Also do some research into some of the big events of the past 3 to 5 centuries, basically things that older Cainites can reference and have personal history with (an example 1066 was the Norman conquest of England and you would probably have many Cainites who gained or lost status and domain in that era as well as those who came to England at that point, and a great deal of Cainite intrigue is going to spring from that major mortal shakeup). This is the kind of information that breathes life into a world and makes it feel like more than just NPCs standing around dumbfounded waiting for the characters to wander over. Try to find out things like who was king, who were the lords of the area you are setting in, what are some of the important events that occurred/will occur, what are the key locations to the region (important cities, castles, churches, etc). When it comes to running a game during any time period other than 'modern' one of the best things you can do is go out and do at least some basic research on the history of the region around the time you are going to be playing in. I would point out vampires who need to make often use of horses may ghoul one to remove the skittishness, not that ghouling doesn't have its own side effects, but at least the thing won't buck you off just cause you are a vampire. Celerity isn't broken anymore, for example, and multiple actions actually make sense.ġ1twiggins already touched on the world by torch/candle light, as well as the increased presence of animals, and he makes good points I would add the Animal Ken skill to his point on Animalism being very useful in this era. The best version of the rules, IMO, is DAV20.
WHITE WOLF VAMPIRE DARK AGES ROAD OF SIN BOOK PDF SERIES
Road of Kings is particularly good, giving Road Variants (Core (a relatively balanced ruler archetype), Chivalry (a humane approach to ruling which uses Conscience), Tyrant (an extreme and aggressive style of rulership), Vizier (a crafty Path for those who prefer to rule from behind the scenes) and Merchant (for those who value honour and power, but would rather rule over a series of trade routes than a court)), Character Examples, and opinions of the Road from the perspective of every other Road and Clan. If you want to make a good DA game, read the individual Road books. As a result Animalism is far more valuable in this period. Use of Horses is all but unavoidable, making the curse a much bigger deal. In Modern Nights, cats and dogs shying away from you isn't a big deal at most it's a hint to hunters and observant humans that there's something odd about you. Remember that animals are a very important factor in the DA. Really focus in on the fact that darkness shrouds everything, and that light comes with its own risk The Red Fear. The only way to see at night is with Supernatural powers (Abyss Mysticism, Lure of Flames, Protean) or by risking the use of fire. Natural light is barely a thing, and light pollution is minute. Best quote I've heard on DA: "The Vampire DA is a world lit by Torchlight". How do I make the best of the Dark Medieval setting as a Storyteller and what are some good general pointers for running a good Dark Ages game? I'm leaning more towards Dark Ages: Vampire for the sake of mechanical clarity, but I will read over both before making my decision on the rules to use. VtDA has a more evocative atmosphere and overall matches the tone of the game I want to run, but DA:V has better mechanics, especially concerning the Roads of Salvation. I own both of them and like both equally. Other than that, I am still having issues thinking of side quests and other plots to keep players occupied.Īs for rules, I am torn between Vampire: The Dark Ages and Dark Ages: Vampire.
The game is set in Britain in the year 1197 AD, and although it is still in the early stages of planning, I do know I want to run it as a sandbox chronicle with an overarching Myth Arc in the background that becomes more and more prominent as the players progress. I intend to run an online game for the Dark Ages setting on this very forum in the Play By Post section soon, but I need some advice on how best to craft stories for the setting.
Much more interesting than even the modern times, and while I have played Dark Ages, I have never been the Storyteller for a chronicle set in the Dark Medieval. Alright, I am getting into the Dark Ages setting for Vampire, and I find it very interesting.