Downtime and Reports

Downtime Actions

Downtime reports are due 7 days prior to the start of the next game. All late reports will be received and anything that they may affect will be taken on a case by case basis. It is my goal to get back to each player who submitted a report within the week before the new session.

Each character starts off with 2 downtime actions, and gains an additional downtime action per road rating.

Each Retainer also starts with four downtime actions to represent their ability to move during the day, and each gains an additional downtime action per level. Retainers also gain an additional action for every point their domitor has in the seneschal ability.

1 Action is used for feeding between sessions, it is believed that the characters will use this or will only come into game with ½ blood, unless those characters have herd, in which case they do not need to spend an action to feed.  (Characters that did not send in a downtime report but do not have herd are considered to have done nothing but feed and will come in with 1/2 blood. Ghouls do not need to spend to feed from their domitors)

1 Action point to find new ghouls and groom them. (This is used to either increase your retainer pool, or refill it if one of your retainers was killed.)

1 Action per use of influence regardless of the level of influence.

1 Action per use of Commerce

1 Action per use of Conscripts/Military Force/ Naval Force - Large scale operations may take more than one action point and more than one month.

1 Action per use of investigation - This includes things like scientific research, occult research, history, domain information, finding out about the newest hunter cell or seeing which wine has been poisoned with blood rot, if you're trying to get information this is how you do it.

1 Action to meditate - Players regain Willpower through meditation may do nothing else while meditating, they are solely focusing inward while in meditation and at risk for attack from outside sources as their focus is used to counter their beast. Each point in meditation refills one point in willpower, this may only be done once per month and requires a single downtime action regardless of the number of points placed into the skill. Meditation may be used at session if the player takes 15 minutes out of play and throws a challenge which becomes harder each attempt starting at five traits and adding five traits per attempt, it may only be used once per hour regardless of success.

1 Action to craft for every two points in the level of craft the player wishes to make. Toreador may spend one action point for every three levels of crafting instead of two.

1 Action point to improve domain through non-influence means. Bribery, dominating, intimidating or begging the mortals to increase the value of your domain.

1 Action point to move through the domain, there is no limit to the number of times you may move once you have spent the action point to do so, meaning you may travel from Scarborough to York, then to Durham, then to Hull with only one action point. Going outside of the domain for any reason requires more than one action point, and will be handled on a case by case basis with the ST staff.

Down times within the Domain

       - For every level in domain you posses, you may spend one action within that domain for free. But only within your personal domain. For instance, if you have three total points of domain on your sheet you get three additional actions within your own domain. These must be used against the dots on your sheet and are not available to anyone you have shared domain with.

You must have the available resources within your domain in order to be able to use it. If the small fishing village you've claimed has no library then you would need to have the background with a library in it in order to research anything without traveling to another domain.

Regaining Will Power

       Will power is regained at a rate of 2 (3 if you are dual natured and have played both natures) per month + any meditation done (See above), and they refill the day of session. Meaning, any willpower that is used during session does not return until that next session.

Updated to take place for Feb 2016 downtimes and session

Downtime Actions

Downtime reports are due 14 days prior to the start of the next game. All late reports will be received and anything that they may affect will be taken on a case by case basis. It is my goal to get back to each player who submitted a report within the week before the new session.

Each character starts off with 2 downtime actions, and gains an additional downtime action per road rating.
Each Retainer also starts with two downtime actions plus one per level after level one.

1 Action is used for feeding between sessions, it is believed that the characters will use this or will only come into game with ¼ blood, unless those characters have herd, in which case they do not need to spend an action to feed. (As per book, characters may drain up to one point per herd per night without cost, characters may take up to five in a single night before leading to their herd’s death unless treated by a medical professional or up to three safely per night, however doing this too often will have severe ramifications. Characters that did not send in a downtime report but do not have herd are considered to have done nothing but feed and will come in with full blood. Ghouls do not need to spend to feed from their domitors)

1 Action point to find new ghouls and groom them. (This is used to either increase your retainer pool, or refill it if one of your retainers was killed. An action is not needed to level a ghoul)

1 Action to use Commerce

1 Action per use of investigation/research - This includes things like scientific research, occult research, history, domain information, finding out about the newest hunter cell or seeing which wine has been poisoned with blood rot, if you're trying to get information this is how you do it. This also includes researching rituals, disciplines, new abilities and lore.

1 Action to meditate - Players who regain Willpower through meditation may do nothing else while meditating, they are solely focusing inward while in meditation and at risk for attack from outside sources as their focus is used to counter their beast. Each point in meditation refills one point in willpower. Meditation may be used at session if the player takes 15 minutes out of play and throws a challenge which becomes harder each attempt starting at five traits and adding five traits per attempt, it may only be used once per hour regardless of success.

1 Action to craft for every two points in the level of craft the player wishes to make. Toreador may spend one action point for every three levels of crafting instead of two.

1 Action point to move through the playable game area, there is no limit to the number of times you may move once you have spent the action point to do so, meaning you may travel from Scarborough to York, then to Durham, then to Hull with only one action point. Going outside of the playable game area for any reason requires more than one action point, and will be handled on a case by case basis with the ST staff. This type of travel however is not safe from dangers, if a player wishes to be secure they must use transportation influence.
1 Action point to rebuild any lost backgrounds/merits

Domain -  For every level in domain you possess, you may spend one action within that domain for free. But only within your personal domain. For instance, if you have three total points of domain on your sheet you get three additional actions within your own domain. These must be used against the dots on your sheet and are not available to anyone you have shared domain with. Domain actions are long term plans, establishing a holiday within the city, or building major architectural wonders take years to complete. Some actions can be used to speed things up, such as stacking domain actions, influence use and commerce can all be put to use in making sure your domain improves. Speak with an ST concerning what you want to build and we will give you a timeline to help improve or slow these actions.

You must have the available resources within your domain in order to be able to use it. If the small fishing village you've claimed has no library, then you would need to have the background with a library in it in order to research anything without traveling to another domain. PCs may also have a retainer take over the domain, provided that the retainer has a seneschal concept. Doing this allows a retainer to use their normal action(s), in addition to an action for every level of domain on their domitor’s sheet.

The following commands may be issued to a Domain, keep in mind players are advised against turning their personal domain into another Carthage.

Build – Orders are put through to create a building of some type with a specific purpose. Different buildings can possibly have different bonuses to the domain. This could be anything from farms for the serfs to work on for their short meager lives or a monument to God that will stand the test of time. For every point put into a building PCs and NPC that claim the domain may gain the temporary merit Ability Aptitude provided they spend one action point in the proper building for the month prior ie. Building an archery range gains ability aptitude Archery if the PC or NPC spent an action point to train in the building within their own domain.

Celebration – Throw a party, invite nobles, peasants or both to a holiday like celebration, this increases the morale of the entire area and allows for fame to spread about the domain.
Commerce Influx – Invite PC and NPC merchants to come and sell their wares in your domain.  (a percent of trade done there goes to the domain as a sales tax, influence can adjust the amount players get)

Defenses – Orders are put through to repair or build walls, gates, towers, moats, weapon emplacements and field markers for siege defenses. This also increases the city guard, as well as volunteer watchmen.

Feed/Restrict Feeding – Make it easier or harder for vampires to get blood in your domain. This could be as simple as making sure there is enough food for the kine to eat so they don’t die of starvation, increasing light and guards to make it nearly impossible for vampires to feed in the domain without getting caught. You may also enter game with blood if your domain is treated as a herd via a feed action. (1 herd per domain you posses)

Investigation – With proper area lore players can gain insight into PC and NPC actions within their domain, this could include finding hunter cells, hearing gossip, learning about corrupt or honorable merchants and nobles, tavern news, or the latest mundane news.

Populate/ Depopulate – Entice mortals from other domains to move into or out of your domain. This could be through rumors like “the streets are paved with gold, and everyone is getting free food” to “The plague has spread here, no one is safe.” Or buying slaves, killing entire households etc. This only works on your own domain, however as fame of your domain spreads other domains and their populace may hear about it.

Research – Gain area lore, intel about what has been happening in the local area with supernatural and natural creatures within.

Tax – Either through legal means (You own the nobility within the domain) Or unlawful means (Big Macbeth here is going to beat you senseless until you give me money) You can attempt to get coin from your domain. Players will gain a small amount of coin for every tax action they put towards their domain. Keep in mind that over taxing a population will drive them out or in some cases lead to open rebellion.

Influence no longer costs a downtime action.

Regaining Will Power

      Will power is regained at a rate of 2 (3 if you are dual natured and have played both natures) per month + any meditation done (See above), and they refill the day of session. Meaning, any willpower that is used during session does not return until that next session.

Slight adjustment, ability aptitude cannot be used to combat abilities.