Portrayal Guidelines

First Steps

The first step in portraying a character in the World of Darkness, is to decide right off the bat what splat your character will be. For most people, that ends up being a Kindred (the WoD name for vampire). Kindred and their mortal servants, Ghouls, are publicly available to play for anyone, but we have a few splats that are not publicly available such as Garou and Kinfolk.

For beginners to the setting who aren't super familiar with the overall world and how to write a character within it, the safest bet is to play as a Human. You can list in your OOC Notes that your intention is to be Embraced or Ghouled, which will let Kindred authors know that they can groom your character for either the Embrace or Ghouling. This is the best way to learn the setting, as both you and your character are able to learn as you go without any pressure or portrayal expectations. Your Sire or Domitor (prospective or otherwise) will guide you through the world. For Garou, playing a Kinfolk that doesn't know about the World of Darkness is the equivalent.

Splats

Kindred

Immortal predators cursed to live in the night, these vampires survive on human blood while hiding their existence behind the facade they call the Masquerade. Divided by clans, sects, and rivalries, they wage endless political and ideological wars beneath the surface of mortal society.

Though officially under the Camarilla, San Francisco also harbours Anarchs, Sabbat, and independent factions in an uneasy balance constantly threatened by each other, outside forces and internal fighting alike. Every Kindred struggles against their primal urges, with frenzy and decline into monstrosity only ever one mistake away.

Camarilla

The Camarilla is the Sect with the most power and presence of all. Whilst instability has always rocked The Ivory Tower from time to time, it has withstood all tests that have come its way by adherence to the Traditions. It is through their efforts that order is maintained and safety is secured, they would claim.

And yet those outside would argue the Tower begins to falter, crumbling under its own weight. Elders find themselves in positions of power none but other elders could dream to contest. The Anarchs, another powerhouse in California, continue to secure territory more and more, threatening to become a true Sect themselves, and worse, the Sabbat even gains ground as the years pass.

Ghoul

Mortals sustained and Bound by vampiric vitae, gaining unnatural vitality, slowed aging, and an emotional dependency on their domitors. Some serve willingly out of loyalty, love, or ambition, while others remain trapped by addiction and blood bonds they can't escape.

In San Francisco, ghouls act as bodyguards, servants, agents, and intermediaries for Kindred across every sect and faction. Though stronger than ordinary humans, they remain vulnerable to the whims and politics of Kindred Society and their masters.

Feed just about any living creature a little vampire blood and it becomes a Ghoul, at least temporarily. In the World of Darkness, ghouls are omnipresent servants, easily created, and heavily abused - although networks do exist to assist them in escaping their masters. A ghoul's emotions run to extremes with the heady drug of vitae in his veins, not to mention the Blood Bond - such a creature often falls prey to great rages and disturbing cravings. The name "ghouls" was not chosen at random.

Garou

The Werewolves of the World of Darkness. They are shapeshifting warriors created by higher Forces to defend the natural world against corruption, decay, and supernatural evil (or spread it, in the case of the Black Spiral Dancers). Fiercely territorial and almost always violently hostile toward vampires, they are among the more dangerous creatures encountered in the World of Darkness.

In Northern California, most Garou affiliated with the Garou Nation belong to the Sept of the Western Eye, a Children of Gaia-led sept. To most Kindred, Garou are terrifying forces of nature whose presence beyond the city limits represents sudden violence, righteous fury, and almost certain death.

Kinfolk

Bonds of blood, ties of ancestry and oaths of loyalty - these are the links between the werewolves and their Kinfolk. Kinfolk are an essential part of the world of the Garou. But they aren’t supernatural creatures, certainly not on the level of the werewolves; they can’t turn into nine-foot, seething balls of canid terror and prance through a rain of bullets without a scratch. They’re the werewolves’ human or wolf relatives, undeniably a valuable part of werewolf society but never quite equals within it. In short, they’re family, with all the headaches, sorrows and joys that implies. Kinfolk occupy a range of positions in Garou culture, from beloved mates and siblings to little more than breeding stock or grunt soldiers in the war against the Wyrm. Sometimes, the chains that bind Kinfolk to Garou are loving and freely accepted; other times, they sink Kinfolk in a mire of forced obligations.

Kinfolk outnumber werewolves roughly ten to one - and considering the decreasing numbers of the Garou, Kin themselves are rare enough in their own right. Human Kinfolk usually live in their own homes or communities, while wolf Kin often dwell in a tribe’s protectorates. Many Kinfolk know something of their heritage, but few know everything. As with lost werewolf cubs, these days, more and more Kinfolk are born to families who have no idea of their Garou connections. Unlike werewolves, Kinfolk go through no Rite of Passage; many grow old and die without ever knowing about their mystical inheritance. These lost Kinfolk represent an ebb in the tide of Garou fortunes. Whether the werewolves realize the truth or not, Kinfolk are links to the future for Garou. Without Kinfolk, the werewolves lose a vital link to the worlds of humans and wolves. With fewer and fewer of Gaia’s soldiers being born, their human and wolf relatives must take on heavier duties in The Final Nights.