Requiem VSS

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1 VENUE STYLE SHEET

[edit] VENUE STYLE SHEET

[edit] ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

[edit] Venue Name, Number, Domain Name, Number

Venue Name to be advised Domain of Melbourne (MM) AUD)02

[edit] VST & VC Names and membership numbers

VST: Jason Chappel, AU1998231100 (vampirevst@gmail.com)
VC: Simon Boot, AU2006070004(the.boojum@gmail.com)

[edit] Game Location, Time and Fees (Can be altered at Mid approval)

Friday games are held at Holden Street Community House on every alternate Friday evening, starting 2nd Febuary 2007. Sunday games are held on the 1st Sunday of each Month, at Blackburn Uniting Church.

[edit] Mailing lists, websites and other online resources used

The Venue uses the vic-requiem mailing list at vic-requiem@camailla.org.au This list is used for in character discussions.

The Venue also uses the ooc-vic mailing list at ooc-vic@camarilla.org.au This list is used for out of character discussions for this venue and for the domain in general.

The Venue website is http://members.optusnet.com.au/~shadowraven/Vampire.htm Current status totals and factional control over different areas of the city will also be found here.

[edit] GAME INFORMATION

[edit] Genre

Vampire the Requiem

[edit] Setting:

Melbourne By Night: The City of Hollow Wonders

Melbourne is a city in flux, maddened by its own shifting identity and constant thirst for wonder. Not unexpectedly it is this same addiction to spectacle that curses the city and her residents, their shared thirst for miracle blinding them to the many other beauties they have so quickly abandoned. Architecturally Melbourne is a maze of streets and styles, with Art Novae office blocks teetering above cobbled alleys paved well before the Gold Rush, granting it a surreal almost fantastical, fairytale quality. Coupled with the ever-increasing size of the city’s skyscrapers, its expansive parks and old creaky trams, Melbourne truly is the marvellous capital it was destined to be. Yet it is when the suit wearing workers scuttle home, the children leave school and the city’s shadows get a little longer that Melbourne truly begins to stir. There are few things one struggles to find here, no spectacle too sinister no degradation too absurd; for much like her weather Melbourne is a fickle bitch, never content with consistency, forever seeking perfection. Whether it be graffiti on the 2:48 express to Geelong, or an emaciated child singing hymns for cash, Melbourne not only accepts its peculiarities but thrives on them, what would appear bizarre elsewhere simply becoming another facet of her mystique.

Not surprisingly this mentality has ingrained itself into the psyche of Melbourne’s Kindred, their tendency to gather at locations based on taste rather then practicality being a prime example. Although there is currently only a single Elysium within the Domain, the Royal Exhibition Building at the centre of Carlton Gardens, several locations are significant to individual Covenants and are treated with respect by all but the foolish.

Saint Paul’s Cathedral, located at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets, overlooking the station steps is not only the property of the Lancea Sanctum but acts as Melbourne’s Sanctuary.
Likewise the ancient site of Hanging Rock, located some 10 Km northwest of the city, has long been a sacred site for local Crone, not to mention the people of the Kulin Nations, and is considered a place of peace for all allied to the Circle.
The Ordo Dracul controls the Shrine of Remembrance, situated at Melbourne’s exact geographical centre, yet the site’s religious significance has long made it a point of conflict between the Dragons and their Sanctified peers, an argument that shows no sign of tempering any time soon.
The Carthian Movement seeks to re-establish the Alexander Page Memorial Hall in the grounds of Monash University in the east of the city. The irony of the fact that the Carthians use the name of a Lancea Sanctum for the centre of the Movement’s activities is lost on some.
The Invictus do not have a separate location as a focus for their activities in the same way as the other Covenants, taking instead the Elysium to be their natural place of significance, and the city as a whole their natural domain.

[edit] Themes:

Never Judge a Book by its Cover: Just as with the seemingly innocent tales of the Brother Grimm, Melbourne is a city of paradox and insincerity, for no matter how comforting or creepy a person may appear their true motives are almost never clear. Beneath the sweetest of fairytales is a harsh and brutal reality, a place were innocence is lost and purity a marketable commodity.

Still Waters: Just because everything seems fine doesn’t mean it is, in fact the situation is probably far worse then you ever expected. Formula One Grand Prix, accessible public transport, reasonably priced living, it all amalgamates to debatably make Melbourne the ‘World’s Most Liveable City’, yet why are people still living beneath the toll ways and eating our garbage? The truth is never something people wish to acknowledge but always the one thing that comes back to haunt them.

A tale of two cities Historically, the eastern and western parts of Melbourne have been almost like two separate cities. Regencies of the East and West have existed previously, and the two games are deliberately run with two separate styles. The West is a political game, the East a more visceral and physical game. Conflict is hidden behind polite smiles and witty speeches in the West, but given witness by all in the East.

Consequence Every action has a re-action. Even when actions are hidden from the world at large, or from society, the city itself will conspire to enforce consequence upon those who act, either for good or ill.

Tradition Melbourne is not the most ancient of Vampiric Domains, but it is this very youth that causes it to clutch manically to its traditions. Those characters who participate in the traditions of Melbourne are rewarded with the City’s blessing. Melbourne loves her own, and knows her own by those who love her back in the way she wants to be loved.

[edit] Moods

Flux and stasis: Things in Melbourne change quickly. From fashion trends to public office the trend is always to have something new; something better not because it does more but because it looks like it should. However, the more things change, the more they stay the same. New ideas fall into old patterns and what was a revolution quickly finds itself as the status quo, simply using different methods to exactly the same ends as what it replaced.

Creepy: Thin alleys, foggy nights and the most Victorian buildings in the world second only to London, Melbourne can often appear cold and sinister, yet intriguingly grotesque. Acceptance of the abnormal being the standard citywide it is often the case that deformity or eccentricity is disregard rather then gawked at and abhorred.

Machiavellian dealings “That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.” The kindred of Melbourne are, in one way or another, all villains. Even the most noble hearted and honest of the bunch still sucks the life from living beings to continue to exist night to night, and this knowledge permeates the society. Genuine trust is limited, and very rarely doled out. Suspicion abounds, and rightly so. None of them can be truly trusted.

Dishonour before death Perhaps it is the tyranny of distance of the Australian condition that has made it so, but Melbourne is loathe to kill its own, even those newly adopted as its own. Players are strongly encouraged to find methods for dealing with their character’s enemies other than death. That said, Requiem remains a game of horror, and horror relies to some extent on the fear of death. Characters are not protected from death, but when it comes it ought to be in such a way as to heighten the drama and tension within the game. Death should be unusual, but remain a constant shadow lurking around the edges of all characters’ awareness.

[edit] Preferred character types, and restrictions:

Characters in Melbourne are political, amoral and obsessively competitive, with most enjoying the social preening of Court to the turmoil of battle, yet although this does reflect the majority, there is no restriction in terms of concept; all ideas are welcome, whether or not they will be welcomed by Melbourne’s Kindred is another matter entirely.

All Clans and Covenants are available to play at a VST level while all Bloodlines will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Special approvals will be expected to conform to the stereotypes of their sub-genus – for example members of bloodlines will be expected to be of the covenant commonly associated with that bloodline, of the appropriate ethnicity and age, and displaying an appropriate outlook. Variant minorities will not be approved.

[edit] Location of Venue history information (Histories should be in a separate document)

The history of the game can currently be found on the Venue website. This history is currently contained in two separate documents, one for the East and one for the West of the city.

Additionally, the Traditions of Melbourne can be found on the Venue website, along with the likely rewards and consequence of conforming to or defying them.

[edit] Transport In/Out Information

Entering Melbourne is quite simply a matter of money and time. If funds are limited and time is free, the Hume Highway serves as an excellent method of visiting the city at very low cost, as does the Western Highway for those arriving from Adelaide. The Great Ocean Road is also a popular route among long Kindred, for although there are few sites visible come dusk, several tourist townships hugging the coast provide perfect lodging and a transient food supply.

Via air there are also several options with Tullamarine and Avalon airports serving national flights whilst Moorabin and Essendon airports serve private lighter aircraft. Because international travel is restricted to Tullamarine all flights, even domestic, are scrutinized to a greater degree then other airports, however, Avalon is used by less carriers and is further away.

Transport via sea is also not limited to a single port, although the ports at Williamstown and Geelong are both viable options, with facilities for larger cargo transports and shipping containers. To the west, the city of Portland also has large freight handling facilities, although with the expansion of Melbourne’s ports over the past fifty years, Portland is less active then in centuries past.

[edit] EXTERNAL FACTORS INFORMATION

[edit] Experience Awards

Game Attendance - 3xp Roleplaying reward by player acclaim – 1xp Roleplaying reward by ST award – 1 xp Downtime/Homework Report - 2xp Costuming 1xp Mentoring 1xp

No character can earn more than 10xp in one month, except where noted in the Camarilla Rules Addendum.

[edit] Custom Rules

[edit] Territory Rules:

The Territory rules split Melbourne into 9 separate playing pieces. Apart from using these segments as bargaining chips, rewards and currency, each section of the map will also provide an individual Circumstance Bonus for the PC faction currently holding it to use once a month. Territories can be taken over through Downtime actions; the VST is to judge which faction controls the territories, which will generally be done by comparison between amounts of background merits such as Allies, Haven, Resources, Retainers and Contacts, and to a lesser extent, Status. These rules are designed to encourage factionalism within the Court, which will in turn promote conflict, which is the basis of all stories. See the Territory.xml document for current listings of who controls which territories. The current controllers will also be made public on the IC mailing list.

[edit] Status Rules:

Status in Melbourne is intended to be used as they are intend within the MET structure; as a means of dominance, mitigating the need to physically dominant one’s enemies. The Status mechanics in MET do not succeed in achieving this outcome, and as such slightly different Status mechanics will be used.

Any character that wants to partake in Harpy activities should roleplay doing exactly that; praising or denouncing the actions of others privately. Formal speeches or mechanics are not required. In Downtime submissions, ‘Harpying’ characters should list those characters whose status they want to see changed, along with the reasons for that change. The VST will then collate the opinions of all the Harpies, and adjust status as appropriate. Should there be a differing of opinion among the Harpies, factors such as high social attributes and abilities and high status will give additional weight to some characters’ opinions over others.

Whichever character within a given Clan has the highest total of Clan and City Status is considered the Priscus. The only way of changing the Priscus is to change the status of Clan members. Ties will be split based on seniority, judged by the length of time the character has been continuously active within Melbourne.

See Status.xml document for current listings of current levels of status. Current Status totals will be made public on the IC mailing list.

[edit] Customs rules:

Certain events, times, locations and actions are considered as traditional Customs in Melbourne. Similar to the Three Traditions of Vampiric Society, these Customs of Melbourne have a subtle supernatural enforcement. The Customs of Melbourne only apply to those characters that possess Melbourne Status; outsiders don’t receive and benefits of the City’s blessing. See the Customs.rtf document for a listing of Melbourne traditions and the usual reward associated with them.

[edit] Learning times

Players will only be allowed to spend XP to increase a given stat on the character sheet once per month, and the increase will always be one level only. Purchase of a new retainer is the exception to this rule.

[edit] Downtime Handling Procedure

All downtimes are to be sent to the VST email address, vampirevst@gmail.com. In terms of responses to Downtime actions players should expect to receive a printed response from the Storyteller staff at the next session, provided that the Downtime was received at least a week in advance of the session. Downtimes received less than a week before the next session may not be processed in time, although all efforts will be made. Players who are not in attendance at the next session will have their printed response brought to subsequent sessions. Players should not expect to have responses to Downtime actions emailed to them.

[edit] Crossover limitations and expectations.

In general though it is only through Merits such as Retainers and Allies that crossover will occur. Hence, knowledge of fundamentals such as Creation Myths, Ritual Practices and Social Hierarchy are beyond the scope of this Venue, as is most direct, face-to-face contact. An Ally for instance can repair the car of a Mage and rig bombs for a Werewolf, but meeting this other mysterious client or learning about their society is not allowed.

PC crossover into the venue should not be expected without a written application to do so being emailed no less than 48 hours in advance to vampirevst@gmail.com.

[edit] NEW/INTERSTATE PLAYERS

[edit] Information for New Folks (new to the Camarilla)

The Kindred Court of Melbourne is similar in structure to most other vampiric societies. There exists a ruler of the Domain, be they Prince, High Councillor or any other title, and many other influential residents who likely adhere to the teachings of a Covenant.

Essentially where the system changes is in the details, as its is customary in Melbourne for the reigning Prince to hold a formal Court every quarter, effectively allowing all who dwell within the Domain an opportunity to hear new edicts, take audience with their Prince or simply debate among their peers. In testament to Melbourne often having ‘four seasons in one day’, these four official Court gatherings take their names from the seasons during which they are held, and are traditionally hosted in surroundings aimed to highlight this fact. More significantly though is how this effects both new arrivals to the city and the recently Embraced, for failure to attend a scheduled appointment is often grounds for expulsion.

For all new arrivals, whether a refugee from another State or an old ally of the local Bishop, the process the same and is simple. Traditionally it is considered mandatory to attend the next Seasonal Court and meet with the Prince, even if only passing through, to not only receive his blessing but to maintain security within the Domain. Upon receiving the Prince’s acceptance the petitioner will henceforth be regarded as a provisional member of the Court for the coming season, receiving no status within the city, their clan or their Covenant; in effect socially invisible and without a voice. Provided the applicant obeys the rules set forth by the Prince and their probationary period is without major incident, the Kindred in question will be made an official member of Melbourne society at the next Seasonal Court, i.e. a vampire petitioning at the Summer Court for membership must wait three months until the Autumn Court to receive full acknowledgement of their status.

Newly Embraced vampires are a more complicated issue, simply because it is so often the case that Kindred are created and then abandoned when they are of no further use. Therefore, when it comes to the newly Embraced, there are two separate procedures, one for those whose Sire is a member of the Court and another for Melbourne’s orphan population. For those whose progenitor already resides within Melbourne the process is almost exactly the same as that in place to deal with new arrivals, except that rather then a probationary period with no status the neonate remains under the supervision of their Sire, receiving status as would a fully-fledged member of the Court. This period of tutelage lasts six months, from one Seasonal Court to another, with the first acting as an opportunity for a Sire to introduce their progeny to the Prince and the second a means of establishing the childe’s rightful place within the city. A Sire is answerable for the breaches of Tradition committed by their progeny during this six-month period.

For those unfortunate enough to have entered vampiric society without any guidance whatsoever the system is much harsher, as those abandoned are often seen as liabilities and are almost always met with suspicion. Despite this attitude there remains an avenue to acceptance that combines the restrictions placed upon new arrivals and local progeny, although it is common for the authorities to deal out much harsher penalties to orphans who break the rules. A newly created vampire must attend the next Seasonal Court and it is not uncommon for the Sheriff to incapacitate unknown Kindred until this time in order to verify their stories. Effectively from this date the neonate must then perform two tasks. Their first hurdle is similar to that used for new arrivals and requires the orphan to remain within the law for an entire year, their trial period starting from the date of their first introduction to the Prince. Secondly they must find a patron from within the Melbourne Court during the coming season, presenting to the Prince their mentor at the next Seasonal Court, i.e. introduction at the Winter Court presentation of a patron at the Spring Court. During the nine months a neonate requires their patron the mentor is not bound to their client as a Sire is to their childe but the client may earn status as per a regular Court member; hence it is only during the first season, whilst seeking a patron, that a neonate is unable to gain status.

Important Note: Melbourne is a highly political often cut throat, social game where a character is more then likely to loose Court standing then their limbs. Although tending toward a more civilized and culture edge, Melbourne is a game of facades and lies, a city where an ally once can tomorrow be your executioner or an enemy your savoir. Blood is never spilt without reason and almost never where others can see it.

[edit] Information for External Folks (from other Domains):

Aside from knowing when and where the next gathering is to be held, visiting Kindred should be aware of three things. First and foremost they are not consider to be on probation of any kind, tradition acknowledging the difference between a guest and a resident. The second is the custom that asks a visitor to make their arrival known to a ranking member of the Court hierarchy, a Harpy, the Sheriff or, to a lesser extent, the Hound all acceptable choices in the absence of the Prince.

The third is that Melbourne is a city of many masters, with some neighborhoods and specific locations the exclusive property of other Kindred. It is therefore a popular convention that the Inner City, bordered by Latrobe, Flinders, Swanston and Spring Streets, is to be considered both neutral territory and open to all for the purposes of feeding. Due to the fact that Saint Paul’s Cathedral lies within this region it is not uncommon for the Lancea Sanctum to wander the morning, debating or testing one another as they hunt their prey. Apart from the Sanctified and their twisted games the Inner City is relatively safe and secure, the Sheriff patrolling the area when lacking pressing official business.

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