Shrouded Isle

DOWNTIMES

# of DT actions = Resolve, that’s it. No Resolve +1, just unmodified Resolve.

• Downtimes refresh on the 1^st and the 15^th of each month.

Events that don’t require Resolve based DT actions:

• The first XP expenditure for the downtime period. An XP expenditure is considered the purchase of a discrete item on the character sheet (e.g. a new dot in a Skill or Attribute, a single Retainer (regardless of dot level), a new dot of Contacts, a new simple Merit, a restored dot of Willpower or Humanity, a new level in a Discipline, a new level of Renown, etc.).
• Soft RP with PCs or NPCs which has a relatively insignificant in-game effect (e.g. conversations on mailing lists, planning sessions, interviewing an NPC, etc.).
• Routine maintenance of equipment & supplies (as supported by Merits).
• Other actions of relatively insignificant in-game effect (e.g. maintaining Retainers, etc.)

Events that do require Resolve based DT actions:

• All XP expenditures beyond the first for the downtime period.
• Anything that directly impacts another character (e.g., training, spying, undermining, etc.).
• Obtaining things via illegal means (e.g., theft, etc.).
• Developing a new Devotion, Out-of-Clan Discipline, or Covenant Specific Power. Training to learn a new trait, or to improve an existing one. (The first trait trained per downtime interval is free and does not cost an action. At the Storyteller’s discretion, each additional trait trained in a single interval may cost an action. This requirement reflects how demanding it is to train so many traits at one time.)
• Anything else that is of substantial in-game effect.
• An action that serves to influence a plot or build up a character in a mechanical way should have a cost. If it’s simply done for a player’s entertainment without immediate relevance to the story, it’s much less likely to have a cost, though don’t let players abuse this privilege.
• Researching an important piece of information
• Maintaining a semblance of normality at a regular job/school after a brief time of extreme stress. (Failure to do so may result in being fired/expelled, followed by loss of Merits such as Resources.)
• Creating a work of art — music, prose, sculpture
• Conducting serious business/professional negotiations or demands
• Performing investigative legwork such as a background check or minor surveillance
• Taking a trip to a relatively distant location with significance to the plot
• Building or repairing an important piece of equipment. This does not include routine maintenance work, which is considered a free action.
• Running laboratory tests on materials with story significance
• Getting in touch with a Contact for information relevant to a current plotline
• Scavenging for the bare necessities if a character has no ready income or other means of basic support. (Characters who have to plot and fight for every meal and place to stay have much less time to devote to other activities.) Note that this does not necessarily apply to a character with no Resources Merit, as even without that trait characters are normally assumed to have a job that covers their necessary expenses. Rather, only characters who are explictly designed as homeless or reduced to a similar existence below this minimum level need to worry about this sort of action.

(Note that the ST has significant discretion regarding what comprises significant vs insignificant in-game effect. Please refer to MET pp 172-173 for more detailed guidelines.)

Common-sense should be used in determining what comprises a discrete item, especially with regard to graduated Merits (e.g., it may make sense to allow more than one dot of a particular Haven factor as a discrete item, as it may represent investment in a large house or an advanced security system or such; multiple dots in Contacts, on the other hand, represent carefully established connections in a number of different organizations and should probably be considered separate distinct items in most cases).

Example of Downtimes

Sept 02 – Sept 15, 2010

Hello my wonderful and amazing Storyteller,

                Here is what I plan to work on over the next little while, let me know if you have any questions or information that you would like to go over.

1DT – Scourge Duties

·         calling up my contacts, checking the harbours, wandering town checking for new kindred

1DT – Developing Ritual

·         researching details, checking alignment of stars and location, contemplating on sacrifice of lawyer for karmic good luck.

0DT – Networking with out of town Covenant Members

·         responding to series of emails and phone calls from members outside the city, online meetings about future plans, etc.

1DT – Discipline Training

·         Concentrating really hard and hoping someday I’ll spontaneously develop Queitus (yes Requiem doesn’t have this Discipline....yet)

1DT – Buying up property

·         Going to find a realitor and start looking for undeveloped property in the “blah” section of town. I plan on using my Underworld contacts to get me a fake identity to buy it under, and my Legal contacts to handle the negotiations for a price, while this is all going on I’m going to put my resources this month into savings so as to build the capital for the down payment.

Retainer :  Alejandro (Personal Assistant)

·         Researching the top of the line fashions and then going to go out and buy me a selection of pants, really tight pants.

Retainer: Link (Robotic Flying Monkey)

·         Guard over the house and prevent any break and enters. Will set off the alarm and attempt to detain and capture that intruder.

Learning New Things:

Skill Specialty – May Require Approval for Specific Specializations

Other Disciplines or Coils – Requires Mentor, Trainer or Library available to character

Theban Sorcery or Crúac Ritual – Requires Mentor, Trainer or Library available to character

Merits – May possibly need trainer

Blood Potency – Based on role playing actions

Humanity – Based on roleplaying

Willpower – Based on roleplaying