Interest Checks - World of Darkness

I am not a fan of this edition but if it means playing a game I love. Sure. I will toss my hand in.

I'm thinking seriously how many players we can reasonably accommodate, so let's see. But yeah, the Hecata might not come into play yet unless I open up the options in Cult of the Blood Gods.

Thanks again for the strong interest everyone. I am honestly contemplating two games, one which gives people newer to V5 a chance to get into the game and not be too overwhelmed by too many options and too much lore to begin with. And another for people who know what they are signing up for. Vampire games take a moment to prep, even with published material. I shall be posting a proper recruitment write-up so we know what we're playing. And let's see whether we can accommodate most of those here who've thrown their names in.

Fantastic!
It crossed my mind, the beginner game might benefit from having a VtM vet amongst the players. That way you aren't shouldering the entire burden of training yourself.

As much fun as I've had with Vampire content (Redemption & Bloodlines videogames, LA by Night game stream etc) I never seem to get a good experience when actually playing the TTRPG itself. Maybe it's been because of the ST and group, so if there's one person I'd trust at the helm for this, it'd be @BedzoneII

So this feels like the correct audience to drop this tidbit to...*No relation to vampire the game.

This game does interest me. I have been in many formed groups that have collapsed after a dozen or so posts for one reason or another, but I can see that you're probably more than a little full at the moment. If you have an opening later, keep me in mind.

Still watching.

Still here!

Thanks for the vote of confidence DarkRaider, and thanks again everyone for the overwhelming interest. I do realise I can't accommodate everyone, but I'm gonna go ahead and pitch one of the games first, followed by the next.

I got distracted over the weekend by Runekyndig, who was trying to make me pitch a Mage game instead, so I fleshed out a story proposal for that one too in my head.

For me, a mage game would have priority over a vampire game, but you know that already.

As a forever Mage storyteller, I'd jump on the chance to play, but go with what works for you, obviously!

Stahp, what next, you'll run a Wraith game too?

Why would you be so mean like that! :D

The one game I've never played. Not really played on its own anyway.

If there an OWoD Werewolf or Mage game - count me in! 😁

This thread is turning into a whole World of Darkness server itself!
Wraith 20th is on my list, yikes! As is Demon!
Gonna leave Werewolf and Changeling to better storytellers though.

So, to manage everyone's expectations since there are so many WoD fans, let me be clear what I'll be pitching in the next few days, so that people can know what to expect:

- First up will be a V5 one-shot. Pre-gens will be provided so that people can get to playing straightaway. This game will be a good place to learn V5 system, or get a sense of the lore that surrounds it (Camarilla? Jyhad? Coterie?) or to get back into Vampire in general. Some assurance, just because it's a one-shot doesn't mean we have to stop when it ends, it all depends on the commitment level of the players.

- Next will be a V5 longer chronicle, 4 to 5 clear published scenarios, but with my sandbox surrounding them in case the politics take a different direction. Make your own characters, and also be prepared to do a bit of worldbuilding. There will be character advancement, so that we get to play with some of the higher level disciplines. Whether this launches first, or the following does, is up for discussion.

- I have made my draft plans for a Mage 20th game. Not a published story, so I'll have to write it up properly to pitch it. It will happen though. Mage is the other WoD game I miss terribly.

- Finally, someone go ahead and tip me over the edge about Wraith. It's a game that hasn't had enough of a proper go on GP I believe, and that's good enough reason to start one, and what's not to like about playing dead people? Also Wraith 20th is a solid compilation!

First pitch drops tomorrow. I'm not particularly fond of first come first served, so no rush!

Are you looking to be convinced to run it?

Here's my "pitch" (including the good and the bad):

I've played in one Wraith game IRL a couple years before COVID. It was a "one shot" (maybe 6 sessions?) that lead into a V20 "zoo" campaign.

It has perhaps the most arcane but also some of the most interesting (imo) lore of any of the lines. It was a bit hard to grok the vibe at first for me, cuz there's some really complex dualities (or even "tri-alities") going on in it, but what I arrived at was, imo, that vibe is like 50% Dostoyevsky, 50% 90s-goth-freak-kamp. (think: Beetlejuice - but in a good/darker way, or "Cool World" - except if the cartoon world was the world of the dead) In a good way!

Setting that aside... it is heavy, emotionally. Especially character creation.

You are creating characters that have died and can't move on for probably some terrible or terribly-poignant reasons, right?

So players need to be prepared for that to run through out character creation and the story in play.

Had some of the most rewarding roleplay I've ever experienced under that game. But every session was a bit emotionally draining.

There's probably ways to get away from that draining feeling (focus more on the Shadowlands, and/or more on violent deaths and revenge arcs, or community or "service" focused past-lifes, instead of familial/protective concepts), but we blundered right into it, and... oof... for better or worse it was intense.

Possibly the most unique experience I've ever had in ttrpgs.

Can't think of anything else that crafts a similar experience and narrative.

That's certainly the experience that I want! But I'm not sure that's the case with the players in my groups. Am I underestimating them? Possibly, probably even. Am I confident in my storyteller ability to guide them in such a game? No.
Changeling: the Lost (i.e., Chronicles of Darkness, not oWoD) is on my short list of games to run. I've not run or played in Changeling: the Dreaming before. I do have C20 though. Hmmmm....

Dostoevsky meets Beetlejuice is a hell of a pitch.