Berlin by Night is a supplement for Vampire: The Masquerade about the city of Berlin and the two factions of Kindred who ruled over each half following World War II and are now warring over it anew since the fall of the Wall.
Summary[]
From the White Wolf catalog:
- Divided We Fall...
- What do the Kindred fear more than the prince of a city? When a city has two princes...and they're at war. Then, every battle takes on new meaning. Every argument has a sinister purpose. Every decision risks offending one of the mighty rulers. Every decision may be the last, fatal one.
- United We Die!
- Such is Berlin. Ages-old capital of the German Empire. Center of the Third Reich. Battleground between East and West, torn by their globe-spanning war. Now the Soviet Brujah who once ruled East Berlin have disappeared, and the magical barriers between the two sides have fallen. The time of reunification is here. The time of destruction is at hand.
- Berlin by Night Includes:
- A detailed description of Berlin, including its history as a center of culture and a spawning pool of hate.
- Some of the most powerful Kindred in Europe, including a Justicar, two powerful princes and more!
- The Ascension of Caine, a complete Vampire story that threatens to rend the Camarilla asunder.
Contents[]
Book One: Berlin by Night[]
Chapter One: Introduction[]
An introduction to the city of Berlin and its role in Vampire: The Masquerade, along with media references and maps.
- References
- Reference Books
- Baedaker's Berlin
- Frommer's Berlin
- Night, Ellie Wiesel
- Shoah, Claude Lanzman
- The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, John Le Carré
- Time Life Books on the Second World War
- Movies and Video
- The Tin Drum
- Nosferatu (Both Versions)
- Cabaret
- The Package (Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones)
- Company Business (Gene Hackman and Mikhail Baryshnikov)
- Wings of Desire
- Gigolo (David Bowie)
- Saturday Night Live's "Sprockets"
- MTV's Racism in Music (Rockumentary)
- Countless Documentaries on World War II
- The collected works of Berholt Brecht, in particular Chritiane F.
- Reference Books
Chapter Two: History[]
The long and sordid history of Berlin, including its growth and prosperity under long-standing Prince Gustav Breidenstein, the role of Gustav's childe Wilhelm Waldburg in diplomatic politics during the 1800s, Wilhelm's silent coup after World War I, and the splitting of the city (and its rule) following World War II.
Chapter Three: Geography[]
A detailed description of the city of Berlin and a breakdown of the Eastern and Western District claims of Gustav and Wilhelm, as well as information on important landmarks and other areas of importance to kindred and mortal alike.
Chapter Four: The Kindred[]
Details on the major political and social Cainites of Berlin, from Gustav and Wilhelm's underlings to those that would rather see both of them gone.
Chapter Five: Coteries[]
A breakdown of the various factions in Berlin, and how each kindred fits into the scheming and power plays.
Book Two: The Ascension of Caine[]
A Berlin-based campaign revolving around Caine, Gehenna, and all other manner of dark and disturbing things.
Chapter One: Nightmares in the Daylight Hours[]
The players have nightmares involving a common sinister figure beckoning them forth.
Chapter Two: Outsiders[]
Arriving in Berlin, the players meet the Princes of Berlin, a troupe of wandering Ravnos, and...Caine?
Chapter Three: When Gods Are Angered[]
Meeting at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the kindred of Berlin are subjected to a harsh sermon by Caine and an offer to follow him and his ways.
- Member of the Hunting Party - Stats
- The Archons - Stats
Chapter Four: Changes[]
More kindred, neonate and elder alike, are appearing in Berlin, hoping to catch a glimpse of Caine. A second meeting results in some doubt as to if the kindred claiming to be Caine is really him.
Chapter Five: Lessons in the Dark[]
Following "Caine" leads to the Egyptian museum, a Setite trap, and Nefertiti, who plans on using the fake Caine to create chaos and clear a path for Set to return. The other kindred are not happy to have been tricked, however...
Chapter Six: Revelations[]
The impending war in Berlin is resolved, for better or for worse.
Index[]
Map of Europe[]
Background Information[]
- Some of the information in the book was later revised in the Wraith: The Oblivion supplement, Charnel Houses of Europe: The Shoah.
- Word from the White Wolf Game Studio mentions the release of GURPS Vampire: The Masquerade.
- Dedication is made by the author to the playtesters of Berlin: John Groff, Bonnie Moore, Dave Matterson, Gary Provencer, Rowanne Moore, Steve Fulford, David Davilla, Hayes Wilson and Brad Low. With special thanks to Inge Moore for her research assistance, thanks to Andrew Greenberg for the patience and to Bonnie Moore for her love, patience with the strange hours worked, and gratuitous use of a red pen for proofreading.
- The ad at the back of the book is for Wraith (Summer 1994).
Memorable Quotes[]
(...)
Characters[]
- Erik Eigermann - Berlin's First Vampire in Torpor
- Friedrich Kraus - Brujah
- Gustav Breidenstein - Ventrue who formerly ruled over all of Berlin as Prince, and now only holds sway over the eastern sector.
- Ilse Reinegger - Gustav's Sire, diabolized by Gustav
- Wilhelm Waldburg - Ventrue and childe of Gustav, who undermined his sire's influence and eventually took over the western half of Berlin as Prince.
- Dieter Kotlar - Brujah
- Isabella Correlli - Brujah in Torpor, Dieter's Sire
- Erika Geiger - Brujah
- Stefan Rutigar - Brujah
- Ilse Baensch - Stefan's Sire
- Daryl Lutz "Feral" - Gangrel, Get of Fenris Kinfolk
- Ralf Keller - Daryl's Sire, left
- Fritz Lutz - Get of Fenris Garou, brother to Daryl Lutz
- Oswald "Ozzy" White - A Malkavian who diablerized his sire, Henry Jekyll, and now struggles with the split personalities of himself, his sire, and his sire's evil alter ego, Edward Hyde.
- Persia - Malkavian
- Thaddeus - Persia's Sire
- Hermann Göring - Former second-in-command of the Nazi party, and now reluctant head of the Malkavians in Berlin.
- Ellison Humboldt - Nosferatu advisor to both Princes, who holds more power than he or they may realize.
- Melitta Wallenberg - Ellison's Sire
- Rasputin - Nosferatu who claims to be the Rasputin.
- Darvlanov - Rasputin's Sire
- Amelia, The Blood Red Tears - Nosferatu
- Wolfgang - Nosferatu
- Anntoinette - Toreador
- Jacques - Anntoinette's Sire
- Hans Vroenik - Toreador
- Thomas De Lutrius - Toreador
- Johann - Toreador in Torpor, Thomas' Sire
- Maxwell Ldescu - Tremere
- Heinrich Himmler, "Frederick Werther" - Former Gestapo leader who is now Tremere antitribu.
- Nichole - Ventrue
- Peter Kleist - Ventrue
- Katarina Kornfeld - Ventrue
- Beauregard Krueller - Malkavian antitribu, Sabbat
- Mary "The Mad Chainsaw Momma" Blade - Beauregard's Sire
- Frank Litzpar - Nosferatu antitribu, Sabbat
- Indigo - Frank's Sire, diblerized by Frank
- Tonio Borrelli - Brujah antitribu, Sabbat
- Piedro Costanza - Tonio's Sire, faced Final Death
- Bloodfeud - Malkavian antitribu, Sabbat
- Illyana Dmitju - Tzimisce, Sabbat
- Bardto Cermak - Illyana's Sire
- Charice Fontaigne - Ventrue antitribu, Sabbat
- DeSade - Charice's Sire
- Francois Villon
- Natalia - Ravnos
- Alexi - Ravnos
- Tristan and Travis - Ghouls
- Karl Schrekt - Tremere, Maxwell's Sire
- Lotharius - Karl's Sire
- Jessica Morrow - Cashmere - Ventrue Archon, Nichole's Sire
- Julian Sanderson - Jules - Vampire Archon
- Ian Carfax - Tremere Archon
- Charity Caize - Malkavian Archon
- Samat Ramal - Ra - Follower of Set Archon
- Richard O'Shera - Ricochet Flambe - Brujah Archon
- Tomlynn Sinclair - Tom - Nosferatu Archon
- Angelino Hammer - Angel - Brujah Archon
- Gates - Gangrel Archon
- Hassan - Malkavian, faced Final Death
- Saatet-ta - Darkener of the Earth - Bane Mummy
- Nefertiti - Follower of Set
- Set - Nefertiti's Sire
- Ankla Hotep, "Caine" - Ravnos
- Smenkhara - Ankla's Sire
- Brothers Grimm - Creatures of unknown origin who appeared around the time of death of the real Brothers Grimm, and now make trouble for the kindred of Berlin. Most speculation pins them as changelings or mages.
- Baba Yaga
Terminology[]
Aabbt, Animal Kindred, Arcadia, Baali, Bane Mummy, Berlin, Black Forest Caern, Blight, Caern, Caine, Das Fleidermaus aka "The Bat" (hidden Kindred bar), Faerie, Final Reich (Dieter Kotlar's coterie), Gaia, Garou, Germany, Get of Fenris, Ghost, Grunewald Forest, The Hunting Party (Kindred coterie), Inquisition, Lupine, Mage, Moon Bridge, Pact, The Preserve (Daryl and the Grunewald Sept), Project: Werewolf, Sept, Sept of Grunewald, The Sleepers (Kindred group), Society of Leopold, Strait-Jacket Dancing Club (Malkavian coterie), 'Teufelsberg, the Devil's Mountain', The Watchers (Kindred group), World War I, World War II, Wyrm,
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