OFFICIAL VEKN KIASYD NEWSLETTER VOL I ISSUE I DECEMBER 2001 1. Editorial 2. A Little History 3. Clan Overview 4. Vampire of the Month - Marconius 5. Card Feature - Riddle Phantastique - Shroud of Absence 6. Deck - Kiasyd Infiltration I 7. Deck - Carol Swingers (theme deck) 8. Outro ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. EDITORIAL Here it is at last. After a few minor (and not-so-minor) hiccups I have finally completed this, the first Kiasyd newsletter. Unbeknownst to the eminent Mr. Legbiter he has helped me out with this month as a total computer meltdown destroyed the original newsletter that was due to go out earlier this week. So thanks to him for featuring the Kiasyd in his Gangrel Antitribu newsletter which can be found here: http://legbiter.tripod.com/newsletter/january2002.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. A LITTLE HISTORY It is rumoured that that in the year 493 AD Marconius and his fellow conspirators worked on many unsuccessful experiments in the study of Obtenebration. Marconius volunteered to be the subject of an experiment that involved Shadow Court blood and a Teutonic potion. Success at last, Marconius' blood now constituted both Fae and Kindred blood. The experiments were kept a secret from the Lasombra for a time but all the conspirators were found and destroyed; all but Marconius. He was given to the Fae and not heard from until 1215 AD when he and his childer overran the city of Strasbourg, then held by the Ventrue, much to the delight of the Lasombra. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. CLAN OVERVIEW The Kiasyd have given us 5 new shiny vampires to play with. With some of the best of Mr Shy's artwork and a groovy, even if somewhat pansy (for vampires), background at least your section of the table will look cool if everything else fails. The Mytherceria cards themselves at first sight don't seem to have offered as much 'wow' factor as other cards in Bloodlines but on the whole do seem fairly solid and versatile. All the Kiasyd have Dominate (only 2 have superior) which is perhaps one of the most versatile disciplines and with Obtenebration and Mytherceria the Kiasyd will undoubtedly be a great toolbox option. Auspex also makes an appearance on 3 of the vampires and 2 of the new reaction cards, Aura Absorption and Folderol, make use of Auspex. Aura Absorption can be likened to Spectral Divination that costs 0 and shows again the versatility of the Bloodline and while we are at it, 2 vampires have Necromancy as well. It is too early to guess yet but the Kiasyd will probably have a more subtle impact on the game than some of the other Bloodlines and certainly do not offer any major strategy shifts. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. VAMPIRE OF THE MONTH Marconius capacity: 9 disciplines: DOM MYT OBT pot title: Archbishop specials: Sabbat Archbishop of Strasbourg: Cards requiring Mytherceria cost Marconius 1 less blood to play. +1 strength. Cold iron vulnerability. Another vampire to add to the arsenal of the Lasombra voters. With Dominate and Obtenebration at superior he will blend in seamlessly with the non-Presence voters, apart from not benefiting from Power Structure. His pot will also enable you to include him in a Lasombra bruise deck although Lucita and Gratiano (both with pot) are 1 cap younger and his older Lasombra cousins, Angelica, Antonio and Ambrosio have POT. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. CARD FEATURE Riddle Phantastique type: Action requires: Kiasyd cost: 2 blood (D) Put this card on an ally or younger vampire who is not Malkavian or Malkavian Antitribu. Put X riddle counters on this card, where X is half the capacity of the acting vampire (round down). The minion with this card burns 1 riddle counter instead of untapping during his or her untap phase. Burn this card when the last counter is removed. You may not play this card if another Riddle Phantastique is in play. Burn option. What do you see? Sensory deprivation? A few have already commented on their similarity but the Riddle has more disadvantages and only costs 1 less. Oh, I'm not complaining, taking out your predator's power voter/bleeder for a while is good stuff. Do the disadvantages warrant leaving it out of a deck? Well, you certainly couldn't make it the focus of the deck but 1 or 2 could be just enough to save your butt or even someone else's. Yes, confuse Beast by giving him a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas, his prey will love you .. for a while at least. Shroud of Absence type: Action Modifier requires: Dominate & Obtenebration [dom][obt]: +1 stealth. [DOM][OBT]: As [dom][obt] above, and if this action is blocked, this vampire may end combat as a strike during the first round of combat. Not much to say about this one, just to note that it is a free stealth for those little Lasombra. The superior of the card isn't too hot because you never wanted to be blocked in the first place but the inferior carries the card well enough. Shame it has to be rare but then again, you'll probably only want a couple unless you're building a weenie Lasombra dom/obt bleed deck. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. DECK - KIASYD INFILTRATION I A pretty standard Lasombra vote affair with Marconius, Riddle Phantastique and Shroud of Absence being the only cards from Bloodlines added. It swept 2 3-player games but would probably need the full 90 cards for a five player. I've edited the crypt display to show only those disciplines and also shown that all but 2 of the vampires have Potence for those who want a more aggressive combat module. I have tried to be as efficient as possible so there are no Mytherceria cards in here. Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 18, Max: 38, Avg: 7.58) ---------------------------------------------- 2 DOM OBT POT 10, Lasombra, Cardinal - Angelica 2 DOM OBT pot 9, Kiasyd, Archbishop - Marconius 2 DOM OBT POT 9, Lasombra, Archbishop - Francisco 1 DOM OBT POT 9, Lasombra, Archbishop - Antonio Delgado 2 DOM OBT pot 8, Lasombra, Priscus - Gratiano 1 dom obt 4, Lasombra - Ramiro 1 dom obt pot 4, Lasombra - Ignacio 1 obt 2, Lasombra - Aaron Duggan Library: (72 cards) ------------------- Master (12 cards) 1 Blood Doll 1 Creepshow Casino 1 Dreams of the Sphinx 1 Golconda: Inner Peace 1 Information Highway 1 Legendary Vampire 1 Major Boon 2 Minion Tap 1 Power Structure 1 Sudden Reversal 1 Zillah's Valley Action (10 cards) 4 Govern the Unaligned 2 Riddle Phantastique 4 Scouting Mission Action Modifier (17 cards) 4 Blanket of Night 2 Conditioning 1 Cryptic Rider 2 Private Audience 4 Shadow Play 4 Shroud of Absence Political Action (9 cards) 1 Banishment 1 Cardinal Benediction 1 Dramatic Upheaval 6 Kine Resources Contested Reaction (15 cards) 6 Deflection 1 Delaying Tactics 4 Obedience 4 Wake with Evening's Freshness Combat (9 cards) 1 Entombment 4 Oubliette 4 Shadow Body ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. DECK - CARROL SWINGERS (theme deck) This deck was quickly whipped together after I got 4 Echo of Harmonies. The original version forced Obfuscate but after reading Rob Treasure's December 2001 issue of the Ventrue newsletter I thought I would go for the unblockables (Day Op and Daring the Dawn). Ankla's special helps in this respect. After playtesting I've decided to throw out the Daughters of Cacophony and replace with Ventrue to help with the pool gain, bleed bounce, permanent votes, intercept and groovy add-ons. Everything really. Crypt: (12 cards, Min: 11, Max: 33, Avg: 5.42) ---------------------------------------------- 3 CHI FOR PRE 9, Ravnos - Ankla Hotep 2 chi FOR MEL pre 6, Daughters of Cacophony - Gael Pilet 1 CHI for pre 5, Ravnos - Khalil Ravana 2 for MEL PRE 5, Daughters of Cacophony - Angela Preston 1 for MEL pre 4, Daughters of Cacophony - Delilah Monroe 1 for mel 3, Daughters of Cacophony - Muse 1 for 3, Ravnos - Lazar Dobrescu 1 for 1, Pander - March Halcyon Library: (64 cards) ------------------- Master (10 cards) 1 Bastille Opera House 1 Creepshow Casino 1 Direct Intervention 1 Dreams of the Sphinx 1 Fortune Teller Shop 1 Giant's Blood 1 Humanitas 1 Information Highway 1 Paris Opera House 1 Sudden Reversal Action (6 cards) 6 Sensory Deprivation Action Modifier (32 cards) 4 Awe 2 Bewitching Oration 6 Daring the Dawn 6 Day Operation 4 Echo of Harmonies 4 Freak Drive 6 Voter Captivation Political Action (8 cards) 8 Kine Resources Contested Combat (8 cards) 4 Majesty 4 Skin of Steel ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. OUTRO Well, that is it for this month's newsletter, more in the new year after the self induced toxication has been remedied. All comments, articles, money and abuse can be sent to me at sinkus@hotmail.com. ok .. party on. John Barclay sinkus@hotmail.com Just left of the middle of nowhere.