Prophecies V:TES League
Adonai
Prophecies V:TES League
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Prince Fleurdumal declared Miami Art Museum Elysium for the duration
of her lavish party. With much of kindred society aflutter with talk
of Gehenna, she couldn't resist the chance to host a, tongue-in-cheek,
"End of the World" party. Her invited guests, of course, were
like-minded cynics and it was unlikely that any of attendees were
prepared to deal with the events the evening would bring.
Fleurdumal outdid herself with an ostentatious display of wealth and
decadence as was appropriate for kindred society's final soiree. One
by one, her guests broke free of their gossip and back-handed
compliments to congratulate her on the party's success. Adelaide
Davis, neared the front of the receiving line but stood motionless
upon reaching Fleurdumal. Adelaide stared blankly and then bellowed,
"Hearken to the prophet's words." However, the sounds were that of
two voices--one male and one female. "Hearken to the words of the
oracle," yelled the male voice.
The second voice belonged to Paulo, a well-liked local artist whose
Malkavian sensibilities seemed to rub off on the canvas. Paulo and
Adelaide spoke in unison. They continued, addressing the entire room:
Hearken to the diviner's prophecies
Of blood-filled dreams and shortened nights
Of hunger risen to claim its own
Of arrogance turned to ash.
Within the get of Caine there is a hunger stirring
Once, twice, thrice the call to power and death
Will rend the souls of the Thirteen
This is the death without bloodshed
This is the grave that has no ghosts.
Initially, some of the guests believed this was arranged by Fleurdumal
to add to the theme of the party. The laughter and smiles were
replaced first by concern and then horror as the truth settled
in...Malkavians everywhere were simultaneously broadcasting the
message. Paulo and Adelaide continued:
There will come a time
when an Elder Darkness will stir
deep below a city which has forgotten
and will surprise the Elder, its children
There will come a time
when an ancient hunger will awaken
deep in the northern woods
and consume her childer
On these signs, you must know,
that Gehenna waits, even at the door,
as an actor waits in the wings
It is coming! It is near!
The speakers raised their arms in unison as they spoke their final
proclamation, "Shine black the sun! Shine blood the moon! Gehenna is
coming soon."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
League Instructions
The Prophecies V:TES League Kit is designed to allow up to 20 players
to participate in this multi-part event. Purchase of additional
league kits will be needed for larger groups. Players will experience
the upheaval and uncertainty of these final nights in the lead-up to
Gehenna and the release of the Gehenna V:TES expansion. The components
of the league kit have been created so that the league can be run over
and over, as many times as the players like. In addition, the unique
format provides enough variety to allow for a very different
experience each time the league is run.
To coordinate a league event with a retailer in your area, take the
order form to your local retailer so that the retailer can place a
special order for the Prophecies league kit.
Kit Contents
Poster
2 promo cards for each participant
Prophecies T-shirt for the league winner
12 Special Rule envelopes
Dates
The league will take place over a 4 to 11 week period, with the first
installment occurring no earlier than March 1, 2004. League
organizers are free to choose when, during the allowable dates, league
play will begin and how often games will take place.
When Do We Play?
Throughout these rules, the league is referred to as a "weekly"
league. Though this will be the most common arrangement, league
organizers are free to modify the play intervals to meet their
particular needs. For example, a league organizer may choose to play
bi-weekly or even twice weekly games. However, organizers should make
the dates as firmly structured as possible and should be certain to
announce the schedule in advance.
League Rules
This league is intended to be enjoyable for players of varying skill
levels and should especially appeal to players who have not yet made
the leap to tournament play. Organizers, judges, and participants are
encouraged to be helpful to new players.
The official V:EKN tournament rules for standard constructed
tournaments are to be used for these league events except where the
league rules supersede those rules or where the standard tournament
rules are obviously not appropriate (for example, section 3.1.3 Final
Round Seating obviously doesn't apply). These rules can be found
online at: http://white-wolf.com/vtes/
FAQ
Q: Do I report the results of my league to someone?
A: No reporting is required. Unlike previous storyline events, the
winner of each event will not affect the overall story. Instead, the
current league leader will directly affect the details of Gehenna
within each league with his or her choices.
Q: Do I have to play the same deck throughout the league?
A: Players may freely modify or switch decks between individual games
and weekly league sessions as desired.
Q: Do I need to use round time limits?
A: The organizer may choose to play games with or without round time
limits. The selection should be made for the league as a whole and not
changed for individual games.
Q: Do I have to build my crypts with 75% of one clan like in prior
storyline tournaments?
A: No.
Q: Can I add additional variant rules?
A: No. The rules must follow the V:EKN Standard Constructed Tournament
Rules, except for the exceptions given in this document.
Q: Can the judge play in the league?
A: Yes. Unlike normal V:EKN tournaments, the judge or judges may
participate in the games regardless of the number of league
participants. If the judge plays and the event has at least 6
players, the Multi-Judge System must be used (V:EKN Tournament Rules
2.9).
Q: Will the league games count towards the official player ratings?
A: No. Since the league uses variant rules, it will not be included.
Q: How many games should we play during our league night?
A: The league organizer determines how many games are played during
each league play session. The number of games that will be played
must be decided before play of the first game begins.
Scoring
After each game, a player who has at least 2 Victory Points and more
Victory Points than any other player at the table is credited with a
Game Win. Each player who played in the game (unless they dropped out
or a judge ejected them) receives 1 League Point for participating.
Player's Victory Points are also tracked as the League Points and
Victory Points are used as the primary and secondary tie-breakers,
respectively. The results of each game are reported to the league
organizer who records the results.
Scoring Example 1: At a five-player table, Robyn gains 3 Victory
Points at her table and Steve gets the other 2. Robyn is awarded a
Game Win. Each of the 5 players also receives 1 League Point. Scoring
Example 2: At a four-player table, Mike and Paul each gain 2 victory
points. While both players have at least 2 Victory Points, neither
player has more Victory Points than any other player. No game win is
awarded. Each of the 4 players receives 1 League Point.
Current Leader & Overall Winner
The player with the most Game Wins over the course of the entire
league is declared the league winner. Second most Game Wins finishes
in second place, third most Game Wins is third place, and so on. In
the event of a tie, total League Points will be used to break the tie.
If players remain tied, total Victory Points will be used to break the
tie. The judge will use a random method to break any further ties.
Throughout the league, it will be necessary to determine which
participant is currently the league leader. Use the same method as
you would to determine the overall winner to see who is the current
league leader.
During each week of play, two special rules will apply to the games
being played. During the first week of play, the league organizer will
randomly select and open two envelopes and the special rules will be
in effect for the first week of the league.
Each week thereafter, the league's current overall standings leader
will choose one rule revealed in the previous week to remain in effect
and will randomly select one envelope and reveal a new special rule.
These two rules, the one the league's standings leader selects to
remain in effect and the newly opened one, are in effect for the
current play session.
If there is a tie for the league's standings leader, the league
organizer may select a random method to determine who among the tied
players will choose the special rule that will stay in effect. If the
league's standings leader is not present, the league organizer may
assign this task to the player currently in second place. If that
player is not present, the organizer may assign the task to the third
place player and so on.
EXAMPLE:
During the first week of play, the league organizer, Jim, selects 2
random envelopes and opens them. Doing his best impression of a
Malkavian mouthpiece, Jim reads the prophesy: "Shine black the sun!
Shine Black the moon. Gehenna is coming soon!" Jim then reads the
special rule associated with the prophecy: "The Edge is worth 3
votes." He then reads the prophecy contained in the second envelope
and then reveals the special rule, "All players start with 40 pool."
Both of these rules are in effect for the first week of play. Jim
places both special rules on the league poster with the Velcro tabs
provided.
Just before the start of play in the second week, the current league
standings leader, Daniel, chooses last week's "All players start with
40 pool" rule to remain in effect for week 2. Next, Daniel randomly
chooses another envelope, opens it and reads the new prophecy and the
new special rule. That new special rule says, "All vampires cost 1
less pool to influence." These two rules are in effect for the second
week of play.
In the third week and each week thereafter, one of the two rules
currently in effect will be chosen by the league's current standings
leader to remain in effect. In addition, a second rule will be
randomly drawn and revealed before play begins.
Additional Tools
Additional tools to make your league run more smoothly can be
downloaded here:
You may choose to track your league progress with The Oracle, an Excel
Spreadsheet for tracking league results. (coming soon)
The Special Promotional Cards
Each player attending a designated league event will receive one copy
each of special promo-only cards The Erciyes Fragment and Prophecies
of Gehenna. Both cards will remain in tight circulation for at least
one year before any remaining stock is released into general support
packages.
Aramis
storyline, and no ultimate reward beyond a T-shirt for the league
winner, might I ask, what's the point?
This just sounds like a weekly game with some new house rules to
simulate "the upheaval and uncertainty of these final nights in the
lead-up to
Gehenna". What happened to making a new card for the winners (or
notable achievers)? I know that's what got me all excited to travel
to distant storyline tournaments. This is barely enough to get me to
email my local prince and ask if it's worth ordering since we could
make up our own random effects for free.
Am I missing something or is this not really much of an "event" at
all?
noodleboy
> all?
I concur. Aside from getting your hands on the promo cards [which will
hopefully be better than "Legion", aka "Drinks Coaster" and Lambach "I
gave up Cardinal for this?!" ADV], it seems a pretty pointless
exercise to me.
No tallied results like former Storylines.
No "winning clan" like former storylines.
Not even the impetous of adding to your VKEN total, since the tourney
is non standard.
"Boring Sidney.
Boring. Boring. Boring."
noodleboy
Henrik Klippstr?m
Yeah, you are missing something. The Erciyes Fragment and Prophecies
of Gehenna are new cards.
Also, I realy think this is the way to go for Vtes as a game, a way to
evolve. At least our usual weekly games need something to spiff things
up. Every try I扉e made to suggest house-rules and special effects in
my group has been voted down with arguments like "No, we want to be
able to try out our tournament decks" or "That is not real Vtes". In
this way this is possible - you can play any deck you want, but
chances are your speed-bleed-deck get problems if everybody start at
40 pool. Realy interesting.
But I hope the usual storyline-thing continues, later this year. Does
it?
legbiter
Well i think it is a bloody MARVELLOUS idea. Now, could some kind
person send me the application form attached to an email? i can't
download it from the White Wolf site. Please send it to
legbiter"at"talk21"dot"com. Thanks in advance!
Jazzbeaux
> person send me the application form attached to an email? i can't
> download it from the White Wolf site. Please send it to
> legbiter"at"talk21"dot"com. Thanks in advance!
Yes, I think that it is great. I mean this sets up official league rules,
which if the basic premise works could be used for all sorts of things.
Sam
pallando
> person send me the application form attached to an email? i can't
> download it from the White Wolf site. Please send it to
> legbiter"at"talk21"dot"com. Thanks in advance!
done
pallando(at)gmx(dot)at
hawk_the_demon
the games though and have the princes send those to LSJ (with his
permission of course). something might happen that he would like to
include in future expansions.
Emile Bosman
Oh common guys don't you have any imagination? I'm using this league
to try to get more of the Utrecht based playgroup to attend our weekly
game of V:tes.
Since most players can't attend on saturday or don't want to play at a
set location this could be a way to get players to come over since
they wanna have a promo card (I know sounds cheesy)
Anyway I for one like this league idea even though the price support
is shitty (so what else is new it's still WW) it just requires some
work all the princes over here in Holland are looking for ways to make
this a national event and it is a good way to get old rusted up
players to reach for they're V:tes again.
just my 2ct
Emile
"We are an ape with a symbiotic relationship to a mushroom"
Matthew T. Morgan
> No tallied results like former Storylines.
> No "winning clan" like former storylines.
> Not even the impetous of adding to your VKEN total, since the tourney
> is non standard.
To be sure, those aspects are dissappointing, but I think one has to give
WW credit for trying something new. If this isn't popular, then I imagine
we'll either go back to the old storyline format (even though there's no
story to influence any more) or try something else.
Some players are very excited about the format. Give them a chance to
like or not like it. Give yourself one while you're at it.
> "Boring Sidney.
> Boring. Boring. Boring."
"I don't want to be a punk any more. I want to be a rude boy like me
da'."
Matt Morgan
Robert Goudie
"Henrik Klippstr?m" <as...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5a3b0aea.04012...@posting.google.com...
The league is not intended as a permanent replacement of the storyline events
we've run before.
-Robert
Robert Goudie
Chairman, V:EKN
rob...@vtesinla.org
noodleboy
> WW credit for trying something new. If this isn't popular, then I imagine
> we'll either go back to the old storyline format (even though there's no
> story to influence any more) or try something else.
Full marks for trying something new. However, it seems to me that the
main draw point for the storylines is that YOU, personally, have a
hand in the worldwide game and can influence the content of future
releases. Not exactly sure why this aspect was dropped - I realise the
difficulties of having a winning "clan" since it would be boring to
play an 11 game league with the same decks over and over, but a Sect
based league would have worked.
This league seems to be just an offical "house rule" game, which most
folks have been playing on and off for years.
> Some players are very excited about the format. Give them a chance to
> like or not like it. Give yourself one while you're at it.
Not stopping anyone from liking it. Just stating one opinion.
> "I don't want to be a punk any more. I want to be a rude boy like me
> da'."
"Ever get the feeling you're being cheated?"
n
Jamie The Seppo
> we've run before.
>
> -Robert
>
>
> Robert Goudie
> Chairman, V:EKN
> rob...@vtesinla.org
Kewl beans!
It does sound like a great idea, and hopefully it can work into
something bigger, if this is looked at a trial run and all the bugs
worked out.
I do have one question that wasn't answered in the bio for the rules:
How much does the prize pack cost for this one?
Danke,
Jamie
The Seppo
The Lasombra
Seppo) wrote:
>I do have one question that wasn't answered in the bio for the rules:
>How much does the prize pack cost for this one?
US$29.99.
http://www.white-wolf.com/vtes/league/ProphKit.pdf
Carpe noctem.
Lasombra
Robert Goudie
"noodleboy" <nood...@iprimus.net.au> wrote in message
news:e72ec49.04012...@posting.google.com...
> Full marks for trying something new. However, it seems to me that the
> main draw point for the storylines is that YOU, personally, have a
> hand in the worldwide game and can influence the content of future
> releases. Not exactly sure why this aspect was dropped - I realise the
> difficulties of having a winning "clan" since it would be boring to
> play an 11 game league with the same decks over and over, but a Sect
> based league would have worked.
As Steve Wieck said in another forum,
"we are too far into the production of Gehenna to slip in cards after league
results could be tallied and story-wise after Gehenna hits in May a lot of
story line issues will need to be reset."
-Robert
--
Jeff Kuta
I wish they could have done it clan-based, but just don't worry about
giving out a clan card for the winner until later, even if that means
we wait for the promos for the set AFTER Gehenna. Even if you're just
playing for pride, that's something. ;)
Jeff
Robert Goudie
"Jeff Kuta" <jeff...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:621dd332.04013...@posting.google.com...
Certainly that was an option. However, I'm of the opinion that playing the
same clan for the duration of a league would be pretty boring. While you
could still play half a dozen different Ventrue decks and still be playing for
the same clan, the less robust clans would almost be ignored. I could find
enough variety in the Brujah to play dozens of games but that Daughters deck
is going to get pretty boring.
-Robert
Jeff Kuta
> "Jeff Kuta" <jeff...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:621dd332.04013...@posting.google.com...
> > "Robert Goudie" <rrgo...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:<bvcg2s$r85is$1...@ID-212757.news.uni-berlin.de>...
> > > "noodleboy" <nood...@iprimus.net.au> wrote in message
> > > news:e72ec49.04012...@posting.google.com...
> > >
> > giving out a clan card for the winner until later, even if that means
> > we wait for the promos for the set AFTER Gehenna. Even if you're just
> > playing for pride, that's something. ;)
>
> Certainly that was an option. However, I'm of the opinion that playing the
> same clan for the duration of a league would be pretty boring. While you
> could still play half a dozen different Ventrue decks and still be playing for
> the same clan, the less robust clans would almost be ignored. I could find
> enough variety in the Brujah to play dozens of games but that Daughters deck
> is going to get pretty boring.
Of course, but all it would take is for the Historian of each league
to record which clan took each Game Win. Voila! You have a winning
clan!
If you get tired of the Daughters, then you play someone else (or
maybe break out the Daughters when the Prophecy is Right! Come on
down!). I'll I'm saying is that the option to go clan-crazy to
whatever degree you choose would have been more fun. :)
Plus, as an added bonus, you'd have lots and lots of Game Win data,
not just finals winners, to more clearly see which clans need help.
Winning Tournaments is a high function of player skill/table
manipulation. Everyone wins a random game every now and again.
kushiel
> to record which clan took each Game Win. Voila! You have a winning
> clan!
>
> If you get tired of the Daughters, then you play someone else (or
> maybe break out the Daughters when the Prophecy is Right! Come on
> down!). I'll I'm saying is that the option to go clan-crazy to
> whatever degree you choose would have been more fun. :)
>
> Plus, as an added bonus, you'd have lots and lots of Game Win data,
> not just finals winners, to more clearly see which clans need help.
> Winning Tournaments is a high function of player skill/table
> manipulation. Everyone wins a random game every now and again.
I think this tournament is an absolutely fabulous idea. Do I want to
take part in Gehenna? Damn right!
As a side note, you *DO* have to pick which deck you're playing before
the envelopes are opened for the night, right? I mean, if not, I'd
definitely grab my Free States Rant should the Edge be worth three votes
that night, for example.
Kushiel
Robert Goudie
"kushiel" <thisi_s...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6f98ce2a.0402...@posting.google.com...
Correct.
--
Jeff Kuta
> As a side note, you *DO* have to pick which deck you're playing before
> the envelopes are opened for the night, right? I mean, if not, I'd
> definitely grab my Free States Rant should the Edge be worth three votes
> that night, for example.
From what I understand, the first night of the league, you open
Prophecies 1 and 2 and play with both. At the start of night #2 of the
league, the leader of the league decides which of the two Prophecies
is discarded (say #2). Then Prophecy #3 is opened so you play with
both 1 and 3 then. This gives the leader a chance to tweak their decks
for a slight advantage since they know for sure which Prophecy will
stick around. If older Prophecies stick around, you might end up with
#3 matched with #8 if the leader likes that one the best consistently.
noodleboy
> > all?
>
> Yeah, you are missing something. The Erciyes Fragment and Prophecies
> of Gehenna are new cards.
Hence my original statement:
"Aside from getting your hands on the promo cards [which will
hopefully be better than "Legion", aka "Drinks Coaster" and Lambach "I
gave up Cardinal for this?!" ADV], it seems a pretty pointless
exercise to me."
Read first. Type second.
n
salem
scrawled:
since i lost where your orional post went, i'm going to jump in here.
i kind of agree. i mean, having 'official' gehenna-y stuff go on as
variant rules in a league thing is all well and good. but if at the
end of the league you pick up your promos and sort them into your
collection, and that's the last you hear of your efforts, well, then,
it kind of feels a bit flat. an anti-climax, if you will.
i'm going to try and run one, but if the pack costs too much money (by
the time it gets to canberra and becomes australian dollars), hell,
local players will probably just wait for the promos to hit regular
circulation next year, and not be too keen for some variant house
rules that they didn't even get to develop themselves.
unless the promo cards are power-high broken, in which case people
will want to enter just to get a competative egde. but then that leads
to a whole other rant.
salem
domain:canberra http://www.geocities.com/salem_christ.geo/vtes.htm
Timlagor
> As a side note, you *DO* have to pick which deck you're playing before
> the envelopes are opened for the night, right? I mean, if not, I'd
> definitely grab my Free States Rant should the Edge be worth three votes
> that night, for example.
Similarly - does the rule that is being kept get chosen before or after
people pick their decks? (obvioulsy the leader will know)
Is choosing the rule supposed to let you have some control over the
rules and a bit of fun or give you a real advantage in deck
building/choosing?
Robert Goudie
"Timlagor" <Timlagor...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a872fcc...@news.freeserve.com...
> kushiel expounded:
> > As a side note, you *DO* have to pick which deck you're playing before
> > the envelopes are opened for the night, right? I mean, if not, I'd
> > definitely grab my Free States Rant should the Edge be worth three votes
> > that night, for example.
>
> Similarly - does the rule that is being kept get chosen before or after
> people pick their decks? (obvioulsy the leader will know)
Everybody picks their decks before either Prophecy is chosen.
> Is choosing the rule supposed to let you have some control over the
> rules and a bit of fun or give you a real advantage in deck
> building/choosing?
Both. It is not an accident that the leader has an advantage.
Timlagor
So the leader gets to play one round with that advantage and then
everyone can switch decks if there are more games being played with the
same rules. Sounds a bit strange but could be interesting. I don't much
like the idea of giving the person who has already proven able to win an
advantage myself.
Derek Rawlings
>
> So the leader gets to play one round with that advantage and then
> everyone can switch decks if there are more games being played with the
> same rules. Sounds a bit strange but could be interesting. I don't much
> like the idea of giving the person who has already proven able to win an
> advantage myself.
I don't know how much of an "advantage" it will really be, considering that are 4
other people at the same table as him that will be bitter about the choice that
leader just made ;).
I think the league is a great idea - I've done something similar myself with the
creation of little event cards that could randomly appear on the table. I can't
wait to start ousting!
Derek
Jeff Kuta
> Robert Goudie expounded:
> > "Timlagor" <Timlagor...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> > news:MPG.1a872fcc...@news.freeserve.com...
> > > rules and a bit of fun or give you a real advantage in deck
> > > building/choosing?
> >
> > Both. It is not an accident that the leader has an advantage.
>
> So the leader gets to play one round with that advantage and then
> everyone can switch decks if there are more games being played with the
> same rules. Sounds a bit strange but could be interesting. I don't much
> like the idea of giving the person who has already proven able to win an
> advantage myself.
It's called "fun." No one is supposed to know what the new Prophecy is
for the new day. For all anyone knows, the leader could be totally
screwed by the new Prophecy. The rest of the pack could very well
decide to metagame against the leader--they might be able to divine
which Prophecy they're more likely to keep based on known play style.
All for a T-shirt. Could get pretty cutthroat. ;)
Timlagor
> > > Both. It is not an accident that the leader has an advantage.
> >
> > So the leader gets to play one round with that advantage and then
> > everyone can switch decks if there are more games being played with the
> > same rules. Sounds a bit strange but could be interesting. I don't much
> > like the idea of giving the person who has already proven able to win an
> > advantage myself.
>
> I don't know how much of an "advantage" it will really be, considering that are 4
> other people at the same table as him that will be bitter about the choice that
> leader just made ;).
Now that is a very good point.
> I think the league is a great idea - I've done something similar myself with the
> creation of little event cards that could randomly appear on the table. I can't
> wait to start ousting!
I'm certainly looking forward to it.
Timlagor
> Timlagor <Timlagor...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message news:<MPG.1a88e4044...@news.freeserve.com>...
> > Robert Goudie expounded:
> > > "Timlagor" <Timlagor...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> > > news:MPG.1a872fcc...@news.freeserve.com...
> > > > Is choosing the rule supposed to let you have some control over the
> > > > rules and a bit of fun or give you a real advantage in deck
> > > > building/choosing?
> > >
> > > Both. It is not an accident that the leader has an advantage.
> >
> > So the leader gets to play one round with that advantage and then
> > everyone can switch decks if there are more games being played with the
> > same rules. Sounds a bit strange but could be interesting. I don't much
> > like the idea of giving the person who has already proven able to win an
> > advantage myself.
>
> It's called "fun." No one is supposed to know what the new Prophecy is
> for the new day. For all anyone knows, the leader could be totally
There is no reason why the new prophecy need necessarily be drawn at the
same time as the one to discard is chosen (you could announce which one
is staying at the end of the session and choose the new one when
everyone is seated for the next one).
I'm sure it will be fun anyway :-)
We can always gang up on the leader ;D
> screwed by the new Prophecy. The rest of the pack could very well
> decide to metagame against the leader--they might be able to divine
> which Prophecy they're more likely to keep based on known play style.
>
> All for a T-shirt. Could get pretty cutthroat. ;)
I ever have enough T-shirts :-)