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HOUSE RULES
Updated 1/23/2022

Welcome to Shadows Crossing (SC), a chronicle of the Worldwide organization One World by Night (OWbN).

The purpose of this document is to clarify portions of the Mind’s Eye Theater rules as designed by White Wolf, and to
assist the Storyteller (ST) Staff with both In Character (IC) and Out of Character (OOC) resources and adjudications.
Because of the nature of the game, and the evolution of the game throughout the last 20 years, the rules need to be
adjusted, modified, changed, or kept in order to facilitate a positive role-playing pastime.

To achieve this, the following rules, clarifications and guidelines are listed.

All players in Shadows Crossing, and visitors must abide by the OWbN Code of Conduct, AND Shadows Crossing Code
of Conduct. It is assumed you have read the OWbN Charter, and at least skimmed the Bylaws.

All characters require HST approval before entering play and must always abide by the OWbN Bylaws and Shadows
Crossing House Rules.

The storytelling staff may make exceptions for approval, or, disallow any concept if they do not feel it is conducive to an
interesting or positive gaming environment.

The in-character setting for OWbN is a shared history based on player, Storyteller, and Coordinator activity. Since the
inception of the organization, OWbN has never reset its chronicle, so our history is organic, it’s not exactly what you will
find written in the books. If you’re expecting BNS continuity, you will not find it here. Please consult the Sect and Clan
packets for further details.

CONTACTING THE SHADOWS CROSSING STAFF:

HST: shadowscrossingst@gmail.com - Heather
AST (Discord): shadowscrossingast@gmail.com Eli (Narrator)
Downtimes: shadows-crossing-downtime@googlegroups.com
Character Sheet Admin: scsheetmonkey@gmail.com Kyle
Council Member: shadowscrossingcm@gmail.com Woody
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Player Advocate: sc.player.rep@gmail.com Eli

CODE OF CONDUCT
A wide variety of abhorrent behavior around consent, gender, LGBT rights, civil rights and a score of other human rights is
now, and has always been highly problematic. Recently this behavior is more commonly being recognized by our culture
as objectionable. This Code of Conduct will attempt to set a standard of what is considered acceptable behavior while
participating in this chronicle. It does not address every scenario, nor provide specific guidance for every action, rather a
few guidelines, and is a call for respect and civility, when interacting with your fellow OWbN members. Before you take
action, ask yourself, if this same action were being done to me, or my loved ones how would I feel? If the answer is I
would object, don’t do it.

● Follow all real world Laws and conform to the OWbN Code of Conduct while participating in Shadows Crossing.
● Real life comes first.
● Be respectful of your fellow players, storytelling staff, and anyone else participating in the chronicle. This means
several things, such as not deliberately misgendering someone, yelling at, OOC manipulating, and intimidating
another person. Verbal or written harassment of a Player or Chronicle staff will not be tolerated under any
circumstances. This includes internet trolling, and/or deliberately concealing your OOC identity from staff. Any
participant may be asked to leave immediately for harassment, followed by consideration for a game ban and
OWbN Org disciplinary action. This includes any email/chat correspondence while portraying your Chronicle PC
as well.
● Know your limits, if you find you are getting too worked up, seek a cool down period. If the game is becoming too
difficult to manage for your well being, take a break.
● Alcohol/Medication: We encouraged players to take medication as directed by their Doctors. If you are over legal
drinking age and like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage, we don’t have a problem with that. However, if you come to
the game inebriated, or become inebriated during the game, you may be asked to leave by the Chronicle staff.
Any IC actions taken while inebriated are considered valid IC actions. Illegal Drugs, or being under the influence
of illegal drugs is not permitted at the game.
● No touching of another player or staff, unless each participant involved has given direct consent in the presence
of Chronicle staff. Any participant may be asked to leave immediately for inappropriate touching, followed by
consideration for a game ban and OWbN Org disciplinary action.
● Respect the game space. When playing in a public space, props cannot, in any way, be, or take the appearance
of anything that could be mistaken for a weapon. Stunting, or “Freaking the Mundanes” will not be permitted.
Check with the ST about any physical prop before bringing into the game space. We strive to leave the public
space in a better condition than when we found it.
● No Negative Metagaming, which is defined as information gathered out of character (or as an alternate character)
to be used in-character, with only a few exceptions that are intended to induce a positive role-playing
environment. This includes reading someone’s character sheet, picking it up if it’s been dropped or lost, and
keeping it. This is considered meta-gaming and classified as cheating. Positive metagaming is encouraged and
defined as behavior such as looking out for new players and helping them with faux pas or offering to help with
combat if they consent.
● No cheating. Depending on the severity of the cheating, the ST may take disciplinary action including but not
limited to ejection of the PC from the SC character, banning from the game, or destroying the PC of the guilty
party(s). For repeat offenders, you will be banned from participation in SC, and OWbN Org disciplinary action will
be considered.
● Exercise good taste, do not portray a character that overtly emphasises hate crimes, crimes against humanity, or
wanton atrocities. NSFW content must have consent from players involved, and the Staff of Shadows Crossing.
Fade to Black is encouraged in scenes of this nature, as your ST staff does not want to see NSFW RP. That said,
if you choose to continue these scenes, consent for what you are willing to type out /RP out must be given by all
parties prior to the acts done. This must be sent in a separate email to the staff giving the date of the start of the
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scene. The moment any player no longer wishes to participate, they need to notify all parties and CC staff via
separate email that their PC is leaving the scene.
● Sexual Assault scenes are banned from SC. You may not run them even in a “Fade to Black” setting. Sexual
Assault in Character backgrounds is allowed, as is the implication of such in the background of NPCs. No active
sexual assault scenes will be allowed, period.
● All character sheets and item cards must have an SC ST signature/stamp to be usable in SC Any item cards that
are checked into SC may be transferred or destroyed at ST discretion while you are signed into the game. Having
your items on your sheet administered through Haller Gaming system will suffice as an approval from the game
you are attached to. If you are a visitor with item cards on your sheet, you will need to have them checked in at
the start of each game.
● Conflicts of Interest will be avoided, meaning, Storytellers will not act as the ST for their own characters, or run
scenes for their characters. Utilize discretion and include another ST for oversight.
● Storyteller Fiat will be respected.
● Disciplinary actions will be taken at ST discretion.

Any breach of this Code of Conduct will be handled on a case by case basis as each situation
is unique.

SHADOWS CROSSING STORYTELLING STAFF:

● SHADOWS CROSSING HEAD STORYTELLER
○ The HST is responsible for all things relative to the administration of the OWbN Shadows Crossing game.
They will conform to and abide by the Bylaws, and Code of Conduct of OWbN, and will utilize the House
Rules to accomplish this, and more. They will strive for storytelling excellence, and will emphasise that
real life takes priority over game, and that everyone participating in Shadows Crossing can feel safe to
express themselves, so far as it doesn’t conflict with the Code of Conduct.
● SHADOWS CROSSING ASSISTANT STORYTELLER
○ The AST will be responsible for adjudicating scenes, and sometimes over email. They will steward their
own plotlines and NPC’s, and will work directly with the HST on providing information the HST needs to
overview the Chronicle Sovereignty. They can in the absence of the HST, step in and fulfill the HST’s
responsibilities until the HST is able to attend them.
● SHADOWS CROSSING CHARACTER SHEET ADMINISTRATOR (SHEET MONKEY)
○ The Sheet Admin is responsible for regularly checking, completing, updating and auditing character
sheets. Currently we use the Haller Gaming System to maintain our character records. The Sheet Admin
can process most approvals if they are standard requests, such as an in concept power, or relevant skill.
The Admin will regularly back up the game records and provide those records to the HST.

SHADOWS CROSSING ADMINISTRATION STAFF

● SHADOWS CROSSING COUNCIL MEMBER
○ The Council Member will represent Shadows Crossing to OWbN, and assist in disciplinary actions if
needed. They will keep a watchful eye to make sure the ST and Admin staff maintain compliance with the
Bylaws and the Code of Conduct.
● SHADOWS CROSSING PLAYER REPRESENTATIVE
○ The Player Representative is available to players and staff in situations requiring out of character
mediation. If a Player feels that they need to express themselves about a situation involving their
character, a scene, or an out of character situation with any OWbN staff member, they should contact the
Player Representative as well as the HST. If you do not feel comfortable directly expressing yourself to
the staff overseeing a particular scene or involved in the situation, please come to the Player Rep to
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express your feelings/thoughts. The Player Rep is available to represent your interests as a participant in
Shadows Crossing (and OWbN), and is available should any uncomfortable situations arise. The main
role of the PR is to mediate interpersonal issues such as, but not limited to:
■ Player to Player
■ Player to Staff
■ Staff to Player
○ In this context, staff refers to any OWbN Storyteller, Coordinator, SubCoordinator, or Council
Representative.
○ The Player Representative reserves the right to involve the OWbN Executive Team if they feel the
situation requires higher level mediation/intervention.
○ The Player Representative does not have the power to overturn scenes nor to give out disciplinary
actions. However, the Player Representative may suggest such actions if they feel it is appropriate for the
situation.
○ The Player Representative is to be considered a safe space for individuals to speak freely and openly to
ensure proper mediation. Players and Staff can and may share private emails, texts, chats, FB posts, etc.
in the course of communicating with the Player Representative. These items will be considered
confidential and only shared if absolutely necessary to ensure the safety of our community. Notice will be
given prior to any information being shared outside of the individual(s) who brought it to the Player Rep.
○ Only contact the Player Rep via the specified email. No chats/texts will be accepted.

AGGRAVATING FACTORS If you violate the Code of Conduct, and are subjected to disciplinary action, and then
again violate the Code of Conduct, that shall be considered an aggravating factor in determining the disciplinary action.

COMPLAINTS/FEEDBACK If you have a complaint about how a scene is run, or a particular rules call, the ST Staff
will address your concern. You must submit your concern in writing, via email directly to the HST email address. Feel free
to cc the Council Member, and or Player Representative. Complaints in person will not be addressed because it can lead
to arguments, or tension.

COOL DOWN Players may opt into a cool down period to calm down, reassess the situation, and return with a better
temperament. Typical cool down periods are 24 hours. This does not remove their characters from a situation where they
are in contention. If their characters are in contention during the cool down period, they are considered in Hard Proxy to
be controlled by the ST Staff. A Storyteller may enforce a cool down period for an entire scene, or one or more players, at
their discretion.

COURTESY Please do not contact the ST Staff about official Shadows Crossing business through any other channel
other than their Shadows Crossing email account, or Discord. Social media accounts are a fast way to contact a person,
but anything official needs to be done via the email account to be valid. Respect people’s time away from the game.

Nobody is required to “play 24/7”. We encourage everyone to set their own limits for what they are comfortable with.
Before you send private messages via Discord/FB/Gmail/Etc to other players, please respect their wishes regarding
outside contact.

MEDIATION When players can’t come to an IC agreement, or for expediency, the ST can propose mediation.
Mediation is where the players involved attempt to come up with an agreed outcome OOC to the IC dilemma.
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Round One. The party 1 proposes the outcome they desire. The party 2 may accept the proposal successfully concluding
the mediation. If not, the party 2 proposes a counteroffer giving party 1 the opportunity to accept the counter proposal. If
they accept, mediation is successfully concluded.

Round Two. If both parties do not accept one of the proposals, then the ST will offer a third mediation using their best
judgement of the two previous proposals. Both parties must agree for a successful mediation. If neither party agrees,
mediation fails and challenges resume in full detail.

MITIGATING FACTORS It is possible that mistakes happen, and if apology is earnestly offered, the offense can be
mitigated as seen appropriate by the ST staff.

OOC CHECK IN SYSTEM Shadows Crossing uses an Out of Character check in system to ensure player comfort
during particularly tough or stressful scenes. Any player may with the use of the “ok” hand signal ask another player if they
are feeling comfortable with the scene they are in. If the player gives any other response other than the thumbs up,
attention by ST or Admin staff is needed.

REPERCUSSIONS Repercussions could include but are not limited to: Revoking of participation Exp, Administrative
PC death, Chronicle ban, or proposal for One World by Night disciplinary action.
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SIGNING INTO SHADOWS CROSSING

BY SIGNING INTO THE GAME, you acknowledge that you are a responsible adult (18+) who is responsible for your own
safety, and that you agree to these house rules and our code of conduct.

Any scenes or actions taken within Shadows Crossing’s territory will be treated with the same level of IC/OOC
consequences as if you are signed into an in-person SC game.

There are 3 methods for signing into Shadows Crossing.

1. In Person
2. Discord
3. Downtime/Email scenes where PCs are physically within Shadows Crossing Chronicle Sovereignty.

Online scenes occurring within SC’s territory must include the following address shadows-crossing-
downtime@googlegroups.com on all correspondence for it to be considered valid.

CHARACTER SHEETS
If your character enters Shadow’s Crossing Chronicle Sovereignty for any reason, you must provide a character sheet.
This includes scenes where your PC is attending a downtime social scene including teaching scenes.

Character sheets must be approved by SC Staff in order to enter play. They may be submitted via email, through the
Haller Gaming System visitor tool, or a hard copy stamped by your home game.

An alternative method for online play is to have you or your ST Staff email your sheet to the ST Staff of Shadows
Crossing. If you submit your sheet via email, you are required to CC your ST Staff, which will also act as your
confirmation of signing in.

Any and all content on character sheets are subject to approval by the SC ST Staff.

Anything found to be game unbalancing, banned, or overpowered may be disallowed at any time while signed into SC

Willfully failing to provide your sheet equates to cheating.

ITEM CARDS
Item cards must have an SC ST signature/stamp, or be approved via email, to be usable in SC Items may be transferred
or destroyed at ST discretion while you are signed into the game. Having your items on your sheet administered through
Haller Gaming system will suffice as an approval from the game you are attached to. If you are a visitor with item cards
on your sheet, you will need to have them checked in at the start of each game.
If your character is on proxy, it must be included in your proxy write up.

DECLARATIONS
Characters must have declarations approved by SC ST Staff. This includes rituals, haven accommodations, retainers on
standby, items on one’s person, etc.
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NON ADJUDICATED ROLEPLAY
This is often called “Soft Roleplay” or “Soft Proxy” and is where no challenges are adjudicated. This style of roleplay is
used mostly for conversations or general light roleplaying only. Character death, destruction or corruption doesn’t
generally happen during soft roleplaying. If an SC ST is not able to be present at the game, the game will be considered
soft roleplay for the session. Please note, at any time, due to PC actions or plots and plans, scenes may become
adjudicated or “hard proxy”. At that point, all parties will be informed and all parties will need to work with the ST staff to
schedule time for combat. We do not guarantee that we will be able to run combat during the week or outside scheduled
games, and all parties may be in Time Freeze till the scene resolves.

Scenes where ST staff are running NPCs or have been asked to assist with challenges are automatically adjudicated.

We will not barge into player scenes and downtimes on email or discord and force players into plots or adjudicated
scenes. Please believe me, we aren’t that motivated. ;)

Scenes run by Coordinators in their Coordinator territory, or Shadows Crossing Territory and Shadows Crossing House
Rules are always adjudicated. There is no “Soft Proxy” or “Soft RP” in Coordlandia.

PROXY
Proxying is where you give control of your character to the Storyteller to adjudicate challenges on your behalf, most
commonly through online sources. You may request an ST to act on your behalf if you are not able to continue a scene.
They will portray your character in your stead. Your proxied character runs the same risks as if you were portraying your
character.

Online and downtime scenes default to Soft Roleplaying by Proxy (Soft Proxy) unless otherwise stated at the start of a
scene, or, with prior notification by the ST, or if requested by the players, with ST approval, or if the ST deems it
appropriate considering the nature of the scene.

To Proxy your character into Shadow’s Crossing you will need to email your ST, the SC ST account, and list your
declarations, items, etc. If you have actions you would like to include in case of an emergency, or a dead drop, include
them as well. You will need to indicate you’ve at least glanced at our House Rules and read and agree to our Code of
Conduct.

CONSEQUENCES
Characters may suffer consequences based on the decisions the player makes, or based on the actions of other
characters or NPC’s. This may not always work out in a way that you as the player may think is best for your character
including PC death, torpor, condemnation, scandal, corruption etc… These consequences happen in a World of
Darkness game. When you sign into the game, you understand that consequences may happen and are parts of the risk
of signing into the game. Rape is never a consequence and anything involving rape is banned in our game.

If your character participates in a scene when the player is under the influence of alcohol or medication and it doesn’t
work out for the character, please see Shadow’s Crossing Code of Conduct under Know your limits. We will not ret-conn
scenes where you had bad judgment while impaired.

If your character participates in a NSFW/Smut scene with another character, you have the option to opt out any time
during the scene as it happens, please refer to the OWBN Code of Conduct about these types of scenes.

Please note, if you opt out of a NSFW/Smut Scene, you may opt to have all NSFW content Retcon’d, HOWEVER, you are
not able to Retcon information given during that scene after it has been dispersed to others IC. We suggest you
immediately inform all parties the moment you realize you opt out of the scene. For instance, you may opt out of the
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NSFW content, but not your PC giving up their dark secrets to their lover during the conversations in the scene. The
Bylaw is meant to protect players from OOC Sexual Harassment. It is not meant to give you a way to tell all your dirt,
regret it later, and have it Retcon’d. Please keep that in mind. If you have a habit of regretting these Scenes often after
the fact, you will not be allowed to participate in further NSFW scenes with any of your PCs based in Shadows Crossing,
as the constant Retcon of actions and information will negatively impact the flow of RP for our Chronicle. Please see
“Know your limits” in our code of conduct.

IC vs. OOC Consequences regarding NSFW scenes: There will be absolutely NO consequences for opting out or
deciding to fade to black in any of these scenes. IC the actions go forward, everyone is happy, etc. Nobody has to spell
out these things, ever. This is not to be taken IC. (IE: The PC’s are not having an IC fallout, just because one party no
longer wishes to RP out NSFW content. )

DOWNTIMES
When submitting downtimes, please cc shadows-crossing-downtime@googlegroups.com. If you need a specific reply,
please include the HST address for the specific question, then afterwards, drop the HST account.

SIGNING OUT
Signing out of Shadow’s Crossing does not equate to fair escape. When your character signs out of the game, you are
signaling to the ST and other players that you are done playing for the night, but that does not remove your character from
being placed into contention from other circumstances. Nor does this remove you from personal responsibility of adhering
to the Shadow’s Crossing Code of Conduct. When you are signed in, you are considered signed in until at least 4 hours
after the game is officially called off.

STORYTELLER FIAT
Storyteller Fiat is also referred to as “The Golden Rule”, which is mentioned in Laws of the Night Revised.

APPROVALS - Chronicle staff reserves the right to approve, ban, disallow, request for review, remove, destroy, and
confiscate any character sheet, item on the character sheet, or item card within Shadows Crossing in accordance with the
Bylaws. Not complying with this request equates to cheating.

AUTHORITY - Chronicle staff reserves the right to maintain authority of characters within their chronicle. Players are free
to transfer out upon request, with ST Staff approval, as long as they are not in contention, or by request of the ST Staff.

CHRONICLE SOVEREIGNTY - Shadows Crossing hosts games within the IC locations of Sonoma, Lake, Napa, and
Southern Mendocino Counties.

CONTENTION - Characters may be considered in contention if their characters are in dire threat by other characters or
situations. When a character is in contention they need to work directly with the ST Staff on what they are able to do.

COOPERATIVE NARRATION - Sometimes, for expediency, a ST may call for cooperative narration where all players get
to determine the outcome of the story without the need for challenges or contests. This is done with ST oversight.

CUSTOM CONTENT - The staff reserves the right to restrict or disallow any player created stuff/any custom content.
That includes player created combo powers, fetishes, thaumaturgical paths, or anything else not directly in a Mind’s Eye
Theater book or OWbN packet. Your PC may learn custom content through a legitimate source who can teach (or provide
teaching materials) for the custom power. Learning custom powers is at the discretion of the Chronicle staff.
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FAIR ESCAPE - Characters may declare fair escape as per the normal rules in Laws of the Night, however the ST is the
final arbiter whether Fair Escape can be called. In addition, if a character attempts to fair escape outside of the Chron Sov
of Shadows Crossing, and are in contention, the ST is the final arbiter whether the character is able to leave.

G.N.C. - Generate New Character is colloquialism used in OWbN to signify an administrative death of a character. ST’s
reserve the right to GNC characters signed into their game and will only be done in the most severe of cases.

NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS - NPC’s shall always be controlled by the ST Staff, even when lent to a player to portray.
These NPC’s shall be in accordance with the Bylaws at all times. ST Staff may portray any NPC as they see fit, this
includes any former PC moved to NPC status. When a former PC is converted to NPC status, the former player no longer
has creative rights to the character.

OUT OF GENRE - Merits, abilities, Flaws or powers associated with creature types that are NOT Kindred will not be
allowed for Kindred. If you are a Kindred, you are Kindred, not Kuei-Jin, Fae, Demon, or Garou. You cannot activate any
item or power that requires Quintessence, Rage, Pathos, Glamour, etc. unless you are the appropriate creature type.

REDLINES - Red-lines are where a ST feels the need to rewrite or delete a scene during or after the scene’s conclusion.
Redlines will only be used in the most severe of cases and will be made at the H.ST’s discretion.

RULES CALLS - SC ST Staff reserves the right to ignore, alter, conform to, or rewrite any rule at any time in accordance
with the Bylaws. Typically, this will be done on a temporary basis during a live session, or for expediency, and with
serious consideration.

SOURCE MATERIAL - SC ST Staff utilizes Laws of the Night Revised and Dark Epics as the primary source material for
the game. Other books such as The Camarilla Guide, the Anarch Guide, The Sabbat Guide, and The Storyteller’s Guide
can be referenced but players will be required to source the page number for the material they wish to access. Do not
assume the ST Staff has every book printed by White Wolf, or has every packet memorized. It is up to the player to
provide the cited source for their powers, and the write up on request.

SCENE FREEZE - A Storyteller may institute a scene freeze if they desire to describe a narrative, look up a rule, have a
discussion with a player or another ST. While the scene is frozen, characters may not advance their storylines, have
conversations, or take other actions.

STOCK NPC’s - Storytellers may use a formula to develop stock NPC’s without the need to go through the process of
building a fully built character sheet for their NPC’s. The power level of these NPC’s is up for the ST, not to exceed what is
permissible in the Bylaws.

COORDINATOR AUTHORITY
Coordinators who base their Offices in our Chronicle for the purposes of using our house rules are hereby granted
Storyteller roles for the sole purpose of running their genre either in their Coordinator territory or in Shadows Crossing
game territory, and they agree to follow all rules for Shadows Crossing.

Coordinators must present all information pertaining to any OOC conflicts that may arise if they need the HST to be a tie
breaker on a decision or to clarify house rules, otherwise when a Coordinator must make a house rules decision, they
need to let staff know what they decided for future reference. Coordinator and Storyteller rules decided in the moment for
continuation of gameplay do not necessarily become policy, but may be discussed and added if the staff all agree upon it
going forward.

All Scenes run by the Coordinator are NOT required to be cc’d to Shadows Crossing, but do require a report with basic
information in particular if a PC’s status changes to shelved, dead or alterations to the sheet are made as a result of
Coordinator interaction
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DOWNTIME POLICY
We have made changes to how we will address downtimes and what we will run via downtime, for the health and well
being of the ST staff. Please note, plot goes at the speed of players. You will never be penalized for not having time to
do downtimes. You may always let us know what you want to do during Game time. Everyone’s time varies, and we
understand. This is a fun hobby, not a job!

Game/Life Balance: After a game, please allow ST’s 48 hours of recovery before expecting a response to a downtime
submission. Please do not submit a downtime the day of the game unless specifically directed to by an ST.

CHALLENGES (COMBAT, CRAFTING, ETC)

Challenges will not be run during downtimes. Use of traits, abilities, disciplines, require challenges to determine success,
and will be run during scheduled game sessions.

Downtime actions requiring the ST staff to answer (with the exception of IC Scenes), will be submitted and answered via
Hallergames, in the action section.

The types of activities covered under downtimes are the following:

● Influence Actions (as determined by Dark Epics)
● Learning Skills/Disciplines/Other things.
● Craft actions (challenges for success run at game)
● Haven/Asset acquirement/development
● Communing with your Infernal Masters
● Interpersonal scenes/correspondence with other characters

Travel & Time Limits:

Travel
Regardless if the Scene is considered to “start when it is finished”, you cannot be in two places at once IC. You may only
be in ONE such scene, run by a Chronicle or Coordinator. Scenes between PCs start IC according to the time and date
stamp on the Email. Travel does not apply to scenes which are IC correspondence such as texting, phone calls, IC email,
etc. You must note how the scene is taking place. Any Scenes that devolve into combat; You are considered by our
chronicle to be in Time Lock, and cannot travel to any other game until that combat is resolved. Period. If you are in a
long running scene online, you can be social in other chronicles if the ST of the Scene you are in has said you are able to
travel, HOWEVER: Do not get involved in combat. We don’t want to explain how you died 3 months prior to a meeting
you are RPing in. Be sensible.

In order to learn or teach disciplines, your PC MUST be physically in the company of their teacher/student. You need to
pick what game your PC’s meet at, sign in, and send sheets accordingly. Your PC must be signed in for the equivalent of
a game session, no less than one night, in order to learn or teach. Please stated the time frames the character is doing
this activity.
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If you are physically present for a scene with another PC, you must choose your location and SIGN INTO THE GAME.
While you are at that location IC, you cannot be at another location. You cannot be having a party in Rome while hanging
with the Prince in Sacramento, etc. This includes Game Sessions AND Email Scenes. If you are in an email scene
where your PC is physically in a different place, you must ICly leave that scene in time to come to go to a different
location/City.

Distance & Resource Limitations:

You must state how your PC is traveling. Traveling as a Vampire is hard. It is scary. If you don’t have a great deal of
resources, you will need to be clever on how you are getting cross country. It takes a lot of blood and expenditures to
travel by flying. Gangrel must account for travel time. You will not get to the Midwest/East Coast/Southeast in an hour.
If you are signed into a game over 3 hours away (such as LA) you must give your PC real time to get from LA to your
Home Game in time to attend.

You may attend up to 3 Discord Sessions a week with your PC: Friday Night, Saturday Night, Sunday Night, with this
caveat: if the Game is not physically located on the West Coast within 3 hours driving distance, you must choose which
game you are attending. You cannot be in Stockton on Friday, and in Georgia on Saturday in time for their court. You
can be in Stockton on Friday and in Georgia on Sunday, and cannot attend a Saturday Discord session anywhere. You
must account for Travel time. Be selective in the games you visit. Be reasonable.

STORYTELLER AVAILABILITY:
We will not be running scenes in Downtime for the foreseeable future. This may change once we go back to live games.
Until then, our time is precious, and we have specific office hours. We encourage you to not play 24/7. It is just not
healthy. We will be answering downtime actions prior to game start, OR at Game. If an ST decides to finish up a game
session plot via DT, that is their choice, and does not reflect a change in policy.

DOWNTIME ACTIONS:
Please log into HallerGames.com, and input your PC actions. Your actions will be answered via Haller Games as well.

Types of Downtime ACTIONS Submitted via HallerGames.Com:

● Influence Actions (as determined by Dark Epics)

● Learning Skills/Disciplines/Other things.
● Crafts
● Haven/Asset acquirement/development
● Communing with your Infernal Masters
● Requests for Sheet Audits / Corrections / R&U Look up (for anything you have if you want to make sure it is
logged properly with the Org).

Actions run via DT to be submitted via shadows-crossing-downtime@googlegroups.com

● Interpersonal scenes/correspondence with other characters
● Working out details for PC goals such as creating Custom Content (subsequent efforts will be submitted via
Hallergames.com after we have established what your PC hopes to create.)
● Correspondence between our game and Coordinator’s.
 12
How to Submit XP Spends & Actions:

1. Xp Spend - Submit as a separate Action via HallerGames.com

2. Justifications for XP - Submit as a separate Action via HallerGames.com
3. Downtime activities as listed above - Submit here. Be precise. You can only submit ONE TIME per game
session, so 1 time every two weeks. You cannot edit your action once you have received a reply.

Xp Expenditures - list Xp spends, the name of what you want, and any source information that you can find for things such
as Disciplines/Combos/etc.

XP ACTION: Example:

Learned Ability x 1 - 1xp

Learned Discipline from Bob - 3 Xp

DT Action Format
State what type of action you are doing (see above list for examples). Be brief - if you cannot say it in a paragraph (which
is between 4 - 10 sentences) you will likely need to run challenges at game.

EXAMPLE:
I am currently investigating xyz problem, will be going to (list areas) with (list people involved). We are hoping
to find (give goal of PC). - this will be noted and you will have a ticket with the ST staff for the next game session,
to start a scene upon Game ON.

Crafting & Rituals - State what you are doing, and with what ability / what Ritual. Give your end goal.
(challenges will be thrown via Discord before you have the item or ritual component (such as Stone of the True
form, etc), to be thrown prior to game start during game day. You may throw challenges during sign in for crafting
& rituals.

Seeking out Mentor: Briefly explain how your PC approaches your mentor, what y ou are requesting, and what
favor you are doing in return. If you cannot think of a favor, it is ok, we will think of one. We do not have time to
run large scenes with Mentors once they are established, but we will do basic communication.

Scenes with NPCS: You may request a scene with an NPC via the Action Submission form. We will reply and let
you know if the NPC will meet with you, and how we will run that. Methods will vary depending on the Real Life
time constraints of the ST Staff. If we cannot run something during the week, we will run the conversation during
Game Time.

Creating Disciplines/Magic/Custom Content: After we get details of what you are trying to do worked out via
Email, you may submit your efforts in the DT actions. List what step you are taking, and your goal with that step.
Example: Creating “Enhance Downtime Ritual” - My PC is experimenting with possible ritual
components such as shredded paper from a corporate office, and the blood of lawyers. - Challenges for
success with be run before Game On during Game.

Learning from other PCs: IF based in our game, they may list that they are teaching you (or learning from you) via
HallerGames. If they are outside the game, you will send the following to the downtime Scene email & the player who is
teaching:
 13
Subject - Learning/Teaching - Names of PCs Involved
Body: PC Name, Player Name, Player Email, Their ST Board Email, What is being Taught/Learned, Reason for
the exchange.
R&U Combos/Disciplines/Magic: If the Power being learned is R&U, we will CC the appropriate Coordinator.
Make sure you and the other party(ies) list fully what you are doing and why so the Coordinator(s) involved do not
have to ask questions over multiple emails. Be thorough. Once we approve the exchange, THEN we will send it
to the Coordinators for final approval. Their decision is final. We will ensure the power is entered via the R&U DB
as required by Org Bylaws. You may ALWAYS ask for an audit if you are worried something you have isn’t listed.

Group Effort:
Downtime group efforts are limited to: Influence, Crafts & Creation of Rituals/ Custom Content.

Everything related to plot that is not influence must be handled during Game session with all parties logged in.

List who you are working with if this is a group effort. Assistance from those outside the game must also be submitted via
shadows-crossing-downtime@googlegroups.com with all parties CC’d. Once it is established who is doing what, one
person based in our game may be selected as the “Point of Contact” who will continue to submit actions.

HOW TO LOG YOUR DOWNTIME SCENES

Downtime Scenes must be logged by emailing:shadows-crossing-downtime@googlegroups.com

What do you need to CC to the St staff:

● Scenes done via electronic medium must be CC’d to the St staff. This includes Chats via discord.
● Anything involving teaching/learning from any character, PC or NPC
● Salon Scenes - The HST’s Email may be added for the purposes of logging the scene. Please inform the HST
prior to the addition of his email, and give the HST the email address for the scene, so he can filter it from his
Inbox.
● Any communication with Coordinators, Subcoords, Other Chronicles.
● Anything that changes your PC’s sheet (burning for Ageis, gaining or losing derangements, gaining a new Beast
Trait if your Gangrel PC frenzies in another game, etc) - all these things must be reported. You do not have to
CC live interaction, but you are required to report changes to your sheet.

If you need an answer mid-scene, please send a separate email with the following header to Downtime Scenes:

Question: Player Name tpo of PC Name - Re: subject of Email

Example Subject Line: “Question - Elijah tpo of Frodo - RE: Going to Mordor

Body: Question to STs - “I was wondering if you could verify the powers being used by the Ring Wraith, I am not
sure how he is mind controlling me without challenges? I did not relent. Let me know if we need to sign in for
challenges during game. Thank you!”

Ask your question at the top of the email. Be specific. We will not be reading through DT scenes unless requested. This
is so there is a record of your activity for later verification should questions arise.
 14
NSFW/SMUT
Consent must be expressed explicitly before the scene begins, and consent may be removed during the scene in which
case the scene immediately ends.

If your character is in a scene where smut is being consensually explored, feel free to not include the downtime email
address. If anyone becomes uncomfortable with a NSFW scene, please fade to black. Please put a note in the first line
of the email to indicate NSFW so the St staff can know to skip it as needed.

Please note, there will be zero times that you “must” consent to smut. It does not matter what PC or NPC you are playing
with. If you don’t want to run a scene of that nature, and someone is pressuring you IC or OOC, disengage with them and
contact us immediately. Thank you.

Sexual assault scenes of any kind are banned, even if OOC concentual, even if you use Fade to Black. These are
not stories we want to tell.

QUESTIONS/COMPLAINTS:
Please send anything of this nature directly to the ST staff member you are most comfortable with. We encourage you to
involve the Player Rep as well. We are here to serve you, and also we have your back. If anything happens in Downtime
between yourself and another player or volunteer in the org that you are not comfortable with, or you do not understand,
or you feel that you are being cheated, please let us know and we will help you with the situation.

DISCORD
Signing in via Discord is done in the following manner.

Before the game, you will have shared your sheet via Haller Gaming System OR, sent your sheet to
shadowscrossingst@gmail.com and scsheetmonkey@gmail.com, and included your ST for verification of sign in.

You will include any declarations such as Items on your character, location for havening for the evening, and if you need
to feed, how you plan on doing it.

If you have rituals you wish to cast, feel free to either include them with your declarations, or send a private message to
the HST with the list of rituals you wish to cast. If they only affect yourself, the HST may hand wave any chops at the start
of the game.

Be prepared to submit rules for any rituals, Merits, combo powers or anything specific on your sheet for review.

In the sign in channel, you will enter the following:

CHARACTER NAME / PLAYER NAME / HOME CHRONICLE / CHARACTER EMAIL ADDRESS /
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT Y/N

EXPERIENCE POINTS

STARTING EXPERIENCE POINTS (XP):

WIth the completion of your base sheet, and fulfilling the following requirements, you may be awarded up to 60
XP at character creation by the ST Staff.
 15
● Welcome to OWbN - If you are new to OWbN or are a returning player (3 years absent) you may start off with 30
XP.
● Approved Background - 30 XP

● Approved Questionnaire - 30 XP

● Under-represented Clan - 10 XP

● Playing a Camarilla Character - 20 XP

● Playing an Independent Character - 15 XP

● Playing an Anarch Character - 10 XP

● Help us build the city book by building an approved IC location. 5 XP Each (10-point max)

● Rollover XP from another character - 60 XP maximum per the bylaws.

EARNING EXPERIENCE POINTS

Experience points are earned as follows not to exceed 8 per month, per character:
● 8 XP for physically attending any live game.

● 8 XP for volunteering as an HST, AST, CM, Player Rep, Coordinator, or SubCoordinator.

● 6 XP for attending an online Discord game.

● 4 XP for 2 or more online scenes.

● 2 XP per downtime cycle for downtimes/Influences/journals (4 XP max per month)

Inactive PCs (over 3 months) or shelved PCs cannot earn or spend XP until they have attended an in-person OWbN
game or meet the online scene criteria for experience.

SPENDING EXPERIENCE POINTS

Shadows Crossing tracks XP via the haller system. The scsheetmonkey account is used to inquire about any of
the administration of your sheet, but with oversight from the HST.

If you are requesting something that isn’t in Laws of the Night Revised, please cite the source and provide the
write up of the requested item’s mechanics, prerequisites, XP cost, and where you are learning the item from.

There is no limit on spending your starting experience points.

Players with a large amount (50+) of unspent XP may request from the HST to be able to spend beyond the limits
listed here:

● No limit on Attributes per downtime

● 2 Disciplines per downtime
● 4 Abilities per downtime up to level 3
● 2 Abilities per downtime for levels 4 and 5
● 4 Backgrounds per downtime
 16
● 1 Merit per downtime (with roleplay)
● 1 Flaw buy off per downtime (with roleplay)
● 2 Negative Traits per downtime (with roleplay)
● 1 Path Trait per Month (with roleplay, subject to approval)

If players are uncomfortable with the process of spending their experience points, they may request that the HST and/or
SheetMonkey spend their experience points for them. If this is the case, the player has 30 days to request alterations to
what the HST/Sheet Monkey spends for them. The HST/Sheet Monkey will spend their XP in good faith with the concept
of the character.

XP Costs
● New Attribute Trait — One Experience per Attribute Trait.
● New Ability Trait — One Experience per Ability Trait up to 5.
● New Background Trait — One Experience per Trait with Storyteller approval. Backgrounds may also rise or fall
based on roleplaying.
● New Discipline — Three Experience Traits for Basic Disciplines, six for Intermediate Disciplines and nine for
Advanced Disciplines. Remember to add one Trait to the cost if the Discipline is considered “out of clan” for a
character.
● New Humanity/Path Trait — Two Experience per Trait (and Storyteller approval).
● New Merit — Double the listed cost of the Merit, with Storyteller approval. This acquisition should not happen
instantaneously; it should be worked into a character’s ongoing story. The addition of a Merit should not be
treated lightly.
● New Necromancy or Thaumaturgy Ritual — Two Experience for a Basic ritual, four for an Intermediate ritual, and
six for an Advanced ritual.
● New Specialization — One Experience Trait in an Ability already known. (Must have 3 dots in the existing ability
before buying a specialization.)
● New Virtue — Three Experience per Trait, plus the change must be an important part of a character’s ongoing
story-line somehow.
 17

CHARACTER CREATION
Character creation primarily uses the: Laws of the Night revised. Other books may be used (Clanbooks, and other Mind’s
Eye Theater books) but be aware that some items might require special approval from a Coordinator, or OWbN Council.

Be aware, some clans are EXCEPTIONALLY structured beyond the local game making them difficult to play and are not
recommended for players new to OWbN. Ventrue and Tremere especially.

Each Sect and Clan has a Packet that you should familiarize yourself before playing. Ask your Storyteller, or another
seasoned player for the current packet.

Some clans require Coord or Council approval before they can be played. This document will cite clans that do not require
those approvals. Feel free to familiarize yourself with the Character Bylaws for further information if you want to play with
content that is rarer than what is presented here.

CONCEPT
ALLOWABLE SECTS
Camarilla, Independent, Anarch characters are most common. Autarch and Kuei-Jin are rare.

ALLOWABLE CLANS
● Camarilla: Assamite, Brujah, Caitiff, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Ventrue

● Independent: Daughter of Cacophony, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Giovanni, Ravnos, Samedi

● Anarch: Assamite, Brujah, Caitiff, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Ventrue

CLAN DIVERSITY
You may not play magic-using clans after already playing one, you may also not play the same clan as your last
character, nor may you be in that clan as a ghoul. Please vary your characters. It will enrich your game experience.

CHARACTER AGE
Characters embraced or ghouled more than 100 years ago require an approved background.

CHARACTER CREATION LOG

When building your character sheet, you will want to start off with a text document that states where you put all your
starting points/dots/attributes. Then you will want to log all the points you allocate. This will be necessary when you enter
your character sheet on our character database because it will be the first line on the sheet. The XP award will be the next
line on the sheet.

CHARACTER DATABASE
We use the Haller system for characters. https://www.hallergames.com/ is a website developed by John Haller, and is
used to track experience, sheets, and other things.

CHARACTER TIES
If your character has a significant tie to an NPC within Shadow’s Crossing, you will have to sign a binding agreement
detailing the involvement.
 18

CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE
There is a character questionnaire that has many relevant questions designed for you to build an intriguing background.
Use it as a guide when developing your character.

Who were you in life?

1. How old are you (date of birth, date of embrace)?
2. Where did you grow up? Why aren’t you there anymore?
3. What did you do for a living? Where was your life headed?
4. How did your parents/family react to your “death?”
5. Who did you admire? Who did you loathe?
6. What challenges did you have to overcome?
7. What were your views on love, poverty, crime, marriage, et cetera?
8. How much education did you have?
9. What was your social life like?
10. What did you do for fun?

Who are you in death?

1. What makes you a villain? A hero?
2. What favored activities did you have to stop? Did you discover?
3. What do you miss most about being mortal?
4. What is your greatest newfound advantage?
5. What are your feeding habits? Where/How do you feed?
6. Do you have childer? Do you want to make them?
7. What is your haven like? Where do you feel safe?
8. Who is your sire and where is he/she now? Why did they pick you for embrace?
9. What didn’t you learn in your accounting?
10. What motivates you (for good, ill, socially, to action, et cetera)?

How do you interact with others?

1. Do you keep ghouls? What are your thoughts on servitude?
2. Do you respect your elders? Those younger than you?
3. What Clan do you respect the most? Least? Why?
4. To whom do you look up? Who despises you?
5. Have you ever killed another kindred? How did it make you feel?
6. What are your thoughts on Diablerie? Would you ever?
7. What is your relation to God (Allah, Buddha, et cetera)?
8. How do you balance your fear of Final Death with the risks a kindred must accept each night?
9. How has your character succeeded (and failed) in adapting to modern nights?
10. What are your character’s views on Blood Bonding?

What is your place in kindred society?

1. Where do you want to go, politically?
2. To whom are you important? Worthless?
3. What changes would you make were you Primogen? Prince?
4. What do you find most important: Sect, Clan, or Alliances? Why?
5. Why are you in the Sect you are? Have you ever been elsewhere?
6. For what would you kill another kindred?
7. Do you afford those of great standing due respect? Of low (or no) standing?
8. Would you prefer not to be surrounded by other kindred? Why or why not?
9. What are your thoughts on Elysium? What makes one, and who keeps them?
10. What positions have you held? Do you want to hold?

OOC Considerations
1. How can your character add to the game? Hinder the game?
2. What makes your character stereotypical of their Clan? An exception?
3. How will this character help you to roleplay with those outside your “regular coterie?”
4. Where do you want to take this character, socio/politically?
5. Where was your character last Acknowledged? Where did they last reside?
6. What questions do you have (powers, rules, history) before you play?
7. How active do you envision this character to be out of game (downtime,
online, et cetera)?
 19
8. How powerful is too powerful for the character (socially, character-sheet
wise)?
9. How is this character different than those you’ve played in the past?
10. How does your character enhance the World of Darkness, thematically?

STARTING GENERATION
The more detailed the background, the higher the chance we will approve a lower generation character. Even if you have
a PC sire, an approved background is still required for generation 3-5.

● 0 (Ghouls) allowable without a background.

● 1-2 (13th through 11th) allowable without a background.

● 3 (10th) requires an approved background before entering play.

● 4-5 (9th and 8th) requires a background, questionnaire, and agreement with staff.

EXCLUSIVITY
Generally speaking, abilities, Backgrounds, Merits and some specific things that only appear in 1 Clan’s genre material,
will only be available to the Clan. So, for example, only Nosferatu may have the Merit: False Reflection.

STARTING ABILITIES
Each character may not start with an Ability above 3 dots without HST approval.

STARTING LORE
Each vampire character will start off with 1 dot each in the following Lores for free: Clan, Sect, Creature Type.

STARTING STATUS
Characters may start with Acknowledged and 1 other status at character creation. They must spend 1 xp for that status.
If the status is from an NPC that is Coord or Chron controlled, they must get appropriate approval from whatever staff
controls the NPC.

OUT OF CLAN DISCIPLINES

Characters may not start above basic Out of Clan Disciplines.

THAUMATURGY
Characters with Thaumaturgy must designate their Primary path, of which must be of a higher level (up to advanced)
before buying equal levels of their secondary paths.
 20

CHARACTER STATUS
Character status is defined as the following:
● Active characters can be signed in and play in games, and participate in downtime scenes, earning experience.

● Inactive are characters that can be restored to active participation after discussing with the ST. Characters are
inactive after 3 months of no OOC contact with the ST Staff. Inactive characters may be portrayed by Proxy by the
ST Staff, or moved to NPC status. Generally inactive characters are considered alive, but in a form of
administrative stasis until restored to active status.
● Shelved characters are where a player requests their character to be considered inactive. Shelving your character
must be approved by the ST Staff. Characters in contention may not be shelved.
● Retired characters are where the player requests an administrative death of their character, or a G.N.C. to the ST
Staff. The retired character may be converted to NPC in order to finish any plotline.
● Dead characters cannot be played any longer, may their legacy live on in their stead.

● Banned characters are not permitted for play in Shadows Crossing.

● NPCs are characters portrayed by the Chronicle staff for the purpose of advancing storylines or establishing
genre. See Storyteller Fiat for further information.

TRANSFERRING CHARACTERS
In order to transfer any characters housed in our chronicle you must have approval from the original and destination ST
board. Either board has a right to refuse the transfer for any reason. NO transfer of a PC will be approved if the PC is in
contention.

DURING GAMEPLAY
STAYING IN CHARACTER (IC)
If you are physically present at the game and are in the process of speaking with or interacting with people who are IC,
you are considered to be IC portraying the character you are signed in as.

OUT OF CHARACTER (OOC)

You must have the appropriate hand signal (Crossed fingers) up indicating that you are OOC, and must be speaking of
OOC things, or speaking to an ST to “not be here”.

If you wish to be OOC for more than a few minutes, please meet your friends away from the IC area and don’t interrupt
gameplay.

If you are wishing to be OOC during email scenes to ask for clarification, utilize ( ) or start the paragraph with “OOC:”.

PRIVATE MEETINGS
 21
Private meetings should not be held within view of other players. If you are standing, sitting or grouped in the view of
players you are there unless you have a “Private Room” or “Not here” card, displayed prominently.

Group meetings must have ST approval, most often present, to be valid. This is to coordinate the IC location of your
characters, and more.

TIME DEFINITIONS

● Chronicle: The scope of the entire game.

● Story: The period of one month in-game, from the first day to the last.

● Session: One evening of game, between getting in-character and game being called at Midnight.

● Scene: A continual period of time and place. A scene could detail a private conversation in a secluded room or a
long leisurely stroll around the block. A scene is also ended at the cessation of combat.
● Turn: One full set of combat actions. Has within it many rounds.

● Round: One phase of the combat turn. For example, the Everyman round, the Swiftness round, et cetera.

● Action: Any action taken in the combat turn. Alacrity grants one action outside of normal combat rounds.

KILL BOXES
Kill boxes are where characters move away from the regular game to adjudicate combat. An ST must be present for this
and can exercise Storyteller Fiat to facilitate the scene. The Code of Conduct shall be enforced during scenes defined as
a kill box.

LOCKED SCENES
A Storyteller may lock a scene, preventing further participants. Normally this is done by pausing the scene during the
initial challenge, waiting for 1 or more minutes to determine if anyone else can participate in the next 10+ rounds.

SET SCENES
Scenes that are pre-organized, choreographed, or written shall only be permitted with ST approval prior to the set scene.

HAND SIGNALS
These following hand signals are to be used for IC interactions so as to not disturb gameplay. Please see the OOC hand
signals for other terms.
● OOC: Crossed fingers up near the face and shoulders.

● Speaking in a foreign language: Hand with index out, and thumb extended at the chin, other fingers curled.

● Astral Projection: A fist up near the face and shoulders.

● Obfuscate: An open hand in front of face, palm facing inward.

● Majesty: A horizontal open hand in front of chest, palm facing inward.

● Umbra: A hand with only index and pinky finger extended in front of chest.
 22
● Quietus Silence of Death: Your hand out in front of you, fingers pointing directly upwards, fingers together.

● Flying: Pointing straight up into the air with one hand.

● Animal Form put your hand out in front of you, your thumb pressed against the fingertips of the two middle fingers,
index and pinky finger pointing upwards.

MECHANICS

RULES RESOURCES
We generally use White Wolf’s Mind’s Eye Theater Laws of the Night Revised, and Dark Epics for our rules, as well as
supplemental genre packets unique to OWbN and various other Mind’s Eye Theater books. Content from other sources is
handled at ST discretion. See Source Material.

GAME ENGINE

STARTING VITAE
If you play a Vampire, Ghoul, or another type of character that relies on Vitae, you start each session with your full
amount, then subtract 1 Blood for rising, then subtract the number of Ghouls your character has from your total, and then
minus the number of feeding Flaws your character has. You may use the Ability Hunting, Health Influence, the
Background Herd, or other relevant asset on your character’s sheet to offset the starting Blood amount, or another
reasonable method(s) to acquire blood that may not otherwise be listed. If you do not have any of these, or choose not to
use them, you can opt in for a feeding scene.

BLOOD BONDS FOR VAMPIRES

1. A two Trait Blood Bond will decrease by one Trait after 12 minus the enthralled character’s permanent willpower
in months, with a minimum of one month, the same as a three-Trait bond as described in the book. A one Trait
bond will fade after one month, regardless of the thrall's will power.
2. The time spent away from the Regnant must be spent actively avoiding contact with them. Time spent staked or in
Torpor does not qualify. It is not about the amount of time that passes, but the act of resisting the bond.
3. This time must be demonstrated with role play. At least one downtime journal per month demonstrating the
struggle with the bond is required for the month to count.
4. Avoiding contact means all contact. Even emails to mutual lists will qualify as contact. This does not include being
present at the same game. If both the thrall and Regnant are present at a game together, the thrall must show
active avoidance via RP.
5. Blood bonds do not break when the Thrall is embraced.
6. Blood bonds of two or three points do not “break or snap” when the Regnant is killed. One-point bonds may be
broken at the time of the Regnant’s death per ST discretion.
7. The thrall is aware supernaturally of their Regnant’s death and will need to make a resisted Self Control / Instinct
check to avoid frenzy.
8. The thrall will continue to act in their Regnant’s stead until the bond fades.
9. The bond will naturally fade over time per the same rules listed previously.

CONTESTS OF WILLS
When one or more characters face off against each other, they resolve their challenge via Rock, Paper, Scissors. This is
explained in greater detail in Laws of the Night Revised. Where able, characters can opt into a mediated resolution of the
 23
contest rather than go through the normal challenge process. If the players cannot come to a consensus, then the normal
process is applied.

DAMAGE CAPS
● PC to PC is 6.
● PC’s to NPC's is 7.
● NPC’s to PC’s have no cap.

DARKNESS/BLINDNESS
Darkness is defined as the absolute absence of light. If all participants in the combat are afflicted with darkness, the
mechanical effects are ignored to speed game play. Being unable to see confers the following penalties:
1. The character is under the penalty of -2 Physical Traits for the resolution of ties (Heightened Senses, Eyes of the
Beast, Tongue of the Asp can each reduce the Trait penalty by 1.)
2. Unable to use powers that require line-of-sight,
3. Any successful action taken by the affected character is subject to an automatic ‘Darkness’ retest for possible
failure. (Can be canceled by the Blind-Fighting skill)

DIFFICULTY LEVELS
Because of the addition of abilities to attributes to determine the full Trait pools, static challenges will have an added 2
Traits to their normal difficulty.

EXCLUSIVITY
Generally speaking, abilities, Backgrounds, Merits and some specific things that only appear in 1 Clan’s genre material,
will only be available to the Clan. So, for example, only Nosferatu may have the Merit: False Reflection, Gangrel may only
have the Combo Discipline Fenrir’s Claws.

FAIR ESCAPE
Characters may declare fair escape in a multitude of ways, whether using Obfuscate, or faster levels of Celerity than
pursuers, or as per the current Nosferatu Packet, a Nosferatu may fair escape into a nearby sewer entrance. Characters
attempting to fair escape from the Chronicle Sovereignty of Shadows Crossing while in contention (See Character Status)
are subject to the ST Staff’s discretion.

FIGHTING WITH TWO WEAPONS

Characters may use a second weapon in their offhand but require special training to do so. By having four or more levels
of the applicable Abilities and possessing the ‘Ambidexterity’ Merit, they may add one Trait to their total from the
secondary weapon for the comparison of ties. Only one weapon may have its victory condition called per action, but both
weapons’ Negative Traits, if applicable, may be called. For example, a character fighting with a Dagger and a Stake
receives +3 Bonus Traits (both weapons confer a+2 bonus but the off-hand only provides +1), and may choose to either
do slashing damage or stake, at the beginning of the challenge, but may have both Short and Clumsy Negative Traits
called. If a character is not intending to use both weapons, they must declare such before a challenge is called. Two-
Weapon Fighting may not be used with bare fists, although Wolf’s Claws and other like ‘melee’ powers may.

HUMANITY
Kindred who make a deep and prolonged effort can regain lost Humanity or even become more ethical creatures than
they were in life. It isn’t easy, though. In rules terms, a player can spend experience points to buy dots of Humanity for
their character. In story terms, the character must do something to show that they really tried to become better Kindred
and increasingly able to resist the Beast. If the player announces their intent to buy Humanity for their character, the
Storyteller can examine the character’s recent actions. Have they tried to atone for past crimes? Have they tried to avoid
committing more sins? Have they resisted the beast and upheld their virtue? Has the character associated with mortals or
humane Kindred and cultivated relationships with them over time? If the character genuinely acts more human over time,
the Storyteller may permit the purchase.
 24

INITIATIVE
The order in which characters can interact is normally at the same time normally is simultaneous actions and challenges
as per Laws of the Night.

If an ST determines that initiative is necessary for a scene such as in Mob Combat, the following method is used: Each
character determines which type of action they are going to take (Physical, Social, Mental), and may declare any number
of named traits up to their total Trait Pool (Not including item bonus traits) for the challenge to determine their turn
priority. Characters may add their levels of Celerity if they activated it, and only for a physical challenge. Other powers
such as Readiness may be used for mental challenges. In the event of a tie, total permanent Willpower is then
compared, in the event of another tie, the combined total of other attributes is compared.

ITEM CARDS
1. Unless noted on the card and signed by the ST staff, all items will use stats from the Dark Epics item rules where
applicable.
2. All item cards used must be presented when in use. Players or Storytellers in a scene have a right to ask to see
the card.
3. All item cards must be signed and stamped by an SC Storyteller before they can be used.
4. Item cards that are found on a table, the street, etc. need to be confirmed by the ST. Do not take cards or
anything from another player’s person, or bag without permission. A ST may determine the item was lost and then
found by the player finding the card.
5. Item cards are not required for mundane items, such as $20 cash, a Swiss Army Knife, or basically anything you
can buy at a convenience or hardware store. If it doesn’t have mechanics attached to it, it’s considered a
mundane item.
6. Weapons may not have more magical, or discipline enhancements than the item’s Bonus Traits.
7. If a weapon is coated with something like discipline infused vitae, only one coated effect is usable (for example,
burning blade and scorpion’s touch.)

ITEM CARDS - BODY CARDS

1. If a character leaves their "real" body (i.e. possession suit, psychic projection, etc.) then a card stating where the
body is located must be given to the Storytellers before entering play.
2. Characters "real" bodies must always be within the boundaries of the SC chronicle.
3. If a Body Card is not turned in to an ST it will be assumed that the character is in their real body.
4. When using Possession or Subsume the Spirit a card for the Ghoul/Animal used must always be on the player.
5. Any Staked or torpored bodies must be represented by Body Cards signed off by SC Storytellers.
6. Bodies brought into SC from another chronicle must also be cleared by the Chronicle staff.
7. To prevent possible problems, an ST must be present in any scene where a character is
8. staked or otherwise made into a Body Card.
9. If there is not an ST signature on a Body Card for a scene, it is redlined.

MOB COMBAT Shadow’s Crossing Combat Primer for Discord

1. Mob combat can be used when a single defender is being attacked by three to seven attackers.
2. Determine Initiative if necessary.
3. Determine the defender: One character “the defender” may only be defend against up to five Physical challenges
(Mental or Social vs Physical count), one Social challenge, and one Mental challenge in any given action. In this
way a total of seven attackers at a time may affect a single defender.
4. Attackers and defenders bid Traits: each attacker declares their action and must bid a Trait against the defender.
The defender declares her action and bids just one applicable Trait, per appropriate category, per type of
challenge, this works against all attackers.
5. Resolve challenges.
 25
6. Retests: Each attacker must expend one applicable Ability as usual for a retest or to cancel a retest against them
as normal. The defender’s advantage is they may retest all attackers with the expenditure of one applicable
Ability. If the defender wishes to cancel, they must spend one level of the applicable Ability per attacker she
wishes to cancel with. In the case of Might, you may cancel might against Physical challenges by expending Might
no matter how many attackers you are facing. In the case of Awe, a Social Trait must be spent for each attacker
making a Social challenge to cancel.

MOB COMBAT - NPC ASSISTANTS - Ghouls, Allies, supernatural effects, including arms from Arms of the Abyss and
Splinter Servants, and the like, confer a one Trait bonus each to their designated attacker (NPC or PC) for Physical
challenges only, up to a maximum of 4 extra Traits, and count towards the maximum number of attackers. If the defender
uses these NPC’s they add this bonus to their total number of Traits. For example, an attacker using Arms of the Abyss
with 4 arms receives +4 Traits due to their assistance; this is in lieu of resolving five separate challenges for the sake of
game balance of these disciplines. Keep in mind Trait maximums.

MOVEMENT
Characters may take up to 3 steps in a single action without penalty. A character may opt to take a double move (6 steps)
and may only defend during this time. Characters taking a double move are down 3 traits on the comparison of ties.

MULTIPLE FORMS
Major form powers cannot stack, such as benefits from being in a Horrid Form while also in Shape of the Beast would not
stack, nor would Form of Blood along with Mist Form. You may use a lesser form power with another major form such as
Tongue of the Asp, with Shape of the Beast, or Eyes of the Beast along with Horrid Form.

PRESERVING BLOOD/VITAE
All Blood/Vitae is subject to spoiling if not properly preserved. This can be done through magical or mundane methods.
1. If you have collected the Blood of a PC or NPC, you must list on the card how it is being stored, or it will
assume to have spoiled after a certain amount of time has passed. Spoiled blood cannot be used as a
sympathetic link or any other form of magical/medical testing.
2. Dried blood on fabrics does not “spoil” but is only usable by methods that strictly allow for use of dried
blood and does in fact count as a sympathetic link. The sympathetic link is broken if the material with the
dried blood is destroyed through degradation or other methods. The blood can be washed out of the
fabric as well, rendering the blood/Vitae inert as a sympathetic link.

REACHING ACROSS REALMS

Powers cannot reach across realms unless they specifically say they can. Meaning, that if you are in the physical world’
you cannot Entrance someone in the Near Umbra, even if you can somehow see them. If you are in the Shadowlands you
cannot use Telepathy to read the mind of someone in the Skinlands even if you can see them. You can use Torment (for
example) to initiate Physical challenges into the Shadowlands, since the power specifically says it can do this, or if you
have Duality, you can exist in the Near Umbra and the Physical Realm simultaneously.

RULE OF THREE
When spending Traits to fuel powers, you may spend up to three (3) of those Traits. Some exceptions may be made by
the ST.

SYMPATHETIC LINK
A sympathetic link is any item belonging to a person (a physical object like a precious religious talisman from their Sire, or
a body part like hair, Blood, skin, etc.) that can be used to empower a supernatural capability like Scry or Path of Curses.

All sympathetic links are good for 1 use only; after which they lose their ‘metaphysical significance.’ Body parts from
Kindred are subject to a rate of decay determined by the ST staff unless you are using some form of means to contain
them.
 26

TESTS
Generally, any action that negatively impacts another character will involve a test of some sort, that can be a contest of
wills, a simple or, resisted test, or static challenge. (For example, setting a trap, can be accomplished by setting up a
static challenge to notice, or avoid) Firm grips, always require a challenge, tricking someone into shaking your hand OOC
to enact a power isn’t acceptable.
1. TESTS – RESISTED – A contest of Rock, Paper Scissors where success is determined on a win or a tie (where
the attacker has more traits than the defender, or has a power that lets them win on ties).·
2. TESTS – SIMPLE – A contest of Rock, Paper Scissors where success is determined on a win or tie.·
3. TESTS – STATIC - The ST may assign a challenge rating Trait score for a task, and the player contests via Rock
Paper Scissors to determine whether they succeed. If a tie is reached, then the character compares Traits to the
challenge rating. If another tie is reached, the character fails unless they have some type of mechanical benefit
that allows them to win ties for that situation. Willpower may be used by the initiator of the Challenge unless it’s
against a defending character.

TRAITS - BIDDABLE
Keep track of your biddable Traits, when you are unable to bid any Traits, you automatically fail all challenges in that
category.

TRAIT CAPS
Characters may bid up to double the generation maximum on challenges. (20 for 13th generation, 28 for an 8th
generation). Potency of Blood, or any other temporary means of improving your generation cannot change your cap.

TRAIT MAXIMUMS
Character Trait maximums are determined via Laws of the Night revised. Humans have a maximum of 8 Traits, Ghouls
have a maximum of 9, Revenants 10.

TRANSFORMATION POWERS
A character may have only 1 major transformation power active at a time. They may have up to 3 minor transformation
powers active at a time within logical reasoning.

VICTORY CONDITIONS
A player may declare an appropriate victory condition rather than just doing damage with a weapon, or whatever other
situation may make sense. When in doubt, consult a ST.

ABILITIES
Abilities used in Shadow’s Crossing are found in Laws of the Night: Revised, and Dark Epics. Anything else from any
other book to use, or to buy is subject to ST approval. If you have a specific Ability on your sheet that isn’t in either of
those two sources, it is the player’s responsibility to provide the cited material, book and page number.

ABILITY SPECIALIZATIONS
1. Specializations may be in a specific level of a discipline, but not the entire discipline. So, you may have Animal
Ken spec: Quell the Beast, but not Animal Ken spec: Animalism.
2. You must have 3 dots in the Ability before you can attach a specialization to it.
3. All abilities will be held to what is common sense for a PC to be able to learn in a certain time frame.

LIST OF ALLOWED SKILLS IN SHADOWS CROSSING:

● Academics
 27
● Animal Ken
● Archery
● Athletics
● Awareness
● Blindfighting
● Brawl
● Computer
● Crafts
● Dodge
● Drive
● Empathy
● Enigmas
● Etiquette
● Expression
● Finance
● Firearms
● Fire Dancing
● Fortune Telling
● Hobby/Professional/Expert Ability
● Hunting
● Intimidation
● Investigation
● Law
● Leadership
● Linguistics
● Lore
● Medicine
● Meditation
● Melee
● Occult
● Performance
● Politics
● Psychology
● Rituals (Sabbat)
● Repair
● Science
● Scrounge
● Security
● Stealth
● Streetwise
● Subterfuge
● Survival
● Throwing
● Torture
● Vamp

ACADEMICS - Focus - Theology

Required for Dur-an-Ki. If someone has Theology, it is considered Academics with a focus on Theology.
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ACADEMICS - Focus - Thanatology

PERFORMANCE RATINGS:

Challenges must be thrown for all performances. You may use as many retests as you have abilities: So you
may end up retesting five times, however, your performance rating will go down per retest:

Outright Win = Performance x 5

Retest 1 = Performance x 4
Retest 2 = Performance x 3
Below Performance 3 you do not need to retest, your item will be at Performance x 2 unless you are
purposefully making it x 1.

CRAFTS
Crafts may allow characters to create or modify items. For each modification beyond the normal item’s original properties
it requires an appropriate level(s) of crafts and time to successfully complete.

Start with the base item per Dark Epics (also in the Mechanics from Dark Epics chapter of this document). Then use the
craft rules to adjust the item as described.

Crafts Focus:
When a craftsperson begins a project, they choose one primary crafts focus to use as the base. Other crafts can add
artistic embellishments but do not add to any mechanical value of the object unless used as a prerequisite for a special
ability.

Crafting time: Each item you wish to craft takes a week per each level of Crafts you wish to imbue into the item. As the
crafter works the item, they may add levels of crafts into the item per the chart below. If they wish to forgo the higher
levels of crafts, they may reduce the time it takes by sacrificing levels of crafts above the level of crafts they are trying to
accomplish by a week. This is to reflect that if a Master desires to make a crude item, they can do so in a matter of hours,
a normal item in a matter of days. If the craftsperson has help, the helper can add levels of their Crafts ability to reduce
the time it takes to create an item. Helpers only reduce the amount of time, not the outcome of the quality.

You may only produce one Masterwork at a time. Masterwork = Crafts level x 5. If you are creating a masterwork, you
must work on this to the exclusion of all other work. You may not reduce the amount of time to create a Masterwork item
even with an apprentice.

You may work on up to Five levels of crafts divided among multiple pieces over a five week period. IE: You may create
five crafts x 1 pieces, etc. You may speed up time taken on items that are crafts level x 1 - 3 with the help of an
apprentice, see rules below.

Crafting Complications: Masterworks are rare, and even a Master artisan who focuses all their time and energy cannot
stop accidents from occuring during the creation process. Therefore, all work that is above level 3 requires a static
challenge thrown with STs, retest with appropriate crafts levels at the completion of five weeks. Difficulty is against 8
mental traits. If you lose the challenge, your item cannot be level 5. You must throw again for level 4. If you lose that
challenge, the level will be set at crafts x 3.

Weapons can never have more than 6 Traits, and further restricted by never more than double its base Traits
from out of Dark Epics unless improved by discipline or ritual powers. (Example, a Crafts 5 Dagger can have only a
maximum of 4 traits, but then further tempered or fetished to a maximum amount of traits of 6)
 29

A weapon can never have a damage rating of more than double the value in Dark Epics, unless by discipline use,
or Ritual.

The Crafting Process: Weapons Requires (one) Weaponsmithing, Gunsmithing, Bowyer, Woodworking, Engraving

Step 1: Select an item you wish to craft.

Step 2: Take the base stats from Dark Epics - appended to the House Rules as well.
Step 3: Decide on the level of crafts your character wishes to create the item with. Crafts 2 creates a standard item per
Dark Epics rules.
Step 4: Determine the amount of time it takes to craft the item which is listed under Crafting Time.
Step 5: For items above Crafts 2, you can select options to add to the item as you go through each level during the IC
crafting process.
Step 6: Submit the item to the ST for approval.

● At Crafts 1 (Apprentice), Crude items can be made, but they will have additional Negative Traits as appropriate
(Fragile, Clumsy, Heavy etc).
● At Crafts 2 (Journeyman), creates standard Dark Epics weapons and armor.
● At Crafts 3 (Expert), gives a Bonus Trait to a weapon or armor, or removes a Negative Trait. (Doubles the price
value of the item)
● At Crafts 4 (Master), gives a second Bonus Trait to a weapon or armor, or removes an additional Negative Trait.
The Master Craftsperson can forgo the two bonus traits or negative traits to add an additional health level of
damage to weapons. (Triple the price value of the item) - Requires a static challenge difficulty is against 8 mental
traits.
● At Crafts 5 (Grandmaster), the crafter can add one damage to a weapon, an additional trait, or remove an
applicable negative trait. The crafter can potentially add a special ability, change the concealability of the item
(when applicable), and work with rare materials when crafting the item. (Quadruples the price value of the item) -
Requires a static challenge difficulty against 8 mental traits.

The Crafting Process: Armor Requires (one) Armorsmithing, Blacksmithing, Leatherworking, Textiles, Engraving

Crafted armor may never provide more than 8 additional health levels of protection, and further restricted by
never more than double its base health from Dark Epics. (For example, Crafts 5 Leather Armor can only have 2
health levels, Crafts 5 Plate Mail can have 6 health levels)

The armor may further be improved by discipline or ritual powers, but no more than double the total health levels
of the item, if applicable. (For example, Crafts 5 Leather Armor can only have 2 health levels, and then can be blood
tempered with another 4 health levels for a total of 4 health levels due to the cap. Plate Mail Armor that is crafts 5 could
have it’s negative traits removed, and an additional health level added to it, then blood tempered with another 4 health
levels for a total of 8 Health Levels.)

Step 1: Select an item you wish to craft.

Step 2: Take the base stats from Dark Epics - appended to the House Rules as well.
Step 3: Decide on the level of crafts your character wishes to create the item with. Crafts 2 creates a standard item per
Dark Epics rules.
Step 4: Determine the amount of time it takes to craft the item which is listed under Crafting Time.
Step 5: For items above Crafts 2, you can select options to add to the item as you go through each level during the IC
crafting process.
Step 6: Submit the item to the ST for approval.
 30

● At Crafts 1 (Apprentice), Crude items can be made, but they will have additional Negative Traits as appropriate
(Fragile, Clumsy, Heavy etc).
● At Crafts 2 (Journeyman), creates standard Dark Epics armor.
● At Crafts 3 (Expert), adds a Bonus Health Level or armor, or removes a Negative Trait.
● At Crafts 4 (Master), adds a Bonus Health Level to armor, or removes an additional Negative Trait.
● At Crafts 5 (Grandmaster) Adds a Bonus Health Level to armor, or removes an additional Negative Trait, or can
be granted the ability to be resistant to Destroy Shield, or change the concealability of the item (when applicable),
and work with rare materials when crafting the item.

The Crafting Process: Exotic Materials Requires Silversmithing, Goldsmithing, Jewelry, Textiles, Metallurgy

● Each Level of Crafts multiplies the value of the item by that amount.
● Crafts Metallurgy can provide an equal rating of the Indestructibility special ability.

The Crafting Process: Tools and Instruments Requires Blacksmithing, Engineering, Woodworking, Metallurgy

● Each Level of Crafts allows an equal rating of resistance to potence, and removes fragile negative traits to the
tool.

The Crafting Process: Works of Art Requires Crafts Painting, Pottery, Textiles, Goldsmithing, Silversmithing,
Expression

● Crafts 1 can win first place at county fairs

● Crafts 2 can win first place at state fairs
● Crafts 3 can fascinate Toreador
● Crafts 4 can fascinate critics
● Crafts 5 can inspire a movement.

Toreador can achieve greater than Masterpiece works, see the Toreador Clan Packet for those rules.

EMPATHY
You cannot use the Empathy Ability to determine if someone is lying, nor can you use Empathy if your heart is removed.

FINANCE
Vampire the Masquerade is a Live Action Role Playing Game, not to be reduced to ridiculous amounts of math and
financial speculation. If your character has Finance Ability, you can stockpile your resources level each month. Work with
your ST on this. A typical Rule is you can save the amount of your Resources and Finances Influences each month equal
to the total amount of dots in Finance Ability. For instance, if you have Finance Ability 2 and Resources 5, Finance
Influence 5, you can only save $20,000 each month, the amount you would get if you only had Resources 2 and Finance
Influence 2. Many characters have Retainers that manage their money for them. A character with Resources 5, Finance
Influence 5 and Finance Ability 5 can stockpile $1,750,000.00 per month.

HOBBY - FOCUS - ASTROLOGY

Required for Dur-an-Ki. If someone has Astrology, it is considered Hobby with a focus in Astrology.
 31
LINGUISTICS
You may pick one native language at creation. You do not need the Linguistics Ability for it. Any additional language
needs a teacher and you must spend the points for it if needed.
Rules for Languages as contained in Kindred of the East, which are as follows:
● 0 level - Native language only
● 1 level - 1 additional + native (2 total)
● 2 levels - 2 additional + native (3 total)
● 3 levels - 4 additional + native (5 total)
● 4 levels - 8 additional + native (9 total)
● 5 levels - 16 additional + native (17 total)
Someone with Linguistics level 5 would know a total of 17 languages The Natural Linguist Merit doubles the number of
available languages.

LORES
Starting Lores are the following: Creature Type, Affiliation (Sect), and Subtype (Clan, Tribe).

OWbN Packets: OWbN Packets act as the standard for lore knowledge if they include lores in specific. Any other
information a lore contains is up to the STs

TORTURE
The use of torture is an inhumane act, it also cannot be used to determine if someone is lying or not.

BACKGROUNDS
Some backgrounds may have a reduced XP cost at Storyteller discretion. These can be earned in play such as Mentor by
one of our chronicle NPC’s.

SANCTITY OF BACKGROUNDS
Backgrounds may be subject to attack, corruption, freeze, or arrest, or be on loan, they may be temporarily added to with
ST approval. If this happens, whatever you spent in experience points are still on your sheet, and you may or may not be
able to access the relevant Background level. They will not be permanently destroyed requiring you to spend more
experience points regaining them, though it may require IC actions to restore them. Backgrounds achieved by a reduced
cost are not subject to the Sanctity of Backgrounds.

INFLUENCE - FINANCE
Vampire the Masquerade is a Live Action Role Playing Game, not to be reduced to ridiculous amounts of math and
financial speculation. If your character has Finance Influence, you can develop your resources level beyond the normal
amount. Work with your ST on this. As a rule, multiply your resources level by the level of your Finance Influence, for
instance, your character has access to $1,750,000 per month if you have Resources 5 and Finance Influence 5.

INFLUENCE - HEALTH
Health Influence 1-5 with blood acquisition per downtime cycle. This requires temporarily expending the Influence for that
cycle
● Health 1 = 4 blood
● Health 2 = 8 blood
 32
● Health 3 = 12 blood
● Health 4 = 16 blood
● Health 5 = 20 blood

INFLUENCE - OCCULT
Shadow’s Crossing isn’t going to use Occult Influence to research Thaumaturgy, Dur an Ki, Setite Sorcery or other magics
that one would normally go through a proper chain of command to learn. Shadow’s Crossing will also not be allowing for
the acquisition of magic items with Occult Influence.

HAVENS
If your character doesn’t have a Haven logged with the ST’s via email or shared document, it will be up to the ST to make
this information up. This will probably not align with what you had in mind for your Haven, so please take the time to have
it in an organized place so that the ST’s won’t have to search for it. Logging this in Haller Games is a good place too.

Your overall security is a combination of your resource level and the level of the Background Haven, or applicable abilities
such as security. If you have not submitted where your haven is located, you are living in a desperate living condition.

Haven defenses can either be specific or generic, depending on how much of a write up you submit. The level of
resources, and / or applicable abilities, expended for each haven determines how safe you are. We encourage being
creative. Use the Haven Template provided by the ST Staff. (We do have the right to refuse a Haven that we feel is meant
only to kill another PC’s.)

You are at your own haven by dawn each evening unless you submit to our board a notice telling us where your PC is
staying. The notice must be submitted, either in writing at the end of the game, or in writing online. Maintaining a Haven in
another Chronicle is not allowed at this time without prior ST approval. If you want to have someone stay in your haven,
they must submit to our board and their board (if applicable) that they are doing so. They are subject to the mercy of your
haven’s securities and are at our mercy if they are staying at a location controlled by our Board.

You may request a discount in spending XP for Haven, in accordance with the OWBN Character Bylaws under the
reduced costs for Backgrounds section.

A character may not have more dots in Haven than they have in the total number of attribute traits. For instance, a 13th
Gen character can have a total of (6) 5 dot havens.

Each dot you put into a Haven gives your Haven a particular attribute that you can use to write up the description:
● Size
● Opulence (Fancy works of art etc)
● Amenities
● Gardens
● Library (Can be used to buy common abilities up to 3 dots)
● Mystical Traits (Haunted, Warded, Awakened, Weird Stuff)
● Staff
● Heightened Security

For Example, if you have a 5 dot haven, you can pick (Size, Amenities, Library, and Heightened Security) to use for your
write up description.
 33
MENTOR
Mentor points are built through RP. Mentors are Elders or those with Elder level knowledge or power. You can have a
mentor in our game, or any other game, if that chronicle is willing to run them. We have the right to veto anything the
mentor teaches/gives you if we feel it is not realistic for your PC to have convinced the elder to do.

There is no timetable for building mentors, it is all IC. You may request that the mentor level go “up a notch” if you have
been RPing favorably with the NPC. You can lose mentor points by acting like a rube. The powers and limitations of
mentors are at the whim of the ST staff.

There is no guarantee the Mentor will teach your character any power.

Mentors will not act as bodyguards for PCs under any circumstances. They are characters with their own
agendas that may not align conveniently with their protégés.

RESOURCES
Resources equates to disposable income after upkeep of existing assets.
● 1= $5,000
● 2= $10,000
● 3= $50,000
● 4= $120,000
● 5= $350,000
● 6= $500,000 (Paragon)
● 7= $1,000,000 (Elders only)

RETAINERS
You may have up to 5 total retainers, ST may allow more on a case by case basis. Each one may be up to 5 points. This
is for a total of 25 points in retainers. Stats for these will be done on a case by case basis. If you wish your retainers to
have Influence of their own/ increase your total Influence cap each retainer (that is not an animal, wraith, or anything other
than a person) increases your PCs Influence cap by 1 point as per pg. 105 of Laws of the Night. Retainers may not use
Backgrounds themselves, but they may use skills to assist you in your Influence and Background endeavors. You start
each session down 1 Blood for each retainer you possess.

Supernatural Retainers including Human Ghouls (NPC Only):

All NPC Supernatural Retainers must be listed on your sheet under Backgrounds with their name and an accompanying
sheet of the same name to be usable during game or DT for more than just flavor. Example: you do not need a sheet for
the ghoul that pick you up from gather. If your ghoul engages in a high-speed freeway chase following gather with you in
the car, a sheet may be required, or the ghoul will be treated as if it is a stock NPC.
● Human Ghouls: To utilize the abilities/Influences of a ghoul an approved sheet must be provided to SC staff. If this
is an SC based ghoul NPC, then SC STs will need a character sheet on file in the Database for the retainer to be
used for Influence or Background type actions.
● Umbra Spirits: Must have a sheet with the appropriate Traits and description for all Charms listed. You must be
able to cite the exact source material for their Charms if requested by SC STs. Break Reality and other such
powerful Charms are only usable by SC staff, not PCs.
● Wraiths: Must have a sheet with the appropriate Traits and description for all abilities/powers. You must be able
to cite the exact source material for their abilities if requested by SC STs.
 34
● All other supernaturals: Must have an approved sheet to be usable during game or mechanically during DT.
Some may be just for flavor and may not engage in any challenges or to be used for Influences/Backgrounds/etc.

Mortals/Ghouls start with 3/4/6, 5 abilities, no lores, 3 Backgrounds (No Generation, Herd, or Retainer), and up to 7 points
in Merits and Flaws. Most Ghouls start with 1 dot of Potence. They may take Merits to access Merits their domitor
possesses. They start with 5 freebie points. Each dot in retainers beyond the first gives them 5 XP to spend. Mortals have
max Traits of 8, and Ghouls have max Traits of 9.

DISCIPLINES
No power that gives ties against another power works above its level, or the highest level in the case of combination
disciplines. For example, Iron Heart is not effective against powers above level 3 and Path of Mars level 1 is not effective
against powers above level 1. Characters with Puissance do not get ties against characters with Potence or Celerity 6.

ADJUDICATIONS

AUSPEX VS OBFUSCATE: Page 108 of Laws of the Night says that ‘you cannot use Willpower to see through
Obfuscate.’ Page 137 says the opposite. Page 161 says ‘hidden individuals cannot use Willpower to defend against
Auspex challenges to Obfuscate.’

In SC Willpower may be used by the defender as a retest in any Mental or Social challenge.

ANIMALISM
● Feral Whispers: You can only communicate with animals. Two Kindred cannot speak to each other using Feral
Whispers unless one of them is in an animal form. Both PCs must have feral whispers to communicate in this
way. Kindred may not use feral whispers to speak to each other while both are in their human forms.
● Quell the Beast: This lasts for the remainder of the scene, not the entire night. Quell the Beast does not affect
Aegis.
● Subsume the Spirit: If the host body you are in is killed, you fall into torpor, not final death. Note: Please see a
Storyteller each game for a signed off card of your possessed body. The use of Obfuscate requires the
expenditure of 3 Mental Traits.

AUSPEX
● Aura Perception: The Traits for the Static challenge are the targets maximum Mental (See Trait Maximums). The
aura perceiver may retest with Investigation and the target may retest with Subterfuge but no Trait need be risked
to defend. Also, you may not use this power to tell if a Vampire is lying or not.
● Spirits Touch: Is run per the book. You may also gain a temporary derangement if the ST feels it's appropriate.

● Telepathy: You may initiate a casual telepathic conversation that doesn’t require the expenditure of a
Willpower. You must be within line of sight to use this power but can connect to as many targets in this way as
you have permanent Willpower. This conversation can be sensed by any other characters with Telepathy, who
may listen and even join in, without a challenge. You may initiate a private conversation with another individual by
spending a Willpower Trait, but if both parties relent to the conversation, a Willpower isn’t necessary. Using
Telepathy to listen into a private conversation requires spending a Willpower. Delving into the consciousness of
 35
another Supernatural being, or an especially resolute mortal, however, requires the expenditure of a Willpower
Trait. With this you may initiate a private Telepathic conversation, this may not give you everything you are
looking for. People don't remember every little thing they ever see. Sometimes a deep probe simply cannot get
you the information you want. Sometimes you need to give a verbal command to get the information to present
itself. You can't use the deep probe for "things you don't want me to know" without asking the person to make
them think of it. You CAN, however, probe for "What did you do last Tuesday?" or "Did you kill Mr. X?" without
anyone knowing you're in their head, if it is the subject of conversation. All uses of Deep Probe require a
Storyteller.

CHIMERSTRY
If you wish an unbelievable or hostile illusion to affect multiple people, you must challenge each of them.
Non-hostile believable illusions typically do not require a challenge.
● Horrid Reality: The Chimerstry user does not necessarily know details about the victim. These details could
render the illusion ineffective if they lose their disbelief chop. For example, if a victim has had a heart removed via
Serpentis and the illusion is to stake them, the illusion could fail. If a victim of the staking illusion burns Aegis after
losing the challenge, the illusion of staking them could fail as it will not be believable. If the Chimerstry user is
crafty, they can get around this with ST discretion and a disbelief challenge.

CELERITY
● Alacrity: can be used to take a free single step without a Trait penalty, or ready action like draw a weapon,
reload, or interact with your environment that wouldn’t result in a challenge. You may use Alacrity at any time in a
round if you haven’t used it already. For instance, you may use it between the Swiftness and Legerity action to
ready another weapon, take a step etc. Additionally, Alacrity doesn’t necessarily break your Obfuscate if you are
using it, but common-sense dictates what actions you can take while in Obfuscate that would cause you to break
your Obfuscate.
● Swiftness: Using Swiftness or higher while in Unseen Presence causes your Unseen Presence to break.

● Rapidity: To throw the bomb or win all ties, you must bid a Dexterity-based Trait.

● Fleetness: Can be used while shooting a gun, in addition to dodging gunfire. If you use Fleetness, you can
declare Fair Escape against characters with less Celerity than you.

DEMENTATION
If you have your heart removed, you lose the ability to have/use Empathy, which is the retest for this Discipline.
● Total insanity: Run per Laws of the Night, PG: 146, with this modification: This power lasts an hour, not the
remainder of the evening. If you have more active Derangements than your temporary willpower Traits, you lapse
into a non-functional, psychotic state wherein you can only take defensive actions. Other effects may occur at ST
discretion.

DOMINATE
While you must meet your victim’s gaze, the use of sunglasses or similar obstructions, are not effective to protect a victim
from this power.
Any uses of dominate level 2 and up require a Storyteller. It's generally a good idea to get a Storyteller for any complex
Dominate work so we can verify its legitimacy and that it is properly worded.
 36
● Forgetful Mind: Using Forgetful Mind cannot "scan for memory alterations" but can make a static challenge
against the Dominator’s Traits to tell if a specific memory is false. The more believable the false memory to the
victim, the harder it is to detect by the person using Dominate.
● Conditioning: Conditioning mortals’ functions as out of pages 147-148 in LotN, with the following: Once
conditioned no challenge is again required to issue further Commands or Mesmerisms, and no eye contact is
required. Conditioning supernatural creatures is a bit different, though the extended series of challenges remains
the same, it creates results as follows: The Dominator no longer requires direct eye contact to issue further
Dominates and is two Traits up on all Social or Mental Challenges with his thrall. You may also layer multiple
Mesmerisms onto the subject, up to the permanent Willpower of the Dominator.
● Possession: If the host body you are in is killed, you fall into torpor, not final death. Note: Please see a Storyteller
each game for a signed off card of your possessed body. You may expend 3 Mental Traits to have access to
Obfuscate while using Possession.

FORTITUDE
● Endurance: Allows you to ignore ALL wound penalties.

● Aegis: Aegis may only be used to remove and/or prevent any damage to a character within the same turn of its
use. If activated prior to the simple tests being thrown it may also prevent staking. To ‘burn’ for Aegis the
character must spend either a temporary Willpower Trait, or 3 temporary Stamina Traits. The use of Aegis is
reflexive. In addition, once a character possesses the power of Aegis, they may bid the Trait “Aegis” in challenges
of stamina; much as with “Intensity” this Trait may not be lost but does not count toward the resolution of ties.
Damage may not be caused to your opponent as a result of winning a test in which Aegis has been bid (you
cannot be “Aegis” enough to break someone’s fist), unless you have some other power that provides damage
(Personal Armor, Flesh of Fiery Touch). This power does not stop effects that require only touch. In
addition, Quell the Beast may not disallow the use of the expenditure of Willpower for this power. If you have
Aegis, you automatically soak one Aggravated wound to Lethal, and one Lethal to nothing (via Resilience and
Resistance). This may only be applied once per source of damage, but may occur multiple times per round.
Temporary Stamina traits and/or Willpower points spent for Aegis refresh at a rate of 1 per week. Stamina traits
used for Aegis can not be refreshed by any other means.
OBFUSCATE
● Cloak of Shadows: You may use this power to obfuscate in a “cloak of shadows” one object on your person that
can be concealed per the item abilities. For instance, you may Cloak of Shadows a stake on your person inside
your jacket, which normally would be concealed mundanely via the conceal rules for the stake.
● Unseen Presence: In most cases, the user of this power is considered the Defender.

● Mask of 1,000 Faces: This power can minorly alter clothing, making it less conspicuous, or generally nondescript.
It cannot hide wounds. If you have recently had your head set on fire, you'll be an ambiguous person with a burnt
face. Celerity doesn’t cause Mask of 1,000 Faces to break.
● Vanish from the Mind’s Eye: Those around the vanisher are considered the Defender.

OBTENEBRATION
Unless otherwise specified in the individual power description, all uses of Obtenebration require actual shadows of at
least somewhat commensurate size in order to generate the desired effect. (Each Arm of the Abyss requires at least a
roughly child-sized area of shadow to spring from, just to get the ball rolling.)
 37
They must be genuine shadows, not just areas of “less light” — an area must be well and truly dark in order to be a
candidate for use/manipulation with this Discipline. Thus, players should bear in mind that in order to summon a truly
impressive number of tentacles or other effects from this Discipline, they may have to first extinguish some existing light
sources and/or supernaturally shift and stretch local shadows to their liking beforehand. Obtenebration resonates within
the Shadowlands as a manifestation of the thing all wraiths fear the most. They will avoid it at all costs. Specters, on the
other hand, love Obtenebration. Obtenebration may be visible in other planes at ST discretion.

● Shadow Play: To grant a victim ‘Clumsy’ the attacker must engage and best the victim in a Mental vs. Physical
Challenge. Multiple uses of this power are not cumulative.
● Shroud of Night: This power blocks line of sight. Targets within can only be identified if they make a noise as
loud as a gunshot or if they attack you within melee distance, or other means within common sense. While within
the Shroud, affected characters have the Negative Physical Trait of “Clumsy” and suffer a 2-point penalty to
perception challenges using Mental Traits. Heightened Senses and Eyes of the Beast will not allow the
identification of targets but will lower the Negative Mental Traits imposed by one each. The Blindfighting Ability
can be used as a retest against the Blindness challenge while within the Shroud. You may also use Merits like
Catlike Balance to negate the “Clumsy” Negative Trait if you also have the Blindfighting Ability (Catlike Balance
cannot be used on its own to negate the “Clumsy” Trait).
● Arms of the Abyss: You may summon a number of Arms equal to the number of levels of Obtenebration you
possess. A character’s Potence and Fortitude do not apply to tentacles. A character’s tentacles are treated as
NPC assistants with their creator as the champion for the purpose of combat resolution. Refer to ‘Mob Combat’ for
further information. Arms of the Abyss is a Minor Transformation Power.
● Black Metamorphosis: If you have levels of Abyss Lore, you may alter the outward appearance of your Black
Metamorphosis. This will have no effect on the mechanics of the power but will allow customization for aesthetics
benefit. A character must choose to either inflict damage or grant the victim ‘Clumsy’ as a result of the extra
action granted by black Metamorphosis. Multiple ‘Clumsy Traits do not stack as a result of this power. Black
Metamorphosis is a Major Transformation Power.

POTENCE
Players aren’t compelled to declare the bomb, or the ability to Win All Ties if their character possesses those abilities to
use them.

Potence may not be used to jump like a superhero or hitting something for distance.

A character with Potence may break sturdy items of a crafts rating BELOW their Potence rating. Ex: Someone with
Puissance could break down a crafts 4 iron door, but not crafts 5.

Potence users may pull their punches and do less damage if they wish. For instance, they may choose to not do lethal
damage, but still do 2 points of damage.

● Might is only the last retest in the challenge for the player who bids it.

● Puissance: You break most normal weapons. A melee or thrown weapon must have a crafts 5 rating to ensure
you do not break it.

PROTEAN
Eyes of the Beast, and Wolves Claws are Minor Transformation Powers. Mist Form is a Major Transformation Power.
 38
● Shape of the Beast: Gangrel Vampires may assume another beast form other than Wolf and Bat. Any beast form
must be thematically appropriate to Vampire the Masquerade. For visiting PCs, forms will be changed to Wolf and
Bat if the ST decides that a character’s form powers are not thematically appropriate. We will otherwise use the
rules in the Gangrel Clan book for this discipline. Shape of the Beast is a Major Transformation Power.
o (Gangrel Clanbook) Each form adds five Bonus Traits. They must be divided among at least two of the
categories given in Laws of the Night, Revised Edition, p. 80-83: Strength-related, Dexterity-related,
Stamina-related, Perception-related and Wits-related. The classic wolf form, for instance, gains Quick and
Lithe (Dexterity- related); Tireless (Stamina-related); Attentive (Perception-related); and Alert (Wits-
related). The usual bear form adds Brawny, Ferocious, and Tough (Strength-related), and Enduring and
Robust (Stamina- related). Assign the specific Trait bonuses when choosing the forms. They remain fixed
thereafter.

o Your animal form’s bite does two levels of aggravated damage, and claws do one level of aggravated
damage. In some cases, the Storyteller may wish to adjust this: an alligator form might have a stronger
bite but no claws, for instance. The animal form runs at double your normal speed, or at normal speed
with an additional mode like swimming or burrowing.The flight form has a limit of three Physical Traits,
chosen from among your regular Trait list, and flies at your running speed. Quick but ground-bound forms
get three bonus Traits for purposes of initiative and evasion. Attacks made against the flight form incur a
two-Trait penalty, though you may choose to keep all Strength- related Traits and sacrifice this
advantage. The fight form allows you to declare Fair Escape once at least five paces from the nearest
pursuer, unless the pursuer has more levels of heightened speed.

PRESENCE
● Awe cannot be used as a retest for Summon unless you have line of sight. You must be within Line of Sight of
your target to use Awe. Awe cannot cancel Awe.
● Summoning: You CAN be summoned into a threatening situation in Shadows Crossing. Once you see the
summoner, and if you know they are hostile, you can try and escape. If you are being summoned, it is considered
cheating to indicate in any way that you are going somewhere against your will. However, asking someone to
walk with you to finish a conversation is legit if you were summoned mid-topic. You may not Summon someone
while Obfuscated. If you Summon someone then activate Obfuscate, the Summon ends. You will not leave active
combat if summoned. The summoning will take effect once you are able to leave relatively safely. You may
expend a willpower to postpone responding to a summons for 10 minutes.
● Majesty: The person breaking majesty is considered the defender. There is no obvious boundary for Majesty.
Majesty’s power over you depends on whether you are focused on the Majestic person or not. If you are in the
immediate vicinity, and able to see and hear the target, you are affected. If you look at a target through a sniper
scope, you have brought yourself within the influence of the target’s Majesty and are affected by it.

QUIETUS
● Silence of Death: This discipline does not prevent Blood Magic users from using Blood Magic (unless the power
specifies that the recipient must be able to hear the caster). The sphere of silence created by this power dampens
the noise within it, not nullifies. You cannot use it to have a conversation with someone unheard.
● Scorpions Touch and Baal’s Caress: Coated weapons are limited to their Bonus Traits. Per the Laws of the
Night, Pg. 171, you can coat nothing smaller than a dagger. You cannot coat bullets. Example: A +2 Trait weapon
can hold two levels of Scorpion's Touch OR 1 Scorpion's Touch and 1 Baal's Caress. Each coat requires a Blood
Trait. Remember that a weapon with a Kindred Ward CANNOT be coated with Quietus Blood unless the Kindred
coating is immune to the Ward. Otherwise the Blood just burns off.
 39
● Scorpion's Touch: Traits lost to Scorpion's touch are cumulative but can be refreshed with Willpower or Prowess
(provided the Trait lost is one that would be refreshed with Prowess). Blood Traits cannot be lost permanently due
to Scorpion's Touch, but Physical Traits gained with Blood can be removed.

THAUMATURGY
The ST Staff of Shadows Crossing reserve the right to alter any paths and rituals we feel are unbalanced, even if we don't
list them all here. (See: Storyteller Fiat).

The Rule of Three (See RULE OF THREE) will be used in most, but not all cases where Traits must be spent to fuel the
power. Path of Technomancy: Telecommute, and Neptune’s Might: Blood to Water are notable exceptions. Mental Traits
that fuel the power are spent only on a successful challenge

All Thaumaturgy powers require the expenditure of Blood unless otherwise noted in the power description.

Thaumaturgy actions occur on initiative as normal, not at the end of the Round.

PATHS

● Thaumaturgy: Focused Mind - Readiness: Only provides three additional Mental Traits for logic, investigation,
memory or reasoning. Not further uses of Thaumaturgy.
● Thaumaturgy: Focused Mind - Perfect Clarity: This discipline does not grant the user Win All Ties in Majesty
challenges.
● Thaumaturgy: Spirit Manipulation - Entrap Ephemera: We reserve the right to veto any fetish we feel is
overpowered at any time (See: STORYTELLER FIAT). All fetishes must be activated per The Guide to the
Camarilla by spending a Willpower Trait and making a Simple Test. On a loss, you must make another Simple
Test. On a second loss, the fetish fails to function properly, and you must make a third simple test. If that test is
lost as well, the physical component of the fetish will be destroyed, and the spirit will be freed. PCs can only carry
as many Fetishes as they have dots in Occult.
o Vampires do not negotiate with spirits, they force them into doing their bidding. Your PC may believe
anything they like, but mechanically, that is what occurs. Thus your Vampire PC can only create fetishes
using what could be described as low level spirits or banes, and the fetish cannot resemble a Klaive nor
should you be telling others that you have some kind of Incarna trapped in there. You do not.
● Thaumaturgy: Path of Conjuration - Power over life: Requires 10 Blood to create, and you may make a
simulacrum of yourself, or a nondescript person. You may not make the visage of another person with this power.
The Physical traits of this being is 5 physical, and it has 5 Health Levels. You can use Possession on this being.

RITUALS
Basic rituals take 10 minutes, Intermediate. take 20 minutes, and Advanced take 30 min to cast. Unless otherwise stated
in the description. Because of the addition of abilities to attributes to determine the full Trait pools, static challenges will
have an added 2 Traits to their normal difficulty

You may cast up to your Occult level in rituals that only target your character at the start of the game. There is no test for
these rituals.
 40
● Principal Focus of Vitae Infusion: In combat, these must be individually activated manually at a rate of 1 per
round. You must activate them in your mouth, swallowing them ahead of time will not work. See the feeding rules
for further information.
● Pavis of the Foul Presence: Can affect the level of Presence based on the user’s Occult Ability. The power
simply makes Presence ineffective against the user, it does not reflect the power back on the Presence user. The
person using the Presence power is unaware of the reason the power has failed.
● Engage the Vessel of Transference: The Vessel can hold 1 Blood Trait at most. Prior notice must be given to
the ST staff if the item is left somewhere in the gather location or scene for “passive use”. If they have Occult 4 or
higher, they can make a perception-based Mental challenge to notice the Hermetic sigils. For those who win this
perception challenge, only those who have previously learned what a Vessel of Transference is would recognize
these sigils, others would simply recognize it as a magical item. The “cold chill” is noticeable, and characters may
test with Awareness or Occult to recognize a power was used on them passively. Eyes of Chaos when activated
and noticed would warn the user that the item is dangerous.
● Eyes of the Past: Will only function in the immediate area. If cast in a room/elevator/van/whatever, you will not be
able to see out the doors or windows of the room in the past. If done outside a building, you won’t be able to see
in the building. If done in a field, you will only be able to see the area around you approximately the size of a large
room. In other words, you must be in the place where you want to look, in order to look back in time there; you
can’t examine the past in a location that you are not in. You must be willing to risk entering a place to investigate
the past there. It does not see through Obfuscate, and you cannot use Auspex while using Eyes of the Past.
● Ward vs Ghouls/Kindred/Lupines/Spirits/Wraiths/Demons/Fae/Mages: Please remember that a weapon or
item may not have more wards or other enchantments on it than the base Traits of the item.
● Enchant Talisman: The Enchanted Talisman does not have to be a yard in length. It can be a wand, a large
necklace with a pendant, or some other noticeable magical object.
● The initial ritual costs a blood and to win a static challenge vs 7 traits, but in Shadow's Crossing
because of the addition of abilities to attributes to determine the full Trait pools, static challenges
will have an added 2 Traits to their normal difficulty, so 9 mental just to start the ritual, which
takes 30 minutes to prep. Then the following takes place:
● A Lunar Cycle is 28 Days, for the sake of consistency it's a month.

● 6 Hours per night means that most nights with about 12 hours of darkness each night. This will
limit the amount of traveling or other downtimes you can complete. This will soak up all other
downtime actions for the duration.
● Each Week (referencing the 4 sets) the Caster engages in 10 static challenges vs 16 traits. (In
Shadow's Crossing, we allow them to be retested with ability, ritual, merit and willpower)
● To be successful, the caster must win 20 out of the 40 challenges thrown during the month.
If successful, the caster now has a potent weapon and tool. With the following benefits (as long as the Talisman is
in the hands of the caster):
❖ The caster is considered 2 traits up on any Magical attack made against them.
❖ The caster is considered 3 traits up on any challenge with their chosen path.
❖ The caster is considered 2 traits up when casting their rituals.
❖ The caster is considered 2 traits up when using the talisman as a weapon.
 41
If another person ever takes this item, being that it is inscribed with the true name of it’s creator (and if you are a
product of western society, your birth name IS your true name, unless you’ve figured out another means to change
it), they are considered three traits up in any Magical attack against you. You always have an innate mental
connection with your talisman, and you can track it if moving at a normal walking pace. You can always tell the
general direction and distance. You know if it is destroyed. You can only have One Talisman in existence at a
time.

● Sanguinous Phial: other vessels may be used to store vitae such as wine bottles, or other hermetically sealed
objects.
●

NECROMANCY

● Soul Stealing: A Storyteller must be present for all uses of this power. The victim can use their Mental and Social
Traits. The victim of a Soul Seal does not become a true wraith, they cannot be affected by further necromancy,
but they can be affected by wraiths per ST discretion. You may not use Haunting to bind a Kindred soul to an
object after the use of Soul Steal. If someone using any form of possession is affected by Soul Steal, the current,
dominant soul of the possessor, not the possessed, is removed.
● Ash Path; Ex Nihilo: The door must be drawn on a wall or other vertical surface. It cannot be drawn on clothing or
life forms. The drawing of the door is a part of the activation of the power; this power cannot be activated without
drawing it. The door cannot be drawn ahead of time. Only the user of the power may step through the door.
● Haunting: Kindred souls cannot be bound to locations or items. Only actual wraiths may be bound using this
power.

COMBINATION DISCIPLINES (Combo Disciplines)

● In order to teach a combo power a PC must have at least one of the disciplines of the power in-clan.

● Blood Tempering: The maximum amount of health levels armor gains is 2 health levels. .

● Inspire Greatness: Cap on targets is up to levels in either Fortitude or Potence of the invoker. If the player has 5
fortitude and 3 Potence, then 5 people may be inspired. If done with no target to a room, then it is at the ST
discretion of who is inspired. Source: Road of Kings p. 72
● Greater Inspire Greatness: Cost: 14 XP. Spend extra Traits on the initial challenge and effect from 2 people (1
Trait) to everyone in the vicinity (5 Traits). Blood cost remains the same per Inspire Greatness.

Source: Road of Kings p.72

1 - Two people
2 - Four
3 - Eight
4 - Twenty
5 - everyone in range of voice
 42
MERITS AND FLAWS
Your character may earn Merits or Flaws from scenes or downtimes based on plots for reduced costs. This will be noted
on your sheet and xp log, subject to be added or removed as the ST Staff determines.

Merits:
● 4th In-Clan Discipline: 5pts Must be purchased with Creation Points. The disciplines allowed are: Animalism,
Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Potence, Presence. Requires an approved background, and
requires a story explaining the logical reasoning behind it.
● True Faith - See Character Bylaws. May be extremely limited in Shadows Crossing.

● Shaman: Players are required to have the official write up in the notes section on their sheet for this Merit to be
usable in SC.
● Supernatural Ally: Not to be confused with Supernatural retainers. This Merit allows you to invest your Allies
Background in an individual NPC with supernatural abilities. In addition to the rules noted for the Allies
Background, such an Ally has access to two supernatural powers per Trait invested. These allies are generally
not supposed to be working with vampires and so are universally young or lower powered members of their
group. SC staff may change these limitations on a case by case basis as is appropriate for thematic purposes. All
Supernatural Allies are to be run by SC staff as chronicle NPCs, and players may not portray their Supernatural
Ally in DT scenes or at game. Specific limitations include but are not limited to:
o Fae: Changelings or other Fae characters are approved on a case by case basis by the SC staff.
o Hedge Mage: Numinous mortals or hedge mage allies may not have Numina or Sorcery higher than
Intermediate.
o Shapechangers: Garou and Fera allies cannot exceed rank 2 and will not have out of breed/auspice/tribe
gifts.
o Spirit: A spirit ally has 6 Traits of Essence and two Charms per point invested.
o Wraith: A Wraith ally may not have Arcanoi greater than Intermediate.
Flaws:

● Toreador Clan Disadvantage: Entrancement from Crafts/Performance/Expression 3 and above:

Art Objects: Once a Toreador has witnessed and been entranced by an object d art, they will no longer
be entranced by it.

Performance: A Toreador cannot be entranced by a similar or same performance by the same artist
twice. Once they have seen them perform, they are no longer entranced though they will recognize the
quality of the performance The Performer will need to perform using at least two differences: Style,
Selection of material, etc. in order to entrance the same Toreador again.

Toreador cannot be entranced in combat. They are not focused on whatever the art/performance is.

Art which is worn/in use cannot entrance a Toreador. The wearer must hold absolutely still for at
least fifteen minutes for the Toreador to focus on them long enough to be entranced. This includes
Clothing, hairstyles, jewelry, make-up, and weapons. Only items displayed as Art can entrance.

● Deathsight: Does not grant 2 traits up.

 43
BANNED CONTENT
In addition to disallowed, or banned content in OWbN packets, the following content is not playable in Shadows Crossing.
You may keep it on your sheet if you have it prior to the release of this document, and play it in games that allows it, but
you may not use it in Shadows Crossing. Further studies into the content will not be approved within Shadows Crossing.
The Banned content will be in bold and italicized.

● Abilities
o Assbeating
o All abilities not specifically published will be approved on a case by case basis.
● Backgrounds
o Espionage Influence
o Military Influence
● Thaumaturgy Paths
o Ex-Infernis
o Binding the Abyss
o Music of the Spheres (From Assamite Packet)
o Path of the Predator and Prey
● Thaumaturgy Rituals

● IN GENERAL
o Items created by magic that is not accessible to Vampires: If it is created by Garou, Mage, Fae,
etc - players may have the item but cannot access any magical or supernatural effects.
o Powers, Items, Etc that allow a PC to Teleport are banned in Shadows Crossing, regardless of
source.
▪ THIS DOES NOT include the small short range powers of Temporis

▪ More may be added back on a case by case basis.

Opt-in Custom Content

Any content that is officially published, as well as OWbN packets, and content conceived in Shadows Crossing is playable
in Shadows Crossing, unless specifically banned by name in this document, or redlined on an individual sheet. All other
custom content is opt-in, and must be approved by the HST before being playable in this chronicle. Please note additional
restrictions under the Storyteller Fiat section, and other sections of this document.

All sheets based in Shadows Crossing with custom content will have some variation of the following note on their Haller
character sheet, “As of <date>, the custom OWbN content on this sheet is approved.

For sheets based outside of Shadows Crossing this Storyteller note may be in the form of an email, discord exchange or
other written medium.

The standard by which applicable OWbN content will be judged is two fold: it is overpowered, and / or is detrimental to the
facilitation of roleplay. If a piece of custom content is overpowered and / or is likely to have detrimental effects on roleplay,
 44
it will likely be banned in Shadows Crossing. In some instances parts of the custom content will be red lined / houseruled,
however please keep in mind that if you are visiting for the evening, the chronicle staff is not going to spend at most five
minutes (probably less) on this process.

The list of approved Custom Content is as follows:

● Abilities

● Backgrounds

● Combination Disciplines
o Blind Spot
o Blind the Watchful Eye
o Diamond Mind
o Dread Vanish
o Hidden Predator
o Lord of the Flies
o Sentinel’s Attunement
o Veiled Interaction
● Disciplines

● Merits & Flaws

● Paths of Enlightenment
o Path of Set’s Freedom
o
● Thaumaturgy Paths

● Thaumaturgy Rituals
o Unraveling Arcana’s Coil
o Transmutable Imagery

HOUSE RULES for MORTALS

Updated 7/30/2020

There are several different types of Mortals in Shadow’s Crossing:

Mortals/Humans/Kine -

Supernaturally Imbued Mortals include the following:

Ghouls
 45
Revenants

Steps of Kine Character Creation

1. Are you a Human or an Animal?
2. If Human, select 3 Natures, and 3 Demeanors. If Animal, 1 Nature 1 Demeanor.
3. Assign attributes: 4 Primary, 3 Secondary, 2 Tertiary. Mortals have a maximum of 8 traits.
4. Choose five abilities
5. Choose 1 Background
6. Assign 1 Willpower
7. Add 5 free traits.
8. Humans typically have 4 health levels in Shadow’s Crossing. (Healthy, Bruised, Wounded, Incapacitated, Dead).

Steps of Ghoul Character Creation

1. Are you a Human or an Animal?
2. Select 2 Natures and 2 Demeanors.
3. Choose your Domitor Each dot your Domitor puts into Retainers allows you to begin with 5 starting XP.
4. Assign attributes: 6 primary, 4 secondary, and 3 tertiary; Ghouls have a trait maximum of 9.
5. Choose five abilities
6. Choose your “in-clan” physical discipline. Put 2 dots in that discipline.
7. Choose three points of backgrounds. (Ghouls may not take Retainers or Generation) Animal Ghouls may take 3
extra points in abilities.
8. Assign conscience/self-control/courage and your Humanity rating (Laws of the Night pages 69-70.)
9. Spend 5 Free Points.
10. Assign blood traits: 10 Traits. (See Spending Blood)
11. Assign 2 willpower traits. Ghouls have a maximum of 6 Willpower.
12. Mandatory flaws per clan domitor: Nos- repugnant x1 Malkavian - one derangement, not always active Toreador -
clan weakness, but with crafts 5 and up Brujah - down one on the first self-control test of the month Ventrue -
temporary derangement if they feed on another kindred who is not their domitor Gangrel - one negative social trait
“bestial” after the first (only only first) five years Tremere / other - down one traits on the receiving end of all
dominate challenge
13. Step Five: Spark of Life - narrative descriptions. turn in character background if desired.

Health
Ghouls have the following 6 Health levels. Healthy, Healthy, Bruised, Bruised, Wounded, Incapacitated, Dead.

As their hearts still pump, ghouls also have the unfortunate problem of bleeding when wounded. A ghoul who is wounded
will, after 10 minutes without medical attention, lose a blood trait and slip down to their second level of wounded, 10
minutes latter down to incapacitated. An incapacitated ghoul, if not treated within 10 minutes, will lose another blood trait
and slip down to dying. Dying ghouls will lose a blood trait every 10 minutes until they are out; at this point death is the
likely result.

Aging
Ghouls will revert to her true humanity after 30 days without a trait’s worth of kindred blood. This time limit is absolute, and
the switchover is nearly instantaneous. A ghoul who reverts to her mortal state loses any additional traits related to her
ghouling, not to mention all of her disciplines. Nor is lost humanity rating regained; the character has seen too much to
return to innocence.
 46
In addition, vampire blood keeps ghouls young. If a ghoul with under a hundred years of service stops receiving vitae, she
begins to age normally from that point onward. Ghouls who have been in their current states for more than a century face
a slightly different problem. These old-timers begin to age at an advanced rate, effectively 10 or more times normal. In
game terms, for every hour past the deadline, an aged ex-ghoul must win a static physical challenge against 7 traits. If
she ties or loses, she drops one health Level (though without bleeding), loses a physical trait and gains a negative
physical trait (storyteller’s choice). The trait changes are permanent, even if the character does later manage to acquire
vampire blood again.

Characters who lose and regain their not-quite-human status cease to age the moment they become ghouls again. The
restored ghouls do not grow more youthful with new infusions of vitae. A ghoul’s existence is a holding action against
time, and nothing more.

If a character, against all logic, somehow manages to keep poking along without vampire blood for an extended period of
time, Storytellers will feel free to intercede and help nature take its course.

Blood Use
Humans have up to 10 Blood Traits (@10 Pints) in their systems.

Ghouls may spend up to four traits of blood, but spending any beyond that will cause 1 level of unsoakable lethal damage
per trait spent.

A Ghoul may spend blood to heal a bashing or lethal health level. Aggravated damage still requires 3 blood, a willpower
and a night’s worth of rest. Some Aggravated damage done to Ghouls can’t be regenerated.

Unlike vampires, ghouls do not need blood to exist, save for those ghouls who have exceeded what their natural life
spans would have been; 100 years.

Humanity
A Ghoul’s humanity may never go below 1. They are forever tied to humanity no matter how depraved they may become.

Frenzy
One of the more remarkable things about ghouls is their ability to frenzy. Ghoul frenzies are more rare than their vampiric
counterparts, usually only occurring when a ghoul faces imminent destruction. However, when humanity fails, the beast,
the overwhelming desire to survive, takes over. Frenzies can also be brought on by incredible amounts of stress, triggered
derangements or by the animalism discipline in it’s advanced form.

When a ghoul is in a situation in which her humanity cannot help her escape, and all of her willpower is gone, she may
declare that she is in a frenzy. Ghoul frenzy works much like vampiric frenzy. The ghoul becomes violent and attacks
blindly in desperate need to escape. While in frenzy, a ghoul may ignore damage penalties to the point of death, does not
need to bid traits to defend against social or mental challenges, but she cannot use blood to heal and is still susceptible to
blood loss.

Derangements can also trigger frenzy in a ghoul. A ghoul under the influence of her derangement(s), or who is being
pressured about them by another character, may slide into a frenzy as a form of self-defense. In this case, the ghoul
makes a static mental challenge against 6 Traits. If she ties or fails, she goes into a frenzy. If a ghoul commits a heinous
act while frenzying, a check must be made to see if it falls lower on her path of humanity. However, if the frenzy passes
without anything untoward happening, there is no need to check for humanity loss.
 47
Ghouls will enter an automatic hunger frenzy when she is down to 5 blood. See “ghoul chart” for specifics. This is a
hunger frenzy, the ghoul drop whatever they are doing and will directly head for the nearest or incapacitated source of
kindred vitae ( player’s choice) and do everything with within their means to take it without regard for future
consequences.

Thralls v Ghouls
Being a thrall takes no more effort than a kine opening her mouth and letting the vitae trickle in. A Thrall is a bound
human with all the downside of being a ghoul (being blood bound and lessened humanity) with none of the upsides.

In order to maintain being a ghoul, either the ghoul or the domitor must spend one willpower once a month during feeding.
If this does not happen it has the same mechanical effects of not being fed, but still being blood bound (thrall).

Thralls can also be created when a human ingests less than a full trait of blood three times.

The Blood Bond

After three draughts of the Domitor’s vitae, and a willpower spent, the bond is henceforth at the absolute center of a
ghoul’s life. The more thoroughly she is tied to her domitor, the more perfect her domitor will appear to her and the more
important (or pleasurable) serving her becomes.

Bound ghouls are easier to dominate and coerce than are un-bound ghouls, or even normal humans. Once a vampire has
bound a ghoul to her, she no longer needs to make eye contact to dominate her thrall. In addition, in any contests
between domitor and ghoul the vampire wins all ties.

Breaking the Bond

The blood bond for a Ghoul is twice as intense as it is for a Vampire, and any attempt to break the blood bond functions at
double the difficulty and duration than it would for Vampires.

BLOOD BONDS FOR VAMPIRES

1. A two-Trait Blood Bond will decrease by one Trait after 12 minus the enthralled character’s permanent willpower
in months, with a minimum of one month, the same as a three-Trait bond as described in the book. A one Trait
bond will fade after one month, regardless of the thrall's will power.
2. The time spent away from the Regnant must be spent actively avoiding contact with them. Time spent staked or in
Torpor does not qualify. It is not about the amount of time that passes, but the act of resisting the bond.
3. This time must be demonstrated with role play. At least one downtime journal per month demonstrating the
struggle with the bond is required for the month to count.
4. Avoiding contact means all contact. Even emails to mutual lists will qualify as contact. This does not include being
present at the same game. If both the thrall and Regnant are present at a game together, the thrall must show
active avoidance via RP.
5. Blood bonds do not break when the Thrall is embraced.
6. Blood bonds of two or three points do not “break or snap” when the Regnant is killed. One-point bonds may be
broken at the time of the Regnant’s death per ST discretion.
7. The thrall is aware supernaturally of their Regnant’s death and will need to make a resisted Self Control / Instinct
check to avoid frenzy.
8. The thrall will continue to act in their Regnant’s stead until the bond fades.
9. The bond will naturally fade over time per the same rules listed previously.
 48
Backgrounds
Influences: Ghouls

Disciplines
Upon being ghouled an individual gains two levels in their Domitor’s in-clan Physical Disciplines. If their Domitor doesn’t
have an in-clan Discipline, the Ghoul learns Potence. This singular discipline is considered their “In-Clan” for learning
(and XP costs) purposes and may learn up to advanced without a teacher.

Other than their singular “in-clan” Discipline, Ghouls may learn other Disciplines up to 1 level under the highest level of
that Discipline a Domitor can teach.

Ghouls are restricted to the following Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Potence,
Presence.

Ghouls are incapable of teaching Vampiric disciplines.

Embracing a Ghoul
Newly embraced former ghouls retain all of their previously learned disciplines, but are not refunded xp for what they
learned during their tenure as a ghoul. They however have their Willpower pool adjusted, 2 Attributes adjusted or
refunded, and have 2 backgrounds added.

Ghoul Merits and Flaws

Psychological
● Aware of False Love: (2 Trait Merit) Ghouls possessing this merit are aware of the nature of the blood bond. They
know that what they feel for their domitor is not natural, and are therefore more capable when dealing with their
feelings. If you have this merit, your domitor is two Traits down when attempting to coerce or Dominate you in any
way.
● Cannibalism: (3 Trait Flaw) The first taste of your domitor ‘s blood turned you on to the taste of raw flesh. Now you
think that human tartare is the only way to go. This Flaw can get so demanding that you might scour the streets
for the “other” white meat. The whole thing becomes a brutal obsession, and you settle for nothing less than the
taste of humans. Cows, pigs, chickens - they’re all safe from you. It’s homo sapiens a la mode that satisfies your
craving, and if you can’t get a fix you just might go mad ....
● Ostentatious Toady: (3 Trait Flaw) You have thrived since your domitor first gave you her blood. The power she
grants you is apparent in your unnatural strength, toughness and speed. The only problem (and you’d never admit
it) is the fact that you know you would be nothing without the blood. Your domitor is the only thing that makes you
truly alive. As a result, you constantly try to impress her, even if the attempt means risking your life. You must
spend a Will- power Traiy whenever you’re faced with a particularly juicy chance to show off for your domitor . For
example, if your domitor mentions that she wishes for a pompous Ventrue Pri- mogen to be run over with a
steamroller, you might dial up construction-equipment companies and inquire about rent- als.
● Squeamish: (2 Trait Flaw) When your domitor first made you into a ghoul, you were nearly ill. How could she
make you drink her blood? You can’t deny the tremendous advantages that her vitae (That sounds better now,
doesn’t it? We’ U call it vitae, and that way we can pretend it’s not blood.) has provided, but you must spend a
Willpower Trait every time you drink. If faced with a gruesome scene (combat doesn’t count, unless people are
really messy), you must either leave immediately or win a static challenge to bear the sight of the gore. If the
challenge is lost, you may still stay, but feel extremely ill. To reflect this queasiness, you lose two physical traits
(you can regain them with one willpower trait) and gain the negative trait: Witless for the duration of the scene.
 49
● Swept Away: (2 Trait Flaw) -Ah, the beaut; of it all! After you got over the initial shock of your domitor ‘s true
nature, you were enthralled by the romance and heartbreaking tragedy of vampirism. You are needed, loved,
provided for - how wonderful! A ghoul who is Swept Away basically blinds himself to the nature of his relationship
with his domitor . His master may be cruel or abusive, but in the end it doesn’t matter. The ghoul sees her only
through rose-colored glasses. The character with this Flaw is down two Traits when his domitor attempts to
Dominate him.
Mental
● Insomnia (2 Trait Flaw) Try as you might, much-needed sleep never comes to you.
● This problem has been nagging at you since the trauma of your first taste of vitae, and the falling of the scales
from your eyes. The best you can manage is a fitful hour of dozing or a catnap here or there. It wouldn’t be so bad
if you didn’t need the rest so badly-lack of sleep is just wearing you down. To reflect the effect of your affliction,
you start every event at full traits. At the halfway point of the game, however, your current mental, physical and
social trait ratings all decrease by one.
● Well Rested (1 Trait Merit) You need very little sleep. As few as three hours out of a full 24 will normally let you
wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed (so to speak). This can greatly aid your domitor by allowing you to help her
all night and for part of the day, as well as allowing you to live your own life.
● Animal Friendship: (2 Trait Merit) Not only do animals find you inoffensive, they actively like you. You have an
extraordinary rapport with animals that con- vinces them to come when called and occasionally aid you at your
request. Of course, the animals’ exact reactions to your requests depends on their degree of domestication,
native intelligence, and sense of self-preservation.
● Light Sensitivity: (3 Trait Flaw) The Beast is strong in your domitor ‘s blood, strong enough to cause you problems
in daylight. You can bear only short jaunts into the sunlit world, and even then you must cover up and wear
sunglasses. Those same sunglasses must be worn indoors in well-lit spaces to avoid the excruciating pain that
bright light causes you. You have no trouble with moonlight, and don’t need sunglasses after sunset unless you
go some- where well lit (like a mall or a night time baseball game). Pro- longed exposure (10 minutes) to direct
sunlight causes you normal damage at the same rate at which a vampire takes ag- gravated damage.
● Thin Blooded domitor : (4 Trait Flaw) Your domitor has weak blood, which is both a blessing and curse. Power-
wise she’s closer to ghoul level than any vampire has a right to be. Unfortunately, this doesn’t do you any good.
You cannot spend any of your blood on Disciplines. Worse still, you need your domitor ‘s blood more often
because it just barely sustains your immortality. If you don’t have her blood every week, you run the risk of
reverting back to full mortal- ity. Other vampires will also actively seek to steal (or “poach”) ghouls who have this
Flaw.

Supernatural

● Pale Aura (1 pt. Merit) Due to age, some quirk of fate or your reaction to the blood, your aura is naturally pale.
Vampires reading your aura via auspex assume you to be Kindred unless they have strong reason to suspect
otherwise. This merit can be of great use if you wish to impersonate a vampire, but can also cause some very
dangerous misunderstandings.

Kindred Ties
● Blackmail Material: (1-3 Trait Merit) You have somehow garnered very embarrassing informa- tion on a vampire of
indeterminate Status. The Status of your victim and juiciness of the information depend on how many points you
spend on the Merit and on the imagination of your Storyteller. Of course, you can always suggest something
● Clan Weakness: (3 Trait Flaw) Perhaps your domitor ‘s blood is particularly potent, or maybe there’s more
darkness in your soul than you realized. At any rate, you have taken on the clan weakness of the vampire to
whom you are Blood Bound. For example, Ventrue ghouls find they gain no benefits from the blood of any other
clan, and Assamite ghouls take damage from other clans’ blood.
● Prestigious Domitor : (1 Trait Merit) Your domitor has or had great status in the sect, and this has accorded you a
peculiar honor. Most treat you respectfully, ghoul or not. This prestige can aid you greatly when you deal with
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vampires acquainted with your domitor. As long as she’s around, you’re in the clear. If something were to happen
to you, you can rest assured one of your domitor ‘s allies would take care of, or avenge you.
● Sugar Daddy: (1 Trait Merit) A vampire is quite interested in you. Perhaps it’s for the infor- mation you can provide
him on your domitor, or maybe he just likes your company. Whatever the reason, you’ve been pragmatic enough
to keep channels to him open. If you need help, he may provide you with blood and a limited amount of other
resources. The main idea behind this Merit is survival, pure and simple. After all, in the World of Darkness,
nothing is a sure thing. Your secret friend is insurance against your domi- tor and other vampiric machinations.
● Benevolent domitor (3 pt. Merit) For whatever reason, your domitor is actually rather fond of you. Perhaps your
service has been exemplary, or perhaps you simply remind him of someone in his past — given the alien nature
of the vampire mind, you may never know for sure. Your domitor treats you with some measure of compassion
and does not casually endanger your life. Of course, he still expects you to give your life for his if need be, but
until that night, the two of you are something akin to friends.
● Twisted Upbringing: (1 Trait Flaw) Your domitor has taught you all the wrong things about vampire society out of
the goodness of her little black heart. Whether she told you that all the legends about garlic and running water are
true or convinced you that she and all other vampires are extraterrestrials, the fact is that you bought it, lock, stock
and barrel. These false ideas are bound to get you into trouble, and you will not believe any attempts to set you
straight. Over time you can learn the truth and buy off this Flaw, but not until a storyteller grants you permission.
● Domitor Pariah (2 pt. Flaw) You are bound to a vampire who, for whatever reason, is un- welcome among or even
hated by the other Kindred of the chronicle area. Without kindred allies, she finds herself relying on her human
and ghoul associates to get by. You will likely find yourself given additional responsibilities, which may present
opportunities for you to further ingratiate yourself with the master. However, if other Kindred discover whom you
serve, your life might well be in danger. The storyteller will determine why your domitor is so despised; you are
wel- come to offer suggestions, but the storyteller is under no ob- ligation to tell you the cause of such antipathy.
You might not even know that your beloved liege is hated at all; after all, who could dislike such a wonderful
creature as she... ?
● Romantic Notions (2 pt. Flaw) You believe your entire existence as a ghoul to be head and shoulders above your
previous life. You feel that your domitor needs you, and that every feeding is nothing short of an act of purest love.
Your Willpower is considered to be two points lower when the object of your romanticism attempts to use
dominate or presence on you. The domitor triggers this penalty.
Physical
● Damned Visage: (1 Trait Merit) You have the ability to appear as one of the undead. Your skin is pale, your
breathing is indiscernible, your hands are ice-cold, and your blinking appears practiced and unnatural. While you
can’t stop your heart from beating, you can spend a Blood Trait to slow your pulse to the point where it’s not dis-
cernible. The only drawback to this Merit is the risk you run of fooling a Hunter so well that he might try to stake
you. On the other hand, if somebody leaves you out to greet the sun, you can laugh all the way home. Inefficient
Digestion: (3 Trait Flaw) You need twice as much blood as other ghouls; each blood trait your domitor grants you
only counts for half. If she gives you four, you only receive two. Halves are rounded down, so gulping down one
blood Trait has no effect on you whatso- ever.
● Low Pain Threshold: (2 Trait Flaw) You hate pain and cannot understand how your domitor bears biting her wrist
to give you blood. You always think to yourself, “Oh, how that must hurt!” Indeed, the sympathy pain you feel ruins
your enjoyment of the vitae. You don’t like to see anything or anyone hurt. Most important, however, is the fact
that you don’t like seeing yourself hurt. Resistance to pain is not your forte, and the slightest amount of agony
sends you into a panic or a fainting fit. While normal injuries do not do you any additional physical damage, the
sheer psychological impact has a devastating effect. You will do anything to make pain stop, ranging from
overdosing on painkillers to spilling all of your domitor ‘s secrets. If you are subjected to threats of bodily harm,
you gain the Negative Trait: Submissive for the remainder of the evening. If somebody actually attempts to hurt
you, you either cower or flee in terror. If you can’t get away, beg for mercy and debase yourself in any way in
order to keep yourself from getting hurt. Once safely away from the person who threatened you, you do your best
to never, ever be near him again, to the point of avoiding any room he occupies.
 51
● Vitae Sink: (2 Trait Flaw) You need your domitor ‘s blood, and you need it often. It seems you can’t go for longer
than two weeks without it or you revert back to human state. If you have been a ghoul for over a century, this Flaw
can be downright deadly.
● Blood Flaw Immunity (3 pt. Merit) For some reason, you are resistant to the bloodline flaws of any vampire from
whom you drink. You can guzzle Nosferatu vitae until your stomach bursts, and your complexion won’t suffer a
whit.

Steps of Revenant Character Creation

14. Select nature and demeanor.
15. Choose your Family
16. Assign attributes: 6 primary, 4 secondary, and 3 tertiary; Revenants have a trait maximum of 10.
17. Choose five abilities
18. Record your “in-clan” disciplines. Assign 3 levels into them.
19. Choose five points of backgrounds. (Revenants may not take Generation)
20. Assign conscience/self-control/courage and your Humanity rating (Laws of the Night pages 69-70.)
21. Spend 5 Free Points.
22. Assign blood traits: 10 Traits. Revenants can spend up to 6 blood before taking damage (See Spending Blood)
23. Assign 2 willpower traits. Revenants have a maximum of 6 Willpower.
24. Step Five: Spark of Life - narrative descriptions. turn in character background if desired.

Weapons and Armor

ITEM CARDS
1. Unless noted on the card and signed by the ST staff, all items will use stats from the Dark Epics item rules where
applicable.
2. All item cards used must be presented when in use. Players or Storytellers in a scene have a right to ask to see
the card.
3. All item cards must be signed and stamped by an SC Storyteller before they can be used.
4. Item cards that are found on a table, the street, etc. need to be confirmed by the ST. Do not take cards or
anything from another player’s person, or bag without permission. A ST may determine the item was lost and then
found by the player finding the card.
5. Item cards are not required for mundane items, such as $20 cash, a Swiss Army Knife, or basically anything you
can buy at a convenience or hardware store. If it doesn’t have mechanics attached to it, it’s considered a
mundane item.
6. Weapons and Armor must conform to the crafts rules in the abilities section.
7. Weapons may not have more magical, or discipline enhancements than the item’s Bonus Traits.
8. If a weapon is coated with something like discipline infused vitae, only one coated effect is usable (for example,
burning blade and scorpion’s touch.)

Magical Enhancements
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An item can be enchanted, fetishized and or ensorcelled to improve it’s capabilities. This is referenced in the
crafts rules when calculating the maximum bonus an item can achieve.

Blood Tempering is listed under Combo Powers but is also listed here. The maximum amount of health levels armor
gains is limited to 2 health levels. The item is given the Indestructible special ability up to the level of Fortitude of the user,
this rule bypasses the fragile restriction.

Blood Tempering
(Fortitude 2, Quietus 4)
Libellus Sanguinus 3 page 66
System: The player spends a Willpower point, and the character coats the item to be reinforced with her blood.
The amount of blood used depends on the size of the item: One Blood point per foot of length. Armor requires
three Blood points per extra health
level it provides-- one additional health level may be bestowed per level of Fortitude possessed by the user of this
power (to a max of plus 5 health levels).

A weapon's base damage rating is increased by one, and it is rendered unbreakable by any means short of
supernatural power with a rating greater than that of the character's Fortitude or a truly massive mundane trauma
(such as a landslide); a weapon may only be tempered by this power once-- i.e. multiple applications do not
stack.

Armor gains health levels and is likewise impervious to most harm (though the individual within it may still be
wounded by the force that is transmitted through it).This power may be applied to solid objects other than
weapons and armor at the Storyteller's discretion. It cannot reinforce flexible items such as whips, leather armor
or silk robes.
XP Cost: 8

Enchant Talisman: The Enchanted Talisman does not have to be a yard in length. It can be a wand, a large necklace
with a pendant, or some other noticeable magical object. When created, the thaumaturge chooses a single path and The
Talisman grants 3 traits in Thaumaturgy Challenges in that path. Otherwise it gives 1 trait in all other Occult Challenges.
If the object is a weapon, it grants an additional trait to the weapon when wielded by the Thaumaturge.

Fetish Weapons (Entrap Ephemera) are more difficult to quantify, but as a general rule we will follow the item rules for
crafting when creating the maximum number of traits the item can generate, or the damage an item can deal, or the
resistance level of the item. Some fetishes grant bonuses. In all cases, no more than 3 traits may be added to a single
category per spirit activated in the fetish, and not more than one category may be boosted in this fashion, meaning, if you
have a fetish with multiple spirits, both of the spirits may not add to your physical traits.

Item Special Abilities

Armor-Piercing: Do not inflict extra damage, armor-piercing rounds ignore any defenses from armor.

Destroy Shield: A weapon capable of destroying a shield penetrates it automatically and renders it useless after three
successful blows, no matter what size or strength the shield may be.

Fully Automatic: By expending 10 bullets in a single attack, this weapon inflicts an extra health level of damage
automatically due to the sheer volume of fire. Once the clip is empty, the character must spend one action reloading the
weapon before he may fire again.
 53
High-Caliber: When a high-caliber bullet hits a target, the attacker should make a Simple Test immediately. A win or tie
indicates that the target suffers an additional health level of damage from the shot.

Incendiary: Burning weapons cause aggravated wounds to just about anything.

Mass-Trauma: Score an extra health level of damage when they are used appropriately.

Indestructible (Potence Proof): Items that are used by wielders of Potence risk damaging or breaking their weapons
unless an item is Indestructible. Indestructible items have a numeric rating and do not break when used by a
corresponding level of potence. (Example: Indestructible 3 can withstand Vigor) Fragile weapons cannot have Potence
Proof and automatically break when used by someone with any level of Potence.

Rate: Governs their interaction with Celerity and similar powers. The number of times a firearm is fired in a single turn
cannot exceed its rate.

Speed: In close combat with someone whose weapon has a Negative Trait of Slow, Clumsy or Heavy, you gain one
additional bonus Trait, provided you have at least one level of the Melee Ability.

Spray: The weapon can strike up to three closely grouped targets at once, as long as they are farther than five feet from
the shooter. The shooter makes one test against all the targets simultaneously. Each target who fails the test suffers the
weapon’s damage, while each target who succeeds avoids the weapon’s damage. The shooter risks only the Traits
Required to test against each member of the group, and he loses only those Traits if any of the defenders wins the test.
Submachine guns and assault rifles expend 10 rounds to spray, and the shooter cannot use this capability at the same
time as Fully Automatic.

Staking: Staking weapons paralyze vampires when a successful blow penetrates one’s heart. The attacker must win or
tie two successive Simple Tests in order to stake the vampire successfully.

Two-Hand Requirement: Characters must employ two-handed weapons with both hands regardless of their strength,
meaning that they may not also make use of a shield or second weapon when doing so.All melee weapons use the Melee
Ability for retests.
 54

Mechanics from Dark Epics

Melee Weapons

If an item is used outside of it’s normal use, or is blocked by an equally hard item, make a simple test, on win or tie, the
weapon survives, on a loss the weapon breaks. Fragile weapons cannot have Indestructibility and automatically break
when used by someone with any level of Potence.

Broken Bottle
Bonus Traits: 1
Negative Traits: Fragile, Short
Concealability: Pocket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any

Knife/ Dagger
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Short
Concealability: Pocket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any

Club/Stake
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Clumsy
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Staking (if wooden)

Mace/Small Axe
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Clumsy
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Destroy Shield

Shortsword
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Short
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: One health level
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Availability: Any
Special Ability: Speed

Fencing Blades
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Fragile
Concealability: Trenchcoat
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any.
Special Ability: Speed

Spear/Staff
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Heavy
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Staking (if wooden), Two-Hand Requirement

Broadsword
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Heavy
Concealability: Trenchcoat
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Any

Large Axe
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Concealability: Trenchcoat
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Destroy Shield

Greatsword/Polearm/Scythe
Bonus Traits: 4
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Two-Hand Requirement

Throwing Weapons
These weapons use the Throwing Ability for combat retests.

Thrown Rock
Bonus Traits: 0
Negative Traits: Clumsy
Concealability: Pocket
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Damage: One health level
Availability: Any

Thrown Dagger, Knife or Shuriken

Bonus Traits: 1
Negative Traits: Clumsy
Concealability: Pocket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any

Molotov Cocktail
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Fragile
Concealability: Jacket (until lit!)
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Incendiary, Spray, Two-Hand Requirement

Grenade
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Clumsy
Concealability: Pocket
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Police 5, or Underworld 4
Special Ability: Spray, Two-Hand Requirement

Thrown Small Axe

Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any

Thrown Spear
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any
Special Ability: Staking (if wooden)

Ranged Weapons
These weapons use the Archery Ability for retests in combat.

Crossbow
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Heavy, Slow
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
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Availability: Any
Rate: One
Special Ability: Destroy Shield, Armor-piercing, Staking (if wooden), Two-Hand Requirement

Shortbow
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Fragile
Concealability: Trenchcoat
Damage: One health level
Availability: Any
Rate: One
Special Ability: Armor-piercing, Staking (if wooden), Two-Hand Requirement

Compound Bow/Longbow
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Fragile, Heavy
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Any
Rate: One
Special Ability: Destroy Shield, Armor-piercing, Staking (if wooden), Two-Hand Requirement

Firearms
Firearms, as would be expected, use the Firearms Ability for combat retests.Unless otherwise noted, Firearms have a clip
or magazine capacity of 10 rounds.

Pistol
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: Pocket
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Five
Availability: Any, if registered; Police 4, Street 3 or Underworld 2 otherwise

Heavy Pistol
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: Two health levels
Availability: Any, if registered; Police 4, Street 4 or Underworld 3 otherwise
Rate: Three
Special Ability: High-Caliber

Submachine Gun
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: Jacket
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Four
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Availability: Any, if registered and non-automatic. Police 4, Street 4 or Under-world 3 otherwise
Special Ability: Fully Automatic, Spray, [30-round clip]

Rifle
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Three
Availability: Any, if registered; Police 4, Street 4 or Underworld 3 otherwise
Special Ability: Two-Hand Requirement

Shotgun
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: Trenchcoat
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Two
Availability: Any, if registered. Police 4, Street 4 or Underworld 3 otherwise
Special Ability:Mass-Trauma, Spray, Two-Hand Requirement

Sniper Rifle
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Two
Availability: Police 4, or Underworld 5Special Ability:High-Caliber, Two-Hand Requirement

Assault Rifle
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Four
Availability: Police 5, or Underworld 5 Special Ability: Fully Automatic, Spray, Two-Hand Requirement, [30-round clip]

Combat Shotgun
Bonus Traits: 3
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: Three
Availability: Police 5, or Underworld 5
Special Ability:Fully Automatic, Mass Trauma, Spray, Two-Hand Require-ment, [20-round magazine]

Flame Thrower
Bonus Traits: 0
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Hot, Heavy
Concealability: NA
Damage: Two health levels
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Rate: One
Availability: Underworld 5
Special Ability: Incendiary, Two-Hand Requirement, Spray

Stake Thrower
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Loud
Concealability: Trenchcoat
Damage: Two health levels
Rate: One
Availability: Each stake thrower must be crafted individually from a shotgun

Heavy Assault Weapon (House Rules for Shadows Crossing)

Bonus Traits: 4
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Hot, Heavy, Fragile
Concealability: N/A
Damage: Three Health Levels
Rate: Fully Automatic
Availability: Underworld 5
Special Ability: Fully Automatic, Spray, Two-Hand Requirement, (Belt Fed magazine)

Firearms Add Ons

Armor-Piercing Ammunition
Availability: Police 4, Street 4 or Underworld 3 [10 rounds]
Special Ability: Armor-piercing
Description: This ammunition cannot be used with combat shotguns, flamethrowers, shotguns and stake throwers.

Incendiary Ammunition
Availability: Police 5, Underworld 4 [10 rounds]
Special Ability: Incendiary (limited as described below)
Description: This ammunition cannot be used with flame throwers or stake throwers. Incendiary ammunition turns the first
level of damage from a firearm into aggravated damage, provided the target suffers aggravated wounds from fire.
Incendiary ammunition is most often crafted from white phosphorus.

Scope
Availability: Any
Description: This add-on cannot be used with combat shotguns, flamethrowers,shotguns and stake throwers. Scopes add
a bonus Trait to the weapon if the user aims for the entire turn before firing. Scope refers to actual scopes of various types
or laser sights.

Sound Suppression
Availability: Police 4, Street 4 or Underworld 3
Description: Only pistols, submachine guns and sniper rifles may make use of sound suppression. This hardware
removes the Loud Negative Trait by dampening the sound of the weapon’s discharge. A weapon with sound suppression
loses one bonus Trait.
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Armor

Antique Armor
Antique armor does not provide protection from firearms.

Leather
Health Levels: 1
Negative Traits: None
Concealability: Leather armor can be concealed if it is specifically made to look like normal clothing (i.e. leather pants,
jacket and gloves)
Availability: Any

Chain-mail
Health levels: 2
Negative Traits: Heavy
Concealability: Trenchcoat. Chain-mail armor is bulky, and it extends below the waist.
Availability: Any.
Chain-mail generally must be custom made, and it can cost upwards of $500 or more.

Plate mail
Health levels: 3
Negative Traits: Heavy, Clumsy
Concealability: NA
Availability: Any.
Plate mail generally must be custom-ordered, and it can cost upward of $3,000 or more.

Modern Armor
A ballistic vest does not protect against melee weapons.

Ballistic Vest
Health levels: 2
Negative Traits: None
Concealability: A ballistic vest can be worn concealed under a normal shirt, or clothing can be disguised to mimic its
effects.
Availability: Any, mail order

Reinforced Vest
Health levels: 2
Negative Traits: Heavy
Concealability: Jacket
Availability: Police 4, or Underworld 3

Riot Suit
Health levels: 3
Negative Traits: Heavy, Clumsy
Concealability: NA
Availability: Police 4, Underworld 5
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Shields
Shields give their user one or more extra bonus Traits in hand-to-hand combat,which can add to the Traits that come from
a melee weapon. In order to receive the bonus Traits, the wielder must possess at least one level of the Melee Ability.

Small Shield
Bonus Traits: 1
Negative Traits: none
Concealability: Jacket
Availability: Any
Description: Small shields (or bucklers) protect against melee and unarmed attacks.

Large Shield
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Heavy
Concealability: NA
Availability: Any
Description: Large shields protect against melee and unarmed attacks, as well as ranged weapons and thrown weapons.

Body Shield
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Concealability: NA
Availability: Any
Description: Body shields protect against melee and unarmed attacks, as well as ranged weapons and thrown weapons.

Riot Shield
Bonus Traits: 2
Negative Traits: Clumsy, Heavy
Concealability: NA
Availability: Any
Description: Riot shields protect against all manner of attacks