House Rules

These house rules superceed the rules printed in the books, and are subject to change in order to better balance the game.

Character Creation

Character Approvals on Game nights

CHARACTERS WILL NOT BE APPROVED ON EVENT NIGHTS
You must submit your character at least two days prior to the event to be able to play that game night. The STs have a great deal of prep work on game days, on top of our day to day lives.

Age

All PCs must be at least 18, physically and mentally.

Backgrounds

We realize that backgrounds will get fleshed out a little during the course of play, however all major life events must be approved by the STs before entering play. This includes traumatic events, deaths, etc. If through the course of play, you wish to add a major or potentially game affecting event/NPC/background, please get it approved by an ST first. This is so that we can keep consistency in the game.
While yes, this is the world of darkness, and bad things do happen, most areas are small communities. There are safeguards that prevent the worst from happening, especially when it comes to children.
Please also be mindful that if your PCs have a traumatic past, that while it can add flavor and enhance RP, it can also be triggering for others. Please be mindful of this and do not force your PCs trauma on everyone.

---

Dice Rolls

Dice rolls need to be done when prompted to by an ST and with an ST present. STs must be aware of what you are rolling and why. This is so that bonuses and negatives can be assigned as applicable, and so that we are kept in the loop. Rolling without an ST, or without telling an ST what it is for, will result in an automatic critical fail. When rolling note what your roll is for, or any pertinent notes regarding powers (vulgar, covert, catches fulfilled, etc) in the notes section
The exception to this rule is mundane crafting (aka no magic abilities). If using a magical ability in the crafting, the above rule applies. You may still make mundane crafts rolls as per usual. These should be noted in your player channel as ""item crafted, any modifiers you were given, and succes total/target goal"

---

Claiming XP

All event, weekly, and monthly XP is listed in the Experience Awards channel on Discord. Players have a week to claim the awards.
To claim xp you must list the "date:amount:character" and you must at Jo and Fenris Example:
at Jo, at Fenris (use at symbol)
Friday, 01/05/2024, Weekly XP Award 2 xp - Morwen

If you are claiming for more than 1 Character or event, they need to be seperate lines
Example:
at Jo, at Fenris (use at symbol)
01/01/2024 New Years 2024 bonus XP 10 - Morwen
01/01/2024 New Years 2024 bonus XP 5 - Adelaide

• Failure to claim xp within those 7 days will mean you are no longer elligible to claim that xp.

Exception

If you are going to be away from game for an extended period of time, such as vacation, travel, real life ate you, need a break, etc. Please let the STs know with as much notice as you can, by posting in your player channel.

You will be allowed to claim weekly and monthly xp, but must still use the proper claim format. This will mean that you will need to go through the XP award channel to find the dates you did not claim for. The STs will not accept lump sum claims and any claim not in the requested format will be ignored.
Example:
at Jo, at Fenris (use at symbol)
Friday, 12/15/2023, Weekly XP Award 2 xp - Morwen
Friday, 12/22/2023, Weekly XP Award 2 xp - Morwen
Monday 12/25/2023 CHRISTIMAS BONUS XP!!! 15 - Morwen
Monday 12/25/2023 CHRISTIMAS BONUS XP!!! 15 - Adelaide

---

Spending XP

This is a role playing game, and not a video game. As such, we do expect that you roleplay some of what you want to learn. This does not mean that you must actively roleplay every aspect, but your justification should be indicated in your RP and your downtimes. How this looks may vary depending on what you are looking for. It could be that you have some scenes with an NPC/PC you are learning from, or it could be that you give us a small moment post showcasing your learning.

XP Expenditure Time Guidelines

Attributes

To go up in attibutes takes desired level x 2 weeks. You must purchase the first level you are seeking, before you purchase the next.

Level	Time Needed
1	N/A
2	4 Weeks
3	6 Weeks
4	8 Weeks
5	10 Weeks

Examples
1. I have Presence 2, and I would like to purchase Presence 3. I let my ST know what I would like to purchase, and I then note what I am working towards, the date I began, and the date I should be able to purchase it. Over the few weeks I let my ST know how I am gaining this increase via downtimes, and RP. At the end of the waiting period, the ST gives a final green light.

• Presence 3 > Feb 11, 2024 > March 24, 2024

2. I have Presence 2 and I would like to purchase Presence 3 and 4. I let my ST know what I would like to purchase, and I then note what I am working towards the date I began, and the date I should be able to purchase it. Over the few weeks I let my ST know how I am gaining this increase via downtimes, and RP. At the end of the waiting period, the ST gives a final green light.

• Presence 3 > Feb 11, 2024 > March 24, 2024
• Presence 4 > March 24, 2024 > May 19, 2024

3. I have Presence 2 and Strength 1 and I would like to purchase Presence 3 and Strength 2. I let my ST know what I would like to purchase, and I then note what I am working towards the date I began, and the date I should be able to purchase it. Over the few weeks I let my ST know how I am gaining this increase via downtimes, and RP. At the end of the waiting period, the ST gives a final green light.

• Presence 3 > Feb 11, 2024 > March 24, 2024
• Strength 2 > Feb 11, 2024 > March 10, 2024

Skills and Fighting Styles

To go up in Skills or fighting styles takes desired level x 1 week. You must purchase the first level you are seeking, before you purchase the next.

Level	Time needed
1	ST Approval and Justification
2	2 weeks
3	3 weeks
4	4 weeks
5	5 weeks

Examples 1. I have 0 crafts and I would like to purchase crafts 1. I go to my ST, and state that another PC is teaching me how to cook. I have already done some RP to that affect, the ST approves my spend

2. I now have crafts, cooking 1. and I would like to buy crafts 2. I let my ST know what I would like to purchase, and I then note what I am working towards the date I began, and the date I should be able to purchase it. Over the few weeks I let my ST know how I am gaining this increase via downtimes, and RP. At the end of the waiting period, the ST gives a final green light.

• Crafts 2 > Feb 11, 2024 > Feb 25, 2024

3. I have crafts, cooking 1. and I would like to buy crafts 2 and a fighting style at level 2. I let my ST know what I would like to purchase, and I then note what I am working towards the date I began, and the date I should be able to purchase it. Over the few weeks I let my ST know how I am gaining this increase via downtimes, and RP. At the end of the waiting period, the ST gives a final green light.

• Crafts 2 > Feb 11, 2024 > Feb 25, 2024
• Fighting Style 2 > Feb 11, 2024 > Feb 25, 2024

Disciplines/Arcana/Rotes, and other Powers, Etc

These purchases must be approved by your venue ST. To learn an out of path/clan/seeming power (discipline, arcana, rotes, etc) you need a PC teacher.  If no one has the power in game, only then will the STs will look at creating an NPC teacher.  

Merits

These purchases must be approved by your venue ST and need to be justified.

Exceptions to XP Timelines

On occassion, an ST may make an exception to the timeline guidelines and either decrease, or increase the time needed. It could be that you have not justified the expenditure sufficiently and so time is increased, or perhaps you have dedicated a larger portion of your downtimes to learning something, or have been exposed to it a great deal recently and so they are decreasing the time needed. In either case, this it the Venue STs call to make and they will tell you if they are adjusting times. Asking once if there is an adjustment is fine, so long as you understand the ST is not required to give you one. This is an exception to the rule, not the rule.

---

General Rules

Custom Items

We encourage creativity through RP, and we are willing to consider custom Devotions/Bloodlines/Legacies/Merits/Entitlements/Etc; however, this process will involved heavy RP and justification with the Venue Storyteller. Not everything will be approved, but we will work with you as best we can.

Public Scenes

All public channels are considered at least evening time and vampires can join as desired. This ruling takes into account a few things, such as daytime training, and daytime jobs that most people have (in and out of character). Most are going to be busy IC during the day; therefore if you are planning a daytime scene that is fine, but we are requiring it to be a private channel since others are either at work and wouldn't know or are Vampires and wouldn't know. You may add folks to your daytime private scenes as needed.

---

Mage

Magic in a scene

Every vulgar spell cast in a scene adds a die to all Paradox dice pools. This affects all mages in the scene and not just those of the mage casting the vulgar spell. For example: Mage 1 casts a vulgar life spell, it is the first vulgar spell in the scene, they roll paradox as per normal. Mage 2 casts a vulgar spell. This is now the second vulgar spell cast in the scene, they add a dice to their paradox rule. Mage 3, casts a vulgar spell, they are adding two dice to their roll as this is the 3rd vulgar spell in the scene.

---

Vampire

Ordo Dracul - Coils of the Dragon

All Coils are considered sperate powers; not one long continuious string of "Coils of the Dragon" for purposes of calculating XP expenditure.
Ex: if your PC has Banes 3, they need only spend the traditional 7 xp to learn Beast 1 (not 28 xp for a 4th coil)

Learning Out of Clan Disciplines

All out of Clan Disciplines require a mentor. This could be a PC or an NPC. If it is an NPC you must go through the Venue Storyteller and the ST that plays that NPC. This may require some RP. If a player is teaching the power ICly, it definitely requires RP and the player of the Teacher must indicate that they are infact teaching this power. Also note that learning an out of clan discipline requires consuming a point of blood from the teacher. (See Viniculum)

Learning Devotions

All devotions require a mentor. This could be a PC or an NPC. If it is an NPC you must go through the Venue Storyteller and the ST that plays that NPC. This may require some RP. If a player is teaching the power ICly, it definitely requires RP and the player of the Teacher must indicate that they are infact teaching this power. Click on the link to see a list of available devotions, including custom devotions Devotions

---

Lost

Entitlements

Character Package for joining an Entitlement/Lodge

• +1 to Wyrd or Primal Urge as appropriate.
• +1 to Composure or Resolve (Player Choice).
• +1 to 2 Skills (Player Choice with ST discretion; must be appropriate to Entitlement or Lodge).
• 2 Specializations (Player Choice with ST discretion, must be appropriate to Entitlement or Lodge) .
  

Please note this is only for joining your first Entitlement or Lodge, joining a second is it's own benefit.

• May join up to two Entitlements or Lodges maximum.
• Chosen Entitlements or Lodges must be complimentary, you cannot oppose your Oaths.
• Your choices must make sense through RP, to the lead ST of the venue and for the story.
• Lead Venue ST of the appropriate Venue (Lost or Forsaken) has final approval
• These rules do NOT apply to Mages or Vampires; please do not ask. These rules are meant to bring Entitlements and Lodges more in line with the benefits offered by Legacies and Bloodlines.

---

Forsaken

Lodges

See ruling for Entitlements; these rules apply to joining Lodges as well.

---

Abilities

Basic Crafting

These are the new crafting guidelines, please bear in mind that as with all of our rules, they are subject to change if we find they are not working in the intended manner for the game
The first step in crafting the player must define what their PC is making. If you are making something with no game benefit (ie: cookies, socks, scarves, and simple things along the same lines) need no role, you are assumed to make them with successes = to your crafts level. You are limited to 2 creations/day in this manner. If you are making something more intricate, you do need to roll for it. The ST will then designate the amount of successes needed for the project. Each roll counts as 6 hours of work. The first roll may be made without penalty. A second roll may be made in a day, but costs a WP to do so (this means that WP cannot be spent to increase dice pool). If players wish to make a 3rd roll, they must spend a WP and a penalty of -4. This will also mean that that PC is out of play for the day as all their time is being devoted to their crafting. They also have a -1 to all challenges the next day, due to exhastion. Please keep in mind that characters in the midst of crafting might not have time to do other things. Storytellers can add difficulty to projects, or subtract successes depending on what is being crafted and the tools being used. For making items that can be considered for fetishes or imbued items, the bare minimum of successes must be double the number of successes to the Fetishes level. However, STs may assign more, depending on the intricacy. So you may do the following / day
Create 2 simple items with no roll (If this is abused, you will lose this ability)
You may then do 1 crafting roll for a more intricate item with no penalties
A second roll can be made with the expenditure of a wp point. You can not spend wp for any bonuses for this roll
A 3rd roll can be made with a second wp point. You can not spend wp for any bonuses for this roll and you have a -4 penalty. You also suffer a -1 penalty to all dice rolls the next day.

Armour and Weapon Crafting

All armor requires custom fitting and at least a fair amount of craftsmanship. These are factored into general armor types for purchase. Anything outside these in regards to customization, magical enhancements and so forth will be handled on a case by case basis and require work with, as well as approval by your Venue ST. The following is a listing specific to our setting and how armor works along with various setting appropriate styles, Armor Ratings and potenial dice pool modifications. This was altered as the Armory books did not have many options for our specific setting. Weapons will follow all the same crafting rules and requirements to be able to take on any sort of magical enchanement (the weapon must be of exceptional quality, please see below). Weapons from the Armory books do contain many setting approirate items that did not have to be altered; therefore there are not specific weapons listings or changes.

Basic Armors

LIGHT

• Reinforced Clothing: 1/0 Requirements: Strength 1 Resources 1 Modifiers: 0 Defense Modifier
• Leather Armor: 1/1 Requirements: Strength 1, Resources 2 Modifiers: 0 Defense Modifier
• Studded Leather Armor: 2/1 Requirements: Strength 2, Resources 3 Modifiers: 0 Defense Modifier

MEDIUM

• Hide Armor: 2/2 Requirements: Strength 2, Resources 3 Modifiers: -1 Defense Modifier
• Scale Mail Armor: 3/2 Requirements: Strength 3, Resources 3 Modifiers: - 1 Defense, -1 Speed

HEAVY

• Chain Mail Armor: 3/3 Requirements: Strength 3, Resources 4 Modifiers: - 2 Defense, -2 Speed
• Plate Armor: 4/3 Requirements: Strength 4, Resources 5 Modifiers: - 2 Defense, -3 Speed

SHIELDS

• As per Medieval Shield, Armory page 179. There are NO other types of shields for personal use, no other polymers or materials as described in the Armory book. Anything larger would not be for personal use, but instead considered a piece of seige equipment.

Quality

Fine Quality Items - +1 Resource Cost and provided Materials

• For Armor: Add either a single +1 to either melee/brawl armor or Ranged/Thrown (not both or can reduce 1 of the negative modifiers by 1.
  
• For Weapons: Add or improve 1 weapon quality to a weapon or remove 1 weapon negative modifer or requirement. Final approval is at the Venue STs discretion.
  

Example: Leather Armor that is 2/1 or 1/2 but not both.
Example: A Great Sword made of lighter weight material could have a lower Strength Requirement to wield or one made of stronger materials or using newer forging practices could have extra Durability.
Exceptional Quality Items - +2 Resource Cost, provided Materials and generally some sort of significant RP.

• Same as with Fine, but also capable of housing magics. REQUIRED FOR ANY ENCHANCED ITEM IN ANY WAY.
  

Crafting Armor and Weapons: Will go by the Rule of 10. This means you will need 10 successes per level of the armor or weapon. Forge work is GRUGING, you will have 1 roll per day maximum (you may not spend Willpower for extra rolls, this will take up your Craft roll for the day) regardless, for 6 hours of work. This supersedes all other crafting rules.
Level 1: Required Successes 10 - A serviceable, no frills suit of armor or weapon.
Level 2: Required Successes 20 - Serviceable with minor detailing (ex. a Crest)
Level 3: Required Successes 30 - Serviceable and fully customizable.
Level 4: Required Successes 40 - A Fine suit of Armor or a weapon
Level 5: Required Successes 50 - An Exceptional suit of Armor or a weapon

---

Merits

Companion Merits

These merits include Retainers, familliars, etc. Each Companion must be statted and have its own sheet. We use the creation rules as written here, rather than the books Companion Merits

Fighting Finesse (••)

Prerequisites: Dexterity •••, a Specialty in Weaponry or Brawl
Effect: Choose a Specialty in Weaponry or Brawl when you purchase this Merit. Your character’s extensive training in that particular weapon or style has allowed them to benefit more from their alacrity and agility than their strength. You may substitute your character’s Dexterity for her Strength when making rolls with that Specialty.
This Merit may be purchased multiple times to gain its benefit with multiple Specialties

Giant (••••)

Errata: Max height allowed without inncurring alarming health issuees; thus negating the benefits associated with this merit, is 7'6". Additionally was will be observing a more real world view on what qualifies as a Giant in the real world. Heights range from 6'6" - 7'6". In a very real sense the real world is not built for people this large; neither is this setting. The complications, both physical and day to day living inconviences are often over looked when this merit is taken; reduced to just comical minor isues, and hence the specfic limitations to the rules. Penalities: The reality is, being this large there is next to no chance you are hiding yourself or otherwise moving quietly. While this is one example of penalities that will be applied, please note that any of the STs running a scene can call for other penalities based on size if they feel it is necessary.

• 7'1" - 7'3" - a minus 1 penalty to Stealth rolls.
• 7'4" - 7'6" - a minus 2 penalty to Stealth rolls.

Languages (•)

• English is the universal language spoken, everyone starts with that.
• This merit is no longer a 1-3 point merit and instead is a simplified 1 point merit
• You must specify which language your character is familiar with when purchasing this Merit. It is uncommon at this time for a person to know more than English, as little linguistic diversity has survived in this part of Terra since The Fall. As such Venue ST approval is required to take other languages.
• You may take this merit multiple times to indicate your character knows multiple languages.

Location Merits

Location merits uses the document below and not the rules in the books. Many are the same, but some have been expanded, rewritten, and some have been removed all together. If there is something you really want that is not in the document, you may request it and the storytellers will consider the request, though it may not be approved. Location Merits

Sin-Eater (•••)

Prerequisite: Mortal or Vampire, Resolve •••, Composure ••, Occult •, Occult Specialty: Sin-Eaters. Must have an IC teacher
Effect: Your character has the ability to draw forth the sins of other individuals, restoring lost dots of Morality (or the equivalent trait for supernatural characters). The customary technique for doing this is to place a small piece of bread on the chest of the person whose sin you wish to eat, offering a momentary prayer, and then eating the bread, which has absorbed the subject’s guilt. Others rituals, subject to Storyteller approval, may work equally well.
To consume an individual’s sin, spend a Willpower point and make an instant contested roll pitting the Sin-Eater’s Resolve + Occult against the subject’s Resolve + Composure. The Willpower point only makes the roll possible, it doesn’t grant any bonuses to the dice pool. Each attempt requires a complete performance of the sin-eating ritual, which never takes less than thirty minutes.
Success allows the subject to attempt a new degeneration roll for a past sin. The subject makes this new degeneration roll as if his Morality was one higher; if this roll succeeds, the subject gains a point of Morality. Morality may never be raised higher than 6 through sineating and derangements are not automatically cured through sin-eating, but with the associated Morality dot returned, recovery becomes possible. At the Storyteller’s discretion, the subject may transcend his derangement if he goes a number of days equal to 10 – his Morality without sinning against his own Morality. Never erase a derangement overcome through sin-eating (see p. 93 of the World of Darkness Rulebook) — only real changes in behavior warrant that.
If the Sin-Eater achieves an exceptional success, both he and the subject enjoy a +2 bonus to their degeneration rolls for the ceremony.
If the Sin-Eater consumes a sin whose motive was driven by his own Vice, he regains a lost Willpower point exactly as if he had indulged the Vice himself. Likewise, if the sin was committed in the name of his Virtue (such as a vigilante killing for Justice or stealing from the wealthy to help the poor for Charity), he regains all of his spent Willpower as though he had acted on that Virtue.
Drawback: When you consume an individual’s sin, you are immediately subject to a degeneration check exactly as though you had committed the sin yourself, This is regardless of your own morality. If you fail this degeneration check, you must check for a derangement as usual.
The World At Large Animals