CBM S1 E5 The - Basements - of
CBM S1 E5 The - Basements - of
CBM S1 E5 The - Basements - of
Season 1, Episode 5
In the Chronicles of the Blood Moon players take on the responsibility of the Archons of the Camarilla or
the Templars of the Sabbat. To this end, if characters are created for the occasion, they should be reinforced
to simulate elite agents of the two sects. To do so, you can give: 2 Attribute Dots, 5 Abilities Dots, 2 Discipline
Dots, 3 History Dots and 3 Bonus Dots as suggested in the V3 Supplement: Archons and Templars.
Although the goal of this supplement is to allow player’s access to Archons or Templars, it is possible, with a
little effort, to use these scenarios with other groups of vampires with proper scaling.
The Rules used are from V20 and all references are to the pages of both the French and English version. The
Chronicles of the Moon of Blood presents Gehenna in filigree, but without precise elements, allowing play in
different eras and open to versatile styles.
Credits Licence
Author: Jérémie Coget
World of Darkness, Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf:
Proofreading: Batro
The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Wraith: The Oblivion,
Layout: Jérémie Coget
Changeling: The Dreaming, Hunter: The Reckoning, Demon:
Editing: Christopher Lenaris
The Fallen, Mummy: The Resurrection, Orpheus, Exalted,
Chronicles of Darkness, White Wolf, and their respective logos,
Credit pics : FreeImages.com/Artist’s Member : createsima,
G Schouten de Jel, jan jelinek, John Nyberg, cicki, Griszka icons and symbols.
Niewiadomski, Roland Lipski, mailsparky, Ozan Uzel.
Vampire The Masquerade is a game published by White This material is protected under international copyright
Wolf Inc., French version by Arkhane Asylum Publishing. laws. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or
This publication is only intended for distribution under
artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written
the Storyteller Vault program..
permission of White Wolf.
2 CREDITS
AN ADVENTURE FOR VAMPIRE THE MASCARADE V20
MENTAL XP
PHYSICAL
SOCIAL 35-74
Presentation 4
I : The investigation 8
III : NPC 19
Presentation
f
This story takes place in a big Camarilla town ruled by
the Toreador, clashing with an “official” opposition of
the Ventrue, just like Paris. This scenario may very well
be adapted to another city; for example governed by the
Ventrue. It is then enough to invert the motivations and
the Non-Player Characters of the Toreador and Ventrue
clans. One can even, with a little more effort, accommodate
it to a Sabbat city.
4 PRESENTATION
The Plan
out subterranean avenues and cavities while accumulating
the geological surveys. It was at DawnTechnical’s office
that the plan was being finished before it was stolen.
o
Mulog has done a lot of research. He quickly understood
the need to organize his work and use humans to do it.
He invested in several companies and a multitude of
mortals to achieve his goals, including academics doing
work on the city and its subterranean systems; researchers
in history, history of art, archaeology and geology. Most
often However, he only called upon simple students taking
advantage of a patron to carry out obscure research that
only interested a handful of people. His companies of
course unknowingly worked toward his purpose, searching
6 PRESENTATION
The following ranking shows, in descending order of investigator because he does not hide at all. He will
motivation, the groups that embarked on this quest. They meet the PC’s at least once and question them using
are each presented as if the PC’s were not part of the search Intimidation to get the information he wants and try
so some adjustments may be needed. to dissuade them from continuing, possibly trying to
convince them to work for him (and therefore the Prince).
The Sherriff is never alone, he is always accompanied
Remember to use these other groups or the PC’s will see only by two of his ghouls, men of heavy handed fisticuffs.
Giovanni and the investigation may seem too simple or possibly
even illogical. Do not hesitate to adapt them to your chronicle
by incorporating influential NPC’s from your city if it takes • As for the Tremere, the plan would also provide
place there. secret access to some hidden areas of the subterranean
portions of the city that they are also interested in (an
old cemetery, an old cache of a sect etc.). The Tremere
• The Ventrue are of course, the first to want access will be very careful. They strongly suspect the number of
to the map, but Mulog is positive the Nosferatu are others interested in such a map, primarily the Nosferatu,
responsible and will direct all investigations toward them. and consider it rather risky to interfere openly. They
The Ventrue Primogen wants the map so he can give it avoid being seen investigating the theft in any manner.
to the Nosferatu, after copying it of course, so they will The PC’s may be able to spot two men, one in their
be indebted to him for a very important favor. fifties and the other in their thirties (The apprentice and
The Ventrue Team is composed of two young vampires the master, in that order), riding in a gray car, but they
and a ghoul posing as potential customers of Mulog’s will not let themselves be approached very easily. They
companies. It is possible to meet them in the early evening, will prefer to vacate at the sight of any other vampire.
between 8 and 9 pm maximum, at one of the three
companies, accompanied by the CFO of the company
who will present the premises if asked. • The Sabbat had a spy present in the city and happened
to be close to Mulog’s investigation. Although he does
not believe it too much, the Sabbat has dispatched a
• The Nosferatu have always controlled the competent pack to “investigate.” The plan would make it possible
services of the city to be sure that the underground to attack the city through the sewers and totally surprise
surveys are correctly distorted. They did not know the the inhabitants. This could eliminate the Nosferatu and
existence of Mulog’s plan, but had suspected it. For the Tremere in particular, the most difficult to eradicate in
last two weeks they have had confirmation that it does. any Camarilla city.
It obviously represents a threat to their security and,
therefore, it is essential for them to appropriate it. The
PC’s have little chance to come across them because their • The Anarchs are eager to beat all the other players
investigation team is composed of only two Nosferatu to finding the map. They can be friendly, stand offish,
who are constantly hidden via Obfuscate and move via idealistic, or violent and aggressive. Ideally they are
the existing tunnel system. exactly the opposite of the PC’s.
Introduction
hired by one of the many groups interested in the map or
simply act on their own behalf.
8 I THE INVESTIGATION
Rumors
The following information - whether true or false - is to be shared with the PC’s and suggests which clans would
potentially have it to disseminate it to third parties. The ST should broadcast this information before Mulog’s
outburst, but it may work better for you to present it earlier if you so wish.
1 There is a secret alliance between the Prince, the Toreador, Nosferatu, Ventrue,
Toreador and the Nosferatu. Malkavian
2 The Ventrue Primogen wants to become Prince of the All clans except Caitiff and Gangrel
city, he does everything to undermine the authority of
the Prince as often as he is able.
3 The Tremere and the Giovanni covet the oldest Toreador, Nosferatu, Ventrue,
cemetery of the city, but the Prince forbids them on the Malkavian
pretext that it extends on Nosferatu territory.
4 The Sabbat lurk in the suburbs, the leader of the pack is Gangrel, Caittif, Brujah
said to be a black man of over six feet with a shaved head.
5 The Anarchs are preparing something big, more Toreador, Ventrue, Nosferatu,
specifically against the Prince or the Ventrue as a whole Malkavian, Tremere
8 The Tremere are being too quiet and discreet, they must All clans except Tremere
be planning something. Adlib any suspicions you wish.
10 A Settite controls the city's main theme park and Malkavian, Toreador, Brujah
features special vampire attractions.
To hear anything about Sun Corp, the PC’s will have A public works company that has about thirty employees
to chat with their contacts. If they do not have any or are and only operates inside the city. Any time it gets a job, it
beginners it is possible another vampire vocalizes a joke puts together plans and does some digging. In addition,
like; “With an exit like that, Sun Corp, may well have to the company utilizes LightInfo to make soil surveys. To
build a reinforced concrete vault.” find this information the PC’s can access an assortment
of local and federal bureaucracies that contain public
information. Sun Corp’s campus is in the suburbs; it
10 I THE INVESTIGATION
includes a large property containing offices and all the
equipment necessary for its activity (trucks, concrete
DawnTechnical
mixers, excavating equipment, etc.). There is a lot around a
particular aluminium sided pole barn where large materials This is the last company on the list. It is a computer
and equipment are stored. The entirety of this property micro-structure, with four employees, specialized in
is surrounded by a wall with barbed wire and a gate, kept digitization and 3D plans. Mulog has held it for only
day and night by two guards. six years, but it has allowed him to make a colossal leap
in the realization of his map. Indeed, until then, it was
Mulog who centralized all the information alone. The
Arriving at the scene, the PC’s will notice a black car
map was at DawnTechnical, and although it was not
that has just started and moves away with three men inside.
fully finalized, it was theoretically ready. It was stored on
This is the “investigative” team of Giovanni.
a hard drive with its decoding software. Everything was
contained in a leather briefcase. The precious document
Some weeks ago an Italian, Alfonso Manzinni, met with was also saved in three other computers on the premises.
Sun Corp representatives. He introduced himself as an The company has a room on the third floor of a five-story
industrialist wishing to employ the company and asked office building. At the entrance of this building is a lobby
to visit its campus. Alfonso is a Ghoul who is part of the where security guards filter visitors at night and simple
investigation team (an older Italian of about forty years). hosts during the day.
His name is also on a tour book that can be found in Sun
Corp’s main office.
Coincidentally, the night of the theft, the surveillance
cameras of the building where DawnTechnical is located
were down. In any case, there is only one entry except
LightInfo locked steal fire doors. The guards did not see anything;
the only strange detail is that around two o’clock in the
morning, the electric doors of the entrance opened by
This company, which specializes in soil reconnaissance, themselves, but the security agents will say that this has
uses state-of-the-art techniques rarely used anywhere in the been happening regularly for the last ten days. Shortly
construction industry: sonar, study of micro-gravitational after a fire broke out in the premises of the company,
differences, analysis of magnetic micro-fields, robots, etc. due to a short circuit. It destroyed its computer and
It also intervenes for field research for oil, risk of collapse paper archives. The fire-fighting system seems to have
when drilling, etc. Though this company was tapped been slow to activate, but once it started, the fire was
each time Sun Corp was entrusted with a construction quickly extinguished. unfortunately leaving the premises
site in the city, .often commissioned by the city itself, it devastated, but not destroyed. The fire, located on the
was also used on many other projects concerning various floor where the computers and archives are kept, did not
private and public works companies. The company has have time to spread to the lower floors.
a two-story building, the entire ground floor of which
serves as a garage. The first level hosts offices. There are
no security guards but the boss of the company lives on The PC’s may immediately think of an Obfuscated
the second floor. In reviewing his contracts, 70% of his vampire, but nothing is easier for a ghost to open than an
work appears to be done for only one company; Sun Corp. electric door and the servants of the Giovanni have been
In addition, all reports are sent to a computer company, doing just that for several days. The only difference is that
DawnTechnical, which processes them. on the night of the theft, there actually was someone there.
Some weeks ago, LightInfo employees met an Italian, An employee of DawnTechnical may mention that a few
Alfonso Manzinni. He again presented himself as an nights prior to the robbery, they had noticed that several
industrialist wishing to employ the company and asked times objects had changed places and one evening a door
to visit the premises. This is a Ghoul who is part of the had opened by itself. Once again, it’s the ghosts that are
investigation team (an older Italian of about forty years). behind these strange events.
His name is also on a calendar hanging on some of the
walls in offices or digitally.
12 I THE INVESTIGATION
Security guards at the DawnTechnical building were Some tracks leading to the
interviewed by the Giovanni team, but more than thirty
minutes before the PC’s arrived. However, members of
Giovanni’s guilt
the Italian clan left immediately afterwards and did not
visit the premises of the company. The same information Who could know of the map?
can be gathered from the Sun Corp security guards or the
• The Ventrue Primogen because he had contact
LightInfo boss where the PC’s are likely to re-encounter the
with Mulog. He also seemed very lonely, even in the
Giovanni (at least in front of one of the two companies)
eyes of the members of his clan.
if they visit.
• The Tremere and Giovanni clans accustomed to
using magic to spy on their enemies.
The cameras were down on the night of the theft, but
• The Nosferatu clan, who works from the shadows
not the days before. It is possible for the PC’s to obtain
to spy on the facts and actions of all Cainites.
video surveillance recordings of the days prior that will
show one of the members of the Giovanni team. The
video proves that he went to another block of rooms for Who could know of the different companies and
another company sharing the same building, but it’s not a their relationship with Mulog?
strange coincidence! In fact, he came to prepare the theft.
• Clans Ventrue and Giovanni who are strongly
implanted in the financial world,
• Clan Nosferatu who are always on the lookout
A bonus index in case for any information of interest.
A ghost eager to take revenge on the Giovanni (there are Nevertheless, what interest would the Ventrue have
many nowadays) comes to the scene of the crime, to tell in stealing what belonged to them already? Unless,
them about another ghost that is obedient to a vampire. of course, there are power struggles within the clan,
This is to be used only as a last resort. which is more than likely.
The Tremere and Giovanni clans are two serious
candidates, and the PC’s could learn that these two
clans want access to the cities subterranean tunnels.
Finally if the Nosferatu are the thieves of the map,
they should either have destroyed it because it is an
obvious danger to them, or have hidden it in the
depths of their labyrinth. If this is true, what is the
point in continuing the search?
This information may be given to them by their
sponsor, superior, clansmen or any other contact or
vampire you decide to utilize.
Haven
This is the worst solution, it can only cause problems. Blackmail the
They do not have the map on them, or at the mansion of
Urbano Giovanni, the local representative of the clan, and Giovanni
the only known Giovanni Haven. Especially since, due to
extremely strong necromantic magic, it would be necessary
Smart idea but dangerous. The PC’s must be really
to storm the place with military grade equipment, artillery
untouchable (like if something happens to me an envelope
and support or to be a master thief backed by magic.
containing everything I know will be sent to ...) otherwise
the Giovanni will not hesitate to eliminate them. Above
all, the PC’s have a vested interest in having serious proof
of Clan Giovanni’s guilt. In any case, they will have set
Expose everything back one of the most vindictive vampire clans and the rest
of their non-life may be fraught with difficulties.
• Tell the Prince and he will give the PC’s the name of
a small town, Chrysan, which he knows to be under the
thumb of the Giovanni. He sends them there, promising
a strong reward if they bring him the map. Of course,
Follow the Giovanni
in case of failure, he will deny any involvement in the
intervention of the PC’s and will look for devious ways
team
to recover the map himself.
The Giovanni team must be seen, so it is not difficult to
spot them; around the various companies or at the home
• Tell the Ventrue/ Ventrue Primogen. They do not of an employee of said companies. Once spotted, the PC’s
know of the existence of Chrysan, the Giovanni’s village have to follow them without being spotted themselves. The
14 II WHAT TO DO ONCE...
Giovanni are not specialists in Auspex, but they often use with ghosts and more importantly, zombie bands ready
ghosts to monitor their operational theatres and ghosts are to go into action if necessary.
quite vigilant, not having to ever sleep. The simplest thing
to do is just let them go, wait for the ghosts to disappear
(they do not follow the team when they are driving) and The PC’s arrival in Chrysan is preceded by the theft of
try to find them later. If the PC’s are spotted, the Giovanni the map from the Giovanni by the Sabbat Pack. Far from
being stupid, they had noticed the great number of trips
team is instructed to head straight to Urbain Giovanni’s
made by the Giovanni for some time between the city
mansion. Of course, the PC’s can try to follow them every
and the village. Specializing in watching and information
time they cross path and if the team does not realize it,
gathering, they were able to spot the suspicious movements
they will lead the PC’s to the small village of Chrysan,
and extrapolate what was going on. Getting quite lucky they
less than fifty kilometers from the city. witnessed the transfer of the bag to a location in Chrysan
and have subsequently stolen it. The Sabbat Pack is now
trying to leave the village with the hard drive, but the
What are we doing in this Giovanni security has held locking them in the confines
u
of the village and has put the Giovanni in a state of alert.
lost place?
16 II WHAT TO DO ONCE...
What to do now?
the gigantic melee there is a frantic race to escape the
zombies, but while in the forest surrounding the town the
PC’s should have opportunities to get their hands on the
laptop and the hard drive. For example, the Sabbat that
holds it gets caught by several zombies and looses it. This Your PC’s should now have the map and the Giovanni,
solution seems the most captivating and in addition the as well as the Sabbat do not ignore that fact. It can be
PC’s are guaranteed to acquire the hard drive afterword. considered, however, that the Sabbat Pack all met with
The “horror” atmosphere of the scene should be in full final death back in Chrysan, leaving only one faction for
swing. the PC’s to be concerned about.
Be careful though, this chapter should be a long
flight, not fight, otherwise the PC’s are unlikely to get • Give it to the Prince, secretly or openly. This is a good
away with it. Especially since, depending on their power way to get the Prince to owe the PC’s a favor. He can also
level, this confrontation can be very difficult. Play up the ask them to explore areas of the map that seem interesting,
immobilization attempts by the zombies inflicting little to but it is more likely for the Prince to keep the document
no damage especially since any damage that would be dealt himself or give it to the Nosferatu to both show his good
is only blunt. It’s a work of improvisation for the ST who will and to guarantee their support.
must manage the scene without turning to simple carnage.
Here are some false leads and other complications that you can incorporate into this story. It’s up to you to
use them, develop them or not use them at all.
The Giovanni do not want to enter Nosferatu territory, this is an opportunity for the PC’s to risk a quick visit
to the underground of the city. It is a wet, dark, labyrinthine atmosphere, swarming with rats, indefinable noises
and possibly Obfuscated Nosferatu that spy on them (or possibly just the PC’s imagination?),
The idea is to make the PC’s roam for a long time by making it difficult, stressful and scary. And in the end
they find themselves face to face with Nosferatu inviting them to leave their domain.
The Giovanni can also find the PC’s both too curious and too efficient and decide to send them some mafiosi
to delay them, or attempt to neutralize them if necessary.
.
18 II WHAT TO DO ONCE...
III NPC
Mulog is a 9th generation Ventrue. He has the appearance of a businessman of the 1970’s and is about fifty
years old. His disciplines and abilities are all oriented towards dominate and finance. He is not really physically
dangerous, however the theft of his map has seriously undermined his sanity and he can use all his blood to
become a formidable opponent.
For the other protagonists, we prefer to let each ST tailor them to their own desires. Each group of Vampire
players is different, we must adapt the strength of the NPC’s to that of the PC’s, so we leave it to each ST, who
should know their players and be able to choose the characteristics of the NPC’s.
The Giovanni are not personally violent, nevertheless they are armed, like their ghouls, with large caliber hand
guns, while the Sabbat, are all combat capable and have a majority of their points in the more physical disciplines
(Celerity, Fortitude and Potence) and the abilities that go with them (Brawl, Melee and Firearms).
The Zombies (pages 164-165 of V20) Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Vigor 4, Brawl 2. They always act last in a turn. 0
Willpower points, but withstand attacks with a level of 10. They have ten health levels and do not suffer a penalty
from injury.
k a é - è z
PCs find a underground map of the city, a very useful and strategic tool for the Clans.
This map can undermine the security of many vampires. But this map has just been
stolen... Let’s begins a treasure hunt !
MENTAL XP
PHYSICAL
SOCIAL 35-74