Quick Start Overview

Vampire: The Requiem

Background: This game takes place in modern-day earth where vampires form complex societies hidden from human awareness. Vampires that share common physical powers and qualities group themselves into "clans", but they also join "covenants" along religious, political or philosophical lines (a player's covenant is generally more important to his character than his clan). These groups differ radically in purpose and outlook and are often in conflict, though one principle they agree upon is that they must hide their existence from humans.

Vampires are unliving humans created when a vampire drains a human dry of blood and then feeds the corpse a few drops of its own vampiric blood. This process is called the Embrace and is draining for the sire, so vampires do not procreate often.

Vampires generally dwell in large cities, where they can find plenty of prey and easily remain inconspicuous. Vampires do not need to kill humans to steal blood; humans go into a trance when a vampire feeds on them and do not remember the moment, and a vampire can erase the bite marks it made by licking them. Every evening, their bodies consume a portion of their stored blood in order to rise from their daytime slumber - a vampire will enter an extended period of torpor if it does not have any blood.

Clans:
The Daeva evoke the image of vampires as seductive, decadent, sexually transgressive predators who blur lust and hunger together, equating the act of feeding with sensual pleasure, like Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla.

The Gangrel embody the idea of vampires as predatory feral demons. An upper level in the feeding chain with little or no interest in humans as anything other than food, they represent vampirism as crude predation and evoke ideas of basic instinct, untamed ferocity and freedom that are commonly associated with predators.

The Mekhet are mysterious conspiratorial occultists, obsessed with knowledge and information, who hide in the shadows and manipulate others from afar.

Nosferatu vampires are the repulsive, yet fascinating, alien and hideous monsters of legend (such as Count Orlok of their movie namesake).

Ventrue are regal vampires who value power and dominion to the point of obsession, self-styled "lords of the night" they represent vampirism as a metaphor for maddening power, like Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Covenants:
The Carthian Movement works towards finding the best form of government for the Kindred, basing its experiments on mortal systems like Democracy, Fascism and the like. It is the only Covenant that elects leaders, and is the newest major Covenant. Members frequently argue over the best form of government and this Covenant is primarily secular in outlook and character.

The Circle of the Crone is a collection of pagan and Neopagan cults and religions within the vampiric culture. Generally, these groups are structured around a belief in a generative cycle, though they often revere a particular representative goddess, and these shared associations give rise to their eponymous association with the Crone. They celebrate most of the major pagan holidays, such as the solstices and Yule, and practice the Blood Magic known as "Crúac". Despite many differences in belief and opinion between various circles and cities of the Covenant, they typically dislike the Lancea Sanctum.

The Invictus (also known as the "First Estate") An order of vampires that claim to be descendants from an ancient Roman sect known as the Camarilla. They are mostly concerned with material gain and power and therefore heavily involved in city politics and business.

The Lancea Sanctum is an organization which grew parallel to Christianity, therefore commonly being mistaken for a vampiric equivalent of it. They claim the Roman Centurion Longinus as their founder and they believe Kindred (the word vampires use for themselves) have a role in the Divine Providence: that of the ultimate predators. As vampires, they're to prey upon humans, thus unleashing God's Wrath upon the unworthy and representing tests for the pious.

The Ordo Dracul is focused on understanding the vampiric condition, improving upon it and ultimately transcending its limitations. They learn a collection of powers known as The Coils of the Dragon which alter the practitioner, generally alleviating particular limitations of the vampiric condition. The members of the Ordo believe that this discipline was created by the founder of the covenant, the infamous Dracula.

The Unaligned is simply a catch-all term for any Vampires that do not belong to a covenant.

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Werewolf: The Forsaken
Players portray the Forsaken, werewolves, known as Uratha, who are sworn to a duty to maintain a balance and prevent ingress between the spirit worlds and the material world. Any human who may unknowingly possess a werewolf heritage could undergo a First Change at some time in their life, though what triggers the change is unknown. It is only known that it almost never happens before puberty or after the age of 60.[1] Following this Change, each character develops an Auspice, defined by what phase the moon was at during their First Change, and most join a Tribe or become a tribe-less werewolf known as a Ghost Wolf. Unlike traditional fictional werewolves, Uratha may change at any time into various forms between man and wolf, though they do find this easier when the phase of the moon matches their Auspice.

Uratha are fierce territorial predators who feel the compulsion to hunt. Many have trouble containing their aggression, hindering their ability to live normal human lives. Additionally, humans feel this aggression and are repelled by this feeling. Also, every werewolf is in danger of entering a violent Death Rage (Kuruth in the First Tongue). In this frenzied state the werewolf is a threat to everything, no matter whether friend or foe.

Uratha also possess an instinctive understanding of the First Tongue, the language spoken by their ancestors and spirits. Although initially rudimentary, many Uratha can eventually learn to speak the First Tongue fluently.

Forms
Garou have the inherent ability to shapeshift into one of five distinct forms. Aside from the human form, each changes the characters' inherent Attributes such as Strength, Dexterity, or Appearance:

Homid is the human form, completely indistinguishable from other humans in most cases.
Glabro is the "near-human" form, one that is described as resembling a prehistoric human, although slightly taller than their human form.
Crinos is the monstrous form resembling a traditional werewolf, usually growing to nine feet tall and made of pure muscle. This form is what most Garou prefer to fight in. In this form, any weak willed human that sees it will resort to a genetic memory-induced state of pure fear and terror known as the "Delirium". Metis are born in this form.
Hispo is a massive dire wolf-like form, usually preferred by Lupus Garou for fighting.
Lupus is the wolf form, granting certain abilities that stem from the wolf's greater senses than that of humans.

Auspices
Auspice is 'gifted' by Mother Luna at the time of an Uratha's First Change. It defines an Uratha's role in society. The five Auspices are as follows. Werewolves receive a free specialty in any one of their Auspice skills they have at least one dot in, in addition to the three specialties that all characters receive at creation.
Rahu (Full Moon) are determined, aggressive, and warlike.
Cahalith (Gibbous Moon) are passionate, thoughtful, and expressive.
Elodoth[/]b (Half Moon) are discerning, observant, and even-tempered.
Ithaeur (Crescent Moon) are contemplative, foresightful, and spiritual.
Irraka (New Moon) are inquisitive, contrary, and resourceful.

Tribes
Blood Talons are warriors, defenders, and champions.
Bone Shadows are shaman, wise men and women, and seers.
Hunters in Darkness are stalkers, assassins, and guardians.
Iron Masters are innovators, progressives, and improvisers.
Storm Lords are commanders, aristocracy, and alphas.
Ghost Wolves are loners, outcasts, and independents.