KickStarter Nighthawks - urban fantasy vampire CYOA RPG written by Richard Cobbett and published by Wadjet Eye

[Life of the Party]

 

[Life of the Party]

On Character Creation...

Hello! Thanks for checking out the Kickstarter. As is typical, I'll be using these updates to go into some bits of the game in more detail than the main page allows. First up, the most common question we've received - do you get to create your character?

Yes and no! But in a good, and hopefully interesting way.

In Nighthawks, we're actually doing things a little differently. Aside from choosing your name, you don't create yourself, you create your vampiric Sire, with their nature and obsessions and similar having passed down to you through their blood. This means that 'you' can be absolutely anything that you want - age, gender, colour, sexuality etc is entirely your business. One of our cardinal rules is "Everybody deserves to be a badass vampire", to the point that we don't even ask about any of this stuff. Just the important things for the game, like what powers your character has, and their 'blood origin'. This freedom is really powerful in the Sunless games, and we're glad to be able to continue this approach of welcoming all-comers to these new mean streets.

And what's a Blood Origin? We'll talk a bit more about that in a future update...

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/753131002/nighthawks-the-vampire-rpg-0

Three months ago, you died. And in that moment you were reborn as something new. A monster. A predator. Not a creature of the night, but one of its masters.

Unfortunately, things aren't simple as they used to be. Vampires have finally been exposed, and though your existence is tolerated, your new nature is not. You came to the City hoping for a new start, but found only suspicion and starvation. Now you stare at the ceiling of your cheap hotel room as a penniless outcast, suckling on rats and destined to wither away.

But every new era brings new opportunities, and in the political chaos of a world gone mad, even an outcast may rise. An outcast can change everything.

This is the story of how you rose.

Embrace the Night


Your new life begins... on the wrong side of the tracks in a city that hates you.

Nighthawks is the brand new urban fantasy RPG from Wadjet Eye Games (The Blackwell Legacy, Unavowed, Technobabylon) and writer/designer Richard Cobbett (Sunless Sea/Sunless Skies, The Long Journey Home). The initial concept for the game came when working on Sunless Skies and dreaming of seeing that calibre of interactive fiction merged with the atmosphere of some of his favourite urban-fantasy books and games, in particular 2004's Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines... and then deciding he wanted to play that new game far too much to just leave the idea sitting in the mental "What If?" folder.

Which brings us to now. Welcome to the mean streets of a city grudgingly trying to show that humans and vampires can live together, despite the cynicism and conspiracies raging on both sides. It's a place of bleak horror and dark humour, filled with monsters who don't all have fangs and a thirst for blood, and featuring new stories down every dark alley. What part will you play, and how will you turn a newly awakened world to your advantage?

About The Game


Run your own nightclub, as your personal sanctuary and a trap for unwary visitors.

Nighthawks is a mix of story-driven RPG and undead life-simulation, where every decision you make is another move in your chess game against the world. Invest your time into learning new skills or honing your fighting style as you uncover the city's mysteries and venture deep into its darkest secrets. Gather fellow outcasts to your side, binding them with favours and choosing when to cash in. Manage your eternal thirst, legitimately, or balancing the risks of being caught stalking unwary victims and working the black markets.

And of course, what would a vampire be without a few secret powers? Choose from a range of dark Gifts, including Corpse-Talking, Tenebraean Form and Mesmerise. Be careful to hide all evidence of them from the authorites, while keeping them ready as your ace in the hole. Embrace your vampire side, sprinkle a little cinnamon in your blood to handle that pesky iron aftertaste, and get ready to live the nocturnal nine-to-five.

Structurally, think a freeform RPG core, with stories branching off it - some funny, some tragic, some horrific - where your decisions are always bleeding together. Get caught lying too often and your untrustworthy reputation will follow you around, while raising suspicion will draw the attention of first mortal, and then darker authorities. Do you, for instance, break a window and hurriedly search a crime scene while the alarms wail, pick the lock and explore at your leisure, or use vampire powers to impersonate the security guard and walk right in? The choice is yours, and all part of learning the beat of the city, developing new skills, and building up favours and contacts to help seize the day by the throat.

Choose Your Friends Carefully...


Knowledge is power. Your bartender Rebecca hears everything that's going on in town.

Never travel alone. Befriend and recruit a wide circle of fellow outcasts, such as Madame Lux, vampire stage magician capable of fooling any eye with delusions of light. Con-artist turned cult-leader Maze. Vampire enforcer Saiorse, as comfortable discussing great works of opera as she is getting her claws into the most dangerous dockland fighting pits. Former Queen of the Black Sea Inez, a ruthless pirate out of her time. Disgraced scientist Morgan Shah, funding her attempts to cure vampirism by selling crystal meth. Maybe even Samuel, a former doctor cursed with good intentions and a withered brain that considers no fate worse than death for patients who end up in his care. No matter how much they beg.

Companions here don't just fight for you. Take part in their lives as they work on their own problems, have them look into rumours with their own contacts and social circles and dive into their deepest secrets with interactive flashbacks set in locations like 17th century Nassau, Las Vegas, and the corrupt European courts of the Eternal Dynasties. Help them handle their demons, and they'll help you deal with yours. But good deeds rarely go unpunished, and everyone has their own agenda that consumes their endless nights.

Enter The Story


With every choice comes consequence. How will you live your second life?

Why are we focusing on text? The possibilities! Games like Sunless Sea and 80 Days and Cultist Simulator have repeatedly demonstrated this over the last few years, and we intend Nighthawks to be seen in that company - a deep, wide, replayable RPG in which a favour can be the ultimate weapon and the friendliest smiles often have the sharpest teeth.

Text-driven gameplay lets us really focus on details and mechanics, including bringing you a living city with little seen features like NPC scheduling (you might, for instance, know a guy who'll slip you blood from the hospital blood bank, but he only works Tuesdays to Fridays and it's Saturday), varied stories, incredibly reactive characters, and most importantly, player freedom. You're planning to head out on a quest you were expecting to pay for your hotel room this week, but the friend you wanted to bring along isn't available. Do you wait? Take someone else? Risk going alone? Hope for another opportunity?

We're drawing inspiration from a wide range of RPG classics, from Baldur's Gate 2 to Yakuzato Bloodlines to Fallout to Quest For Glory, and in particular, their sense of freedom and focus on letting you live in their worlds. In Nighthawks, you're in charge of your destiny, whether it's running your nightclub sanctuary, playing politics, or plunging into stories that range from light-hearted adventure and modern political intrigue to blisteringly bleak horror.

 

[MRY]

It's going fast off the starting block.

 

[Life of the Party]

'He appears pitiable and suitably pliable.'

I have no idea what made them think that was a good sentence.

 

[Viata]

O maybe a new Kain/Soulreaver.

No please. If they release a new one, it's probably going to be so shit you are going to say who asked for a new game.

 

[Viata]

Vampire: The Masquerade is not a fascist-friendly game.

What happens if you roll 8 twice? They remove you from the party?

 

[santino27]

On Character Creation...

Hello! Thanks for checking out the Kickstarter. As is typical, I'll be using these updates to go into some bits of the game in more detail than the main page allows. First up, the most common question we've received - do you get to create your character?

Yes and no! But in a good, and hopefully interesting way.

In Nighthawks, we're actually doing things a little differently. Aside from choosing your name, you don't create yourself, you create your vampiric Sire, with their nature and obsessions and similar having passed down to you through their blood. This means that 'you' can be absolutely anything that you want - age, gender, colour, sexuality etc is entirely your business. One of our cardinal rules is "Everybody deserves to be a badass vampire", to the point that we don't even ask about any of this stuff. Just the important things for the game, like what powers your character has, and their 'blood origin'. This freedom is really powerful in the Sunless games, and we're glad to be able to continue this approach of welcoming all-comers to these new mean streets.

And what's a Blood Origin? We'll talk a bit more about that in a future update...

Be anything you want! We're inclusive! But also there won't be any consequences or reactions to who/what you present yourself as because it doesn't matter in the slightest.

Okaaaay.

 

[MRY]

I think that's a very tricky standard to meet. For instance, "your feet stick to the carpet" assumes that the vampire is walking and not using wheelchair. Still, it seems like an efficient way to avoid the work of character-based responses from NPCs.

 

[Viata]

A vampire that needs a wheelchair should just kill himself. How the fuck is he going to chase any human? How easy would it be for hunters to get him?

 

[Bester]

How the fuck is he going to chase any human?

 

[MRY]

Per Google, V:TM has wheelchair bound vampires: at least one prominent NPC (Bedelia) and a character trait (paraplegic) that requires the character to use a wheelchair or crutches.

Like I said, I think it's a tough standard for Nighthawks to live up to, but I guess they could just remove any references to bodily functions to be more ecumenical.

 

[Viata]

Bedelia

Bedelia is a Malkavian old as fuck woman that just pretend to be crippled, yet she can walk perfectly well. And damn, can't remember a single time I saw someone rolling a wheelchair bound vampire. Perhaps because that would be quite boring.

 

[MRY]

Perhaps because that would be quite boring.

"Everybody deserves to be a badass vampire."

 

[RNGsus]

On a side note, we're never going to get another decent WoD game if the source material is any indication: https://8ch.net/tg/res/387148.html

Spoiler

Fascism in Play

Vampire: The Masquerade is not a fascist-friendly game. If you are a neo-Nazi, "alt-righter", or whatever you’re calling yourself nowadays, we urge you to put this book down and call someone who you trust to talk about where you went so wrong in your life.

That said, Kindred culture is inherently monstrous. Part of the political horror of Vampire: The Masquerade is surviving in a culture that worships the Bad Old Ways. Large parts of Kindred society (especially the Camarilla and the Sabbat) adhere to cults of tradition, ascribes to the idea of humiliating their enemies with overwhelming wealth and force, and praises religious fundamentalism or even pre-modern ideals like feudal rule.

Many Kindred are old enough to remember WWII in detail and are bound to have opinions on what’s going on in the world right now. Even so, it’s pretty easy to steer the game away from totalitarian perspectives.

Emphasize the differences between individual vampires, and between factions as well as inside factions. Tell stories about infighting, surprising kindness, and new ideas. Play thin-bloods, Caitiff, Anarchs, or even Camarilla members in a Hellene city where most of the Ivory Tower’s traditions have been adapted to suit the present. Another way is to play is to portray Kindred society in all its malicious (and fascist) glory, but let the player characters oppose the system, from the inside or from without.

What if someone wants to play a fascist, though, or a Storyteller wants to introduce a fascist SPC? There are plenty of those throughout the World of Darkness — monsters, but many with pretty faces. They can be a tragic villain, or a former friend who fell, or even someone who the player characters think of as an ally. They might be the Brujah neo-Nazi, the far-right Ventrue billionaire, or the Tzimisce eugenicist.

Whatever face they present, the player characters should be given the satisfaction of redeeming or destroying them eventually.

After all, the player characters are something unique and special — something fascists cannot abide.

Remember: playing a character whose opinions you oppose can be a great way to understand how supremacist ideas work and how to spot and fight them in the real world.

Fictionally experiencing seductive perspectives like blaming the Other, conforming to norms and fighting for a grand purpose, can help you spot these tendencies in yourself and others and diminish their power over you.

This is all in character, of course. At the time of writing, the real world is currently inundated with far-right fascist ideologies being given free reign by wellmeaning people who want to preserve civility.

If you see people at your table opening up with altright talking points, we encourage you to shut that shit down. If you become uncomfortable with a storyline in game because of what’s happening out of game, use one of the techniques listed here.

You are not obligated to tolerate fascists in-game or out-of-game. This game is a way to tell stories about understanding and perhaps fixing some of the darkness in our own world.

Use that to your advantage.

...what

 

[Background Character]

Per Google, V:TM has wheelchair bound vampires: at least one prominent NPC (Bedelia) and a character trait (paraplegic) that requires the character to use a wheelchair or crutches.

There's also this guy

Spoiler

Andrew Emory

who is paraplegic and uses the power of DARKNESS to carry himself

 

[santino27]

Still, it seems like an efficient way to avoid the work of character-based responses from NPCs.

Sure... but is that something to be lauded? (By anyone other than the dev who gets to skip implementing reactivity)

 

[Dodo1610]

The story makes no sense. How am I supposed to believe that mankind which is barely able to live peacefully with members of their same species who pray to god in slightly different manner. Will just accept that there are vampires which literally suck out their blood.

 

[Infinitron]

I'd like to hear more about the setting and worldbuilding. If Gilbert or Cobbett are here, please have something on that in an update.

I would also like to hear about time limits and constraints. Presumably there is the soft constraints of having to pay rent and drink blood every now and then, but what else? Is the world about to end if you dawdle?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/753131002/nighthawks-the-vampire-rpg-0/posts/2281330

Nighthawks Exposed #1 - Meet The Vampires
Posted by Richard Cobbett


Nighthawks is set shortly after vampires have been revealed to the world, with everyone still struggling to adapt. That includes the vampires. While there are a few notable groups amongst them, they're relatively small-scale. Vampires don't control the world, they don't typically have big social circles, and their lives aren't about centuries old schemes. Until recently, many of them didn't even realise that there were others of their kind, considering themselves alone to be cursed with a miserable, endless existence.

A few things do unite them, however. In terms of personality, think of feral cats - proud, individualistic, often enjoying company while not necessarily requiring it, and of course, solitary predators. The more individualistic a vampire is, the more powerful they tend to be. This is something of problem for anyone trying to unite them in a common cause, especially when many are centuries old, and not used to being told what to do.

Lore And Order
Both vampire and mortal society are currently trying to assemble what they both know, and understand the rules. Many of them remain controversial, but a few of the basics are now generally agreed on. Becoming a vampire involves dying during the feeding process, but that's not guaranteed. Most don't rise again, and those who do often return 'withered' - their minds having snapped under the stress. These sad creatures now exist in a feral state, underground or in the darkest alleyways, both hunting and being hunted on sight.

As a result of this, vampires who wish to actively sire heirs typically put their prospective children through mental training, sometimes openly, sometimes covertly, sometimes including intense psychological torture, to give them the best chance of both reviving, and reviving in a state pliable enough to be moulded into their sire's image. They tend to absorb traits and obsessions as a result. However, the level of this ranges from almost mirroring their sire in new flesh to simply developing a few new quirks. As for victims of mere attacks who have the misfortune to rise again, their life usually collapses quickly. The number of impoverished vampires on the streets or reliant on soup kitchens has not helped the species' recent reputation, with their mere existence also standing as a warning.

Spotting Vampires
Vampires as a people are largely as popular folklore would have you believe. They have fangs, no pulse or body temperature, no reflection, and no presence on any recording devices. That makes it hard, but not impossible, to pass for human, even without hiding behind any thralls or paid servants that they might have acquired over the years. There is no inherent power difference between young and old vampires, save that the older ones have more experience. Their bite is painful, not remotely pleasant, and those bitten tend to fall sick as a result of it. As such, bite victims are far more likely to be the victims of assault than easily swayed romantics... though there are always some volunteers.

On the plus side, vampires can still do drugs, get drunk and have sex, even if males do require extra blood to get the necessary bits pumping and females suffer from, well, having the internal body temperature of a corpse. Either way, it's awkward, and most eventually lose interest. In everything, really. Most older vampires admit that the biggest curse of immortality is boredom, as all memories of past pleasure fade away, and soon all that is left is the tick-tick-tick of an empty, solitary life that they still can't surrender.

The Taste of Blood
Vampires have to drink blood, and lots of it. Anything else tastes at best like styrofoam peanuts, and at worst causes explosive, legendary amounts of blood vomiting. Unlike many vampire settings though, there's no up-side. Drinking blood is not an orgasmic experience - indeed, most don't like the taste and can't initially handle it without gagging.

The one comfort is that it can be flavoured a little, and drugs and alcohol still work, as long as they enter the bloodstream. Even this pleasure is ultimately denied to most vampires however. Over time, they become inured to everything available, and then all that is left is the minor satisfaction of, briefly, not feeling the burning pain of thirst at the back of their throat, and the acidic pangs of hunger stabbing them in the belly.

Gifts
Officially, vampires have no powers. And most of them don't. Those who do (and you are of course one of those) tend to have developed them in line with their personality. These 'Gifts' are primarily mental, such as the ability to hypnotise, though there are a few cases of more physical abilities. Vampires aren't inherently super-strong, but their healing typically lets them tap into a level of strength that most humans simply can't. Your body quickly gives up caring about you breaking every bone in your hand by hitting something when most injuries will heal themselves after a good night's sleep. However, both of these things are kept private. The vampire authorities don't want the mortal world knowing that they have advanced abilities, and generally keep all evidence of them as quiet as possible.

While there are no formal Clans or Vampire Authority or anything of that ilk, a few powerful vampires in the city have assembled a united front representing their fellow nightcrawlers. They're facing an uphill struggle for respectability, and doing their best to put on the best face possible - handling problems without the mortal authorities getting involved, hiding the existence of powers that would scare people, and working to help vampires who have revealed themselves. However, most are wary of taking this big step and facing the consequences. They continue living in secret, with their own plans for the future.

Blood Origins
None of this is helped by the fact that vampires have few personal ties. The closest is their blood origin, but this is more a national stereotype than an actual group. Five are currently recognised - New World, Old Country, Continental, Imperial and Mandarin. Check back soon for a look at those, but essentially they're based on vampire folklore from around the world.

Importantly, a person's nationality has no direct correlation with their blood origin - you can just as easily be an American Old Country vampire as an English Mandarin. However, people being people, alive or dead, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that the various groups do share one thing in common: a deep suspicion of anyone who isn't them.

Will they be able to put their differences aside and forge a peaceful future between humans and vampires? Do they even want to? And which side will you be on?

That's the big question you have to answer.

Won't it be fun to find out?

 

[Big Wrangle]

even if males do require extra blood to get the necessary bits pumping

Oh man, this just sounds hilarious to me with vampires having found some place in society.
"Hello mortal lady, you look very healthy today. Perhaps I coud interest you in my cock."

 

[Big Wrangle]

If there is one dominant theme throughout vampire fiction, its sensuality and hedonism. What's the point of eternal life if you're not enjoying it?

Considering you're running a nightclub as your sanctuary, most vampires probably do similar things, thus living the hedonistic lifestyle to forget. It's like when people complain about something then they do some other shit because why not.

 

[Zombra]

Until recently, many of them didn't even realise that there were others of their kind, considering themselves alone to be cursed with a miserable, endless existence.

Most older vampires admit that the biggest curse of immortality is boredom, as all memories of past pleasure fade away, and soon all that is left is the tick-tick-tick of an empty, solitary life that they still can't surrender.

Unlike many vampire settings though, there's no up-side. Drinking blood is not an orgasmic experience - indeed, most don't like the taste and can't initially handle it without gagging.

That's certainly an... unusual take on vampires. If there is one dominant theme throughout vampire fiction, its sensuality and hedonism. What's the point of eternal life if you're not enjoying it? Why haven't these sad vampires dawned themselves already?

Nighthawks is set shortly after vampires have been revealed to the world

...but why only now?

Sounds like Cobbett has once again decided to do groundbreaking unexpected genre tweaks in order to make the game itself much less fun and interesting.

Also I notice that the lowest "get the game" backer level has "your name in the game" as a reward. Not looking forward to the text saying "Vampire hunters Chelsea Greene and Amarjeet Melanija attack you!"

Pass unless I hear good things.

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/753131002/nighthawks-the-vampire-rpg-0/posts/2281603

Nighthawks Exposed #2 - Blood Origins
Posted by Richard Cobbett


With a few exceptions, vampires aren't part of ancient conspiracies and organised groups. They're individualists, typically used to hunting and surviving alone. The one thing that connects them to at least some degree is their blood origin - the root of their particular strain of vampirism. This is more like a nationality than membership of an organisation, with stereotypes attached that are variably true, but not necessarily immediately obvious to an outsider. However, vampires themselves can typically smell the specific nature of another, and certain traits are known to be passed on more strongly in different bloodlines.

Officially, there are five recognised blood origins, though others might be out there. Each is based on local folklore from around the world, but a vampire's geographic nationality and their blood origin can be quite different, especially in recent years when vampires have been more able to travel and use the internet to hide their true nature.

Those five origins are...

New World

Typically associated with North America and Canada. New World vampires tend to be modern, stylish, and embedded in the latest technology. Some claim that their vampirism comes from demonic presence in their blood, but most see that claim, scoff, and say they've been watching too much Buffy. Others are investigating different angles, including native folklore and rumours of dark mysteries in South America, in the hope of finding a direct lineage between what we know as New Worlders and the secrets of the continent from before Western boots first arrived on its shores. Whatever the truth, New World vampires are usually seen as both the most up-to-date, and the night's biggest posers.

In the Nighthawks trailer, Madame Lux is a New World vampire.

Old Country

The blood in Old Country vampires has tragic origins, being the result of attacks from hopefully long dead creatures that preyed in the darkest woods and the shadows of the most imposing mountains. These vampires tend towards rapid mood shifts and bestial approaches to life, as well as conveying a slight aura of 'wrongness' to mortals in their presence. However, this has served many of them extremely well in carving out and protecting territory in the modern world. As long as they keep fighting for it.

In the Nighthawks trailer, Tancredi is an Old Country vampire.

Imperial

Hailing primarily from the British Isles, Imperial vampires are the closest to the classic aristocratic vampire archetype. A few of the richest and most influential have long whispered into the ears of power and assisted in guiding the Empire. Others would venture out on the Black Ships to the furthest corners of the map, seeking specimens of excellence or intrigue to press-gang into their ranks. The Imperial mindset is primarily alchemical, seeking to refine their bloodlines through careful selection. However, most Imperial vampires are inevitably not members of this colonialist elite, but their carelessly discarded victims - the peasants, the prostitutes, the servants, the beggars and so on, many of whom continue to nurse centuries old grudges against their former masters.

Continental

Continental vampires include many different types from around Europe, but the most infamous are the three Eternal Dynasties. These are completely insular great houses who seek eternity for their bloodlines, exist in a self-imposed stasis under the family patriarchs and matriarchs, and only with the greatest reluctance accept new members or anything approaching change. They have survived and flourished by clinging to assorted royal courts, regularly swapping representatives and returning as suspiciously familiar looking descendants. As a result of this social camouflage, Continental vampires have earned a reputation for knowing the finer things in life and death, as well a certain arrogance.

Mandarin

Mandarins trace their lineage back more specifically than most, to the jiangshi of Chinese mythology. These were the creations of sorcerers, now long overthrown, with the original jiangshi believed to have taken up their former masters' robes and formed a secret magical sect of their own. Whether this is true or not, this now largely forgotten sorcery lives on in their blood, and while modern Mandarins can't throw fireballs or call down the storms or anything so showy, they do typically have an innate understanding of the mysterious. They are also at great pains to say that neither they, nor their jiangshi ancestors, hop. Many do however believe that at some point they will be called through the blood to perform a great service for the world; a sacrifice that nobody can hope to predict or escape.

...

And those are the five main vampire types in Nighthawks. There's plenty more to say and discover about all of them, but this is the general understanding that people within the world have right now. Which blood origin will you choose, when the time comes?

 

[MRY]

I worry that the game is in a weird halfway house between wanting to be just like V:TM and insisting that it's not V:TM. Like, these Bloodlines Origins sound an awful lot like the V:TM clans. And the secret history of vampires guiding the royal houses of Europe sounds a lot like the Masquerade, except for the insistence that "vampires aren't part of organized groups." That insistence is then confounded by three of the five origins are a cohesive "colonial elite," a collection of "great houses," and a "secret magical sect." (Speaking of the last -- "Mandarins ... Chinese ... innate understanding of the mysterious ..." yeesh.) I guess it's all but impossible now to make a modern vampire game that isn't either an echo of, or a response to, V:TM. Hopefully Nighthawks will manage its trick of being both while offering something new and different.

 

[RNGsus]

(Speaking of the last -- "Mandarins ... Chinese ... innate understanding of the mysterious ..." yeesh.)

Innate because they descend from sorcery, not because they're Chinese.