The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 1 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003
EDITORIAL...... 2 OVERVIEW & AGM...... 3 MINUTES OF THE CAMARILLA IRELAND ANNUAL GENERA L MEETING 2003 ...... 3 OFFICERS & ACRONYMS ...... 5 IRC & E-MAIL LISTS – A GENERAL GUIDE...... 7 CURRENT E-GROUPS & E-MAIL LISTS...... 8 RED SKY AT NIGHT : NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS...... 9 CAM/ANARCH : STATE OF THE NATION : WE PRINCES FIVE ...... 10 CAM/ANARCH : STATE OF THE NATION : THE SUBJECTS...... 11 THE GHOULED ...... 12 ASK AUNT LILITH ...... 13 THE EMBRACED (I)...... 14 THE EMBRACED (II)...... 14 CHANGELING HIBERNIA : WAR REPORT ...... 17 THE NEW SABBAT ...... 18 WRAITH : OBLIVION : AN UPCOMING GAME...... 19 GAMES IN IRELAND ...... 22 DUBLIN : CAM / ANARCH & WEREWOLF ...... 22 CORK : CAM /ANARCH, GAROU, CHANGELING & SABBAT...... 23 LIMERICK : GAROU & CAM / ANARCH...... 24 GALWAY : CAM / ANARCH & CHANGELING...... 24 WATERFORD : CAM / ANARCH ...... 24 FAQ : THE YEAR OF FIRE ...... 25 LETS ROCK! ...... 26
EDITORIAL “I went to Gehenna & all I got was this lousy t-shirt” Just in case you didn’t know, the world is going to end. No, like, really REALLY end. The Year of Fire is upon us & there’s a lot of rumours around at the moment. Will each & every vampire die? Is the Wyrm going to triumph, & Fomorians wipe us all out? Will the Malkavians go even more barking than normal & the Tremere suddenly start to loosen up a bit & have fun? No one knows, but we can tell you this. It’s going to be one hell of a year in the World of Darkness. Inside we have the low down on the Year of Fire & how it’s going to affect the game from Bill Sherman, the Master Story Teller for the Camarilla. There’s also descriptions of most of the Irish games & details on where & when they’re on, for those of you who want to travel around a little & get your characters into dangerous situations in whole new areas. If you can’t afford the trainfare, check out our guide to MIRC & the e-mail lists. We’ve also got a lot of in character articles, an Agony Aunt column, a complete rundown on what’s been happening in Ireland in character for the last few months, & what I can only hope is a humorous article on how to psych out your opponents & triumph at rock / paper / scissors. I worry about you lot sometimes… If there’s anything else you’d like to see, just let me know & I’ll try & get it in the next one. If you want to send in any articles or artwork for the Reliquary, mail them to [email protected] or post to 358 Blarney Street, Cork. We will review all submissions & anything that makes it in will get prestige. Most stuff should make it in, unless it’s dodgy Werewolf porn or something (eugh… furry), so feel free to mail me whatever you want. If you want to volunteer to help, or think that you can do a better job, by all means mail me! In the meantime, enjoy the Reliquary & enjoy the game. Sadhbh Warren, Cork DC & ANC (Reliquary & General Dogsbody) Contributors & general helpers in no particular order: Kris Crofts, Charles Dunne, John Bracken, Ciarán O’ Muirthile, Ciarán Kenny, Sadhbh Warren, Ian Carroll, Pa Curtin, Vinnie Ireton, Silja Muller, Neil Kelly, Ian O Brien, Fiki Kelly Artwork by : Dave Keyes, John Bracken, Peter Houston GET MORE CHEESE! If you want to submit articles for the next Reliquary, hopefully scheduled for some time in mid December, please submit them before Dec 1st to [email protected] Artwork is always appreciated & prestige is given for all submissions.
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Disclaimer Text : The following terms & words are Trade marks / Copyright of White Wolf Publishing Inc & are used with their permission : The Camarilla, Brujah, Ventrue, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, The Anarchs, The Sabbat, Garou, Year of Fire. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. All mystical & supernatural elements are fiction & are intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised. All work remains the property of the author. No really, if you actually need to read this bit, get a fecking life & stop being so pedantic. It’s a bloody fanzine, I’ve spent the last seven bloody hours collating it on a piece of junk computer at home, all the contributions are completely voluntary & it’s not making any money. I mean, really…
OVERVIEW & AGM
Between the National Game in June, & what felt like a Regional every other weekend, it’s been a fairly long & hectic Summer for Cam games. There are Camarilla Games in Ireland in five cities, Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway & Waterford, & all of them have seen an increase in membership & games over the last few months.
· Cork : Vampire (Cam Anarch), Werewolf, Changeling & Vampire (Sabbat) · Dublin : Vampire (Cam Anarch), Werewolf · Limerick : Werewolf, Vampire (Cam Anarch) · Galway : Changeling, Vampire (Cam Anarch) · Waterford : Vampire (Cam Anarch)
The Cork games takes place on Mondays upstairs from 8pm in the Franciscan Well brewery on North Mall. Mail [email protected] if you need more details. The Dublin games are a little more erratic due to venue problems but tends towards Sunday nights, with Vampire now running on the last Monday of the month in upstairs in the Gasworks, over Frasier's of O'Connell Street. Again, details these games are generally notified to the Irish OOC list, or you can contact Silja, the new Dublin DC, at [email protected] Galway games remain elusive & your best bet would be to contact Kris Crofts at [email protected] to find out where & when the games are on. They generally tend to be at weekends, & will accommodate visiting players quite happily provided that they agree to bring munchies. For those of you who want to head to Limerick, game times & places can be variable so the best thing to do would be contact Will Reidy at [email protected]. For Waterford, ask Ceire at [email protected]
If you are planning on heading to a game in another city, it’s a good idea to submit a character sheet to the Story Teller in advance so they can note any relevant details & hopefully, plan to have your character included in the plot. Please remember that the Officers are only human & may not be in a position to check their mail daily, so allow a few days for them to respond to communications.
Minutes of the Camarilla Ireland Annual General Meeting 2003 The *extremely* amended version. For the full report, go to www.gameeire.com/camirl & follow the links! Held in the Rochestown Park Hotel, 8th June, 2003.
Present : 19 Irish Members, also 4 International Guests Agenda 1. National Officers’ Reports (Verbal) 2. Developments in respect of the Tome 3. Any Other Business
1a) National Co-ordinator’s Report (Fiachra Kelly, NC Ireland) Fiki began by discussing the current status of the International Tome. He noted that certain sections of the Tome would be international, including the prestige system, the disciplinary process & the Code of Conduct. He concluded this section by saying that the Irish Camarilla Draft Constitution would be a White Wolf- approved document. Fiki also outlined the current financial position of the organisation. Before the national,
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 3 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 Camarilla Ireland had had €158. It had taken €70 at the doors, as well as one new member, taking funds to €238. Expenses had included food for the Changeling game, a prop for the Vampire game, drinks during the Vampire game & printing paper for use over the weekend. Reliquary had cost in the region of €130, but this had included the purchase of stock that would be available for future issues. The organisation had about €12 in hand. 1b) National Storyteller’s Report (Ciarán Ó Muirthile, NST Ireland) Ciarán began with an assessment of the national games. He said that he had been happy with the standard of the games & that he considered each of them to have improved on last year. Looking ahead, he noted that due to time constraints it was probably impossible to run more than three games in the course of a weekend but that by next year it was possible that four venues would be operating in the country – Cam/Anarch, Garou, Changeling & Sabbat & that arrangements might have to change to accommodate this. Ciarán also gave a brief outline of the difficulties surrounding the implementation of the new rules set (6.0), & how these would be dealt with. Amendments operated by national affiliates will be clarifications rather than contradictions, allowing some flexibility but not a great deal – the intention is to create an internationally standardised rules set. Ciarán moved on to a discussion of the state of the various venues in play. Ciarán O’M spoke about the new Sabbat venue, saying that a few games had been run, with quite positive feedback. He expected games in Dublin & Cork, & possibly in Waterford.
2) Developments in respect of the Tome The Tome was deemed to have been dealt with in some detail by the National Co-ordinator’s report.
3) Any Other Busi ness Ashley raised the issue of Cam/Anarch-Sabbat crossover. Cillian Doyle felt that the organisation had improved greatly this year, since Fiki & Ciarán had taken over. Fiki wished to point out that it was the responsibility of both members & officers to track things like XP & prestige. Fiki also opened nominations for a Membership Class 15 award, but none were accepted. Ciarán (O’M) thanked all those present for attending.
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OFFICERS & ACRONYMS Who the hell are they, what do they mean & what do they do?
You may have heard people spouting on about CCs & STs & ADCs & AAAAAACSTs & wondered what the hell they were talking about. No, they’re not the priests of some bizarre cult (honest) but the hardworking officers of the Camarilla & here’s who they are & what they do. Take with a VERY large pinch of salt.
NC (National Co-Coordinator): Fiachra “Fiki” Kelly : [email protected] The most thankless job in the world. Expect no praise, friends or life if it is your misfortune to be shackled with the chains of obedience. The only perk is the Grand Klaive of Flaknor, which can automatically, no challenge required, turn anyone of these people into a lifeless shell of skin known as a "normal member". OR Fiki is the National Coordinator for the Camarilla Ireland, responsible for representing White Wolf to the player & vice versa. He’s the head honcho for membership, solving problems & reporting.
NST (National Storyteller): Ciarán O Muirthile : [email protected] The ultimate Alpha, the NST will rarely be less than Elder rank, never less than Athro. Often pure breed 4 or more, the Elders Elder commands respect where ever they go. Blessed with great gifts & the magic "de-sanction wand" fetish, they are powerful beings indeed. OR Ciarán tells everyone that they can’t play super powerful characters & oversees all the Irish plots, integrating them with international plots & NPCs. He’s currently doing his stretching exercises & limbering up for the Year of Fire. (Read : drinking even more coffee than normal & chain-smoking.)
ANST (Assistant National Storyteller): Cam / Anarch : Ciarán Kenny : [email protected] Changeling : Charles Dunne – Kris Krofts is currently acting as ANST : daziel_@hotmail Garou : is currently being decided, following Ashley Perryman stepping down Like the DST, but approximately one foot taller with bright red hair & fire shooting out their posteriors. OR Overseeing the various venues & the interaction between them, ANSTs make sure that we all have plenty of National plots to play with (and hopefully break), keeping the chains of communication open between the games.
DC (Domain Co-Ordinator): Dublin : Silja Muller : [email protected] Cork : Sadhbh Warren : [email protected] Galway : Kris Krofts : daziel_@hotmail Limerick : Ian O Brien : [email protected] Waterford : Ceire O Donghue : [email protected] These make even the lazy drones look worthless. Constant pheromone imbalance causes these misfortunate creatures to *appear* as if there doing work, but in reality are doing nothing more than wallowing in their own filth. They commonly make Nests out of folders, scraps of paper & clipboards, to make themselves feel big & look important. OR DCs are the coordinating officers of each area, dealing with any issues that come up & keeping lines of communication open between chapter & national officers. Good people to talk to if you’re interested in getting involved with the Camarilla, would like to help out & earn prestige, want to check your prestige log or want to find out more about games in the area.
DST (Domain Storyteller): Dublin : Ciaran Kenny : [email protected] Cork : Tom O Neill : [email protected] Galway : Kris Krofts : daziel_@hotmail Limerick : Will Reidy : [email protected]
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 5 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 The dominant class in the society, almost a kind of lesser noble, these noble creatures embody all that is good in our kind. A golden skin, offset with a deep, rich green hair clearly marks these godlings as members of a much higher social standing. Their most common servant is the CST, or "minion" & they tend to hunt in gangs of three or more, ready to unleash their deadly "plot venom" on unsuspecting members. OR DSTs make sure that all the games in a venue interweave & that plots carry over, acting as a link between the CSTs & the ANSTs & NST. Basically, if you ever hear the words “and as you shift to Crinos, frenzying, you attack the vampire in front of you” & then realise that you’re attacking your vampire character, blame them.
CC (Chapter Co-Ordinator): Too many to go into – mail the DCs for details! This person, essentially does nothing. They are the filthy parasitic ticks on the back of the Camarilla, slowly sucking out the cheese until there is none left. They move from society to club, normally migrating amongst a mass of society regulation & redtape. The males can be recognised by their bright red crest, & the females by their blue stripes, normally shown during mating season. OR The CCs job is to take care of everything about the games but storytelling the games themselves. This means dealing with the venues, postering, complaints, any issues, helping new players get on e- mail lists etc. If you have any sort of problem relating to the games WITH THE EXCEPTION OF in character issues (& please remember that while CCs are wonderful, they’re not actually agony aunts & can’t deal with queries on your love life, that nasty rash you’ve got etc) go to them & watch in awe as they sort it out with amazing speed & grace. If you need to know where & when games are on, or even how to set up your own games, these are the people to talk to. They’re the person taking the attendance sheet each game, which amongst other things makes sure you get you XP for the game so write legibly!
CST (Chapter Storyteller): Too many to go into – mail the DCs for details! These hard working types are the antithesis of a CC. Where the CC fulfils the role of the Drone, the CST is the bumblebee of the Camarilla. Loyal, hard-working diligent often fully paid members, they can easily be recognised by their bloodshot eyes, haggard expression & bright yellow beaks. OR STs are the story-tellers & GMs, the people that actually run the games every month. You’re probably more than familiar with them wandering around & having players leap on them to ask them questions about their characters. If you have a question to ask them that doesn’t need to be addressed there & then, be patient & consider asking them in your downtime as they generally spend most of the evening in a mild case of panic, & overburdening them with more stuff might just make them explode. If you have ideas for plots, things you’d like to see more of in character or really cool NPCs, go & talk to them. Otherwise, pat them gently on the head & let them sit down occasionally, they’ve definitely earned it. If you are planning on attending a game outside your normal ones, it’s usually considered a good idea to let the STs have a quick look at your character sheet in advance.
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IRC & E-MAIL LISTS – A GENERAL GUIDE Want to get involved more with global plots & stuff outside your back-yard, but can’t afford to fly all over the world? You can do all this on the web. There are loads of Camarilla e-mail lists & chat rooms available to players. IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat, & is the official technical type namey thing for a chat room. There are an awful lot of Camarilla chat rooms, both in & out of character, & players from all over the world interact & make influential friends & enemies in these. It lets people all over the world participate in real-time conversations. Using an IRC client (program) you can exchange text messages interactively with other people all over the world. Some of the more popular chat clients are mIRC & Pirch for Windows, XChat for Linux, & Homer or Ircle for Mac's. What program you use doesn't really matter; all of them connect to the same chat networks. When logged into a chat session, you "converse" by typing messages that are instantly sent to other chat participants.
There are loads of Camarilla chat rooms, where you can talk with other players in character or out, local players or someone from the other side of the world. As most people would use Windows software, a large listing of IRC clients for Windows can be found at: http://www.valinor.sorcery.net/clients/platforms-windows.html The most common clients in use at the moment are mIRC, Trillian & Pirch, & are available from this site.. mIRC is the most common client used, & is available as a shareware download for free, but if you continue using it for longer than 30 days you are requested to pay for it. Whether you do or not is up to you…
When you have your client & it is installed, you need to configure it for use. All the Camarilla sanctioned channels are held on a server called DarkMyst. Depending on your client, this may be referred to as the IRC Network you are connecting to. mIRC connects directly to Darkmyst from the first installation, other clients may have to be directed there. Most clients will then ask you for some information prior to connection, such as the nickname you will use & your e-mail address. Once this is filled in you should have the option of connecting to the IRC network you have chosen (In the case of the Camarilla this is DarkMyst) In mIRC this information will be filled in the first pop-up screen that opens. When you’re connected up, prior to joining Chat Rooms there are some simple steps you should take to “secure” your IRC presence. The first is the registering of your Nickname. If someone else has already registered the Nickname, the client will ask you for a password & you won’t be able to us that nickname. If not, it is yours to register. To register the nickname type the following command; (All commands in IRC begin with a / (Forward Slash)) /nickserv register
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 7 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 Current E-groups & E-mail lists.
The Camarilla uses a lot of e-mail & group lists for various reasons. Out of character lists are used to notify members of upcoming events, offers & changes, & in character lists are used to communicate in character with other players. All in character lists are “soft” roleplay in that there are no challenges allowed & players are free simply to talk. Most lists are hosted by Yahoo Groups at http://www.yahoogroups.com
If you want to subscribe to a list, send a mail to [email protected]. For example, to join Irish OOC, the main Out of Character list giving details on games & where & when they’re on, & any other interesting things happening, mail [email protected] In all cases, when you send a subscription mail, remember to state your name, Cam number, your Domain Co- ordinator & the ST of the game. If you don’t know these details, just send what you do know & we’ll try & sort you out. & ALWAYS WRITE “SUBSCRIBE” IN THE MESSAGE HEADER
There are many in character lists – here are the subscription & general addresses for the main Irish in character lists. If you are wondering if your clan/ kith /tribe have a specific e-mail address, probably the best thing to do is ask other players who play the same type. This is usually incharacter information & getting onto the lists should be role-played out – after all, I’m sure that the Tremere don’t let just anybody find out where they pass all their info on, & a lot of players would kill to be on the Nosferatu lists. In almost all cases there are international lists, or lists based in the UK for the various clans/kiths/tribes – contact your DST or DC & see if they can point you in the right direction.
Below are most of the Irish & venue specific lists in yahoo groups that we know of at the moment, along with the in character premise if there is one.
Out of character ::: irish-ooc-subscribe@ = The Irish Out of Character list ::: Corkcam-subscribe@ = The Cork OOC list ::: d-dublin-subscribe@ = The Dublin OOC list
Vampire (for Clan lists, your best bet is to persuade a Clanmate you deserve to be told the info IC…) ::: Irishcamanarch-subscribe@ = The General Irish Cam Anarch list- A commun-ications haven in Dublin, staffed by ghouls, that pins all announcements on a notice board. ::: Strangers_City-subscribe@ = The Cork Vampire list
Werewolf :: irish-garou-subscribe@ = The General Irish list for Werewolf - Funky commun-ications spirits that carry messages & general shouts of abuse from cairn to cairn
Changeling ::: Irish-Changeling-subscribe@ =The General Irish changeling list ::: Motleysandmews-subscribe@ = Irish commoners list – a bar in the Dreaming. ::: Hibernian_Lords-subscribe@ = Irish Nobles List – Couriers that carry notes to all the nobles of Hibernia. Commoners need not apply. ☺
Sabbat ::: irishsabbat-subscribe@ = The General Irish Sabbat list – No premise yet, although mutated flying bats have been mentioned… ::: Cork_Sabbat-subscribe@ = The IC Cork Sabbat list
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RED SKY AT NIGHT : Newspaper Clippings
From the Irish Times EARTH'S CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH MARS Between now & the end of August, Mars will brighten until it is the second-brightest object in the night sky, after the moon - six times brighter than normal. Already Mars si spectacular - bright, steady & astonishingly red. Even amateur astronomers with backyard telescopes are reporting great views of such details as Mars' south polar cap, highly reflective because it is made of 'dry ice' (frozen water & carbon dioxide). Other markings are also visible & will become more so in coming days. Astronomers call these close encounters "perihelic oppositions", which, in layman's terms, means that Mars is at its closest approach to the sun while the Earth is simultaneously located in a straight line between Mars & the sun. Naysayers are pointing out that Mars was almost as close as it will be at the end of the month back in 1924, 1845 & 1766. But astronomy enthusiasts respond that while that may be true, this is still the best look that humanity has had at Mars since the days of the Neanderthals. "Even if, to a casual observer, it won't look any different than it may have in 1924, most of the world's casual observers weren't alive then to see it, & those that were didn't have access to the new technology." Seeing as we can't expect Mars to be this close again till 2287, this is an opportunity too good to miss.
Printed in The Sun & the astrology section of The Evening Herald : PLANET OF WAR LOOMS CLOSE Astrologists are predicting uneasy times ahead as Mars, the planet of war, aggression, determination & independence passes closer to the Earth than it has in millennia. "This is the reason why we're seeing great global turmoil at the moment," one expert proclaimed at a recent astrologists convention. "This energy has been building up for several months in both worldly & personal areas." In astrological terms August 27 is just about the midpoint date of the Mars station points since it goes retrograde July 29, at 3:38 AM EDT at 10 degrees 8 minutes of Pisces & direct September 27, at 3:53 AM EDT at 0 degrees 7 minutes of Pisces. Astrologers say that Mars is 60% stronger than usual in its force during the time of the station points. Mars also rules construction, & it is still an unpropitious time for any type of building or remodeling. Those projects continuing under this period will proceed slowly & need additional work when Mars is no longer retrograde. Also, as Mars is currently transiting through Pisces, this will put feet under stress. Try to avoid high heels & postpone foot surgery where possible.
And in the Obituaries James Lannister 1957 – 2003 “Here lies Ozymandius, King of Kings, Look on my works, ye mighty, & despair.”
We pray for the soul of James Lannister, who passed away peacefully in his sleep after a long illness. While James had been plagued by ill fortune of late, he is best remembered as a social luminary, a generous patron of the Arts, a benefactor of many charities & a true gentleman of the old school. His work will be evident to all those who look upon the recent improvements in Dublin that he so kindly sponsored, including the recent renovation of O’ Connell Street. He will be remembered as the spirit of altruism & generosity both home & abroad. He is not survived by any family.
“He was the brightest light in a world of darkness.” Fondly remembered by his loving friends, the Feudro family of Madrid, & his loving friend, Sophia.
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CAM/ANARCH : STATE OF THE NATION : WE PRINCES FIVE
Not so long ago it seemed that Éireann was destined in these nights to be ever the land of change. Power changed hands, Kindred rose, Kindred fell, some disappeared. Now it seems things have become rather more settled. The Camarilla has struck a sterling blow for itself in recent months with the installation of several new Princes, each with unswerving strength of character displayed by few Princes since the time of Tyrant Alexander Douglas.
In Dublin, (having renounced the historical ties of his throne to the Pale), James Lannister holds acrimonious court over his subjects. Though a Toreador of some impression, this Prince is no stranger to lethal enforcement of his laws. In a recent court, the criminal Magpie was executed by his adoptive sire, Qualin Hess, under orders from his Prince for having attempted to publicise the Prince’s dual nature to mortal society. While the Prince is certainly somewhat renowned as a social élite amongst the Kine, one can only assume that he takes exception to being forced out of the immortal closet within their community. While this writer would certainly critique the Prince’s means of rule, one cannot vacillate in one’s opinions concerning his accreditable nature as an artist. In a recent ruling, the Prince ordered his residents to improve the culture of the city. Each clan complied with an equal lack of imagination. Plans to build libraries, enforce a tidy-town mentality upon the capital’s main street & build an Elysium (Dublin certainly does require another) are underway. Perhaps in time & tutelage, the Kindred of the city will aspire to capture the same creativity, which their sovereign seeks to impose.
It is perhaps fitting in antipode to digress from Dublin to Cork. By stark contrast to the nation’s capital, the domain of Cork enjoys (if indeed that is the correct term) a Prince of greater…moral conviction. Ever a fervent proponent of drowning the Beast within, Prince Desmond does seem to relish a contrary & bizarre fascination with violence. While the Prince herself is rarely seen undergoing any form of combat, she does enjoy waving her oversized sword around. Gossips amongst us cite phallic symbolism within a predominantly patriarchal society. Nevertheless, she is one of few Princes these nights that seeks order amongst the chaos of Camarilla society. Strange that one from the battered & unruly city of New York should be the one to restore order & enforce peace of both mind & soul among her subjects.
“All are lunatics, but he who can analyse his delusion is called a philosopher”. So said Ambrose Bierce before his disappearance during the Mexican Revolution. Whom of the Princes of Éireann could this describe better than &rew Snyder of the Clan of the Moon? Though Prince Snyder was temporarily without a Clan before his acquisition of power, he has found a place for himself within the newly founded domain of Shannon & is content to acknowledge his rebirthright at a member of the Malkavians. My initial projections of this Prince’s ‘staying-power’ fluctuate wildly. Is he truly a philosopher, able to see sense in backing an idiot Harpy, or is he a fool, scrambling to establish a reputation as being as harsh with opponents as Prince Lannister or Prince Desmond? Whichever version you prefer to retain, my dearest reader, know that he will not tolerate your insolence for long.
Twinned by Clan is the Prince of Waterford, Miss Demeanour. Though a trite name & one unlikely ever to strike as much fear into the lifeless hearts of her peers as the likes of ‘Villon’ or ‘Luxembourg’, this Prince of the Deise does have a fearsome hidden temper that shone through at her recent court. Embarrassingly, those ghouls assigned to guard weapons handed over by Kindred of Éireann before entering her court later attempted to steal the weapons & make away with them. The ghouls were of course stopped, though not before the Prince re- entered court dripping wet & fuming with anger. While she stated that some leech had attempted to mentally sway the ghouls into this, many Kindred later refuted her claims. Regardless, Prince Deise has struggled against terrible odds to rebuild her city into a paragon of Camarilla virtue & setbacks such as these have never & shall never stop her.
Of course we also have the fine upstanding Prince of Galway, Prince Fitzgerald. A prince of the old school, (so old in fact no one can remember when he didn’t rule there), he rules with an iron fist. It would appear that the prince considers the entire county to be his domain rather than just Galway city, despite attempts from the local werewolf populous to prove him wrong. Noted for his abilities with weapons & his joy in dispensing his own medieval brand of justice, there is some doubt as to whether he will ever get to grips with concepts of the 16th century, seeing as he simply refuses to acknowledge the current one………
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 10 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 CAM/ANARCH : STATE OF THE NATION : THE SUBJECTS I often find it my legacy to interpret the patterns of the Jyhad around me. You must make no mistake, my readers, that this Jyhad exists. But in my research, some of you baffle me. While I have countless decades of existence, I find some of your actions, thoughts & words beyond explanation. Perhaps you outwit me. Perhaps you are fools. Perhaps I shall lie to you now, but in the interests of shifting the sands into a new pattern, I shall inform you of what I know. It may throw you a little & give the edge I need to explain you.
Limerick ::: I admit it surprised me when that toad Henry announced that he was responsible for the formation of a new domain within Shannon for those displaced Kindred of Limerick. While his grandsire (yes, ‘grandsire’, my readers), Archon Walthamstowe seems to be harbouring intentions of reclaiming territory lost to the Lupines, a group of Neonate & Ancilla lackeys have been chosen to actually perform that task for him. I would eschew timidity in saying that the court is off to a mixed start. While their Harpy, a man named Reno Lucas, has made a reputation for himself as an *idiot* in front of a veritable cross section of immortal society, he has found support in retaliation of this brandishment from his Prince on no fewer than two occassions. On the first, the Prince stated that he might perhaps be a revolutionary in thought. On the second, the Harpy boldly stood in front of a court of Kindred & declared that the Ancilla Griff was no longer a member of Camarilla society. When cries issued forth from the audience, stating that the Harpy was not entitled to perform such an action by his position, it was stated by Prince Snyder that the Harpy had his full support. Odd that Griff, who was so instrumental in the capture of a Sabbat spy travelling through the domain, should be rewarded this way. One hopes that the Courtiers of Shannon do not single-handedly inspire an Anarch revolt.
Galway ::: Such a small domain, but not one without its troubles still. Those mindless beasts, the Werewolves, are knocking that the doors of the Kindred in Galway. It seems a nightly terror to them that the beasts may destroy their very unlives. For this reason, two new Elysia were declared in Galway, ones where the Werewolves ought not visit. Perhaps the Prince should ask his Tremere subjects for aid in handling them? In the mean time, it seems the Prince himself is allowing matters to overcome him. He appears sickly & weak, while his Childe enforces decisions without his consent. Following a decision made by the Prince’s Childe to impose a Primogen & other stations in the domain, the Prince overturned those appointed & made changes to the court positions.
Waterford ::: The sight of a boat full of Kindred, together amounting thousands of years of unlife, sailing across a lake to a castle in order to attend a court being held by a Malkavian made me instantly laugh when I saw it. I had half a thought that perhaps the spectacle was arranged as a ‘prank’ by Prince Demeanour herself in order to convey to her audience the reliance, which Kindred hold upon eachother despite the Jyhad. Then again, perhaps the matter was a coincidence & the Prince is not clever enough to engineer such a thing. Having addressed another comical event that night already, it is with a sense of delectation that I recall the how the Brujah Marcus Blank took the opportunity during the night to express his fondness of Anthony Prieur with a heavy-handed clap on the back. Rarely have I seen a Rose wilt so quickly. Of course the finest moment during the night came perhaps with the grand entrance of a number of Kindred entering court, sopping wet, to proclaim their heroic victory over a couple of ghouls attempting to make away with their weapons. While many are afraid to say it, dear audience, I am not. The actions taken by the ghouls quite obviously influenced by some jealous Kindred attempting to mock Prince Demeanour’s court. I might ask then, how is it her Keeper for the night allowed those weapons he was responsible for confiscating to go missing? & to think that nobody asked for an investigation under auspic scrutiny…
Dublin ::: Ah, ever the court of intrigue & suspicion. Following the torture & destruction of Magpie recently, it seems his clanmate, Elder Oscar, became rather agitated in court, shouting & sneering at visiting Ancilla Marcus Cole. A shame about Marcus Cole, it seems he lost his helicopter, the poor dear. Of course Mr Cole is not the only visitor from Albion to attend the court of Dublin recently. Prince John Sheridan has made a habit of dropping in (sometimes unannounced, I hear). In fact, a number of Tremere have been seen to visit Dublin in the past few months, all of them swarming around Ancilla Goldberg. One wonders just how much she commands such Neonates as these. At the Prince of Dublin’s most recent court, situations took a turn. It seems the Primogen have decided that Adam Young is no longer a competent Harpy & he has been replaced by his predecessor, Anthony Colden, whom former Chief Harpy Young seems to take great pleasure in critiquing in a rather crude manner unbefitting of his newfound rank as Ancilla. Perhaps between them, the Ancilla could finally decide on whether they want to prize Dominic O’ Dwyer with such a station, it seems that for the moment, they rather can’t make up their minds.
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 11 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 Cork ::: Unsurprisingly, following the Domain of Bad Standing that was called against Cork under the ‘rulership’ of the disgraced Faye, the domain quickly fell into the hands of the rather excitable Morgan Desmond. Of course, known for having no great love for Kai (the Gangrel rumoured to be responsible for the domain’s fall from grace) the Prince quickly relieved him of his responsibilities & ‘hired’ a number of Brujah to take up stations, including Mr. Murphy as Sherrif & controversially, Elder Lucifer as Chief Harpy. Since forming court, Prince Desmond has faced a number of challenges of a social nature, which I’m sure the Prince regrets. Rumour has it that she has had to have harsh words with the former Chief Harpy, Dmitri & the Nosferatu Brian Crowley for inappropriate behaviour. Speaking of inappropriate behaviour, one wonders just why it is that Prince Desmond tolerates the walking breach that is James Saville. This Kindred would seem to be constantly harrassed by police & makes a point of appearing on chatshows to discuss police corrupion. Why not even James Lannister takes his fame quite that far. Finally, the tenets of the Justicar have perhaps to reach the ears of those Kindred in Cork. It seems that a Clanless, one “Orson” has been given three months within the city to find a Clan. While Archon Walthamstowe does revel in his Beast & enjoys the greatest acts of depravity found outside of the Sabbat, one cannot imagine that even he would allow this ignorance of the orders of His Grace to take place.
And finally, a few Rumours Dame Helana de Turville, disgraced Paragon, is planning a visit to Galway soon…The court of Shannon is entertaining criminals, who could seriously endanger the Masquerade…The recent upsurge in Brujah around the country is because one of their kind has been embracing childer recklessly…What the court of Galway don’t know won’t kill them – or will it?…The Elders of Ireland are planning a fundamental change in Camarilla society…A Kindred in Cork is responsible for the theft of paintings from an Elysium in Dublin…A coterie of like-minded Ancilla in Ireland has formed to secretly rule the Neonates & undermine the Elders…Dominic Carew is planning an attack on the Camarilla in response to his recently widespread bloodhunt…
Conclusion I am quite afraid that that is all I have for you at this time, my readers. I have quite enjoyed writing to you & about you to further the goals of me & mine. I confess promptly that I have lied to you in parts, left out whole truths & mongered rumour. But then I have also hinted at the truth, stated what I know & revealed full stories in glorious blossom to you. Perhaps next time I decide to publish my findings, dearest Kindred, you will have more tales for me to spin.
THE GHOULED
So I am sitting here in this huge Georgian building, & it is cold, & there is no heating cause they don’t need it & never think of us, & I can see the rain splattering against the window. At least I am dry, & away from them. Yeah. Thank heavens for small mercies & all that bullshit. Vampires…. They don’t just take blood from you, they take your dignity, your pride, your everything. Your body & your life if they feel like it, are bored & want some entertainment. Ones-who-serve. Bollox to that. I mean, maybe when all those blood suckers were made, yeah, it might have been normal to have servants & slaves & all that. But they forget that we are normal. We are from today, more or less. We ain’t used to kow-towing & keeping our gaze to the ground & “yes master” & “as you wish your Majesty”. There is no aristocracy in Ireland, get it into your thick little skulls! But we have no choice, we must do as they say. No choice whatsoever. What do I do? I am a ghoul. I work at the communications haven. Hey, it’s not a bad job. Most of the time I don’t see any of those asshole Kindred who made my life a living hell when I was working at Elysium. Most of the guys we get coming through here are other ghouls, & those that aren’t too browbeaten & broken will even have a chat with you & gossip about their Masters. I was mortal once you know. Well I guess I still am but you know what I mean. I was normal. It might not have been much, my little job in the civil service, but I got by. Then this Brujah came along, & he wanted to fuck with the Ventrue guy, & I get stuck in the middle cause I have the paperwork, & bam! I am a fucking ghoul. Which you know, in the beginning it was a bit weird but I didn’t really know what was happening, just that I had this friend who was strange & stuff, but everything was cool & dandy. Compared to now anyway. But then he pulled me from my job & I actually didn’t want it anymore cause he wanted me away from it & who was I to argue with him. & he placed me at Elysium cause I knew about art & had a good memory for who was who & he was forgetful.
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That is where I lost my arm, in Elysium, just cause I politely asked this Grel to hand over his weapons. I also lost many, many a pint of blood- fang indents like pin pricks all over my arms & neck. I am not a bloody fountain you know! I am not a tea dispenser at a party! I hated it, I began to hate him, what he was, how he treated me. Their talk of culture, the backbiting. The looking over your shoulder & making sure you did not overhear what you weren’t meant to cause after all you are just property & who cares if you die or get killed or played with for fun & kicks. Only property… nothing more…. One of these nights, I will do it. No, during the day. One of these days… we get so many pieces of paper coming through here, little notes… little clues as to where havens are… one of these days, I shall have revenge for everything those vampires have put me through, for how they treated me like food, like a slave, like shit. But for now, I can see the Seneschal coming up the stone steps. Better get the door open before he gets to the top, his silk coat is wet from the rain & he looks pissed. & I will bow & smile & keep my eyes to the ground & obey, like I have no choice. But there is always a choice. My choice is live like this or die. &, one of these nights, my choice will change. I will die, but before that, I will take a few of the fuckers with me.
For all the answers to the problems of being undead, just…
ASK AUNT LILITH Q: Dear Aunt Lilith, Why are the Tremere clan getting all the shiny powers? I want to be able to chant & wave my hands around & have lightening bolts appear from them too! I tried to get them to teach me, but they won’t. It is not fair! Not-know-it-all from Cork A: Dear Not-know-it-all, buy yourself some plastic soled shoes & shuffle around on a woollen carpet & in no time, you will be able to shock others too! Seriously though- unless you know the Rite way of Introducing yourself into that clan, you are better off not knowing anything about their powers- I would stake my reputation on it!
Q: Dear Aunt Lilith, I have a problem, in that I easily get distracted when…. Sorry I got distracted there by my nice pen. Anyway, when I see something that is pleasing to the eye I often….. Sorry but that is really an extraordinary well crafted pen. As I was saying, when I come across something that is visually pleasing I seem to have difficulties…. It has a gold tip you know, this pen. & writes so effortlessly. So, my problem is that I can’t concentrate very well. Help? Rose from Galway A: Dear Rose, Spend more time around the Nos. & give all your pretty things to me.
Q: Dear Aunt Lilith, No-one likes me. I try to get on with people, I really do, but they are all idiotic morons & I am convinced they talk behind my back too, that is just not nice! How can I get them to like me more? Younger-than-you-think, Dublin A: Dear Younger-than-you-think What you say about your fellow Kindred to me is not very nice, & if you say the same to their face I can understand why they do not like you. Maybe you should try to get on with people more, be nice to them. Try giving them compliments, let them learn from your experiences. If that fails, earn the discipline of Presence.
Q: Dear Aunty Lilith, May I have a pony & a box of purple crayons please? Anonymous from Waterford A: Dear Anonymous, Only if you write your reports on time.
If you would like to write to Aunt Lilith, please email: [email protected].
Aunty is sorry but she can only answer published letters, unless you are clued into the Malkavian Madness Network.
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 13 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 THE EMBRACED (I) the drop of rain hit the leaf in slow motion, but the beauty in its shape was lost on me at my mortal terror was screaming at me drowning out all other things in my mind for the first time there was just one voice - or was it a choir of many voices, i couldn’t tell - the voice was screaming run! the sight i beheld was one of terror madness & pure ... my mind wont let me think straight, no, run you must run now don’t stop! yes, i must run or it's will get me, no but i had a morbid fascination at the sight of the… no run don’t think of it, mustn’t let the dark side of my mind get control … as i ran i realised she was hunting me for sport & always there … just around the corner & was she trying to see what i was made of… i stumbled across a root from a tree she took this as a time to strike … knowing that i was fated to fall here … i went with the fall. i rolled to the side just as she stuck - my god, this is the end, where is justin he promised he would protect me. she missed … i knew than that i was fated for great things & that gave me a confidence no mortal has had since david. i picked my self up. i knew i was going to die but i would make sure that this thing was going to know it was in for a fight & i would make it pay for every inch of my life it took. i struck out with my hunting axe & struck her in the arm she suddenly stopped smiled & said "i like ‘em to struggle … makes it more interesting". a shadow of fear came back into my hart. i wasn’t going to stop now until the voices had subsided. all that was left was the clear mind of a killer & i smiled … knowing the end was near & laughed as i charged so many thoughts should have went through my mind at the moment i was supposed to die but i was still alive she was still alive & behind me i could hear her whispering in my ear "i like you boy you’ve got spirit" she bit down on my neck she had started to drain my blood & i could feel my life slipping away just as i was about to pass beyond she stopped i couldn’t struggle all resistance gone… As she cut herself she forced me to drink her vita, & forced the sickly sweet blood down my neck. The taste changed it, felt much more natural than anything had before. I felt awash with joy & agony, was my life over - not yet! She whispered in my ear “you’ve got potential boy don’t disappoint!” Than a blackness fell over me & the voices came back even stronger than before. I collapsed to the floor & this was the beginning of my unlife.
THE EMBRACED (II)
Jason Hooke stood behind the bar, wiping half-heartedly at the counter. It had been another tedious weekday night at the bar & Hooke was damn near bored out of his mind. He was almost looking forward to the chaos & brawling of the upcoming weekend. At least a busy night would keep him from thinking too much, about his job, about how he hadn’t used his inquisitive mind in months, how it was being destroyed from lack of use.
After turning off the lights, & setting the alarm & walking for his car, like every other night, Hooke started to think about the one mystery in his life, the one thing that shone through the robotic drudgery of his job. The mystery of the stranger girl. Hooke didn’t know how long she had been going to the pub before the first time he noticed her, sitting by herself, not drinking. She left at closing, following a drunk out the door. Hooke thought nothing of it, until he saw her three days later, doing the same thing. Not drinking, not talking, just sitting there & following another drunk man out at closing time. After a few weeks she had changed – changed her eye colour, her hair colour, her clothes, but nothing could hide that demeanour, that walk, that deportment if you knew what you were looking for. Hooke knew it was the same girl.
In the year since Hooke had noticed her, she had changed her appearance many times but her modus operandi remained the same & Hooke was sure he had kept track of her – in his boring & socially retarded existence the girl was almost an obsession for him. He had told no one about her, keeping her as his little secret to ponder. But he’d begun to wonder how long it would be before the girl noticed him noticing her. Perhaps she would stop coming & then he would never find out what was going on. He wanted to know. He would confront her. She came again on the Saturday night after Hooke had resolved to solve the mystery once & for all. He was too busy that night to follow her, but he knew that if she kept to his usual pattern she would be in again on Tuesday & he decided to get that night off.
That was why late that Tuesday night saw Jason Hooke standing across the road from where he worked. The girl had followed a man out of the bar, a man who had a lot of drink taken. “You could set your watch to her.” Hooke muttered & then began to follow them as they turned down an empty alleyway on the way to the north side of town. He was careful not to make any noise & he could see the pair ahead of him.
And all at once, things began to move swiftly. The girl darted forward & snapped the hapless drunks neck, before whirling to face Hooke. He stood still, his feet rooted to the ground by fear & realised that instead of her
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 14 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 usual cold beauty, the girls face was one of horrific ugliness. He didn’t even have the time to scream before the girl jumped on him & sank her teeth deep into his neck. Fading to unconsciousness, he didn’t notice as warm blood began to trickle from her arm & into his mouth.
The next week was a blur of agony, passing from intense pain awake to worse in his sleep. When he finally regained his senses, weak & dazed as he was, he noticed the changes. His heart had stopped & deep inside him he felt the urge for something that he could not comprehend. The greatest change was to his appearance – his fingers were far longer & thinner. Some of them were pure bone. Bone showed through his arm & chest as well. He felt his face. His ears were pointed & there was bone protruding from his newly bald skull. He could feel muscle shining through the holes where his skin had fallen off. Hooke knew he would never look in a mirror again.
After examining his features, Hooke looked around the room he was in. He realised that he was in one of the derelict houses on the far side of town. In the corner was the girl & next to her a man was tied & bound. “Jason,” she said. “You need to eat.” He looked at her but something inside him awoke & he realised what she meant. Something that wasn’t Hooke, something inside him that he would later call his Beast made him stumble forward & begin to feed.
“I know that you hate me for ruining your looks,” the girl had said. “But I needed a companion to keep me company & you seemed to be a good specimen. I think that you’ll make a good Nosferatu, a good Kindred.”
Hooke said nothing – he was still feeding. The blood disgusted him but he needed it, craved it
The girl kept talking. “I will show you how to hunt & hide yourself so no one will notice you. It’s going to be fun.” Hooke looked up at her & wiped the blood from his chin, feeling pure hatred for her for ruining his life. His boring job at the bar seemed like a dream, the best job in the world. He knew he wasn’t human anymore & that he’d never be able to approach them again as he was – he would need her to show him how she did it so he could live. He realised that Hooke the bartender was dead, now he was only Hooke the Nosferatu, whatever that was. And whatever that was, his life would no longer be boring.
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www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 16 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 CHANGELING HIBERNIA : WAR REPORT
A report on the state of the Fomorians from the court of King Eamonn Fitzgerald of Leinster to the court of King Damien O’ Meara of Munster: Just over 12 months ago a huge force of dark kith erupted from the Island of Tory off the north coast of the Kingdom of Ulster. These forces proceeded invade the unprepared Kingdom of Ulster, taking 2 counties before ample resistance could be mustered by the King. The first major battle where two armies met was at the siege of Donegal town. Led by the local Earl the defending forces were unprepared for the vast hordes that were arrayed before them. Those individuals that fled before the total destruction of the town reported over a twenty thousand creatures & fae whose description matches those of the dark kith against whom we once warred when an Tuatha de Dannan still walked among us. This vast force then proceeded to crucify all members of the Sidhe kith around the town & 9 out of every 10 commoners was killed. Those that were spared (but still physically abused) were set free to send a message to the fae of Hibernia. It said simply “bring out your Sidhe & surrender yourselves to our rule, or die”. The massacre of black Tuesday at Drumcree saw the King of Ulster’s main forces be decimated at the hands of what turned out to be 3 dark kith armies. It is from these few survivors that we came by the news that these forces (now known to consist of over fifty thousand fae) were led by a number of immensely powerful individuals. At Drumcree the king of Ulster & most of his army were destroyed. No prisoners were taken. Following this Ulster began to fall quickly. The only major defence was offered by the Breifne Irregulars, but even this was just hit & run raids on supply lines. After 6 victories a Fomorian army, led by Vathor the White was finally beaten by a co-ordinated assault involving the Breifne Irregulars & the armies of Kerry from the Kingdom of Munster under the command of the Broken Baron. All but Vathor were destroyed in a pitched battle, Vathor fleeing when the last off his troops were killed. Due to this defeat the armies of dark kith became more cautious. But while their advance slowed, they could not be stopped. They continued to win battle after battle, until finally six months after their return to Hibernia, Antrim & Belfast fell. Since then a truce seems to be in place between them & the Kingdom of Connaught. As you are aware, your predecessors failed invasion of that Kingdom may go somewhat to explain Queen Maeve ap Eilenud’s betrayal of her Kith. Regardless, Connaught while occupied has not been damaged. At this point the three main armies of Dark kith in Ulster halted their expansion as they secured their borders. It was at this point that they lost their second battle. One thousand five hundred Munster troops under the command of the Broken Baron invaded Dun Ghrianan; a heavily guarded city situated about fifty miles from Tory Island where an army of thirty thousand dark kith under the command of the Nameless One guarded the portal through which their armies were arriving. Six hundred troops, including two hundred & fifty allies from the Kingdom of Northern Ice were sent into the city to destroy barracks & open the gates. After much fighting the Desmond militia were successful in opening the gates of the city (it should be noted that while they were doing this our valiant allies from Northern Ice destroyed a unit of Aslynti). After much hard fighting the city was taken. It was in this battle that two hundred firbolg allies from Duke Aidan attacked & killed the Fomorian Delbaeth. (I believe that they took his body to Duke Aidan). Due to this defeat the fifteen thousand troops on Tory Island marched to retake their city. At their approach the victorious Munster army, along with their allies, fled. It became clear later that the whole attack on Dun Ghrianan had been simply bait to lure out the army on Tory Island. House Ailil under their house head, the Broken Baron, mounted an assault on Tory Island itself to weaken the Fomorian influx. This was only partially successful. Two months later & Vathor the White gave his response, swift battles in the kingdom of Leinster which in the space of two days saw the fall of the Pale, Rathcoole, Dundalk, Granard & finally with the death of the King Thomas Fitzgerald of Leinster & his court at Iregan. His son Eamonn Fitzgerald immediately rallied what was left of his father’s army, invited the aid of their allies in Munster & turned his troops over their general; the Broken Baron. The Fomorian incursion was halted at Ferns & the southern half of Ossory. This is how it stands at present. Further information on the Fomorians tells us that three of the six are now dead. Delbaeth at the battle of Dun Ghrianan, Achilleach to the Broken Baron, & the Nameless One is also known to be deceased (speculation at his death at the hands of house Fiona, Ailil & Gwydion or even at the hands of Vathor himself are unconfirmed). As can be seen, only three remain alive. They can be killed, just not under normal means. Current estimates at troop numbers of dark kith indicate their numbers to be in the region of three hundred thousand. Facing them under the combined forces of Leinster & Munster are five thousand changelings.
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You have been embraced. You have been staked & bound & buried. When you break up to the surface, Dominic Carew subdues you, feeds you some more of his blood & takes you to a haven. He talks to you on the way there & tells you that you have been chosen to join the 'Sect'. You are left to sleep for the day. Dominic tells you that you will be safe & that he will explain all the next night. You are woken by Dominic the next night on the Full Moon. "The time has come to induct you fully in the Sword of Caine. You will understand early on that despite the behaviour of our New World brethren we do things ... In a little more dignified manner here in the Old World. I'm sure you are wondering what you have gotten yourself into, & maybe I can explain some of the history & background you need to survive as one of us." "First & foremost the founding belief is we are not happy Kindred masquerading & aping humanity. Neither are we monsters, although the word will suffice. We have gone beyond our humanity & embraced what we are, Vampires. It is our belief that we can exist beyond our original condition & in fact improve upon it, to become the creatures we truly are we have to extend our capabilities & stretch ourselves." "We also are a sect born in rebellion, our forefathers abandoned the fetters of the Elder's blood after a period known as the Anarch revolt. The anarchs wormed & crawled back to the Camarilla, the fools who call themselves anarchs today are just children playing in the mum's garden. Those who truly believed in progression formed the Sabbat 500 years ago. We rejected that we should do what our Elders forced us to do on their behalf, just because of their age. Now we act on Caine's behalf to rid the world of the Elders & their prisons, we care not for Clans or being ordered by a so called superior. We ask that superiority is proven by Trial & that we work together for our mutual benefit. To create a stronger system in which those whom wish to help themselves can, but not at the expence of others. A fair system where respect can be earned & structure & order are maintained by everyone." "We do not act like the animals in the Dublin court, we do not allow anyone rule over us because we have to. Those who have our respect have earned it & it is your duty to show respect to those who have earned it. This will not be enforced so much as expected within the group & in this way order is maintained." "This is your inheritance. Freedom from others, protected by your freely given allegiance to your fellows. There is no mysterious way in which one becomes a member of the sabbat but those untried do not have the same respect as those who have been inducted formally into our ranks. We believe our unity of purpose is gained by our acting together & observing certain rites & rituals as a group & tonight you will attend your second such ritual. That of ascending to one of the chosen of Caine, the True Sabbat. We will conclude with the ritual , the Vaulderie, where we each join our blood & partake of one another's strengths." ”Are you ready?' You are. & you have no choice. The ritual begins. You are taken to Pheonix Park in a Range Rover, which Dominic pulls over on the road roughly in the centre of the Park. This place will do nicely, rumour has it this is the heart of the local population of werewolf activities. We are Sabbat & acknowledge nothing as our superior. We can dictate where we can go & what we can do. We are the top of the food chain.” Outside the car he walks toward some trees to the south of the Park. He stops & turns to face you, the moonlight catching his face & paling the already white skin, making it shine with an internal light. "Tonight Lord Caine we introduce another into our Pack. One who has transcended his former unlife & chosen to walk the road of a true Vampire, a true member of the Sabbat." He turns to you, eyes blazing & you cringe away. 'Do you swear by the Blood granted you by Caine himself to uphold the Code of Milan, to be true to your brethren & support them in all things from this night forth until Caine chooses to take back your Blood?" You do. "Do you swear by the Blood granted you by Caine himself to fight the Elders & the weak bellied fools of the sects calling themselves the Camarilla & the Anarchs, to take up the Cross in a Crusade, to adorn the armour & weapons granted you by the gifts of the Blood, to war in the eternal Jyhad against the progenitors the Ante-diluvians who seek to rise up & use you for their repast?" You do. "Do you swear by the Blood granted you by Caine himself to be a True member of the Sabbat?" "Tonight & from this night forth the Sabbat recognises you as a True member of the Sabbat, accorded the full rights of this position." He then enacts the Vaulderie for you both, consecrating a chalice & placing his blood & yours inside with some herbs. He offers you the chalice to drink & then does so himself.
Welcome to the Sabbat.
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WRAITH : OBLIVION : AN UPCOMING GAME
elcome back to the world. Only, this world may be slightly different than the one you remember. It is a world defined by death & the memory of life left behind. It is a world of passion, populated by those like yourself; a creature created solely of passions & tied to the places & things still found among the world of the living. It is world where you are doomed to forever be in the world... but never again to be a part of it. It is a world of the dead, attempting to reconcile themselves with the living. It is world of eternal confrontations, both without as well as within. It is a world where your dark desires & self-destructive tendencies are granted a voice & a will. It is a world where you are your own worst enemy, in a perpetual battle pitting the Psyche versus the Shadow . It is a world of the Hierarchy, where you stand at the front lines against forces that would see you destroyed. Your enemies surround you & number among the Heretics, Renegades, & Spectres from throughout history. There are also those who may claim membership to defunct guilds, disbanded long ago in the dark ages of man. It is a world of the shadowy Guilds, where you move silently throughout the world in the pursuit of your guild's goals. Those goals may be to claim lost power & glory in Stygia, while others may be no less ambitious than the eradication of the Shroud itself. It is a world of Heretics, believers of faiths deemed anathema to Stygian dogma. There are those who believe in the promise of Transcendence, while others believe that Oblivion is the only true escape from this half-existence. It is a world of Renegades, outlaws to Stygian authority & daring to guide their own destinies, rather than rely on the totalitarian Legions of the Hierarchy to determine their fates for them. It is a world of the Ferrymen, those enigmatic beings of myth & ancient lore. They are the guides of the Underworld, the Grim Reapers set upon the task of finding lost souls & setting them on to their destinies. It is a world of Risen, souls whose passions burn so fiercely, they inhabit their former bodies & fight their way back to the world of the living in order to perform those tasks left incomplete upon their departure from this sunlit realm. It is a world of the Dark Kingdoms, whose concepts of death & the afterlife are derived from the cultural beliefs of its native peoples. They are the kingdoms of Jade, Ivory, & others not yet discovered or believed destroyed.
elcome to your afterlife. Will you endure forever, haunting the world of the living? Will you Transcend your present fate & move on to your destiny? Or will you fall into the downward spiral of damnation & be lost in the Abyss for all eternity?
Cythrawl: The Celtic Shadowlands Anno Stygiae 651 Post Secondum 1
There is a very strong Hierarchy presence along the east coast of Cythrawl. Necropolis Dublin however, is a fractured city. Mainly under the control of the Hierarchy but certain areas, such as the GPO (see “The Book of Haunts” for further information on the GPO) & other sites of the Easter Rising & the Irish war of independence are held by renegades, & have been since circa 1916. Dublin is dominated by the ghostly remnant of Nelson’s Pillar in O’Connell Street. By now there is a “truce” between the Official Government & the rebels, leading to them occasionally working together, even beyond the “normal” side by side fighting needed against a spectre attack. The Official government’s most effective tool are its knights. They are mounted on ghostly horses, each one of which must be captured & tamed by their own riders. They are found in the Miasmic Plains of the Curragh in Kildare. There are even some chariot units, though these are almost entirely in the hands of the Grim Legion of Necropolis Dublin. The Dublin Necropolis also houses the greatest collection of documents of the history of the Irish nation, dating from before the time of Strongbow, containing as it does the ghostly version of the Four Courts library which was burned in 1922. The library has increased in size dramatically due to the strict imposition of the Imprimatur Law for incorrigible dissidents. This practice has been much criticised of late, not for any egalitarian reason, but simply that more use could be made from these dissidents if they were sent to the forges instead. The argument continues. Either way, the dissident loses.
1 Anno Stygiae 651 = 2003 AD
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 19 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 The Miasmic Plains, a vast foggy area of the Shadowlands suffused with Nihils & plasmic bogs, spread from Lucan to Athlone, as far north as Drogheda & as far south as Thurles. The Itinera Mortis or roads of the dead, through them are very dangerous. Fortunately the Escar Riada cuts through the centre of the plains & is the only “safe” way across them. This road also has several purpose built way stations along its length for weary or harassed travellers. The herds of wild horses that are found in the Curragh area of the Plains are either of a similar breed to those of the Stygian Equitaes or some form of plasmic entity, no one really knows. Nor cares, as long as they can be harnessed & used. Attempts to export the creatures have so far failed as they have never been domesticated. The Legions of Cythrawl are large & well organised. They consist mostly of infantry, many of whom have been in their respective Legions since the Jacobite wars of the 1690’s. Though a sizable proportion also date from the Great Famine of the mid 1800’s. While many of the wraiths in the Legions were on opposite sides of a conflict in the Skinlands, this enmity has to a large extent not followed them across the Shroud. Crown vs. Independence as a cause usually palls when compared to Existence vs. Oblivion. While many of those who held “Fenian” beliefs in life ended up as renegades, many more chose to embrace the Hierarchy, since for all its flaws, it is a meritocracy. Though working one’s way to the top through “dead men’s shoes” is a lot harder on this side of the Shroud. The west coast, while still nominally under Hierarchy control, has many centres of Heretic activity, with ships/planes/etc making the final voyage to the Far Shores of “Hy Brasil” & the “Blessed Isles”. Many of these voyages are made in the relic ships of the Spanish Armada that were sunk here as they attempted to flee the destruction of their main fleet at the hands of the English. Necropolis Galway is however, tightly controlled by the Hierarchy & attempts to clamp down on these heresies when they raise their heads, though it is a losing battle, there are simply too many of them. Fortunately the Heretics are not, & due to their differing belief systems, are unlikely ever to be, united enough to take on the might of the Legions. A remnant of the famine of the 1840’s can be seen in the large number of Drones that can be found on the Last walk, a journey taken by the starving to the Soup houses of the Quakers. Central Ireland is dotted with small citadels or enclaves. Oases against Oblivion. The historical presence of numerous monastic settlements lingers on. Most date from the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century. Not all of them are in favour of the Fisher heresy or indeed of any religion, but rather the preservation of Souls. The exception to this rule of small enclaves is the fortress of Trim. Ruled by the White Lady & defended by wraiths bearing darksteel armour, its huge walls are etched with the markings of Fate. It can be seen for miles though actually getting to it is almost impossible as it is surrounded by a twisting maze of Byways. It is said that the castle itself is somehow partially Enshrouded. All who visit, if they are lucky, return somehow changed. It is widely rumoured that the White Lady is the Head of the Legion of Fate in Cythrawl. Southern Ireland is dominated by the Necropoli of Cork & Limerick, though the immediate hinterlands of each city are a wasteland of storms & spectres & renegade bands. Waterford, while a decent sized necropolis, is more of a “free port” than a part of the Hierarchy. You can buy nigh on anything here. Legal or otherwise. Keeping it is a different matter entirely. Necropolis Cork itself almost rivals Necropolis Dublin in size, as it was extensively damaged by fire in the War of Independence. Many of its leading lights were renegades who joined the Hierarchy once they recognised it as the only unified force staving off the darkness of Oblivion. The Unlidded Eye saturates this Necropolis, as do the Pardoners. Perhaps there is some link between the two? Cork, like Dublin, maintains a large bounty office for Doomslayers, those wraiths who, for whatever reason, take it upon themselves to head into the Labyrinth to tackle Oblivion head on. South of Necropolis Cork is the Renegade dominated port of Kinsale. Here the rebels are well armed & patrol the storm wracked seas in the “Aud”. The nearby Necropolis usually leaves them alone as they also defend the south coast against the depredations of the spectre-ship, the “Lusitania”. Necropolis Limerick has a respectable navy & a heavily defended central citadel. The Navy consists of trading vessels, Galleons & Longships, a residue of the city’s Viking heritage. The citadel itself dates from the reinforcements made to the medieval city during the last part of the Jacobite Wars. Northern Ireland has been a battlefield for the last half century. If any Hierarchy controlled area survives here then they are completely cut off from outside contact & have to rely on brave wanderers & the newly reaped for reinforcements. Only the hardiest of Souls survive here. It is rumoured that a vast Nihil that leads directly to the Labyrinth is situated somewhere in the North West, but since no one has returned to confirm this, it may be an urban myth. Of late, strange Enfants with glowing cauls have been reaped on the edges of this territory. All have been claimed by the Legion of Fate.
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 20 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 The ancient Escar Riada road that links the east & west coast is in regular usage, & is fairly well maintained, though at some cost. In recent times, due to increased Spectre activity, the units which were wont to patrol the Byway have increased in size though have been reduced in frequency. Also in use are the Royal & Grand Canals & the vastness of the River Shannon itself, as well as numerous disused railway lines. Necropolis Dublin has a very effective, though heavily armoured, tram service. Ferrymen come & go as they please, none stop them, though few ever see them these days. In some of the more "sophisticated" Necropoli they have not been seen since 1946 The Guilds are strong but hidden, well hidden. As is normal, the Artificers & the Pardoners operate almost out in the open without fear of retribution from the authorities, but the rest? They are as easy to catch as fog. As per other domains of the Empire of Stygia, the Mnemoi, Alchemists & Solicitors are strictly forbidden. Anyone even suspected of links to these Guilds will be rounded up & taken to the Inquisitors of the Unlidded Eye. Those showing evidence of any of these Guilds’ Arcanoi are never seen again. Though the forges tend to get busier after such an event. There are no Embassies of the Dark Kingdoms of Jade or Ivory yet. Though this may soon become a problem for the Hierarchy, as the population of the citizens of these empires continues to rise. The Unlidded Eye. The secret police are everywhere in Cythrawl. With the presence of so many renegades & heretics, they have their hands full watching the Legions for sympathizers & the occasional recusant. Inquisitors, when they do appear, are figures of awe & fear in their etched Soulsteel masks & grey robes. None have crossed them & survived, though they are reputed to be scrupulously fair in their investigations. Fair, but lacking in sentiment…so don’t bother appealing to their better nature. Recent events around Necropolis Dublin have lead to special units in each Legion being established as quick response teams to deal with Vampiric incursions to the shadowlands. They have been trained by battle hardened Doomslayers & legionnaires skilled in Puppetry, in the most effective combat Arcanoi & armed with weapons designed especially for this duty. For too long a festering canker of these undead creatures lay hidden from the authorities in the hinterlands of the necropolis. It is currently believed to be destroyed, but no chances are being taken. The “plague” caused by these beasts in the Skinlands lead to a massive increase in Mortwight Spectres & mindless Drones, ripe for Oblivion’s embrace. This in turn led to another united action by the two communities of Official & rebel Dublin in an attempt to deal with it. In the case of Vampires, the Dictum Mortuum forbidding contact with the living has been amended locally. As far as the Anacreons are concerned, the undead are fair game. Right now this front is silent. Perhaps too silent. Rumour has it that at least one Anacreon unofficially authorised the creation of one of the Risen to deal with this menace on its own terms… The Dictum Mortuum: “I, Charon, Emperor of Stygia, by the power of the words of the Lady of Fate, do hereby set these laws down that they may serve to bring order between this world & the former; that no wraith under any circumstances for any reason is to penetrate the barrier that divideth the Land of the Dead from the Land of the Quick; to engage in congress with those that have not yet passed over, or speak to the Quick of events yet to come; or in any way, shape or form harass, threaten, injure or otherwise compel those in the Land of the Quick; to do the bidding of those in the Land of the Quick, or any desire or compunction to take a life, in order to effect the passing over of one or more to the Land of the Dead, be they friend or foe, parent, child or lover..." Something is leaking from the Labyrinth into the Shadowlands. The bogs of the Miasmic Plains are spreading. Isolated parts of the Escar Riada need near constant rebuilding as they are somehow rotting. Strange figures are seen hurrying across weirdly shining Byways that no wraith can traverse, except possibly Ferrymen. Byways that curiously seem both ancient & recent. They are unaffected by the use of the Argos arcanos. & these hurrying figures are not dead. But as far as can be discerned, they are not human either. At various points they seem to vanish out of the Shadowlands but do not end up on the other side of the Shroud in the Skinlands. These points are usually near dolmens or cromlechs or other ancient passage tombs of Ireland. Spectres either avoid them or aid them. The Anacreons of the major Necropoli are planning to meet to discuss what may be a threat as dangerous as a Great Maelstrom, one of the vast Oblivion-tainted storms that have wracked the entire underworld five times in the past. Others, such as the Renegade Prince of Kinsale, will no doubt take advantage of this if & when they find out about it. The position of the White Lady on all of this remains, as ever, unknown.
This is just a short section of the background to the forthcoming game of Wraith. If you are interested in seeing the rest of the article please go to www.gameeire.com/camirl & follow the links!
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 21 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003
GAMES IN IRELAND For those of you interested in attending other games, here’s the low-down on what’s available & what sort of game you can expect.
DUBLIN : Cam / Anarch & Werewolf The Dublin Cam/Anarch game is centrally a political game. When playing, expect vicious social competition & have fun trying to cling to your character’s beliefs as the movers-and-shakers try & cause you to change the way your character thinks for their own ends. Recently though, there has been an upsurge in attendance at games, with between 20 & 25 people attending at each game. With the introduction of a lot more of the non-Patrician clans (ie. not the Ventrue, Toreador & Tremere), the game has changed sails a little, where “rougher” elements of Camarilla society turn up, make a mockery of those that pride themselves on social graces, & then leave getting away with it scot-free. The Dublin Cam/Anarch venue at the moment then is mostly political, but will in the near future (I predict) move towards a better blend of “up-your-own-arseness” & more fun-loving “I don’t care if you’re the Prince, you can kiss my undead ass”. While there is not a lot of physical action in the Dublin game at the moment, with the advent of the Year of Fire, things should heat up (no pun intended). From an intrigue/mystery point of view, the Dublin Cam/Anarch venue focuses mostly on plots that don’t necessarily bite people in the ass to attract their attention. The plots are there & if you pull at one thread, you might just unravel a mystery. Don’t forget – everyone can generate plot in a game & in general, it’s more fun for you if you’re the one that stirs the shit. To get the most from the game players should be aware of their character’s place in the scheme of things & should be on the lookout for opportunities to enhance their position or undermine an opponent. Games are usually set in court, in Elysium, & can be quite formal, requiring a quick wit & a solid knowledge of etiquette. For neonate characters the game is more informal, provided they do not draw too much attention to themselves. Games will occasionally step outside this format to become more action or puzzle orientated. Visiting players are very welcome – Dublin characters enjoy a chance to meddle in the affairs of other domains. “You haven’t heard of James Lannister? Where have you been? A Renaissance has begun in the capital – the Primogen Council has been restored, the Clans are cooperating for the betterment of the city & the Prince’s rule is unquestioned. Look a little closer, though, & the luminaries of this court are tarnished. Anthony Prieur, Seneschal to two Princes, betrayed the first in the name of the second. Et tu, Anthony? The Harpy, Adam Young has been condemned by his peers as a rebel, yet the Primogen Council refuses to dismiss him. & as for the Prince himself… whisper it softly: will Dublin be enough? The position of Clan Tremere remains a subject of gossip in Dublin. The Prince has appointed two of them to offices of court: Mattieu Vaughan is Sheriff & the Machiavellian Sarah Goldberg is Keeper. Evidently James Lannister forgives or forgets. When Julius Edin fell it seemed he would take his clan with him – at one point Ms. Goldberg was the only member of her clan surviving in the country. But she has been reinforced from abroad, Vaughan returning to Dublin after a long absence & two others, Ryan McKenzie & Shannon Black arriving to assist the clan’s recovery. Perhaps the Prince’s generosity has something to do with the constant stream of visitors his court has received from the United Kingdom – every month this summer a Tremere of note has appeared in Elysium to quietly observe the court. They are always polite but the Prince must have heard the rumour… someone has put a price on his head. Magpie of Clan Nosferatu has met his final death, executed by the scourge of Dublin, Qualin Hess. The Prince held that in attempting to frame another Kindred for a breach of the Masquerade Magpie had breached the First himself. An example was made – Magpie was first tortured & then torn to shreds by Lannister’s beast. Oscar, elder of the Nosferatu, acknowledged the justice of the Prince’s decree & graciously accepted the grant of progeny to his clan. A sense of intoxication pervades the Dublin court – Kindred are flooding into the city & each one reeks of ambition, of energy & risk. Too many strangers, too much momentum.” ST: Ian Carroll ([email protected]) CC: Silja Müller ([email protected])
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 22 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 The Werewolf venue has a recently increased attendance of about 10 regular players. While this is a reasonable amount, it would be great if more people could turn up & play. About 12 to 16 players would be great :) The game is taking a rounded tack to playing. While combat is still an important part of Garou (the fight against the Wyrm often comes down to “I hit you with my claws/klaive/hammer/sword/human-I-just-picked-up til you die”), other aspects of the game do shine through. In particular, packs are being formed at the moment & there are a lot of positions up for grabs. The characters in the game need leaders & if you’re interested in playing your part in the fight against the evil forces of the Decep…Wyrm, then by all means contact the ST! From a plot point of view, once packs & positions are in place a little more solidly, the game will turn its focus a lot more into the battle with the Wyrm, though in a LARP, rather than combat way. At the moment, expect characters to be clawing (again, no pun intended) for positions & trying to establish a pecking order for the Lupines & in the future, expect challenges that won’t always be sorted out with rock-paper-scissors! If you’re interested in joining Garou, then please contact the storyteller as the game is currently in the process of finding a new co-ordinator. Oh & by all means, feel free to enquire about being a co- ordinator for the game ;) ST: [email protected]
CORK : Cam /Anarch, Garou, Changeling & Sabbat The Cork games take place upstairs in the Franciscan Well brewery on North Mall, from 8pm every Monday. Vampire runs on the first Monday of the month, followed by Werewolf on the second, Changeling on the third & Sabbat on the fourth. Downtime night on the Tuesday after Sabbat (almost always the 4th Tuesday of the month) is generally a good night to turn up & discuss doing up a character or just interact with the other PCs in a friendly (hah!) setting. Any changes to this are usually posted to the Irish OOC group on yahoogroups. Shane Lucey has recently taken over as the ST for the Cam / Anarch game in Cork, so we’re not quite sure exactly what lies ahead. His first game involved a great deal of intrigue as well as some action (fecking demon babies) & we’re sure that there is absolutely no truth behind the rumour that he’s happy to allow players to have rocket launchers as “they’ll need them soon.” Expect dark times & political unrest ahead in the Court of Cork. Storyteller : Shane Lucey Chapter Coordinator: Frank Dermody : [email protected] The Cork Garou Game isn’t called the Litany of Sins for nothing you know… The Garou of Rosscarbery have just won what they believe to be a major victory against the agents of the Wyrm in Cork, but this is no time to be complacent - more than the Wyrm seeks dominance on the Axis Mundi. Join the noble (and ignoble) as they struggle to survive the coming storm. The game style is a reactive story driven plot, interspersed with character driven stories. When the players aren’t shouting at each other, antagonists are mostly agents of the Wyrm & Weaver with the occasional "surprise". Storyteller : Neil Kelly : [email protected] Chapter Coordinator : Padraig O Sullivan : [email protected] The Cork Changeling game is presently in a state of flux, but one thing is for sure – the Commoners are revolting. No, not that way. The Commoners Court of Desmond, steered by Earl Whatshisname, was attempting to bridge the divide between the Sidhe & the commoners, but with the disappearance of the Earl & the Fomorians encroaching on the borders, these are tense times indeed for Munster. The game tends to be political & puzzle-based, with a healthy amount of bashing & duels for honour. The coming war with Fomorians is a major concern but there are also many problems to be solved closer to home, not least that of making sure you know who your friends are… Story Teller: Cillian Doyle : [email protected] Chapter Coordinator: Tim Caisley : [email protected] The Sabbat are active in Cork as well, but the game is presently not sanctioned & due to the mature content & themes of the game, only players who have some experience & are familiar with the setting are asked to attend. For more details, contact the Story Teller, Doc at whereisdoc@ hotmail.com or the Acting Chapter Coordinator: Richard Farrell [email protected]
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 23 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 LIMERICK : Garou & Cam / Anarch The Garou game in Limerick runs on the last Wednesday of the month, in the Gathering on 43 Lower Gerald Griffith Street. Games usually start at 7pm. The Caern at Limerick is a populous one, & Garou & Kinfolk alike are celebrating their recent glorious victory over the leeches. However, the recent appearance of banes bearing the eye of Balor on their chests has cast a long shadow over the victory fires. Visitors are welcomed, but advised to remember that the Litany says introducing yourself properly is only polite… Contact Ian O Brien, the ST at [email protected] for more details. Limerick has recently joined in with the Cam / Anarch chronicle & Prince Synder rules over a city in a state of flux, beset on all sides by enemies, werewolves on one side & Sabbat on the other. The small Kindred population have relocated to Shannon in their efforts to survive & the Archon has commanded that they take back the city of Limerick. While survival is the top item on the agenda, some Kindred have made politicking their major concern. Rumour has it that many Kindred watch the wild card in the Irish Camarilla deck that is Shannon with some interest, manipulating here & there. There are busy times ahead for this smallest & most beleaguered of domains & who knows how high their stars shall ascend, & what games shall be played & with whom? Contact Ciarán Kenny for more details at [email protected]
GALWAY : Cam / Anarch & Changeling The Unseelie Changeling Court of Galway, under the rule of Queen Meabh, is a closed court but those who know the ways can find a welcome there. Rumoured to be the most popular monarch in the history of Hibernia, we can only wonder what vile sorceries the Queen performs to keep her subjects in line & what happens at the revels there. Rumours of Fomorian cooperation abound, but are surely only gossip mongering of the most fatalistic kind… Meanwhile the Kindred of Galway labour under a court of the most archaic kind, ruled by their Prince with an iron hand. It seems that the encroachments of werewolves & the modern world are not enough to make the city forgoe its intense political manoeuvring & we can only wonder that the Lupines were not asked to make an appointment before they attacked. None the less, survival is the name of the game in Galway at the moment, & with whispers of a bizarre rogue Tremere Research Chantry in Galway, surely many kindred will brave the dangers of the trip to Galway to see what treasures they might reap. The Galway game is open & welcome to outside players, but Kris asks nicely that you make sure to contact him at [email protected] in advance to get dates & times for the games.
WATERFORD : Cam / Anarch The gracious city of Deise has recently re-emerged into the spotlight with a glamorous party thrown by Prince Demeanour for the Kindred of Ireland. But even this celebration was marred by strange occurrences & one can only suppose that life for the Kindred of the city is enigmatic at the least, with sorcery & mystery abounding. Prince Demeanour seems to run a tight ship, & visitors to the city are always impressed by the hospitality shown, & enraptured by the many mysteries that Waterford seems to hold. Contact Ceire O’ Donoghue at [email protected] for more details on game dates & times & expect a fun, if puzzling, evening. Costumes are encouraged.
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 24 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 FAQ : THE YEAR OF FIRE By Bill Sherman, Camarilla Master Storyteller
1. Are the Final Nights occurring in our chronicle? There will be an End Time & it will occur in our chronicle. You should keep an eye out for 2004's theme: The Year of Fire. 2. Why? White Wolf's settings have always been developed around the world ending as its inhabitants know it. This is the ultimate culmination of years of hard work & effort, as well as the artistic vision White Wolf explores in their own product line. We want to create lasting, memorable stories & provide an exceptional closure to the last seven years of our chronicle. In addition, White Wolf wants to give us ways to have more control over our chronicle & thereby influence their future materials. 3. Can we stop it? Your characters are still your own to portray. You can always take actions to "fight the future". Your character's actions will help us shape the story. 4. When will the Year of Fire begin? The Year of Fire begins in 2004, with the players & their characters influencing the story's shape & pacing. 5. How can we contribute? Continue to create stories. Play in your local, domain, regional, & national games. Stay active, portray your characters, & above all else, have fun doing it. Stay in contact with your storytelling staff. Watch the national lists for future announcements. 6. What happens to the Camarilla after the big bang? We start anew, in conjunction with all of our domestic & international friends, affiliates, & partners. We will start fresh with the ability to directly influence the future products & stories White Wolf provides to the public as a whole, based largely on our chronicle in their new World Setting. Future Mind's Eye Theatre books will be designed for the Camarilla based on our needs. We will bring more information to you soon. 7. Can we play our current characters in the new setting? The MST staff & the affiliate NSTs are currently discussing this; no final decision has been made. 8. Which venues will be available in the new setting? There are going to be sweeping changes to some of these venues. Those announcements will be made during the transition period. 9. When will be able to buy those books that tell us what the new stuff is all about? White Wolf will release books leading up to the Final Nights & launching the new setting products throughout the next year. Expect to see more information about these products on White Wolf's website.
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 25 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 LETS ROCK! "To the beginner the choices are few, to the expert the choices are many."
Rock Paper Scissors is a game of wits, so it’s absolutely crucial to know your opponent. Does your opponent throw Rock when she’s angry? Are there any noticeable patterns to your opponent’s tactics? If so, how can you exploit this to be better equipped to win the Role Playing Game we play? Having been trained by the greatest personal trainer in Ireland (who would rather not be named), I have developed some skills over the past few years that Sadhbh, in her usual threatening manner, has persuaded me to part with. The Three Throws: A new player might be naïve enough to believe that Rock, Paper, Scissors (henceforth referred to as “RPS”) is a simple a game of chance. After all, each throw is equal, right? Each throw defeats one other throw & loses to one other throw, so it’s all fair & square, right? WRONG! That’s what the experienced gamers want the newbies to believe. That way, they have an easier time killing your characters, &, by extension, of winning the game. To the Cam member, it’s a mind game. It’s all about the associations with the symbols (hand positions). You see, players perceive the three throws to have distinct characteristics. The following common pattern characteristics have emerged in my extensive experience within the Camarilla & from my research on the World RPS Championships in America. Rock is represented by a fist. This is obviously the throw of the more aggressive gamer. We all heard that Rock was strong from our parents when we were young. It taps into memories of fist fights, mountains, boulders & of the caveman. Rock is a weapon & a brutal, blunt & unsubtle weapon at that. Players such as Cillian Ó Morain, Tim Caisley, Fiki, Ian O Brien & Mick Freeman are well-known to fall back on Rock for protection when all other strategies appear to be failing & their characters are in danger. Scissors are/is often mistaken for a mere tool. But rather, it is a weapon cunningly disguised as a craft product. I admit, we use Scissors to cut paper or cloth or to open plastic packaging, but Scissors is about more than just making things. Scissors are/is a sharp, dangerous cutting implement. The threat associated with Scissors is controlled & less crude than Rock. It is a weapon that can be construed as constructive. In RPS, Scissors is a clever & crafty throw. A Tactical & shrewd manoeuvre, confidant players throw Scissors. Players such as Peter Houston, John Bracken, Richard Farell & Ashley Perryman are well known proponents of Scissors use. Paper is a subtle throw. It is used to throw opponents off guard. An open palm shows that you hold no weapon, right? It might even be mistaken for the offer of a handshake. Documents & writing can never be dangerous, right? Wrong again my young apprentice. Paper is no weak sign of surrender. Paper is connected with a player’s reflections about the written word. Paper represents the power over the masses, the populace, the servant. This is the throw of choice for many officers within the Camarilla. Paper is the subtlest of attacks, the victory of culture over the savage. Paper is a dignified throw which has been seen used more often than not by Ciarán Kenny, Ian Caroll, Ceire, Tom O Neill, Donal Fallon & Kevin Walsh. But…How do you know what your opponent is going to throw? Well, you might have seen Camarilla members sitting around drinking in a bar after a game. They appear to be socialising in a friendly manner, but in fact, they are studying each other in order to be best equipped to win the game at a moments notice. There is no room for friendship within the Camarilla. Visible signs which your opponent will unconsciously reveal dictate what they will throw during a combat. This is the reason players study one another in an apparent social atmosphere. Everyone has the signs to some degree or another – but like poker, the signs aren’t in the hands, they’re in the face. Records in Dublin dating from 1998 refer to a Brujah player whose ears twitched before throwing Paper. Really great players such as Ciarán Kenny will spend time in front of mirrors learning to suppress their own signs. This can be an on-going project, because suppressing one sign will occasionally create another. An experienced player feigns these behaviours to throw an opponent off guard. A weak newbie will show the signs & eventually lose the game as a result. Play begins & you have studied your opponent carefully, so what do you do next? This is the penultimate moment & it’s crucial not to panic. You have to make a choice right now between Rock, Paper & Scissors. How do you decide? Experienced, critical players will tell you that there is no random throw & that unconscious, predictable patterns emerge from weak loser type players. From these critics have emerged the great Gambit play of the 21st century. Using Gambits to help players win the game has been one of the greatest breakthroughs in recent years within Camarilla Ireland. I ask you reader, do you think I could have defeated the great Gabriel Dent in combat without my cunning use of Gambit play? Do you think someone can rise to the position of NST without being suave enough to know when to avalanche an opponent & when to use a crescendo? Don’t be so naïve. A Gambit is a series of three throws planned in advance before facing an opponent. These three throws are chosen with clear strategic intent. Studies from co-ordinators have shown that reactive or adaptive games simply lead to unconscious patterns developing which inevitably lose to any experienced player.
www.gameeire.com/camirl Page 26 of 27 The newsletter of the Irish Camarilla ::: Autumn 2003 Don’t waste time working out how many Gambits there are, I’ve done that work for you. There are 27 available Gambits, eight of which have emerged as the most popular & game winning variations2.
Avalanche (Rock, Rock., Rock) (Aggressive, yet subtle) Bureaucrat (Paper, Paper, Paper) (Will leave your opponent baffled) Crescendo (Paper, Scissors, Paper) (An elegant & slow building manoeuvre) Dénouement (Rock, Scissors, Paper) (Mirror of Crescendo, a cooling down Gambit) Fistfull o’ Euros (Rock, Paper, Paper) (Great surprise move) Paper Dolls (Paper, Scissors , Scissors) (Complexity in it’s apparent simplicity) Scissors Sandwich (Paper, Scissors, Paper) (The most devious Gambit known to me) Toolbox (Scissors, Scissors, Scissors) (Surprise offensive Gambit) N.B. By planning your strategy in blocks of three throws, you will be better equipped to win the game.
While use of Gambit play will surely obliterate a novice player, when facing an experienced player who can counter your Gambits, what can you do? Now comes the crunch time. You have to get inside your opponent’s head & know what they are going to throw before they do. This is done in two ways, which work in tandem with each other. Firstly, you must talk at the player & influence their behaviour. Secondly, you must force your opponent to play a reactive game where they get frustrated & confused. A good personal RPS trainer will help you to hone your skills with these strategies. For instance, watch (name removed due to libel concerns-Ed) when he attempts to demoralise a player. He can often be heard during the blood test at the beginning of the Cam-Anarch game in Dublin mumbling seemingly innocuous statements such as, “Rock? Ha, I knew you were going to throw that, you know.” Or, “Rock? Strange, I’m surprised you never thought of throwing Scissors.” Or even, “Ciarán, why don’t you think before you make a test. You are so predictable…” All of this is a calculated attempt to frustrate an opponent in a commendable effort to make them feel inferior or demoralised. It you succeed in this, you will have control over your opponent & be in a wonderful position to have the pleasure of killing their favourite character, thus driving them into a severe depression. And there is more you can do to talk your opponent into defeat! Another favoured tactic is the “I know what you are going to throw” statement. Watch out for ploys such as, “Heh, you’re going to throw Paper again, aren’t you? I can tell.” A rival unfamiliar with this ploy will not use Paper just because you said that. If so, you bid Rock & are likely to win. More insidious than that, you might realise your opponent does know the ploy, & then bid Scissors due to the reaction you see in your rival’s face. Furthermore, some devious players will claim to be terrible at RPS, when in fact, they are cunning & shrewd champions of the game with many character kills under their belt. These snakes are really only attempting to instil a false sense of security in their opponent & will then bid paper to destroy their opponent’s arrogant Rock. Sadhbh Warren is a known operator of this ploy. The number of opening moves are limited only by your cunning. Nonetheless, not everyone realises this. Note that the most common opening move tends to be either Rock, Paper or Scissors. Rock used as an opening move is an aggressive attempt to take control of the game. Take note that Rock is also the easiest hand symbol to use, so it will often be used by the more lethargic, overweight players. Paper, in contrast, requires the most dexterity to use & is often considered the least obvious throw to begin combat with. Be warned however, scissors will easily slice through your Paper in an opening round, win all ties or no. Scissors assumes that you value your adversary as a worthy challenge. Try not to rely on Scissors too early in combat. If you fail, it may well crush your ego to the point of no return.
Some terms you may hear in Camarilla circles: Exclusionary Tactics: To exclude one throw during a combat to create tension. Copy Tactics: To throw what they threw in the previous round in order to baffle the opponent. Inclusive Tactics: If you lose the first round, then in the second round of a combat, throw what was not thrown in the preceding round. Reverse Profiling: Behave like you will throw X, but then throw the opposite. (Wear leather & chains to the game & they will assume you are a Rock person) Hybrid: Combination of reverse profiling with tactics 1, 2 or 3.
On a final note…Keep it varied Guys, & may you always win the game! Ciarán O Muirthile, NST Ireland.
2 Names adapted from World RPS Championships
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