Isles of Darkness Venue Style Sheet

UK National 2009

Main ST contact for Requiem: David Mitchell, ANST Requiem - willfinlay@gmail.com

The Ruins of the Abbey

There was a slight, sliver of moon, with heavy black, driving clouds, which threw the whole scene into a fleeting diorama of light and shade as they sailed across. For a moment or two I could see nothing, as the shadow of a cloud obscured St. Mary's Church and all around it. Then as the cloud passed I could see the ruins of the abbey coming into view, and as the edge of a narrow band of light as sharp as a sword-cut moved along, the church and churchyard became gradually visible.

The town seemed as dead, for not a soul did I see.

The IC Location

The Abbey is not where Kindred are gathering - just a short walk from the Abbey is a more modern two storey building, with large open courtyard. The building inside is a mixture of old and new - fine fittings mixed with a more modern décor.

There are no servants available anywhere in the building. Everything in the building and beyond into Whitby appears to be entirely open to you, including the Abbey itself.

Additional Venue Information

More information about the Abbey and its history is available at:

(Brief) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitby_Abbey

(More detailed) http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/churches/abbey.shtml

Style of Play

1. = Never Present
2. = Sometimes Present
3. = Often Present
4. = Usually Present
5. = Always Present

Action: 4

There was undoubtedly something, long and black, bending over the half-reclining white figure. I called in fright, "Lucy! Lucy!" and something raised a head, and from where I was I could see a white face and red, gleaming eyes.

Whitby was taken from York and the Lancea Sanctum, by the very Covenant that now invites you to join them for this gathering. Surely there will be grudges after the treaties were ignored and the sovereign rights of a domain

Character Development: 5

More than once as we sat around the table, my eyes opened in wonder whether the whole of the past days had not been a dream. Now with your eyes open, you are sure that you not asleep, but here it is... the past, as a dream.

Darkness: 3

Therefore, I on my part, give up here the certainty of eternal rest, and go out into the dark where may be the blackest things that the world or the nether world holds! Only a select few know with any certainty what it is they are going to, or what has happened here before now.

Drama: 5

Suddenly he jumped to his feet, with his eyes blazing and all the signs of intense cerebral excitement. "To hell with you and your souls!" he shouted. "Why do you plague me about souls? Haven't I got enough to worry, and pain, to distract me already, without thinking of souls?"

He looked so hostile that I thought he was in for another homicidal fit.

Intrigue: 4

Whilst they played wits against me, against me who commanded nations, and intrigued for them, and fought for them, hundreds of years before they were born, I was countermining them. And you, their best beloved one, are now to me, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, kin of my kin, my bountiful wine-press for a while, and shall be later on my companion and my helper.

Manners: 2

The location doesn't have a prince and the invite doesn't show that the invitee has much of a grasp of social niceties. I suppose you could expect some level of manners, but what isn't clear - it is their party after all. Vincent certainly seems more excited in what he has to show than in pleasing the social hierarchy.

Mystery: 5

Strange things have happened in Whitby in the last year - a ghost ship appeared in the night, followed swiftly by the ghost of a dying man and then by the brutal murder of a local journalist. Something is happening in this quiet fishing town.

Pace: 4

The carriage went at a hard pace straight along, then we made a complete turn and went along another straight road. I would have liked to have asked the driver what this all meant, but I really feared to do so, for I thought that, placed as I was, any protest would have had no effect in case there had been an intention to delay.

OOC Specification

Theme

The past is catching up on the Ordo Dracul and they're inviting everyone to join in their spectacular. Often their science is hidden behind closed doors, whispered about and speculated upon, but now they are opening their doors and throwing themselves open.

Mood

There's an expectation that something is going to happen - what will the Lancea Sanctum do about their agreement being ripped up, or York with part of their domain being taken away from them. The mood from some is of expectation, whereas for others they are travelling to a town that has been taken from them.

Setting

Right over the town is the ruin of Whitby Abbey, which was sacked by the Danes, and which is the scene of part of "Marmion," where the girl was built up in the wall. It is a most noble ruin, of immense size, and full of beautiful and romantic bits. There is a legend that a white lady is seen in one of the windows. Between it and the town there is another church, the parish one, round which is a big graveyard, all full of tombstones. This is to my mind the nicest spot in Whitby, for it lies right over the town, and has a full view of the harbour and all up the bay to where the headland called Kettleness stretches out into the sea. It descends so steeply over the harbour that part of the bank has fallen away, and some of the graves have been destroyed.

Storytelling Mechanics

If you have any queries about the sections below then please feel free to contact the lead ST. If you have special circumstances, not described below, then you should try and make the lead ST aware of them before you arrive at the game. Although we will try and accommodate you during the weekend, we can't guarantee that we will have time to deal with every request in a timely manner.

These guidelines will be available at the event.

Feeding

All characters are expected to have fed before attending the event, and they will be on full blood at the start of the game. This is except for characters with Blood Potency higher than 6 who should contact the lead ST before the game, to make arrangements for their feeding - failing to do so will mean your character starts on 5 blood.

Feeding during the event may take time due to the storytelling team having other commitments, so please be patient when asking for assistance.

Way of saving blood (Vitae Reliquary, Bloody Hand etc) need to be down timed and cast before the event and blood gained during the weekend may not be used to fuel these rituals. Item cards and details of any blood saving power should be carried with the player who wishes to use them.

Invictus Oaths (with affects)

Characters who attend this event must bring details of their oaths to the event, or contact the lead ST with details ahead of time. For a faster turnaround details should be sent to the e-mail address above as far in advance of the event as possible. All oaths with specific wording should be accompanied with a written, or printed, version of the oath in question.

Any oaths not checked by the lead ST will not be in effect during this event.

Items/ Weapons

All items will be expected to have a valid item card, signed by an ST. This includes: weapons, ritual items and approval items. Characters who intend to bring large or significant amounts of items or weapons should contact the ST team ahead of time to make arrangements.

Please note that this does not apply to other approvals - it is just to items and weapons.

Obfuscate

During the event characters that are using Obfuscate should wear a badge, clearly showing their power's desired affects. If you are unsure, then please feel free to contact an ST before or at the event about your badge.

Predators Taint

During the event those with no taint should wear a badge letting people know.

The event will be held somewhere that your character believes is safe, lessening the need for direct confrontation and tests. If you believe that you require a test then please contact an ST.

Just because the need for tests is not there, it doesn't mean that you aren't aware of your beast. You should try and role-play the interplay of beasts accordingly.

Proxy

No proxy characters will be accepted at this event, except those who have been given special authorisation, or invitation to do so by the ST team.