Carpe Noctum House Rules

The Ghoul Rule
On your first visit to Carpe Noctum, the Storytellers require that you play a ghoul. This is to give you the opportunity to experience the style and current mood of Carpe before creating a character. This does not apply to visitors from other OWbN games.
The Character Sheet Act
· If you do not have a current character sheet, and the Storytellers cannot give you a copy, you relent to all challenges.
· When you create a new character, you must give us a copy of your character sheet, or you relent to all challenges until you do.
· All character sheets must be approved. This is represented by receiving signatures from a majority of Storytellers present at the game.
· All experience expenditures must be registered with the Storytellers immediately, or your character does not have the powers.
· Cards or emails must be given to the Storytellers for experience points for travel to other games.
· All players in Carpe may have one active character and one shelved character.
· When a character is killed, shelved or retired you and/or an ST must sign the sheet.
· PCs may not use disciplines above advanced in Carpe Noctum.
· PCs may not have six dots in abilities or backgrounds, except as per the influence rules.
The David Powers Act (est. 1998)
· The rules are meant to facilitate the telling of artful stories. Manipulating the rules is not an end in itself. The Storytellers reserve the right to inform players that they cannot take certain actions that the rules do not specifically disallow.
· You must attempt to give your character a resolved exit if you are shelving or retiring your character, or not attending game for a while. If you cannot make a graceful exit, you must leave a current copy of your sheet with the Storytellers, who will resolve matters.
· The CF Addendum - One cannot escape an IC event merely by not attending or leaving mid-game. If it appears that you are avoiding game to avoid IC consequences and keep your character alive, the Storytellers will resolve the action for you. The Assumption of Valid Information Rule
At any given time, the odds are good that there are aspects to a plot that you don't know. If a Storyteller rules that a particular plan or attempt fails, take a moment to consider if the problem is not what you think it is. If it still appears that a Storyteller made an unusual call, feel free to ask him privately, but do not expect to have plots revealed.
The Alison Rule (est. 1996)
If you remember that your character has something that would have altered a challenge after it has been resolved, tough cookies.
Sumerian Poetry Rule [a.k.a. Hayward’s Rule] (2001)
There will be times when research out of game leads to benefits in game, and Storytellers will force you to use your brainpower and knowledge, and not depend on the mental traits of the character you are playing. Note that if there are actions that you wish to attempt, the Storytellers are more likely to approve them if you come to us with research in hand.
The "Prime Directive" Rule (2000)
In order to avoid the appearance of impropriety, it may be requested that Storytellers not make any calls for certain people or scenes.
Technology Rule (2001)
We are a network game, and custom-designed technology acquired elsewhere may not work exactly the same in our game. Other OWbN Chronicles have the right to make custom-designed technology from Carpe have different functions in their chronicle.
Technology Addendum: Explosives
High explosives as weapons are game stoppers. Quite simply, explosives are not allowed as weapons. Explosives may be allowed for non-combat story purposes, but must be approved by an ST. Given a choice of weapons, PCs will not reach for explosives as weapons. This is not realistic. This is a deliberate limitation.
The Darksteel Act (2003)
Traits and powers derived from sources other than those used by the Storytellers of Carpe Noctum, as listed on the chapter's website, must be approved for play by a Storyteller and a hardcopy version of the rules in question must be made available to the Storytellers by the player in question before it may be approved for use.
Role-play Theater Rule (2004)
Players may resolve scenes without throwing challenges if all parties agree to the outcome, as long as the actions taken are within each character’s power level. This can include death scenes. However if any disagreement occurs of the resolution of the scene, it must be resolved with challenges.
Rules Clarifications

Traits (Willpower and Attributes)
· You must have more positive traits than negative traits in a category at character creation. When bidding, your opponent can always choose to accept an inappropriate trait.
· You must have the temporary trait to spend the permanent.

Blood / Blood Bonds
Assume that you do not know if a bond breaks. If you feel that you should, see a Storyteller.

Feeding
· If you win your feeding test, you are full blood capacity. If you tie, you are at two thirds (round up). If you lose, you are at one third (round up).
· Note that there are no retests. If you want to hunt, see a Storyteller for a feeding scene.
· The Kiss affects a majority of creatures.
· Licking a wound closes it only for feeding.

Healing
One blood heals two bashing, or one lethal (LotN:R p.199 is the correct interpretation).
It takes three blood, one willpower, and a full nights rest to heal each aggravated wound (Hardcover LoTN:R p.200).

Torpor
Vampires sent into Torpor involuntarily (including getting assaulted after you enter a voluntary torpor) spend the following amounts of time in torpor:

· To come out of torpor earlier than the chart states, blood is needed. Blood will not bring a vampire out of torpor against his will.
· To end a voluntary torpor, the vampire must win a simple test. If he fails, he must spend the entire time in Torpor, after which he will wake up. If a vampire wants to stay in torpor longer then the chart requires, he will wake up when he chooses with no test.

Morality
Humanity can increase by performing acts of humanity and holding yourself to higher standards of morality. Inform a Storyteller at the beginning of your ordeal, and we will keep watch, and may let you increase your score.
It is far easier to lose Humanity than to gain it back.

Paths of Enlightenment
All beginning characters must be on Humanity. If one wishes to abandon his Humanity, he should inform a Storyteller of his quest. Changing your world-view is not done overnight, and requires instruction from someone already on the Path you seek. It will require IC behavior and knowledge tests at various points, not RPS tests. Paths are not common knowledge, and attempting to learn one is a personal story in and of itself.
Players of clans who have paths "available" to them should ask a Storyteller for permission before taking a Path. Note that Paths are rather difficult to play.

Morality Checks
· You can always choose to not make the test, and automatically fail.
· We will be using the charts in LotN:R as the guidelines for what causes a crisis of conscience, not the supplemental text.
· A vampire can never bid more than twice his morality score on any Virtue test.

How Virtue Checks Work
Courage: If you win the test, you are not afraid. If you tie, compare your courage with the difficulty. If you fail, you are scared, suffer fear frenzy, and get a negative trait.
Self-control /Instinct: If you win the test, you are in control of yourself. If you tie, compare your self-control with the difficulty. If you fail, you enter uncontrolled frenzy, and you get a negative trait.
Conscience: If you win the test, you don't slide closer to the Beast, and keep your current Morality rating. If you tie, we compare your Conscience rating to the level of the sin. If you lose, you lose the Morality trait. A Storyteller may make your character Frenzy from the drop in morality, representing your slide closer to the Beast.

Willpower
· Temporary willpower is regained at the rate of one trait per home game.
· Willpower may be used as a retest for any challenge.
· Willpower can be used as many times in a turn as you are willing to spend it.
· Storytellers may restore willpower if characters perform actions that hold particularly true to their nature.

Backgrounds
Allies – As per Laws of the Reckoning.

Retainers – You may have three mortal servants or two mortal servants and one ghoul per dot of Retainers.

Merits, Flaws & Derangements
· All characters who wish to take a merit or flaw that is not listed in LotN:R should mark it as a "special flaw" on their sheets, and be aware that the flaw may not travel to other games.
· Players are permitted to play a flaw without taking the points.
· If you manage to somehow manipulate your Flaws that they become Merits, Storytellers will make efforts to remind you why they are Flaws.
· Merits do not stack, pick which merit you wish to use for a challenge.
Ambidexterity – You may use either hand, but do not gain the offhand bonus.
Eat Food – All characters in Carpe Noctum get the "Eat food" Merit for free, and it does not count against any totals. You can choose not to take this free gift, however, no points are gained.
When visiting Carpe Noctum, we allow other OWbN vampires to eat and drink while they are here, if they choose.
Cast No Reflection – This flaw may only be taken as a zero point flaw, thus it is meant for flavor only.
Luck – Luck may be used once per game.
Multiple Personalities – Requires ST Approval.

Abilities
The Malkavian Madness Network – At the beginning of game, each Malkavian is issued 3x5 cards, upon which he can write thoughts/emotions that he is experiencing (one card per level of Awareness and Malkavian Time). The cards are mixed, and redistributed to all of the Malkavians at game. In this way, thoughts and information is passed over the network.
· Storytellers may add or subtract messages to the Network.
· A Malkavian who wishes to block the Network can attempt to win a simple test for each message he does not wish to send or receive.
Lores – Please be aware that vampires get only a very basic understanding of their powers and abilities from their sires. Players who show an unhealthy amount of "White Wolf Lore" will be asked to purchase Lores to represent this knowledge. If the appropriate Lore is not learned, then your character simply does not know. When in doubt, ask. The Lore levels in the Mind's Eye Journal are a good guideline. Lores are limited to three (3) levels, unless you are a member of that clan, sect, or creature type.

Disciplines
Learning a new level of a Discipline that is In Clan for you takes one week for each level that you wish to learn. Learning a new level of an Out of Clan Discipline takes two weeks per level. Animalism
Quell the Beast prevents the spending of permanent willpower for Aegis.
Auspex
Telepathy
· Telepathy is line of sight for the player.
· Derangements can be bid as a defense against Telepathy. If the defender wins the test, the telepath suffers from the Derangement for the remainder of the evening. (This can be suppressed as per the normal rules)
Psychic Projection
A character can be visible for the duration of a scene after spending a willpower, as long as the scene does not involve challenges. As soon as tests are thrown, the player must start spending an additional willpower per turn.
When searching in Psychic Projection, you must be moving at walking speeds to get a level of detail, and are thus constrained to a slow search.Dementation
All Malkavians with Dementation know when they invoke madness, except for the two basic levels. The most a Malkavian can get away with is claiming that sometimes the madness just flows, and he has little control.Dominate
A vampire can suspect that they were Dominated. If a character feels that he has been Dominated, the player should seek out a Storyteller. Most of Dominate may require the presence of a Storyteller.

Forgetful Mind
The identity of the Dominator is not automatically discovered when true memories are revealed. Forgetful Mind does not allow you to root through people’s memories and view them. You may talk through the story and attempt to discover blocks.
Conditioning
To condition someone, see a Storyteller.Fortitude
Fortitude protects against staking. If you successfully test down all damage taken, then you are not staked.
Presence
Most Presence powers are not immediately obvious once they wear off, unless used bluntly.
Dread Gaze
You may dread gaze as many people as you wish, and you risk one social trait per person, this is not subject to the mob scene rules. The person being Dread Gazed must be able to see your face.
Summon
Summoning brings you to the person who summoned you, even if he moved.
Majesty
Majesty is Line of Sight. If you (the player) can see a person who has Majesty up, you are affected. To attack the character you must risk willpower as per the book.Thaumaturgy
We limit characters to a number of paths of Thaumaturgy equal to their permanent willpower. Otherwise, see the OWBN Thaumaturgy Packet.
Pavis of the Foul Presence
Pavis simply cancels Awe and Summon, it does not work on Majesty, and it causes Dread Gaze and Entrancement to backfire.

The Harpy Position:
The Harpy can, once per month, grant a single permanent Status Trait to any Kindred in the city, so long as the recipient is a member of the Camarilla (i.e. no Trustworthy for the Giovanni). The Harpy need not do this, if he sees no Kindred deserving of the Status.

Combat
To speed combat we ask that players follow these rules:
· Only three people should be talking at any one time. These are the challenger, the challenged, and the Narrator or ST. Anyone talking out of turn will simply lose their action.
· Character sheets and item cards must be in your hands at all times during a combat. If you have to get either out of your pocket, you either lose your action or take an action getting the item out.
· If you feel that a Storyteller has made a bad ruling, you may make one concise appeal at that time. Otherwise, please wait until the end of game to bring the matter up again.
· Death is a deliberate action. No matter how much damage a character takes, he falls into Torpor at the end of the turn. It takes a deliberate action to cause death.
· An ST must be present for character death, or a Narrator that an ST has approved for the scene.
· No more then five people are capable of attacking a single person at one time.
· Cross canceling is allowed. (I.E. You may cancel an ability retest with a willpower, or cancel Awe with an ability.)
· If during an opportunity to cancel a retest you choose not to, you may not cancel subsequent retests on that challenge.
· The end result from a single attack does no more then three levels of damage. (e.g. Player one attacks dealing five lethals to player two. Player two reduces one level via Fortitude, leaving four lethals remaining, but only takes a total of three lethal.) Order of Challenges
Combat flows in the following order.
Blood expenditures. Note that while the book does allow for some instantaneous expenditures, all blood spent should be noted at this time. You may drop your action to heal, unless you have already taken an action.
Alacrity actions go from highest amount of celerity to lowest (fleetness to swiftness). If you take an Alacrity action you do not get a normal action. You can always choose to hold your alacrity action if you would rather be able to counter-act someone else’s action.
Alacrity Social
Alacrity Mental
Alacrity Physical
Normal Social (Necromancy)
Normal Mental (Thaumaturgy)
Normal Physical
First Follow-ups
Second Follow-ups
Off-hand attacks
Weapons and Armor
· We will be using Weapons rules from the book “Dark Epics.”
· Armor only gives you extra health levels.
· Armor does not stack.
· Weapons may be used twice per round with no problems. Any subsequent use requires a simple static test or the weapon jams or breaks.
Staking
Staking requires that you win or tie two simple tests to stake. However if staking is done at a distance, greater then three steps, it requires winning or tying three simple tests.

Character Creation Quick Start
Remember that on your first time playing as a Carpe member, we will enforce the Ghoul Rule. The Ghoul Rule is not a reflection on role-playing ability, but is in place to minimize the friction when new players enter the game, both with their adjustment to the rest of Carpe, and the adjustment of the rest of Carpe to a new player.Think of a concept for your character and then use the following steps.
1. Choose a character name.
2. Clan: Check the Clan description to see what abilities and/or influences you receive free with your clan.
3. Generation: You must play through the cycle of generations before you can play any given generation again. For example if you play an 8th gen. character who dies, you cannot play 8th generation again until you have played 9th, 10th. 11th, 12th, and 13th or 14th generations.
4. Attributes: Assign your primary, secondary, and tertiary traits at 7 / 5 / 3.
5. Abilities: Choose five abilities.
6. Disciplines: Choose three levels of your In Clan disciplines.
7. Backgrounds: Choose five backgrounds. If you select any influences, you must register them with the Influence ST. You may not have any starting influence higher than level 3 without a background story in hand, and then your limit is level 5, which will require a very good story. All Influence bought at Character Creation is in levels, not traits. If you wish to have a level 4 or higher Influence at Character creation, an accompanying WRITTEN background tale must be approved.
8. Merits and Flaws: Characters are limited to a maximum of 5 points in Flaws and 5 points of Merits (without Storyteller approval) consisting of a maximum of 3 Merits and 3 Flaws.
9. Humanity Traits: You receive a free trait in Conscience, Self-Control and Courage. Then you distribute seven additional points among your Virtues. You can figure out your Humanity rating by adding together your Conscience and Self-Control and divide by two, rounding down. This is your Humanity rating. You may then choose to drop it one point for two build points.
10. Spend your five Freebie Points.
11. Choose any other negative traits you might wish to apply to your character.Your character is now complete. At this time, you may spend any unspent experience (maximum of 30 points) that you were allowed to rollover. This experience does not count as build points. Your character can enter play as if this experience had been spent long ago, thus the powers you purchase should be written into your background story.Written Backgrounds, Haven Forms and other Paperwork
Written Backgrounds, Haven Forms and anything else that denotes extra time and thought spent on creation will be worth experience awards. We are a network game, and are bound by network rules and guidelines, as well as having to share our universe.

Ghoul Creation
Ghouls are created according to the same rules as vampires, with the following caveats.
Ghouls may have a maximum of 9 Traits in each Attribute, and follow a 6/4/3 pattern.
They start with 1 willpower (Max 4).
Ghouls have 1 blood point unless they have specifically been given more. Ghouls can hold up to 4 points of vampire blood.
Morality, Abilities, Natures, Merits, and Flaws are the same as for vampires, though not all merits and flaws are appropriate.
Ghouls receive 8 Freebie points to distribute as they see fit. These 8 points include any backgrounds they may take.
Ghouls start with the first basic level of Potence.
Ghouls can also learn the first basic of Fortitude at In Clan costs. Beyond that the Domitor can teach the ghouls his In Clan Disciplines at Out of Clan costs and triple the learning time.
If a ghoul ever reverts to mortality, all purchased powers are inaccessible.
Ghouls for characters may be advanced at a one to one cost of experience.
In Game Embraces
Embracing a mortal is a magical action. It requires an act of will from the vampire. Because of this, stored blood is not sufficient for an Embrace.Being Embraced In-Game gives a character a free Generation of one higher than the Sire. However, no other new Backgrounds can be purchased. The Embrace takes usually a full day to take effect, as the character's body dies and is reanimated by the Curse. Interrupted Embraces will be handled on a case by case basis.
Characters add 1 trait in each of their Primary and Secondary Attributes.
Characters receive 2 freebie points, however these may only be spent on Disciplines, Attributes, Merits & Flaws, and possibly abilities with a good explanation.
Ghoul only merit and flaw points will be balanced out by Storytellers.
Disciplines will transfer smoothly. A newly embraced ghoul receives an additional two disciplines at basic level in his In Clans. If this is not possible he should consult with a ST.
The Embrace breaks all full and partial Blood Bonds.
All Numina, Hedge Magic, or other mortal powers cease to function after the Embrace. In addition, Kinfolk or Kithain may not Embrace correctly, and a Storyteller should be reminded if you have these types of merits.

Caitiff on the Rise: When Embracing, the sire makes a simple test. If he loses, the Curse does not transfer correctly, and the new vampire is Caitiff. The sire gets one retest for every generation trait. A vampire who is Caitiff has no Clan Advantage or Disadvantage, and may talk to a ST about In-Clan Disciplines upon the Embrace.