Help us create a beautiful, traditionally printed hardcover of V5 Cults of the Blood Gods and get it into distribution and stores!
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hello Bloodthirsty Backers!
We're officially in the FINAL WEEK of the kickstarter campaign. I've still got two manuscript preview downloads to post (including the Bloodlines and Loresheets chapter coming tomorrow!) and one more sneak peek preview on Monday, but I'll also be sharing a bunch of book-keeping-type posts about Reward Tiers & Add-Ons, Stretch Goals, and What Comes Next, and this one, which is all about recruiting new backers during this final phase of the campaign.
First, let me say - we've just crossed 410% of our initial funding target and have more than 2085 backers participating in this project! We've unlocked ELEVEN Stretch Goals and have an even dozen in sight. Just like the cults featured in this book, we're recruiting new members and sharing the gospel.
That's one of the awesome and inspiring things about kickstarter projects - you not only build the game (or expand the setting, in this case), but you start to build a community around the project. I'm excited to keep adding rewards to this project -- especially the Trail of Bone and Ashes and Forbidden Faiths supplements -- and hope to add even more! The final week usually picks up speed as we go along, and there's a ton of potential to add another 1, 2 or 4 or even more rewards! But to get there, we've got to increase the number of backers pledging to this campaign. Thus, the topic for today's update:
I know, this is something I've already said many times (and seem to say during every project!), but for this final week, you are officially a duly-deputized ambassador for this Kickstarter project. You may even say "Vampbassador," if you can manage that with a straight face.
I know I end every update post with "Keep spreading the word! Invite others to join in!" - but what does that mean, and how do you do it?
Easy answer - don't stop talking about the Cults of the Blood Gods kickstarter until 2:01 PM next Thursday EST (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it (believe me!), but everything will go back to "normal" in just one week, and they've learned to tolerate me during a kickstarter campaign (for now). But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.
The excitement and enthusiasm you've shown for this project and your love of the World of Darkness setting, and topics covered in Cults of the Blood Gods in particular, may seem frivolous or narrowly-focused or even slightly selfish with all the events going on in the world. That's understandable, of course - there are some bigger events and issues and larger conversations dominating discussions right now.
Here's the thing, though - the stuff you love, the little things that bring you joy, the camaraderie we get from delving into this game and world together - those things that are important to us are the building blocks of daily life, and the fuel we need to deal with those larger issues and bigger conversations. The news is, of course, nonstop, and can be exhausting. I recharge by reading the latest manuscript excerpt or going on internet forums or discord channels - or even, on too-rare occasions lately, gaming with my friends!
Cults of the Blood Gods, Vampire: The Masquerade, the kickstarter comments and twitch streams, all of those things sustain us. So, don't feel shy about sharing your passion or shining some light in the darkness (which may be a backwards metaphor for a World of Darkness game...) Let people know, give others the opportunity to recharge and join in, and like the kickstarter campaign itself... the more people we get participating in this project, in this passion, in this fun hobby ... well, everything can be a bit better for everyone.
Anyway, off my soapbox. You'll think I'm trying to start my own cult! The Church of Kickstarter Campaigns!
Thumbs up to everyone who's shared a link to the kickstarter in an online forum, or posted an "I just backed this project" message to their social media - you've done all of the first steps that are critical during the first weeks of the campaign. Now, it's time to let others know why you are backing this project (and, therefore, why they should consider it as well).
That's the thing - for this final week, you don't have to tell people the kickstarter exists. Instead, tell them what's got you excited about the game. What makes this an interesting and updated take on a classic setting? What kind of stories will you tell? What sources of inspiration are you running with? At this point, people may have seen the "Kickstarter now live!" posts. But the ones that always pull me in are things like:
You know, the reason we all love this stuff! The stories! The drama! The twists and betrayals, and so much more that's possible with the stuff in this book! Those moments of joy in this World of Darkness.
It's easy, at first glace, to assume this is just an old product with updated stats or a setting that you may not use, but there's SO MUCH MORE going on in this book than a fresh coat of paint on some old cults and clans. Each of the religions detailed includes several story hooks and plot possibilities, across many different styles of play! Sharing these unique hooks - and the fact that this book can be mined for pieces or used as a template for your own cults or games - helps grab others and get them interested. Those are the things that pull my interest when I'm reading about games online.
When I start seeing conversations that spin out of posts or ideas like that, I get intrigued about the game. And that's when I click on the link. So, share your ideas! What parts of the manuscript have stirred your imagination? What pop culture touchstones do you want to adapt for your game? What style of game are you thinking of running, and what threads from the book will you incorporate? What kinds of challenges will you throw at your players?
There are tons of websites related to rpgs or vampire/horror stories or gaming in general. Now, all of those may not have forums for you to post on, or be an appropriate venue to share your ideas. But, if you are a member of any of those and feel like sharing your ideas about a new Cults of the Blood Gods-based game, these final days are the time to do so!
And, if you feel that Cults of the Blood Gods is maybe an excellent example of Vampire lore updated with respect, or an easy-to-embrace compilation of some awesome ideas, or just a great way for friends to connect and enjoy each other's company, it's good to point that out too!
1) Don't forget to share a link to the kickstarter in your post (where appropriate).
2) Don't forget to tell us about your post! Come to the comments section and let us know so we can all go and contribute! I know I keep saying it, but really - these last days are key. Keep the enthusiasm high (hitting stretch goals certainly makes that easier!) and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.
We've achieved so much already - We've added additional content with the Trail of Bone and Ashes and Forbidden Faiths -- adding four sections to each! -- and have added other vampire-loving opportunities and more art for the book - but on these final days, we can take it to the next level! So, celebrate! Share the love! Share your enthusiasm! And be an ambassador for this final week... and let's see how strong we can finish and how much this project will grow over these final days!
At $130,000 in funding - CREATIVE TEAM REWARD: Additional funds will be allocated to pay a bonus to members of the writing team for this project.
What a celebration and accomplishment that would be! And what a tribute to the hard work that these writers put into this project!
And... if we can cross that line... let's get them to write even more! A new supplement called Faithful Undead! If we unlock this Stretch Goal, the Faithful Undead PDF supplement will automatically be added to all backers receiving the Cults of the Blood Gods PDF (reward tier $25+).
At $138,000 in funding - FAITHFUL UNDEAD - UNDEAD DISCIPLES: Help us fund a new supplement, featuring a section that contains new Storyteller-played Characters to act as supporting characters and antagonists in a new chronicle. All backers receiving the Cults of the Blood Gods PDF will automatically have the Faithful Undead PDF added to their rewards list.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hello Bloodthirsty Backers and Vampire Voyeurs...
Another glimpse inside this tome of darkness today, but first a couple of quick trips around the 'net. In the most recent Monday Meeting Notes post, Rich and Matthew list some great interviews and other sources for information about our humble Kickstarter campaign that are worth checking out if you're looking for more insight into this project:
Starting with an interview between 307 RPG Podcast and one of the book’s co-writers, Jacob Burgess: https://307rpg.com/?p=128
Strange Adventures provides coverage of the Hecata from V5 Cults of the Blood Gods right here: https://youtu.be/TcXwmrLlEPk
And finally, Red Moon Roleplaying continue their actual play of The Family, a V5 Cults of the Blood Gods story involving Matthew Dawkins, Klara Herbol, Bianca Savazzi, and Jason Carl, with episode three right here: https://youtu.be/TcH3RZO3Z7s
Oblivion Ceremonies follow rules for casting similar to Blood Sorcery Rituals, as found in Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 275. For Oblivion Ceremonies, the caster rolls their Resolve instead of Intelligence, as Oblivion pulls hard on the mental fortitude of the caster, who must often make a sacrifice for the Ceremony to work. Ceremonies each have a prerequisite Oblivion power. This requirement acts as a gateway for necromancers that blood sorcerers need not pass through. As with Blood Sorcery, at character creation a player can choose one Level 1 Ceremony if they have at least one Oblivion power noted as a prerequisite for that Ceremony. Characters can buy new Ceremonies at the cost of the Ceremony’s level x 3 experience points, providing they meet the power prerequisite as well. Learning new Ceremonies during play requires both experience and time, as well as a teacher who knows the Ceremony already. Expect a Ceremony to take at least the square of its rating in weeks to learn.
Through use of this Ceremony, a vampire can raise a corpse or group of corpses to perform simple, single or repetitive tasks.
Prerequisite Power:Ashes to Ashes
Ingredients: A human body (or multiple bodies), a small concoction of blood, phlegm, and bile.
Process: After applying the concoction to the corpse or corpses and performing the Ceremony, the affected bodies animate into a form of false life. They follow a single command from the vampire, providing it’s simple and the corpse is physically capable of performing it, such as “sweep the floor,” “hold this door shut,” or “walk around the house perimeter.” They have no ability to think or calculate, so more complicated commands such as “attack the next person to walk through this archway,” “drive this car,” or “build a shack” do not work.
System: The player makes their Ceremony roll and the number of successes rolled results in that number of corpses animating. The mindless corpse’s animation ends when it is destroyed or it concludes its task. These corpses do not defend themselves from attacks, and decay as normal; the Ceremony does not grant them any form of immunity to the elements or time.
Standard Dice Pools: Physical 2, Social 0, Mental 0
Secondary Attributes: Health 4, Willpower 0
Exceptional Dice Pools: Intimidation 4
Special: Mindless corpses take Superficial and Aggravated damage in the same way as vampires, except they are immune to sunlight. They cannot heal or mend damage. They cannot be mentally dominated or influenced as they are bound to their master. They do not react to motion, words, or interference from anyone but their creator.
This Ceremony enables a vampire to summon a spirit from the Underworld.
Prerequisite Power:The Binding Fetter
Ingredients: One of the targeted wraith’s fetters, a photo or other visual depiction of the wraith or their signed name, the caster’s vitae.
Process: The necromancer pours their vitae over a wraith’s fetter, and studying the picture or signature, calls out the wraith’s name. The wraith feels their fetter’s call, and begins a journey from their location in the Underworld to that of the caster. Though geography has differing scales in the Underworld, a journey may still take several nights if the spirit is on the other side of the world. If the Shroud is thin enough in the summoning location, the wraith is pulled through the veil between worlds by the fetter’s strength. The summoned wraith is under no obligation to serve the vampire upon being called and may act with hostility if they feel the vampire is threatening their fetter, which may be an object, a building, or even a person. Alternatively, the wraith may be grateful for the summoning and the possibility of companionship.
Wraiths summoned in this way do not manifest physically, but as shadows on the walls, quavering silhouettes of their living selves, from which voices might emerge. Wraiths speak the same languages they did in life, unless they’ve gone to the trouble of learning new ones in the Underworld.
System: The caster daubs the fetter with their vitae and makes an Oblivion Ceremony roll. The wraith cannot pass through the Shroud if it’s impenetrable in the Ceremony location (see p. XX), and moving the fetter after the Ceremony doesn’t help, as the wraith’s ability to pass through the Shroud disappears if the fetter leaves the Ceremony site. The wraith disappears at the end of the scene unless a separate Ceremony is used to compel or bind them.
If all it takes to get a wraith’s attention is to interfere with their fetter, why learn a Ceremony to call it? Wraiths cannot pass through the Shroud without a Ceremony pulling them through, or without one of their own powers allowing the same. In some rare cases, wraiths are grateful for the summoning as it enables them to escape aggressors on their side of the Shroud. Just as in vampire society, wraiths do not always make for best friends just because they’ve shared a communal experience of death.
For more, check in with tomorrow's Backers Only update, where we share the manuscript preview for Chapter Six: Hecata and Oblivion!
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.