Alien Hunger – World of Dorkness #20

Welcome once again to the World of Dorkness. We have recently been looking at a few of the early Masquerade 1e supplements, with a focus on chronicle books, specifically the Chicago set Ashes to Ashes and the Cleveland set Blood Nativity. Today, we’ll be reviewing the first official White Wolf released quick start chronicle book, Alien Hunger. 

As we always do, let’s begin with the front cover. 

This cover, like many of the early covers I’ve discussed, doesn’t really evoke the title of the book, but it does give us a glimpse of the opening of the adventure. The art itself is excellent and reminds me of an 80’s or early 90’s horror paperback cover, and the orange coloring of the flames really pops nicely against the blues of the rest of the piece. I also like the subtle color gradient of the border. 

Alien Hunger 

A Taste of Blood 

A Taste of Death 

Ripped from your comfortable mortality, thrown into a pit of blood and death, you strive with every ounce of your well being to hold onto the last bits of your humanity, all the while feeling the inexorable pull of the beast within. 

A mile high where the air is thin, an ancient genius has been snuffed out by an even older evil. Now you are alone, your old world stolen from you and your new one most horrible to behold. And ruling all is your dread thirst. 

An Alien Hunger is a jumpstart kit for Vampire, designed to allow you to start playing the game within five minutes of reading the rules. It includes: 

• Five pre-generated characters complete with detailed backgrounds and personalities; 

• Source material for the Gothic-Punk city of Denver; 

• A complete adventure to guide both the Storyteller and Players through the transformation from human to Vampire, in which they learn the true meaning of fear. 

Sticker price is $10 or $22.64 adjusted for inflation (or $5 for the PDF, $8 for a POD on Drivethru) 

Credits: 

An omen of things to come, the credits are a bit fucked up here. I’ll present them as they are written in the book, errors and all. 

• Written by: Jeff 
• Berry Developed by: Andrew Greenberg 
• Interior Art: Janet Aulisio, Josh Timbrook, John Cobb, Darryl Midgette 
• Cover Art: Clark Mitchell 
• Scene Photography: Eric Krosnes 
• Layout: Sam Chupp 
• Production: Josh Timbrook 
• Cartography: Chris McDonough 
• Back Cover: Chris McDonough 
• Logo: Chris McDonough 

Special Thanks to: 

• John “Bilbo” Bridges, for his suggestions on what we could do after messing up his name in Succubus Club 
• Mark “Monkey Boy” Rein•Hagen, for his superb handling of adversity 
• Stewart “Artful Dodger” Wieck, for not becoming the human target 
• Wes “Good King” Harris, for his inability until he gets there 
• Josh “Bloody Pants” Timbrook, for showing true grit (and lots of leg) 
• Sam “Proud Pappa” Chupp, for, well, you know 
• Travis “No Wheels” Williams, for learning what happens when you lend things to relatives 
• Chris “I’m outta here” McDonough, for showing those old fogeys where it’s at 
• Kelly “Recession Blues” Norwood, for taking the big M gig 

Special, special thanks to: 

KC Lancaster, for the original illos of the V-Team 

Dedication: 

I am deeply indebted to the V-Team (Mark Matthews-Simmons, Chris and KC Lancaster, Guy Wells, and Gail Starr), without whom there would be no adventure because there would have been no one to play it. 

Hi Mom. 

I know I called out typographical issues in another 1e Masquerade book recently, but this book is painfully full of them, to the point that at times I’d have to stop and re-read a sentence to figure out what was being said. These errors appear as words smushed together or oddly spaced leaving weird bits like the error in Jeffery Berry’s name in the credits and occasionally words with a weird extra letter or even a number replacing a letter. I admit I do not know much about the publishing process circa 1991, but there had to have been a proof draft before the books were shipped off to catch this stuff, right? It’s frustrating to be sure. 

Table of Contents 

• Introduction 
• The Story 
• Locations of Interest 
• Characters  
• Players 

I feel like this image has popped up in another book I’ve reviewed, but I can’t remember which one off hand. 

Introduction 

A Jump Start 

Our introduction kicks off explaining that Alien Hunger was designed for ST’s new to Vampire, regardless of their prior DM experience, and is intended to be run with a minimum of effort on the ST’s part. Pre-made characters are also provided for players to jump right into the story without having to do the work of creating a character themselves. 

“The very structure of Vampire does not lend itself to the cliched ‘slay the evil one, save the maiden’ type of story commonly found in roleplaying. A Vampire story works on a more subtle plane, where the crisis is that of an ever-dwindling humanity, a loss which the characters must always fear. In such a situation, mood plays a more important role than any enemy could in generating story sessions that will be long remembered.” 

Alien Hunger is written in a linear fashion to help guide ST’s and players through a more traditional scene by scene progression. Of course, ST’s who want to play things more freely are encouraged, but warned that this style of play requires extra effort on the ST’s part. 

“As a result, the story is highly detailed and full of statements like ‘If the players do that, you can respond like this.’ The intent is bring a group of new players and Storytellers to a mutual understanding of the genre. They are crutches, and if you do not need or want them, then cast them aside!” 

And like every supplement I’ve covered that contains a story or potentially important Chronicle information, non-ST’s are warned off of reading the book further. 

How to Run This Story 

Mood is a key element of this adventure, as is atmosphere, and each scene includes details of the mood to achieve along with hints of how to do so. However, you can’t force a mood on the players, and so cooperation with the players and building the mood together is ideal. Two suggestions are made for building mood in the general, first is self-control on the ST’s part, as staying focused on the story and not cracking up at things will help pull the players into the story, while the second suggestion is to be descriptive, adding as much or as little detail as necessary to each scene and to consider drawing on common experiences of the players to help everyone have a shared frame of reference. Another way to keep the mood of the story is keeping the players in the dark, metaphorically, and putting an emphasis on dice rolls related to information gathering. 

A few other bits of advice include taking copious notes, especially early on as these notes can help enhance the police investigation element of the story later, and hammering on the players about their new condition, the horrors and wonders of being a Kindred, with a special emphasis on their first feeding, noting that animal blood is readily available, but to play up how bland and unsatisfying it is compared to mortal blood. 

Plot 

Players not only have to deal with the horrifying transformation from mortal to Kindred in this story, but also the extraordinary paranoia of the Kindred. The players sire, Jacob Prestor is dead when the story begins, leaving the players without a guide into the world of darkness they now find themselves. Further complicating this situation, their sire was killed on orders of the Prince of Denver, and once he finds out about the players, he wants them dead too. But the Prince has been bamboozled, and is, himself, merely a pawn of a more powerful Kindred. 

The two pressing crises the players must resolve then are how to deal with their new unlives and resolving things with the Prince. It’s likely that at least a few of the pre-gen characters, as well as characters created by the players (and really, any new Kindred) could be seeking revenge for their mortal lives being stolen from them. But figuring out who is actually responsible for situation the players find themselves in is a challenge. While Prestor Embraced them, he assumed it to be a temporary measure, the Prince ordered the death of Prestor, but at the instigations of another Kindred, so who does the blame fall to? 

I mean…. it’s Prestors fault, he’s literally the one who Embraced the players. The Prince and the Ancient silently pulling his strings aren’t necessarily responsible for any of this. 

• Chapter One: While still mortal, the players nightly routines are interrupted by a bearded wildman who attacks and brings them to his lair. When they awake, they are in a basement of a building that is quickly being consumed by fire. They escape; however, they are now firmly out of the frying pan and into a whole new kind of fire. 

• Chapter Two: As the players begin to deal with their new existence and realize that their old lives are over, they soon find themselves the focus of a police investigation (thanks to family/friends who reported them missing) and the targets of the same Kindred who ended their collective sire. 

• Chapter Three: The players are finally able to begin gathering critical information about their condition, a bit about their Sire and discover that there might just be a path back to mortality. 

• Chapter Four: The hunt for a cure brings the players into contact with a powerful Ghoul that not only holds the keys to their potential return to mortality, but also information about why they were Embraced, and about the Ancient that may soon be hunting them. 

What’s Really Going On 

Louis Pasteur (yes, the Louis Pasteur), in 1887 met a man named Georges who seemingly was immune to disease. In 1890, Georges revealed the truth, that he was Kindred, and the two men began researching vampirism, eventually developing a serum that could induce vampirism, a powerful first step towards a potential cure. 

In 1895, his health deteriorating and George having disappeared, realizing that Louis was likely to die before a cure could be developed, Louis injected himself with the serum, and died. 

The next night, he awoke, allowing himself to be buried so that he could escape his grave and leave his old life behind to continue researching a cure. His research eventually caught the eye of Thaddeus, an Ancient who saw the research as not only an end to his own existence, but that of the entire Kindred species. Thad then began harassing poor Louis, going as far as trying to destroy him on a few occasions, forcing Louis to move regularly and work under assumed names. This, of course, hindered his research, and the few friends he made along the way who aided in his experiments have since been killed. 

Eventually, Louis made his way to Denver under the name Jacob Prestor. Thad followed and wormed his way into Prince Edward’s court, convincing him that Louis planned to wrest control of the city from Edward. Naturally paranoid, Edward saw Louis’ secretive nature as a sign, and made his move to strike. 

Louis, having discovered this plan, then grabbed a group of mortals to Embrace as allies, assuaging his own conscience that he would succeed in his research, and return his new allies back to their mortal lives when things settled down. 

While he succeeded in creating these allies, he was killed by Edward’s assassins before he could explain the situation to said allies. 

Okay, why are we wasting Louis Pasteur this way? If you’re going to pull a historical figure and say “This person is a Kindred (Garou/Mage/Changeling)” then they should probably have something to do besides just be a pile of ashes at the start of a story. I really like the idea of Pasteur being a vampire scientist doing vampire science, but considering his death is the inciting incident of the story, why not just make an original character for this role? It’s an incredibly pointless historical figure pull that doesn’t serve the story in any meaningful way, and even if the truth is revealed to the players at some point, “Hey, Louis Pasteur made us vampires” has about as much narrative weight as an original NPC would. 

Theme 

The dangers of change. The players have been forcibly changed into monsters, and to survive they must learn to becomes something more than they were, and once given the choice to change back, they must decide if they want to give up the power they now have. 

This newly found power is the secondary theme of the story, as the players must learn not to abuse their new powers, or potentially lose their humanity, or worse, lead the entire group to their doom, as cooperation is paramount to success. 

Mood 

The conflicts of Vampire are often subtle ones, focused on loss and the slow evaporation of one’s Humanity, and Alien Hunger’s mood is a dark one, of the players lives crumbling before their eyes, and the more they try to stop it, the less they can do. The secondary mood is one of strange hope, as despite the players’ old lives being destroyed, they have an opportunity to replace their old lives with something new. 

Customizing the Story 

Players can, of course, use the pre-gen characters provided (as the adventure was written with them in mind) or they can create their own, but they need to remember that their characters are mortal until the story begins. With this in mind, character creation should be split into two parts. 

Part one would focus on the players generating their Abilities and other stats, but not Disciplines. Alternatively, Players can simply create their character as usual, choosing their Clan as they like, and simply ignore their Disciplines until the time is right. 

A connection between the player characters is important, even if it is a distant one. This will make it easier to explain why the players are together, give them a reason to stick together, as well as making it easier for them to be caught up in the investigation to come. Narratively, it just makes sense that Prestor would choose this group of characters because they are connected in some way. 

A connection to the mortals in the basement who appear in Scene One should also be made between at least one or two of the players, as this will add complications to various subplots. The other element to remember, as this is a quick-start, players cannot take dots in Herd, Generation or Status. Mentor can be taken, but will be introduced as a character who has taken an interest in that player over the course of the story. 

The story has been designed for five newly embraced Kindred, and since the story is focused on coming to grips with this change, it would be best not to try and run this with established characters. If, however you want to incorporate Alien Hunger into an ongoing Chronicle, then this can be done, but will require some work on the ST’s part. 

To get established characters into this adventure, two major elements need to be addressed: How to get the players invested, and how to make them appear to be on the wrong side of the authorities. The first will depend on the characters themselves and where their interests lie. Maybe the hint of returning to mortality is enough, or maybe Prestor was in town and a botched assassination attempt has drawn the players in. Or maybe the local Prince wants them to go talk to Prestor. Whatever works for you and your group. 

As for Prince Edward? Just make sure the players don’t introduce themselves and Edward’s paranoia will take care of the rest. If the players are already Anarchs, then this could be the climax and resolution of their story. 

Denver, Colorado 

The capital of Colorado, Denver is located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,280 feet and is an intersection of highways I-25, I-76, and I-70. Outside the Denver Metro area, there are farmlands to the east and the Rockys to the west, and these farmlands offer the Kindred of the area with ample, low risk animal blood. While the Garou generally avoid the city proper and the farmlands, the Rockies are another story, and there have been at least a few reports of Garou rampaging through Downtown Denver during a full moon. 

Denver is claimed by Prince Edward, who rules with what could be considered fairness within the Kindred community. A moderately old Kindred, the Prince is comfortable in his position and understands the value of the status quo, and has a deep dislike of firebrands of any kind. His lieutenants, Don Alonzo de Vargas handles much of the daily governance of the city, while Duke acts as the enforcer of the small Council of Denver. 

All other Kindred in the city fall into one of two camps: The Prince’s Court, and the independents. The Court are, obviously, those that feel the need to cling to a hierarchy, and generally hangout at the Broadstreet club. The independents, by contrast, acknowledge Edward’s sovereignty, but do not pay homage to him. Each of the independents lay claim to small parts of the city where they hunt, and do not hunt in each other’s territories out of common courtesy. 

Cow Tipping 

No, not the literal meaning of the term. Among the Denver Kindred, Cow Tipping is slang for feeding on cows. Feeding on cows can be resolved with the hunting rules in the corebook, and should be considered a difficulty 4, with the player gaining 2 dice for each hour spent hunting. While Garou tend to stay out of the general Denver area, and the farmlands, as previously noted, that doesn’t mean you can’t throw one in should a player botch, though botching could result in an encounter with armed farmers, police or even another Kindred. Remember that when describing feeding from cows, that it is extremely bland, and that compared to mortal blood, it’s about as appetizing as plain oatmeal. 

And that’s our introduction chapter. I skipped over a bunch of stats about Denver as they’re not that interesting, and frankly, I was too lazy to go and look up the adjusted population data. This is a fine introduction, despite my complaints about Pasteur being wasted. The writing here isn’t bad, but Ashes to Ashes felt a bit more in line with how other adventure books I’ve reviewed have been written, while this introduction feels like they haven’t quite nailed down the format and style. I’m also not in love with the emphasis on the police investigation element that pops up in a later scene, but admittedly, I think this adventure is a bit rickety as written in general, but I’ll discuss that as we go along. 

The Story 

Chapter One: First Nights 

Scene One: The Attacks 

The players are kidnapped on a Friday night by Prestor, who tries to remove the memory of the attack from each victim. To achieve this, before each encounter, roll Prestor’s Wits + Subterfuge (8 dice) against the players Willpower. Players can resist by rolling their Willpower at difficulty 8, and players should not be told why they are rolling. 

If Prestor gains 3 or more successes, the player does not remember the attack, and can simply finish up their character generation (if they haven’t already). If Prestor does not get the successes, pull the player aside and roleplay the attack with them. 

Before each attack, have the players describe their usual activities for the day, to help emphasize the transition soon to come. Once the player has described their day, introduce the Prestor attack, which should occur when the player is alone, or with another player who will be in the basement when the story properly begins. 

In all the attacks, Prestor will attempt to use Command to put the players to sleep after the attack. Prestor again has 8 dice to use against the players Willpower, with any successes on his part putting the player to sleep. Players can again roll Willpower at difficulty 8 to resist. 

The book suggests that once each attack is completed, the players should finish their character sheets. Seems like it would be easier to just have the sheets done before the attack and just remind the players that their sheets are essentially meaningless for the moment. Each player should start with 4 blood points.  

There are several blocks of short fictions detailing a scene with one of the pre-made characters. They’re fine, but not worth elaborating on beyond pointing out that they exist, and they present the mechanical ideas and suggestions in a narrative format. They don’t do much for me personally, but I understand their purpose in the book as a method of helping new ST’s. 

Scene Two: A Firey Awakening 

After each player has been put to sleep, they are taken back to Prestor’s home and placed in the basement with three others, Vince Belhurst and Mavis and Suzy Jackson. Each player is injected with one of Prestor’s serums, and then left to undergo their change, to be tended to the following night. 

By the next night, however, Prestor is dead, and the house is burning, thanks to Duke, Earl, and The Count. The players awaken, however their companions, Vince, Mavis, and Suzy, have all reverted back to mortal now that Prestor is dead.  

Here the story proper begins, and the ST should put an emphasis on the confusion and sense of loss the characters should be feeling, as they’ve just woken in a dark, stuffy, and increasingly warm, basement. The mortals should be described with terms typically reserved for food, and every opportunity should be taken to draw attention to the stark contrast of their old lives and what they are now.  

ST’s should have the players discuss among themselves what is happening, while a bit of background sound effects, such as a beating heart can help emphasize the change, and anytime the mortals come into contact with the players, draw attention to the heartbeats of the mortals and how they notice the players are cold, going so far as to offer their coats. 

“The awakening in the basement is the first great opportunity for role-playing, so make the most of it. Try to convince the players to drain the humans dry, while at the same time doing your best to make sure they feel guilty if they do. Welcome to Vampire.” 

Scene Three: Escape 

There is one obvious exit out of the basement, a trapdoor at the top of the stairs, however, this door leads back into the house, which is now an inferno. Any player who wants to touch the door will learn this as the heat is so extreme that a Stamina roll at difficulty 4 should be made, lest they lose one level of Health. 

If the players decide to try and run through the burning house, the mortals will not survive, and the players will have to make Wits + Athletics rolls at difficulty 8 for as many rounds as it takes to achieve 6 successes, at which point they have escaped. 

Of course, these are vampires and fire we’re talking about, so each round they remain in the burning house (and they’ll be there for at least one round), they take fire damage. Stamina + Fortitude at difficulty 8 to resist, but only if they have Fortitude. Players take two levels of damage, or –1 per success on the resistance roll. If they manage this daring (and batshit crazy) escape, then Edward and his court will be aware of their existence, which will almost certainly have dire consequences. 

But there’s an easier method of escape. The south wall of the basement is thin and near to the sewers. ST’s can tip the players off to this by mentioning the wall feels a few degrees cooler than the others, or, if they have sufficient light (a few matches are fine) and are searching the basement, then a Perception + Alertness or Investigation roll at difficulty 6 will reveal the weakness. Players using Auspex gain a bonus die to this roll. 

Breaking through the wall requires 6 total successes on a Strength roll at difficulty 7. Botching takes one level of health from the player trying to break through. This damage can be resisted with a Stamina roll at difficulty 8. Remember that the house is on fire, and as the air is slowly sucked out of the basement, those mortals are going to die. If the players don’t care to save the mortals and figure they can just wait out the fire, then they should notice that the temperature is beginning to rise, until they are making Stamina rolls at difficulty 8 (or take one level of damage.) After 10 of these rolls, the temperature begins to drop again, as the fire is out, and they may leave the basement at their leisure. 

If the players did wait out the fire before escaping, roll a single die, and on a 1-7, someone (likely a cop) saw them escaping. 

If playing with totally fresh players, do not hesitate to guide them towards the weakened wall with the aforementioned clues. 

Scene Four: The Sewers and After 

If the players escaped into the sewer, they’ll soon find a manhole. If the mortals are still with the players, play up their warmth and how God damn delicious they seem. Once out of the sewer and on the street, let the players know they are a few blocks away from the burning house, and let them plan. If they haven’t fed yet, there are plenty of opportunities around, and if Vince is still alive, then he fucks off to check in with the cops. Whatever else happens in this scene, hammer on the players that their hunger is there, and give them many opportunities to feed. 

Your Goals During this Chapter 

Remember that the Characters should be unaware that they are Vampires, despite the Players knowing this. This is a crucial time to focus on roleplay and encourage the players to think about how their characters are dealing with things. If the players start to slip, remind them of in-game vs out-of-game knowledge. 

Use the players Disciplines to emphasize the change as well. Players with Auspex should have things described in excessively vivid detail, and if the mortals survived this long, continue using them as a contrast to the players new nature. ST’s are encouraged to try and get at least one player to kill a victim, preferably in a messy and public way. This will help heighten the police investigation in the next scene. Eventually, the players will move along from things around Prestor’s neighborhood, and they may split up and head back to their homes to recover from their mad evening. The next night, the players should see in the newspaper (or on the evening news when they rise) that the fire was at the house of a man named Jacob Prestor, and that at least one was killed in the blaze, and that the police are making inquiries. 

Aside from the background stuff that puts this story in motion, which I think is kinda lame broadly speaking, I think this is a decent introduction scene. The book really, really leans into the emphasis on the players’ change, which is good advice, but also a bit tedious to read what is essentially the same advice three or four times in as many paragraphs. I don’t love the idea of convincing a player to kill a victim on their first feeding just to add something extra to the next scene, but I’m not against letting a player kill a victim if they decide to without ST prodding. That feels like an aspect that would work better with either a semi-experienced player who is already in the roleplaying mindset and thus, thinking about the story elements that can come from it, or a new player who, as ST, you just maybe “Forget” to mention that they don’t have to kill when they feed. Something about trying to talk the player into it feels shitty to me. Sure, pulling it as a bit of a gotcha on the player who doesn’t know better is also kinda shitty, but at least feels more honest. 

The three mortals are just sort of there, and while Vince has ties to one of the pre-made characters, which is detailed more in the characters section of the book, they ultimately don’t have that much effect on things, other than being a potential snack or dying because the players decide to just wait out the inferno. 

Chapter Two: Life In Death 

Now, the players must be reunited (unless they didn’t split up the night before), and how you do this will depend on the characters being used and how Chapter One shook out. If the players are separated, then the character with the highest Occult score (in the pre-made group, that’s Marcus) should be the one who has figured out they are now Vampires and should be the one to realize that they are better off working together than apart. This is part of why the characters having some connection to each other is important, as it should draw them back together (unless they decided to hunker down somewhere together). 

Scene One: The Police Investigation 

The police investigation can add a bit of paranoia to the players’ lives, as well as offering a convenient way to remove the last aspects of their mortal lives from them and further driving them into the underworld of the Kindred, as well as forcing them to work together so they can get the police off their tracks. 

The police are investigating Prestor’s murder and the arson of his home. If the players were reported missing before the murder of Prestor, then the cops are investigating this as well. If the players killed anyone, then these murders are also being investigated. If the players have no “Public” life in Denver, either because they are from out of town or already living semi-underground, then the investigation will not touch them. 

If none of the players reported being kidnapped, then it falls to the ST to decide if anything in the players background or actions taken in the earlier chapter are enough to draw them into the investigation. If any of the mortals survived the basement (and the players didn’t try Dominating them or something else), then they will also go to the police and report what they know. 

Detective William Brandt is the man in charge of the investigation and while a very clever detective, he comes across a bit bumbling. 

Okay, baseline we have the arson/murder of Prestor investigation happening. Any other investigations are theoretically separate and would seemingly not have ties to the key investigation of the fire and murder. So why is this one dude the head of seemingly 6 or 7 different investigations that have little to no obvious connection other than the story says they do? Unless someone saw the players run out of the burned out/burning house, then sure, I can see them running into Brandt, but unless you’re going to the trouble of tying in all these various side investigations into things, it just doesn’t make sense that this one dude is leading the investigations into an arson/murder and potentially 5 missing persons reports (or 8 if the mortals were also reported missing and died/didn’t go to the cops) that have no direct connection to the primary investigation, unless some very specific things have happened, like the players being seen leaving the house, or the mortals surviving and telling the cops about the players. 

Brandt will personally interrogate each player involved in the investigations. The first interrogation should come as a surprise, and the players should not be allowed to come up with a story unless they had a chance to meet up and talk prior to the interrogation. The players being interrogated should be taken into a separate room and grilled while the ST takes copious notes, so that players can be caught in the lies and inconsistencies of the other stories. 

Which, sure that could work, and might even be fun, but I’ll be honest, it feels a bit contrived as I previously mentioned. 

Possible Resolutions 

If the players covered their tracks sufficiently, then they can avoid being detained, although this is not likely (so says the book.) 

The more “Likely” situation is the players going underground and “killing off” their mortal existences or abandoning them. This option presents a couple of wrinkles, that of potentially being hunted by the police or dealing with the crimes that have been committed (if they committed any). The players could rather easily fake their own deaths (with the example from the playtest informing that those players ripped off their jaws to get a dental record match. Now, that is creative!), or if they did commit a crime, then Domination of a mortal patsy is worth a shot. Ultimately, this plot thread and its importance falls on the ST. If you want to handwave it, then do so, but if you want it to dangle and be a recurring issue, then make the players work for it. 

Personally, if I were running this, I’d likely have little desire to have the players (remember there are supposed to be 5 players for this story) all tied up in this investigation nonsense, because that’s just 5 dangling threads I’ve got to deal with. Sure, it could be fun, but something I’d be more inclined to maybe focus to one or two players or something I’d push to the background to bring back later. Front loading it into the story like this just feels unnecessary. I do really love the anecdote about the play testers ripping their jaws off to fake their deaths. That’s fucking brilliant, and while that means they were likely spending a couple nights without a lower jaw, it’ll grow back…. eventually. 

Identification 

The players may need new identities. If they make peace with Prince Edward, then this is trivial, but if they don’t make friends with the Prince, or they need new ID’s before they meet him, then they can either forge the documents themselves or find someone who can. 

Forging the documents themselves is detailed in the corebook, with the first roll being a difficulty 5 and the second a difficulty 7. ST’s may want to roll this for the players, thus leaving the players blind to the quality until they try to use it. Regardless of who makes the roll, 2 successes means its very shoddy, 3-4 successes the forgery is pretty good, and 5+ being very impressive. If they botch, then the character thinks the forgery is good, but anyone else would spot it as a fake immediately. 

Finding someone to do the forgery for them requires a simple Perception + Streetwise roll at difficulty 6, and takes 1 night to complete, however 2 or more successes and the players will find someone who can make the documents of sufficient quality. 

Scene Two: Angel Tony 

After a couple of days, each player who is out and about should make a Perception + Stealth roll at difficulty 8. Success indicates the players have a vague feeling of being watched. On the fourth day after the fire, Tony arrives, most likely when the players are gathered. Tony astral projects himself to the players location to scout it out for threats, then he sneaks into wherever the players are and introduces himself by making a pithy comment to draw their attention. Once he has the players’ attention, he ignores all questions about his age and abilities while trying to pump as much information from the players as possible, especially about their origins and goals. In exchange, he gives the players a crash course in vampirism. 

If the players are still trying to keep a connection to their old life, Tony makes rude comments about hanging out with mortals. Along with the basics of Kindred existence that he explains, if asked about his motive, he tells the players he’s helping them because he’s bored, and he’ll confirm that Prestor is dead if anyone bothers to ask about it. 

He can also provide information about becoming mortal again, but only if the players ask him about it. While explaining Kindred existence, he warns that the players should lay low for now, and that if they meet another vampire, to run. Before he leaves, he suggests that they meet him in two days at the 24^th Diocese, a club in his territory. 

When the players meet with Tony at the club, he tells the players he’s still looking into things and to continue to lay low and that he’ll be in contact with them in a couple of days. The day after this, Prince Edward learns of the players (if he hasn’t already), and his harassment of the players begins. The next day, Tony leaves a message for the players at the 24^th: 

“Guys, you got problems. A guy named Edward, who pulls some weight around here, wants you dead – for good. Avoid Broadstreet, a club he hangs out at, and his house at 654 Mountain Crest, off Route 93. See you Sunday night at 1 am. Tony” 

Unfortunately for Tony, after dropping off the note, Edward’s goons capture him, torture him for information and then execute him. 

If the players are concerned come Sunday when Tony doesn’t show up, they’ll meet Candi at the 24^th, a mortal who can tell them that she last saw Tony a couple of nights previously, which should tip them off that it was the night he dropped off the note. 

Scene Three: Seek and Ye Shall Find 

The players likely have plenty of questions and not a lot of answers. The following is a collection of topics the players may be interested in discovering and the mechanics of achieving it. 

General Procedure 

The exact information gained is based on the number of successes gained on the rolls. Players can try to research again, but successes do not carry over from one roll to another, so if they want the information that comes with 3 successes, they have to get it in a single roll. 

Jacob Prestor 

The players likely have nothing concrete on Prestor, other than his name and that they woke up in his basement while his house was on fire. The simplest way to gain some info about him would be the rather mundane task of talking to his neighbors. 

Attempting to talk to the neighbors should take one evening to complete, and each player can only try once. The difficulty of the following rolls are 6, but solid roleplay can drop it to 5. 

Manipulation + Subterfuge (if they think just lying will work), Charisma + Empathy (posing as concerned friends or family), Manipulation + Intimidation (scare the answers out of em), Appearance + Etiquette (any points in Fame can be added to this roll), Charisma + Bureaucracy (We’re from the government), Wits + Intelligence (representing themselves as investigators). 

ST’s can either give these roll suggestions to the players or let them pitch their approach and then suggest the roll that feels most appropriate. The blonde mentioned under 3 successes is Roger Liverman, and with the information the players gain from 4 or more successes, they can roll Intelligence + Bureaucracy at difficulty 5 to learn Liverman’s name (after 2 or more successes on the roll and 3 hours of research) 

• 1 Success: Prestor was a quiet man and a good neighbor 
• 2 Successes: Prestor was a bit odd, didn’t go out much or have many visitors 
• 3 Successes: The only regular visitor was a blonde man with a Jaguar 
• 4 or more: The Jag has a vanity plate that reads “SCIENCE” 

Monetary Situation 

If the players want to look into Prestor’s finances (because that’s a thing you’d want to do I guess?) have them roll Intelligence + Finance at difficulty 6. A particularly genius plan can drop the difficulty to 5. 

• 1 Success: Prestor’s money was handled by the Denver broker Aynsely Whitman 
• 2 Successes: Two years ago, Prestor gave Whitman a half million dollars to invest, and was living off the proceeds 
• 3 or more: The money came from a Swiss bank account. Prestor also had two letters of introduction from two prominent Boston lawyers and a safety deposit box at the United Nation Bank of Denver 

Edward Williams 

The Prince of Denver is our primary antagonist, and the players will likely want to gather a bit of info about the man. 

Finances 

Same roll as investigating Prestor’s finances 

• 1 Success: Williams is a fairly successful businessman who runs the Broadstreet club 
• 2 Successes: He owns the Broadstreet outright, having purchased it on a five year lease. 
• 3 or more: “Well off” financially is maybe a smidgen of an understatement. Prince Edward is rich 

Origins/Background 

Where did Edward come from? Intelligence + Investigation at difficulty 7 

• 1 Success: He arrived in Denver 15 years ago from Vegas 
• 2 Successes: He’s got a lot of money that has been invested into the Broadstreet 
• 3 or more: Something about his background seems off…. 

The Police Investigation 

If the players are interested in seeing how the investigation into the fire is going, this is how. If the players committed any crimes that are being investigated, the ST will have to design their own success tables. 

To even try this roll, the players must have access to police records, either because of prior involvement with law enforcement in their mortal life or having a contact in law enforcement (a rating of 2 in Contacts will suffice). If the players don’t have any connection to the cops, then they need at least 3 or more successes on a Manipulation + Bureaucracy roll at difficulty 6 to bullshit their way into a situation where they could conduct their research. 

The roll for the Arson case is Intelligence + Law, and as with the other rolls, sufficiently clever plans will drop the difficulty by one. 

The Arson Case 

• 1 Success: It was arson 
• 2 Successes: The body found has been tentatively ID’d as Prestor, but there wasn’t much left of him to really test. 
• 3 Successes: There are leads that suggest three men, only known as Duke, Earl and The Count may be involved. There is also some discussion of a blonde man seen leaving around the time the neighbors noticed the fire. 
• 4 or more: the three suspects are known to hang out at Broadstreet. Any murders committed by the players (near Prestor’s house) are also the suspected work of the trio and the blonde man. 

Hitting the Streets 

For players looking for a bit more local information. 

The Broadstreet 

If the players have learned about the Broadstreet, then anyone with Music or Streetwise can roll Intelligence + that ability at difficulty 8 to see what they know about the club. Talking to folks on the street about the club requires Manipulation + one of the aforementioned skills at difficulty 6. 

• 1 Success: “Cool Club, dude!” 
• 2 or more: Owned by Edward Williams, he also plays in the house band, Seventh Son. 

Seventh Son 

A band of vampires who play at the Broadstreet. An Intelligence + Music roll (difficulty 8) will allow the players to know the names of the band from memory, while a Wits + Music or Streetwise at difficulty 7 will allow the player to learn the same info. Or they could just call the club and ask. 

The band is made up of Edward on lead guitar and vocals, Jason Dodgerson on Bass, Karen Mauve on drums, Leslie Booth on keyboards, horns and vocals and Leslie Wilkes on guitar. 

Duke, Earl, and the Count 

Anyone with Streetwise who spends a bit of time tracking these three can learn with Wits + Streetwise (difficulty 6) that the word on these guys is “Don’t fuck with these guys. They don’t start shit, they end it.” 

3 or more successes will tell the players that the trio has been asking around about a blonde man. 

Scene Four: The Hunters 

Once Edward knows about the players, he wants them dead. Unless the players did something rash or obviously attention grabbing the night of the fire, it takes Edward a couple of nights to learn about the players existence. Now the players are under extreme threat as the Prince has declared open season on them, and every Kindred in the city is keeping an eye out. 

To help simulate this feeling of paranoid danger, remember that if the players go to a Kindred hangout, they’ll obviously run into trouble. If they’re just out and about, then roll a single die every night. On a 1, some kind of trouble occurs. If they’ve been going loud (feeding too openly or generally being obvious) then you can up that roll to either a 2 or 3. 

The most generic form of trouble the players will encounter at this point is bumping into another Kindred or two who want to kill them. With that in mind, leave an escape for both sides of any potential conflicts. Additionally, don’t rely on the dice to tell you when to drop an attack on the players. If the players are totally lost or haven’t considered any of the other options, then have them take a prisoner. 

Bothwell (who is detailed later) is ideal for this prisoner situation, as despite being a decent fighter, a concerted effort between 3 or 4 players should take him down, and he’ll crack once captured. Once captured, Bothwell reveals that Edward is the Prince of the city and that Edward wants the players dealt with, dead, out of town or surrendered, it doesn’t matter which, he just wants this problem dealt with. 

Possible Resolutions 

As Bothwell points out to the players, they have three main methods of resolving this plot: war, surrender or flight. 

While war may seem like an obvious choice to some players, they should understand that if they choose to go to war, it is one they are absolutely going to lose. While they can be given a couple of narrow escapes, ultimately, they’re going against much more powerful Kindred. 

Surrender or making peace is likely the best choice, as all the Prince really wants is an assurance that the players aren’t going to act against him. While this may take a bit of convincing to the players, try to get them to see the situation from Edwards perspective, and if they’ve figured out that Edward is misguided in his fear of Prestor, then he would be grateful. 

Right, but how the fuck are the players supposed to figure out, at this point in the story, that someone else was manipulating the Prince into being afraid of Prestor coming for him? There’s been literally nothing to this point that would suggest that. Even with the information the players can gain from the investigation scene above, none of it points to a third party behind any of what has happened to them in the past few nights. 

If the players go and meet with Edward, they still have to convince him they’re not going to start any shit with him, and because he’s a paranoid old vampire, he’ll demand that they each drink from him before they’re allowed to leave, as a sign of good will, as it were. Players can try to talk their way out of drinking from the Prince with a Wits + Empathy roll at difficulty 8, but only if they say something that you believe would convince the Prince. If they can’t convince him they’re not a threat, then they are offered two options: Leave Denver or Die. 

If, however, they convince Edward that they’re innocent, he’ll happily help them assimilate into Kindred society, teaching them the Traditions and about the Cam.  

“Additionally, if they can somehow convince Edward that Thaddeus has duped him into being a hit man, then Edward will become a strong ally if they choose to pursue Thaddeus” 

Great, cool, get the Prince of the city on your side, sounds enticing but HOW THE FUCK DO THE PLAYERS KNOW ABOUT THADDEUS!? Nothing that has been presented thus far related to what the players can learn mentions Thad, at all. So why the fuck are we suggesting this idea at all? Tony doesn’t mention it, literally no one the players meet to this point, INCLUDING THE PRINCE know about Thad’s involvement in any of this, and the only time they would potentially learn about it is way later in the adventure, AND THEN IT REQUIRES ONE OF THE PLAYERS BE CAPABLE OF READING FRENCH! Or, meeting a Ghoul NPC who also can be completely skipped over. 

Fleeing Denver is also a practical choice, as Edward has no desire to chase the players beyond his own sphere of influence. Of course, the players likely won’t take this choice, as it leaves things unfinished. 

At this point, it’s on the ST to stress Edward’s position while they’re figuring out what they want to do. If they were in his position, wouldn’t they be concerned about a group of random Kindred running around their town? And if these randos weren’t hostile, wouldn’t they just say so? Basically, heavily suggest that meeting with the Prince isn’t an automatic death sentence but try to be subtle about it. 

Once the players have spoken to the Prince, before they leave, he asks which of the players saw Duke when he broke into the house. The players obviously have no idea what the fuck the Prince is talking about. According to Duke, someone was inside Prestor’s house at the time of the attack, and he’s certain it wasn’t Prestor himself. The Prince has thus concluded it must be one of the players. After denying this, the Prince will ask Duke to relate any further information about this figure he saw, at which point he describes a short, blonde man.  

Okay, why wouldn’t this paranoid asshole ask that question when Duke brought up that they saw someone else in the house prior to the attack? That seems like something that would have been covered way sooner than the moment the players are standing in front of the Prince, and unless one of the players is blonde, it’s obviously not them. This is a dumb plot point that doesn’t make sense. 

Chapter Three: On The Offensive 

There are a few loose ends for the players to wrap up now, primarily, who the blonde man is. The neighbors can provide the information to find Dr. Liverman, but if they can’t get it from them, then they can also learn the biochemist is under investigation by the police. 

Scene One: Dr. Liverman I Presume 

While Thad was busy plotting Prestor’s demise, Prestor was still hard at work on his research. While his home lab did not survive the fire, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have help elsewhere. Dr. Liverman is an independent researcher with access to several labs in Denver with superior equipment to what Prestor had access to. 

The players can learn about Liverman a couple of ways. First is Prestor’s safety deposit box at the United National Bank of Denver (detailed later) or tracking his car through the neighbors. If they don’t find either of these connections, then a MONTH after the fire, they’ll see a newspaper story that mentions Prestor was involved in biochemical research with Liverman. Once the players know about Liverman, they can begin researching him, and digging into the good doctors’ past requires an Intelligence + Science roll at difficulty 6. 

Any successes gained on this roll will tell the players Liverman is a local biochemist who used to teach at the U of Colorado before going solo a few years ago. 3 successes will tell them he was forced to resign from the university due to some unspecified scandal (he was conducting unauthorized blood tests on students). 

If the players want to set up a meeting, simply telling Liverman they knew Prestor will be sufficient. Once they meet the doctor, however, he is angry and accuses the players of breaking into his house the night before. He warns the players that the only reason he hasn’t gone to the cops is that he wants them to hand over whatever they stole so everything will be forgiven. 

Convincing him they had nothing to do with it requires solid roleplay, and once the players have achieved this, Liverman will tell them the burglar stole the results of his work for Prestor. While his first conclusion was the players, on second thought (and after the players have proven their innocence) he suggests it might have been the weird dirty guy who tried to buy his research. If asked about this mysterious man, Liverman describes an unkempt blonde man named Robert Klondike approached him a week previously. When he refused to sell the research to Klondike, Klondike left a number in case the doctor changed his mind.  

If the players choose to break into Liverman’s house, he is home, thanks to the burglary the previous night. Generally, Liverman is out at the singles bars in the evening, but because of the break in, he’s staying home for a bit. Breaking in requires an extended opposed roll and requires 15 successes to break in and search the house before Liverman notices them. 

This starts with a Wits + Security roll to enter the house, and then Dexterity + Stealth to remain unheard and Perception + Investigation to find Liverman’s research notes, as well as learning that he was robbed the night before. All these rolls are made at difficulty 6, and Liverman’s rolls are at the same difficulty (Perception + Alertness with 5 dice total) Each player who tries to break in must roll separately and accumulate their own successes. If Liverman hits 15 successes first or a player botches, he confronts the players, armed with a shotgun and will once again demand that the players return what they stole the night before. 

Convincing Liverman that they didn’t break in the night before is now harder and requires solid roleplay as well as a Charisma + Subterfuge roll at difficulty 8. Domination is a possibility, but a potentially dangerous one as Liverman may already know more about Kindred than he should. 

Once the notes are found, they find they are painstakingly detailed analysis performed on various samples that Prestor provided. A player with a Medicine score of 4 or more, or with Biochemistry as a specialty in Science can see that the tests were conducted thoroughly and capably. If anyone is scientifically illiterate, then the conclusions section will be of more use: 

“Anti-Body #1 should in all cases, destroy the unidentified substance, ‘Alpha’, on contact. Analysis of Residue #1, however, indicates that the resulting residue is extremely toxic.” 

“Anti-Body #2 has a similar effect, neutralizing any concentration of ‘Alpha’ with which it comes in contact. It does not form a toxic residue. The residue it forms is an interesting biological substance which causes an allergic reaction in human beings, and in fact, in most mammals. In high enough concentrations, it could well be fatal.” 

The notes also say that the various serums defy analysis in some respects, that he’s been unable to identify the makeup of “Alpha,” that he’s been unable to synthesize any further serums, and finally that about 1/3^rd of each vial would be adequate for a roughly human sized mass. 

Players who are not scientifically inclined can roll Intelligence + Occult to realize that the conclusions imply a chance of survival is higher if “Anti-Body #2” is used on subject with a lower Blood Pool. Science minded players may want to continue Prestor’s research, and they can if they have either Medicine or Biochemistry skills. Without notes, the startup time takes one month. With one set of notes, it takes two weeks, and if they have both Liverman and Prestor’s notes, then it will take only a week. 

Once the set-up time is complete, the players will learn that to make said serums will take them decades of work. If they choose this path, it’s on the ST to figure that shit out. 

If the players either don’t find Liverman or simply don’t go looking for him, then he continues to work on his research, potentially becoming a Witch Hunter or associated with them as the serums could prove to be a powerful weapon against the Kindred. Ultimately, it’s up the ST on what Liverman does in this situation. Consider that if the burglary (or burglaries) remain unexplained, he continues his research, and potentially joins forces with Sullivan Dane, or maybe one of Edward’s goons kills him or he’s embraced.  

Scene Two: The Shadow Knows 

Finding Klondike is easy if the players get his number from Liverman, and from there, simply calling information to get his address. Calling Klondike directly is maybe not the best choice, as he’s slightly paranoid (who isn’t in this city), and the players interest in him may cause him to flee. If the players can convince him to meet, then jump to the next scene. 

If they don’t get his number, they’ll have little chance of finding Klondike. In that case, the impatient ghoul eventually tries the serums on himself and dies. The serums thus cease to exist, and the players learn nothing of Thad. This is an “adequate” ending, as players do not always get a tidy resolution in Vampire. If the players wish to continue their own research into curing their vampirism, especially if they have Prestor and Liverman’s notes, then Alien Hunger can end here, and any further story is up to the ST. 

Chapter Four: To Live Once More 

The players can use whatever means they wish to pursue Klondike. If they set up a meeting with him, he knows what they are as soon as he lays eyes on them. If they try to break into his house, they’ll likely end up confronting an armed Klondike. Either way, he knows what they are when he gets a look at them. 

Scene One: In a Ghoul’s Grasp 

Klondike rarely leaves his home, fearful that something might happen to his serums. If the players just show up to his house, they’ll find it dark and locked. If they set up a meeting, then Klondike will let them in, but he’ll be on edge. Klondike is desperate to become a full Kindred, which is why he braved the inferno for Prestor’s notes and broke into Liverman’s house for the serums. While he doesn’t know what to do with the serums, he knows they’ll make him a full Kindred. 

If the players don’t attack him outright, he’ll make them a deal, he’ll give them all the info he has, in exchange for them Embracing him. The players should know by now that an unauthorized Embrace is going to lead to a Blood Hunt being called on them. If they offer to ask the Prince first, Klondike objects and threatens to destroy the serums. He knows Thad is controlling Edward and is afraid of what Thad will do if he figures out Klondike is fucking around. 

If the players want to just take the serums, they can, but it won’t be easy, and they’ll learn nothing from Klondike in the process. The players have essentially two choices, either Embrace Klondike or overpower him and search the house. 

The serums are hidden in the chimney flue, and the players need to specifically say they are checking the chimney, and then on a difficulty 8 Wits + Alertness roll can they find it. 

If the players try to fight him, he’s got a heavy pistol and a smoke grenade in his pockets and will toss the smoke bomb to distract them before going to his weapons stash to grab his semi-auto shotgun. If he captures a player, he’ll threaten to leave them out for the sun unless they Embrace him. If they refuse, they are left bound outside, but un-staked, and he repeats the same threat to each player he captures. If they agree, he tells them he’s planning to leave town, and will release the player after they agree to Embrace him. 

If they Embrace him, he begs they tell no one, then warns them about Thad who he blames for all of this. Once he’s been Embraced and told the players the above, he hands over the serums and then packs a suitcase to leave Denver (until the ST decides to bring him back later). 

Scene Two: A Heart Beat 

However the players gain the serums, they’ll find that they are contained in wooden boxes holding test tubes with stoppers, all identical except for minor details between the two boxes. Each box has 4 tubes containing what appears to be blood (the exact number depends on the player Clan choice), two tubes with a thick, clear liquid, two containing white powder, and an empty tube. All the tubes have labels on them as well as on the space where they sit. 

Each blood vial has a biohazard sticker on it and is labeled “Serum #1” through whatever number you need. The set from Prestor’s safety deposit box has additional labels. The first is marked as “Georges/L. Pasteur” the second reads “Neutral,” the third “M. & S. J, V.B” this was the serum used on the mortals from the beginning of the adventure, and because it was based on Prestor’s own blood, caused the reversion to mortality for those characters upon his death. 

From here, the rest of the vials are Clan vials, and should be labeled with the initials of the player. For example, if you have three players (Two Gangrel and a Toreador) then there would be two vials, one labeled with the Toreador’s initials and one with the two Gangrel players initials. These serums were developed with the blood of Prestor’s allies. 

The clear fluid vials are labeled “Anti-Body #1, Test” and “Anti-Body #2, Test.” These are the two experimental cures for vampirism. The vials of white powder are labeled “Residue 1 and 2” and they are what remains when one of the Anti-Body solutions is added to Prestor’s blood. 

The empty tube is unlabeled and just a spare. 

“Adventurous” (aka: Fucking Stupid) players may choose to inject themselves with one of the serums. If they do, ask how much they use. Each vial has 3 doses (if injected), and some will have an effect when ingested, while others will only work with injection. The serums have the following effects: 

Let me quote what the book says here because I’m having a tough time parsing it. 

“Serum #1 is the exception 10 three dose per vial rule. If and only if the entire vial is injected, the character will effectively gain 1 generation” 

I think the 10 is supposed to be a “To”, in which case that makes sense. 

Serum 2 has no effect if injected.  

Injecting the vials with the players initials on them has no effect. If they try a different “Clan Vial” then roll a die. 1-4 and there is no effect. 5-8 the player’s clan immediately shifts to that of the serum. On a 9, the character becomes a Caitiff, while 10 grants the player 1 point in a Clan Discipline associated with that vial. 

The Clan changes are only mechanical (thus experience cost to raising Disciplines changes, as does Clan weakness.) Any Clan bonds they may have are unaffected. 

Any of the blood vials can be drunk without issue and are delicious, granting 1 Blood Point if totally ingested. 

Anti-Body 1 is designed to restore mortality, but at the cost of the character’s life, so they are mortal again, but they’re just a dead mortal. Players who use this serum must roll their Humanity against difficulty 6. With at least 3 successes, they have achieved their goal of becoming mortal again. However, they have about 40 seconds to give a death speech before they die from blood poisoning. 

Anti-Body 2, however, will return the player to full mortality. Again, they need to roll Humanity at difficulty 6, and each success on this roll removes 1 point in a Discipline. If enough successes are scored to remove all Discipline points, they return to being mortal. However, the shock of this could still kill them, so subtract 1 health level for each Blood Point the player has under 10. If they are still alive at that point, roll 5 dice against the players Stamina+3, each success removes another health level. 

Drinking the Anti-Body serums have no effect. If the players take their time with the notes, they could enhance their chances of returning to mortality, while blindly injecting themselves will almost certainly kill them. 

Which……even if they do use the second serum that’s not supposed to immediately kill them, uh….it sure seems like the aftereffects will kill them, if we’re taking 1 health level away per Blood Point they have under 10, did the author just forget players only have 7 levels of health?  

So, if I’m understanding this correctly, a player with 5 Blood Points takes 5 levels of health damage, meaning they have 2 levels of health left. At which point we then roll 5 fucking dice against their Stamina+3 to potentially remove the final 2 levels. 

Cool, so you’ve dangled regaining mortality in front of the players eyes and then made it really, really not worth the potential risk. Granted, if they did succeed, the game would end, so the game ends either way but damn does it seem like they stacked the deck hard against the players achieving mortality again. 

The players could, with a couple months of work, refine the serums they have, allowing them to increase the potency. Doing this requires a player to have Resources at 4 or two with Resources of 3. Or if they have $100,000 dollars to spend on outfitting a lab (which they could potentially steal from Prestor’s safety deposit box) 

Once a lab has been outfitted, each month they can make a research roll, and can only achieve results with Anti-Body 2. Refining it requires an Intelligence + Biochemistry (difficulty 8) or Intelligence + Medicine (difficulty 9). 10 total successes are needed. 

Once they’ve gained the 10 successes, the serum is refined, and the players can make the Humanity roll at difficulty 4 with each success removing a Discipline. Once all Disciplines are removed, remove one level of health per Blood Point, then roll 3 dice against the players Stamina+3, each success removing another health level. 

The book points out here that use of the serum should be a tense moment with “High level roleplay” occurring and suggests reminding players that success means that they return to being mortal with all the disadvantages of such, while remaining Kindred means they have a chance to achieve Golconda. Which yeah, no shit. If the players have decided “My character wants to be mortal again” then why am I going to remind them “Well that means you’ll die and have to deal with disease, etc.”? The character (and the player) knows that, and if the player has made the choice that their character would rather be mortal than deal with being a vampire, I’m not going to argue with them.  

Which brings us to the conclusion of our “Story” chapter. The next chapter covers the major locations involved in the story as well as bits of story elements that would potentially take place in said locations, which is frustrating because it would make more sense to include that in the “Story” section of the book, especially as it relates to getting Prestor’s shit from the bank deposit box. 

As I said way earlier in this review, I think this story is rickety as written, and part of that is because they dumped all the major locations into a separate chapter of the book and tied essential elements of scenes into that section instead of just putting them into the actual story bit. I also really, really don’t like the background plot that sets this story in motion, and specifically I mean the whole Thad/Prestor/Edward triangle of bullshit. 

Aside from wasting Pasteur here, I just do not care in the slightest about some Ancient Kindred who has a grudge against some scientist vampire. It’s just the standard Elder “Holding a grudge over the stupidest shit” angle that we’ve seen before, but somehow, ultimately even more pointless because it doesn’t directly affect the players beyond their Embrace. Hell, if they don’t meet with Klondike, then the serums he stole are lost anyway because he uses them and dies. What exactly is the point of this story for the players? Because aside from a unique way to be Embraced, and Edward putting out the word to find and kill the players, they have little direct impact on anything going on in this story.  

This isn’t even a semi clever “The players are being played by the Elders” deal, this is just “You got Embraced via magic fuckery, and now you either convince the Prince you’re not a threat or die.”  

That’s the plot of this story. And it’s fucking lame. Even considering that this is a “Jump-Start” or one-shot chronicle in a book, I’m unable to find a reason why I would bother running this story, even as a one-shot introduction to how to play kind of thing, because there’s just nothing there for the players to really latch onto. I had gripes about Blood Nativity and Ashes to Ashes but at least both of those books had an interesting enough hook to draw the players in and then enough interesting plot (or at least the framework for interesting plot) to pull them along and give them something to do. 

They have stuff to do in this story, but most of it is entirely secondary to the main plot of “Convince the Prince not to murder us all.”  

Let’s move on. 

Locations of Interest

The following are locations of interest to the story (as the title suggests), and some of these locations are required to visit if the players wish to resolve the story. 

The Broadstreet 

A nightclub owned and operated by Prince Edward, it is also the base of his court operations. It is a darkish, moderately well stocked bar that does good business. It can comfortably seat 40, with another 15 at the bar while still leaving space for a small dance floor near the stage. On a good night they can pack about 80 people into the club. On a die roll of 1-7 on a given night, Edward will be at the club. 

Because of the club’s visibility, it acts as neutral territory, as well as offering a prime hunting ground, though prey is never taken within the club itself or its vicinity, as this displeases Edward, and Edward tends to get a bit fatal with his displeasures. When the players visit the club will decide the reception they’ll likely receive. 

If they are unknown to Edward, they’ll be recognized as Kindred and treated with civility, on the assumption they are out-of-towners who have come to introduce themselves to the Prince. If Edward is aware of them, however, they’ll be pushed and threatened, but no overt violence will occur within the club. Once they are outside and away from the club, however, they are fair game. 

If the players try to break into the club to root around Edward’s office, well they can try but it’s going to be hard. There are two main entrances, the front door, and the emergency exit/loading dock in back. Doing this during the day would be ideal but lol Vampires, and the club begins to fill with Kindred once the sun sets. If the players haven’t decided to go to war with the Kindred of Denver (and in theory haven’t talked to Edward yet) then their best chance is waiting for the club to close around 2am and sneaking in around 3am, as there is likely to be very few Kindred still in the club at that time. The players can try to overpower this Kindred, but this will blow whatever cover they may have and could trigger war if the witness survives. If the hunt has already been called, then there will be at least 3 Kindred in the club when the players try to break in. 

If they manage to sneak in when the club is empty, they’ll have at most about 2 hours before sunrise to act. Picking the locks on the doors is easy and requires a Security + Dexterity roll at difficulty 6, with 5 successes needed. A Repair + Dexterity roll at difficulty 7 and 5 successes will also work. While the ST should try to spook the players with warnings of sunrise and maybe even late-returning Kindred, if they’re sneaking in this late, then they shouldn’t have too much difficulty. 

Edwards office contains a safe, a filing cabinet and Edwards desk. Opening the safe requires Security + Dexterity at difficulty 8 with 6 successes. There’s about $4,000 inside. The desk is ultimately of little interest other than a notepad with the words “Prestor? Pasteur? UNB of D?” scrawled on it. Tucked in this notepad is also a photo of Louis Pasteur that has been ripped from an encyclopedia. Players who remember the attack by Prestor might make the connection that the photo bears a striking resemblance. 

Players with Finance knowledge will know that UNB of D stands for United National Bank of Denver. 

An Investigation + Intelligence roll at difficulty 6 while searching the file cabinet provides the same information about Edwards financials as the table used for the earlier investigation into Edwards money. 

The club is in Downtown Denver about a block or two from a residential area. Suggested music to play for scenes taking place at the club are guitar heavy late 60’s, early 70’s rock like the Yard Birds or early Rod Stewart. 

Prestor’s House 

The burned remains of Prestor’s house have little if anything worth taking. The only major clue players will find is the trapdoor to the basement. 

The first two weeks post fire, the wreckage of the house is surrounded by police tape. There is a 1-10 chance that a cop will be there when the players check it out, and the police leave on a 1-5 rolled every half hour. Likewise, every half hour, there is the possibility that a cop will arrive. A simple Stealth + Dexterity roll at difficulty 5 will allow the players to avoid being seen. 

A player with Auspex can use Psychometry on the house. A Perception + Empathy roll at difficulty 7 is needed, and anything less than 3 successes yields nothing, while 3+ successes will tell the player that Prestor is very dead. Botching will cause the player to believe that Prestor is still alive, and the death was faked. The trapdoor is the only element of mild interest, as it now stands open, and the players would notice that the door was concealed, which is why they were spared the grisly death Prestor faced. 

Cool, so here’s a location that has no bearing on the story beyond its appearance at the beginning and is of no value after that. Great, I love to waste my time as a player like this. 

United National Bank of Denver 

The players may learn through their research (or directly from Edward) that Prestor had a safety deposit box at UNB, located in the center of downtown. If they learn about the box, they’ll need to hustle to get it before the cops do. ST’s should listen to whatever plans the players come up with to get the box, but the most obvious examples are provided. 

Forging documents to represent themselves as executors of Prestor’s estate or Police is a choice, and to effectively use these documents, they will need to schedule an appointment with the bank after hours. Forging the documents requires the usual forgery rules at difficulty 7 and requires at least 4 successes. Forging police documents is a difficulty 8, but only needs 3 successes. 

Once the docs are forged and an appointment made, they’ll meet with Mr. Pilkers who checks their documents and will admit them to the bank, if the documents are good forgeries. He expresses his dismay over the loss of a valued customer and reminds the players that while they can examine the contents of the box, they are not to take anything from it, and that they will need to do so in his presence. Fast Talk or Domination can be used to try and convince him they don’t need a chaperone, which should be relatively easy, with difficulties of 4-6, and only 1 or 2 successes needed. 

Pilkers then goes to get the box and either leaves the players to it or keeps an eye on them. If he was not in the room, then anything the players removed from the box will cause him to pause briefly, check the weight of the box, then shrug and carry it back to the vault. Upon his return he walks the players out and wishes them a good night. 

The players could also try breaking in. But there are some complications with that plan. First is the front door, which is wired for alarms. A Security or Repair + Dexterity roll at difficulty 5 (Security) or 6 (Repair) and 5 total successes are needed, with each attempt taking two minutes. Once inside, a Perception + Security roll at difficulty 7 will tell the players where the cameras and weight sensors are found. Botching triggers an alarm. There is a security guard making his rounds through the bank, and with observation the players will see he takes a complete pass through the bank every half hour. They could, of course, knock him out or something, but that will certainly blow any chance of this robbery going unnoticed. 

Finally, there is the matter of the safe. If anyone has Safecracking, then the difficulty of the roll is an 8, and a total of 10 successes are needed.  

I assume the roll is Security + Dex because it doesn’t offer a suggested roll, and I’m too lazy to go dig around the corebook to see if Safecracking has a system.  

Physically removing the door is also possible (no rolls offered of course) however, much like taking out the guard, a broken vault door will tip off the bank that they’ve been robbed. 

A weak-willed employee of the bank could be “Convinced” to bring the contents of the box to the players. If they choose this possibility, hear out the exact plan they intend to use, and then decide on the appropriate roll with a difficulty between 4-7.  

The contents of the box are some legal documents, including the deed to the house and other similar papers, about $20,000 in used $20’s (Prestor’s emergency cash), a copy of Action Comics #1 in “Fine Condition”, which could go for as much as $30,000 at auction, and two small boxes. One box contains $125,000 worth of uncut diamonds, while the second box contains the test tubes. Finally, there are 10 notebooks in the box, all written in French, spanning the last 100 years, and contain information about Prestor’s movements, his research and the night-to-night irritations that come along with being a Kindred. 

Any player who speaks French can read the notebooks at the rate of one book per four hours. The contents are interesting, but ultimately not super useful, beyond the research elements, and skimming the books will grant the same information. 

The first entry is dated September 30, 1895, and details Pasteur coming to terms with his “Death” and that he plans to use the name “Jean Regineau” for a time. The rest contains chemical references and Pasteur’s references to the “Infection” he seeks to cure. 

Five years into the books, Prestor begins to mention his fears of some force trying to stop his research, and multiple comments about Georges and the research he and Louis did together, but nothing about meeting with Georges again. The pages relating to the last six months refer to Liverman, and his access to facilities and equipment that Louis does not have access to. The last few entries mention that Prestor realizes he needs allies, and how he chose the players, though it’s clear he agonized over his choice. The final entry dated a week before the fire notes that Prestor is convinced that “He” (Thad) has followed and that Prestor must act to create his allies, and that he hopes they can forgive him. 

Edward’s House 

A three-story mansion in the foothills west of Denver. There’s not much of interest to recap here other than it’s a big house, Edward owns multiple instruments, and many pieces of music that he composed as well as unknown early works by Bach and Mozart. 

The 24^th Diocese 

A proper dance club (compared to the Broadstreet which is more bar/music club), it is within Tony’s claimed turf. There are two dance floors, one a balcony over the main floor. When the players first meet Tony here, he will graciously offer to let them feed in the club. 

Liverman’s House 

A smallish house in Aurora. The only thing of interest the players will find here are Liverman’s notes, Otherwise, it’s a bachelor pad. 

Klondike’s Haven 

A small ranch-style house, all the outer doors have at least three locks on them, and the windows are barred. Stakes are stashed everywhere, and the place generally looks like a shithole. A trunk in the bedroom holds $5,000 in cash, a bunch of stakes and Klondike’s shotgun. 

And that’s the entire chapter. Like I said, it’s frustrating that chunks of the plot, like the players finding Prestor’s vials and notes is tied to them going to the bank, which they may or may not pick up on as being a place they should visit, especially since it requires 4 successes on the research roll of Prestor’s finances. Which they may not even think to research. Then again, they could learn it from Edward, but even that’s not a guarantee, because why would the Prince bother to tell them about that? Sure, even if he wants to use the players as pawns, why send them after the safety deposit box when there is nothing suggesting that Edward would know about its contents or even consider the contents of any value to him? 

My other real big complaint about this chapter is why are we wasting word space on Prestor’s house when it’s a charred ruin? There’s nothing to be gained from going back, so why even waste the space writing it up? If you’re going to include something in a book, it should have some function and use beyond “Yep, that sure is the place the story starts.” 

Mercifully, we’re getting close to the end of this book, so let’s wrap this thing up. 

Characters 

Of note, there are some character images in this section, but its occasionally unclear which image is associated with which write up, so I’ve tried to connect the image with the write ups as best as I could. 

Louis Pasteur aka Jacob Prestor 

• Apparent Age: Late 50’s 
• The Embrace: 1895 
• Generation: 12^th 
• Clan: Caitiff 
• Description: Bearded and heavy set, with a wildfire in his eyes. 
• Demeanor: Caregiver 
• Nature: Architect 
• Roleplaying Tips: Older and wiser than you were when you were first Embraced, you hate what you must do to these innocents, but you feel as if you have no choice. 

Thaddeus 

Formerly Prestor’s arch-enemy, he is a sixth Generation Kindred, Embraced during the time of the Romans, around the time Jesus was kicking around. As a survivor of centuries of vampiric Jyhad, the years of war have left their toll on him, and he’s utterly insane by mortal standards. By Kindred standards, not so much. This insanity manifests in his obsession with preserving his unlife by any means possible. 

Another facet of his madness is his dread that the Roman gods who he made sacrifices to as a mortal are now seeking his life. This terrifies him, and for the last century he’s increased his sacrifices (cows). He’s also convinced that by seeking out old places of power and learning the secrets there, he can make himself safe from older Kindred. It was during one such trip around the world that he learned of Prestor and his research. He then spent the spent the rest of his time since then working to destroy Prestor, although always indirectly, so as not to draw the attention of other Methuselahs. 

Which……why does a 6^th gen give a shit about some 12^th gen Caitiff? Even if he is Louis Pasteur and is working to “cure” vampirism, YOU’RE A 6^TH GEN MY DUDE! THE OTHER METHUSELAHS AIN’T GONNA CARE THAT YOU OPENLY MURDERED A 12^TH GEN CAITIFF. 

Anyway, Thad’s stats are presented even though he doesn’t appear in the story at all because he leaves Denver once Prestor is dead. 

• Apparent Age: Early 50’s 
• The Embrace: AD 22 
• Clan: Nosferatu 
• Description: A slight man of 5’5” with a hideously deformed face and extremely prominent Roman nose. 
• Demeanor: Varies depending on who he’s trying to fool 
• Nature: Curmudgeon 
• Roleplaying Tips: Paranoid and crazy, you’ll do anything to pacify the gods who seek your death. 

Thad, you suck. You’re a dumb character, and you’ve been around since AD 22 and you still think the Roman Gods are after you? And somehow, you’re not a Malkavian?  

Edward Williams, Prince of Denver 

In life, Edward was a troubadour, and went with William the Conqueror across the English Channel. The carnage he saw in Hasting and other battles was enough to forever color his view of war. This deep aversion to war has led him to rule through acts that many would consider cruel, but he sees as necessary evils and preventative action. Like killing Prestor. 

Prestor’s death is a good illustration of several of Edwards characteristics. First, it was an action taken to avoid a potential war. He knew (or was led to believe) that Prestor was going to try to usurp his throne and was building an army to do so. This was also a swift, decisive action, for as much as he loathes war, he’s a firm leader who does not flinch from bloodshed if he believes it necessary. 

His treatment of the independents is another angle on his nature, as he does not treat them cruelly, and so long as they obey the Kindred laws and his own Domain laws, (and you know, don’t plot treason) then they are free to do as they wish. Like most older vampires, Edward has an obsession or two. The first and most obvious is his aversion to rebellion, while the second is music.  

In 1808, Edward met Duke, a young Austrian soldier. When a group of mortals figured out what Edward was, he cast aside Toreador tradition and embraced Duke, and the pair defeated the few mortals who had learned the truth. While the immediate Masquerade threat had been dealt with, the Prince of Vienna told Edward and his childe to GTFO, and so the pair traveled Eastern Europe for a time. In 1900, with WWI looming on the horizon, Edward and Duke fled Europe for America, settling in Denver where they met Don Alonzo de Vargas and few other Kindred. By 1920, Denver had a sufficient Kindred population that the anarchy of the city’s past became inadequate. 

As Edward and Don Alonzo were the only Elders in the city, it was clear only one of them could rule, and Duke tipped the scales in Edwards favor, enough that Edward suggested they form a three-man council, with Edward as Prince. Don Alonzo agreed and the three have ruled since. 

Fun fact: All current members of Seventh Son are Kindred, and all but one are childer of Edward. 

• Apparent Age: Early 30’s 
• The Embrace: 1075 
• Generation: 7^th 
• Clan: Toreador 
• Description: 5’6 with dark brown, almost black hair, he’s well-groomed and carries himself with an air of authority. Typically dressed in jeans and leathers when performing, or comfortable and immaculately cut clothing when at home. 
• Demeanor: Director 
• Nature: Architect 
• Roleplaying Tips: Try to make everyone see how strong you are, but this is just a cover for your own concern. You know that if you drop your guard for a moment, all Denver will be plunged into war and chaos. 

Duke 

Leader of Edward’s “Enforcement” division, he’s been with Edward for almost 200 years. He is loyal to Edward and would never consider betraying him. While he may question an order given, he will always execute it, despite his personal misgivings. 

In life, he was an Austrian soldier who would have no doubt fought Napoleon’s army, had Edward not Embraced him. The pair met in 1807 and remained friends for a year before Edward was discovered by a group of Austrian businessmen, seeking to destroy the Kindred and gain his fortune. Duke was Embraced shortly after, and the pair destroyed the threat against them. 

Because of the nature of his Embrace, Duke has always felt like an outsider amongst his clan, despite his appreciation for art and music, he is talentless, and thus scorned by many. Allowing himself to be consumed by his work and devotion to Edward has inured him to the taunts of his clanmates. 

• Apparent Age: Mid 20’s 
• The Embrace: 1808 
• Generation: 8^th 
• Clan: Toreador 
• Description: A huge man at 6’2” and built like a linebacker, he moves with the confidence of a warrior, despite his general lack of grace. He has deep red hair and a craggy and emotionless face. He dresses in inconspicuous clothing. 
• Demeanor: Traditionalist 
• Nature: Survivor 
• Roleplaying Tips: Schwarzenegger in The Terminator reminded you a great deal of yourself, as you have the same cold threat and dedication to duty. 

Jason Dodgerson 

The only member of Seventh Son that isn’t one of Edward’s progenies, He is a Malkavian convinced that he’s Jimmy Hendrix. Prior to that delusion, he believed himself to be Robert Johnson, and on and on, all the way back to his creation in the late 18^th century, when he was convinced that he was Bach. In life he was a mediocre violinist in a second-rate French orchestra and on the edge of suicidal depression when his sire swooped in and knocked him over the cliff of madness. He began patterning himself after great musicians, switching to a new one every 20 to 30 years. 

He arrived in Denver in 1954 during his Robert Johnson phase, and won over Edward, as despite his delusions, he’s become a fine musician. 

See kids, you practice enough, and you too can become a decent musician. It might take a couple of centuries though. 

He’s been with Edward through several incarnations of his band and plays multiple instruments. Currently he plays bass for Seventh Son, believing this to be a clever way to keep people from recognizing him as Hendrix. If challenged on his delusions, he responds with complicated rationalizations, and if pushed enough, can become agitated and potentially dangerous. 

• Apparent Age: Early 20’s 
• The Embrace: 1770 
• Generation: 10^th 
• Clan: Malkavian 
• Description: an average looking white dude with longish brown hair that appears perfectly sane, other than a slight, secretive twinkle in his eyes. He acts like Jimi Hendrix, and those familiar with Hendrix usually detect something naggingly familiar in him. 
• Demeanor: Depends on the current delusion 
• Nature: Deviant 
• Roleplaying Tips: Avoid conversation with strangers, but when you do, hint at who you are. 

Karen Mauve 

Drummer for Seventh Son, she is the most recent of Edward’s childer, Embraced in 1985. Edward found her playing drums in Fort Collins and persuaded her to come to Denver to play in Seventh Son. After a year with the band, she was embraced as both a Kindred and a full member of the band. She’s currently engaged in a dangerous practice of feeding on rival band members, and Edward is unaware of this, and would likely be irate if he found out. 

• Apparent Age: Late Teens 
• The Embrace: 1985 
• Generation: 8^th 
• Clan: Toreador 
• Description: Karen wants to be a metal star, spiked heels, leather skirt, the whole shebang, but she’s not built for the anorexic look, instead she’s got a sort of female Billy Idol look going, which is certainly jarring considering her band plays old blues songs. 
• Demeanor: Rebel 
• Nature: Bon Vivant 
• Roleplaying Tips: You enjoy playing with danger, so toy with foes and take the most fun risks you can find. 

Leslie Boothe 

The keyboards and horns section of Seventh Son, Leslie has been with Edward for about a century. She first met Edward when he was passing through New York, and she was singing in the opera. Edward was smitten and spent the next month in the city to be with her. Before leaving, he promised to send for her when he could. 

Years passed without a word, and it wasn’t until the 20’s when Edward finally made good on his promise. Leslie’s career was faltering, so when Edward sent the telegram inviting her to Denver, she did not hesitate, and she was Embraced the night she arrived. As the years wore on, she continued to study music and branched out from just singing opera to other instruments. By the late 60’s, Edward was forming his first band, and the two had a falling out, leading to Leslie bailing on Denver for California. Saddened by her departure, Edward let her go. 

In 1972, she returned to Denver with a young man in tow, and petitioned Edward to allow her to Embrace him. The Prince, overjoyed that she had returned, agreed immediately. Following his transformation, the young man took the name Leslie as a token of respect for his sire and has been known as Leslie Wilkes ever since. 

With the formation of Seventh Son, Boothe became a core member. 

• Apparent Age: Early 40’s 
• The Embrace: 1927 
• Generation: 8^th 
• Clan: Toreador 
• Description: A Wagnerian woman who would have looked at home playing Brunnhilde, she is older now but retains the stance and mannerisms of an opera singer. She has blonde hair to the middle of her back and a look of concern in her eyes. 
• Demeanor: Conformist 
• Nature: Martyr 
• Roleplaying Tips: Strong and determined, you are confident things will go your way, though you have a soft spot for underdogs, and will do things for the other members of the band even if they hurt you (though you make a big deal about the pain caused) 

Leslie Wilkes 

Les wanted to be a hippie but couldn’t quite capture the rebellious spirit needed. He hung out in all the right places in the 60’s but never fit in, until he met Leslie Boothe. She made him fit in, and he’d do almost anything in return. They spent a few years running around the Bay Area, Boothe helping him to integrate into the culture he believed he wanted while he provided her with the companionship she craved. 

When she told him she planned to return to Denver, he asked to join her, as she’d hoped. Once they arrived, Boothe made peace with Edward and asked permission to Embrace Les. Suddenly the outsider had become an insider. When Seventh Son formed, everyone in the court took for granted that Les would be at Boothe’s side. 

Les and Jason don’t get along, and when not with Boothe (a rare occurrence), he’s probably with Jason. He’s got a weakness for taking blood from stoned victims, but only from pot smokers, and most of his herd is made up of drug users who visit other clubs. 

• Apparent Age: Early 20’s 
• The Embrace: 1972 
• Generation: 9^th 
• Clan: Toreador 
• Description: With long, stringy brown hair, dressed in bell bottoms and tie-dye, he looks like he never quite recovered from the 60’s. He also looks a little like Edward. 
• Demeanor: Child 
• Nature: Conformist 
• Roleplaying Tips: You like having people do things for you, but you’re more likely to do what they ask, though Boothe is who you are most faithful to, and you’ll do anything for her. 

Mina 

One of Edward’s Ghoul retainers, he named her Mina (to go along with another of his Ghouls he calls Lucy) because he found it amusing, in a sad sort of way. The eldest of the two Ghouls, she is now pushing 100, though she still appears to be in her mid 20s. 

Originally a society girl in Denver, she fell for Edward when he was new in the city. Edward, for his part, had no real interest in her, but when he saw her obsession developing, he figured she could be useful. 

Completely devoted to Edward, though her instability makes her utility a bit limited, she’s not left Edward’s home for 30 years. During the day she watches over Edward and tidies the house, lost in the delusion that she and Edward are happily married. If anyone threatens Edward, she becomes a wild creature in her frenzy. Edward keeps her around entirely because her frenzy can be used to his benefit. 

• Apparent Age: 30. She stopped aging in her 20s, but the general disorder of her appearance adds to her age. 
• Description: Once a pretty woman, she’s now a tangled wreck with matted and dirty hair, though Lucy does her best to keep her clean. This unkemptness does not extend to the house however, as her mania drives her to cleaning and tidying all day. 
• Demeanor: Deviant 
• Nature: Deviant 
• Notes: Whenever Mina makes a Courage roll to prevent harm coming to Edward, she can roll her full 5 Courage dice. Likewise, when using Willpower to resist being controlled to harm Edward or allow him to come to harm, she has the equivalent of an 8 in this stat (she normally has a 3 Willpower) 
• Roleplaying Tips: You will do anything to protect your family. 

Lucy 

A more recent Ghoul, she was changed in 1958 when Edward noticed a prostitute with an uncanny resemblance to Mina. Curiosity piqued, he followed her and added her to his herd. He quickly discovered she had one of the most developed senses of self-preservation he’d ever found. Ghouling her became increasingly attractive as Mina became more erratic. He has not regretted this decision. 

Lucy is the de facto leader of the house when Edward sleeps, keeping Mina, who believes Lucy to be her daughter, in line with subtle manipulation, and running aspects of the house that Mina is too deranged to handle. 

Lucy is content with being a Ghoul but is very aware of the precarious nature of her existence and is often trying to bargain for a full Embrace. While Edward’s resolve is weakening, she’s just too damn valuable as a Ghoul to make the change just yet. 

• Apparent Age: Mid 20’s 
• Description: Looks enough like Mina to be her daughter or sister, though she’s much better groomed. Her black hair cascades around her shoulders, and she has a sharp expression on her face that shows how she’s always looking out for herself. 
• Demeanor: Caregiver 
• Nature: Survivor 
• Roleplaying Tips: The household seems to be your life, but you’d readily sacrifice it if necessary. For you, life comes first. 

Roger Manot 

The last of Edward’s Ghouls, he’s incredibly old and claims to have been alive for 150 years. He arrived in Denver in 1980, on the run from the Sabbat who had killed his previous master. Desperate and running out of time, he was found by Edward before any other Kindred in Denver was aware of his existence. 

Edward quickly realized Roger’s usefulness and provided him with the blood he so desperately needed. Roger is now Edward’s ace in the hole, watching over the house most of the day from a distance and taking care of business that no one else can. Because Lucy and Mina are well known, Roger takes on spy missions against other Kindred in the city, especially when absolute secrecy is needed. 

A happy Ghoul, he sometimes thinks that it would be nice to be full Kindred, though his innate distrust of such a change always gets the better of him. Though Edward warned him to avoid Mina for fear of disturbing her, she became aware of Roger when he was forced to deal with several burglars who attacked the house while Lucy was away. Mina now refers to him as her son. Everyone else thinks this is just another symptom of her madness, but Lucy thinks there may be something more to it. 

• Apparent Age: Early 30’s 
• Description: A small dark-haired man who moves with precise motion. 
• Demeanor: Conformist 
• Nature: Plotter 

Rachel 

One of the independents of Denver, Rachel is a Gangrel who roams all of Colorado, but uses Denver as a semi-permanent base of operations. An Elder in her own right, she’s hunted the cities along the eastern slope of the Rockies for almost 200 years. 

Originally from Russia, she fled in 1802 for America. Her wanderlust was strong, and she traveled the fringes of the “Civilized” United States. Displaced Natives of the Denver area have a few legends of a red-haired demon brought by the white man to the Great Plains, which Rachel is the basis of. 

A wild creature, she revels in her animal nature, and Edward isn’t entirely sure he likes having her in the city, though to this point, she’s not done anything out of control in the city, though disturbing rumors tend to follow her outings. 

Rachel is a practical choice for an enemy Kindred to harass the players, as she has an escape method (literally and figuratively) that the players lack. (She’s got Animalism 5 and Protean 4, so I’m sure she can take either animal or mist form) 

• Apparent Age: Late 20’s 
• The Embrace: 1700 
• Generation: 8^th 
• Clan: Gangrel 
• Description: A strikingly beautiful woman with long red hair to her waist, she’s just over 6 foot and has a feral charm that makes her seem untamed. She is, in fact, untamed and a merciless huntress. 
• Demeanor: Survivor 
• Nature: Loner 
• Roleplaying Tips: You’re one of the toughest Kindred in Denver, and you know it. Still, if you come up against a tough obstacle, you know that flight is always a possibility. 

Earl and The Count 

The other two Kindred who, with Duke, form the “Enforcement arm” of Edward’s court. They happily serve the Prince and enjoy the finer things in Kindred life in exchange for their obedience. 

Earl 

• Apparent Age: 32 
• The Embrace: 1952 
• Generation: 11^th 
• Clan: Ventrue 
• Description: A heavy-set man who looks like a bouncer. 
• Demeanor: Bravo 
• Nature: Bravo 

The Count 

• Apparent Age: 28 
• The Embrace: 1963 
• Generation: 12^th 
• Clan: Brujah 
• Description: Whip-thin, he moves quickly and with the grace of a dancer. 
• Demeanor: Deviant 
• Nature: Gallant 

Detective William Brandt 

The detective in charge of the investigation that potentially touches the players unlives, he’s an incredibly good detective and he knows something weird is going on. Police work is his life, and if he becomes convinced one of the players has committed a crime, he’ll hound them until they, or he dies. Or at least until it becomes inarguable that they’re dead. 

Detective Brandt is married to a woman named Linda, and they have a four-year-old son named Jimmy. 

“If the characters are truly being hassled by Brandt, and are truly vile swine, they might try to get to Brandt through his family. If they choose to do so, they will almost surely lose Humanity if they fail a Conscience roll at difficulty 8.” 

When playing Brandt, be quirky and prescient, and use whatever ST knowledge you have to guide Brandt’s investigation, but remember that whatever he knows, he should have a plausible way of knowing it. 

• Description: A rumpled and untidy man who gives off Columbo vibes. Given to making seemingly irrelevant statements that tend to circle around to being relevant. 
• Born: 1956, Greeley, Colorado 
• Occupation: Police Detective 
• Demeanor: Jester 
• Nature: Cavalier 

Tony 

Known as just Tony, he’s a loner in Denver. He’s a 9^th generation Kindred from 13^th century Italy, and he’s getting bored. 

Having traveled the world and staying only 5 or 6 years in each spot, he’s been in Denver for 3 years now and is beginning to get the itch to move along again. He’s adapted to immortality less well than some others and spends much of his time seeking ways to keep himself amused. Currently, he’s filling that void by flirting with disaster at the 24^th by feeding on his favorites in public. This dangerous boredom has also led to his meddling in the players’ unlives. It is curiosity that impels him to investigate, and it is his boredom that compels him to use the players against Edward. 

Arrogant and prone to grand gestures of a mysterious nature, like his introduction to the players. Theatricality is just one way of combating crippling boredom, and as should be obvious, his derangement deals with this love of danger. It’s not quite a death wish, but it’s not far off. 

• Apparent Age: Late 20’s 
• The Embrace: 1228 
• Generation: 9^th 
• Clan: Malkavian 
• Description: A man of dark Mediterranean complexion, he stands 5’8” with the good looks of a Valentino. 
• Demeanor: Loner 
• Nature: Rebel 

Mavis and Suzy Jackson 

Mavis and her daughter Suzy are two of the innocents that appear at the beginning of the adventure. Their part in the story can be as large or as small as the ST desires. 

Mavis is a librarian in the rare books room at the Denver Public Library, which is what brought her to Prestor’s attention. When he decided to take her, he couldn’t bear to leave her daughter alone, so he took Suzy too. Prestor first learned of Mavis via the bank when she negotiated a lone for the library to get some rare books. Mavis is divorced, and her ex-husband lives in Seattle. 

Mavis and her daughter are an excellent focus for the confusion felt by the players in the beginning of the game. If they choose to kill them, ST’s should torture the players mercilessly for their calloused inhumanity. If the players don’t kill them, then use them as a counterpoint to the players new inhumanity. Depending on the players’ state when they wake up, it’s possible Mavis and her daughter could become an obsession or fixation for a player. 

• Description: Mavis is a pretty black woman with an air of scholarliness. Suzy is an absolute darling child of 8. No stats are provided as they don’t play a major role in the story, beyond acting as a counter example. 

Vincent Belhurst 

A Denver police officer, Prestor chose him to act as muscle for the newly Embraced group. But that plan went out the window with Prestor’s death, and Vince’s reversion to mortality. 

He works for the vice squad and is married to Monica Belhurst (one of the pre-made PCs), a district attorney. He’s a rough, dependable man devoted to upholding the law. 

If you choose to use the pre-made characters, then Vince will be a constant thorn in Monica’s side, dragging her back towards her mortal life with every word and action he takes. He’ll be hard to throw off, though it’s possible the police could be convinced that the players have done nothing wrong, but Vince remains a danger until Monica can be rid of him. This is a great chance for some juicy roleplay, as simply trying to convince Vince to kick rocks should bring out the confusion and heartbreak of Vince. If, however, Monica disappears or fakes her death, ST’s should periodically remind Monica that Vince is still out there, and deeply missing her. 

If the players decide to tell Vince the truth, he’s torn. On the one hand, he can’t abide feeding on human beings, but he also can’t give up the woman he loves. If the players take this path, have Vince help the players as much as he can, so long as they can convince him that they are feeding on animals. If he feels betrayed, he’ll chase the players to the end of the Earth. 

If the players make their own characters, then Vince’s role will likely be much smaller, unless he’s tied to one of the players, potentially as a husband or gender swap him to Veronica and he can be somebody’s wife. Regardless, the outline of Vince’s actions can serve as a model for any spouse character. 

• Description: A well-built man standing 5’10” with unruly, sandy-brown hair. 
• Born: 1958, Santa Clara, California 
• Demeanor: Caregiver 
• Nature: Cavalier 
• Notes: Allies with other Denver PD. 

Bothwell 

A Kindred for 20 years, he’s a small fish in Edward’s court and despite his ambitions to move up, he’s a coward, spending most of his unlife avoiding Elders and terrorizing younger Kindred. He’s such a coward that if he gets into a fight with the players, he’ll surrender if he reaches Injured, and will bargain for his life with information. 

While he’s a good fighter, his attitude is far out of proportion to his skills. 

• Apparent Age: Late Teens 
• The Embrace: 1972 
• Generation: 12^th 
• Clan: Gangrel 
• Description: Short and stocky with close cut, blonde hair. 
• Demeanor: Bravo 
• Nature: Child 

Roger Liverman 

A biochemist employed by Prestor, he’s quite good at his job, he possesses an analytical and inquiring mind. If the players leave too many strange clues, he’ll likely try to track them down out of curiosity. He is unmarried and spends most nights hitting the Denver singles scene. 

• Description: A paunchy, middle-aged man with glasses, and blonde hair that is being lost to baldness. While far from the ideal Romeo, he more perfectly fits the image of a moderately successful businessman. 
• Born: 1964, New York City, New York 
• Demeanor: Director (at work), Bon Vivant (at the clubs) 
• Nature: Plotter 

Robert Klondike 

A Ghoul involved in the Jyhad for nearly 3 centuries, he began life as a peasant poacher in England (I’m not sure if they mean he was a peasant who poached or if that’s a misspelling of pheasant) who was initially Ghouled by an English Kindred to act as cannon fodder against the Sabbat. He soon found himself traveling against his will under the Domination of one Kindred or another. While he enjoyed the power granted to him from the Blood, he hated the loss of freedom that came with it. 

The more he was used as a pawn, the more convinced he became that becoming a full Kindred would solve his problems. When his last master was killed by Archons, he found his Blood Bond to be broken and fled to America, hoping to find a New World Kindred who would be willing to Embrace him. Enter Thaddeus. When he realized Thad had no intention of giving him the Embrace, he fled before Thad left Denver and before consuming Thad’s blood on three occasions. 

An important secret he gained from Thad was the knowledge of Prestor’s serums. Hoping they would turn him into a full Kindred, he broke into Prestor’s house before Duke and the boys arrived and stole Prestor’s notes. After discovering Liverman’s involvement via the notes, he broke into the doctor’s home to steal the serums. 

Now, he’s wracked with indecision on what to do next, with no clue if the serum will work or kill him. He’s unaware of the players’ existence, and if they do not contact him or seek him out, then he simply injects himself and dies. 

• Apparent Age: 50, though getting older with each day he goes without Kindred vitae. 
• Description: 5’9”, he has dirty blonde hair that is rapidly going grey, and a beard and mustache that are also going grey. Generally, dresses in old rugby shirts and slacks, but wears a flak jacket when he expects danger, and regularly wears a bulletproof vest when going out. 
• Demeanor: Fanatic 
• Nature: Fanatic 
• Roleplaying Tips: You want to live, but not at the cost of your freedom. Whatever it takes to regain control of your life, you will. 

Before we continue with the chapter, as there is a bit more before we get into the pre-made PCs, I’d like to give my thoughts on the NPCs for this adventure. 

While I feel like there’s too many needless NPCs presented here, considering there are only a few who have a direct impact on the events taking place, I do appreciate that we get a glimpse at Edward’s weird little Ghoul family, though I feel like the inclusion of the members of Seventh Son is sort of pointless, unless of course you intend to run multiple stories within Denver. Mavis and Suzy suffer the most from this feeling of “Why are we including you in this section” as there is so little information provided about them, and they play such a minor role in events that they’re practically an afterthought. Vince at least has a direct tie to one of the pre-made PCs, and even if he’s not used in that way, he’s still a cop, so there’s at least some function to him if the players don’t kill him, while Mavis and Suzy are just…. there. 

Duke’s crew also could have been nameless goons that an ST could quickly stat up because again, there’s nothing there to them other than the briefest of descriptions. Edward is interesting, and I like that he’s seemingly the least shitty Prince I’ve encountered to this point in my reviews. Sure, he’s all about stomping out rebellion at the slightest whiff of it, but generally he seems to have a “Obey the laws and we’re golden” vibe that is surprising. I also appreciate that we have such a small council controlling Denver, and it’s not headed up by a Ventrue. Mina and Lucy are potentially an interesting duo, beyond their names being an amusing wink-wink reference. 

I also appreciate that we’ve got a few Kindred here who aren’t in their 20’s or 30’s, which seems like the most common age that NPCs fall into. We’ve got a 50 something Methuselah running around (or fucking off out of town before the story really begins) and a 40 something child of the Prince are nice touches. Although I do think having Wilkes take Boothe’s first name feels a bit weird and could be confusing when referring to “Leslie” when there are two of them, though as I said a moment ago, the members of Seventh Son are basically inconsequential to the plot of this adventure and really would only get any screentime if you were running further adventures in Denver. 

I’m also fairly certain that naming the Leslie’s “Boothe” and “Wilkes,” both Toreadors remember, is a nod to John Wilkes Booth, and if it is, it’s certainly an odd choice. 

Rachel feels like she’s got a lot more potential than just “Kindred who attacks the players at some point, probably.” and I could see her potentially slotting into the Mentor role if a Gangrel player put dots into it.  

And of course, we have Louis Pasteur who, as I’ve complained about throughout this review, is wholly wasted here and could easily have been replaced with literally any random Kindred scientist. If you’re going to pull a historical figure into things, DO SOMETHING INTERESTING WITH THEM. I’d honestly be happier if he just popped up in another book as one of those “BTW, this dude is a Kindred and this is what he’s doing” instead of his being a crispy corpse at the start of this adventure. 

Moving on! 

Where To Go From Here 

There are plenty of potential endings to this chronicle, and they provide ST’s with many directions to take future Chronicles. The most “Obvious” of these endings and the potential paths they could lead to are provided. 

First is the most obvious, that of the players taking the serum to return to mortality. This leads to a few options, primarily, this leads to the Chronicle ending, and you can end the story with the players making up their minds and fading to black once they’ve injected themselves, leaving the results to dramatic speculation. 

If your Chronicle ends that way, you could then have the players make new characters and use the information provided in this book to run more Denver stories. If the players are dead/mortal, and you want to continue the story, then the new characters could be childer of the pre-made PCs, or you could simply hand the players NPCs from this book such as Duke or Edward and work from there. 

If you wish to continue this Chronicle, there are of course, options. Tracking Thad for either an explanation or vengeance could drive a Chronicle, and as Thad is obsessed with places of power, this could give your Chronicle a globetrotting adventure vibe. Alternatively, they could be sent by Edward to track the Kindred who used him. 

Or you could stick around Denver and explore the new unlives of the PCs. 

If you’re feeling really daring, you could continue the Chronicle with the players as mortals who now have intimate knowledge of the Kindred, allowing them to potentially become Witch-Hunters or simply embroiled in the general world of Kindred politics.  

The Serum 

For this story, the serums are designed only to work on those who have gained their immortality via science. But an entire Chronicle could be based around the players having the serums, as many Kindred, like Thad would fear the serums, while others might welcome the opportunity to return to mortality. Of course, this would likely mean the players become the targets of a massive Blood Hunt. 

If Liverman was left with enough clues to the players true nature, he could become fixated on them and the mysterious “Alpha” substance, with his investigations making him a recurring character. And as previously mentioned, Liverman could always go Witch-Hunter, and then things could get interesting. 

The Future of Denver 

Alien Hunger was designed not only to give you jump-start Chronicle, but a jump-start city as well, and with so many of the prominent figures and locations detailed, there’s no reason you can’t just toss the Chronicle element of this book and simply use the rest of the information for your own stories. 

Monica Belhurst 

Nothing was going to stop Monica’s rise to the top, and from childhood she had her eyes set on a career that would let her change the world. A lack of money wasn’t going to stop her, so she married a cop to pay for law school and now she’s one of the youngest prosecutors at the DA’s office, with some already whispering about her potential on the political scene. 

One of those whispering about her potential was Emerson Wilkershire III, an acquaintance from the community theater. Both had picked up an interest in the stage while in college and continued after graduation. 

Her primary relationship is with her husband, Vince, who is deeply devoted to her through the last 8 years of their marriage. Both share an interest in theater and spend most of their free time together. Monica first encountered Prestor following a production of Romeo and Juliet when he approached her and Emerson after the final show, praising their talents. 

Monica is in a unique position post Embrace, as she could continue working for the DA’s office with the night court. If she avoids any criminal investigation and can make peace with Vince, she could keep this position for the entire story and beyond. Her main crisis is that of conscience. Can she keep her dedication to the ideals of justice, or will she become a predator outside the law? She and Vince are childless, and Monica has no relatives in the area, and because of her husband and occupation, all her friends are involved in either law enforcement or the judicial system, except for the community theater group she and Emerson work with. 

• Your Role: Along with Emerson, Monica provides stability for the group, as she is organized, and self-possessed. Confident in herself, she’s not likely to be bullied, and she’s a likely candidate for leadership of the group. 
• Image: An attractive woman with dark hair, she moves with a purposeful stride. 
• Notes: Her Allies are her husband and her boss, the DA Park Morgan. She has contacts in both her theater group and the mayor’s office. 
• Generation: 13^th 
• Demeanor: Judge 
• Nature: Judge 
• Clan: Ventrue 

Theresa Harper 

Since junior high, Theresa (Terri to her friends) has never had a problem getting people to like her. Whether dealing with the high school students she teaches Chemistry, or the corporate types she deals with in her work for her computer consulting firm, she’s more than capable of making them friends. As one of the founders of the firm with Flash, she not only deals with clients but helps keep the firm from falling apart. 

She first met Prestor when leaving Emerson’s bank, as she and Flash had just applied for a loan when a strange, bearded man met them in the parking lot and assured them they would get the loan. Though the loan ultimately won’t help much when she loses her teaching job post Embrace, and the company will likely fold quickly after as well. 

Like Flash, she has many acquaintances, but few friends, and the few she has are mostly fellow teachers, while the rest fall into either business associates or bar hoppers. 

• Your Role: Terri can fill in wherever she’s needed in a group, serving much the same purpose in her company, that of mediator and mentor. Her response to problems is to make a joke and then seek compromise once the situation is defused. While she’s acted as a leader, it is generally in a behind the scenes role. Like Flash, she’s quick to realize the advantages of unlife and can easily adapt. 
• Image: Slim and attractive with brunette hair, she’s always smiling. She and Flash share a devil may care outlook and often spend time together outside of work. 
• Notes: Fluent in French, her contacts are in the high-tech business world and representatives of the Denver school board. 
• Generation: 13^th  
• Demeanor: Bon Vivant 
• Nature: Jester 
• Clan: Gangrel 

Arnold “Flash” Simpson 

Almost the stereotypical college football star, Flash didn’t have the pampered life that many associate with prominent athletes, and spent much of his youth on the streets, fighting, stealing, and avoiding the cops. His mother died when he was five and his father, a warehouse worker, had little time for the boy. It was during this time that he picked up his nickname, more thanks to his skill at evading the police than opposing linemen. 

An indifferent student at best, Flash would have dropped out of high school, if his then girlfriend hadn’t insisted he try out for the football team. While they broke up shortly after, Flash found a new love in the cheering crowds. He completed high school and was offered a scholarship to Colorado University, where he quickly gained local celebrity as a linebacker. He just managed to graduate with a degree in History, but a late season injury in his final year meant he graduated with no offers from the major leagues. 

After college, he drifted into sales and became one third of the small company formed by Terri, his job being to wine and dine potential buyers and assuage any tech questions. His time on the streets taught him how to blend in almost anywhere as well as honing an innate knowledge of what people want. 

He knows Emerson a little, as he and Terri gained their business loan from his bank, which is when he first met Prestor. He has acquaintances, but few friends, Terri being the foremost among them. Many of his associates are people he’s picked up from various clubs, including several ex-lovers and other club hoppers. The rest are business folks he’s met through the company, and he’s got no other hobbies other than cruising for chicks and barhopping. 

• Your Role: Dumb by any standard, and a fact he’s aware of, he nonetheless has a certain animal cunning. He’s also somewhat amoral, and the second likely choice (after Marcus) to commit murder early on. He’s the party animal of the group and can ensure the survival of the group as the best method of ensuring his own. He’ll likely come to grips with being a vampire before everyone else, as the philosophical implications fly right over his head, and is likely to be the first to settle on feeding on mortals. His response to problems is either ignore it or beat it up. 
• Image: Think of “Flash Gordan” from the 1980 film, but not as attractive. 
• Notes: Flash’s contacts are gang leaders, fences, and drug dealers from his days on the streets. His fame comes from his time as a college football star, but few other than diehard CU fans would recognize him. 
• Generation: 13^th  
• Demeanor: Bon Vivant 
• Nature: Survivor 
• Clan: Brujah 

Marcus Smith-Kearns 

Founder, president, and sole employee of S-K Imports, a firm specializing in importing Japanese Sci-Fi models to the US, Marcus started the company after being fired for the fifth time, this time from his position as a buyer for a chain of U.S. toy stores after repeated run-ins with his supervisor. Now he does most of his work via phone and only meets with buyers and sellers in person when necessary. He’s connected to the rest of the group through his girlfriend Jennifer, a new ager from a well-off family and through Emerson, who he’s known since childhood. 

A note: This is literally the only time Jennifer has been mentioned at all, and considering he knows Emerson, she’s not so much a connection to the group, because as I said, she’s literally never mentioned anywhere else, but this write up. 

Marcus remembers seeing Prestor at one of the formal events Jennifer dragged him to, where he spent most of the night talking with Emerson. He and Emerson have always gotten along, despite their differences, and Marcus chalks this up to their mutual interest in theater, though Marcus wouldn’t dream of taking the stage. 

He’s got quite a few friends, including some gaming friends and business partners, as well as a moderately extensive network of neo-pagans and new age friends in Boulder, and of course his girlfriend. He is a private and introverted person. 

• Your Role: The mystic, rebel, and edge dweller of the group, he’d be an Anarch if he’d received a traditional Embrace. He can be played as slightly paranoid and distrusting of authority, and he may find it easiest, apart from Flash, to go to ground and abandon his old life, as he quickly realizes the advantages of his new condition. If the others seem to be adapting poorly, he might try to lead the group, though he would be uncomfortable in such a position. 
• Image: A large man with a vaguely distracted look, he wears comfortable clothes, has a mustache, and often looks a bit untidy. 
• Notes: Speaks Japanese and has contacts among the local neopagans. Most of his money is tied to his company, so if he were to abandon it, his Resources stat would drop to 2. 
• Generation:  13 
• Demeanor:  Rebel 
• Nature:  Loner 
• Clan:  Caitiff (Shocking, I know, you’d expect the mystic of the group to be a Tremere) 

Emerson Wilkershire III 

The son of the insanely rich Roger Wilkershire, Emerson spent much of his youth trying to prove he could take care of himself. Rejecting the pampered lifestyle available to him, he spent his youth seeking challenges and overcoming them. A skilled equestrian like his father, he became known for daring jumps and pushing his horses to any extreme to bring home a trophy. 

After graduating from college, he got a loan from his father, and with the help of some wealthy friends, got into the banking industry, opening a small community bank which quickly became profitable. He paid off his loan and continues to be a success, now living in Cherry Hills, an expensive subdivision in Denver and keeping horses at a ranch outside the city. His life was just beginning to arc towards zenith, and then Prestor showed up and fucked everything up. 

He feels he was chosen for Embrace because of his wealth and financial knowledge, first noticing Prestor after a performance of Romeo and Juliet he and Monica performed in. His father Roger is the only living member of his immediate family that lives in Denver, and they have a troubled relationship, though they’ve been cordial in their recent interactions. 

Emerson’s butler, Windsor Martin, is the quintessential gentleman’s gentleman, and completely devoted to Emerson. He’ll take Emersons change with serenity, secure in the knowledge that even the undead need the sort of valet service only a good butler can provide. 

• Your Role: The lynchpin of the group, he knows most of the other PCs at least in passing, and his home is likely to be the group’s first headquarters. As a man with burning desires, he’ll likely be the one to hold the group together, knowing that together they are better suited to face the unknown. He’s also a likely candidate for leader, as he’s used to such a position. He is also the most likely of the group to want to hold onto his old life. 
• Image: A slight man, he’s always dressed in the height of business fashion, and he could be easily described as Dapper. 
• Notes: Reads and speaks French, as well as playing the piano and singing. Of note, most of his wealth is tied to non-liquid assets, so if forced underground or after faking his death, he should lose one point of Resources. 
• Generation: 13^th  
• Demeanor: Director 
• Nature:  Architect 
• Clan: Toreador 

We close out the book with a map of Denver. 

And that, finally, brings us to the conclusion of Alien Hunger. I haven’t been this frustrated by a Chronicle book since…. maybe Chaos Factor. Before I throw my complaints around, there are things I liked in this book. I think the serums stuff is an interesting plot and makes for an incredibly unique embrace scenario, and as I already said I like that Pasteur makes an appearance, though a wasted one. The opening scene of this story is the strongest, and unfortunately it ends up going downhill from there. I’ve already complained at length about the police investigation, so I’ll not repeat myself, but that entire plotline just feels so needless and frustrating. I do like the stuff with Tony, and I think there’s an OK framework in this adventure, but in all honesty, it’s basically the same frame as Blood Nativity, except the group Embrace occurs via SCIENCE! instead of the players being lured to a location by a group of Kindred who should be Anarchs but aren’t because reasons?  

My point is the core frame of both books is: “Newbie vamps embraced, get into some trouble and need to go talk to the Prince.”  

Which isn’t a terrible intro story frame, but I just do not care in the slightest about the Prestor/Thaddeus feud, especially since one of them is dead at the start of the story and the other has fucked off at the same time, meaning there is no reason I, as a player, would give a shit about either character or pursuing them, especially since I wouldn’t know anything about either of them. And Tony tells the players that fire will kill them (if we hadn’t already figured that out from trying to escape) so it would be obvious that whoever put us in the basement was dead. 

The subplot around the serums is potentially interesting and fun, but it assumes the players are going to go down some extremely specific paths, when the obvious path is dealing with the Prince directly and getting him off their back. The serum plot is ultimately so unimportant that Klondike can completely be missed and just die off screen. Which raises the question, if this NPC is so unimportant to the plot, why even bother writing him and his subplot into this? Oh, right because the ENTIRE PLOT OF THIS BOOK IS STUPID. I understand wanting to imply a larger world of strangeness happening around the players, but when the bulk of the plot barely involves the players in a meaningful way, I’m left wondering what is the point? 

And for shits and giggles, let’s see just how deadly that mortality bit really is from earlier. 

I’m using the premade PC’s, and assuming they have already completed having their Disciplines stripped and going by the Blood Pools they have printed on the sheets. Well, I’m giving them all 4 as that’s what is on Monica and Emerson’s sheets, the others have Blood Pools of 0 filled in, so I don’t see much point in trying this experiment if they’re dead immediately. 

So, let’s begin with Monica. 

Right off she’s at Wounded after removing her Blood Pool. Her Stamina is 3+3 giving her a difficulty of 6. 

I rolled 5 dice, coming up 6/7/8/8/9. Which means she’s just lost 5 health levels so goodbye Monica, you succeeded in regaining mortality, but now you’re dead for real. Sucks to be you. 

Terri, you’re up next, let’s see how you do. 

Once again, she starts at Wounded, with another 3 Stamina for a difficulty of 6. 

I roll the 5 dice, and I get 3/4/4/9/10, so that means she’s taking 2 levels of damage, putting her at Crippled. Congratulations Terri, you survived! 

Flash, you’re up buddy! 

Starting at Wounded, he’s got 4 levels of health left before he’s at Incapacitated, and thus potentially totally and utterly fucked like Monica was. Lucky for Flash, he’s got a Stamina of 4+3, making his difficulty 7. 

Hot diggity damn Flash! I rolled 2/2/5/5/7 which means Flash loses only one health level, putting him at Mauled, but still very much alive. That’s 2 outta 5 who have survived so far. 

Marcus, you weeaboo fucker, let’s see how you do. 

Starting at Wounded, Marcus only has 2 Stamina, so his target is 5. 

The dice have been cast and at 4/4/5/8/9, puts poor Marcus at Incapacitated, which isn’t dead! He’s likely to die at that level without medical attention, but Marcus is still breathing (for now…..) so that brings us to 3 out of 5 survivors! 

Let’s see how Emerson stacks up. 

Emerson is Wounded, and like Marcus, only has a Stamina of 2. 

The dice is cast, and we get 1/5/5/7/7 which means Mr. Fancypants here is, like his good friend Monica, DEAD AS FUCK. 

Sadly, I forgot to get screenshots of a couple of these rolls (using an app) so I can’t include them, but there you have it folks, of a team of 5 players, 3 of them survive. Admittedly, I could have adjusted the individual Blood Pools, but keeping a straight 4 across the board made things easier. The point of this experiment? To test my theory that the rules, as provided for the serums are, at least using the pre-made PCs (and a flat BP number), really fucking deadly. But I suppose if you’re going to shoot for being a mortal again, thems the risks you take. 

Now that I’ve read three of these “First Chronicle” books (Blood Nativity and Ashes to Ashes), I feel like Ashes was the most complete and focused of the three, and the best written of the three, despite my complaints about all of them. I would put Nativity just above Alien Hunger, because while it had its issues, most of them were things that could be easily fixed by an ST in minutes while also providing a solid frame to build from. Alien Hunger, however, squanders an interesting opening and decent story frame on a bad story that is frustratingly written at times and would take considerable work on the ST’s part to mold into something better than it is. 

I’m not mad at you Alien Hunger, I’m just disappointed. 

Okay maybe I’m a little mad about you wasting fucking LOUIS GOD DAMN PASTEUR!  

But hey, at least the art in this book is good across the board, and I really like the location photos and am somewhat hopeful that I’ll see more of those in later books. Not to say I don’t like the drawn location art, because I do, but there’s something neat about the real locations with the filters over them that works nicely for the vibe of the WoD. 

As always, thank you for joining me on this journey through the World of Dorkness, and when we next meet, I’ll finally be reviewing Chicago by Night 1^st edition.