I've been fake running a fake adventure in my fake World Of Darkness fake MMO fake Twitter account for fake Halloween for the past couple of real weeks.
It's about a supposedly haunted sightseeing cruise which is of course totally haunted.
A ship is a great setting for a horror one-shot, as a contained location that you can't easily leave, isolated from the outside world, unfamiliar, full of strangers and commanded by strangers, and prone to lurching around unexpectedly while you're trying to move and sinking when something goes wrong.
A ship is like a hotel that you can't walk out of. It's like a plane except without the risk of falling out of the sky... but to balance that out, it can be a lot bigger and easier to get lost in, and you can be on one for weeks.
There are ship-based adventures for Call Of Cthulhu, Ravenloft (the second in the series when it became a full setting) and more. The Ferrymen are a vital part of Wraith: The Oblivion, and there's Blood-Dimmed Tides as well, and MES held L.A. By Night 2013 on the Queen Mary.
If you're on a ship in an RPG and it doesn't just get you from A to B, expect either pirates or something creepy. Maybe both.
Thursday, 27 October 2016
Nightclubbing: 3: We're An Ice Machine
Veronica follows the guy who leaves in a hurry to avoid Hall. He goes to a payphone and makes a call. She can't get close enough to hear his side, but she can tell he's scared.
He talks pretty quick.
"There's this clinic, buys blood, no questions asked as long as it's clean."
Hall and Veronica already know where it is. It sells as well. None of the vampires in town want to see it shut down, so they'll have to approach quietly.
The orderly who sells knows they can't touch him, so he goes straight to fishing for money. Veronica gives him a car key from Billy's collection. He gives her an address.
It leads to a cheap motel... to a body.
Not Cindy. One of the previous missing runaways.
"Heroin. Was she a user?" Veronica asks.
"I don't think so..." Karen shakes her head.
"Nah, just one mark. Someone dosed her." Billy grimaces.
"And took her blood." Hall shares a look with Karen.
"Can we find out who?" Karen asks.
"And then what?" Hall asks her.
"Make sure they don't do it again."
He talks pretty quick.
"There's this clinic, buys blood, no questions asked as long as it's clean."
Hall and Veronica already know where it is. It sells as well. None of the vampires in town want to see it shut down, so they'll have to approach quietly.
The orderly who sells knows they can't touch him, so he goes straight to fishing for money. Veronica gives him a car key from Billy's collection. He gives her an address.
It leads to a cheap motel... to a body.
Not Cindy. One of the previous missing runaways.
"Heroin. Was she a user?" Veronica asks.
"I don't think so..." Karen shakes her head.
"Nah, just one mark. Someone dosed her." Billy grimaces.
"And took her blood." Hall shares a look with Karen.
"Can we find out who?" Karen asks.
"And then what?" Hall asks her.
"Make sure they don't do it again."
Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Nightclubbing: 2: We're What's Happening
They ask around, by night and by day, getting a picture of the girl's last known movements. Her name is... or was... Cindy.
"She came to Hollywood to be famous. Of course." Veronica glowers.
She wasn't streetwalking or doing drugs. In fact, all four runaways to disappear so far have been clean.
Hall suggests keeping watch on the bus station. See if somebody goes straight to the source.
There's a vampire there, sure enough, but he claims he's not involved and the way he folds under questioning suggests he isn't lying.
"So whoever's doing this wants them desperate."
Next port of call is the shelters. Karen doesn't want to go in, too many crosses and people trying to be helpful.
"Do crosses really bother you guys?" Billy asks.
"They bother me."
Nobody that will talk to Hall has heard anything. But Veronica can sense that someone who wouldn't talk to him has...
...
Yeah, 70s L.A. is skeevy and horrible. We'll have some glamour to contrast with the grime next session, possibly.
"She came to Hollywood to be famous. Of course." Veronica glowers.
She wasn't streetwalking or doing drugs. In fact, all four runaways to disappear so far have been clean.
Hall suggests keeping watch on the bus station. See if somebody goes straight to the source.
There's a vampire there, sure enough, but he claims he's not involved and the way he folds under questioning suggests he isn't lying.
"So whoever's doing this wants them desperate."
Next port of call is the shelters. Karen doesn't want to go in, too many crosses and people trying to be helpful.
"Do crosses really bother you guys?" Billy asks.
"They bother me."
Nobody that will talk to Hall has heard anything. But Veronica can sense that someone who wouldn't talk to him has...
...
Yeah, 70s L.A. is skeevy and horrible. We'll have some glamour to contrast with the grime next session, possibly.
Tuesday, 18 October 2016
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Nightclubbing: 1: We're Nightclubbing
July 1974.
Hall came back from the Vietnam War broken. He shipped back into Los Angeles and never went home. He didn't sleep much, he drank to help that. He was on his way to an early grave when a vampire stopped him staying in it. She needed a fighter.
Karen was a runaway, fleeing a bad situation, bad enough she'd rather live as a pickpocket. She tried to steal from the wrong woman, and she made her a monster. She wasn't the first monster she'd known.
Veronica was going to be a star. Hollywood would be her playground. Then some creep at the wrong party in the Hills had to go and kill her. But a dead man was at that party too, and thought letting her bleed out would be a waste of talent as well as blood.
Billy's still alive. For now, anyway. He knows there are vampires in L.A., and he'd prefer they didn't know him, but he knows Hall and Karen from fencing goods as well as stealing cars so he's stuck with them for now.
...
L.A. was the site of some great vampire revolution thirty years ago. Now it's just a mess. No bosses, no real elders, whole neighborhoods out of bounds. Good for some. Not so much for others.
Karen's the first to notice runaways disappearing. She wants to know why. Hall, Veronica and Billy aren't what you'd call happy to help, but help they will...
Meeting at the Whiskey A Go-Go does nothing to help their mood. Billy's the only one who remembers when it was the place to be, and now it's a shell of what it was.
Karen has one clue, where the most recent victim slept.
"Good thing I brought a pair of shoes I don't mind throwing away..." Veronica tuts.
And arriving... "Yeah. One of us did this..."
Hall came back from the Vietnam War broken. He shipped back into Los Angeles and never went home. He didn't sleep much, he drank to help that. He was on his way to an early grave when a vampire stopped him staying in it. She needed a fighter.
Karen was a runaway, fleeing a bad situation, bad enough she'd rather live as a pickpocket. She tried to steal from the wrong woman, and she made her a monster. She wasn't the first monster she'd known.
Veronica was going to be a star. Hollywood would be her playground. Then some creep at the wrong party in the Hills had to go and kill her. But a dead man was at that party too, and thought letting her bleed out would be a waste of talent as well as blood.
Billy's still alive. For now, anyway. He knows there are vampires in L.A., and he'd prefer they didn't know him, but he knows Hall and Karen from fencing goods as well as stealing cars so he's stuck with them for now.
...
L.A. was the site of some great vampire revolution thirty years ago. Now it's just a mess. No bosses, no real elders, whole neighborhoods out of bounds. Good for some. Not so much for others.
Karen's the first to notice runaways disappearing. She wants to know why. Hall, Veronica and Billy aren't what you'd call happy to help, but help they will...
Meeting at the Whiskey A Go-Go does nothing to help their mood. Billy's the only one who remembers when it was the place to be, and now it's a shell of what it was.
Karen has one clue, where the most recent victim slept.
"Good thing I brought a pair of shoes I don't mind throwing away..." Veronica tuts.
And arriving... "Yeah. One of us did this..."
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Coming soon: Nightclubbing
It's 1974 and the American Dream is dead.
And so are you.
Four players.
A Vietnam veteran Brujah.
A street rat Caitiff.
A slinky Hollywood Toreador.
A car thief mortal.
We'll see what happens.
And so are you.
Four players.
A Vietnam veteran Brujah.
A street rat Caitiff.
A slinky Hollywood Toreador.
A car thief mortal.
We'll see what happens.
Thursday, 8 September 2016
Star Trek 50
This is the 50th anniversary of Star Trek (apart from a preview on Canadian TV) and its message of hope.
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
What we do (out of the shadows)
Jason Carl introduces some players to Vampire: The Masquerade on the World Of Darkness Youtube channel.
Thursday, 17 March 2016
We Are Done
We Are The Night session 16...
Michael pulled Laura away from Mary. She snarled, baring fangs red with her blood.
"That's enough!"
She growled and pulled free.
"Stop. Please..."
She turned to see Mary, holding her arm. Pushing away from Michael, Laura licked the wound shut. She turned away and licked her teeth and lips clean.
"I know why they're hunting you..."
...
Michael paced as Laura explained.
"One of our elders. Someone you wouldn't know. But I know her. And if she's involved... you have to leave."
"I can't just run away!"
"You can. You have to. She's older than us, Simon, the Prince."
"And she wants me dead?"
"Or her followers do maybe. Either way..."
Michael growled under his breath. "Can we stop them?"
"Maybe. If the Prince takes our side. This is his city." Laura looked over to Mary. "But for now... you can't stay."
...
Michael stepped out, gesturing for Laura to follow.
"Will she really be safe away from here?"
"Maybe."
"And will she be safe from us?"
Laura smiled sadly.
...
Last episode. I'd say it kind of worked, but really needed Mary to get pulled more into the vampires' world for her to be caught up in their lives, and their emotions. The players seem to have had fun though, and that's the main thing.
Michael pulled Laura away from Mary. She snarled, baring fangs red with her blood.
"That's enough!"
She growled and pulled free.
"Stop. Please..."
She turned to see Mary, holding her arm. Pushing away from Michael, Laura licked the wound shut. She turned away and licked her teeth and lips clean.
"I know why they're hunting you..."
...
Michael paced as Laura explained.
"One of our elders. Someone you wouldn't know. But I know her. And if she's involved... you have to leave."
"I can't just run away!"
"You can. You have to. She's older than us, Simon, the Prince."
"And she wants me dead?"
"Or her followers do maybe. Either way..."
Michael growled under his breath. "Can we stop them?"
"Maybe. If the Prince takes our side. This is his city." Laura looked over to Mary. "But for now... you can't stay."
...
Michael stepped out, gesturing for Laura to follow.
"Will she really be safe away from here?"
"Maybe."
"And will she be safe from us?"
Laura smiled sadly.
...
Last episode. I'd say it kind of worked, but really needed Mary to get pulled more into the vampires' world for her to be caught up in their lives, and their emotions. The players seem to have had fun though, and that's the main thing.
Thursday, 10 March 2016
We Are The Danger
We Are The Night session 15...
With help from the witch, Michael found a group of vampires conspiring to kill Mary. They wanted to know who killed Simon as well.
"What that girl knows could burn this city down."
He and Laura stopped them forcibly, although one of the three escaped.
"Whatever it is, we're better off not knowing. And she'll never be safe here."
...
They returned to look in on here, found the vampire who had escaped approaching, taking out a gun.
Laura covered Mary, bullets cutting into her back. Mary pulled her back in. Michael ran past, slamming into the shooter. He ran and he chased after him.
Mary moved Laura inside, put her down on the bed... took off her plaster off her cut and offered her arm.
Laura managed to stop herself, told her to let some blood into a glass and put a new plaster on - and lock the door.
With help from the witch, Michael found a group of vampires conspiring to kill Mary. They wanted to know who killed Simon as well.
"What that girl knows could burn this city down."
He and Laura stopped them forcibly, although one of the three escaped.
"Whatever it is, we're better off not knowing. And she'll never be safe here."
...
They returned to look in on here, found the vampire who had escaped approaching, taking out a gun.
Laura covered Mary, bullets cutting into her back. Mary pulled her back in. Michael ran past, slamming into the shooter. He ran and he chased after him.
Mary moved Laura inside, put her down on the bed... took off her plaster off her cut and offered her arm.
Laura managed to stop herself, told her to let some blood into a glass and put a new plaster on - and lock the door.
Thursday, 25 February 2016
We Are More Trouble Than We're Worth
We Are The Night session 15...
Laura got Mary somewhere safe... then told her "You need to lock the door."
She stumbled away, looking for blood to get her mind off the scent of Mary's.
...
Michael led the advancing vampire away from Mary's room, and away from prying eyes. As they circled each other, he asked again what he wanted.
"Some want her safe. That makes her death valuable..."
Michael re-broke the vampire's arm, and he ran for it, heading into the quad to force him to let him go.
He turned to go, picked up Laura's scent and followed it... found her following a young couple heading away from where people would see them...
"What are you doing?"
"I... She cut herself. I could almost taste it."
"We have to end this. We have to get away from her."
Even though she agreed, she snarled...
Laura got Mary somewhere safe... then told her "You need to lock the door."
She stumbled away, looking for blood to get her mind off the scent of Mary's.
...
Michael led the advancing vampire away from Mary's room, and away from prying eyes. As they circled each other, he asked again what he wanted.
"Some want her safe. That makes her death valuable..."
Michael re-broke the vampire's arm, and he ran for it, heading into the quad to force him to let him go.
He turned to go, picked up Laura's scent and followed it... found her following a young couple heading away from where people would see them...
"What are you doing?"
"I... She cut herself. I could almost taste it."
"We have to end this. We have to get away from her."
Even though she agreed, she snarled...
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
We Are Going To Eat You
We Are The Night session 14...
Mary woke as someone put a hand over her mouth.
"Don't scream. Listen. You can't trust them. Any of them. Even the ones sworn to keep you safe are still monsters."
"And I can trust you?" she asked accusingly as the man let her go.
"I never said that."
He wrote a cell number on a note and left. She lay back, now feeling unable to sleep by day or night.
...
Laura was waiting shortly after nightfall.
"Are you alright? You look exhausted."
"Wonder why that might be..."
"I... We do what we can." She sounded genuinely concerned. Mary pursed her lips, saying nothing. She continued. "One of my... associates believes that you know more about Simon's death."
"So you want to read my mind? I mean, do you go around just doing that?"
"No... It... would be helpful, but I won't push it. But someone else might."
"Who, your Prince? One of the others?"
Laura backed off, letting Mary have a bit more space.
Which is when two snarling vampires burst in.
Laura held one off, the other chased Mary - she ran into the kitchen and pulled out a knife drawer, throwing it all at him. He knocked her down, then Laura came in, teeth bared, moving almost too fast to see, and snapped his neck.
...
Michael, meanwhile, was near enough to see the first vampire running off, holding his newly broken arm. He followed him to an alley between two campus buildings and dropped down behind him.
"What do you want with her?"
The vampire responded by snapping his arm back into place and attacking.
...
Laura moved to pick Mary up, to get her somewhere safe.
Trying not to look at the cut on her forehead.
Mary woke as someone put a hand over her mouth.
"Don't scream. Listen. You can't trust them. Any of them. Even the ones sworn to keep you safe are still monsters."
"And I can trust you?" she asked accusingly as the man let her go.
"I never said that."
He wrote a cell number on a note and left. She lay back, now feeling unable to sleep by day or night.
...
Laura was waiting shortly after nightfall.
"Are you alright? You look exhausted."
"Wonder why that might be..."
"I... We do what we can." She sounded genuinely concerned. Mary pursed her lips, saying nothing. She continued. "One of my... associates believes that you know more about Simon's death."
"So you want to read my mind? I mean, do you go around just doing that?"
"No... It... would be helpful, but I won't push it. But someone else might."
"Who, your Prince? One of the others?"
Laura backed off, letting Mary have a bit more space.
Which is when two snarling vampires burst in.
Laura held one off, the other chased Mary - she ran into the kitchen and pulled out a knife drawer, throwing it all at him. He knocked her down, then Laura came in, teeth bared, moving almost too fast to see, and snapped his neck.
...
Michael, meanwhile, was near enough to see the first vampire running off, holding his newly broken arm. He followed him to an alley between two campus buildings and dropped down behind him.
"What do you want with her?"
The vampire responded by snapping his arm back into place and attacking.
...
Laura moved to pick Mary up, to get her somewhere safe.
Trying not to look at the cut on her forehead.
Wednesday, 3 February 2016
We Are Unlucky For Some
We Are The Night session 13...
Michael paused to find an opening to get the vampire away from Steve without him seeing it. After a little while a new song filled the dancefloor and Steve was distracted for a moment - and when he looked back the woman was gone.
"What do you want?"
"Just to remind you all that the girl has too many ties to the world. She's not like us. So easily hurt."
Mary stayed among crowds, spending the night in the campus library, trying to stay awake till dawn.
Laura went to see the witch.
"You told me she doesn't know what she knows. Something important she's seen, that she doesn't realize?"
"If I am right... she knows why her grandfather died."
"Why?"
"She has seen too much. We keep secrets, you and I. And the one she carries could kill us all..."
Mary waited till dawn to go home, fell asleep almost immediately.
And didn't wake as someone entered...
Michael paused to find an opening to get the vampire away from Steve without him seeing it. After a little while a new song filled the dancefloor and Steve was distracted for a moment - and when he looked back the woman was gone.
"What do you want?"
"Just to remind you all that the girl has too many ties to the world. She's not like us. So easily hurt."
Mary stayed among crowds, spending the night in the campus library, trying to stay awake till dawn.
Laura went to see the witch.
"You told me she doesn't know what she knows. Something important she's seen, that she doesn't realize?"
"If I am right... she knows why her grandfather died."
"Why?"
"She has seen too much. We keep secrets, you and I. And the one she carries could kill us all..."
Mary waited till dawn to go home, fell asleep almost immediately.
And didn't wake as someone entered...
Thursday, 28 January 2016
We Are 2016
We Are The Night session 12...
Laura waited for Mary after an evening class, taking care not to be seen by Steve or Jo.
"It may be that you know more than you realize."
"Like what? He never told me what he was. What you are." Laura looked away uncomfortably. "He never even told me who he really was."
"But maybe you saw him with someone, overheard something?"
"So what if I did? I don't know it."
"Some of us can... read minds."
Mary flinched, scared, then angry.
Michael tracked down the invading vampire, and saw him meeting with another, a dark-haired woman in gold.
And the next time he saw her, she was at a student club, putting the moves on Steve.
Laura waited for Mary after an evening class, taking care not to be seen by Steve or Jo.
"It may be that you know more than you realize."
"Like what? He never told me what he was. What you are." Laura looked away uncomfortably. "He never even told me who he really was."
"But maybe you saw him with someone, overheard something?"
"So what if I did? I don't know it."
"Some of us can... read minds."
Mary flinched, scared, then angry.
Michael tracked down the invading vampire, and saw him meeting with another, a dark-haired woman in gold.
And the next time he saw her, she was at a student club, putting the moves on Steve.
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