New Players
Players with limited experience with the game setting will be expected to play Camarilla members of the following Clans. Note the Clan Packets are official rules for OWBN:
- Brujah:
Passionate warriors and rebels who are divided in their goals, but united in
the strength of their convictions.
Brujah Clan Packet
- Malkavian:
Twisted and deranged, prophets and lunatics, they are divided by their
fractured psyches, but united by their shared glimpse into the Truth.
Malkavian Genre Packet
- Nosferatu: Made
hideous in form, information brokers and spies they are divided by their
loathing for what they have become, even as they are united by their shared
affliction.
Nosferatu Clan Packet.pdf
- Toreador:
Gifted artists and beautiful people, they are divided by their competition to
be the best at what they do, even as they are united by their love of art and
culture.
Toreador Packet
- Ventrue: Businessmen and Aristocrats, they claim leadership of the Camarilla. They are divided by their will to power, even as their sense of duty to the Camarilla and their Clan unites them.
Ventrue Genre Guide
Ventrue Dignitas Packets
New Players should contact the Storyteller for help creating a character sheet and background for their character. Players with limited experience are encouraged to not take Merits and Flaws, since they present additional complications while learning the rules.
Since Santa Cruz By Night is part of a network of games, not every city is a place that your character can be from that makes sense for other games. The following are cities that people are free to be from without needing additional approval.
- * France, Marseille (Fief de Provence), Marquis* Villeneuve, 1729-Present
- * USA , Kansas City, KS, James Branderson, Brujah, 1934-Present
- * USA , Portsmouth, NH , Gareth MonCrieffe , Malkavian, 1827-Present
- * USA , Las Vegas, NV, Benedic , Ventrue, 1949-1994
-
* USA, Denver, CO, Edward Williams , Toreador, 1927-Present
-
* Turkey , Istanbul, Mustafa , Ventrue, 1682-Present
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* South Africa , Johannesburg, Alexander Cromwell, Ventrue, 1821-Present
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* Germany , Bonn, Mikhail Schueller, Nosferatu, 1764-1912
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* Germany , Bonn, Sigwald Heinz, Tremere, 1912-Present
-
* England , Manchester, Marshall Rolands, Toreador, 1968-Present
-
* Canada , Quebec City, QC, Annabelle , Tremere, ?-Present
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* Argentina , Buenos Aires, Alexandria/Callisti y Castillo , Toreador, 1800s-Present
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* Venezuela , Caracas, Tomas Marcello , Tremere, ?-Present
-
* Ireland , Northern, Belfast, Conail Finnegan, Ventrue, 1902-Present
-
* Italy , Ravenna, Alessio Rinaldi , Malkavian, ?-Present
*The entire country of France is ruled by Prince Villon of Paris. His vassal princes in French cities outside Paris are titled "Marquis," and can grant Acknowledgment in Villon's name. See the OWBN French Packet for more information.
Experienced Players
More experienced players may be give more options, including members of Clan Gangrel, Tremere, as well as Clan Whips, holders of clan positions, and Childer of prestigious figures in the city. Such positions will open up as the game grows.
Santa Cruz By Night does not currently accept Anarch, Sabbat, or Independent (except Gangrel) concepts.
General Character Creation
Santa Cruz By Night uses Laws of the Night Revised, with the following changes. Each Character gets a free trait of Camarilla, Kindred, and appropriate Clan Lore. The following Merits and Flaws aren't allowed:
- True Faith
- Dark Fate
- Flesh of the Corpse
Character sheets should only include Merits and Flaws for a good reason, as they require Storyteller Approval. Characters are allowed one Merit and one Flaw maximium at character creation, except with special dispensation from the Storyteller.
New Characters will be restricted to 3 levels any single background, including influence, with the exception of Generation, before adding in clan advantage.
Characters, except with Storyteller permission, are
expected to be neonates, no more then 75 years embraced (turned into vampires)
and no more then 9th Generation.
As in Tabletop, Starting Willpower is equal to your Courage Virtue Rating, not based on your Generation. Using Freebies to increase your Courage rating does not increase your Willpower Rating. Maximium Willpower in Santa Cruz By Night for all characters is 12.
All players are required to submit a background for their character, even if it's no more then a paragraph turned in at game to start with. Backgrounds can earn a character experience points, as detailed in the House Rules. Merits and Flaws must be supported in the background to the satisfaction of the Storyteller. The Storyteller is available to work on the creation of character sheets and backgrounds.
Guidelines
- Players should attempt to create characters with
reasons for interacting with other player characters; However these
interactions don't neccesarily have to be friendly. Live-Action Roleplay works
best when players allow their characters to interact with another. Concepts of
loners who spend all their time interacting with NPCs (such as a serial killer
who hunts mortals) mean that the Storyteller isn't available for other
players.
- It's alright to play to stereotypes. While not every
Brujah is a leather wearing thug, some certainly are. On the converse side,
don't be afraid to create unique characters. The important thing is to have a
fully fleshed-out character that you can roleplay.
- Backgrounds aren't about justifying Merits and Flaws,
but serve to provide the lead in to the story of your character, as well as
provide shape and structure to their goals and dreams. Consider creating
conflicts, unresolved issues, and other challenges for your character to
overcome. These challenges may qualify you for additional experience traits.
- A good webpage to help fill out your character's background
- A ongoing larps guidelines on good and bad character concepts. You will save both me and yourself tons of headaches if you read this before making your character. It's awesome.