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

chapter one: society of the damned themes
309
at least within their cities, but they bind themselves through favors owed and their own laws
— especially the authority of the Prince and the need to observe the Traditions. The intrigue
of the Danse Macabre traps them as well, though the tar-baby makes a better metaphor here
than chains. Kindred grab for power, and fi nd themselves caught by the need to direct and
defend their mortal pawns from their jealous rivals. Their own nature binds them even more
thoroughly. The Kindred cannot escape the Beast Within, only struggle to restrain it lest it
capture and destroy them. Their vices provide another level of entrapment, and few Kindred
manage to escape the grip of their own selfi sh passions. In view of all this, is even a Prince
truly the master of his fate?
This theme works best in a chronicle about a group of ambitious neonates who want to
win offi ces and titles in their covenant, clan or the city’s general Kindred hierarchy. Perhaps
they want power for its own sake. Perhaps they merely want to escape the Danse Macabre
by winning it, achieving suffi cient rank and infl uence that no one dares to command or
threaten them. They must scheme to escape the grip of their sires and parry the attacks of
their equally ambitious peers. Eventually they must challenge the infl uence of the elders they
hope to supplant. Along the way, however, the characters must cut deals and incur debts,
make and break alliances, acquire short-term partners and long-term enemies. If the characters
ever reach the pinnacle they seek, they may fi nd that they are still not free. They have simply
raised the stakes by entering a higher realm of competition. Of course, they also must defend
themselves against younger Kindred who want to supplant them in turn.
• Dark Redemption: Undeath horrifi es some newly Embraced Kindred. They struggle
to reclaim as much of their lost humanity as they can and redeem themselves to their own
consciences, if not necessarily to God. Characters who seek redemption might try to use their
Kindred powers to do good. This could be anything from destroying a predatory street gang
of mortals to intriguing for the power to shape the mortal city government’s policies toward
the poor and homeless. Of course, such characters fi nd plenty of other Kindred to oppose
as well: Most vampires fi nd such altruistic campaigns foolish at best, a threat to their own
power and food supply at worst. The characters’ own nature presents the most immediate and
ineradicable threat, however. One moment of surrender to the Beast could turn a mission of
mercy, justice or other virtue into a horrifi c bloodbath. Can the Damned truly do good in the
world, or are they doomed to corrupt and destroy everything and everyone they touch? Can
any number of good deeds make restitution for the evils that Kindred inevitably commit?
Working with this theme will require a lot of extra work on the part of you and your Narrator
staff. Those players involved with this type of story will require a large degree of attention
in order to make the story meaningful. The payoff for them and for your chronicle in the
long run, however, makes the effort worthwhile.
• Home Lies the Heart: A vampire’s existence is lonely and full of horrors. A coterie makes
a poor substitute for true friends and family. Some neonates try to cling to the relationships
of their mortal lives. Can a vampire really go home and reclaim her mortal relationships, or
does she merely set herself up for worse tragedy and desolation?
This theme examines the Kindred’s separation from humankind. Vampires can never reclaim
some aspects of mortal existence, such as daylight and becoming a parent. Their hunger
presents a constant danger to any mortal around them. Other Kindred will surely condemn the
characters for endangering the Masquerade. If a character clings to mortal family and friends
he may have taken for granted in life, is he just being selfi sh? Or has he found the only thing
in the Requiem that really matters? As for the character’s mortal loved ones… well, what sort
of choices do they make, and what are the consequences? Are they blind to their danger, or
bravely risking their lives to help the character hold onto his humanity?