Vampire Theme
vampire.gif

The vampires in the story of Los Angeles have a Theme that we ask our players to take into consideration while weaving stories between their characters. Thematically, vampires are first and foremost dead. They are cut off from the vitality of life, a cancer on the face of Humanity. Although younger vampires may feel strong emotional bonds to mortals, it is but a shadow of the yearning, living love with which mortals are blessed. Given the predatorial nature of the undead, it is quite rare for any vampire who has survived their first few weeks to feel love, save for that mockery of love that is the Blood Bond.

To fill the void of feeling, they find themselves becoming manic, declaring their love with all their heart. But in the end only rage and hate truly resonate, for they fuel the Beast. As time goes on, vampires withdraw from others, for it is near-impossible after a time to truly care for those who serve you primarily as food.

That said, there is a duality to vampiric nature: what was once human competes with the combined forces of Time, Hunger, and the Beast. Goodness can hold out for a time, and a vampire can hold on to their fading humanity for decades, even centuries. Vampires are intensely political creatures, constantly plotting and scheming.

This intense conspiratorial behavior is a defense against the Beast - if you are plotting, if you are manipulating, then you are not raging. But it is always a struggle, a struggle that must be fought, not avoided. A vampire cannot wall up the Beast and forgo feeding from mortals forever — a certain amount of indulgence is needed.

Central to the theme of vampirism at Los Angeles: A House Divided is the Riddle, passed on from sire to childe: Monsters we are lest monsters we become.

But what does that mean and where is the line? How much run do you let the Beast have so that it is sated? The answer is unfortunate: the Beast will never be sated. But perhaps you can fight it off for a time. Perhaps a long time. Those with powerful wills may survive to see centuries. But in the end, for the vampire, there is only the horror of being outside of the mortal coil, of feeling your personality, your loves and dreams, swallowed up one by one into the growing night. There is no hope.

Or is there?


Kindred vs Vampires

We have made a thematic decision to reinforce the notion that the vampires in the World of Darkness are vampires, and not simply tragic superheroes with superhuman powers. As White Wolf intended, the term 'Kindred' distances characters from their predatory nature and implies a more brooding, romanticized notion of what vampires are supposed to be. That is not the kind of creature LAmush wishes to thematically support.

Therefore, please refrain from using the term in your +backgrounds, +bbposts, IC mail, or IC speech. Everyone makes slips… even us. But if we work hard, we can create a very vampiric mood here in Los Angeles. Monsters we are, lest monsters we become. Let's be monsters. Don't use the word 'kindred.' Be vampires.

Staff realizes as well that there are other terms (e.g. Cainite) that may be used. However, you should limit yourself to what your character's lores provide. Anything else is just speculation and may, very well, get you ICly mocked.

White Wolf © White Wolf
Original Work is licensed under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 US License.