[RPG] How to have individual Embracing preludes, and a group character creation session as well

campaign-developmentcharacter-creationvampire-the-masqueradeworld-of-darkness

I'm preparing a Vampire the Masquerade chronicle and I'm currently figuring out how to kick it off. There are two techniques touched on in the rulebook that I think are important, and want to apply both of them:

  1. Group character creation

    Don't just let players create their character on their own. The coterie needs synergy. I want to make sure everybody brings something unique to the table and avoid redundant characters such as e.g. two manipulative, plotting Ventrues with exactly the same disciplines and goals. At the same time, too antagonistic clans in the same group can be a problem as well. I also don't want PC’s to be overspecialized, only useful 20% of the time which would bore the player to death during the remaining 80% of sessions.

    In the end, players are at the center of the chronicle, they should choose what they want in terms of atmosphere, mood, whether they prefer investigation-oriented, combat-oriented, politics-oriented sessions, even possibly whether the group is going to be Camarilla, Sabbat or something else. They might as well discuss it collectively with the storyteller.

  2. Prelude

    For each PC, roleplay a short one-on-one sequence where the character is still a mortal, at the end of which they are embraced. I think it makes for a very good introduction to the World of Darkness for newer players, teaching them the ropes of the game system, as well as an intro to the setting of my campaign for more experienced ones. The chronicle will start with a violent and sudden event that will leave its mark on the PCs and I want to play this out extensively with each one of them – a bit à la Initiation in Dogs in the Vineyard.

This is all well and fine, except that technically speaking, these two methods conflict and pose a dilemma:

  • If we do creation first, players will already be introduced to the world, the Masquerade, their clan, their disciplines and have a full-fledged Vampire character sheet before they get to the Prelude part. Not only will the Prelude lose in interest (playing as simple mortals while they have brushed against the promise of strong vampiric powers can feel dull and frustrating) but PC’s can’t play with the character sheet they just created.

  • If we do Prelude/Embrace first, how to know what clan their Sire is? I want opinionated preludes that match the player’s clan theme. For instance, the PC (still a human) has boarded up her house and defends it fiercely, shotgun in hand, against attackers or looters. A Brujah passing by admires her grit and decides (for that reason and others) to embrace her. If the PC’s clan and concept haven’t been priorly defined, there’s no way you can play this kind of introduction. And clan choice depends on group discussion between the players, so we're back to square one.

How can I use both of these together? I can think of a couple of options, each with its flaws :

    1. Play the background part of character creation — defining character backstories, clans and natures — but only give them enough points to build a mortal character sheet.
    2. Then play the Preludes with these weaker stats.
    3. Finally get back to completing the vampire sheets after the embraces.

    Problem with this option: players may distribute their human points in a different, less optimized way than they would have had they known about discipline and vampire-related rolls. It’s also difficult to draw the line between (1) and (3). I don’t want to reveal too much in (1) yet the players need a clear vision of the vampiric clans and society to build a harmonious group.

  • Do character creation first, but create two character sheets for each PC, one mortal and one Kindred.

    Problems: This solves the character sheet issue but still has the same premature secrets spoil and vampiric frustration problems.

How can I have our Preludes and Group Cohesion too?

Best Answer

It has been a long time since I played Vampire, but - not only is it possible to do a group creation followed by individual preludes - it's the best way to do it.

You will probably need to have a gap in time between the creation session and the first Prelude. There will likely be some tailoring needed once you know the characters. But that's not a huge problem most of the time.

Character Creation for the Mechanics and the Meta

The Character Creation session should be used as a chance to have players become familiar with the system if they aren't already, and to discuss a few details of their characters to ensure they will work together and not have too much overlap.

You also have players discuss meta elements. Perhaps two players want to play rivals. They can discuss these details during this process, decide why they're going to be rivals.

Work up the full character, but I'd suggest telling players that no choices are final. Give them a chance to make changes once they better understand the mechanics and the setting.

During this part of the process, you needn't discuss more than the bare minimum of setting details. You know, just enough to make sure the characters will all fit within the premise. "You're all newly embraced kindred in the crazy world of high finance in the 1980s. Think American Psycho meets Vampire Diaries." Just enough to ensure the characters will work in your premise, and no more.

Prelude for the Setting and Story

Once you have the characters set, you can run individual preludes. This is the stage where you begin to introduce setting and story elements, and it can be run as free of mechanics as you and your players are comfortable with.

It need not be less interesting just because the characters are mortals. But making a story compelling does depend a lot on the GM. If you make the journey memorable, it will be awesome.

The last time I played Vampire, my GM did it this way. I built my Assamite, and then we roleplayed his journey from boy, to man, to trained assassin, right up to the scene where his mentor bites him on the neck and then hangs him up on a meathook. It was horrifying, and gut churning, but it was never dull. Along the way, my GM hinted at what it meant for the future.

You mentioned Initiations in Dogs in the Vineyard. As a GM, I've used this idea in preludes for other World of Darkness games (and other games) to help make them memorable. Players make characters, and then I ask them to ask a question we will answer during the prelude. This helps keep them engaged as they search for their answers.


This way will preserve nice balance between player agency and GM mystery. Players have freedom to create the characters they envision within the limits of the premise, but the GM doesn't reveal too many secrets too soon. I've played it, and run it, and it works well.

Related Topic