Welcome back, my beautiful freaks, to Sean's Workshop!
So, it's time for me to post the ruleset the Antediluvian Chronicles. First off, when I created the idea for this, I was running on Vampire the Masquerade: Revised Edition, but you can easily use 5th edition's Dark Ages rules in a pinch.
With that in mind, even the Dark Ages rules require some changes. Going off the Dark Ages character sheet, you'll have access to all Talents. Among the Skills, Commerce would be restricted, since you'd have come from a closed society, and you became a "god" to the humans, so they provide everything you'd ever need.
As for Knowledges, that has the most restrictions; Linguistics, Seneschal, Occult, Theology, and Law wouldn't be available at character creation. As previously stated, you come from a Neolithic society, anything that's not required for survival wouldn't be available.
That doesn't mean that those abilities won't be available during the chronicle. Trade will begin, Languages will develop, Laws will need to be created, religions other than Caine's direct interactions with the One Above will form amongst outsiders, etc.
Roads/Paths of Enlightenment are not available until partway through the chronicle, not even thought about until after the destruction of Namtaru. The default Paths will be the Dark Ages Roads, Road of Humanity, which is holding true to their former human morality in order to prevent the Wassail, and the Road of the Beast, which tries to sate it by holding survival as their top virtue. All other Roads and Paths are derived from these two, and may be developed over the chronicle.
Additionally, disciplines would be restricted as well. Characters have access to Animalism, Auspex, Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude, Obfuscate, Potence, Presence and Protean. Clan specific disciplines like Chimerstry, Obeah/Valeren, Obtenebration, Quietus and Mortis would be developed during the Second City. Viscissitude would be created AFTER the second city by Ashur, since, in my mind, I always looked at it was a "seed of the Antedeluvian", so he'd create Koldunic Sorcery, but that would be the only form of blood magic.
As for characters, you'd be playing one of the 13 clan founders. Each of them has an origin tailored to them.
Veddhartha is was a Seneschal for the 1st city, and is the final child of Enoch, embraced as the last of the 16. He is extremely jealous of Lucien, setting up the rivalry of the Ventrue and Lasombra early.
Arikel was an artist and a dancer in life, creating simple art like cave paintings and carvings. Enoch was moved by her works, and made it so she could create her art forever.
Ashur was an early shaman, in tune with the earth, an early indication of his clan curse. He's the only one to to have access to the Occult skill at character creation.
Lucien is the first child of Enoch, and will be groomed for greatness. However, Enoch will see that the embrace awakened a darkness that had been there in life.
Ilyes was a warrior in life, who felt that something was missing after the embrace. He dove into scholarly pursuits, becoming the passionless vampire the True Brujan become.
Absimilard considered himself perfect in life; a great hunter, perfect lover, beautiful man. However, when Zillah embraced him, she left a small, insignificant scar on his cheek. He's hated her and himself ever since, and had plotted her destruction ever since.
Ennoia was a werewolf kinfolk in life, which is why she starts with the Protean discipline, and would go on to become its master. However, because werewolves consider a threat to their kinfolk to be a threat to themselves, they begin the never ending war between them and the vampires.
Mekhet's embrace went wrong. Some of the early spirits found him when he was dead, and tore at his soul. He forgot his own name because of that, with "Mekhet" being the name that Irad gave him. He's forever seeking the pieces of his soul that were taken from him until he's finally destroyed.
Dracien was a criminal in the 1st city, and was sired as a way to spy on his brethren. It will be his idea to destroy the 2nd generation shortly after the fall of the 1st city.
Malkav was a seer in life, and along with his sister and Saulot, was meant as to be part of a cabal to plot the course of the future. However, like his sister, his sight was cracked by the embrace, so nothing would ever be clear.
Saulot was both a seer and a doctor, meaning he's the only one who had access to the Medicine talent at character creation. He's the kindest of all vampires, though as the chronicle will show, even he will gain a darkness.
"Set" very similar to Ennoia, though he's a Nagah kinfolk. He came from a proto-Egyptian clan, and this colored his views. He wants to destroy the 2nd generation and return to his own culture. Players will come up with his name, but it should come from a proto-Egyptian name system.
Haqim was a warrior before the 1st city, and was instrumental in building up them as fighters. He became a mediator among the city as time went on.
As for the personalities of the others; Enoch is ambitious and wise, Zillah is quiet and direct, Irad is scholarly, yet quick to anger. Namitara is driven by her visions, fearful of the paths the future takes, yet wanting nothing more than to see her people safe.
Malakai is constantly depressed, having sought the sunrise more than once. Only after being tricked into a blood bond by her brother does she wish to survive. After the bond, she adores her brother, and gets jealous of anyone who interacts with him, save for Saulot, who can help with her depression, and Namitara, who gives her a purpose.
Nimug is like Arikel in that she's an artist. However, she focuses on art through her unnamed discipline, which she will dedicate her time to perfecting.
And Namtaru could never reconcile his new existence, alternating between depression and rage. He's slain by his sire after the Wassail, the "final frenzy" that sends him from Humanity 1 to Humanity 0.
Finally, all characters will be considered "Caitiff" so there'd be no clan curses, and disciplines would be neither in clan or out of clan; they'd follow the rules of Caitiff, with disciplines requiring 6 times the cost of the discipline to advance, instead of the 5 for in clan disciplines or 7 for out of clan.
That said, some characters will have some disciplines at character creation. Ennoia, "Set" and Ashur will have Protean, Malkav and Saulot will have Auspex, Ilyes will have Celerity (this is required to build toward Temporis), and Veddhartha and Lucien would have Dominate.
Additionally, the way generation would work would be not as you'd expect. Functionally, you'd be 13th generation at the start; 5 point stat cap, 10 blood pool. As time goes on, your blood pool would creep up to the point where you'd have the 15 point blood pool of an 8th generation vampire. After the 2nd city part of the chronicle, you'd gain access to level 6 and 7 abilities, as well as the blood pool. The 2nd generation would always be stronger than you, however, having access to level 10 abilities by the end.
Caine, however, would be untouchable. The sevenfold curse is in full effect; any damage forced upon Caine would come back sevenfold on them. In effect, 1 point of damage on Caine would return 7 health levels of damage. This would kill a human or werewolf outright, and would force a vampire into torpor. In short, you attack Caine, you lose. And everyone in the story will know it.
Lastly, equipment. As previously stated, you'd be restricted to neolithic equipment, so clubs, knives, spears, bows, axes and furs. Crafting and Hearth Wisdom would be crucial in this chronicle, since there's no manufacturing or specialized abilities yet. You'd head toward the Bronze Age as you near slaughter of the 2nd generation, though no swords would be available at that point.
Oh, and here's a few story hooks for the Chronicle; first, vampire hunters. They'd be a minor nuisance in the 1st city, and a real threat after the flood.
The war with the werewolves. They'd be a constant threat, and would require constant vigilance.
The Baali infiltrating the 2nd city, leading toward the eventual war against infernalism.
Troile's diablerie of Ilyes. This would cause the split between the True Brujah and the modern Brujah.
Now, if you want to continue the story past the deaths of the 2nd generation and the curses placed upon them buy Caine and Namitara would be in full, you'll be able to raise your traits to 9 (since level 10 disciplines are considered a "plot device" by the Revised Edition rule set) by the fall of the 2nd city, and the new hooks would be the Baali war and eventual collapse of the 2nd city.
Additionally, if you're Ilyes' player, you can swap to Troile if you wish to continue the chronicle at this point.
And that's it. Those would be the rules for the Antediluvian Chronicle. The White Wolf Wiki is a useful tool additional resources after getting the initial books. If you're interested in running it, by all means, take this as a springboard. I would love to see someone get something from my efforts.
But for now, stay beautiful freaks!
