Vampire: The Masquerade - Edinburgh By Night

How to prepare

Player Preparation 🎤 Mic Required – A clear microphone is mandatory for communication. A webcam is optional but encouraged. 🖥 Accounts & Software – Players need: A Discord account (for voice chat & communication). A Foundry VTT-compatible browser (Chrome or Firefox recommended). 📜 Rules Familiarity – Reading the V5 Core Rulebook is recommended but not required—I’ll help guide new players. 📝 Character Concepts – Come with a rough character idea before Session Zero. We’ll refine and finalize them together. ⏳ Reliable Availability – This is a long-form game, so please ensure you can commit to regular sessions.

What I provide

What I Bring to the Table: I strive to create an engaging, immersive, and cinematic experience for my players, balancing deep roleplay, political intrigue, and dramatic tension. With over a decade of experience running Vampire: The Masquerade and other narrative-driven games, I focus on player agency, rich storytelling, and dynamic world-building to bring Edinburgh By Night to life. Gameplay Tools & Experience 🖥 Foundry VTT – The game will be run using Foundry Virtual Tabletop, featuring: 🎭 Theatre of the Mind – While Foundry is used for visualization, much of the game will be played in Theatre of the Mind, allowing for fluid, cinematic storytelling that adapts to player actions without being confined by a grid. GM Style & Approach 🔮 Deep, Story-Driven Roleplay – The focus is on narrative, intrigue, and character development. Every decision matters, and your actions will shape the city. 🎙 Character Voices & Immersion – Expect distinct NPC voices, descriptive narration, and atmospheric dialogue to pull you deeper into the world. 🎶 Ambient Music & Soundscapes – The game will feature handpicked atmospheric music to enhance the mood—haunting violin pieces for Elysium, distant sirens in the streets, or the crackle of fire when justice is served. ⚔ Tense, Tactical Combat – While combat is rare in Vampire, when it happens, it will be fast, brutal, and meaningful. Expect high stakes, where a single mistake could be your last. 📜 Rule of Cool & Consequences – I adhere to Rules as Written where it serves the story, but I prioritize cinematic, dramatic moments. Clever, in-character plans will be rewarded—even if they bend the mechanics slightly—so long as they stay within the tone of the game. 🩸 A Living, Breathing Edinburgh – The city reacts to your actions. Alliances shift, reputations are forged or broken, and your choices will have lasting consequences in the Kindred’s power struggles.

Gameplay details

Safety Tools & Session Zero Guidelines for Edinburgh By Night In a game as dark and intense as Edinburgh By Night, ensuring player comfort and safety is a top priority. While we explore themes of power, betrayal, and horror, everyone at the table should feel safe, respected, and in control of their experience. Below is an overview of how we implement safety tools before, during, and after the game. Session Zero: Setting Expectations & Boundaries Before we begin the chronicle, we will hold a Session Zero to establish boundaries, expectations, and group preferences. During this session, we will: Review the tone and themes of the game (political intrigue, horror, violence, etc.). Discuss character concepts and how they fit into the world. Go over safety tools, including: The Lines & Veils document (sent via a shared link for players to fill out). How we use X, N, & O cards during play. Our policy on breaks and check-ins. Clarify player agency and consent, ensuring that all players feel comfortable with the content we explore. Review in-game conflict (PVP, social maneuvering, etc.) and how we handle it fairly. In-Game Safety Tools To ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience, we use the following tools during play: X, N, & O Cards These tools allow players to communicate their comfort level discreetly: X-Card 🛑 (STOP) – If something crosses a personal boundary, the player can type “X” in chat, hold up an X on camera, or verbally say “X”. The scene will immediately stop or be adjusted without requiring an explanation. N-Card ⚠️ (CAUTION) – If a scene is approaching discomfort, the player can type “N”, hold up an N on camera, or say “N” to indicate we should steer the scene in a different direction. O-Card ✅ (OKAY) – If we pause to check in, players can type “O”, hold up an O on camera, or say “O” to confirm they are comfortable continuing. For online play, we use these cards via text chat or private messages to ensure discreet and effective communication. Breaks & Check-ins We take scheduled breaks every 60–90 minutes to give players time to step away, refresh, and reset. If a scene becomes emotionally intense, we can call for an unscheduled pause to allow players to breathe and check in. I will periodically check in between sessions to ensure everyone is still comfortable with the game’s direction. Aftercare & Post-Session Support Since Edinburgh By Night explores dark themes, post-game support is important. We do the following to ensure players leave the game feeling good: Debrief after each session: A quick “How’s everyone feeling?” to check in. Stars & Wishes: Players can share what they enjoyed (Stars) and what they want to see more/less of (Wishes) for future sessions. Private check-ins: If a session was particularly intense, I’ll privately check in with players to ensure they’re okay. Cool-down time: We encourage a few minutes of casual conversation post-game to transition out of character.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

How will character creation work

Character Creation 🩸 Before Session 1 – Characters will be created before the game starts, with Session Zero used to finalize details and connections. 📜 Stats & Generation – Standard V5 character creation rules apply. Players start at Neonate level (10th-13th Generation) unless discussed otherwise. 📍 Creation Process – Character sheets will be managed through Foundry VTT, with guidance provided for new players. 📚 Allowed Books – Core V5 books are allowed (V5 Core, Chicago by Night, Cults of the Blood Gods, etc.). No homebrew or unapproved content. 🔗 Collaborative Backstories – Players will connect their characters to the city, key factions, and each other for a more immersive experience. 📝 Session Zero Review – Expect final adjustments based on party balance, game tone, and personal story arcs.

Combat / Tactics

Medium

Roleplay

High

Puzzles

Low

Experience level

Open to all