FAQ

Before Game | Character Creation | Rules

Before Game

Q: When is the game going to be held?
A: The game is going to be held on the second and fifth Sunday of the month from 2pm-8pm at the Fight Shop. ST'ers will be on hand early to decorate and run between game scenes for players that need them.

Q: Where is the Fight Shop?
A: 3124 W. Carroll Street, 2nd Floor. There is easy access from public transporation and 90/94.

From I90/94 heading North: Exit onto 290, the Eisenhower Expressway. Take 290 to Kedzie, and exit north onto Kedzie. Take Kedzie to Carroll Street, and turn right.

From I90/94 heading South: Exit onto 290, the Eisenhower Expressway. Take 290 to Kedzie, and exit north onto Kedzie. Take Kedzie to Carroll Street, and turn right.

Public transportation: Take the green line to the Kedzie stop, and walk North to Carroll. The #52 Kedzie California bus also runs nearby (North/South) as does the #20 Madison (East/West).

Q: What is the cost going to be?
A: The targeted cost at the door is $7. If you bring someone into the game, and they create a PC and show up to play that PC, we'll credit you $2 for a game. We also charge $1 for costuming, if you need to rent one for the night.

Q: Whoes running this game?
A: Here's your local Dark Ages staff:

Q: Do we have to dress up?
A: Yes. This is a Dark Ages game - some level of costuming is a must. We don't expect you to go out and get anything fancy, but you also won't be able to go in character if you are wearing jeans and a t-shirt. If you need help with costuming, we can provide it. And there may be some simple costuming outfits available at the door to rent for the night at $1 - first come, first serve.

Character Creation

Q: Are there limits on what kind of characters we can create?
A: Of course. Please check out our character creation rules. In general, the neonate rules from Faith and Fire apply. Excellent backgrounds, and players willing to fill positions within Society, will get extra freebie points to build their characters, up to 15.

Q: When do we need to submit characters?
A: Characters will need to be submitted a week before game. If you don't get it in on time, we can't assure you that the character will be ready in time for game. However, we will have NPC's ready at the door. If you want an NPC for a night, we'd appreciate a heads up.

Q: What should we include when we submit our characters?
A: When you are ready to submit your character to us, you need to send us a background for the character and your proposed stats. The background has to be able to do is give us a good idea of the who, what, where, and why's of your character. Who they were as a mortal, what it is they have become as a Kindred, where they are from and why they are now in Navarre . If you are willing to put a bit more work into your character, really good backgrounds will receive some extra points to build their character with. The stats translate that background onto your sheet, and should reflect the details from your background.

If you want to run your character concept past the ST'ers before writing the background, that's fine. And if you are interested in any of the positions that are open, you should email us before writing your background so that we can both make sure the position is still open and send you the info you need before you flesh out your character.

Q: Where do I send characters or questions?
A: ca-storytellers@googlegroups.com. Questions can also be posted on the Forum.

Q: What source books will be used?
A: The background, clans, and setting is taken from the myrid of Dark Ages TT material published by WW. The rule system we use is from the new MET Requium system. Check here for some basic info on what's different, theme wise, from modern day. If there is something in one of the other Dark Age's books that you want to use (especially if you want to play an Arab Kindred from Veil of Night), it'll probably be okay, just ask.

Game Questions

Q: When do I need an item card? And how do I get one?
A: You need an item card if you have something on your character that might, at some point, affect someone else. A sword would be an obvious example of this, as would any armor. We have item cards at game and can provide them if asked. It is, though, your responsibility to ask us and to have the card in your hand before you use said item.

Q: How is XP going to work?
A: Players can earn up to 12 xp a game, at least 6 for showing up. You can also earn an additional xp for helping set up at game, or bringing treats and goodies for game. You can also earn an additional XP for participating in between game rp either over the forum or through email (if it's a private scene done over email, you need to send a copy of it to me so I know it transpired) and by keeping an IC journal. This gives me an idea of what your character is up to and what their plans are.

Players who run NPCs for us get 6xp per game for the NPC. This can be saved up and then applied when they create the PC.

Q: How does influence work with the new rules?
A: We'll be using Dark Epic rules, as they apply to the Influences that exist in Dark Ages. Your friendly dark ages Influences are: Church, Court, Health, Learning, Occult, Political, Street and Transportation. Influences are being run as another in the Merit. There are a fininate number of influences in Navarre. Influences must be submitted a week before game.

Q: What about the NPC's?
A: Because of the period and feudal system, there are some Kindred everyone knows, and these are represented by our NPC's. That does not mean that the Monarchs themselves will ever be seen, or even heard from. In fact, most of our NPC's, such as the Princes and Scourges, will rarely be seen, but may serve as resources for our PCs. Many positions in the Courts of Pamplona, Roncesvalles, and San Sebastian will be open to PC's at the start of game, or become open as situations allow.

Q: So what's the deal with Lores?
A: Part of the fun of doing a game set in 1216 is that there is still very much a sense of mystery about the world. And that is part of the theme of this game - legends still exist and there is still a fanciful sense of the unknown. We wanted to incorporate that into the game through Lores.

Therefore, it is strongly suggested that unless you are a recently embraced childer, you enter the game with at least Vampire Lore 1 and Clan Lore 1. After your character is created, you will be given an explanation as to what knowledge comes with each lore. Not everything in the Lores will be White Wolf canon, and some of it might be contradictory. Quite a bit of it will involve possible plot points. And it's possible that Clan and area information and rumors will trickle down to people who have the right Lores before it hits anyone else.

If you don't have the Lore, please don't assume that you know things just because you've read Faith and Fire or any of the other Dark Ages source books. This goes for things that we sometimes take for granted. If you are a Lasombra, and you don't have Gangrel Lore, you don't know that Gangrel have Animalism, Fortitude, and Protein. You might have an idea that Gangrel are those rugged, sometimes animalistic brutes that haunt the forests, but you don't know the disciplines and you wouldn't know that just because someone has glowing red eyes, they must have Gleam. Likewise, while the Gangrel might have heard that Lasombra are shadowy mentalists, they wouldn't understand the concepts behind Obtenabration.

With this in mind, you can not purchase Advanced or Elder levels of disciplines unless you have the Lore to justify it. If you don't know the Vampire secrets or Clan secrets, you don't have access to the information you need to become that powerful.

The possible Lores:
Clan Lores: Assamite Lore, Brujah Lore, Cappadocian Lore, Gangrel Lore, Lasombra Lore, Nosferatu Lore, Malkavian Lore, Ravanos Lore, Toreador Lore, Setite Lore, Ventrue Lore, Tremere Lore, and Tzimisce Lore.
Area Lores: Pamplona Lore, Roncesvalles Lore, San Sebastian Lore
Creature Lore: Vampire Lore
Please note, there are no werewolf, fae, or any other supernatural lores.

Rules Questions

General:
Q: I am staked. What can I do?
A: You can not do anything that a. requires spending a blood or b. moving in any way or manner. You can not, for instance, use any ritual that involves spending a blood point, but you can use Auspex:Telepathy.

Merits:
Q: I want a ghouled warhorse. Are you using the DA Merit? And if so, what does that give me?
A: We are using the DA merit for a ghouled warhorse, which is a 3 pt merit. A ghouled warhorse is more then just a ghouled horse: it is a beast that has been ghouled long enough and trained hard enough that it is a formable creature. It has potence: prowess and your choice of fortitude:endurance or celerity:alacrity. It has two possible modes of attack: bitting or kicking. It comes with 10 physical traits and Brawl x 2. It can run faster and longer then your average horse. The downside to this is any animal that has been a ghoul long enough to reach this level is an entirely unnatural beast.  Mortals who come in contact with the animal will think to themselves: that is one demonic creature.  And while sanity doesn't really apply to animals, one could say that they do start to become rather rabid and have an annoying tendency to only eat raw meat and drink blood.  There are those Kindred who might say that such a creature should be put down for it's own sake, much less that of its owner.  There are also Tzimisce who use them as cuddly pets.