[WIR] Chicago by Night 5th Edition

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

Ghouls are the best Touchstones and you can roleplay how much or how little your player character cares for them.

It is also worth adding that touchstones add a strategic quality to the story. In as much as they may make a PC vampire vulnerable, they also make NPCs vampires vulnerable. If your PC does not like Whoseizname the Vampire, you can take out his touchstones without ever violating a single Tradition. You don't like Ballard (and who would like that block of evil suet) then take out his touchstones in some capacity. Kill them, or secretly move them to another state. They can be tools to use against other vampires if the PCs are willing.

[CTPhipps]

Erichtho

Type: NPC

Synopsis: The renegade Tremere who isn't so alone anymore.

Review: Erichtho is another character like Abraham Dusable that didn't need to be changed much. She's also a character who hasn't quite got a firm new direction with the fall of the Old Clan Tremere since so many of her previous conflicts are now no longer an issue. She's no longer bound to Nicolai and the Council of Seven is no more so, really, she should be seeking out something for herself to do.

Honestly, I think the decision to not have her join House Carna was a mistake as while she's semi-friendly to her, it makes a more interesting conflict to have Erichtho be the 2nd most powerful vampire in that organization. It also sets up a potential enemy for its founder as Carna (for those of you who own Milwaukee by Night) is a misandrist serial killer and Black Widow with Humanity 2 while Eritcho is a Humanity 8 vampire that's probably fairly close to Golconda. I'd argue Erictho could achieve it if she just met with Rebekah.

You could also have Erichtho show the breaking of the Tremere clan by creating House Eritcho as a potential new chantry. While it may be against her character to embrace other vampires, I think the Hollow Ones from the Book of Chantries being a good choice. I could easily imagine Eritcho Embracing one or two after the others get killed during the Avatar Storm or by an unknown force (Dusable?).

There's a lot of good Easter Eggs and tie-ins that can be used in a game. She owns a copy of the heretical Golconda text The One True Way (from [b]Beckett's Jyhad Diary[/b), The Red Sign, some Lilith fragments, and probably a copy of the Aristole De Laurent Book of Nod. All which can be used well in future stories for mystically inclined Kindred.

One issue I do have with the character is the fact that I don't really see any reason for Helena not to have killed and/or enslaved her. Erichtho "outed" her to any vampires who own a copy of BJD in-universe (which is probably a couple of dozen at most). At the very least, I think Helena would have taken the time to either Blood Bond her or Presence her into oblivion. Indeed, that also makes an interesting plotline. Maybe Helena might be interested in playing a deadly game with her but there's no sign of that.

I like the fact they chose to keep her ties to Mages (Lo Pan digs or not) but I feel like if this were V20 we would have gotten more interesting and detailed information. Is she tied to the Order of Hermes? Hollow Ones? Virtual Adepts? I feel like more details would have made the story more interesting. Certainly, I'd like to know what she was up to during the Second Massasa War.

Something that didn't work for me in the story was the Ducheski Revenant family being under protection. There's a kind of paternalism here that I don't think the ghoul family would stand for. Even if there's a branch of them in Chicago, they're going to include centuries old monsters who were never human and I don't think Erichtho would be able to bond with on any level. At the very least, they're all like the Addams Family and I mean the original New Yorker/movie kind versus the sanitized show Goths. They may have been subservient to the Tremere but they were subservient to the COUNCIL OF SEVEN--to regular Tremere, I imagine they are more vampiric than any but Nicolai.

I generally use Winona Ryder for my pictures of Erichtho.

https://images.hellogiggles.com/uploads/2016/08/03083858/winona-ryder-1.jpg

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

I think it would be out of character for Erichtho to embrace anyone, particularly a mage. She bitterly regretted her own transformation and attempted suicide. Equally I think the Orphans would resist it. So for her to embrace them would to fly in the face of their consent, her belief vampirism gets in the way of spiritual enlightenment, and her memories of her own embrace.

That said, one thing off about the entry is her behavior towards House Carna and Maldavis; Erichtho is broadly dismissive of the Carna, but she also wants Maldavis to join. "Say girl, House Carna is a bunch of flakes and they are going to burn out... you should tots join them!" What?

[chipotlechris]

It is also worth adding that touchstones add a strategic quality to the story. In as much as they may make a PC vampire vulnerable, they also make NPCs vampires vulnerable. If your PC does not like Whoseizname the Vampire, you can take out his touchstones without ever violating a single Tradition. You don't like Ballard (and who would like that block of evil suet) then take out his touchstones in some capacity. Kill them, or secretly move them to another state. They can be tools to use against other vampires if the PCs are willing.

Absolutely agreed. As long as touchstones are used sparingly they add a great element of drama. I really don’t see what the fuss is about frankly!

As for ghouling them... well I’d almost be tempted to rule that “destroys” the touchstone. Blood bonding anyone gains stains, so doing that to someone with emotional significance to you (who if hurt will provoke a frenzy roll) will be even worse, and it could also violate a conviction easily enough. Add to all of that that the act of blood bonding them will guarantee to alter thier behaviour to you, will they still represent what drew you to them in the first place?

I’d say ghouls make horrible touchstones all in all, and a mistreated ghoul will be a dhortcut to degeneration

With the Tremere in Chicago, I’m inclined to agree with the above. I was hoping for a bit more change all in all, although the best thing is the fact they’re almost obsolete (my homebrew city has no Tremere for now). I can see how an ambitious PC could really shake them up and make a difference, regardless of faction.

Other thoughts. Wish they’d kept Dusable with a missing arm, however at least every chronicle can have a running joke with him constantly losing his arm. Also, would have like a reference to the gargoyle. I know they’re no rules out yet, but perhaps a note about it being in torpor, with no one aware when it might awake...

[CTPhipps]

The Gentleman Gamer Well, it's almost the 28th of February, would it be too much to ask if your status as Onyx Developer allows you to give us a couple of new hints to what we'll be seeing in THE CHICAGO FOLIO and LET THE STREETS RUN RED?

It's been a lot of fun doing this and I hope to do a read through of those two when they come out.

[The Gentleman Gamer]

Guest Well, it's almost the 28th of February, would it be too much to ask if your status as Onyx Developer allows you to give us a couple of new hints to what we'll be seeing in THE CHICAGO FOLIO and LET THE STREETS RUN RED?

It's been a lot of fun doing this and I hope to do a read through of those two when they come out.

As White Wolf haven't approved any of the content in those books yet, beyond what was in the outline, it would be premature for me to discuss any of the material in those books. I do know you're very keen to find out what's in them, and appreciate your enthusiasm, but if I tell you something is in there and it then gets cut, it can only lead to disappointment.

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

CbN V5 is expected, in finalish form, to be ready by Aug. 2019.
When might we expect an announcement about the expansion packages and their streets dates? Sept. or Oct. 2019? I mean for the release - I believe the announcement will come before that point.

[CTPhipps]

As White Wolf haven't approved any of the content in those books yet, beyond what was in the outline, it would be premature for me to discuss any of the material in those books. I do know you're very keen to find out what's in them, and appreciate your enthusiasm, but if I tell you something is in there and it then gets cut, it can only lead to disappointment.

Of course.

But hopefully there wasn't any harm in asking.

[The Gentleman Gamer]

CbN V5 is expected, in finalish form, to be ready by Aug. 2019.
When might we expect an announcement about the expansion packages and their streets dates? Sept. or Oct. 2019? I mean for the release - I believe the announcement will come before that point.

We don't tend to give out dates, but both expansion books went into redlines this weekend and can expect to be back to writers for final drafts in two or three weeks. They'll then have a month to turn finals into polished work for my development. Then it's on to White Wolf approval, editing, and art!

[CTPhipps]

We don't tend to give out dates, but both expansion books went into redlines this weekend and can expect to be back to writers for final drafts in two or three weeks. They'll then have a month to turn finals into polished work for my development. Then it's on to White Wolf approval, editing, and art!

So exciting!

[CTPhipps]

Sun Che

Type: NPC

Synopsis: A psychotic wassail-close Wiccan.

Preview:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects.../posts/2348178

Review: Sun Che is up there with Flyboy and Adhze for simply, "This is a damned memorable character." The benefit of Sun Che is that she's a character you can easily use like Nathaniel Bordruff even if it's only for one adventure. A single adventure use for a character is better than most characters ever get because, "solve a crime committed by an evil Kindred" is one of the simpliest and most direct adventure hooks you can do.

The premise for Sun Che is simple: she is a vampire with no self-control. Despite being a sweet, innocent, and hippie Goddess worshiper while alive--she's become a murderous monster while a vampire. She can't control herself and is frequently prone to murderous frenzies where people die. There's a lot of speculation and hints that she's possessed by a monster. Either she was an unwitting Formor while alive, maybe a Skinriding Specter was inside her, or perhaps born with an Intelligent Beast. I've had Malkavians who have Beasts like Wraith Shadows in my game.

Honestly, I think the supernatural explanation for Sun Che is the least interesting one they can go with. The character is much more interesting if she's simply someone with a Composure of 1. This is probably where I'm going to TMI you guys and state that I'm from a family of alcoholics. In simple terms, I know the people who have absolutely no self-control over certain things and their only solution is to go cold turkey. Here's the thing, a vampire is an addict who can never go cold turkey on blood. All vampires are addicts but the highest thing can aspire to (Golconda aside) is to be a functional addict. I knew plenty of those too. Guys who regularly got blackout drunk and then were ready for work the next morning in preparation for a repeat performance.

The idea that some Embraces just don't WORK because the person can't stop drinking or have a hair trigger temper that prevents them from controlling the Beast is something that only rarely comes up in Vampire but probably should more. I actually was forced to create it for my games with Slang and Rules. I will also admit that since White Wolf didn't use it, I incorporated it into my vampire books. The second Straight Outta Fangton book has the protagonist deal with "Bleeders" and "Gorgers."

In my campaign, Bleeders are vampires who just flat out can't stop drinking and can't stop themselves from feeding more than they need. They spend blood to continue drinking more. They kill people almost every night and unless you have a source of human beings who can easily be disappeared (one owned a hospice, the other a human trafficking ring), they more or less always end up Blood Hunted within a couple of months of living in a city. Their humanity goes down to 1 or 2 and then they eventually hit zero because instead of sadistic evil, they just botch a frenzy role and eat a toddler.

It's possible to treat Bleeders in my games because vampires with Animalism, Dominate, or some combination of the above can do so. The vampire equivalent of A.A. involved Lucita teaching some player characters to torture a vampire back into sanity by denial and other therapies. It didn't always work, didn't usually work, but was the only way you could do it. However, it gave a very interesting source of wassail-suffering vampires and meant they were a fairly common thing in my game. Vampires can never 100% tell how a seemingly saintly church going dude might become Jack the Ripper or a nonfunctional alcoholic might actually be able to handle the Beast better.

I don't think this is the way they intended Sun Che to be done as she has a Humanity of 5 and a Resolve of 3 but I think it's a better character if you don't go the supernatural route. I actually think it makes her friendship with Erichtho (or something more?) more interesting if the latter truly believes it's something diabolic at work. Because she can't recognize that Sun Che has a very common "mundane" Kindred illness versus something like a Psychomachia.

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

Either she was an unwitting Formor while alive, maybe a Skinriding Specter was inside her, or perhaps born with an Intelligent Beast.

Would it be too fishy to suggest she was from Innsmouth but was embraced before her change?

In any case, I think the character is most interesting if the question about her nature is never answered.

[CTPhipps]

Would it be too fishy to suggest she was from Innsmouth but was embraced before her change?

With some of my players, that'd just make her more attractive.

"Beautiful psychotic Asian witch with large anime eyes!"

[Little_Miss_ Serneholt]

We don't tend to give out dates, but both expansion books went into redlines this weekend and can expect to be back to writers for final drafts in two or three weeks. They'll then have a month to turn finals into polished work for my development. Then it's on to White Wolf approval, editing, and art!

Not familliar with publishing terms, what does redline mean?

[CTPhipps]

Not familliar with publishing terms, what does redline mean?

It means that the first draft is done and now being going over for corrections and notes, whatever they may be.