Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Vernacular and New Orleans Vocabulary
bokor: A vodoun priest or magician who practices black magic. Houngans can be bokors, but such is not common.
Cajun: A Louisianan descended from French-speaking Acadia (a corruption of the word “Acadian”); also describes other rural settlers, as well as food or music.
Code Noir: The “Black Code” adopted by the French in 1724 governing the conduct of free people-of-color and under which conditions slaves were freed.
Creole: A free person of Spanish, French or African descent born in Spanish America; originally used in reference to whites alone, but grew to encompass others after the Civil War; also used to refer to food or music.
Grand Dérangement: Literally “forced migration”; the massive dispersal of over 10,000 Acadians following the 18th-century wars between England and France.
gris-gris: A term for all sorts of charms, talismans, and other mystical items of vodoun.
hounfour: Inner sanctuary or altar room for the practice of vodoun, sometimes dedicated to a specific loa. Alternately, a more general term for any vodoun temple.
houngan: A priest of vodoun, fully initiated in all the rites and mysteries of the religion.
krewe: A club that sponsors festivals and events (ersatz Old English “crew”); among the Damned, also a type of coterie composed entirely of local neonates.
lagniappe: Literally, “a little something extra”; any small gift from a local.
loa: Spirits of divine origin that serve Bondye (God). They expect to be worshiped and respected, but can be imposed upon to grant favors in return.
mambo: Initiated vodoun priestess; female equivalent of houngan.
mulatto: The child of a black parent and a white parent.
peristyle: The building or outdoor area where vodoun ceremonies are held; often, but not always, bordering or very near the hounfour.
quadroon: A term referring to a person who is one-quarter black.
veve: A symbolic design representing one of the loa. These are used as both the focus of rituals and as a temporary altar. They can be found written or inscribed on various surfaces but are usually constructed with flour that is poured on the ground during rituals.
vodouisant: A believer in vodoun; a worshipper of the loa.
Cajun: A Louisianan descended from French-speaking Acadia (a corruption of the word “Acadian”); also describes other rural settlers, as well as food or music.
Code Noir: The “Black Code” adopted by the French in 1724 governing the conduct of free people-of-color and under which conditions slaves were freed.
Creole: A free person of Spanish, French or African descent born in Spanish America; originally used in reference to whites alone, but grew to encompass others after the Civil War; also used to refer to food or music.
Grand Dérangement: Literally “forced migration”; the massive dispersal of over 10,000 Acadians following the 18th-century wars between England and France.
gris-gris: A term for all sorts of charms, talismans, and other mystical items of vodoun.
hounfour: Inner sanctuary or altar room for the practice of vodoun, sometimes dedicated to a specific loa. Alternately, a more general term for any vodoun temple.
houngan: A priest of vodoun, fully initiated in all the rites and mysteries of the religion.
krewe: A club that sponsors festivals and events (ersatz Old English “crew”); among the Damned, also a type of coterie composed entirely of local neonates.
lagniappe: Literally, “a little something extra”; any small gift from a local.
loa: Spirits of divine origin that serve Bondye (God). They expect to be worshiped and respected, but can be imposed upon to grant favors in return.
mambo: Initiated vodoun priestess; female equivalent of houngan.
mulatto: The child of a black parent and a white parent.
peristyle: The building or outdoor area where vodoun ceremonies are held; often, but not always, bordering or very near the hounfour.
quadroon: A term referring to a person who is one-quarter black.
veve: A symbolic design representing one of the loa. These are used as both the focus of rituals and as a temporary altar. They can be found written or inscribed on various surfaces but are usually constructed with flour that is poured on the ground during rituals.
vodouisant: A believer in vodoun; a worshipper of the loa.
City Rulers
Vidal - Prince of the City / has been ruling for over 200 years / Ventrue / Lancea Sanctum
Savoy - Stewart of the French Quarter / Devea / Lancea Sanctum
Cimitiere - Spiritual leader in Voodoo and Hoodoo / Nosferatu / Circle of the Crone
There exists a three way split in political power in the Crescent City. Although Vidal is the Prince, of long standing power, he is beginning to feel the weight of his years. Rumors are spreading about his growing weakness and need to enter torpor. Leading up to this, power in New Orleans has held a three pronged balance. The lush and valuable French Quarter is currently held by the Prince’s rival, Savoy. Savoy is somewhat of an upstart in New Orleans. His presented background is most assuredly false, but few beyond his inner circle dare to challenge his assertions. Should balance tip in favor of Savoy, the rule of New Orleans would be similar to Vidal’s, but perhaps more opulent based on his Devea blood. The third tine in the power of New Orleans is Cimitiere, a Voodoo/Hoodoo leader. The religion is despised by Vidal, and has made the pair insufferable axis powers. In times past, Vidal has made efforts to eliminate Voodoo, as he is a devout Lancea Sanctum and sees this pagan belief as heresy. Together the trio holds divided the political power.
Savoy - Stewart of the French Quarter / Devea / Lancea Sanctum
Cimitiere - Spiritual leader in Voodoo and Hoodoo / Nosferatu / Circle of the Crone
There exists a three way split in political power in the Crescent City. Although Vidal is the Prince, of long standing power, he is beginning to feel the weight of his years. Rumors are spreading about his growing weakness and need to enter torpor. Leading up to this, power in New Orleans has held a three pronged balance. The lush and valuable French Quarter is currently held by the Prince’s rival, Savoy. Savoy is somewhat of an upstart in New Orleans. His presented background is most assuredly false, but few beyond his inner circle dare to challenge his assertions. Should balance tip in favor of Savoy, the rule of New Orleans would be similar to Vidal’s, but perhaps more opulent based on his Devea blood. The third tine in the power of New Orleans is Cimitiere, a Voodoo/Hoodoo leader. The religion is despised by Vidal, and has made the pair insufferable axis powers. In times past, Vidal has made efforts to eliminate Voodoo, as he is a devout Lancea Sanctum and sees this pagan belief as heresy. Together the trio holds divided the political power.
New Orleans at a Glance
Climate: New Orleans is hot and humid, with summer temperatures reaching upward of 100 degrees. The Gulf of Mexico provides the region with a great deal of moisture, and the city receives more than five feet of rainfall annually. New Orleans has no “dry season,” and locals know to expect rain at any time of year. The city’s greatest natural threat comes from hurricanes, which buffet the Gulf of Mexico at regular intervals in the months between June to December.
Curfew: No person under the age of 18 is allowed on the streets after 11:00 PM.
Economy: In addition to tourism, which brings in millions every year, New Orleans trades extensively with Latin America. The city is strong in grain, steel and coffee beans, and it saw a boom in offshore oil rigging during the 1970s. Average wages lag behind all states but two, even with plenty of white-collar jobs and lucrative waterfront trades. One in four people lives below the poverty line.
Government: New Orleans has an elected mayor and a city council. Parishes (Louisiana’s version of counties) were geographically ordained by the Catholic Church and became political districts under Spanish rule.
Population: Just over one million in the Greater New Orleans Metro Area, but nearly twice that number visits from out of town each and every month.
Religion: Roman Catholicism predominates. Slaveholders were required by Bienville’s Code Noir of 1724 to baptize and instruct their slaves on Catholicism, but slaves and other immigrants brought vodoun to the city, where it has thrived. Protestants are slightly more common uptown, especially around St. Charles Avenue.
Curfew: No person under the age of 18 is allowed on the streets after 11:00 PM.
Economy: In addition to tourism, which brings in millions every year, New Orleans trades extensively with Latin America. The city is strong in grain, steel and coffee beans, and it saw a boom in offshore oil rigging during the 1970s. Average wages lag behind all states but two, even with plenty of white-collar jobs and lucrative waterfront trades. One in four people lives below the poverty line.
Government: New Orleans has an elected mayor and a city council. Parishes (Louisiana’s version of counties) were geographically ordained by the Catholic Church and became political districts under Spanish rule.
Population: Just over one million in the Greater New Orleans Metro Area, but nearly twice that number visits from out of town each and every month.
Religion: Roman Catholicism predominates. Slaveholders were required by Bienville’s Code Noir of 1724 to baptize and instruct their slaves on Catholicism, but slaves and other immigrants brought vodoun to the city, where it has thrived. Protestants are slightly more common uptown, especially around St. Charles Avenue.
New Orleans Vharacter Creation
Game System: Vampire: The Requiem (nWoD)
Setting: New Orleans (utilizing the "City of the Damned" – you should not read CotD as it will give spoilers)
Character Creation: Characters should be created according to the VtR rules. You should consult the “Entrances” section below as it gives some additional options and restrictions. The Word document character sheet has a space for background, description and storytelling which need to be completed. The background is just your character’s history. A few sentences is sufficient, but anything not “put in” will be either be fleshed out by the GM or assumed to be SO boring that it is worthless. The description is just what the character looks like. The storytelling section is for those notes that speak to your characters nature and psyche.
Entrances
Option 1 – Immigrants: The character was created elsewhere and has immigrated to New Orleans. This option is the most broad and general for creating a character. The player may create a character according to the rules provided. There are no restrictions on clan or covenant, but politics are politics. The player may not lower their humanity to gain experience points, or take any New Orleans specific options. These characters have only basic knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 2 - Ancient Young: The character was turned decades ago, but was also subject to the violence of a past era. The neonate suffered a dooming night, falling into torpor and failing to wake for many decades. To reflect the experiences the vampire had in the past the player may choose to trade dots of Humanity for experience points. This trade-in reflects some heinous past behavior the vampire engaged in and learned from (accounting for the added experience points), but which also scarred her deeply (explaining the loss in Humanity). Players may sacrifice one dot of Humanity for five experience points, dropping their characters’ Humanity scores to as low as five (for a maximum of 10 extra experience points). Characters with this background are unlikely to be Ordo Dracul, Circle of the Crone, Gangrel or Nosferatu. These characters have limited knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 3 – A New Night: The character was born into the night only a short time ago. They are still subject to the second tradition, specifically that of tutelage. The character receives the Mentor [sire] merit for free and receives the consequences of the second tradition as it is taken very seriously by the prince. Characters with this background are limited to the covenants of Lancea Sanctum and Invictus (or in very rare instances Carthian), based on the Prince’s restrictive policies on progeny. They are unlikely to be from the clans Gangrel or Nosferatu. Additionally, most of the kindred of New Orleans are already generated, thus a player must work within the selected NPCs as to who might be granted progeny (this is to say that, there are limits to the clan and covenant based on the already generated sires). These characters have more detailed knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 4 – A Nice Place to Visit: The character is an immigrant kindred (see option 1) who was first discovered by the Princes advisory, Antoine Savoy. The character, in the limited time within New Orleans, has come to be within the influences of Savoy and his French Quarter powers, drawing more sympathy from Savoy and falling from courtly favor. Kindred with this background are unlikely to be Circle of the Crone. These characters have only basic knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 5 – That Thing You Do: The character is a follower of Voodoo, and as such is closer to Baron Cimitiere, one of the prince’s advisories. The character is a native of Louisiana (or Haiti), but has moved from other parts to New Orleans. As the practice of Voodoo is despised by the prince, the character is likely to draw a cold reception from the prince and his supporters, but has the backing of those of similar faith (Baron Cimitiere). Characters of this background are members of the Circle of the Crone [Vodoun]. These characters have only basic knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 6 – The Darker Truth: The character has a darker history. This option has a greatly restricted creation process. Players wishing this option will be approaching it blindly, so be prepared.
Option 7 – Umm, I don’t know: This option is for those players who struggle with creating characters. Selecting this option is allowing the GM to create and field your character. You will be agreeing to play whatever mad schemes your GM dreams up and suffer whatever bizarre tortures are attached to the character. This is less work and could result in great characters, but you never know.
Setting: New Orleans (utilizing the "City of the Damned" – you should not read CotD as it will give spoilers)
Character Creation: Characters should be created according to the VtR rules. You should consult the “Entrances” section below as it gives some additional options and restrictions. The Word document character sheet has a space for background, description and storytelling which need to be completed. The background is just your character’s history. A few sentences is sufficient, but anything not “put in” will be either be fleshed out by the GM or assumed to be SO boring that it is worthless. The description is just what the character looks like. The storytelling section is for those notes that speak to your characters nature and psyche.
Entrances
Option 1 – Immigrants: The character was created elsewhere and has immigrated to New Orleans. This option is the most broad and general for creating a character. The player may create a character according to the rules provided. There are no restrictions on clan or covenant, but politics are politics. The player may not lower their humanity to gain experience points, or take any New Orleans specific options. These characters have only basic knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 2 - Ancient Young: The character was turned decades ago, but was also subject to the violence of a past era. The neonate suffered a dooming night, falling into torpor and failing to wake for many decades. To reflect the experiences the vampire had in the past the player may choose to trade dots of Humanity for experience points. This trade-in reflects some heinous past behavior the vampire engaged in and learned from (accounting for the added experience points), but which also scarred her deeply (explaining the loss in Humanity). Players may sacrifice one dot of Humanity for five experience points, dropping their characters’ Humanity scores to as low as five (for a maximum of 10 extra experience points). Characters with this background are unlikely to be Ordo Dracul, Circle of the Crone, Gangrel or Nosferatu. These characters have limited knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 3 – A New Night: The character was born into the night only a short time ago. They are still subject to the second tradition, specifically that of tutelage. The character receives the Mentor [sire] merit for free and receives the consequences of the second tradition as it is taken very seriously by the prince. Characters with this background are limited to the covenants of Lancea Sanctum and Invictus (or in very rare instances Carthian), based on the Prince’s restrictive policies on progeny. They are unlikely to be from the clans Gangrel or Nosferatu. Additionally, most of the kindred of New Orleans are already generated, thus a player must work within the selected NPCs as to who might be granted progeny (this is to say that, there are limits to the clan and covenant based on the already generated sires). These characters have more detailed knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 4 – A Nice Place to Visit: The character is an immigrant kindred (see option 1) who was first discovered by the Princes advisory, Antoine Savoy. The character, in the limited time within New Orleans, has come to be within the influences of Savoy and his French Quarter powers, drawing more sympathy from Savoy and falling from courtly favor. Kindred with this background are unlikely to be Circle of the Crone. These characters have only basic knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 5 – That Thing You Do: The character is a follower of Voodoo, and as such is closer to Baron Cimitiere, one of the prince’s advisories. The character is a native of Louisiana (or Haiti), but has moved from other parts to New Orleans. As the practice of Voodoo is despised by the prince, the character is likely to draw a cold reception from the prince and his supporters, but has the backing of those of similar faith (Baron Cimitiere). Characters of this background are members of the Circle of the Crone [Vodoun]. These characters have only basic knowledge of New Orleans.
Option 6 – The Darker Truth: The character has a darker history. This option has a greatly restricted creation process. Players wishing this option will be approaching it blindly, so be prepared.
Option 7 – Umm, I don’t know: This option is for those players who struggle with creating characters. Selecting this option is allowing the GM to create and field your character. You will be agreeing to play whatever mad schemes your GM dreams up and suffer whatever bizarre tortures are attached to the character. This is less work and could result in great characters, but you never know.
So We Are All Dead?
It went for a nice long run, but it has now falled apart. 4 of the 8 players have dropped out (and all in the same round). There has to be something about that, but I am at a loss to tell you what. Jon said he just got too far behind, well that's not much help.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
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