5 plots for Vampire: the Masquerade

Do you have trouble inventing plot for your game? This is a new blog label for various games. Label is 5 Plots for... I will give 5 basic plots to work on. In this blog content for Vampire: the Masquerade.

These plots are not full storylines, but ideas to work on or get kick start for your session, adventure or even campaign.

So, here are first five plot ideas for Vampire: the Masquerade. Some of these I have used in my own games, some are ideas I haven't used yet. I will leave open questions how the plot developes for Storyteller/Gamemaster to decide and work on.

1. Wrong Prince

Players' coterie gets anonymous letter or email from unknown source. The message tells, that the Prince of the city is not who he claims to be. The Prince is a sham. The source warns that if the information about false Prince is leaked, the coterie will be in big trouble. They might not be taken seriously or what worse, the false Prince could hunt them down.

What is the real identity of this false Prince? Has he taken the place of the real Prince and is just a poseur. Is he enemy of the city's sect or just power hungry strong individual? What does the false Prince want from the city?

Does false Prince want to destroy the city from inside? Does he just want power and took real Prince's place with the status earned by the real Prince earlier?

How can coterie unveil the false Prince without a question? Will false Prince find out that coterie knows his secret and what will he do to stop the coterie? Who is this mysterious informer?

2. Dead Caitiff Meat

Caitiff's are usually left alone in Camarilla and not appreciated, but even the city's councel wakes up when there are several reports of dead Caitiff. Someone is systematically killing them and in a small period of time bodycount is at it's peak.

Characters' coterie might see their time to shine in this problem, or one of their clan's primogen might give the mission for them. Caitiff are not a big deal, after all. Still someone anonymous killing kindred, thin blood or not, is not to be taken lightly.

But it is not just that simple. Coterie finds out the true power behind Caitiff massacre. Old and powerful vampire of respected generation has come into the town. He is too old and powerful to satisfy his hunger from the human and must nourish his body with vampire blood. Caitiff are easy target in Camarilla area. They are not respected and weak.

What does Coterie do when they find out who is behind the Caitiff massacre? They cannot stop him because of his power. They can be even threatened to let the powerful vampire feed for his time before he leaves to the next city. What if coterie tells about this carnivorous and cannibal vampire to higher authorities, will they be in danger? This powerful vampire could even tempt Coterie to join him for true power, as you cannot lower your generation without feeding on who are above you.

Will characters become his followers seeking for power? Will they tell about the visitor to authorities? Will they even protect him in fear of being onslauhted? What will Camarilla authorities think about this being?

3. Lost Master

Ghoul comes to ask help from Coterie. His master is lost. Been lost for few nights without a trace. Ghoul starts to be really worried and doesn't know anyone else to ask help for. The lost vampire should not be of high status, as his disappearance would be more noted in higher authorities.

What happened to the master? It's Coteries job to find out. The master might be their friend or ally from previous sessions to give some extra motive for Ghoul's trouble.

There are several possibilities and follow-ups for this scenario, depening on how deep ST will make the starting plot. Here are few possibilities:

1. Rival vampire has taken Ghoul's master as his prison. He want's his area, and is blackmailing it from trapped vampire. His area of control will be exchange for his freedom.
2. There are hunter's in town and Ghoul's master is:
A) Captured and kept in mobile laboratory for experiments about vampires. He must be freed and hunters and their experiment data wiped out to protect Masquerade.
B) Hunters have killed the master. Now what to do with the hunters and with the Ghoul who has withdrawal symptoms of blood.

4. Sabbat Shock Troop

They like to play with shovelheads. From time to time Sabbat sends shock troop to cause mayhem and trouble for Camarilla city. Now is the night for it. While hanging out minding their own business Coterie gets attacked by Sabbat shock troop. How do Coterie find out it was Sabbat troops attacked them? Was it just an random attack or beginning of a bigger attack?

5. Thou Shall Be Free

If characters are all fledlings, they might get a task to prove themselves worthy to be neonates freed from sire's control. Easy trick to give simple quest or series of quests. Depending on character's clan, initiation rite might include physical, social or mental tasks. This is quite cheap way to give characters something to do. Another way might be for Coterie to prove their worthiness for Prince.

Final Words

Some of these are simple ways to get something to do for player group (like 5th) but some might even be used for basic plot for entire chronicle. Feel free to use and experiment.