House Rules

[Alex]

Game Schedule and Fluid Time

Shattered Masquerade will feature one dedicated game night a month, to be decided once the game begins. The rough timeframe of the game nights will be established here. Within that timeframe, though, the game will operate on fluid time. Scenes and interactions may happen at any time within that timeframe, as long as everyone agrees in advanced. The goal of fluid time is to encourage interaction without players having to worry about some strict series of events.

Experience Rules


Characters will earn 15 experience per game night, and may earn additional points for exceptional roleplay and Lits. These traits may be spent according to the table above. Experience spends take effect immediately. Experience points may be spent at any time before game night, but must be submitted before it to count. There are a few rules governing experience spends:

• Characters must provide some justifications for learning high-level abilities and attributes or attaining high-level Backgrounds (Level 4 or 5).

• ex. A character has found a licensed medical program to learn Medicine 4, or uses their Contacts and Resources to locate an ancient tome of the Occult

• Characters must have a teacher for all out-of-Clan Disciplines. This does not require Blood.

Botches

When a character suffers a total failure - all failures with no successes rolled - they may not re-roll any dice. Total Failures result in an immediate botch.

Implants & Cybernetics
It occurred to me that in our current setting, the nature of cybernetics and implants needs to be elaborated on. Specifically, if and how Vampires can use them. Vampires are able to use cybernetics, implants, and other bio-technology to a point. While Vampires can utilize implants that alter their physical capabilities, ones which alter their mental functions or their state of mind will not function. As an example, a stimulant applied to a muscle will cause the muscle to respond the same whether living or dead. But no amount of a drug shot into a Vampire will make them angry or happy in the same way they can't get drunk. In order to utilize an implant, the Kindred must make a rouse check to awaken the part of their body making use of the technology. In the instance of items that require the replacement of a limb or body part (ocular implant, robotic arm), the Vampire takes an amount of aggravated damage to equip the implant proportional to the size and scope of the implant. This restriction can be waived if implanted through the use of Vicissitude. The Kindred's body rejects the implant at the start of the following night, and must be implemented again unless Vicissitude is used.

Dominate
The guidance provided for Dominate in this section supersedes the book's ruling on how the Discipline may be used.

Dominate *can* be used to extract information under limited circumstances. The Vampire needs to ask a specific question, it has to do with information that is either recent or particularly memorable, and as a general rule the person is not going to have a lot of details. As an example: You ask someone who gave you the bribe. They might tell you it's Hank. But they won't remember anything more than Hank's hair and skin color and maybe roughly what he was wearing. If you ask him the name of the cop who stopped him 4 weeks ago, he probably won't remember.

Meta-plot Judgments

While more setting information and history will be provided, I wanted to lay out a few genre-related calls on the meta-plot that aren't integral to the setting or story, but I think do frame the core book and Anarch book, as well as any other Vampire material.

• As of game start, the Camarilla officially consists of seven Clans - the Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavians, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, and Ventrue.

• As of game start, the Ashirra are a formal pact of Kindred operating in the Middle East and Northern Africa. They operate similarly to Islamic Courts.

• As of game start, the Inconnu, the Tal-Mahe Ra, and the Kuei-Jin do not exist.

• The Week of Nightmares has not occurred, and the Ravnos are not nearing extinction. India is largely under Ravnos control, and members of the Clan elsewhere are somewhat common in the Ashirra.

• The Assamites are now and have always been known as the Banu Haqim - "Assamite" is a derogatory term for them. They are split into two castes, Judges and Viziers, and this split is generally known.

• The Banu Haqim were never cursed by the Tremere. Their defeat during the First Anarch Revolt was conventional, and they were not left with any mystical negative effects from it.

• The Beckoning is not occurring in Elder Kindred. The Camarilla has not recognized the existence of antediluvians or sanctioned a Kindred religion of any sort.

Temporary Trait Use

During each period where a plotline is taking place, characters may use their Backgrounds to perform actions and acquire resources they need for their plans. When a character calls on a background, they temporarily lose one or more points of that background depending on the magnitude of their request. Characters may also temporarily lose backgrounds due to attacks on their background or influence. In both cases, any dots used or lost will be unavailable to them for the duration of the plotline unless restored by some means. All temporary points lost or used are restored at the end of the plotline.

These rules also apply to Blood, Willpower, and damage taken by a Vampire during a plotline. Blood may be restored by hunting or the use of the Herd background or by feeding in scene. Willpower may be restored by performing actions in accordance with the characters' Convictions (each conviction may be claimed for a Willpower dot once each plot period). Damage can only be healed through the use of Blood.

Hunting, Herd, and Blood

Kindred in need of Blood may call on the Herd background to replenish their Hunger rating or another Vampire's. Each time a character spends a dot of Herd, they may fully replenish their Blood or that of another Kindred they've invited to use their Herd. Kindred who know of the Herds of other Kindred may also attempt to slake themselves on those Herds, both restoring their own Blood and harming a rival.

Herd may also be used to acquire Blood for other purposes, such as Blood rituals requiring mortal Blood as a component. Herd background used in this manner will provide the Kindred with enough Blood to carry out a single action (i.e. one ritual, one bribe, etc.)

Kindred in need of Blood but without access to a Herd may hunt to restore their Blood. Kindred may carry out a hunt by rolling their Predator Type pool, slaking their Hunger for as many dots as they've rolled successes. Kindred may carry out one Hunt per Game Night, and may not store excess Blood unless they have some technological or magical means of doing so.

Optional Resonance System

Shattered Masquerade will implement a simplified version of the Resonance system being used in Vampire: The Masquerade, 5th Edition. When players use a Herd dot to restore their Blood Pool or go Hunting, they may request Blood of a specific Resonance and roll a Wits + Awareness roll against a difficulty of 3 to attempt to locate the correct Resonance. Upon success, the Kindred will gain +1 to Disciplines associated with the Resonance they've requested. Upon failure, the Kindred will gain a +1 to a Discipline associated with a Resonance chosen at random. Upon a critical success, the Kindred may take a +2 dice bonus to the appropriate Discipline or work with the Storyteller to claim an appropriate Dyscrasia. These bonuses will be usable in a number of scenes equal to the amount of Hunger slaked. Players will be expected to play out the impact of the Resonance on them - a Sanguine Resonance would make a Vampire more pleasant, energetic, and alluring, while a Choleric Kindred would be more passionate and prone to violence.

[Alex]

Custom Disciplines

Vicissitude

Dice Pool - Intelligence + Medicine/Vicissitude (Self), Dexterity + Medicine/Vicissitude (Others),

Level 1 - Malleable Visage

The first thing every Tzimisce learns is to mold their own body to their often hideous wills. Malleable Visage allows the Tzimisce, with sufficient time, to alter their body in whatever way they wish. At its simplest, this allows the Tzimisce to change their physical qualities, reinforce their strengths, and cover their weaknesses. Through more complex uses, the Tzimisce can render themselves unrecognizable to those who know them and take on unnatural shapes.

System: The Tzimisce makes a Rouse check and rolls their Intelligence + Medicine/Vicissitude. For each success, the Tzimisce may reallocate one physical trait between their existing categories - though none may go over 5. The Tzimisce may also attempt to make finer changes, such as taking on a specific appearance, mimicking a target's voice, retina, or fingerprints, or taking on shapes making them more suited to difficult tasks. The difficulty of these challenges is determined by the Storyteller, with a few samples provided below. Using this power and remolding the Tzimisce's body takes 15 minutes, and on critical success can happen in a single turn.

• Specific Appearance: 3
• Gain Appearance Merit: 3 (+ XP Cost)
• Mimic Voice: 4
• Mimic Biometrics: 5
• Unnatural Changes: Variable

Level 2 - Fleshcraft

With sufficient mastery, a Tzimisce can move beyond molding their own body and exercise their skills over others. Flesh, muscle, fat, and other soft tissues are like clay in the Fiend's hands, allowing them to remake mortals and the Kindred alike to better suit their purposes. As more Tzimisce have drifted into the Anarch Movement, this Discipline's medical uses have become more commonplace and well-known among Kindred and kine alike. But its terrifying reputation still precedes it.

System: The Tzimisce makes a Rouse check and rolls their Dexterity + Medicine/Vicissitude. Upon success, user may utilize all of the abilities listed under Malleable Visage on a mortal or Vampiric subject. In addition, the user may also attempt to heal Bashing Damage in mortals against a difficulty of the number of damage levels the mortal has taken (the more wounded someone is, the more complicated it is to work effectively on them). For each success, the Tzimisce may heal one level of damage. Kindred may heal changes made by Fleshcrafting as Aggravated damage.

Level 3 - Bonecraft

The most hideous applications of Vicissitude some as the Tzimisce gain the ability to mold bone and other hard tissues. Bonecrafting allows Tzimisce to strip their victims of their very humanity, twisting them into gruesome and painful shapes. For that same reason it is a capable instrument of torture and intimidation against mortals and Kindred alike. But like other applications of Vicissitude, younger and more humane Tzimisce brought up outside of the Sabbat have reclaimed its image somewhat with their abilities to heal the deepest of wounds.

System: The Tzimisce makes a rouse check and rolls their Strength + Medicine/Vicissitude. This Discipline's outcomes are highly situational, and a few examples will be illustrated below. Any other circumstances come down to ST discretion.

• Damage/Torture - The Tzimisce may use Bonecrafting on a grappled or otherwise restrained target to inflict damage. For each success, the Tzimisce inflicts 1 level of aggravated damage to mortals and vampires. Upon a critical success, the Tzimisce may permanently maim their subject, inflicting some crippling injury upon them that lowers a physical attribute.
• Weapons & Armor - The Tzimisce may augment themselves or others with armor and natural weapons. When using it on themselves, the Tzimisce may substitute Intelligence + Medicine/Vicissitude for the roll. For each success the user rolls, they may add 1 level of armor or +1 damage to their attacks in the form of bone plates, spikes, and other natural weaponry. These spikes upgrade damage done with them to mortals to aggravated. If used without Fleshcrafting, each of these changes also does one level of Bashing Damage to the recipient.
• Healing - The Tzimisce may attempt to heal aggravated wounds inflicted on a mortal. The Tzimisce rolls their Strength + Medicine/Vicissitude against a difficulty of the number of damage levels the mortal has taken (the more wounded someone is, the more complicated it is to work effectively on them). Healing with both bonecrafting and fleshcrafting may be done simultaneously.
• Bodily Changes - Bonecrafting broadens the spectrum of changes a Vampire can make to themselves and their subjects. The Tzimisce rolls their Dexterity + Medicine/Vicissitude against a subdued target - this process takes too long for a grapple to be practical. For each success, the Tzimisce may make changes (grasping fingers, longer legs, etc.) that render their subject a permanent bonus of some kind as a merit. These changes may be healed by Vampires as aggravated damage.

Level 4 - Horrid Form

While Bonecrafting may be the most horrific form of Vicissitude, the Horrid Form lurking within is the bane of any Kindred wishing to face them in combat. In invoking their Horrid Form - known to the Tzimisce themselves as the zulo - the Fiends tap into the Beast and inflict their most monstrous selves on their enemies. Flesh and bone erupt from nowhere to allow even the weakest Tzimisce to become a force to be reckoned with.

System: The Tzimisce makes two rouse checks and must concentrate for a turn, during which time they take their Horrid Form. All Physical Attributes increase by three, but all Social Attributes drop to zero, except when dealing with others also in Horrid Form. However, a vampire in Horrid Form who is trying to intimidate someone may substitute Strength for a Social Attribute. Damage inflicted in brawling combat increases by one due to the jagged ridges and bony knobs creasing the creature's hands.

Level 5 - Blood Form

At the Tzimisce's height of mastery, they may do more than simply mold their flesh through the use of Vicissitude. A Vampire who has mastered this Discipline can transmute themselves entirely, turning their physical body into Blood. The Vampire can transform their body in bits or all at once, either allowing them to cannibalize their own limbs in times of great peril or turn into a sentient blood pool capable of traveling through crevices, pipes, or anywhere else liquid can travel.

System: With a turn of concentration, the Tzimisce may turn one or more of their limbs at a time into Vitae, which they or any other Kindred may consume. Upon each limb being consumed, the user loses that point of Blood. And in order to restore that limb later, the Kindred must consume blood equal to those lost. The Tzimisce may turn their entire body into Blood with a turn of concentration. As a sentient pool of Blood, the user is immune to Bashing damage as well as any damage not inflicted by fire or the sun. The Blood may will itself above surfaces at walking speed, and may move anywhere normal liquid could gain access to.

Custom Rituals

Path of the Inner Self

L'humeur Cultivée
Level 1 Blood Ritual
Requires: A piece of wearable, non-synthetic jewelry with a gem or stone of some kind, a pint of blood with Resonance, a glazed bowl

It is well known to the Kindred that mortal blood is not all the same. Based on the emotional state and the life experience of a human, their Blood can carry with it humors that enhance the talents and emphasize certain personality traits of Kindred who drink them. The Blood Sorcerer may use this ritual to capture the humors of a mortal's blood without drinking it, allowing it to be used when they need and even shared with other Kindred.

In order to enact this ritual, the Kindred must obtain a pint of human blood with humors strong enough to bear a Resonance. They pour the blood into a glazed bowl and submerge in that bowl a piece of jewelry with a stone or a gem inlaid to it. The Kindred calls forth the Resonance of the Blood and leaves it to set. If the ritual succeeds, the blood will vanish in an hour and the stone or gem will be tinted slightly red.

Any Kindred or mortal who puts on the jewlery will gain +1 to an attribute relevant to the Resonance of the Blood used. Choleric Blood adds +1 to a Physical attribute, Melancholic Blood adds +1 to a Mental attribute, and Sanguine Blood adds +1 to a Social attribute. Phlegmatic Blood adds +1 to rolls to resist supernatural influence, such as Frenzy and Mind-altering Disciplines. In addition to these benefits, the wearer's personality shifts to strongly reflect the humor of the Blood. Some may even adopt different personalities, though they still maintain their memories, beliefs, and goals. These effects last a single night, after which the jewelry becomes mundane.

Upon a critical success in the ritual, the user may gain an additional attribute point in the relevant pool or gain a minor merit deemed appropriate by the Storyteller. Upon a botch, the ritual appears to work, but the wearer of the jewelry is overwhelmed by the resonance of the blood. They become taken with a new personality, and will resist attempts to remove the item.

The Fae Path

La Belle Visage
Level 1 Ritual
Requires: A symbol of Blood painted on the subject's forehead

By focusing and drawing a symbol of beauty on themselves or another mortal or Vampire, the caster may imbue them with an unnatural beauty. Upon success, the subject of the ritual gains the Merit "Beautiful" for the duration of the night. If a critical success is attained, the subject gains the Merit "Stunning" for the duration of the night.

Bewitch the Bonds
Level 4 Blood Ritual
Requires: A red dahlia flower, a point of blood from a Ghoul or thrall - mortal or Kindred

The Blood Bond is one of the strongest powers that Kindred can wield over each other and especially mortals they require to do their bidding during the day. The Bond inspired a fanatic devotion in most. A loyalty that is almost impossible to compromise. But the fae are known for their power to pervert the ordinary and turn convention on its head. If Kindred can use blood to bond each other, why could they not turn that bond or others into ties or hatred and mistrust?

To perform this ritual, the Kindred must obtain a point of blood from the subject of the ritual. This can be a mortal or Kindred, a Ghoul or a simple thrall. Once they have this blood, they must place a red dahlia - a symbol of betrayal - atop the blood and chant the name of the mortal or Kindred they are bonded to. If the Blood Mage is successful, whatever tie the subject had to the named person will be reversed. Love will become hatred, and hatred love. The bond being impacted must be strong for this effect to take place - the Blood Bond is the best example, but true love, affection, and hatred may work, as well. This effect will last a single night, plus one day for every additional success. Upon a critical failure, however, the bond will instead seep into the mind of the caster. They'll find themselves enslaved to the person they've named for a single night, driven to seek them out and obey their commands.

Miscellaneous Rituals

Fumée et Bruit
Level 2 Ritual
Requires: A piece of rusted or burnt metal

The user pours their Blood over a piece of rusted metal. Once successful, the user may attempt to destroy one machine within their own line of sight sometime that night as long as the metal remains in their possession. To destroy the machine, the user must roll INT + Occult, with a difficulty depending on the complexity of the machine. The more complex the machine, the easier the roll. Upon success, the machine will break and will be able to be repaired. Upon a critical success, the machine will not be able to be repaired by any mundane means.

Decryption
Level 3 Blood Ritual
Requires: A copper wire and a figurine or other symbol of St. Expedite.

Secrets become more valuable as they become harder to keep, and in the digital age Kindred often find themselves without the tools of professional hackers, international spies, and other people known to get their hands on data. Tremere Technomancers have found their own solution to this problem. Using this ritual, a Blood Mage can void digital security and open a device and its contents up to anyone they wish.

The Kindred wraps a digital device in copper wire and places it in a circle of Vitae. They place the symbol of St. Expedite on the device and offer up a prayer to him. Upon success, the next time the device is accessed, all passwords and other forms of encryption will be voided. In the case of a hard drive, this will happen when access is gained from a computer. Note that this power only applies to data on the device - not data accessed via the internet.

[Alex]

New Blood and Willpower Rules

Since it was brought to my attention that I neglected to ever codify Blood rules, here are some new guidelines to take us into the final stretch. Let me know if you have any concerns over these.

• Your Hunger rating will now be reset to zero at the end of each scene you're in unless otherwise stated - for instance, if your character is held captive or otherwise can't go hunting.
• Your Hunger rating will not be restored before scenes. This means if you do anything with Hunger after one scene but before another, that Hunger won't be slaked.
• Characters with "Herd" can slake one dot of Hunger for each dot of Herd they have. Or may contribute that Herd to someone else.
• Characters may make one Hunting Roll in between scenes to restore Blood lost to other activities.

These rules will take effect starting in Chapter 4. For now, just assume you get to start all scenes at 0 Hunger unless otherwise stated.

In addition, I'm going to make some slight changes to the Willpower rules. They'll now operate as follows:

• Willpower will continue to remain static for the duration of a chapter. If a Willpower is spent in one scene, your Willpower does not fully replenish until after the end of a chapter.
• However, after each plot-relevant scene, your character will automatically regain 1 Willpower.
• In addition, if you feel that your character has done something exceptional in keeping with their convictions, you may let me know. If I agree, you may claim one additional Willpower.

Like the Blood Rules, these will come into effect next Chapter.