Vampire: Elder Kindred Network Newsletter June 2023
Preview art by Gabriel de Góes for an upcoming Vampire: The Eternal Struggle card.
Greetings fellow Methuselahs,
What about that cow?! Who said all ghouls need to be humans? Fantastic art by Gabriel de Góes, a preview from a card to be released later this year.
KELLY SCHULTZ IS THE 2023 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION!
We are very happy to see that the North American Vampire: The Eternal Struggle championship is back on track again after pandemic times, in some regards more flourishing than ever. The ten (10!) Week of Nightmares tournaments held at various Columbus venues the week before the main event had unusually many players, each with 25-30 players, both old, new and returning Methuselahs. Excellent!
The winners of the 2 round + final "side tournaments" were:
Monday: Erik Albenze
Monday: Mark Loughman
Tuesday: Darby Keeney
Tuesday: Darby Keeney
Wednesday: Karl Schaefer
Wednesday: Guy Russo
Thursday: Kelly Schultz
Thursday: Norm Brown
Friday: Erik Albenze
Friday: Karl Schaefer
Sunday: Karl Schaefer
On Saturday it was time for the actual championship, as usual played at Origins Game Fair at the Greater Coumbus Convention Center. 41 players turned up for battle. Standings after the three preliminary rounds:
1. Ian Lee (2 GW, 8 VP, 168 TP)
2. Kelly Schultz (2 GW, 7.5 VP, 168 TP)
3. Bill Troxel (2 GW 7.5 VP, 156 TP)
4. Mark Figuerola (2 GW 6.5 VP, 156 TP)
5. Kelly Lyons (1 GW, 7 VP, 150 TP)
Congratulations Kelly Schultz, new North American champion! We look forward to a newsletter interview with him some time in the future. He got 3 victory points in the final, Kelly Lyons got 2.
The tournament winning deck list: "Platonic Vote"
Crypt (12)
3x Lutz von Hohenzollern 11 AUS DEM OBF PRE pot inner circle Malkavian:4
3x Undele 9 CEL FOR obf pre ser magaji Ishtarri:5
2x Dmitra Ilyanova 9 CEL FOR POT PRE obf justicar Brujah:5
1x Adana de Sforza 11 CEL OBF POT PRE PRO aus inner circle Brujah:4
1x Orlando Oriundus 9 AUS DOM THA obf bishop Tremere antitribu:4
1x Rafael de Corazon 11 AUS CEL DOM OBF PRE inner circle Toreador:4
1x Stavros 7 AUS OBF PRE dem priscus Malkavian antitribu:4
Library (80)
Master (23; 1 trifle)
1x Barrens, The
1x Creepshow Casino
1x Dreams of the Sphinx
5x Information Highway
7x Minion Tap
1x Monastery of Shadows
1x Secure Haven
1x Wider View
5x Zillah's Valley
Action (1)
1x Entrancement
Political Action (20)
1x Anarchist Uprising
1x Ancient Influence
1x Ancilla Empowerment
3x Banishment
3x Conservative Agitation
1x Disputed Territory
1x Honor the Elders
6x Kine Resources Contested
1x Neonate Breach
1x Political Stranglehold
1x Reins of Power
Action Modifier (30)
2x Awe
2x Bewitching Oration
3x Elder Impersonation
1x Faceless Night
3x Forgotten Labyrinth
5x Lost in Crowds
6x Perfect Paragon
8x Voter Captivation
Action Modifier/Combat (6)
6x Force of Personality
Thanks to organisers Ben Peal and Jay Kristoff, any others that helped, sponsors and, of course, all the lovely players!
REMINDER: REGISTER FOR EC 2023 BEFORE JULY 15 TO GET THE EXCLUSIVE PLAYMAT
The organisers of the Barcelona Vampire: The Eternal Struggle European Championship 2023 ask you to please register for the event as soon as possible. If you register before July 15, you get the tournament exclusive playmat with the new Piper artwork depicted above. Hope to see you in October!
REMINDER: GRAND PRIX BRUSSELS COMING UP
On July 15-16, the European Vampire: The Eternal Struggle Grand Prix tour will have a stop in Brussels, Belgium. On Saturday, the wam-up event is the Belgian Limited National Championship 2023, a booster draft tournament in 3 rounds + final. Then on Sunday it´s time for the main event, a 3 rounds + final standard constructed tournament (proxies not allowed). Check out the VTES forum for detailed information!
DEMO GAMES AT MEGA XP GAME FAIR
Attention Mexican Methuselahs! And potential Methuselahs! If you happen to be in Mexico City on July 15th, swing by the board game convention MEGA XP. Luis Jiménez and others will host demo games this day - come play, chat, hang out and get some promo cards!
29 YEARS AFTER RELEASE: JYHAD SEALED TOURNAMENT
On June 17, a Jyhad sealed tournament was played in Zaragoza, Spain. David Villalba tells how it came to be and how it turned out:
How did we get to the point to organize this kind of tournament? For a long time we were willing to organize a different tournament in Zaragoza. We wanted to play games such as we used to in 1994, with a small bunch of bad cards. We checked our local community about their interest in something like that, something different. In general, the idea was welcomed by most of the players so we engaged our local Prince, Raúl Perfecto, and we got down to work.
First we needed to get hold of Jyhad stuff. Not an easy task, but after some diving on the VEKN forum we found that a similar tournament was held in USA in 2022. We started seeking for the person who organized it and, thanks to him, we got two booster boxes and some decks so the first task was completed. Let´s run a tornament!
The second task was to find somewhere to play. La Goblinera (“the goblin hideout”) was the most suitable one. It´s a club for tabletop-, board-, card- and role playing games, that usually embraces groups playing the role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade. It was a perfect venue and the most important thing: they found it a great proposal.
Finally, we opened the registration. We just had supplies for 15 players, so the tournament was really narrow and few hours after the registration began, it was filled. We had twelve local players and we showed the Fifth Tradition for three visitors from other cities.
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The tornament rules were as follows:
- Players create a deck out of the content of five booster packs. In addition, a sealed Jyhad starter deck was opened for each table, so players divided into the three five-player pods were able to pick cards in order to complete their decks.
- At least 8 vampires per crypt and between 35 to 50 library cards.
- Library can be re-shuffled and played one more time once it was empty.
- Every card is played according to the written text, not to the current text.
- All “playing for ante” and cards that may change the seating are forbidden.
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The tournament had 2 rounds and a final. The final table looked like this: Malkavian/Ventrue/Tremere DOM & PRE (Fernando) >> Malkavian DOM & OBF (Pedro) >> Gangrel (Ricky) >> Tremere toolbox (David) >> Ventrue/Tremere bleed & votes.
Fernando started powerbleeding and redirecting some bleeds and ousted Pedro who made the mistake to try to equip with weapons instead of bleeding fast. Then Fernando pushed again and ousted the Gangrel deck, who had no intercept cards in his deck and failed to draw cards to attack vampires. After that, Fernado's vampires were starving, so he ran out of power and got completely stuck.
Meanwhile, the Toolbox Tremere was playing a low profile game, letting the vote & bleed deck punish the Malkavian/Ventrue DOM & PRE deck who had two victory points already. After an important Deflection, the Tremere toolbox managed to oust the Vote & bleed deck and then, thanks to a 2-pool Misdirection to lock both of the Malkavian/Ventrue's two unlocked vampires, he won the game well-deserved with a three victory points result.
The best part of the tournament was the great enviroment and cheering up with a ”wake with evening's freshness”! And of course playing our favourite game in a different manner. Every participant finished the tournamet with a good feeling and a big smile, and people were very thankful for the effort done getting the supplies. So we have no choice: We are looking for more Jyhad sealed stuff for next year!
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GEHENNA COMES TO CHILE!
Some Chilean players created their own, non-official storyline event to celebrate the release of the Echoes of Gehenna set. Rodrigo Iturrieta sent us the rules, translated by Ginés Quiñonero:
Introduction
After so many years of studying, I should have realized who I was. I knew all the wonders and stories written in the four most famous books...
My pride blinded me. I thought I would recognize it, but it wasn't the case, and now it shares its visions with me...
I know I met him, shared with him, traveled with him... but I can't remember...
His power could rival any god in this world.
He watches us, and his judgment feels closer and closer. I know it because he has whispered it in my dreams and has imprinted the visions in the journeys my mind has taken to forgotten corners of a doomed world...
Now I am just a puppet, a ghost walking among my Kin. Many of them say I am dead. They believe our Dark Father met a similar fate. They have no idea how wrong they are.
Gehenna is real, it still continues, and its Echo resonates louder every night...
The Signs of the End
Gehenna is the End of Times for Cainites. No euphemisms. THE END. Vampires from all over the world sense this pivotal point in history and are attentive to the Signs that precede the catastrophe.
In Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, Event cards with the Gehenna subtype are part of the Signs of the End.
A Gehenna Event on the table is difficult to handle, and as they accumulate, everything becomes nearly impossible for the Methuselahs.
The Rules of the End
- The deck construction format is V5+ (Vampire: The Eternal Struggle 5th Edition and beyond). If you have any doubts about which cards correspond to this format, you can find information at http://vteschile.cl/formato-limitado/
- All Ally cards (Recruit Action) are considered unique and contestable, even if the card text does not state "Unique."
- The following cards cannot be used in deck construction:
- Crypt Cards: Karen Suadela
- Event Cards: All Event cards (whether Gehenna or not) cannot be used in decks.
- All servants created with cards of type "Embrace" (Bamba, Creation Rites, The Becoming, The Embrace, Thin-Blooded Seer, Third Tradition: Progeny, Tumnimos, Waters of Duat) are considered unique.
- A "Deck of Events" is assembled from the Echoes of Gehenna expansion pack and the card "No More Jyhad" is added to it. The game starts with the Wormwood Event in play. At the end of each round, the first Event card from the Deck of Events is revealed and put into play (ignoring any requirements and/or restrictions, if any).
- Each Methuselah can burn an Event card in play by paying 2 from their Blood Pool and skipping their turn. This can only be done once per game.
- The winner of the game is awarded the pack that was used to assemble the Deck of Events at their table.
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Download these rules in Spanish here.
GREAT VTES CONTENT
Blogging about Vampire: The Eternal Struggle seem to be a flickering business, but here´s some currently active ones in English that we like:
• The Thessalian Scrolls is by a Spanish player who talks about his tournament experiences and all things VTES - well worth a look!
• The Garou Rim Gazette is by a Finnish player who writes about various gaming stuff. The article "Deckbuilding Brujah Debate" is about just that - how to build a deck around the card Brujah Debate, something many have tried, but the archetype so far hasn´t become a staple top tier thing.
• VTES One has been around forever with a steady steam of content. Lately we saw an entertaining experiment with AI for VTES in "Mastering the Shadows", check it out!
DO YOU WANT TO HOST THE 2024 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP?
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 SUMMARY: JUNE 2023
• Black Chantry CEO Hugh Angseesing, designer Mike Nudd and some FANTASTIC volunteers appeared at the UK Games Expo in Birmingham, UK. The space was shared with Null Signal Games, current producers of Netrunner. Great success! Demo games! Sold products! Player questions answered! Smiling faces! Don´t be surprised if this happens again.
• The New Blood packs for Banu Haqim, Brujah, Gangrel and Ministry are at the printer. Hopefully they will reach stores in August or early September.
• Another full art promo card was revealed! This time for fifth installment of the Festivo dello Estinto storyline tournament in Zaragosa, Spain, to be played on September 16-17. And appropriately, the card is Festivo dello Estinto:
• The next three preconstructed decks (Ravnos, Salubri and Tzimisce) are getting close to ready for print. Three rounds of playtesting are done and all art is in. The design team and the rules director are doing some finishing touches.
• You asked for it - you got it! The Fall of London set is now available in latin at Drivethrucards.com!
Currently these Black Chantry products are available through 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 only)
Promo Pack 1 (Drivethrucards only)
Promo Pack 2 (Event promos 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)
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 World of Darkness crew over at Paradox and all their partners are doing a lot of stuff! Here´s our top Vampire-related picks from the last month:
• “Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice” was announced. Developed by Fast Travel Games (makers of “Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife”), this will be a VR first person single player adventure RPG set in Venice. Check out the trailer over at www.vtmjustice.com
• Finally some news about “Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2”! New in-game screenshots, a refund programme and a date for more news (September) was revealed – read the full announcement at Paradox!
• Renegade Game Studios will publish “Blood-Stained Love”, a sourcebook for Storytellers and players who want to include more romance in their Vampire: The Masquerade chronicles, filled with new merits, flaws, powers and role-playing tips.
Subscribe to the World of Darkness News show for more news!
CALENDAR
Upcoming tournaments for the coming month (registered so far) are in:
Belgium x2
Brazil x15
Chile x4
Croatia
Finland x2
Mexico
Online x3
Poland
Portugal
Spain x7
Switzerland
United Kingdom
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
You think you want to disappear? What you really want is to be found.
Vampire: Elder Kindred Network Newsletter May 2023
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?
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.
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!
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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
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.
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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!
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!
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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:
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
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!
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 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 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.
• 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 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.
Currently these Black Chantry products are available through 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 only)
Promo Pack 1 (Drivethrucards only)
Promo Pack 2 (Event promos 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)
Fifth Edition: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Toreador (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Tremere (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French)
Promo Pack 3 (Event promos only)
Fifth Edition: Banu Haqim (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Brujah (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Gangrel (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: The Ministry (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French)
The Fall of London (Also Spanish, French)
Echoes of Gehenna (Presale)
Shadows of Berlin (Presale)
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
• 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.
Vampire: Elder Kindred Network Newsletter April 2023
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!
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).
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.
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
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
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 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!
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
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.
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 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.
Currently these Black Chantry products are available through 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 only)
Promo Pack 1 (Drivethrucards only)
Promo Pack 2 (Event promos 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)
Fifth Edition: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Toreador (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Tremere (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French)
Promo Pack 3 (Event promos only)
Fifth Edition: Banu Haqim (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Brujah (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: Gangrel (Also Spanish, French)
Fifth Edition: The Ministry (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Malkavian (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Nosferatu (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Toreador (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Tremere (Also Spanish, French)
New Blood: Ventrue (Also Spanish, French)
The Fall of London (Also Spanish, French)
Echoes of Gehenna (Presale)
Shadows of Berlin (Presale)
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.
Art 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.
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