[CYOA] A Fledgling in Napoli (VtR2e)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [CYOA] A Fledgling in Napoli (VtR2e)

Gothic Rite: Dec 22, 2020; The visions of the elders were oracular, though in their terror they kenned not what they saw. When I triumph in this new combat, this unseen and still place beyond reason and closed eyes, what wonders of knowledge will be my plunder?

This is a CYOA game exploring the prelude of a fledgling vampire in 16th Century Naples.

You are outside the city of Napoli, your bare feet damp with the shorewaters of an ancient crater-lake. Its surface ripples only mildly�in the calm night air, but still manages to reflect in a thousand different points both the half-moon and the bright comet in the sky above

The people of this time mark the year as 1577, the month as November, and the day as the 17th. Historians would eventually label this as the very beginnings of the Age of Sail, the middle of the Elizabethan Period, or simply the Early Modern Renaissance. For you, this would be the night of your death.

A Fledgling in Napoli is the story of your�embrace. Of your introduction to the requiems of the vampiric world, and your addiction to the secret cults and mysteries of the Ordo Dracul.�

Path of Fate posted:

Every Path begins with a single step...

(Choose one card)

You are...

[King of Pentacles]: ...the Icarian. You have been groomed by an esteemed and powerful vampiric dynasty. Their divinely-imbued�Blood of Miracles has earned them control over many Sanctified domains, though a new�alliance of heretics threatens their holy mandate. You face a final test to join their ranks.
[Wheel of Fortune]:�...the Sybil: When the dead Julii met their ultimate fate, and the collapse of the Camarilla was complete, it is said that Minerva Victrix led the remnants of Rome's pagan augurs here in bondage. The descendants of those Kindred now compete for the few remaining prophecies of their goddess. You will be a willing sacrifice upon their altar.
[Death]:�...the Eidolon: Like the Greek heroes of old, you have come to seek the�underworld itself after suffering personal tragedy. You hope to drink from its depths and let go of the pain of life. You will get your wish, but in ways you hadn't imagined.�You are about to die and rise again.

# ? Dec 29, 2020 04:32

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 18, 2024 23:39

malbogio: Jan 19, 2015

Sybil

# ? Dec 29, 2020 05:08

jng2058: Jul 17, 2010; We have the tools, we have the talent!

Sybil

# ? Dec 29, 2020 05:44

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

King me, maestro!

# ? Dec 29, 2020 08:51

Slaan: Mar 16, 2009; ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH

Ei choose Death

# ? Dec 29, 2020 13:12

Toughy: Nov 29, 2004; KAVODEL! KAVODEL!

Eidolon

# ? Dec 29, 2020 14:05

Dr Subterfuge: Aug 31, 2005; TIME TO ROC N' ROLL

Eidolon

# ? Dec 29, 2020 15:51

Inverted Icon: Apr 8, 2020; by Athanatos

Eidolon

# ? Dec 30, 2020 02:28

Gothic Rite: Dec 22, 2020; The visions of the elders were oracular, though in their terror they kenned not what they saw. When I triumph in this new combat, this unseen and still place beyond reason and closed eyes, what wonders of knowledge will be my plunder?

You are...
(2) ~~[King of Pentacles]: ...the Icarian~~ _{Two beats earned.}
(1) ~~[Wheel of Fortune]: ...the Sybil~~ _{One beat earned.}
(4) [Death]: ...the Eidolon

Daniello Bartoli, Jesuit Historiographer (1608-1685) posted:

Whatever else historians and poets have written about the much feared and cherished Lake Avernus, here is the truth found with my very own eyes.

There is a circle of mountains, in the very center of which a deep lake flows, where the light remains much suppressed, whether winter or midsummer. Surrounded by thick woods, the vegetation doubles the shadows which lurk here. The waters forever reflecting the stars, the moon, and the melancholy�darknesses of the underworld ever more than the sun.�All within�its depths stagnates, and any who cross its waves feels as a corpse upon the water.�

Of the natural inhabitants,�I can only tell you they are in their underground caves. Whether living or dead, the truth of their ancient sepulcher is difficult to ken.�From this other side it will be easy for you to recognize in that great cleft of the mountain the dark and fearful mouth, or rather abyss, into which those who have the intent should sink themselves and descend alive,�if they can, into the Elysian Fields, and if not, as is more probable, to Tartarus.

After slipping free from the clothes which might hinder your movements, you begin to wade forward into the murky waters of Lake Avernus. There used to be villas and vineyards along the banks of this place, but in your grandparents' time earthquakes devastated�the area, swallowing entire villages into the earth.�

It takes some time before you divine your final course. You swim toward the darkest waters, ignoring the brackish taste of salt and sulphur as you cut through the wind-blown waves.

Path of Fate posted:

What is the overriding force that has pulled you to this moment?

[Eight of Cups] Loneliness: Every relationship you have forged has turned to ash. No family left, no companions, only an emptiness inside which no pleasure or faith has yet to fill even for a moment. You are ready for the next�journey.�
[Ace of Swords] Clarity: You have seen something you cannot fully explain. A creature of power and fear which stalks men even in the castles and pulpits. It hunts you, now, for damnation. You will not give it the satisfaction of consuming your soul.
[The Hanged Man] Sacrifice:�Your people suffer from perpetual calamity, indignity and sickness their predetermined lot. The strange star in the sky has become a hope of emancipation. Your sacrifice can break the curse.

# ? Dec 30, 2020 18:54

Toughy: Nov 29, 2004; KAVODEL! KAVODEL!

Clarity

# ? Dec 30, 2020 19:08

jng2058: Jul 17, 2010; We have the tools, we have the talent!

Sacrifice

# ? Dec 30, 2020 19:23

Dr Subterfuge: Aug 31, 2005; TIME TO ROC N' ROLL

Clarity

# ? Dec 30, 2020 20:01

malbogio: Jan 19, 2015

Loneliness

# ? Dec 30, 2020 20:37

Slaan: Mar 16, 2009; ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH

Loneliness

# ? Dec 30, 2020 20:49

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

Take up your Sword!

# ? Dec 31, 2020 06:39

Inverted Icon: Apr 8, 2020; by Athanatos

Eight of Cups - Loneliness

# ? Jan 2, 2021 03:38

ANOTHER SCORCHER: Aug 12, 2018

Loneliness

# ? Jan 3, 2021 02:24

Gothic Rite: Dec 22, 2020; The visions of the elders were oracular, though in their terror they kenned not what they saw. When I triumph in this new combat, this unseen and still place beyond reason and closed eyes, what wonders of knowledge will be my plunder?

Pulling you to this place is...
(4) [Eight of Cups]: ...Loneliness

(3) ~~[Ace of Swords]: ...Clarity~~ _{Three beats earned}
(1) ~~[The Hanged Man]: ...Sacrifice~~ _{One beat earned}
_{Tally: One Experience, Two Beats.}

The further you swim from the rounded shore of Avernus, the more a sense of inner resolve washes over you. The bitter flavor of the lake lessens somewhat as the depths increase below. You begin to feel distinct and invisible currents - some warm, some cold, some which still taste of chemical or sting the eyes. But each fades quickly as you continue to advance, giving your own sense of self in this moment a more anchored sensation. Thoughts of the human connections in your past gradually ease from your mind - the deaths, the abandonment, the betrayal - they were all fading, as if each tiny droplet which found its way to your tongue was a part of the Ameles Potamos itself.

The air grows thicker around you, and you tread in place for a moment to clear the water from your eyes. The stars glow brighter now, the moon seems closer - all writ large across the sky. The night, on the other hand, feels darker, as if its colors were foreign and unknown to you.� As you stare at the strange but familiar sky, you just barely catch the faint notes of a song. It carries on the wind, or perhaps the water itself - weaving through the lake alongside the currents which accompanied you. A lone voice, mixed among the rustling of leaves and the ripples of darkened waves. You cannot make out the words specifically, nor identify the aspects of the singer's voice. Still, the resonance of the song settles in your ears.

Path of Fate posted:

The music which beckons you sings of...

[King of Wands] Creation: ...the formation of young gods and their rituals, of new cultures, of new orders. All of which you could be a part of.
[Nine of Swords]: Terror: ...the conquering of fear, and the curse of it upon those who wrong you, or any who might earn your ire.
[Five of Swords]: Immorality: ...the breaking of law and violation of taboo, and being one step ahead of those who would bind you with them.

# ? Jan 4, 2021 00:35

Dr Subterfuge: Aug 31, 2005; TIME TO ROC N' ROLL

So five beats turns into an Experience, and tarot card values correspond to both the beats rewarded for not picking and the theme and relative strength of the effect. What can we do with an Experience?

I�m leaning toward Creation.

Dr Subterfuge fucked around with this message at 02:11 on Jan 4, 2021

# ? Jan 4, 2021 02:07

malbogio: Jan 19, 2015

Creation

# ? Jan 4, 2021 02:12

jng2058: Jul 17, 2010; We have the tools, we have the talent!

Immorality

# ? Jan 4, 2021 02:20

Gothic Rite: Dec 22, 2020; The visions of the elders were oracular, though in their terror they kenned not what they saw. When I triumph in this new combat, this unseen and still place beyond reason and closed eyes, what wonders of knowledge will be my plunder?

Dr Subterfuge posted:

So five beats turns into an Experience, and tarot card values correspond to both the beats rewarded for not picking and the theme and relative strength of the effect. What can we do with an Experience?

Initially, tarot cards drawn equate to the themes of the next character/narrative choice. Non-winning theme votes are converted to beats. It's a little experimental. More tarot mechanics will be revealed through play.

Randy Pausch, in The Last Lecture posted:

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

For spending, as this is my first CYOA, I wanted to err on the side of the narrative over mechanics, but was planning to do a crunchier chargen once the 'embrace' is complete. That should give us time to figure out the base themes / background and come at things from a group perspective.

# ? Jan 4, 2021 03:21

Toughy: Nov 29, 2004; KAVODEL! KAVODEL!

Immortality

# ? Jan 4, 2021 04:16

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

Pick up your Wand!

# ? Jan 5, 2021 07:15

Chatrapati: Nov 6, 2012

Creation
This is cool. Don't know much about this game but I like the tarot thing.

# ? Jan 6, 2021 14:56

Hexenritter: May 20, 2001

Immorality

# ? Jan 8, 2021 01:08

Gothic Rite: Dec 22, 2020; The visions of the elders were oracular, though in their terror they kenned not what they saw. When I triumph in this new combat, this unseen and still place beyond reason and closed eyes, what wonders of knowledge will be my plunder?

The music which beckons you sings of...
(4) [King of Wands] Creation

(3) [Five of Swords]: Immorality _{three beats earned}
(-) [Nine of Swords]: Terror
_{Tally: Two Experiences}

You change your course, now, swimming toward the song as best you can. You are quite close to shore before you see three figures waiting in the darkness along the lakeside.�

"Oh ho - your nose was right, mother." The closest of the figures dances a few steps into the water in surprise at your approach. "Someone made it through the Sirens, unbloodied even." A simple white shawl was all the attire she had bothered with. As your hands and feet reach the shore, she meets you, lending a cool hand to help you up and out of the muck. You were more tired than you expected - as evidenced by how much you needed the young woman's boost. When you'd caught your breath you asked...

Who are you?

Two other figures stood further back from the shore, though one was approaching the water as if to speak. In contrast to the maiden who'd met you, she's dressed quite a bit more completely. Soft white skirt, a hooded corset, pleated and bleached hair - and an ostentatious�platinum�cross held tight around her neck. "We are the unburied dead." She paused just away from the water's edge,�speaking with a cultured tongue.

You considered those words as you made it to shore, cooler now as your exertion wore off and the air stole heat from your wet skin. The third figure approached even more slowly, only when she had come into full view did you entirely cease to doubt what the second woman had said.

A brown hare fell to the ground, bloody and unmoving, as if to prove the point even further. "Why do you seek the Elysian�fields?" The second woman spoke again, mercifully giving you something else to focus on.

I am done with this world. I am ready for the next.

The maiden spoke up, "Won't anyone miss you out there?" She offered a sympathetic frown when you shook your head. "I'm sorry, love."

The second woman acknowledged your readiness but cautioned, "Not all worlds which lie beyond this one are any more pleasant." But you'd cast aside these arguments long before, and they had no more effect on you now.�

As your resolve was proven, the three women showed their willingness to let you proceed. The youngest padded over to the second, addressing her as 'mother' and asking, "May I present the lots?" The second figure, mother, allows it - untying a small purse from her belt. The maiden bounded back to your side, proffering her new prize to you. "Take a coin for the boatman."

Inside the purse were a number�of golden coins, consistent in size and shape, but each with different�symbols etched upon them. You reached in and pulled one at random.

The coin itself somehow felt exactly like wood, it even�had tiny rings throughout, as if it were the cross section of a pure gold sapling. As you examine the etching on the coin, there's a bit of awkwardness in the demeanors of the women - as if the symbol you'd drawn was unexpected. However, one voice quickly cuts into the silence. "I shall perform the blessing of the Voivode."

Path of Fate posted:

Which of these women spoke those words, entwining their destiny with your own? The choice of card will determine an�important mentor in your story.

The one who spoke was...

[Devil]: ...The Maiden: She is immature and brash, more likely to treat you as an infatuation, or a sibling in crime. She will have a habit of stealing your time by involving you in her personal games and relationships.�
[Ace of Pentacles]: ...The Mother: A more traditional woman, she will treat you as someone to nurture - insofar as a wealthy patron might nurture an artist. Success and self-investment will earn her favor.
[Emperor]: ...The Crone: The Crone will in truth leave you the most time to pursue your own destiny. However, when she does choose to involve herself, she is the tyrant who will brook no disobedience.

# ? Jan 10, 2021 13:14

Slaan: Mar 16, 2009; ASHERAH DEMANDS I FEAST, I VOTE FOR A FEAST OF FLESH

Mother knows best

# ? Jan 10, 2021 14:18

Toughy: Nov 29, 2004; KAVODEL! KAVODEL!

The Crone

# ? Jan 10, 2021 15:22

jng2058: Jul 17, 2010; We have the tools, we have the talent!

The Maiden

# ? Jan 10, 2021 18:07

aldrich: Dec 31, 2020; me ready to greet the new decade

The Mother

# ? Jan 10, 2021 19:28

Chatrapati: Nov 6, 2012

Mother

# ? Jan 11, 2021 03:44

Dr Subterfuge: Aug 31, 2005; TIME TO ROC N' ROLL

Maiden

# ? Jan 11, 2021 04:05

AnAnonymousIdiot: Sep 14, 2013

The Seat of Power is Empty!

# ? Jan 12, 2021 06:53

Gothic Rite: Dec 22, 2020; The visions of the elders were oracular, though in their terror they kenned not what they saw. When I triumph in this new combat, this unseen and still place beyond reason and closed eyes, what wonders of knowledge will be my plunder?

The one who spoke was...

[Ace of Pentacles]: ...The Mother

(2) ~~[Devil]: ...The Maiden~~ _{Two beats gained}
(1) ~~[Emperor]: ...The Crone~~ _{One beat gained

Tally: Two Experiences, Three Beats}

The woman, Mother, steps forward and offers a frown�of concern. "The Path of the Voivode is littered with suffering, my child. Suffering for the self and suffering for the lost."

You had expected suffering, and you told her as much. Perhaps you even looked forward to it on some primal level. Life was suffering. How could it be a surprise that death was the same?

The mother moved forward, placing a slender hand�on your shoulder. She took the wooden coin from your grip, running her tongue across it, leaving a trail of sticky vitae along its surface. She placed it against your forehead, not across either of your eyes as you might expect - and it adhered. "Open the mind's�eye. See the worlds beyond. Follow the song of creation." As she intones these commands, the air around you begins to feel dense. Like the beginnings of a storm. As she speaks, she reveals a small wooden spike - a knitting needle upon final inspection. She pierces the pointed rod through the palm of one hand until it punctures through the other side. She stares at the unbleeding�wound for a long breath, and only after you have drawn two or three of your own does a viscous burgundy begin to flow from her flesh.

Fingers jab at the slow wound, pressing the red to your chest and marking a symbol - the same that was on your chosen coin. As the blood stains your flesh, a lightning bolt of information rushes through your mind all at once:

Path of Fate posted:

Despite, perhaps, your incomplete understanding of the ideas which infect your thoughts, you realize the mother is...�

[Four of Cups]: ...a Sister of Bones - Some say the Osites used to be the keepers of catacombs beneath Rome; that they are the remnants of a long forgotten ancestor cult. Others claim they were a secret society of necromancers prior to the Embrace of their leader by the Monachus. Most often believed, however, is the tale told by elder Osites: that they were simple scriveners and morticians for the Sanctified in the early nights of the Black Abbey. (Sanctified Mekhet)
[Page of Wands]: ...a Flavian Priest - The Licinii claim descent from an ancient Clan of Rome, destroyed by the nemesis long ago. Once committed to the worship of the Flavian Emperors, their cult was leaderless until the restoration of the Byzantine Empire. Tonight, with Greek influences discarded in Naples, the few remaining look for a contemporary master to serve. (Blood-Blessed Nosferatu)
[Ace of Cups]: ...a Daughter of Passions - Where the Sanctified attest that the Kindred were personally Damned by God to act as his lash against the back of a sinful mortal populace (thus driving them towards divinity), the Septemi spare the rod, declaring that vampires have no exalted place in the Lord�s creation. They work from the shadows to counter the influence of the Sanctified, driven by their higher soul to undo the work of evil men and lead humanity to salvation through charity and education. (Sibylline Daeva)