House Rules for Seasons of Strange and Unraveled Threads
Our House Rules are a living document. As time passes they will change and evolve as we experience more and learn from mistakes and discoveries.
For the most part, we will be playing directly from the Laws of the Night (LotN) and Laws of Ascension (LoA).
Most of the House Rules will be clarification of rules already in play, but are nebulous or easy to misinterpret.
The Staff reserves the right to make a rules call on anything not currently covered in the House
Rules and we will endeavor to include any new rules which must be clarified in the House Rules.
All rules calls made by an ST during a scene are final for that scene. If there is disagreement on the call or ruling, that can be brought up after game, and debated, but once a ruling has been handed down, that’s it. This rule is in place for game flow reasons, and to make sure game is fun for everyone.
These house rules are the same between both Seasons of Strange, and Unraveled Threads.
Any and all IC communication should CC the staff of either Strange_Staff@googlegroups.com or unraveled-threads@googlegroups.com in order to be considered valid.
Interactions involving the instruction of things requiring a teacher (lores, disciplines, certain rare abilities, spheres) must be registered with the staff either via email, or a journal comment from both parties.
You are allowed to play multiple different characters in a game session with advanced notice and approval of the Staff. To be able to play more than one character in a session you must give staff at notice, by midnight the Saturday before game at the latest. The reason for this is we may need time to adjust plot or character interactions we have planned for one, or both of your characters. Further, when you are ready to switch from one character to your next you MUST inform staff of your change prior to coming into character, for the same reasons.
Attendance: 4 xp
Writing an EoG: 1-2 xp (ST discretion)
Downtime Scenes: 1-2 xp (ST discretion)
Travel (If it takes you 45 minutes or more, excluding traffic, to get to game) : 1 xp
Distinctive Costuming : 1 XP
Being Helpful: 1-2 XP (Examples of being helpful, People who help set up and break down, people who help make site better (appropriate music, props to help with atmosphere),
Role Play Award: 1 xp
8XP for STs or Coordinators with PCs based in Seasons of Strange or Unraveled Threads
4XP for Subcoords with PCs based in Seasons of Strange or Unraveled Threads (May only be awarded XP for one Subcoord position, per character, and this award may only be claimed if they are also not being claimed in other chronicles.)
Visiting another game will be subject to the same xp rules as attending a Seasons of Strange or Unraveled Threads game.
For characters based in Seasons of Strange or Unraveled Threads, the ST staff are the ones who award XP to characters, and who approve the XP requests of characters. Players in violation of this rule shall be considered in violation of the CoC.
So that all players have equal opportunity to log actions, expend abilities and influences, submit EOGs, and receive XP in a timely manner, Seasons of Strange and Unraveled Threads uses a hard deadline for submissions. All submissions (online/ email scenes, EOGs, Influence expenditures) must be submitted no later than 11:59 AM Eastern time, the Saturday (One week) before game. Submissions received after this deadline (but before game) other than XP expenditures will not be counted as valid without written ST approval given before the deadline. All such submissions count only for the game cycle in which they are submitted.
So we can better resolve player issues, everything to be considered has to be in soon enough for staff to have logged before the staff meeting, and if you don't log things in one month, there is no roll-over the next
A player can request an increase to something on a character sheet by only one level per month. For example, you can add one to your traits (per catagory), one to an ability (but more than one ability may be improved in a month), backgrounds, disciplines, spheres, Arete and willpower, with the approval of staff. All other restrictions still apply (teacher requirements, R&U authorizations, etc.)
A character that has not been in play may spend XP within the parameters of our XP Spending rules for the amount of time they have been inactive, up to a maximum of six months back.
Alertness vs Investigation uses:
Investigation: Will be used as a retest for when you are actively searching for something (secret/concealed doors/things, traps, clues, an area, detecting if someone is carrying concealed weapons).
Alertness: Will be used as a retest for when you are not actively looking for specific things, noticing something out of place, noticing that you are being followed, various other things that
To improve a character's Resources, a character must have liquid capital equal to 10x the monthly allowance of the level of Resources they are trying to purchase. For example, to go from Resources 4 ($10,000/month) to Resources 5 ($30,000/month) requires a character to have $300,000 in "cash". This money is then expended to make investments and purchases to bring the character up to the new level of Resources. The background trait is improved via XP as normal.
Saving Money: Money is represented by money cards, which are created and updated by STs. If you wish to save your Resources money, have the amount recorded on a money card and signed by ST.
Retainers of any stripe will be run straight from the book as starting "characters" of their genre.
They will not gain XP. There are however some Merits which allow a greater than average retainer of some types. You are allowed a maximum of 5 dots in any particular type of retainer if you have the means. This includes, but is not limited to, Retainer, Animal Retainer, Wraith Retainer, Spirit Slave.
These backgrounds may be purchased multiple times in order to refer to separate Havens.
We are currently using the influence rules directly out of Laws of the Night Revised.
In any challenge, you may only receive bonus traits from a single merit, a single discipline, and a single magic item. For example, when you are dominating someone, you can stack the bonus traits from enchanting voice and a use of Obtenebration: Shadowplay (bonus to intimidation challenges) to receive a bonus of +3 total to your dominate challenge. You cannot however, receive the bonus from both the Merit: Sanctity AND the Merit: Enchanting Voice when trying to lie convincingly.
We will be using the doubling language scale found in the Kindred of the East source-book. The Natural Linguist Merit will provide double the normal languages known.
For the sake of brevity, we will list the optional rules which we will be using from the Dark Epics book, rather than copying them here.
1) Retests, pg: 70
2) Movement in Combat, pg: 71
3) Two-weapon Combat, pg: 71
4) Noticing powers in effect, pg: 72
5) Explosives, pg: 50
6) Lores, pg: 50 & 51
7) Health, pg: 71 (specifically: Death, pg: 72)
Crafting an item takes three components, along with winning a test of the appropriate type:
1. The materials to craft the item (generally not needed for performance tests)
2. The equipment to craft the item (this includes relevant gear for performance tests)
3. Winning the appropriate test (physical for crafts, mental for expression, social for performance). All traits used are to be considered miscellaneous traits, regardless of the trait used, in regards to tests, and retests, and ties. The difficulty of the test will be determined by the ST, modified by the relevant abilities (Science used to design a schematic typically helps with this, for example).
Seasons of Strange will also be using a variant of the Crafting rules found in the Toreador clan packet (p.25). The permanent expenditure of the appropriate trait is 3, not 6. The character must have at least one trait remaining to perform the test, and the character is not required to have a 5 in the appropriate ability.
A character requires only one level of the appropriate ability to perform the test, and may make any appropriate item out of Dark Epics. All items are based out of Dark Epics (or newer publications).
The general guideline is two bonus health levels/traits more than negatives. For example, a Kevlar vest has two bonus health levels, so requires no negative traits. A Kevlar jacket has three, so possesses a single negative trait. All weapon damages start at two health levels, unless noted otherwise in Dark Epics.
Modifying base stats:
To add a special ability not normally found on the items requires the expenditure of one level of the relevant ability (such as armor piercing to normal ammo).
The removal of a negative trait requires the expenditure of two levels of the appropriate crafts.
The addition of a level of damage requires the expenditure of two levels of the appropriate ability, and non-supernatural damage may not be more than 5, through a combination of base damage and special abilities.
Invoking the Toreador clan flaw: All unexpended craft/expression/performance levels count towards the entrancement that invokes the Toreador clan flaw.
This is a Mage Traditions game. Playable characters are any of the Nine Traditions, including their factions as they are listed in LoA, or a Hollow One. Also we are allowing, on an approval basis only, Hedge Magicians and Sorcerers. We are using red book Laws of the Hunt for magic and Numina rules. No Orphans, Technocracy, Marauders, Nephandi or others of the Supernatural persuasion with approval only.
The Merit Immunity is not being allowed into game at this time. Any Technocracy Specific Merits or Flaws are ST Approval only.
The Merit Legendary Attribute is ST Approval only.
All other Mage Merits and Flaws are available. Any Merits or Flaws not in LoA or LoA:C are ST Approval only.
New character backgrounds, paradigm descriptions, chantry write ups and additional information can earn you additional starting XP, as per OWbN Bylaws.
You can not claim to be moving faster just because there are Kindred with Celerity around. You can not deal massive amounts of damage with claws just because there are Garou around, and so on. The world does not believe that these creatures exist, therefore they can not be used to explain away your magic. Your best possible outcome if you do this, is Vulgar Without Witness.
Buying Arete : To be able to buy up your Arete, you must have earned enough XP for the level of Arete you wish to purchase.
To be able to buy your Arete to level 4, you must have 75 Earned XP
To be able to buy your Arete to level 5, you must have 200 Earned XP
To be able to buy your Arete to level 6, you must have 325 Earned XP
Beyond Human Limits (p.123)
Using Willpower (p.138)
Acting In Concert (p.138)
Overbidding for success (p.139)
Rituals and Extended Magic (p.138)
Superhuman Ritual (p. 140)
Fast Casting (p.140)
Dynamic Magic (p.140)
Conjunctional Effects (p.141)
Paradox Flaws (p.173)
Paradox Realm (p.174)
Stacking Backgrounds (p.60)
No Instant Kill Optional Rule (p.165)
Half Dead Optional Rule (p.165)
Final Retribution Optional Rule (p.166)
You do not need to declare the ability to use the "bomb" when using Potence: Vigor or Celerity: Rapidity.
You cannot “force” a vampire to teach you disciplines. Either through powers such as Dominate, nor through abilities such as Torture.
You may only learn a single Out of Clan Discipline to the Advanced level prior to learning the Advanced level in all of your In-clan Disciplines.
The body of all characters using "out of body" powers (i.e.: Possession, Astral Projection, Subsume, etc.) must have their bodies within the jurisdiction of, and in the control of the ST staff. Staff must also be informed of the location of the characters body at all times.
Auspex: Telepathy: To establish telepathy one must have line of sight on the target. To maintain Telepathy, one must remain within line of interaction.
Dementation: Voice of Madness: A Willpower may not be spent to ignore the virtue challenge portion of this power.
Dominate: There is no generation check against the individual who placed a forgetful mind to detect/remove said forgetful mind. The only generation check is versus the individual who you are using Dominate on.
Dominate: Uses of Dominate on “Pure” mortals (Non-ghoul, non-supernatural, etc.) do not require the bidding of a mental trait to use.
Fortitude: Aegis: Aegis must be declared before any of the staking simple challenges are thrown in order for Aegis to be effective.
Obfuscate: Attacking an opponent from surprise when using Obfuscate lowers the needed surprise count by one second. (Similar to the same benefit using Quietus: Silence of Death confers)
Obfuscate: Vanish from the Minds Eye: The user of Vanish may add their levels of Obfuscate to their mental trait in the challenge to disappear for the purposes of ties and overbids. Obfuscate will NOT work on animals or insects. It will also not often work on innocent children, the completely insane mortals, and by extension, the fully, fall-down drunk.
Potence: Might: Might is the last retest which YOU may use. It does not stop your opponent from using any of their retests.
Overbid: In order to overbid, you must have Double the traits of your opponent. (12 is needed to overbid 6 traits, not 13. This total must take into account the trait potentially lost in the first series of tests).
If you are able to overbid your opponent, the next series of tests are considered to be a whole new challenge. Thus you both parties may employ appropriate retests again. This applies even if Might was employed by either party, and such may be used again.
Potence level 5: Puissance + Protean level 2: Feral Claws = 2 Aggravated wounds.
Presence: One must possess level 4 Presence (Summon) before one can establish a “summon lock” on an individual.
Quietus: Will be run as per Faith and Fire (pg: 195), except for the advanced level.
Quietus: Silence of Death: Will not prevent blood magic from being used, unless the power in question specifically requires the caster to be heard (Father's Vengeance, Path of Curses, etc...)
Quietus: Taste of Death: This power, when successfully used will inflict two aggravated wounds on the target. Additional blood may NOT be spent to increase this.
Temporis: Subjective suspension: Using this power on an "attended" object (one that is worn, or held, or in interaction with an individual) is subject to the rules on Called shots, and thus, not permitted.
Thanatosis: Withering: Withering a Vampire's head causes them to lose access to all disciplines EXCEPT Potence, Celerity, and Fortitude.
Thaumaturgy: Path of Blood: Potency of the Blood (and other blood magic variations) effects Dominate, in regards to generation.
Thaumaturgy: Path of Blood: Potency of the Blood (and other magics that duplicate its effects): Use of this power will not increase the amount of blood currently in your blood pool.
Thaumaturgy: Path of Conjuration: Materials created with this path may be used for their designed purpose at St discretion (conjured gasoline can burn, acid will melt things, etc.).
Thaumaturgy : Intermediate Ritual : Eyes of the Past works as worded in Laws of Elysium, and can only affect a single room, and not a room sized area.
To encourage individuals to purchase more than a single level of this ability, and to reward those who purchase more than a single level, a couple of changes are being made in regards to hunting and the associated ability. If you have more than one level of the Hunting ability, you can use multiple levels of the ability to retest during the initial night’s blood chop. You also cannot receive a worse result from retesting with said ability.
When feeding, one blood trait may be drained per action, to a maximum of 3 blood traits per turn with the use of Celerity (Legerity). Various merits/disciplines may increase this maximum (Gaping Maw, Over-sized Mouth, Serpentis: Skin of the Adder, etc). These will increase the amount per turn, not per action.
Blood beads: You may have a total number of blood beads created equal to your primary path rating + your occult rating
Only one “carrier attack” may be used per attack - With the normal restrictions on multiple attacks applying.
Grapples, firm grasps, and touches are mutual. So beware of grappling someone with a power dependent on such conditions.
Ghouls (and other supernatural/partially awakened mortals on a case by case nature) do not count as "mortals" in regards to one shot kill powers (Ritual: Touch of Nightshade, Path of Blood: Cauldron of Blood (and other blood magic variations thereof), Thanatosis: Withering (Head Withering), etc, etc...)
Vampires take half bashing damage (round up)
Vampires may spend one blood to heal one lethal wound.
Vampires may spend one blood to heal two bashing wounds.
High Caliber and Mass Trauma guns to lethal damage to Vampires.
Merit: Blasé: Functions as Iron Will, but replace Dominate with Presence and Mental with Emotional.
For those with Magic as an in-clan: Your Primary Path may be purchased at in-clan costs. Any other Paths require you to pay out of clan costs, and also require a teacher to learn.
After every third feeding from an animal, you make a Static Mental Challenge whenever you are confronted with the opportunity to feed on human or Kindred blood. If you fail, you frenzy and attempt to drain the vessel. As you accumulate feedings, you find it harder to resist the lure of finer vintage. At each additional third feeding (the sixth, ninth, etc.), you must bid three extra Traits on the challenge - for example, a vampire who has fed nine times on animal blood must bid six extra Traits on the test when she discovers an unconscious Ventrue just waiting to be fed from. Once you have frenzied and slaked your thirst, you are considered to be “starting over.”
Family Ties: When used for influence, this background functions as per the allies background per level of this background possessed and with the restrictions listed in the Giovanni packet with regards to what influence actions it can be used to perform or assist in. (i.e. A level 4 in this background can be used to perform a level 4 action, or combined with your own influence action at half the total allocated to assist)
If you successfully overbid someone, it is treated as a new challenge, meaning any Abilities, Dispciplines, Merits, etc, if you have any unspent, may be used for this new challenge.
Violations of the CoC will be awarded a number of strikes. Accumulation of three (3) strikes in a
1 year period will result in termination of the player’s current character, and a ban of 6 months.
The Code of Conduct applies to players and OOC actions, not characters and IC actions.
Code of Conduct:
1. Players should be civil to one another, particularly during high stress situation such as combat. A request from a player (or staff member) to stop something (yelling, trash talk, etc.) should be heeded.
2. Care for Space: This applies to both the site the game is played in, and the objects/items of other players. If you make a mess, clean it up. If it belongs to another player, treat it with the courtesy you would like your things shown. Accidents happen, destruction of property in the heat of the moment doesn’t’ count.
3. Cheating: Cheating, and variants, such as lying, magic penciling, mommy-daddying, and things of that nature are not allowed.
Suggested penalties for strikes:
First strike: No XP awarded that month.
Second strike: No XP awarded for that month, character is unplayable for 2 months.
Third strike: Termination of the player’s current character, and a ban of 6 months from the chronicle.
Players have one month from the time the strike is issued to appeal. All appeals are final.
Final decision rests in the hands of the HST.
One strike automatically goes away after 6 months.