The City that Bled Gold | DAV20 Elder

Creating your character

Character creation for The City That Bled Gold uses Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition as its foundation and supports three character types: Cainites, Ghouls, and Templars or Inquisitors. All characters are created collaboratively to ensure they are firmly rooted in the events of the Fourth Crusade and meaningfully connected to Constantinople, the crusading host, or the religious forces surrounding them. Players choosing to portray a Childe of Caine will create a vampire using standard Dark Ages rules. Clan, Road, faith, and lineage are central to play, as belief and sin shape both survival and damnation. Characters may be ancient powers entrenched in the city, foreign Cainites traveling with crusaders, or newly Embraced souls born in desperation as the city collapses. Convictions matter as much as Disciplines, and every choice reflects what the character believes is still sacred. Those playing Ghouls will create mortal characters bound by vampiric blood. Ghouls exist between worlds, empowered yet dependent, privileged yet expendable. Players must define their relationship to a domitor or explain how they endure without one. Mechanically, ghouls follow mortal creation rules with ghoul benefits and limitations applied, representing both the power and the cost of their condition. Players portraying Templars, Inquisitors, or holy hunters will create mortals sworn to faith, doctrine, or secret ecclesiastical authority. These characters are not modern monster hunters but early, uncertain figures armed with belief, training, and fragile conviction. Their strength lies in knowledge, preparation, faith-based merits, and social influence rather than supernatural parity. All characters begin with a strong narrative concept that addresses why they are part of this crusade, what they hold sacred, and what would break that belief. Standard attribute, ability, and background spreads are used for each character type, with specific options, experience totals, and custom rules provided during onboarding. Characters should be flawed, pressured, and morally complex. This chronicle is not about heroes, but about souls tested by fire, faith, and blood.

Preparing for the session

To prepare for The City That Bled Gold, players should familiarize themselves with the core themes of Vampire: The Dark Ages 20th Anniversary Edition, particularly the importance of Roads, faith, and moral consequence. This chronicle emphasizes belief, conviction, and personal codes over raw power, so understanding how your character justifies their actions will be as important as knowing their abilities. Be prepared to engage with morally complex content, including religious conflict, hypocrisy, fanaticism, and the cost of devotion. While horror is a core element, it is grounded in choice rather than shock. Players should ensure access to Discord for communication and organization. A willingness to collaborate, respect boundaries, and allow consequences to shape your character’s journey is essential. Come prepared to question what your character believes, and what they are willing to become when faith and certainty collapse.

What Silas the Endless brings to the table

As the Storyteller, I will provide a structured and supportive experience designed to keep the chronicle immersive, coherent, and accessible. All play will be hosted on Discord, with clearly organized channels for scenes, private threads, lore, and out of character discussion. This structure is intended to make long form narrative play easy to follow while allowing multiple storylines to unfold at once. I will supply a custom Excel character sheet tailored to this chronicle if desired, covering Cainites, Ghouls, and Inquisitors alike. The sheet will handle attributes, abilities, virtues, faith, conditions, and ongoing narrative consequences, allowing players to focus on story rather than bookkeeping. Guidance will be provided on how to use the sheet, and I will assist with updates as characters grow or suffer. Players will receive setting lore, historical context, and faction information as it becomes relevant, ensuring discovery happens in play rather than through overwhelming up front reading. I will also provide NPCs, scene prompts, personal story hooks, and interwoven plotlines that respond directly to character choices. Clear expectations, regular check-ins, and consistent pacing will be maintained. I will adjudicate rules fairly, emphasize narrative consequences over punishment, and support collaborative storytelling. My goal is to create a tense, atmospheric chronicle where your choices matter, your beliefs are challenged, and the city remembers what you do in its final nights.

Homebrew rules

A few refining details for inquisitors and a few other things.

How Silas the Endless creates a safe table

Player safety is a priority in The City That Bled Gold. Before play begins, we will hold a Session 0 to establish expectations, discuss themes, and set clear Lines and Veils so everyone knows what content is off-limits or handled gently. These boundaries may be updated at any time. An Open Door policy will always be in effect. Players may step away from a scene or the game without explanation or penalty. Midpoint breaks and pacing check ins will be used to prevent burnout, especially in emotionally heavy scenes. Content warnings will be provided when addressing sensitive themes, and private communication channels will be available if concerns arise. This is a game about horror and moral pressure, not player discomfort. Respect, consent, and communication come before story at all times.