babayaga

 

When I first started playing in 1994 (when the game was still called Jyhad) there was no worldwide community and no tournaments – just myself and my role-playing friends and the original set of cards. We played with any number of people around the table - sometimes 8 players!.

We also experimented with the game format in other ways. One of the most interesting rules that we tried concerning players keeping their pool totals hidden. It added a whole additional dimension of bluffing, guesswork and tension to the game. It's something I've come back to a few times since just for fun, and I thought you might like to try it too.

New Game Format: Hidden Pool

Hidden Pool games should be set up and played as standard games of V:TES with the following additional rules:

  • Before the game begins, after every player has counted out his or her starting pool openly, he or she should place these pool counters in a cup or bowl which is deep enough to obscure view from the other seated players.
  • A player may look at and count the pool counters of his or her own cup at any time, without removing the counters from the cup.
  • A player may not look at or count the pool counters in any other player’s cup.
  • When a player gains pool he or she should count out the number of tokens to be added openly before placing them in the cup. Any other player may request to add those counters to the cup (without looking inside it).
  • When a player spends or burns pool he or she should remove and count the relevant number of counters for all other players to see.
  • When a player has no pool left he or she should reveal that his or her cup is empty.
  • The library card Parity Shift is played with temporary errata such that the target Methuselah should be selected blindly, and the acting player and the target should then both reveal their pool totals. If the target does not have sufficient pool then the action fails without a referendum.
  • The library card Transfer of Power is played with temporary errata such that if the referendum is successful, all Methuselahs should reveal their pool totals to determine who gives pool to the acting player.
  • The library card From a Sinking Ship is played with temporary errata such that the target Methuselah should be selected blindly, and the target should then reveal his or her pool total. If the target has too much pool the card is cancelled without effect.
  • The crypt card Malabranca is played with temporary errata such that his special action is attempted blind, and if it is successful your prey reveals his or her pool total. If it is less than yours the action fails without effect.
  • The cards Foreshadowing Destruction, Personal Involvement and Uriah Winter are banned from this game format.
  • If a Methuselah plays any other card which requires his or her own pool to be counted (e.g. Failsafe) he or she should reveal the count of his or her cup to all other players before concealing it again.
  • Players may not make a written or electronic record of the pool expenditure of other players, although they may attempt to keep a count in their heads.

Please give it a try and let me know what you think.

The Returned: Month Two

This month's mythic vampire is Baba Yaga, a figure of Russian legend and a feared Nosferatu Methuselah who is rumoured to be the progenitor of all suriviving members of her clan. A powerful sorceress and shapechanger, she has been at odds with the mystic Durga Syn for centuries.

In the timeline of the Vampire: The Masquerade RPG Baba Yaga brought down a mystical curtain down across much of eastern Europe and recruited armies of vampires, demons, fomori and zmei (dragons) to rule her territory. In the Final Nights leading up to Gehenna she was hunted down and supposedly destroyed by a Nictuku - an agent sent by Nosferatu himself to eradicate all of his descendents.

DOWNLOADS

 

Mike Nudd, VEKN Storyline Coordinator

vekn-2014-storyline

SYNOPSIS

Starting in April 2014, and running episodically each month for the six months leading up to the EC, there will be an Anniversary Storyline called "The Returned". Each month, a special Mythic Vampire from the lore of the World of Darkness will be offered to the player base as a ‘thank you’ for continuing to play, support and promote the game.

RULES

As per the last two official Storylines, the format will be single games of V:TES where each player uses a Storyline legal deck (i.e. a crypt 75% of the same clan). The Storyline will also require you to keep a league table of game wins among your playgroup.

Any player who achieves at least one game win during the month will be permitted to use that month’s Mythic Vampire in deck construction for the remaining duration of the Storyline. E.g. a winner in month 1 (April) will be able to use the first Mythic Vampire released in any game over the next 6 months of Storyline games.

And at Mannheim any player attending the EC will be encouraged – regardless of league performance - to use any of the six Mythic Vampires in friendly games played during the course of the event (with the agreement of their opponents).


DOWNLOADS

 

Mike Nudd, VEKN Storyline Coordinator

Meerlinda studied the envelope in her hands. She ran her fingers along one edge, savouring the quality of the paper’s weave, contemplating at the same time the contents of the letter inside. Etrius had given her a lot to consider, and she needed time to think.

She did not need to use her supernatural power to sense the anguish and despair of her fellow Councilor. Etrius had devoted centuries to the care and protection of their leader and mentor, the master wizard Tremere. Etrius had finally broken their master’s curse, but instead of being reunited, he had been abandoned.

This surprised Meerlinda somewhat less. Locked in psychic combat with the soul of the Antidliuvan Saulot for aeons, Tremere no doubt needed time to gather his strength and assess the state of the world (and their House’s part of it). News of his return was not yet public, and it seemed reasonable to her that he would exploit that advantage for as long as possible. She was disappointed that her master had not yet thought to contact her directly, but she told herself that it was likely only be a matter of time.

Etrius however appeared now to be beyond all reason. Meerlinda knew that the care of their master had been a thankless task, which is why centuries ago she and the other Councilors had quickly dispersed to claim their territories in other parts of the world. Etrius alone had remained faithful, devoting all of his energies to the task. Now Tremere was free Etrius was no longer needed. From his words Meerlinda could tell that Etrius was spent, and distraught. He was now the one who was broken and in need of a caretaker.

Although she sympathised with her fellow Councilor she was reluctant to heed his call. The Fortschritt was not her home, and she was wary of becoming too embroiled in a foreign political arena. Her smooth alabaster skin and long auburn hair belied it but she was getting too old for such games. In recent nights she had felt weariness in her bones that no amount of meditation or vitae could entirely cleanse.

She was also troubled by the dilemma of her legacy: if she left America who else would counter the machinations of their rivals or the depredations of their enemies in her absence? There were few that she could trust with such a burden and the Pyramid’s strength in the New World was precarious in the aftermath of the Sabbat War. She had invested too much time and energy in her plans and schemes to abandon them now.

Meerlinda leant back in her favourite chair and studied the brass plate on her desk which, etched with magical symbols, had only hours ago delivered the letter for her attention. She concluded that Etrius would have used the arcane mechanism to deliver a priority missive to all of the Council, not just her. Therefore she would leave it to one of the others – Grimgroth or Elaine perhaps – to answer Vienna’s call.

Standing up, she moved over to the fireplace with the letter still in her hand. Although the hearth was not lit she did not need flint or matches to create a flame. With a simple thought the paper came alight at her touch. She discarded the flaming envelope into the hearth and stood still for a moment, watching it become ashes. The ultimate fate of every Kindred who could not withstand the dangers of eternity.

She walked from the fireplace to the window and peered out into the night. Somewhere out there was her master, her friend, and – ages past- once her lover. Reputedly the most powerful wizard to have ever walked the earth, no man or beast had seen his like before or since. She hoped his sojourn was short, as their clan needed him. Etrius needed him. The Clan needed him. She needed him.

She turned and settled back into her chair to wait.

  • You are here:  
  • Home