All Things World of Darkness

Qralloq Inactive for 1 months

Mar 21, 2026 2:58 pm

Interest in World of Darkness

If one of us did start a Cam/Anarch game, what would be the preference:

Choose your preferred type of game Multi Public

Political sandbox, like "(City) By Night"

Fledgling/Newborns learning the ropes in a Cam controlled area

Street level struggles; building, defending a domain under the masquerade

Archon troubleshooters

Supernatural Murder Mystery™

Action Adventure

Personal Horror

reversia.ch

Mar 21, 2026 6:41 pm

Interest in World of Darkness

The only option that didn't appeal to me is "Action Adventure". Not really my thing to run/play in.

As for my own mindset in working on the myriad of ideas for potential chronicles, I see the "sandbox" style play as a foundation on top of which other themes can be layered. I fumbled quite a bit with the shovelhead chronicle, due to my inexperience as a pbp player and ST, with the beginning portion of the game being way too "box-offed", too restrictive to be enjoyably interactive for my players, I feel, so I am a bit concerned that similar scenario can happen with "Fledgling" type chronicle. This theme is so very rich for exploration, which I would very much like to experience myself, but the thought does play in the back of my head. Which is why I've been trying to think up different ways for a potential new chronicle to begin with this openness and freedom out of the gate. The "street level struggles" sounds like a good option - the characters can begin completely fresh and be immediately thrown into a developing situation with a bunch of options and ways to react.

Always down for 'personal horror" exploration, don't think I'm smart enough to set-up a game where "murder mystery" takes central stage, though would love to play one of those.

Am curious what you meant by "Archon troubleshooters". I've been reading up on a lot of Anarch material lately and I think their idea of troubleshooting an "archon problem" would differ quite a bit from at least nominally Camarilla aligned Kindred.

Qralloq Inactive for 1 months

Mar 21, 2026 10:36 pm

Interest in World of Darkness

Looks like a strong showing for a traditional xxxx by night game, or which there are many published.

As to Archon games, V:tM is rife with the possibility of 'higher level' play, so to speak, as greatly summarized by AI:

[ +- ] Archon Troubleshooters (Google AI Summary)

Campaigns for Archons in Vampire: The Masquerade center on the character's role as the elite, mobile agents of a Justicar, often involving high-stakes political intrigue, investigation, and enforcement of Camarilla law far from their home domain. They are the "gestapo or KGB" of the Camarilla, often acting with implicit authority and impunity to maintain the Traditions and the Masquerade.

Here are the primary types of campaigns for Archon coteries:

The Traveling Trouble-shooters ("Star Trek" Model): The coterie travels from city to city at the behest of their Justicar to resolve crises where local leadership has failed, such as a weak Prince, Sabbat infiltration, or a breakdown of the Masquerade.

The Red List/Alastor Campaign: Focusing on elite, dangerous hunting, the coterie acts as Alastors, tracking down the most notorious vampires on the Camarilla's Red List. This is a high-octane mystery/slasher campaign focusing on investigation and ultimate destruction of powerful foes.
Camarilla Internal Affairs: Archons are sent to investigate "clean" cities where the Prince may be a tyrant, corrupt, or incompetent. The campaign involves navigating political alliances, spying on elders, and deciding whether to support or depose local leadership.

Warfront/Anarch Conflict: In areas of open conflict, Archons lead forces to reclaim territory from the Anarch Movement or combat Sabbat incursions. These are action-oriented, featuring "wars" and large-scale, violent confrontations.

The Inquisitor/Investigation Campaign: A non-combat focused campaign where Archons are dispatched to solve complex crimes, locate lost artifacts, or unravel supernatural mysteries that threaten to reveal Kindred existence.

Key Campaign Elements:
High Authority/Low Freedom: Archons have the power to command local vampires but are bound to the will of their Justicar, often via a blood bond.
Support Staff: Archons are frequently supported by ghoul teams for logistical, investigative, and day-time security tasks.
Political Intrigue: Even in war-focused games, Archons must navigate the complex, treacherous nature of Kindred society, where they are often viewed with both fear and resentment. igh Authority/Low Freedom: Archons have the power to command local vampires but are bound to the will of their Justicar, often via a blood bond.

reversia.ch

Mar 22, 2026 4:02 am

Interest in World of Darkness

Ah, so the characters are the archons. Gotcha. I'm familiar with both Red List books, but haven't read "Archons & Templars" yet, which I imagine is the main sourcebook for these types of chronicles.

Qralloq Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2026 3:25 pm

Interest in World of Darkness

One more poll to help prospective Storytellers narrow the choices (choose one or more systems, and one or more settings):

Your preference for both a system and source for a political sandbox (City) By Night Multi Public

V5

V20 (v4)

Revised (v3)

Second edition

Original

Any system is fine

Published City book

Storyteller's unique created city

Collaboratively created city

Any setting is fine

reversia.ch

Mar 24, 2026 8:37 pm

Interest in World of Darkness

Figured I'd bump this little list what with all new arrivals and increased interest. Feel free to add or correct as needed.

[ +- ] Games and Links oWoD

[ +- ] Games and Links CoD/nWoD

Updates:

[ +- ]

Last edited April 7, 2026 8:51 pm

Qralloq Inactive for 1 months

Mar 31, 2026 4:52 pm

All Things World of Darkness

Lots of response on the VtM setting. I've been working on Phoenix by Night and I'll put up a recruitment thread tonight. There's likely enough interest for two or three games if any other Storytellers have a chronicle in mind.

Qralloq Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2026 12:51 am

All Things World of Darkness

The recruitment thread for Phoenix by Night is now up!

reversia.ch

Apr 2, 2026 3:46 pm

All Things World of Darkness

I might, after all the personal issues are sorted. Had chats with em^2 about maybe doing a co-ST chronicle, but that's also undecided. I also been thinking that I might want to expand my repertoire from just WoD and try playing and running other things, like participating in that Paint the Town Red game or running Lancer, GURPS, Cypher or 3.5 Planescape.

With WoD though, I just can't settle on a concept. Which line, setting, idea to use. It was easy to narrow down the core idea for shovelheads-centered chronicle, and the other VtM game I'm running had a very loose "first game ever, let's try using this book as a start and go from there".

For the last few days I've been thinking about Montreal. There's just something about the city as it is described and the Sabbat in general.. Though Sabbat seems to be the least favored sect out the big 3.

The_Ecumenical_Antifa Inactive for 5 months

Apr 7, 2026 10:50 pm

All Things World of Darkness

I would definitely be interested in trying something like this! The on V5 game I've been in died off pretty quickly due to ST inactivity unfortunately, but that brief experience and the APs I've listened to have me excited to give it a proper try. Personally, I'm most interested in the full chronicle or medium-length adventure. I feel I've already got a taste for V5 and am looking to experience how it plays on a larger timeframe; if you end up going for the one-shot I'm sure it will be fun, but I'd much rather keep space for another player who hasn't gotten to try the system out yet so they can experience it as well.

Edit: I'm not used to forum sites and I'm still getting used to navigating this, pardon me for posting a reply to the original post from 13 pages ago without realizing it!

Last edited April 7, 2026 10:54 pm

The_Ecumenical_Antifa Inactive for 5 months

Apr 8, 2026 1:16 am

All Things World of Darkness

reversia.ch says:

There's just something about the city as it is described and the Sabbat in general.. Though Sabbat seems to be the least favored sect out the big 3.

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of trepidation comes from the fact that there are so many different directions to take the Sabbat thematically; and a lot of times players either may not know what to expect from a Sabbat Chronicle because it kind of seems like the wild west, or they are very interested in some visions/thematic directions for the Sabbat but not interested at all in others, and might feel like you have to take the whole range to play a Sabbat Chronicle at all.

I haven't gotten to run/play a Sabbat game, but it is on my gaming bucket list, so I've thought a lot about how to approach that issue. As much of a stereotypical comment as this probably is, I think a robust conversation about that before starting the Chronicle goes a really long way. Like the Sabbat can just as easily be a brutal city politics game, a personal horror game about psychological abuse and conditioning in a death cult, or a punk adventure about half-human monsters fighting for their lives against the machinations of the Elders; and all of those thematic emphases are equally valid but sometimes the books give the impression that every Sabbat story has to be equal parts all of those things which can turn players off.

Also some people just aren't interested in a Sabbat game, of course, but this is a pattern I have noticed across several conversations with people about the prospect of Sabbat games in the past.

Qralloq Inactive for 1 months

Apr 8, 2026 1:54 am

All Things World of Darkness

You're right that there are lots of ways to play Sabbat. My last campaign was called Fangs of New York. The players started in 1952 as kids in a street gang, getting into fights and rumbles... Until they were shovel-headed.

They then find themselves in a war that's over before they're even in it, their would-be pack dead before they even woke. Navigating the streets of New York, they had to make their own way with only a crazy pack priest with no legs to guide them.

Opposing organized crime, human trafficking, and way too many Nosferatu, was all apart of protecting their neighborhood from the seedy underbelly of Queens.

Fast forward 30 some years in-game time later, and they're working for a Sabbat templar hunting demons in LA.

valentine_teddies Inactive for 1 months

Apr 12, 2026 2:18 am

All Things World of Darkness

Hopping into the thread to ask if anyone has run Hunter: the Reckoning (5th)?

I'm preparing to run a oneshot for some family members. What I found very striking about H5's splat is that quite a few of the antagonists are based in the Philippines! I'm visiting family there right now, so I'm planning to run The Lost Girl of Little Baguio.

So I was wondering if anyone has played or run H5, and what their experiences have been.

reversia.ch

Apr 12, 2026 4:06 am

All Things World of Darkness

Haven't read any of the Hunter books (though have been looking at classic, Revised era HtR quite a bit recently), but from what I understand there essentially 4 iterations of Hunter material across WoD/CoD:

Hunter the Reckoning (original, Revised era) - hunters are special individuals chosen by a higher power to fight on behalf of humanity; possess some powers.
Hunters Hunter (WoD, VtM supplement, 2 books from 2 edition and V20) - hunters are regular people, but they can (not must) have special abilities, like knowledge of hedge magic, telekinesis (Numina) or True Faith.
Hunter the Vigil - CoD variant, hunter are regular people, no special gimmicks
Hunter the Reckoning 5th - closest to HtV (I've seen comparisons that are less nice about similarities..), hunters are regular people, no powers

valentine_teddies says:

What I found very striking about H5's splat is that quite a few of the antagonists are based in the Philippines!

I assume that has to do with the author's own heritage? Also, what are the antagonists there? Vampires or some local supernatural creatures tied to local folklore?

I'm interested to hear about Hunter chronicles, but not of H5, but Revised Reckoning or V20 Hunters Hunted. What worked, what didn't, that sort of thing.

vicky_molokh Inactive for 1 months

Apr 12, 2026 8:15 am

All Things World of Darkness

reversia.ch says:

Hunter the Reckoning 5th - closest to HtV (I've seen comparisons that are less nice about similarities..), hunters are regular people, no powers

Don't they have, like, Technocracy-grade superscience stuff that lets them immediately detect vampires that have cellphones or something? Or was that a satirical exaggeration of the situation in 5e? Because I recall someone saying that vampires are forced to forego digital technology because otherwise they get hunted down by mortals. (I have not actually read 5e, so I apologise if this is a misunderstanding.)

reversia.ch

Apr 12, 2026 9:02 am

All Things World of Darkness

I believe "going analog" is one of the great inventions of V5 related so Second Inquisition. Whether they also brought the concept over to H5 I have no idea.

vicky_molokh Inactive for 1 months

Apr 12, 2026 9:03 am

All Things World of Darkness

reversia.ch says:

I believe "going analog" is one of the great inventions of V5 related so Second Inquisition. Whether they also brought the concept over to H5 I have no idea.

Second Inquisition is the new name of the mortal hunters vampires are being hunted by in 5e, right?

BedzoneII Inactive for 1 months

Apr 12, 2026 1:07 pm

All Things World of Darkness

vicky_molokh says:

reversia.ch says:

I believe "going analog" is one of the great inventions of V5 related so Second Inquisition. Whether they also brought the concept over to H5 I have no idea.

Second Inquisition is the new name of the mortal hunters vampires are being hunted by in 5e, right?

Yup, they are known as the Second Inquisition.

H5 mentions them super briefly only, and redirects interest to the actual supplemental book. The stated reason for that is that H5 intends to focus on the personal level, less about big organisations clashing with each other.

witchdoctor Inactive for 1 months

Apr 12, 2026 2:08 pm

All Things World of Darkness

BedzoneII says:

vicky_molokh says:

reversia.ch says:

I believe "going analog" is one of the great inventions of V5 related so Second Inquisition. Whether they also brought the concept over to H5 I have no idea.

Second Inquisition is the new name of the mortal hunters vampires are being hunted by in 5e, right?

Yup, they are known as the Second Inquisition.

H5 mentions them super briefly only, and redirects interest to the actual supplemental book. The stated reason for that is that H5 intends to focus on the personal level, less about big organisations clashing with each other.

Backing off the metaplots and focusing more on the personal level seemed to be a focus across the later editions of WoD.

Dirigible

Apr 12, 2026 10:35 pm

All Things World of Darkness

Hunter 5th Ed paints the 'Orgs' - the big, established monster hunters like the Second Inquisition, Special Affairs Division and the Arcanum as being compromised by their agendas and interests or supernatural influence. They do it for political reasons, profit or desire for corrupting knowledge while the capital-H Hunters have allegedly more pure motives, their Drives. H5 seems to posit that amateurs good, professionals bad when it comes to monster huntering.

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Game Name	Splat	ST	Recruiting	Link	Public?
Legacy of Lazarus	MtAs20	BedzoneII	No	link	Yes
It's a Kind of Magic	MtAs20	JoshuaMabry emsquared	No?	link	Yes
Yours to Keep	CtD20	Qralloq	No?	link	No
Edges of the Darkest Sky	WtA20	Alordis	No?	link	Yes
Buried Shallow	V20/Revised	reversia.ch	No	link	No
Phoenix By Night	V20	Qralloq	No	link	No

Game Name	Splat	ST	Recruiting	Link	Public?
Fereau City	V5	Dirigible	???	link	Yes
Let the Streets Run Red	V5	BedzoneII	-	link	Yes
World Of Darkness	VDA20	emsquared	-	link	Yes
Singing Streets, whispering alleys	WoD20	reversia.ch	-	link	Yes

Game Name	Splat	ST	Recruiting	Link	Public?
Legacy of Lazarus	MtAs20	BedzoneII	No	link	Yes
It's a Kind of Magic	MtAs20	JoshuaMabry emsquared	??	link	Yes
Yours to Keep	CtD20	Qralloq	No?	link	No
Edges of the Darkest Sky	WtA20	Alordis	Yes	link	Yes
Buried Shallow	V20/Revised	reversia.ch	No	link	No
Phoenix By Night	V20	Qralloq	No	link	No

Game Name	Splat	ST	Recruiting	Link	Public?
Fereau City	V5	Dirigible	???	link	Yes
Let the Streets Run Red	V5	BedzoneII	-	link	Yes
World Of Darkness	VDA20	emsquared	-	link	Yes
Singing Streets, whispering alleys	WoD20	reversia.ch	-	link	Yes

Game Name	Splat	ST	Recruiting	Link	Public?
x	x	x	x	x	x

Choose your preferred type of game Multi Public

Your preference for both a system and source for a political sandbox (City) By Night Multi Public

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