Black Sheep

Awakening Venue Style Sheet for Lee County

I. Overview

Genre: Awakening
Location: Lee County
VST Email: fmawakeningst@gmail.com

• Action - 2 (sometimes present)
• Darkness - 3 (often present)
• Drama - 4 (usually present)
• Intrigue - 4 (usually present)
• Mystery - 3 (often present)

II. Venue History

Southwest Florida was home to the Calusa tribe from before the time Europeans came to the Americas. The settled Native American shamans sensed the primal energies flowing through the area, and chose it as a home for their people. South Florida is home to the Everglades, the River of Grass. And through this river flows old magic. The Caloosahatchee River joins the waters of the Gulf of Mexico with those of Lake Okeechobee. Through this river the shamans of old diverted energies for their places of power.

With European exploration came foreign influences to this region, both mundane and supernatural. Among these people were mages from across the oceans. The dark powers of this area were hidden from these mages as long as the shamans could manage. It is rumored that some of the sources of power they hid away remain occluded to this day. In the 1700s, rogue pirates who traveled the seas in search of adventure and treasure found this area's occlusion advantageous, and set up operations here.

In 1821, as settlers started to move in from America into the new U.S. territory, mages came here who began to unravel the mysteries present. They had a fort erected at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River to protect their interests from the Seminoles, the successors to the Calusa tribe. The battles that were fought were generally small and infrequent. In the end, the mages resigned to defeat and had the fort disassembled shortly after the U.S. Civil War, and the wood used to build homes for families living in the area.

The late nineteenth century saw the coming of a new age for Fort Myers. A group of Free Councilors set up their home here as the existing powers waned, to take advantage of the power present here. The early decades resulted in a great measure of power for the cabal here. However, dark times fell as the elements themselves raged against the peninsula. Terrible hurricanes in 1921 and 1926 ravaged not only the landscape, but the ley lines as well. Then the energies of Lake Okeechobee drained away, leaving a void in the primal flow of the area.

Today, mages of the area struggle to reweave the ley lines of the area for their own prosperity. They also seek the secrets of the past filling the area. Once they are found, most secrets are jealously guarded against all others. Then there are those mages who have fallen to a creeping darkness which flows through the banks of the Caloosahatchee River. Great treasures await those who come to Fort Myers in search of magic, as well as great perils.

III. Setting

The historic aspect of the area, including Indian Tribes and their beliefs, will have a strong flavor on the plots and themes.

The city population has been in flux for years due to the transient nature of the area. It is only in the last few years that the city has started to get organized.

IV. Mood

The mood of the venue is one of struggle and choices of the Awakened community. The choice they must make of whether they wish to attempt to fit into mortal society while hiding what they are, or do they remove themselves from humanity and use awakening society as their only social outlet.

They must also decide if they view themselves as protectors of humanity or whether their goal is only to defend their own interests.

On a daily basis, players will struggle in the attempt to fulfill their basic needs and to further their own agendas, but everyone will find their efforts are fraught with resistance and hardship. How much are you willing to work, fight, or bleed for your needs and dreams?

V. Player Information

Restrictions: All characters must be built using the most recently approved version of the Camarilla's rules addendum. Please keep in mind that all character concepts and ideas need to be cleared with the VST before proceeding to create a character. The VST reserves the right to close off certain concepts and areas of creation depending on the current state of the game, as well as imposing certain extra limitations or requirements beyond what is listed in the most current addendums. The intent here is to make a diverse and exciting game, while still remaining true to genre and to the worldwide chronicle. Further, all characters should be tailored towards helping to expand the venue's mood, as well as fitting within the theme of the venue. The VST reserves the right to deny any character from admission into the game due to it conflicting or detracting from the theme and mood of the venue. Also, all experience expenditures must be cleared with the VST and be put on file with the VST. Should any discrepancies arise between the player's copy of the character and the VST's copy of the character, it will be the VST's copy that governs.

Travel Information: Travel to the area is typically easy thanks to quick and easy car travel, as well as trains and airline flights. However, visiting players are encouraged to contact the VST at least 48 hours prior to the game to assure their characters will be able to locate and gain entrance into any gatherings that might be occurring. This is not done to discourage visiting players, who we strongly encourage to come. Instead, the VST is committed to trying to keep strong continuity in the game and so certain games may not be well suited for visiting characters. Please keep in mind that visiting characters should be tailored to help add to the theme and mood of the venue. Visiting players failing to notify the VST prior to arrival may be asked to play a secondary area or avoid certain plot elements.

Proxy Rules: Proxy rules are outlined by the Camarilla addendum. Please understand that proxies very rarely add to a game and often result in improper play of a character. As such, any and all proxies will require an extensive write up on the PC's goals and motives, as well as a copy of the character sheet, background, and proof of MC. Also, a proxy should be sent for approval to the VST at least three days prior to the start of the proxy. This is to give the VST proper time to review the sheet and motivations. Failure to do so may cause the proxy to be denied. It is understood that some events might cause a last minute proxy, such proxies will be considered on a case by case basis.

Check-in Rules: All players attending must have a copy of their character sheet in order to play. All players must either have the VST check-in an item card for all possessions they wish to take into play, or the items must be listed on the character sheet. All players should have a copy of their updated experience log. Visiting players must also provide their direct storyteller contact information. If possible, visiting players are also encouraged to have their direct ST sign their character sheet prior to play.

Out of Body: Players using an effect that allows them to leave their body or be in more than one place at a time during game must declare to the VST the location of their body, which must be within the area covered by the VSS. This requirement is to prevent situations of players wishing to take actions against the person but unable to due to the VST not having jurisdiction over the area the body is in. At VST discretion, such powers may be done during downtimes with the body outside the area, but requires contact information of the storyteller in charge of the area the body is in.

Starting Mana: All Mages start game with Mana equal to Gnosis + Prime Arcanum Rating + Hallow. They may have up to 2 mana declared as spent toward pre-casts. Any past the two must be subtracted from their starting mana.

Challenges: All challenges will follow the rules as clarified by the latest Camarilla rules addendum. Players are free to throw challenges with each other without the VST if all players involved agree. The exception is in the case of combat and/or in any situation that will result in the death of a character. The VST, or a designated narrator, must be present and give permission before any combat or killing blows begin.

Experience Guidelines: Players will typically receive four experience points for each game. The VST may award fewer points to players who show up very late to game, who don't stay in character for extended periods of the game, or for a host of other possible reasons. The VST will also regularly award one extra experience point as a reward to players for exceptional role play, contributing greatly to the night's game (often by being the host and having minor advancepreparations), for surviving a particularly dangerous scene, or for a host of other possible reasons. The decision to award less or more than 4 experience points is solely in the discretion of the VST.

Narrator and Lead Storyteller Empowerment in Mass Combat Scenes: Mass combat, because of its easy opportunity to escalate into sessions of challenges that tie up characters for long periods of time, will be carefully monitored. The Storyteller on scene may pull a combat out of the main gaming area and into one of any number of side rooms. The Storyteller on scene or designated Combat ST is empowered to determine when and how other characters are allowed to enter such combats. If any players argue or otherwise disrupt the flow of combat rounds with idle discussion, the Storyteller on scene or Designated Combat ST has the power to declare the player's character has been removed from the combat, and the Venue Lead Storyteller has the option to declare that the player's character has been killed during the combat without reference to test, challenge or other game mechanics. The ST Lead or Venue Lead also has the right to script events in combat scenes to ensure that the events do not negatively impact the larger setting.