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

chapter drama one: 101 society • chronicle of the outline
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instance, a vampire known for pride, might fi nd that to achieve revenge (driven by pride) he
must humble himself before a rival (going against pride). With a little work, you can devise
situations where characters must indulge Vices in order to achieve Virtuous goals, or even
stranger juxtapositions.
For the climax of a chronicle, or at least a story arc, pick the most dramatically extreme
situation possible — the situation you think the character would least like to face. Pit the
character against her greatest fear, or tempt her with multiple rewards offered by different
parties — possibly including herself. If your players are willing to face such situations, they
might have the most intense roleplaying experience of their lives, and a story they’ll relish
repeating for years to come.
CHRONICLE OUTLINE
As the examples show, themes often suggest plots all by themselves. Your chosen themes
can also help you turn a vague notion for a chronicle into a complete plot, by suggesting what
sort of choices and challenges the characters face. Like a movie or novel, a chronicle should
have a beginning, middle and end, so the players know their characters’ actions build to some
sort of climax and resolution. You’ll have a better idea of how to design individual stories if
you start with a clear idea of where the entire chronicle should go.
For instance, let’s take another look at that idea of a chronicle built around the rise and
fall of a charismatic Prince. The premise sounds political, so you might select “Bound by
Invisible Chains” as the chronicle’s theme. The neonate characters would see the apparent
freedom and power of the older Kindred, compared to the oppression they experience in
their own unlives. Then the would-be Prince offers them a chance to grab that power and
freedom for themselves. The attempt at revolution draws them into an ever-deepening mire
of intrigue, favor-trading and deceit.
Once in power, however, the new Prince turns out to be just as despotic as her predecessor.
Some of the characters have gained the power and infl uence they sought, but at the price of
obligations to the Prince and her other allies. Others might have broken those promises and
alliances, but become hunted outcasts as a result. As the Prince’s rule becomes harsher, these
characters must decide where their loyalties lie. Who will join the new crop of rebels who
arise, and risk their power and perhaps their lives? Who will stick with their Prince and try
to improve the regime from within? Sell out their old principles? Run away? As a Storyteller,
you have to decide if you want the chronicle to end in a blazing fi nale of a Kindred civil war,
or allow for a prolonged power struggle with factions of characters within your chronicle
choosing sides.
In a larger chronicle, the drama could be even higher. What if the majority of the characters
decided to support the older Prince? What if a few players worked to restore the old power,
or at least remove the current power structure? Who will seek a position of neutrality? Or will
some players take a mercenary position, working for whatever side offers the sweetest deal?
Bargains will be struck and broken, power will shift in unpredictable ways, and everyone in
the game will be affected by the result.
For those who support the Prince they helped into power, they have some choices to make.
They now must either they must burn with her, or combat the efforts of their fellow Kindred
who are in many ways just as idealistic as they were in their efforts. If they turn on the Prince,
there is a chance they will lose all of the infl uence they built within the city. They also gain a
reputation as turncoats and fair-weather allies; not unheard of among the undead, but often
diffi cult to live down as well. Such a reputation ensures that no one will trust them for a long
time, no matter how principled they feel their choice was.