A House Divided
Vampire the Requiem Venue Style Sheet for the Bay of Tears (FL-034-D)
I. Overview
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." - Abraham Lincoln, 1858
In the summer of 2004, rumors circulated that the Prince of Tampa was gone. After centuries under a series of oppressive regimes, kindred across the city reveled in newfound freedom and unhindered greed. Turf wars sprang up as competing coteries clashed over feeding grounds. But as the squabbles grew in scale, the threat of a Masquerade breach reached dangerous levels. Hoping to restore order in a sea of chaos, the kindred of Tampa met to discuss the crisis. The meeting created a system of baronies independently governed by the coteries controlling each territory. Behind the thin veil of that uneasy alliance, Tampa’s vampires wait for the right moment to expand their power while fighting to keep what they already own. And all the worse, hidden eyes patiently watch for a moment to descend upon a fractious city.
Genre: Vampire
Domain: Bay of Tears (FL-034-D)
Domain Website: http://bot.ser-camarilla.com
VST Contact: Jason Saice, US2004122502
VST Email: librarian@tampabay.rr.com
Directions: http://bot.ser-camarilla.org/directions.html
Action - 3 (often present)
Darkness - 2 (sometimes present)
Drama - 2 (sometimes present)
Intrigue - 4 (usually present)
Mystery - 3 (often present)
II. Setting
Our game will take place in the city of Tampa. In the World of Darkness, Tampa has always had a strange air to it. There is something dark, ominous, and unknown about the city in spite of the countless streetlights illuminating endless stretches of concrete. When night descends upon the city, the skyline changes appearance and buildings loom like gigantic monoliths that pierce the night sky to block out the light. Alleyways fill with the feral eyes of countless nocturnal animals searching for something new to devour. Unknown faces wander the streets glaring at passer-bys. Frightened citizens peek out from behind the false safety of their curtains. Electronic eyes of city cameras watch silently as life transpires below. The city fills with odd scents and sounds that bewilder those who haven’t become jaded and oblivious to the sensations. Tampa becomes an urban jungle teeming with shadowy life that moves to an undetectable pulsating beat like the frenzied thumping of lunatic beating on his cage.
But for the kindred of Tampa, the city is more than just the strangers on the corner, the unrecognizable smells, or cloudless nights that cast long shadow on the street. Tampa is the mirrored reflection of the vampires who call it home. Violence and aggression are on the rise across the city. Crime and dissent grow ripe in the city like a fire left untended. The once unified domain has now been split into multiple sectors each governed by its own coterie of vampires. Territories have swapped hands repeatedly in the recent months, and many are still only tenuously held. For the time being, open hostilities have taken a back seat in the wake of the alliance formed and the Masquerade is safe. But Tampa is in many ways a pot of boiling water waiting for one last spark to break the tension and unleash the aggression roiling just beneath the surface. Kindred on the street can feel the pressure rising, and it’s beginning to become thick reminiscent of the Tampa humidity that clings so tightly to your skin like a ten-ton weight.
III. Venue History
As long as there has been a city named Tampa, there has been a Ventrue Invictus to rule it. When the city first began, Hernando Caliva was there directing its progress and reaping the rewards of a burgeoning port city. During his reign as Prince, Caliva saw Tampa grow from its simple beginnings into a factory-filled city that gobbled up the surrounding communities. And after 60 years of building Tampa into something larger and grander, Caliva followed the tradition of his lineage and gave his praxis to his childe.
Much like her sire before her, Aysha al Busaidi ruled the city with unyielding control and no room for insolence. In time, al Busaidi expanded her control to include the city of Orlando which she took in a bloodless coup that displayed exactly how feared she was. But no prince is ever happy with what they have already achieved. Seeking the need for greater glory, al Busaidi put her childe on her throne and left Tampa behind in search of a more prestigious domain to rule.
And while the city prayed that Fawiyyah Izzat al Duri would be different than her sire and grandsire who dominated the city for so long, they never expected the new prince would find a way to be worse. In February of 2004, al Duri executed virtually every member of the Lancea Sanctum in the domain as fulfillment of years of hatred. The city stood gripped in fear as every kindred wondered if they would be next on the chopping block. Yet amid the fear, a few voices rose to demand equality and an end to the tyranny. In response, al Duri declared bloodhunt after bloodhunt to silence her critics.
But the city delayed in enforcing the Prince’s decrees. Even a Prince will sometimes find that fear will only go so far as a way to dominate the will of others. Angered and seeking to prove the depths of her resolve, al Duri held some of her own citizens hostage until the bloodhunted were apprehended. Tension in the city grew thick as coteries debated between placating a bloodthirsty prince and risking death in rebellion. However, before a decision could be made, word spread that al Duri was gone. Her furious words were no longer sent to the kindred of the city. Her typically obvious presence was no longer seen or felt. When suspicions arose, the Prince’s minions could only offer poorly concocted explanations for her absence.
As a vacuum of leadership developed, power-hungry kindred looked around them. After decades of being told where to live, where to feed, and how much power they could wield; reckless abandon and greed spurred vampires to seize power. Coteries took to the streets and staked their claim to sections of the town. Violence and chaos spread like wildfire as a century worth of stable government was swept away. Nighttime clashes became common as hungry kindred fought for prime feeding grounds while new arrivals came seeking power in an already overpopulated city.
As the Masquerade slowly began to come undone, a call went out for a new order to put an end to the madness. In December of 2004, the coteries of Tampa formed an uneasy alliance. Not wanting to yield their freedom and power to one individual, the kindred of Tampa formed baronies, much like the city-states of Italy during the Renaissance. And now, after more than 150 years of consolidation and unity under a singular vision, Tampa sits just as fractured and varied as the vampires who call it home.
IV. Theme
The theme of the venue is that only the strong survive. In times of turmoil, only the toughest, smartest, fiercest, and most cunning will claw their way to the top and live to see the next night. The city of Tampa is one on the verge of plummeting into chaos or rising like a phoenix from the ashes of change. Certainty and stability are almost unknown in the harsh world that Tampa has become, and danger could be waiting just around any corner. No vampire is promised tomorrow, and so each character will have to make the most of tonight.
V. Mood
The mood of the venue is one of struggle. On a nightly basis, players will struggle in attempts to fulfill their basic needs and to further their own agendas. As the city’s kindred population continues to swell beyond sustainability, resources begin to run thin and only those who are willing to go the extra mile can hope to reap the rewards. Tampa stands as a blank slate and every character has the ability to push the city in a direction of their choosing. But everyone will find their efforts are fraught resistance and hardship. How much are you willing to work, fight, or bleed for your needs and dreams?
VI. Player Information
Restrictions: All characters must be built using the most recently approved version of the Camarilla’s rules supplements. Please keep in mind that all character concepts and ideas need to be cleared with the VST before proceeding to create a character. The VST reserves the right to close off certain concepts and areas of creation depending on the current state of the game, as well as imposing certain extra limitations or requirements beyond what is listed in the most currently approved rules supplement. The intent here is to make a diverse and exciting game, while still remaining true to genre and to the worldwide chronicle. Further, all characters should be tailored towards helping to expand the venue’s mood, as well as fitting within the theme of the venue. The VST reserves the right to deny any character from admission into the game due to it conflicting or detracting from the theme and mood of the venue. Also, all experience expenditures must be cleared with the VST and be put on file with the VST. Should any discrepancies arise between the player’s copy of the character and the VST’s copy of the character, it will be the VST’s copy that governs.
Travel Information: Travel to Tampa is typically easy thanks to quick and easy car travel, as well as trains and airline flights. However, visiting players are encouraged to contact the VST at least one day prior to the game to assure their characters will be able to locate and gain entrance into any gatherings that might be occurring. This is not done to discourage visiting players, who we strongly encourage to come. Instead, the VST is committed to trying to keep strong continuity in the game and so certain games may not be well suited for visiting characters. Please keep in mind that visiting characters should be tailored to help add to the theme and mood of the venue.
Proxy Rules: Proxy rules will follow as outlined by the Camarilla. Please understand that proxies very rarely add to a game and often result in improper play of a character. As such, any and all proxies will require an extensive write up on the PC’s goals and motives, as well as a copy of the character sheet, background, and proof of MC. Also, a proxy must be approved by the VST at least three days before the next game. Consequently, players are advised to submit their proxies well in advance of the upcoming game.
Check-in Rules: All players attending must have a copy of their character in order to play. All players must either have the VST check-in an item card for all possessions they wish to take into play, or the items must be listed on the character sheet. All players should have a copy of their updated experience log. Visiting players must also provide their VST’s contact information. If possible, visiting players are also encouraged to have their VST sign their character sheet prior to play.
Feeding Challenges: Tampa uses unique feeding guidelines as outlined in the feeding document. Up-to-date information on the feeding guidelines can usually be found at http://bot.ser-camarilla.com/VSS/feeding.html but players should always check with the VST as the guidelines may be amended at any time to reflect changes in game or to clarify inconsistencies.
Challenges: All challenges will follow the rules as clarified by the latest Camarilla rule supplements. Players are free to throw challenges with each other without the VST, except for in the case of combats and/or in any situation that will result in the death of a character. The VST, or a designated narrator, must be present and give permission before any combat or killing blows begin.
Experience Guidelines: Players will typically receive four experience points for each game. The VST may award fewer points to players who show up very late to game, who don’t stay in character for extended periods of the game, or for a host of other possible reasons. The VST will also regularly award one extra experience point as a reward to players for exceptional role play, contributing greatly to the night’s game (often by being the host and having minor advance preparations), for surviving a particularly dangerous scene, or for a host of other possible reasons. The decision to award less or more than 4 experience points is solely in the discretion