Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Nosferatu: Twice Cursed

Such horrible, twisted things lurk in the darkness, slinking around in the depths and hidden places of the city. The Nosferatu are among them, and they bear not only the curse of vampirism, but also the curse of a horrid and grotesque appearance that reveals them for what they really are.

Because of their state of being outcasts and haunts, they often learn of secrets that were not meant to be known, the whispers of torrid affairs and conspiracies reach their ears, and while sifting through garbage they come across documents and proof of things that others wish to keep buried. Nosferatu are renown information brokers, selling the things they have uncovered for a price. They delight in forcing the genteel and proper individuals seeking their assistance to wade through the muck and filth, and in making them uncomfortable.


Costuming
Nosferatu are by far the most interesting and intensive Clan to costume for.

Clothing for your costume is easily obtained, through a quick trip to your local thrift store. Buy some clothing that is mismatched and poorly fits, or something that looks like it was from the 70's. Next you'll want to tear it up a little, a few small holes here and there, maybe a burn mark or two. You can weather jeans by rubbing sandpaper over the knees, and cut the bottom hem off to give that ragged look. Get your hands on some dark clothes dye and some bleach, and you can permanently discolor the clothes.

Even though other places suggest application of fake blood and such, it is best to have the clothing permanently stained, so that you don't make a mess at the game site.

The makeup for Nosferatu can get interesting, but remember that it's something you're going to have to do before every game, so simple is always better. Interesting effects can be had with eyeliner pencil, concealer sticks, rubber cement, a bit of foundation and other easily obtained items. You don't need to be a makeup artist to have interesting effects.

Role Playing
Slinking around, and sticking to the fringes of conversations keep you wealthy in little tidbits of information you manage to pick up. It also plays up the "outcast" aspect and stigma that is attached to the Nosferatu.

When talking with someone, do things that make them uncomfortable. Steadily increase your volume as you speak to them, hiss your words, lick your lips while eyeballing their neck, scratch at a vermin infestation that your character picked up in the sewers, pick at fake scabs you made with wood glue or latex, get too close to them and invade their personal space... there are a wide variety of techniques you can use in order to creep someone out.

Always leave before the end of the night, and if you can arrange it with your clan mates, you should all disappear together within a ten minute time frame. Effectively done, nobody notices the Nosferatu have left, until they realize that every single one of them seem to have disappeared... and then they start getting nervous.

Act like you happen to know every dirty little secret and dark conspiracy going on. Don't act surprised when people tell you a secret, instead nod and say "Yes, we know." People also like to talk about themselves, practice a few inquisitive statements, and once you get the ball rolling, you can sit back, smile, and nod as they spill the beans.

One of the best investments a Nosferatu player can make is a small digital recording device. Slip it in the breast pocket of whatever cast-off shirt you happen to be wearing, and let it record all night long. Later you can edit out the irrelevant parts and keep the good bits. Additionally, you can leave the recorder hidden in one of the locations often used for private meetings and retrieve it later. This method also removes the problem of some people curtailing their conversations when they know that someone is eavesdropping.


City Positions
Nosferatu make excellent Sheriffs and Scourges, as their information network allows them to know who is coming into the city, and the combination of Obfuscate and Potence allows for a very effective combatant when they must take out the trash.

Disciplines

Animalism
Often overlooked, the various levels of Animalism are useful if you know how to utilize them. Feral Whispers can give you a little bit of spying power, or a temporary ally. Beckoning allows you to summon creatures to you, which is useful when you need to feed.

The ability to snap someone out of Frenzy, via Quell the Beast is highly useful, and can save your Clan mates from doing something detrimental while in the throes of Frenzy. Subsume the Spirit gives you a disguise that allows you to walk around unremarked as "just another animal", and even works against video recordings (while Obfuscate does not).


Obfuscate
Being able to travel about unseen is invaluable to a group of creatures so hideously deformed as the Nosferatu, as it not only protects the Masquerade, but it also makes it easier to slip in to guarded places without being noticed.

Additionally, Mask of a Thousand Faces allows for all sorts of dirty tricks, especially when dealing with a target's Influences or Retainers.


Potence
Ever need to lift that sewer lid or heavy grating? Need to rip a door down? Want to make an impression why someone shouldn't fuck with you?


Influence Focus
Street
All Nosferatu should have rudimentary sway with the homeless people and gangs, if nothing more than to use for information gathering. Of course, a homeless person going missing every now and then wouldn't be missed much...

Transportation
Nothing is more important to a Nosferatu than the ability to travel about quickly and unmolested.


Limitations
Your true appearance is your only real limitation, and once you find ways of dealing with it, through Mask of a Thousand Faces or simply working through third party Retainers, you've largely overcome your main weakness.

Unfortunately, you will always be on the lower rung of Kindred society... that's quite alright, because everything eventually floats to the surface.

Shameless Promotion
Help out another sewer dweller by picking up one of these books.
Pick up the 1st Edition Nosferatu Clanbook:
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/81/Clanbook-Nosferatu--1st-Edition-WW2054&affiliate_id=35945

Or pick up the Revised Edition here:

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/82/Clanbook-Nosferatu--Revised-Edition&affiliate_id=35945


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