Centuries' Rage
Article by Matt Machell (January 2000)
A simple scenario for Vampire : The Masquerade, transplantable to most cities.
Setting the Scene
It begins as is all too often the case, quite innocuously. Players with any contacts in museums or the media will be the first to hear. An archaeologist from the city is returning from an extended dig in Tunisia, not far from the site of the ruined city of Carthage. Try to slot this information in as subtly as possible, maybe while events from a previous story are ending. Players whose characters have auspex start receiving odd dreams, filled with anger and sorrow.
Shortly after this news is received, several of the cities kindred start to act oddly. Instance of frenzy is up, and minor rivalries between kindred seem to be ending in violence more often than normal. The Brujah seem, strangely, to be the least affected, but as they always seem to frenzy easily most people won't notice. PCs will start to suffer minor +1 difficulties on all frenzy rolls.
As the days pass the situation begins to worsen. Several of the cities neonates go missing, and a little digging will reveal that they were killed by other kindred over minor matters. If your PCs tend to hang around with Anarchs, they'll likely be witness to the first of these, as a previously affable Toreador Anarch goes completely insane over a quip about his clothes, and ends up diablerising the maker of the comment. Similar events will take hold in other groups of neonates, then elders. Several minor oops's occur as kindred frenzy at mortals during their nightly activities. The cities sheriff will do some cleaning up, and punish those who have breached the right of destruction or broken the masquerade. The prince will take a minor interest at this stage, asking some trusted primogen to investigate the matter, they may deligate responsibility to PCs or grill them on what they've witnessed. Any investigation by Thaumaturges will turn up some external influence on the kindred in the city, but not the kine. You can play this out for a while, getting PCs interested in what's going on. Have some of them suffer embarrassing or particularly vicious frenzies, or witness allies sucumbing.
The exhibit
At this point, the Archaeologist, Prof. Joseph Tutter, will announce that the cities museum will be hosting an exhibit of rare artefacts recovered on his recent dig. Which occurred just outside of the walls of ancient Carthage. Scholarly Brujah or Ventrue will have their interest piqued by this and a number will arrive in the city to witness the event, or to try and gain access to the horde in advance. These, mostly solid camarilla types, will present themselves to the prince, at which point the PCs can bump into them. One of the local Ventrue at this meeting is Charles Clarke, a normally reclusive Ventrue who has an interest in archaeology and wishes to gain permission to examine the artefacts. A minor altercation occurs as Kindred start arguing over the nature of Carthage, tempers may fray, especially given the current climate. This should be a good opportunity for roleplaying with important locals and visiting dignitaries. PCs can gain status for helping in diffusing this situation without violence, or prestige for putting forward their clans viewpoint well. As the debate degenerates the prince refuses all Kindred access to the museum until the grand opening of the exhibition.
The next day, the newspapers are full of how a centrepiece from the exhibition, a stylised necklace, has gone missing. One of the primogen, either impressed by the PCs performance at the "debate" or as punishment for some minor digressions during the last few days, will ask them to investigate the matter. It is an area of Elysium, and the person responsible, whether human or kindred, should be punished.
The museum has been cordoned off by security, use of mental disciplines, good blags or influence can gain PCs access. Those with auspex, will get a very strong feeling in the room of anger and sadness. Spirits touch will magnify these feelings to excruciating levels, but also give brief flashes of a scene of battle between many archaicly dressed individuals. PCs with knowledge of archaeology or history, will recognise the participants as Roman and Carthaginian forces. The security tape is missing. By the looks of things, the doors have been forced or battered, whoever did so was obviously amazingly strong (which may lead them to suspect a Brujah). Most investigations will dry up due to lack of information, whoever it was, they covered their tracks reasonably well.
Then the Ventrue start suffering. Several important local members of the clan suffer setbacks as business ventures fail, sudden union strikes cause setbacks to building work, problems with legal issues prevent take-overs, important shares suffer due to careless leaks. If PCs do some investigating they will notice that most of those suffering are elders, the prince (assuming he's a Ventrue) seems to be suffering the most, and is constantly busy with failing business affairs. Further digging will reveal that whoever is responsible for the action is both very good at covering his tracks and was familiar with the cities workings. Eventually players will notice that one Ventrue seems to be suffering considerably less on the financial side. This individual is Charles Clarke.
What's actually going on.
From here on in how the plot resolves is dependent on how your group play. So here are the facts and possible results of the scenario.
1. The stylised necklace once belonged to Ichaeus, a powerful Brujah Methuselah who fell during the sack of Carthage. Part of his soul fled to the amulet as he died (how this occurred is up to you, a demonic pact is my favourite option but others may suit your chronicle more), there he brooded on revenge for two thousand years. It was allegedly unearthed by Professor Tutter, though mysteriously no dig was scheduled in the Carthage area, it's almost as if somebody wanted Ichaeus to arrive in the city.......
2. Ichaeus powers of presence are inducing rage all over the city. Ichaeus mental powers are strong, but other than the rage effect most require a direct conduit to work. Clarke's curiosity got the better of him and he broke into the museum. While examining the necklace Ichaeus took control of him. He has since been beginning his plans for revenge against the hated Ventrue. However he is over enthusiastic in this (He's more than a little unhinged) and has made the oversight of not letting Clarke's interests suffer.
4. Clarke does not have control of his body, but Ichaeus needs his knowledge of how the modern world works, because of this Clarke has a limited amount of influence over events. Ichaeus is also close to the beast, and so becomes lethargic close to dawn, at which time Clarke has more control. Clarkes body is also physically weak, which can be capitalised on in a physical confrontation.
5. The security video shows Clarke entering the museum, forcing his way into the exhibit and then picking up the necklace. At which point he collapses briefly and gets up, walking slightly differently. If PCs falter in their investigations, have one of them receive the video tape from Clarke, who manages to send it out while Ichaeus is lethargic.
Typical resolutions
1. The PCs all confront Clarke.
They will realise early on that Clarke believes himself to be somebody called Ichaeus. Ichaeus is open to bargaining from non-Ventrue. All he wants is revenge against the Ventrue, and as long as the PCs don't threaten this is quite happy to leave them be and tone down his effect on the city. PCs can gain a powerful ally if they show that they dislike the Ventrue. Ichaeus is so obsessed with revenge that he can be manipulated to some degree.
PCs will probably fail in any direct confrontation, as Ichaeus's majesty will prove difficult to breach. However his physical body is weak, which cunning PCs may capitalise on, for example goading Ichaeus into frenzy where he can't use mental disciplines. If Clarkes body dies, Ichaeus will attempt to possess one of the PCs.2. The Prince or Primogen members and PCs confront Clarke.
As above, only more chance of things going wrong because of a Ventrue presence, but more chance of success in a confrontation. The worst that can happen is the Prince becoming Ichaeus's new pawn, which could have interesting repercussions for your campaign.3. Ichaeus has left Clarkes body already and chosen another pawn.
In which case the PCs can discover Clarkes ashes and the surveillance video. Ichaeus probably won't have fully understood the importance of this, and Clarke is intelligent enough to keep it safe. Spirits Touch on the ashes will reveal that Clarke was killed by one of his ghouls, who then took the necklace. Summoning Clarkes wraith will get more answers, but requires knowledge of necromancy.
This option usually results in a group of paranoid PCs investigating the activities of important Kindred in the city, something that could cause them all sorts of problems.
Ichaeus
Stating Ichaeus is a matter of personal taste. His powers of Presence and dominate are great, but he is hampered by his lack of a physical body. I'd suggest at least 7 in presence and 6 in dominate, with reasonably high stats and willpower, virtues of 1 and humanity of 2. He can only really be killed if the amulet is broken. When roleplaying him make it clear that he is an intelligent man, but driven and callous. Like many old vampires, he has a tendency to ignore the feelings of those lesser than himself. His transfer to the amulet seems to have affected his ability to recall events, so quizzing him on Carthage will get mixed and muddled answers..