BYO: Baltimore: From the Ashes A Leader Will Rise - Introduction

August 14, 2004 at Games and Comics...and Stuff In Beautiful Downtown Glen Burnie, Maryland

Baltimore Harbor is choked with debris and a sickening pallid slime. The City of Baltimore has been violated. The warehouses along the waterfront have been burned to the ground. The Prince of Baltimore has been irrespectively snuffed, like an iridescent candle the day after a week long carnival has ended. The Camarilla Clans have fled to nearby New York City, leaving Baltimore to simmer in its own spattered blood and humidity. Every conveyance imaginable has been used to escape the onslaught, including the Metro-Liner and the hordes of unlicensed taxi cabs that prey upon the unwary passengers arriving and departing Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

Evil now lurks along the streets of Baltimore in the stench and smell of Semsith as he walks the Lasombra through the narrow streets, lined with marble steps, and leading from the Inner Harbor. Gratiano and his minions are quite pleased with themselves. The acrid air smells good. It's a pleasant, unpolluted fragrance; the relish of a purge.

Greed and distrust drove the in-fighting and splintering that threaten to destroy the Sabbat's fragile hold on Baltimore, but Semsith's arrival in the New World signaled the unavoidable surge of power and the predictable dispersion and sacrifice of all opponents.

It took nearly twenty days for the mammoth conflagration to be extinguished. The city inhabitants dismissed the loss of the abandoned buildings, believing they were set by the drug-addicted and the insane. "Good Riddance To Bad Rubbish," the Baltimore News-American headline proclaimed in 30-point type.

The Ravnos, who betrayed the location of Isaac Goldwin's haven, were sickened. They had naively believed the fire would not be set until after the Prince had left the building. Now they fear the might of the Sabbat and the anger of the Camarilla.

The remains of the Prince of Baltimore now coalesce with the green foam of the Patapsco River, flowing over the Harbor Tunnel, the Fort McHenry Tunnel, under the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and into the Chesapeake Bay. The Port of Baltimore is evermore changed.

The Camarilla and the Independent Clans who took flight, now are contemplating a return to Baltimore, the Monumental City...Charm City, as described in the local media, but more recently described by the Sabbat as Disarm City.

Securing a safe heaven is the top priority and the soon to be returning clans have now begun individual communications, shrouded in mystery, and intent on securing new havens for the chosen of Cain.

The Port of Baltimore demands a ruler...and from the ashes a leader will rise.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL CARDS

This event will mark the limited distribution of two new promo-cards, drawn by locally un-renowned artist, Dan (Do Dirty Red) Coleman. The cards are: "Crown Me" and "Power Lunch, Baltimore." The former is a Action Modifier that comes into play as a Unique Equipment card with special rules and abilities much like the mechanisms of "Eye of Hazimel" and the latter is a Master: Unique Location with special capabilities. Both cards are explained in details in The Special House Rules.

NEW TO V:TES TOURNAMENTS?

If you are new to playing in Vampire: The Eternal Struggle tournaments, this storyline tournament is an ideal time to try your first tournament. All you really need to play is a constructed deck per the guidelines below (or simply use one of the pre-constructed starter decks from the White Wolf Catalog or your local retailer) and to review the Vampire: Elder Kindred Network (the player community for the Vampire card game) standard tournament rules.

V:TES TOURNAMENT RULES

Bring a clan-based deck representing who you'd like to control Baltimore. All standard V:EKN Rules will apply. In addition, at least 75% of your deck's crypt is to be comprised of a single clan (for example, in a 12-card crypt, at least 9 vampires must be of the same clan). Complete the rest of your crypt in any manner you please. The tournament Historian will make a record of key battles and of the winning clan at your event and forward the results to White Wolf. Here's your chance to finish this chapter of Baltimore's history.

THE SPECIAL HOUSE RULES

Crown Me [Promo]

Card Type: Action Modifier

Cost: No cost to play

This action modifier card represents a unique equipment. Successful action means that this card is put into play on the gaining Vampire. The Vampire with this equipment is the Leader of Baltimore (two votes unless titled; if titled, gain one additional vote). It may be played by a ready--and not going to Torpor--Vampire immediately after successfully performing any one of the following actions: 1) Bleed for more than three; 2) Call and win any referendum by more than two votes; or 3) Burn or send to Torpor a Vampire controlled by another Methuselah. This equipment cannot be transferred as normal, but another Vampire may steal it by one of the following acts: A) Bleed the Methuselah controlling the Leader for more than three; B) Call and win a referendum to take control of "Crown Me." This political action starts at 0 stealth. Stealth may be added; or C) Burn or send the Leader to Torpor. If this equipment is stolen, the controller loses two pool and all counters on the card go to the blood bank. Each time the card is equipped the remaining players put a pool on the card. During your influence phase, if the Vampire with this card is ready, you may move one pool from the card to your pool or to one of your uncontrolled Vampires. The card is placed in the center of the table and is uncontrolled if the controlling player is ousted by means other than the three methods described or if the "stealing" Vampire is burned or torporized in the successful act.

For this special Storyline event, this card is placed in the center of the table before game play and may be equipped by the first ready--and not going to Torpor--Vampire to successfully perform any one of the three enabling actions.

Power Lunch, Baltimore [Promo]

Card Type: Master

Cost: No cost

Master: Unique Location

Put this card into play. You may burn this card to cancel the effects of any of the three methods of stealing "Crown Me" from one of the Vampires that you control. The action is canceled. No cost is paid by the acting minion; however, the acting minion remains tapped and may not perform the same action during this turn.

For this special Storyline event, this card is added to every deck. Players may still bring a constructed deck of 90 cards, if desired. The addition of this card will permit decks of up to 91 cards.

IDEAL TIME FOR NEW PLAYERS TO TRY V:TES

Because of the fun nature of this event, this would be an ideal time for new players to attend their first tournament. The event will not count toward player ratings, but the event is recognized by White Wolf as a "create your own storyline" and has been placed on the White Wolf calendar.

August 14, 2004 @ Noon

Games and Comics...and Stuff

7452 Baltimore and Annapolis Blvd.

Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061

(410) 863-7418 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (410) 863-7418      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

$3.00 Entry Fee

Games and Comics...and Stuff Web site:

http://www.gamescomicsstuff.com

Organizer Name: Dan Coleman, V:EKN Prince of Baltimore

Organizer Email:

Organizer web site:

http://www.angelfire.com/me/do30red/vtes.html