I have a subjective question, but it's bothering me and I'd appreciate additional points of view:
You have vampire NPCs who are about, doing their thing (eating, tending their domain, pursuing pet projects). Now assume there are other actors, mortal and supernatural, with whom they bump into in the normal course of implementing their concerns. There are no clear breaches of the Masquerade (which would demand immediate action).
To what extent would vampires tend to investigate and/or meddling with said other actors, versus focusing on their own business?
The obvious and unhelpful answer is "it depends". What I'm really wrestling with is, I suppose, "how busy are your vamps to notice and respond to things that are not clear, predatory threats?"
I can think of several factors that weigh into an individual vamp's decision-making:
1. Has this actor been a factor in events before?
2. Has this actor been positive or negative, in general?
3. Has this actor demonstrated or hinted at supernatural influences?
4. Has this actor shown mortal influence or is entangled with mortal influences that make messing with it more complicated?
5. Am I bored?
The reason this becomes an issue of consideration is that if you're playing at the table whatever the Storyteller brings up is automatically important. Generally the action taking places is deemed extraordinary to the requiem of the vamps, and everyone is paying attention. But! Most of the time a vamp is going to tending store--on guard, perhaps, but in that dull way that ensures their interests don't spontaneously combust. They're thinking about lots of things: "how Tommy sent goons into her street again, and the questions raised in last week's Testament study in the basement of the run-down 5-and-dime. It smelled like black mold. You know, like that stuff that seizes the lungs up and crap? Maybe it sticks to clothes and she should launder everything before seeing Billy again... wouldn't want him to die and he's in his 80s anymore. I'm hungry...."
Etc. etc. This is the stream of mental consciousness and inputs we're all subjected to. Noticing and connecting that police officer you've seen three times in the last year, and he's back at work awfully fast after the beating so-and-so gave him a few months ago? Well that's easy at the table, but otherwise?
Your take would be helpful. How do your NPCs respond?
--Khanwulf
You have vampire NPCs who are about, doing their thing (eating, tending their domain, pursuing pet projects). Now assume there are other actors, mortal and supernatural, with whom they bump into in the normal course of implementing their concerns. There are no clear breaches of the Masquerade (which would demand immediate action).
To what extent would vampires tend to investigate and/or meddling with said other actors, versus focusing on their own business?
The obvious and unhelpful answer is "it depends". What I'm really wrestling with is, I suppose, "how busy are your vamps to notice and respond to things that are not clear, predatory threats?"
I can think of several factors that weigh into an individual vamp's decision-making:
1. Has this actor been a factor in events before?
2. Has this actor been positive or negative, in general?
3. Has this actor demonstrated or hinted at supernatural influences?
4. Has this actor shown mortal influence or is entangled with mortal influences that make messing with it more complicated?
5. Am I bored?
The reason this becomes an issue of consideration is that if you're playing at the table whatever the Storyteller brings up is automatically important. Generally the action taking places is deemed extraordinary to the requiem of the vamps, and everyone is paying attention. But! Most of the time a vamp is going to tending store--on guard, perhaps, but in that dull way that ensures their interests don't spontaneously combust. They're thinking about lots of things: "how Tommy sent goons into her street again, and the questions raised in last week's Testament study in the basement of the run-down 5-and-dime. It smelled like black mold. You know, like that stuff that seizes the lungs up and crap? Maybe it sticks to clothes and she should launder everything before seeing Billy again... wouldn't want him to die and he's in his 80s anymore. I'm hungry...."
Etc. etc. This is the stream of mental consciousness and inputs we're all subjected to. Noticing and connecting that police officer you've seen three times in the last year, and he's back at work awfully fast after the beating so-and-so gave him a few months ago? Well that's easy at the table, but otherwise?
Your take would be helpful. How do your NPCs respond?
--Khanwulf
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