Page 263 - Hunter - The Vigil

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C CHAPTER FIVE: STORYTELLING
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other: while some games may lean toward something more sive to one another: the beginning of a story can make use of
gut wrenching than mind-boggling (or vice versa), both ele- one, some, or all of them in a single inciting incident.
ments can become tiring over time. Balancing the two moods
against one another creates for a vivid, driving story. Loss
Characters with nothing to lose are boring. They’re
shallow, they’re difficult to interact with, and even harder

A Candle is Lit to write into a chronicle. Even when such clichéd characters
feature in movies and novels, the journey of the story always
Running a Hunter: the Vigil chronicle can be a momen- gives them something to lose and something they wish to

tous task. Sure, it’s just a game, but many Storytellers find a hold onto: love, friendship, money, power, sex, whatever. Ev-
troupe has more fun after a good degree of planning and plot erybody wants something. And everybody fears either losing
consideration takes place. What is there to plan? What needs that something or never getting to have it in the fi rst place.
considering? In the opening encounters with the supernatural, it needs
As much as or as little as a Storyteller wishes, of course. to be clear to the characters that they are dealing with forces that
But here are a few core aspects to muse upon while you shape can do serious harm. Joining the Vigil is giving your life over to
your chronicle. an existence where every hunter endures constant danger (and
note that danger to one’s physical self is only part of — and, in
The Inciting Incident
many ways, the least of — a hunter’s worries). In that respect, a
In novels and movies, an inciting incident is the event
confrontation with the unknown not only needs to be horrifi c,
within a beginning chapter or scene where the mood, pace
but it must also threaten some aspect of the characters. In short,
and plot is set for the rest of the piece. The exposition is done,
horrors of the World of Darkness need to demonstrate how char-
and the flesh is peeled back to reveal the meat of the matter.

acters will or could lose that which they most treasure.
In hunter terms, the scales of the real world are pulled away
Loss, or the threat of loss, urges the Vigil forward. A
from the characters’ eyes, and they stand witnessing a horrific

lonely woman loses her father to something that preys on
and mysterious truth.
him at the old folks’ home, and that stirs her to action. A
A first encounter with the supernatural needs to be excit-

banker logs on to his account to find that something has

ing and interesting. First impressions count. Tailoring an en-
drained his substantial offshore funds and has left him an
counter to individual characters and backgrounds is something
email attachment of a strange occult sigil, which drives him
good Storytellers will often do, and here that goes double. But
to pursue that which he has lost. A college student finds that

beyond that, remember this is the first session of a larger story
something masquerading as him has made a butchery of his

or chronicle. The first chapter of a story and the first act of a

life, and as a result, he’s lost his friends and maybe even failed
play don’t set out to blow their plotline load so nothing else
an important exam — he must try to reclaim what this mimic
lives up to it — they seek to latch on to the audience with some
stole from him (and then fi nd the mimic and…deal with it).
engaging hooks and set the scene for more to come. Mystery
Loss can affect the creatures of the World of Darkness,
and horror, working in tandem to grab the player by the lapels
too, and this can hook a hunter character. It’s a decent method
and force him to stir his character to action.
of hammering home the human facets of a monster (if, indeed,
Plan these scenes with an eye for how characters might
they even have any): if the characters see clearly that the crea-
react, even if you know as a veteran Storyteller that players
ture has just lost something (a werewolf howling a dirge to his
may just take route A, while you diligently planned for paths
fallen mates or a sorcerer having lost his family to a deal with
X, Y and Z. Here are some aspects to keep in mind as you
a demon), it might bring them into the Vigil a different way,
shape and run these moments. These aspects are not exclu-
from an angle of both curiosity and compassion.
Revenge
ALL SCENES?
The need for vengeance is a common motivation
This advice given here is targeted for the for hunters to take up the Vigil. People suffer great
characters’ fi rst scenes with supernatural wrongs at the hands of monsters and, mixed with a
creatures, but it’s worth bearing in mind little fear of the unknown, you have a potent recipe
that these pointers will work equally in for hatred. Families killed. Lives shattered. Hunters
most other scenes as well. rise up out of the ashes with an eye to payback.
At the core of these aspects are the For Storytellers, this is pure gold. Truly memo-
considerations Storytellers would do well rable encounters (especially in the initial scenes) can
to make when planning any interactions provide enemies that players just love to hate, and
between the hunters and the chronicle’s that their characters love to hunt. Being mindful of
antagonists, so feel free to come back frustrating players with repeated failures aside, a re-
to these tips when planning out several curring archenemy who always displays a thematic
scenes. Don’t see them as bound entirely to or atmospheric new power can become an exciting
the prologue. nemesis (and, of course, in game terms, someone the
characters will grow ever keener to hunt).
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