Chimerical Realm

Transylvania Chronicles III Ill Omens Act VII: Twilight of the Graverobber (Massive Spoilers) Summary : It is 1680, nearly 200 years since the characters witnessed the rebirth of Dracula. Maria Asuncion, the last of the Cappadocians and final survivor of the Giovanni purge, comes to the characters seeking sanctuary. If there is a Giovanni character, they are approached separately by their clanmates looking for their aid in hunting down Maria. Word soon spreads of who the characters are protecting, and powerful Kindred from across Europe come to attend a “festival” in the characters domain. There, numerous faction seek to beg, threaten, cajole and bribe the characters to decide the final fate of the Cappadocian. Regardless of their choice, Maria takes matter into her own hands and offers herself up to her foes. Despite this, the decisions the characters made will continue to haunt them going forward. Key Factors : Final fate of Maria, and which of the various factions--C...

So, I’m halfway through reading and trying to “fix” the Transylvania Chronicles and this seems as good a point as any to stop and take stock of everything up to this point.  Honestly, so far, I’m pretty disappointed, both in the Chronicles and my ability to redeem them.  The Chronicles came to me pretty highly rated, and I was excited to try and run a campaign through vampire history.  What I have read and worked on, though, leaves me tired, and frustrated. What I dislike (so far) Lack of player agency. Not only in the railroaded “you have to do THIS” which is pretty much expected in any large published module, but in general. There’s little for them to do, or challenges to overcome, in any of the Acts. Dracula. The history seems thin. The players are involved in an early act of the Anarch Revolt. Then they do an escort mission. Then they are present for the big Treaty. Then they skip 200 years and avoid the Sabbat War. Escort missions, in general. ...

Transylvania Chronicles II Son of the Dragon Act VI: Prophecy in Amber (Massive Spoilers) Summary : Zelios the Master Mason summons the characters to meet with him at Bran Castle. This is NOT Dracula's Castle. Because THAT would be going to far. There, he tasks them to head to Arghes Castle, where Dracula is hiding. They need to mark another rune there in order to maintain the binding of Kupala. He offers them two items of treasure as payment for the task--a brooch of amber than once belonged to Nova Arpad, and a golden tome. The coterie heads to Arghes and there meet their old friend Dracula. He welcomes them and allows them to mark their rune, after spending a few days. Perhaps the begin a romance with him, or perhaps not. A pack of “sabbat” assault the castle, only to be intercepted by a force or Camarilla Justicars and Archons. Dracula uses the distraction to strike at both forces, and captures two Sabbat vampires--Lambach and Tabak. If not embraced by a PC, D...

Transylvania Chronicles II Son of the Dragon Act V: Haceldema (Massive Spoilers) Summary :The characters are invited to the Convention of Thorns, either in person by old friends Anatole and Lucita, or separately by missive. They plan and make the harrowing trek from Eastern Europe to the far away town of Thorns, England. Eventually, they arrive at the Abbey of the Sacred Crown, the location of the “peace negotiation” between Anarchs and Elders to end the raging war. They meet various characters--some old, such as Myca Vykos, but many more new. The exact issues of the peace are heavily debated, with many polling the characters thoughts and concerns. There is, in addition, numerous opportunities for other encounters; many friendly, others...less so. Eventually, peace is declared, as the bulk of the Anarch leaders submit themselves before their Elders. Those few who refuse engage in one final, desperate act of defiance, and wipe the town of Silchester from the map in their ...

Transylvania Chronicles II Son of the Dragon Act IV: The Serpents Lair (Massive Spoilers) Summary : The characters are summoned by Count Radu, a minor NPC they met in Act I. After discussing with them tales of the Anarch Revolt and other recent events, he asks them to attend a party being thrown by Prince Otto. They are to attend this major gathering of vampires and bring Vlad Tepes (Dracula) with them back to Radu’s fortress in the Tihuta Pass. The characters travel to Otto’s Castle of Hermanstadt. Many prominent Cainites are present at the party, and the atmosphere is tense. There are a few friendly faces (Anatole, Lucita, and Zelios), but in general the party is almost ready to explode. The coterie is to approach Dracula and convince him to come with them to Radu, something he quickly agrees to. Suddenly, anarchs invade the party, causing a brief commotion. Regardless of the coteries actions, the combined might of the party goers makes short work of the interlopers. The...

Transylvania Chronicles I Dark Tides Falling Act III: The Death of Princes (Massive Spoilers) Summary : Players are Princes. They gather to discuss recent rumors of Gypsys, the Turks invading, and the growth of the Inquisition in the west. Anatole and Lucita arrive and fill them in on more recent events (Anarch uprising, death of Lasombra, peasant revolts, etc.). Their sires approach the PC’s and demand a Blood Oath. Players are tasked with a “simple” job--help Nova Arpad capture a thief and return various pieces of jewelry.  They track the thief to a gypsy camp. Receive the fortune. Inquisitors interrupt, and they fight. They retrieve the thief (?) from the Inquisitors. No matter what, they fail in some way. Enraged, sires strip them of their domains. More prophecy. Dragomir approaches them about diablerizing the Tzimisce Antediluvian. Players either assist or seek to hinder the anarchs. Key Factors : Players fail their sires, but can not strike back against the...