General World of Darkness Discussion Thread QQ Edition

[shadowdice]

I'd mention something like Thaum but might as well just play a regular game cause you're going to get sucked into the Pyramid or running with the random and precious few anarch tremere to learn even a little.

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never forget necromancy which depending on the edition you run can get you moved to where Other factions can't bad touch you, or Adopted

 

[chillyAvian]

So, I've recently been stuck on V20 Caitiff discipline combinations, playing around with them for fun combinations for a starting character. What Disciplines would people pick? I'm personally fond of grabbing Auspex, Dominate, and Vicissitude for a more social/spy focused character (admittedly I'd buy a dot of Daimonion as well to see people's secrets), and Thaumaturgy (Path of Mercury), Celerity, and Obfuscate for a more assassin-like character.

Assume 8th Generation Caitiff for planning things out.

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Potence
Fortitude
Celerity

Magic? Don't need it. Better senses? Sense this truck I've thrown at you. Socialization? Fuck that, I'm the sheriff's favorite hunting hound, he can talk for me

This caitiff will end up meeting the sun within a month

 

[Lorsïthrorung]

I learned about Shadow Wolves so it's now canon in my personal worldbuilding that the US Border Patrol and Homeland Security has outsourced jurisdiction of the Sanora desert to a tribe of native American werewolves. You're welcome.

 

[shadowdice]

A werewolf game I played in had a pack agreeing that A song of ice and fire is Children of Gaia or Fianna propaganda after my Zoo born Silver Fangs lupus convinced a human hating Métis to read the books in universe

Lupus: I need my phone back to upload images full of viruses to social media sites that Pentex managers scroll at midnight

Metis: Not now I am trying to understand Littlefinger's plot

Out of universe

Other Player: This character of mine doesn't know pop culture or have the social skills that you have set him up to acquire Rage when he realizes the series hasn't finished

Me: I think one can acquire rage just by reading scenes with Joffrey

 

[Lorsïthrorung]

Semi-related to my previous statement but does WOD have any supernatural federal Three-Letter-Organizations? Or is this all before SCP made the concept mainstream so it all has to be homebrewed?

 

[shadowdice]

Semi-related to my previous statement but does WOD have any supernatural federal Three-Letter-Organizations? Or is this all before SCP made the concept mainstream so it all has to be homebrewed?

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The have special affairs division which researched this stuff and now WOD has gone way into Deep State stuff with the Second inquisition

Edit

The Soviets/Russians also had stuff researching psychics in Orpheus

 

[Lorsïthrorung]

The have special affairs division which researched this stuff and now WOD has gone way into Deep State stuff with the Second inquisition

Edit

The Soviets/Russians also had stuff researching psychics in Orpheus

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I meant something closer to what Deadlock has with known supernatural entities working on government payroll.

 

[Vague Wanderer]

Semi-related to my previous statement but does WOD have any supernatural federal Three-Letter-Organizations? Or is this all before SCP made the concept mainstream so it all has to be homebrewed?

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Hunter the Vigil gives us Task Force: VALKYRIE, which is a US Black Ops group hunting the various things that go bump in the night, but that's CoD rather than oWoD. Hunter the Vigil in general kind of suggests a lot of little conspiracies along with a few larger ones, which is great for flavor, though it does kind of raise questions on how they all coexist with stuff like Invictus much less the Pentacle and the Seers of the Throne. Still, pretty sure the whole point of CoD is to let GMs decide that rather than have everything to deal with the overarching metaplot.

 

[kamenhero25]

Hunter the Vigil gives us Task Force: VALKYRIE, which is a US Black Ops group hunting the various things that go bump in the night, but that's CoD rather than oWoD. Hunter the Vigil in general kind of suggests a lot of little conspiracies along with a few larger ones, which is great for flavor, though it does kind of raise questions on how they all coexist with stuff like Invictus much less the Pentacle and the Seers of the Throne. Still, pretty sure the whole point of CoD is to let GMs decide that rather than have everything to deal with the overarching metaplot.

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Canonically, they're all entangled into a complicated mess where they maintain low-key rivalries and temporary alliances as benefits them (VALKYRIE specifically is implied to be deliberately shielded by vampires who find them useful for eliminating rivals with).

 

[Vague Wanderer]

Canonically, they're all entangled into a complicated mess where they maintain low-key rivalries and temporary alliances as benefits them (VALKYRIE specifically is implied to be deliberately shielded by vampires who find them useful for eliminating rivals with).

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Yeah, that sounds about right.

Tangentially related, while looking at HtV, was reminded of some of the silly things one can do with the Endowment system, and had a very silly idea: legally distinct Taimanin in CoD.

There's actually already a Compact for Prostitutes hunting Vampires/Slashers/everything else that preys on prostitutes and the other forgotten members of society (Crimson Halo) but they don't actually have Endowments. So, somehow, one of them develops a set of Tantric Rituals.

Mechanically, the basis for this is, somewhat ironically, the Catholic Benedictions in the Corebook. So, extended ritual (i.e. sex) that is used to power various boons/buffs for, lets go with a week. Technically we could make it indefinite, but a week is good. Primary limit is that the focus for the rite has to be used during the sexy fun times, with the first thing being the Taimanin suits, which are functionally a material focus for the ritual. You get armor equal to the number of dots you have in Tantric Rituals while it's active; Mechanically, this is Armor of St. Martin, except we're moving up a step in duration, which is offset by the material requirement (the armor doesn't work if you're not wearing it). It can be worn under other clothes, but the armor effect is magical, and almost invariably shreds other clothing/armor when it activates.

Beyond that, some sort of sword enhancer that lets one at least somewhat keep up with Celerity, with the rite requiring the use of the sword pommel to pleasure someone during the ritual, hence the preference for female operatives. Maybe some sort of boots/heel to get a wall running/longfall boot effect that's charged by stepping on people, and a collar that shields from mind control and is charmed with BDSM stuff. This would all make for a fairly effective Vampire hunting kit, especially if the 5th Endowment is some sort of tracking/divination effect, and it would all look completely ridiculous to absolutely everyone else in the universe, which is of course the real appeal here. Vampires convening to discuss how they're going to have to deal with the new threat that is sex ninjas is a funny mental image.

 

[Konradleijon]

Semi-related to my previous statement but does WOD have any supernatural federal Three-Letter-Organizations? Or is this all before SCP made the concept mainstream so it all has to be homebrewed?

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I'm sure that concept wasn't invented or even popularized by the SCP foundation.

It goes back at least to sixty conspiracy theories.

In the American Tabletop sphere Delta Green about a government organization that deals with Lovecraft stuff was in the 90s before the SCP foundation

But yes there was a sourcebook about the project twilight or the supernatural part of the government. I presume other government have their equivalent

 

[Gedou_Meta]

For the Old World of Darkness, don't forget Bob Schnoblin and his Pyramid of Satanic Power. One of the most accurate measures of the supernatural that non-supernatural orgs have access to, even if not many believe Bob.

 

[LeftWaiting]

For the Old World of Darkness, don't forget Bob Schnoblin and his Pyramid of Satanic Power. One of the most accurate measures of the supernatural that non-supernatural orgs have access to, even if not many believe Bob.

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Just remember that "most accurate" does not mean "actually accurate".
edit;

Spoiler

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https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Bob_Schnoblin

As you can see, while the actual organization of groups is bull he does know about a lot of the power players of the setting.

 

[Gedou_Meta]

For me, the TM is what makes it just so good.

 

[heralding_bubble]

a look into Mage the Ascension, with a lore/introductionary-story ending up at a new Mage vs Roko's Basilisk showdown



the story starts at 24:41.

 

[heralding_bubble]

Also, burgerkrieg premiering a Kindred of the East deep dive (3h 20m) atm

 

[Maragas]

Dimension 20 cast started a VTM season. Too bad it is 5th Edition especially since tone is way more fitting for the previous editions but if you like it, here is the link.
It is unfortunately in a netflix style website where you need a free trial at least to watch.

Mishaps, A Maw, and the Masquerade - City Council of Darkness - Dropout

A coterie of misfit vampires attempt to make big moves in undead society. Content Warning: Narrative portrayals of hard drug use (Cocaine-like fantasy drug) - [throughout] Blood-drinking and Exsanguination (Non-graphic descriptions) - [throughout] Car Crash with Injuries and Fatalities (Light d...

watch.dropout.tv

 

[Skitzyfrenic]

I wouldn't want to watch that table anyways.

I honestly never enjoyed Dimension20's people.

And I'd put money on them not really grokking VtM (which is somewhat apropos for V5) and understanding that it's a personal horror game. Not without a ST that really groks the system themselves. Like that guy who played Jasper and did a lot of work for his table, or, of course, Jason Carl who guided some truly terrible V5 tables into being decent, and two to being pretty damn good.

 

[shadowdice]

It is unfortunately in a netflix style website where you need a free trial at least to watch.

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even not knowing the group, that part makes it a hard pass

I wouldn't want to watch that table anyways.

I honestly never enjoyed Dimension20's people.

And I'd put money on them not really grokking VtM (which is somewhat apropos for V5) and understanding that it's a personal horror game. Not without a ST that really groks the system themselves. Like that guy who played Jasper and did a lot of work for his table, or, of course, Jason Carl who guided some truly terrible V5 tables into being decent, and two to being pretty damn good.

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Even if it isn't people who play it as personal horror, a lot of people who play V5 go the way of Safe-Edgy or Melodrama. I remember watching what I think was an Official RP or at least sponsored one for V5s Fall of London where all of the players were incredibly dismissive of Mithras with the GM not chipping in that yeah no, Mithras while not an actual god, is one of the vampires that largely deserves the Hype he has.

One Player: So my character is an ancient and powerful pharaoh who does not really get why people think Mithras is a big deal because that guy is young. He is a Nosferatu who looks kind of like a mummy.

Me watching: Is this guy trying to play a malkavian, or just someone who got hit by Dementation?

Other Player: So my character is a madame of a brothel who entertained noble clients and when she was taken to court and tried her demeanor showed up all of the British upper class and did nothing wrong before becoming a vampire

Me watching: All of them are going to be like this aren't they?


Meanwhile with my group

One Player: So I am Pablo Escobar's nephew who was too young to be tried when the cartel fell and I've been kind of miserable ever sense while trying to rebuild even a fraction of the empire when my Sabbat sire embraced me and did the gangrel thing of having me be on my own until he thought I could survive and when he did teach me determined I wasn't going to do well in the sabbat and had me go off to do my own thing because, well Gangrel. Because my entire life has been the drug trade I just kind of ended up being a vampire drug dealer who primarily lives out of cars and vans despite having a fair amount of drug money *and unlike a lot of people in the live-streamed RPs, actually puts points into this*

over the course of the game does many monstrous things and decides he is going to seriously need to consider Paths of Enlightenment as he is dissolving the feet of suspected thin bloods in acid to Sus out members of a thaumaturgy cult that has been threatening the masquerade.

This was a campaign with some wacky hijinks like jumping out of windows but was contrasted with the players doing utterly monstrous things and being horrified by demon cults that make revenant bee-wasp hybrids.

Like even if you don't do Personal Horror VTM should not be Safe Edgy like a lot of the groups go with.

 

[Skitzyfrenic]

Like even if you don't do Personal Horror VTM should not be Safe Edgy like a lot of the groups go with.

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Yeah. I guess my autism over focused.

Too many people, even 'top RPers' play VtM like it's slighty edgy superheroes. And not the various flavors of 'you're in the shit now buddy.'

I get that. No one usually wants to play in the suck. But I also get the vibes that people, especially popular streamers, don't even want to try.

And Dimension20, from what I have watched is very superficial in their edge when they do something darker. Very safe edgy.

 

[shadowdice]

Yeah. I guess my autism over focused.

Too many people, even 'top RPers' play VtM like it's slighty edgy superheroes. And not the various flavors of 'you're in the shit now buddy.'

I get that. No one usually wants to play in the suck. But I also get the vibes that people, especially popular streamers, don't even want to try.

And Dimension20, from what I have watched is very superficial in their edge when they do something darker. Very safe edgy.

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I find it very odd as they just don't commit.

There was one RP I watched where a guy was playing as a boxer whose life was destroyed by his sire making it look like he cheated in his final fight and embraced him, making it so he could never see his son again. But then they go with "yeah it is just his face that is deformed and it is just the bottom so he has a bane mask but looks attractive otherwise"

He hasn't been a vampire that long either so most of the drama is undercut.

Player: I am sad because my child is in foster care but I visit him while pretending to not be me

Me: You have Obfuscation and can look like your old self with it. Your party members know about the kid and have Presence and Dominate to make it so you can have whoever you want adopt the kid and let you visit if you don't want to use blood bonds.

The GM had the Camarilla torture them for making massive fuckups and the takeaway from the party was "The camarilla are assholes" when it was done in response to them having actively fucked with their superiors.

The amount of "Oh the Camarilla are just assholes" RPs are numerous as well. If you go that route you need to make it be that all the factions are just assholes as it is reductive otherwise.

edit

one of the NPCs my players liked was a Thin Blood brain surgeon who was going around being a vigilante over his son having been put into a coma due to that drug from Orpheus where it is evil ghost possessed cocaine. The fact that he was a literal superhero with fangs character was contrasted with the fact that I made it very clear that his concept was kind of ridiculous and that he was fumbling around in the dark as a neurosurgeon with knowledge of thin blood alchemy who just fully believes in general alchemical concepts while having no clue about anything else and is kind of delusional.

Thin Blood: Wait, ghosts exist?

Players: Yeah ghosts exist, one of us is a necromancer that is part fairy. Why would ghosts not exist?

Thin Blood: Look I am a vampire neurosurgeon that stabs criminals to death, I kind of thought it was would be haunted by this point.

Players: Good point, also you are a neurosurgeon how do you deal with all the blood.

Thin Blood: I mainly do research and chemicals, but I'm also you know, a thin blood and very well fed being in a hospital.

 

[Gereh]

Too many people, even 'top RPers' play VtM like it's slighty edgy superheroes. And not the various flavors of 'you're in the shit now buddy.'

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Which is why a lot of people still think becoming a vampire isn't that bad or the Beast isn't that bad. That said there is precendent for vampire as kindred superhero, I think it was the Dark Age: Transylvania book that open paragraph was about this book being more superhero than the normal horror. So maybe people loved that so much they transported the vibe to other books. Very unlikely through.

Also the most "what the fuck" if seen in "actual play" was a smoking vampire. Because you know putting a flame near your face to lit up your cigarette is definitely a good idea. (Also needs to blush of life everytime but that is way less important) Sadly the ST did not force a Rötschreck roll onto them.

 

[Skitzyfrenic]

In V20 that was actually mentioned, cigarette fire, on the fire fear table iirc. It was only diff 3, but it was still a diff 3 roll.

 

[Gedou_Meta]

It also mentions that stuff under their control or innocuous is unlikely to produce the Red Fear. So lighting up your own cig, or seeing one lit in a nightclub isn't really going to make even a coward vampire panic. Flick the thing at 'em, though....

 

[chillyAvian]

The exact wording on the fear table is lighting a cigarette, which, if we follow the average luck of a table, means that a vampire smoker PC would immediately frenzy the moment they tried to have a cool moment of lighting up.

Although something like a hookah would be fine to use. Assamites probably love them, what with them having magic hash and all.