Gines Quinonero VTES Preview 2023-05
Preview art by Ginés Quiñonero for an upcoming Vampire: The Eternal Struggle card.


Greetings fellow Methuselahs,

Art preview time again. Ginés Quiñonero made this for a card from 1995 that desperately needs a reprint, and will have it soon. Can you guess what card?



NAC
ARE YOU THE BEST VTES PLAYER IN NORTH AMERICA?

Welcome to the North American Championship of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle! As usual, the main event will be held at the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, this year June 21-25, and as usual it will be accompanied by the ”Week of Nightmares” series of tournaments before. This means no less than 12 VTES tournaments in one place in one week – absolute awesomeness!

Schedule:
June 19: Command Performance in Guard Tower East
June 19: Week of Nightmares 2 in Gemüt Biergarten
June 20: Week of Nightmares 3 in Columbus Metropolitan Main Library
June 20: Week of Nightmares 4 in Gemüt Biergarten
June 21: Week of Nightmares 5 in Columbus Metropolitan Main Library
June 21: Week of Nightmares 6 in Gemüt Biergarten
June 22: Origins - Thursday 1 in Greater Columbus Convention Center
June 22: Origins - Thursday 2 in Greater Columbus Convention Center
June 23: Origins - Friday 1 in Greater Columbus Convention Center
June 23: Origins - Friday 2 in Greater Columbus Convention Center
June 24: North American Championship in Greater Columbus Convention Center
June 25: Origins - Sunday in Greater Columbus Convention Center

Organizers are Ben Peal and Jay Kristoff – reach out to them with any questions.

Also, players are encouraged to donate Nationwide Children's Hospital that has been caring for the child of a Columbus VTES player. Read more about that in this Facebook post or ask the organizers.



Photo Jeff-mika CC BY 3.0
PLEASE REGISTER FOR EC 2023 TO GET THE EXCLUSIVE PLAYMAT!

The organisers of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle European Championship 2023 ask you to please register for the event as soon as possible. The place is Barcelona, Spain, and the date is October 13-15. If you register before July 15, you get the tournament exclusive playmat. This will most likely be the largest and best VTES event ever - hope to see you there!


Grand Prix Liverpool winner Nina Nilsson

Grand Prix Liverpool prizes

NINA NILSSON WINS GRAND PRIX LIVERPOOL 2023!

On May 20th, 27 players gathered at Kimos Restaurant for Grand Prix Liverpool. One can guess most turned up just for that custom Bobby Lemon prize card (see above).

Standings after the three preliminary rounds:
1. David Sykes 3 GW, 7.5 VP
2. Nina Nilsson 2 GW, 8 VP
3. James Salt 1 GW, 6.0 VP
4. Craig Rawe 1 GW, 5.0 VP
5. Paul O'Connor 1 GW, 5.0 VP
Grand Prix Liverpool 2023 final table
Organiser Paul Jones words: ”With so many aggressive decks on the table pool dropped fast, with Cosmo being the first ousted. Nina then went on to take out Craig, before Dave took her out. Down to a 1v1 the game continued fiercely, with James taking out Dave.” So that is 2 victory points for Kim, and 2 for James and 1 for David.

Grand Prix Liverpool final Grand Prix Liverpool final

Congratulations Nina Nilsson, who traveled all the way from Sweden!

Her tournament winning deck: ”Ministry in crime”

Crypt (12)
3x Nonu Dis 8 OBF PRE PRO for Ministry:6
2x Crystal Lynn 6 OBF PRE PRO Ministry:6
1x Elisha Tucker 6 PRE cel obf pro baron Ministry:6
1x Aluc Romas de Leon 5 PRE aus obf pro Ministry:6
1x Doctor Morocco 5 PRO cel obf pre Ministry:6
2x Jenny Silver 5 PRE PRO obf Ministry:6
1x Marcel 4 obf pre pro Ministry:6
1x Milton Fox 3 pre pro Ministry:6

Library (90)
Master (20; 9 trifle)
1x Anarch Railroad
1x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Archon Investigation
2x Bleeding the Vine
2x Blood Doll
1x Coven, The
4x Dabbler
2x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x House of Sorrow
1x Opium Den
4x Villein

Event (1)
1x Narrow Minds

Action (20)
1x Entrancement
2x Field Training
17x Platinum Protocol, The

Ally (1)
1x Saatet-ta

Action Modifier (28)
2x Aire of Elation
3x CrimethInc.
8x Enchanting Gaze
3x Memory Rift
12x Revelation of the Serpent

Action Modifier/Reaction (2)
2x Form of the Bat

Combat (7)
7x Form of Mist

Reaction (11)
3x On the Qui Vive
8x Party Out Of Bounds

Thanks to organisers, sponsors and players!
Ultra Pro


VTES Belgium 2023 finalists Ruben, Vincent, co-organiser Maaike, Steffen, champion Bram and Rolf.

BRAM VAN STAPPEN IS THE 2023 BELGIAN CHAMPION!

38 players turned up for the Belgian VTES championship at Spelfanaat in Mechelen on May 7th – a great turnout!

VTES Belgium 2023 VTES Belgium 2023
VTES Belgium 2023 VTES Belgium 2023

Black Chantry created a special art promo card for this event: Bum´s Rush. The art is by Noora Hirvonen, depicting Belgian players Dennis Devriendt, Emiliano Imeroni and Bram Van Stappen:

Bums Rush promo 2023

The top five after three preliminaries were:
1. Steffen Waschul 2 GW, 8 VP
2. Bram Van Stappen 2 GW, 7 VP
3. Ruben Van Cauwenberghe 1 GW, 7 VP
4. Rolf Engelen 1 GW, 7 VP
5. Vincent Ripoll 1 GW, 6.5 VP

Belgium 2023 final table
Congratulations Bram Van Stappen, champion after getting 2 victory points in the final. Ruben Van Cauwenberghe also scored 2, and Rolf Engelen 1. For a nice report by Ruben, check out this VEKN.net forum thread.

Bram´s tournament winning deck: ”Nobody bounces like Schumi does”
His comment: ”My alteration of Schumacher´s alteration of my Auspex bounce deck. Instructions for use: Pray to God, beg the universe and make a sacrifice to Lilith to have a bleeder behind; sit back, relax and enjoy the show.”

Crypt (12)
1x Elizabeth Westcott 5 ani cel vic AUS Tzimisce:3
1x Goratrix 10 vic ANI AUS DOM THA Tremere antitribu:2
1x Isabel de Leon 3 AUS Toreador:2
1x Kazimir Savostin 7 ani pot AUS VIC Tzimisce:3
1x Little Tailor of Prague 8 dem ANI AUS VIC Tzimisce:2
1x Lolita Houston 4 aus VIC Tzimisce:2
1x Meshenka 8 ANI AUS VIC Tzimisce:2
1x Rose, The 5 aus PRE VIC Tzimisce:3
1x Sascha Vykos, The Angel of Caine (ADV)8 ani dom AUS THA VIC Tzimisce:2
1x Caliban 6 ANI AUS VIC Tzimisce:2
1x Corine Marcon 6 ani AUS VIC Tzimisce:2
1x Devin Bisley 5 vic ANI AUS Tzimisce:2

Library: 90
Master (19)
1x Erciyes Fragments, The
1x Giant's Blood
1x Hungry Coyote, The
1x Jake Washington
1x Library Hunting Ground
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
1x Powerbase: Barranquilla
1x Powerbase: Montreal
1x Rack, The
3x Rötschreck
1x Smiling Jack, The Anarch
6x Villein

Action (1)
1x Army of Rats

Action Modifier (2)
2x Changeling

Combat (18)
3x Quick Jab
5x Breath of the Dragon
1x Canine Horde
9x Chiropteran Marauder

Retainer (1)
1x Mr. Winthrop

Equipment (8)
2x .44 Magnum
2x Heart of Nizchetus
1x Ivory Bow
1x Kevlar Vest
1x Leather Jacket
1x Bowl of Convergence

Reaction (41)
7x Eagle's Sight
8x Eyes of Argus
1x Forced Awakening
6x My Enemy's Enemy
6x On the Qui Vive
13x Telepathic Misdirection

Thanks to organiser (and National Coordinator) Tom Vandenberghe, co-organisers, sponsors and players!



NC POD VTES promos
PRINT-ON-DEMAND PROMO CARDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR NATIONAL COORDINATORS

To make it a bit easier for everyone, Black Chantry has now made some promo cards available for print-on-demand. There are only accessible for VEKN National Coordinators (all listed here) and the cost is $0.15 per card plus shipping.

Available are there cards:

Alicia Cortez (No logo)
Anarch Convert - Standard version
Anarch Convert - Harmen version
Boleslaw Gutowski
Charisma (Blank logo)
Direct Intervention - Sketch 1 (full sketch)
Entrancement (Standard logo)
Fee Stake: Corte
Fee Stake: Los Angeles
Fee Stake: Perth
Kuyen- English
Kuyen - French
Kuyen - Spanish
Praxis Seizure: Venice
Raw Recruit
Tangle Antropos' Hand
The Edge card
Tier of Souls (Standard Logo)

If you are a National Coordinator, ask for the list of codes that unlock these cards for order at Drivethrucards!


DO YOU WANT TO HOST THE 2024 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP?

The application period is still open for the 2024 Vampire: The Eternal Struggle European Championship.
 
Interested organisers are encouraged to submit their proposals for consideration between today and August 31st to .

The proposals should include the following information (fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.), in addition to any other information that the organisers deem relevant:

*Country:
*City:
*Approximate dates:
*Scheduled off season (Y/N):
*Organizer(s):
*Head judge:

VENUE
*All inclusive location (room, hotel, food, refreshments) (Y/N):
*Accommodations close to venue (Y/N):
*Snacks and meals on-site (or within 5 minutes) (Y/N):
*Distance to major hubs:
*Distance to major city:
*Non-smoking venue (Y/N):
*Air-conditioned venue (Y/N):
*Enough area suited for mass registration (Y/N):
*Free WiFi available (Y/N):
*Microphone/loudspeaker announcements (sound system) (Y/N):
Video projection system (remaining time) (Y/N):

Opening hours:

Room(s)
*Enough room for 200 players (Y/N):
*Separate rooms for side events (Y/N):
Comfortable chairs (Y/N):
Table cloths (Y/N):
Round tables for 5 players (Y/N):
Are toilets close to reduce game delays? (Y/N):

ORGANIZATION
*On-site registration on multiple computers (number of players/30) (Y/N):
On time registration, breaks and events (Y/N):
Using armbands to indicate registration type (Y/N):
FAQ (handout at registration) (Y/N):
Lunch breaks (Y/N):
Two head organisers (side events/main tournament) (Y/N):
Organizers and judges properly identified (Y/N):
Assistants (non VTES players) (Y/N):
Documentation/archiving person (traceability) (Y/N):
Spouse info/events (Y/N):
Seating print-outs on multiple spots (Y/N):

Schedule
*Last Chance Qualifier:
*EC Day 1:
*EC Day 2:
*Side events:

COVERAGE
Live webcam as weekend documentation (Y/N):
Detailed final round(s) report (Y/N):
Final round video recording/streaming (Y/N):

Thanks for your application!


Black Chantry logo

BLACK CHANTRY SUMMARY: MAY 2023

• A new art version of Brujah Debate was revealed, to be included in the upcoming New Blood: Brujah pack. Just like the previous Camarilla ones, this will be 54 card mini-decks for Banu Haqim, Brujah, Gangrel and Ministry with some new options for the clans, both cool reprints and some brand new cards. They are heading for the printer in June and is estimated to ship for stores in August or September.

Brujah Debate - Gines Quinonero

• The Echoes of Gehenna and Shadows of Berlin now have a shipping date: June 12.

• The third round of playtesting of the next three preconstructed decks (Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce) has ended, and coodinators are assembling their final reports, and there will be a final round of thoughts in the design team. Hopefully no more playtesting is needed and production can begin!

Gabriel Tremblay VTES Chapters promo
• Gabriel Tremblay has been seen in the wild! This legendary, "lost" promo card was a part of the Vampire: The Masquerade - Chapters crowdfunding campaign, and the game has now been delivered to at least some USA backers. So, again: Just because an announced promo card is late, it is never lost! Black Chantry never forgets! And yes, Gabriel Tremblay will now soon be made available also to others, but without the exclusive red Chapters logo.

• Speaking of promos, the Bum´s Rush for the Belgian National Championship is a fun one. See the tournament report above in this newsletter. Also this one will probably be available to others at a later time.

Fall of London has been added to the print-on-demand offer at Drivethrucards.com.

Black Chantry Products 2022 October

Currently these Black Chantry products are available through Drivethrucards.com and other stores:

Do you have opinions or questions for Black Chantry? Start a topic on the VEKN forum, or contact the company by e-mailFacebookInstagram or Twitter.


Werewolf: The Apocalypse

RECENT NEWS IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS

• More pages were added to the Werewolf: The Apocalypse preview PDF - full book is out August 31, preorder available now!

• New fancy text-based interactive novels from Choice of Games are up on Steam: For Werewolf: The Apocalypse we have "The Book of Hungry Names" by Kyle Marquis, and for Hunter: The Reckoning there is "The Beast of Glenkildove" by William Brown.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong premiered on Steam this month!

• Daphne and Jimmy from By Night Studios were interviewed in the latest World of Darkness News show, so if you are interested in news about live-action roleplaying of Vampire: The Masquerade, check that out. War of Ages is now available for backers, and a V5 version of core rules Laws of the Night is in the works!

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


CALENDAR

Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:

Austria
Brazil x9
Chile x3
Czech Republic
Finland x2
France x2
Italy x2
Netherlands
Online
Serbia
Spain x6
USA x13

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 V:EKN

You can contact the V:EKN Inner Circle members using contact forms at V:EKN.net. Also follow the official V:TES Facebook page Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and the official V:EKN Twitter account @VEKN_VTES 

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.

Samuel Araya VTES Preview 2023-04
Preview art by Samuel Araya for an upcoming Vampire: The Eternal Struggle card.


Greetings fellow Methuselahs,

Look at that fantastic art above, by the lovely Samuel Araya. He blessed us with an interview in a 2020 newsletter, well worth a read if you missed it. Unless something strange happens, this piece will feature on a card in the Ravnos preconstructed deck scheduled for release later this year. Stay tuned for more previews!



VTES Brazil 2023 champion
RAFAEL BARBOSA IS THE 2023 BRAZIL CHAMPION!


Words from Kleber Bertazzo, VEKN national coordinator of Brazil:

On April 22th the Brazilian Championship took place in Fortaleza/CE, at store Dominaria. There were 44 players from different states (Federal District, Pernambuco, São Paulo, Paraíba and Ceará).

VTES Brazil 2023 floor

Conclave Editora and Black Chantry Productions provided prize support and 17 decks were raffled amoung the players that didn’t reach the finals. The finalists received as prize a value to spend at the store and Sabbat War rare cards, and the champion received a mug.

VTES Brazil 2023 floor
The five finalists after three rounds were:
1. Joab Rogerio Barbosa da Silva - 2 GW, 9 VP – “Winterfell Wolfs” Gangrel Anarch
2. Pedro Paulo - 2 GW, 8 VP – “Cybele & Cia” Baali
3. Bruno Hobbit - 2 GW, 8 VP – “ProctoSalubri” Salubri
4. Rafael Barbosa - 2 GW, 7 VP – “BR Deck” Banu Haqim
5. Sara Yonara - 2 GW, 7 VP – “Reins of the Stanislava!” Gangrel

VTES Brazil 2023 final

VTES Brazil 2023 final table
At the end, Rafael Barbosa got 4 VP's, and Pedro Paulo got 1 VP. Congratulations!

His tournament winning deck:

Crypt (12)
2x Kasim Bayar 9 CEL OBF THA aus pot justicar Banu Haqim:6
2x Farah Sarroub 7 CEL THA aus obf prince Banu Haqim:6
2x Kassandra Tassaki 6 CEL THA obf prince Banu Haqim:6
2x Khadija Al-Kindi 6 CEL OBF THA primogen Banu Haqim:6
1x Kalinda 6 CEL OBF tha primogen Banu Haqim:6
2x Warmaksan 5 THA cel obf prince Banu Haqim:6
1x Nayarana 4 THA cel Banu Haqim:6

Library (90)
Master (22; 9 trifle)
6x Ashur Tablets
1x Fame
3x Haqim's Law: Retribution
1x Market Square
1x Parthenon, The
3x Priority Contract
1x Tension in the Ranks
1x Vessel
4x Villein
1x Wider View

Action (11)
1x Fleetness
8x Hunter's Mark
1x Magic of the Smith
1x Rutor's Hand

Equipment (4)
1x Blade of Enoch
1x Flamethrower
1x Joumlon's Axe
1x Kevlar Vest

Political Action (5)
5x Anathema

Retainer (1)
1x Mr. Winthrop

Action Modifier (1)
1x Zephyr

Action Modifier/Combat (5)
2x Resist Earth's Grasp
3x Swallowed by the Night

Combat (35)
2x Blood Rage
5x Blur
2x Flash
10x Hunger of Marduk
1x Psyche!
3x Pursuit
5x Quickness
5x Rego Motum
1x Sideslip
1x Soul Burn

Reaction (6)
1x On the Qui Vive
5x Second Tradition: Domain

VTES Brazil 2023 players
The VEKN thanks Kleber, helpers, sponsors and all players!



The Judge license.

THE FIRST OFFICIAL VEKN JUDGES

From now on the Vampire: Elder Kindred Network keeps a list of accredited judges, found under the "Official VEKN Judges" headline in the left menu at www.VEKN.net.

Currently, these are the judges who have been accredited:
Vincent Ripoll
Hugh Angseesing
Ginés Quiñonero
Arnau Díez
Javier Naranjo
Darío Canto
Guillermo Mondragón
Javier Valdés

The listed judges have successfully passed the relevant examination and are official VTES judges for three years or until the release of a new rulebook, whichever comes first. Upon completion of this term, accreditation is automatically renewed provided the judge continues to judge and/or to play at VEKN-sanctioned tournament events at a regularity of no less than 60 days.

At present, the sole means of accreditation as a judge is through participation in one of the announced examinations. However, we are actively working towards expanding this system globally. The upcoming examination locations and dates are listed at the same web page. If you're interested in taking the judge examination, please contact Arnau Díez, coordinator of the Judge Program (and also the national coordinator of Spain).


DO YOU WANT TO HOST THE 2024 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP?

The application period is now open for the 2024 Vampire: The Eternal Struggle European Championship.
 
Interested organisers are encouraged to submit their proposals for consideration between today and August 31st to .

The proposals should include the following information (fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.), in addition to any other information that the organisers deem relevant:

*Country:
*City:
*Approximate dates:
*Scheduled off season (Y/N):
*Organizer(s):
*Head judge:

VENUE
*All inclusive location (room, hotel, food, refreshments) (Y/N):
*Accommodations close to venue (Y/N):
*Snacks and meals on-site (or within 5 minutes) (Y/N):
*Distance to major hubs:
*Distance to major city:
*Non-smoking venue (Y/N):
*Air-conditioned venue (Y/N):
*Enough area suited for mass registration (Y/N):
*Free WiFi available (Y/N):
*Microphone/loudspeaker announcements (sound system) (Y/N):
Video projection system (remaining time) (Y/N):

Opening hours:

Room(s)
*Enough room for 200 players (Y/N):
*Separate rooms for side events (Y/N):
Comfortable chairs (Y/N):
Table cloths (Y/N):
Round tables for 5 players (Y/N):
Are toilets close to reduce game delays? (Y/N):

ORGANIZATION
*On-site registration on multiple computers (number of players/30) (Y/N):
On time registration, breaks and events (Y/N):
Using armbands to indicate registration type (Y/N):
FAQ (handout at registration) (Y/N):
Lunch breaks (Y/N):
Two head organisers (side events/main tournament) (Y/N):
Organizers and judges properly identified (Y/N):
Assistants (non VTES players) (Y/N):
Documentation/archiving person (traceability) (Y/N):
Spouse info/events (Y/N):
Seating print-outs on multiple spots (Y/N):

Schedule
*Last Chance Qualifier:
*EC Day 1:
*EC Day 2:
*Side events:

COVERAGE
Live webcam as weekend documentation (Y/N):
Detailed final round(s) report (Y/N):
Final round video recording/streaming (Y/N):

Thanks for your application!


Best VTES player?

WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER EVER?

A little something from Lionel Panhaleux:

Thanks to Vincent Ripoll and Igor Breslin, we've been able to extract the historical list of top players from VEKN servers:

The complete list of players who were #1 in the world VEKN ranking

You might be interested to know that:

• There have been 41 different players ranked #1 in the VEKN ranking from 2004 to now

• The current record for highest score ever is held by Ruben Feldman (Switzerland) with 1944 points in December 2007, by winning the European Championship Day 1 two years in a row (2006, 2007), with a couple of big qualifiers prior, followed up by a crowning victory at Germany's national championship.

• 4 players have held the crown for more than 1 year (365 cumulated days): Orian Gissler (France)(518), Hugh Angseesing (GB)(504), Martin Weinmayer (Austria) (445) and Roberto Mautone Junior (Brazil) (381).

• Only 1 player has held the crown for more than 2 years (730 cumulated days): Danilo Torrisi (Italy), who has been #1 for 861 cumulated days.

• Without surprise, country-wise, Brazil held the crown longest (3 years 98 days), more surprisingly (maybe) followed by France (2 years 241 days) and Italy (Danilo Torrisi single-handedly bringing it third with his 2 years 131 days).

Related reading: The VTES Hall of Fame


 
VTES in Philadelphia
THIS GAME NEVER ENDS: VTES IN PHILADELPHIA
 
The VEKN loves to spotlight volunteer VTES work that keeps the game undead and growing. Here are some words from Philadelphia, USA:

Hello everyone! Our group is called The Night Raven Gaming Society of the Free Library of Philadelphia; “NRGS FLP”. We play each Tuesdays and our group has been growing slowly. Thanks to the starter decks generously provided by Karl Schafer, we were able to get off to a good start with a solid group of players. New players are Senusi L, Robert P, Joe Y, Ryan H and Jason S. Veteran players are Wil B, Andrew W, Martin W, Warren B and me.

My name is Bobby Edoo and I started playing VTES in 1995. My friend Wil Bishop, the Prince of Philadelphia, introduced me to the game and I loved it from the start. Many players that I met playing VTES have continued to stay in contact with me, even though we have not played as much as we would have liked. Throughout the years we have traveled to other places to play and we have even hosted events ourselves. In 2005 I became Prince of Bala Cywd, which is 15 minutes from my house, just outside of Philadelphia, at the game store called Alternate Universes and began running events after I contacted Oscar J Garza III, who was the VTES Organized Play Cooridinator at that time. I organized many events, including conventions like the Philadelphia Science Fiction Convention (Philcon) for several years. While I still host games at Philcon, I have not been able to gather enough players to organize any VTES events there lately.

The allure of the game came from the myriad amount of strategies you could play. The multi-player/interactive format of the game and the artistic cards are what gave the game its unique standing amongst the other card games. It is a testament of the enduring value of the game that VTES is still being played and lots of people that I talk to remember playing it fondly even if they don’t play currently. The players are always remembered because of the good times we had both winning and losing. Players like Jevon Green, Martin Watson, Andrew Welsh, Vincent Crisafulli, Wil Bishop, Patrick Lusk, Corey Seigel, Ben Peal, Peter Bakija, Joe Davidson and David Lapp are just a few of the people that made the game amazing to play.

VTES in Philadelphia
My goal is to host weekly gaming on Tuesdays at the Free Library of Philadelphia 5 pm to 10 pm, also get (at least) back to what we were doing in the past which was monthly tournament gaming and appearances at conventions. Currently I run games at Historical Miniature Gaming Society (HMGS) conventions, which they have three a year. The next one is Historicon 2023 on July 19th-23rd, and then Fall In 2023 on November 3-5, both in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Then there´s also Philcon 2023 in Philadelphia on November 17-19. I am looking to try to run a tournament at each one of these events.  
 
I want to share the game with new and veteran players in both fun game and tournament settings. This has always been a great game and it would be a shame that it did not get the highlight it deserved.

Do you also want to share your VTES playgroup's experience? Or write any other kind of article for this newsletter? Please contact the editor at

Black Chantry logo

BLACK CHANTRY SUMMARY: APRIL 2023

• Another of those fancy full art promo cards was announced, this time Theo Bell for Andalusian Open 2023, played in Córdoba on June 3. Black Chantry wants as much feedback as possible on this new layout, so please put your thoughts in writing somewhere where it is seen.

Echoes of Gehenna was announced the month before, but now we also know about Shadows of Berlin, another 54 card bundle with reprints of some very desirable cards. Both are available for preorder now; Echoes from Black Chanry Distributions, Shadows from you favorite local shop.

• The third round of playtesting of the next three preconstructed decks (Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce) is now ongoing. It is likely the last round needed. Thanks to all playtesters!

• The top sellers among Drivethrucards VTES Legacy Card Singles are currently Contagion, Unleash Hell´s Fury, Path of Evil Revelations, Cybele and Call the Great Beast - all Baali sweetness!

• There will be four New Blood decks for Banu Haqim, Brujah, Gangrel and Ministry later this year, hopefully early autumn. They will be in the same format as the previous Camarilla New Blood decks, so 55 card decks with a slightly different twist than the Fifth Edition ones, with mostly reprints but also some brand new cards.

Black Chantry Products 2022 October

Currently these Black Chantry products are available through Drivethrucards.com and other stores:

Do you have opinions or questions for Black Chantry? Start a topic on the VEKN forum, or contact the company by e-mailFacebookInstagram or Twitter.


Werewolf the Apocalypse WolfskulljackArt by Wolfskulljack Illustrations for Werewolf: The Apocalypse.

RECENT NEWS IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS

When will you rage? Maybe you miss out on the upcoming Werewolf: The Apocalypse Fifth Edition RPG? The release date is August 31, but it´s up for preorder now, and Outstar ran a exciting preview of the first ten pages of the book in the latest World of Darkness News show. The new game is a "reimagening" of the original Werewolf: The Apocalypse, but from what we can tell there´s a lot of the familiar themes and badassery going on!

Also: Remember that Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong enters Steam on May 25, well worth a try.

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


CALENDAR

Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:
Belgium
Brazil x5
Chile x3
Germany
Italy
Mexico
Online
Spain x6
UK x2
USA x2

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 V:EKN

You can contact the V:EKN Inner Circle members using contact forms at V:EKN.net. Also follow the official V:TES Facebook page Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and the official V:EKN Twitter account @VEKN_VTES 

No pressure, no diamonds.

Francisco Tébar VTES Preview 2023-03Preview art by Francisco Tébar for an upcoming Vampire: The Eternal Struggle card.

Greetings fellow Methuselahs,

VTES.se 2023

THE VTES EC 2023 SITE IS UP - WITH REGISTRATION!

Welcome to Barcelona on October 13-15! Check out the official Vampire: The Eternal Struggle European Championship 2023 website, and please register as soon as you find possible. If you do so before July 15, you get the event exclusive playmat. The VEKN and all involved aim to make this the largest and best VTES event ever - hope to see you there!



MORE EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX 2023 DATES SET!

The Grand Prix coordinator Orian Gissler tells us the following dates are now set:

• Grand Prix Liverpool, UK: May 20 at Kimos.

• Grand Prix Brussels, Belgium: July 16 at Outpost.

• Grand Prix Essen, Germany: September 17 at White Rabbit.

For more information about this, keep an eye on:

• The Grand Prix Facebook page

• The VEKN Event announcement forum

• The VEKN European Grand Prix page




ARNAU DÍEZ SANS IS THE SPANISH CHAMPION 2023!


Words by Ginés Quiñonero:

On March 25th, 146 Methuselahs gathered to participate in the Spanish Championship of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, which was held at the conference rooms of the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in the beautiful city of Seville.

VTES Spain 2023 entrance Spain 2023 floor
Spain 2023 floor Spain 2023 floor
Spain 2023 floor Spain 2023 floor


There were players from up to seven different nationalities (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Chile) as well as a wide range of ages, ranging from 12 years old and above.

Both new and old blood mixed in such a great contest within a magnificent atmosphere of camaraderie, respect, and savoir faire.

Streaming of some previous rounds is at Twitch: videos/1775091845 and videos/1775301643

Standings before the final:
Arnau Diez Sans: 3 GW’s and 13 VP’s
David Tomasetti: 3 GW’s and 12 P’s
David Fraile: 3 GW’s and 8 VP’s
Alejandro Rodríguez: 2 GW’s and 10 VP’s
Tomàs López Jiménez: 2 GW’s and 9 VP’s

Spain VTES 2023 seating

 

Spain 2023 VTES final table

Congratulations Arnau Díez, 2023 Spanish champion! Final standings and all finalist deck lists are available at bcncrisis. Streaming of the final round is at Twitch: videos/1775522766.

Arnau´s tournament winning deck: "Atraco" (“robbery” in English)

Crypt (12 cards, min=17 max=30 avg=6)
1x Abraham Mellon         8 AUS DOM OBF for tha              Malkavian:6
1x Alexander Silverson    8 AUS DOM OBF pre       prince     Malkavian:6
1x Gilbert Duane          7 AUS DOM OBF           baron      Malkavian:6
1x Jason "Son" Newberry   7 AUS DOM OBF pre       primogen   Malkavian:6
1x Nathaniel Bordruff     7 DOM OBF POT ani                  Nosferatu:6
1x Andi Liu               6 DOM aus obf pre       prince     Malkavian:6
1x Darius Shirazi         6 AUS DOM obf                      Malkavian:5
1x Gelasia Fotiou         6 AUS DOM obf pre                  Malkavian:6
1x Colette                5 AUS OBF dom                      Malkavian:6
1x Evan Klein             5 OBF aus dom pre                  Malkavian:6
1x Sully                  4 aus dom obf                      Malkavian:6
1x Ashley                 3 dom obf                          Malkavian:6

Library (90 cards)
Master (14; 4 trifle)
1x Anarch Troublemaker
1x Barrens, The
1x Coven, The
3x Dreams of the Sphinx
1x Elder Library
1x Giant's Blood
1x Information Highway
1x Misdirection
1x Pentex(TM) Subversion
3x Wash

Event (1)
1x Bitter and Sweet Story, The

Action (17)
17x Govern the Unaligned

Action Modifier (39)
3x Bonding
4x Cloak the Gathering
7x Conditioning
4x Elder Impersonation
3x Faceless Night
2x Foreshadowing Destruction
5x Lost in Crowds
4x Seduction
7x Spying Mission

Action Modifier/Combat (6)
3x Hide the Mind
3x Swallowed by the Night

Reaction (13)
6x Deflection
2x Delaying Tactics
1x My Enemy's Enemy
3x On the Qui Vive
1x Telepathic Misdirection

Some players recreated the scene from the new illustration of Archon Investigation, the promo card commemorating the Spanish national championship that was given to each participant. Original art by Ginés Quinoñero.

VTES Archon Investigation promo Seville 2023 VTES Archon Investigation recreation Seville 2023
VTES Archon Investigation recreation Seville 2023 VTES Archon Investigation recreation Seville 2023


Many thanks to the organizers, who made this tournament a memorable event.

And also, many thanks to all the sponsors: sevillavtes.com/patrocinadores


VTES Judge test Spain 2023

THE FIRST OFFICIAL VEKN JUDGE TEST

During the Spanish championship weekend, on Sunday, March 26th, the test for judges of the Vampire: Elder Kindred Network organized by Arnau Díez, the national coordinator of Spain, and his small team, was taken at the Empire Games store in Seville. It gathered 24 players who wanted to test their knowledge of VTES and tournament rules, and that of card interactions.

Each player received a booklet of sheets with 100 multiple-choice test questions, which also included photocopies of all the cards mentioned in the questions for easy reference.

The required score to pass this test is 80 out of 100 points. After such an intense weekend, Arnau has finally graded all the tests, and five players have obtained their accreditation as VEKN Judges:

 

Judge test results Examinees %
<50 1 4%
50-59 2 8%
60-69 9 38%
70-79 7 29%
80-86 5 21%

 


Judge license.

 


Hugh Angseesing 2023

Q & A WITH BLACK CHANTRY CEO HUGH ANGSEESING

Hugh was lucky enough to travel to the Spanish Nationals in Seville and received a few questions that deserve a write up for everyone:

Q: Will Black Chantry be printing randomised boosters for Vampire: The Eternal Struggle?
A: We have been asked this a lot since day 1, for various reasons: Some players like random boosters. Some shops (but not the majority I have talked to) like random sets to drive sales. Some formats (e.g., draft) work better with random sets. But no, we do not expect to print randomised boosters, but will continue to look at what works for the VTES playerbase and other stakeholders.

Q: Why is Echoes of Gehenna a direct product?
A: This set is a test to see if it is a better way to get older out-of-print cards to players, over print-on-demand, which has some limitations. As the cards relate to historical and/or potential plot points in the World of Darkness, they are not part of Fifth Edition, and that means they cannot be placed into our normal retail or distribution channels. The selection or makeup perhaps could have been better. For our New Bood Banu Haqim, Brujah, Gangrel and Ministry demo decks (coming soon!) we have added a few more volunteers to help us design a good mix.

Q: In Echoes of Gehenna, why 5 copies of vampires that rarely see play and most players already have? Wouldn't 2 copies of each suffice?
A: Possibly, but we've generally assumed more of the new cards would be useful.

Q: Shouldn't Fortschritt Library have been obvious reprint in Echoes of Gehenna?
A: This is a test to see if it is useful or a better way to get cards out to the community. We cannot fit everything in there.

Q: What should I do if an attendee at an event wants a receipt for tax purposes?
A: Black Chantry cannot offer tax or accountancy advice to you. However, if a player would like a receipt or some way to make their attendance official, we would recommend you look at what the requirements are in your jurisdiction (e.g., across much of Europe, it is relatively easy to from non-profit clubs and societies, which can receive funds from members -e.g., subscriptions or event costs.) Things to think about:
- Treat organisers, host venues and attendees with respect.
- Players should not be running events to make a profit. You should cover costs, but not profit.
- Shops, stores, restaurants, hotels and other venues organisers hire may, of course, want and need to make profit on hosting events.

For answers to more Vampire: The Eternal Struggle FAQ, check out the Black Chantry FAQ page.


UK Games Expo

WANT TO HELP AT UK GAMES EXPO?

Black Chantry Productions will be demoing VTES at UK Games Expo; the UK’s largest board game convention. The Team will be sharing space with our friends at Null Signal games, who continue to support Netrunner.

There is space for some volunteers on the team. If you’re interested in working half or one of the days Friday 2nd June - Sunday 4th June, please contact .


Scalpel Tounge 
WORTH A SLOT #2: SCALPEL TONGUE

Words by Vincent Ripoll.

Welcome to our column dedicated to underrated cards you may not even know about, or that never make the cut into your deck. Today, let’s take a look at a card you can play with a (Scalpel) tongue in cheek.

Scalpel Tongue is originally a Toreador primogen power in Vampire: The Masquerade, but fortunately it can be used by a broader audience in VTES. The tournament winning deck archive has quite a few decks including it, but probably not as many as it should. Let me tell you why.

First of all, the card is really easy to include Discipline-wise. Of course, almost all Toreador and Brujah (and their antitribu counterparts) can play the card, but basic Celerity and Presence are widely spread out-of-clan Disciplines. And the card’s true beauty resides in the inferior level of the card rather than in its superior effect that just adds insult to injury.

Of course, one’s first thought would be to ask yourself the questions “Do I need to protect myself from political actions?” and “Is it better in that case than a Delaying Tactics?” or, if you like the spotlights of the stage, “Will it be enough to help me pass the referendums I call?”

If you don’t care about political actions, or if you don’t play those Disciplines, or if your swarm deck really fears that Ancilla Empowerment, you may want to either disregard this issue, or play safe with a Delaying Tactics.

But, if you want to expand your playstyle, read out:

Recently, we have seen a rise of tournament-winning decks based on Arishat’s ability that tend to show that forcing vampires to abstain can be an effective strategy to pass votes as it can easily negate between 2 and 4 votes (or the Prisci block) when played as an action modifier (much like a Bewitching Oration), and even more when played as a reaction since vote modifiers (such as Bewitching Oration, Awe, or Perfect Paragon) are always played by the acting vampire. But the true beauty of the card resides elsewhere: I am talking about the ability to instantaneously lock a vampire.

Usually, before you play your first copy, players will tend to toss all their votes blindly. Even if you don’t have an active part in the referendum (it may be a Kine Resources Contested that’s not specifically against you), you can play a Scalpel Tongue on the right vampire to:
• lock a would-be blocker or bouncer (or any vampire that would like to play reaction cards, such as Delaying Tactics), either during your turn or during another player’s turn. Oh, the fun to lock your prey’s vampire who is giving support to another player's political action!
• lock a vampire before they can act (Lutz is calling a vote? Sorry, Raphael de Corazon, you’ll have to wait until your next turn to do your Flurry of Action + vote trick)

Of course, this works better if you are stuck between two political decks. But if it’s not the case, then the voters are your allies, which is great too.

After you have played your first copy, you’ll notice that players will start to chicken out and to be reluctant to cast votes, making your referendums easier to pass, and the other players’ harder. Choices will have to be made (especially if you are playing Voter Captivation: do we want to cast votes to reduce the number of votes by which the referendum passes, and thus expose our vampires to a Scalpel Tongue, or not?)

The cool thing is that you can also play the card to improve your tap’n’bleed strategy, even if you are not playing votes yourself. The tables are full of cheap barons and princes these days. Chances are that you can play the card at some point for a surprise killing move.

So, keep your tongue sharp, and your opponents in doubt.

Maybe you too feel the urge to write an article like this? Or any other kind of VTES article? Please contact the editor at

Black Chantry logo

BLACK CHANTRY SUMMARY: MARCH 2023

• Like mentioned above, CEO Hugh Angeseesing and art director Ginés Quiñonero from Black Chantry had the pleasure to attend the Spanish championshop in Seville. Of course, this is one of the things they enjoy the most about running the company - it´s always fun to meet the nice and beautiful players of Vampire: The Eternal Struggle!

Spain 2023 Gines QuinoneroGinés Quiñonero signing cards with his art.

• The 54 card Echoes of Gehenna set was revealed, ready to preorder exclusively from blackchantry.shop (why is explained by Hugh in the FAQ above).

• There will be another 54 card set called Shadows of Berlin - the details about that will be revealed really soon!

• The third, and likely last, round of playtesting of the next three preconstructed decks (Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce) is starting soon, but in the meantime some playtest groups have again received extra assigments related to possible errata of problematic cards. That help is invaluable!

• More cards are now available in the very important language Latin! This time it´s the New Blood decks: Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue, and a big bundle with one of each deck.

• The Baali and Daughters of Cacophony added to Drivethrucards Legacy Card Singles are very popular. Top sellers at this moment are Siren's Lure, Unleash Hell's Fury, Contagion, Cybele and Hoitzil ... Hutzily ... that guy, you know who we mean!

Black Chantry Products 2022 October

Currently these Black Chantry products are available through Drivethrucards.com and other stores:

Do you have opinions or questions for Black Chantry? Start a topic on the VEKN forum, or contact the company by e-mailFacebookInstagram or Twitter.


Sins of the Sires
RECENT NEWS IN THE WORLD OF DARKNESS

Some highlights from the last thirty days:

• Have you tried any recent Vampire: The Masquerade interactive fiction? “Sins of the Sires” by Natalia Theodoridou is nominated for a Nebula Award in Game Writing category, so that is probably an excellent place to start.

• The World of Darkness News show did a nice preview episode about the upcoming Vampire: The Masquerade Players Guide, highlighting Clan Bane variants, new Salubri character archetypes and much more. The PDF is out April 10!

• The Tremere update for Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodhunt is here, giving us a new archetype: The Tremere Scholar. Available now for free on PS5 and PC!

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


CALENDAR

Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:
Austria
Belgium
Brazil x6
Czech Republic
Chile x2
Croatia
Finland
France x4
Italy x2
Mexico
Online
Poland x2
Portugal
Spain x5
USA

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 V:EKN

You can contact the V:EKN Inner Circle members using contact forms at V:EKN.net. Also follow the official V:TES Facebook page Vampire: The Eternal Struggle and the official V:EKN Twitter account @VEKN_VTES 

Audio, video, disco. (I hear, I see, I learn.)