A lot of the criticism about coords (after the neopotism, poor handling, lack of encyolpedic historical knowledge), is the "Why don't the coords do something?" which is usually followed by the "how dare the coords do something!"
It's a difficult balance, and more often than not, it's responsible for coord burnout and players quitting.
When you know you can escape IC consequences by stonewalling OOC until the coord elections and hoping the other person wins, that's OWbN Genre.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
As we head to the elections...
You run the position like it should be run, not like a "I want to be nice to my friends." Instead of playing politics, you play Genre, which is what your job is.From an IM conversation.
No prop I write is designed to screw anyone. I realize those that do not want to believe that, will not.
There's a reason for a lot of what I do, and there's a reason the PC Archon bylaws are to be placed under "Accepting the Consequences" in the Character bylaws section.
It has always been my position, that characters should be held accountable for their actions, if people seem to think that means I want to punish people OOC for playing, that's depressing but not something I can fix.
All I can do is make sure people play the game, and that includes what happens when their naughty vampire gods get caught.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
State of Elysium 2009
While people like to make accusations that I don't know OWbN genre and or 'know the history', this is what is currently in the org on Elysiums:
From the book:
He's immune to being stripped for a breach of the Masquerade. It says nothing about Elysium. It also says he still needs to follow the Traditions.
OWbN Genre is genre that has been approved by council.
The 2007 OWbN Camarilla Status Packet:
From the book:
"The sheriff is immune to the powers of the keeper of Elysium (those conferred by the position, that is, he must still honor the Traditions)"
"The keeper may immediatly remove one permanent status trait from any kindred he catches breaking the Masaquerade. If he does not witness it himself, sufficient evidence must be brought forth. This removal costs the keeper nothing."
OWbN Genre is genre that has been approved by council.
The 2007 OWbN Camarilla Status Packet:
Keepers of Elysium may remove a Permanent Status Trait from any Kindred they catch breaking the Masquerade within their own city. This removal costs nothing. Many Princes also permit their Keepers to remove a Permanent Status Trait from any Kindred found to be in violation of Elysium, under the Tradition of Domain.
Sheriffs may remove one Permanent Status Trait from anyone who refuses to accompany them for questioning or judgment while they are within their own city. This removal costs nothing. Some Princes use their Sheriffs for additional duties, under the Tradition of Domain.
So, depending on the domain and Prince, the Prince may make the Keeper of Elysium responsible for handling breaches of Elysium.
BUT the "Sheriff" would still need to honor the Traditions and can't break them at will.
The 2003 Conclave:
Elysium is Elysium. Decided there by the players, ratified by council.
http://oneworldbynight.org/
Elysium is Elysium. It is more important than the Second Tradition or any of the traditions.
http://oneworldbynight.org/
Players decided this IC. It sticks IC.
Then there's the IC announcement form Igor Ctarinov
Citizens of the Camarilla,
Most recently, the Well-Known Prince Jack Sebastien stated:
"At the most recent Conclave that occurred in Northern Virginia, Justicar
Ctarinov mentioned that Archons doing their Feared duty may breach the
Traditions."
This was a statement made by His Enigmatic Excellency that, at the time, he felt was correct. However, if the Exalted Prince Jack Sebastien had taken the time to review the records of the Conclave, he would have noted the following:
---------------------------
2. Is the Second Tradition more important than the
Sanctity of Elysium?
Vote:
Yea - 38
Nay - 101
----------------------------
It was the will of the attending citizens of the Camarilla that Elysium is sacrosanct and therefore more important than the Second Tradition. His Enigmatic Excellency is not above the law, nor does he make law. He is merely the instrument that the Camarilla utilizes to enforce the law. Therefore, His Enigmatic Excellency and his Archons most wisely abide by the will of the Camarilla, justly ratified by the Inner Circle. Can the same be said for a Prince who willfully blocks the investigations of a Justicar and his duly appointed agents?
To accuse His Enigmatic Excellency of willfully violating Elysium would make him no better than your clanmate, Alexander Townsend. Said criminal did willfully violate the Elysium of Northern Virginia in the name of Her Fury, Justicar Masako. Now, as His Enigmatic Excellency's Sister-In-Service could not have possibly condoned such actions, I am sure that when Alexander Townsend is next seen, justice will be served.
Sincerely,
James
Servant to His Enigmatic Excellency
Justicar Igor Illyovich Ctarinov of Clan Nosferatu.
While I'm a big fan of Stephen Colbert, closing your eyes and ignoring facts you don't want to be true because it's not convenient is how we get bigger problems. This is OWbN Genre, and contrary to what a lot of people think, I care about OWbN Genre and will fight for it and not just ignore it because it's suddenly not fun.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
sorry for the spam. This is the last of going through my archives and posting the good bits
Selene: So... if Aetius is your fav Ventrue AT, and Dean is your favorite Lasombra, and Selene is your favorite Tremere AT
Selene: Who do we need to add to flesh out the pack?
CamCoord: Zio! as your pack priest.
Selene: Bah.
Selene: He's not worthy.
CamCoord: Look
CamCoord: It's not all stupid powers
CamCoord: Someone has to explain genre to you guys
CamCoord: and Zio! has sabbat genre DOWN
Selene: Until I monomancy him.
CamCoord: why?
CamCoord: he's your priest and you're vinc to him is huge
Selene: Dammit.
CamCoord: He talks about how fucking awesome you are in service to the sword of Caine
Selene: This Sabbat thing blowz.
CamCoord: He worships your dark aura of death
CamCoord: and appeases your ego as the ultimate thaumaturge killing machine
Selene: okay
Selene: well
Selene: maybe.
CamCoord: He hearlds your entry into each esbat with a confessional of your glories and triumphs.
CamCoord: Think Chaucer from A Knights Tale, if Chaucer was a blood drinking fiend celebrating the gifts that Caine has given all of you and signing while you make the blood flow
CamCoord: What the Cardinal of Baja and Alto California would do with such strong swords
Selene: Ok. Maybe it doesn't suck too bad.
CamCoord: Like I said, it's the roleplay part. Leave that to us. ;)
The Sabbat is really easy to play, harder to play well. The Camarilla is harder to play, but honestly, once you get the basics, it's very easy to play. And no, Camarilla does not mean playing the biggest bastard out there with out care of feelings. The point of the Camarilla is the struggle to hold on to your humanity, if you're playing like you're a sociopathic monster killing by proxy you are doing it wrong.
The Camarilla game, death is cheating, killing your opponent robs you of an opponent. Robs you of your Joker or Sherlocke Holmes. Sure it's satisfying and some concepts in OWbN just need killing, but that should be the players choice or the ST's input. Not necessarily through PVP violence.
The concept of "Face" is part of what Camarilla society is based on. How you are seen, how others treat you, that's the important thing. Losing Face is death, and being an unstoppable killing machine is not Face. Being able to say "my sheet is bigger than yours" is not Face. Saying I don't care is not a luxury, because then you've allowed yourself to lose Face and you'll be tainted and when it is something you care about, you'll be alone with no friends because no one likes hanging out with that guy, and that's the problem with the Camarilla. You need to hang out with people, or you become the crazy hermit that needs to be put down.
Learn to use Face. Learn that being in the Camarilla means caring about how others see you. Learn that monsters on paths that show off how cool they are for being on a path is the Sabbat, not Camarilla and in the Camarilla, you may be forced to smile at them in a court, but you're not going to make them your facebook friend.
Dale loves this post.
Larry the Bruce - something about WoD and traits or something.
Me - WoD is not OWbN Genre.
Some ST named Jordan - "Are you serious? I know OWbN moved away from the books but should we get rid of WoD and make it some disney happy fun land?" His email is 10 times longer than mine. Mine was 5 words. His "OMG THINK OF THE GENRES!" was about 50.
Seriously.
A five word sentence gets me into trouble on the ST list (council I can do it in 3.)
My response -
The point I'm making is that OWbN genre gets used a lot on Council and ST lists. And that would be fine, but those same people like to turn around and defend their actions with WW genre, sometimes in the same breath. It gets annoying. We're playing a homebrew setting created by the power gamers that haven't quite yet and want to re-write the game to suit them, unless that's suddenly being used to get them, in which case it's "oh, well, the books say this is okay..."
It's become clear that a lot of the genre fail in the org is at the ST level and they're willingness to hand out cookies but never bother to explain to their players the game they are playing.
And again, this isn't a burnout rant, I'm not there yet, but sometimes I wish these people would rather explore why they play and what they want out of a LARP rather than spend so much energy on an email over 5 words.
Me - WoD is not OWbN Genre.
Some ST named Jordan - "Are you serious? I know OWbN moved away from the books but should we get rid of WoD and make it some disney happy fun land?" His email is 10 times longer than mine. Mine was 5 words. His "OMG THINK OF THE GENRES!" was about 50.
Seriously.
A five word sentence gets me into trouble on the ST list (council I can do it in 3.)
My response -
Are you new?I recognize that not all get my humor, and that over email, it's harder, but really, it's starting to look like they're not even trying. They take themselves, the org, their PCs so seriously to psychotic levels that they can't deal with anything that might cause them to think or laugh at themselves.
I'm not trying to be mean, I just need to figure out how much of a 5 word sentence I need to explain.
Players quit rather than roleplay out the consequences of their PCs actions. STs say "omg, no one could have found out that secret" despte the player with the secret running around and telling it to everyone.
WoD - You're a shitty vampire, low on the totem pole, scared of the dark and the knowledge that for as cool as you are being a filthy bloodsucker leeching on humanity, there is always something bigger, faster, nastier than you.
OWbN - "Let's have PC Justicars."
Council says that Coords should have to get everything they want to do approved by them. STs allow Trevor Wallace, the Prince/Archbishop/Setite Pontiff of Oakland who had his true name changed through a Setite ritual to avoid being discovered as a Path of Mars cracked out Brujah.
The Camarilla in OWbN is a violent, militant, xenphobic organization that promotes Paths of Enlightenment, getting Thaum to win, and that you don't need an accounting or to care about the Sect and it's rules as long as you can kill anything that has a splat book.
I am definitely not saying that OWbN is a disney theme park with desperate college students in costumes trying to keep the kids happy, wait.. .maybe I am if by kids you mean players with entitlement issues and juvenile power fantasies and costumes you mean STs.
Alan
Cam Coord
The point I'm making is that OWbN genre gets used a lot on Council and ST lists. And that would be fine, but those same people like to turn around and defend their actions with WW genre, sometimes in the same breath. It gets annoying. We're playing a homebrew setting created by the power gamers that haven't quite yet and want to re-write the game to suit them, unless that's suddenly being used to get them, in which case it's "oh, well, the books say this is okay..."
It's become clear that a lot of the genre fail in the org is at the ST level and they're willingness to hand out cookies but never bother to explain to their players the game they are playing.
And again, this isn't a burnout rant, I'm not there yet, but sometimes I wish these people would rather explore why they play and what they want out of a LARP rather than spend so much energy on an email over 5 words.
Monday, July 20, 2009
My thoughts on R&U
It's a touchy subject. It was trying to make the best possible decision for an organization that was growing as fast as the internet would allow it.
It is likely one of the most divisive elements in the org because it tells players that they can't play their special snowflake, and the only reason is because the coords are a pox on fun.
It is the R&U List.
This is my idea, based on a suggestion by Mike Lehman on the council list. It is only a suggestion, but I would happily support it as a proposal.
Instead of a long and rambling list that's added too piece by piece, we encourage players to focus more on their concept and their PC and less of the cool powerz/cool clanz.
We create a list depending on genre/splat book and say "This is what is acceptable to play."
Cam genre chronicle uses this list, sabbat genre chronicle uses this list, Changing Breeds game uses this list, Anarch, this list, KJ, this list so on.
If you want to be 'special' it's a vote on council. Included on the list are reasons why certain clans/bloodlines/disciplines/merits/
If you want to use an NPC, it's notify to the coords. The Coords work with the Storytellers on it, and if one game in South Carolina has a traveling Brujah pretending to be a Ventrue, and a game in North Dakota wants to run a similar plot, then the Coord can coordinate that, and create a little consistency between games.
NPCs would be notify to Coords. STs would be asked to include why they feel they need to use the NPC, how long they plan to use the NPC, and what the NPC will teach their players.
Coords approve the NPC use, most of it would just be bookkeeping and ideally it would be idea sharing. What one game wants to do with a Nagaraga antagonist might work in another game that's asking for some plot ideas.
If the coord says no, it's a vote, and to accomodate games, we can have two levels, one which is the standard policy and the one which is a provisional one-week vote, which would limit the amount the game could do with the NPC, but would allow it to be played if the vote passes.
This would encourage STs to work with the coords on making sure it fits in the shared World of OWbN, and if STs feel that the coords are being too picky, they can take it to council.
This would include demons and demon plots, genre breakers like sect innappropriate paths, and assist in creating a census so that when someone says it's not fair that they can't play an Abomination Hedgemage embraced by a Gargoyle, we can list the reason that there are only supposed to be -1 of those in existence and OWbN has 3, and they need to wait their turn.
It is likely one of the most divisive elements in the org because it tells players that they can't play their special snowflake, and the only reason is because the coords are a pox on fun.
It is the R&U List.
This is my idea, based on a suggestion by Mike Lehman on the council list. It is only a suggestion, but I would happily support it as a proposal.
Instead of a long and rambling list that's added too piece by piece, we encourage players to focus more on their concept and their PC and less of the cool powerz/cool clanz.
We create a list depending on genre/splat book and say "This is what is acceptable to play."
Cam genre chronicle uses this list, sabbat genre chronicle uses this list, Changing Breeds game uses this list, Anarch, this list, KJ, this list so on.
If you want to be 'special' it's a vote on council. Included on the list are reasons why certain clans/bloodlines/disciplines/merits/
If you want to use an NPC, it's notify to the coords. The Coords work with the Storytellers on it, and if one game in South Carolina has a traveling Brujah pretending to be a Ventrue, and a game in North Dakota wants to run a similar plot, then the Coord can coordinate that, and create a little consistency between games.
NPCs would be notify to Coords. STs would be asked to include why they feel they need to use the NPC, how long they plan to use the NPC, and what the NPC will teach their players.
Coords approve the NPC use, most of it would just be bookkeeping and ideally it would be idea sharing. What one game wants to do with a Nagaraga antagonist might work in another game that's asking for some plot ideas.
If the coord says no, it's a vote, and to accomodate games, we can have two levels, one which is the standard policy and the one which is a provisional one-week vote, which would limit the amount the game could do with the NPC, but would allow it to be played if the vote passes.
This would encourage STs to work with the coords on making sure it fits in the shared World of OWbN, and if STs feel that the coords are being too picky, they can take it to council.
This would include demons and demon plots, genre breakers like sect innappropriate paths, and assist in creating a census so that when someone says it's not fair that they can't play an Abomination Hedgemage embraced by a Gargoyle, we can list the reason that there are only supposed to be -1 of those in existence and OWbN has 3, and they need to wait their turn.
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