How to PlayHollow Bridge is split into several different districts. Please take your time to familiarise yourself with the districts and the locations they contain, which can be found
here.
At the start of each evening of game play, none of the districts will be open to you. You need to send a Private Message (PM) to the Storyteller stating the district that your character wishes to travel to/commence the evening in. This requires a little suspension of disbelief as your character can move from one location to another with no apparent time lag. PM's are normally actioned promptly, so you shouldn't have to wait long. However, please be patient.
When the relevant forum is available to you, you should check to see if there is a topic already open that relates to the location you require. If there is, you should post your character 's arrival, and can then interact with that topic and other individuals therein. For the want of better terminology, a topic can be described as a "scene" for the purposes of disciplines and other effects that last for one scene. If there is no topic/scene for your chosen location, you should start one by posting your characetr's arrival, and then interacting with the scene.
Please can you try to date stamp a topic if you start it? This forum uses an archive procedure that relies on game dates. Example: If your character is visiting Club Red, and a thread hasn't been started, please try to label it something like
Club Red - 22nd July 2007.
When you start a scene, please can you post (in spoilers) roughly what you are intending to do in the scene so that we, as Storytellers, can have some idea as to how it should flow. If we can all adopt this practice, I am confident that the flow of scenes will improve dramatically.
MetagamingMetagaming is a broad term usually used to define any strategy, action or method used in a game, which transcends a prescribed ruleset, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game. In other words, sometimes using out-of-game information, or resources, to affect one's in-game decisions.
Metagaming in Hollow Bridge will not be tolerated.
TimeTime passes at a rate of 2 weeks of real time to 1 night of game play. The game is played from Monday to Friday in real time, equalling a night of game time. In general, all posting should cease come midnight (GMT) on Friday evenings. However, exceptions will be made if you are just posting your character returning to their haven.
ST Note: If you continue with a scene, beyond what is mentioned here, you run the real risk of being caught in daylight, which could result in your character suffering Final Death.Preferred Posting FormatIn order to maintain some sembelance of order on the forum, it would be appreacited if you could adopt the following posting format:
Descriptive ActionsWhen posting things like entering, or leaving a location, or even some gesture that your character is performing, please enclose things in [square brackets] or in plain text. Examples:
[Aaron enters the room. He walks with purpose to his throne, taking his seat and looking over everyone gathered]
or,
Aaron enters the room. He walks with purpose to his throne, taking his seat and looking over everyone gathered.
Spoken TextWhen posting something that your character is speaking, it would be helpful if you could use a font colour, or apply "quotation marks" to the text. Examples:
"Ah yes, I have heard of your sire. How long do you intend to stay in my domain?"
or,
Ah yes, I have heard of your sire. How long do you intend to stay in my domain?LanguagesIf your character can speak different languages, it's fine to post them up. However, as Storyteller, I don't speak/understand many langauges. In certain instances, I can generally get a meaning of something, but it would really help the flow of scenes if you could adopt the following procedure:
If you wish to post in a specific language, feel free to do so, but please put a translation in spoiler tags so that I can quickly get the meaning rather than have to look for online translation software.
The other option is to post like this: <Name of Language>"Spoken text."</Name of Language>. I realise that this may be a little clunky, but it will definitely improve the flow of any scenes involving linguistics, and other players will react to the post in the appropriate manner (confusion if their character doesn't understand the language, or response in kind if they do).
Private ConversationsIf your character's are having a private conversation, please feel free to use Private Messages. If you use Private Messages, please copy in the Storyteller
at the very end of the conversation with all the relevant things that the character's discussed.
WhisperingIf your character is whispering something to another character, please send the whispered message in a Private Message. Please also remember to copy in the Storyteller. If anyone has Auspex 1 - Heightened Senses activated, please PM the Storyteller to see if your character detected the whisper. If they did, the Storyteller will let you know what was said.
Out of Character CommentsWhen posting an Out of Character comment, please try to surround it in (round brackets) and use the phrase OOC: beforehand. Also, please consider if it is necessary to post an OOC comment before doing so. Asking for a ruling in a scene is a good example. Example:
(OOC: Is it ok to perform that action ST?)
or,
(OOC: ST, what roll do I need to do?)
Please try to keep Out of Character Comments to an absolute minimum as they can be disruptive to the flow of the game if overused.
Arrival/DepartureWhen you join, or leave, a scene, please ensure that you post your arrival, including the method of securing your transportation (iff applicable).
Example: Aaron, standing on the bow of the speedboat, pats the pilot on the shoulder and leaps onto the yacht. The speedboat, after his departure, turns around and speeds off back down the lake.
Or,
Mitchell arrives, parking his motorcycle on the steps of the skyscraper. He dismounts and walks in.
Rolling DicePlayers are responsible for rolling their own dice as described
here.
Earning and Spending ExperienceEarningExperience is awarded for each night that passes
In Game, at a rate of
1 Experience Point Per In Game Evening. Please note, you can only receive Experience if your character has actively participated in the game evening. If you don't log on and post, you don't earn. Out of Character posts do not count towards Experience Point awards. On occasion, some Experience Points
may be awarded for outstanding roleplaying, or reaching a plot milestone.
You can also earn Experience Points for referrals. Referring a friend to the site and getting them to state who referred them will earn you an additional 1 Experience Point.
The Storyteller will update an Experience, Vitae, and Willpower thread, in your character's personal forum, at the beginning of each game night. The previous night's alotment will be visible, as will the updated. This allows you to bring to the attention of a Storyteller any inconsistencies which may exist.
Incentive SchemeIf you know someone who may like to join us, feel free to recommend the game to them. For every recommendation that you make that results in a new character joining the game, you will receive an additional experience point. If you recommend two people and both create characters that join the game, you will receive two experience points as a thank you. Obviously, this incentive scheme could be abused though, so I will be enforcing a probationary period for all recommendations of two weeks (real time). At the end of that period, you will be awarded with your gift. Please note, however, that you will not be granted the gift again for the same person registering another character on losing a previous one. It is a one time only offer.
In order to get your gift the player you recommend needs to send a PM to the Storyteller informing them that the game was recommended by you, and in what manner.
SpendingWhen you wish to spend Experience Points, you can do so by making a post in your character's personal forum which the Storyteller will look at. If your expenditure is deemed inappropriate, i.e. does not have a logical reason, you will be informed by reply, including a reason why the Storyteller deems it inappropriate.
As a general example:
Wrath's player wants Wrath to learn Occult 2, but he has not been in a position to use his Occult skill. This expenditure would be vetoed by the Storyteller as there is no relevant In Game justification for the increase. Wrath's player also wants Wrath to learn Brawl 3. The character has been involved in several fist fights at various points throughout the game, so the Storyteller rules that this is an acceptable expenditure and would update the character sheet accordingly.When spending Experience Points, the following table should be addressed, as well as the specific rules for Necromancy and Thaumaturgy Paths and Rituals, detailed later:
Trait | Experience Cost |
New Ability | 3XP |
New Path (Necromancy & Thaumaturgy) | 7XP |
New Discipline | 10XP |
Attribute | Current Rating x 4XP |
Ability | Current Rating x 2XP |
Clan Discipline* | Current Rating x 5XP |
Out of Clan Discipline* | Current Rating x 7XP |
Secondary Path (Necromancy & Thaumaturgy) | Current Rating x 4XP |
Virtue** | Current Rating x 2XP |
Humanity | Current Rating x 2XP |
Willpower | Current Rating in XP |
* Caitiff have no Clan or Out of Clan Disciplines, just as they have no clan. For them, the cost of raising Disciplines is Current Rating x 6XP for all Disciplines. This is both a curse and a blessing of being clanless.
** Increasing a Virtue through Experience does not increase Traits based on that Virtue (Humanity and Willpower)
Paths & Rituals (Necromancy and Thaumaturgy only)When seeking to learn a new path or ritual, there are two options:
- Find someone who knows it already, and persuade them to teach you.
- Find a tome and attempt to learn it yourself.
Whichever method is employed, the dice pool is Intelligence+Occult. The difficulty for a New Path is 10-Primary Path with only a single success being required, as well as spending the Experience Points. Once the Experience Points have been spend to learn the Path, it is considered that your character has attuned the path to their blood, and may improve it as normal.
With Rituals, the system is slightly different. The difficulty of the roll is 3+Ritual Level, exactly as if you were casting the ritual. However, this is an extended roll, taking as long as needed, requiring a total of 10 successes. Only 1 attempt per night may be made, though Willpower may be spent on the attempt. The ritual also costs a number of Experience Points equal to its level (i.e. A Level 2 Ritual costs 2XP and requires 10 successes at difficulty 5).
Learning a New Discipline - Clan DisciplineWhen wishing to learn a new discipline, some things need to be considered. If it is a discipline that your clan is known to possess,
simply spending the experience points is enough. The power of these disciplines is assumed to be ingrained in the blood of anyone from that clan. So, in the case of a Toreador (Auspex, Celerity, and Presence)
Learning a New Discipline - Out of Clan DisciplinesIf you wish to learn an Out of Clan Discipline, the procedure is different. First, you need to find a tutor and convince them to teach
it to you (this must be roleplayed). Second, you must submit to drinking the vitae of the tutor (Level 1 Blood Bond). Lastly, the
tutor and the student must roll Intelligence+Occult diff 6, requiring 1 success on the roll. Failure on the roll means that the attempt must be made again the following night (Level 2 Blood Bond). I do not consider all physical disciplines to be ingrained in the blood of every clan.
Storyteller CharactersThe following accounts are Storyteller Non-Player Characters and have had Private Messaging disabled:
Amelia,
Hector
Louise,
Lucas,
Rebecca,
WilliamIf you wish to communicate with any of these individuals via a recognised method, please send a PM to the Storyteller with the name of the person you are attempting to contact. e.g.
Telephone call to Hector or
Email to Rebecca etc.
Ghouls/RetainersPlease do not roleplay Ghouls or other Retainers without prior ST permission. Ghouls and Retainers are NPC’s with a link to your character, not additional characters for you to play.
Time Between PostsObviously, there are people who can post with greater frequency than others. This is unavoidable in
any PBP environment. As a general rule of thumb, I am available to attend to scenes
between 4pm and 11pm (GMT), depending on my own personal commitments (family life, school holidays, etc). During this time period, which I am aware is mainly US office hours, I, or the Narrators, will monitor the
"Members connected during last 2 hours" display at the bottom of the board. This is the cut-off for action declaration. If your Forum Username becomes removed from this list, or you log on but fail to address a scene in which you are involved, you may find that the scene will move, or has moved, on without you.
I understand that some people will consider this to be unfair to them due to circumstances beyond their control, but some form of control measure needs to be put in place to prevent a scene stalling, especially for a considerable length of time. I concede that this is going to be hard to enforce, but I honestly believe that most people will be able to check the forum during this time period and update their scene accordingly so the enforcement may not become necessary.
Also, whenever you attempt something that is considered a
"Resisted Action" (i.e. Any action that requires the rolling of dice), wait for the Storyteller to update the scene with the results of your dice roll, and provide you with the appropriate information. Please roll your own dice, stating what you are attempting to do, and the dice pool you are using to do it. Any posts involving the rolling of dice which are not clear and concise will be deleted. Most importantly, if you are in any doubt as to what dice to roll for your action, just ask. You can do so by making an OOC comment in the scene, or by PM to the Storyteller or a Narrator.
Character Death/RetirementI must stress that we are not setting out to kill characters but must make you aware that there is a real chance that characters will be killed throughout the game. There may also be occasions where you may wish to retire a character, either in favour of creating a new one, or leaving the game completely. In these circumstances, the following will apply.
Situation | How it is dealt with |
Character Death | Half of your dead character's xp gets transferred to your new character. Your old character's account will remain for archiving purposes, but the email address will be changed and password reset to permit you to utilise the same email address. |
Retirement - New Character | This will be viewed on a case by case basis. Your old character's account will remain for archiving purposes, but the email address will be changed and password reset to permit you to utilise the same email address. |
Retirement - Leaving the game | Your character's account will remain for archiving purposes, but the email address will be changed and password reset. |