by kish_k@mindspring.com

Blank pages: I’ve stuck to Clanbook conventions when writing this, and one such convention is that every chapter begins on an odd-numbered page, with an art page facing it. However, there is no art in this book, due to both lack of artistic ability on my part, and lack of knowledge of PhotoShop. Accordingly, those pages which would be pure art pages in a Clanbook are blank here.

Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Presence. This isn’t what any "official" write-up gives the Ventrue antitribu, but I feel it makes more sense, and so it’s what I use. This book can be used with either "official" Discipline combination; just ignore the Flaw "Throwback."

Paths and Virtues: Again, my Sabbat is rather different from the official one, and I don’t have enough of a feel for the Path of the Feral Heart to know how the Ventrueantitribu would think of it. However, the different Paths and Virtues should be fairly easy to translate into what fits anyone’s version of the Sabbat.

Special Thanks to: Shweta "Warrior Princess" Narayan, for arguing me to a standstill about pretty much everything. Bryan "Path of Re-emergence" Rendell, for contributing to my version of the Sabbat without ever knowing it. Joe "Inner Voice" Iglesias, for suggesting a quote.

Chapter Four: Dark Paladins

Although much fewer in number than the Ventrue True Clan, the Ventrue antitribu are more diverse. While Auspex prevents the accidental Embrace of those who could never accept Ventrue antitribu ideals, the antitribu are deliberately far less choosy than their ancestor clan, and so nearly anyone can reasonably be considered for membership in the bloodline.

Quote: You shall not do that while I stand.

Prelude: You were the eldest daughter of an Indian king. In your youth, you were taught swordplay, some politics, and the scriptures, because you were the oldest child and your father had no son. When you were sixteen, you started learning from a British teacher, who claimed he came in peace and wished only to spread the words of enlightenment. About a year after that, your British teacher drugged and kidnapped you and your two sisters, taking you to the massive army waiting a day or so away.

When you woke, an army captain told you you belonged to England, as all of India soon would. You pretended to faint, and the fools let go of you. You had a British sword in your hand and two guards dead at your feet before they knew what had happened, and they were unable to disarm you. They finally got you to surrender by promising you in their God’s name that if you calmed down and allowed yourself to be held, your sisters would be returned to your father.

When they had you bound, they showed you how lightly they held their words. They did return the children—after raping, killing and mutilating them. This insult forced your father out onto the open field, where he was vastly outnumbered and out-armed. You escaped from the British the next day, only to find that the men of your city had all been killed in battle and the women had taken the only honorable way out—Sati, death by fire. You prepared a fire for yourself, but were interrupted by a man with glowing eyes. He explained that he wasn’t a demon, but an instrument of vengeance, as you could become, if you so chose.

You accepted the Embrace. Your sire explained that the British were conquering India, but not by their own will—the Ventrue clan of the vampires was behind the assault, and his sire was one of the leaders at the forefront. He himself could not act against his sire, who had Blood Bound him, and so he intended to warn the rest of India before the conquest was complete. He charged you to seek out and slay his sire.

As you searched for your grandsire, you waged a private war on your country’s invaders, seeing yourself as an aspect of Kali. Soon after your Embrace, you were severely wounded in a battle and fell into torpor.

You awakened in the 1980s and tracked your grandsire to California, where he had become the leader of a powerful coterie. As you considered how to get him alone and vulnerable, his coterie was jumped by a pack of wild vampires, and you took the opportunity to join the battle and drain your grandsire’s blood. By the time you had finished with him, the battle was over—your unexpected allies had won. One of them came up to you and asked you if you weren’t worried about losing humanity by committing "diablerie" so easily. Realizing he meant drinking your grandsire’s blood, you explained that you were not human, but an aspect of Kali; he looked over at one of the other vampires and nodded to him.

The vampire explained to you that he was part of a society called the Sabbat, which opposed the tyranny of the Ventrue and their Tremere allies. He invited you to learn more about the Sabbat; you accepted and soon chose to join.

Roleplaying Tips: You now see yourself as an aspect of Durga, she who gives people strength in time of need, rather than Kali. You’re a kshatriya (warrior caste) and as such, your duty in the world is to fight and kill, for the Sabbat’s cause. You would never consider Embracing anyone who wasn’t a true warrior. You feed only on those who are weak in spirit.

Equipment: Daggers, occasionally a sword. You normally wear a sari, which lacks pockets, and accordingly don’t have any way to carry much—not that you really want to. You generally sleep in the communal haven, where you and your packmates can guard each other’s backs.

Quote: I told you not to do it. You didn’t listen. I’ve been around long enough to know what we can and can’t do without pissing off the bishop. Let’s hit the Rack. I’m hungry.

Prelude: You were always the straight-A student. You always did everything right, and your siblings really didn’t like you because of it. After college, you decided to go to law school on a corporate grant. You did well, but everyone knew you would. Then your life suddenly changed.

Jyhad was raging in the city and you became a recruit for the Sabbat. You were chosen by a Ventrue antitribu because of your education; he might have passed you by, had he had time to get to know you better. You were dragged out of your apartment to the graveyard, Embraced, bashed over the head with a shovel, and buried. You were smart and survived the Jyhad, though your roommate, who was also chosen, was killed. You proved your ability; nonetheless, no one really liked you. Yes, you did your job well, but for some reason no one else would take your advice, which you gave constantly.

Roleplaying Tips: You love to tell others what to do. You are not involved in any of the Ventrue antitribu’s larger goals, although you are loyal to your clan. You can be very annoying, the more so because you’re always right. "I told you so," is one of your favorite phrases to use on people when they screw up and, conversely, you make sure no one’s ever in a position to say it to you. You speak with confidence and often talk over the heads of your fellow pack members. It gives you pleasure to point out their ignorance to them. You feed only on intellectuals.

Equipment: You own a green Chevrolet Berretta and maintain a private apartment as your haven. You sleep with the pack about half the time. You carry no weapons except during Jyhad, when you carry some sort of automatic weapon. You always dress in nice clothes of the latest style

Quote: Of course I believe in the Sabbat’s ideals. And what is the main principle of the Sabbat? Freedom. We’re tremendously powerful, we can do whatever we want, and so many of us waste their unlives worrying about things that don’t make a damn bit of difference in the long run. The only logical approach to an existence such as ours is to think of yourself first.

Prelude: Born into the Grimaldi revenant family, you lived what appeared to be a normal, human life on the outside. Several times during your childhood you formed friendships with humans—kine. Each time, the friendship was severed when you were moved to prevent the kine from noticing your slow aging.

Your family raised you to be a town councilor and protect the interests of your family and the Sabbat. You were taught swordplay by an uncle who had spent much of his 300-year life in Europe. You were also taught the fine art of telling people what they wanted to hear. When you were 78 years old (chronologically; physically you were nineteen), you were introduced to a distant cousin who worked as a forensic pathologist, covering up the deaths of humans who were killed by the Sabbat in hard-to-explain ways. As your family had planned, your friendship with her blossomed into romance, and soon you made plans to marry. Then she confided her secret to you—she cared about humans, cringed whenever she filled out another death certificate for a human who died horribly as a Sabbat pack’s toy, and secretly hoped to run away from the Sabbat. You made plans to run away with her, plans which you then revealed to one of the vampires. You smiled and waved as your fiancée was carried away by a szlachta, and the vampire you had spoken to, a young Ventrue antitribu, rewarded your display of loyalty with the Embrace. Since that time, you’ve made yourself a valuable member of your pack. You always keep an eye out for the best angle and look out for your own interests above all else. You are aware that most Ventrue antitribu despise you, but you don’t really care—their concern for honor shows them as fools.

Roleplaying Tips: Make sure whoever you’re talking to believes you’re the same as her. Speak of honor, of devotion to the Sabbat’s goals, of caring for that person, of generally whatever they want to hear. Always remember, though, that the only person who really matters to you is you. You feed only on females below the age of thirty.

Equipment: You don’t keep a separate haven—it might make your pack think you don’t trust them. You normally carry large amounts ofmoney—who’s going to rob you? When wearing your trenchcoat, you carry your uncle’s European longsword, which he didn’t want to give up—such a pity. When wearing a trenchcoat hurts your image, however, you carry a tiny switchblade knife, which fits nicely into a pocket of nearly anything you wear.

Quote: I regret the necessity for this. You do not know what you truly serve. After the Camarilla has fallen, we will mourn the young vampires like yourself who could not be extricated from its coils.

Prelude: You were born into a working-class family in London, England. Your mother died when you were young. Your father was a firm believer in corporal punishment; whether his actions qualified as "abuse" depends entirely on the definition used. He did not beat you with his belt, lock you in the cellar, or do any of the other things that come up in case studies and made-for-TV movies—in fact, his actions never even came close to violating the law—however, it was definitely abuse as far as you’re concerned. As soon as you graduated from college (with honors in Psychology), you severed all your ties to him and moved to New York City. You hated it there—the violence, the smog, the generally harsh, selfish attitude of the people. However, one evening, in a bar, you met a very unusual and colorful woman. After talking about politics with her for half the night, she invited you to come home with her. You agreed; your Embrace was relatively gentle, practically unheard of among the Sabbat.

The next night, she sat up with you all night long, explaining that New York City bears such a remarkable resemblance to a war zone because it is a war zone, contested between the forces of freedom and equality in the form of the Sabbat, and the staid, conservative, oppressive Camarilla. While she made it clear that the Sabbat certainly had the moral high ground in its war, she admitted that some of the sect’s members might choose to make it as corrupt as the Camarilla, if they had their wish. You asked her if there were no good people among the Camarilla. You’ve never forgotten her reply: "The Camarilla holds to the delusion that they are still basically human, despite their obviously changed state. As long as they do this, they can never realize what potential for goodness exists among our kind. Some of the young ones might be salvageable, but membership in the Camarilla ultimately dooms all who hold it. The best thing we can do for all vampires—even the ones of the Camarilla, though they will not thank us, at least at first—is to destroy the Camarilla as quickly and efficiently as we possibly can. Besides…there is another reason." She concluded by telling you of the Camarilla’s ultimate masters, the Antediluvians, of their limitless power and mindless, hungry evil, and finally, of the fact that the Sabbat had slain two of them, and thus, they knew the Antediluvians could be defeated.

In the following nights, you learned more about your nature. You quickly understood that you were no longer remotely human, and that your purpose in existence could not be the same as theirs. A year after your Embrace, you killed a Camarilla Malkavian and became a True Sabbat. After that, you traveled and became separated from your sire, winding up in California. Although you still hold great affection for her, you have little contact with your sire.

Roleplaying Tips: You’re a firm believer in vampiric freedom and equality, and while you recognize the flaws in the Sabbat, you consider it far easier to fix than the Camarilla. You feel no guilt about using violence if necessary, but you do not think of yourself as a warrior, nor do you wish to be one. Instead, you serve a vital, but frequently neglected function among the Sabbat: manipulating kine power structures. Using your vampiric powers, you’ve made several influential human friends: one of them in particular, a young Filipina-American politician from the Peace and Freedom party, you’re grooming to eventually become Governor of California. Although you would willingly sacrifice your human friends if necessary for the Sabbat cause, you care deeply for them nonetheless and hope to Embrace them all one day.

Equipment: You wear comfortable clothing, usually jeans and T-shirts, and carry whatever you think might be useful to your pack at the time. You are armed less often than most Sabbat, but in time of Jyhad, you carry a Smith and Wesson M640.

Chapter Five: Champions of Chaos

The Ventrue antitribu have done much to shape the face of the modern Sabbat, and while all vampires are officially considered equally deserving by the members of the bloodline, some few have risen to special notoriety.

Embraced into the Camarilla, used as a pawn in the feud between the Scottish Toreador and the English Ventrue, set up as puppet prince of Montreal by his ancestor Mithras, idealistic young Prince Kyle Strathcona grew to loathe his sect. Strathcona brought his city over to the Sabbat in the mid 1700s, and has since ascended to become one of the highest-ranked Sabbat members not Embraced by the sect or originally part of it. His loyalty to the Sabbat is matched only by his former clan’s hatred for him. A distinguished gentleman who wears formal clothing, Strathcona is philosophical and remote. As Archbishop of Montreal, he is informal and charming to most, but quick to anger with those who act contrary to the spirit of the Sabbat.

As a Knight Templar Embraced before the Anarch Revolution, Vincent Day fought in the Anarch Revolution and helped found the Path of Honorable Accord as a member of the Sabbat. Although he has never formally joined the Inquisition, that group frequently retains his services as an emissary or warrior. He practices a Spartan existence very rare among the Sabbat and regards the Antediluvians and the forces of hell as personal enemies. If the Age of Chivalry is over, Vincent Day would appear not to have noticed.

The vampire who calls herself simply Caitlyn joined the Sabbat as it began; she has never shared the details of her life prior to that with anyone. She has rejected invitations to join both the Inquisition and the Black Hand, ascending to the position of Sabbat priscus over the centuries. She is believed to have followed both the Path of Power and the Inner Voice and the Path of Harmony during her unlife. One of the most powerful and mysterious figures in the modern Sabbat, she is much loved by her clan. She is believed to have greater knowledge of the unusual denizens of the hidden world than any other Sabbat, and to have allies among the shapeshifters, mages—and Inconnu, some whisper.

by @1997 Lsbeth

He avoids the daylight
and lives for the night
penetrated my dreams
and now haunts my mind
thoughts of his name
and face in my eyes
an evil lurker
seeking to find
his next victim’s life pulse
oh,
will it be mine????

A fantastical figure
his big blue eyes gleem
the coldness inside him
thus can not readily be seen…
making it impossible
to think rationallly
in love with one so evil
oh, can it be???
ME???

Outside, so gentle
his reputation romantical
a vampire’s mythical charms
pulled this woman’s body
right into his arms…..

Giving new meaning
to a promise of eternity
but what will his calculating demeanor
end up costing me…..

With his kiss comes to me his curse…
he steals my mortality
my soul no longer my own…
his need burns inside of me
I could never leave now..
and so his curse I’ll welcome
I’d follow him to hell..

by Shaun R. Baggett

Hunters have been within the annals of World of Darkness chronicles since the birth of Vampire the Masquerade in the early 90s. There mortals have often been scoffed at and feared at the same moment. This November heralds the end to the Year of the Reckoning product line and the beginning of a new face in the night.

White Wolf has stated this will not be a Hunter’s Hunted revamping. Something more than that lies within the hardback cover of the new Hunter the Reckoning. As to what is, is anybody’s guess. Working from clues added into this year’s YotR product line, I’ve formulated my own theory on exactly what the Hunters really are.

Guide to the Technocracy spoke briefly of mortals claiming they were possessed by angels that manifested supernatural abilities. Rage Across the Heavens speaks of a new prophecy; the Children of the Wyrm, "marriages of light and darkness." And finally, in October The Ends of an Empire, the destruction of the Shadowlands and the end of the Wraith storyline.

So, you’re reading this and wondering where is the author going with this. Where do these clues point me to?

They direct me to believe that HtR will be a transcendence of Wraith to a new ground. The surviving wraiths of the spirital nuking will have to find new "homes." Special mortals will provide host to them as both residences and tools for enacting their war upon the supernatural community of the WoD. Combined, the host and wraith will present a most dangerous force to deal with.

Reckoning is revenge, and revenge is what I believe the dead shall have.

by Shaun R. Baggett

What do you know of the Night you
stupid, little child?
She doesn’t care for you, and why should She.
For all She is, is bone-chilling cold.

You want to taste "ecstasy" in Blood you damned, impotent fool?
Vile, disease-ridden murk oozing from humanities wounds.
That’s all I can taste.

Is it Immortality you desire you vain, ignorant pest?
Forever and alone, stranded in a dark void.
Eternal Damnation is what it is.

Is this the Beast you wished to become you arrogant, irritating twerp?
No it isn’t. So run child and hide beneath your bed and hope.
Hope that you don’t ever see me again.

written by: Merci

The lights dim and I close my eyes,
but I can still see past your disguise.
Your face, the face I know so well,
that hides me in your private hell.

Walls so old, and grey, and strong,
have hidden you away for so long.
Lost soul screams with pain,
because you can never go back again.

See my face, I open my eyes,
I surrender myself to your demise.
Your pain is mine,
our fates combine,
And we are forever locked together in this Immortal Coil.

~Merciful Death~

Author: Marco Visconti
Character Diary from #Elysium

It all begun many years ago…

…to many years to remind them all… a mere mortal would call that length of time a aeon… but for the One Above’s (or whoever is the puppeteer behind all of this) sake, I’m no more a mortal, an I’ve been like this for the last 7000 years…

In the days of the Second City I was a scholar, a student of the ways of Saulot, one of the City’s masters: I was his on of most promising students, and one night, the night I turned 27, he gave me the Dark Kiss and Embraced me. And so I entered the realm of eternal night as one of the Salubri, the seventh and last childe of Saulot, and so I became fascinated in what I became and in the myths of my new Kind. And Saulot was a gentle Sire in this, that he always told me whatever I wanted to know.

But there were some things he did not want to tell me… and these things were the tales of his voyages in the Far East, the tales of how he reached the blessed state of Golconda through the teachings of a mythical being called Arhat Xue, but his most well-kept secret was the tale regarding his involvement in the falling of Enoch, the First City. He always told me to observe, and wait, that one day would come when all this mysteries would be disclosed. And that day came: he called for me, and for another of my brothers, Karesh, the mightiest of my kind. And he told us that the time for us to know finally arrived, and in a night I’ll never ever forget he told us about how left for the Land of Nod after the First City fell, and how wandering there he met strange new entities, led by the arhat Xue. And he told us how these beings was similar to us in many ways, but that they learned to fully comprehend their Beast, which they called P’O, by following a kind of code, called Dharma. And he told us that he was initiated by them to these Ways, and that he tamed his Beast by accepting its dark side…

Then he returned from the Land of Nod, bearing with him Golconda, and he found his way to the Second City: and he told us how his heart was full of joy when he saw again his Brothers and Sisters, and also their childer, the Clans…

But then his weary eyes saw how his Clan developed… and he did not see anything he expected: where he was looking for great warriors, he only found a small group of mere healers. And his grief was great, because the Way to Golconda he learned could not be taught to those not accustomed to the ways of the battle.

So he called for Samiel, his firstborn, and commanded him to raise an army, and pure Samiel did as he was told. But Zao-lat (this was his true name, I learned) soon saw how also these Warrior Salubri weren’t ready for his Way: they were too chivalric, pure as the great Kindred that called them together, and for it they did not qualify for the harsh standards required by the Way. But he told us he did not abandon his project, that he found another way, and that we were to trust him. And so we did.

Then terrible times fell upon us: one of Ashur’s childer, Shaitan, organized a rebellion, fueled by the foul Demonic Investments he acquired by selling his soul to the Entities from Beyond… many valorous Kindred met the Final Death in those nights, but in the end, some said thanks to the intervention of Caine himself, Shaitan and his 12 followers were driven out the Second City, and we all returned to our peaceful un-lives… Till the time that my very Sire called for the Council of the City, telling that the Shaitan’s menace was not ended, because the thrice-damned Kindred and his followers were organizing a stronghold in the city of Chorazin. Strife and desperation hit our hearts again, especially when Zao-lat declared in front of the other Antediluvians that he wanted to assault the dreaded Chorazin using his elite Warriors… us.

But we were soldiers, and we were to obey to the orders. So we prepared, and left the Second City, well knowing the horrors we were going to face ahead. We were 13, led by Karesh…

I won’t report here the horrors I witnessed in the four months I lived laying siege to Chorazin: but nothing, nothing of the vile things I’ve been subjected to during those nights could ever equal the sense of oppression I felt when it all ended… when I discovered the truth beyond all, when I finally understood which mean my "beloved" Sire used to spread the word of his Way. He decided to destroy us, his bloodline, his Clan, and replacing us with more promising individuals… Shaitan and his allies, the Shen of Ba’al. Our mission to Chorazin was a suicidal one, because Karesh received the precise order to betray us to the Infernal Masters that ruled the city, so that our Vitae could be used to fuel the new brethren of Zao-lat… the Baali. I still don’t know to this day how I managed to remain unseen and flee, when my great brothers fall one by one… Vekis, Madiel, Javaniel… all gone because of our Sire’s folly.

That day I swore my revenge on Zao-lat, and I’m still waiting to confront him on the battleground when the Final Nights will be upon us. I hunted him across the centuries, silently observing as he used the Baali to fight my Clan, rejoicing when I saw he himself betrayed by the children of the Demons (what a stupid - how could he ever think to fool a Demon), then worrying again when he found new pawns in the crazed mages of House Tremere, especially when I came to know that this time he took direct control of his third bloodline, by letting the mages’ leader to "diablerize" him. Finally, my hate grown to incredible heights when he used the Tremeres to declare a pogrom of my Clan.

As the years passed, I wandered the Earth gathering forces for my revenge, never saying anything about my past life to the allies I managed to gain during my endless voyages: for them, I was Azrael, childe of Veddartha of the Ventrue… the only other Antediluvian who knew the truth on Zao-lat, and the only one to whom I ever spoke about the terrible nights of Chorazin (maybe is this what hides behind the Ventrue’s firm believe in some sort of "Secret Masters" who threaten the very existence of the Kindred?). I searched long for those Kindred of the East that taught my damned Sire about the Way, to take my vengeance upon them also, but someway the roads to Asia has been always impervious to me… is their power so potent?

In those years, I spent the nights from a battlefield to another, always those who were connected someway with the treachery of Zao-lat: the Setites in Egypt, the Baali in Crete, and the many other Infernalists who craved only for personal power without caring about what they were bringing to this already scorched planet. I was among those who battled the demonic Baali in the island of Crete with the other warlords of the Kindred… I fought face to face Nergal himself, and I won… at a great price, however: to definitively destroy him, as Menele and my other allies were conjuring the power of the Earthshaker to sunk the nearby island of Thera, where Nergal was organizing another stronghold, I had to take on myself the weight of the demonic entity the Baali’s leader carried inside him. And I bear that weight to this day.

But one night I grow weary of the fighting, I grow tired of what I became… the "Angel of Death" of many myths and lores of the Kine. And it was in one of those nights that I was approached by a Kindred of extreme power, who called himself "Del-Roh"… she told me she was the leader of a sect I only heard whispered of, a sect called Tal’Mahe’Ra: she told me what their goals were, and she also invited me to join them. I thought about it long, and then I accepted: the year was the 475 B.C.

Among the Tal’Mahe’Ra I learned many secrets, and I greatly augmented my knowledge on the Kindred and the other Awakened… I was among those who pressed to start the Shadow Crusade against the Souleaters and Vicissitude, that, I came to know, just another Demonic manifestation - much like the Entity I keep deep inside myself. I also oversaw the creation of both the Sabbat and the Camarilla, and constantly schemed against the Tremeres, waiting for the day I will confront again Zao-lat/Tremere… the day of Gehenna.

Gehenna… this has been my hidden agenda thorough the millennia… to bring forth the Final Nights, so that I could avenge my lost brothers with the cursed Vitae of my Father. I know many things about the Final Nights… about the thirteen places of power that will see the ending slaughter… Rome, Constantinople, Stonehenge, Tara, Mecca, Uluru, Petra, Tenochtithlan, Poname, Tunguska, Haiti, San Francisco and one more still hidden… but these truths are yet best kept hidden.

by Justin R. Achilli

Q. Within the rules of MET there exists the option of using someone’s negative traits against (If known) them in a test. While this normally isn’t a problem of fairness as one must find out those negative traits through play, in the case of clan specific automatic negative traits (I.E. The Brujah getting the violent negative trait) it seems a bit unfair that because everyone knows the clan in question possesses that negative trait that they can use it constantly against them. What are your suggestions (If any) regarding this in maintaining game fairness?
A. These must be role-played. They should be guessed in challenges. If you are wrong then you are wrong If you are right then you can exploit that weakness in the individual forever after.

Q. How much blood is required to maintain an average ghoul’s (Human) ghouldom? Does a "maintaining" feeding require an entire blood trait, or is a sip enough, and if so how many ’sips’ would make up a blood trait? How much for animal ghouls?
A. It takes a full blood trait once a month in both cases.

Q. If a vampire attacks using his fangs, what manner of attack would this fall under, brawl or melee? Does it require a grab maneuver first before a bite can take place? Also, does a successful hit using fangs do a point of aggravated damage as it does in table top and would the extra damage of the higher levels of potence be added into this?
A. Brawl

Q. In the last Mind’s Eye Theatre FAQ section it was stated that there is a difference between Old Clan Tzimisce and Tzimisce antitribu, I had thought that non-Sabbat Tzimisce weren’t called antitribu, but rather Old Clan Tzimisce as stated in The Players Guide to the Sabbat 2nd edition book. Lasombra antitribu are either Camarilla or Independent, why would this be any different for Tzimisce of the Camarilla (As rare as they are) or Independents in what they would be called?
A. Different clans different standards. In the case of Tzimisce:

Sabbat	Tzimisce
Camarilla	Tzimisce Antitribu
Autarkis	Tzimisce
Separate Bloodline	Old Clan Tzimisce

Q. I know this is a silly question but, why are non-Sabbat Lasombra (And Tzimisce if it is the case) called antitribu at all? Originally both clans were non-Sabbat before the coming of the Sabbat and Camarilla sects. Shouldn’t those who ‘went against the clan’ (In this case the Tzimisce and Lasombra Anarchs) be more appropriately called antitribu? Those of the 7 ‘Camarilla clan’s who are members of the Sabbat are called antitribu (I.E. Ventrue antitribu), what are your thoughts on this?
A. It comes down to where the elders are. The Lasombra 4th Gens (and third in the case of Gratiano) belong to the Sabbat (except for Montano). The glut of Lasombra (ballpark figure of 99%) belong to the sabbat. Same goes for Tzimisce.

Q. Why do Diablerie black veins last longer in a diabolist’s aura in MET than in Table Top (2nd Edition) rules?
A. The rules differ for different circumstances

Q. Does the folks at WW
MET have any plans for putting out rules for LARP playability for the Blood Brothers, Baali, Salubri antitribu, or Harbinger of Skulls?
A. We have announced plans for MET Camarilla and Sabbat guides respectively. Any more I cannot say.

Q. Now with the release of Vampire:The Masquerade 3rd Edition, which has made some changes in various regards to the vampire world and make up(I.E. Sabbat no longer having Paths, Assamites losing the Curses,the various "sub-bloodlines" of the clans that allow for different In-Clan Disciplines, etc), does MET have any plans to put out changes or adaptations in rules to account for these changes and incorporate them into MET playability?
A. Laws of the Night Revised Edition comes out in November of this year.

Q. I have noted a great amount of misuse and misunderstandings concerning the (mis)uses of Influences. Are there any plans to update the usage’s of the various Influences as well as explaining them in more practical terms?
A. Yes, see above.

Q. Why are some of the Disciplines varying in power and original form from that of those as they were presented in Table Top Rules? Additionally, will there be updates released on the changes seen from the established MET Disciplines, and those changes made to the Discipline updates of VtM 3rd Edition? (I.E. New powers included and substituted in the Quietus, Obtenebration- The adding of Dementia to the Camarilla Malkavian’s Clan Disciplines.)
A. See above.

Q. Why in the FAQ’s in the back of the Laws of Elysium, does it state that when two Majesty users come into contact, the one with the lower generation automatically beats the other Majesty user? The Presence Discipline description, unlike Dominate, clearly states Presence uses are not affected by Generation.
A. In MET they are for balance in play.

Q. Does MET have any plans to release any source material giving a more thorough overview of the various vampiric stations (Prince, Primogen, Sheriff, Keeper of Elysium, etc) , what they entail, and what is truly expected of one in that position?
A. This is already dealt with in the Camarilla Players Guide for Tabletop (an excellent source for setting material of any LARP) but we should be including such information as to how to use these in a tabletop setting in the upcoming MET Camarilla Guide.

Q. Exactly how many Blood Traits can a vampire spend and use in a single turn? Beyond the benefit of lower generation vampires receiving more Blood Traits, does this as well allow them to spend more blood traits than higher generations in a single round like table top?
A. Goes by generation.

Q. Is it easier for a regnant to Dominate or affect with Presence, vampire’s who are in thrall to the them like in Table Top? If so, how does one work this in determining the difficulty lessening by MET rules?
A. Yes

Q. When using Summoning, how well must the Summoner know the victim, as the wording does not make it readily clear? Is you just knowing them, but them not knowing you, enough? (Known from fame, a picture, visually seeing them, etc.
A. In general you need to have talked to them, ask your Storyteller.

Q. In what category would throwing a melee weapon fall into? Melee or Firearms?
A. Missile.

by Millie Summer

Greetings Submissions Gurus,
Cool issue, and I am not just saying that because I got stuff in this one. <giggle> For my next trick, I will stay away from sappy/morose poetry (as I have already bothered you with such <smile>) and perhaps share my method of judging Humanity/Golconda in games that I storytell. I ran one game for over 3 real time years, and no one yet achieved Golconda in any of them, so I think I was being relatively reserved while still utilizing believable notions of Humanity/Golconda. My methods were as follows, and are not *necessarily* an endorsement of any particular religion or philosophy, nor am I trying to spread any unwanted visions, as hardly any players ever really care about it anyway. <grin>

It is rather simple, really, and some may already use this method. Also, this system makes it possible to achieve Golconda without having a 10 humanity, as it says you can have a 7 in the book. (Possible, but not easy <smile>).

Certain segments of the population will find it all very familiar…. :)

I base humanity in games I Storytell on the Seven Deadly Sins and the seven opposing Heavenly Virtues, leaving out but not ruling out the ‘God’ aspects. The Deadly Sins work well with the humanity checks in the VtM book, and I make a humanity check when a ‘deadly sin’ is committed, and if the character has a high enough humanity to warrant it. If someone does a great act pertaining to a Heavenly Virtue, I might give them a humanity point, or an appropriate virtue point (conscience, self-control, or courage). This kind of award is rare nigh to non-existent in my games. Call me a harsh father (mother?) confessor. <evil grin> Here is just a little personal guide gleaned from internet sources:

Pride / Humility - Seeing ourselves as we are and not comparing ourselves to others is humility. Pride and vanity are competitive. If someone else’s pride really bothers you, you have a lot of pride.

Avarice or Greed / Generosity - This is about more than money. Generosity means letting others get the credit or praise. It is giving without having expectations of the other person. Greed wants to get its "fair share" or a bit more.

Envy / Love - "Love is patient, love is kind…" Love actively seeks the good of others for their sake. Envy resents the good others receive or even might receive. Envy is almost indistinguishable from pride at times.

Wrath or Anger / Kindness - Kindness means taking the tender approach, with patience and compassion. Anger is often our first reaction to the problems of others. Impatience with the faults of others is related to this.

Lust / Self-control - Self control and self mastery prevent pleasure from killing the soul by suffocation. Legitimate pleasures are controlled in the same way an athlete’s muscles are: for maximum efficiency without damage. Lust is the self-destructive drive for pleasure out of proportion to its worth. Sex, power, or image can be used well, but they tend to go out of control.

Gluttony / Faith and Temperance - Faith trusts in others and oneself, and does not hoard against the more needy. This does not pertain only to food, but to entertainment and other legitimate goods, and even the company of others.

Sloth / Zeal - Zeal is the energetic response of the heart. The other sins work together to deaden the spiritual senses so we first become slow to respond and then drift completely into the sleep of complacency.

There is a pretty deadly sin page <grin> at : http://www.deadlysins.com/   Ah.. cool domain name. <sigh>

Are we totally overwhelmed yet? Heh. That is roughly what I used for humanity/virtue judgments. Of course, I use much intuitive thought, exceptions and judgment calls, but I find this template to be comprehensible to myself as well as to others if they are trying to understand The Way. <sly smile>

Now… for Golconda. I found…. (and it is hard to say… for it sounds too lofty…) a lovely template for Golconda. Ya, I know, I know, sounds cheesy, and even I have not achieved the Golconda that I set aside for players, and they would practically have to achieve it in Real Life before they could comprehend it well enough to play it, and then they would have to enlighten me. <grin> But, my definition of Golconda is Nirvana… or Zen. It seems indeed to be perfection, and oneness, and even a Vampire could live with themselves if they were able to see the way. I am sure many know them, but here are the Four Noble Truth, as laid out by the Buddha:

Life is suffering.

The origin of suffering is egoistic craving and attachment.

There is a way to the cessation of suffering.

This Way is the Eightfold Path:
Right Understanding;
Right Thinking;
Right Speech;
Right Attitude;
Right Livelihood;
Right Effort;
Right Mindfulness;
Right Concentration.

These words make many angry, of course. Take them as you will. :) Here is a web page with a more detailed explanation: http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble.htm

So, enlightenment (Golconda) can be had with less than a 10 humanity, but not likely. Of course, Golconda is merely a legend in any chronicle I run. :)

Well, I hope that some may find this worth while. It is hard, with all of the action and in your face suffering in the WoD, to focus on Personal Horror and the like, but I needed a template to keep my perspective on what Sin and Salvation could be in Vampire.

by Justin R. Achilli

I thought some people might get some mileage out of this. It will soon supplement the old submission guidelines.

–

Vampire is a game of personal, gothic horror. That’s "gothic," not
"goth." Some vampires are goths, sure, but we’re more concerned with the intricacies of becoming a monster and the literary meaning of gothic than we are with lyrics from Apoptygma Berzerk songs.

(Somewhere, right now, you¹ll find a goth screaming, "That’s not goth, that’s industrial! Idiot!" To that goth, I say: Shut up. Somewhere, right now, a European is laughing at you for confusing industrial with darkwave electro. Get over it.)

Vampire is about normal people who have been Embraced into a World of Darkness and turned into predatory monsters. It is a game of horror, of both the internal and external varieties. Each vampire is only half man — the other half is a ravenous, bloodthirsty Beast. Vampires’ worlds fall apart: Mortals they love die, things they held dear now linger out of reach, they prey upon what they once were. They have been utterly cursed. To ease the pain — or to escape what they have become — they pretend to be mortal.  They place elaborate social rules and grand Jyhads before themselves, hoping to divert their attention from their own bestial natures. They cling desperately to the vestiges of their humanity. Their unlives are tragic, doomed attempts to stave off the unnatural forces that lurk within them all.

(Vampire, to some people, is about blowing shit up, hurling bolts of flame and vicariously getting back at a world that shuns them for their geekdom. I don’t publish books for those people. It’s fine for them to play in that idiom — as long as they’re having fun, the game works. They’re going to play Vampire like that anyway, but I’m not going to encourage them.)

So, with all that in mind, you want to write for Vampire, eh? Well, before I hire you, we’ll have to see if you can take it. Part and parcel with Vampire writing comes criticism, and it comes in greater volume than with any of our other games. To see if you’re up to the task, complete the following mock letter using the choices presented and gauge your reactions.

"Hello,
(1) Jackass;
(2) Idiot;
(3) Bonehead;
(4) Moron;

I am
(1) a generic Internet chump hiding behind an anonymous handle
(2) a lonely, frustrated student with nothing better to do
(3) an illiterate dullard with vociferously spoken opinions
(4) a rabid fan who thinks White Wolf owes him something

and I just want you to know that your last book really
(1) sucked.
(2) blew.
(3) stank.
(4) should have been fed through a chipper-shredder.

Why was it so bad? Well,
(1) you didn’t do exactly what I would have done with it, which proves you are stupid.
(2) you left out several details in the interests of creating mystery, but I wanted to know the exact Traits or reason behind [Event X], which proves you are stupid.
(3) I’m incapable of understanding in-character bias in printed material, which results in my confusion and also proves you are stupid.
(4) just because, stupid.

In fact, White Wolf has put out consistently crappy books since
(1) you started writing for them.
(2) Justin Achilli took over Vampire.
(3) they stopped using Sisters of Mercy quotes to open every subsection of text.
(4) they came into existence, yet I still buy every book, if only to give me new reasons
to complain and find a surrogate victim for my own feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing.

I hope
(1) wild jackals tear out your liver for writing this thing.
(2) you are assimilated by the Borg, decapitated by Highlanders, hamstrung by my Celtic ancestors and defiled by cape-wearing LARPers.
(3) real goths taunt you when you go to the nightclub, you Manson-loving wannabe.
(4) you get fired and they hire me, even though I have no idea how to write a cogent sentence, let alone prepare a book for publication.

Sincerely,
(1) DarkRavynDeth143@aol.com
(2) Kevin Collegebritches, State University
(3) Nethraxis Zomb, Crimson Master of the Eternal Night
(4) Eugene Fenster, by way of my parents’ basement

P.S.:
(1) Which book explains Baba Yaga’s death?
(2) Enclosed is my character. Please make it official.
(3) I didn’t type my letter legibly or even bother to send a SASE, but I’m going to get all uppity if I don’t receive a response from you.
(4) Rot in hell, you bastard."

If you’re prepared to deal with crap like this, you’ve got the fortitude to work for us. (On a lighter note, you should know that the people you’re actually working for are the silent majority — the ones who accept the game for the entertainment pastime it is and "get it" on a larger scale. They just don’t write as often, because they tend to be better acclimated to the world. Not everyone in this hobby is a wailing, sociopath lunatic. Just the loud ones.)

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about how to write for Vampire.

Most importantly, a writer must have a grasp of English. Grammar, punctuation, solid mechanics and a good voice are paramount. One of many people’s common misperceptions involves the belief that writing is easy — not everyone can draw well, it’s hard to lay out a book to given graphic design specs, but any monkey can sit in front of a keyboard and type pretty words. Not true. In fact, writing is the hardest thing many people will be expected to perform in their entire lives, and doing it well is even more difficult. A writer must be a good communicator before I hire her, as our production schedule doesn’t offer enough time to piece together a flaw-heavy manuscript. You may have the best ideas in the world, but they’re worthless to me if I can’t make heads or tails of them. If you’re a good idea guy, team up with a competent writer and submit a joint proposal. Just don’t send me "I like alot of vampires and the diablerie in the Sabbat of Mexico. But mithris was wetching and a Lupine. Attack!" and expect to have it published.

Vampire’s core theme is a tripartite concept: It is a Storytelling game of personal horror. Storytelling involves taking a concept and doing something with it. We all know the Ventrue are wealthy powerbrokers nonpareil, but what do they do to garner that reputation? How do the Nosferatu manage to maintain their vast information networks? How does a twisted Tzimisce acquire that reputation among others of her kind? Tell a story worth the words. Show us "memorable antagonists, prizes worth fighting for, fascinating settings, believable goals, plot twists, betrayals, redemptions, heroism, tragedy, triumph, horror and general weirdness." If you expect me to pay you, and you expect others to buy your book, you’d best make sure it’s worth our dollar-two-ninety-eight.

The personal aspect rests upon the role of the characters. We don’t need books in which clans/sects/coteries are faceless, monolithic entities that exist only to serve the greater agenda. Sure, the Toreador involve themselves in the worlds of art and mortals, but what motivates them individually? Clans are not fraternities that gather for Spring Rush or to take over the Brujah primogen’s crime syndicate. Sects are not giant companies or armed forces that unite to war with the infidels or "control" (damn, I hate that word) cities (even though they may say otherwise, as is the case with some particularly fervent Sabbat or Assamites). Rather, clans are more like families and sects are more like social societies, and when was the last time the Achillis or the goths banded together to drive the Methuselahs from the city? Focus on the individual — the intent is to show the unique nature of being a vampire, not to join an eternal, undying corporation as a pathetic servant. Nothing inherent to clan or sect membership ties a vampire to a "party line," and it’s more likely for a conniving Ventrue to plot against other Ventrue than it is for him to shake his fist at a cadre of black-biker-jacket-wearing Brujah gangstaz. Princes don’t just "hang out" on velvet thrones, and not all Sabbat are molotov-tossing psychotics.

Concerning horror, your submission had better seep with it. Without horror, this may as well be a superhero game, and that’s not what we’re after. Consider: All characters are dead, yet exist in a fragile state beyond death by stealing away the life’s blood of the people they formerly were while fighting to hold back the excruciating urges of the Beast. All vampires are addicts, dedicated, above all else, to acquiring that precious fluid upon which their existence hangs so precariously. To what depths will these characters sink in the pursuit of their schemes and wants? Let’s see those depths.

With those central ideas in mind, here’s what I’m looking for.

o New Twists: Surprise your reader. If we know what’s going to happen in the plot, it’s boring. I’m not advocating random chaos or arbitrarily motivated antagonists, but sometimes the logical conclusion isn’t what shakes out of an event. Weirdness and mystery are good.

o Interesting Characters: This is such a hot button for me, I don’t even want to open it up. Just make your characters have whole personalities. The idea of a "generic Malkavian" is pretty weak; everyone is an individual. Also remember that your characters’ concepts are not their clan or sect. See? You’re getting me started. Cool characters, please.

o Monsters: I don’t want florid tirades about eternal damnation, but I do want to see that we’re not dealing with fanged superheroes. Simple, but very important

o Open-endedness: Yeah, that’s not a word. So what? Anyway, if you’re dealing with plot, allow players’ coteries to have an impact on their environment. This is very hard with Vampire; characters run such a broad spectrum of motivations that it’s impossible to create a truly universal situation. It’s not like the old days of hack ‘n’ slash games, where you could stick a monster in a room and every character would make a beeline for it and kick its ass, whether they were priests, elves or whatever. Still, try to accommodate as many tastes as possible, and plan for as many eventualities as you can. If the objective of a story is to recover a torpid Kindred’s body, give my vagrant Gangrel truck driver a reason to participate.

o Focus: At the same time, however, your idea needs a unity of vision. Why the hell is the Ventrue gang boss hanging out with the Malkavian political hopeful on the balcony of the Brujah runway model’s loft? You can’t stop players from creating characters who have no business being together (check out a convention game that lets you bring your own character to the table for big laffs sometime), but you can at least bring a sense of order to the material you’re putting into print.

o The Young Ones: I like games that aren’t infested with low-generation god characters. A 13th-generation vampire is every bit as cool as the fifth-generation Prince of Paris, and a damn sight more likely to be believably played. Vampires already have an edge over the mortals among whom they hide — we don’t need any more vertigo-inducing lists of mega-Traits. Skew your writing to reflect the higher generations, unless you’re writing for sympathy with an older vampire.

o Keep it Current: The Vampire setting is ultramodern, and a 600-year-old jackass capering about in a velvet frock coat is gonna get waxed by the Inquisition, if not other Kindred. Vampires enact their Masquerade by following mortal trends, not by guzzling bloodwynnnne from crystal goblets with their vampyre wyves and speaking fantasy roleplaying-influenced faux Olde Englishe. Hey, you! Yeah, you; the Lord Byron doppelganger! I’m setting you on fire because you look like a vampire! Seriously, show us how hip and cutting-edge vampires are. Or, by contrast, show us a static elder who still does wear his powdered wigs — and show us the difficulties he faces by being unable to cope with change.

Now here’s what I don’t want.

o Stuff We’ve Already Done: I’m not interested in Your City by Night, in which the main conflict is a struggle for princedom.

o Stuff We Haven’t Done for a Reason: No Clanbook: Samedi or Secrets of the Inconnu, please. It’s hard enough to keep the mystery without turning over every rock in Vampire’s backyard. Maybe these books will come out at some point, but if they do, it’sbecause Vampire needs them and not because the eight millionth "I think Samedi are cool" submission was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I’m a bitter, resentful jerk, and I’m more likely to not print a book out of spite than to be won over by fawning over a pet idea (see below).

o Crossover: I’m the guy at the office who hates this the most. Mixing the various World of Darkness supernaturals almost invariably comes at the expense of the games’ horror and leans it toward a disparate mix of random superpowers. That, and the systems of the different games don’t work well together. Werewolves don’t even have tribes in Vampire; they’re almost always unknowable "Lupines." Other supernaturals follow suit. Send crossover to someone else and keep Vampire out of it if you know what’s good for you.

o Your Personal Crusade: So you like the Daughters of Cacophony. Great. The strength of your fetish/passion won’t sell books. Cool ideas will.

o The Same Old Tropes, Redux: Blah blah blah prince blah blah blah Ventrue blah blah blah control blah blah blah manipulated blah blah blah in his bid for power. Yawn.

o GoobCon XIV: I don’t know what committee approves these sorts of things, but every now and then, the gaming community appropriates some weird trend and it becomes chic to participate in it. People claim to be Celts or pagans or Gypsies or Wiccans or Native Americans, or they wear blowzy poet shirts and trenchcoats. What the hell is this all about? Well, most vampires aren’t gamers. Leave your Scottish Gangrel and your Ren Faire-visiting Nagaraja Abomination at home, please. Let these cultures have their dignity and let the dorky fads hurry to their merciful deaths.

Important Note: The Vampire schedule is full until mid-2001. I will not be adding new projects until that time. I do, however, need people to work on books in the interim, so please send in your proposal. Even if I don’t use your idea immediately, I may use you for one of the other projects on the board.

A list of inspirations for Vampire:

Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat — Vampires are sexy in a modern context, and the historical flashbacks are very evocative. I wasn’t a huge fan of Queen of the Damned, which I found too epic for my tastes, or The Tale of the Body Thief, which gave vampires some weird powers (but showed how much Lestat lost by becoming a vampire).

Sheridan LeFanu’s "Carmilla" — Here’s how you exist for centuries: by hiding and reinventing yourself. This story is also very sensual and spooky.

Frederick Cowles’ "The Vampire of Kaldenstein" — What a bunch of monstrous degenerates these guys were!

John Polidori’s "The Vampyre" — Despite the aftermath of lace and capes, this story pretty much established the core ideals of the modern vampire.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula — Duh.

Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting — Unpleasant, seedy characters; swap out the heroin for blood and poof! Instant vampires! The movie also provided a good film translation, which is uncommon.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby — An excellent book stylistically (Fitzgerald describes his characters through their actions, showing rather than telling), and the social commentary is certainly applicable to Kindred society.

Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities — A nest of high-society vipers and what they do when things go awry. Very Camarilla.

Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Hell’s Angels — Welcome to what could easily be the Sabbat. The Fear and Loathing movie is actually better than you heard it was.

John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — Very Southern, but also very gothic in the sense Vampire illustrates: rife with corruption and rotten from within.

Blade — Um, see, there are these 13 cla– er, houses, right? And they have mortal minions called ghou– uh, familiars. Oh well. The vampires in Blade were certainly very sexy and ultra-modern-hip-cool, and Steven Dorff’s performance was excellent. Plus, New Order was on the soundtrack and played during the phenomenal opening scene, so you can’t go wrong.

The Crow — Despite spawning a legion of fiendishly made-up LARP kids (and Sting), this was a scummy, noisy, vibrant, violent, druggy, and even somewhat gothic hell of a good time, with kickass sets to boot. Michael Wincott gave a sterling performance as Top Dollar, and I think the movie was better than the comic.

The Replacement Killers — Mainly the opening scene. You can bet that when vampires walk into a nightclub and some grade-A whup-ass starts to happen, there’s going to be some Crystal Method playing really loudly. And most of the movie’s characters are World of Darkness-style scumbags.

The Godfather, The Godfather II and Goodfellas — Treachery! Greed! Death! Sex! Lather! Rinse! Repeat! If you don’t like these movies, there’s something wrong with you. Every element of these movies can be adapted to suit Vampire, most of them with very little shoehorning.

The Hunger — A bit dated, but excellent nonetheless. Two creepy vampires ply their trade in New York as Bauhaus leers at the camera. I think David Bowie really is a vampire.

John Carpenter’s Vampires — Again, the strongest part of the movie is the opening scene, and it gets kinda action-campy from there. That opening scene is quality, though, and it gives an unsettling feeling for the "nests" of vampires. The head vampire, Varek, is really sinister in an over-the-top "bad dude" way.

Some General Writing Guidelines

Spellcheck, Damn You!: Your word processor does this. You have no excuse to submit a proposal with spelling errors. Even if you¹re a brain-dead, flesh-eating, feces-flinging howler monkey, all you have to do is click a little button and 60 percent of your moronism will disappear.

Action!: Many writers have a tendency to slip into the future perfect tense and passive voice. The Storyteller games are as much about proactivity as reactivity, and writing should reflect this. Consider:

o The hapless serf was slaughtered by the frenzied vampire.

o The frenzied vampire slaughtered the hapless serf.

Note the inherent sense of action in the second sentence — it¹s actually happening (even in past tense) as we speak, by simply making the subject active instead of passive.

o The characters will discover the slumbering Methuselah.

o The characters discover the slumbering Methuselah.

Note that "will" in the first sentence implies that the characters may get around to it eventually, whereas it definitely happens in the second sentence. Keep this dynamic of dynamics in mind, please!

Verb Tense: Present. Things happen now! Use the present tense to indicate that the things you¹re talking about are going on as we speak. Only use past tense if you are discussing something that did indeed happen in the past. For example:

o The players¹ characters stumble upon the lair of Assamite ghouls.

o A group of rogue Assamites established a fanatical ghoul cult in 1973.

Words I Hate: Don’t use any of these words unless they¹re the best choice for the job: Utilize, Moist, Zesty, Tangy, Facilitate, Basically (and its ugly sister, Essentially) and Incredible. Also avoid "junk" words — the ones you use to make yourself seem smarter. I don¹t care how smart you are, I just want to read something without being patronized. Some of those above words are junk words, for example.

Bad Phrasing: Avoid it. Things don¹t "begin to" happen unless they¹re interrupted. ("It was then the Tremere began to take action against the Tzimisce" implies that they never finished. "The Tremere began to take action against the Tzimisce, but faced opposition from Ventrue Eastern Lords that ended their campaign" works just fine.) Be wary of subjective prepositions, too; within, upon and the like are treacherous and rarely appropriate.

There Is and There Are: Not only are these often used incorrectly, they’re passive as all hell. "There is" means, "In that locations existsŠ" which generally isn’t what you’re trying to say when you use this construction. Here; I’ll show you.

o "There is my car," is fine, if passive-voiced.

o "There is a school of thought that suggest vampires are the children of Lilith, not Caine," is a damn mess. Where is this school? "There is" suggests it has actually, physically been constructed somewhere. And it’s still passive, even if you’re talking about a literal school, which you’re not. See what I mean? Just say no to there is.

by WwTalikwW@aol.com

Thank you all for attending. I again call the council to discuss yet ANOTHER problem we are having with our….youth.

You have our undivided attentions, as usual. Please, go on.

::wet ass-kissing sounds and a roll of gypsy eyes::

::grabs him by the cheeks and kisses him fully on the mouth::

GAH!!! ::spits and runs after Malk who takes off sprinting:: I will kill you dilo bastard!

ENOUGH!! ::stands::
Ravnos PLEASE be seated. Malkav. ::points:: Over there….next to Brujah.

::smiles and pats the seat next to him causing Malk to eep::

As I was stating before the OUTBURST..::dirty look to Malk:: We have yet another problem. The children know we have ourflaws to separate us, but they want to know our strengths as well. So..I have taken the liberty to..

::growls:: You hook me up like you did with the flaws and you are gunna take your liberties to the hospital little man.

::coughs and nods::
Of..course..Gangrel…shall we start with you?

::folds her arms and gives the stare that men, dead or alive fear from women::

Ahem..ahh yes…::Rustles papers:: Gangrel…I to you..grant the abilities of your animal nature. Growing claws at will, changing into animal form at will….even becoming the mists of night themselves. ::swallows:: Acceptable?

It’s a start. I still owe you for the pig’s tail….

Moving right along…Malkav…I grant you..the power of Dominate, you may control the minds of your–

ARE YOU OFF YOUR GOD DAMNED ROCKER? Giving HIM the ability to control OTHERS?? We’ll all end up as demented as he is!

Dementia? Instilling insanity in others?

Deal. Done. Thank you Drive thru.

::cringes and shakes his head::

I’m..not..sure what just..happened..Malk? I was?

Moving on to Toreador.

::Shakes his head and nods:: Yes..um…Toreador. Because of your beauty, and appreciation of…your perfect social skills, and untouchable elegance, I give you the ability to influence the feelings of others. Inspiring Awe, Fear, Love or Respect in all you wish.

Wise, just, and kind. Thank you.

::makes kissy noises and quickly looks to Malk:: You even THINK it and yer pulp Kook.

Assamite. Due to your…ahem…activities.. I chose silence for you. You manipulate sounds, causing the death cries of your victims to be lost with their lives.

::smiles and nods:: Such things are in the blood….

Brujah…my violent friend. To further…your personality I give to you unparalleled strength..and speed. May your wrath be as swift and stinging as your temper.

::grins at Assamite:: Awww. I wanted to be really quiet!! ::mock sighs:: Guess I have to suffer with strength and speed. ::laughs::

Then suffer in silence.

::laughter stops as his sounds are abruptly cut off::

Um…<vq> Should have gave you that a long time ago Assamite. Moving on. Tzim…I give to you..

A NEW CLAN NAME!!!
Something we can say without sounding like we are sneezing through a mouth full of –::goes silent::

Thank you Assamite. Ahem.
Tzim, you shall have the ability to sculpt and mold flesh and bone, as artists mold clay or shape stone.

::dirty look to Malk:: Come here my silent little friend…

::Silent shriek as he holds up two fingers in the sign of the cross::

Ahem…Nosferatu. I grant you the ability to..

Leap tall buildings in a SINGLE BOUND!

::surprised:: I thought you were silenced?

::shaking out a sore hand::
Well he has to be CONSCIOUS to do that now doesn’t he? ::kicks Assamite before sitting:: Strength and speed. I love it.

Nos, I grant you the power to be unseen. You may come and go and no one will acknowledge your presence.

::laughs:: Oh yeah..like he gets ALL the acknowledgement in the world right now…a real chick magnet.

Accepted, thank you Ventrue. ::to Brujah:: Why on earth would I want to attract other women?

::pales:: You…are…a…Oh god..I’m gunna be sick…

::scootches closer to Nos::
Sooo..what are you doing aft–

Giovanni. You are given, power over the dead. The truly dead. All that fester and rot are in your domain.

Ugh..so you DO have a chance with Nos. Looks at Ventrue. Man..can you imagine if.. ::leans in whispering to Ventrue who pales then looks ill::

Thank you…for that lovely image Brujah. I will be sure to send you my therapy bill. Ravnos…

::looks startled then sheepish:: Sorry… ::hands Ventrue his wallet::

No..I…::shakes his head and snatches the wallet back:: I know I am going to regret this…but I give you the power of trickery. Your illusions, jokes, and general mischief shall fool not only theeyes, but all senses.

Yeah. I’M the crazy one….::looks at the stirring Assamite and punches him in the jaw:: I’m gunna knock you out! Mama said knock you out. I’m gunna take this iddy biddy world by storm and I’m just..urnk.

::shakes off his fist::
Strength. And Speed. GOTTA love it.

Lasombra. Yes..you over in the poorly lit corner. Your ability shall be mastery of the shadows and the dark. With it……::Blinks:: Where did he go?

Accepted. Gladly.

::groggily and weakly:: Carolanne…stay away from the light…::thunks back to the table::

Um..yes. Tremere. Given your studies..you are given the ability to create magic. Casting cantrips and using your powers as you see fit.

But I already have—

And last but not least, myself.

::Warily:: Best for last? What do you get?

I get the mastery of mind control. With it I shall lead us, holding both meetings, and the majority of offices. Any one who objects, please try to raise your hands.

::Struggle to lift stubborn limbs that refuse to obey::

Very nice. Meeting..Adjourned.