Welcome to The Brooding Scottish Wolf Lord and Beautiful Vampire Queen, a small-town gothic supernatural drama set in a semi-historical world set at the end of the 19th century.

What has this game got that other small-town supernatural games don't?  Aren't brooding Scottish wolf lords, and beautiful pale vampire queens in a gothic era enough?  How about haunted psychics, dutiful servants, and ambitious business owners all trying to avoid the attention of some wicked witches and the occasional misguided witch hunter?

This game is inspired by gothic horror, romance, and drama, in an age when passions were restrained beneath heaving chests and modesty panels or released in clandestine meetings in alcoves and hidden glens.  While we may joke now and then, this is meant to be a fairly serious game with a little bit of soap opera drama, a dash of mystery, and a good and healthy dose of homage.  Hopefully, it will also be a lot of fun.

Play as a lord or lady, a servant or tenant farmer, a townsperson, a business person, or a worker to any of the above.  On top of that, be a werewolf, vampire, psychic, or mundane mortal.  Most of all, be someone with an exciting story to tell.

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The game takes place in the early 1880s on the banks of the Hudson River, right across from where Washington Irving set his tale of Sleepy Hollow.  It follows the lives of three families, the Scottish Wolf Lords of Bonnie Bend, the Pale Vampire Queen and her kin at Cedar Grove, and the Brave Psychials of Grandview.  They, together with mortal farmers, ranchers, and townsfolk, have lived in peace and prosperity for fifty years and are preparing a celebration to renew their vows of friendship in the hope of fifty more.

Come join in the celebration, or just come and join.  There's room for almost everyone, just so long as you learn and follow a few rules:

• No one should wander the highlands or forests of Bonnie Ben on the night of the full moon.
• No one should disturb the Pale Lady of the Cedar Grove on the night of the new moon.
• No one should set foot in the Piermont Marsh beyond Grandview Manor ever.
• And most importantly, no one should spread gossip or rumor of what they heard or saw if they did.

Section I.  Our Promise

We promise to do everything we can to cheer on your character and give you the opportunity to advance their story.  We also promise to work with you to understand what you want to get out of the game and help where we can (or be honest with you where we can't).

In return, we ask that you do your best to grow your character and share their hopes, fears, personalities, and desires, in character and when appropriate, out of character.

As a player, we promise to treat you with respect and honesty and to give your wishes and concerns fair consideration.

In return, we ask that you raise any issues you have with the game or another player in a calm, measured, and patient manner.

Section II.  Conflict Resolution

There will undoubtedly be instances where a player disagrees with a decision made by another player or the GMs.  In these cases, please bring your issue to our attention via private message.  Do not air your grievances publicly.  We will respect you enough to give your complaint sincere and thoughtful consideration.  Please show the same respect by keeping any strife out of the game's in-game or out-of-character threads.

Remember, this is a game, we're all adults, so let's be respectful.  Many of us already have insecurities, anxieties, real-world stuff we're dealing with and come to RPOL for an escape and reprieve from all of it, so let's be nice to each other.  If you have a problem with someone or something (in character or out), let's try to resolve it like mature people.

Section III.  The Adult Rating

This game has been rated Adult for two purposes.  The first is to ensure that we receive only the most mature players available on RPoL.  Second, this game and its contents are to be set in a gothic alternative history setting which might feature sex, violence, and other mature elements with the understanding that while we will be setting this game in late 19th Century America we will be adapting a number of ideas to modern sensibilities, most notably in relation to issues of race, gender, and sexuality.

All players are expected to abide by RPOL's Adult Game Policies.  Anyone found to be in violation of those terms and policies will be immediately banned and reported to the RPoL administrators.

NOTE: Though Adult situations may happen the bulk of this game should be based around storytelling.  If your character's entire motivation centers around sex your character runs the risk of being removed from the game.

Section IV: Posting Requirements

Let's keep this simple, this is intended to be a writing game, so write more than a few lines when you post and try to give your writing partner(s) something to work with, a question to answer, a comment to respond to, a hint at some internal thought you've exposed, something.  Third-person past tense and colored text for dialogue is preferred.  Use a grammar/spellcheck tool when possible.

Post when you can and please let us know if you're going to be away for an extended period of time.  Be warned, if you disappear for much longer than a few weeks without letting us know we may turn your character into a plot device involving a ghostly horseman with a very sharp sword or have them come to some other gruesome or mysterious end.

Section V: Story and World Building

Though there will be core story paths available for your characters to participate in, this is mostly a freeform game.  Feel free to make your own plots.  If you're worried about messing up the sandbox, PM us.  We will always try to encourage and support your creativity.

NPC'S will be provided for scenes at the GM's discretion. Please clear NPC requests with GMs before posting.

Section VI: General Behavior

If you've participated in games on RPoL before, then you know the rest:

• Be respectful.
• People hate metagaming.  When in doubt, ask the other player if it's OK with them that you know/do whatever thing it is you want to do/know.
• Don't god-mod/control anyone's character without their express permission.
• Communication is key.  When in doubt, ask.  This is especially true in any scenes involving anything supernatural or adult subjects.
• Communication is key.  Yes, it needed to be repeated.

Do you have to play a member of one of the families/factions?  No, in fact, you can probably have just as much fun playing a tenant or servant to one of the estates.

Do you have to play a tenant or servant to one of the estates?  While there are in-game social/economic and political benefits to playing a member of one of the estates, as well as more roleplaying opportunities, again the answer is no, you don't have to.  If you really want to be 'independent' you can play as a farmer in the Grandview region outside Rockland though the land is less bountiful than Bonnie Ben or Haverstraw and you will be a struggling farmer.  You can also own a business in town, but be aware, as a business owner you will be expected to either pay rent to the Home's family or taxes to the Three Points Council.  Alternatively, you can simply be in the employ of a business in town or just visiting.

Note: Visitors are generally restricted to the town proper unless invited to visit one of the estates, otherwise, trespassers may be dealt with harshly.  Further, supernatural visitors will be expected to present themselves to the appropriate regional authority to be granted permission to remain in the area if they intend to stay for more than a few days.

What kind of creature can you play?  The four creature types are werewolf, vampire, psychic, or mortal (see The Who's Who and Who's What of Three Points for details on each).

Can you play <Insert Random Exotic Creature>?  Probably not.  While we don't want to shut down creativity, we've focused on the four character types to give people a place to fit in, and a connection to the game.  We want everyone to feel unique and special but we believe this matters in the context of 'who' you are more than 'what' you are.  If you still want to pitch some unique idea, send us a PM first and just know that Witches are generally unwelcome and the following are hard NOs:

• Gods/Demigods
• Angels/Demons/Half-Angel/Half-Demon
• Mer-creatures
• Unicorns/Dragons
• Elder/Alien Anythings
• Kitsune, Genie, or other exotic creatures that don't fit with gothic stylings.

Now that you know what you can't play, what about who you can play?  While not an exhaustive list, the following are ideas for character roles among the various estates and groups in the game.  If they are crossed out they are already taken or at capacity:

Wolf Lords of Bonnie Ben

• Grandchild of William Stoker (aged 18-30)
• Wolf Kin tasked with overseeing the forests and roads
• Wolf Kin Sheep Rancher
• Mortal Sheep Rancher
• Servant at Bonnie Ben Manor (Wolf or otherwise)
• Visiting relative/friend
• Priest/Nun/Noice at Saint Fillan's (Catholic)

Vampires of Cedar Grove

• Vampire Kin (aged at least 18 when turned, no more than 100 years undead)
• Servant at Cedar Grove Castle
• Tenant Farmer in Haverstraw
• Visiting vampire/relative/friend

The Psychials of the Palisades

• Child of Gregorie Home (aged 18-28)
• Unrelated psychial visiting or living at Grandview Manor
• Servant at Grandview Manor
• Visiting relative/friend

Townsfolk of Rockland

• Business owner or employee
• Fisherfolk (ice farmer in winter)
• Struggling farmer/rancher
• School teacher
• Pastor for The Church of the Redeemer (Lutheran)
• Visitor/Traveler
• Mayor
• Peace Officer

What about...?  If you have any questions before applying, while creating your character, or at any point going forward, please let us know.

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