Setting
The Domain of Southeast Texas, comprised of the Regencies of Jerfferson, hardin, and Orange counties as claimed and annexed to his domain by Cambryn, Prince of Beaumont, in the Year of Our Lord 1932. The domain includes the larger cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange. Also within its boundaries are Lumberton, Silsbee, Bridge City, Sabine Pass, Groves, Nederland, Vidor, and the Big Thicket National Preserve.
Theme/Mood
Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange in the World of Darkness are black industrial stains on the local wilderness of Southeast Texas. It is to these areas that Kindred have flocked since the early 1900s, since the birth of Spindletop and the creation of three of the world’s argest petrochemical companies. Since then it has evolved into a wretched hive of vice and greed, a teeming nest of chemical plants and shipyards whose directors will do anything to shave a few dollars off their operating costs, including dumping the toxic waste from their processes into the Neches River. The downtown areas of each city are shaded gothic ruins, wraiths of their past glories. No one answers the screams in the night, and even the police are afraid to patrol certain neighborhoods after dark. But Humanity struggles to survive, and Kindred must heed the threat of bolstered awareness and heightened technologies.
The Big Thicket looms in the distance to the Northwest, but the further north the Neches River travels, the more rumors are heard and the darker the stories become. The untamed forest to the north stands as a silent threat to everything the Prince of Beaumont and his early allies carved out of the Neches River Settlement when they arrived. Stories of that shadowed wilderness give young childer daymares and serve as warning to more experienced Kindred that there are far worse things than to live within the system.
Each session may vary slightly from month to month but the overall mood elements for the domain and the vision for the story told within are presented below.
Intrigue 4
The subtle dance of the Requiem is ever present and visitors to the city are forewarned to take care they do not become embroiled in a spider web of plots, feints, and machinations.
Action 3
Gatherings of undying predators caught in an immortal struggle with the Beast which threatens to consume their very souls sometimes, inevitably, result in violence. Plots will exist which can be solved with violence, but there are usually other avenues to take.
Mystery 4
Who is in control? Who is a puppet? Who is plotting on you? Hell if I know.
Drama 5
All is well to the public eye, but there is Drama indeed behind the curtains.
Darkness 3
This is not the land of happy fluffy bunnies. This is horror, and storylines are guaranteed to force players to tap into the darker recesses of their minds. ST-driven plots are geared toward psychological horror, and they consist of mature content. PC driven plots are as dark as the players make them.
Travel
Any safe travel to and from Beaumont occurs on I-10 or Hwy 69. Because these highways are major thoroughfares for drug trafficking, random automobile checks may be performed occasionally by local law enforcement. Smaller highways are populated by dangers better left unspoken. Beaumont has a municipal airport and the Jefferson County Airport in Nederland takes in air travel from around the Sates. Those travelling by less conventional means are encouraged to keep their heads low and sleep somewhere very secure during the day.
Borders
The Domain’s borders follow exactly the county lines for Jefferson, Harding and Orange counties.
Proxy
All proxy requests must be sent at least 48 hours in advance. Proxy requests must include a character sheet, item list, and character objective for the night, as well as any other roleplaying instructions. If a proxy request is not sent at least 48 hours in advance the proxy request will be denied. This includes any powers the proxy character would have affected on his or her travelling companions. Proxy contact may be found at the top of this VSS. Proxies to games require a willing active camarilla member to be the physical representation for the Proxied PC
Character Check-In
All characters must be checked in by the VST at each game prior to entering play. Failure to do so will result in a 0 XP award for the night. It is the responsibility of the player to have his/her character sheet checked in.
XP Expenditures
ALL XP expenditures must be approved by the VST. Typically, this will be done during character check-in immediately prior to a Requiem game or at a scheduled domain meeting. It is the responsibility of the player to have all expenditures approved. Unapproved XP expenditures will be removed from the character sheet and the XP will not be reimbursed.
Downtime Scenes with PCs
Players may not engage in challenges during downtime scenes which involve other PCs. The defender wins all challenges done during downtime. If challenges must be thrown, these are to be done in the presence of the VST or DST at a scheduled game. Characters involved with the scene will be frozen until these challenges are performed. “Downtime” is defined as any time between announced Domain Requiem games.
Downtime Scenes with NPCs
Players are encouraged to interact with NPCs during downtime. Downtime scenes with NPCs must be done over e-mail with the VST. Typically, these scenes will not involve challenges and will be done to further a storyline. In the event that challenges must be done in order for a scene to be resolved (VST discretion), all PCs involved with the scene will be frozen until the next game when challenges will be done in the presence of the VST or DST. Players may also request a downtime scene be frozen if they feel that challenges must be thrown. “Downtime” is defined as any time between announced Domain Requiem games.
Feeding
It is understood that PCs come into play for downtime and games with full blood. No challenges need to be met in order to feed. Occasionally, feeding challenges may be done at the VST’s discretion.
Havens
All havens must be represented on the character sheet by the appropriate level of the Haven Merit. XP must be spent in order to acquire these havens at creation or during play. All Haven content must be approved by the VST. Players are encouraged to provide detailed descriptions of their havens and to provide updated Haven information to the VST when changes are made.
Retainers
All retainers must have character sheets. Ghouls must be purchased with the retainer merit and must also have a character sheet. Players are encouraged to contact the VST for assistance in constructing retainers.
Learning Skills
Must be logged with ST.
Item Crafting
Item crafting must be done with challenges in the presence of the VST or DST. Challenges will be item and situation specific.
Item Restrictions—Explosives, Combustibles, and Ammo (6/4/05)
The World of Darkness is similar to our world, but it is not identical. Violence plagues the streets in a greater degree than we usually experience. Therefore, especially following the tragic bombing at a local night club where several civilians perished, laws have been passed to restrict certain items you may usually consider easy to acquire.
Characters are prohibited from acquiring explosives within the principality. No C4. No hand grenades. No atom bombs. You get the idea. No level of resources or contacts will allow you to acquire these items. Military surplus stores do not sell explosives. If you wish to construct your own explosives, contact the VST at a game so the appropriate challenges may be performed.
Characters must go through the approval process for specialized ammunition, such as hollow point and armor piercing rounds. If you would like to craft your own ammunition, contact the VST at a game so the appropriate challenges may be done.
Remember, all items, regardless of their nature, must be approved by your VST. Expect the approval process for these ammo, explosives, and combustibles to be difficult, however. Be prepared to provide a solid justification and course of action for acquiring these items
Other Information
The DST and VST reserve the right to deny any plot they feel is unbalanced, or too NPC heavy.
The DST and VST will allow Legio Mortum PCs, but do so with the player knowing that NPC legion Members will not be available to assist them at any time. Only PC legion members may assist them within the borders of the VSS.
All non player characters will be controlled by the office of VST and DST. This includes retainers, allies, spirit summoned by Cruac, etc.
Only one PC may count towards city status per player, and if they choose to change the character who will count there will be a 1 month waiting period while neither PC count towards status.
CARTHIAN LAW IS IN EFFECT. THE LAWS BACKED BY CARTHIAN LAW ARE THE LAWS BOTH STONE AND FLUID OF THE MERITOCRACY.