Lions and Hyenas
May. 8th, 2007 01:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bluegargantuaIn the shadowy jungle of the city there are many dangerous predators, but the two greatest threats are both completely inhuman.
The first of these are the Vampires. They are the lions of the night who stalk their prey with cunning deceit and terrifying power. But even as they bring death and ruin to individuals, they have a great interest in the welfare of humanity as a whole. Without their unsuspecting herds of humanity, the Vampires would soon wither and starve. So like any good shepherd, they nurture and maintain their vast flocks as best they can. They spur on and encourage human development to ensure a steady supply of food. More importantly, they work hard to shut the door on even greater, more alien monstrosities that would engulf this small planet and lay waste to everything. Given their hard work defending the very reality of this world, they say, what's the life of a few insignificant people?
The second great predators are the Ghuls. They are the hyenas of the night who feast upon the flesh of the dead. They aren't as powerful as a Vampire, nor are they truly immortal, but there are more of them and they have sworn their service to dread powers from beyond the stars. From their underground barrows, through slow, insidious ritual and though their changeling agents, they work hard to ferment death in every guise and keep their larders full. They dream of a day when when the whole world is a charnel house and their dark masters return to reward them. The only thing that stands between them and their dreams are the Vampires who cling to their foolish illusions of a rational world.
And so, the Lions and Hyenas are locked in their endless battles for control of their prey.
So yeah, I want to run a game that's one part Vampire, one part Call of Cthulhu and one part Esoterrorists. I'd probably use White Wolf for the ruleset (since I feel like the latest iteration is pretty good). I'd use Vampire the Requiem as a sourcebook, but I'll probably tweak out a bunch of stuff so that it fits the above model a bit better. Ghuls would be based heavily on the ghouls from Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green and the book Daughter of Hounds by Caitlin R. Kiernan. Other WoD types (Werewolves, Mages, Promethians, etc.) won't exist. There may be a mage or two, but they'll be in the Call of Cthulhu mode (slow, ritual spellcasting) and not the Mage mode. Quite probably there will be some strange monsters here and there, but you can expect that Vampires and Ghuls are going to be the most common supernatural beastie encountered.
The usual high school social climbing and angsting that's a hallmark of Vampire games will be seriously toned down. Keeping the world safe from Azathoth tends to keep you from going all emo about how you have to hurt people to survive. Still, there will be some measure of politics. I'm thinking of playing up the Vampiric feudal system a bit and addressing the duty/honor/love issues that a "dark knight" might run into. This all being a strong "B-plot" to the main "investigate and halt terrible evil" stuff that's normally going on.
I currently estimate that there will be 3 groups of 8-12 sessions with the last group being a lot more action-oriented than the first two. I have no time or place in mind, although it would be nice to host it at my house once we move in.
So, does being a Vampiric investigator of the occult and parasitic defender of humanity appeal to anyone?
later
Tom
The first of these are the Vampires. They are the lions of the night who stalk their prey with cunning deceit and terrifying power. But even as they bring death and ruin to individuals, they have a great interest in the welfare of humanity as a whole. Without their unsuspecting herds of humanity, the Vampires would soon wither and starve. So like any good shepherd, they nurture and maintain their vast flocks as best they can. They spur on and encourage human development to ensure a steady supply of food. More importantly, they work hard to shut the door on even greater, more alien monstrosities that would engulf this small planet and lay waste to everything. Given their hard work defending the very reality of this world, they say, what's the life of a few insignificant people?
The second great predators are the Ghuls. They are the hyenas of the night who feast upon the flesh of the dead. They aren't as powerful as a Vampire, nor are they truly immortal, but there are more of them and they have sworn their service to dread powers from beyond the stars. From their underground barrows, through slow, insidious ritual and though their changeling agents, they work hard to ferment death in every guise and keep their larders full. They dream of a day when when the whole world is a charnel house and their dark masters return to reward them. The only thing that stands between them and their dreams are the Vampires who cling to their foolish illusions of a rational world.
And so, the Lions and Hyenas are locked in their endless battles for control of their prey.
So yeah, I want to run a game that's one part Vampire, one part Call of Cthulhu and one part Esoterrorists. I'd probably use White Wolf for the ruleset (since I feel like the latest iteration is pretty good). I'd use Vampire the Requiem as a sourcebook, but I'll probably tweak out a bunch of stuff so that it fits the above model a bit better. Ghuls would be based heavily on the ghouls from Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green and the book Daughter of Hounds by Caitlin R. Kiernan. Other WoD types (Werewolves, Mages, Promethians, etc.) won't exist. There may be a mage or two, but they'll be in the Call of Cthulhu mode (slow, ritual spellcasting) and not the Mage mode. Quite probably there will be some strange monsters here and there, but you can expect that Vampires and Ghuls are going to be the most common supernatural beastie encountered.
The usual high school social climbing and angsting that's a hallmark of Vampire games will be seriously toned down. Keeping the world safe from Azathoth tends to keep you from going all emo about how you have to hurt people to survive. Still, there will be some measure of politics. I'm thinking of playing up the Vampiric feudal system a bit and addressing the duty/honor/love issues that a "dark knight" might run into. This all being a strong "B-plot" to the main "investigate and halt terrible evil" stuff that's normally going on.
I currently estimate that there will be 3 groups of 8-12 sessions with the last group being a lot more action-oriented than the first two. I have no time or place in mind, although it would be nice to host it at my house once we move in.
So, does being a Vampiric investigator of the occult and parasitic defender of humanity appeal to anyone?
later
Tom
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 05:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 05:37 pm (UTC)And if you don't let me into the game, I'm keeping your SotC book. ;P
no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 07:34 pm (UTC)cause iiiii wanna beeee.... a cliche!
Date: 2007-05-08 07:44 pm (UTC)...
WHOA.
is there a "no former cops" rule? :P
no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 09:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-08 10:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-09 12:40 pm (UTC)I've got a pretty good idea for how both groups got started. It's blasphemously-delicious. There may be some more posts on it later.
Tom
no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 02:55 pm (UTC)