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The World of Darkness is much like our
own world. The same seven continents, the same
nations, rulers, and, quite possibly, the same old lady
you just saw crossing the street. But there are
differences, some of which are quite drastic. It
is a much darker place, this world we play in. It
is a Gothic-Punk version of our own world, a place of
extremes---monolithic, majestic, and altogether
twisted. The government is corrupt (moreso than in
our own world) the culture is bankrupt, and the decadent
mortals (at least, most of them) revel in the flames of
the final days. It is a world where the forces of
evil and entropy are even more powerful than in our
world. It is, truly, a world of darkness.
And, of course, Vampires exist.
Vampires, Werewolves, Spirits, Mages, and the Fae... all
creatures of myth and lore, exist in full. But
Vampires seem to have the most sway in the mortal
world. They have directed and influenced the
course of human affairs for some time. Indeed, the
differences between the World of Darkness and our world
are largely the doing of the Vampires.
Gothic-Punk is a way of describing the
setting in brief. It is a metaphor for our own
world, and a shadow of the sickness that infects us
now. The Gothic aspect describes the ambiance and
institutions of mortal society. The Church
(meaning all Christian churches in general, but the
Catholic Church in specific) is stronger because people
always turn to the Church in times of crisis, and enough
people have been touched by the Kindred to make a
difference. The institutions which they control
tend to be even more conservative and resistant to
change than those of our world. And when you add
in a Vampire's, especially an old one's, resistance to
changes, you get a world where architecture has a
menacing, gothic flavor to it, and skyscrapers which are
girded with gargoyles. The Punk describes the way
people live---the gangs rule the streets and organized
crime dominates the underworld (which is truly run by
the Kindred). Rock, punk, and rap are even more in
demand, and rebellion is codified in styles of dress and
speech. This world is far less humane, more
decadent, and MUCH more corrupt than our own world.
In the Kindred society, things are much
the same as in life itself. The Elders, alive for
centuries, sometimes longer, are always trying to
maintain the power they have, and keep their immortal
selves alive. This usually means pushing hard
rules on anyone younger than themselves, so that the
next generation does not attempt to usurp power from
them. Young Kindred usually feel repressed by
this, which only adds to their likelihood that they WILL
attempt to rebel against their Elders. Both walk a
fine line, trying to maintain their lives, and defend
their eternal secret (their own existence) from the
mortal Hunters, as well as the Garou (Werewolves), both
of whom want them dead just for their existence.
Some Mages feel this way as well, which only adds to the
dangers of Kindred life. Add to that the constant
war between the Camarilla (who attempt to coexist with
humanity, while at the same time playing them as
puppets), and the Sabbat (who want to RULE humanity
under their glove), and you can see the darkness of
their existence. Finally, there is their existence
ITSELF. The constant battle against the Beast
within.
Many younger Kindred become anarchs,
fighting the power of the Elders so that they may have
the freedom they believe they want. Others follow
the way of the Elders, and constantly work to flourish
under their heavy thumb, and maybe one day gain their
level of power. And there are that final group who
go over to the other side, the Antitribu, living with
those who believe as they do, but many times
discriminate against them for their origins.
This is just some of the many dynamics
that exist in Kindred life. As for the rest of it,
that's up to you.
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