1. First Steps and Overview
2. Reports
3. Storyteller Records
4. Special Character Requests
5. Plotlines
6. NPCs
7. Awarding Experience

First Steps and Overview

This section offers a prioritized timeline and project list for new storytellers.  You may need to adjust this timeline to match your own particular situation, and you will probably find yourself adding projects as well. Just remember to keep projects manageable and prioritized.

First Three Days:

Consider Lines of Communication

Decide how you want players to contact you. Most local storytellers provide both a phone number and an email address, but this is up to you. Think about any restrictions you might want to place:

• Limiting calls to certain hours
• Requesting players not call or email you at work
• Call before they stop by your house

Once you’ve decided how you can be contacted, ask your coordinator to publish this information in the chapter newsletter. You can also send this information to your chapter’s email list.

Define Goals

As a storyteller, you probably have some ideas and goals. Now, you must turn those thoughts into clear, prioritized goals.

Make a list of long-term goals that you can measure. Next to each goal, write how long you think it will take to accomplish this goal, as well as how important a priority this is for your office. Here are some sample goals:

As you proceed in the weeks ahead, you will start making these goals a reality.

First Week:

Contact Your Players

Now that you are officially the storyteller, you should make a point of saying hello to your players. Let them know about your goals for the months ahead.  Tell them about your vision and what they can expect from you. This message is a great way to generate interest and recruit assistants.

Contact Your Supervising Storyteller

No Camarilla storyteller works alone. Thus, you need to introduce yourself to your supervising storyteller. Ask the previous office holder or your coordinator for your supervisor’s contact information. Contact your supervising storyteller to find out what policies and procedures exist in your area. Ask questions about recent chronicle events.

Establish an Online Presence

In the United States and Canada, storytellers subscribe to storytelling e-mail lists and use an online approvals database. There, they discuss storytelling issues, file reports, ask questions, and manage special approval requests. Ask your supervising storyteller about electronic lists and other online tools available to you.

Second Week:

Obtain Existing Records

If you are the storyteller for an existing chapter, you should ask the previous storyteller for copies of all storytelling records:

• Venue sheets
• Past reports
• Character sheets and experience logs
• Plotline write-ups and NPCs
• City Books and Stages

Ideally, the two of you should plan to spend a few hours together reviewing the files. If you are missing documentation, your supervising storyteller can help you obtain records of special approvals, venue style sheets, and past reports.

Study the Rules

As a storyteller, you will be expected to know the rules in much more detail than a general player would. So, even if you are familiar with the rules, it is a good idea to study them again. You should plan on reviewing the following areas:

• MET books for the venue
• Camarilla rules supplements published by the Master Storyteller
• National addenda published by the National Storyteller
• Venue materials (such as the Protocols)

If you are a new storyteller, this represents a lot of reading to do. You can expect to have more than a week of reading ahead of you. However, it’s a good idea to make your second week a crash-study in rules. Learn the basics, and then you can fill in the details as you go along.

Third Week:

Meet with Your Players

Consider setting aside a night or two to meet with your players individually.  Learn their characters’ histories and their current goals. Talking with your players is a great way to take the pulse of the game.

Review or Build the Venue Style Sheet

To participate in the Camarilla’s Sanctioned Game, you will need a Venue Style Sheet approved by a storyteller with High Approval Authority. If you are the storyteller for an existing chapter, review the VSS and revise it to fit your storytelling style. If you are starting a new chapter, you will need to write a venue style sheet. For more information on the VSS, see Chapter 2.

Fourth Week:

Fulfill any Storytelling Requirements

Storytellers are required to complete specific education requirements, set by the Director of Education and your National Storyteller. Find out what the current requirements are, and be sure to complete them within the required timeframe.

Learn How to File Reports

All Camarilla storytellers file monthly reports with their supervising storytellers.  We will discuss the basic report in the next section, but be sure to talk to your supervising storyteller to learn if there are any special requirements.

Plan and Run the First Game

At this point, you will have built a solid storytelling foundation. While you and your players will be excited to play, don’t rush the first game. Take time to plan and prepare. Generally, most storytellers are ready to run their first game by the end of their first month in office.

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Reports

The monthly report is a formal way that storytellers communicate with each other and weave the chronicle together. Let’s take an in-depth look at reports, their purpose, and how to file them.

Reports Dates

Reports cover the events of the previous month. So, on July 1st, a CST would file a report that covers the month of June. By convention, we call this the “June Report.” This may be a bit confusing, but you will get used to it.

If for some reason your report is going to be late, please notify your supervising storyteller. Explain why the report will be late and when you expect to have it completed. Your supervisor will usually be understanding and appreciate your courtesy.

The Value of the Report

A good storytelling report can do all of the following:

• Inform your supervising storyteller of your projects and venues
• Summarize key game events
• Invite collaboration with other nearby storytellers
• Allow you to recommend prestige for your assistants and players
• Provide a record of storylines, for you and your successors
• Serve as the basis for your storytelling prestige. Make sure you earn credit for your hard work!

Sending the Report?

Ask your supervising storyteller this question. Generally, reports are sent to the following people and places:

• Your supervising storyteller
• Local storytelling email lists
• Regional storytelling email list

Be sure to forward all prestige recommendations to your counterpart coordinator.

Report Format and Contents

Talk to your supervising storyteller about their preferred report format; however, here is a basic report format that you can use. The basic storytelling report consists of a header with your chapter information and eight sections. A blank report format is in Appendix A, and a sample report is in Appendix B.

Header

• Reporting Period
• Chapter Report [Chapter Name] [Chapter Code]
• ST Name
• ST Membership #
• ST email/phone

1. Summary

Give a quick summary of your report. This is usually a short bullet-list of important items. This includes projects completed, NPC requests, or calls for help. Do not summarize venue events here. Usually 50-100 words is sufficient for this section. Keep it brief and clear. You will discuss details elsewhere.

2. Prestige Recommendations

Did someone do something to help you? Do you have an ACST? Did a player submit you a storyline that you used? This is the area to recognize them and give them credit.  Here’s a sample prestige recommendation:

Joe Member (US 2002021357): Total 10 Open

Played NPC in  ‘Urban Sludge’ Plot on 4/16: 5 Open (ST Support)

Mentored new player at ST request: 5 Open (ST Support)

Although storytellers can recommend prestige, the coordinator is the one who actually makes the awards. Therefore, you must send a copy all recommendations to the appropriate coordinator (CC for CSTs, DC for DSTs, etc.).

3. Ongoing Projects

What major projects are you working on? Are you developing a new venue, collaborating with another storyteller on a joint project, creating new resources for your players, or perhaps teaching them the rules? Activities like this should be reported in this category. This section is not about plotlines, but what you’re doing as a storyteller.

4. Questions

If you have questions about rules, procedures, or need advice, ask here.

5. Problems and Solutions

Storytelling isn’t always a smooth process. This section documents problems you’ve encountered and your solutions. For example, you may have investigated a continuity issue or an unethical player.

Describe the problem and the steps you took. In the case of an unethical player, you might have given a warning, awarded negative XP, or desanctioned a character.

Remember, your report is a record of your actions. Provide a fair and accurate record of the event, but keep a neutral tone. Even if a player has received a formal disciplinary action, the player still deserves respect.

Remember, you can contact your supervising storyteller any time during the month. They will be able to offer advice and assistance, if you run into difficulties.

6. Other Actions

Actions that require other storytellers’ involvement should be detailed here, such as:

• Large-scale influence actions
• Rare NPC requests
• Proposed plotlines

7. Active Plotlines

Provide updates on the plotlines you are currently running.

• What critical information will other storytellers need to know?
• What has happened?
• What will happen next?

8. Venues Summaries

List each active venue in your chapter and write a short paragraph about what happened during the month. Include only the major events that characters in the city would generally know about. Include information that all players would know about. Don’t put dark secrets or storyteller-only information here.

If you are running a Cam/Anarch venue and a Mage Venue, you would write two short summaries. Some storytellers will email these summaries to their players. It’s a good way to wrap up each month and let players know the general events of the venue.

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Storyteller Records

Keeping accurate storytelling records can seem like a daunting task, but when you have organized records, storytelling becomes much simpler.

Organize Your Records

We recommend that you have access to a word processor or spreadsheet program.  This will put all of your data in a similar format and make it much easier to access and update. However, if you don’t have access to a computer, then you will need a set of file folders, a storage box, and a good filing system.

Have Copies of All Character Sheets

Make sure you maintain up-to-date copies of all character sheets. If there is ever a discrepancy between the player’s sheet and your sheet, your copy is considered the correct version.

Record Experience Traits Earned and Spent

Your records should list the date each character was played, the amount of experience earned, and any purchases. When players go to games outside of your chapter, you will want to record where they played. Most storytellers will expect to see an experience point log when a traveling player arrives at a game.

Record Special Approvals

If a character has a special approval, make sure that you know who approved it and when. In the United States, most regions use an approvals database that provides tracking numbers. Keep copies of these approvals on file with your copy of the character sheet.

Track Influence Actions

Whether you use an influence program or a simple homemade spreadsheet, you’ll need to make sure that the points add up and that players submit their actions to you on-time. You can track influences by hand, but it will take longer to complete. Actions that extend outside of your city will need to be included in the ‘Other Actions’ section of your report.

Confirm Membership Classes

When a player makes a new character, confirm their Membership Class with your coordinator. When a player earns a new Membership Class, they will be able to spend additional experience traits on existing and new characters.

Prepare for the Future

When your records are well organized, you will see a number of benefits:

• Save time tracking characters for players
• Answer player and storyteller questions quickly
• Provide copies of character sheets for travelling players
• Leave your office with good records when you step down from storytelling

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Special Character Requests

The World of Darkness has many types of rare creatures, powers, and items.  If every club member portrayed a rare character type, the game would quickly lose its balance. We believe that our chronicle should have some unexpected characters and elements, so we try to find an appropriate balance. This section looks at the special request process and how it works.

Special Request Terms

Special approvals include anything that requires Mid, High, or Top storyteller approval. We divide approvals into three basic categories. Please note that this is not a full listing of all approvals. See the Camarilla’s Rules Supplements for full details.

Approval Type	Examples
Special Character Type	Rare clans, kiths, breeds, etc. (defined by each venue supplement)
Special Character Elements	Rare powers Merits or Flaws not in a venue’s primary MET books Special character backgrounds or histories High levels of Background Traits (e.g. Resources or Fame
Special Items	Items that require special approval Non-standard weapons

How Players Submit a Request

All player who want to portray a character with a special concept, element, or item must submit an application. The application includes the following elements:

• Player information
• Contact information for the player’s supervising storyteller
• Complete character sheet
• 1-4 page character background
• Answers to certain “special request” questions, based on the type of request

In the United States, special requests and approvals are tracked through a web-accessible database. Players receive a unique login and input their materials directly. Storytellers can then review the application, ask questions, and even approve it online.

The Request Process

The local storyteller is always the first storyteller to review a special request.  Here are some tips for reviewing a special request:

• Review the character sheet, background and special request answers
• Talk with the player. Ask questions and help the player polish the concept
• When satisfied, pass the request to your supervising storyteller
• If you are not satisfied with a character concept or do not feel it fits with your venue, you may ask for revisions or deny it entirely.

If you support the request, send it to your supervising storyteller, along with the reasons for your recommendation. Often the supervising storyteller may not know the applicant or the style of your local game. Simply stating that a request “has your approval” won’t help your supervising storyteller make a decision.

The application will be reviewed by your supervising storyteller, who may ask the player questions or request revisions. Once the application receives the appropriate level of approval, the player may bring the character into play.

Questions to Ask During the Review Process

• Do the details of the character sheet match the background?
• Does the request fit the concepts of the World of Darkness?
• Does it fit within the current chronicle and your local game?
• Is the request balanced or is it overpowering?
• Is the player knowledgeable and responsible?
• Are you certain this request will fit with your game?
• Will it add to the enjoyment of other players? How?

Request Timeframe

Generally, players should expect that special requests will take at least two weeks for each level of approval required. So, if the player requests something that requires High Approval, they should plan that the process will take at least six weeks. Sometimes the process moves more quickly, and other times it may move more slowly.

After this time, feel free to inquire about the application’s status.  When making an inquiry, you should allow a week for a response.

Request Factors

There is no Membership Class requirement for the special request process.  Applications are reviewed on the strength of the application itself, not the Membership Class of the applicant.

If your chapter is starting a brand new venue, focus on getting the chronicle started before introducing special characters. Ask players to hold off on special requests for a few months. Introducing rare approvals too soon can upset a game before it even finds balance.

Encourage players to play another character while their request is being reviewed.  Players can still have fun at games, while waiting for a decision on a special request.

Never let a player rush you on an approval request. Be timely and polite, but you should always thoroughly review the concept, determine its suitability, and assess the responsibility of the player.

Special approvals are considered a privilege and not a right. As storytellers, we must ensure that concepts fit within the current chronicle and are portrayed responsibly. If a player abuses a special approval, any supervising storyteller may revoke it at any time.

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Plotlines

Know the Plotline Basics

Plotlines can be focused upon an individual, a whole game, or every game in the global venue. Some plotlines may require a major antagonist, but others can quite simple. You can build plotlines from a variety of sources:

• Character backgrounds
• City history
• Past character actions

Most plotlines will run and be resolved locally, but some could spread beyond the scope of a single city.

Create Local Plotline Write-ups

Plot write-ups can help you organize your plotline ideas for you and your assistants. A well-developed plotline addresses the following areas:

Plotline write-ups are not required for most basic plotlines, but a simple write-up can help to keep a plotline on track. If you request special approval NPCs, you should expect to provide a plotline write-up.

Use Plotkits

Plot kits are written by supervising storytellers, so that local games can participate in large-scale events. Most plotkits are optional, and all you need to do is contact your supervisors to let them know you are using it. Some plotkits, especially those with global consequences, may have required outcomes to maintain chronicle continuity–for example, when we ran the Week of Nightmares.

Encourage Player-Created Stories

Player-created stories are the lifeblood of our chronicle. In fact, they are often more complex and popular than storyteller plotlines.

You may find yourself scrambling to keep up with the machinations of the characters.  If so, it means that your players have immersed themselves actively into the game. At that point, you can usually take a break from running plotlines and let players create their own stories. When things start to quiet down, you can reintroduce your plotlines.

Develop Character-Based Plotlines

Character histories offer plenty of plotline ideas and hooks. Why send in another wave of antagonists when you can weave stories that link directly with their characters? Building stories around character histories will also ensure that players design reasonable and interesting character histories.

Design Balanced Plotlines

Plotlines are challenging to implement. Here are five ways you can keep plotlines balanced:

1. Talk with your supervisor when designing a plotline
2. Never use a sledgehammer when a flyswatter will do
3. Not all plotlines need to be cataclysmic.
4. Consider where your plotlines might lead
5. Avoid events that would appear on national news

Consider Dedicated Plotlines

If your game has both new and experienced characters, there may be a significant difference in the characters’ power levels. One way to keep everyone challenged is to create dedicated plotlines. Most dedicated plotlines focus on new players, and they help introduce them to the game and other characters. Often, dedicated plotlines have dedicated NPCs.

If an experienced character discovers a new-player plot, ask the player to find reasons not become involved. This may seem odd at first, but your job is provide good stories for everyone, not just the game’s most powerful and experienced characters. Ask your experienced players to back off from plotline dedicated to new characters.

Some players will say “but my characters has a good reason to get involved.”

As a storyteller, your reply should be, “You’ll solve this plotline in a heartbeat, so please don’t get involved. Let’s make sure the new players have fun. If they come running to your character, just offer advice or a shoulder to cry on.” Every player, even new players, deserve a chance to work through a challenging plot on their own.

You can also create advanced plotlines to challenge experienced characters.  New characters can join these stories, but you should warn the players that their new characters face a greater level of risk.

Accept Plotline Death

It’s ok for your plotlines to die. Here are some common reasons plotlines fade away:

• The players are working on their characters’ goals (scheming against one another)
• The players are all focused on a different plotline
• The players weren’t interested in that type of story at the moment

If you introduce a plotline and the players don’t bite, then don’t force it on them. Wait a week or two and then give them a second chance. If they pass on it again, put the plotline on hold. You can rework it or reintroduce it at a later date.

Evaluate Your Players’ Interest

If you notice that a player doesn’t become involved in plotlines, ask yourself why.

• Is the player missing the plotlines completely?
• Does the player know how to become involved?
• Are these plotlines that would normally involve the character?
• Are these plotlines ones that appeal to the player?
• Is the player happily busy with the character’s own goals and agendas?
• Is the player bored? If so, they’re starving for attention.
• Is the player afraid of putting the character at risk?

Players who intentionally dodge plotlines in order avoid danger may need an incentive to become involved. If a player completely refuses to become involved in the story or take risks, you might decide not to award any experience traits for that session.

Be aware that characters can take risks in very different ways. A Ventrue who made high-stakes political deals all night might be have taken more risk than the Brujah who fought a weak antagonist.

Six Tips for Running Plotlines

1. Let players choose what plotlines interest them.
2. Don’t force plotlines on players.
3. Be prepared to run your plotlines but expect surprises.
4. Never story tell a scene that you are not prepared to run.
5. Do not run another storyteller’s plotline without permission.
6. Do not kill a successful game with a plotline. Know how to time the appearance and ending of plotlines.

Beware of Runaway Plotlines

If a plotline or scene ever threatens to spiral out-of-control, call for a time-out. Tell the players you need a few minutes to collect your thoughts before the scene continues. You can be subtle and say “ok, we’ll run the investigation of the warehouse as soon as I get a soda and check on some rules.” Buy yourself some time and space.

If you are not prepared to run a scene, or if it’s another storyteller’s plotline, say so. Never run a scene that you are not prepared to run.

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NPCs

Some NPCs are created as-need during a game, but others are carefully detailed before they ever enter game. This section focuses on developing effective pre-planned NPCs.

NPCs Need Depth and Purpose

Build a complete character sheet, a short background, and a list of the NPC’s goals. These three elements should help both you and the person portraying the NPC stay on target. At the start of night, give a specific list of goals to the person portraying the NPC. Don’t let NPCs wander without purpose.

For example, a young runaway wanders into a kindred-run nightclub seeking warmth and shelter. On the surface, the runaway may be looking for someone to take him home, but more importantly he may be looking for attention. This NPC might serve well for a feeding scene. Players will be forced to respond to a real character rather than think of “blood traits” they consume. NPCs with dreams and aspirations will work to achieve them. The NPC might be slated to die early in the evening, but the NPC will not know that. He may pursue his goals until the end.

NPC Power Levels

Generally, most NPCs should be weaker than the average PC in your chronicle.  The most powerful NPCs might be on-par with the most powerful player characters.

Remember, just because you can make an NPC at a certain power level and XP doesn’t mean that you have to do so. Great NPCs can be created on less powerful templates.

Your supervising storyteller will probably want to know about your major NPCs, so they can help tie them into the larger chronicle.

NPC Player Restrictions

NPCs must be portrayed by someone who has the Membership Class to create the character on their own as a PC. If you want a Rank 3 Garou, then the NPC’s player must be able to make a Rank 3 Garou. This restriction may be waived, on a case-by-case basis, by a storyteller with High Approval Authority.

NPC Special Approvals

Just like PCs, some NPCs require special approval. See the Camarilla Rules Supplement and National Addenda for details.

If an NPC requires special approval, submit the plotline and the NPC to your supervising storyteller.

Expiration Date’ for NPCs

Generally, we recommend that no NPC stay in play for longer than six months.  Recurring NPCs, should be focused to a specific purpose.

Many rare NPC concepts will be assigned an expiration date by the approving storyteller. When the expiration date is reached, the NPC’s role should end and the NPC withdrawn from active play. If for some reason you need an extension, contact the storyteller who approved the request.

Dedicated NPCs

In the plotline section, we talked about using dedicated plotlines to create stories for both new and experienced characters. Dedicated plotlines often have dedicated NPCs.

For example, you have created an NPC who will be stealing from player characters.  You have decided that the thief will be relatively weak (compared to your average player). Tell the person playing the villain only to target characters that are played by new players. Tell your assistants that this plotline and NPC are designated for new players only.

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Awarding Experience

Consistent and balanced experience awards are necessary to the health any long-term chronicle, whether local or global. Players need to know what they can do to earn experience for their character. Generally, we advise following the principles established in Laws of the Night: Revised page 122, with a few modifications discussed below. Please note that these are guidelines, and storytellers with High Approval Authority or above may set different policies for their area.

No combination of Experience awards may exceed the monthly cap, unless a storyteller with High or Top Approval makes a special award.

Automatic Award

Players who portray their character for at least 90 minutes at the game should receive a base Experience Trait award. To be eligible for this trait, the player must register the character on the official sign-in sheet. Small games should generally receive an automatic award of 1 Trait, while large games might receive a base of 2 Traits.

If a player is inactive or disruptive, the storyteller can choose not to award this base award to the player’s character.

Player Nominations

At the end of each game session, the storyteller can gather the players together and request player nominations for an additional 1 Experience Trait. Here are some possible categories:

• Best Roleplay
• Best Costume
• Best Leadership
• Most Improved Player

No matter how many nominations are made, we advise that no more than 3 characters per 20 should receive this award. Players should only receive 1 additional Experience Trait per game, regardless of how many nominations they receive. Encourage your players to be fair in these recommendations. Do not let them become popularity contests.

Storyteller Awards

As a storyteller, you will see scenes that most players do not. You can recognize outstanding roleplay or actions that may not have been seen by everyone else.  Don’t use this award to heap praise on the popular. Recognize those who work hard and contribute to the game.

Player Feedback

A player may earn up to 2 Experience Traits per month by providing feedback to her storyteller about what her character is doing. Common methods include

• Game reports
• Downtime reports
• Character goals
• Character journals

Short or generic responses should never be worthy of an Experience Trait. Players should be clear about what their characters have been doing. Downtime reports, character goals, and journals may be submitted monthly.

Online Roleplay

Generally, players should not earn Experience Traits from IRC in the sanctioned channels. A supervising storyteller may choose to award Experience Traits base on roleplay that occurs in private scenes online. Often this requires pre-approval from the storyteller and may even require the storyteller’s presence during the scene.

Very few players receive any Experience Trait award for online roleplay. Players should not receive more than 2 Experience Traits from online roleplay in any month, but an exception is made for online chapters, such as the Four Winds chapter.

Character Backgrounds

A supervising storyteller may award up to 3 Experience Traits, if the member has successfully completed the Ordeal of Creation and submits a well-developed character background. This award may only happen once per character, and it does not count towards the monthly Experience Trait maximum. This award applies to primary characters only.

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