Post by Bishop Priss on Apr 25, 2016 18:29:34 GMT
The vampires of the Sabbat engage in numerous sanctioned “games,” adjudicated by their Pack Priests to maintain their predatory edge. These games take various forms, and different packs practice different styles — everything from parodies of children’s games or sports to completely unique vampiric tests of skill can be made into a Game of Instinct. The only commonality between the games is that the priest presides over them, consecrating them as righteous exercises. Here are some common examples:
• Cowboys and Indians/Cops and Robbers: The object of Cowboys and Indians is to capture or incapacitate (but not kill) as many members of the other side as possible. Because of vampires’ innate resistance to damage, this is easier said than done, and bullets aplenty fly during these games. The team that knocks the other out of commission is the winner.
• Demolition Derby: Starting at opposite ends of a street or parking lot, pack members set their cars on fire and charge another team’s car. After much bashing and crashing, one team inevitably has to flee their car or burn to death; the first team to exit its vehicle loses.
• Dogtagging: The object of the game is to capture a werewolf, tag its ear (with tags similar to kind used by cattle ranchers), and turn it loose.
• Rat Race: A human is sealed in a labyrinth of some sort, such as an abandoned factory or part of a sewer system. The human is given weapons that can hurt vampires, such as handguns, knives, blow-torches, or chainsaws. The participating vampires, starting in different locations in the maze, hunt the human, while the human tries desperately to escape the vampires. Whichever vampire captures and drains the human first, wins. An alternative to the Rat Race — the Bat Race — involves vampires only.
• Rousing the Beast: The participant has to dig up the victim of a failed mass-Embrace. Once the crazed creature breaks the surface and frenzies, it is up to the game participant to immobilize her and destroy her.
System: Storytellers and players are encouraged to develop their own Games of Instinct; basically, any mayhem works for this ritus as long as the Pack Priest recognizes it and bestows her blessing upon it. Once completed, for the duration of one story, the winner(s) of a given Game of Instinct receive one bonus die to the dice pool of the Ability they used the most during the game. A player may not have more than one Skill augmented in this way for any given story.
Cowboys and Indians, also known as Cops and Robbers, is practiced by large packs or by two individual packs. One "team" goes into hiding half an hour before the other goes after them, usually in bad or abandoned parts of town where this sort of hooliganism is overlooked by the locals. The object of Cowboys and Indians is to capture or incapacitate (but not kill) as many members of the other side as possible. Because of vampires' innate resistance to damage, this is easier said than done, and bullets aplenty fly during these games. The best way to capture another vampire, of course, is to stake him. The team that knocks the other out of commission is the winner.
Demolition Derby is usually played in stolen cars, as the vehicles tend not to survive the game. Starting at opposite ends of a street, parking lot or drainage aqueduct, pack members set their cars on fire and charge another team's car. After much bashing and crashing, one team inevitably has to flee their car or burn to death; the first team to exit its vehicle loses. It is legal to fire upon the other car, which is part of the strategy of the game. Drivers may carry only one passenger, or they may sacrifice maneuverability for firepower.
One particularly dangerous game is called Rousing the Beast. This game is a one-on-one challenge, whereby the participant has to release the victim of a failed mass-Embrace. He must choose the grave of a victim who failed to dig himself out of the earth – problematic in and of itself because the mass-grave Embrace is usually performed only in cities under siege or in the midst of a crusade. The Sabbat vampire must dig the completely mad and starving former recruit out from his earthen prison. Once the crazed creature breaks the surface and frenzies, it is up to the game participant to immobilize her and destroy her. The preferred method is by stake; firearms are typically forbidden. Needless to say, this hand-to-hand combat is very dangerous, and the Sabbat does not always win. This game is a trial of will as much as of physical strength, as the vampire must come face to face with his own creation and subsequent inhumanity.
The Rat Race is another popular sport. A human is sealed in a labyrinth of some sort, such as an abandoned factory or part of a sewer system. The human is given weapons that can hurt the vampires, such as handguns, knives, blowtorches or chainsaws. The participating vampires, starting in different locations in the maze, hunt the human, while the human tries desperately to escape the vampires. Whichever vampire captures and drains the human first, wins. Maiming the competition to ensure victory is encouraged, though killing one's opponent is not the object of the game and viewed unfavorably. An alternative to the Rat Race – the Bat Race – involves vampires only. The packmates draw lots; whoever gets the short straw becomes the prey. Obviously, this variant is rarely seen through to the Final Death.
Some insane or powerful packs play a game known as Dogtagging. Packing an off-road vehicle with firearms and tow cables, the vampires rampage into Lupine territory. The object of the game is to capture a werewolf, tag its ear (with tags similar to kind used by cattle ranchers), turn it loose and get the hell out of there before it comes back with friends. A few packs actually hunt Lupines in this manner to kill them – they figure that the werewolf has already been caught, and there's no reason to suffer it to live and possibly come back to even the score another night.
System Storytellers and players are encouraged to develop their own Games of Instinct; basically, any mayhem works for this ritus as long as the pack priest recognizes it and bestows her blessing upon it. Most priests indulge their pack in one Game of Instinct per month or so (if that often); anything more frequent makes this ritus less valuable, as it becomes common.
The Games of Instinct allow the Sabbat to hone its skills to the edge. For the duration of one story, the winner(s) of a given Game of Instinct receive one bonus die to the dice pool of the Ability they used the most during the game. For example, if the Corpses Delecti participate in a Game of Instinct, and Walker wins through judicious use of his pistol, Walker gets a one-die bonus to his Firearms dice pool for the next story. A player may not have more than one Skill augmented in this way for any given story.
Storytellers should bear in mind that only the most dangerous (and blatant) of activities are suitable for Games of Instinct – trials of skills in which a pack is already proficient serve little to increase their abilities, and these games tend to draw crowds if not practiced rarely and discretely. If your players insist on having Games of Instinct every night to stock up on bonus dice, feel free to go after their characters with police, Lupines, disdainful elders, et cetera. The games are practiced to build skill and solidarity, not to create super-characters.
• Cowboys and Indians/Cops and Robbers: The object of Cowboys and Indians is to capture or incapacitate (but not kill) as many members of the other side as possible. Because of vampires’ innate resistance to damage, this is easier said than done, and bullets aplenty fly during these games. The team that knocks the other out of commission is the winner.
• Demolition Derby: Starting at opposite ends of a street or parking lot, pack members set their cars on fire and charge another team’s car. After much bashing and crashing, one team inevitably has to flee their car or burn to death; the first team to exit its vehicle loses.
• Dogtagging: The object of the game is to capture a werewolf, tag its ear (with tags similar to kind used by cattle ranchers), and turn it loose.
• Rat Race: A human is sealed in a labyrinth of some sort, such as an abandoned factory or part of a sewer system. The human is given weapons that can hurt vampires, such as handguns, knives, blow-torches, or chainsaws. The participating vampires, starting in different locations in the maze, hunt the human, while the human tries desperately to escape the vampires. Whichever vampire captures and drains the human first, wins. An alternative to the Rat Race — the Bat Race — involves vampires only.
• Rousing the Beast: The participant has to dig up the victim of a failed mass-Embrace. Once the crazed creature breaks the surface and frenzies, it is up to the game participant to immobilize her and destroy her.
System: Storytellers and players are encouraged to develop their own Games of Instinct; basically, any mayhem works for this ritus as long as the Pack Priest recognizes it and bestows her blessing upon it. Once completed, for the duration of one story, the winner(s) of a given Game of Instinct receive one bonus die to the dice pool of the Ability they used the most during the game. A player may not have more than one Skill augmented in this way for any given story.
Cowboys and Indians, also known as Cops and Robbers, is practiced by large packs or by two individual packs. One "team" goes into hiding half an hour before the other goes after them, usually in bad or abandoned parts of town where this sort of hooliganism is overlooked by the locals. The object of Cowboys and Indians is to capture or incapacitate (but not kill) as many members of the other side as possible. Because of vampires' innate resistance to damage, this is easier said than done, and bullets aplenty fly during these games. The best way to capture another vampire, of course, is to stake him. The team that knocks the other out of commission is the winner.
Demolition Derby is usually played in stolen cars, as the vehicles tend not to survive the game. Starting at opposite ends of a street, parking lot or drainage aqueduct, pack members set their cars on fire and charge another team's car. After much bashing and crashing, one team inevitably has to flee their car or burn to death; the first team to exit its vehicle loses. It is legal to fire upon the other car, which is part of the strategy of the game. Drivers may carry only one passenger, or they may sacrifice maneuverability for firepower.
One particularly dangerous game is called Rousing the Beast. This game is a one-on-one challenge, whereby the participant has to release the victim of a failed mass-Embrace. He must choose the grave of a victim who failed to dig himself out of the earth – problematic in and of itself because the mass-grave Embrace is usually performed only in cities under siege or in the midst of a crusade. The Sabbat vampire must dig the completely mad and starving former recruit out from his earthen prison. Once the crazed creature breaks the surface and frenzies, it is up to the game participant to immobilize her and destroy her. The preferred method is by stake; firearms are typically forbidden. Needless to say, this hand-to-hand combat is very dangerous, and the Sabbat does not always win. This game is a trial of will as much as of physical strength, as the vampire must come face to face with his own creation and subsequent inhumanity.
The Rat Race is another popular sport. A human is sealed in a labyrinth of some sort, such as an abandoned factory or part of a sewer system. The human is given weapons that can hurt the vampires, such as handguns, knives, blowtorches or chainsaws. The participating vampires, starting in different locations in the maze, hunt the human, while the human tries desperately to escape the vampires. Whichever vampire captures and drains the human first, wins. Maiming the competition to ensure victory is encouraged, though killing one's opponent is not the object of the game and viewed unfavorably. An alternative to the Rat Race – the Bat Race – involves vampires only. The packmates draw lots; whoever gets the short straw becomes the prey. Obviously, this variant is rarely seen through to the Final Death.
Some insane or powerful packs play a game known as Dogtagging. Packing an off-road vehicle with firearms and tow cables, the vampires rampage into Lupine territory. The object of the game is to capture a werewolf, tag its ear (with tags similar to kind used by cattle ranchers), turn it loose and get the hell out of there before it comes back with friends. A few packs actually hunt Lupines in this manner to kill them – they figure that the werewolf has already been caught, and there's no reason to suffer it to live and possibly come back to even the score another night.
System Storytellers and players are encouraged to develop their own Games of Instinct; basically, any mayhem works for this ritus as long as the pack priest recognizes it and bestows her blessing upon it. Most priests indulge their pack in one Game of Instinct per month or so (if that often); anything more frequent makes this ritus less valuable, as it becomes common.
The Games of Instinct allow the Sabbat to hone its skills to the edge. For the duration of one story, the winner(s) of a given Game of Instinct receive one bonus die to the dice pool of the Ability they used the most during the game. For example, if the Corpses Delecti participate in a Game of Instinct, and Walker wins through judicious use of his pistol, Walker gets a one-die bonus to his Firearms dice pool for the next story. A player may not have more than one Skill augmented in this way for any given story.
Storytellers should bear in mind that only the most dangerous (and blatant) of activities are suitable for Games of Instinct – trials of skills in which a pack is already proficient serve little to increase their abilities, and these games tend to draw crowds if not practiced rarely and discretely. If your players insist on having Games of Instinct every night to stock up on bonus dice, feel free to go after their characters with police, Lupines, disdainful elders, et cetera. The games are practiced to build skill and solidarity, not to create super-characters.