CHARACTER CREATION

What follows here are the Character Creation rules, as I'm sure you can see. However I'm also going to outline the process a little for those of you sending your RTJ. There's a streamlined way to do it that makes it easier on everyone:

First, when you send your initial PM to join give me a little background information on yourself, the type of game you're wanting to play (politicking, social, etc...), and how long you've been playing V:tM as well as what resources you have (I assume you have the Revised core book, if you do not please let me know, I can work around that). This gives me an idea what I can throw at you, I can be pretty devious sometimes and I don't want to throw anything at anyone who can't handle it. In that same post I would like to see a concept, and a brief background. Keep your backgrounds simple, and sweet. I want quality, but don't give me a book. I can promise you, it will not get read. Try to limit it to about 3 good paragraphs, and whatever you do, don't get so specific with everything I can't work you in! KISS, Keep It Simple, Stupid, is the policy we live by here.
After we work out any kinks in your background we'll move onto the sheet, after working with me you'll have a good idea what dots to put where and how you're sheet is supposed to look. It's a little more drawn out, but I promise you'll end up with a better final product and one more suited to the game.

I. CREATION
a. 20 Freebies
b. Standard revised rules as noted on the template.
c. NO starting Generation lower than 7th. G
d. NO traits above 3 BEFORE Freebies
e. NO abilities starting with higher rating than 4 (Backgrounds are excluded)
f. Your discipline dots are spread out so you will have at least 1 in each discipline at the end of character creation. This is mandatory.
g. Courage cannot exceed 4 dots at the end of Character Creation
h. No more than 7 points in Merits and flaws COMBINED
i. Backgrounds are Mandatory for ALL characters regardless of Generation

II. ALTERNATE CREATION RULES (NONE OF THESE RULES ARE ALLOWED FOR THIS CHRONICLE)

MORTAL*: NOT ALLOWED AT THIS TIME
Attributes: 6/4/3
Abilities: 11/7/4
Advantages: 7 backgrounds, 0 disciplines, and 7 virtues
Freebies: 25 freebies
*If you go this route I decide your clan. I listen to and expect input as to your clan, but ultimately the decision is mine, but you won't end up being something you simply refuse to play.

ELDER: These are for veteran players at ST discretion.
Attributes: 10/7/5
Abilities: 18/13/9
Advantages: 20 Backgrounds, 7 disciplines*, 7 Virtues
Freebies: 25
-Elder's default at 10th Generation instead of 13th
-Every dot in Age reduces your Humanity by 1
-Every dot in Elder Generation (the default is 10th) gives you an enemy
-You cannot have more dots in Out of Clan Disciplines than In Clan at the start.
-The rule of 3 is nixed here, but every trait with a 5 or higher before Freebies gives your character an Automatic derangement.
-No Military Influence, No Generation lower than 6th. With all your backgrounds remember you're either returning to NYC or coming out of torpor. A certain level of degeneration is expected with respect to influence and things of that nature. Though I'll be pretty lenient here.
-If you want to be a native to NYC you must take the Recently Arisen
flaw.**
-Standard Rules apply from here on out.

You'll Want the following background if you're creating an elder. This Background is ONLY available for elder characters and is limited at ST discretion.


Age
@ Annuated: 200 years or less active +30 freebies, -1 Humanity
@@ Elder: 200-350 years active, +55 Freebies -2 Humanity
@@@ Hoary: 350-500 years active, +75 Freebies, -3 Humanity
@@@@ Venerable: 500-750 Years active, +90 Freebies -4 Humanity
@@@@@ Ancient: 750+ Years Active +100 Freebies, -5 Humanity

Elder Status
@-@@@@@ Works just like normal status but only concerns elders. You might also want this creating an elder.

BOTH of these Backgrounds are ONLY available for Elder PCs.



* You start with one dot in each of your clan disciplines
** The other option here is to have been here before the current elders and left to return now.

III. BACKGROUND THIS IS MANDATORY FOR ALL CHARACTERS!
a. ALL PCs require a Background of about 1-2 paragraphs. 8th Gen PCs will require about 3-4 paragraphs to justify their advanced power (what did they do that drew an elder to embrace them?)
b. also explain all backgrounds on your sheet; don't give me a book but a few concise paragraphs (if you've been paying attention thats twice you've seen this now )
c. A few SHORT and LONG term goals are MANDATORY along with a general explanation of your concept
d. A solid concept is mandatory. If you need help with this, ask.
e. Assume your PC is loyal to the sect their clan belongs to (I.E. Camarilla, Anarch, Independent). NO SABBAT CHARACTERS WILL BE APPROVED

IV. ALLOWED CLANS: Assamite, Brujah, Cappadocian, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Giovanni, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Ravnos, Salubri, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimsce

V. BANNED CLANS: True Brujah, Old Clan Tzimisce, Kyasid, Baali, Ahrimanes, Nagaraja, I would hope this wouldn't need to be said, but Abominations are banned. If you're dumb enough to try to get me to allow one, this game is NOT for you, please, don't waste my time.

VI. CAPPED CLANS:

VII. RECOMMENDED CLANS:

VIII. OTHER OBJECTIVES
a. PC's should be balanced to handle all aspects of Dark Age life. This includes the social interactions and politics.
b. Character's should have a decent set of goals and personal motivations. The more you give me to work with the easier it is for me to get you running and keep you that way! Goals should be reasonable, not necessarily easy, but achievable (even if improbable). Though there is something to be said for having a vampire hunting down an impossible to find relic, like a shard from the "Black Stake."

IV. BANNED MERITS AND FLAWS
-Unbondable, Iron Will, Eidetic Memory, Twitch, Blase (Merit from the Toreador clan book), Magic Resistance, Lucky, Nine Lives, True Faith. This list is not complete.

This game is set in Middle Age Europe during March of the year 1020. Tremere Characters are going to be very young and beset on all sides by pretty much everyone. The clan was only founded six years ago and they have not had the time necessary to win favor or convince everyone that the well-liked Salubri were devil-worshippers and followers of other unfriendly things.

With the setting being what it is, travel will soon be possible for the northern most parts of Europe, and already has been for those in the south along the Mediterranean Sea. This gives everyone time for a small prelude to get the feel for their characters and sires before moving on to the things the need to do.

Please build yourselves a rounded character, but do not put all of your eggs in one basket. As an example: Do not blow your wad building an awesome fortress for yourself as you're not going to be spending a great deal of time there. That would only result in your being behind the power curve with everyone else.