Considerations when creating a Dark Before Dawn character

Not every Campaign LARP has interdimensional
adventure-style sessions.

Each and every LARP game works a little differently because of the house rules in place, player preferences and the sort of plot unleashed.  The following are a few suggestions that can help ensure a new character can be built in a way that ensures they will more readily get involved.

·         Existing vampires may only be made in the Ordo Dracul and Circle of the Crone covenants.  Newly embraced vampires may eventually join the Carthians if convinced by our sole Carthian who kept her character from the first campaign.

·         The Ordo Dracul have enough Axe (four) and therefore you will receive very little limelight if you join them.  There are very little Dying Light (one) and no Mystery Sworn though this will soon change.

·         Be open to creating links to family members.  The GM can help create such clan ties which needn't be close.  Even becoming a cousin or grandchilde can open roleplay opportunities.

·         You don't need to have your character come from outside Adelaide to be new to the game.  So long as they weren't present in 2009 - 2011, they could be present in Adelaide.  They might have been in torpor during those three years or traveling to learn something in another city. 

·         There are NPCs you can play to learn the lay of the land and to see if this is a game you might like to play.  You can then adopt those NPCs if you really like them.

·         Without conflict, there is no plot.  Without plot, there is no story.  Without story, you will be bored.  Create opportunities for conflict whether it is competing goals, character ties to PCs or NPCs that leave your character vulnerable, or simply a willingness to get involved in the social antics that fill any good LARP.

·         Many of the players are not fond of Player versus Player (PvP) and there is a general agreement that any serious Player versus Player action should occur through a process of tit-for-tat escalation rather than a sudden dramatic response.  In other words, creating a character who would kill for an insult would make a better fit for an NPC who is played to lose.

·         Since the player base are little interested in heavy PvP, it is necessarily a plot heavy game with a variety of supernatural NPCs lurking in the shadows.  Creating a character who wishes to prevent such complications from occurring during gatherings is a fine idea.  Accept as a player that like in any good television series, the best laid plans can and will go wrong.

·         Be mindful, though, that there's always a loop hole so long as it's fun and maintains interest for the players.  A soiree so chock full of legitimate vampire activities, games and events needs no external inciting events.  Creating a character who seeks stability through distracting the other vampires (i.e. PCs) through more appropriate channels can make for a fun challenge for a social character.

·         If you are willing to play a newly made childe, you will instantly have at least one other PC (and any of their covenant-mates and clan-mates) interested in your character's development.

·         While age does offer increased experience points, you really don't need a mechanically powerful character to get things done.  One of the characters who is involved in the most plots is a 5-year-old vampire with a pretty even spread in skills.  Attitude matters more.

·         Characters that are willing to task risks, aren't so impulsive as to be unreliable, and will do what they say they will do are more likely to be drawn into plots by other characters.

·         It helps to have a niche where your character excels and gaps where they will need some help.  These gaps are ideally related to the niche.  A con man with poor physical skills who wishes to negotiate with werewolves has a need to reach out to a bodyguard and that creates character ties, reasons for the bodyguard to hook you back into plot, and greater interest.

·         Current niches only partially covered (or covered by only one character) includes computer specialist, auctioneer / salesperson, ghoul breeder (ties well with auctioneer), social entrepreneur, event manager, groomer of feeding grounds and racks, supernatural negotiator, mechanical engineer, experimenter / inventor, devotions specialist / salesperson, demolitionist, logistics and administrative minds, and masquerade overseer.

·         If you are interested in playing a very political character, age helps (i.e. pre-1900s).

·         If you are interested in being in the action all the time, age detracts (i.e. post-1975).  If you play an older character, you are responsible for delegating tasks to younger vampires.

·         If you want a mixture of politics and action, being in the middle years is a very good idea (i.e. between 1900 and 1975).

·         Bloodlines are welcome.

·         Entering game with something to sell is an option with GM approval.