Greetings fellow Methuselahs,

THE 30^TH ANNIVERSARY OF VAMPIRE: THE ETERNAL STRUGGLE CONTINUES

… even though these newsletters are a bit off schedule. The best way to celebrate is of course to play the game, and many of the big annual tournaments are played in this season, September - November. Some you see reported below, and some are coming up next month, like the Asian continental championship, the Iberian Grand Prix in Spain, SA Grand Prix in Chile and national championships in Portugal, Finland, UK, Denmark, Slovakia, Canada and the Netherlands. And the Fifth Edition Lasombra preconstructed deck is now on store shelves. Good times!

Above you see a preview sketch art by Yanis Cardin, for a brand new card for the discipline Oblivion that will be in the upcoming Fifth Edition Hecata preconstructed deck, scheduled for January 2025 release. Spooky! The final art version on the actual card:

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 SUMMARY

Seven tournaments and one Grand Prix finale was played in Warsaw, Poland, between September 24-29.

All good photos by Marko Saari.

Note: The reports linked below contain all the finalists´ deck lists!

 Danilo Torrisi is the 2024 European champion!

Read the full report: EC 2024 Day 2

Simone Parmeggiani wins EC 2024 Day 1! (168 players!)

Read the full report: EC 2024 Day 1

Marius Iscru wins the EC 2024 “Last Chance” Friday tournament! (153 players!)

Read the full report: EC 2024 Friday

Sebastian Fredenberg is the 2023-2024 European Grand Prix champion!

Read the full report: 2023-2024 European Grand Prix finale

Michał Kochanowski wins EC 2024 Sunday 30^th Anniversary tournament!

Read the full report: EC 2024 30^th Sunday Anniversary tournament

Jorge Delgado wins EC 2024 Week of Nightmares 1!

Read the full report: EC 2024 Week of Nightmares 1

Tommi Hakomaa wins EC 2024 Week of Nightmares 2!

Read the full report: EC 2024 Week of Nightmares 2

Tero Aalto wins EC 2024 Week of Nightmares 3!

Read the full report: EC 2024 Week of Nightmares 3

Thanks to all organisers, sponsors and players - hope to see you all in Aarhus 2025!

When you saw the final table decks and players, what did you think about your chances?

In the final I knew Marius and Nerijus (my grand predator in game 1), but I didn´t know the other two guys. But I saw their decks so I thought I had two strategies to win: Strategy number 1 was to win on timeout – to try to resist my predator and with Parity Shift and some table talk trying to keep every player alive. Strategy number 2 was to save a lot of Deflections in my hand – before my last turn I had 4 – and use those to bounce every bleed on my prey to make him use his defence and maybe take some damage, then on my turn vote and bleed him to death.

The only deck that I feared was Marius because of his rush power.

How did the final play out?

KELLY LYONS WINS GRAND PRIX NEW ORLEANS 2024!

The fourth installment of the Gulf Coast Roast Grand Prix circuit was played on October 14 with 18 players.

Read the full report: Grand Prix New Orleans 2024

 
VINCENT RIPOLL IS THE 2024 CHAMPION OF FRANCE!

This tournament was played in Villeurbanne on October 19 with 50 players.

Read the full report: France National Championship 2024

KEITH LIM IS THE 2024 CHAMPION OF AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND!

36 players gathered in Sydney, Australia, for this event on October 26.

Read the full report: Australia/New Zealand Continental Championship 2024

 
MARCUS BERG IS THE 2024 CHAMPION OF SWEDEN!

30 Methuselahs turned up in Stockholm for this tournament on October 26.

Read the full report: Sweden National Championship 2024

The full art promo created for this event.

FESTIVO DELLO ESTINTO PART 6 - A SABBAT STORYLINE TOURNAMENT

Some words from Jorge Cerdá and friends, the organisers of Festivo dello Estinto, a big storyline event in Zaragoza, Spain, that took place on October 16:

More than eighty blood-thirsty souls arrived at the venue to battle to the death at the sixth edition of the Festivo dello Estinto. Next day, those very same souls left with a sense of joy and community, full to the brim. Let me show you:

The Festivo dello Estinto is not your typical European, national, or whatever big tournament you name; it’s a call to brothers to experience the living history surrounding our beloved game. Among the attendees were families, partners, newcomers, and children, all gathered to enjoy a weekend with friends that you’re lucky to see even a few times each year. In some sense, VTES is just an excuse for this big family to come together for a weekend.

Two new blood cainites with their sires!

The event was held at Camping de Zaragoza, a wonderful spot surrounded by nature where you can rent a bungalow or stay at the cozy hostel. This, of course, was the perfect opportunity for cheeky nocturnal visits from one place to another, waking up a bunch of friends to share experiences and pints of beer. It was also a fantastic place to explore the city for those who didn’t attend the main matches of the tournament.

Let me explain a bit: the Festivo dello Estinto is an annual tournament based on an unofficial storyline, and it’s the only storyline-based tournament still active in the world. In fact, organizers record anecdotes that happen at the tables in an effort to include some in the chronicles that are written after the event, to be shared in the following year.

Some of the rules set by Zaragoza’s archbishopric (remember, this is the haven of Lucita, Owain Evans, and other powerful Cainites!) for Saturday were as follows: players needed to fill at least 25% of their crypt with Sabbat vampires, and Sabbat minions could hunt with +1 to hunt and +1 stealth. There were also a few other mechanics not seen in the official VTES rule set, enough to drastically alter the metagame (for further reading, visit this website).

After three rounds and a grand finale, Francesc Ros emerged as the conquering winner with his Tremere, fighting against Oriol Pubill’s anarchs, who strove to control the city. Iván Bernal’s Tzimisces, Guillermo Lluch’s Blood Brothers, and Javier de Haro’s crazy-ass Maris Streck were also in the final fight.

Finalists: Guillermo Lluch, Iván Bernal, Javier de Haro, Francesc Ros and Oriol Pubill.

On Sunday, with our undead brains filled with alcohol and memories from the previous day, we held yet another tournament called Blood buff (inspired by the “Fast Hands” format), also with unique rules. This one transformed the game into an absolute frenzy of bleed and speed: twelve transfers were given to each player before the game even began, along with other changes to make the tables turn at a diabolical pace. For example, the final game lasted only 17 minutes!

After all, the real highlight that day was the massive barbecue feast we had for everyone. Massive queues, let me tell you. Did I not say that VTES was only an excuse?

I mean, they had to do something of use during the weekend, right?

At the end of the day, we know what this game is really about. It’s just a channel, a conduit, if you will, for friends to reunite. A perfect opportunity to meet new people (shout-out to all the geeks who made the journey from all around the country, and even from Portugal!). I’d like to end this report by thanking the Quinto Elemento and Estalia Córdoba stores for making the prizes not only possible but very appealing too.

I can’t forget Mariia Todorova, who did a stunning job illustrating some special cards, nor Txogitxu and Jonathan, who provided the unstoppable flood of meat for the barbecue.

Jonathan, Mariia Todorova and Iñigo.

Zaragoza’s primogeniture: Esto es más que un juego (It’s more than a game).

Special thanks to Black Chantry for making our dreams come true once again with the creation of a full-art version for Festivo dello Estinto – truly a masterpiece!

BLACK CHANTRY SUMMARY: OCTOBER 2024

• A FANTASTIC team of German volunteers showed VTES to many interested people at Asmodee´s booth at the Spiel Essen 2024 game fair. This was a great success - BIG thanks to these noble souls!

• Essen held the "prerelease" sale of the Fifth Edition Lasombra preconstructed deck, officially released on October 31. This is a very special set for Black Chantry, because it is the first one with a new discipline, Oblivion, that is wholly designed by the Black Chantry design team lead by Ben Peal.

• A reminder: Draft is coming back to VTES! Black Chantry has given VEKN National Coordinators the chance of testing a print-on-demand draft kit for 8-10 players. Are you interested in testing this experience?, talk to your National Coordinator.

• Other projects are in progress: 2025 Fifth Edition Sabbat preconstructed decks are moving towards a second round of playtesting soon, the Hecata preconstructed deck will hopefully be in stores in January, the five next New Blood packs (Lasombra, Hecata, Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce) are planned for late first quarter next year.

• More old legacy single cards for print-on-demand will hopefully be up before Christmas shopping is over – Dementation and Temporis stuff have priority.

• The 2-player VTES variant is still on hold for now.

• Currently these Black Chantry products are available through Gamepod, Drivethrucards.com and other stores:
Lost Kindred bundle
Keepers of Tradition Reprint Bundle 1
Keepers of Tradition Reprint Bundle 2
Heirs of the Blood Reprint Bundle 1
Heirs of the Blood Reprint Bundle 2
Den of Fiends Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Libertine Ball Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Pact with Nephandi Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Parliament of Shadows Preconstructed Deck (Also Spanish, French)
Anthology I bundle
VTES Card Creator (Drivethrucards only)
25th Anniversary
First Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French)
First Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French)
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)

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 or Twitter.

RECENT NEWS IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS

The annual Paradox World of Darkness "Month of Darkness" has ended. The full list is at the dedicated page, but our top 5 picks to highlight are:

• Vampire: The Masquerade released for Alchemy Virtual Tabletop

• Double Bloodlines 2 Dev Diary entries; #19 about #19 about hunting and feeding and #20 about #20 about blood resonance

• In Memoriam was revealed - a sourcebook for Vampire: The Masquerade taking the game to another level

• The 20 inch LED Neon wall ankh - a must-have for all true vampires! And yes, there´s a Sabbat ankh too!

• Massive high quality merch-on-demand offer on Amazon: Your choice of World of Darkness graphics on thirts, hoddies and sweaters.

Subscribe to the World of Darkness News show for more news!

CALENDAR

Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:
Brasil x25
Canada
Chile
Croatia x2
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland x3
France x2
Germany
Hungary x3
Italy x2
Mexico
Netherlands
Online x2
Poland
Philippines x2
Portugal x3
Singapore x2
Slovakia
South Africa
Spain x13
United Kingdom x2
USA x4

For details about these events, see the VEKN Event Calendar.

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.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

Report by Maciej Broniarz, VEKN National Coordinator of Poland:

On Thursday, September 26, 47 players turned up for the third EC Week of Nightmares tournament in Warsaw, Poland. Yet again, the event was held at the friendly H.4.0.S. gaming bar in the centre of Warsaw. The venue served drinks with VTES-themed names, such as Taste of Vitae and The Bitter and Sweet Story.

Also, Nowy again took his time to scout out the event’s decks for you:

3x Ministry
6x Tzimisce V5
1x Tzimisce Sabbat Edition
1x Mistress Fanchon
1x Ravnos Laibon Carnival
1x True Brujah
1x Tremere & Gargoyles with Raw Recruitment
2x Ghede
2x Banu Haqim
1x Almost Perfect Lucian
3x Toreador V5
3x Ravnos V5
2x Erlik
1x Gangrel V5
1x Lutz
1x Barons Obfuscate
1x Assamites Web Recruit
1x Antonio & Nephandi
1x Arika
1x Mata Hari Inside Dirt
2x Guillaume
1x Salubri V5
5x Brujah V5
1x Rachel Brandywine
1x Demented Malkavians and friends
1x Carna & Antonio Nephandi
1x Samedi Mambo Jeanne
1x Infernal Helena

Standings after two rounds:
1. Tero Aalto 2 GW 7.5 VP
2. Sélim Ammouche 2 GW 6.5 VP
3. Nemanja Jovicic 1 GW 6 VP
4. Jozef Patrnciak 1 GW 5 VP
5. Magnus Söder 1 GW 5 VP

Final seating: Nemanja Jovicic (Tzimisce V5) -> Magnus Söder (Ravnos Laibon Carnival) -> Jozef Patrnciak (Carna & Antonio Nephandus) -> Tero Aalto (Tzimisce V5) -> Sélim Ammouche (Guillaume Obtenebration special)

The final timed out with all the players getting 0.5 VP, thus granting a win to Tero Alto of Finland with the highest standing. Congratulations!

Tero Alto’s tournament winning deck: “Radical Leftist”
“2 GW 7,5 + 0,5 in the final. Considering that this team of small incompetent Stanislavas is my freshest new TWD entry since the first The Unnamed win back in 2019, it was beyond high time to turn a new page. The deck is atypical to me in several ways, including not having a star vampire, nor any 10/11-caps. Then again, there are familiar traits, too, such as great combat defence and lunge potential. 5/5 would play again.”

Crypt (12 cards)
3x Adrino Manauara 8 ANI DOM PRO pot baron Tzimisce:6
3x Ángel Guerrero 7 ANI DOM PRO baron Tzimisce:6
2x Kamile Paukstys 5 PRO ani for Gangrel:6
1x Branimira 6 ANI dom pre pro baron Tzimisce:6
1x Clara Hjortshøj 5 PRO ani aus dom Tzimisce:6
1x Kuyén 6 ANI PRO baron Gangrel:6
1x Marialena 5 DOM PRO ani Tzimisce:6

Library (77 cards)
Master (14; 4 trifle)
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Carfax Abbey
1x Direct Intervention
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
2x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
1x Giant's Blood
1x Library Hunting Ground
1x Papillon
4x Villein

Event (1)
1x Scourge of the Enochians

Action (10)
10x Govern the Unaligned

Political Action (2)
2x Eat the Rich

Equipment (2)
2x Heart of Nizchetus

Action Modifier (7)
3x Conditioning
4x Earth Control

Action Modifier/Reaction (4)
4x Form of the Bat

Combat (16)
2x Donnybrook
7x Earth Meld
7x Form of Mist

Reaction (21)
5x Bait and Switch
3x Deep Ecology
3x Deflection
2x On the Qui Vive
8x Organized Resistance


Other finalists’ decks:

“Guillaume the Realtor” by Sélim Ammouche (based of Gilles Molina's list)

Crypt (12 cards)
5x Guillaume Giovanni 9 CEL DOM NEC POT obt Giovanni:4
2x Sennadurek 6 AUS NEC dom Nagaraja:4
1x Raphaela Giovanni 6 DOM NEC pot pre Giovanni:4
1x Gianmaria Giovanni 5 POT dom nec obt Giovanni:5
1x Kay Polerno 4 dom nec pro Giovanni:5
1x Primo Giovanni 4 dom nec pot Giovanni:4
1x Cristobal Ghiberti 2 nec Giovanni:4

Library (90 cards)
Master (31; 6 trifle)
1x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Barrens, The
1x Charisma
1x Creepshow Casino
1x Direct Intervention
1x Dis Pater
1x Dummy Corporation
1x Filchware's Pawn Shop
1x Giant's Blood
1x Information Highway
1x Jake Washington
1x Line, The
1x Metro Underground
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Morgue Hunting Ground
5x Parthenon, The
2x Perfectionist
1x Powerbase: Cape Verde
1x Powerbase: Savannah
1x Secure Haven
1x Therbold Realty
4x Vessel
1x Wider View

Event (2)
1x FBI Special Affairs Division
1x Unmasking, The

Action (14)
1x Dominate Kine
1x Far Mastery
9x Govern the Unaligned
3x Sudario Refraction

Ally (11)
1x Carlton Van Wyk
1x Mylan Horseed
8x Nocturn
1x Tye Cooper

Equipment (1)
1x Gran Madre di Dio, Italy

Action Modifier (15)
2x Bonding
5x Call of the Hungry Dead
3x Conditioning
1x Foreshadowing Destruction
1x Seduction
3x Shroud of Absence

Action Modifier/Reaction (3)
3x Spectral Divination

Reaction (13)
7x Deflection
3x Delaying Tactics
3x On the Qui Vive


“Graveyard Shift” by Nemanja Jovicic

Crypt (12 cards)
4x Adrino Manauara 8 ANI DOM PRO pot baron Tzimisce:6
3x Ãngel Guerrero 7 ANI DOM PRO baron Tzimisce:6
1x Branimira 6 ANI dom pre pro baron Tzimisce:6
1x KuyÃn 6 ANI PRO baron Gangrel:6
1x Clara Hjortshøj 5 PRO ani aus dom Tzimisce:6
1x Kamile Paukstys 5 PRO ani for Gangrel:6
1x Prentis Derby 4 ani dom pro Tzimisce:6

Library (80 cards)
Master (15; 6 trifle)
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Carfax Abbey
1x Direct Intervention
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
1x Giant's Blood
1x Library Hunting Ground
1x Powerbase: Montreal
4x Vessel
2x Wider View

Action (15)
5x Deep Song
10x Govern the Unaligned

Action Modifier (8)
4x Conditioning
4x Earth Control

Action Modifier/Reaction (4)
4x Form of the Bat

Combat (18)
2x Claws of the Dead
9x Earth Meld
7x Form of Mist

Reaction (20)
4x Bait and Switch
4x Deep Ecology
4x Deflection
6x Organized Resistance
2x Protection Racket

“Physics of a Clown Car” by Magnus Söder
“U know what it does.”

Crypt (12 cards)
1x Andrei Puxon 5 ani cel chi for Ravnos:2
1x Ghivran Dalaal, The Dead God 5 FOR ani aus chi Ravnos:2
1x Khalil Ravana 5 CHI ani for pre Ravnos:2
1x Anka, Priestess of Thorns 4 ani chi pro Ravnos:2
1x Salbatore Bokkengro 4 CHI for pro Ravnos:2
1x Sennuwy, The Promoter 4 ani chi for Ravnos:2
1x Ashlesha 3 aus chi Ravnos:2
1x Lázár Dobrescu 3 for Ravnos:2
1x Vedel Esbreno 3 chi for Ravnos:2
1x Sasha Miklos 2 chi Ravnos:2
1x Spleen, Georgio Gutterpunk 2 ani chi Ravnos:2
1x Zip 2 ani Ravnos:3

Library (60 cards)
Master (8)
1x Life Boon
6x Ravnos Carnival
1x Week of Nightmares

Event (2)
2x Uncoiling, The

Action (31)
1x Aranthebes, The Immortal
20x Embrace, The
10x Mozambique Allure

Political Action (8)
1x Autarkis Persecution
7x Consanguineous Boon

Action Modifier (2)
2x Daring the Dawn

Action Modifier/Reaction (9)
9x Eldest Are Kholo, The


“Discount Mafia” by Jozef Patrnciak

Crypt (12 cards)
3x Carna, The Princess Witch 7 AUS DOM THA primogen Tremere:3
1x Muhsin Samir 6 DOM THA aus pot Tremere:4
5x Antonio d'Erlette 5 THA dom for pot Tremere antitribu:4
1x Andrew Stuart 5 AUS DOM THA Tremere:4
2x Anarch Convert 1 Caitiff:any

Library (86 cards)
Master (27; 6 trifle)
1x Academic Hunting Ground
2x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Arcane Library
6x Ashur Tablets
1x Direct Intervention
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Information Highway
1x Liquidation
3x Parthenon, The
1x Powerbase: Montreal
2x Shard, London, The
1x University Hunting Ground
3x Vessel
1x Wash
2x Wider View

Event (3)
1x FBI Special Affairs Division
2x Unmasking, The

Action (6)
6x Magic of the Smith

Ally (12)
1x Carlton Van Wyk
9x Nephandus
1x Ponticulus
1x Vagabond Mystic

Equipment (5)
1x Bowl of Convergence
1x Heart of Nizchetus
1x Ivory Bow
2x Sniper Rifle

Action Modifier (12)
2x Empowering the Puppet King
2x Foreshadowing Destruction
8x Mirror Walk

Reaction (21)
6x Deflection
5x Delaying Tactics
3x Eyes of Argus
2x My Enemy's Enemy
3x On the Qui Vive
2x Telepathic Misdirection

Thanks to all players, sponsors and organisers!