The Activity Monitor is a system which runs constantly, monitoring how active   
online players are. The information it gathers is used to decide when to update 
players' stats - for example, a vampire will not lose blood overnight unless the
character has been role-played. Likewise, the vampire will not regain           
willpower.

The process of updating the character stats is called an      
'activity update'. These updates happen at sunrise for characters who are logged
in, and at login for characters who miss a sunrise update. They will only occur 
if the character has been online, in-character, and sufficiently active. If the 
character has been active, but not sufficiently so, the activity total is       
carried over to the next day. This means that characters only RPed for very     
short periods each day will be updated every second or third day.               

Q: Can you ever have more than one Advantage?
A: No. Consider Advantage to be
like this magic coin. You can hold it, your opponent can hold it, or it can lie 
on the floor. Powers, and circumstances give you the ability to move that coin -
to pick it up from the floor, drop it, and force your opponent to do the        
same.

You can have multiple reasons for Advantage, but they must be      
/different/ reasons. If I have a power that gives me Advantage, and a           
circumstance that gives me Advantage - then I have two reasons. If my opponent  
has claimed Advantage, my first cancels his (he drops the coin), my second gives
me Advantage (I pick up the coin). If I have a third reason (perhaps another    
power), it doesn't do me any good, as I already have the coin. 
             

Q: If I have Advantage, and my opponent spends Willpower to cancel Advantage,   
can I spend Willpower to get it back again?
A: Yes, if you got Advantage from
a reason other than Willpower. Spending Willpower is a reason to claim Advantage
like any other. You can only spend Willpower once on a contest, but both parties
may spend 1 point (and cancel each other out). 
                             

Q: If a vampire has celerity at 3 and attacks a vampire without celerity, she   
may claim advantage on CBT and DMT for having two levels more celerity than the 
attacked vampire. What about the third level of celerity? Is it just ignored or 
does it give another bonus to CBT or DMT?

A: It's just ignored. The most 
Celerity can give you is one reason for Advantage on CBT, and one reason for    
Advantage on DMT. Even if one of these is cancelled by something else, you may  
not use Celerity to claim it back. You must have another, different, reason if  
you want to claim Advantage again. 
                                         

Q: If I spend Willpower for advantage on the contest for an area affect power   
(like Presence1 or Obfuscate4) do I need to spend 1 WP per person affected, or 1
WP for everyone.
A: One willpower point will only affect one contest, and    
each person who tries to resist is a separate test. But you can select which    
test or tests you wish to expend willpower on. 
                             

Q. How do I write an application so it gets rejected?
A. The following are   
all good suggestions..

1. Dont read +news Applications, +news Theme,     
+news Undead, +news Domains, or the website. Who needs to know what the game is 
about?
2. Apply for a Garou.
3. Apply for a Mage.
4. Apply for a       
Wraith.
5. Apply for a Changeling, Highlander, ... (get the idea?)
6.     
Apply for a character over 100 years old without checking the Casting Call      
bulletin board.
7. Apply for a Justicar. Applying for an Archon will probably
get you rejected too, but you have to be careful here. You probably want to     
throw in another reason to be rejected just in case.
8. Apply for an         
Inconnu.
9. "Can I play a Sabbat?". No. 
                       

10. "Can I play a <insert non-Camarilla clan here>?" No.
11. 
Dont read +news. This one is such a good suggestion for getting rejected, that  
we'll mention it again.
12. Mention how your character was in the CIA, FBI,  
Delta Force, etc. Throw in high combat stats and a paper-thin background to     
round it off.
11. Apply for a vampire with more out of clan disciplines than 
clan disciplines.
12. Have a 7+ in willpower or a 6+ in Sanguinis, just      
cuz.
13. Detail your character's Merits, Flaws, Generation, Conscience,      
Self-Control, and Courage in your application. (This is a sign that you         
definitely haven't read any +news. See above.)
14. Don't mention your sire or
your embrace in your application, even once.
                                

 Auto-housing is provided as a convenience

As we cannot possibly 
build an auto-housing development for every scrap of turf in the city, we are   
going to require domain owners and renters to accept a suspension of reality a  
bit so we can provide housing in comparable neighborhoods, which may in fact be 
in nearby, possibly enemy territory.
This may, in fact, mean players have to 
travel to and from that place, but it will give them room to RP in private, have
a home to "park" themselves in, etc.
We will have 1-2 options for  
each Resources level in each domain. Please play along and do not make this     
difficult for us - auto-housing is being provided as a convenience.             

What damage does a bite from a vampire do?

The bite of a vampire,        
strictly speaking, is exactly one level of aggravated damage. There are two     
sorts of bites, however.
 Feeding bite (see: +news systems/the kiss)
 Fang
attack (see +news combat/grapple p. 3)
These are typically only viable upon a
willing or incapacitated subject, and in such a case Fortitude is not taken into
consideration.

What about for Gangrel in wolf form?

The +combat   
system will have coded effects for biting by a Gangrel in such a form. This is  
also true of their use of Wolf's Claws. Follow standard combat rules for these. 

Q: Another player and I can't agree on whether my character would notice    
that a power has been used on him. How do we resolve this??

A: There are 
three ways to determine whether a power use has been noticed by a target (or by 
an observer):

1) The power user ICly tells you that a type of power is   
being used. In this situation, players should probably be able to come to an    
agreement without referencing this news file.

2) IC Circumstances make it
obvious, such as being subject to an obvious dominate-driven interrogation to   
uncover information against your will. Again, players should be able to figure  
this out on their own and this is only included in the spirit of thoroughness.  
Note that this is different for observers as opposed to targets. A target may   
not realize that they have been subject to, say, Presence, but observers who see
the target go from righteous anger to sycophantic obsequiescence would likely be
alerted.
                                                                    

3) To detect power use, you will use a command (+help ic/detect) as         
follows:
 +detect/lore <user>=<discipline> (You have Vampire Lore
4+)
 +detect/willpower <user>=<discipline> (You spent 2+ wp      
Multi-resisting)
 +detect/discipline <user>=<discipline> (You    
possess the discipline used at equal or higher level)

One of these three 
justifications must be valid for power detection. The command will take various 
+sheet-based factors into consideration and report a result to both parties as  
well as a staff monitoring channel. Willpower cannot be used to alter this      
result.

NOTE (1) The subject of a successful Presence effect will not    
notice this effect until after the power has worn off or been resisted.
NOTE 
(2) Only ONE attempt at detection may be made (you cannot try to do a lore-based
detect and then also a discipline-based detect - you must choose one and take   
the result.)                                                                    

Q: Can I interpret a Dominate command literally, in order to pervert the    
intent of it?
A: Yes, as long as you obey the command as given. However, in  
order to do this, you'd need to realize you'd been dominated. See: +news        
systems/powers

Q: Will sunglasses/mirrorshades/etc. stop a Dominate      
attempt?
A: Absolutely not. Dominate is a supernatural discipline. If the    
dominate power has the "Eye Contact" power modifier, then it only     
requires the target to look into the user's eyes for the briefest of moments,   
and those with Dominate have a "sixth sense" about when that occurs.  
Note that this does mean the -user- of Dominate will need to remove their own   
cool shades, assuming they're too opaque for the eyes to be seen. Also, it will 
not work through a remote technological device such as a security camera. But   
those night-vision goggles you've got strapped on are nothing compared to the   
centuries-old power of Dominate.

Q: But as long as I avoid eye contact,  
they can't Dominate me, right?
A: If the power as the "Eye Contact"
modifier, then yes. However, to even know to take these sorts of precautions,   
you should have Vampire Lore 4, or the Dominate discipline yourself. And        
truthfully, when is the last time you had a conversation with someone that      
didn't involve any eye contact whatsoever? Be realistic here, and don't be      
surprised if your status suffers should you fail to look at your Elder when he  
asks you to. Finally, in combat any attempts to fight while avoiding eye contact
will automatically give away advantage, and should a Dominate user win an Evade 
contest in order to use the power, then consider yourself to have made contact  
despite your best efforts otherwise.
(continued)                             

Q: What if someone attempts to Dominate my character into doing something   
that I feel is extremely out of character, or what if I really hate the person  
who uses Presence on me?
A: Well, the short answer to that is that if it     
wasn't out of character, they wouldn't need to use a power card to make you do  
it, would they?
 The long answer would involve a discussion of how it takes  
maturity to roleplay out adverse situations, how things don't always go your    
way, and how getting hit with Dominate is just like getting hit with Potence.   
They are both power cards, and they both allow characters to do things that they
otherwise would not be able to do. It is up to the players - both the power user
and the one affected - to provide the "coding" for these powers       
through excellent and cooperative role playing. 

Q: Can I spend Willpower
to resist a power use even if I am not aware the power is being used against    
me?
A: Yes. Willpower is a statistic that is under the control of you, the   
player. It can just as easily represent the subconscious mind fighting to assert
itself as it can represent an active act of will. Spend if you like.

Q:  
I'm an ancillae with Standing and a high Status. Some rank neonate is trying to 
dominate me -- can they do that?
A: Well... yes, they can. You get to claim  
advantage because of your status (subject to a +status/ignore) and if you       
realize it's been done, there could be terrifying repercussions. But a power    
card is a power card, and if they have the ability to pull it off, then it      
works. This applies to Presence and other compulsive powers as                  
well.

(continued)                                                        

Q: Dominate and Presence just suck. I want to RP my character the way I want
to, and I don't think other people should be able to control that. Can't I just 
not be dominated?
A: No. See +news systems/powers for an explanation of when 
and how powers can be reasonably resisted ICly. However, we do stress           
cooperative (OOC) RP here, even though neither Presence nor Dominate are        
cooperative powers ICly. What this means in practice is that part of roleplaying
out adverse circumstances is being willing to engage in OOC dialogue with the   
other player where necessary to collaborate on a result which is acceptable to  
both parties.
 For example, Mark the Malkavian wants to dominate Gemma the   
Gangrel into apologising for ripping his best jacket and agreeing to owe him a  
minor boon. Gemma's player tells Mark's player OOCly that although her character
would not be ICly thrilled with this, she's agreeable with the dominate to      
apologise but is unhappy OOCly with being dominated into giving a boon. After   
some brief and civil OOC discussion, Mark's player agrees that really all his   
character wanted was to see her grovel and that the idea of dominating someone  
into owing a boon is likely to backfire horrendously on his character's status. 
The pair play out the command as agreed and make an appropriate contest to see  
if it works.

Q: I am trying to use my Dominate or Presence powers on     
someone and they are refusing to cooperate at all. What can I do?
A: Refusing
to be subject to a power is the same as refusing to use the +hurt command in    
combat: it's cheating. Please see +news policies/arbitration for policies       
relating to issues which cannot be resolved by discussion between players.
  

The general policy on this MUSH is that everyone may play a vampire, but no 
player may run more than one vampire PC (this is stated quite clearly in +news  
introduction and +news policies/player policies).

This means that while  
you are welcome to run mortal alts and ghoul alts (provided that they are not   
ghouls of your own vampire PC and otherwise minimize potential conflicts of     
interest), you may never run more than one vampire PC unless it is for a very   
limited duration and approved in advance by staff. 

So. If your mortal   
alt seems likely to be embraced, it is your responsibility to take appropriate  
steps to ensure that you stay within the one vampire limit. This might mean that
the alt doesn't survive the embrace, or goes mad and kills itself, or gets      
bloodhunted immediately and leaves town (or gets killed). Alternatively, you may
decide you prefer to play a newly embraced vampire and make arrangements for    
your vampire PC to leave the game. Communication with staff is important - keep 
your RegArch informed. 

Addendum: In some RARE cases feature characters  
will be offered vampire alts at the discretion of staff, bearing in mind the    
potential for abuse and thus likely restricting to another domain another clan. 

Q: Can I spend Willpower while in frenzy?
A: Yes. But to do so might be      
considered 'willingly yielding to the Beast' if you're using the willpower to   
assist what the Beast is doing. Willpower represents "you," and you   
want to keep that as far from the Beast as possible. It's _always_ considered to
be willingly yielding to the Beast to use a willpower point to resist Song of   
Serenity used to bring you out of frenzy.
See: +news systems/beast           
traits

Q: So I can gain Beast-Traits if I spend Willpower while in       
Frenzy?
A: Yes. Frenzy is a bad thing.

Q: I have the Beast-Trait      
Vigilante and the Stigma Repelled by Crosses. A hunter shoots my ghoul dead     
while brandishing a cross in my direction, and I frenzy. Do I attack the        
hunter?
A: No. Stigmas are supernatural 'flaws' that even the Beast bows to. 
Generally this means the frenzy will become a fear frenzy. If there is nowhere  
to run, you will likely end up curled in a fetal position, helplessly out of    
your senses. Note that spending Willpower to overcome certain stigmas while in  
frenzy (if spending WP is permitted, as detailed in the stigma +explain) is     
definitely a case of willingly yielding to the Beast.
                       

Q: Can I use disciplines while in frenzy?
A: Only Potence, Celerity, and     
Fortitude, and the first and second levels of Protean may be used while in a    
state of Frenzy. The conscious control necessary to activate other powers is not
present. Furthermore, any ongoing discipline effects such as Entrancement will  
be immediately canceled if the vampire that invoked them enters Frenzy (yes,    
this means Obfuscate will cease even as a result of fear frenzy).
           

Q: What is the difference between the hunting methods?
A: There are three    
valid hunting methods. Each considers different powers, attributes, and         
abilities in how difficult and successful a hunter will be when they employ that
technique. Some disadvantages such as stigmas and beast traits can also impact  
both difficulty and success. A brief overview of the methods:

 DONJUAN   
You seduce someone into being alone with you, at
 which point they believe   
the encounter is
 romantic/sexual.
 PREY You stalk a human, then attack   
them (like a mugging)
 and force yourself on them.
 ANIMAL Like PREY but  
animals (rats, cattle, dogs, cats, etc.)

Q: But I have another tactic I'd
like to use, help?
A: The hunting system is already incredibly complex,      
factoring in all sorts of +sheet-based advantages and disadvantages. Please     
choose the method most closely resembling your method, and note any differences 
you'd like staff to be aware of in your &SECRET-BACKGROUND.                 

Q: Can I be given some guidance on how to get better at hunting?
A: We       
intentionally obscure exactly how the system works because we do not want people
to min/max. However, we suggest you build up the skills that fit your style     
(e.g. Animal Ken surely helps ANIMAL method). Also hunting closer to midnight is
easier than hunting at Twilight, etc.

Q: I need blood badly, and I'm     
willing to take risks to get it. I've used up my +hunt - what're my             
options?
A: This will require staff involvement and discretion (you might be 
flatly refused.) Be prepared to propose (via +feedback) precisely the manner    
with which you are getting the blood and how you are dealing with the           
consequences (disposing of body, witnesses, police investigation, etc.) This    
will require an Inhumanities test per 3BP gained, with possibility of IC        
consequences as well. This should be a last resort.                             

We have made a thematic decision to reinforce the notion that the vampires  
in the World of Darkness are *vampires*, and not simply tragic superheroes with 
superhuman powers. As White Wolf's vampires intended, the term distances        
characters from their vampiric nature. However, we believe that this carries    
over to the players as well. Therefore, please refrain from using the term in   
your Backgrounds, bbposts, IC mail, or in your everynight speech. Everyone makes
slips... even us. But if we work hard, we can create a very "vampiric"
mood here in Los Angeles. Monsters we are, lest monsters we become.

Let's
be monsters. Don't use the word 'kindred.' Be vampires.

And yes, we also 
note that there are other terms (e.g. Cainite) that may be used. However, you   
should limit yourself to what your character's lores provide. Anything else is  
just speculation. See +news theme/White Wolf.
                               

Q1: My character has a power that allows them to discern someone's surface      
thoughts. Assuming the power isn't resisted successfully, how does this         
work?

A: Any power use always relies ultimately on cooperation and trust 
among the players. A power that allows you to read a character's "surface  
thoughts" is no different; the first person who gets to judge what a       
character's surface thoughts are is the target character. Generally, a target   
character should communicate to the power user all thoughts that would be       
actively passing through their head: discerning surface thoughts does not allow 
a deep probe of memories or knowledge.
 When used with direct questioning,   
successful mind-reading will always yield an answer that is "correct",
though limited by the target's own knowledge and beliefs. All thoughts should be
communicated, even if the answer is "I don't know."
 The level of  
detail will ultimately depend on the target player's judgment. If the target is 
asked where they live, the answer could be an address ("16761 Viewpoint    
Lane"), a picture ("a little white house"), or something else    
("Orange County"). If the power user feels that the target is being   
unfair in his or her role-play, see +news policies/arbitration.
(cont'd on   
next page)                                                                      

Note that while it would be possible to avoid thinking about something, even    
while under the influence of mind-reading, for the purposes of this MUSH such   
activity is considered to be included in any resistance roll made against such a
power.

Q2: When would my character be aware that his or her thoughts were
being read?

A: Your character would be aware of his or her thoughts being
read if any of the following has occurred:

* The power user or someone   
else explicitly informs you that you will be the subject of mind-reading in that
particular scene.

* You possess the same mind-reading power as the power 
user, are aware that he or she possesses it as well, and have reason to believe 
it is being used.

* You possess Vampire Lore 4 and are ICly aware that   
the power user is a known mind-reader

* Other exceptional IC reasons     
(this should be exceedingly rare -- suspicions don't count).                    

Q: Can I sneak through a door behind someone else while Obfuscated?

A:   
Maybe. You can follow someone through a door while obfuscated without a test,   
provided they do not explicitly state that they are only opening the door wide  
enough to get through, etc. - ie, unless they explicitly state they are taking  
precautions against being followed by an Obfuscated vampire. A character should 
have Vampire Lore 4, have Obfuscate themselves, or possess Clan Lore 1 from a   
clan with Obfuscate as a clan discipline, in order to be able to take such      
precautions.

If the person you are following states that they are taking 
such precautions, and you follow anyway, that is considered to be taking an     
obvious action to draw attention to yourself (see +power/modifier               
attention).

As a side note, you generally cannot get into a car with     
someone unless there are special circumstances present (i.e. they open the trunk
for a few moments, or one of the other doors, or they leave the front door open 
for a few seconds while talking to someone else).
                           

Q: Can I attack someone immediately when I come out of Obfuscate? Or, in other  
words, Do I get a free hit?
A: You don't get a free hit. The mere act of     
beginning to strike someone will draw attention to yourself and make you appear.
However, this is certainly worth Advantage on CBT due to surprise, maybe on DMT 
as well. Negotiate with the other player. 

Certain levels of Obfuscate   
may contain their own distinct combat advantages. See the power cards for       
specific details.

Q: Can animals/children/"innocents" see      
through Obfuscate?
A: No. Nor can they smell or hear the passage of an       
obfuscated vampire. Animals might grow uneasy depending on the Beast Traits and 
abilities of the vampire involved (see +news systems/animals), but their anxiety
is generally too unfocused to be of any use in identifying that an obfuscated   
vampire is present.
                                                         

Q: If I'm watching a video screen in another room, will I see an obfuscated     
vampire?
A: Yes. Obfuscate can't affect the camera. Though see +news         
Systems/security.

Q: If I'm watching a video screen in the same room,    
will I see an obfuscated vampire?
A: No. The power affects your mind, and you
will ignore the vampire both on the screen and off. See: +power/modifer         
mental

Q: Can I use a video camera with a 1/2 second tape loop to spot an
obfuscated vampire?
A: No. You're still present, the power will still affect 
your mind.

Q: Can I use metal detectors or motion detectors to warn me of
an obfuscated vampire?
A: Again, no. You believe the detectors are defective 
(e.g. false alarms), or you do not notice an alarm, or et cetera. See:          
+power/modifier mental

Q: Then how can I see an Obfuscated vampire in the
same room as me?
A: Learn Auspex.
                                        

Q: If I'm present with an obfuscated vampire, and video the room, then take the 
film away to look at it, will I see the vampire?
A: Yes. Assuming the vampire
doesn't follow you. However, you will try to rationalize away the discrepancy   
between what you saw, and what's on the tape. Your mind doesn't like being      
reminded of something it didn't want to see.

Q: If I know about Obfuscate
and how it works, isn't Obfuscate the most rational explanation?
A: Yes, it  
could be. However, to know enough about Obfuscate for it to be your most        
rational explanation, you should have either Vampire Lore 4, have Obfuscate     
yourself, or possess Clan Lore 1 from a clan with Obfuscate as a clan           
discipline. 
                                                                

Q: You've emphasized repeatedly that Stigmas are powerful and supernatural. Do  
Stigmas such as Blood Breath, Eerie Presence, Aura of Evil, etc., make          
themselves felt even through the veil of Obfuscate?
A: It's hard to make a   
blanket ruling on this topic, but in general presume that any Stigmas you       
possess along these lines are things that might be sensed on the edge of        
consciousness by others, but in muted and unfocused form. A slight coppery tang 
might be sensed with Blood Breath, Eerie Presence would still cause hackles to  
rise (and -1 penalties), Aura of Evil would make priests shudder at your        
passing. But the rationalization effects of Obfuscate still apply, so without   
the appropriate knowledges (as detailed previously) and cause for suspicion,    
this will only seem passingly odd to those present. It is not enough to be      
considered as invoking the attention power modifier.
                        

What is in this FAQ?

Prestation is described fully in +news              
systems/prestation, and details of how to use the +boon code to support it can  
be found in +help ic/boon. What is covered in this FAQ is the "hows and    
wheres" of prestation and how the system works. Hopefully it will answer   
some questions that people have had, but ultimately prestation will be ICly     
defined, and controlled/enforced by high status Camarilla PCs and NPCs. This is 
simply a guide for the perplexed.

2. What happens when someone grants a  
boon to someone else?

When prestation is exchanged, it is *required* for 
the boon to be made public. This might involve rumors or an announcement in the 
main Elysium. Typically this will state for what the boon is given and the      
extent of the boon - although it is not necessary to give details. The          
announcement is usually made by the boon giver. At this point, the Harpies &
other Camarilla vampires with an interest in status games will take an interest 
in the proceedings. Status may be gained or lost as a result of this            
interest.

If it's not made public, it's not a boon. It might be a favor  
owed, but it's not a boon. '+boon/list <name>' is considered IC info for  
anyone who wishes to investigate the debt status of another vampire.            

3. My character is a Camarilla vampire who is interested in status. How do I    
act/react?

Take an interest in the boon announcements. Talk about them.  
Gossip. Use your own judgment to decide if you think the boon is reasonable. If 
you think it isn't then USE THOSE STATUS VOTES! (+help ic/status), and don't    
forget to contribute to the rumor mill! ;-)

4. How should I act towards  
someone to whom I owe a boon?

Vampire society expects you to acknowledge 
that you are in their debt until such a time as you are able to repay the boon. 
This does not mean that you have to grovel (unless you are a neonate and they   
are an elder, in which case groveling is advisable anyway), but you are expected
to be polite. Also you cannot pull status on them - there is no social advantage
for status against someone whom you owe a boon.

5. An anarch owes me a   
boon. Can I enforce it?

You can certainly try. The prestation system is  
heavily dependent on status voting. A boon held to or from someone with status 0
is virtually unenforceable, though even zero status vampires like to have       
reputations for keeping promises. Eternity is a long time to live down a rep as 
a welch. In all things, remember +news theme/face the music.

6. I'm a    
Brujah! So what if I mouth off at someone to whom I owe a boon?

Oh,      
you're a Brujah. Or a Gangrel. Or a Loner. That's nice. Vampires are expected to
understand that and will bear it in mind before denouncing you. ("He's so  
uncouth, but then again... he's only a Brujah.") This does not absolve you,
however, from being able to apologise afterwards.
                           

7. Yes, but how am I supposed to know if the boon I am offering is              
reasonable?

That's the real trick, isn't it? Younger vampires, or those  
who have not been heavily exposed to the inner workings of the Camarilla, are   
almost expected to make mistakes. There is always the possibility of asking     
someone who has higher Camarilla Lore than you do for their opinion. Anyone with
Camarilla Lore at 3 or higher is expected to be familiar with the more subtle   
workings of prestation (so feel free to ask theme staff for an opinion if you   
really can't decide). Ultimately, though, it's a question of                    
judgement.

8. I owe someone a boon and they have asked me to do something
to pay it back, but I think they are asking too much...

You may never    
demand of anyone that they repay a boon in a specific way of your choosing, save
for boon transfers. You may present the debtor with an opportunity to repay the 
boon, but they are not required to take it. If they choose to remain in your    
debt, that is their choice. If the demand was reasonable... smear their name for
their temerity. Similarly, one cannot demand that a debt be revoked for a       
particular service rendered. Proper discharge of prestation should be given     
public airing. A well handled prestation exchange can result in both the giver  
and receiver gaining status (subject to the whim of the rest of the Camarilla)  
Remember: if it's not public, it's not prestation and you can't rely on the     
opinions of others to help you.
                                             

9. What if someone dominates or threatens me until I give them a                
boon?

This is considered to be unconscionable, and any vampire who is    
found to be indulging in this sort of errant behaviour may just find themselves 
ostracized by the Camarilla. Prestation is /that/ important.
No-one may ever 
be forced into offering a boon. If you have seriously put yourself out to help  
another vampire, and they don't honor that debt with prestation, you are free to
publicize the fact and let the status denounces fall where they will. If you are
in trouble with a higher ranking vampire it is perfectly acceptable to offer a  
boon in lieu of punishment (eg. if you have annoyed a Primogen) - this is not a 
threat. Beating someone up and demanding a boon in return for their lives IS a  
threat. (However, there's a reason that blackmail has survived this long.       
Sometimes threats work. Your character will just have to choose what to         
do.)

10. OK, so I owe someone a boon. Wouldn't it be sad if they met with
an unfortunate accident...

If you owe someone a boon, you should be      
spending your time trying to think of ways to pay it off, not ways in which you 
can take 'revenge' on them. Again, if something like this happens and is made   
public, the vampire responsible may expect to be ostracized, or worse. (Still,  
if you're clever and/or careful enough...)

11. Can I swap a boon with    
someone else?

The short answer is yes. There are circumstances in which  
boons may be 'swapped'. As with all other aspects of prestation, when this      
happens it is required to be publicly announced. More on the next page.
     

11a. A owes me a major boon, and I owe C a major boon. C has suggested that he  
would be willing to consider our debt settled if I transfer the boon owed me by 
A to him. Can I do that?

Yes. In fact, if the boon he wants is from      
someone who is of comparable (or less) status and standing as yourself, then you
are all but required to make this trade. Boons can be traded by those who       
"own" them. These trades must be publicly announced, however. If they 
are not... well, you know the drill.

12. My character is going to retire.
Can I turn over boons that people owe me to my friends before I go?

No.  
Don't be an ass. We expect you to keep IC and OOC allegiances separate. See     
also: +news theme/retire

13. A owes me a minor boon, and goes out of his 
way to do me a favor. He asks me for a minor boon in turn. Should I grant it?   


No. The correct way to deal with this is to release him from the minor  
boon he owes you. Prestation is a zero sum game, you can't both be in debt to   
one another. 

13a. What if A just saved my unlife? I should give him a   
life boon, shouldn't I?

As far as the harpies and elders are concerned,  
this is acceptable and expected. However, as part of this you must also absolve 
A of the lower level boon he owes you. Depending on circumstances and spin      
control, this may or may not lower the life boon down to major boon status, or  
even minor boon status. But in this case if you owe him your unlife, it might   
well be considered that the time you helped him get into that Oscars party is   
nothing by comparison. The main thing is, again, that two parties can never owe 
any levels of boon to each other at the same time.
                          

13b. Well, how about if A is my best buddy/greatest ally/true love? Can't we    
exchange boons as a sign of our mutual trust and cooperation? 

So, you've
found that rarity of rarities in the vampiric world, a steadfast partner. Ready 
to stick by you through thick and thin, or at least work towards mutual benefit.
Good show for you and them.

Don't even think of using Prestation to      
acknowledge it.

Prestation is not about love, or honor, or camaraderie.  
It is about power, plain and simple. It is about those who Owe, and those who   
Are Owed. Vampires under the weight of even a minor boon to another should never
feel comfortable. Even if they completely trust the vampire who they owe (and   
really, they shouldn't), who's to say that the holder of the boon won't get     
themselves in debt at some point and be forced to transfer your boon to another 
who you may find not so pleasant to be indebted to? Remember, boon transfer     
requests are the one way a debt of Prestation can be *demanded* to be repaid,   
with no choice on the part of the debtor (except, of course, the choice to have 
their status cast into ruin). So your "friend" really has no choice   
but to castrate themselves in Camarilla society, or turn your boon over to      
someone who could be your direst enemy. Now that show of friendship doesn't seem
like such a good idea anymore, but it's too late, and if the harpies even got a 
hint that you had offered a boon over so "light" a thing (remember,   
these are ruthless creatures of the night we're talking here), you would be a   
laughingstock. It's not even necessarily malice on the harpies' and elders part.
It's that Prestation is an old and deadly serious practice, that none of them   
can afford to see used frivolously.

Even a minor boon can become a       
nightmare in certain circumstances, and there's no room for learning curve where
the harpies are concerned. Don't refuse a boon that you should owe, but         
similarly, don't ever grant one without realizing what you're potentially       
getting yourself into.
                                                      

The Los Angeles area is known as a playground of the rich and famous. People who
would be considered fabulously wealthy in other parts of America are merely     
"well-off" here. On the other hand, the cost of living is so high that
those who could live quite comfortably in somewhere like Arizona are often      
occupied trying to make ends meet. Therefore, our Resources scale is somewhat   
different than White Wolf's. It can be presumed that a given dot rating here    
would be roughly equivalent to the next higher rating in published White Wolf   
material; for example, a character who might be considered Resources 5 in White 
Wolf terms would be Resources 4 here. Being "Poor" does not           
necessarily mean you live in slums, in fact you could have a tiny apartment in a
decent part of town, trying to keep afloat between rent and student loans. There
is some room for interpretation here, just in general please keep in mind that  
Resources 3 is plenty rich for your average vampire with hundreds of years of   
stock portfolio to draw upon, and anything higher than that will require immense
justification. Refer to our scale on the following pages for more concrete      
guidelines:                                                                     

Resources Life-style

0 Destitute: You are either homeless, or barely     
making
 ends meet on minimum wage.

* Poor: You make little money at   
all, enough to pay rent
 on a small apartment, or lease a house in an        
area
 with low property values. You may or may not own a car.

**      
Comfortable: You have a nice apartment or are paying
 off a house. You still 
live paycheck to paycheck,
 but probably make between $40,000 and $100,000   
per year.

*** Wealthy: You have a considerable amount of money,
 and  
don't worry about spending on the day to day
 requirements of life at all.   
You probably own several
 cars, including an SUV. 
 
                  

Resources Life-style

**** Rich: You are a multi-millionaire, own a very  
nice home or
 mansion in a good area (perhaps more than one), and have
   
considerable assets that provide you with nearly every
 reasonable material  
need that you could have. Many
 movie stars, high-level Forbes 500 execs, and
sports figures
 are at this level. 
 

***** Filthy Rich: You are a 
multi-billionaire and can easily
 afford estates in Beverly Hills and Malibu.
Your wealth
 is institutional, and those at the lower levels of
 Resources
probably don't really understand the scope of
 your economic power. Top line 
movie stars, producers,
 and the heads of the very largest multi-national    
corporations
 are this rich. You want it? You can afford it: White           
tigers,
 personal jets, $3 million birthday parties. Please note that
    
only a rare few PCs, if any, will have a Resources level this
 high.
     

 When a challenge indicates Willpower/2
 You are to round up. (E.g. 3/2 =
1.5 --> 2)

 The same holds true when any contest involves dividing by 
2.
                                                                          

Q: Can I lie subtly, or even outrageously, in my rumors?
A: Yes, certainly.  
In fact we even encourage this time-honored practice. However, if you are       
praising or denouncing someone with +status or +prestige (see +help ic/status), 
we recommend staying within the realm of reason. "My broodmate saw         
So-and-so meeting with Sabbat spies!" is something that other vampires     
might pick up and whisper about. "My broodmate saw So-and-so meeting with  
evil space aliens!" would get you laughed out of the Elysium, and is not a 
good justification for a +status or +prestige denounce. Well, except perhaps for
Malkavian Prestige, but other Malkavians might find evil space alien dealings   
something to praise.

In general, though, keep your lies for praises and  
denounces at most on the level of the Sun, Star, or Enquirer - not the Weekly   
World News.

Q: What sort of content is appropriate in a rumor?
A:     
There are few restrictions, although it should be remembered that +rumors are   
not the same as entire society columns (though the kinds of blurbs you'd find   
within such a column are perfectly acceptable). They should never be more than a
succinct paragraph in length, and should be something that can easily be passed 
on through word of mouth.                                                       

Q: That Toreador behaved so abominably at that awards ceremony! I'm going to    
comment on it in the Society arena rumors.
A: If you wish, although you had  
better keep any mention of anything but their mortal identities out of it,      
unless you want the Sheriff knocking on your door about a Masquerade breach.    
Please remember that the rumor arenas are locked to certain abilities, not to   
whether or not someone is a vampire. It is safe enough to assume that no human  
will have vampire, camarilla, or anarch lore, or city secrets, or the various   
clan and domain lores. On the other hand, they certainly can possess etiquette  
and streetwise. So when you're spreading word on the street, keep the           
bloodsucking on the Q.T.                                                        

Q: Can I claim Advantage on Dominate and Presence powers for higher             
Status/Reputation/etc (all the things listed by +status)

A: Usually, yes.
With the exception of Dominate-3, all the powers are based on social challenges,
so you can claim Advantage.

Why? Well, its pretty hard to resist         
someone's use of Dominate or Presence while simultaneously being careful to     
defer to their social status. Bear in mind, though, that you can ignore that    
Advantage - and pay the price... 
                                           

Q: Can I claim Advantage on Obfuscate (particularly Obfuscate 4 vanishing) for  
higher Status/Reputation/etc (all the things listed by +status)

A: No.   
Although Obfuscate uses a social attribute in the test, that does not make it a 
"social challenge." A social challenge is a test to determine a social
action. Issuing a command, either regularly or via Dominate, is a social action.
Vanishing into thin air is not. 
                                            

Q: What exactly /is/ a Stigma?
A: Stigmas are a largely mysterious byproduct 
of prolonged vampiric existence. They are certainly more than simple            
psychological issues, as even the Beast appears to be subject to their absolute 
nature. And certainly, no amount of psychological delusion should cause one's   
reflection to disappear. It is clear, however, that stigmas do exist, and can   
have a profound effect on a vampire's relations to the world.

Q: My      
enemies, knowing my Unholiness stigma, overpower me and carry me into a church, 
where I am chained down beyond my ability to escape. What happens to me?
A:  
Nasty situation. The answer is a fear frenzy check, of course, as this situation
is at least as frightening to a stigmatized vampire as fire or sunlight would   
be. This check still only needs to take place once per night/scene, but you will
give away advantage on the check in much the same way a vampire with the Stigma 
"Inflammable" must do so while set alight. And once in frenzy, it is  
highly unlikely you will recover unless rescued from your                       
surroundings.

Q: Can I get rid of a stigma?
A: No.
                

Q: What exactly /is/ a Stigma?
A: Stigmas are a largely mysterious byproduct 
of prolonged vampiric existence. They are certainly more than simple            
psychological issues, as even the Beast appears to be subject to their absolute 
nature. And certainly, no amount of psychological delusion should cause one's   
reflection to disappear. It is clear, however, that stigmas do exist, and can   
have a profound effect on a vampire's relations to the world.

Q: My      
enemies, knowing my Unholiness stigma, overpower me and carry me into a church, 
where I am chained down beyond my ability to escape. What happens to me?
A:  
Nasty situation. The answer is a fear frenzy check, of course, as this situation
is at least as frightening to a stigmatized vampire as fire or sunlight would   
be. This check still only needs to take place once per night/scene, but you will
give away advantage on the check in much the same way a vampire with the Stigma 
"Inflammable" must do so while set alight. And once in frenzy, it is  
highly unlikely you will recover unless rescued from your surroundings.
     

Q: Can I boost physical attributes above my normal limit using Path of Blood    
3?
A: No. The power card explicitly lists the things you can increase using  
Path of Blood 3. You gain no other benefits from the effective generation       
increase. 
                                                                  

Q: Is soak total affected by wound penalties?
A: All wound penalties are 
integrated into all applicable +combat scores. See '+help character/combat' for 
details.

Q: Can I speak while Incapacitated? Can I Dominate someone? Can 
I heal using blood?
A: You can whisper quietly to someone bending over you if
it suits the storyline for you to do so, although you certainly cannot yell for 
help. You cannot actively use a discipline or take any actions at all. However, 
vampires CAN heal using blood while incapacitated, if they have blood to use and
non-aggravated wounds to heal. Remember, though, to check for hunger frenzy if  
you get too low on blood.

Q: How much damage do I take for falling?
A:
Please refer to +news systems/falling.