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Some of you knew this was on the horizon, at least those of you who read our clan book series. For those who don’t, None More Dark Publishing is releasing a full Second Edition update of Requiem for Rome next week on the STV (or, more precisely, Dark Eras: Requiem for Rome Second Edition). I’m aiming for around noon PST on May 31st, so mark your calendars.
If you don’t know who/what NMD is, we’re a collective of RPG authors and artists who’ve spent the last two years creating supplements for Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition.
What’s in this book, you ask? I’ll quote our back cover:
To be clear, this is a supplement, not a rulebook replacement; we’re not allowed to do that on the STV, for one, and for two, I wouldn’t have been interested in doing one even if we could. I don’t think anyone would get that impression, but it’s worthwhile to be explicit. However, we’ve included some minor errata for the game, and we’ve also taken an opportunity to spruce up the blood sorcery and Strix systems, streamlining and simplifying both.
I know a lot of people see “FAN SUPPLEMENT” and hesitate, but I want to emphasize that this book is of a professional quality. Many of us have freelanced for Onyx Path Publishing, and I wrote a number of bloodlines and lost clans for Night Horrors: Spilled Blood. NMD has released five highly regarded clan books and three bloodline books, and some of the best praise we’ve received is that they feel like the “real”. To put it another way, if you want an official update for Requiem for Rome, this is it in all but name.
On that note, I’ll leave you with a preview/excerpt. I'm mostly going to be fielding questions and posting previews and such over at RPG.net (here), but I'll keep an eye out here for posts!
The Senex: The Night Senate
Ala Senecta
Your sentence has already been chosen. Now we must decide which laws you’ve broken.
“But how will you compensate those citizens whose residences are disrupted by your proposed territorial redistribution?”
The question is expected, and Rutilus needs me to answer quickly and smoothly.
“If the Assembly will turn its attention to the maps I’ve prepared, it will see that few citizens will need to be relocated, and those who do, of course, will be granted new feeding rights, as well as a stipend for the inconvenience.” My voice is measured, controlled, and pitched just between respectful and confident. There is no Senex, of course. That’s tomorrow night. Now, it’s just Rutilus and me, alone in his chambers, as he helps me prepare for the most important night of my Requiem.
Rutilus gets up from his modest desk and paces a few steps to my right before asking his next question, representing how voices can come from any direction during Assembly. “What value is this stipend? Can a fledgling Worm understand the expense of relocating a decades- or centuries-old residence?”
I swallow my irritation, keeping my face a neutral mask. Rutilus knows someone will try and fluster me this way, and he’s preparing me for attacks on both my youth and my gens. I’m fortunate to have such an experienced consul willing to mentor me, and he agrees that my proposal will greatly reduce territorial conflict in the domain. “The stipend will be equal to expenses accrued during relocation, as well as compensation for resources lost. If the Assembly wishes further details—”
“That’s enough.” I can’t quite stop from wincing as Rutilus cuts me off, already anticipating another lecture on proper stance, or tone, or whatever minute protocol I’ve violated. He steps back into view, much closer than I thought he’d been, and gives me a rare smile. “Corinna, I think we’ve done it.”
I can’t help it: I grin, even as my over-crowded fangs press painfully against my lips. “You think I’m ready for the Assembly?”
“Oh, by the gods, no!” he chuckles, but there’s no humor in it.
My elation dissolves into confusion. “But we’ve rehearsed every counter-argument — every possible attack!”
Rutilus nods. “True, true. And I can’t thank you enough for the practice.”
I don’t see the length of sharpened ash until it’s between my ribs, the pain exploding from my chest. I’m too shocked to even scream.
“Apologies, Corinna. Your proposal is too important to be dismissed because of who’s making it.” He shakes his head, giving the stake another twist, and I shudder as it pierces my heart. My vision starts to fade, but I can still hear Rutilus carrying on. Sounding oh-so reasonable.
“This proposal would simply be wasted on you. Consider this my last lesson — I’m sure you’ll thank me for it. Eventually.”
You want to join the Senex because: Your ideas are the best ideas. You deserve the same prestige in death you had in life. The status quo serves you well. You crave power. You deserve power.
The big picture: Simply put, we are the Camarilla. It’s from our Assembly that new laws are introduced, debated, decided, and then disseminated to the rest of Sodalitas Pernox. We represent the voices of every status-bearing member of the Empire, and the laws we introduce exist to serve the interests of those members. All citizens are encouraged to seek audiences with us to share their concerns and ideas, no matter their wing, clan, or station. The Night Senate hears all voices, and while we may create the laws, that doesn’t mean we’re above them.
And that’s what we say to placate the rabble.
Every citizen is indeed a servant of the Camarilla, but we’re the only ones that matter. Without us, the whole thing falls apart. The Ancients are the core of the Empire of Night, and our supremacy must be preserved at all costs, lest we regress into isolated savagery. Your average Propinquus hasn’t the slightest comprehension of the complexities involved in running this All Night Society, and they don’t want it. All they want is blood spoon-fed into their needy little mouths and to complain it wasn’t done fast enough — like newly hatched birds. That we’ve used our position to enrich ourselves is only just compensation for enduring the endless, greedy chirping.
This is why our numbers must remain conservative. While Julii are (almost) always welcome, others must prove themselves worthy of the power we wield. Authority diluted is authority weakened, and that’s unacceptable. Never forget the laws of the Camarilla exist to keep us in power and the rest in line. Appearances must be maintained, of course — mobs are so tedious — but as long as we maintain that veneer of accountability, most citizens will never bother to look past the next blood dole.
What about those who do look closer? Well, that’s why we have magistrates. It’s a truism that the masses care more about symbols than reality, and so the appearance of other wings among the Assembly helps them believe the fiction that their voices matter. Quaint. Magistrates are only a handful of seats among many, and we can elevate or silence them as we like, but the illusion of choice is important for control.
Suffer no dissent; harbor no doubts. You’re here because you deserve power, and you deserve power because you’re here. Our voice is the voice of Senex, and those who can’t abide are welcome to leave.
Some of you knew this was on the horizon, at least those of you who read our clan book series. For those who don’t, None More Dark Publishing is releasing a full Second Edition update of Requiem for Rome next week on the STV (or, more precisely, Dark Eras: Requiem for Rome Second Edition). I’m aiming for around noon PST on May 31st, so mark your calendars.
If you don’t know who/what NMD is, we’re a collective of RPG authors and artists who’ve spent the last two years creating supplements for Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition.
What’s in this book, you ask? I’ll quote our back cover:
- A complete update and expansion of Requiem for Rome for Vampire: The Requiem Second Edition.
- A fresh look at the Julii, doomed Founders of the All Night Society.
- The wings of the Camarilla, the first blood covenant of the dead.
- The history of the Propinqui and an insider look at the hidden empire they rule away from mortal eyes.
- Supernatural powers and sorceries forgotten in the modern nights.
- Six Dark Eras throughout the ages of the Roman Empire.
- Thirteen horrors from the depths of ancient history and updated and streamlined rules for the Strix.
- Errata for the core Requiem system.
To be clear, this is a supplement, not a rulebook replacement; we’re not allowed to do that on the STV, for one, and for two, I wouldn’t have been interested in doing one even if we could. I don’t think anyone would get that impression, but it’s worthwhile to be explicit. However, we’ve included some minor errata for the game, and we’ve also taken an opportunity to spruce up the blood sorcery and Strix systems, streamlining and simplifying both.
I know a lot of people see “FAN SUPPLEMENT” and hesitate, but I want to emphasize that this book is of a professional quality. Many of us have freelanced for Onyx Path Publishing, and I wrote a number of bloodlines and lost clans for Night Horrors: Spilled Blood. NMD has released five highly regarded clan books and three bloodline books, and some of the best praise we’ve received is that they feel like the “real”. To put it another way, if you want an official update for Requiem for Rome, this is it in all but name.
On that note, I’ll leave you with a preview/excerpt. I'm mostly going to be fielding questions and posting previews and such over at RPG.net (here), but I'll keep an eye out here for posts!
The Senex: The Night Senate
Ala Senecta
Your sentence has already been chosen. Now we must decide which laws you’ve broken.
“But how will you compensate those citizens whose residences are disrupted by your proposed territorial redistribution?”
The question is expected, and Rutilus needs me to answer quickly and smoothly.
“If the Assembly will turn its attention to the maps I’ve prepared, it will see that few citizens will need to be relocated, and those who do, of course, will be granted new feeding rights, as well as a stipend for the inconvenience.” My voice is measured, controlled, and pitched just between respectful and confident. There is no Senex, of course. That’s tomorrow night. Now, it’s just Rutilus and me, alone in his chambers, as he helps me prepare for the most important night of my Requiem.
Rutilus gets up from his modest desk and paces a few steps to my right before asking his next question, representing how voices can come from any direction during Assembly. “What value is this stipend? Can a fledgling Worm understand the expense of relocating a decades- or centuries-old residence?”
I swallow my irritation, keeping my face a neutral mask. Rutilus knows someone will try and fluster me this way, and he’s preparing me for attacks on both my youth and my gens. I’m fortunate to have such an experienced consul willing to mentor me, and he agrees that my proposal will greatly reduce territorial conflict in the domain. “The stipend will be equal to expenses accrued during relocation, as well as compensation for resources lost. If the Assembly wishes further details—”
“That’s enough.” I can’t quite stop from wincing as Rutilus cuts me off, already anticipating another lecture on proper stance, or tone, or whatever minute protocol I’ve violated. He steps back into view, much closer than I thought he’d been, and gives me a rare smile. “Corinna, I think we’ve done it.”
I can’t help it: I grin, even as my over-crowded fangs press painfully against my lips. “You think I’m ready for the Assembly?”
“Oh, by the gods, no!” he chuckles, but there’s no humor in it.
My elation dissolves into confusion. “But we’ve rehearsed every counter-argument — every possible attack!”
Rutilus nods. “True, true. And I can’t thank you enough for the practice.”
I don’t see the length of sharpened ash until it’s between my ribs, the pain exploding from my chest. I’m too shocked to even scream.
“Apologies, Corinna. Your proposal is too important to be dismissed because of who’s making it.” He shakes his head, giving the stake another twist, and I shudder as it pierces my heart. My vision starts to fade, but I can still hear Rutilus carrying on. Sounding oh-so reasonable.
“This proposal would simply be wasted on you. Consider this my last lesson — I’m sure you’ll thank me for it. Eventually.”
You want to join the Senex because: Your ideas are the best ideas. You deserve the same prestige in death you had in life. The status quo serves you well. You crave power. You deserve power.
The big picture: Simply put, we are the Camarilla. It’s from our Assembly that new laws are introduced, debated, decided, and then disseminated to the rest of Sodalitas Pernox. We represent the voices of every status-bearing member of the Empire, and the laws we introduce exist to serve the interests of those members. All citizens are encouraged to seek audiences with us to share their concerns and ideas, no matter their wing, clan, or station. The Night Senate hears all voices, and while we may create the laws, that doesn’t mean we’re above them.
And that’s what we say to placate the rabble.
Every citizen is indeed a servant of the Camarilla, but we’re the only ones that matter. Without us, the whole thing falls apart. The Ancients are the core of the Empire of Night, and our supremacy must be preserved at all costs, lest we regress into isolated savagery. Your average Propinquus hasn’t the slightest comprehension of the complexities involved in running this All Night Society, and they don’t want it. All they want is blood spoon-fed into their needy little mouths and to complain it wasn’t done fast enough — like newly hatched birds. That we’ve used our position to enrich ourselves is only just compensation for enduring the endless, greedy chirping.
This is why our numbers must remain conservative. While Julii are (almost) always welcome, others must prove themselves worthy of the power we wield. Authority diluted is authority weakened, and that’s unacceptable. Never forget the laws of the Camarilla exist to keep us in power and the rest in line. Appearances must be maintained, of course — mobs are so tedious — but as long as we maintain that veneer of accountability, most citizens will never bother to look past the next blood dole.
What about those who do look closer? Well, that’s why we have magistrates. It’s a truism that the masses care more about symbols than reality, and so the appearance of other wings among the Assembly helps them believe the fiction that their voices matter. Quaint. Magistrates are only a handful of seats among many, and we can elevate or silence them as we like, but the illusion of choice is important for control.
Suffer no dissent; harbor no doubts. You’re here because you deserve power, and you deserve power because you’re here. Our voice is the voice of Senex, and those who can’t abide are welcome to leave.
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