The Invitation

This is the original invitation I sent out to the players. In retrospect, I think it came out as quite arrogant. Especially with the warnings about separating character and player knowledge, the game being for mature players and so on.

It is quite detailed though. I like the way I structured information about the character profile. It's the one I use whenever I send out invitations and character information. Deatils help me gather ideas and cooperate with the player in creating the background stories of their characters. The example I made below is the character I was playing at the time with Tobie and the rest of TROPA.

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Greetings,

I am organizing a group of players to run a game called the Giovanni Chronicles. It is from White Wolf's Vampire: the Masquerade line of games. You are invited because you have shown interest in Role Playing Games. Understand that this is game for mature players. Unlike some games you are used to playing, the story in the Giovanni Chronicles will touch on certain subjects that may make you uncomfortable such as religion, politics, gender, etc. So it is recommended you keep an open mind about what happens in-game.

If you are interested in joining this group, please continue reading. If not, please disregard this email.

In order to join, you will need to create a character by providing the information. Please note that some of the information being asked for is about your character, not yourself. Though your character may have certain similarities to you, it would be best to learn the distinction between the two early on. Answer the questions below as honestly and completely as you can.

Player Information
Name:
RPG Experience:
Work Schedule:

Character Information
Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Special Abilities/Skills:
Nationality/Ethnicity:
Homeland:
Religion:
Brief Physical Description:
Brief History:

Here's an example:

Player Information
Name: Aldwin Catral
RPG Experience: White Wolf Games (d10) and some D&D (d20)
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Character Information
Name: Santiago de Saber
Age: 44
Occupation: Swordsman/Tutor
Special Abilities/Skills: Expert in swords and bladed weapons
Nationality/Ethnicity: Spanish/Iberian
Homeland: Remir, France
Religion: non-practicing Catholic
Brief Physical Description:
Santiago de Saber is an old man but posses the strength and body of a man half his age. He has a short, well-trimmed beard and graying hair. Imagine Sean Connery in First Knight.
Brief History:
Santiago de Saber is living out the twilight of his years as a tutor to the lord of Remir. Before, he was a well known swordsman, the one and only heir of the Justinian style of sword fighting. However, those days are long past. His eyes are not as sharp, his hands no longer dexterous. He fights a losing battle with his health, unable to use his hands due to arthritis. It is only a matter of time before he loses the war.

Some reminders:
The story begins in 1444. The world we know does not yet exist. That which we take for granted has not yet been made. There is only one, true religion and all others are heresies. One cannot simply speak to one's betters. A woman will always be subservient to a man. Not everyone knows how to read or write. Thus, your characters are expected to act as people of that era. I will not hesitate to put your characters in their place should they "cross the line".

Occupation does not necessarily mean employment. Your occupation means just that: your occupation. To put it simply, what occupies your time? Not everyone is employed in the Dark Ages. Some are madmen, prisoners or bandits. They aren't really jobs, per se, but they are what occupies them.

Are you from around here? Understand that traveling back then was an adventure all to itself. People seldom traveled unless there was an imperative to do so. Cities were far away from one another, often requiring weeks instead of just hours. And strangers were often made to feel as that. So be careful when you pick your Nationality/Ethnicity and Homeland. This will have an effect as to how other people will relate to you.

Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth? Speaking the language will help greatly. The lingua franca of the time is French, not English. But some cities, especially the poor ones, know only their own dialect.

It's just a cough, nothing more. The average lifespan of a person is 40 years old. Death comes in swift wings, either by plague or by sword or something else. People can and do die from diarrhea.

Heretic! This age is ruled by superstition, not science. Avoiding black cats, throwing salt over one's left shoulder, hanging cloves of garlic by your door is acceptable behavior...so long as a member of the Church doesn't see you doing it. Otherwise, they may see you as one who needs to be evangelized...using red hot pokers.

If you have any questions, please let me know.