Backgrounds
These
Traits describe advantages of birth (or rebirth), circumstance
and opportunity: material possessions, social networks and
you should always rationalize how you came to possess them.
Who are your contacts, why do your allies support you, where
did you meet your retainers, etc.
I can
also tell you if you are coming up with a character for
a White Wolf they don't like 4's in anything for starting
characters. So that means no million playboys who have charisma
4 and resources 4 to get any girl they want. They don't
like low gens either.
The following
lists is points for each character type for backgrounds.
Vampire:
5 pts
Elder:
15 pts
Mortal,
etc: 5 pts
You can
put your dots anywhere you want. 2 in Resourses, 1 in influence
and 2 in Library just as an example. Sabbat vampires do
not get get background dots. Any background must be purchased
with freebie pts.
Allies
Allies
are humans who support and help you family, friends
or even a mortal organization that owes you some loyalty.
* One
ally of moderate influence and power
** Two
allies, both of moderate power
*** Three
allies, one of whom is quite influential
**** Four
allies, one of whom is very influential
*****
Five allies, one of whom is extremely influential
Contacts
The number
of information sources the character possesses. You know
people all over the city. When you start making phone calls
around your network, the amount of information you can dig
up is almost terrifying. Contacts are largely people whom
you can bribe, manipulate or coerce into offering information,
but you also have a few major contacts friends whom
you can rely on to give you accurate information in their
fields of expertise. You should describe each major contact
in some detail before the game begins.In addition to your
major contacts, you also have a number of minor contacts
spread throughout the city; your major contact might be
in the district attorneys office, while your minor
contacts might include beat cops, DMV clerks, club bouncers
or even hot-dog vendors.
* One
major contact
** Two
major contacts
*** Three
major contacts
**** Four
major contacts
*****
Five major contacts
Fame
The character's
renown in the mortal world.
* Youre
known to a select subculture of the city local clubgoers
or the Park Avenue set, for instance.
** A majority
of the populace recognizes your face; youre a local
celebrity such as a news anchor.
*** You
have statewide renown; perhaps youre a state senator
or minor star of local interest.
**** Nationally
famous; everybody knows something about you.
*****
Youre an internationally famous media icon.
Generation
How far
removed from Caine the character is. Plain and simple, this
Background represents your generation the purity
of your blood, and your proximity to the First Vampire.
A low Generation rating may represent a powerful sire or
a decidedly dangerous taste for diablerie. If you dont
take any dots in this Trait, you begin play as a 13th-generation
vampire.
* 12th
generation:11 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
** 11th
generation:12 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
*** 10th
generation:13 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
**** Ninth
generation:14 blood pool, can spend 2 blood points per turn
*****
Eighth generation: 15 blood pool, can spend 3 blood
Herd
The vessels
to which the character has free and safe access. A herd
may take many forms, from circles of kinky clubgoers to
actual cults built around you as a god-figure. In addition
to providing nourishment, your herd might come in handy
for minor tasks, although they are typically not very controllable,
closely connected to you or even highly skilled
* Three
vessels
** Seven
vessels
*** 15
vessels
**** 30
vessels
*****
60 vessels
Influence
The character's
political power within mortal society. You have pull in
the mortal community, whether through wealth, prestige,
political office, blackmail or supernatural manipulation.
Kindred with high Influence can sway, and in rare cases
even control, the political and social processes of human
society. Influence represents the sum of your political
power in your community, particularly among the police and
bureaucracy.
* Moderately
influential; a factor in city politics
** Well-connected;
a force in state politics
*** Position
of influence; a factor in regional politics
**** Broad
personal power; a force in national politics
*****
Vastly influential; a factor in global politics
Mentor
The Cainite
patron who advises and supports the character. This Trait
represents an elder or possibly even more than one
who looks out for you, offering guidance or aid once in
a while. A mentor may be powerful, but his power need not
be direct. Depending on the number of dots in this Background,
your mentor might be nothing more than a vampire with a
remarkable information network, or might be a centuries-old
creature with tremendous influence and supernatural power.
He may offer advice, speak to the prince (or archbishop)
on your behalf, steer other elders clear of you or warn
you when youre walking into situations you dont
understand. Most often your mentor is your sire, but it
could well be any Cainite with a passing interest in your
well-being. A high Mentor rating could even represent a
group of like-minded vampires, such as the elders of the
citys Tremere chantry.
* Mentor
is an ancilla of little influence.
** Mentor
is respected; an elder, for instance.
*** Mentor
is heavily influential, such as a member of the primogen.
**** Mentor
has a great deal of power over the city; a prince or archbishop,
for example.
*****
Mentor is extraordinarily powerful, perhaps even a justicar
or Inconnu or Sabbat Cardinal.
Resources
Wealth,
belongings, and monthly income. this Background describes
your standard of living, your possessions and
your buying power. No dots in Resources is just that: You
have no permanent haven and no possessions save a few clothes
and possibly a weapon or pocketful of coins. You receive
a basic allowance each month based on your rating; be certain
to detail exactly where this money comes from, be it a job,
trust fund or dividends.
* Small
savings: a small apartment and maybe a motorcycle. If liquidated,
you would have about $1,000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a
month.
** Middle
class: an apartment or condominium. If liquidated, you would
have at least $8,000 in cash. Allowance of $1200 a month.
*** Large
savings: a homeowner or someone with some equity. If liquidated,
you would have at least $50,000 in cash. Allowance of $3000
a month.
**** Well-off:
a member of the upper class. You own a very large house,
or perhaps a dilapidated mansion. If liquidated, you would
have at least $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9000 a month.
*****
Ridiculously affluent: a multimillionaire. Your haven is
limited by little save your imagination. If liquidated,
you would have at least $5,000,000 in cash. Allowance of
$30,000 a month.
Retainers
Not precisely
allies or contacts, your retainers are servants, assistants
or other people who are your loyal and steadfast companions.
Many vampires servants are ghouls, their supernatural
powers and blood bond-enforced loyalty make them the servants
of choice. Retainers may also be people whom youve
repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left,
or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their
loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularly
those with the Animalism Discipline, use hellhounds
(ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers. You
must maintain some control over your retainers, whether
through a salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines.
Retainers are never blindly loyal no matter what
if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control,
they might well turn on you.
* One
retainer
** Two
retainers
*** Three
retainers
**** Four
retainers
*****
Five retainers
Status
The character's
standing in undead society. You have something of a reputation
and standing (earned or unearned) within the local community
of Kindred. Status among Camarilla society is often derived
from your sires status and the respect due your particular
bloodline; among the Sabbat, status is more likely to stem
from the reputation of your pack. Elders are known for having
little respect for their juniors; this Background can mitigate
that somewhat. High status among the Camarilla does not
transfer to Sabbat society (and will most likely make you
a notorious target for your sects rivals), and vice
versa. Note: Caitiff characters may not purchase Status
during character creation. Caitiff are the lowest of the
low, and any respect they achieve must be earned during
the course of the chronicle.
* Known:
a neonate
** Respected~
an ancilla
*** Influential:
an elder
**** Powerful:
a member of the primogen (or bishop)
*****
Luminary: a prince (or archbishop)