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have spent so long building up. On the other hand, when
state without being forced to can generally awaken at the
their concentration becomes complete, they will feel every
time they desir e (or at least within a decade or so). Those
emotion of their characters.
with Auspex may be able to keep a vigil over the world and
pick their time of revival. Indeed, many who have Once you know how the players themselves feel, you can
involuntarily entered torpor due to wounds can awaken begin the process of manipulating their moods (after all, is
earlier than they do, but opt to continue sleeping until they that not what storytellers of all kinds aim for?). Contrasts
feel ready to come out. are probably the easiest way to handle this. For instance, if
the dramatic Scenes won't happen for a while, use
Thus at some point the characters should decide, as a
humorous situations to relax the players. Then, as the
troupe, to enter torpor and when to arise. One easy way to
tension begins to rise, cut back on the levity. Have the vain
bring this about is to have them battling some great foe
retainer you've been playing for laughs return home and
who himself disappears for decades at a time. With the use
ship the bumbling cop off to the doughnut shop.
of the proper ritual (thoughtfully supplied by the
Storyteller), the characters can revive themselves whenever By the time the most important scene comes up, you have
their archenemy comes out of torpor as well. Thus the prepared the players both with a buildup of tension and a
characters stay in hiding from the villain's minions, but can reduction of humor. While the players remember (at least
still combat him a s necessary. subconsciously) past times of whimsy, you have readied
them for the more serious moments to come.
While this method can also be used with the downtime
rules found later in this chapter, it works best when the The same holds true for Chronicles as it does for Stories.
characters sleep the years away. Given years of downtime, Have some episodes played for laughs. Put the characters
far too many players would begin demanding gobs of up against one of the Prince's brood who has become
experience for their characters, possibly increasing the
renowned for his incompetence. While the players will
power level of the game before the Storyteller is ready. enjoy laughing at the amazing ineptitude of this foe, the
Storyteller can set up the first in a series of Stories which
Back to the Future
will allow the players to realize the Prince has set the city
up for an attack by Lupines. When the culminating battle
20
Vampire Storytellers Handbook
against the Lupines and their demon allies takes place in a means is that there are certain basic premises that govern a
deep salt mine on the night of a full moon, both the world. Things can be expected to work in a certain way, at
characters and the players will be ready. least most of the time. One example of this would be a
world in which Magic worked with the same regularity as
science
Their Own Devices
does in our world while Science was a very arcane and
All of this can be happily blown out of the water by that
chaotic undertaking whose principles were understood
most ephemeral of Chronicles - the character -driven
only by a learned few.
campaign. Instead of the players taking their cues from the
Storyteller, the Storyteller devises the scenes around the This may seem crazy and at first, but think about it. If it
plans of the players. For instance, if the characters decide works consistently throughout the world then it isn't
chaotic, now is it? Another example is the world of
they want to set one of their number up as Prince while
establishing the others as ruling candidates, the Storyteller Vampire. It can be summed up in two words - "Vampires
exist." Everything else is built outward from this basic
need do nothing to begin the Stories or keep the running.
premise. This is a very important consideration whether
Instead, the characters decide what they plan on doing. For
you are creating a Chronicle set in 12th century England or
instance, the first step in their schemes might involve
21st century California. It must have its own inter nal
discrediting the Prince, which they will do by setting up a
consistency; otherwise it will fall apart under its own
number of threats to the Masquerade which the Prince will
weight.
be unable to deal with. The players describe what actions
their characters will take - perhaps revealing the Prince's
The Famous Few
control of the police to the media at the same time they
The next consideration applies to historically -based
begin a series of "Dracula" attacks - and the Storyteller
Chronicles and relates to handling historical figures and
leads them through each scene, throwing obstructions in
celebrities. Virtually every place and time in human history
their path and generally adding to the excitement level.
has produced at least one individual who made it into the
This sort of Chronicle is both easier and harder than a
history books as well as famous works of literature
normal one. While the Storyteller does not have to spend
associated with specific times and places. The Storyteller
as much time beforehand getting everything ready, he has
should give a great deal of thought as to whether or not to
to be deeply involved in the players' planning in order to
include encounters with some of the rich and famous of a
make the Scenes as interesting a s possible.
particular time period as well as notable figures from
literature. They provide color and give a feel of reality to
Additionally, he needs to add depth to the Chronicle so it
the Chronicle, but risk making the action of the players
does not degenerate into a series of wish fulfillments for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]