Birmingham Forsaken VSS

Part 1: Basic Information

• Region: Northern
• Domain: Birmingham
• Venue: Forsaken
• Domain Storyteller: Ross Emslie

Part 2: Styles of Play

Rate each of these categories, using the scale below:

Style of Play - Description - Rating

• Action - 3
• Character Development - 3
• Darkness - 4
• Drama - 4
• Intrigue - 4
• Manners - 1
• Mystery - 4

Rating – Description

• 1 - Low; present (predominantly player introduced) at a game once every four quarters.
• 2 - Moderate; present at a game once every three quarters.
• 3 - Average; often present at each game.
• 4 - Influencing; consistently present at each game.
• 5 - Constant; always present at each game.

Part 3: Description of Venue

THEME

The main plot lines are either specific to the local packs, or more encompassing across the city with the potential for any travellers to join in. I run a combination of mystery and intrigue plots, and more straightforward “black and white” storylines; and solutions can be directly combat based or more intricate in nature. Whilst fighting is an integral part of the game, many plots require investigation, skills and sideways thinking to resolve.

The general feel is that of being semi-united against the odds, against a danger within the city that threatens all, whilst trying to maintain pack territories from encroachment by others.

SETTING

The game is set within the Birmingham City area, including the outlying districts such as Solihull / the Clent Hills to the south and Four Oaks / Sutton Coldfield to the north. Pack territories are claimed by both PCs and NPCs, however there is plenty of room in the city to work within without worrying about pack boundaries.

Present Day

In more recent years, several packs have suffered losses and may be having issues protecting their territory – or so the rumours go.

The Hisil in Birmingham is somewhat odd, and the Court of Cogs is the main court in power. If you enter the Hisil you will find a highly industrialized landscape; although most of it is late 1700s – 1800s in feel. In the city centre especially, the Victorian Gothic architecture looms over the traveller, seemingly encased in brass, populated by many spirits in suits going about their business. The main roads are like scars through the city, populated by spirits of MGs, Rovers, Mini’s and Land Rovers. The area all Forsaken are warned of is in Erdington, surrounding the Gravelly Hill Interchange. For some reason it is a Barren and no one enters the Hisil there. Even when travelling through the area by car you feel unfriendly eyes watching you.

One odd thing about Birmingham is the “Dawn to Dusk” policy. This isn’t an official treaty and as far as anyone knows it’s not enforced or watched by any spirit bound to the task. It’s more a matter of policy – no one tries to invade another’s territory during the day. In areas that may be claimed by a pack – or something else – but are also areas that someone may wish to enter for normal mundane business – such as the City Centre or the area around the Bull Ring – if such business is conducted in daylight hours it is accepted that it is not an invasion of territory. No repercussions for someone wandering in to pay their council tax, find a pair of shoes or buy supplies from the Chinese supermarket are ever seen.

Once night falls however people enter such places at their own risk. The exception to this that is known of is the Bullring and nearby area – when it appears to be safe up until about midnight in December and February. The areas of Broad Street and New Street are also regarded as neutral and unclaimed (as yet) by any pack.

Other accepted neutral grounds are the communication routes – the main roads, the railway lines and the railway stations / bus stops. The roads are the most often used piece of landscape for territory boundaries as well; and some packs use graffiti as territory markers

History

City Information:

The following information is known by all Uratha who make a home in Birmingham city. It is kind of the 101 that those who have gone through their first change all receive or information that’s really easy to find out.

Ancient History:

Birmingham started to grow in the 1100s, when Peter de Bermingham received a Market charter. The location of this ancient market, and thus the oldest part of the city is located around the Bull Ring markets, Digbeth and St Martins Church. More occult minded uratha may be interested to find out that a ley line runs straight through the Bull Ring, whilst those with a more historical bent may like to know that a bronze age barrow was found where the shopping centre now looms.

From these beginnings Birmingham grew into the sprawling metropolis it now is. There was a brief involvement in the Civil War (the Cavaliers and Roundheads one) when Aston Manor had a small role. Aside from that Birmingham was basically a smallish town that mainly acted as a central communications link as it has very few natural resources of the “farming / mining / fishing” kind.

It has however always been an industrial town (first big, mechanised iron forge was built in the 1500s, and quickly joined by more), and in the late 1700s it became the centre of the industrial revolution. I’m not going to give a huge history lesson here – it’s easily researched either on the internet or the library. Basically put the main movers and shakers of the Industrial Revolution lived in the area and would meet up to discuss their ideas and inventions. They were social reformers as well as being industrial entrepreneurs and there are statues up of them by the library along with the one that used to be outside the registry office. Birmingham is very proud of its entrepreneurs of history.

Oh, and they were called the Lunar Society – ostensibly because they used to meet on the nights of the full moon so they could get home easily. Make of that what you will.

In the 1800s, Birmingham continued to be a centre for industrial greatness; and a great many of the public buildings in the area date from this time period. Social reform also had starting point in this area – from the founding of Cadburys by the Quaker family; to the stoning of Prime Minister Asquith by the Suffragettes in the early 20th century.

Recent History – the last Century:

Immigration into the city started in the 1920s & 1930s; bringing new faces and new languages into the area. Major areas of settlement like the Chinese Quarter reflect these newcomers heavily and there were brief territory arguments as new Uratha came in with their families.

During the World Wars a lot of the Forsaken went to Europe to help deal with the volume of spirit issues that this caused, and Birmingham was no exception. During this period the territories were looked after by – something. No on knows what really; but there were a lot of very patriotically inspired spirits created as a result of "The Blitz."

In the 1960s Birmingham started to rebuild itself – resulting in a concrete collar that it’s now trying to get rid of. Landmarks such as the Rotunda and Spaghetti Junction date from this time; as did the old Bull Ring shopping centre. For the Uratha however it’s a time period marked by the arrival of the Idigam – strange spirits that attacked the world. Three attacked the United Kingdom and one was destroyed in Birmingham.

The stories of how the Idigam of Birmingham was defeated are a bit muddled; and none now live from that time. However it involved the packs of the city uniting behind one Ithaeur and each pack’s “ancestors” has tales of much glorious combat, self-sacrifice and heroic deeds.

This co-operation was relatively short lived. In the 1980s the Brethren War spilled over from the United States; and eventually it affected most of the United Kingdom as pack warred against pack. This led to the Great Hunt; the decision by the Forsaken that fighting each other led to them being unable to fulfil their role in patrolling the Border Marches. The resulting “treaty” was sealed by the Great Hunt; when packs of Forsaken hunted down the spirit Ice Wind and persuaded it to inform all if they once more warred upon each other.

ANTAGONISTS

Shards of Blue: During the Bloody ’69 a great exile, an Idigam, was bound within Spaghetti Junction. Shards of its Essence have been found throughout the city influencing Spirits, Hosts, Humans, even Uratha. What will the outcome of this be?

Ratty Ratty: The Beshilu seem to be everywhere within the City – no matter how many are slain more crawl out of the gutters. There must be an answer to this rodent infestation, surely?

Like Clockwork: The undisputed ruler of the Shadow of Birmingham is the Clockwork King, aided by many spirits of Industry and work. Will the Uratha allow themselves to be dictated to by a spirit, no matter how powerful, or will other options be explored?

Purity in numbers: The Pure surround and infiltrate the city just as much as the Forsaken do, and are always looking to expand – territory, packs, influence – can those of the Tribes of the Moon defend their holdings or will they fall?

Spinning a tangled web: within the depths of Bournville lies the Cadbury factory, inspiration for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, founded by Quakers. Surely such a place of sweetness can’t hide a monster in the dark? Unfortunately it would appear that the spider webs in the basement are just a little too thick to be natural.

Part 4: Storyteller Information

• Storytelling Mechanics – Birmingham Forsaken uses White Wolf’s Werewolf: the Forsaken and The Camarilla’s Fan Club Rules Addendum to Werewolf: the Forsaken with the below alterations. In some cases, the below is just a restatement of policy and existing rules within The Camarilla.

• Proxy Rules - As per The Camarilla Rules Addendum

• Character Restrictions – All Uratha should have sworn the Oath of the Moon, this is not the case for Ghost Wolves, who are outside of the Tribes of the Moon but who may choose to swear the Oath of the Moon, or for Wolf Blooded who are the primary mortal characters associated with the Forsaken venue. There are no specific restrictions regarding player characters other than ST approval.

• Cross-Venue Guidelines - Within Birmingham there are also games in the Requiem and Awakening venues, and so some plots do cross the venue boundaries. Any plot being run within a game either directly, or indirectly can be investigated by the characters in that venue, although they may not be effective in resolving the problem. Any player character wishing to enter a different venue should apply through the normal channels, and acceptance is not guaranteed.

Applications for characters from the Awakening or Requiem venue to enter this venue will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Previous approvals will not automatically allow re-entry. Although there is not the level of antagonism in canon between werewolves and vampires or werewolves and mages; Forsaken players may still choose to act against such cross-venue characters, and safety is not guaranteed.

• Downtime Scenes – By negotiation with the ST team.

• Travel Risks – Birmingham is a dangerous place, however, as long as care is taken travel is normally safe. There is a rule within the city – by day there is no violence, by night the gloves are off (see background history for more details.)

• Visiting character/plot policy – We welcome and encourage travel between games/territories within the UK (and for visitors from overseas), please contact the ST before turning up if this will be your first visit with a character. Please contact the ST with any approval items at least 72 hours before the game.

Experience Guidelines:

• Attendance and Downtimes - As per the Camarilla Addendum.
• Roleplaying a Flaw - As per the Camarilla Addendum.
• Roleplaying a Derangement - As per the Camarilla Addendum.

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