Rules of the Rant: OOC

[Alex]

Rules of the Rant: OOC Edition

Hello, players! Ahead of our upcoming Rant, I wanted to lay out how I plan to run things and the rules that I plan to use to do so. Normally I don't like to overly systematize things or go into too much detail. But the upcoming Rant is different, because the upcoming rant is PVP. It is soft PVP with low stakes, but in any area where players come into direct conflict - where there may be a winner or loser - it's important that everyone goes in with a clear expectation of the rules involved in the PVP. The goal of these rules will be:

• To ensure fairness for all players during the Rant
• To give all players a chance to impact the Rant
• To give all players a chance to plan for the Rant

To that end, I'll be going over the OOC structure and rules of the Rant, what your options are for interactions, and how you can expect those interactions to impact NPC's.

Rant Basics

Let's start with the mechanical ground rules going into the Rant. This is essentially pre-game stuff, so take a look and ask me any questions you have about it.

• Everyone will start out with their maximum, permanent Blood and Willpower. No rouse rules will be require - Mardi Gras is easy hunting. But there will not be any refreshing of those resources during the Rant. So manage them accordingly.
• If characters are making any preparation - creating props, bringing things in, preparing rituals, etc. - I need to know by Saturday at noon.
• Similarly, any pre-Rant chats or plotting also needs to happen before Saturday at noon so I can make final adjustments to NPC's.
• Finally, if you wish to spend any XP ahead of time, please enter those spends before game night begins. I'll be using whatever sheets I have at the time.

And now to the Rant itself. The Rant will be held in an outdoor pavilion and the associated clearing. Mortal guests are permitted, but are generally advised to stay away from the action. These things get ugly, and mortals can be rather easily broken. In terms of layout, though, we're going to be going with something akin to a caucus system - I think it'll make for compelling visual storytelling to make the scene more than us shouting at each other. That means that once an argument starts, Kindred will cluster around whoever is making an argument they agree with. Neutral parties tend to sit on the sidelines or between the caucuses.

There will be a variety of debates taking place at the Rant, with the most plot-relevant one being how the offensive against the Camarilla should proceed. Characters should feel free to bring their own agenda to the table. As long as we get the biggest plot points out of the way, Rants aren't structured events. Anyone is allowed to say anything.

Debating and Challenges

The core of what you'll be doing on the Rant is trying to persuade undecided - or even decided - Anarchs to your side. For player characters, this isn't mechanical. Everyone will be free to make their decisions based on the arguments presented. For NPC's, though, that's obviously a bit more complicated. There are two ways you can try to influence NPC's - direct address, and group challenges.

Direct Address - These are actions that are directed at an individual NPC. The character provides some indication of who they're appealing to, even if not directly, and makes their argument. If they make their argument alone, they'll roll against the NPC's Resolve and Insight. If someone counters them, though, there will be a contested roll based on whatever social traits each is using. The winner gets points towards convincing the NPC equal to the number of excess successes they have.

Group Address - Compared to direct addresses, group addresses are speeches and gestures aimed at everyone. Where direct addresses might appeal to individual Kindreds' thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, group addresses should be something generally agreeable. All group addresses will be made against a difficulty of 4, with successes over 4 influencing most of the Kindred in your direction. Where Direct Addresses may allow for bigger shifts, Group addresses allow for broader ones.

Convincing NPC's - As for how that convincing works, there will be a simple system. I'm not giving specific number, but each NPC will have a starting position represented by which position they're taking and a number reflecting how strongly they feel. Some NPC's will have modifiers towards certain viewpoints, reflecting that they're easier or harder to convince.

Combat - It's a dull Rant that doesn't come to blows. And to a certain kind of Anarch, violence is the most effective argument. Combat begins with one Kindred attacking another. There are no formal rules for issuing a challenge or anything like that. If someone makes a character mad, they can shut the antagonist up with a fist to the face. There are a few general conventions around combat to keep in mind when deciding to throw hands. You can assume your characters know these ICly.

• Hitting someone out of nowhere is generally seen as forced and performative. There has to be some buildup and some real (or real-looking) anger before the fight is believable.
• One Anarch striking another does not automatically instigate the fight. An Anarch can turn down a brawl by not striking back. This is a risky move, though, and can make the Anarch who refuses a fight seem weak.
• Related to refusing a fight, Anarchs know that some Kindred are better fighters than others. And they don't see a lot of value in a hulking Brujah warrior beating the snot out of a reclusive Toreador. Scoring easy wins are unlikely to convince anyone of anything. By the same token, characters who aren't quite as combat capable standing up for themselves can reflect well even if they lose.
• As the IC article said. Anarchs don't allow guns at Rants, and they don't tolerate potentially lethal violence. Frenzying Vampires will be held back. Fights will be ended before anyone falls into torpor. And attempts to kill another Vampire will be met with collective violence.

Once a fight begins, it continues until one of the Kindred either can't fight or yields. Other Kindred may join an active fight, as well, turning one-on-one battles into brawls. Once fists are flying, all bets are off. How any given fight influences the Rant is based primarily on the basic outcome - who wins and who loses. But expectations and other factors may come into play, as well.

Gimmicks - "Gimmicks" is a blanket term for props, rehearsed flourishes, creative Discipline use, and other ways of making an impression that don't quite fall into a verbal argument or a physical altercation. Gimmicks themselves will not convince NPC's of anything. But they will add extra dice to your own rolls to debate, give speeches, or fight. You can plan these ahead, or you can come up with them on the spot. Just make sure you ask before you do so.

And that's it! Let me know ahead of time if you have any questions.