Mind's Eye Theatre - Vampire The Requiem.pdf - RoseRed

In addition to the categories presented in Mind’s Eye Theatre, you may wish to
add or replace some Kindred-specifi c categories such as: “The Struggle Against the
Beast,” “Internal City Politics” and “Vampiric History.” Another category that might
deserve special addition for Requiem chronicles (and perhaps Mind’s Eye Theatre
in general) is “Player vs. Player.” Quite simply, some players love competing against
their friends in a game environment, while others would rather focus on external
threats and battling Narrator characters instead. The Requiem can easily become
extremely cutthroat in ways that some players love but others fi nd uncomfortable,
so don’t underestimate the importance of this question. If a lot of the players enjoy
being pitted against each other, they’re likely to be fi ne with a chronicle that revolves
around wresting control of the city from other players. If most of the players would
rather go up against Narrator characters, you could run the same story and simply
put all the players on the same side against a Narrator faction.
If your players have previous knowledge of The Requiem you might inquire as to
which clans, covenants and political factions appeal to them the most (and least). Cover
some of the themes that go along with The Requiem, perhaps asking players to choose
one or two they’d like to see the most. Also, a player survey is an excellent place to
put a space for players to list any kinds of topics or stories they fi nd uncomfortable
or objectionable.
Remember, this isn’t an examination to get into a university, but rather a poll of
your player’s interests in regards to the Danse Macabre. Keep your list of questions
short, but urge your players to take your survey seriously. After all, this is helping to
personalize the game to best entertain them. It’s in their best interests to be forthright
and thoughtful.
Also, another consideration to keep in mind in the early planning stage is how long a
chronicle you and your players want. A short chronicle of four to six episodes demands quite
different planning than a chronicle meant to continue indefi nitely, through dozens of sessions
and multiple story arcs. In a story with a prior set limited running time, the players might try
to give their characters every trait, Merit and personality quirk right away since the chronicle
won’t have many opportunities to grow and change. On the other hand, players might generate
more singularly focused characters, with less attention paid to their chances of surviving
a long chronicle. As a Storyteller, meanwhile, you need to devise plots with clearly defi ned
endings. While some loose ends might exist, your own characters and story elements need to
make an impression quickly. They might not be on your imaginary stage very long.
Once you have some idea of what sort of chronicle you plan to run, you can fl esh out
vague notions into characters, a setting, plots, a theme and other details. Remember, if you
are planning on maintaining a staff of Narrators and Assistant Storytellers, seek their input
in this process. Different perspectives are extremely useful in plotting out a long running
story that will maintain the interest of its players.
You might start with a particular theme, and choose plots to illustrate it; you might begin
with a character or set of characters, and build the chronicle around them. Sometimes it’s
best to simply start with a strong visual image that captures the essence of what you want your
story to be about: A vampiric lord of a city whose normally casual demeanor begins showing
signs of a growing insanity. A circle of malcontents meeting and conspiring in hushed tones
in a crowded bar surrounded by unsuspecting mortals. A revel of the undead — showcasing
the contrast of the twisted hypocrisy of displaying polite behavior among blood thirsty monsters.
Don’t be too quick to settle on just one idea, either. A good method of helping plot
out events is to just jot down ideas as your fancy wanders, and look for connections between
them. Brainstorm with a list of images that best refl ect what you want to see in your story.
Eventually, bits of inspiration will coalesce and you will know what your chronicle is about.
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mind’s chapter eye four: theatre: storytelling requiem