LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB149TABLE 4: NEW IN TOWN—SLICE-OF-LIFE SCENESRoll or Choose Scene1 A Touchstone Checks In: A member of the crew, who means a lot to one of the characters, is in town and wants to check in with them over a few drinks or a walk by the pier.2 An Interview: A content creator invites the band to sit down for a long-form interview, giving them an opportunity to answer questions about what they stand for, where they’re headed, and what frustrates them most about the musician lifestyle.3 Meet and Greet: The band manager has (possibly bad) intel that the band has a committed fan base in town and has arranged a meet and greet.4 Recognized in the Night: A club owner, bottle girl, bartender, or VIP recognizes the band on a night out and treats them to free drinks and local introductions.5 A Hopeful Joiner: A local musician or songwriter approaches the band for an audition or collaboration.6 Sponsorship Deal: The band gets offered a sponsorship deal by a local company that makes sound gear, drinks, apparel, jewelry, perfumes, or shoes.7 A Festival: A street festival is underway, celebrating locally-made food, music, beer, wine, or a religious or national holiday.8 A Sports Event: A major football match has the city packed with rowdy fans. Hotels and rental homes are overbooked for miles, the streets are crowded and littered, and the likelihood of a street brawl or bar fight breaking out has increased tenfold.9 Cops in the Streets: Armed cops are stationed around a guarded zone, keeping an eye on everyone who passes through or by. They’re present because someone called in a threat or there was a shooting sometime earlier, and they’re worried something might happen again.10 Industry Check-In: The band and their manager get invited to a meeting with someone from the music industry regarding a future booking, music publishing opportunities, or providing sound for a commercial production.TABLE 5: NEW IN TOWN—COMPLICATIONSRoll or Choose Complication1 Venue Is Missing Equipment: On arrival, the band finds key gear—mics, lights, or even instruments—missing, broken, or swapped out with lower quality substitutes.2 The Concert Gets Rescheduled: Due to another, bigger band wanting their slot, weather conditions, or local restrictions, the concert is pushed to an inconvenient time or overlaps with other important obligations.3 A Misunderstanding About Local Customs: A band member offends a local VIP by unknowingly breaking a social rule—or their actions are seen as flirtatious despite their best intentions. Apologies might not be enough to fix it.4 Rejected at the Door: The band tries to enter a club, venue, or private party (maybe they have an invitation), but the doorman doesn’t know who they are and turns them away.5 Language Troubles: Language barriers cause confusion with local fans, staff, or a talent scout. The band has to work with an interpreter if they want to avoid major miscommunications.6 Lost in a Bad Part of Town: A wrong address or sketchy directions lead some or all of the band to get lost in a rough neighborhood, where outsider energy draws unwanted attention.7 Challenged by Another Band: A local band feels that there’s competition for their spotlight and retaliates by tearing down posters and booking shows at the same times as the players’ band to win back the crowd.8 Bad Ticket Sales: The venue hasn’t sold as many tickets as they expected and threatens to cancel unless the band can pull in a paying, last-minute crowd.9 Daytime Interview: A big-deal streamer who lives locally wants to feature the band, but they want to film in the daytime.10 Nowhere to Stay: The band’s housing arrangements fall through last minute, and they have to find another solution.
Appendix I: Steal These Stories 150TABLE 6: ON THE ROAD—COMPLICATIONSRoll or Choose Complication1 Mystery Drugs: There’s a lot of drugs hidden in the van, found accidentally by a roadie. Why is it there, who does it belong to and can the characters steal or sell it without problems?2 A Touchstone is Unhappy: A band member’s friend, family member, or partner back home is fed up with being separated from them and wants to come visit.3 Complicated Connections: A Touchstone traveling with the band gets complicated feelings for a different band member than the one whose character sheet they’re on.4 Hitchhiker Dilemma: Two hitchhikers want a lift, and once they get in the van, they’re very curious about the band. One of them sees something they shouldn’t have.5 Bloody Car Accident: A brutal car accident stalls traffic. Human remains are scattered across the road. The blood is almost impossible to resist (Hunger Frenzy checks for everyone).6 A Roadie Knows Too Much: A crew member finds out that a member of the band is a monster or about a murder they committed and tries to tell the others.7 Police Attention: The cops find something suspicious about the band, so they want to see papers and check what’s in the back of the band van.8 The Van Breaks Down and Dawn Is Coming: Late night, a hundred kilometers from the nearest hotel, the van has engine trouble. Now the band has to find a safe place to hide for the day.9 Road Rage: Some idiot on the highway gets pissed off with the band and keeps bumping into their fenders. They and their passengers will try to fight the band if they get out of the car.10 A Member of the Crew Quits: A member of the tour crew gets fed up with the band and quits on the spot, forcing them to find a fast replacement.11 A Friend in Need: A member of the crew has a drug habit and their regular contact isn’t picking up the phone. They’re out of commission until the band gets them the goods.12 Stuck on the Water: The band gets invited to an exclusive private party on a private boat. Mid-party, the captain sets sail, intending to return to land sometime after dawn.13 The Venue Won’t Pay: The booker gets stingy and claims that the band ended their set too quickly, went over by too much, drank too many bottles from the backstage fridge, or acted threateningly towards the staff. The booker claim they shouldn’t have to pay the full booking fee.14 Fucked-up Blood: A band member gets way too high, drinking spiked blood from a blood doll and doesn’t feel the effects until it’s time to go on stage. Who the fuck roofied their favorite vessel?15 Border Trouble: Border control triple-checks passports and gear lists or opens suitcases. Suspicious substances get you strip-searched. An agent confiscates a piece of essential equipment.16 Equipment Breaks: Whether a vehicle or a music instrument… if it doesn’t get fixed, it’ll delay the whole tour.17 Playing Favorites: A mortal contact tries to cozy up to each band member by worrying about the others behind their backs. Maybe they’re angling to replace someone in the band or just trying to make themselves look good.18 Warm-Up Gig Gone Awry: The band has been booked as an opening act. At the venue, the booking agent informs them that the next band wants to go on early. Or has bailed entirely.19 Broadcasting Surprise: An hour or so before the band is set to go on, they find out that the concert is going to be broadcast live on national TV or radio. That means it has to be family friendly. Do they adhere?20 A Corpse on Their Hands: A mortal who traveled or partied with the band dies in their lodgings or van while the band sleeps for the day. Whether from an overdose or something as mundane as choking on food, their death looks suspicious, and the band doesn’t have a proper alibi.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB151The Fans Are Catching OnThe more mysterious a performer is about their secret double life, the more interesting it is to fans. Whether by accident or through thorough investigation, some followers of the band pick up on information the band doesn’t want them to have. They need to throw them off the trail or deal with them if they don’t want to see a Masquerade breach.COMPLICATION: When the players’ characters think they’ve dealt with the problem, they find out the information already leaked, and perhaps whatever terrible thing they just did either turns out to be for nothing or propels them even deeper into actions that will erode their humanity.EXAMPLE TESTS: Manipulation + Subterfuge to spin a convincing lie. Intelligence + Technology to bury whatever unfortunate files have made it onto the internet. Composure + Larceny to sneak into the fan’s house and destroy the physical evidence.Broken DollsWhen the party’s lit and you’re high on groupie blood and incessant compliments, it’s easy to forget yourself and go a bit too far. Remind the players’ characters of their own inhumanity by letting the mortals they surround themselves with get hurt in situations that wouldn’t hurt a vampire. For instance: a drug-fed vessel overdoses and dies as a character drinks, convulsing in their arms. Or a mortal roadie can’t keep up as the gang’s running from the cops and gets stuck on a barbed wire fence.COMPLICATION: The player’s character has to choose between saving themselves and helping the mortal. Or the players’ characters don’t immediately notice someone got hurt, or they get the impression they managed to fix it. Let them find out the extent of the damage by letting characters they hurt show up damaged and traumatized further into the story.EXAMPLE TESTS: Intelligence + Medicine to remember how to help. Stamina + Composure to give continuous care over extended time in a stressful situation. Wits + Insight to notice that someone’s affected even though they’re still smiling.It’s Not What It Looks LikeOne or more players’ characters get caught redhanded doing something criminal or deeply amoral, though not necessarily supernatural. They must think quickly to explain what’s going on, distract the witnesses, or get rid of them.COMPLICATION: The witnesses are individuals the band don’t want to or cannot hurt. Or the players’ characters are innocent, but everybody thinks otherwise.EXAMPLE TESTS: Charisma + Persuasion to make the witnesses think they want to keep the secret. Dexterity + Wits to hide the offending evidence before the witnesses see it. Manipulation + Persuasion to gaslight the witnesses into thinking they didn’t see anything. Use Dominate to make the witnesses forget what they saw or keep silent about it.Blood in the WaterWhenever the players’ characters make any kind of career progress, it has a ripple effect in all directions within their industry. Talent scouts come sniffing around, agents and lawyers offer their services, venue and festival promoters reach out with “lucrative” offers, companies and other artists want to collaborate. While the players’ characters are still basically unknown, any deal that they’re offered out of the blue should be a warning sign. It might be legitimate, but it’s probably a trap. The more famous they get, the better deals they can secure — and the bigger sharks they attract.COMPLICATION: The contact the players’ characters end up signing a contract with turns around and sells it to a contact they had already rejected. This isn’t totally legal without their consent, but perhaps they don’t know that, or the contact has dirt on them that makes it impossible for them to protest.EXAMPLE TESTS: Intelligence + Insight to pick up clues about the character’s intentions. Intelligence + Finance to understand some of complicated contracts. Composure + Subterfuge to keep it together after you’ve been tricked.
Appendix I: Steal These Stories 152Getting a Gig Shut DownAre you even a real rock star if you haven’t had your concert shut down by armed guards and gotten dragged off the stage in cuffs? It might be the cops coming because neighbors complained about the noise all the way out in the suburbs, it might be the venue owner who doesn’t agree with the changes the band has made to their songs, or it could be the stage manager cutting the gig short because the next band wants to go on.COMPLICATION: The band gets in trouble with their label, manager, sponsor, or sire if they don’t finish. Or there’s someone in the crowd they need to impress.EXAMPLE TESTS: Dexterity + Performance to keep playing while you’re being chased. Strength + Brawl to knock out the guards coming for you. Charisma + Persuasion to convince the sound crew to let you keep going even though their boss doesn’t want you to. Rouse Check to avoid Fury Frenzy backstage.Hunters on the TrailA cop with no work-life balance and experience with ghosts starts obsessing over the coterie and follows them on tour, under the guise of being a journalist. A local hunter cell picks up their trail while looking for someone else. A special operations military officer goes rogue to do something meaningful with their life before they go into retirement. A sorcerer believes they need vitae for a spell and tries to get members of the coterie alone so they can take it. Hunters can look very different, but when you move around as much as a touring band, you’re bound to cross paths with them.COMPLICATION: Taking down a single hunter, the players’ coterie doesn’t notice that they’re connected to a larger Second Inquisition agency operation, and their disappearance triggers a network of invisible trip wires.EXAMPLE TESTS: Intelligence + Survival to hide in the wilderness. Intelligence + Investigation to understand the clues in the hunter’s apartment. Stamina + Resolve to withstand torture.Pulling StringsEvery so often, the undead artist gets the choice between getting things the honest way and using their supernatural abilities to make sure the odds are in their favor. Corruption and trading favors are of course a part of the journey to stardom for most, but still, there are moments in every mortal artist’s career that signal to them, and to their fans, that they deserve the fame they’ve gotten and that their talent is real.Make those moments rife with temptation. When the label agent isn’t sure they want to buy what the coterie is selling, when the festival booker tells them that the program is full, when the mortal star won’t feature them on their new album, when the talent show judges are about to make their decision, make sure the players’ characters get a chance to talk to them alone.COMPLICATION: The players’ characters get something they’re deep down not sure if they deserved, and then they find out who really was supposed to get it — someone they look up to or who really needed it.EXAMPLE TESTS: Manipulation + Dominate to force a mortal into a favorable decision. Charisma + Presence to make other choices seem ridiculous. Use Celerity or Obfuscate to alter the evidence of unfavorable decisions to make them appear otherwise. Use Oblivion to terrorize the mortal into the right choice.Uncomfortable InquiriesWith fame and success come the incessant questions, fan theories, scorching reviews, love letters, death threats, and cameras. Keep the players’ characters on their toes by having journalists, fans, and followers bother them for information regularly. Magazines schedule interviews, fans write letters and emails, and followers find them online, no matter how well-hidden they think their online presence is. The characters can use this to grow their own fame and spread messages. They can also quickly get stuck in a web of misinformation and misunderstandings that only professional can help them get free of.COMPLICATION: An interviewer purposefully wants to push a scandalous angle and tries to provoke the character to react in a way that suits their narrative.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB153EXAMPLE TESTS: Charisma + Composure to get through a stressful interview and still look good. Intelligence + Awareness to spot a hidden camera. Wits + Drive to escape the paparazzi.Help and FavorsA mortal contact reaches out for a favor. Maybe a player’s character owes them, or maybe they’re someone the character cares about deeply enough to want to help them. A favor can be anything from getting some friends into an exclusive club to helping out a Touchstone in dire financial trouble.COMPLICATION: Helping the contact means getting into trouble with another character. Helping actually means hurting them, but they wouldn’t understand. Helping becomes a choice between following your Convictions or the Chronicle Tenets. Or the contact only asks for a favor to force the player’s character into a situation where they’re vulnerable.EXAMPLE TESTS: Charisma + Persuasion to get the doorman to let your underage niece and her friends into the venue. Wits + Awareness to notice that she’s flirting with the Anarch in the smoking area. Strength + Brawl to beat the shit out of him before he tries anything.Stories From the RoadThese following story ideas can be integrated into the Sound and Fury chronicle, using pre-written Storyteller characters from that setting or used independently.Let’s Get to 100K!A micro-influencer with a loyal niche following starts posting about the players’ band on their channel. Their enthusiasm helps grow the band’s fan base, and what’s better is they clearly understand the band’s values and the message of their music. When they reach out wanting to collaborate on further content, the band will probably be tempted to agree, and any work they do together will get a lot of engagement.But soon, the influencer gets too close to the truth. Their following is growing, as is their curiosity — and their ability to destroy the band’s reputation or blow their cover.The once-indie content creator becomes a liability the band will have to handle before their secrets go viral.The KidThe players’ band has a few dedicated fans following from gig to gig. One of them is a young man named Nohr (p. 103), who has run away from his privileged, upper-class life to experience the gritty glamour of the band’s lifestyle. They first discover him when he helps them in a bar fight, swinging in their defense like he grew up in a boxing ring and not an art deco villa on the waterfront. They don’t suspect he’s only 17. He hangs on to them like an energetic, very supportive puppy.Should anything happen to Nohr — and it constantly does, because he has no fear — authorities hold the band responsible. So do Nohr’s rich parents, who have a private investigator looking to bring him home.Dead-Beat Vampire DaddyThe diehard fan, Hannah Marie (p. 102) has followed the band for some time. She’s a few months pregnant and suspects that one of them, who fed on her in an incident she only vaguely recalls, is the father. She expects commitment, financial support, or at least some sort of evidence that he’s not just going to disappoint now that responsibility is knocking on the door.If the band can convince Hannah Marie that none of them have anything to do with her condition, she can become a Ally, willing to help them out, provided they help her track down the real dad — another musician who played at that same festival.The Roadie’s Old DebtA member of the crew, or the band’s regular mechanic, Julie Bekhti (p. 106), has a criminal past. She usually keeps it to herself, but the band catches wind of it when an old contact shows up to cash in a favor. They want her to smuggle drugs, weapons, or something of a more mysterious nature to country another while on tour. Just as a one-time thing to pay off a debt. Julie
Appendix I: Steal These Stories 154doesn’t want to, but since the smuggler threatens to tell the band about her past, she goes directly to them first, admitting to a life of hardships and a five-year stint in prison for involuntary manslaughter. If they help her get even with her old contact, by taking on the smuggling task, there’ll be something in it for them too, but it’ll add an extra element of risk to their travels.Gonzo JournalismSometimes, the hit-piece hustler Reggie “Raptor” (p. 107) gets stuck on ideas that are a little bit too crazy for his magazine contacts. His fixation on the players’ band is quickly becoming one such thing, since he’s picked up enough intel on their nocturnal habits to understand that they’re somehow part of a sinister cabal or even a murderous cult. Reggie is closer to the truth than he realizes, but he doesn’t know how to communicate his findings in a way his readers will take seriously… yet. So he follows the band around, private investigator style, documenting what he sees them do and working on his theory, which will, he hopes, become a book at some point, or at least an exposé.The players’ band will have to either confiscate Reggie’s evidence or get him on their side if they’re to stop him from publishing his theories.Quick StopsTransient and liminal spaces a coterie can pass through or stop at while traveling. These function as backdrops for brief scenes that you may want to use to bring color and nuance to your chronicle between bigger events.CampsiteWHAT IS IT LIKE: A tight-knit group of elderly people come annually and keenly watch out for something to gossip about. The facilities are old but functional. The teenage kids brought here against their wills are eager for something, anything, more interesting to do.WHO IS THERE: Budget travelers, old people playing bingo until late in the night, an old Stalinist in a vintage camper van who lives here all year round, the manager, families on vacation.Youth HostelWHAT IS IT LIKE: Cheap. There’s a communal kitchen, one shared bathroom per floor, and three computers you can access for 5 euro an hour. The female-only room smells of cleaning agents. The mixed-gender rooms are overcrowded. The male-only room is covered in trash and someone peed in the sink.WHO IS THERE: Groups of 18 to 25-year-old travelers. A 7th grade class with two or three teachers. A single woman in her 30s, traveling for a local conference. The overly chatty receptionist who is also a ghost tour guide.FerryWHAT IS IT LIKE: Bright, loud, and claustrophobic. The duty-free shop sells any type of liquor imaginable, but good luck tracking down anything else you might need. There’s a German child screaming as loudly.WHO IS THERE: Nuclear families plus grandparents, pensioners on a cultural vacation, a group of 30-somethings looking like they want to die.LaundromatWHAT IS IT LIKE: There are 16 washing machines, four dryers, a folding table, and a little wooden bench where you can sit and watch your clothes tumble.WHO IS THERE: An old man who doesn’t walk well enough to leave and come back, a young lady worried someone is going to steal her underwear, people walking in and out, the owner emptying the coin machine. Sometimes no one at all.Parking GarageWHAT IS IT LIKE: Vast and dark with a hollow echo. The automatic lights turn on when you walk in. They go out again within a few minutes if nothing moves.WHO IS THERE: Rows upon rows of cars. One or two people at a time coming home from working late or partying. Late at night, a drunk couple is getting it on in the back of an Audi.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB155Public ParkWHAT IS IT LIKE: Quiet. The gates are locked at night, so the main sounds are from trees groaning and animals picking through what people left behind.WHO IS THERE: Rats, bats, foxes, hedgehogs, and a couple of homeless people who are sleeping uneasily between the bushes. On occasion, a young couple is distracted while the guards are locking up and have to search for the revolving exit-only gate after dark.Highway Rest StopWHAT IS IT LIKE: Rows of trucks are parked behind the lit-up kiosk, cafeteria, and gas station island. It costs 2 euros to use the restrooms. A stale scent of French fries lingers over everything.WHO IS THERE: Truck drivers, people filing in for a quick bathroom break from the budget intercity bus (which will be leaving without them if they linger), cashiers, an immigrant cleaner who used to be a historian in his own country.Construction SiteWHAT IS IT LIKE: The naked cement structure of a building looms behind a wobbly metal fence, perforated plastic sheets and scaffolding partially covering it up. Inside, the walls are covered in graffiti, and squatters have left behind blankets, clothes, food wrappers, bottles, broken needles, and someone’s gangrenous big toe.WHO IS THERE: Harrowed teenage rebels hiding from society or a couple of squatters about to shoot up.Public Transit StationWHAT IS IT LIKE: Until about 1 a.m., it’s busy as people hurry between buses, trains, and trams. After that, only the night buses run, and the station becomes an eerie, deserted place until 6 a.m.WHO IS THERE: People hurrying home or going out to party. Then, lone drunken commuters trying to find a way to get home, one of them is also looking for the phone they dropped. A few homeless people are sleeping in dark corners.Coffin HotelWHAT IS IT LIKE: For a negligible sum, you can rent a capsule chamber just wide enough to fit a single mattress and tall enough for you to sit up, with a light and a socket for your phone charger. It’s in a row of similar pods: there’s one underneath and above yours as well. You need a code to unlock the pod. The common area has a vending machine and a TV.WHO IS THERE: The majority of guests are men between the ages of 20 and 50. Most only stay a night or two and stick to themselves.Scenic ShortcutWHAT IS IT LIKE: Someone thought they could beat traffic by driving off the highway and taking country roads. The scenic route is full of potholes, there’s a speed trap every 50 km, and in some places, you have to drive up and down a mountain to get to where you’re going. Eventually, you have to stop and look at a map because the GPS isn’t working properly this far out.WHO IS THERE: A farmer in a tractor that drives 40 km/h, a bicyclist without lights on, a young man taking his date out to look at the stars, and a flock of trouble makers racing each other for sport.New DomainsStorytellers can use the following tables to generate details of a new domain for a traveling coterie. Roll or choose one of the options as needed. Table 7 provides options for whether or not the Camarilla or Anarchs have the upper hand. Table 8 suggests structures for an independent domain. Table 9 suggests an important issue the domain struggles with. Table 10 provides an option for the coterie’s first encounter with the new domain.
Appendix I: Steal These Stories 156TABLE 7: GOVERNING SECTRoll or Choose Structure1–3 Anarch4–6 Camarilla or Regional Equivalent (including the Ashirra or Oradea League)7–8 Both Anarch and Camarilla presence9 Autarky or Independent, see Table 810 Largely uninhabited, no clear Kindred authoritiesTABLE 8: AUTARKY OR INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIPRoll or Choose Leadership1–3 Blood Cult Autarky: 1 Bahari, 2–3 Church of Caine, 4–6 Church of Set, 7 Mithraic Mysteries, 8 Nephilim, 9–10 Other (see Cults of the Blood Gods)4–6 Hecata Crime Family (see Cults of the Blood Gods or Players Guide)7 The Sabbat or Sabbat-wannabees (see Sabbat: The Black Hand)8 Trinitarian triumvirate or Utopian Autarkis Group9 Duskborn group10 A shadowy Kindred remaining largely anonymousTABLE 9: MOST IMPORTANT LAWRoll or Choose Law1 The Masquerade: You may not reveal your nature.2 Domain: Kindred territory must be respected.3 Progeny: It’s forbidden to sire childer without the ruler’s permission.4 Accounting: You are responsible for your childer and their actions.5 Hospitality: When you arrive, you must present yourself to the city’s ruler.6 Destruction: You may not destroy another of your kind.7 Might Makes Right: Demonstrate strength; you can get away with anything.8 Honor Your Elders: Show gratitude and respect to those older than you.9 Boons Must Be Honored: Debts and favors must be repaid when requested.10 Do not Kill Mortals: The Kindred of this city protect their mortal population.TABLE 10: FIRST CONTACTRoll or Choose First Contact1 Blood doll seeking a fix as their usual predator has gone missing2 A ghoul servant with a message from the local authorities demanding that the coterie introduce themselves properly3 Watchmen or Vehme coterie looking for newcomers to the city4 Traumatized victim seeking help escaping from a local Alleycat5 Anarch seeking to evangelize the Movement to new Kindred6 Independent hunter(s) looking for licks to slay7 Camarilla courier from nearby city (Kindred or ghoul) seeking an introduction to the proper authorities8 Autarkis Kindred or Duskborn asking for information on the local authorities9 Domain sheriff or security looking for a Kindred criminal10 Wight or Sabbat pack hunting for vitae
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB157Appendix II: LORESHEETSLoresheets tie your character to larger elements of the World of Darkness. For a chronicle about mortal ties, travel, or the music industry consider some of the existing Loresheets in Table 9. There are new Loresheets presented below. Keep in mind that Loresheets could be adapted to fit your chronicle. The Blue Velvet (Chicago by Night, p. 266) can be adapted to a local establishment in your city.TABLE 11: EXISTING LORESHEETSLoresheet SourceThe Blue Velvet Chicago by Night, p. 266The Circulatory System Vampire, p. 386Descendant of Helena Vampire, p. 391Descendant of Zelios Vampire, p. 398The Hunt Club Fall of London, p. 233Jeanette/Therese Voerman Vampire, p. 394Kindred Iconography Chicago by Night, p. 279Veins of the Earth Blood Sigils, p. 180Victoria Ash Camarilla, p. 190
Appendix II: Loresheets 158DESCENDANT OF IDDER(Banu Haqim Only)LORETales of the Second City suggest that each clan resembled a Kindred family. Idder was rumored to be the first Kindred to break with his clan, leaving the city and striking out on his own. His descendants likewise wandered with the nomadic peoples of North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and beyond. Sometimes called the Bedawi or Bedouin Banu Haqim, members of Idder’s line traveled with various nomadic groups and pilgrims, tending their Herds and keeping them safe from the predation of other Kindred.For a time, most upheld Haqim’s code even if they rarely saw others of their clan, but after centuries of sail, steam, and into the new digital age, these traditions have broken down as some leave autarky behind to join the Anarchs, Camarilla, or lesser factions. A few of Idder’s descendants have begun to make a name for themselves in the Circulatory System or as couriers between Domains.• Animal Affinity: Idder’s descendants have a knack for animal ghouls. They may reroll any rouse checks to maintain animal ghouls. If they possess the Bond Famulus power, they may have two Famuli.•• Shepherd: Your sire passed down his collected wisdom related to maintaining a Herd. This wisdom allows you to slake one additional Hunger from your Herd per session.••• Never Unprepared: Your Blood tells you where mortals may be and when they are easy pickings. The first time you hunt mortals in a new city or environment, you gain a two-dice bonus to the attempt.•••• Safe Haven: Fear of the Sun doesn’t drive you like it does other Kindred, as your Blood knows where to find shelter. If you ever need sanctuary from the sun, so long as you are not restrained and you have 30 minutes before sunrise, your Beast finds you shelter from the sun at the cost of gaining one Hunger.••••• Haqim’s Justice: Your Blood drives you to protect your own. Whenever your Herd, Contacts, Allies, Touchstones, or other close Relationship-Map connections are threatened, you gain a two-dice bonus to all actions in a scene to defend them or seek retribution for their harm. Once per story, you can declare a vendetta and gain a two-dice bonus against one specific target until justice or vengeance has been served.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB159DESCENDANT OF KERWIYA(Gangrel Only)Kerwiya rarely felt the wanderlust of most Gangrel. Though she was forced to move from whatever lost village or city she was Embraced in, the wilderness never called to her. Through the ages she moved from towns along the rivers of Mesopotamia and India to the cities of the Caspian, Black, and Mediterranean seas. Many of her descendants were notable for dwelling in Constantinople, sometimes called Greek Gangrel.Her descendants likewise thrive in cities, much more so than other Gangrel. Though they occasionally wander between these bastions of the Kindred, they rarely dwell in rural or suburban communities. They are rumored to be as adept in Kindred politics as the Ventrue, Toreador, or Lasombra.LORE• Hidden Predator: Kerwiya’s vitae cloaks you from others. You do not need to drink the Blood of another Kindred who knows Obfuscate to learn it, though it is still counted as a non-clan Discipline for the purpose of experience cost.•• Politically Adept: You develop an instinctive sense for Kindred politics. You gain a specialty for Politics, Insight, and Subterfuge usable against other vampires. If you do not already possess a dot in one or more of these skills, you instead gain the first dot. Your focus on the politics of the dead has made you ignore the nuances of mortal assembly. You can’t take specialties related to mortal politics or social customs.••• Actions have Consequences: Your Blood warns you before you make foolish mistakes. Once per story, you can ask the Storyteller if the decision you’re making increases the danger you’re in in matters related to other Kindred. The Storyteller gives a yes or no answer. You can use this Merit again if the Storyteller cannot answer clearly.•••• The Boon Economy: You leverage prestation better than most, noting minor causes for Boons that others might miss. Once per Story, you may upgrade a trivial or minor boon owed to you by one degree (e.g., trivial to minor, minor to major).••••• Echoes of Constantinople:The Greek Gangrel of Constantinople were renowned for their political insight, and you have the same knack for winning political battles against your rivals with one decisive move. When your dice pool involves Insight, Subterfuge, or Politics, you can set any single die to a 10 after rolling.
Appendix II: Loresheets 160DESCENDANT OF PHAEDYME(Ravnos Only)LOREWhile the Ravens may often be considered vagrants, wanderers, and drifters, the ancient methuselah Phaedyme and her descendants were drawn to different childer. Phaedyme Embraced a line of pilgrims and knights whose reputation is still remembered in some corners of the globe. A Macedonian woman who fought alongside Alexander’s forces as a man, she was Embraced in India but journeyed west to Gaul to establish herself. Fighting off the threats from locals was easy given her history, and she instilled that sense of martial prowess and duty to her childer.Her descendants gained fame in Antiquity and the Dark Ages, traveling with pilgrim bands to and from the Holy Land and delivering messages between Domains.• Skilled Traveler: Your Blood has given you an instinct to keep you safe on your travels. Select a specialty for Athletics, Brawl, or Melee, and another for Drive or Stealth. If you do not have dots in this skill, instead, gain the first dot. These do not count against your limit of specialties. All your time on the road has kept you from delving deep into the realms of knowledge. You can’t take specialties in Academics, Science or Medicine.•• Safe Routes: You keep track of your options and don’t need a map app to tell you which routes will likely be blocked or under construction. Once per session, you can evade roadblocks and obstacles by taking the longer route, possibly suffering the consequences of arriving late instead.••• Renown Guardian: The name of your ancestors carries weight. Once per Story, if you ask the Prince, Baron, Justicar, or other local authority for responsibility in security, they’ll grant it to you, possibly with minor conditions, without reward, or even officially deputizing you as a temporary hound or archon.•••• Honor among the Honorless: The blood of your ancestor offers succor through honor and duty, providing a bulwark for your heart. Choose one additional Conviction related to duty, honor, or chivalry. You can maintain this conviction without recourse to a Touchstone.••••• Defender: Phaedyme’s Blood drives you to defend your charges, quickening your limbs and strengthening your attacks. Once per story, when defending someone or something important to you (not merely yourself, but a Touchstone, coterie-mate, or other Relationship Map connection), you reroll all Rouse checks for Blood Surges for any dice pools related to defending your charge for the entire scene.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB161LORED E S C E N D A N T O F T H E FALLEN LORD(Salubri Only)Sometime in the late 20th century, a Sabbat pack uncovered a Kindred locked in Torpor in a Polish mine. After he came to understand the changes of the past millennium, he threw his lot in with the Sabbat, bearing an ancient grudge against the Tremere and the Camarilla that protected them. He trained his childer initially with ancient martial arts and then began mastering modern guerrilla tactics. This individual is often referred to only as the Fallen Lord today, glossing over various blasphemous titles used in the past.Over a decade or two, his childer swelled within the ranks of the Sabbat. With the Sabbat’s fall to civil war and the fractured remnant’s focus on the Gehenna Crusade, many of his descendants fled the Sabbat, whether they were new recruits or unwilling converts looking to salvage what was left of their souls. The Fallen Lord’s brood is rumored to be responsible for many of the Salubri found in the modern nights.• Instinct for Death: The Fallen Lord’s Blood gives you a knack for violence. You gain two combat-related specialties divided among Athletics, Brawl, Firearms, or Melee (or gain the first dot if you have no existing rating). These do not count against your specialty maximum. Unfortunately your violent demeanor also increases the Difficulty of Social tests with Kindred of Humanity 9 or 10 or particularly humane mortals by 1.•• Tracker’s Mark: The Fallen Lord’s Blood sings to you a sacred rite to hunt your enemies. You gain a twodice bonus on all checks to track any opponent you have attacked in combat.••• Fury’s Strike: You embody the warriors of old, feeding your Beast on violence. Once per scene, you may activate a Discipline Power against one target immediately after hitting them in close combat. You are considered to have eye contact or touch them if required by the power.•••• What Must Be Done: You possess a righteous anger and the right to do what must be done, whether in combat or cold-blooded murder. You gain an additional Conviction, which cannot be lost and is not tied to a Touchstone. This conviction must be related to destroying your enemies.••••• Vengeful Eye: Your gaze terrifies your enemies and helps your blade strike true. When you spend Willpower to re-roll dice in melee combat, you can reroll one additional die, which can be a Hunger die. Your third eye reveals itself to your adversary, which may violate the Masquerade or draw unwanted attention.
Appendix II: Loresheets 162LORESUCCUBUS CLUB COPYCATThe legendary Succubus Club of Chicago set the gold standard for hiding in plain sight, with kindred from all over the world going out of their way to visit when possible. Following a series of devastating attacks on the local Camarilla in the midnineties, the club shuttered its doors, and the neverending beat that once drew thousands through its doors was finally silenced.Nature abhors a vacuum, and it didn’t take long for a roaming iteration of the Succubus Club to surface. While it ultimately ended in a disaster of its own, it opened the floodgates for many other pale imitations, each hoping to cash in on the original’s reputation. While the OG • Finger on the Pulse: The club acts as the nexus point for anyone who’s anyone, and as the owner, you know them all. You receive a onedie bonus to Social pools involving important mortals (even if only in their own minds), as they seek to curry your favor (or discretion).•• Energizing Beat: A success owes much to its hedonistic vibe and worldclass set lists, and for the Kindred guests, this makes for a rich hunting ground. All blood Resonance is considered Intense for you when hunting in the club.••• Damage Control: Trained staff are on standby to negate the worst impacts of a feed gone wrong, no questions asked. Once per session, while hunting in the club, if you get a Messy Critical on a test or fail a Frenzy test, you can reroll all dice.•••• Loyalty: Your staff are dedicated to you in a way that’s hard to explain, almost as if the club itself had got its hooks into them to ensure their unwavering loyalty. Any attempts by other Kindred to blood bond, Dominate, or sway your staff with Presence automatically fail if it would negatively impact you or the club.••••• Destination of Choice: The reputation and mystique of the Succubus Club is legendary, so much so that even its clones carry that same seductive atmosphere of excess, edge, and danger. This unique cocktail of ingredients marks it as the place to be, and it’s common to see the city’s kindred in attendance. If the city’s undead leaders are hosting a gathering, you can successfully petition to have it hosted in your club, should you wish, once per session.Chicago version is back up and running, numerous competitors have sprung up, some even use the Succubus Club name feigning authenticity only Helena’s bloodline could provide.Business, like the ever-present beat, is booming.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB163LORETHE PONY EXPRESSThe Pony Express was founded by an enterprising group of Ventrue ancillae in response to the Camarilla’s abandonment of electronic communications in the aftermath of the Second Inquisition. Recognizing the need for a method of coordinating intercity communication across the sect, the group’s founder, Elliot Praxton, assembled a group of likeminded Ventrue to found what Praxton deemed “The Pony Express.”The Express is a system of physical couriers that crisscross the nation using various modes of transportation ranging from muscle cars and unremarkable sedans, to boats, planes, and helicopters. Agents of the express in each city include Kindred and their ghouls who may be permanent fixtures of that domain, or move from city-to-city in a circuit. They operate a dizzying array of blind-letter drops, secret meets, and other anonymous forms of communication that they use to “collect the mail” in each domain. This mail ranges from heavily-encrypted flash drives to old-fashioned physical correspondence.Express drivers are culled from the ranks of Gangrel loyal to the Camarilla and an ever-increasing pool of young Ventrue and other ambitious Kindred. Drivers brave the perils of the open road, handing off their packages to other drivers at pre-arranged drops or occasionally making long-hauls with particularly sensitive information. Anarchs, Lupines, and the Inquisition stand in their way, but they get the mail through, never taking the same route twice, and always covering their tracks. Working for the Express is dangerous on the best of nights, but it is vital to the Camarilla’s survival and Praxton pays extremely well.• Access to the Network:You have access to the Express and can send or receive a secure message or packet to or from any domain the Express operates in. The delivery will arrive within three nights to a week (Storyteller’s discretion).•• Station Agent: You collect the mail in your domain and facilitate the handoff to a driver. You have two-dots in Mask and are Zeroed. You also have access to the local Express station, a two-dot Haven with a one-dot Postern. It is owned by Paxton, but available to you while on official Express business. The obligation that comes with this Loresheet sees the vampire often chased or held accountable if expected deliveries do not make it to their recipients.••• Driver: You are a driver for the Express, granting you access to a wide array of vehicles and bolt holes across the nation. You can acquire a vehicle appropriate to your journey’s needs (Storyteller’s discretion) once per story. This is typically a car, truck, boat, small aircraft, or even motorcycle suitable to reach your destination. You also have access to the full Pony Express station network, representing a collection of two-dot Havens within one night’s travel of each other. They are owned by Praxton, but available to all his agents and drivers in time of need.•••• World Tour: Praxton recently took the Pony Express international, arranging secure stations at many of the world’s major air and seaports, and you are at the forefront of this new initiative. Once per story, you gain access to an international mode of travel specifically tailored to accommodate the unique needs of Kindred. This transportation is likely something fast and maneuverable, like a Lear jet, or slow and clandestine, like a birth on a faceless freighter. Two-dot Havens in the form of Express stations anchor each end of your journey.••••• Passenger Service: Always the innovator, Praxton operates a clandestine passenger service for “special” clients. Once per story, you and your coterie obtain passage from your domain to any destination the Express operates in. (Storyteller’s discretion).
Appendix II: Loresheets 164LOREROAD COURIERCamarilla domains learned the hard way that online communication is a death trap for Kindred. To escape the fires of the Second Inquisition, vampires have turned to physical couriers. Europe can sometimes rely on rooftop runners and the discretion of sewer-dwelling Nosferatu, but the vast empty spaces of the continents, especially the New World, require messengers to brave the open road. While ghoul couriers have the advantage of operating during the day, they can be vulnerable whenever they stop, so Princes and Barons are sometimes forced to employ discreet and loyal Kindred to transport vital documents and artifacts.Whether you travel alone on a Yamaha cruiser or with a whole crew in an armored van, you know how to survive the roads, and how to get under cover with your precious cargo before the sun rises.• Bucket: As long as you’re in an urban area or along a major road, you rarely have problems finding a ride for the night. Add two extra dice to your Intelligence + Streetwise tests while looking for a temporary vehicle. Every success above the margin of difficulty gives some extra comfort and ensures you won’t instantly alert the police.•• Six in the Morning: You know a hundred forgotten caves, empty garages, and abandoned warehouses. Once per story, receive a four-dice bonus to a Survival test to find shelter, as long as you’re on a road or street and have a vehicle. Your temporary haven is big enough for a large van.••• Chosen Steed: Unlife is filled with uncertainties, but at least there’s one thing you know you can always count on. Select one vehicle that you’ve had for at least one entire story; the bonus for operating and working on this vehicle is three dice.•••• Highway Harbinger: You’ve been delivering bad news long enough that vampires know your arrival spells trouble. For the first three nights in a new city after you announce yourself, you gain a threedice bonus to all Intimidation, Investigation, and Streetwise tests with vampires, as people make stupid mistakes and rumors spread like wildfire. However, your coming is now ominous enough that a paranoid Prince or other notable vampire makes it their business to end you or drive you out. Gain a two-dot Adversary for as long as you stay in the city.••••• Midnight Express: You know spotters, scouts, and fellow couriers across the country. They function as two dots in Contacts. In addition, once per story, you can order them to watch and clear the roads ahead of you for a single night, letting you maintain a highway speed of 75 miles per hour in even the worst bucket and 150 miles per hour in a high-end cruising vehicle like a Mercedes or a sports car. You need to decide on a start and end point before you set out. Your spotters clear out any mundane problems, like speed traps. They can’t protect you from vampires, Lupines, or other supernatural threats, but they can usually warn you or provide you with alternate routes if you come under fire.
LIVE FROM THE SUCCUBUS CLUB165LORESTORIES OF THE DAUGHTERSNot many young Kindred have heard of the Daughters of Cacophony, but stories of undead singers extraordinaire are occasionally told in Elysia by those who claim to have met one. A rumored bloodline (although rumormongers cannot agree whether of clan Malkavian, Toreador, or another), the legendary sirens can allegedly sway and hurt using their voice alone, capable of shattering much more than glass. Any appearance of a particularly vocally talented Kindred (of any gender, as “Daughters” is but a title) in the domain may spark gossip, and a few Kindred fear the legends enough to act preemptively on such news, turning rumor into danger for the alleged Siren. Some do not believe in Daughters’ existence, while others successfully pretend to be one, despite their sires knowing nothing of such connection.• Aspiring Idol: Perhaps you trained your voice daily before your Embrace, and find the nightly routine a practice that helps you maintain some connection to your mortal past, or maybe you’re just naturally gifted with a pleasant voice and you like the sound of it. Receive two additional dice to any test involving singing, but if you fail, suffer an immediate Compulsion for the shame you brought on yourself.•• Surprise Performance: The talent lies dormant within you, and comes to light in the most unexpected moments. Once per story, receive two extra successes on a test involving public speaking. This can be done after the test has been made, and can be paired with using Presence.••• Wayward Daughter: You’ve heard about Daughters of Cacophony, and whatever you’ve heard, you turned into your identity. You successfully (so far) pretend to be a Daughter in the domain you reside in. You’ve also convinced the local Kindred society to treat you like a big deal (though some individuals may argue). This comes with benefits—receive four dots to distribute among Status, Herd and Mawla. However, someone - like your sire—knows your secret, and might use it against you if you give them a reason. Once that happens, lose your gained advantages and gain Flaw: Suspect among the faction you’re the most acquainted with.•••• Songstress Supreme: Maybe the vitae of the Daughters really does flow in your undead veins, or maybe you’re just exceptionally talented. Regardless of the source, the beauty and power of your voice surpasses most mortal singers. Gain four additional dice to any vocal performances, but your talent has earned you some unwanted “fans.” Gain the Stalkers Flaw, and a single powerful Adversary who feels either jealous or possessive of you.••••• Rejuvenating Voice: Your voice is almost supernaturally soothing. Gain two additional dice to your non-intimidation Presence tests, as well as while using Quell the Beast or Obeah. Additionally, once per story, you can restore three levels of Superficial Willpower damage to everyone capable of hearing your voice. This performance must last for one scene. If interrupted, all listeners suffer one point of Superficial Willpower damage.
Appendix II: Loresheets 166LORETEMPLE OF BOOM CONTRACTVictor Temple is, in his own words, the “Undisputed Baron of the Valley.” This Ventrue controls the largest Anarch territories in Los Angeles, and perhaps in North America. Victor’s enterprises include several popular nightclubs and an expanding music label business that he promotes under the name Temple of Boom. He also uses this entertainment empire to conceal his unlife — hiding in plain sight, as he likes to say.Victor may be based in L.A., but his influence is beginning to extend beyond his home domain: having a connection to the Baron can open up opportunities of wealth, power, and fame, as long as you maintain loyalty to Victor Temple himself, and don’t mistake his affability for complacency.• Chocolate Drop: You’re the newest employee of Temple of Boom, either as a performer or promoter in your city. Gain a dot in Fame and a dot in Contacts. Your newfound status has a downside: Gain the Stalker Flaw•• Got Connections: The Temple of Boom is always looking for new talent, and they are not above poaching from competitors. At the Storyteller’s Discretion, you may request an advance on your salary, and add two dots of Resources or Contacts for the rest of the current Story, in exchange for procuring new talent for Temple of Boom••• This is Fine: Once per Story, you may name-drop Victor Temple and gain 3 extra dice to Social tests in a business/entertainment environment, such as gaining entrance to a nightclub, for the remainder of the scene. Should you do this, however, you will automatically become a person of interest to someone who has beef with Victor Temple or the Temple of Boom in general. Gain the Enemy Flaw at one dot for the rest of the current Story.•••• Maharaja/Maharani: Temple of Boom isn’t just a recording label, but also a coveted name in the nightclub business. By demonstrating loyalty to the Temple of Boom business family, Victor Temple has granted you the right to open one of his clubs as a franchise in your city. Your Haven, Fame, Resources, and Herd all increase by one dot, and you receive a specialty in either Finance (accounting) or Performance (showmanship). Due to Victor Temple’s tactic of “hiding in plain sight”, your association with the club will gain you the Compromised Haven Flaw.••••• If Not Now, When?: Victor Temple owes you a Major Boon. Whether you obtained this from him personally, or got it through transfers, it is the most valuable currency you own. At Storyteller Discretion, you may personally request something significant from the wealthy, influential Ventrue, such as access to Hunter weapons or even the phone number of a local Werewolf. Should you do this, the Ivory Tower will not be able to ignore your connection to the Anarch Movement. Gain the Shunned (Camarilla) Flaw.
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Chapter Six: On the Road 168© 2023 Paradox Interactive® AB, Vampire: The Masquerade®, and Hunter The Reckoning® are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB in Europe, the U.S., and other countries.© 2023 Renegade Game Studios.www.renegadegames.comYOU’RE INVITED! Join the conversation, get early access,and enjoy extra content!© 2025 Paradox Interactive® AB. Vampire: The Masquerade®, and Hunter The Reckoning® are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB in Europe, the U.S., and other countries. ©2025 Renegade Game Studios