This page is intended to provide detail around the OC setting, expectations and resources for “1880.”
Thanks to Christina Liston for some of her Game Guide which we borrowed! Also Claire F. and Burney B. who let us cherry pick from their forum content and 7th Sea's Principles of Play, respectively.
Expectations | Theme | Content Rating | IC/OC | XP | Caitiff | Status | Props | Time Passage | Character Gen | Join Us
1880 is set within an “Old World of Darkness” version of Bath, with the game beginning in the year 1880 and spanning the decades leading up to modern nights.
This version of the city has all the same landmarks and buildings that were present in 1880 historically, but is much larger, with more territories and a more organised and expansive criminal presence. Inequality is more pronounced, with slums and mansions separated by strips of parkland and dotted across the hills.
The city is a Camarilla court, with all of the politics, subterfuge and treachery expected. At the height of decadence in the Victorian era, during one of the greatest periods of invention, literature and art in recent centuries, Bath flourishes under the control of its new Prince.
The In Character Setting Statement can help you create your character concept and will detail the social, cultural and supernatural setting of 1880. Your personal Briefs (which will be released a week or two before the game) provide detail concerning: important characters already present in the world and your relationship to them or knowledge of them; your tailored information for local and national IC events; any clans which you are regarded by favourably or poorly and to what extent; any strange oddities or pieces of information that you have In Character.
Expectations
Players will be expected to make a character who is not fundamentally opposed to the proposed structure of the Camarilla. Sabbat or independent hardliners will not be welcome and you are strongly advised to consider a different concept, as this is not a game where those characters will be received IC. In this era Autarkis/Anarchs barely exist; as one would expect in the Victorian age, they are not tolerated as outcasts, but hunted as enemies of society. Later there may be room to explore this, but initially the domain needs to get up and running before it is stable enough to survive a challenge.
The Big One: you must understand and follow Status rules. See below.
It is not feasible to turn up and play without informing the Storytellers beforehand. You must contact the Storytellers with enough time to discuss character concept and answer the questions included in the Character Creation Section. This step is not optional and you will not be allowed to play without having done it. Similarly the Storytellers need time in order to create useful, meaningful NPCS, so do not assume you can turn up on the day and just NPC.
It is the responsibility of players to read the relevant documents before playing their first game, in order to facilitate a better game for everyone. For this game, that means the Game Statement; The Setting Statement, your personal Brief, the Status page, as well as any "About" pages on this website if you're not familiar with the era or the vampiric culture of the 19th Century. (Strongly recommend reading is "The Area.") For anything which differs between Bath Camarilla and the Masquerade Rulebook, please take this website as being correct for this game. You are not expected to know every rule, but knowing the ones which apply to your abilities is required. If you can’t remember it all, borrow the rule book and write yourself a cheat sheet.
Similarly it is a responsibility of current players to be realistic with people they recruit about this, you will be doing them no favours by saying “Just come along; I’m sure it will be fine.”
Giving feedback is part of being a responsible player. If your storyteller doesn’t know how you feel about the game, then it is difficult for them to improve it. This means passing on your feelings about good and bad aspects of the game. A good time for this is within a day or two after the game when the thoughts are still fresh, but preferably not at time out as Storytellers need a break too!
Combat should be a continuation of role-play rather than a break in it. The more impressively and believably you can describe your actions, the better and the storyteller will reward you efforts by being more likely to allow something conveyed through brilliant roleplaying to succeed. (Note this is still subject to rule 7 – Don’t take the piss – you are never going to take down an army by yourself no matter how fabulous your description.) It is also best to consider the actions which create the best story for everyone not just one character.
What Happens in 1880...
When you take off the costume, abandon any in-character resentments. It’s more fun that way. If someone robs, humiliates, or insults your character... Rejoice! They have just given you something cool to play with.
Be Prepared to Dig Two Graves
If someone wrongs you in character, please do not use ‘moral blackmail’ by showing out of character distress to encourage other people to help you seek revenge for such slights. Your character is a vampire – surely they can seek redress with their own initiative and resources? In character bribes, pleas, promises and conspiracies are obviously OK and revenge is positively encouraged.
If someone kills your character, rejoicing is probably out of the question. If it was appropriate for the player to have killed you, it’s quite unfair to hold this against them out of character... and utterly unfair to seek revenge with a new character.
Don’t Argue in Session
Please respect Storyteller calls in session. We won't always get it right but at the time we say something then it goes. Also, don't ask multiple Storytellers, Assistant Storytellers or Combat Refs the same question - if we find out you have done so in order to get the answer you want then expect a conversation with the STs.
Share the Adventure
Some plans might not involve any other players in their operation; ‘I build influence in total secrecy for the entire campaign and spring a coup at the end!’ Such plans don’t create much interest or enjoyment for other players. If you want to do something big or cool, try to involve other players*
*we know other players are often incompetent. We never said sharing the adventure was easy.
Similarly, ask yourself if things in your background that no other players will discover or interact with are necessary to your character. A simple concept will acquire depth with use and interaction with other players.
To play, you must submit two forms: an OOC Contact Detail Form (located lower down this page) and the Character Submission Form (the button below takes you there; or hit "Submission" on the main menu) when you're ready to submit a character.
This is the Gothic Victorian Age
The point of 1880 is to bring the Gothic literacy sensibility to bear on roleplaying. While doing so may require more effort and focus than some troupes are up for, the rewards for such a complete interactive experience are greater as well - after all, this tradition sees the origin of the vampire as something other than a mindless, bloodsucking monster.
This is a dark chronicle.
The Victorians were on closer terms with their fears than we are, and really, how could they not be? Despite their much-vaunted civility and stoicism, the only thing standing between them and the dark of the night was the light provided by fires and gaslights. The Enlightenment remained a relatively recent phenomenon, and the forces of superstition - old, powerful and deep-rooted - had yet to be effectively expelled from the public psyche; the last execution for witchcraft took place in Germany in 1793, only one century earlier.
The Victorian age officially began in 1837 with the coronation of Queen Victoria and ended with her death in 1901. The era was marked by change - political, industrial, economic and cultural - and any time a great deal of change happens in a very short time, it almost inevitably triggers a sense of unrest and nervousness, if not outright fear. And what scares a man also seems to fascinate him. So it was that the Gothic genre - the literature of the dark, the eerie and the dreadful - was one of the most popular genres of the century. Gothic tales focused on precisely those things that proper Victorians didn't talk about: cruelty, incest, sickness, horror and madness.
Players who need constant combat to keep their attention, who play only to develop hyper-powered characters or who are just tagging along to be in the presence of a friend or romantic interest are not good candidates for a Gothic chronicle; the intensive characterisation necessary to maintain the mood combined with the step by step descent into unnerving scenarios wherein they may at times be all but powerless will probably not suffice to hold their attention. We welcome you to invite friends to inquire about Bath Camarilla, but please have them read this first.
Players must be willing to forego power-gaming. The Gothic novel is about a protagonist becoming embroiled in an increasingly complicated web of eerie and bizarre occurrences and wondering if he'll escape with his body (or at least soul) intact. It is not about swaggering around the streets of Bath looking for Sabbat thugs to burn between downing draughts of prostitute's blood. At its root, the Gothic novel isn't about heroics, but, rather, victimisation.
Players should know before starting this chronicle that their characters may be in for some rough times; it's common in the Gothic novel for protagonists to be tortured, to go mad, to suffer miseries of the damned or to die.
The Gothic genre is all about dread, and before we as Storytellers can plausibly create a mood of dread, the possibility of horrible outcomes for the characters must exist. It's challenging to run a Gothic tale in what is ultimately a social and active LARP; we ask players help in creating such a Gothic (and not comical) atmosphere.
We intend to cultivate this theme slowly; you will not be bombarded by overstated or melodramatic horror. At the beginning of the chronicle, especially, characters are expected to go about their business in whatever fashion is natural for them. However as the chronicle (and your personal plot) matures these themes will become prominent for your character.
Content Rating
Vampire: the Masquerade is a mature, horror-based game, and as such players and the game organisers may wish to introduce themes such as violence, sex, gore etc.
Violence, gore, torture etc. are permitted (in downtimes, sessions and on the forums), however it is expected that you take every reasonable step to advise the ST team as soon as possible if you intend to introduce any of these mature themes within downtime or a session (a simple warning at the top of the Downtime will do; for uptime mention it to Delia or Becca during game). You do not need to go into any more detail than you are comfortable with but this allows the storyteller to take into account any potential problems.
It is also expected that if a player does not wish to interact with those themes for OC reasons, you will respect that player’s wishes. If at any point someone says that they are OC uncomfortable about something you must stop immediately. This is regardless of whether you are making physical contact, flirting, discussing any of the difficult issues above, or simply roleplaying.
Players who have difficulties with themes of a dark nature are expected to create characters with this in mind. It is not acceptable for a player to remove themselves from the situation due to OC reasons but insist that their character would still be present. This disrupts the roleplay for others, can be misused within the game and makes it difficult to take that character into account for situations such as combat etc. There are a vast number of archetypes and options for characters that do not involve direct contact with potential triggers, but will still provide an active part of the game. If you have any questions about what sort of characters would suit you best, you are advised to speak to a member of the ST team before character creation.
All players are reminded that 1880 is a non-contact LARP and that no player should touch any other person without prior and express consent. You must always have explicit consent to make more than the most casual of physical contact with someone. This includes but is not limited to hugging, grabbing, grappling, holding, sitting on, stroking and kissing. Players who repeatedly breach this rule will be asked to leave the game.
We have no intention of stopping you shaking hands, especially as this is something the character can IC refuse to do, but as a guideline, if you would not make contact in that way with a stranger, then you shouldn’t do it in a game without asking for consent.
Please note that 'slut-shaming' be it male or female (i.e. making any person feel guilty or inferior for certain sexual behaviours or desires that deviate from orthodox gender expectations) and gender prejudice are prevalent in the Victorian Era. Going outside of the cultural norm is less accepted; it is an intolerant age and you may face IC consequences and different behaviour for doing so. Bath is heavily divided with its elite and its darker, hedonistic and hidden underbelly; bringing the latter into the former is socially horrific. This is naturally less relevant between Elders, who themselves are ancient and static creatures that care little for gender disambiguation or sexual contact; it is prominent among humans and neonates. Toreador are likelier to fall prey to the norms of this century given their close contact with humanity. However, with everything, there are exceptions, and you are encouraged to discuss an original concept with the STs.
Vampire is an emotionally-stimulating game and you are encouraged to immerse yourselves into the spirit of the Victorian era and the nature of the vampiric condition; if you are at all uncomfortable OOC you are able to remove yourself and your character from the situation, take a breather and return. All of our venues will have multiple rooms or outdoors fresh air.
The Storytellers will not reprimand players on behalf of an upset party for an insult or political attack that was made In Character with no malicious intent Out of Character.
There may be players who do not wish specific topic brought up in roleplay with them, let alone discussed in detail.
Especially in the circumstance of:
Rape and all forms of non-consensual sex;
Sex with minors
You MUST FIRST ask a Storyteller (aim for Delia) whether the person or persons you wish to involve in these themes are potentially comfortable Out of Character with them. (We will be asking every player to include in their character submission any OOC content triggers they have.) Only then can you approach the player and confirm whether they wish to involve their character in it this time. They reserve the right to change their mind. If an ST has responded that a player is adverse to either of these themes and you disregard that, you will face an immediate and permanent ban.
Please put a note at the top of your Downtime if you intend to engage with either of these activities. Some Storytellers are comfortable with the topics and will happily write scenes for them with your character in mind; others do not. We ask that you respect this and make it clear.
IC and OOC
Roleplayers are not their characters. IC and OOC conflict should never influence each other, and even when roleplay is emotionally stirring, or something disappointing like a character death happens, take the time to remind yourself that this is just a story, that the horrible vampire character is not the same as the thinking, caring human being playing them, and that roleplay is here to be fun, not stressful.
Metagaming
Keep your IC knowledge and OOC knowledge strictly separate. Metagaming is when your characters knows something they have no reason to know IC, just because you (the roleplayer) know it and want to use it. Metagaming is forbidden - it's unfair to other roleplayers. If you do misspeak, apologise and retcon as appropriate.
Rule 7
You'll often hear the term 'Rule 7' used in roleplaying communities. Rule 7 is simple: don't take the piss. What this means is that you should stick to the spirit of rules and descriptions, rather than getting worked up over specific details.
You should always remember that roleplay is meant to be fun, and that you are here to have fun with other people who also want to enjoy themselves. Don't take advantage of loopholes, play fair, and give others the benefit of the doubt.
Characters
Character creation
All characters start with 40 experience points (xp). This represents the knowledge and experience they have gained as a human, as well as their time spent as a young vampire. Additionally, for every point spent on the background “Generation,” (not including your first dot to be a vampire) the character has access to an additional 5 xp. This additional xp cannot be spent on further Generation points, as it represents the knowledge and experience that the vampire has gained through long life and/or great power.
Neonates (10th Gen) have 40 XP
Ancillae (9th Gen) have 45 XP
Pretender Elders (8th Gen) have 50 XP
Master Elders (7th Gen) have 55 XP
Luminary Elders (6th Gen) have 60 XP
The additional "free" XP can only be spent on Backgrounds and Disciplines.
Generation dots cannot be bought "last" during Character Generation. You buy your Generation dots first, before all else, and then calculate the experience cost for all else. To view an XP chart for the different Generation costs, visit this page (opens in new tab).
Any XP not spent during character creation can be "banked" and later used to enhance your character during the game, however the expectation is that character creation XP is used to craft the character's life before the start of the game, and that minimal creation XP be saved for later use.
XP will be earned at 2 per game, with the opportunity to gain bonus XP from immersive costumes/props and great roleplay. No XP is awarded for submitting a Downtime, but it is strongly encouraged to do so if you want to integrate your character into events. If no Downtime is submitted the character will be assumed to have done nothing except feed for this period.
XP can only be spent at the point of submitting a Downtime, and will then take effect (and be usable) on the night of the next game. You can submit XP without submitting a Downtime. The STs will keep your XP log, showing your spend of XP at creation and throughout the game. All XP spends need to be agreed with the STs; on your returned Downtime will be listed your XP spend for the month, if you have spent any. You can keep banking XP earned through games, but this XP will not carry forward to new characters if your current one dies or is retired.
All characters, no matter how “standard” require ST approval and this involves submitting a character sheet and a background. If your character dies, or is retired, your new character can be created the base XP + the number of games run so far.
As a Camarilla court, players are invited to create characters from any of the 7 clans of the Camarilla:
Brujah - the "Rabble"
Gangrel - the "Animals"
Malkavian - the "Lunatics"
Nosferatu - the "Sewer Rats"
Toreador - the "Degenerates"
Tremere - the "Witches"
Ventrue - the "Kings"
This includes the bloodlines for these clans as described in the core book “Mind’s Eye Theatre: Vampire the Masquerade” (2013 edition). A copy of this PDF is available as a shared document in the Google Drive. Alternatively, go to the "Brief" and therein "1880 Clans" section of this website. Each Clan page (found through the Clan Hub) will describe its bloodlines and their rarity cost.
Bloodlines associated with the Sabbat with cost an additional 2 merit points on top of what you pay for the Bloodline.
This is to reflect their rarity in an 1880 Camarilla setting, and will count towards the merit cap of 7. Bloodlines typically associated with the Camarilla incur no further costs than the default price listed in the MET rules.
Caitiff
Caitiff (Clanless) characters are permitted and must be generated according to the rules for Caitiff generation in the core book. When choosing disciplines, players should be aware that any non Camarilla disciplines (that is, not possessed by any of the Clans of the Camarilla) are considered “uncommon”, and any Sabbat disciplines (that is, only possessed by a Clan or bloodline of the Sabbat) are “rare”, for purchasing purposes at character generation and with earned XP.
Players should also be conscious of the In Character consequences for playing a Clanless or a bloodline. These additional roleplay challenges and possible In Character reactions are described in detail throughout the core book. If you have any questions around this, speak to the ST team.
Requests to play non Camarilla bloodlines will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the ST team, however the concept of the game is a Camarilla based game. There may be opportunities to play more unusual characters as NPC’s, volunteers for which are always welcome.
Characters must be created in line with the Character Creation Guidelines in the core book.
Players will also have the option to create characters that can be mentored by characters played by more experienced players, at least initially. Options for this can include having a more experienced player as your Sire, or playing a Neonate character within a coterie who is mentored by an older character.
If you feel that you'd benefit from having such help OOC and would like to tie your character in with an already-existing member of the Court (for better or worse) message a Storyteller. We can introduce you to those who may be suited to your style of roleplay. We'll brainstorm what may work.
Don't worry about being a burden on said player(s); anyone we've brought into such a conversation is already pre-warned and quite keen for having someone to mentor.
Players who wish to gain experience OOC of the system but do not wish to be a player character may be suitable for NPC roles. Please speak to the ST team at least 1 week before the session if you would like to NPC. In addition, there will be calls for NPC volunteers before each session via the forums and facebook. NPC volunteers will not be expected to pay for the game they NPC, and will have their characters and some of their props provided by the ST team. However, they may be asked to provide some of their own costume.
As part of the character creation process, an ST will discuss your ideas with you and help you confirm your character before submission. They will also provide you with any additional IC information your character would know, and discuss equipment, costume etc. with you as required. Players are welcome to contact the ST team on the contact details below at any stage of the game.
Character Status
As the game opens, Bath will be in the initial days of a new court, with the old Prince still slowly turning to dust on the wind. The new Prince has generously opened the city to new Vampires, as well as offering rewards and boons to those who supported them during their rise to power.
Status is very prominent in this game. It is enforced by major NPCs and game events.
Players must understand Status, Boons and Reputation (fully read and digest the Status page on the website) before attending a game and, ideally, before creating a character. Status is a core feature of the Camarilla. Speak to the ST team if you have any questions - they are all welcomed - but on this point there is no wiggle room. Any character who repeatedly disregards Status, Boons or Position will likely be removed after horrific and very public consequences. The Camarilla are not the Good Guys.
You do not need to memorise fully every type of Status Trait (this is the realm of OC demigods and old, possibly fanatic Camarilla GMs) but you are expected to know what Abiding, Fleeting, Permanent Traits are, what they mean and what kind of positions hold them. You have to know who you are unable to talk to without an introduction.
Costume and Props
The game will begin in 1880, and players will be able to play characters from many of the eras before this. Costume and props from any period of human history before 1880 are permitted, with obvious attention to the IC consequences of breaching the Masquerade. However, futuristic costume and fantastical elements such as steampunk etc. are not appropriate to the setting. Please speak to the ST team if you have any concerns regarding costume or props.
Gun and weapon props are permitted for games that are in a closed area (such as at Conygre Hall, the Uni etc.). If you wish to use a weapon but do not have an appropriate phys rep for it, please speak to the ST team. 1880 is a non contact game, so you must not physically touch any other player without their express understanding and prior explicit consent.
