House Rules

Updated 2/3/22

## General

### Content Warning

*Dark Skylines* Contains content which may be disturbing to some players. The game may include content or references to disturbing subjects, such as blood, murder, assault, self-harm, suicide, emotional trauma, torture, and other similarly dark themes. Please inform the Narrator Team if there is specific content which may be triggering to you, or if you encounter such content in game. It is absolutely reasonable to ask a Narrator to stand-in and play your character if you feel uncomfortable doing so. *Dark Skylines* games will never feature content which which violates the VRChat terms of service.

You must be at least 18 years old to participate in *Dark Skylines*.

## Character Creation

#### Potency ••

Characters with 2 dots in Generation, Rank, or similar potency-related stat may purchase skills at 1x cost, instead of 2x cost.

### Vampire

#### Clan and Bloodline costs

All clan rarity costs are 0. Additional bloodline merit costs remain unchanged.

#### Tremere Clan Flaw

The Tremere Clan Flaw is replaced with:

> Newly embraced Tremere are made to drink the blood of the Council of Seven in an arcane ritual. Consequently, you suffer the effects of having drunk the blood of your direct superior, and any higher ranking Tremere in your chain of command, even if you have not. Even if you disagree with your superior this effect persists and will continue until such a time that she is removed from your chain of command, whereupon, she will likely be replaced with another for whom you have the same level of devotion.
>
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#### Hardy Island Kindred

Kindred may teach themselves the first 2 dots of Celerity, Potence and Fortitude, at out-of-clan cost, without a teacher. They may begin play with no more than 3 of such self-taught dots.

#### Starting with out-of-clan common disciplines

You may no longer start play with any dots of an out-of-clan discipline unless you possess the appropriate merits.

### Inappropriate character concepts and traits

While there is certainly bigotry against real-life groups in the World of Darkness setting at-large, the narrator staff do not feel that it is appropriate for that to be a part of our setting. Characters who have an intolerance, bigotry, or hatred of any kind of real-life mortal social group (whether represented with flaw points or not) will not be approved.

A character may (with narrator approval) have previously belonged to a group which is historically associated with bigotry (for example, the US Confederacy), the character should not be a member of said group now, nor should they have that bigotry themselves. These concepts are generally discouraged.

You may, at narrator team discretion (and with significantly good reason), have a character who had such an intolerance in the past (such as in a background story), however, your character may not enter play with such an intolerance.

Character backgrounds should avoid incredibly sensitive topics such as sexual assault, child abuse, etc. There are more, and better, ways to create a story of tragedy and horror and those are preferred in our chronicle.

The following character types are currently not sanctioned for PCs:

* Baali
* Lhiannan belonging to any sect
* Characters under the age of 18 years of age or appearing to be under 18 years of age
* Forgotten Fera (Apis, Camazotz, Grondr, Hakken, Nagah)
* Mockery breeds (Anurana, kerasi, Samsa, War Wolves, Yeren)
* Archons, Alastors, Myrmidons, and other global-scope appointed positions
* Leviathan Rokea
* Domems
* Other unsanctioned splats (Mummies, Mages, Kuei-Jin, Demon, Imbued, Shades, etc.)
* Tremere-Loyal Gargoyles

### Ties

Characters are encouraged to make in-character ties with their characters and with NPCs. These might include:

* Social ties: Your characters know of each other’s reputation.
* Friendly ties: Your characters are allies.
* Relational ties: Your characters are related either by mortal blood
* Brood ties: Your characters share a sire, or are part of the same lineage/house.
* Blood ties: One or more character is blood-bound to the other.
* Romantic Ties: your characters are, or once were, in an active romantic or sexual relationship.
* Antagonistic ties: Your characters are enemies on some level.
* Mortal ties: One or more of your characters actively wants to kill the other.

These ties must be approved by the narrator team and should be created before the new character enters play. However, there are some guidelines to this:

* It is generally okay for new players to have a character tie with players they know who are in the game, however this should be a Social or Friendly tie.
* Players who are in an out-of-character relationship should generally avoid Romantic, Brood, and Blood ties.
* Players with multiple characters should aim for ties with characters played by different players.

## Characters

### Character Slots

Upon earning a graduation or becoming a Patron, a player may open up character slots. This allows a player to play additional characters and earn XP on them according to the rules in the VSS.

If a player stops being a Patron or (under rare circumstances) loses a graduation, their most recent character remains in play but may not earn new XP until the character slot is reopened.

Guidelines for playing multiple characters

* It is strongly recommended that under any circumstances, a player should have no more than 4 active characters.
* A player’s characters may know of each others’ existence but should know very little about them, have little interaction with them, and have a generally neutral opinion about them. Characters absolutely may not be related to, in relationships with, or have motivations regarding their other characters.
* Players should make every effort to avoid characters sharing knowledge. This can be difficult.
* In general (though there are exceptions) players should avoid involving their characters in conflicts against another character at the same time. (Sometimes this can’t be avoided: the other person may just be a dick.)
* You may only play one character at a time. Under certain narrator-approved circumstances (such as large meetings and events) your characters may be ‘in play’ simultaneously, but one character is considered the active one and the other is somewhere else observing but not interacting (we say this character is ‘in the gallery’).
* Any interactions by your characters that can significantly impact another of your characters should be checked with a narrator first. When in doubt, ask.
* Any direct interactions (conversations, challenges, etc.) are highly discouraged, but if they are unavoidable they must be overseen by one or more members of the Narrator Team, one of whom will likely portray one character as a proxy.

### Portraying Retainers

Players portraying characters who have retainers may portray them as followers, either with in-game NPC placeholders or by noting their retainer’s existence in their character tags. Players can and should direct these NPCs in combat, on their own initiative, using the stock NPC rules.
Players may, with narrator discretion, portray their own retainers independently or have them played by another player. In this circumstance:

* Retainers should act with their owner/domitor/regnant’s best interests in mind
* Retainers should have a sheet or be represented with stock NPC rules based on dots on the sheet
* Retainers who are portrayed independently do not gain Attendance XP unless the PC attends on their own, separately.

### Proxying

It is not the intent for players to be forced to accompany and attend off-schedule events. If a character would attend an event but the player is unavailable, one of two things may happen:

* The player may request a freeze, in which the scene is frozen until the player is available.

If the player agrees, or a freeze is not possible in the circumstances, a player may attend an event as a proxy. In this case your character may be portrayed by a narrator or other designated individual (as determined by a Narrator). The player should be sure their instructions on portrayal are included. If a player agrees to a proxy, they understand their character may end up harmed, torpored, losing items, or even possibly killed—but the player or Narrator running the sheet should make every attempt to prevent the character from such harm.

## Mechanics

### Passage of time

For the purposes of durations of statuses, effects, and deadlines, a "month" consists of two full games and two rounds of downtimes. The game or downtime in which the timer starts is not included unless the timer starts within the first half hour (of game) or the day after game (for downtimes).

### Distance

For the purpose of distance, “one step” is equal to one meter (1 unit of distance in VRchat.), or one square on the in-game grid.

### Diablerie

The third bullet point on page 307 in the section *The Effects of Diablerie* limiting a character to one diablerie per year is disregarded.

If a character's generation is lowered as a result of Diablerie, and this results in a change in the Generation background or flaws such as *Lesser Generation*, record the changes to these backgrounds and/or flaws without additional XP refund or expenditure.

### Disciplines

**Protean - Shape of the Beast:** Characters using Shape of the Beast can communicate with each characters with Animalism as if they were animals.

**Animalism - Feral Whispers:** Characters with Animalism in human form can communicate with each other with animal sounds, growls, chitters, etc. but cannot communicate mentally even if they have the appropriate focus. This appears very weird to outside observers.

**Thaumaturgy: Green path - Sanguine Harvest:** Activating this power does not require a test.

**Presence - Majesty:** The effects of Majesty are line of sight. Characters within 10 steps of the user are still affected by Majesty even if they do not have line of sight.
**Obfuscate - Vanish From Mind’s Eye:** You may not use Vanish from Mind’s Eye while grappled or Staked.

### Morality, Beast Traits, and Frenzy

We use the Expanded Beast Trait System found on page 90 of the BNS Errata with the following changes:

* Feeding from a consensual human is not a level 1 sin unless you have a Humanity of 6.
* Breaking the law in minor ways which are not as severe as the ones described on page 93 of the Errata are not a level 1 sin.
* A person on the Path of Humanity who commits diablerie automatically loses a point of Humanity without a test.

It is not outwardly visible that any particular Vampire is on a Path of Enlightenment; they simply appear to be a mid-to-low Humanity vampire. For this reason, Status Bans related to being on a Path of Enlightenment only apply if a person is openly known to be on a Path.

Purchasing a lost point of humanity costs 3 XP and requires your character to actively work toward this goal through their actions. Purchasing Humanity requires narrator approval.

The attack bonuses from frenzy do not apply to ranged attacks that use the Wits focus.

### Torpor and Staking

A Vampire in Torpor may be cloaked using Cloak the Gathering; a torpid vampire is considered a willing target of this power. The user of the power is still limited by the number of people who may be targeted with Cloak the Gathering.

Mental and Social powers which can normally target a Vampire in a damage-induced Torpor (including being staked) are limited to Line-of-Sight. At storyteller discretion, certain powers which are used to track a vampire (such as Illuminate the Trail of Prey) may still target a torpid vampire.

Awareness allows you to use powers that affect only yourself while in Torpor. This does not include Obfuscate, which specifically is a mind-affecting power that affects others.

A character in damage-induced torpor does not awaken automatically when all damage is healed; they must be fed a point of blood from a vampire of 3 generations lower than the torpid vampire.

Damage dealt to a vampire in damage-induced torpor converts an equal amount of non-aggravated damage in the vampire's health boxes into aggravated damage. A vampire whose health boxes are full of aggravated damage after all damage modifiers have been applied instantly meets Final Death.

A vampire in Damage-induced Torpor may still be killed by being beheaded over a full round or receiving lethal damage over 3 rounds per the rules on page 288; this house rule is an additional way a vampire may be killed but does not replace those mechanics.

In unusual circumstances, such as situations where a target cannot reasonably avoid final death (such as falling into a pot of molten metal, or being beheaded by a guillotine) a character may be subjected to Final Death regardless of other statuses or challenges at storyteller discretion.

#### New status effect: Staked

A Vampire who has been successfully affected by an appropriate mechanic such as Pierce the heart becomes Staked.

Creating a stake requires crafting one or acquiring one in downtimes. A character may attempt to create an improvised stake per the improvised weapon rules, but as an improvised weapon it can only have Staking and no other qualities. It also has the negative trait Unwieldy giving it a -2 wildcard penalty and prevents you from gaining exceptional successes. This stake exists until the end of the scene if staking was not successful.

A staked vampire has the same status effects as a vampire in Damage-Induced Torpor (including other Damage-Induced Torpor house rules), with the following exceptions:

* They may not awaken from this state while they are still staked, even if they are fed lower-generation blood.
* If the stake is removed, they awaken instantly as long as they are not also in Damage-Induced Torpor.
* There is no way to "heal" from being staked and there is no power available to player characters which allows a vampire to remove their own stake.

A vampire may be both Staked and in Damage-Induced torpor separately.

Characters immune to the Pierce the Heart Maneuver and other anti-staking effects (such as those who have had their heart removed via Heart of Darkness) are also effectively immune to the Staked status effect.

### Blood Bonds

In addition to the rules regarding the fading of a blood bond over time upon a vampire's death, a regnant is additionally immediately aware of their regnant’s death.

* For a kindred thrall with a one- or two-point blood bond, this triggers a rage frenzy check with a penalty of 2 times the blood bond level. For a 3-point blood bond, the thrall will immediately enter a rage frenzy. In all cases the thrall may spend a willpower to resist this frenzy—but it is still a very emotional and painful experience.
* For a ghoul, they should immediately feel some significant turmoil, which might result in heightened aggression, upset, or unconsciousness. Ghouls who have been bound to their Domitor for a long period of time should feel this much more strongly.

### Passage of time

For the purposes of duration of statuses, effects, and deadlines, a "month" consists of two full games and two rounds of downtimes. The game or downtime in which the timer starts is not included unless the timer starts within the first half hour (of game) or the day after game (for downtimes).

## Setting

### Version

Our chronicle plays a modified version of the By Night Studios Masquerade lore. Important parts of this lore are available on the wiki. In general, we have not adapted the use of the BNS V2 lore at this time.
Because of various highly-conflicting pieces in the World of Darkness canon, our game uses the I heard rule. Essentially: rumors about things that may or may not have happened in the past are easy to come by. It is generally reasonable to believe that X thing that could be common lore has happened, and if that thing is not applicable to our chronicle, you can assume your character “heard” it somewhere.
Some content from certain official sourcebooks are not sanctioned for play, particularly ones which reinforce harmful stereotypes. When in doubt, ask.

### Leaving the Island

* Characters may attempt to leave the island during downtime. Doing so has a high chance (around 90%) of being caught. ("Leaving" the island in this context means both leaving and coming back as a single action.)
	+ Characters who spend a downtime action to prepare and plan their escape to avoid detection can cut their chance of detection in half. Characters who spend 2 downtimes for this are virtually guaranteed to escape detection.
* Characters who are caught may return to the island or resist, which may result in a scene with one or more of the current PC or NPC Wardens.
	+ Camarilla characters caught leaving the island immediately lose all of their Fleeting status (per the effect of Commander).

### Breaches of Elysium

An Elysium that has been breached will only lose its sanctity if an appropriate sect officer does not levy an appropriate punishment upon a perpetrator within 30 days. Note the use of “a perpetrator” and not “the perpetrator”—if Elysium is breached and the person responsible is unknown, then this rule only requires someone to be punished for it.

### Generation and Status

The term "Neonate" is often used informally to refer to new vampires. However, in order to avoid confusion, the terms "Neonate", "Ancilla", and "Elder" should not be used to refer to a vampire's generation (i.e., being of the "Elder Generation"). Instead, referring to oneself by numerical generation or being "far-removed from Caine" or "Close to Caine", etc., is socially acceptable.

### Breaches of Elysium

An Elysium that has been breached will only lose its sanctity if the Keeper and/or Prince does lot levy an appropriate punishment upon a perpetrator within 30 days. Note the use of “a perpetrator” and not “the perpetrator”—if Elysium is breached and the person responsible is unknown, then this rule only requires someone to be punished for it.

### Influences

Influence actions can be used more flexibly than stated in the book, so long as the use is of the same power level as the provided example.

Influence actions require a number of actions equal to the level of the action. For example, a character with four dots of an influence can do one level 4 action, or two level 2 actions, or a level 1 and a level 3, or four level 1.

Influence actions refresh every game, not every month.

### Sects

#### Camarilla

Kindred are considered Neonates unless they meet the requirements below:

* In order to be Ancilla of the Camarilla, a kindred must meet ONE of the following:
	+ Have been a member of their sect for 75 continuous years or more
	+ Have been a member of their sect for 50 continuous years AND have the Machiavellian Prodigy merit.

* In order to be an Elder of the Camarilla, a kindred must meet ONE of the following:
	+ Have been a member of their sect for 300 continuous years or more AND have at least 2 dots in Generation AND the player must have at least one graduation.
	+ Have been a member of their sect for 100 continuous years AND have the Machiavellian Prodigy merit AND the player must have at least one graduation.
	+ Anarch characters must qualify for the above AND purchase the 1 point 'Old Dog' merit to have elder status.

#### Independent Alliance

> *See Independent Alliance.*
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#### Anarchs

Anarchs only suffer a Lesser Status Ban for being on a Path of Enlightenment.
The Lesser Status ban for being a previous member of the Camarilla only lasts 1 year. The 10 year Lesser Status Ban for being Sabbat remains unchanged.

## Merits and Flaws

The following merits and flaws are not sanctioned for PCs:

* Childlike
* Method to the Madness
* Infernal Power
* Path of Evil Revelations
* Loa’s Rebirth
* Stuffed Shirt

#### Rulings

**Iron Heart (Brujah):** Iron Heart may be used when resisting any Technique that has Dominate or Presence as a prerequisite.

**Parley (Lasombra: Corsair):** This merit may not be used to get favors or meetings with PC characters. Using this merit requires filing a downtime.

**Death Becomes You (Ananke):**  Intentionally killing a stock NPC to benefit from this merit is considered “taking pleasure in the pain you inflict” and is therefore a level 4 sin.

**Paragon:** The 5-point retainer granted by this merit is not a vampire, but is an incredibly loyal ghoul.

**Twice Bound to the Council (Tremere):** is replaced with:

Somewhere along the way, you made a serious misstep and angered someone higher up in the Pyramid. You suffer the effects of having drunk the blood of your direct superior twice, and any higher ranking Tremere in your chain of command, even if you have not.

#### New Merits and flaws

**Blood-Loyal (3 pt. Tremere Flaw)**

Your blood holds difﬁculties and inequities not found in the other Tremere. Because of these failings, you are easily made dependent on the blood of another. It takes only two draughts of another vampire’s blood for you to become blood bound instead of the normal three — the ﬁrst drink counts as if you had taken two drinks.

**Ghoul Before Embrace (3 point merit)**

Your time as a ghoul prior to your embrace gave you advantages over your fellows. Not all kindred who were ghouls prior to being Embraced have this merit, however.

You automatically learn the first dot of Celerity or Potence, and may learn the first two dots of Celerity, Potence, and Fortitude as if they were in-clan disciplines.

**Shifter / Fey / Wraith / Kindred Companion (3 point Merit)**

You have a supernatural friend and ally. They, for some reason, are willing to help you. It is likely they will want something in return, however.

Mage companions are not sanctioned for play.

This NPC should have a sheet that is managed by the narrator team. In general, you will not have control over the expenditures or decisions of your supernatural ally.

The supernatural companion’s powers should scale with the character accordingly.

Other supernatural ally types may be allowed at narrator team discretion.

**Clan Friendship (1 point merit)**

This merit is meant to be purchased at character creation. You have a special relationship with another clan, and your reputation with them is very good. Members of that clan know of your reputation, and should treat you accordingly. However, if the reputation sours, you might lose this merit.

**Clan Adoption (3 point Merit)**

This merit is meant to be purchased at character creation. You have, with the permission of a powerful or influential member of a clan, been accepted into that clan. You are, for all social purposes, a member of that Clan. You are welcome at those clan gatherings and beholden to that Clan’s leaders. You similarly lose the social privileges of your former clan, but still suffer their clan weakness.

**Special Gift (1-5 point Merit)**

This merit is meant to be purchased at character creation. You have a special item you have acquired. How you acquired this item should be a part of your background story. The item may have special abilities or qualities. This item must be approved by the narrator team prior to play.