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An outlaw gang of anarchs, led by notorious Count Germain, has been traveling from city to city. At each stop along the way, they have flaunted the local authorities, violated the masquerade, and drawn more recruits to their cause.
Following the gang are rumors, rumors that Germain and his followers are chasing something, preparing for the Final Nights. The Camarilla are determined to stop the gang and silence the rumors. Rich rewards have been offered to those who can bring the gang down.
Prologue [ Top ]
"Jan. You honor me. How good of you to come."
Horatio Ballard made a half-hearted attempt to lift himself out of his chair as Jan Pieterzoon entered the drawing room. Jan crossed the room quickly and shook his hand. The corpulent Ventrue invited Jan to join him in an adjacent high-backed leather chair.
"A pleasure. Good seeing you again, Horatio."
Horatio motioned for a nearby servant to bring a beverage for his guest. Jan immediately signaled that he appreciated the offer, but politely declined the unfamiliar vitae. This greeting ritual was common in their clan.
"And how is our fine friend the Reverend doing?" Horatio began.
"He's as delusional and dangerous as ever. You've seen the reports."
"I have spent quite a bit of time poring over them, yes. So, you don't think there is anything to these prophecies of his?"
Jan looked at him quizzically, concealing his irritation. "Do I think the Lord Almighty speaks to us through a shaggy thin-blood from Kentucky? No. He's convincing enough to be very dangerous. But he's deranged. He's a fraud, like all the charlatans before him. Fortunately, we control him now."
"Of course. Very good. Yes. Yes, I'm sure you're correct." They regarded each other. Horatio took a moment to sip from his glass and began again, seeking another conversational tack. "I invited you here because there is another matter which I felt needed to be brought to your attention. Are you familiar with the activities of the anarch gang that has been causing so much trouble lately?"
"Germaine's group? I've heard about them, a bunch of anarchs, setting cars on fire and making noise. Not exactly part of my portfolio."
"No? One of our primogen, Critias, has impressed upon me the gravity of this situation. I hope you'll take a look at the information I've gathered together." Horatio took a thick leather folder and slid it across the table. He watched with interest for several minutes as Jan flipped through the pages, reading over reports and press clippings, examining photographs.
"Strange. Since when did anarchs get religion?"
"I don't know. Would you agree that this is a serious problem?"
"Yes. Once rumors like this get started, they spread like wildfire. This one already seems to be burning out of control. Anyone made a serious attempt to stop them?"
"Some of our associates tried, in Philadelphia. Two Kindred were destroyed, and four more are still in torpor. There were also three traitors who went anarch and left town with the gang. We need this dealt with, I fear. Quickly and quietly, before things get even further out of hand. I know you have friends in high places, and I hope you'll be willing to seek their intercession on our behalf."
"I'll do what I can." Jan's gaze had not left the bundle of documents on the table while he spoke. "Sightings in L.A, San Diego, Atlanta, Louisville, Baltimore. They're on the move..."
"Not surprisingly, yes. They've made enough enemies to feel a need to stay on the run. Bloodhunts have been called, and there's been some saber-rattling talk about the Red List. They must know we're coming for them."
Jan considered this, and then shook his head slowly. "No. They're not running. Germaine's looking for something. Or someone..."
******
Yvette crashed into the side of the car, shattering the window, the impact caving in the side panel. She crumpled away from the parked vehicle and fell to the pavement, pain screaming up her spine. The loud honking of the car alarm further disoriented her until someone silenced it with several ringing blows from a steel pipe.
Rough hands grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled the young Toreador to her feet. Yvette looked into the face of the gang leader, Count Germaine.
"Helena. Where is she?"
Yvette felt the Beast rising within her, urging her to lash out. She gritted her teeth and fought against the pain to push it back. This was not a fight she could win if she lost her self-control.
"No idea what you're talking about."
"Really? Helena. Helen of Troy. Priestess of Narcise. I hear she's quite memorable."
Gemain's hands were already clamped on her shoulder and elbow. They twisted until her left humerus broke with a loud snap. Yvette gasped at the rushing waves of agony as the Brujah worked the bone fragments back and forth.
"Montreal! I heard Helena left for Montreal. Two or three weeks ago."
"That's better."
As Germaine released her arm, Yvette shifted it back into alignment and directed her vitae to the injury. She scanned the small crowd of Kindred that surrounded her, surprised by their varied appearances. A few of them bore the obligatory Brujah leathers and piercings, but there were also a few Kindred wearing business suits, some in party dresses, and even a stately pair of women in evening gowns.
"You guys are Menele's goons? You'll never find Helena. She'll know you're coming from miles away."
"We aren't anyone's goons. We want to find Helena because we want to survive. And guess what? You're in luck, because you get to come with us."
*******
Yazid Tamari watched through the office window, a pair of binoculars in his hands. The portly Seraph observed in utter stillness as Germaine tossed the young Toreador into the back of a black SUV, his only motion the movement of his head as he visually tracked his targets. He lowered the field glasses after counting the anarchs as they climbed onto their motorcycles and into the backs of their trucks.
A whispered voice drifted from the darkness next to him. "Now?"
"No. Not yet."
"When?"
"Soon. Very soon."
Event Rules [ Top ]
Format
The Anarchs and Alastors V:tes Storyline League will be played as a series of five draft games, played using the Recursion Limited rules. The first game will be played with three to five packs, as determined by the event organizer. Before each game thereafter, players will draft one additional pack. In addition, before beginning each round, a set of cards will be made available for auction. Players will bid pool for these cards and add them to their opening hands or crypts.
Cards can be drafted from any set. Each player can choose which sets he or she wishes to draft, and in what order they want to draft the packs. The auction cards and promo cards support anarch and trophy-hunter strategies. There will be incentive for players to draft sets that support those strategies, as well.
Promo Cards
There are two custom Promo Cards designed for this event, and two storyline reward promo cards. Before the event starts, each participating player will receive one copy of each of these cards. They can be included in the player's deck for any rounds of the event.
Deck Construction
Players will construct their decks based on the V:EKN 2008 Tournament Rules for Limited Deck Composition (7.2.1), with minimum crypt and library sizes based on the total number of packs drafted for each round. Players may also include event promo, auction, and prize cards from earlier rounds in their decks. These extra cards are not counted towards the total when determining the minimum crypt and library size for a given round or when determining the number of library recursions (7.2.2) that are permitted during the game.
After rounds two, three and four, players will draft an additional pack and use those cards to supplement their league decks. Seating for these mini-draft pods is done at the discretion of the event organizer. The pods can be of any size and drafting may be performed immediately following or prior to playing any league game.
Players may freely modify the crypt and library selections for their decks between games, restricted by the cards they have drafted and other specified league cards.
Starting Pool
Players will start each game with 32 pool, instead of the usual 30. They may bid some of that pool to obtain cards in the auction step before each game.
Auction
Before the start of play for each round, players will get the opportunity to bid on specific cards to supplement their decks. The auction will take place after the new pack for the round has been drafted, and after the players are seated for play, have selected the turn order, and drawn their opening hands and crypts.
A set of event- and round-specific cards will be made available before each new round. Players may bid pool to obtain one of these cards.
The following cards are available in the Event Kit. Before the start of play in each round, the event organizer will make cards listed below available for the auction.
Rounds Cards
Round 1
Count Germaine
Lucinde, Alastor
Tatiana Stepanova, Alastor
Seattle Committee
Trophy: Hunting Ground
Molotov Cocktail
Round 2
Count Germaine (Advanced)
Yazid Tamari
Jaroslav Pascek
Red List
Anarch Free Press
Galaric's Legacy
Round 3
Diversion
Anarch Railroad
Galaric's Legacy
Trophy: Domain
Anathema
Vessel
Round 4
Go Anarch
Anarch Revolt
Trumped-Up Charges
Trophy: Diablerie
The Mole
Blood Hunt
Round 5
Alastor
Trophy: Revered
Undue Influence
Hawg
Urban Jungle
Go Anarch
Auction Rules
The auction round starts with the first player choosing the first card to auction and placing the opening bid, and proceeds clockwise around the table with players choosing cards to auction until each player has won one card.
A player can only win one card in the auctions before each round. Players who have already won a card may no longer choose cards for auction or place bids.
Bidding starts with the player who selected the card. That player bids pool for the card. Bidding opportunity proceeds clockwise. Only one card is up for auction at a time.
0 pool is a legitimate bid and can win the auction if there is no higher bid.
Pool paid in an auction is paid to the blood bank.
Library cards won in the auction are added to the winning player's opening hand (discard down). Crypt cards are added to the uncontrolled region as a fifth uncontrolled minion. These cards can also be added to the player's crypt and library in future rounds, during deck construction.
Game Rules
After cards have been drafted and the auctions performed before each game, game play follows Standard Limited Tournament and current V:EKN 2008 Tournament rules.
Prize Cards
Cards left over after the auction phase are left on the table. At the end of the game, the player who won the table may choose one of the remaining cards as a prize (and use it in future rounds). Any remaining cards should be returned to the event organizer for use as prize support for the overall league winner.
Wining and Prizes
Game Wins, Victory Points, and Tournament Points should be calculated and tallied for each round played in order to determine the league winner after all five rounds are played. Alternately, after four games have been played, organizers can choose to seat the top five players at a finals table and play the fifth round as a finals table to determine the overall league winner.
The league organizer should use remaining kit cards (if any) for prize support, as well as any other prizes desired, to distribute to the league winners.
Rewards and Reporting
Since this is a limited event, no clan-based tally will be maintained. Instead, league winners should choose a faction and a key minion which best reflect the deck they played.
Event reports should indicate the winning faction, choosing from the following list: Camarilla, Sabbat, Independent, Laibon, Anarch, or Imbued. The report should also indicate the winner's key minion. These results will be collected and reported, and will influence future storylines and storyline rewards.
League organizers are also invited to include any other interesting or amusing details from their event in their report.
To report your event, send an email to vtesstory@white-wolf.com
Subject: Anarchs and Alastors League Results
Include in your message:
Location of event
# of players
Winning faction
Key minion
V:EKN Prince/ Tournament Organizer
Fill out this form and take it to your supporting retailer. Ask your retailer to special order the following product from their White Wolf distributor:
League Dates
This Storyline League will take place during August and September 2008. League organizers should submit the results of their event before Sunday, October 5th, 2008 to have them included in the final results and influence the outcome of the Storyline.
WW02837 VTES: ANARCHS AND ALASTORS STORYLINE KIT ($7.99 US)
Contents of this storyline kit include:
- 50 cards for use in the storyline league
NOTE: Players need 7-9 booster packs to participate in this league. Arrange to have that stock available with your retailer.
Retailer:
Thank you very much for supporting your local Vampire players.
White Wolf, Vampire and Vampire the Eternal Struggle are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Each WW02757 kit supports 5 players in a league, so multiple packs may be required for larger tournaments. Furthermore, players need 7-9 booster packs for this event. Please have stock on hand.
After these tournaments are run the results should be submitted. See www.white-wolf.com/VTES/ under Storyline Events for details.
When you place your next order with your White Wolf distributor, ask your distributor's salesmen to special order the WW02757 kits from White Wolf. If you or your distributor have any questions they can contact:
Oscar J Garza III
orgplay@white-wolf.com
404-292-1819 extension 238