VEKN Nosferatu Clan Newsletter - December 9, 2000.
Number 24
Section 1.0 INTRODUCTION
Section 2.0 ECHOES IN THE TUNNEL: Second Front Looming
Section 3.0 INTELIGENCE OPERATIONS: New Sabbat Resources
Section 4.0 CRYPT & LIBRARY: Bring Out the Clan
Section 5.0 CLAN RESOURCES: Kindred Intelligence
Section 6.0 POINTLESS POEM: A love poem, by Tiberius Scandalmonger
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Greeting fellow elders, and welcome to the December 2000 issue of the Nosferatu
Clan Newsletter. We apologize for the delay in its appearance. Unfortunately,
several of our informants got themselves caught and squished by Tzimisce
ghouls, and it put us somewhat behind schedule. Things can get rather hairy
here in the Sabbat capital of New York City.
Anyway, in this issue, we offer some basic intelligence on the new Sabbat
tactics and resouces, a Jyhad strategy featuring Kindred Intelligence, a love
poem by Tiberius Scandalmonger, and assorted rumors and speculation regarding
the future direction of the Eternal Struggle.
2.0 ECHOES IN THE TUNNEL
This month the Sabbat offensive has been grinding to a halt for lack of
supplies. It is too soon, however, to start breathing easily. Sources say
that reinforcements are being prepared, and we can expect a second wave to hit
sometime this January.
The Sabbat and Camarilla are starting to join in serious contention, but it
remains too soon to decide if there has been any major shift in the balance of
power. Here in the Northeast, there has yet to be a reckoning of great
significance. We will definitely know more by next month, but in the meantime,
check out our INTELIGENCE OPERATIONS section for discussion of new Sabbat
resources that might conceivably alter the balance of power.
In the meantime, we have definite information that the independent clans are on
the move in an effort to take advantage of the success of the Sabbat War. We
know nothing of their specific strategies, which will not be revealed until May
of next year. There has been some suspicion that the Ravnos will not be
reasserting themselves in these Final Nights, since they, like the Tremere
Antitribu, have recently endured a holocaust that has wiped out the vast
majority of their clan. It is argued that since those foul Warlocks failed to
make a reappearance in the Sabbat offensive, this bodes ill for the prospect of
seeing any surviving Ravnos.
But we suspect that to make such arguments is to read the signs incorrectly.
We believe that the primary reason that the !Tremere failed to appear in the
Sabbat offensive is that there was no room for them. Had there been some
pressing need, then those powers that have orchestrated this offensive could
easily have dug up a few !Tremere survivors (or corrupted a few Camarilla
members - always a good source of recruits) and embroiled them in the Jyhad
once again. So why was this not done? Probably because it is difficult enough
to satisfy the ambitions of the 8 clans that remain in evidence without adding
one more. The disappearance of the !Tremere provided an opportunity to quell
the factiousness of the Sabbat and pull them together in a more focussed
effort. Similar considerations, we suspect, led to the leashing of the Pander.
None of this applies to the Ravnos, and we fully expect to see these shifty
devils reasserting themselves. We have strong suspicions, however, that the
ethnic Rom Gypsy members, who formerly succeeded in defining the clan as their
own, have been shattered beyond recovery. When the survivors re-emerge and
redefine the clan, we do not expect this ethnic connection to remain as
predominant.
In late-breaking news, rumors of Ravnos survival received strong confirmation
yesterday. Rumblings from antediluvian powers revealed that FOUR independent
clans would make a resurgence in the Final Nights. Schemes are underway to
ensure that they seize sufficient power to challenge the Camarilla and Sabbat
clans. Pre-arranged Crypts and Libraries for all four have already been
devised for the initial maneuvers (which may be delayed until June), while at
least 150 new vampires and resources have been marshaled for the formulation of
backup strategies and alternative plans.
3.0 INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS
For starters, we have learned that the Sabbat leaders have developed a new set
of guidelines for the creation and training of neonates for use as SHOCK
TROOPS. These have yet to appear in force, and there has been considerable
debate as to how to employ them to maximum benefit. There seems to be
agreement that if they are embraced one at a time this will only give enemies
an opportunity to catch and squish them during their initial clumsy hunting
efforts. It has therefore been advocated that steps should be made to ensure
that they are released in numbers at one time. One scheme is for these
newly-embraced to be sealed into soundproof coffins and kept in STORAGE ANNEXes
until one is ready to set them loose. Another is to use elders with advanced
obfuscate powers to cloak their initial clumsy hunting efforts.
Another problem, and one of far greater potential seriousness, is that the
Sabbat leaders seem to have vastly improved their information and spy networks.
Once a Sabbat leader succeeds in putting such a spy network in place, it
becomes extremely difficult to get away with anything within their domain.
These spy networks are referred to ETERNAL VIGILENCE networks, and are already
posing an immense problem for Camarilla leaders who attempt counter-attacks or
espionage within Sabbat territory. We Nosferatu will still likely be able to
sneak in with the help of deep-stealth tactics, but we cannot be everywhere at
once, and even we might be foiled by such a strategy were it supplemented by an
army of RAVEN SPYs. The best way to respond to such systems is to prevent
their being established in the first place ... to block their development ...
whenever such efforts are detected.
While we Nosferatu are still confident of our abilities to deal with the
Sabbat's ETERNAL VIGILENCE networks, we must sadly report that we are no longer
able to infiltate the Sabbat's most private central chambers. It is in such
places that important machinations are often planned. Prior to now, The
Camarilla has generally been able to get news of Sabbat political maneuverings
and put forth appropriate counter-influences. Their security measures,
however, have greatly improved, and now, when they conduct a PRIVATE AUDIENCE,
it is truly private. One distressing factor is that it now appears that they
will be able to secretly influence the selection of Justicars for the clans of
the Camarilla. This has totally infuriated the leaders of the Camarilla, who
remain totally unable to counterattack by influencing the selection of Sabbat
Cardinals.
Geographically, battle lines have changed little, except that the Sabbat
stronghold of New York City has emerged as a power center. Including New
York, there are now 32 cities that may be considered of strategic importance in
the Jyhad. Six of these (Detroit, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, and Toronto) are firmly in Sabbat control. Four more (Atlanta,
Chicago, Houston, and Miami) remain contested areas, whose control may shift
between sects, or whose resources can be contested by Prince and Archbishop.
Two cities are, despite a Camarilla presence, strongly influenced by
independent clans (Istanbul and Venice, by the Assamites and Giovanni
respectively). This still leaves twenty (20!) cities that (until now at least)
have been safely under Camarilla control.
But now, a new Sabbat tactic threatens even those strongholds that were
formerly considered safe. The Sabbat can now challenge Camarilla power in
any city, be it Cleveland, or London, or Cairo, in a blunt assault that
bypasses subtle maneuverings, and replaces them with considerations of numbers
and brute force. This is of particular concern for Methuselahs who use
Camarilla-controlled cities as political bases - for no matter what city he
choose as his base, a BLOOD SIEGE can rip it from his grasp. The downside to
the tactic (from the POV of those who use it) is that raw strength can easily
go against you if more than one Methuselah decides to oppose your bid for
power. However, with proper planning and a well-timed FESTIVO DEL ESTINTO or
two, it may well be possible to prevail in such wars of attrition against a
whole coven of Methuselahs, especially if one is capable of pulling off several
such combos in succession. Sadly, the Camarilla lacks any comparable means of
counterattack, that might challenge Sabbat control of their own strongholds.
To prevail in such wars of attrition, it helps to keep ones minions well fed.
Like their Camarilla counterparts, Sabbat leaders can use their position to
reward and feed their underlings. Their approach to doling out vitae is
different from that of Camarilla princes, with their Tradition of Hospitality.
Rather than feed those who come and stay, instead they reward those who get up
and go. Thus it is that the BLOOD OF THE SABBAT is doled out to chosen
beneficiaries, on a case-by-case basis, only when they are successful in
completing missions in hostile territory. Their seems to be an increased
emphasis on the carrot as opposed to the stick in promoting devotion in
lackeys. The Sabbat's traditional draconian penalties for Failure of Mission
have been curtailed to the point where they provide no worthwhile options for
Methuselah strategists.
3.0 CRYPT & LIBRARY
This months Crypt and Library strategies are an experimental exploration of one
of our clan resources - namely the KINDRED INTELLIGENCE that allows us to rally
and influence other vampires to our assistance. In this case, we are
attempting to use this resources in a scheme to rally the entire Nosferatu
clan. Since this is somewhat experimental, we do not necessarily recommend it
for extremely high-stakes situations. Nonetheless, we think you may find it
reasonably competitive in many circumstances, and entertaining in them all. So
without further ado ...
BRING OUT THE CLAN
CRYPT (23)
One Each of 23 Nosferatu Vampires
LIBRARY (22 Masters; 68 Minion)
1 x Animalism
7 x Dominate
2 x Minion Tap
4 x Blood Doll
1 x Recruitment
1 x Powerbase: Montreal
1 x Elesium: Palace of Versailles
1 x Information Highway
1 x The Labyrinth
1 x The Parthenon
1 x Slum Hunting Grounds
1 x Tomb of Rameses III
11x Kindred Intelligence
6 x Fourth Tradition: The Accounting
1 x Second Tradition: Domain
1 x Fifth Tradition: Hospitality
1 x Political Stranglehold
3 x Consanguinous Boon
1 x Nosferatu Justicar
1 x Praxis Siezure: Washington D.C
1 x Rumors of Gehenna
1 x Aid from Bats
1 x Shepherd's Innocence
6 x Govern the Unaligned
4 x Deflection
2 x Behind You
3 x Cloak the Gathering
2 x Faceless Night
3 x Forgotten Labyrinth
1 x Hidden Lurker
3 x Lost in Crowds
1 x Psychic Veil
2 x Swallowed by the Night
2 x Death of My Conscience
2 x Sacrament of Carnage
1 x Thrown Gate
1 x Closed Session
3 x Pack Tactics
3 x Wake with Evenings Freshness
Strategy is simply to bring out as many vampires as possible, in the hopes of
having so many in play that they will become an impossible nuisance. Small
vampires use KINDRED INTELLIGENCE to bring more into your uncontrolled region.
Large vampires use the FOURTH TRADITION or GOVERN THE UNALIGNED to bring
additional vampires under your control. DOMINATE masters serve a dual purpose,
increasing the capacity of large vampires so as to improve options in targeting
younger vampires in your uncontrolled region, and also permitting the use of
GOVERN THE UNALIGNED at superior. If you draw an opportunity for RECRUITMENT,
we recommend that either NIKOLAUS VERMEULEN or MARTY LECHTANSI (with superior
Dominate) be summoned.
We must apologize that so far we have not yet presented strategies that feature
newly available resources (though we did include Powerbase: Montreal). We
certainly expect to rectify this by next month's issue. Our operatives are
currently hard at work in Detroit to expose the strategies of the detestable
Archbishop Cailean, and his diabolical plans to seize control of the Northeast.
By the New Year, we plan to reveal the entire evil scheme.
4.0 CLAN RESOURCES
One important clan resource, featured prominently in this month's library, is
KINDRED INTELLIGENCE. This is a tactic that mimics the power of the ever
popular EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT, but saves a Master phase. If you need to get a
new vampire into play, Kindred Inteligence saves you both time and pool -- one
pool and 4 transfers worth to be exact - as a +1 stealth action. The action
can be blocked, but that is not a problem that is likely to foil Nosferatu. To
make effective use of this tactic, you need to combine it with resources that
target your uncontrolled region. A partial list of such resources follows,
which will hopefully provide food for devious plans:
Fourth Tradition: The Accounting (Prince / Justicar)
Govern the Unaligned (Dominate)
Enchant Kindred (Presence)
Nikolaus Vermeulen (Nosferatu Crypt)
Nosferatu Kingdom (Nosferatu Antitribu Master)
Powerbase: Montreal
Tomb of Rameses III
We also include the following, for completeness sake, though it would require
some effort to make them useful to Nosferatu:
Gang Territory (Brujah Antitribu Master)
Eco Terrorists (Gangrel Master)
Arcane Library (Tremere Master)
Wasserschloss Anif, Austria (Tremere Master)
Recruiting Party (Ventrue Antitribu)
Of all the above, only POWERBASE: MONTREAL is newly available in the Sabbat
War. While it was stuck into this month's library more or less as an
afterthought, it will prove expecially valuable in those Nosferatu libraries
that feature intercept capability. In such cases, a Kindred Intelligence or
two in your Nosferatu deck will help to make sure you can always benefit from
what amounts to one pool per turn. Another advantage to Powerbase: Montreal
is that the Nosferatu can always steal it back, often before opponents ever get
a chance to use it.
5.0 POINTLESS POEM
MIRANDA, MIRANDA
Miranda, Miranda, your pus-covered pout
Paints purple putrescence all over my snout.
But the powers in your blood (that you stole from some guy)
Fill me with a love that I cannot deny.
For it gives you a vigor that makes your joints squawk
As it battles the rigor that mortis has wrought
And it lends such an aura of glamour and grace
That it covers your magotty gas-bloated face.
While the world stil has damsels to drain in their sleep
You will have what is needed to make my heart weep.
For they lend you the freshness that makes you divine.
Though you're still a corpse, you will always be mine.
-- Tiberius Scandalmonger
Edited by John Whelan (jbwhelan@dorsai.org). Submissions welcome: decks,
strategy, poetry, humor, ... anything with a Nosferatu theme.
This issue's contributors:
Tiberius Scandalmonger
Varous anonymous informants (may they rest in peace)