Eternal Dream Productions:

Dark Ages Elder Guide (Based off of the MES Point System)

This guide is a working document and not finished or

finalized in any section.

The proper portrayal of an Elder vampire is one of the most contentious topics of debate between
Storytellers and VtM players at large. In canon material, folklore, and various media sources, the Elder
vampire is a master manipulator whose machinations span time and distance, capturing numerous others
in their web. Quantifying “a good Elder” is a nearly impossible undertaking, but through a series of
conversations with players and Storytellers over the years a number of common variables have emerged;
it is from these sources that this document has been created. The purpose of this document is to
establish a framework for playing Elder characters in the Dark Ages Setting. This document puts forth a
number of expectations for play in broad terms and, more specifically, a persistent Point System weighted
towards desirable qualities.

Requirements for All Elder Status Characters

In this Chronicle, Vampires with elder status are a category of vampires that are over 300 years old and
of the 8th generation or better. No vampire embraced under 300 years of age will be considered a true
Elder regardless of their Generation. ​The Storytelling Staff will not be approving any 6th gen that are
less than 300 years since embrace at character creation.

7th and 8th Generation characters can acquire the “Elder status” with approval and 6th Generation
characters are required to have “Elder status” ​in order to be approved for play. As with any Approval,
playing an Elder is a privilege. The Point System detailed below is intended to maintain a baseline quality
aspect of Elder play. Violating the expectations in this document, to include failing to adhere to the listed
expectations, will result in the player being warned and potentially culminating in the removal of the PC
from play.

Elder Categories
Elders are grouped into four types:

Luminary (6th Generation)(Minimum of 300 years old) - Nearly all Luminary Elders existed before the
Sects were formed and each is a fearsome creature in its own right. These vampires are seen as
pure-blooded reflections of the ancient founders, with extremely thick and potent vitae. They should act
primarily through agents and pawns. When they take direct personal action it should be something of
significance or have serious implications for all involved.

Master (7th Generation)- ​These frighteningly potent vampires are paragons of their clans. Their vitae is
powerful and exceedingly pure. They are the Elders who visually implement the long-term plans of their
Luminary Sire and are more prone to take more direct action than their sires. However, they also have
their own agenda and their own power base. Sometimes their plans can be at the behest of the Luminary
(like Sauron and Saruman) or they can be working to undermine their Sire. Regardless they are
dangerous rivals and allies.
Pretender (8th Generation) - ​A vampiric Pretender Elder is a powerful creature, with blood just thick
enough to support one of her kind’s most potent powers — but only one. At this stage, a vampire’s blood
still retains a certain flexibility. Pretender Elders are the ones most likely to take direct action. They are
usually seen implementing ideas and leading from the front when things need to get done. Even still, they
would rather work through lieutenants and underlings to make the world move to their whim. Out of all the
Elders, those of the 8th Generation have to be the most guarded, as the Ancillae below them are often
jockeying for their position and the Master Elders above them are working to ensure they remain in place
(or if they become a viable threat, are removed).

ALT ID ELDER - ​If you use ALT for Elder Status you will be held to the same guidelines and
expectations.

Dark Ages Elder Expectations 

Elder status(Note: 6th gen’s are required to follow)
With age, a vampire becomes more cunning, more deadly, more feared, more hated, more resented, and
more powerful. As the blood congeals and the skin turns to parchment, the heart, mind, and soul begin to
rot, driving the Elder to seek further luxurious escapes of cruelty and deception. To all other vampires
Elders demonstrate what happens after a tragedy. As centuries-old blood-sucking monsters, Elders
cannot and should not pretend to be living humans for they are inherently the corruption of time and the
foulness of aged blood. One is only an Elder through age. As such, all Elders recall similar events of the
past and are generally resistant to change. The ways of all Elders are similar, which breeds both a sense
of familiarity and contempt, as Elders grow older and colder together. In the end, true Elders should be
fear incarnate and full of power, hatred, jealousy, lies, spite, and intrigue.

The following are in-character expectations for all Elder PCs:

❖ 2 Player Vassals ​- An Elder candidate must have at least two public Vassals which must be other
PC’s. These can be either Sworn or Blood oath but all parties must be in agreement in order to grant
the player wishing to have Elder status. Note: Only two of these Vassals are required, A player may
have any number of Vassals and only two are required to be public(IE: Everyone knows who your
Public Vassals are.)
❖ Mechanical: An Elder candidate must have been influencing the city of Constantinople for at least
300 years and have at least a minimum of 3 dots in the Generation Background. How you do this is
determined by the player, but generally a short backstory will suffice. Note: If you have 5 dots in
Generation you must have the Elder Status.
❖ The Point System (Borrowed from MES): ​Each elder Candidate will be required to meet the
minimum threshold in order to be considered. (See below)
❖ ALWAYS​​ Honor the Boon System.
❖ ALWAYS ​publically respect Elysium
❖ Clan Stereotypes - ​Each Clan additionally has some of its own stereotypes concerning their Elders.
Note: This is entirely up to the player but we strive for consistency and creativity. You should feel
free to create interesting and unique “Quirks” about your elder but please follow each clans
stereotypes and stay consistent.
❖ Stated Focus ​- Elder PCs should have one “focus” that they are willing to risk their lives for. It
should be something that falls in line with the archetypes of that PC’s Clan. This represents the
biggest drive behind the Elder’s existence and could even be considered an obsession. This focus
may change once during the course of play, but it is not something that would happen casually. It
should be representative of a life-shattering event and be role-played accordingly.
 ❖ Scandals - Elder PCs should immediately attempt to distance themselves publicly from any scandal
that arises. If an Elder’s descendent or minion is involved in a scandal the Elder should punish that
person once the scandal has blown over; in extreme cases, that may mean cutting off their own
childer or other close allies.

The Point System  

An Elder Character is required to meet an Elder Creation Point Threshold. Each Elder Generation is
assigned a specific point threshold. The breakdown is as follows:

GENERATION ELDER POINT THRESHOLD

8th 4

7th 6

6th 8

Elder Characters who wish to have elder status must choose from the below menu of items, and from the
item menu for their character’s. Some items have a positive value and some have a negative value. Items
with a positive value count toward the Elder Point Threshold goal. Items with a negative value detract
from the Elder Point Threshold goal. Any item that is not listed has no effect on the Elder Point Threshold
goal. If a character sheet is rewritten after the initial approval, it must always conform to the Threshold
requirement, even if items that were previously added to it were removed. This must be clearly stated as
a change.

UNIVERSAL POINT THRESHOLD ITEMS FOR ALL ELDERS VALUE

Skill: Firearms(Crossbows) at any level at character creation -1

Skill: Carriages(Drive) at any level at character creation -1

Skill: Science at level 3 or higher at character creation -1

Background: Fame, negative per level -1

Merit: Daredevil -1

Merit: Efficient Learner -1

Merit: Light Sleeper -1

Merit: Unbondable -2

Flaw: Curiosity -2

Flaw: Foreigner
-3
Social Primary Character +1

Mental Primary Character +1

Skill: Animal Ken at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Athletics at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Crafts at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Leadership at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Linguistics at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Lore at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Melee at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Occult at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Skill: Survival at level 3 or higher at character creation +1

Background: Influence at level 3 at character creation +1

Background: Resources at level 3 at character creation +1

Background: Retainers - Possessing more than 3 Retainers at character creation +1

Merit: House Founder +1

Merit: Loremaster +1

Flaw: Cursed​ (Only counted once, even if PC takes Cursed multiple times) +1

Flaw: Dark Secret +1

Flaw: Illiterate +1

Flaw: Methuselah’s Thirst +1

Flaw: Notoriety +1

Flaw: Overconfident +1

Flaw: Archaic +2

Flaw: Dull +2

Flaw: Hunted +2

Having more than 2 Vassal PC’s. +2

At least one Minor Boon owed to two different Elder player characters from a +2
different clan.