Hey folks, first, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Secondly, I have been swamped the past several months working on a joint project with Welcome to the Party RPG and Soulbear RPG to coordinate, write, and prepare a multi-Twitch stream chronicle set in the tumultuous times of 1943 Los Angeles. I am proud to present this as a hub for all of the collected and created materials (as well as information) on the upcoming chronicles.
If you would like to read my review of Vampire: the Masquerade 5th Edition on EncounterRoleplay.com, click the link.
What is Vampire: the Masquerade?
Vampire: the Masquerade is a tabletop RPG implementing a d10 dice-pool system that focuses on political intrigue and personal horror as players take on the roles of deadly nocturnal bloodsuckers. Vampire is a game with a large in-depth political intrigue metaplot set by the various vampire clans and different factions. Players must struggle against the ever-present hunger of the Beast while retaining what semblance of humanity has been left after they become “embraced.” Vampire is published by White Wolf Publishing and was first released in 1991. I started playing in 2007 using the 1998 Revised ruleset (or V3). A Vampire 20th Anniversary Edition was released in late 2011, which presented revised rulesets and acted as a compendium with most of the pertinent information previously published as supplement material during the game’s life. The latest 5th Edition rules were posted and released in August 2018 at Gen Con. I was fortunate to have a review copy and purchased my own printed book at that Gen Con. The mechanics are well-polished for the modern tabletop environment while presenting great storytelling avenues.
What is A Crusade of Thorns?
A Crusade of Thorns is a Vampire: the Masquerade 5th Edition (V5) chronicle set in Los Angeles in 1943. The game takes place several months before the infamous Zoot Suit Riots, along with the bustling rise of Hollywood (Tinseltown), and the surge of industry as the military wages war on the Pacific Front during World War 2. Racial tensions are high, the populace is fearful of an attack by the Japanese, and there is undeclared war hidden under the veil of the night between the lost established Camarilla and the Anarch Movement. The game will consist of three separate stories centered on the main factions within the world of Vampire: the Masquerade, notably the Camarilla, the Anarchs, and the Sabbat. All of which are under the umbrella of a large metaplot.
You can find one of the teaser books about the story and the setting here.
Each chronicle will premiere in early January with the following dates listed and will follow the schedule depicted below on their respective Twitch channels.
The Cast and Chronicles
Within A Crusade of Thorns, you have three distinct stories (or chronicles) being played on a partial delay from each other, but each having an impact on the overall environment of 1943’s LA. This may seem familiar to you if you have participated in a large-scale LARP (live-action roleplay). In the instance of multiple parallel campaigns, you have individual GMs (or Storytellers) to run each of the games with a Head GM (ST) to direct the momentum of the narrative and supportive GMs (STs) who are outside of the games. The events in each individual campaign (or chronicle) can influence the stories of others and the setting, empowering character choices, and creating an authentic, living world.
Storytellers
– Sean Sarah (@throckplays), co-founder of Welcome to the Party RPG and Head Storyteller.
– Jacky Leung (@deathbymage), that’s me! I’m the Content Editor & Global Storyteller.
– Quinn Sullivan (@soulibon), co-Founder of SoulbearRPG and Anarch chronicle Storyteller.
– Benjamin “Zed” Chronister (@zedecxz), Sabbat Storyteller and Storyteller on the Welcome to the Party RPG where he runs their New to the Party game.
Sabbat Cast
Anarch Cast
Camarilla Cast
Episode List
*Unfortunately, episode 6 for the Camarilla story was lost due to recording issues.
Supporting Rainbow Railroad
While the stories within Vampire the Masquerade depict modern horror and are a work of fiction, within the framework of the setting (of both the main game and our chronicle), difficult subjects will arise. Subjects, we believe, are important to be told. We (the cast & storytellers) are committed to telling these stories with sensitivity, without shying away from these ugly truths. We wish to support LGBTQAI+ Communities in crisis around the world through the Rainbow Railroad organization and invite our viewers & readers to join us. Click on the link to learn more.
Additional Resources
Along with the different chronicles, the storytellers have been hard at work creating guides and rulesets for the players, especially for our Sabbat playgroup. Below, you will find the links for the guides written for A Crusade of Thorns.
- The Camarilla Book
- The Sabbat Book
- Ravnos & Chimerstry Beta Rules
- Kuei-Jin & Equipoise v5 Beta Rules
- Missed an episode? The Camarilla & Sabbat chronicles and the Anarch chronicle are available on YouTube.
KNX Columbia Radio Newscasts
Over the course of the chronicles, we will be featuring radio news beats. Some of the beats are from actual events, and then there will be influences from our chronicles.
Closing Statements
The Storytellers & Casts look forward to delving into these stories within the upcoming weeks and months ahead. Please support them and tune in to watch the epic story unfold. We hope you enjoy the story we wish to tell.
Death By Mage 