Some things for the game.
I foresee various kinds of episode in the chronicle:
There will be some combat. I don't think that'll be a problem for anyone, although players who want to be better at it can quickly become proficient by spending a little experience. If we fancy a combat-heavy episode and their normal characters don't fancy it we can always bring along some stand-ins.
Racial and religious tension is high in the land beyond the forest at the turn of the 12th century: the native Vlachs are largely subjugated by their Hungarian overlords. While hard-working Saxons brought in from the north and west may displace native free-persons and landowners, and Szekler overseers claim taxes on behalf of their Magyar lords, Hungarian attempts to spread Catholicism have made few inroads against the natives' Orthodoxy and older pagan beliefs. It seems that the stalwart folk of Transylvania have little need of 'civilisation' from the west.
They know what they need to fear...
June 1197:
Leustachius rules in Transylvania as voivode (roughly 'prince' or 'duke') on behalf of King Emeric of Hungary. In an effort to appease the few native nobles he has decided to honour them with a marriage: his son Legforus will take as wife a daughter of one of the remaining Vlach noble lines.
The lords of the seven major Saxon cities are invited to the celebrations at Alba Iulia, along with countless other dignitaries. No expense will be spared in laying on the greatest of feasts and entertainments, and all manner of other folk can be expected to be in the castle, either as permanent residents, guests or other visitors.
That's where the characters come in. They could be practically anybody who might be in the castle at the time. A few people are off-limits, of course: I'm clearly not going to let anyone play the voivode of Translyvania, although if someone wants to be a native princess I'd certainly allow that. Others could be other visiting nobles, local churchmen, travelling entertainers or various other things, although the wackier it is the more slack I may need when we actually try to get a coherent party out of it.
I'm happy to talk clans with players familiar with the setting or want to become so (the lineup is a little different to Masquerade, but similar), although such people should note that some clans aren't good choices; they're based too far from the setting, they're on the wrong side of one of the various disputes, or in some cases I'd advise against them just because I don't like them...
Those who don't know the setting and aren't worried about learning it up front are welcome to propose a mortal concept and describe what kind of things they'd like to achieve, and I'll sort out a clan that's good for you and the story (not necessarily in equal measure). The game could go on a while if people stay interested, so it might be worth listening to a summary of the clans if only to avoid getting anyone stuck with one they don't like. (Changing characters is possible, but obviously weakens the consistency of the story and wastes all the personal subplots of the character being retired.)
I expect to have trouble getting enough convincing justification for the party to work together. While I'm happy to have a wide range of archetypes in the group and that generally precludes a big happy group of best-friends-forever (and besides, that's never very convincing), if you do want to share elements of history with other characters that should help a lot. What I don't want, though, is a cliquey party where the brothers will only trust each other and the old friends have agreed not to talk to them, and so on.
I don't necessarily need the answers to all these questions, but they're the sort of things you should know in order to get the most out of your characters.
Unless you're already supernatural bear in mind that people age quickly in Eastern medieval Europe.
Please speak to me before you set your heart on being from a far-off land. Local characters are Transylvanian; some might think of themselves as Hungarian. Nearby nations include Hungary proper, Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, the Pecheneg Khanates and Russia (particularly the Kievan Rus). A little farther afield lies the Holy Roman Empire, and of course further than that are England, France, Iberia, Scandinavia, the Holy Land and various other places.
Fairly typical medieval rules: the vast majority of people are serfs, little more than slaves with no rights to speak of. Some are instead 'free', with the right to cross feudal boundaries, generally on Church business or to ply a specialist trade. The lucky few are landowners, whether or not noble in title.
Foreigners are essentially a class unto themselves: unless known to be noble they'll often be treated as free, but they'll always be viewed with suspicion. If you haven't yet taken the hint, being foreign may be trouble and whatever you have in mind may not be suitable at all.
Are you a nobleman, expecting to inherit a fief (or already running one)? Or perhaps a noblewoman: Eastern Europe doesn't have much space for shrinking violets and after you've secured a husband you may find yourself tending his lands as he goes off to war.
Or a holy person? Priest or layperson, monk or nun; devout, disgraced or anywhere in between. Some kind of craftsperson or tradesperson? Entertainer or artist? Or something shadier: a thief, a prostitute, a beggar or darker.
You could be some kind of scholar: a physician, a scribe, a philosopher or a theologian. Perhaps a soldier or knight (although high chivalry won't be upon us for centuries, if at all).
If you're a foreigner, people may not much care what you do although you should still have some idea.
One of the rulebooks has a nice list of token concepts that you can take or leave.
The World of Darkness has plenty of unusual people in it. Although still a tiny minority, witches, hedge magicians, holy miracle-workers and even true mages are just as real as vampires.
Don't feel you need to tack supernatural ability onto an already-strong concept (you're only going to have the powers repalced with vampiric ones when you die anyway), but the game would certainly benefit from an occultist or two if you want to talk to me about your options.
'Local' Transylvanians are typically Vlachs - Romani, as they are sometimes called in Latin (not those Rromani) - allegedly descended directly from the people of the kingdom and Roman province of Dacia. The Magyars rule Hungary (and indirectly Transylvania), although they were originally a Turkish tribe from the east. The Szeklers are also a Hungarian import of similar stock; they form a class of feudal overseers for the Magyars and are instrumental in the kingdom's defence. The other immigrants are Saxon settlers from Germany.
Players of foreigners should warn me early, so that I can do some research.
Vlachs are likely to be Eastern Orthodox or else maintain the traditional pagan beliefs of the area. The western immigrants are almost certainly Catholic. Again, foreigners are likely to require a little more research.
Also have a think about how much your religion means to you. Atheists and agnostics aren't common in the dark ages, but that isn't to say everyone is a true believer. Are you living a righteous life, or just hoping not to go to hell? (Or perhaps you're already resigned to hell...)
I love to have NPCs to kidnap.
Kidding.
Honest.
The 'common' discplines can be learned by any character (the ones in bold are very common; more or less instinctive):
Animalism (speaking to and controlling animals), Auspex (perception), Celerity (speed), Dominate, Fortitude (toughness), Obfuscate (stealth), Potence (strength), Presence (charm)
Other discplines are generally found in only one clan. If you aren't of the right clan you'll probably need tuition, blood or both from someone who is.
Chimerstry (illusion; Ravnos), Dementation (inducing madness; Malkavian), Obtenebration (shadow manipulation; Lasombra), Mortis (necromancy; Cappadocian), Protean* (shape-changing; Gangrel), Quietus (silence and assassination; Assamite), Serpentis (snakes; Followers of Set), Thaumaturgy (hermetic magic; Tremere), Vicissitude (flesh-crafting and shape-changing; Tzimisce)
Thaumaturgy and Mortis are very versatile; certain other clans (including Tzimisce, Assamite and Followers of Set) have their own versatile magics but they're progressively more unusual.
* If you know the setting you might not have expected Protean to be a clan-specific discipline. The books might not show it that way. Just another house rule, for the good of the Gangrel and the setting...
The stereotypes are gross simplifications, as befits the size of the summaries: it only takes one member of a clan to decide you should be recruited. Most clans favour nationalities or ethnicities, although there are occasional exceptions. Weaknesses aren't generally fully explained.
In general I'd rather not have multiple player characters of the same clan. The Tzimisce are an exception.
This list is predominantly so that interested players can see which ones they'd like to know more about. As usual, talk to me.
There are lesser bloodlines, but they're meant to be rare and they tend to have died out by modern nights, making them unsuitable for a crossover game. Besides, if I want to use them myself it'll be better if I don't tell everyone about them in advance. If you already know about any of the unusual WoD bloodlines feel free to pitch me something, although no promises.
She's a skilled embroiderer, but most people are more interested in the rumours that she can discern secrets, or even see the future. Certainly some of the scenes she depicts seem to come true, and she has remarkable insight into all manner of things.
As a mortal, the Embroiderer is just intelligent, perceptive and more than a little autistic. Once embraced by a Malkavian prophet her perception will be truly supernatural, but her focus on divining the workings of all things will border on obsession and afflict her with melancholia.
Nobody notices a beggar. He can hear all manner of things, passing the information on to whoever he pleases, at whatever price. Passing a few coins around buys many more subtle ears, until a man can be connected across an entire city. With Nosferatu blood in his veins it'll be even easier to hide, and listen. (For an equally stealthy but slightly more sociable version, substitute Followers of Set.)
As a nurse in the Holy Land during the last crusade, she performed what were often described as minor miracles, but saw the worst of the horrors that man could perpetrate in the name of his God. She came to Hungary for a quiet life of contemplation and servitude, but saw prejudice and persecution much like that of the crusades. Now a nun in a missionary convent in Eastern Trasylvania, she's been unable to do any good with God's will for as long as she can remember, and she's wondering more than ever why it is that there must be so much suffering. On top of that, something else calls to her, something much closer than her god, and much more attentive to its people.
Embraced by the Tzimisce, she'll someday be powerful in the ways of their pagan sorcery. Or perhaps the Lasombra will want to use her faith to strike at the Hungarian Ventrue and Toreador. Or an idealist Brujah might want to show her that there is still good in the world, despite all the sacrifices it must make for the sake of the common man.
Romantic high chivalry won't come about for centuries (in fact it never will, but we can fudge a few things for a game), which probably puts him centuries ahead of his time. He's noble, honourable, and certainly doesn't expect to become a creature of the night. He'll probably be embraced by the Brujah, although a few others could work.
Left managing her husband's estate when he went to war...
Seriously though, loads of concepts can start with that line. The Tzimisce will happily take ambitious natives of high birth, the Lasombra want to recruit a local ambassador; the Gangrel or the Nosferatu might just want to ruin her life and the Malkavians will embrace anyone.
As a respected member of the sinister Giovanni family, he knows much more about Cainites than most mortals. His skill at trading and profiteering makes it only a matter of time before he's rewarded with the Embrace.
Note that a Giovanni (either like this or a more traditional Giovanni necromancer) is essentially the only viable Cappadocian concept. Their future isn't bright.