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MES Sabbat AddendumThis is the addenda of rules and settings information compiled for use in the Sabbat setting, as run by the Mind’s Eye Society

Live-Action Roleplaying club. For more information about the MES club and our various LARPs, please go to our portal site:

http://portal.mindseyesociety.org/

The Golden Rules

● When there is a query relating to the rules, and the interpretation and application thereof, the presiding ST's decision is

always considered to be correct. If a player disagrees with that ST’s decision, the player should not argue during the

scene. The player should wait until the game session has finished, and then raise their concerns to the ST. Alternatively,

that player may lodge an after-game appeal with the appropriate ST chain.

● The World of Darkness setting deals with adult topics. These topics include (but are not limited to) death, abduction,

abuse and insanity. While characters can and do commit awful acts, this is never an excuse to place a player in a

situation where they are uncomfortable out-of-character. It is the responsibility of the player to notify the presiding ST if 

they become uncomfortable, and it is the responsibility of the Storyteller to be on watch for players who have reached

their emotional tolerance. Players should alert a Storyteller, and step out of any potentially triggering scenes. Storytellers

should be sure to ask if players in traumatic scenes (e.g., sexual violence, human sacrifice, etc.) are comfortable

participating, and offer options such as “fade to black” for those who choose not to participate in such roleplay.

● If you know that an action or mechanics interpretation is not the intent of a written rule; departs drastically from common

sense; or is possible only due to a technicality, vague wording, or other loophole, don't do it. Don't be the player that

spoils the game for everyone.

● An ST with jurisdiction over a specific game may deny the entry of any character they deem inappropriate. Further, any ST

in the direct chain of a character may prohibit the play of that character at a specific game, for the same reasoning.

Local Venues

Political units, such as a Camarilla Domain or a Sabbat Diocese, must create and adhere to an approved Venue Settings Sheet.

Each VSS may only be home to one such political unit. Domains and Diocese made entirely of NPCs are not limited in this fashion.

Venue Settings Sheets are approved by the Storyteller chain.

Database & Application Types

The MES utilizes a system of applications for the purpose of recordkeeping and to ensure demographics. These applications

come in two forms: Approval applications, and Notification applications.

 If an item is listed as ‘Approval,’ then it may not enter play until the highest level Storyteller for that application has officially

agreed that the item is appropriate for the game. If the item is listed as ‘Notification,’ then the item may enter play when the Low

Approval (VSS) Storyteller agrees, but all Storytellers in the character’s ST Chain must still be notified of the item (by application).

Notification applications reflect the club’s need to track certain items. If an item is listed as “High Notification,” it must be put into

the database as if it were a High Approval application. However, once the item is approved in the database by the character’simmediate (VSS) storyteller that item may enter play. The application itself continues to be passed up the chain to the regional

level. Storytellers in the chain beyond the VSS Storyteller are ‘notified’ by seeing the application as it crosses their desk. Those

Storytellers can work with the local Storyteller to create guidelines or expectations; however, they are not expected to question

the applicant or ‘approve’ the item. The final Storyteller in the item’s approval chain (in this case, the RST) will register the item with

a final confirmation.

All items which require approval or notification beyond that of the Venue Storyteller (Low Approval) must be entered into the MES

Database. The database is the system by which such items are put into play; no item is considered approved in any fashion until it

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has been properly registered in the database, and the appropriate Storytellers have been alerted to its existence.

The MES Database can be found at the MES Portal: http://legacy.mindseyesociety.org/approvals_new/

Continuity Revision Authority 

Local Storytellers may rewrite continuity for scenes, so long as the rewrite happens within the same game session. Regional STs

may rewrite scenes within one month. National STs may rewrite scenes that occurred longer than one month ago, and may alsoalter continuity that occurs on email lists and other online avenues.

Sanctioned Materials

The Mind’s Eye Society Masquerade chronicle uses the published Mind’s Eye Theater: Vampire the Masquerade rules (By Night

Studios, 2013), within a custom setting.

Rules: Optional Rules are not used, unless otherwise specified in this document. Taking an item of any kind from a supplement or

sourcebook other than the Mind’s Eye Theater: Vampire the Masquerade rules book is not allowed.

Setting: The MES Masquerade Chronicle makes use of the original White Wolf printed source material as its roleplay setting,

defaulting to MET:VtM  when the various versions (V20, Revised, Non-Revised, and MET: VtM) conflict.

● Unused Books: Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand, Encyclopedia Vampirica, Kindred of the East, Ebony Kingdom, and works of 

World of Darkness fiction are selectively used for the Masquerade Chronicle. If you have a question regarding a specific

aspect of source material, please contact your Storyteller chain.

● Warwick event - The betrayal of the Nosferatu Antitribu did not occur in Cleveland, Ohio. Instead occurring in Akron, Ohio.

This change prevents the material from restricting the options of the local Domain.

Further information on the MES setting, as well as the in-play history of the MES chronicle, can be found on the MES Portal site:

http://www.mindseyesociety.org/games/genres/masquerade-sabbat/

Character CreationEach player may have one primary character and one secondary character within the MES Sabbat chronicle. A player may retire

one of these in order to make a new character in the newly opened slot. A previously retired character may not be returned to

play under any circumstances.

● Primary Character: Create as per the standard MES guidelines, using the player’s full MC benefits.

● Secondary Character: Create as if the player possessed half of their actual MC (round up). This secondary character must

be a member of a common clan (or the ghoul of a common clan), and may not teach disciplines to other characters.

Secondary characters may never be “upgraded” into primary characters.

Member Class Benefits

All characters receive 30 XP to create a primary character, as per the MET  Vampire: The Masquerade book rules. Thereafter, theplayer may add 6 XP per Member Class the player possesses. This MC-granted XP is considered ‘initial XP,’ as per the MET book

guidelines.

Sabbat CCD

Players who complete the Sabbat Character Creation Document , and put their characters onto the database, are immediately

awarded 10 additional XP. This XP grant is not subject to the monthly experience cap or the graduated XP cap, and may only be

earned once per character. The Masquerade CCD is located on the MES Portal site:

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http://www.mindseyesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Character-Development-Document.pdf 

MC Milestones

At MC levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 14, a player gains the following additional cumulative benefits:

● MC 3: One new Background at 3 dots; alternately, two new Backgrounds at 3 dots, if the PC has only one dot in

Generation (ie, Neonate).● MC 6: One new Skill at 3 dots; alternately, two new Skills at 3 dots, if the PC has only one dot in Generation (ie, Neonate).

● MC 9: Levels 1 and 2, OR Level 3 (if the character already has the first two levels) of a Common Discipline.

● MC 12: 4 Attribute dots to be divided among the character’s Mental, Social, and Physical attributes. These dots may not

exceed the character’s maximums in those attributes. Characters who have reached their attribute maximum in all

categories instead gain 3 XP per dot that could not be added.

● MC 14: Levels 1 and 2, OR Level 3 (if the character already has the first two levels) of a Common or Uncommon Discipline.

Note that Uncommon Disciplines received by this grant still require a High Notification application.

For ease of reference:

Common Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Potence, and Presence.

Uncommon Disciplines: Protean, Dementation, Serpentis, and Quietus.

All other Disciplines are considered Rare.

Clan and Bloodline Settings

All characters (regardless of sect) should use the following rarity levels and rarity merits. Note that each rarity level has a

corresponding approval level that is required to play the character type within the MES chronicle. Ghouls require the same

approval level (and merit) as their regnant’s Clan/Bloodline.

Rarity Levels

● Common Clans (0 Merit Points/Low Approval): Brujah, Caitiff (called “Pander”), Followers of Set (called “Serpents of the

Light”), Gangrel (Coyote), Lasombra, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tzimisce, Ventrue

● Uncommon Clans (2 Merit Points/High Notification): Assamite, Cappadocian (called “Harbingers of Skulls”), Ravnos,

Salubri, Tremere (Telyav)● Rare Clans (4 Merit Points/High Notification): Daughters of Cacophony, Gargoyles

● Restricted Clans (6 Merit Points/Top Notification): Clans not listed above.

Clan and Bloodline Clarifications

Characters are only permitted to purchase a bloodline merit if their sire possesses that merit. Followers of Set: Vipers, Gangrel:

Coyotes, and Malkavian: Knights of the Moon may ignore this restriction.

● Daughters of Cacophony: Daughters of Cacophony may not have been embraced before 1700.

● Gangrel: Gangrel in the Sabbat Setting are, by default, members of the Coyote bloodline. You may play a non-Coyote

Gangrel at the normal cost of the Gangrel bloodline merit (2 Merit Points)

● Gangrel (Coyote): Members of the Coyote bloodline may not have been embraced before 1750.

● Tremere: Tremere in the Sabbat Setting are, by default, members of the Talyav bloodline. You may play a non-Telyav

Tremere by purchasing the Rare Clan merit (4 Merit Points) instead of the standard Uncommon Clan merit.

● Ventrue: Ventrue in the Sabbat Setting are, by default, members of the Crusader bloodline. You may play a non-Crusader

Ventrue at the normal cost of the Crusader bloodline merit (2 Merit Points)

Not Sanctioned 

The following clans and bloodlines are not allowed in the MES chronicle, although they may be in introduced at a later date:

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Bloodlines: Brujah: Sages, Cappadocian: Lamia, Ravnos: Braham, Salubri: Healers, Toreador: Volgirre, Tzimisce: Carpathians

Generation and Age Settings

● Child: Player Characters currently (or embraced while) under 18 years of age require High Approval.

● Maximum Age: Characters may not exceed 700 years in total age (mortal birth to current day)

● Harbingers of Skulls: Harbingers may not exceed 1300 years (mortal birth to current day)

Character Concepts

Sect Membership

Current Anarch or Camarilla: Being an Anarch, or part of the Camarilla for PCs is treated like a rare bloodline costing 4 merit points

and requires Top Approval.

Former Anarch or Camarilla: Former Anarchs, or former members of the Camarilla require a High Notification. This does not grant

inherent knowledge of the former sect and does not allow the character benefit from their former sect’s mechanics or merits.

In Character AuthorityHolding a Regional sect or clan post (a position with authority above the level of a single city) either currently or in a character’s

background requires High Approval.

Holding a National or Global sect or clan post (a position with authority above the regional level) either currently or in a

character’s background (example: Cardinal, Prisci ) requires Top Approval.

Internal Organizations

● Lasombra: Membership in the Friends of the Night requires Top Approval.

Outside of the United States

Characters with significant background outside of the United States, or characters have interacted with canon NPCs or significant

historical figures, must fill out a brief timeline and submit it to the Global Registry for approval. You may register such items here:

https://sites.google.com/a/gsl-office.org/globalregistry/

Disallowed Concepts

● Conflict of Interest: In the event of a character death or retirement, a player is required to create the new character in

such a way that it is instantly and easily recognizable that the new character is not the same as the old. The player must

work to minimize any awareness or benefits to the new character caused by the existence of the previous character.

● Character Plagiarism: Any historical figure or character taken from White Wolf materials or from any work of fiction,

without direct, written consent of the author, may not be recognizably used as the basis for a character.

● Influencing History: Portraying a notable historical figure or being the cause of a major event of historical significance is

not allowed within the MES chronicle. Prestigious and historical figures are reserved for use by the NSTs office.

● Supernatural Backgrounds: Backgrounds which involve significant interaction with another supernatural type (a Kindred

that was part of the Order of Hermes as a mortal, or a Gangrel that spends time with werewolves) are not sanctioned. As

an exception to this rule, interaction with ghosts (without involvement in wraith culture) is Low Approval.

Experience

Earned XP: Each character may earn up to 10 XP per calendar month. ST’s may claim the XP value of any game that they run, for

one character. The MES chronicle does use the Graduated XP Cap rules per MET: VTM (p. 349). Only Earned XP and Accelerated

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Growth Rate XP count against this Graduated Cap. Determine a character’s monthly XP limit on the first day of each month.

Event XP: Each region may host 12 Featured Games per calendar year. Attending a Featured Game of the Month (FGotM) provides

2 Event XP. Attending Regional Events and trade shows provide 3 Event XP. National/Global Events provide 4 Event XP. Event XP

does not count against a character’s monthly (AGR) experience cap. A character may earn up to 15 Event XP per calendar year.

Accelerated Growth Rate (AGR): Characters with fewer Earned XP than the chronicle’s Earned XP maximum may earn double theirstandard monthly Earned XP limit each calendar month provided they attend at least one game during that month. This higher cap

of XP continues, until the character catches up to the chronicle’s Earned XP maximum. A character may never have more Earned

XP than the Earned XP Chronicle Maximum.

Chronicle Earned XP Maximums through September, 2014

March: 70 April: 80 May: 90 June: 100 July: 108 August: 116 September: 124

Character Sanctioning and RecordsA complete record should include a character sheet, the character's XP log, and a list of any special approvals and notifications

the character has received (along with the database application numbers of those items). The XP log must first detail how creationpoints and Initial XP were spent. Thereafter, it must list the locations and dates of games attended, as well as the amount of XP

gained for each game, and how that XP was spent.

Initial Update

A character may be altered within the first three months of play, to reflect small adjustments as the player is settling into the

game. Such updates should be handled carefully, and made only if the player has legitimate cause to move things around. The

approval level for such modification is the same as the highest level approval on the character. Clan, Generation, and Sect may

not be changed with this update. This update may only be performed once per character.

Rules Alterations

Skills

Lore: Possession of an appropriate Lore Specialization provides a +5 Wild Card bonus. More information on Lores, such as

example specializations and example challenges can be found here.

Backgrounds

If a character gains a Background during play and keeps that Background for more than thirty days, Experience Traits must be spent

to purchase that Background.

● Alternate Identity: An identity which is a different sect or clan than the actual PC requires High Approval. If the sect or clanportrayed is one not sanctioned for Player Characters, this background instead requires Top Approval.

● Fame: The range for Fame 2 is within one VSS. Fame 4 requires High Approval. Fame 5 requires Top Approval. Fame

cannot originate outside a character’s home VSS. Characters with Fame are encouraged to put their information on this

spreadsheet so that Storytellers (and other players) can be ICly aware of their Fame:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1HnEDcTh2K8xwe88qyugIF_1B6JsqVqFUBgeCA5uwC1c/viewform

● Generation: Generations 1-2 (Neonates and Ancilla) require Low Approval. Generations 3-5 (Elders) require High

Notification. Methuselah are never allowed as PCs.

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● Haven: A haven may only be purchased by a single character, and may not physically overlap with the havens of other

characters. A character may purchase multiple havens.

● Influences: Influence specializations in Law Enforcement above local level, Espionage and Military agencies  are reserved

for use by the NSTs office. Use of Influences at a Regional or higher level requires that level of approval. Indirect Influence

Attacks may not reduce a targeted character’s Generation background. Use of influence requires a character to be

present in the targeted VSS (live rep or proxy) and the approval of the presiding ST.

Merits & Flaws

Clan Merits

● Giovanni - Ghostly Retainer: This retainer may only have one discipline speciality off the Wraith discipline list

● Ventrue - Paragon: This retainer may only have one discipline speciality chosen from his in-clan disciplines. This Retainer

is always a member of the Crusader Bloodline

General Merits

● Golconda Seeker: Requires High Notification.

● Infernal Power: Requires High Notification.

o Gift: Profane Contract: It requires High Notification for a character to gain a Infernal Power by this method. Notethat a demon may punish any person in its Infernal chain.

● Necromantic Training: This merit requires High Notification.

● Thaumaturgical Training: This merit requires High Notification.

Morality Merits

● Three-point Morality Merits require Top Notification.

● The sidebar “Heretical Paths” (page 451) must be reviewed and accepted by anyone wishing to purchase the listed

morality merits.

 Sabbat Setting Specific Merits:

● Black Hand Membership – High Approval

● It is Low Approval to become involved with the Black Hand without being a Member; Players who do this do notgain the benefits of membership such as Status, Authority, and Mechanical Benefit.

● Inquisition Membership – High Approval

● Alteration: A character with this merit is a member of the prestigious Inquisition, a Judge Inquisitor.

● A Judge Inquisitor may appoint one Paladin.

● It is Low Approval to become a Paladin (Knight Inquisitor), and does not require the purchase of the Inquisition

Membership Merit. This position grants the Abiding Status Trait Enforcer, as stated on page 420 MET:VtM

● It is Low Approval to become involved with the Inquisition without being a Member; Players who do this do not

gain the benefits of membership such as Status, Authority, and Mechanical Benefit.

  Keeper of a Sacred Text

  Addition: The specific ritae that is able to be performed must be defined when taking this merit, and may not

change once selected. The Ritae that the Innate Trait grants may be any Ignoblis or Auctoritas Ritae except for thefollowing: Blood Bath, Blood Feast, or the Wild Hunt

Disciplines

Non-Player Characters may teach Disciplines with Top Approval, so long as there is significant roleplay and a realistic reason why

the NPC would share her secrets with the PC in question.

Learning Powers

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Performing a successful diablerie requires High Notification. Player characters may acquire up to Generation 5 through

diablerie.

● Embrace: Attempts to Embrace another supernatural creature automatically fail, resulting in that individual’s death.

● Fair Escape: This functions as per the rules on pg. 277. However, use of Fair Escape on Celerity rounds is not automatic if 

unopposed, and your VST may deny the Fair Escape if circumstances logically prevent it. (Grapple, Locked Room,

physically prevented). Remember once a scene is Fair Escaped from a character is locked from ever returning to that

scene.

● Golconda: Achieving Golconda, or taking any step toward it after taking the merit Golconda Seeker, requires Top

Approval.

● Grappling: In order to use a power through a grapple, you must have initiated that grapple with an unarmed attack.

● Month: The duration is from the same day of the month and week to the same day of the month and week. Example:

Third Saturday to Third Saturday. Anything occurring on a 5th day that is not present in the next month will be till the last

day of the next month.

Status Clarifications

Abiding Status refreshes (and may be changed) at the start of each game a character attends. It is the responsibility of the

characters (particularly the Harpy) to punish those who violate Status rules or Symbels.

● Parting Gift: A character may affect someone who has been in their jurisdiction (but isn’t currently in that jurisdiction) with

one expenditure of status. The character may not affect that target again until the person is once more within the

character’s jurisdiction.

● Setting-Specific Status Bans: As listed on page 449.

● Storyteller Awarded Status:

● Awarding Praised to those who openly insult characters which possess the Disgraced Status.

● Awarding Triumphant to those who are successful in killing a character with the Forsaken Status.

● Awarding Warned to those who openly attack characters with the Favored Status. The Favored character may

forgive the offense and remove the Warned Status.

Proxies and Online PlayProxy play occurs when one or more characters are given to a Storyteller to portray in the players’ absence. A Storyteller is not

required to accept requests to proxy a character into her control. By giving a character to a Storyteller for proxy play, the player

grants that Storyteller all rights to the character for the duration of the proxy scene.

In order to proxy a character, the player must — at minimum —inform his primary storyteller; give the presiding Storyteller their

character sheet and a brief write-up describing the character’s intentions, motivations, personality, and reactions to possible

situations. This information should be given to the presiding Storyteller at least 48 hours in advance of the proxy event. If a

Storyteller wishes to further limit proxy play, she should list any other restrictions in her game’s Venue Style Sheet.

Proxies do not count as games for purposes of resolving durations, such as Willpower returning after a character teaches a

discipline; how long a character has the Warned Status; or the changing /refreshing of Abiding status.

Email Lists

Official MES email list requirements and premises can be found on the MES Portal site:

http://www.mindseyesociety.org/games/genres/masquerade-sabbat/sabbat-lists/

Downtime

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The Downtime duration period is one calendar month. Spending a Downtime action on Feeding or Patrolling provides a character

with the benefits of having done so for the full month, rather than just a single session.

Non-Player Characters

Approval levels for Non Player Characters are the same as for Player Characters, unless otherwise specified here. Items whichwould normally require a High Notification for PCs are Low Approval for NPCs.

Stock NPCs

Storytellers may use the stock NPC rules provided in the VTM book with the following exceptions:

● High Approval: Stock NPCs for Arcanum, Fey, Hunters with True Faith, and Mages.

● Top Approval: Stock NPCs for Demons, Project Twilight, Lhiannon.

NPC Creation Guidelines

● Generation: Methuselah NPCs require Top Approval.

● Rarity Merits: NPCs do not pay merit points (rarity or otherwise) for Clan or Bloodline.

● NPC Experience: Storytellers may create NPCs with up to 300 XP at Low Approval. Storytellers may create NPCs with up to400 total XP at High Approval. All higher XP amounts require Top Approval.

● Not Sanctioned: Clans and Bloodlines which are not sanctioned for PCs require Top Approval to use as NPCs.

Canon Characters

Top Approval is required for unique non-player characters from the source material (Caine, Gaia, etc.), and very powerful

non-player characters (Justicars, Ferrymen, Malfeans, Changeling Kings and Queens, Garou Legends, Archmasters and Oracles,

world leaders/politicians, etc. This approval is done in conjunction with the GSL staff and other member clubs.

 Anarch and Camarilla NPCs

Any clan or Bloodline listed as Common, Uncommon, or Rare in the Anarch or Camarilla sections may be created at Low Approval

Non-Vampire or Custom NPCsCustom mechanics for NPCs require Top Approval, once sanctioned these will be retained for future NPC use.

Hard Reset Clarifications1) Create a new character sheet according to the rules of this addenda, retaining any previously earned XP.

2) Players may recreate Characters entirely, retaining name/clan/theme/ties/etc if they would like.