[WOD] Austin by Night: EPIC Vinnie Recap

So, I have not blogged about Vinnie much, if at all. I have very specific thoughts and ideas for him, and I am having a difficult time deciding if I want to blog about them or keep them secret.

Vinnie IS a Vampire, but it's tough to get outside advice if I don't seek input. So, I'll give you the very best of the very best... or something. This is a recap of several sessions, boiled down to the most relevant and understandable details (as far as I can, anyway).

[RPG][WOD] Playing with people smarter than yourself

I’ve been playing WOD for a while, and depending on the genre, done very well or been totally overwhelmed.  Right now, I’m  having fun, but I’m petrified that I will mess things up.

I completely admit that while Werewolf SEEMED fun at the time I was playing it, and it offered me a sense of liberation and freedom, it was wrong for the kind of player I am.

Werewolf relies a great deal on the ability to make decisions, and expects a strong sense of self from the player. At the time I was playing Jak, I was emotionally lost and had no idea who I was personally. Jak certainly knew himself, but I as the player squashed many of his impulsive choices for fear that indulging them would be doing something “wrong” or due to a lack of confidence in my own decisions. 

(example: Jak was without an alpha or direction for a very long time. In that time, he took two new Uratha into his home and taught them Uratha rules and culture, offered them spiritual advice while providing  them shelter and food.  Jak’s patience was wearing thin and he wanted to push to be declared alpha. I didn’t pursue this because I didn’t want to be “too aggressive” or too demanding of my ST.  My ST later revealed to me that he responds well to decisiveness; and especially so when that decisiveness comes from a werewolf player.)

Changeling was much more my speed- it was very oriented towards a social personality, which is definitely more like my own self. Eile was an intensely social creature, dependent on interactions and emotions to survive and prosper. At the time, I was playing with people who were easy for me to be social with, and with whom I had many ties that helped me touch on emotional responses. Despite playing a character that was “disconnected” and without a home or family, I was able to build those elements inside the game for her, based on my personality and understanding of how the system was supposed to work for Changelings.  Changeling seemed “natural” to me, and I strongly miss playing in that environment.

Vampire is a system I played previously and strongly enjoyed. I felt confident based on previous experience and general interest that I would do well as a Vampire this time around.  I found out through trial and much error that the  NPC Vampires in this makebelieveland are the power brokers, movers and shakers; and thus, are MUCH smarter than myself.  

I have discovered that I don't think in the same way as my ST. He thinks in very divergent ways, and I think pretty directly. My ST's ideas and imaginations are far more creative, hidden and agenda-oriented than mine, and I "miss" many of the hints and plots that exist in the game. 

I have been kind of lucky, because I have been playing with a guy who has incredible knowledge, wisdom, insight and understanding of both the game and the themes in it. His talent has shielded me (and my character) from my own lack of anything remotely like ability. This was made obvious during our last game session, when a ruse that had been perpetrated against all the Vampires for a very long time, and he was the only character (or player)  to see through the illusion. 

Playing with those smarter than yourself is a tricky thing. You have to be able to offer enough "something" to be seen as worth keeping around, but you have to (and should) use their preeminence to your advantage (mostly so you don't die). 


Making allegiances in game is usually direct (except as Vampires, who are strongly encouraged NOT to trust each other) and easy. Not so with Vinnie, who has an agenda and isn't telling anyone about it. This game is full of consequences, and the consequence of not directly making allies is you don't have the support network that other players might. 


The events of last session were a culmination of several sessions' worth of back work; and a lot of hammering out things in character so that the PCs involved would not kill each other. There was a time when Vinnie actually had very strongly worded suggestions to kill another PC, and he had the plan to do so, but that time has passed. Getting Vinnie to a point where he either had faith in or trusted said PC took a lot of roleplaying; with a guy that is a million times smarter than me. 

I forgot to take notes for a lot of it, which stinks, because I know he gave me information I can use. I also forgot to do any kind of defensive work (plausible deniability is a wonderful thing) and it will come back to haunt me very soon. 


But that's the joy of playing with (and sometimes against) those that are just more talented at the game than you; you learn what your failures are and maybe learn how to grow past them. 


Any of you out there have people in their groups that are smarter than you? If so, how do you deal with, learn from and encourage them? How do you fail? What helps you not feel so bad? 

[WOD] Austin By Night: The Metaplot

I've been playing this game for well over three years now. I've played different types of supernatural sorts and characters with different backgrounds, knowledge and skill sets, abilities and motivations.

I've caught different tails of the metaplot of this game via those characters and their interactions with the world. Jak was certainly first to be touched directly by the Hellmouth (the best way to put it).

I won't lie, the day Jak, Ed and Raff found the hidden door to the cave that housed the Hellmouth, and the ST announced we could see an army of warriors coming towards us on the spirit side (but not the physical), I figured we were dead. I knew we didn't have the ability to handle the situation (not even a little- It was like a Challenge rating 18 adventure for three 2nd level dudes). I couldn't figure out why the ST chose to even bring it out if we weren't meant to handle it. (Which we weren't, he had some NPCs ddeal with it.)

The stuff about the Hedge Row and the leyline there took a long time to come out, and while I see its relevance at least a little, I am not sure what to DO with it. There are other aspects of the Hedge Row that I just DON'T get and can't figure out.

I mean, I know DeathRow Inc are Vampires. I know they own the Hedge Row. I know they were involved in some sort of ritual sacrificial cult (maybe the sacrifices powered the leyline???? made it more powerful???? I don't know) and I know there's another partner, who by my best guess, is a VERY powerful Changeling. I know the Harpy wants the Vampires found. I know at least 3 characters, if not more, have devoted countless hours to finding as much about the Hedge Row, its owners and why it's such a touchstone for the area with no real result for the effort. I still don't know why the Hedge Row is so important. Changelings and Vampires both seem to want to claim it, with Mages suddenly taking an interest once they discovered the leyline.

Why is the area between Jak's house and the Hedge Row so important? Why were there no less than 3 packs fighting over/defending it?

What is the deal with the Cemetery House? It's connected to the Hedge Row, too- somehow.

Who owned Jak's house before him?

What the hell is going on with the Dream War? I know Winter hides, but has the Queen truly abandoned or is this just really, really good hiding?

What the hell is going on with Mr. Death and those creepy zombies? Is he really creating them or are they just happening because there's a power vortex there? Are they defending the vortex or him?

Smaller points that are equally confusing:

I know "The Company" is a front for a Hunter group. I don't know why they hired Jak or what they wanted with him. I don't know what Cassandra wanted from Jak, especially as it related to the house (on top of the Hellmouth). Why would a Changeling want anything to do with the house? Unless it was Jak and his anger that she was feeding on... I don't know.

Mr. Flowers has been portrayed as both a terrible menace and a help to those in the Austin area. What's the story there and why did Rovan want him dead? What did either one of them do to the other?

What happened to the magician's circus? Heck, what happened to the Consilium?

Are the gremlins truly the "children" produced by Eile and TK's single night of unprotected sheet thrashing? Or are they fetches sent by the other side as weapons of confusion against the Changelings?

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I know there's a LOT more I am missing. I am only aware of some of the plots (Meta or otherwise) in the game due to only being one person. I keep wondering "what we have to do" to get some of the stuff going on. I often wonder if I am just "not smart enough" for this game, and think perhaps I should blow off all the plot worrying and just focus on fun.

I know I can't be the only one, but there is definitely a fear of admitting that out loud. Sigh. I'm doing it anyway...

Austin by Night (WOD) Session 4 as Eile

A little more about Eile and the game:

Eile is a Beast, with an alternate Hunterheart oriented Kith approved by the ST. She has the RiddleKith contract and has been employing it since being introduced to the game. Her theme song is "Temptation Waits" by Garbage.

She's one of  3 active Changelings in the game; and 1 of those players (C) comes approximately  once every other session. I deliberately chose to be a Changeling after my Werewolf died so that I'd have a chance to play with the other active player (K) on a regular basis. She's a very challenging player and I really enjoy seeing how far she can push me both in terms of immersion and moral choices. We're very good friends outside of the game. At the moment, our characters are at odds- neither sees the other as friendly or an ally.

Our game is fairly large (15+ people) with Mage, Werewolf, Vampire, Geist, Changeling, and Hunter players.  It is a mashup of LARP and tabletop. Groups wander throughout the setting interacting as appropriate, and move away or closer as indicated by the scene.  There's an indoors, which is the FLGS, and outdoors, which is the parking lot. It is used very frequently when the weather is nice and players want to smoke, have privacy, or just enjoy a breeze.

There is a lot of talking, and very little combat (unless you are a werewolf). As a rule, our ST lets us run our own scenes- he will actively be involved if he has a plot hook for you, is acting as  an NPC, an antagonist, or you need him for a ruling.  In this session, our ST enlisted the help of a couple of friends to be "bystanders" or interactive NPCs.

Onto the recap: 
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Eile works at the Hedge Row, the local bar, owned by an NPC member of the Lost. The Geist and the Hunter also work there in various capacities. Eile had a conversation with the Hunter (Bruce, played by my son) sometime last session that ended up with Bruce and Eile agreeing to find an apartment and split the costs. Eile did not know he was a Hunter at the time of the agreement.  (this was all last session)

In this session, Bruce finds an apartment and Eile gives him a deposit.

Eile's romance with the Geist has been intensifying. They've spent quite a bit of free time together and enjoyed it very much. They're both broke in the game, so a large part of their activities have been free (walking in the park, dancing to the radio/stereo, going to farmer's markets etc). During their courtship, TK (the Geist) asks Eile if she makes jewelry, as he wants a piece made. She says no, but that she'll either learn how or find someone who does. Eile sees some very interesting behavior from TK that leads her to believe he's got an invisible familiar. (She knows he is supernatural, but has a limited knowledge of what exists in this world.)

Eile tells TK about the rooming situation with Bruce, and TK is not visibly mad, but he is definitely upset by the news. 

Later in the evening, TK  hears some sort of commotion in the upstairs portion of the bar, which is off limits to those that don't live there. He goes to investigate and discovers Avere (Changeling) and Walker Lee (Mage) in a room that is supposed to be locked. [I know generally OOC what happens here but not all of it. I/C,  I know almost nothing of what happened.] An interactive NPC (a kitchen worker named Teddy) hears the same commotion and goes upstairs to investigate. He sees the three normal looking people leaving through the back door. Because Teddy is paranoid and wants justification for coming upstairs, he says he saw TK steal something and comes downstairs to tell the owner. The owner is unavailable, and Eile intercepts Teddy.

She goes upstairs and sees TK , Avere & Walker Lee leaving down the back stairs. She interrupts, trying to determine what's going on. Avere displays a significant ability of seeing through Eile's RiddleKith and recognizing her from a previous encounter (where Eile was using a different Kith/Seeming). Avere also has a very distinct aura, which Eile recognizes as an increase in power. [The only way Eile knows to increase power in such a way is pretty gruesome, so Eile is on guard.] Eile tries (unsucsessfully) to avoid questioning from Avere and settle the situation so the police are not called. Eile does return to talk to Teddy and gets him calmed down for a few moments, explaining that TK had a reason to be upstairs, nothing was stolen, etc. This appeases Teddy for a little bit, and Eile joins up with TK, Aver & Walker Lee again.

Apparently after Eile left Teddy, he continued to talk about the incident in which he saw TK 'take something', spreading rumors throughout the club.

Avere continues to press an issue that Eile really doesn't want to discuss. Eile attempts to downplay the issue, again; not very sucessfully. Walker Lee is very upset that Avere went somewhere he couldn't, and encourages her to go in the bar to get something to eat. The group goes inside, and Eile, the only waitress, takes the order to the kitchen. TK asks for several drinks, and Eile has one as well. TK asks how Avere and Eile met- Avere is completely blunt and responds that they met at the Goblin Market. [This is true.]  Eile doesn't deny, but phrases things differently; then disucssion heads into being attacked at the Goblin Market.

Eile knows whatever attacked herself and Avere at the market was a large hunting animal, and has a strong suspicion it was a dragon. She asserts that she knows what attacked them, and Avere doesn't believe her. Eile states that she doesn't care what Avere believes; Eile knows the truth. Avere implies that Eile didn't see the true form of whatever attacked them, to which Eile concedes is a possibility.Avere suddenly becomes more cautious in her manner and what she will & won't say. [Due to an interactive NPC sitting near us.]

[My notes get fuzzy here, and my memory of what order things occured is not the best. I BELIEVE this is how things went.]

Eile  serves Azira and Rastlin (Mages). They both become aware that Eile is supernatural, but not exactly what. [Our ST's rule is that you need to get 5 sucesses on your perception+supernatural dice pool roll when you interact with a new person to determine WHAT they might be. 1-4 tells you that they are supernatural and sometimes what power level they are.] Avere asks them if they are going to some sort of meeting, but they indicate that Coyote Joe and Memento (also Mages) are taking care of it. After a few drinks, they leave.

At some point, Avere and Walker Lee leave. TK and Eile are left in a very strange, almost shell-shocked wake. They are forced to address the nature of the conversation they just had, and the accusations Avere made to TK regarding Eile before Eile arrived upstairs.

The conversation between Eile and TK seems to actually strengthen the budding romance. They address some of Eile's nature (she reveals just how flexible RiddleKith can be), and that she and Avere share some commonalities, but are vastly different. TK shares some information about his life as a Geist (but doesn't call it that) and his ability to see & interact with the dead.  Eile and TK head back outside for a bit, and Ginger (Werewolf) walks by. There's a brief interaction - Eile deliberatly acts as if she's sniffing Ginger. TK then discusses the Werewolves and how they smell like death to him. [OOC there's a very good reason they smell that way, and I know it, but Eile doesn't.] Eile says that they smell like "something" to her, and that she understands them, but doesn't necessarily LIKE them. [OOC this is relevant to her background but not immediately impacting her now.] TK indicates that he's decieving them in a very specific way, and enjoying it. This lights Eiele right up. Through a little inquiry, she discovers how deceptive TK is, and she likes it quite a lot. She lets him know that they will get along just fine, smiling over this little victory.

TK and Eile go back inside to the bar [I was getting bug bites] and continue their conversation. Bruce joins them, as he's been covering for Eile. Dottie and Vienna (both Vampires) come into the bar and order stiff drinks. Eile sets them up and chit chats with them for a bit. TK declares that they are dead, and asks Dottie if her taste buds even work. [I was looking the other way for this next part and missed it.] Dottie sticks out her tongue and points to her taste buds and then says, See? General laughter ensued. Dottie is uset because "everyone she knows is trying to kill her" and TK quietly asks if she can die again. As they leave, TK strongly indicates they shouldn't be allowed to leave with bar patrons, and that they are dangerous. Bruce is strung tighter than a live wire and is trying to defuse the conversation. Eile and TK agree to discuss it later. Dottie and Vienna leave, and Eile "closes up the bar". [I went outside for a bit- another big scene was ongoing and I wanted to watch.]

Later in the evening, the Mages hit the bar as a large group, with the Werewolves in tow [so Eile opens back up] and serves them. David (the Alpha of the pack) asks Walker Lee a question- were you having fun with Avere while all that [OOC I know, I/C no idea] was going on? -Laughter at the innuendo- Walker Lee responds: "I'm just her guardian, that's all". Drinks flow, things close up, etc.

Eiele speaks with David alone, determining certain boundaries of his territory.She then speaks with TK, sharing that Walker Lee is Avere's guardian, and confirms that Vienna and Dottie are truly dead.

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This is where things wrap up for the night. OOC, I know several other BIG things happened, specifically to the Werewolves and Mages. Maybe I'll get one of them to do a guest post here.

It was a fun night that really challenged what I want to do with Eile. I pretty much fell into one of the best possible scenarios with the Geist player, and I'm enjoying being able to actively move Eile forward through a happy accident. We'll see what happens next time!