Ashen Grey : Victorian Age World of Darkness
Victorian Age Roleplaying
Just as Ashen Grey has its rules, the chronicle’s story follows a style too. While the rules provide a framework of what can and can’t be modeled in play, the style refers to the story elements. Rules tell you what you can do, the style tells what you should do.
This style guide explains the sort of tale told in this collective Victorian Age World of Darkness game, and how you can help to flesh out that tale. It also explains the sorts of material that aren’t conducive to play on Ashen Grey, the sorts of characters and storylines that do or don’t fit, and the elements that contribute to the betterment of the game for everyone.
Chronicle Style
Ashen Grey represents a collective game. Everyone plays together. While conflict is inevitable, it’s simply a part of the game. When characters clash, that’s an in-character conflict that should result from and enhance the game. It’s not an excuse for characters to randomly maul and kill other characters just because they’re a vampire or werewolf or what have you. Everyone’s here to have fun; that means that sometimes you need to bend your character a little to accommodate the greater story. Instead of jumping another character that’s here simply to roleplay, look for someone else who’s combat-oriented and wants to indulge in that sort of story. Instead of building a character whose sole motivation is to kill other characters or be an outcast loner who’s a problem for everyone he meets, make a character that’s motivated to move the story forward in interesting ways that help other characters to get involved. Include other people in telling a great story; don’t exclude them by trying to build a character that wantonly kills or ostracizes others. Even a killer has motives; even a hunter has a reason for what he does.
Ashen Grey exists in the Victorian Age World of Darkness. As a result, the world’s a place of horror and danger. It’s worse than our own world’s historical past, overrun with corruption, greed and graft. Characters should reflect and accommodate that feel. This is a horror story. Characters may not survive the dying of the light, though they rail against it; they live in a dangerously serious environment. Although humour’s not out of the element, characters are not in and of themselves silly — leave your infantile and absurd characters at home; this is a tale of monsters and angels, not a comedy of clowns. Characters whose problems and complications would prevent them from surviving may not be sanctioned for play: If your character thinks she’s a five-year-old, how does she survive as a vampire? She doesn’t, so she won’t be sanctioned. Conversely, even villainous or monstrous characters should have motives. People don’t become evil “just because,” although the Victorian Age World of Darkness does give a plenitude of reasons.
The story requires patience and cooperation. Everyone should have a chance to be involved. Pushy players take up a Storytellers’ time and try to hog the spotlight with their importance. Have patience. Only a limited number of Storytellers can divide their time around Ashen Grey. Try to resolve matters through roleplay, not fisticuffs.
The story unfolds through emotions and events, not through points and rules. The object of Ashen Grey is to forge an entertaining tale, much like a group of people might sit around a campfire and swap ghost stories. The protagonist doesn’t always win and your character may not always come out on top. The object here isn’t to garner points or have the biggest, nastiest character in the game; it’s to build an engrossing tapestry.
Although Ashen Grey is a fictional setting, it could be very much a part of our world’s historical past. It’s not overrun with obvious supernatural creatures and phenomenal happenings like demonic cults or giant aerial battles. Remember, the supernatural lurks just behind the curtain of normalcy. Characters that blindly violate the secrecy of their societies may be presumed casualties of the authorities that take note, and can be unsanctioned at any time.
Implicit Acceptance
By playing in the Ashen Grey moderated RPG chat, you must implicitly accept certain terms.
The Storyteller’s authority is absolute. If you think that you have a valid point you can debate it, but belabouring matters just takes up time and agitates the Storytellers. Once a Storyteller makes a ruling, it’s absolute. The Storytellers are empowered to make rulings that do not follow the “game rules” if the Storyteller wants to speed play or engage in some extenuating circumstance. A Storyteller may make a ruling regarding any character at any time and is not required to give a reason. Just because a Storyteller ruled on something before doesn’t mean it can’t be reversed later. If you have a grievance you should email the Storyteller in question, or the .
You accept that your character may be subjected to events outside your control. If you take a Flaw in a home game, do you tell your Storyteller that he can’t use it without your permission? If you’re in a bar and a fight breaks out, do you argue that you’re not involved while a broken bottle flies at your face? Your character exists in a dynamic world and may suffer the consequences of that world, whether justly or as a victim. Although it’s polite etiquette to ask before jumping into battle, your character can be subjected to attacks even if you didn’t want to be involved; vampires hunt innocent mortals all the time. It is, after all, a World of Darkness.
You agree to behave in a civil fashion to other players. While your character may engage in regrettable behaviour, as a player you are expected to adhere to reasonable standards of conduct. Don’t swear at or insult other players outside of the game’s context. Don’t sexually harass other players. If you engage in a scene of questionable nature (bigotry, slanderous harassment or similar topics), first make sure that you won’t offend other players involved, as a matter of courtesy.
You agree to the use of the rules presented in the World of Darkness Rulebook and Vampire: The Requiem, as modified on Ashen Grey. Just because you don’t like Vampire: The Requiem doesn’t mean that you don’t have to abide by it. You must follow the rules like everyone else. Furthermore, you should read and familiarize yourself with the Ashen Grey house rules. Certain optional elements of the rules may be altered or removed, and you should make yourself aware of them because it may impact upon your character.