Before You Start - The Newbie Book

NEWBIE HANDBOOK

The following are terms, concepts and Scenarios that you should review before play; they will help you understand the role that you will assume.

The World - The world of The Masquerade tm is much like out own, except more gothic, sinister and surreal; buildings loom, casting long, deep shadows, gargoyles grin menacingly down from spires, Corporations are more ruthless, politicians more corrupt, youth fashions more extreme and urban streets more brutal, with virtually everything having a more Surreal quality to it. Imagine the Tim Burton's Gotham mixed with New York City.

The City of Santa Carla, California, is situated on the northern part of Monterey Bay about 75 minutes south of San Francisco and 30 minutes from San Jose. Santa Carla is the county seat for the County of Santa Carla. The City has of an area of 17 square miles and an estimated population of 995,616, met. area total 1,624,912 (1/1/99 California State Department of Finance).

Ethnic breakdown (62% of the population is primarily Caucasian) (with a strong Hispanic population 15%). In the last two years, the area has seen marked increase in its Asian population, which has reached 10% of the total census, African Americans make up 10% While 7% consists of a various other ethnic groups and nationalities (U.S. Dept. Of Census, 2000).

The major industries include; shipping, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, food processing, as well as various high-tech endeavors. Its port is a major hub for trade on the West Coast. Its economy is a mix of tourism (the Santa Carla Beach Boardwalk) and numerous commercial maritime enterprises. The city has a moderate violent crime rate, although currently less than the national reported average. Additionally, the overall rate of reported crimes citywide has dropped 2% in the last five years.

The city is also noted for the presence of UCSC (University of California Santa Carla). This institution opened in 1965 and has a student population of 18,117 (2000 Census). The campus was built under the administration of then-governor Ronald Regan, who requested planners to space out the campus in order to prevent a central meeting place for potential civil unrest.

Some 91 percent of the students are undergraduates, pursuing over 45 majors including humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and arts. Graduate students work toward graduate certificates, master's degrees, or Ph.D. degrees in 28 academic fields under the supervision of the divisional and graduate deans.

Over the years, the university has had a strong impact on both the economy and culture of the city; from increased traffic, large liberal student population, and the numerous off-campus building projects to the local Santa Carlan's employed at the university.

Santa Carla's downtown area is a stark contrast of old and new. The "Pacific Garden Mall" is a throwback to the classical design of Santa Carla's past, while the surrounding area consists of the glass and steel monoliths of today. Santa Carla's skyline is noted for it's mix of Gothic and Metropolitan styles of architecture.

About 14% of the land area of the county is devoted to state parks, several of which are within, or adjacent to, the city limits. The climate is mild; the average high temperature is 69 degrees Fahrenheit and the average low temperature is 44 degrees. Rainfall averages 32 inches per year.

On being a Vampire - To be a Vampire in this world means that your character was "Embraced" (her blood was drained to the point of death by another Vampire, who then gave her some of its own). This means that she is truly Undead: her heart doesn't beat, she cannot reproduce (except via the Embrace), she doesn't breath except through conscious act of will), generates not natural body heat and posses a and posses a deathlike pallor except directly after feeding.

She is a thing apart from mankind, and must conceal her existence from them or risk being hunted to extinction or worse!

Vampires do require blood for sustenance. It is what allows them to animate their body, regenerate damaged parts of their physical structure and power certain Supernatural abilities ("Disciplines"). In game terms, blood is measured in Blood Traits. A typical adult human posses five Blood Traits; Draining two puts the human at grave risk. How many Blood Traits a Vampire can hold depends on his Generation (See Terms).

The Beast - The human psyche, despite it's Versatility, is built upon a set of biological impulses and instincts of a Vampire are those of a feral, bloodthirsty predator. Most Vampires refer to these savage impulses as "the Beast". a Vampire

must constantly strive to hold onto his senses of humanity or else degenerate into a mindless animal forever. Unfortunately, the longer a (effectively Immortal) Vampire "lives", the more distant their memories of what it's like to be human grows.

Beast Traits - Represent the "flaws" in a Vampire's psychological "armor". A Beast Trait is a "weak area" - a condition or catalyst that undermines a Vampire's Subconscious Control over his Beast, triggering a Frenzy (a type of Bloodlust

or, in Some Cases, a flight-or-flight delirium). The more Beast Traits a character has, the more he has lost of his overall Humanity.

Common Terms used by Characters -

- The Beast: The inherent Predator's instinct in Vampires (See above)

- Camarilla: The most powerful (and common) Society/ culture in the Vampiric community. Founded centuries ago in Europe, the Camarilla is loosely based on a feudal model.

- Caitiff: A Vampire without an affiliation to a clan or bloodline

- Clan: Their are a variety of Blood lineages among Vampires. The predominate ones are called clans, and are named for their respective (possibly mythical)

- Founders. Each clan has its' own history, customs, advantages, weaknesses and Disciplines. Lesser or more obscure lineages ore often merely called Bloodlines.

- Disciplines: Special powers that Vampires can develop through training or innate talent. Clans and Bloodlines all posses indigenous Disciplines, some exclusively so.

- Generation: This refers specifically to the number of Generations a Vampire is from the mythical "Fist Vampire" (whom some believe to be the Biblical Cain); the higher the number, the less inherently powerful the Vampire.

- Kindred: A common euphemism that many Vampires use in order to refer to their race.

- Masquerade: The practice of keeping the existence of kindred secret.

- Prince: The most common term for a ruler of Camarilla held domain.

- Traditions, the: Six fundamental laws used by Camarilla, the most important being the Masquerade.

Six fundamental laws used by Camarilla -

The First Tradition - The Masquerade Thou shall not reveal thy true nature to those not of the Blood. Doing such shall renounce thy claims of Blood.

The Second Tradition - The Domain Thy domain is thine own concern. All others owe thee respect while in it. None may challenge thee word in thy domain.

The Third Tradition - The Progeny Thou shall only Sire another with the permission of thine elder. If thou createst another without thine Elder's leave, both thou and thy Progeny shall be slain.

The Fourth Tradition - The Accounting Those thou create are thine own children. Until they Progeny shall be Released, thou shall command them in all things. Their sins are thine to endure.

The Fifth Tradition - Hospitality Honor one another's domain. When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shall present thyself to the one who ruleth there. Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing.

The Sixth Tradition - Destruction Thou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind. The right of destruction belongeth only to thine Elder. Only the Eldest among thee shall call the Blood Hunt.

Before You Start - The Newbie Book