The Factions

Contents

This section is the foundation of a guide to picking various factions: factors to weigh in when considering factions: How they treat each other, how they treat others/outsiders, Themes that reoccur in the play style, Challenges of role playing the faction, and expectations of new and experienced characters.

Humans: "The Sleeping Tigers"

  • Internal Politics: Humans tend to have the same concerns that we have nowadays: how will I get my next meal, who's in love with who, etc.
  • External Politics: Humans have intense fear and hatred of the other groups; Fortunately for the other groups they are the most likely to assume that everyone is human.
  • Themes: Humans have the veil which means that everything else in game is terrifying. Playing this group will scare the pants off you. Religion and secular dealings are very important to humans. If you are a human who belongs to another faction (such as ghouls, kinfolk, and deathwalkers) Then you are at best a second class citizen, or peasant in that faction's eyes. Curiosity, Faith, and Naivety are all common themes for human characters.
  • Challenges: Although they are the largest group world wide, they are the smallest in Ushaw Moor. Most factions have a a rule preventing them from informing people of their faction, and many players will avoid veiled players rather than risk the ire of their faction. This can leave veiled players alone for most of the game. At the same time, role plays with humans can be the most rewarding, as they can pull you into the game, they give other players a reason to be subtle with their abilities, and make the town feel more real. Humans are not recommended for first time players.
  • New Character Expectations: There aren't a lot of statistical differences between new characters and old characters, unless your character has access to supernatural abilities. You can use this to get some very interesting character concepts right at character creation. This can also be used as a jumping off point for other factions, so if you want to play through the change from one faction the the other (through first change (shifters), embrace (vampire) and death (wraith)), it is easier to do with a new character than an old character.
  • Experienced Character Expectations: It is exceedingly rare to have an experienced character who doesn't have some kind of supernatural power, simply because there is only so far a character can progress without power (it's possible to be the human master of willpower, and have the ability to resist everything, but having powers effect you is one of the more interesting parts of the game).
  • Sub-Factions: Commoner, Sorcerer, Kinfolk, Ghoul, Deathwalker.



Shifters: "The Woodsmen"

  • Internal Politics: Although there are a few positions of power in shifterdom, most ranking is done through gaining renown for deeds performed. New characters are protected like children, but the more renown your character has, the more is expected of the character and the better the character has to behave.
  • External Politics: Shifters are - at best - wary of the other factions. Humans have small importance for their values as potential mates, but Wraiths and Vampires are far to foreign to be fully trusted. Due to the rage experienced by most shifters, this wariness is often treated with outright aggression.
  • Themes: Shifters tend to deal with the world in black and white: the Wyld is good, Wyrm is evil; Shifters the are good, everyone else is evil; etc. Shifters can have have varying opinions on the Weaver during this time period; since civilization isn’t completely out of control. Pack mentality and gaining power through notoriety are also big themes. Shifters are the most battle oriented as an organization. Balancing the animal within with the human exterior is also an issue. Shifters have their own religion, and thus many characters have to deal with balancing two systems of belief (Christianity and Gaia-ism).
  • Challenges: Although the other factions can be either the city mouse or the country mouse, shifters are inherently drawn to nature (buildings are filled with Weaver and thus evil). Shifters are filled with rage, and this is a constant internal struggle, which means they tend to get hot headed toward each other and outsiders. As the largest faction and the faction with the most consistent growth, expect the internal politics to become a bigger in game issue for this faction. If you choose to play an animal-born shifter remember that you are someone who wasn't born human, and thus should have several personality quirks that will be an issue throughout the life of the character.
  • New Character Expectations: New characters are expected to listen to their elders. But at the same time, they are less likely to get punished when they make mistakes. A new character is considered a cub or pup until you prove yourself to your elders. There are many packs to join, and new packs are constantly forming and dissolving; feel free to explore your options before settling into any pack.
  • Experienced Character Expectations: Older characters need to know the litany of your faction down pat (it doesn't hurt to know the werewolves as well, for safety reasons). Expect mistakes to be punished severely, and have stories of your renown to prove your rank. Your character may be looked upon for several responsibilities such as taking care of the caern or training cubs, people will be suspicious if you have a “lone wolf” mentality.
  • Sub-Factions: Garou (Tribes: Black Furies, Bone Gnawers, Children of Gaia, Fenrir, Fianna, Red Talons, Shadow Lords, Silent Striders, Silver Fangs, Warders of Man), Ratkin, Corax, Bastet (Tribes: Bagheera, Bubasti, Swara) , Ananasi, Gurahl


Vampires: The Movers and the Shakers

  • Internal Politics: Politics is the name of the game for most vampires. In the game of chess call 'unlife' you are either the player or the pawn, and if you aren't sure, your the pawn. In a more urban environment, they would be at each others throats, but in Ushaw Moor, they must deal with a vast variety of very dangerous threats from without, so the vampires tend to not squabble openly amongst themselves for the sake of survival.
  • External Politics: Non-Vampires do not get to play the game, they are most assuredly the pieces. You can count that a vampire has carefully considered all options before seeking outsider assistance; and when they do they generally have a plan B. They are one of the 'kinder' factions to humans, needing them for food and finding them safer to manipulate. Shifters pose a serious threat (in the past they nearly extincted the faction) and Wraith vary from helpful to dangerously annoying at an almost whimsical pace.
  • Themes: Vampires have a "beast" and a "road," or an internal struggle and and external struggle. Vampires generation and station in the "court" become an important part of the politics.
  • Challenges: Vampires have several weaknesses that are faction based(sun exposure) and sub-faction based. Of all of the factions, Vampires are considered the most "evil" by other factions. Vampires, especially young ones, are still mortal at heart, and have trouble balancing their faith with their curse, and have to deal with their fading touch with humanity. Vampires, like humans, do not naturally have the ability to go into the other realm (Shadowlands or umbra depending on who you ask).
  • New character expectations: New vampires are certainly expected to listen to their elders, and to follow the few laws (Traditions) that Vampires have to the letter. Young vampires are more likely to explore different roads or life styles before settling into one. There is plenty of room for young vampires in the politics of Ushaw Moor. If this interests you and you are inexperienced it can behove you can learn politics one of two ways: trial and error or develop a mentor/student relationship with an experienced vampire.
  • Experienced character expectations: Older vampires need to understand the faction politics better than the younger ones. Although an older character can expect to be treated with more respect than a younger one, be prepared to defend your clout through cunning and strength if you start shoving your weight around.
  • Subfactions: Assamite, Brujah, Cappadocian, Giovanni, Followers of Set, Gangrel, Lasombra, Kiasyd, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Ravnos, Slaubri, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimisce, Ventrue


Wraiths: The Fighters of Oblivion

  • Internal Politics: Politics are intense in the capital of the Wraith, Stygia. Out on the frontier, however, Wraiths have to contend with the internal struggle with their destructive personality known as their shadow. Wraith need to remain diligent and wary of other Wraiths and watch for when personalities gravitate toward their Shadows. There are also constant bombardment from Oblivion in the form of Specters. Many wraith will set aside their political differences to face of the threat of Oblivion.
  • External Politics: Wraiths as a faction try to be neutral in Ushaw Moor, but are meddlers by their very nature (they depend on their ties to the physical realm to keep them whole). Also, several of the wraith are dead characters from one of the other factions (dead shifters, humans or vampires), and will have ties to that faction even after death. For these reasons the way a Wraith treats members of other factions is on a personal basis.
  • Themes: A Wraith’s struggle with the void is both an internal an external struggle. A wraith must maintain an attachment to the living realm as a means for survival, but as time continues and their ties are resolved, feel the desire of moving on (to Oblivion, Stygia, or peace depending on who you ask). Older wraiths will be concerned with status and the state of the empire, younger wraiths have a much more difficult struggle with their loss, their shadow, and their ties to the realm.
  • Challenges: Wraiths are tied to the Shadowlands, and require powers to be able to interact or enter into the physical realm. Wraiths spend most if not all of their time in the umbra. Characters will have to smoothly transition between their normal personality and their Shadow personality. (think the scenes when Green Goblin and Golem talk to there reflections in Spiderman and Lord of the Rings. Now imagine that taking place inside you all the time). This internal evil is a complicated one that is the crux of playing Wraith.
  • New character expectations: New characters should have a 'Reaper' or mentor character. If a character doesn’t have a Reaper before game, then they should consider a couple of options. Either come into game Cauled (a big, but interesting risk, in which someone will take your character on as a Reaper) or they should have an explanation for why they are not with their Reaper.
  • Experienced character expectations: Experienced characters should be very mindful of the guild wars occurring near the centre of the empire and should come to game with a certain amount of factionalism. If you've been a wraith long then you should have long, complicated ties to your fetters to explain your being outside of Stygia. Ranking is granted by the Emperor, so don't expect to start the game with any nobility.

Subfactions: There are two categories of sub-factions, Legions and Guilds

  • Legions: The Emerald Legion, The Legion of Fate, The Legion of the Grim, The Iron Legion, the Legion of Paupers, The Penitent Legion, The Silent Legion, The Skeletal Legion
  • Guilds: Artificers, Chanteurs, Harbingers, Haunters, Masquers, Monitors, Oracles, Pardoners, Proctors, Proctors, Puppeteers, Sandmen, Spooks, Usurers