Hello, and welcome to Jay’s run-through of Tim Hutchings’ Thousand Year Old Vampire. Last week, I walked you through the basics of how the game works and what my play-though is going to entail, so read that if you haven’t.
This week, we’re going to just look at who my vampire is, who he knows, what he owns, and what he can do. We’re also going to run through the first of his memories. Starting next week, we’ll be taking this vampire through his adventures. As play goes on, I will make a document so that it is obvious what memories, resources, and people he still feels connected to.
With that our of the way, here we go!
Thousand Year Old Vampire – Dramatis Personae
Nathaniel Morrison: Our protagonist.
Lord Elliot Rutherford, Duke of Fousburry: Friend and patron.
Sarah Rutherford: Sister of LORD RUTHERFORD, possible romantic interest of NATHANIEL MORRISON.
John Dee: Queen Elizabeth’s cartographer, spymaster, and magician. Professional rival to NATHANIEL.
Tzciti – A vampire, posing as a daemon.
Resources
Magical Altar – Can be packed up into a chest.
My Tower – Home. A tower at Castle Fousburry.
Libro Mortui sunt Nomina – A Grimiore.
Skills
Occult Knowledge
Charisma
Court Knowledge
Mark
A shadowy aura – Must be concealed beneath robes.
THE JOURNAL OF NATHANIEL MORRISON, ADVISOR TO DUKE RUTHERFORD
November 13, 15xx
I am Nathaniel Morrison, advisor to Lord Rutherford; I advise him in matters of court, astrologie, and cartomancie. I also have been engaging in rites of High Magick to discover the most high and holy secrets of eternal life and mystical power; while there are many rumors regarding my esoteric practices, only Lord Rutherford knows the full truth.
As a teen, I was trained in Courtly Matters; is was during this time that I met the young Lord Rutherford. We became fast friends, and as we grew, he allowed me to stay at Castle Fousburry, giving me a tower overlooking the sea.
During my training in Courty Matters, I was also a member of The Order of the Shrouded Lady, where I gained Occult Knowledge; a fellow member of the order, John Dee, discovered my interest in what he determined was black magick and had me expelled. While we are enemies, I know that if he were to betray my secrets, he would also risk exposing the Order. I may have…borrowed the Order’s copy of Libro Mortui sunt Nomina so that I may continue my studies.
When I moved to Castle Fousburry, I immediately fell in love with Lord Rutherford’s sister, Sarah, and she, likewise, was taken by my charisma; she can never know of my occult work, lest she be scared off.
November 14, 15xx
Last night, whilst attempting to summon the daemon Tzciti from the Libro Mortui to my altar, a gentleman appeared at my window; I invited him in, knowing that only a daemon such as Tzciti would scale the tower walls. He asked me if I sought eternal life, and I replied in the affirmative; I immediately regretted this! Tzciti became the very shadows, lifted me of the floor, and drained me of my life! When I awoke, I was left with a thirst for blood, and a cursed, shadowy aura that I must conceal within my cloak so that others may not know me for what I am, and what that monster made me-a VAMPIRE!
And that’s all for this week! Come back next week for our second installment of Thousand Year Old Vampire!