the below answers throw up any more for you.

A note about bloodlines:

We’ve had a lot of questions about bloodlines and while we will cover them in more detail in our second post, we wanted to say the following: we don't want to rule out the option of PCs starting as members of a bloodline, but we generally feel that the process of joining a bloodline would be best done in play. It's also worth coming up with ideas sans bloodlines, and then talking to us about the possibility of adding a bloodline.


Character Creation

Can I start with Allies 5?
No PC will be able to start with any trait at 5.  We want people to have something to develop in play!  It's also worth noting that NPCs will have sway in given areas, so you may not be alone or uncontested in your influence.

Can I play a ghoul? What about a mortal?
We fully expect to see ghoul PCs, and would ideally encourage them to have PC Regnants.  Mortal PCs would represent a fundamental breach of the Masquerade, so will not be allowed.

Can I be a childe of a named NPC?
Absolutely, although some NPCs will not be suitable sires - you're unlikely to be able to play the childe of the Prince, for example. This will require investing some XP into a suitable Merit if you want to have a positive relationship with your sire, and with any connection to a Kindred NPC, the higher ranking they are, the more costly and time-consuming they will be to keep happy.

Can I start with no covenant or opt to ignore/not disclose clan?
Yes, although it will make things substantially more difficult for your PC and you will be cutting yourself off from a large part of the game.

We expect nearly every Unaligned PC to have the character goal "join a covenant". Generally, we feel players will get significantly more out of the game if they are able to engage with the opportunities for roleplay that a covenant represents.

As the clans each hold significant sway in the city in their own way, keeping your clan secret will present a major obstacle to advancing in your covenant or the city, as other Kindred will distrust anyone who's keeping something as fundamental as their clan under wraps.

We'd want a strong reason for your PC to be keeping their clan secret, and as with any secret in Dark Metropolis, a plan and an expectation for it to be revealed at a suitably dramatic moment!

What kind of size can a group concept be?
Between 2 and 4-5. We’d generally discourage larger group concepts, as otherwise they may represent a significant proportion of our players, make unwieldy power blocks and dilute the group concept! We actively encourage also having ties to PCs outside of your immediate concept/coterie.

Can I be from out of town or do I have to have been Embraced in norwich?
We would strongly prefer that PCs have been Embraced in Norwich.  However, if you have a specific concept that you believe is enhanced by being from outside of Norwich, please get in touch with the ST team.

Can I be an old vampire who has just come out of torpor?
No. We want all PCs to be neonates who have been Embraced for a decade or less.

How much Status of various flavours will we be able to obtain?
At startup, a PC can choose to buy up to 2 dots of Clan, Covenant or City Status. During play, PCs will be able to buy up to 3 dots in Clan, Covenant or City Status.  Achieving more than that will move you firmly into NPC territory and character retirement.

NB: While Status, and Merits of any kind, can be lost over the course of play, the XP used to buy it will be retained. Essentially, a player cannot “lose” XP if they drop in Merit dots.

Will there be the possibility of being in multiple covenants, something which Blood and Smoke seems to encourage?

Having Status in multiple Covenants is possible, although there may be a level of distrust if you’re not a “full” member of the covenant.  We are looking at how the mechanical aspects and covenant resources such as buildings and information would work across multiple covenants, and keeping an eye of the Merits being developed for Secrets of the Covenants.

Can I be in the holy engineers/brides of dracula/tier 3 covenants?
No. We’re focusing on the covenants in Blood and Smoke and exploring the possibilities within them!


During the Chronicle

What length of game session are you looking at?
We’ll usually be looking at sessions on Saturday evenings, to fit with the UEA GamesSoc live games schedule. Sessions will be booked from 6pm for sign in, player queries and any issues that need resolving, with time-in aimed for 7pm. Sessions usually last until 10.30pm, with tidying up and vacating premises done by 11pm.

How much of an uptime and downtime split are you expecting? Will anything happen in downtime periods that is not in a downtime? Are you expecting people to talk to each other in downtime?
We plan on the main emphasis of the game being in uptime. Downtime is a good point to pursue personal plots that cannot be pursued in uptime, to research into uptime plots to help further them next session, paying rent and maintaining territory, and to develop your character both in terms of mechanics and story.

People are welcome to roleplay with each other during downtime, but we do not wish to make it a required part of the game.  Where possible, we'd like to keep as much roleplaying in uptime as possible, to maximise the number of players that can be potentially involved.

It’s worth noting that we expect all players to be able to attend games and submit downtimes on a regular basis. If a player does not attend a game three times in a row, then we will get in touch to see how we can support them in engaging more closely with the game.

What court positions can I get without being NPC'd? Or Which court positions are held by NPC and which can player characters work towards?
Becoming Clan Priscus is a way to sidle into influence and power, though some clans might find it more of a challenge than others. We're currently working on the basis that players can become Harpies and Hounds as mid-term goals for their characters.  Once you move to the High Court, you become an NPC, so becoming the Sheriff, Herald, Seneschal, or any other High Court role would be firmly in NPC territory.  That said, we fully expect PCs to work as assistants to some of these positions.

As far as territory is concerned, becoming Regent of one of the seven Regencies would result in a character becoming an NPC, but being Baron of a District, its landlord, reporting directly to a Regent, is something that both better-respected Low Court and High Court Kindred can achieve.

Will going High Court always be a player choice?
As Dark Metropolis is a collaborative story game, succeeding in becoming High Court will always be something that is achieved through Player and Storytellers working together. We’ll flag up character goals that will end up in the High Court so there are no surprises. We don’t want players to stop playing characters they’re enjoying, and if someone decides that they definitely don’t want to join the High Court then we will work with them to explore stories that alter the character’s path in a fun and interesting way.

Remember, it takes a concerted effort over a period of time to join the High Court, so it won’t be accidental or unexpected!

How important will clan/covenant be relative to each other?
Fundamentally, both are factions within the city. Being an Daeva Ordo Dracul is different from being a Gangrel Ordo Dracul, but you’re still an Ordo Dracul (and a Daeva or a Gangrel). You’re also a Vampire and a business person and the favourite of an Elder and the Regnant to a ghoul and a member of your coterie, so you will be having to juggle all of your obligations and responsibilities, to Clan, Covenant and City.

Can I visit London? Can I visit Kings Lynn/other outside locations?
We're planning on Dark Metropolis being focused on one city: the inter-Fief politics and exploration of the rest of the UK from Shades of Norwich are not stories we want to focus on in this game. Travelling is a risky enterprise for Kindred at the best of times, and being in someone else's territory puts you at their mercy. This isn't to say it can't be done, but you will be putting your PC’s life at risk if you travel outside of the city - not least because vampires are extremely territorial, but there are other things out there...

I'm a Gangrel, can I go live in the woods?
All PCs will live in Norwich, although the area of the city will have very sizably increased! Living in the outskirts is doable, but is dangerous. The Gangrel of Dark Metropolis are urban predators rather than backwoods survivalists, so would generally prefer to be close to the heart of the domain and look down on those who eschew city living.

How counter-Invictus/Prince can you get before your game becomes all dodging assassination?
The Carthian Movement are pretty counter-Invictus, and we'd recommend that PCs who want to go in that direction strongly consider the Carthian Movement for their covenant, or explore having ties or alliances with them. Prince Lockwood doesn't believe in killing Kindred in general, preferring social maneuvering and political pressure to keep her enemies at bay.  That said, direct violent towards the Prince or her allies may well be met with a forceful response!

The more friends, allies, status and standing you have, the harder it is for you to disappear with no questions asked.  A lone unaligned neonate is at much more risk than a Kindred who is a recognised member of a clan and covenant, but it’s not so much to do with personal risk to life, but more to do with finding it difficult to get allies and status in the city. If you are too outspoken, even those who might otherwise approve can risk losing status by being your ally, so you may find yourself without feeding grounds or anywhere to live.

Can we have human ghouls/animal ghouls/humans who are clued in to the masquerade?
We actively encourage PC ghouls, and NPC ghouls or other mortal assistants and friends can be represented via the Retainer and Touchstone merits.  That said, humans who aren't ghouled are an inherent risk to the Masquerade, and the Kindred character would be in trouble if found out...

Can I own mundane business(es) and/or properties?
Absolutely!  We fully anticipate that PCs will have a wide range of business interests, and homes to call their own haven. As with Feeding and Havens, for Kine-related activity we will work with you to help you work out which District you call your home and how that may influence your character’s efforts (see Territories in the Setting questions below).

How much effect will characters be able to have on the city at large?
Shades of Norwich: Dark Metropolis is going to be a player-responsive game; PCs can have a substantial impact on the city, including manipulating Kine affairs, making inhospitable areas suitable for Kindred, or running areas of the city into the ground.  Of course, the larger your plans, the more likely you are to catch the attention of the High Court, for good or ill.

Setting

How much interaction between High Court and Low Court is there going to be? Are they mythical beings or do we see them everyday like our neighbours?
The Low Court are very aware of the reality of the High Court, as they are their landlords, Regents, Prisci and the face of the Prince's authority.  Various officers of the Court may attend Low Court gatherings to do business, investigate problems, or look for gossip.

It's much harder going in the other direction.  For a member of the Low Court to attend a High Court gathering requires an invitation and sponsorship from a High Courtier in good standing, and they will be under the closest scrutiny.  However, if you can impress, it can do wonders for your career.

The Prince is like the Mayor in the real world - you probably only see her at ceremonial occasions, you might have met her once if you've got a particularly enthusiastic and well-connected mentor, and you certainly wouldn't expect to see her at the Low Court meetings.

Below that, the Primogen and the Seneschal are unlikely to be in your neighbourhood often, or ever, but they're slightly more accessible than the Prince. The Sheriff is someone you don't want to see, because it means you're in a world of trouble. The Herald is slightly more accessible because they make announcements, but they mostly interact with the Low Court through their assistants. The lower-level Harpies and Hounds are the roles where you're most likely to be able to put faces to names. While they also have assistants, they generally try to attend Lower Court events and get to know all the Kindred of the city.

We’ll go into this in more detail in the future. It'll be safe to say, though, that you at least know who your clan Priscus is and have contact with them. Not necessarily true with the head of your covenant (which, it should be noted, does not necessarily coincide with a city role).

Are the Clans and Covenants getting special places for themselves?
There are going to be locations specific to clans and covenants.  The Nosferatu blog post touches on the Necropolis, the Daeva have claimed the city's storm tunnels as their own, and other locations will be revealed as we uncover more about the city in the blog.

In-character, such locations are likely to only be accessible to those with status in the faction or those who are invited and accompanied by another well-thought-of member of that faction.

Can I know about mages/werewolves/changelings/geists/mummys/the god machine? What do I know about the brood/VII?
PCs with suitable Occult scores or specialisations will be aware of the other supernatural residents of the World of Darkness.  Even without any dots in Occult, you will have heard rumours of there being other supernatural creatures, although you may be a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation.

Most Kindred will have heard stories about the Brood and VII, although they'll be rumours or "I heard from a friend of a friend" type of thing.  More detailed information about antagonist groups can be researched during play, although needless to say that may come with its own risks…

Will players be custom making their territories or should we give an outline of the sort of turf we want and you slot it in somewhere appropriate?
We will be detailing the city in terms of 25-30 districts based in 7 different Regencies. Our expectation will be that all PC owned territories will be based in one of these districts, leased from an NPC landlord, or Baron. However, we're happy to collaborate with our players to work out the details of their turf of one or two blocks of the city, especially what their feeding grounds, Havens and Herds look like in the game.

There will also be opportunities to try to reclaim some areas of the city that not even the Hounds have tried to clean up...

How many vampires, give or take, are there in the city?
Approximately 100, although that number is subject to change according to the needs of the game.

What's the state of the countryside? Is it still farming fields and forest, or is it more scrubland made unsuitable for farming by the adjacent metropolis?
Norfolk still has a heavy focus on agriculture and commercial forestry.  That said, the area in the immediate surrounds of the more industrial areas of Norwich are likely to be polluted and unsuitable for farming. The Broads are substantially changed, with some of it overtaken by the city itself, with a large number of industrial facilities for the extraction of natural gas and oil replacing the current landscape and small, poverty-stricken mining towns slowly emptying of people as gas mining becomes less profitable.

Kindred generally avoid the countryside at all costs.  There’s no good territory or feeding grounds out there, and there are things in the darkness of the night that scare even vampires.

How multicultural is the city? Are there different area where different cultures live? What about faiths?
The city will be culturally and ethnically diverse, similar to London. As in real life Norwich, it is a centre for immigrant and asylum seeker settlement for the UK. We foresee a combination of a ‘melting pot’ in some areas, with others more characterisable by a particular faith, ethnic or cultural background.

Clan Ventrue

Read Blood and Smoke for an exploration of the Ventrue mindset and relationship with the Beast. Our notes below give an idea of how they function socially and politically within Dark Metropolis.

Please bear in mind that these are still early notes and are not set in stone, especially as more setting information becomes available from White Wolf. However, we do not anticipate deviating from these notes drastically when we run Dark Met.

Clan Ventrue
Never. Lose. Your. Grip.

Mask: Controlled Power-Brokers, Upstanding Citizens

Dirge: Image-Obsessed, Inhumane Backstabbers


Who Are They?

A Kindred may wear a human appearance and speak a human language, but beneath it all lies a savage creature at its heart. Locked in a constant struggle between human and animal, Clan Ventrue are the most aware of just how fragile this human face is.

This is the Ventrue's greatest insight, and their greatest shame.

Some try to fight it. These are the good citizens, the respectable ones, the ones who like to flaunt just how much they are in touch with their human side and scatter good deeds into the night. They have human friends. They spend a lot of time with them. Most nights, they can even remember their names.

But even they know it is only a front. The Ventrue's struggle to maintain distance from the lure of the Beast puts them in an extremely precarious position in a Court which places such importance on self-control. In the Metropolis, Ventrue are seen at best a liability, and at worst dangerous vermin to put down.

And yet, they have their pride, and are desperate to gain and cling to power in this city where all eyes are on them, waiting for them to fall.

What Do They Want?

For a Ventrue, reputation is everything, and that holds true even in a city where they are reviled. Preoccupied with image and surface appearance, they are desperate to belong and excel, and desperate to show a united front to those outside the Clan.

But don’t mistake their united front for cosiness. Loyalty to the clan is all well and good, but it is surpassed by far to loyalty to family - and for a Ventrue, this is a vital distinction.

Blood ties are extremely important to a Ventrue, and one who chooses not to speak about their family, or who has no relationship with them, is looked at askance by their clanmates. At heart, they are social creatures. Some theorise that they need a support network to enact their schemes; some that they feed upon their families when times are tough. Ultimately, though, it's simpler than that. A Ventrue's family are the ones who will understand them. An immense strength, and a vulnerability.


Where Did They Come From?

It was not always so. Before Prince Anastasia came to power in World War II, Clan Ventrue had far greater standing. Prince Sebastian Cheverton, youngest scion of the Cheverton lineage of Ventrue, favoured his close family with largesse and clear favouritism, just as long as they played along with his every whim.

And his whims, by the end, were monstrous. The permissive, thrilling nihilism so prevalent in kine popular culture during the 1920s set the scene for his Court, but just as Ventrue can soar the heights of power, so too can they fall.

Distancing himself from humanity, Prince Sebastian became lost in his own mania and world of twisted decadence - so lost that he failed to take into account the dangers of the Blitz. Legend has it that he laughed when the bomb fell that put him to Final Death.

In the power vacuum that followed, and the rise to power of Prince Anastasia Lockwood, the remaining Ventrue scrabbled to rewrite history and help the clan recover its reputation. Prince Cheverton had been an unfortunate soul, they said, but should not be taken as a sole representative of the Clan. They were different. They would show the new Prince Lockwood just how different they were.

Most were unsuccessful, due to suspicion and fear from the other clans. In the end, many slunk away to the Low Court, fed up with pretending to be something they're not; others grasp for the Prince's favour.


What Do They Do?

Despite their poor reputation, the Ventrue of Norwich are still proud of who they are. And why shouldn’t they be? Their reputation stems partly from the fact that they wield such terrifying power over the world around them. From the besuited activist feeding upon a trustee during a board meeting to the stinking alley-lurker ripping apart her messenger pigeons when they bring bad news, every Ventrue holds dominion, in their different ways.

Self-control is the key. Whether a Ventrue leads a humane or inhumane Requiem, scrutiny from the other clans means that they are always under threat of being discredited. Whatever atrocities they might commit behind closed doors, in public they must maintain a tight leash on their behaviour. A reputation for violence - which many Low Court Ventrue cultivate - is no use if the Sheriff decides you are too out of control to be safe.

But Ventrue are also about controlling others. With a choice word here or there, a Ventrue will make a whole gathering aware that they know exactly what that Kindred sitting in the corner was up to last week. By pulling in favours from other clans and their human webs of connections, they wait for the right moment and strike at a weak spot. Such an attack may be social or physical, but either way the Ventrue walks away with their hands ostentatiously clean.

And what happens when a Ventrue threatens the reputation of the clan with out of control behaviour? Rumours are whispered of the Retreat, where eccentric Ventrue occasionally make visits for their health. Even members of the clan know little more than this - unless they are unfortunate enough to have direct contact with the Retreat themselves. In truth it is a prison where dangerously inhumane Ventrue are confined until they can regain their composure. After all, putting a relative, even a distant one, into involuntary torpor just because of an indiscretion is tremendously uncouth.


High Court and Low Court

The rare Ventrue who have managed to make it in the High Court don’t dwell on the bad old days - and if they do, it’s only to trusted family. To be successful they must demonstrate to the Prince and the rest of Court that they are responsible, good citizens of the Metropolis. Thus the High Court Ventrue are often famed philanthropists, high-profile assistants to those in need … anything to show just how far they are from their Beast.

In the Low Court, where Ventrue are more common, things are more varied. Some vie for approval from the High Court, providing services - some reputable, others less so - for their more prestigious clanmates. Others are whispered of as “fixers”, Kindred who’ll do dirty jobs another clan wouldn’t touch. Some Low Court Ventrue milk their name and lineage for all it’s worth, even if compared to a High Court line they’re no more than a peon. Where for some reason a Ventrue is solitary, they will try to fit in with coteries of other clans or else build a group of humans around themselves.

Whether High Court or Low Court, Ventrue are expected to display how in control they are - of themselves first and foremost. In the High Court, symbols of connection to humans are popular amongst Ventrue. Members of the same lineage will sport the same type of symbol, so several closely related Ventrue will wear a plaited ring of human hair on their forefinger, for instance. In the Low Court, current fashion is to carry a small vial of blood attached to a necklace or wristwatch to flaunt the fact that they will not frenzy in its presence.


Development Notes
The classic Ventrue is a creature in charge and in control. We wanted their Disciplines to reflect not only their hunger for dominion, but also their savage ability to enforce their will on others around them, so in Dark Metropolis they have Vigor as an in-clan Discipline (replacing Resilience).

While Ventrue are, understandably, often seen as a powerful clan compared to others, we want to explore how they behave as underdogs and how social pressures mould them. How far will they betray their darker urges - their truer selves? - in the hunt for greater power?

Questions to think about when playing a Ventrue:

How did you get the attention of your sire, and how does that affect how you approach your Requiem?

Who is your immediate family? Who do you get on with and who do you not? How are your relationships going to change?

If you are looking for approval from the High Court, how will you get it - through favours, backstabbing or violence? If you reject the High Court, how are you going to carve out a name for yourself?

How are you going to approach the social mores of Norwich, and how will you negotiate the tightrope between humanity and the Beast?

Clan Nosferatu

Read Blood and Smoke for an exploration of the Nosferatu mindset and relationship with the Beast. Our notes below give an idea of how they function socially and politically within Dark Metropolis.

Please bear in mind that these are still early notes and are not set in stone, especially as more setting information becomes available from White Wolf. However, we do not anticipate deviating from these notes drastically when we run Dark Met.

Clan Nosferatu
“Image is everything dahling.”

They’re the ones who take what many regard as their ‘curse’ and make it a blessing. Rather than hide in the shadows they take steps to demand your attention by making the effects of their uncomfortable nature part and parcel of the show. Artists, fashion designers, architects and other creative types are very much the public face of the clan. They’re the celebrated members of the court, the social movers and shakers, but that doesn't mean there isn't a place for those who don’t quite fit that mould…

Mask: Feuding Fashionistas, Avant-garde Freakshows
Dirge: Family First, Enduring Eternally

Who Are They?

Clan Nosferatu is, and has been for as long as most can remember, very publicly in a state of schism. The Two Towers, home to the Elders Samuel Asinelli and Simone Garisenda, dominate the city sky line and the Clan as a whole. This is a rivalry whose origins are long forgotten but that doesn’t mean either side are about to forgive and forget. Given the entrenched nature of this rivalry you’d be forgiven for expecting to see open warfare on the streets of the city, with Kindred striking down Kindred and Kine caught in the crossfire.

However, as with most things they do, the Nosferatu enjoy confounding expectations and there’s a long standing agreement that there will be no violence committed by either side against the other. Instead, disagreements are settled through competitions of various kinds; dance recitals, performance art, musical compositions and the like. As far as the two elders are concerned it’s a far more interesting method of resolving things than just resorting to base physical violence.

While this might confuse members of the other clans, it all makes perfect sense to the Nosferatu. Whatever disagreements or issues might come between them they’re all still family, and love or loathe them, they’re still your family.

This idea of non-violence extends beyond the clan as well. The Nosferatu, for the most part, prefer more interesting ways to settle their disputes and problems with the other clans, Kine and anything else that turns up. That’s not to say they won’t defend themselves if they need to, they’re just unlikely to throw the first punch.

What Do They Want?

Simply put: to survive. Their current outrageous displays of cutting edge fashion are simply a means to achieve that. The clan has always taken its cue from the ruling Prince’s attitudes and this is no different.

Prince Lockwood wants control? Well the Nosferatu can show her just how in control they are. They take their ‘weakness’ and make it a strength, they flaunt their oddities and peculiarities and make them something to be admired rather than reviled.

If a new Prince arises who wants something different? They’ll simply adapt to match the new fashions and attitudes. Survival is the key, and they’ve gotten very good at it over the years.






Where Did They Come From?

The Nosferatu go out of their way to remind people that they’ve always been in the city, to the point where the lobbies of both Towers have large, elegantly designed murals depicting the lineage of their respective owners and their history in the city. Scattered throughout the buildings are the paintings, etchings, photographs and other images of the towers showing how they’ve evolved and grown as time marched on. It’s a not-so-subtle message that the Nosferatu were here long before you were, and will be here long after you’ve gone.

Pride of place is given to images dating from the Second World War. Unlike much of the city both of the towers survived the bombing raid, something of a miracle given their size. While everything around them might have been leveled, the towers endured; leaving them with something of a legendary status in the city.

Another thing that only Nosferatu understand is the fact that the Two Towers, the public face of the never-ending feud, are linked by the Necropolis that sits beneath Norwich. The Necropolis is the heart of the Nosferatu, and while tensions may still exist they all know that The Necropolis is a place of refuge and safety for the clan.

The Necropolis itself was built as the city expanded, meaning that it is a custom-made space for the Nosferatu rather than a reclaimed one. This means there’s a variety of architectural styles and construction methods. The oldest parts are the medieval catacombs, but after that there came the eccentric Victorian follies, extensive playgrounds for the rich Kindred built underground as a place where they could be themselves and do what they wanted without risking the Masquerade. Then with modernity, thoughts turned more to luxury condos, like the opposite of penthouses, with swimming pools, bars and more built deep underground.

What Do They Do?





The Nosferatu thrive in this modern era by being noticed. By being the hot topic that everyone’s talking about. And they will do whatever it takes to keep it that way. They're the ones who throw the fashionable, exclusive parties, the ones who everyone's just dying to meet, and they're the ones who can make or break someone's reputation with a word.







They’re a feature of just about every creative scene. You’ll find musicians, poets, artists, fashion designers, architects and more within the clan. They pride themselves on being the cutting edge of their chosen medium and while this has the benefit of giving them an edge when it comes to wowing their audience, that isn’t what's important. What is important is the distraction this all provides from the fact that there is something quite definitely wrong with the Nosferatu when compared to normal people. But that’s not so much of an issue when everyone's so enamoured with the fabulous hat that a member of the clan is sporting, or when they’re admiring the latest series of paintings from an ‘eccentric genius’.

Bound up in this is of course, the Feud. The Lord and Lady of the Two Towers are always striving to outdo each other, to the point where they’ve been adding extra storeys, or even just longer lightning rods, to ensure that their tower is the tallest. Most members of the clan have chosen a side in the Feud and wear symbols to mark their allegiance. The more elaborate the symbol, the higher up you are in terms of status within the clan.

However, the Feud always comes second to family. Should there be a situation that threatens the clan as a whole or something that’s of a fundamental importance to them then the Nosferatu will put their differences aside to resolve it. Although any aid given to the other side might well be used as ammunition for the Feud once the truce comes to an end.

There are of course those who don’t quite fit in with the preening, artistic, public face of the clan, and there are also those who simply don’t want to fit in either. While these members of the clan will be publicly derided and ignored, they’re certainly valued privately for their skills and are always paid appropriately for any service they might provide. It’s not uncommon for members of the clan to have a decent reputation among the family without any outward sign that that’s the case.

High Court and Low Court

Regardless of a member of the Clan’s status within the city it’s practically a certainty that they’ve joined one side of the Feud, which is in some ways the first step on the ladder. After that there are two ways for neonate Nosferatu to work their way up. Either join in the public facade, or make yourself useful to the clan. The former will give them more social cachet among members of the other clans, the latter in some ways gets them more respect from their own clan as it can be a difficult path to take.

The High Court Nosferatu are, for the most part, made up of people who took the first path. They’re celebrated artists, fashion designers and so on. They’re the acceptable public face of the clan. There are members of the High Court who took the second path, which mostly just confuses members of the other clans but that’s all to the good as far as the Nosferatu are concerned. They do make a point of having very little public presence among the Kine though, in keeping with the Prince’s attitudes.

In the Low Court the Nosferatu have something that the other clans don’t. The idea of the clan as a family, and all the benefits and responsibilities that brings, runs from the top down to the very bottom. There’s always a place for a member of the family should they want it in the Necropolis, though of course they’ll be expected to pull their weight to keep it.

Development Notes

The Nosferatu are traditionally the clan who keeps to the shadows while being tolerated rather than favoured. Mostly that’s because they’re quite clearly odd, or strange or marked by the embrace more obviously than others. So we wanted to invert that and make them the social movers and shakers in Kindred society, trying to fill the vacuum left by the disgraced Daeva with their own, unique sort of style.

Along with that, there's the tendency for the adversity of the Nosferatu Clan Flaw to make them a little closer knit than the other clans. The idea of the Clan as a big, if divided, family, was something that really appealed to us both as a feature of the Clan and for the opportunities it can provide to players who choose to play a Nosferatu.

Mixed in with all of this is the fact that the Nosferatu are pragmatists at heart. In Dark Met they're all well aware that the song and dance they put on is simply a means to an end. Of course they might take pleasure in the fact that they’re being publicly celebrated and lauded, but they know that it’ll eventually end and they’ll have to find a new method of surviving.

Questions to think about with Nosferatu characters

Are you from Norwich or elsewhere?

Why were you embraced? Was there a purpose behind it? Was there something that drew your sire’s attention?

If you're from elsewhere what drew you to the Metropolis?

Are you aiming to be part of the public face of the clan? If so how are you hiding in plain sight? Perhaps more importantly, how are you planning on getting noticed by the elders?

How do you feel about the clan and the family? Have you picked a side in the Feud? If not, why not?

Clan Mekhet

Read Blood and Smoke for an exploration of the Mekhet mindset and relationship with the Beast. Our notes below give an idea of how they function socially and politically within Dark Metropolis.

Please bear in mind that these are still early notes and are not set in stone, especially as more setting information becomes available from White Wolf. However, we do not anticipate deviating from these notes drastically when we run Dark Metropolis.

Clan Mekhet

Who am I?

Mask: The faceless facilitators of Kindred society, the keepers of secrets.
Dirge: The guttering, dying flame of the self, ready to be snuffed out by the darkness of the Beast.

Who Are They?

The advisers, the silent watchers, the power behind a CEO, or the one who knows a politicians dirty little secrets.  The Mekhet are quietly everywhere, watching, listening, taking note.

But by doing this, hiding on the fringes, listening to other people live their lives or experience the highs and
lows of their Requiems, they become something less… something hollow.  The Mekhet feel their sense of self slowly fray away and unravel around them, leaving them clutching to whatever artificial fragments of identity they can claim.  Blood is wealth to most Kindred, but the Mekhet have a significant secondary trade among the clan for anything they can anchor themselves to - be it fake IDs, family photos, or other stolen mementoes and trinkets that remind them of their old life or help them to build a new existence.

And so the Mekhet make Masks – formalised identities and roles they fulfil in the clan hierarchy.  While not literally physical objects, many Mekhet (particularly among the High Court) chose to wear masks to display their identity to their clan-mates and advertise their skills to those who know how to read the clan’s code.  You’re not anyone in the clan until you’ve got a Mask, and stripping a Mask from a Mehket is one of the harshest punishments the clan can hand out.

What Do They Want?

Knowledge.  Answers to the world’s secrets.  And above all, an identity to claim as their own, lest the Beast and shadows decide to fill the void…

Where Did They Come From?

The Mekhet have always been something of a constant in Norwich.  They’ve never reached the heights of power, but neither have they had to slum it in the gutters and storm tunnels of the city.  The Mekhet know things, that that make them valuable to everyone.

Over the last fifty years or so however, the Mekhet have been on a gentle, subtle rise.  With the Daeva’s fall from grace and the other clans scrabbling around for what they left behind, the Mekhet stepped in to claim outstanding favours or quietly remind people of secrets better forgotten.  They’ve managed to secure significant holdings in the city as a result, which have secured the clan’s future in the city.

  

What Do They Do?

The Mekhet perform a wide variety of tasks in the city, and often move fluidly between roles as they change Masks.  Many Kindred understand that the Mekhet value identity, but few understand that the details of an identity rarely matter.  As long as you have something to anchor yourself to, does it matter precisely what it is?

That said, there’s definitely a hierarchy among the roles the Masks portray, and the Mekhet are no different to any other Kindred in their competitive nature.  The Mekhet Beast may express itself a little more subtly than the overt predator of the Gangrel or the creature of passion that is at the core of every Daeva, but it’s still the same jostling, hungry, territorial entity that every Kindred knows.  And so the Mekhet struggle for position, swapping Masks as they move up and down the ranks.  It’s rare that a Mekhet will end up with a role unsuited to their skills, but not unheard of for a competitor to manoeuvre a rival into an undesirable or incompatible Mask.

High Court and Low Court

Of all of the clans, there’s the least difference between the High and Low Court Mekhet.  Sure, the Masks change as you move up the ladder, but fundamentally the core of the clan stays the same - make someone of yourself.  The biggest divide exists at the very bottom rungs of the clan’s status, the gulf that separates those with an officially recognised Mask from those without.  Without a formal identity you’re no-one, to the extent that some High Court Mekhet will refuse to acknowledge the presence of Maskless members of the clan.  It’s one thing to be invisible by choice, but quite another to be forcefully ignored.

As they build their status and standing in the clan and city, many Mekhet begin to build literal cults of personality around themselves.  By getting kine and, where possible, other Kindred to acknowledge, respect, need or even worship your identity it becomes an increasingly solid foundation for your sense of self.  Circle and Lance Mekhet frequently gather congregations around themselves, but those in other covenants are just as prone towards having groups of yes men, starry-eyed rebels or obsessively dedicated researchers to support their identities.

Development Notes

Blood and Smoke highlights loss of identity as a key theme for the Mekhet, and it’s a struggle we wanted to put at the core of the clan in Dark Metropolis.  Rather than making them a bland tabula rasa, we want to have the process of forging an identity and sense of belonging a key element of the Mekhet play experience.

The formalised roles and identities of the Masks hopefully help to give the Mekhet a slightly alien aspect.  You identity is effectively in part clan property, and falling completely out of favour with the clan is something every Mekhet should fear.

Questions to think about with Mekhet characters

Who were you in life?  What have you lost of your mortal identity?  Who are you trying to be now?  What still keeps you connected?

What secrets do you know?  What knowledge do you seek?

How does your character build their identity with the mortal world?  Do they dive headstrong into emotion and feeling to help bolster their own identity, or do they try stand apart from humanity to define their new self more as Kindred than kine?

Clan Gangrel

Read Blood and Smoke for an exploration of the Gangrel mindset and relationship with the Beast. Our notes below give an idea of how they will function socially and politically within Dark Metropolis.

Please bear in mind that these are still early notes and are not set in stone, especially as more setting information becomes available from White Wolf. However, we do not anticipate deviating from these notes drastically when we run Dark Metropolis.

Clan Gangrel

Adapt and Survive

Mask: Confident, adaptable survivalists who dominate their surroundings

Dirge: Control-freaks desperately hiding the constant struggle against their feral Beast

Who Are They?

If the Gangrel know one thing, it’s how to survive in any situation. To evolve. Gangrel have lived in the Norwich greater metropolitan area for years, and they have been changed by the landscape, and changed it in turn.

Consummate survivors, they are the rulers of the concrete jungle. They admire their country cousins, survivors of the forests and wild lands, but look down on any neonate who tries to ape that feral attitude while living in the city.

Just like their feral cousins, they are obsessed with territory. In order to be Recognised within the Clan, you must own territory, whether you have stolen it, negotiated for it from a Regent, or tamed unclaimed land.

What Do They Want?

Dominance - over their surroundings, over their own fates, and over those who would threaten their survival. 

Where Did They Come From?

Everyone knows that they came from the forests, from the wilds, and the modern world spring up around them. But instead of simply watching, they became part of the world and made sure that it grew into something they could use.

After the previous Prince was killed in the extensive World War II bombing of the Metropolis, the current Prince Lockwood seized power through charisma, a smart plan, and allies - all power blocs respected by her Clan. She has shaped the city itself as any Gangrel would, with her own territory being entirely renovated, cultivated and gated off as one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in the Metropolis.

What Do They Do?

Students of the science of herds and feeding grounds, they consider part of owning a territory to be shaping it to best serve them.  They are social scientists and property magnates. Their domains are carefully managed farms, often planned with precision and moving almost like clockwork. The Gangrel take a long view - they don’t just focus on feeding themselves for one night, they build themselves an environment that means they can continue to feed in the most sustainable way. It’s the difference between giving someone a fish and teaching them to fish.

They are smart, tough, refined when they need to be, violent when the situation calls for it, and above all they need to move confidently through any situation. They must show no doubt in front of the other Clans. Many refuse to show doubt even amongst their brethren.

The Gangrel more than any other Clan will raise fists to one another, issuing challenges, showing displeasure, showing dominance, or honing each other’s skills. But if you are taking territory from a fellow Gangrel, then any method is acceptable - backroom deals, inspiring revolt, violence, or smarts - so long as it works. They are highly critical of anyone who is bestial or savage, because it indicates a lack of self control, a lack of self knowledge, and a demonstration that someone is not ready to survive in the Metropolis.

To frenzy is to admit that the Beast is stronger than you are. A Gangrel would never seek to reject or suppress their Beast, but they cannot let it control them. Many Gangrel seek out private lives in which they can indulge their darker, more bestial sides, seeking to exhaust their Beast under controlled circumstances. This is a weakness, of course, and of course no Gangrel could ever have such a weakness...

High Court and Low Court

The Gangrel of the High Court enjoy an elevated presence and respect from the influence of their Prince. She insists on separating her Gangrel blood from her Invictus status, however, and lets the Gangrel dictate their own personal policies and politics.

More powerful Gangrel enjoy and seek out stability and order, because they and their allies are the ones who can assert it. Stability is good for the Herds, and neonates who threaten that are quickly crushed: any who survive are worthy of at least a little respect.

In the Low Court, Gangrel try to squeeze every last drop of possible respect or power they might get from being the Prince’s Clan, from being tough, or smart, or knowing the city’s streets. Some work together in packs, some work with members of other Clans to share each other’s strengths, and others trust only themselves and their Beasts.

Development Notes

The Gangrel have always been the ones you can’t kill, but in the Metropolis, that means something very different. We’re interested in exploring the impact of living in an extremely urbanised environment on a Clan that is classically seen as ‘sleeping in a field’.

In Blood and Smoke, the Gangrel’s Beast no longer affects their mental capacities, and we are interested in further exploring how that affects their survivalist attitude. Instead, their Beasts lie closer to the surface than it does with other Clans. Obviously this can be a great strength for a Gangrel who needs a physical boost, but we want to be able to explore the risks inherent in giving up control on such a fundamental level, and how that can impact someone’s long-term plans for survival.

Questions to think about with Gangrel characters

Who were you in life? How did you lose your mortal life to your sire, and how does that affect how you approach your Requiem?

How do you shape your environment? Do you own territory - if so, how did you gain it?

If you don’t have territory of your own, how are you planning on gaining it - through favours or betrayal, manipulation or violence?

How do you strike the balance between your Beast and your self-control?

Clan Daeva

Read Blood and Smoke for an exploration of the Daeva mindset and relationship with the Beast. Our notes below give an idea of how they function socially and politically within Dark Metropolis.

Please bear in mind that these are still early notes and are not set in stone, especially as more setting information becomes available from White Wolf. However, we do not anticipate deviating from these notes drastically when we run Dark Met.


Clan Daeva
Gone But Not Forgotten

Mask: Rebellious Pariahs, Noble Firebrands
Dirge: Hurt and Needy Outcasts, Attention Seekers

Who Are They?

The Daeva are the disenfranchised firebrands, the Kindred who have to fight for every inch, a clan riven by internal tensions and rejected by the Court. In a Court that values self-control, the Daeva are dangerously emotional, viewed as slaves to their attachments rather than masters of them. They find it more difficult to rise through the ranks, and those that do make sure to demonstrate self-control. The ones that rise are always seen by the Court as ‘good for a Daeva’. To their own clan, they are traitors who reject their natures, called ‘pragmatists’ by those who like them and ‘sycophants’ by those who don’t.

What Do They Want?

Recognition by the Court. Failing that, solidarity as they party in the liminal places. Many of them encode a big ‘fuck you’ into everything they do: though the Court can sweep them into the gutters, they’ll make damn sure it won’t forget them. What’s worse than being rejected? Being ignored.

Where Did They Come From?

Clan Daeva used to have more respect in Norwich, though they were always regarded with suspicion, like children who might do something stupid at any time. Roughly fifty years ago the dangerous obsessions of a few older Daeva with a group of Kine caused a serious risk to the Masquerade and rifts between members of the Court. The details are not talked about much these days, out of respect for the Elders, who were well thought of at the time, but the members of the Court saw it as a confirmation of what they already believed of the Daeva: they were narcissists and addicts who cared more for their own pleasures than for the Masquerade and the safety of other Kindred.

The Daeva Elders who had been involved in the incident went into voluntary torpor, acknowledging that they had become too attached to their food, and the Ancilla found that the Court became an unwelcoming place for them. Those with higher status were shunted out of their positions and the Daeva fell from grace.

Many left the city, outraged at being treated so, and those who stayed had to make a choice: work to prove to the Court that they were stable enough (and un-Daeva enough) to be trusted, denying their passions, or rebel.

What Do They Do?

While there has never been an out and out rebellion among the Daeva (most of them are smart enough to know that the other clans have too much to lose in helping them, and they can’t take on the Prince’s support network alone), they have used every opportunity to show how little they care about the system.

However, they also need to survive day to day, so they form alliances and do jobs for other Kindred. They find that even if they swear they don’t need anyone, they just hate feeling ignored, and if they allow themselves to be shut out of the system completely, they will almost certainly be forgotten.

Whether buying into the system for mainstream acceptance or as a statement of rebellion, very few Daeva are completely apolitical. Even those who reject the system wholesale, the fringe cases, are vocal in their raging and make sure the lapdog Kindred know what they’re missing.

Of course, being rejected by other Kindred just makes it all the sweeter when you can control the Kine with a bat of your lashes. Most Daeva have links to the mortal world, if nothing else because their feeding makes them...attached...to their victims. They’ll generally keep away from other Kindred’s Regencies for feeding and socialising. However, some of them deliberately go head to head with High Court Kindred in the mortal world, because Kindred influence can only go so far in stopping them. Maybe it’s because the Daeva are so used to humans falling at their feet to please them, but members of the clan seem to take it as a personal affront when other Kindred dismiss them.

They live on the fringes, in storm tunnels, in barren bits of the city paying way over the odds for rent to their Regent. But they always make something of it. Push them down, they come back up and make you wish you’d gone down there with them. They have turned the storm tunnels into their personal playground. They’ve taken a deserted warehouse Haven and made it a highly illegal, highly desirable nightclub. It’s not velvet ropes and champagne fountains: it’s industrial chic and raw, bleeding edge fashion. It’s pirate cinema and counter culture. They’re trendsetters who refuse to walk the runways and MCs who operate best on no budget and a legal grey area. Somehow, they’ve taken their banishment and turned it into a fashion statement.

High Court and Low Court

There are very few High Court Daeva. Those that have made it to the top almost exclusively distance themselves from the behaviour of their clan mates, though they do not necessarily reject them on a personal basis. They are still often fiercely loyal within the clan and see themselves as ‘doing it for the clan’ as well as for themselves - they frame themselves as pragmatists who cater to Elders because they have a long term view. Some of them walk the fine line between clan and city, but others are proud of their compromise. The exceptions to this rule are those who could not avoid having positions within the court, or when the Daeva clan as a whole has decided to force someone into a position.


Within the Low Court, they often profess confidence and power they don’t have, using their social dominance in the Kine world as a way of making up for their lack of status in the Kindred one. They play favourites and know the value of helping people out when they’re in a pinch. They don’t keep track of who owes whom (who has the time?) but a bit of give and take maintains their position.

Development Notes

Clan Daeva are traditionally the high society darlings who throw the best parties and know all the best people. We wanted to see how they would do as underdogs, as people with everything to lose. We also liked the paradox of the Daeva who can treat humans as vessels for blood and attention with barely a thought but who couldn’t just Majesty their way into court positions.

We wanted the Daeva to be desperate and raw, because when the Daeva fall from grace, they turn it into a rebellion and pretend it was their idea all the time. There’s still space for the traditional Daeva among those who still want to have court positions (the ‘pragmatists’), but they are rare and face prejudice from their own clan, as well as the already-existing prejudice against their clan as a whole. We were careful to make their rejection of the system highly political - just dropping the mic and walking out doesn’t make the game any fun.

Questions to think about with Daeva characters

Why did you come to a place that so clearly hates you?
Was it really your best, or only, option?
Or do you just like a challenge?
Are you willing to put aside your clan for status, or willing to put aside status to be true to your clan?
If your character is a rebel, what statement are they making?
If your character is a pragmatist, how do they justify going along with the system?
How do they deal practically with growing attached to those they feed from?
Do they feed on a few people to keep control over their attachments or spread their feeding widely to avoid any one strong attachment?
Who or what do they care about? When Daeva care, they do so passionately.
Do they try to keep the things they love separate from their life, denying themselves to protect their loved ones?
Or do they enjoy the things they hold dear while they last and risk losing them?