[OWBN-Council] [Proposal][Bylaw Revision][Autopass] Clan Friendship: Ventrue

[Proposal][Bylaw Revision][Autopass] Clan Friendship: Ventrue

This proposal is made in accordance with the Coordinator Bylaws, section 3.C. (Subsection iii.):

3. Coordinator Duties

C. Genre Coordinators

iii. Genre Coordinators must pass before Council any plot, R&U bylaw revision, R&U named characters, Coordinator-NPC Character Resurrections, territory requests, in character enforced policy, or in character binding edict they wish to use which they can reasonably expect to affect multiple chronicles and these proposals follow the Autopass Vote Procedure.

Proposal

I, Sarah Murphy, hereby propose that the merit, Clan Friendship: Ventrue be further regulated from Coordinator Notify to  Coordinator Approval for PCs. (Still only Notify for NPCs).  Further regulating the merit would reflect the narrative and roleplaying guides in the 2016 Clan Prestige & Dignitas Packet.

Bylaws Before:

m. Vampire Controlled Items

  v. Merits and Flaws

    8. Clan Friendship - PC: Coordinator Notify - NPC: Coordinator Notify - Coordinator: Varies;    

    appropriate genre Coordinator(s)

Excluding Ravnos, Brujah, Malkavian, Assamite, and Giovanni, as they are a higher Rarity

Bylaws After:

m. Vampire Controlled Items

  v. Merits and Flaws

    8. Clan Friendship - PC: Coordinator Notify - NPC: Coordinator Notify - Coordinator: Varies;    

    appropriate genre Coordinator(s)

Excluding Ravnos, Brujah, Malkavian, Assamite, Ventrue, and Giovanni, as they are a higher Rarity

66. Clan Friendship: Ventrue - PC: Coordinator Approval - NPC: Coordinator Notify - Coordinator: Ventrue

Legacy - None

FAQ

1. Why is this necessary?

Clan Ventrue has a very specific procedure for approving Clan Friendship IC, as laid out in the 2016 Ventrue Clan Prestige and Dignitas Packet (See below).  At the moment, under the general Clan Friendship bylaws, this office has no ability to approve or deny the Merit based on whether these procedures have been followed or not.  This change will allow the office to review each case and be certain Ventrue genre is being followed.

2. What does the current Ventrue packet say about how the merit is handled?

CLAN FRIENDSHIP: VENTRUE

From “Ventrue Clan Prestige (Dignitas) Guide 2016”, Page 25

The friendship of the Ventrue Clan is extremely difficult to earn, but well worth the effort. Any Ventrue may nominate a non-­Ventrue to be recognized as an ally and friend of the Clan. In order to do so, the Ventrue must introduce the proposition at a meeting of the Regional Board (all of the Ventrue in the Region). Once presented, the Ventrue discuss and vote on the proposal.

If the Vote is successful, the prospective recipient must then agree to accompany the Ventrue of the Region, by themselves and unattended, to a “secret meeting.” Should the prospective recipient refuse to go with the Ventrue to complete the ceremony, he or she will be denied the Christos just as if the vote had failed. This refusal would likely be viewed as a personal insult to the nominating Ventrue, and possibly to the other Ventrue of the region as the test itself is a final check to ensure the proposed recipient trusts the Ventrue, implicitly. Should the vote fail because the non­Ventrue has proven traitorous or dangerous to the clan, it is not unheard of for the candidate to be shuttled to the secret “ceremony,” and never come back.

Just as a Regional vote can award the Christos to a non­-Ventrue, a Regional vote of any other region of Ventrue may also remove the Christos Award. Finally, a non-­Ventrue may only ever be awarded the Christos Award once.

Presentation: Christos [Appropriate title, as specified by the chart below]; Must be Presented:

● Assamite "Christos Dolofonos" Useful Assassin [Rare]

● Brujah "Christos Efpaideftos" Useful Scholar [Uncommon]

● Caitiff No award

● Gangrel "Christos Thirion" Useful Beast

● Giovanni No award*

● Lasombra "Christos Skiazo" Useful Shadow [Very Rare]

● Malkavian "Christos Trelos" Useful Madman

● Nosferatu "Christos Lepros" Useful Leper

● Ravnos "Christos Kleptis" Useful Thief [Rare]

● Setite "Christos Ofis" Useful Serpent Devil [Uncommon]

● Toreador "Christos Triantafyllo" Useful Rose

● Tremere "Christos Magos" Useful Wizard ● Tzimisce "Christos Teras" Useful Monster [Very Rare]

*There is no Christos for the Giovanni. Those with high levels of Ventrue Lore may have heard that there was once a term: "Christos Ptoma" (Useful Corpse), but at some point during the Renaissance the term and title fell out of use. Efforts to create a new term for the Giovanni have been rebuffed by clan elders.

Nominated by: Any Ventrue

Recognized by: Voted On, Regionally; The target character will gain the Merit: Clan Friendship ­ Ventrue (3 Traits)

Requirements: The non­Ventrue character must have developed significant relationships with members of Clan Ventrue, and must be considered a loyal ally to Clan Ventrue in at least one Region. The character being considered should be willing to risk his or her life for any member of Clan Ventrue.

Restrictions: Suitable for starting PCs; May only be earned once; Purchase of the Merit: Clan Friendship (3 Traits) is regulated by: OWbN R&U Bylaws, Section 3.E.i.

Source: Ventrue Clan Prestige (Dignitas) Guide 2016, Page 25

3. Why doesn’t this proposal allow for Legacy?

Characters with previously existing Clan Friendship Ventrue can contact the office to have their merit reviewed individually.  If the procedures have been followed with appropriate documentation, then it will be approved.  To ensure equity, and that we are holding everyone to the same standards, we will need to review each case individually.  If a character’s Clan Friendship merit was accompanied by appropriate narrative and makes sense narratively, approval is highly likely.

4. Why will NPCs remain coordinator notify?

It’s likely that NPCs with this merit have it for backstory and flavor for their own local chronicles.  We believe that storytellers should have all the tools they need to tell stories for their own chronicles, and there is no need to regulate this merit out of local storyteller hands.  I am happy to cooperate with any Coordinators with NPCs with the merit, and help them to develop something cool.

5. How many PCs will this affect?

As of 7/7/25, registered on the OWBN website, there are 3 active PCs,  one dead PC, and one active  NPC.

6: Why can’t this prop wait until Chris returns?

This is a prop that Chris already had in the works, and as interim it is my responsibility to finish the projects he began.  There’s no reason to delay.