This is supposed to be our Vampire: the Masquerade page, but I'm afraid it's going to be a little scant. Not because of any lack in the game system, or rather because there is no lack. White Wolf has done an excellent job in covering a lot of background and tying the rules together really well. The storytelling system stresses role-playing heavily and can be adapted to almost any game world. The only real weakness to the game is its combat system, which is clunky and hard to get around in. Even in the second edition. This page will probably end up being nothing more than disconnected ramblings on tips and pointers for novice storytellers. In any case, if anyone has suggestions on what they'd like to see, or even articles of their own they'd like published, email me. I'd be more than happy to work something out.

All the damn Vampires

I remember when vampires weren't mainstream; when Dracula was only a vague black and white memory. I remember when White Wolf had only one game on the shelves, and Live Action Gaming was the realm of the SCA. I remember when people who dressed in black and silver were ostracized by their peer community. That was a while ago. Now, with gothic come in from the cold and vampires the new, hip thing to be, the degradation of both game and live action is complete.

The Paradox of Live Action

Paradox? What paradox? What's so confusing about a bunch of gamers who take their game off the table and into the real world? Well, let's stop and think about this for a moment. What we have is a bunch of humans running around dressed up like vampires. Now isn't the goal of the majority of the vampires in the White Wolf system to look like humans? Kind of defeats the purpose of the Masquerade when you dress the part of a vampire.

Thicker Than Wine

The key to playing a good vampire is to think long term. With a lifespan that could measure in centuries, the undead have the time and patience to set plans in motion that won't see fruition until decades down the road. Vampires should be the ultimate politicians; trading power and secrets for years, slowly maneuvering their human pawns, ghoul knights, and undead queens into position for a masterful coup. Which may involve nothing more than disgracing a fellow in front of the Prince. But in any case, vampires should have legions at their hands. The undead are arguably the weakest creatures in the White Wolf universe. Which means they must outsmart instead of outmuscle their opponents. Because they're not alive, Vampires have a little bit of an edge when designing security for themselves. Since they don't need to breathe, a lair could be filled with some inert gas instead of standard atmosphere. Something like halon, which even works as a fire-suppressant. Carbon dioxide works well, too. It might even be filled with water. Also, any security systems can be set to allow only those that match an undead's profile in. For example, dead flesh registers at ambient temperature. Therefore a simple infrared sensor triggered by anything several degrees above ambient becomes a fairly effective deterrent. Hook it to a system designed to flush the air out of the chamber and suddenly anything alive is having a real bad day.

Required Reading

The following is just a sample of what I think should be on every undead's bookshelf.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
The Name of the Rose and Focault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
A bible with the Apocrypha
Any Jung
Any Nietzsche

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