Character Generation

Interregnum is not like most normal Vampire LARPs. In this game, Camarilla, Sabbat and Independent characters will have the opportunity to attend the same monthly gathering – the business of re-establishing London as a base of Kindred power transcends sect.

Accordingly, players may play characters from any of the 13 core Clans.

Character creation uses the standard rules from Vampire 3rd (revised) edition – the normal tabletop system, not the Mind’s Eye Theatre version, with 30 freebie points instead of the standard 15.

Clan and sect availability will have certain controls applied to it – for the game to work, there needs to be a balance between the sects. Before writing a background, or generating a character, please contact the refs to check that the clan and sect you want are available so they can reserve a slot for you before you start writing up character sheets or background. Clan and sect will be allocated on a strictly first come, first served, basis.

Backgrounds

At minimum, a character’s background must answer the following questions:

• How old are they? How old do they appear
• What was their mortal life like? Do they have any living relatives? Are they in contact with any of them?
• Why were they embraced? What made them remarkable as a mortal? What drew their sire to them?
• How did the Embrace change them, if at all? Are they glad to be a Vampire?
• Who was their sire? What was/is their relationship with them like?
• Where in London will their haven be? Do they maintain a mortal identity, or identities?
• Do they have any unusual feeding habits?
• What do they want? What are they in London to achieve? Why have they come to London in particular?

In addition, please supply what you as a player consider the “win condition” for the character – the goal or goals that you as a player wish to achieve with this character as they enter the game (as distinct from what the character themselves wants). There is no requirement to retire characters who have achieved these ends, and these goals can be revised over time, but it helps to balance the game if the refs have some idea what you’re aiming for.

Don’t feel you have to write pages and pages – it is, of course, perfectly acceptable for the answers to be short and to the point – but that’s the sort of thing we’re looking for from your character background.

The following restrictions apply:

Your character may be no older than 100 years old, as a kindred. The “Age” background is not available.

While your character may have spent time in London, and even been born there, they may not have been resident between May 1998 and June 2008. For the sake of convenience, it is assumed that new characters have been in London for about a month, giving them time to have established havens, met with contacts, and generally dealt with the upheaval of moving their unlives from one city to another.

The Generation background may be taken up to level 3, (10th Generation) freely. 9th Generation will require ref approval, contingent on a good written background with potential to generate plot for the character. 8th Generation will also require ref approval, contingent on a truly superb written background that has the potential to generate plot for the game as whole.

No character may enter the game with a discipline at level 5. Access to level 5 disciplines can only be earned during play with XP.

Characters who belong to Clans that could have access to either Thaumaturgy or Necromancy as an out-of-clan discipline (Setites, Assamites, Tzimice) are limited to rank 2 in their primary path as starting characters.

Note that while other backgrounds only cost 1 freebie point per level, Influences cost 3 freebie points per level.

Characters belonging to a Bloodline, rather than a Clan are not available as PCs.

Autark characters are not available – if your Clan belongs to a sect, then you must either belong to that sect, or play anti-tribu and belong to the other. The only characters who may enter the game without a sect are those who belong to independent Clans.

For avoidance of doubt: the independent Clans are: Assamites, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Giovanni and Ravnos. Players of Gangrel characters can chose to have them belong to the Camarilla or the Sabbat if they so wish – while the Gangrel Clan has formally left the Camarilla, a number of loyalists have chosen to remain, and the status of the Gangrel anti-tribu remains unchanged.

The Tremere and Tzimice have no anti-tribu – if you wish to play either of these Clans, your character must belong to the appropriate sect.

Just turn up!

Don’t worry if you don’t have any ideas, or the faintest clue what we’re talking about on this page. Refs are on hand before each game begins, and are only too pleased to help people come up with new characters, and get them into the game. Similarly, if you want help with background itself, then discussing a verbal background with a ref before the game will be fine, as long as you can email it to us at some point before the following game.

Backgrounds and character stats can be sent to refs@interregnum-larp.org.uk. Please include character name and clan in the subject line of your email. Do please remember to check that there is a slot available for a particular clan and sect is available before writing a detailed history or character sheet, and if there are any unusual powers or skills you wish them to have, please include those as well. Use your judgement as to what might be required, but broadly, if a concept relies on out-of-clan disciplines, unusual supernatural merits or flaws, or truly world-class levels of ability, then it’s probably a good idea to mention it at the summary stage.

Independant clans, or rarities like Lasombra anti-tribu are much more likely to be rejected. You are more likely to have success with the core clans and sects, and if you’ve got a lot of ideas, or aren’t sure what you fancy playing, then the refs are always happy to suggest what they feel the game needs.