Vampire: Elder Kindred Network Newsletter April 2025
Greetings fellow Methuselahs,
Next up for release for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle is the New Blood packs for clans Hecata and Lasombra, set for stores May 31. Here you get a preview of a brand new card found in the Lasombra pack: Umbrous Clutch. The VERY nice artwork is by the Italian illustrator Michele Bertilorenzi, who has also already delivered a bunch of pieces for the Sabbat preconstructed decks to be published later this year.
WELCOME TO THE OPEN PLAYTEST OF TWO-PLAYER VTES!
Black Chantry Productions started to test a one-versus-one duel format of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle last year, but decided that much more testing is needed. So therefore, through VEKN, an opportunity for ANYONE to test and report results and thoughts is open. Everything you need to know – rules, tournament rules, decklists, lists of cards allowed and feedback form – is at this dedicated playtest site. A two-player variant could be both an easy way to get into “real VTES” and a interesting game in itself – please, give it a try, and report what you think!
THE VTES RULEBOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE IN ITALIAN!
Finally! The rulebook of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Fifth Edition is now ready for download at blackchantry.com > Utilities > Rulebook
The translation was made by Alessandro Spataro, Gabriele Giacalone and Arianna Giordano, with assistance from Gianmarco Sferra, Miro Albertazzi, Nicole Marinucci, Simone Martinelli, Simone Zanni and Stefano Padelli. Big thanks guys!
FILIPPO MENGOLI IS THE 2025 CHAMPION OF ITALY!
This event gathered 45 Methuselahs to Vivaro, Italy on April 12.
Read the full report: Italy National Championship 2025
GONZALO ANDRÉS DEL RÍO DÍAZ WINS GRAND PRIX SAN BERNARDO 2025!
16 excited participants turned up for this tournament in San Bernardo, Chile on April 27.
Read the full report: Grand Prix San Bernardo 2025
MARK JAMES WINS GRAND PRIX WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2025!
14 players attended this event in Canning Vale outside Perth on April 12.
Read the full report: Grand Prix Western Australia 2025
16 NEW PROMO CARDS NOW AVAILABLE FOR EVENT ORGANISERS
Yes, no less then 16 new promotional cards have been uploaded for print-on-demand at Gamepod.es, and eventually also to Drivethrucards.com. They are only accessible for VEKN National Coordinators (all listed here) and the cost is €0.19 per card plus shipping. The new ones are:
Anarch Troublemaker (English, Catalan)
Antediluvian Awakening
Benedito, A Lanterna (Full art in Portuguese)
Camarilla Conclave (Full art in Latin)
Diana Iadanza (Full art)
François Villon (Full art)
Gnaeus Aemilius Augustinus (Full art)
Ian Carfax (Full art)
Juliet Parr (Full art)
Loup (Full art)
Marchesa Liliana (Full art)
Molly MacDonald (Full art)
Parijat, the Dark Oracle (Full art)
Rinaldo Albizzi (Full art)
Sense the Savage Way
Shroud of Decay (Full art)
If you are a National Coordinator, ask for the list of codes that unlock these cards for order for your Princes and other organisers!
BLACK CHANTRY SUMMARY: APRIL 2025
• Art Director Ginés Quiñonero was interviewed in the Brazilian channel Gargagem do Nerd TV.
• Preview season of New Blood Hecata and Lasombra is drawing to a close, only a couple of cards remain to spoil when this is written. The full content list and all previews are collected at the product pages on Blackchantry.com.
• The fourth and final round of playtesting of the four Sabbat preconstructed decks started last week. All art is ready and printing is booked!
• VEKN is helping Black Chantry to run an open playtest of a 1-versus-1-variant of VTES - see above in this newsletter!
• The VTES Fifth Edition rulebook is now available in Italian - see above in this newsletter!
• 16 new promo cards - see above in this newsletter!
• Currently these Black Chantry products are available through Gamepod, Drivethrucard
Lost Kindred bundle (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Keepers of Tradition Reprint Bundle 1 (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Keepers of Tradition Reprint Bundle 2 (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Heirs of the Blood Reprint Bundle 1 (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Heirs of the Blood Reprint Bundle 2 (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Den of Fiends Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Libertine Ball Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Pact with Nephandi Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Parliament of Shadows Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Anthology I bundle
VTES Card Creator (Drivethrucards only)
25th Anniversary
First Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
First Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
First Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
First Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
First Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French) (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
VTES Legacy Card Singles (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Promo Pack 1 (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Promo Pack 2 (Drivethrucards and Gamepod only)
Promo Pack 3 (For promotion only)
Promo Pack 4 (For promotion only)
VTES "Parity Shift" playmat
VTES card sleeves
Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Fifth Edition (Stores only)
Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Fifth Edition Latin (Drivethrucards only)
Fifth Edition: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Toreador (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Tremere (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Promo Pack 3 (Event promos only)
Fifth Edition: Banu Haqim (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Brujah (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: Gangrel (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Fifth Edition: The Ministry (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
New Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
The Fall of London (Also Spanish, French, Latin)
Echoes of Gehenna
Shadows of Berlin (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Banu Haqim (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Brujah (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Gangrel (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: The Ministry (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Ravnos (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Salubri (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Tzimisce (Also Spanish, French)
30th Anniversary (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Lasombra (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Hecata (Also Spanish, French)
Do you have opinions or questions for Black Chantry? Start a topic on the VEKN forum, or contact the company by e-mail, Facebook, Instagram
RECENT NEWS IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS: JOIN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS COMMUNITY MAP!
Please, advertise your VTES playgroup and/or VTES events on the World of Darkness Community Map! This is important to help the game grow. Also, if you are into that, add your LARP events, tabletop chronicles, fan gatherings, conventions and other activities related to the World of Darkness too. But only things that happen in public places where anyone is welcome (nothing played at someone´s home) and no online events.
Check out the map here: World of Darkness Community Map
Submit here: Map submission form
Subscribe to the World of Darkness channel for more news!
CALENDAR
Major events coming up:
May 17: Grand Prix London
May 18: Grand Prix Sydney
May 24: Grand Prix Lafayette, Louisiana
June 15-20: Week of Nightmares Columbus, Ohio
June 21: Grand Prix Brisbane
June 21: North American Championship Columbus, Ohio
June 28: National Championship Spain
July 5: Grand Prix Warsaw
July 6: National Championship Poland
July 12: National Championship Switzerland
July 20: National Championship Belgium
August 9: National Championship Norway
August 16: Grand Prix Herne
August 23: Grand Prix Biloxi/Gulfport, Mississippi
August 30: Grand Prix Auckland
September 6: Asian Championship, Mandaluyong, Philippines
September 6: Grand Prix Sul Americano (Campina Grande, Brazil)
September 13: Grand Prix Harmelen
October 4: Grand Prix New Orleans, Louisiana
October 13-16: Week of Nightmares Aarhus
October 17: European Championship Aarhus
October 25: Oceania Championship
December 6: Grand Prix Vidor, Texas
December 14: Grand Prix Cearense
Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:
Australia
Brazil 19
Chile
Czech Republic
France 3
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy 3
Online 2
Poland 2
Portugal 2
Serbia
Spain 12
UK 3
USA 5
For details about these events, see the VEKN Event Calendar. Also, check out the World of Darkness Community Map.
Remember: Online tournaments are possible - just check the box "Online tournament" when you add the event to the calendar!
CONTACT VEKN
You can contact the VEKN Inner Circle members using contact forms at VEKN.net. Also follow the official VTES Facebook page Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, the official VEKN X (Twitter) account @VEKN_VTES and the official VTES Discord server.
If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving is not for you.
Mark James wins Grand Prix Western Australia 2025!
This tournament was played in Canning Vale, Perth, Western Australia on April 12 with 14 Methuselahs. Information provided by Steve Harris, VEKN National Coordinator of Australia:
Pre-finals standings:
1. Ben Szymkow 2 GW 8 VP
2. Nicolas Small 2 GW 6 vp
3. Steven Wong 2 GW 5 vp
4. Mark James 1 GW 5 vp
5. Elliot Barker 1 GW 5 vp
Final Results: Mark won with 1.5 vp. Nicolas was ousted, and everyone else got 0.5 vp.
The tourament winning deck: !Ventrue Grinder
Crypt (12 cards)
4x Owain Evans, The Wanderer 8 AUS DOM FOR cel pre Ventrue antitribu:3
4x Blackhorse Tanner 7 AUS DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:3
2x Jefferson Foster 6 AUS DOM for tha bishop Ventrue antitribu:4
2x Neighbor John 5 AUS dom for Ventrue antitribu:4
Library (90 cards)
Master (15; 4 trifle)
2x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Corporate Hunting Ground
2x Direct Intervention
1x Information Highway
1x KRCG News Radio
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Barranquilla
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
2x Villein
2x Wider View
Action (10)
10x Govern the Unaligned
Equipment (2)
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Heart of Nizchetus
Retainer (1)
1x Mr. Winthrop
Action Modifier (7)
4x Conditioning
1x Daring the Dawn
2x Seduction
Combat (22)
2x Psychic Assault
5x Rolling with the Punches
5x Soak
4x Target Vitals
6x Weighted Walking Stick
Reaction (33)
6x Deflection
2x Delaying Tactics
4x Eagle's Sight
6x Enhanced Senses
8x Eyes of Argus
2x On the Qui Vive
5x Telepathic Misdirection
The event was sponsored by Black Chantry Productions (GP promos and playmats), Australia’s distribution company (MotS Imports) and myself.
Thanks Steve, and thanks to all organisers, sponsors and participants!
Gonzalo Andrés del Río Díaz wins Grand Prix San Bernardo 2025!
The finalists: Saito, Oscar, Gino, champion Gonzalo and Zapi.
Reported by Daniel Bravo, VEKN National Coordinator of Chile:
On April 27th, the GP1 was held at the Atenas store, located in San Bernardo, Chile. The tournament featured 16 players, and the rounds proceeded smoothly without major issues. It was a relatively quick and highly competitive tournament, as all rounds had gamewins and some points were distributed.
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Standings before the finals:
1. Gino Sepulveda 3 GW 10.0 VP
2. Oscar Guerrero 2 GW 8.0 VP
3. Gonzalo Rojas 1 GW 7.0 VP
4. Gonzalo Andrés del Río Díaz 1 GW 6.0 VP
5. Miguel Angel Vasquez 1 GW 6.0 VP
The final table consisted of Saito with his Politic Toreador deck and his new 30th Anniversary Crypt, Gonzalo del Río with his Ventrue Antitribu Grinder deck, a true classic, Oscar with Tzimisces from Group 2, another nostalgic deck, Zapi with his new Tzimisces, led by Ángel Guerrero, and our good Gino with his Gangrel Anarchist deck.
A few minutes after the start of the final table, Zapi, with his powerful bleed cards, left Saito in a bad position, but he decided to do political damage to his predator, which caused Zapi to leave the table. The pressure from the Gangrel caused Oscar’s Tzimisces to leave, eliminating the clan entirely from the final table. The table became very tense with the remaining three players – strong politics and table control, along with blocks – pushed the game to its limit, allowing the Ventrue Antitribu Grinder to find an opening and overcome Saito and Gino, winning the tournament.
Gonzalo Andrés del Río Díaz tournament winning deck:
Crypt (17 cards):
1x Edward Neally 7 aus pre DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:3
3x Anarch Convert 1 -none- Caitiff:ANY
3x Gotsdam, The Tired Warrior 9 ani AUS DOM FOR PRE Ventrue:4
1x Jephta Hester 5 aus DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:4
1x Jesse Menks 8 ani AUS DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:3
1x Joseph O'Grady 7 aus cel DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:3
1x Konrad Fleischer 9 tha ANI AUS DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:4
1x Neighbor John 5 dom for AUS Ventrue antitribu:4
3x Owain Evans, The Wanderer 8 cel pre AUS DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:3
2x Blackhorse Tanner 7 AUS DOM FOR Ventrue antitribu:3
Library: 90 cards
Master (23 cards)
1x Anarch Free Press, The
1x Anarch Railroad1x Channel 10
1x Corporate Hunting Ground
1x Direct Intervention
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x KRCG News Radio
3x Libertas
1x Archon Investigation
1x Metro Underground
1x Parthenon, The
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
3x Vessel
3x Villein
Event (1 cards)
1x Scourge of the Enochians
Action (9 cards)
7x Govern the Unaligned
1x Aranthebes, The Immortal
1x Constant Revolution
Ally (2 cards)
1x Mylan Horseed
1x Carlton Van Wyk
Retainer (1 cards)
1x Mr. Winthrop
Equipment (3 cards)
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Ivory Bow
1x Signet of King Saul, The
Action Modifier (12 cards)
4x Conditioning
3x Daring the Dawn
2x Foreshadowing Destruction
2x Freak Drive
1x Kiss of Ra, The
Combat (11 cards)
2x Read Intentions
5x Rolling with the Punches
4x Skin of Steel
Reaction (28 cards)
9x Deflection
1x Delaying Tactics
2x Eagle's Sight
3x Enhanced Senses
5x Eyes of Argus
3x Guardian Vigil
2x My Enemy's Enemy
2x On the Qui Vive
1x Wake with Evening's Freshness
Thanks to Daniel and all other organisers, thanks to sponsors and thanks to all the players!
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