TEXT: Ah! Well a-day! What evil looks 
  Had I from old and young! 
  Instead of the cross, the Albatross 
  About my neck was hung. 
  —Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
  Written by Chuck Wendig     Developed by Eddy Webb     Edited by scribendi.com 
  Layout by Jessica Mullins     Art: Avery Butterworth, Kari Christensen, Jim Dibartolo, Matt Dixon,  
  Cyril Van Der Hagen, Travis Ingram, Becky Jollenstein, Heather Kreiter, Brian LeBlanc and 
  Cathy Wilkins
  An adventure for the Hunter: The Vigil 
  using the Storytelling Adventure System
  White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
  2075 West Park Place 
  Blvd Suite G
  Stone Mountain, GA 30087
  Mental 
  OOOOO
  Physical OOOOO
  sOcial 
  OOOOO
  stOrytelling adventure  systeM
  XP LeveL
  25-59
  SceneS
  11
  
  © 2009 CCP hf. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and one printed copy which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire and World of 
  Darkness are registered trademarks of CCP hf. All rights reserved. Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the Awakening, Promethean the Created, Changeling the Lost, Hunter the Vigil, Storytelling System and Blood Drive are trademarks of CCP hf. All 
  rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by CCP hf. CCP North America Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCP hf. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or 
  copyright concerned. This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
  Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com
  Written by Chuck Wendig     Developed by Eddy Webb     Edited by scribendi.com 
  Layout by Jessica Mullins     Art: Avery Butterworth, Kari Christensen, Jim Dibartolo, Matt Dixon,  
  Cyril Van Der Hagen, Travis Ingram, Becky Jollenstein, Heather Kreiter, Brian LeBlanc and 
  Cathy Wilkins
  Ah! Well a-day! What evil looks 
  Had I from old and young! 
  Instead of the cross, the Albatross 
  About my neck was hung. 
  —Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
  White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
  2075 West Park Place 
  Blvd Suite G
  Stone Mountain, GA 30087
  Mental 
  OOOOO
  Physical OOOOO
  sOcial 
  OOOOO
  XP level
  25-59
  scenes
  11
  stOrytelling adventure  systeM
  An adventure for the Hunter: The Vigil  
  using the Storytelling Adventure System
  
  1
  Blood Drive
  Everything is blood. The heartland gushes. Highways like arteries. The 
  map darkens with spreading red. At night, it’s all a great big bloody nowhere, 
  a yawning mouth, a hungry shadow. And you have to cross it. You have to 
  take a long midnight run down those wretched veins, those sanguine chan-
  nels. Tires splashing through the stuff. The sharks are circling. It feels like 
  a bad dream. It is a bad dream. This can’t be real. This can’t be what they 
  want you to do. Of course, you know as soon as you wake up it doesn’t 
  change anything. It doesn’t stop the fact that tomorrow night, this dream 
  you’re having right now becomes really real, and let’s face it, you’re prob-
  ably going to die out there. 
  Introduction
  For many who carry the Vigil, it’s all about putting the boot down. It’s 
  about jacking a shotgun shell into the chamber and filling a werewolf’s 
  muzzle full of silver shot. Witches can’t whisper their dark curses with 
  a collapsed trachea. A vampire won’t feed off the weak and transmit 
  their nest of infections if his body has been turned to grimy ash. Kill 
  ‘em all, let the Devil do the math. Right? If only.
  Some creatures can be redeemed. Others claim they can, but they 
  either woefully underestimate their monstrous addictions or are just 
  lying so they can avoid getting that face full of shotgun spray. What’s 
  the dividing line? How can one tell? Are those fiends that choose to 
  be what they are more or less dangerous than those who have been 
  dragged headlong into the dark night? Is a vampire worse than a witch 
  because he cannot easily turn away from his monstrous state? Is it even 
  reasonable to feel mercy for something that’s practically a disease? 
  Now, imagine being a hunter cell tasked with something that may 
  very well go against its members’ shared Vigils. Imagine being handed 
  some bloodsucker who claims he seeks redemption, and perhaps more 
  importantly, he’s got a head full of verboten information that he’s willing 
  to info-dump on anybody who will protect him and help usher him to 
  his so-called salvation. Imagine receiving orders to keep this creature 
  safe, a blood-hungry creature driven by a seething beast within, who’s 
  taken pleasure and gained life from the act of killing. Worst of all, 
  imagine that this fiend has a whole hoary host of enemies, both hunter 
  and beast, looking to make him pay for sins real and imagined. 
  Is reaching for another’s redemption worth it? Is it even possible? 
  Does the cell embrace or oppose their orders from above?
  Can a creature like this be brought to redemption, or is it all one 
  big awful lie? 
  What’s Inside
  This scenario is broken down into three sections:
  In this Introduction you’ll get the background of the story to come, the 
  full write-ups of the Storyteller characters and some other general notes. 
  The Scenes of the story are the heart of the action. Because of the 
  way in which storytelling games can flow, these scenes are modular and 
  provide you with a framework upon which you can improvise, rather 
  than locking you into rigid patterns.
  The Scene Cards at the end of the scenario are a quick-reference 
  resource for you to use as the Storyteller. If you don’t have the option 
  of printing up the entirety of Blood Drive, you can just print up the 
  scene cards instead and use those to get the overall gist of the story.
  About the Storytelling Adventure SyStem
  If this is your first Storytelling Adventure System (SAS) product, 
  you’ve chosen a fine place to start. To keep this story kit lean and 
  focused, though, we haven’t included a lot of the core premises and 
  Storyteller suggestions that are at the heart of the SAS. Whether 
  you’re a new Storyteller or an old hand, be sure to read the free 
  SAS Guide, available at the SAS website:
  www.white-wolf.com/sas
  Here are some of the features available in Blood Drive:
  • Interactive links. Clicking on anything in green will take you 
  directly to the section referenced, or to an appropriate character 
  sheet or prop. It may also take you to an external website that 
  could be useful.
  • Scenes. Clicking on a scene name in the scene flowchart or the 
  page number in the scene card will take you to the full write-up 
  of the scene.
  • Bookmarks. This PDF is fully bookmarked, so you can jump to 
  major sections at any time when the file is open.
  Treatment
  In Blood Drive, it sounds easy. It’s all about Point A to Point B. The 
  hunter cell is handed a vampire. They’re told that this bloodsucker — Dino, 
  that’s his name — really wants to change, and to prove it, he’s willing to give 
  up the goods on his vampire buddies, and maybe even spill some secrets he 
  purportedly knows about one or several hunter organizations. The only thing 
  Dino wants before he turns the vampiric equivalent of “state’s evidence” is 
  safe passage out of this city (Point A) and to another city (Point B). 
  
  2
  Blood Drive
  Seems easy enough. Dino claims he doesn’t have a lot of enemies. 
  Plus, for a fanged monstrosity, he’s actually charming — bit of a self-
  deprecating jester, doesn’t want to make enemies, just wants to “get 
  clean.” Simple. No complications. Right?
  Hardly. Dino’s got enemies, all right. Getting him through 
  America’s heartland will be a struggle against two of those enemies. 
  The first is a priest within the Malleus Maleficarum, a rogue agent 
  of the Brotherhood of St. Athanasius whose “scorched earth” 
  policy is a stone’s throw from domestic terrorism. The second is 
  Dino’s unholy progenitor, a vicious force-of-nature known only 
  as “Mother.” Plus, Dino’s not everything he claims to be. He’s 
  quite the monster himself, with a long trail of bodies left in his 
  brutal wake.
  The cell’s against the wall. They’re chased by vile shadows. They 
  have their orders: Dino wants to be saved. He wants safe passage in 
  trade for major information. And the cell is going to give it to him. 
  Can they? Will they?
  With Blood Drive, the cell is free to determine how it will 
  make it across the map, knowing full well that each shadow cast 
  across this country’s topography might as well be hidden beneath 
  a Here There Be Dragons sticker. Do they try to catch a flight? Is a 
  train the best way? Will they attempt to traverse the network of 
  midnight roads and lost highways to get Dino where he’s going? 
  Is any route safe? 
  A Chapter in Your Chronicle
  If you have a pre-existing Hunter: The Vigil game, this story can be 
  a part of that ongoing tale. The cell may very well have heard some of 
  the tales of Dino and Mother previously (it’s recommended you seed 
  your story with casual lies and truths about the two of them, while still 
  holding back some of the “big” information like Dino’s connection to 
  the string of dead blonde girls). 
  Moreover, it’s likely that the cell already has a patron. If the 
  patron is somewhat antagonistic to the characters (and therein 
  lies one of the great ironies of the hunter organizations — a cell’s 
  own organization can be both ally and enemy at the same time), 
  it’s quite possible that their organization is setting them up to 
  take a big, bloody fall on this one. If they have enemies within 
  the group, those enemies might be trying to send the characters 
  to an early grave. 
  Background and Setup
  Some pieces of information should be made available to the hunters right 
  off the bat, with no roll necessary. We’ve framed these pieces of informa-
  tion here in a “prop letter” written by whatever patron is behind the cell’s 
  activities. Feel free to print this letter out to use as an in-game artifact.
  
  3
  Blood Drive
  Backstory: Truth and Bullshit
  The Letter
  The information in that letter isn’t entirely accurate. It’s possible that 
  the patron knows it, depending on the angle you want to take. For one, it’d 
  be difficult to convince the cell to perform this task if the hunters knew 
  the truth. Two, it’s not completely impossible that someone in their patron 
  organization is setting them up, hoping the hunters will fail or perish.
  What follows is an examination of certain realities regarding Dino and how 
  the hunters can learn some of those unfortunate truths. It’s recommended, 
  however, that the cell only gets a single night to prepare for this journey. In 
  that single night, they can maybe uncover the realities behind one or two 
  of the items listed below. The other tidbits should remain concealed until 
  you choose to reveal them throughout the course of the story.
  Truth: Dino’s been in the city for 20 years.
  That’s true. Easy enough to learn — hitting the streets and poking 
  around some vampire-frequented nightclubs or checking with some 
  other hunter cells can confirm this. Success on a Manipulation + 
  Streetwise roll does the trick.
  Lie: Dino’s “young.”
  While “young” is subjective, Dino’s far from it. In fact, Dino’s over 
  120 years old. Once a bartender and compulsive gambler in rural upstate 
  Pennsylvania (real name: Dean Garrity), Dino ended up owing money 
  to a number of mine bosses, money he couldn’t pay back. A coalition 
  of these so-called “coal barons” took Dino deep into the mines, stuck 
  a pick ax in his gut and left him to die.
  And die he did, but not from the pick ax. A wretched hag from 
  deep within the bowels of those dark tunnels smelled the perfume of 
  Dino’s suffering. She pulled him deeper, fixed her mouth over his and 
  sucked the breath and the blood from his body. This creature, known 
  as “Mother,” made Dino into one of her “babies.” 
  Learning this information won’t be easy. The vampires in the city 
  know this fact, but aren’t going to be keen to share it — they think of 
  “Mother” the same way that medieval Christians may have thought 
  about the Devil (“Don’t say her name, because she can hear you”). 
  Intimidation rolls may work, though. It’s also not impossible that Dino 
  has let this information slip to one or two of his blood junkie thralls. 
  This information will likely come from Dino’s own mouth at some 
  point during the story. 
  Truth: Dino doesn’t have many friends.
  That’s true, but it’s not the whole story. Dino doesn’t have friends be-
  cause they know who he is. They know that he’s on Mother’s leash. They 
  fear her, so they fear him, so they purposefully keep him to the margins. 
  It sounds like he’s a fringe player because he’s weak. Really, though, it’s 
  because of his raw potential and his frightening progenitor. (Dino’s traits 
  are also not the traits of a novitiate to the blood. He’s quite powerful, a fact 
  that is concealed behind his sometimes self-deprecating demeanor.)
  Shaking the bushes and talking up the vampires (with Intimidation, 
  Persuasion or Socialize coming into play) can yield this information, to 
  a point. It won’t reveal that Dino is powerful himself, but will reveal 
  that he has a truly frightening “matron” figure. Vampires, though, 
  whisper about her more like she’s an urban legend, a Bloody Mary 
  figure that they’ve never seen, nor dealt with. The cell should be left 
  to wonder if she’s even real, or just a bogeyman.
  Truth: Dino knows things.
  It’s true. He’s really been a fly on the wall and can spill the details of his 
  society’s hierarchy. They’ve treated him like a diaper full of radioactive 
  garbage, so he’s more than willing to give up what he knows. He also knows 
  some choice information about one or more hunter organizations, maybe 
  the organization to which the characters belong. The problem is, the cell 
  has no way to confirm this, because Dino isn’t giving up a single nugget of 
  info until he’s safely away from the city. Once he’s away from the city, he 
  may start to drop a few meager crumbs of information when pushed.
  Lie: Dino is not a danger.
  As mentioned, Dino’s not toothless, despite what the letter would have 
  the cell believe. Asking around (Intimidation, Persuasion or Socialize) might 
  earn a quick story about Dino: “I knew a guy that figured Dino for an easy 
  mark, a weak fish, easy to step on. Wasn’t the case at all. My buddy — big 
  fucker, chest like a concrete bunker — thinks to put the hammer down on 
  Dino. He pushed too hard, I guess. My pal earned himself two broken arms 
  and a mouth full of shattered chompers. All in about five, six seconds.”
  Lie: No deeply aberrant behavior.
  Dino has a compulsion that he doesn’t like to talk about, and that 
  he keeps well hidden. He likes the blood of young blonde women. He 
  likes their blood so much that he ends up killing them every single 
  time. Everybody else, he’s good to take a taste and leave them to their 
  night. Pretty young blonde girls? Not so lucky. He can’t stop himself, 
  and he’s left a trail of over two dozen corpses. 
  
  4
  Blood Drive
  This is not information the cell can discover in a way that connects 
  to Dino, not initially. Dino’s kept this very quiet, and the other fangs 
  don’t know about it. That being said, the hunters might already know 
  about the bloodless and broken blonde hard-bodies left around town 
  over the last ten years. The police have kept this quiet lest it turn into 
  a “serial killer” nightmare, but the cell could be clued into the mystery, 
  even if only in a peripheral way.
  Dino won’t share this information willingly. Father Horan, however, will. 
  Truth: Dino wants a change of scenery/Dino wants to be re-
  deemed.
  These are both true, and maybe a protracted Wits + Empathy roll 
  over several nights (five successes on an extended roll, each roll being 
  equal to one night’s worth of monitoring Dino) could reveal this. But 
  certainly one must compare Dino’s past to his present desires, and it’s 
  easy to believe that Dino’s desire to be a “changed man,” real or false, 
  cannot beat his ever-present addictions.
  Researching “Mother”
  It’s possible that, if they hear about Dino’s matronly progenitor, the 
  hunters will hope to get some research done regarding the mysterious 
  Mother. 
  A Research roll (World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 55, though a 
  player could substitute Occult for Academics) needs five successes. 
  Because information on ancient vampires isn’t widely published, 
  however, assume that each roll is equivalent to two hours of study. 
  Success reveals a small snippet about Mother with an accompanying 
  woodcut shown in the pages of a book on demonology and spirits, of 
  all things. The snippet is:
  The demon feared one thing only, a wretched hag, a swamp 
  demoness given many-a-name by our demon captive: Lila’s maiden, 
  the Screeching Woman, Lilith, Lilitu, Ki-sikil-lil-la-ke, Lamashtu, 
  She-Who-Erases, Ardat-Lili, Arbartu, Labartu, the Lamia. Our 
  demon explained that this hoary creature was barren, her womb a 
  pocket of bone dust and dry leaves, and that her greatest desire was 
  to have children. She would seduce men, stealing their seed in that 
  dark pocket. Then she’d consume them, a spider queen eating her 
  male charge. Somehow, she’d take that seed and make her wretched 
  demon-children, her “babies,” her spawn. 
  Alternately, shaking the bushes with an Intimidation, Persuasion or 
  Socialize roll might earn the cell some information from vampires (that is, 
  if the cell is willing to deal openly with bloodsuckers). Vampires fear her. 
  Deeply. They were told about her when they were fresh from the grave, sort 
  of a “cautionary tale” whispered to unruly novitiates by their makers. “If you 
  aren’t good, Mother will come for you and make you her baby,” or “If you 
  don’t abide by my wishes, I’ll take you out into the deepest, darkest forest, 
  and it’s there I’ll leave you, painted with the blood of an infant. That calls 
  her, you know. She’ll come for you, and who can say whether she’ll claim 
  you as her own, or pick her vile teeth with your picked-over bones?” 
  The Set-Up
  Really, the story begins in the set-up. It’s where you’ll provide the narrative 
  impulse to get the game moving. Backstory is important, but don’t focus over-
  long on it — the springboard to action (and thus, player interest) starts here.
  Motivations: What’s at Stake?
  It’s important up front to establish the motivations for the characters be-
  yond merely “following orders.” What could such motivations include?
  • Reward. Characters might be plied with promises of reward. 
  A hunter’s patron organization may recognize the difficulty of this 
  assignment and offer something tangible as reward: money, an 
  Endowment, new gear, a corner office.
  • Status and Allies. Status is worth quite a bit within the compacts 
  and conspiracies, and persevering through this story is likely to earn 
  the characters a boost (perhaps even given free of charge). Characters 
  can also earn Status and Allies in non-hunter circles. Dino and his 
  new allies in Chicago might be able to throw some aid toward the cell 
  now and again. Local cops might appreciate the fact that the players 
  inadvertently solved the murders of those dead blonde girls, which 
  could earn Status in the Fraternal Order of Police.
  • Information. Dino’s offer to perform a monstrous equivalent to 
  turning state’s evidence can put some powerful information in the 
  hunters’ pockets. It’s even better if they can get Dino to spill the 
  goods before the journey ends in Chicago. Hunter is a game about 
  secrets and mystery, and Dino might have the answers to some very 
  pervasive mysteries. If this is part of an on-going Hunter chronicle, 
  we recommend you empower Dino with the ability to answer, or at 
  least partly answer, some of the story’s persistent questions. 
  
  5
  Blood Drive
  • Loyalists of Thule: Redemption is ancillary. Knowledge is 
  everything, and Dino has it (hopefully) in spades. Secret: Dino 
  can contribute to what the higher-ups in the compact call “Dracula’s 
  Directory,” a glib reference to a list of powerful vampires, their lo-
  cations and any notes about them. Dino will help fill in some very 
  important blanks.
  • Network Zero: Any challenges that come from within the 
  compact are geared toward getting the cell to put together a 
  documentary based on Dino and getting him to Chicago. Dino 
  may blanch at this initially, but he’s also narcissistic and may 
  grow to enjoy being on camera (even if his visage is distorted the 
  whole time). Secret: Dino will give the Netzo hunters information on 
  the vulnerabilities of his kind, confirming and denying what’s already 
  known, while also providing some new and as-yet-unrealized informa-
  tion — something he’s not really supposed to do, and something that 
  has eluded the Secret Frequency for a long time.
  • Null Mysteriis: Redemption is very much on the minds of the 
  Null Mysteriis, though perhaps not as expected. They see Dino as 
  being the victim of a disease, and they want to cure that disease. 
  Being in the field with a single subject for a protracted period of 
  time will provide good study. Secret: Dino will hook up the cell with 
  a supply line of illicit vampire blood for study, or whatever else they 
  want to do with it.
  • The Union: For the most part, hunters of the Union 
  are just happy to get one more vampire off the streets. Even 
  better if he can rat on his buddies. Secret: Dino knows that lo-
  cal political figures are under siege by vampiric influence — the 
  machinations of the bloodsuckers has hurt the common man for a 
  long time. Dino will give the Union the names of those vampires 
  and their human puppets.
  • Aegis Kai Doru: They could give or take redemption. Better 
  to mine Dino for the information he’s able to provide. Secret: Dino 
  knows a number of “collectors,” i.e. those vampires that are keepers of 
  strange artifacts and mystical objects. Moreover, Dino might know about 
  a secret Aegis Kai Doru prison where they keep a number of ancient 
  vampires staked so they can be occasionally tortured for information. 
  This is critical, because not all Shield and Spear hunters know about 
  this place — not even some of the conspiracy’s higher-ups. 
  • Redemption. Redemption in the World of Darkness is no easy 
  task. It’s a path of thorns, and if the hunters walk it, it’s a major 
  mark of personal pride and may allow the characters to embrace 
  Virtues instead of Vices. 
  The Patron
  The patron is any figure that provides a narrative reason for the char-
  acters to pursue this story. A patron needn’t be an individual (though 
  even a larger group is often represented by an individual — a liaison, 
  perhaps, between an organization and the hunters). 
  In this story, the compacts and conspiracies aim to have the cell protect 
  Dino in the hopes of learning the information he has to offer. Below, we 
  address one critical secret that Dino might know about the city’s vampiric 
  populace or about the hunter organizations. Feel free to pick up and use 
  one or several of these; note that this information needn’t be true for it 
  to be a compelling and interesting reward for the end of the game. In 
  addition, we provide that organization’s outlook on the entire scenario. 
  If you’re running this as a part of a larger chronicle, it’s recommended that 
  Dino’s information isn’t just what’s listed below, but also includes some info 
  pertinent to the hunters themselves — maybe they’ve long suspected a local 
  hunter as having gone to the dark side, or they wonder about a superior’s 
  intentions. Dino might have the answers to such haunting concerns.
  • Ashwood Abbey: The Abbey really isn’t in this for the 
  redemption game, and may only want Dino to turn over infor-
  mation on the local vampire structure (in Philly or Chicago) 
  so they have a greater understanding of the local “poaching” 
  grounds. Secret: Dino knows that the vamps have infiltrated the 
  highest social levels of the city’s nouveau riche. This means the 
  Abbey may have unwitting connections to such well-concealed 
  blood-suckers.
  • Long Night: The Long Night can be wholly about Dino’s re-
  demption. They’re generally easier on the souls of those creatures 
  who did not choose to be what they are, and so they might want 
  Dino saved just for the sake of saving him. (Note that “saving” 
  demands the characters actively try to convert him to their cause.) 
  Secret: Dino knows a local prominent Long Night pastor is actually a 
  blood junkie fang-lover. He doesn’t know who it is, but says they’ll be 
  marked by a brand seared into the skin at the base of the spine, a brand 
  that marks them with the Number of the Beast.
  
  6
  Blood Drive
  • Ascending Ones: Vampires represent a level of competition 
  that some in the Ascending Ones want removed. Alternately, 
  bringing Dino to Chicago may work toward diplomatic sulha, 
  as it’s quite likely some within the city want Dino gone. Dino 
  being gone might calm nerves amongst the nocturnal locally. 
  Finally, redeeming a vampire may seem a worthless notion, but 
  it is key to the transmogrifying principles of alchemy: turning 
  something base into something golden. Secret: Dino knows who 
  supplies a number of the blood-based drugs on the street, synthesized 
  from the blood of vampires. He may know about some who compete 
  with the Ascending Ones, or he may know some Ascending Ones 
  who are actually peddling that shit, against the desires of others within 
  the conspiracy.
  • Cheiron Group: Dino doesn’t make a particularly compelling 
  test subject, though his “Mother” might. Moreover, nothing wrong 
  with having a vampire spill his guts about the higher-ups in the 
  city. Cheiron can always use lists like that, whether to provide 
  targets for FPD or to gain new allies and customers. Secret: Cheiron 
  actually recruits the unmerciful hell out of vampires and their blood 
  slaves, but they keep that very, very quiet. Dino’s willing to spill that 
  fact to anybody who will listen, with names and details. Alternately, 
  he might have information relating to some of Cheiron’s competitors — 
  other pharmaceutical giants who might just have hunters and vampires 
  on the payroll.
  • Lucifuge: The hunters of the Lucifuge are very much about 
  redemption. It’s the cross they bear, so to speak. Redeeming Dino 
  is a win in their column. Secret: Dino actually believes his progenitor, 
  “Mother,” is more than just a vampire, and is perhaps demon-possessed. 
  He’ll offer some information on this front, and in addition, he can point 
  the conspiracy in the direction of those vampires that offer worship to 
  the Dukes and Duchesses of Hell, including Belial.
  • Malleus Maleficarum: The only redemption this conspiracy 
  seeks is for Dino to repent before they cut off his head and toss holy 
  water on the greasy ash-pile that was his body. That said, if Dino 
  has information, they’re willing to keep him around long enough 
  to hear it. Secret: Dino’s actually heard rumors that the very head of 
  this conspiracy is a blood-addict. Very few hunters in the conspiracy 
  know this, and such a tidbit could cause a kind of civil war within the 
  Witches’ Hammer.
  • Task Force: VALKYRIE: The VALKYRIE cell might realize 
  this is actually not an unusual mission for them: all too often, missions 
  involving vampires end up with them ignoring the bloodsuckers, or 
  even protecting them. Secret: Ironically, Dino knows that vampires have 
  infected several layers of government, including VALKYRIE itself. This 
  means a number of wealthy, ancient creatures hold the leashes of a very 
  powerful hunter organization with a mega-ton of weird firepower. 
  • Mixed Cells: Cells mixed with members of several different com-
  pacts and conspiracies work very well in this game. Why? Because 
  each organization assigns its member to not only deal with Dino, but 
  also to watch one another — in a sense, it becomes a sub rosa com-
  petition. Alternately, if you don’t want to go that competitive route, 
  assume that these individuals already know one another, and come 
  together for common purpose either without the need of a patron, 
  or by following the needs of only one member’s organization.
  • First Tier Cell: A first-tier cell has a number of reasons to get involved 
  here — first, if Dino’s local, then they may very well consider him a “local 
  interest” to which they must attend. Second, consider the possibility that 
  one of the organizations doesn’t trust the mission to one of its own cells 
  (possibly to be secret, or possibly because they’re planning on betraying the 
  first-tier cell), and will beseech the first-tier group for help. It’s up to you 
  whether or not the organization makes itself known directly (consider the 
  ramifications of one organization that masquerades as another). Third, the 
  cell might want to take on this mission knowing that Dino has informa-
  tion about one or several organizations, and in doing so, it gives the cell 
  leverage against those organizations — perhaps they bargain to become 
  members, or perhaps they use it as a stick rather than a carrot (stirring war 
  between agencies, pushing orgs off the cell’s territory, etc.). 
  CitieS of blood
  By default, the story begins in Philadelphia and ends in Chicago. 
  Both are cities that have received attention in the World of Darkness 
  (Philly being the Hunter signature city, and Chicago having its own 
  book called World of Darkness: Chicago). These locations are by 
  no means set in stone. What matters is only that you give enough 
  distance between the two cities so that Dino necessitates some 
  help getting him from Point A to Point B. Vampires have trouble 
  traveling long distances (sunlight, enemies in the heartland, travel 
  delays), but if it’s only a two- or three-hour drive, surely Dino can 
  make it on his own. Assuming several hundred (or even a couple 
  thousand) miles between origin city and destination is what 
  demands that the hunters provide assistance.
  
  7
  Blood Drive
  New Elements
  New Benediction: Scutum 
  Sancte Trinitatis
  This Benediction invokes the “Shield of the Trinity,” or the Scutum 
  Sancte Trinitatis. This Benediction is used by the righteous soldier of 
  God to protect himself against all mortal damage that might end his 
  crusade against the Devil’s army. It is, at present, a Benediction found 
  among the Athanasians. Technically, it’s possible for any hunter in 
  the Malleus Maleficarum to manifest and learn this Benediction, but 
  the Athanasians make every effort to quietly recruit, exile or destroy 
  those hunters that show the potential for it.
  To use this, the hunter must mark himself with the symbol of 
  the Shield of the Trinity, a symbol marked by four nodes (linked 
  by six lines). 
  Cost: 3 Willpower
  Action: Instant
  Dice Pool: Resolve + Benediction
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The symbol burns, searing the soldier’s flesh with 
  one point of aggravated damage.
  Failure: God will not provide the defense necessary. Surely, He has 
  His reasons?
  Success: For each success gained on the roll, the hunter has one 
  turn where he takes no damage from most bashing or lethal sources. 
  However, the hunter still takes damage from fire, disease, drugs, and 
  poison. In addition, aggravated damage still accumulates as normal.
  Exceptional Success: Successes gained are their own reward (see 
  Success, above).
  New Dread Power: 
  Corpse Door (•••••)
  Cost: 3 Willpower
  Action: Instant
  Dice Pool: Wits + Occult + Willpower (or Potency – see Night 
  Stalkers, pp. 157-158)
  Effect: The monster is able to literally “travel” long distances in 
  a very short time (one turn) by crawling out of the chest of corpses. 
  (This is, for lack of a better term, a teleportation power done up in 
  a very grisly mode.) Each success gained on this roll equals 50 square 
  miles of potential travel — the creature can’t exactly pinpoint where 
  she’ll appear, but she will appear out of the nearest possible corpse 
  to her intended destination or target victim. It takes her three full 
  turns to wriggle free from the corpse. The corpse itself needn’t be 
  dead any particular amount of time, but must have a body with the 
  torso still intact and still have some flesh (at least 25%) hanging 
  on the bones. The creature can only use Corpse Door once per 24-
  hour period.
  New Profession: Salesman
  My hand’s on the till, not the tiller. I have money. I have access to records 
  and equipment. You need all of that.
  Doesn’t matter if you’re the owner of a major appliance store 
  or if you’re just a counter jockey. Whether you go door-to-door 
  selling vacuums or are the East Coast sales rep for high-tech 
  construction equipment, the fact’s the same: you’re a merchant, 
  a salesman.
  You bring a lot of tricks to the Vigil. You have access to resources. 
  You might have a store where you can set up a sting, or can double as 
  a Safehouse. Plus, you can talk. When the shit hits the fan, you can 
  talk a vampire into giving up his fangs or a witch to knock over his 
  own black magic altar.
  Background: Social Attributes and Skills are prominent. It’s 
  good to be able to sniff out a lie or read somebody’s intent to buy. 
  Most have a Safehouse. A Resources score above two dots isn’t 
  uncommon.
  Concepts: Department store counter monkey, door-to-door sales-
  man, gun store manager, guy who could sell ice to an Eskimo, head of 
  some pyramid scheme, VP of sales for Big Pharma
  Asset Skills: Persuasion and Subterfuge
  Professional Training:
  • Counter jockey
  •• Sales manager
  ••• High commission sales rep
  •••• Regional Sales Manager
  ••••• Sam Walton
  
  8
  Blood Drive
  of finding the bright side of a bad situation. Another sees a sinister 
  edge to that smirk: teeth bared in a false face where yes, his lips might 
  be smiling, but his eyes are staring at you like you’re a hunk of bloody 
  steak on a white plate. Is he a self-deprecating rodent, or a fox in the 
  henhouse, giggling at his own cunning? 
  Storytelling Hints: He’s a funny guy. He laughs a lot, has a seemingly 
  endless locker full of jokes he can whip out, and when he’s not telling a joke 
  he “overheard” somewhere, he’s making a jab or two at himself or those 
  around him — all done like he’s just “busting your balls.” He’s happy to be 
  self-deprecating, and most times he purposefully comes across as weak — not 
  sniveling, but like some poor, plucky bastard who knows he’s beat. Except 
  it’s not true. It’s all a self-defense mechanism, and he hopes his humor and 
  seemingly low position deflates any further conflict. If it doesn’t? Dino 
  changes. Soon as he’s cornered or believes himself in genuine danger, he 
  offers only meager warning before he gets dangerous. He turns icy, grim 
  and will throw someone out a 10th-floor window without blinking. Here’s 
  one important factor, though, that may come into play from hunters with a 
  well-honed Empathy score: Dino really does want to change. It’s not a lie. 
  He hates what he’s become, he hates “Mother,” he hates what he’s done to 
  those poor girls. The only problem is that he isn’t sure if he can change.
  Mother, Ancient and  
  Wretched Hag
  Quotes: (horrific, seemingly end-
  less screech)
  The Cast
  What follows is the cast of characters critical to Blood Drive. Note 
  that one of these characters — Father Vasili Horan — is the same 
  Malleus Maleficarum hunter found on p. 303 of Hunter: The Vigil. 
  Dino, the Bloody Albatross
  Quotes: (laughing) “Whoa, 
  whoa, whoa. Settle down, sweet 
  cheeks. Lower the boom stick, 
  turn that freakin’ frown upside-
  down. I’m good to go, no harm, 
  no foul. Let’s have words like 
  peaceable people, yeah?”
  (shaking his head) “Seriously, 
  it’s like someone put a fuckin’ hex 
  on me, I swear. A bad wind’s been 
  blowing its shitty stink on me for 
  years now. But a guy makes his 
  own luck, that’s what I always 
  say. That’s why you cats are here. 
  Help me change my tune, right?”
  (threatening) “All right, I’m not playing games right now, people. You 
  take one step toward me with that stake, and I swear on all things holy that 
  I will kick a hole in your chest and eat your fucking heart.”
  Virtue: Hope. Dino’s life, and unlife beyond it, has been a parade 
  of misfortunes (many brought on by himself). And yet, he still clings 
  to the possibility that it can get better.
  Vice: Lust. Dino loves the ladies. He loves the ladies’ blood. And 
  if it’s a blonde girl, not too old, he’ll drink her until it feels like he’s 
  sucking the marrow from her bones.
  Description: Dino doesn’t seem to convey any great threat. He’s not a 
  big guy — no taller than 5’7” in thick-soled wingtips, and he’s got kind 
  of a weaselly, wormy physique (too thin, not a lot of muscle). He’s got 
  a lean, vulpine face with dark eyes set deep above sharp cheekbones. 
  Nine times out of ten, he’s smiling, too. Thing about that smile, it 
  could go either way, and different people see different things. One sees 
  a genuinely warm grin, a guy who’s got a sense of humor and is capable 
  (approaching) “Come to me, my 
  child. All of you may be my children.”
  (whispering) “No one harms my 
  babies.”
  Virtue: Faith. Mother has great 
  faith in her children, and in her 
  own ability to one day conceive. 
  Vice: Envy. Mother knows she’s 
  not human, and didn’t even begin 
  as something human (see “The Truth About Mother,” p. 9). She has 
  great envy for both human beings and other vampires — she knows 
  she’s unique, but that makes her feel only more alone.
  
  9
  Blood Drive
  Mother’s Children
  Description: At first glance, Mother’s quite beautiful. Pale, white-blonde 
  hair trailing down to the base of her spine. Eyes so green and deep you could 
  probably dive in, take a swim. Wanting lips, with tongue drifting over them. 
  Look closer, though, and a hunter will soon see what lies beneath. Mother 
  clothes herself in a diaphanous white gown (one spattered with rust-color 
  stains — the blood of her many victims), and beneath that gown lies a decom-
  posing body. Her breasts are shot through with worm tunnels, looking more 
  like ripe, rotten apples. Her belly is emaciated, striations of decay running 
  across her puckered flesh. In some spots, the skin pulls away and reveals ribs. 
  Her mouth is no better. Her lips are lush and alive, but within her maw is a 
  nest of needled teeth, each grimy with those she has consumed.
  Storytelling Hints: Mother isn’t human and never was human, which means 
  she doesn’t act human. She’s like something out of a fairy tale or underworld 
  myth: a screeching, wailing matron figure. It’s not impossible to find sympathy 
  with her, given that her deepest desire is to actually sire real, human children. 
  But it’s hard to find time for that sympathy when she’s trying to wear your guts 
  like a necklace or drag you into her world as one of her precious “babies.”
  the truth About mother
  Maybe this matters in your game, maybe it doesn’t. (It probably 
  matters more if you have and are using Vampire: The Requiem 
  in addition to Hunter: The Vigil.) But the reality is, Mother isn’t a 
  prototypical vampire. Most vampires start human, and are dragged 
  into undeath by another vampire. The cycle continues anon.
  Mother, though, began as a monster, a wretched beast living in 
  the “low places” of the world (and her memories of this place call 
  it “the Underworld,” though whether or not it was a literal realm 
  of death remains unknown). She saw humans and wanted to be like 
  them, and attempted to mate with them, time and time again. 
  It yielded little fruit, of course. But what it did do, over the course 
  of many centuries, was change her. After she’d attempt to breed 
  with her victims, she’d consume their blood, then their bones, heart 
  and brain. It’s possible that her victims’ aggregate “humanness” 
  infected her. So, instead of a human who becomes part-monster, 
  she begins a monster who becomes part-human. 
  For the most part, she “embraces” her children the same way any 
  other vampire does — she bites them, drains them of their fluids, 
  and then fills their mouth with her own black blood. Problem is, 
  for her, it doesn’t quite “take” every time. In fact, most times, 
  the result is some gibbering, murmuring monstrosity with a brain 
  given over to a combination of reptilian urges and Mommy-issues. 
  Dino’s one of the exceptions to the rule, and at present exists as 
  the only surviving “non-feral” creation of Mother’s. The rest of 
  the blood-hungry undead mutants travel with her like a pack of 
  protective hounds. 
  Virtue: Fortitude. To be fair, the Vir-
  tue of one of these creatures hardly mat-
  ters, but these survivalists are certainly 
  stoic when clinging to their base urges 
  and their Mother’s apron strings. 
  Vice: Wrath. They’re not mind-
  less, not exactly. But Mother’s feral 
  children are quick to get revenge on 
  those who might dare to hurt her.
  Description: They’re all technically 
  different (male, female, tall, thin, fat) , but 
  in the end they look similar enough that 
  it only matters when you get close: stringy, blood-caked hair, distended mouths 
  with crooked fangs, withered bodies, too-long limbs and bright yellow eyes. 
  Storytelling Hints: A certain sadness surrounds Mother’s Children: 
  their eyes are downcast, their mouths cast in a perpetual rictus of 
  screaming sorrow. They keen and wail, banshee-like, gnashing their 
  teeth and pulling at their hair. One important note, though, is that 
  they’re fiercely protective of their Mother. They never leave her side, 
  rarely able to go more than 100 yards from the ancient hag.
  Father Vasili Horan,  
  Catholic Terrorist
  Horan’s stats, background, appear-
  ance and Storytelling hints are found 
  on p. 303-304 of Hunter: The Vigil. 
  For the most part, that remains ac-
  curate for the purposes of using him 
  in this story. That said, there are a 
  few changes to bring him more in 
  line with Blood Drive.
  Horan now belongs to the Brother-
  hood of St. Athanasius, and has a cell 
  of a dozen militant Catholic soldier-
  hunters to back him up. 
  Quotes: (gibbering, moaning,  
  murmuring)
  
  10
  Blood Drive
  The Father has a history of domestic terrorism. This information won’t be 
  hard to find — it’s possible that the cell’s own patron organization can drum 
  this info up (though it may take a few hours to get back to them with the data). 
  In addition, connections to police departments or Federal agencies might 
  help. Problem is, Horan’s got a host of fake identities to keep him from legal 
  attention — if at any point the authorities do get involved, Horan’s going by 
  the name Father Michael Dunn and has the identification to back it up. 
  The most famous incident of terrorism involving Horan remains the bombing 
  of City Bus #72G. An ancient vampire met a local informant on the bus around 
  midnight. Eight innocents also rode the bus, including the driver. Seven minutes 
  past midnight, one of Horan’s own soldiers fired a rocket-propelled grenade from 
  a watertower. The rocket hit the bus’ back wheel well, igniting the gas tank. 
  What was left of the bus was little more than two gutted metal halves. 
  Horan has no direct history with Dino — his relentless pursuit of the 
  vampire is driven purely by his zealous principles. He simply cannot abide 
  anybody choosing to offer succor to a parasitic creature of Hell, and he 
  will stand in the way of anybody who chooses such a course of action.
  Whenever Horan shows up, it’s likely he has between five and seven 
  Athanasians with him (assume at least two more than the number of 
  hunters in the characters’ cell).
  Horan’s Morality remains at five dots, but only because of a shift in his Code. 
  Horan’s Intimidation score goes from three dots to five. In addition, Horan 
  possesses the new Benediction found on p. 7, “Scutum Sancte Trinitatis.”
  horAn’S Code
  Horan’s Morality has surely changed, enough to drive most 
  people off the deep end. The militant “priest” has adapted his 
  worldview to accommodate such horrors, however, resulting in a 
  modified Code. The changes are italicized.
  Morality 
  Sin
  10 
  Selfish thoughts
  9 
  Minor selfish act
  8 
  Injury to a Catholic
  7 
  Petty theft
  6 
  Grand theft
  5 
  Failure to destroy a vampire’s assets and allies
  4 
  Impassioned crime
  3 
  Possessing mercy against monsters and sinners
  2 
  Casual/callous crime
  1 
  Utter perversion, heinous act
  Horan has a -3 Social penalty when dealing with other hunters as a 
  result. Also, because of these shifts in Code, Horan has manifested Tells 
  — in particular, he has Calling Card (minor; he leaves behind the sign 
  of the cross or of his order), Overkill (minor) and Sadism (minor).
  Militant Athanasian
  Quote: (quietly) “We have only 
  two paths before us, the righteous 
  and the wicked. You cannot stride 
  both and expect to be rewarded in 
  Heaven. Will you walk the righteous 
  path with us?”
  Virtue: Faith. Curiously, Horan’s 
  soldiers have more faith in him 
  than they do in God.
  Vice: Wrath. The unjust can-
  not go unpunished. Father Horan 
  says so.
  Description: All of Father 
  Horan’s militant Athanasians 
  wear similar garb. They do not wear the vestments 
  of the holy orders because they’re not priests (though, really, 
  neither is Horan, but the soldiers don’t actually know that). They 
  do wear dark coats, dark slacks and black leather gloves. Their 
  heads are shorn. Around each neck hangs a small silver cross. 
  They all have taken on Biblical names (Jonah, Ezekiel, Sarah, 
  Matthew and so forth).
  Storytelling Hints: These hunters — and make no mistake, that’s 
  what they are — have all been brutally indoctrinated into the Broth-
  erhood of St. Athanasius. They zealously follow Father Horan’s every 
  command, and each always feels like he’s straining silently against an 
  invisible leash, praying only to be let off it so they can tear into the 
  enemies of God.
  Notes: For the Benediction Merit, choose two of the fol-
  lowing for each Athanasian: Armor of St. Martin, Fortitude of 
  St. George or Wrathful Sword of St. Michael the Archangel. 
  For Professional Training, contacts are Catholic Church, U.S. 
  Military and Military Contractors, and the third asset skill is 
  Intimidation.
  
  11
  Blood Drive
  John Henry Robard, 
  Hunter of  
  Haven House
  Quotes: (challenging)“What 
  would you do with a drug ad-
  dict? Put a bullet in his temple 
  because he cannot control his 
  desire?”
  Jerzy Novak, Head of the 
  Price-Plus Stockboys
  Quotes: “Whaddya need, boy? Ammo? 
  I got ammo. Guns? I got guns. I got stuff to 
  probably make bombs, fertilizer and what-
  ever, not that I know how to do that.”
   (peaceful smile) “Put down 
  your weapon. All of life is suffer-
  ing — why make it worse than it 
  already is?”
  (clutching a lead pipe) “I only 
  bring violence to stop violence. Don’t think because I’m a pacifist I won’t 
  break the bones in your brutal hand.”
  Virtue: Hope. John Henry clings to the hope that his approach will 
  be proven in the long run.
  Vice: Sloth. A bit of a Buddhist, John Henry favors measured inac-
  tion over rash action.
  Description: John Henry’s a big fellow — broad shoulders, a 
  couple of spare tires around his midsection, a crazy kinked-up beard 
  that seems hellbent to grow in all directions. Once an alcoholic, 
  this hunter has ruddy cheeks and a rubicund nose from broken 
  blood vessels. 
  Storytelling Hints: John Henry speaks softly, slowly and quietly. 
  But somehow, that fails to diminish the intensity of his words. He is 
  forever a challenging presence, a defiant philosopher forever playing 
  advocate of the Devil. John Henry thinks that nearly all monsters 
  should be given the benefit of the doubt and be offered a path to 
  healing and redemption. Those who stand in the way of that path 
  are obstructing a soul’s movement, and that makes John Henry very 
  angry indeed.
  “Let me tell you. I’m ready like they sing 
  in that TV sitcom, I want to move on up, 
  finally get me a piece of the pie. Hook me up, 
  man. Give me a place to land.”
  (smoking cigarette) “I know. I’m twitchy. 
  Hard not to be, man. Look at the things we 
  fight. The things we do. I mean, fuck.”
  Virtue: Charity. Admittedly, it’s easy for Jerzy to give stuff away that’s 
  not really his, but he’ll also give someone the shirt off his back.
  Vice: Envy. The whole world has it better than Jerzy, according to 
  him. He wants a taste of what everyone else can have, but he also thinks 
  he’s not really worth having it.
  Description: Jerzy’s a gangly stock-boy in a bright red Price-Plus vest 
  and corduroy slacks. His hair’s a mop, and even though he’s approach-
  ing his 30s, his face is still plagued by a minefield of acne.  
  Storytelling Hints: He’s got a lot of nervous tics. He bobs his head 
  when he talks. He picks at his teeth, his fingernails, his lip. Though he’s 
  not an addict (unless you count cigarettes), he damn sure acts like one. 
  if you hAve night StAlkerS…
  If you have Night Stalkers, Mother has a Potency of 5, Dino 
  has a Potency of 3 and the rest of Mother’s Children possess only 
  a Potency of 1. Each drinks blood, gaining Willpower through 
  the consumption of the sweet red stuff. Mother, however, can 
  also eat parts of the body and gain Willpower that way (the 
  transubstantiation of flesh as well as blood, whereas most vampires 
  can only transubstantiate blood). More information on Feeding can 
  be found on pp. 160-161 of Night Stalkers. 
  Finally, feel free to look at the new Dread Powers in Night 
  Stalkers (starting on p. 169). Mother, for instance, could very easily 
  have Beastly Command and Beastly Summons (each at three or more 
  dots). Mother’s Children probably have Enhanced Senses — able to 
  smell blood from a cut a mile away, like a shark.
  
  12
  Blood Drive
  Scenes
  In Blood Drive, the characters start at Point A, and are expected 
  to end up at Point B. The timetable for this to occur and the route 
  they take to get there aren’t nailed down — nailing them down means 
  “railroading” the players (i.e. forcing them down a certain plotted 
  path regardless of the actions of their characters), and that’s no fun 
  for them. 
  The scenes in this story don’t necessarily follow a linear path, then — 
  in fact, many scenes will be left on the cutting room floor, so to speak, 
  unable to be included because the players didn’t choose that particular 
  path for their players. And that’s okay. (In addition, it actually gives 
  this scenario a bit of replayability — different paths can result in dif-
  ferent experiences throughout the game.)
  In addition, because these scenes don’t necessarily follow a straight-
  arrow path toward the climax of the tale, the actions of the characters 
  may cause the scenes to jump around a little. The scene cards at the 
  end of this product allow you to keep this flexible and easy to manage 
  at the tableside.
  Plotting
  They say real estate is about location, location, location. Telling a 
  good story is about escalation, escalation, escalation. The tale starts off 
  innocuous enough, but swiftly swells with an intensification of threat 
  from all sides: physical, moral, spiritual, social. The characters will 
  have respite, but it shouldn’t be long-lived. If a scene seems to exist 
  without tension, feel free to mine other scenes for new ideas and ways 
  to ratchet up the conflict. Remember, in life we hope to avoid conflict, 
  but in fiction we hope to achieve it.
  Scene Flowchart
  Scene Flowchart: 
  Blood Drive
  The Albatross,  
  Hung About the Neck
  The Care and Feeding  
  of a Nocturnal Monster
  Lost Highway
  Nightmare at 
  30,000 Feet
  Midnight Train
  Meet God’s  
  Weapon
  Horan’s  
  Crusade
  Mother  
  Comes Calling
  Welcome to  
  Haven House
  Suit Up  
  at Price-Plus
  Chicago
  
  13
  Blood Drive
  13
  The Albatross,  
  Hung About the Neck
  Mental • 
  Physical – 
  sOcial • 
  Overview
  The introduction of Dean “Dino” Garrity.
  Description
  The Theater of the Living Arts in Philadelphia isn’t as hoity-toity 
  as it sounds — for the most part, it’s an eclectic, standing-room only 
  rock club. The dull thump of a kick-drum pulses from within, ac-
  companied by the cacophony of a wailing guitar. 
  The alley behind isn’t the lobby of the Waldorf-Astoria, either. Oil-
  slick puddles gather in cracked asphalt potholes. A dumpster sits nearby, 
  dented on the top like it was punched by a giant, and a distinct smell 
  of rotten curry drifts from within.
  Even at midnight, South Street is active. Somewhere, a drum circle 
  thumps its tribal beat. Someone yells at someone else. A skateboarder 
  with track marks up his arms drifts slowly past. A dog barks.
  Then: a primer-gray van screeches up to the mouth of the alley. 
  The side door slides open, and a figure is shoved out into one of the 
  aforementioned puddles, soaking his shoes and socks.
  Meet Dino. Black leather coat. Slicked-back black hair. Pair of 
  dirty cigarette-leg jeans.
  Storytelling Goals
  This is the introduction of Dino, the vampire. It can also serve as a 
  general introduction between the players’ characters if Blood Drive 
  is not part of an on-going chronicle. 
  As a Storyteller, it’s important here to set the mood with Dino. Initially, 
  he doesn’t seem threatening — he’s all smiles, he holds his hands up, he 
  plays at being cowed by the big, bad hunters. But always present should be 
  those flashes of danger: dark eyes, a sarcastic curl to a supposedly sincere 
  smirk, the glimpse of a fang. 
  Dino might enter the scene with a hood over his head and a zip-tie 
  binding his wrists, depending on who was “babysitting” him. VALKY-
  RIE probably has him all bound up. Cheiron, on the other hand, might 
  have actually treated Dino quite well. The Witches’ Hammer might 
  have left him with some bruises and cuts (that swiftly heal). 
  This is also an important point to stress this scene as a jumping-off 
  point for the rest of the adventure — and, in fact, can serve as a good mo-
  ment to flashback and handle some backstory and research. That being 
  said, don’t force the issue. Let the players set the tenor and the pace. It’s 
  okay if they dally, provided nobody’s bored. If it seems that one or two 
  characters are dominating the discourse, try to usher them along — Dino 
  can be a voice of impatience, even annoying them into action.
  Character Goals
  The cell is now in possession of their very own vampire. They have 
  their destination, and they should also be aware that they have the 
  option of two different stop-offs along the way if they so choose — a 
  “haven” for redeeming monsters in Bellwether, Pennsylvania (not far 
  from Pittsburgh, about six hours out by car), and a Price-Plus depart-
  ment store just past the Ohio border in Sullen Grove, Indiana (about 
  five or six hours from Chicago by car). 
  From here, it’s all about deciding what to do. Plane, train or auto-
  mobile? What provisions do they need? Assume they had no time to 
  plan this beforehand, and now they’re forced to deal with it while the 
  vampire is present. Which means Dino can be a voice in this, and he’ll 
  certainly try to serve his own ends with suggestions.
  Actions
  For the most part, the hunters will almost certainly be trying to 
  figure out their next step. It should seem easy — “get in a car, drive to 
  Chicago.” It won’t be, of course, because otherwise this story wouldn’t 
  exist. Otherwise, the other key action will likely be getting to know 
  Dino a little bit.
  Digging into Dino
  Dice Pool: Depends on the action — a character might try Presence 
  + Socialize for chit-chat, Manipulation + Intimidation to make threats 
  or Manipulation + Persuasion to try to weasel some information out 
  of the vampire. It’s possible that this will be contested by Dino’s own 
  Manipulation + Subterfuge, if he’s forced into telling a lie.
  
  14
  Blood Drive
  Action: Instant
  Dino’s a talker. He loves to tell jokes, bust everybody’s balls, spout 
  bullshit, tell stories. It doesn’t take much to get him to start talking, 
  but it does take a lot to get him to spill anything critical.
  Hindrances: Dino’s already been mistreated (-3)
  Help: Dino’s been treated well (+3)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: Dino convinces the character of something wildly 
  inaccurate — he spins some fanciful tale that the hunter believes hook, 
  line and sinker.
  Failure: Dino talks, but not in any meaningful way. Light chatter 
  with little substance.
  Success: Assume that for each success gained (above Dino’s roll if he 
  had one), the characters can learn one small fact about Dino they did 
  not know before. Dino won’t spill anything revelatory, but he might 
  hint at some as-yet-unknown information — his age, his origins, even 
  a tidbit about his sire or the other vampires within the city.
  Exceptional Success: The hunters learn something of significance. 
  Dino accidentally lets slip something about Mother, or perhaps gives 
  a hint of the valuable intel he knows.
  Consequences
  The characters should leave this scene with some information about 
  Dino (which may contradict what they already know), and have a plan 
  that they’re ready to put into motion.
  No matter what form of transportation the characters decide upon, 
  you should always refer to “The Care and Feeding of a Nocturnal 
  Monster” as a persistent scene.
  Trying to fly leads to “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet.” Boarding a train 
  leads to the “Midnight Train” scene. And taking a car and hitting the 
  highway leads naturally to the scene “Lost Highway.”
  
  15
  Blood Drive
  15
  The Care and 
  Feeding of a 
  Nocturnal Monster
  Mental • 
  Physical •• 
  sOcial – 
  Overview
  Vampires have certain needs. Can the hunters fulfill those needs 
  throughout this journey?
  Description
  Dino’s pale. Paler than usual. His teeth grind. Is he… pouting? 
  Every time you get close to him, he snaps, says something insulting 
  about your mother, your children, your clothes — of course, he apolo-
  gies right away, acting low as a worm, but that flash of a petulant, 
  aggressive monster is enough to convince you he’s on the edge.
  This isn’t a single scene so much as an overarching combination of 
  scenes that must be considered throughout the entire story. Vampires 
  are not human, and so they have requirements that are plainly inhu-
  man. Dino, therefore, will require:
  • Blood, nightly.
  • A safe place to slumber during the daytime hours.
  • To be kept away from fire.
  To make it worse, Dino acts a little bit like a presumptuous, spoiled 
  child. Not so much with the whining and the tantrum-having, but more in 
  the way that he expects the hunters to handle this for him. He has placed 
  himself in their “tender hands,” and so he expects them to pony up.
  Storytelling Goals
  Ultimately, while this is genuinely a practical concern for the charac-
  ters, it also reinforces an important element to this adventure: Dino is an 
  undead monster. Dino has inhuman needs. As much as the characters 
  Care and Feeding of a Nocturnal Monster
  hope to help him or keep him safe or even lead him to the sweet well-
  spring of redemption, he’s an unliving parasite who feeds off the living 
  and cannot abide something as simple and pervasive as sunlight. 
  Character Goals
  It’s up to the characters as to how they treat Dino’s abnormal (and in 
  some cases monstrous) needs. They can ignore them, though if that puts 
  him in genuine danger, they may suffer degeneration rolls at Morality 8 
  (injury to another), or much lower (Morality 3, at least) if they do so out 
  of sadistic desires. Of course, if they help him secure blood, aren’t they just 
  reinforcing what may be some kind of infernal, inhuman addition? More-
  over, the characters must address the practical concerns, noted below.
  Actions
  Below are a number of steps the hunters may take in an effort to help or 
  hinder the vampire’s “requirements.” Again, these aren’t beholden to any one 
  scene — throughout the adventure, these actions may come into play when-
  ever Dino gets hungry, is confronted by dawn’s approach or is made to deal 
  with any stimulus that could trigger his mad “fight-or-flight” blood-frenzy. 
  Feeding
  It’s a cruel reality: Dino needs blood. Worse, he won’t make this clear 
  before the journey begins — it’s something that’ll come up in the midst of 
  the trip, with him having assumed the hunters already thought about it (and 
  maybe they did). Feeding Dino demands the following considerations:
  • If you have Night Stalkers, you’ll note that three dots of the 
  Potency Merit means that Dino can theoretically hold 15 points 
  of stolen Willpower via consumed blood. He burns one point of 
  Willpower every time he awakens for the evening and can spend 
  up to two points of Willpower per turn.
  • Dino begins the story low on Willpower, with three or less points 
  in his pool. Since Willpower translates to “blood” in this system, this 
  means that Dino is low on blood and low on the transubstantiated 
  life-energy his body leeches from that stolen blood. 
  • The longer Dino goes without blood, the greater chance he has of suf-
  fering the mad frenzy that plagues some vampires. Low Willpower translates 
  to penalties on his Resolve + Composure roll to resist frenzy, starting at a 
  -1 penalty at three Willpower — as Willpower drops by one, that penalty 
  increases by one. (For more on frenzy, see “Subduing the Beast,” p. 16)
  
  16
  Blood Drive
  Care and Feeding of a Nocturnal Monster
  • Dino cannot subsist on animal’s blood, exactly. It does not sup-
  ply him with Willpower, but it can help stave off a frenzy — if he 
  drinks animal blood, he can gain +2 on the Resolve + Composure 
  roll to resist frenzy for the remainder of the scene.
  • The more Dino feeds now, the less he needs to feed later. Prob-
  lem is, feeding a lot usually means causing significant harm to the 
  subject of his feeding, as each stolen point is equivalent to one lethal 
  point of damage for the victim. Alternately, by taking only a little, 
  he does fewer points of damage but will need to feed more often.
  • Hunters may offer themselves up as Dino’s victims with no fear 
  of degeneration, but it does incur lethal damage.
  • Hunters allowing Dino to feed on another human may suffer 
  degeneration. Consider it a sin against Morality 5. If Dino kills 
  someone from this accidentally, it becomes a sin against Morality 4, 
  and if the hunters intended for someone to die this way, it becomes 
  a planned crime and a sin against Morality 3.
  Sleeping
  Sunlight burns Dino, causing him aggravated damage. (One point 
  of damage per turn of exposure, though you may follow the more 
  granular rules on p. 165 of Night Stalkers.) Even if he’s not exposed 
  to sunlight during the day, assume that Dino is dead weight during 
  daylight hours, appearing as a cold, stiff corpse for that time. Dino 
  can rouse if threatened, but doing so incurs a -5 to all rolls while 
  he’s up, and each turn necessitates he succeed on a Wits + Resolve 
  roll to keep acting. (Failure means he “goes dead” until the sun 
  goes down.)
  Somehow, Dino must be kept concealed from probing eyes and, more 
  importantly, the harsh rays of the searing sun. Hunters may keep him 
  in a box, a body bag, swaddled in a blanket in a trunk or they may 
  come up with their own wildly inventive solutions.
  Subduing the Beast
  Vampires enter a tooth-and-claw frenzy when confronted by a 
  number of negative stimuli — they run the risk of going blood-
  hungry and batshit when facing sunlight, fire, starvation, a vampire 
  far older than they, freshly spilled blood, great agony or even a 
  stinging rebuke or insult. The worse the negative stimuli, the more 
  penalties the vampire suffers on the Resolve + Composure roll to 
  resist frenzy. 
  This means that, throughout the story, the hunters may not im-
  mediately recognize how close to the edge Dino walks. This should 
  initially come out in flashes — a hunter lights a cigarette or throws 
  a cruel-but-casual insult Dino’s way, and Dino’s face changes for just 
  a moment. The tendons stand out at his neck. His tongue dances 
  over a fang. His pupils go big and wide or turn to tiny pinpricks. 
  And then it’s gone again. (Feel free to then roll Dino’s Resolve 
  + Composure behind a screen or book, so the players know that 
  something is up.) 
  If that roll fails, Dino enters a murderous fight or flight state. 
  He turns totally toward reptilian urges: eat, fuck or kill (or even 
  some combination). During this time, Dino gains +1 to any 
  Physical roll. Frenzy lasts for one full scene. Hunters will need to 
  subdue him somehow, likely necessitating a grapple (perhaps done 
  as a teamwork action). Some Tactics can apply, such as Corral, 
  Net, or Staking — however, the vampire’s erratic, violent state 
  makes such planned strategies difficult, incurring a -2 penalty to 
  all participants.
  Consequences
  To some degree, these situations are all lose-lose. Fulfilling a vam-
  pire’s needs is morally questionable, but failing to fulfill those needs 
  can cause the vampire to enter a violent rage or even get burned up 
  by the morning sun. 
  
  17
  Blood Drive
  17
  Nightmare at 
  30,000 Feet
  Mental – 
  Physical • 
  sOcial •• 
  Overview
  The hunters want to fly. Dino? Not so much.
  Description
  The hunters may come to the conclusion that the swiftest way to get to 
  Chicago is to fly. After all, it’s only an hour-and-a-half flight. Of course, 
  that doesn’t include the drive to the airport, the two hours’ worth of 
  waiting in the airport or the hour delay on the tarmac. It also doesn’t 
  figure in that each ticket is about $200, and that the hunters might have 
  criminal records, that they probably possess weapons they cannot possibly 
  take on board, and that you need official identification (driver’s license, 
  passport) to get on a plane — something that Dino doesn’t have.
  The one big thing stopping the cell from getting on a plane, 
  though, is that the very thought of flying terrifies Dino. One part 
  is just being in a big metal tube five miles up in the dark sky. The 
  second and bigger concern is that the flight will get delayed long 
  enough where he’ll be greeted by the morning sun coming through 
  the airplane windows, burning him up in the seat. If the characters 
  head to the airport:
  Dino’s starting to crack. Gone is the loose, “good times” façade. 
  His hands grip one another with white knuckles, bloodless and even 
  paler than he should be. His foot taps. A low growl comes from 
  the back of his throat. Suddenly, he blurts: “I can’t do this. I can’t 
  fuckin’ fly. No fuckin’ way. Fuck you.”
  Hunters may persist, and that’s okay. Maybe they get a fake ID for 
  Dino. It still doesn’t calm him down. Assume that during the ap-
  proximate three-hour wait to get on board the plane (two hours in the 
  airport, one hour on the tarmac), Dino suffers a cumulative -1 penalty 
  to his Resolve + Composure roll to resist frenzy for every 45 minutes. 
  By the end of the three hours, that means his penalty’s up to -4 dice. 
  When on the plane itself:
  Dino bites into his own lip. Blood runs down his chin. He 
  licks at the weak red trickle. He looks into your eyes and says, 
  “I need to get off this plane. Bad things will happen if I don’t 
  get off this plane.”
  It’s true. As soon as the plane takes off, Dino’s penalty against frenzy 
  is now -5, and he’s quite likely to enter a furious blood-lust. Even if 
  he doesn’t, he could become a “party of suspicion” to the stewardess, 
  who thinks he’s acting too weird, or perhaps like he has a disease. This 
  could force an early landing.
  Alternately, maybe the hunters hoped to stake Dino and sneak him 
  aboard the plane in the cargo hold. Problem is, airport security scans all 
  the luggage that goes on board the plane, and imagine how somebody 
  reacts when the scanner reveals a seemingly dead body concealed in 
  a crate or duffel bag?
  
  18
  Blood Drive
  Storytelling Goals
  You need to walk the line here between providing strong conflict 
  and reason not to fly without forcing the hunters off that path. If 
  the players are persistent and they’re actually putting real effort 
  into making this work, no problem. All the little conflicts leading 
  up to this point are story elements in and of themselves — with 
  Dino about to flip his shit and the potential of getting the FAA 
  or Homeland Security involved, the hunters are walking right 
  into some very interesting encounters. If they make it onto the 
  plane safe and sound and the plane takes off, assume that the 
  plane will make an early landing on the way, probably in Pitts-
  burgh. It’s likely that Dino’s behavior forces the landing. One 
  should hope, of course, that he doesn’t actually enter frenzy on 
  board the plane — a feral vampire trapped in a very small space 
  with about a hundred human passengers (i.e. “meals on legs”) is 
  a recipe for disaster.
  Character Goals
  The hunters are just trying to figure out how to get Dino on 
  board the plane safely and with some semblance of sanity. It isn’t 
  easy, and they may be dissuaded enough to try another path. 
  Actions
  This scene, with its potentially mounting conflicts, offers a lot 
  of potential actions: conjuring up fake ID for Dino, scamming 
  plane tickets, avoiding notice from Homeland Security agents or 
  air marshals and so forth. Below is the one that ends up being most 
  important, however.
  Soothing the Savage Dino
  Dice Pool: Presence + Socialize
  Action: Instant
  Every hour, Dino’s going to need to succeed on a Resolve + 
  Composure roll, lest he break into a mad, rabid frenzy. Plus, he 
  has a mounting deficit of negative dice modifiers making that 
  all the more difficult for him — he slides closer and closer to a 
  dangerous edge. 
  Hunters can attempt to mitigate this. Every time you make the roll 
  for Dino, one hunter can attempt to talk him down, calming Dino 
  through small talk and quiet reassurances. If a second hunter attempts 
  it, Dino feels like they’re ganging up on him, and any successes made 
  on his behalf are lost. (Note that this is not a contested roll, because 
  Dino isn’t necessarily aware of the attempt to calm him down, and 
  further he wants to be calmed down, but the Beast within won’t let 
  him find easy solace.)
  Hindrances: Dino’s already been pushed around (-1); Dino’s got 
  three or less Willpower points in his pool (-1); hunter also has a high 
  Intimidation Skill at four or five dots (-2 at four dots, -3 at five dots)
  Help: Hunter has facts and figures to reinforce his case (+1); hunter 
  has the Inspiring Merit (+3)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The hunter says something that only reinforces 
  Dino’s fears. Dino enters frenzy, regardless of where they are (on the 
  way to the airport, in the airport, on the plane already).
  Failure: The hunter’s words can’t dent Dino’s mounting anxieties.
  Success: The hunter is able to soothe Dino somewhat. The hunter 
  can contribute his successes on this roll to Dino’s next Resolve + 
  Composure roll as bonus dice. This bonus doesn’t carry over to every 
  such roll; only to the next one. The hunter will have to reattempt this 
  roll once every hour.
  Exceptional Success: The character strikes just the right chord, and 
  it deflates Dino’s terror entirely. Dino automatically succeeds on the 
  next Resolve + Composure roll.
  Consequences
  The consequences of this scene are far-ranging. Maybe they get on 
  a plane, maybe they don’t. Maybe Dino can be kept calm, or maybe 
  he unleashes his frenzied Beast on a crowded red-eye flight, which 
  cannot possibly end well. 
  Getting off the plane will eventually lead the cell to either “Mid-
  night Train” or “Lost Highway.” Even if they don’t, the plane will 
  eventually land, and you must then decide where the story goes 
  from there — “Meet God’s Weapon,” perhaps, or “Welcome to 
  Haven House.”
  
  19
  Blood Drive
  19
  Midnight Train
  Mental • 
  Physical • 
  sOcial – 
  Overview
  The hunters choose to board a train to Chicago.
  Description
  The lights of the city soon fade, and eventually out the windows you 
  see only darkness. Dino looks around at the sleeper car, mumbling to 
  himself. “Kind of like a tomb. A tomb on wheels,” he says. He waits, 
  licking his lips. “So, I could… I could go for a nosh, if you know 
  what I mean.” Dino offers a wan smile, one fang jutting out atop his 
  bottom lip. For added emphasis, he flicks it with a finger.
  Amtrak has two options connecting Philadelphia to Chicago. 
  The first is the Cardinal Line, which is a straight 20-25 hour shot 
  between the two cities. The second is the Capitol Line, which 
  connects Philly to Pittsburgh via an eight-hour trip, and Pittsburgh 
  to Chicago via a 12-hour trip but with a three-hour wait-time 
  between trains.
  If they choose the train route, the trains will have already left for the 
  night — next train will be the following evening, around 7:00 PM.
  They’ll have three options available to them when traveling: a 
  base coach seat for $150 per person, a “roomette” sleeper for an 
  additional $350 and a full bedroom sleeper for an additional $450. 
  The roomette is a small compartment where the seats convert to 
  small beds and can accommodate two people only. The bedroom has 
  upper and lower berth beds, and can hold up to three people. Two 
  bedrooms can be purchased together and form a “deluxe bedroom,” 
  connecting to house up to six travelers.
  Storytelling Goals
  Remember that each mode of transportation presents its own 
  challenges. Looking back to the “Care and Feeding of a Nocturnal 
  Monster” scene (p. 15), you’ll see how maintaining Dino’s monstrous 
  habits might be difficult on, say, a train. This is addressed below 
  under “Character Goals.” If you want more information on how 
  trains are laid out, tossing the term “train roomette” into a search 
  engine will yield you great results. If you want to bypass the search 
  engine, just check out Amtrak’s website (www.amtrak.com) or 
  a site called TrainWeb (www.trainweb.com). You’ll find virtual 
  tours of sleeper cars and roomettes that may help you envision the 
  setting.
  Character Goals
  Dino’s good to go with a train ride, but provisions must still be 
  made. Certainly the train is home to a big blood source, what with 
  75-100 people on board. The bigger challenge is perhaps hiding 
  Dino from the sun — the roomettes and bedrooms have a plastic 
  shade that can be pulled down, but sunlight still shines through 
  around the edges — enough to burn the day-slumbering corpse of 
  Dino the vampire.
  Actions
  The primary initial action on board a train is to prepare sleeping 
  arrangements for Dino.
  Sleeper Car Into Makeshift Coffin
  Dice Pool: Dexterity + Crafts
  Action: Extended (five successes necessary to convert a roomette, 
  eight successes to convert a full sleeper; each roll is equal to five min-
  utes’ worth of work)
  Turning a train compartment into a vampire-friendly “coffin” isn’t 
  exactly difficult, but it certainly requires some attention to detail. The 
  beds can be arranged in such a way that they fold overtop Dino. The 
  windows can be blacked out or the edges of the blinds can be covered 
  in duct tape so as to prevent sunlight from coming in. The full bedroom 
  even has a large enough baggage compartment (including a fold-open 
  bench) that could house Dino’s slumbering body.
  Hindrances: No equipment (-3)
  Help: Black paint or markers (+1), duct tape (+2)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The character breaks some part of the car — a 
  bed, a window, a chair. It’s loud enough where it draws attendants to 
  check on what’s happening.
  
  20
  Blood Drive
  Failure: The compartment resists modification — nothing seems 
  to be going right.
  Success: The compartment is modified. Dino can safely crash here 
  during the daylight hours. 
  Exceptional Success: The compartment is not only modified, 
  but done in a way that appears transparent to any who might 
  gaze into the room — it looks totally normal, but remains 
  wholly functional as both a sleeper compartment and a vam-
  pire’s “domain.”
  Consequences
  Taking a train means dealing with the hang-ups of that mode of 
  transportation: keeping Dino safe, keeping him fed, dealing with 
  delays (“cow on the tracks”) and buckling down for the long haul 
  (20+ hours). In addition, having a bloodsucker on board threatens 
  to draw attention. If Dino’s allowed free range, he might feed, get 
  into a fight or otherwise act as an agent of chaos on board. Plus, 
  train attendants might notice that the train compartment has been 
  modified — a fact that will get the characters booted off at the 
  next stop.
  It’s likely that “Meet God’s Weapon” is the next scene, but you 
  may instead decide to have the cell find their way to the “Welcome 
  to Haven House” scene, instead.
  
  21
  Blood Drive
  21
  Lost Highway
  Mental • 
  Physical •• 
  sOcial – 
  Overview
  The open road seems the best way to go — the hunters, with Dino 
  in tow, hit the highways and back roads.
  Description
  The road is long, hypnotic. The dotted lines in the center pass, 
  the only bright things in a dark and featureless night. Everything 
  else is shadow: trees like hands reaching, power lines like streaks of 
  black marker, shapes occasionally moving out of sight. Dino plants 
  his feet on the dashboard, fidgeting. He toys with the seatbelt. He 
  drums his fingers. He rolls down the window and catches a face 
  full of cold air like a desperate dog.
  The drive from Philadelphia to Chicago is approximately a 
  thirteen-hour trip, non-stop. It’ll take the characters through 
  Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Toledo, provided they take the high-
  way. If they choose a combination of backroads and more obscure 
  routes (for the purposes of hiding from cops, other hunters or 
  other monsters), then the trip takes significantly longer. Avoid-
  ing highways and avoiding toll roads bumps the trip up to about 
  twenty hours. 
  Storytelling Goals
  The highway is a great place to infuse a seemingly mundane ex-
  perience with a great flush of paranoia. Millions of people drive the 
  highway. What’s the big deal, right? Show the players why their 
  hunter characters have cause to be worried. Have someone tailgate 
  them for a long-time, invoking that sense that they’re being pursued 
  (and maybe they are). When they’re filling up at the gas station, they 
  see a black sedan circling. Maybe Dino starts to get nervous, but he 
  won’t say why. A long time at the wheel can even be cause for minor 
  hallucinations at night — did the hunter just see a strange shadow 
  loping alongside the car? Hunters have the great misfortune of know-
  ing that a whole monstrous world lurks beyond the car doors. Play 
  that up. They see weird lights in the skies — seemingly unrelated to 
  Dino, and maybe nothing at all, but it’s enough to get them worried. 
  Maybe the radio erupts in static, with a cryptic message belted out. 
  The characters are probably passing through Somebody Else’s Prob-
  lem, like they’re momentarily connecting with some other story, but 
  it’s enough to make them tense. And as they get tense, Dino reads 
  it and grows more anxious, too. And as he grows more anxious, the 
  hunters will probably do the same. Suspicion feeds off of suspicion 
  out there on the lonely road. (Alternatively, this might be a good 
  place to actually insert another story, such as The Harvesters or 
  Bad Night at Blackmoon Farm.)
  Character Goals
  It’s simple enough: drive safely, and don’t get noticed. The ques-
  tion is, do the characters drive during the night? If they leave at 
  midnight, they have about six hours until dawn. Do they hole up 
  in a motel until then, or throw Dino in the trunk and hope for 
  the best? (Dino, for the record, is opposed to that.) Do they try 
  to stop at the safehouses along the way? Bellwether, PA is about 
  six hours out of Philadelphia. Sullen Grove, IN is about six hours 
  from Bellwether. 
  Actions
  Safe Driving
  Dice Pool: Dexterity + Drive + vehicle Handling
  Action: Instant
  Somewhere along the way, road conditions are sure to cause a prob-
  lem. If it’s winter, then it’s ice. Autumn means wet leaves. Spring and 
  summer can bring slick wet roads or flood conditions. What about a 
  deer jumping out? 
  Hindrances: The more severe the road condition, the higher the 
  hindrance. Pothole (-1), wet leaves, roadkill or inclement weather 
  (-2), avoiding an animal or an oncoming accident (-3), black ice (-4), 
  flash flood conditions (-5). Also, if the character’s been driving for 
  more hours straight than his Stamina dots, he suffers an additional 
  -1 penalty.
  Help: Drive as an Asset Skill (+1); also, see sample vehicles and 
  their ratings on p. 146 of World of Darkness Rulebook.
  
  22
  Blood Drive
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The shriek of metal: a car crash. See “Crashes,” 
  p. 144, World of Darkness Rulebook.
  Failure: The car doesn’t crash, but somehow fails. It goes off-
  road. A tire bursts. The engine fails. The characters will need to 
  get the car going again, either through repairing it or getting a 
  tow truck to pull them out of a bad situation (pond, ditch, drain-
  age block). 
  Success: The driver deftly avoids 
  the danger.
  Exceptional Success: The 
  driver narrowly misses the 
  danger with alarming finesse: 
  the resultant rush of adrena-
  lin provides a Willpower 
  point to everybody in the 
  car who was awake and pay-
  ing attention. 
  Consequences
  Driving itself has no ac-
  tual consequence other than 
  getting from Point A to 
  Point B. But the highway is 
  fraught with consequence: 
  crashed cars, police pursuit, 
  falling asleep at the wheel. 
  Note that both Father 
  Horan and Mother can 
  provide unintended con-
  sequences, too. It’s likely 
  that “Meet God’s Weapon” 
  is the next scene, but you may 
  instead decide to have the cell 
  find their way to the “Welcome to 
  Haven House” scene, instead.
  PlAneS, trAinS And AutomobileS
  It’s quite possible that the hunters take several routes to their 
  destination — say, hopping on a train, getting off in Pittsburgh, 
  then nabbing a car to finish the rest of the way. In fact, the conflicts 
  brought about by external forces (Horan, Mother) might conspire 
  to push the hunters to a different path. If Horan disrupts the 
  train schedule or if Dino can’t handle the plane trip and forces 
  an emergency landing, for example, the characters will have to 
  find another way. Feel free to reuse and recycle “Nightmare at 
  30,000 Feet,” “Midnight Train” and “Lost Highway” as needed to 
  progress the story. 
  
  23
  Blood Drive
  23
  Meet God’s Weapon
  Mental – 
  Physical – 
  sOcial ••• 
  Overview
  Father Vasili Horan — a member of the Brotherhood of St. Atha-
  nasius within the Malleus Maleficarum — confronts the hunter cell 
  about the vampire they are protecting.
  Description
  Where this meeting occurs depends very much on the route the 
  hunters have taken. 
  • If the characters are flying, Horan will confront them either in 
  the airport before the flight or on the airport receiving the flight 
  (a flight that almost certainly lands prematurely). 
  • If the characters are on the train, the priest will actually board 
  the train at a later stop (on or around Pittsburgh).
  • If the characters are taking the open road, Horan will most 
  likely wait till they’ve stopped — pumping gas, getting a bite to 
  eat, grabbing a motel room, getting Dino blood.
  At any point, characters may see the following without requiring a 
  roll (as Horan is not attempting to conceal himself):
  Someone is watching you. A stern man in a priest collar stands 
  ill-concealed in the shadows, his small dark eyes following your 
  every step. He might be in his sixties or seventies, but he has that 
  military look, a hard edge suggesting he could still throw a punch or 
  manage a swift takedown. He sees that you’ve noticed him. With 
  a faint tilt of his head, he beckons.
  Horan’s approach will vary depending on the characters he’s 
  facing. If they’re Long Night or Malleus Maleficarum, he’ll appeal 
  to them first on a religious front (far more Old Testament than 
  New), and might even lie and suggest that he has new orders to 
  take over this operation. If that fails, he’ll offer a more cut-and-
  dry approach:
  “Do you know the monster you keep? Do you think him 
  harmless? Think again. You’re harboring a demon. Offering 
  safe haven to a devil, a killer, an irredeemable fiend. Don’t 
  believe me?”
  Horan slides a manila envelope across to the characters. If they open 
  it, they find:
  It’s full of crime-scene photographs, forensics data, police reports, 
  some as old as ten years. The pictures are brutal. Young girls between 
  the ages of 18 and 25, all blonde, all pretty and all very much dead. 
  Their bodies are bloodless, the skin pale and wraithlike, but that 
  doesn’t mean the images aren’t bloody. The walls. The ground. 
  Their clothing. Thick with it, sprayed and spattered in dots and 
  streaks. Home to hungry flies.
  He explains that these are Dino’s victims. He has a predilec-
  tion, a “peccadillo” for young blonde women and he can’t control 
  himself. Whether or not the characters believe him, Horan makes 
  them an offer:
  “Wash your hands of this devil. Scrape the sin from your flesh. 
  Hand him over to me. You can tell your people whatever you want. 
  Tell them I took him. Tell them Dino fled. But shed yourself of this 
  responsibility.
  “I urge you to do the right thing. More specifically, the righteous 
  thing. Dean Garrity is an unalterable monster, and those who 
  protect monsters are themselves monsters. Choose your side care-
  fully. My Vigil is to burn out the contamination of sin wherever I 
  find it. Pray I do not find it in your hearts, lest my hunt find you 
  in its crosshairs.”
  Horan gives them a time limit by when they must decide. The 
  timeframe shouldn’t give them a long period of rumination — 
  between two and six hours, probably by an easy-to-mark deadline 
  (“by morning,” for instance). The Athanasian will then leave 
  them, either retiring to a sleeper compartment in the train or 
  leaving via car. Horan will let the characters keep the envelope 
  full of evidence.
  
  24
  Blood Drive
  Storytelling Goals
  Moral dilemmas can be the cornerstone of a good Hunter: The 
  Vigil game. Hunters must forever wonder if they’re on a righteous 
  path, a sane path — is compassion better and more measurable 
  than wrathful vigor? Does selfishness trump selflessness? Can 
  monsters be saved, cured or helped? Horan is offering one such 
  dilemma in stark black and white. He claims the hunters are 
  keeping a true monster, an unrepentant killer of women. Do they 
  care? Do they agree with Horan’s estimate? What’s the right thing 
  to do here — abide by orders, help Dino or side with Horan and 
  his unswerving judgment? As Storyteller, it’s important to leave 
  this argument in the hands of the players and their characters. 
  No answer is the right answer. Disagreements with the cell here 
  are likely, and that’s good conflict. That said, if such an argument 
  threatens to destroy the cell and derail the game, feel free to voice 
  it to the players as a concern. Players sometimes like to say that 
  it’s “what my character would do,” as if they themselves do not 
  have control over an unruly persona. Gently remind them that it 
  is the players that control the characters, not the characters that 
  control the players.
  Character Goals
  Horan throws an unpleasant wrinkle into the plan. Up until this 
  point, it was easy enough to dismiss Dino as a hapless bloodsucker 
  with a car salesman smile and a locker full of bad jokes. If he really is 
  something closer to serial killer than pathetic vampire, then the hunt-
  ers have to reexamine their mission in light of this.
  Actions
  Spotting the Soldiers
  Dice Pool: Wits + Composure versus one soldier’s Dexterity + 
  Stealth
  Action: Instant and contested
  Horan’s soldiers (five to seven of them, remember) aren’t out in 
  plain sight with Horan. They’re hiding in shadows or are attempting 
  to blend in with others.
  Hindrances: Crowded area (-1 to hunters); well-lit area (-1 to 
  Athanasians)
  Help: Hunter is a Cop, Detective or Criminal used to spotting tails 
  or hidden people (+1 to hunters); hunters already think they’re being 
  followed (+1 to hunters); lots of shadows (+1 to Athanasians); lots of 
  cover (+1 to Athanasians)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The hunters totally fail to spot the soldiers. If 
  at any point the Militant Athanasians attempt a surprise attack, the 
  hunters suffer -2 to the Wits + Composure roll made to detect that 
  initial surprise.
  Failure: The hunters fail to notice Horan’s cell.
  Success: The characters pick out all members of Horan’s cell.
  Exceptional Success: The characters spot the soldiers, but can also note 
  one or two critical details about them — the bulge of a hidden weapon, 
  the way one soldier favors a bum leg, a cell phone hanging at one’s hip.
  Reading Dino
  Dice Pool: Wits + Empathy (or Wits + Subterfuge) versus Dino’s 
  Manipulation + Subterfuge
  Action: Instant and contested
  If hunters confront Dino about the dead girls, Dino will lie through 
  his pointed teeth. He doesn’t want to get caught, and more so, he 
  doesn’t really like to admit what he did whilst in the throes of his 
  Beast. So, he smiles, scoffs and tries to blow it off. 
  Hindrances: Done in a shadowy or ill-lit area where Dino is hard 
  to “read” (-2)
  Help: Characters have access to lie-detector equipment (pp. 243-245, 
  Hunter: The Vigil); Subterfuge is an Asset Skill (+2)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: Dino’s lie is perfectly sold. In fact, for the remain-
  der of the story, Dino gets +2 on any Subterfuge rolls made against 
  that character.
  Failure: Dino lies effectively. The hunter may still retain suspicion, 
  but it seems like he’s telling the truth.
  Success: The hunter sees through Dino’s deception. Further inquiry 
  (perhaps done at the hands of an Intimidation roll) will get Dino to spill 
  his guts. What Dino says is this: he did it, he killed all those women, 
  but he is repentant. He didn’t mean to do it — like an addict, his con-
  dition riles him to commit actions he doesn’t intend. His bloodlust is 
  not his own, he claims. Hunters may make another uncontested Wits 
  
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  Blood Drive
  + Subterfuge or Wits + Empathy roll to determine if 
  he’s telling the truth or not.
  Exceptional Success: Not only does the hunter 
  suss out Dino’s lie, but the hunter learns a number of 
  Dino’s tics and tells when he’s slinging bullshit. The 
  hunter gains +2 to any future rolls geared toward seeing 
  through Dino’s deceit.
  Investigating Horan
  For the most part, this shouldn’t necessarily involve 
  a roll, as the characters aren’t researching him through 
  newspapers or police records, necessarily. More likely, 
  they’re going to have to put in calls to proxies who will 
  do this for them: other hunters within their organization, 
  police contacts, government allies, journalist buddies and 
  so forth. In the hunter community, Horan’s name has 
  come up a few times, and following that trail leads to a 
  disturbing conclusion: Horan’s pretty much a monster 
  himself. To cut out a cancer, he’ll take off as many limbs 
  as he needs to. The “bus bombing” (p. 10) is just one such 
  instance, and the characters may learn of that — it’ll tell 
  them just who they’re dealing with.
  Making a Deal
  Horan is not a big fan of making deals. If the deal 
  ends with him getting Dino, he might be amenable. 
  Any other parameters fail to impress him. The hunt-
  ers could offer him the biggest, meanest vampire on 
  the block instead, and he won’t care. Sin is sin, and 
  all devils must be dealt with; on this he is resolute.
  Handing Dino Over
  Hunters may decide that Dino is genuinely a monster, and will hand 
  him over to Horan. This is fine, and doesn’t end the story. For one, 
  that act has repercussions within the cell’s patron organization (loss of 
  Status or some other measure of punishment). Two, it’s not like Dino 
  goes quietly. If he even smells that they’re thinking about handing him 
  over, he’ll find a way to flee, hurting the hunters if he has to. Three, 
  Mother is still on Dino’s trail, and it leads her to the cell. You can 
  still move onto the Mother-dominated scenes later in this adventure, 
  though obviously Dino is no longer a part of that equation.
  Consequences
  For the most part, this scene posits the question, but doesn’t yet 
  demand an answer. When an answer is made — protect Dino, hand 
  him over, attack the Athanasians, make a deal with the Athanasians 
  — then consequences come knocking. Failure to comply with Horan 
  means he considers them an enemy to righteousness, and he’ll snap 
  into “blow up a building to kill one monster” mode (i.e. the “Horan’s 
  Crusade” scene).
  
  26
  Blood Drive
  26
  Horan’s Crusade
  Mental • 
  Physical ••• 
  sOcial • 
  Overview
  Horan punishes the hunters for not handing over the vampire.
  Description
  You step out, and see a shadow dart off to your right. To your left, you catch 
  a glint of light on something — on the action of a pistol, on the glass of a scope, 
  on a dangling silver cross. The hairs on your arm and neck raise. Everything 
  snaps into hyper-focus. Are you in danger? Is this how it all ends?
  Horan and his soldiers do not necessarily attack then and there. 
  They wait until the time is right, making a move that is calculated 
  toward their advantage.
  • It’s unlikely that the hunters will be on a plane at this point, 
  but if they are, Horan will call in a false terrorist threat on that 
  plane, forcing the plane to land at an airport close to him. 
  • If the characters were on a train, Horan will do his level best to stop 
  that train. He might accomplish this by pulling the stop cord on the train 
  itself, but it’s more likely he’ll find a place down the tracks where he can 
  trigger the “trip stop,” a spring-loaded mechanism found on the tracks 
  that sends a signal to the train so it stops before it passes that marker. 
  If he does this, the train stops. If the conductor grows concerned, he 
  may usher people off the train until they can do a mechanical or track 
  inspection. (Alternately, it’s possible that everybody remains on the 
  train, and Horan and his men board it with weapons drawn, executing 
  anybody who gets in their way.) Note that when the train stops, it likely 
  does so in the middle of nowhere — deep dark forests on each side.
  • If the cell was on the road, Horan will wait till they’re on an 
  empty stretch of asphalt before forcing their car off the road. How 
  he does this depends on the situation. He may drag a tire strip 
  across the road in an effort to blow their tires, but it’s more likely 
  he’ll try to send his own pair of vehicles to either run the hunters’ 
  car off the road or simply block them ahead.
  Once he accomplishes his goals, he’ll move in for what he terms as 
  a “righteous kill.”
  Storytelling Goals
  The hunters are trapped in a situation that makes alarmingly little sense. 
  They’re protecting a monster, and find that the biggest threat to them at 
  present is from a band of hunters. This scene is about big escalation. A 
  seemingly safe (if inconvenient) trip now has the cell in the crosshairs of a 
  crusading hunter. It’s your goal to make them feel like the threat’s real.
  If combat occurs, it’s important to determine how you want this combat 
  to feel: gritty and horrific, or over-the-top action-horror? Neither is inap-
  propriate. A lot of it simply lies in description: in illustrating the characters 
  as against the wall, knees pressed into murky puddles as the bitter scent of 
  cordite hangs in the air, you’ve gone with “gritty.” If you instead describe a 
  lot of movement — bold strokes with hunters confidently wading into the 
  fray popping off rounds from smoking guns, leaping over hoods to take out 
  one of Horan’s thugs, and so forth — you’ve gone with something more 
  cinematic. Feel free to invoke rules changes, too: “gritty” might mean that 
  a weapon’s damage rating is added on top of the successes gained during 
  the attack, while “cinematic” might allow for Horan’s thugs to only have 
  four levels in their Health tracks (making for easier take-downs). 
  One other thing: describe the environment. An environment goes a long 
  way toward making an evocative combat sequence. Pick at least five environ-
  mental features that could affect the combat. A patch of ice that inhibits Speed 
  or causes negative modifiers? A rusted dumpster that can be used as cover? 
  A busy side street where characters can flee between speeding cars? If you 
  describe the environment, the players will utilize those features in regards to 
  their characters’ movements, making for a more thrilling combat scenario. 
  Character Goals
  First goal is to try not to die. Second goal is to escape Horan or end 
  his crusade prematurely by dealing directly with his attack.
  Actions
  Road Rage: Car Versus Car
  Dice Pool: Dexterity + Drive + Handling versus Dexterity + Drive 
  + Handling
  Action: Extended and contested (target number is the opposing 
  vehicle’s Structure rating; each roll is equivalent to one turn)
  
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  Blood Drive
  If on the road, Horan and his men are separated out in two white, 
  full-size SUVs (see SUV stats on p. 147, World of Darkness Rule-
  book). As the cars ram into one another, they do damage against one 
  another (ignore Durability for the purposes of this action — the cars 
  aren’t being actively destroyed). Whichever driver reaches the target 
  number equal to the Structure rating of the opposing vehicle, that 
  driver succeeds in ramming the other car off the road. The car isn’t 
  destroyed when it’s run off the road, but it will take at least five turns 
  to get it started again and may need further help (characters pushing 
  or a tow truck lifting) to get it back onto blacktop.
  Pertinent Driving rules can be found on pp. 69-70 (“Drive”) and pp. 
  141-147 (“Vehicles”) of World of Darkness Rulebook. Characters may 
  attempt to escape the pursuing vehicles and the ramming effect, and so it 
  would then be important to note the Vehicle Pursuit rules on pp. 69-70.
  Hindrances: Car has already suffered damage in the past (-2); driver is 
  already exceeding safe speeds (-2); each blown tire (-2 per tire); also, see 
  the other driving penalties under the “Safe Driving” action (p. 21).
  Help: Driver possesses Stunt Driver Merit (+1); vehicle’s Accelera-
  tion rating is three higher or more than the opposing vehicle (+2)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The driver crashes the car prematurely — see 
  “Crashes,” p. 144, World of Darkness Rulebook.
  Failure: The driver fails to make any dent against the opposing driver.
  Success: The character reaches the target number first — the op-
  posing vehicle runs off the road, into a ditch, tree, guardrail, pond or 
  other environmental feature.
  Exceptional Success: As above, and the character is gaining an 
  intuitive feel for driving this particular vehicle in stunt conditions. All 
  future Drive rolls with this vehicle only gain a +1 modifier. 
  Combat
  You’ll find some notes regarding combat under “Storytelling Goals,” above. 
  It’s quite likely that Horan and his men will concentrate their attacks on 
  Dino first and foremost, as eliminating the vampire is their topmost priority. 
  That said, it’s important to note that Dino won’t stand still for all of this. If he 
  has the opportunity, he’ll either run away or help in taking out the opposing 
  hunters. Part of this depends on how well the cell actually has treated him in 
  the past: if they’ve been relatively kind, Dino won’t abandon them. If they’ve 
  dismissed him or been outright cruel, he’s gone, fleeing for the hills.
  The Militant Athanasians see this as an “all or nothing” scenario. 
  They’ll invoke any Benedictions they possess, as will Horan. Dino, too, 
  won’t be shy about invoking any Dread Powers he possesses. Recall, 
  too, that bullets cause Dino bashing damage, not lethal damage. He 
  can heal wounds, too, by spending Willpower. Furthermore, he can 
  feed on fallen soldiers for blood to commit to further healing.
  Run and Hide
  Dice Pool: Dexterity + Stealth versus Wits + Composure
  Action: Instant and contested
  It’s night, likely. And what surrounds the setting surely isn’t a wide open 
  field — most likely, it’s a forest (if stopped on the highway or from the train) 
  or buildings in a city or town (if the characters were stopped at a gas station 
  or motel). The hunters can attempt to run and hide — this is less about 
  outpacing Horan and his militants, and more about darting in and using 
  the environment to flee under cover of night and the environment.
  Hindrances: Hunter has a Speed under 10 (-1); hunter is leaving a 
  blood trail from wounds (-2); attack occurs during the day (-3)
  Help: Hunter has a Speed of 12 or higher (+2); hunters enter a dark 
  forest to hide (+2); attack occurs at night (+3)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The hunter stumbles, falls. Not only does he make 
  noise, but he hyper-extends his knee, suffering a -1 to all Athletics 
  actions for the rest of the night.
  Failure: The hunter gains no successes or Horan’s men gain more 
  successes — the character is moving, just not quietly.
  Success: The hunter gains more successes than Horan and his men. 
  They cannot pinpoint the character’s location.
  Exceptional Success: The character has truly confounded the 
  vampire-hunters. They are not only off-the-trail, but they’re following 
  the wrong trail in the wrong direction.
  Consequences
  Characters may escape Horan, which forces him and his men to try 
  to catch up at a later time (and they’ll attempt that very thing, essen-
  tially allowing you to revisit this scene as many times as appropriate, 
  in as many locales as feels necessary). It’s possible that the characters 
  make it to “Welcome to Haven House” as a midpoint, with Horan 
  still out there as a threat. 
  
  28
  Blood Drive
  28
  Welcome to  
  Haven House
  Mental – 
  Physical – 
  sOcial ••• 
  Overview
  The hunters stop at Haven House, a safehouse in the approximate middle of 
  nowhere held by a lone hunter whose only goal is the redemption of monsters.
  Description
  Getting to Haven House necessitates a number of twists and turns 
  on back roads that get deeper and darker into a hilly forest. As the 
  characters approach, they see the following:
  Mist creeps through the trees. Gravel and dead leaves crunch beneath 
  your feet. What stands in the distance is a split-level cabin, wood wet, win-
  dows smudged, curls of slow white smoke unwinding from the chimney.
  The hunters will be greeted by John Henry Robard, the lone hunter 
  in charge of Haven House. He speaks softly, but intensely. He’ll lead 
  them inside, where the characters find:
  It’s a place much bigger on the inside than the exterior suggests. The 
  rooms are broad and spacious, the air toasty. The decorations are spare, 
  mostly old antiques like a butter churn, a wine press and an old writing 
  desk. John Henry notes that you’ll be sleeping in the basement, which rests 
  behind an old heavy walk-in freezer door repurposed for the sake of protec-
  tion. He notes, too, that Dino will be safe down there from the sun.
  Out the back window, the characters might also notice:
  Behind the cabin, you see a number of dark shapes — unmoving shad-
  ows, many crooked rows of them, with the fog winding between them. 
  “Graves,” John Henry says. “Many of those hunters who have held 
  Haven House before me, some belonging to my cell who died over the 
  years. Some, though, are those creatures who could not abide the sting of 
  redemption, destroying themselves or forcing us to destroy them. Of this, 
  I am tremendously regretful.”
  Storytelling Goals
  The hunters most likely come here for one of two reasons. The first 
  is just respite. John Henry will offer food, a bed and a seemingly safe 
  place to rest. The second is that they’re genuinely interested in Dino’s 
  redemption, and want to stop off here before taking him to Chicago 
  in an effort to actually put him on the path to liberating himself from 
  his monstrous desires — whether that means a “cure” for vampirism 
  or just a way for him to stave off the urges is probably unclear.
  No matter what the reason, though, the most important factor to 
  keep an eye on is John Henry Robard. He lets everybody get settled, 
  but he doesn’t waste time in presenting a radical front in regards to 
  the monsters. He’s somehow both quiet and aggressive in his feelings, 
  and vocalizes them in a way that is a constant challenge to what the 
  hunters likely believe — even if they believe that “some” monsters can 
  be saved, John Henry counters with, “Why can’t they all be saved?” 
  Before moving onto more danger (as in the scene “Mother Comes Call-
  ing” or by using or revisiting “Horan’s Crusade”) while the characters wait 
  at Haven House, it’s important to decide how long a respite you’re willing 
  to offer. If you have the time, it might be nice to move away from the 
  combative dilemmas and offer a subtler, more social conflict. But if you 
  don’t have a lot of time or want to preserve the frenetic energy, then don’t 
  let this scene go on long — one night, and then boom, more danger. 
  Character Goals
  First goal is likely to stay safe. Second goal is potentially helping 
  Dino on the path to redemption, a path Dino is willing to try. Thing 
  is, what if Dino wants to stay when the characters need to get him to 
  Chicago so he’ll info-dump what he knows?
  Actions
  Actions here center on dealing with John Henry and navigating the 
  road to a vampire’s redemption.
  Prying Into John Henry
  Dice Pool: Presence + Socialize minus John Henry’s Composure
  Action: Instant
  While the action itself is an instant, the conversation with John 
  Henry can go on for hours (he likes to talk). Ultimately, John Henry 
  doesn’t know how to feel about the characters. He’ll be both guarded 
  
  29
  Blood Drive
  and aggressive, but he’ll dance around exactly what he intends to 
  do, what he believes and what his story is. Assume that he can smell 
  Persuasion, Intimidation or Subterfuge attempts from a mile away; a 
  player may choose to try one of those Skills, but will suffer -3 for the 
  attempt. The only hopeful approach is using Socialize, which means 
  simply having a discussion that eventually teases John Henry out from 
  behind his guarded emotional barricade.
  Hindrances: Hunters have given off aggression (-2); hunters have 
  four or five dots of Status in one of the conspiracies (-3)
  Help: Hunter belongs to a compact (+1); hunter belongs to a first-
  tier cell (+2); hunters have already communicated with John Henry 
  in the past (+3)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The hunter ends up offending John Henry, who 
  puts his foot down and offers an ultimatum: the characters must leave 
  by morning (or evening, whichever comes first), but Dino stays.
  Failure: John Henry talks, but never drops his guard.
  Success: The character finds some common ground or rapport with 
  John Henry; he becomes less of a devil’s advocate mouthpiece and 
  instead speaks to them like a person. They can learn John Henry’s 
  story — he was an alcoholic, used to be a violent man and came to 
  the Vigil when his addiction left him in a very bad situation with some 
  hungry nocturnal predators. Initially, it was him and his cell that took 
  over Haven House’s operations from its last “keeper cell,” but over 
  the years they’ve all died — some from old age, some from trying to 
  minister redemption to creatures that reacted only with violence. He’s 
  not angry about that, though, and seems to believe that’s the cost of 
  what they do. In addition, John Henry will now teach the characters 
  things that he knows — for one, he can teach a number of Tactics 
  (“Staking,” for instance, p. 228, Hunter: The Vigil), though he won’t 
  teach any other violent Tactics.
  Exceptional Success: John Henry offers the character a permanent 
  place at Haven House, earning them a +1 to future Social rolls with 
  him. In addition, he can give the character a one-dot Relic, though 
  he’s never been an Aegis Kai Doru hunter. 
  The Redemptive Path
  This isn’t a single action so much as it is a culmination of many 
  smaller actions, most of which are story-based but not reliant upon 
  dice rolls.
  John Henry won’t wait when trying to get Dino to understand his urges 
  and resist them. Without having Dino for months, even years, he admits he 
  can’t make drastic changes, but he can help Dino “soften” his bloodthirst. 
  John Henry may take the following courses of action, demanding help from 
  the characters if they want to keep having food and a place to sleep.
  Blood of the Beast: John Henry asks the characters to go hunt for 
  animals. Anything will do, from squirrel to pheasant to a whitetail 
  buck. He also demands that they thank the animal for its sacrifice. The 
  goal here is to get Dino comfortable with (and able to get sustenance 
  from) consuming animal blood. John Henry claims that the vampire 
  can’t feed from animals not because the blood is bad, but because the 
  monster has a mental block against it, and a compulsion to only take 
  satisfaction (which is equated with sustenance) from human blood.
  Confrontation with Conflagrations: It’s bad enough that John Henry 
  has a small fire going in the fireplace that causes Dino to suffer -1 to 
  Resolve + Composure rolls, provided he doesn’t get too close. But John 
  Henry will demand far worse. He’ll ask the characters to help him make 
  a big bonfire out back, and will then have them hold Dino tight as they 
  bring him closer and closer to the fire. Dino, according to John Henry, 
  must first master his fears if he’s to master his hungers.
  Cut Above the Rest: John Henry asks one of the players to cut 
  himself and allow fresh blood to flow. Dino must resist feeding.
  Staking: If at any point Dino gets out of control, John Henry will 
  ask that they stake Dino. He’ll make clear that this doesn’t kill Dino, 
  it only paralyzes him, “like a butterfly pinned against a corkboard.” As 
  noted, John Henry can teach the Staking Tactic.
  Consequences
  Here, the consequences are moral and social. Do the characters 
  contribute enough to justify buying back some lost Morality? Healing 
  derangements? John Henry’s happy to help them come to a path of 
  redemption, too. Alternately, it’s possible they see John Henry as a 
  lunatic, and want to get away from him as fast as possible.
  Biggest thing is, if some of the redemptive techniques seem to work, 
  it’s possible that Dino discovers a real way to resist some of his baser 
  urges. It may offer him a persistent +1 to +3 on his Resolve + Com-
  posure rolls when staving off frenzy.
  From here, the respite is over and the conflict escalates to either 
  “Mother Comes Calling,” or “Horan’s Crusade” (or, if you’re a truly 
  unmerciful Storyteller, some combination of both).
  
  30
  Blood Drive
  30
  Mother  
  Comes Calling
  Mental •• 
  Physical •• 
  sOcial – 
  Overview
  Dino’s ancient matron, the inhuman creature known as “Mother,” 
  comes to reclaim her wayward child.
  Description
  It’s likely that this scene occurs while the characters are at 
  Haven House:
  You hear something out back, behind Haven House. First, it sounds 
  like earth moving. Clods of dirt falling. Then, it gets worse. You hear 
  the sound of bones cracking. Headstones thudding against hard-packed 
  soil. You look out back, and the moonlight catches it — something, no, 
  some things are moving in the graveyard. Rising from graves, sallow, 
  skinny bodies. Then you see her — beautiful at first until the wind parts 
  her filthy gown and you see the rot and putrefaction that comprises her 
  midriff. The rising corpses crawl to her on hands and knees, and that’s 
  when you hear the final sounds: their hissing, their cackling.
  Mother and her “babies” are using the Corpse Door Dread Power, 
  as found on p. 7, rising from the dead bodies that populate the Haven 
  House cemetery. 
  That is, of course, if this attack occurs at Haven House. How-
  ever, this story is engineered so that the attack from Mother and 
  Mother’s Children can come at any point. The characters might be 
  on the highway, when they’re attacked by a pack of howling half-
  formed, inhuman vampires. They might have just escaped Father 
  Horan’s reach when they exit the frying pan and dive straight into 
  the fire, stumbling right into Mother’s mad trajectory. In this case, 
  it’s unlikely that the Corpse Door Dread Power will come into 
  play, unless perhaps she rises from the dead bodies that were once 
  Horan’s own soldiers.
  You might even consider the possibility that the two attacks coin-
  cide — what happens when Horan and Mother converge upon the 
  characters around the same time? Does Horan temporarily side with 
  the hunters? Chaos surely ensues, but that might be advantageous for 
  the characters in the hopes of making a quick escape.
  Storytelling Goals
  This is a prelude to coming horror. Best thing to do here is to make 
  it clear to the players that the characters don’t have long. Don’t allow 
  the players to sit and deliberate this — time’s wasting, and Mother 
  and her Children won’t dawdle. By forcing players to act, it instills the 
  proper narrative oomph. If they fail to decide what to do, tell them that 
  means their characters can’t decide and are paralyzed with indecision, 
  suffering anywhere from -1 to -3 in penalties for the scene.
  Another thing to consider here is how much of a problem John Henry is go-
  ing to be. He might step out of the shadows, hoping to negotiate with Mother, 
  which is not an easy or wise path to take (though, not impossible, either).
  All that being said, when looking at this scene, consider two goals.
  First goal is to convey the deadliness of the scene. Mother and her 
  Children are monsters on the hunt, and do not flinch in the face of 
  whatever the hunters offer (even if what they bring to bear is truly 
  menacing). She is an ancient figure, and it’s important to put this in 
  the minds of the players. It may be worth it to speak frankly — here, 
  death is truly on the line. The hunters should not feel safe. They may 
  act boldly, but not without fear. 
  The second goal is to dangle the moral dilemma before them once 
  more. They’re protecting a monster, one that by now they probably 
  realize is a murderer of young women. Mother will allow them to hand 
  over her wayward child and she will retreat from them (ominously 
  promising a “future favor,” perhaps, which should be more frightening 
  than hopeful). Is Dino really worth protecting? Are the hunters’ own 
  lives worth forfeiting? No right or wrong choice exists. Explain that 
  to the players. No moral judgment. What would their characters do? 
  Cut a deal? Sell him out? Or stand with him till the very end?
  Finally, consider that, like with “Horan’s Crusade,” this scene isn’t 
  necessarily one-and-done. You can continue to bring it back, escalat-
  ing it each time. If the characters flee successfully, that doesn’t mean 
  Mother stops hunting — she continues her ineluctable pursuit until 
  either the hunters escape her for good, or until she gets what she wants, 
  or until she’s blasted to greasy ash. 
  
  31
  Blood Drive
  Escalation can be simply narrative — the hunters suffer wounds and 
  barely make an escape, and having her return the next night is sure to 
  push the characters (and by proxy, the players) toward the edge. But 
  you can also instill escalation with dice modifiers, too. Fatigue leads 
  to penalties. Derangements and Tells are likelier to come to the fore 
  (-1 to -3 penalty to Resolve + Composure rolls made to resist). Social 
  penalties may take a deeper hit (upwards of -5 as the characters grow 
  weary and paranoid). 
  Character Goals
  As noted above, the characters must decide immediately what to do. 
  Flee? Hide? Deal with her here and now?
  Actions
  Below are the most prominent actions characters can take during 
  this scene.
  Flee
  Dice Pool: Dexterity + Drive + Handling versus Mother’s Stamina 
  + Athletics
  Action: Extended and contested; each roll is equal to one turn’s 
  worth of action, with no set target number
  Running on foot isn’t the best way to outpace Mother, but hunters 
  are certainly welcome to try. Driving is really the only good way to try 
  to flee, which is why that roll is described here. 
  See p. 71 of World of Darkness Rulebook under the sidebar, 
  “Catching Vehicles on Foot” for information on how Mother’s inhu-
  man Speed (20) allows her to try to catch up to the moving vehicle. 
  The rules for that action are described in detail in that sidebar.
  Hindrances: Gravel drive (-1); ice (-3)
  Help: Stunt Driver Merit (+1); Drive as an Asset Skill (+1)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: Car stalls. It’ll take three turns before a character 
  can turn over the engine again.
  Failure: Mother gets more successes, and catches up to the car.
  Success: For this turn, the characters are outpacing the ancient 
  hag — successive turns can increase the penalty against her attempts, 
  as noted under the “Catching Vehicles on Foot” sidebar.
  Exceptional Success: The contest ends. Mother falters, and 
  the car lurches ahead like a kicked stallion. The hunters escape. 
  For now.
  Hide
  Dice Pool: Dexterity + Stealth versus Mother’s Wits + Investigation
  Action: Instant and contested
  The hunters attempt to hide from Mother. Part of their success 
  is going to be carried on whether or not they choose to use their 
  environment. Offer bonuses and penalties are based on where they 
  choose to hide and how well they describe it. A player who says 
  “I hide behind the curtain” may deserve a +1, but a player who 
  claims “I climb up onto the rafters, clinging to the dusty beam 
  with white-knuckled hands. My heart beats a mile a minute. I 
  have to bite my tongue not to cry out” deserves at least a +3 for 
  both an inventive place to hide and a quality description of how 
  her hunter hides.
  Dino will have a very hard time hiding from her — she can 
  smell him. He suffers -5 to any rolls attempting to conceal himself 
  from her.
  Hindrances: Player provides no details (-1); well-lit (-2); no good 
  places to hide as perhaps the hunters are out in the middle of the 
  highway (-2)
  Help: As noted above under the description.
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The hunter makes a dramatic error — 
  sucking in a breath of dust, getting tangled up in an electric 
  cord, accidentally banging her elbow. Not only does she fail to 
  hide, but rolls for the remainder of the scene are at -1 due to 
  discomfort.
  Failure: Hunter fails to hide. If Mother gets even one success, the 
  character is busted.
  Success: Mother does not notice the hunter. The hunter remains 
  well-hidden.
  Exceptional Success: The hunter is so well hidden that he learns a 
  little added something about hiding from monsters like Mother. He 
  gains an additional Practical Experience point the next time those 
  points are tallied for the cell.
  
  32
  Blood Drive
  Negotiating with the Bloody Hag
  Dice Pool: Wits + Empathy
  Action: Instant
  Why is the negotiation roll based off Empathy? Strictly speaking, 
  it’s not. Negotiating doesn’t really require a roll — for the opening 
  moments of any situation with Mother, she’s willing to hear any and 
  all deals, and may even concede to them as long as they hand Dino 
  over without complaint. The Empathy roll is for a hunter to actually 
  sense whether or not she’s serious — or will she just take Dino and 
  murder them anyway?
  Hindrances: She’s an implacable monster, hard to read (-3)
  Help: Empathy as an Asset Skill (+2)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The character gazes into her eyes, and sees only 
  horror and blood waiting in her soul. The hunter gains a mild derange-
  ment until the story’s conclusion.
  Failure: Mother is inscrutable.
  Success: The character is able to gaze deep enough to know that 
  while no mercy lives within her, she likes to play at being human. She’ll 
  abide by this negotiation, but her patience is not long-lived.
  Exceptional Success: The hunter recognizes that she’s a true monster 
  pretending to be human, and he can perhaps play on her maternal 
  instincts to get a better deal for themselves or even for Dino.
  negotiAtion: two oPtionS
  Characters can avoid combat, particularly by providing Mother 
  with one of two options:
  First, a true appeal to her Mother’s side might have the character 
  offering a genuine plea to let her “child” go into the world, like 
  a human mother would. This can’t just be a sentence, but a whole 
  impassioned speech. (A Manipulation + Expression roll might be 
  necessary.)
  Second, offering one child for another. It’s a sick bargain, but if 
  the hunters offer her another “baby” for Dino, she might accept 
  that. That means she needs one of the hunters, or one of the 
  Stockboys (or even one of Horan’s cell if the hunters can manage 
  to kidnap one of them) in exchange for Dino’s freedom. Though 
  she might ask for two lives in exchange for Dino…
  Killing Mother
  Put it on the table for the players beforehand: this is no cakewalk. 
  Mother is a powerful monster — perhaps small compared to some of 
  the World of Darkness’ more divine-like fiends, but she’s a cunning 
  vampire hag with a pack of half-formed vampire “babies” ready to gnaw 
  and slash till they’re rolling around in a pile of bones and viscera. 
  Some players have a propensity in combat situations to have their 
  characters just wade into the fray, taking a very direct route to ending 
  a monster’s existence. That might not work here, and death is very 
  much on the line for these hunters.
  As a Storyteller, it’s important to reward preparation. If the hunters 
  get to a good vantage point (like Price-Plus), feel free to provide bo-
  nuses. Let them arrange Tactics. Allow them some measure of strategy, 
  as that’s one of the strengths of hunters carrying the Vigil. 
  For the most part, Mother lets her Children do her fighting for her, 
  distracting the hunters as she wades over to Dino to “reclaim” him. 
  It is possible that, were she to get to Dino first, she might grab him 
  and simply recede into the night, leaving the hunters bloodied and 
  beaten. Or she might force Dino to bring his own monstrousness to 
  bear against the hunter cell.
  As Storyteller, you’ll have to know when enough is enough — if the 
  hunters destroy some or all of her Children, it’s possible that causes 
  in her a deeply emotional response (probably a fake one, but to her 
  it’ll be real enough), and she may actually flee or collapse upon seeing 
  most of her babies turned to chum on the floor of the Price-Plus or 
  the highway’s asphalt. 
  Consequences
  Mother isn’t a problem the hunters can ignore. The best they can do 
  by hiding or fleeing is to put her off now so they can achieve a better 
  degree of preparedness. They’ll have to handle her at some point or 
  another.
  From this point, it’s likely that the cell moves onto “Suit Up at the 
  Price-Plus,” unless they haven’t yet gotten to meet John Henry Ro-
  bard (which puts “Welcome to Haven House” on the docket). Or, if 
  Horan is still a desperate pursuer, “Horan’s Crusade” can come back 
  until he’s… handled.
  
  33
  Blood Drive
  33
  Suit Up at  
  the Price-Plus
  Mental • 
  Physical •• 
  sOcial •• 
  Overview
  Characters find temporary respite at the Price-Plus.
  Description
  The Price-Plus big box department store is a dingy version of Wal-
  Mart or Target. It’s in the middle of nowhere, miles from town. The 
  parking lot is a cracked, blasted mess. The ‘l’ in the ‘Plus’ part of the 
  sign is darkened, and so the lit moniker reads ‘Price-P us.’ 
  Inside, it isn’t much better. The 1980s linoleum is dirty and peeling. 
  The shelves are rickety. The fluorescence is too bright. It’s open 24/7, 
  and it is home to a few shoppers — an old man in a bathrobe with a cart 
  filled with total odds and ends (motor oil, spatula, children’s diapers), 
  a woman with her screaming kids who probably shouldn’t have them 
  out this late, a couple teenagers making out in the candy aisle.
  The characters will meet Jerzy Novak, the gangly, nervous hunter 
  in-charge of the “Stockboys” cell, an untrained first-tier trio, all car-
  rying their Vigil out of the Price-Plus. Jerzy might say:
  “What’s my story? I know you didn’t ask, but here it is. I got noth-
  ing. I’m a nobody. Barely had the grades to pass high school. Definitely 
  couldn’t go to college. Been working here for five years, and not long 
  after I started, I saw some shit you wouldn’t believe, hoo-boy. Regional 
  sales manager of Price-Plus was a witch. I’m serious. Had an altar and 
  everything. Not for Price-Plus or for boosting sales, but he was trying 
  to hook up with our assistant manager, Nelly, and it almost worked — 
  magic was drawing her close, moth to flame. I said fuck that and caved 
  his head in with a car jack from aisle nine. Learned a lot about the Vigil 
  in short order, boy, yikes. Thank God for the Internet. Found out how 
  to hide a body from some Union guys in Milwaukee. I’m petitioning to 
  join, to start a Union gig out here, but I haven’t heard back.”
  Storytelling Goals
  You have two ways to use this scene. First, the scene can serve as a 
  respite — a calm place between horrors. The characters come here, chill 
  for a night, stock up and wade back into the fray. The second way is to 
  bring the fight to bear here. If they escaped Mother or Horan already, 
  it’s possible that one or both forces come calling while the cell is here 
  at Price-Plus. This gives them an interesting place to hole up and have 
  a final battle with either faction — the shelves are loaded with goodies, 
  and they have help in the form of Jerzy and the other two Stockboys.
  Character Goals
  Jerzy offers them a lot of stuff for free — a place to sleep (cots in the 
  back until 8AM) and some free equipment (a gun or three, boxes of 
  ammo, food, batteries and so forth).
  Actions
  If you’re using this as a respite scene, one option is to try to recruit 
  Jerzy into a compact or conspiracy. He’s ripe for the picking.
  Converting Jerzy
  Dice Pool: Presence + Persuasion
  Action: Instant
  Jerzy wants to join something, wants to feel like a part of a larger cause. He 
  and his Stockboys want to move out of the minors. He’s got his heart set on 
  joining the Union, which causes a penalty (below) if the characters aren’t 
  actually from the Union. Otherwise, Jerzy’s an eager hand, a willing mule.
  Hindrances: Jerzy wants to join the Union (-2)
  Help: Hunter is also of Salesman Profession found on p. 7 (+1); 
  Hunters show off some cool stuff like Endowments (+2)
  Roll Results
  Dramatic Failure: The hunter says something that deeply offends 
  Jerzy. He tries to kick them out of the store.
  Failure: Jerzy’s not sold on the recruitment attempt. He’s still friendly to 
  them, but he’s got his heart set on the Union, or on remaining where he is.
  Success: He’s sold. He’ll join up. Whatever he has to do, he’ll do.
  Exceptional Success: Jerzy becomes obsessed with the idea of join-
  ing the character’s organization. He’ll throw himself into it. He’ll do 
  anything that hunter asks, no matter the personal cost.
  
  34
  Blood Drive
  The Defensible Department Store
  Ultimately, dealing with Horan and Mother is covered under other 
  scenes, but Price-Plus does make for an interesting last stand against 
  opposing forces. Here are a few considerations in mind regarding 
  character actions in the Price-Plus:
  Combat Factors
  • The characters spend a few hours with blueprints and the layout 
  of the place, aided by Jerzy. As a result, they gain +1 to Initiative 
  as long as combat occurs within the store.
  • The characters learn a lot of places to hide (behind aisles, in 
  ducts, behind a “stacked soup-can battlement”), gaining +3 to any 
  rolls made to cause surprise to enemies.
  • Place is full of improvised weapons (sledgehammers, car jacks, garden-
  ing equipment), all of which suffer the -1 improvised penalty on attacks.
  • Price-Plus has lots of cover and concealment, most of it at 
  -3 (“substantially concealed”). More on pp. 162-163 of World of 
  Darkness Rulebook. 
  • Characters can set small traps — spilling floor wax on the floor 
  can cause -3 to an attacker’s roll as they slip on it (maybe even ne-
  cessitating a Stamina + Athletics roll to remain upright), pushing 
  a shelf over on a foe can cause high bashing damage, rigging a floor 
  outlet to a puddle of water can make for an electrocution surprise 
  (“Electrocution” on pp. 177-178, World of Darkness Rulebook).
  Stock Up
  Lots of weapons are to be had at the Price-Plus. No handguns, but 
  a good assortment of shotguns and rifles, as well as knives, telescop-
  ing batons, bows, crossbows, paintball guns, pellet rifles and the like. 
  See the equipment list in Hunter: The Vigil (starting on p. 229) for 
  more options.
  Tactical Advantage
  If the characters have a few hours to plan and get to know the 
  place (necessitating an Intelligence + Investigation roll), the 
  hunters might be able to incorporate the Price-Plus layout into 
  their Tactics. Most Tactics can gain at least +1 to all actors’ rolls 
  as a result.
  Consequences
  Jerzy can come out of this as a long-lasting ally, or the characters 
  can ultimately just stock up and be on their way. Alternately, if 
  this serves as a major battleground, then this is very possibly the 
  climactic final battle of this adventure, which puts “Chicago” next 
  in the order of scenes. Like with the rest of this SAS, though, all 
  the scenes can be juggled to go in whatever order you feel neces-
  sary. Maybe “Welcome to Haven House” comes after, or maybe 
  you want one more transportation-based scene before the end of 
  the tale (likely “Midnight Train” or “Lost Highway,” since by now 
  it’s likely that the airport is out of the question). Rearrange and 
  adjust as you see fit.
  
  35
  Blood Drive
  35
  Chicago
  Mental • 
  Physical • 
  sOcial • 
  Overview
  The hunters deliver Dino, as promised. Now it’s his turn to pay up.
  Description
  Dino looks in awe at the skyline before him. He’s edgy with anticipa-
  tion. His tongue plays over his grinning lips. He looks like a fox given 
  the keys to the henhouse. “I think I’m gonna make it, holy fucking fuck. 
  It’s a new life for ol’ Dino. Or something that passes for it, right?”
  Storytelling Goals
  Ultimately, this is the conclusion of the story. It’s the summation 
  and should feel satisfying, so don’t rush it. Let the players set the pace. 
  If they want to wipe their hands, high-five, and be done, cool. If they 
  want to have their characters ask lots of questions and maybe get into 
  a little action somewhere in Chicago, that’s good, too.
  Character Goals
  Dino’s a free man. But first, he has information.
  Actions
  The characters needn’t commit to any formal actions this scene. 
  Below, we describe how this can and should shake out.
  Dino’s Info-Dump
  It’s recommended that the hunters be present when Dino gives up the 
  ghost and finally shares the breadth and depth of all his known secrets. 
  It’s possible that he will first end up at a safehouse for the patron’s or-
  ganization, but even then, allow the hunters to sit in on the debriefing. 
  Putting interesting secrets in the hands of these characters is not only 
  rewarding, but it also leads to greater conflict (with translates to more 
  story). The answers Dino provides further lead to more questions, which 
  is a satisfying way of continuing this chronicle if you plan to do so.
  Consequences
  Dino’s free. Even if he hates the characters by this point, he’ll offer 
  them grudging thanks. If they were generally good to him, he might 
  throw them some additional rewards — money, equipment or the 
  phone number of some “fang” in Chicago who’d be willing to supply 
  them with information from time to time.
  Aftermath
  The story is complete. Now what? This is a story with potentially far-
  reaching consequences; even if you’re not necessarily continuing the story 
  with the players and their hunter characters, it might be interesting to 
  describe to them the “What Happens Next” events in the long-term. 
  Redeemers: The characters perhaps gain something of a reputation, 
  whether they want it or not. Other monsters start coming to them, 
  almost as if the cell operates like some kind of Underground Railroad 
  for repentant monsters. 
  Knowledge: Making it to the end of this means the characters leave 
  with what is potentially some big information. They now know the inner 
  workings of Philadelphia’s vampire society. They also know something 
  damaging about one of the hunter organizations. What do they do with this 
  info? When others find out what they know, will they be put in danger?
  The Patrons: If the patron received what he wanted, then the re-
  wards due to the characters (Status, Endowments, whatever) should 
  be addressed.
  Experience
  Playing out Blood Drive should take between one and five chapters, 
  but can go on indefinitely if you continue to interject new adventures and 
  plot hooks throughout. At the conclusion of each session, players should 
  be rewarded an experience point for their participation in the adventure. 
  Moreover, check out p. 216 of the World of Darkness Rulebook for other 
  in-game reasons that may warrant the reward of experience points.
  When the adventure is complete, you may consider giving more ex-
  perience based on the following levels of participation and success:
  +1 Survival. This is the “confronted horror and made it out 
  alive and (mostly) sane” aspect to experience gain. This is a long 
  journey through hell and horror. Making it out roughly unscathed 
  is worth the experience.
  
  36
  Blood Drive
  +1 Moral Resolution. The story presents a number of troubling 
  conflicts that go beyond the physical. Choice plays a very big part 
  in this. If a player stays true to his character or undergoes a major 
  character change as a result of this adventure, that’s worth the 
  point of experience.
  +1 Redemption. They’re unlikely to actually cure Dino through-
  out this adventure, but bringing him to a place where he seems 
  to genuinely improve is no easy task, and is certainly worth an 
  experience point.
  +1 Intelligence. The troubles they face throughout this adven-
  ture are tough and demanding. Coming out the other side of this 
  journey is made easier by hunters who exhibit intelligence. That 
  doesn’t necessarily mean using Science! to save the day, but it does 
  mean carrying the Vigil in a smart, cunning way.  
  Remember, too, that characters are likely to earn Practical Experi-
  ence. While dealing with Horan doesn’t necessarily yield it, the cell 
  is dealing with Dino during nearly every scene of this journey. Plus, 
  encountering Mother and her Children is a surefire path to big gains. 
  Whether or not you choose to stop in the middle of the chapter and 
  try to sum up those points or whether you wait till the end of the 
  adventure is up to you.
  
   
   
   mental 
  physical 
  social  
  scene:
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  Other
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  scene:
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  Dino’s already been 
  mistreated (-3)
  The Albatross, Hung About the Neck
   • 
  •
  Dino’s been  
  treated well (+3)
   Intro Dino. Ensure that he’s not too threatening (yet). 
  Deal with Dino, get moving.
  Care and Feeding of a Nocturnal Monster
   • 
  •• 
  —
   —
  Dino’s already been  
  pushed around (-1);  
  Dino’s got three  
  or less Willpower  
  points in his pool (-1);  
  Hunter also has  
  a high Intimidation Skill  
  at four or five dots  
  (-2 at four dots, -3 at five dots)
   Nightmare at 30,000 Feet
  Hunter has facts  
  and figures to reinforce  
  her case (+1); 
   Hunter has the  
  Inspiring Merit (+3)
  Don’t force characters off this path,  
  but make clear that it has escalating dangers. 
   Flying’s already hard enough.  
  Now the challenge is flying with an anxious fanged monster.
  Midnight Train
  Horan might call in a 
  terrorist threat on the plane 
  to ground it, remember.
  Dino’s already been 
  mistreated (-3)
  Dino’s been  
  treated well (+3)
  Reinforce that Dino’s a monster. Taking care of him is an ethical challenge. 
  How do they manage to feed and shelter a needy vampire?
  Revisit this scene often; 
  Dino will constantly  
  need “handling.”
  No equipment (-3)
  Black paint or markers (+1), 
  duct tape (+2)
  Refer back to “Care and Feeding of a Nocturnal Monster.” 
  Prepare train car for Dino to sleep.
  Horan or Mother  
  might besiege the train  
  at some point.
   • 
  • 
  — 
   — 
   • 
  ••
  13
  15
  17
  19
  
   
   
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  Car has already suffered 
  damage in the past (-2) 
  Driver is already  
  exceeding safe speeds (-2) 
  Each blown tire (-2 per tire) 
  Also, see the other driving 
  penalties under the  
  “Safe Driving” action  
  in “Lost Highway.”
  Pothole (-1)  
  Wet leaves, roadkill or 
  inclement weather (-2) 
  Avoiding an animal or an 
  oncoming accident (-3) 
  Black ice (-4)  
  Flash flood conditions (-5) 
  If the character’s been driving 
  straight for more hours than 
  his Stamina dots (-1)
  Lost Highway
  •
   —
  Drive as an Asset Skill (+1)
  Also, see sample  
  vehicles and their  
  ratings on p. 146 of  
  World of Darkness Rulebook.
  The highway’s a long and freaky place. Have fun with this. 
  Drive on, try not to get into trouble.
  Meet God’s Weapon
   — 
  — 
  • ••
  • •
  If Horan attacks  
  on the highway  
  (“Horan’s Crusade”),  
  car-to-car combat  
  might be necessary.
  Horan’s Crusade
  Driver possesses  
  Stunt Driver Merit (+1) 
  Vehicle’s Acceleration  
  rating is three higher  
  or more than the  
  opposing vehicle (+2)
  Horan and his hunters pursue and threaten.  
  The irony of number one enemy being a hunter shouldn’t be lost… 
  Deal with or escape Horan.
  Welcome to Haven House
  Horan has five to seven  
  of his soldiers  
  with him, most likely.
  Crowded area  
  (-1 to hunters)  
  Well-lit area  
  (-1 to Athanasians)
  Hunter is a Cop,  
  Detective or Criminal  
  used to spotting tails  
  or hidden people  
  (+1 to hunters)  
  Hunters already think  
  they’re being followed  
  (+1 to hunters)  
  Lots of shadows  
  (+1 to Athanasians)  
  Lots of cover  
  (+1 to Athanasians)
  Moral challenge — Horan drops proof in their laps that Dino is a monster.  
  Of course, Horan is his own kind of monster…
  Find the truth about Dino, and evaluate Horan as a threat.
  Hunters have given  
  off aggression (-2)  
  Hunters have high Status — 
  four or five dots —  
  in one of the conspiracies (-3)
  Hunter belongs  
  to a compact (+1) 
  Hunter belongs to  
  a first-tier cell (+2) 
  Hunters have already 
  communicated with  
  John Henry Robard  
  in the past (+3)
  Moral challenge: John Henry is an aggressive redeemer.  
  Can the hunters stomach that? 
  Help or hinder John Henry’s efforts with Dino.
  If attacked here by  
  Horan or Mother,  
  John Henry thinks himself  
  a “spiritual negotiator”  
  and will complicate  
  that scenario.
   — 
   — 
   •••
   • 
        ••• 
  •
  21
  23
  26
  28
  
   
   
   mental 
  physical 
  social  
  scene:
  Pcs
  h i n d r a n c e s
  h e l P
  sts
  Other
   mental 
  physical 
  social  
  scene:
  h i n d r a n c e s
  h e l P
  Other
  Pcs
  sts
   
   
   mental 
  physical 
  social  
  scene:
  Pcs
  h i n d r a n c e s
  h e l P
  sts
  Other
   mental 
  physical 
  social  
  scene:
  h i n d r a n c e s
  h e l P
  Other
  Pcs
  sts
  30
  33
  35
  Gravel drive (-1)
  Ice (-3)
  Mother Comes Calling
  • •
  —
  Stunt Driver Merit (+1) 
  Drive as an  
  Asset Skill (+1)
  Give the characters room to escape this scene if that’s what they want.  
  This doesn’t need to come to a head… yet. 
  Flee, hide, or confront the hag.
  Suit Up at the Price-Plus
   • 
   ••  
  ••
   • •
  Like with  
  “Horan’s Crusade,”  
  this scene can be 
  revisited, escalating  
  with each instance.
  None
  Chicago
  None
  Make sure the hunters get a taste of the info that Dino has to offer.
  End of the line. Any final thoughts or actions need to be done now.
   Jerzy wants to  
  join the Union (-2)
  Hunters show off  
  some cool stuff like  
  Endowments (+2)
  A potential respite, or the site of a climactic throwdown.
   Suit up with new gear and get some rest, or wait for Mother and/or Horan.
  Remember that the  
  Price-Plus can be  
  very defensible,  
  and may serve as the 
  “final showdown” with 
  Horan, Mother, or both.
   • 
  • 
  •
  
  Notes         
  Intelligence 
  Strength 
  Presence
  Wits 
  Dexterity 
  Manipulation
  Resolve 
  Stamina 
  Composure
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  WillpoWer
  HealtH
  skills
  Merits
  Morality
  Size
  Speed
  Defense
  Initiative Mod
  Armor
  FlaWs
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  o o o o o o o o o o o o
  o o o o o o o o o o
  tactics
  Notes         
  Name: 
  Virtue: 
  Profession:
  Concept: 
  Vice: 
  Compact:  
   
   
  Conspiracy:
  Intelligence 
  Strength 
  Presence
  Wits 
  Dexterity 
  Manipulation
  Resolve 
  Stamina 
  Composure
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  WillpoWer
  HealtH
  skills
  Merits
  Morality
  Size
  Speed
  Defense
  Initiative Mod
  Armor
  FlaWs
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  o o o o o o o o o o o o
  o o o o o o o o o o
  tactics
  Name: 
  Virtue: 
  Profession:
  Concept: 
  Vice: 
  Compact:  
   
   
  Conspiracy:
  Allies (Criminals)
  Danger Sense
  Fast Reflexes
  Fighting Style
    (Boxing)
  Fleet of Foot 
  Resources
  Computer 
  Crafts
    (Cocktails)
  Investigation
  Occult (Demons) 
  Athletics (Flee)
  Brawl 
    (Low Blows)
  Larceny
  Stealth 
  Weaponry
  Empathy
  Expression 
    (Jokes)
  Intimidation
  Persuasion
  Socialize 
    (Humor)
  Streetwise 
  Subterfuge
           4 (vocalization)
  5
      15
          4
    
    8
    
      Dean “Dino” Garrity 
  Hope 
          Albatross 
  Lust 
           
  Dread Powers: Crushing Blow 3, Drain (Health) 3, Impress 3, Unholy Attribute (Strength) 4
  Weapons/Attacks 
  Damage 
  Range 
  Dice Pool 
  Special
  Quick Right Hook 
  0(B)* 
  n/a 
  7 
  See “Fighting Style: Boxing” 
  Crotch Kick 
  0(B)* 
  n/a 
  7 
  *
  Telescoping Graphite Baton 
  2(B)* 
  n/a 
  7 
  n/a
  * Note that Dino’s Dread Powers (such as Unholy Strength) may significantly up these attack pools
  o
  o
  oo
  Danger Sense  
  Fast Reflexes 
  Fresh Start 
  Fleet of Foot  
  Language (Irish) 
  Striking Looks  
    (non-rotted parts, only)
  Athletics 
    (Foot Chase)  
  Brawl (Bite) 
  Stealth 
  Survival 
  Animal Ken 
  Intimidation
  Subterfuge 
  Investigation 
  Occult 
    (Demonology)
            1
  5
      20
          5
    
    9
    
      “Mother” 
  Faith
          Ancient Hag 
  Envy 
           
  Dread Powers: Drain 5, Dread Attack (Fangs) 5, Hypnotism 5, Unholy Attribute (Stamina) 3
  Weapons/Attacks 
  Damage 
  Range 
  Dice Pool 
  Special
  Dread Attack, Fangs 
  5(L) 
  n/a 
  17 
  Must grapple first;  
   
   
   
   
  costs no Willpower
  
  Notes         
  Intelligence 
  Strength 
  Presence
  Wits 
  Dexterity 
  Manipulation
  Resolve 
  Stamina 
  Composure
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  WillpoWer
  HealtH
  skills
  Merits
  Morality
  Size
  Speed
  Defense
  Initiative Mod
  Armor
  FlaWs
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  o o o o o o o o o o o o
  o o o o o o o o o o
  tactics
  Notes         
  Name: 
  Virtue: 
  Profession:
  Concept: 
  Vice: 
  Compact:  
   
   
  Conspiracy:
  Intelligence 
  Strength 
  Presence
  Wits 
  Dexterity 
  Manipulation
  Resolve 
  Stamina 
  Composure
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  WillpoWer
  HealtH
  skills
  Merits
  Morality
  Size
  Speed
  Defense
  Initiative Mod
  Armor
  FlaWs
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  o o o o o o o o o o o o
  o o o o o o o o o o
  tactics
  Name: 
  Virtue: 
  Profession:
  Concept: 
  Vice: 
  Compact:  
   
   
  Conspiracy:
       Mother’s Children 
  Fortitude
             The Hag’s  
   Wrath 
             Botched Babies         
  Athletics 
  Brawl
  Survival
  Animal Ken
  Intimidation
             1
  5
      13
          2
    
     5  
  Strong Back
  Dread Powers: Drain 1, Dread Attack (Claw) 1, Fury 2, Corpse Door 4
  Weapons/Attacks 
  Damage 
  Range 
  Dice Pool 
  Special
  Dread Attack, Claw 
  1(L) 
  n/a 
  8 
  Must spend a Willpower to activate
  Benediction
  Professional  
    Training
  Status
    (Malleus Maleficarum)
  Academics
    (Religion)
  Computer
  Investigation
  Occult
    (Monster Weaknesses)
  Athletics 
  Brawl (Disarm)
  Drive 
  Firearms 
  Stealth 
  Weaponry
  Intimidation
    (Religion)
  Persuasion
  Subterfuge 
            3 (suspicion)
  5
      11
          2
    
    7
    
      Militant Athanasian 
  Faith 
  Soldier
          Violent Zealot 
  Wrath 
           
  Weapons/Attacks 
  Damage 
  Range 
  Dice Pool 
  Special
  .45 sidearm 
  3(L) 
  30/60/120 
  9 
  n/a
  Remington 700 Rifle 
  5(L) 
  200/400/800 
  11 
  n/a
  
  Notes         
  Intelligence 
  Strength 
  Presence
  Wits 
  Dexterity 
  Manipulation
  Resolve 
  Stamina 
  Composure
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  WillpoWer
  HealtH
  skills
  Merits
  Morality
  Size
  Speed
  Defense
  Initiative Mod
  Armor
  FlaWs
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  o o o o o o o o o o o o
  o o o o o o o o o o
  tactics
  Notes         
  Name: 
  Virtue: 
  Profession:
  Concept: 
  Vice: 
  Compact:  
   
   
  Conspiracy:
  Intelligence 
  Strength 
  Presence
  Wits 
  Dexterity 
  Manipulation
  Resolve 
  Stamina 
  Composure
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  WillpoWer
  HealtH
  skills
  Merits
  Morality
  Size
  Speed
  Defense
  Initiative Mod
  Armor
  FlaWs
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  ooooo
  o o o o o o o o o o o o
  o o o o o o o o o o
  tactics
  Name: 
  Virtue: 
  Profession:
  Concept: 
  Vice: 
  Compact:  
   
   
  Conspiracy:
  Meditative Mind
  Safehouse Size
  Safehouse Secrecy
  Strong Back
  Strong Lungs
  Unseen Sense 
    (Ghosts)
  Academics
    (Philosophy)
  Computer 
  Crafts
    (Maintenance)
  Investigation
  Medicine
  Occult 
  Athletics 
    (Lift Things)
  Brawl 
  Survival 
  Weaponry
  Empathy
   (Read Intention)
  Expression 
  Persuasion
           8
  5
      10
          2
    
    5
    
      John Henry Robard 
  Hope 
  Artist
          Redeemer 
  Sloth 
           
  Weapons/Attacks 
  Damage 
  Range 
  Dice Pool 
  Special
  Police Baton 
  2(B) 
  n/a 
  6 
  n/a
  Contacts 
    (The Union)
  Disarm
  Resources
  Safehouse Size
    (Price-Plus)
  Safehouse Cache
   (Price-Plus)
  Unseen Sense 
    (Witches)
  Computer 
    (Internet)
  Crafts
  Investigation
  Occult
  Athletics 
  Brawl
  Drive 
  Larceny 
    (Shoplift) 
  Stealth 
  Weaponry
    (Improvised)
  Empathy
  Persuasion
  Socialize
  Subterfuge
   (Bold-Faced Lies) 
            6
  5
      11
          3
    
    6
    
      Jerzy Novak 
  Charity 
  Salesman
          First-Tier Nobody 
  Envy 
           
  Weapons/Attacks 
  Damage 
  Range 
  Dice Pool 
  Special
  Nine-Iron 
  2(B) 
  n/a 
  6 
  Specialty cancels out  
   
   
   
   
  improvised penalty.
  
  Case File 0098623
  
  Case File 0098623
  The demon feared one thing only, a 
  wretched hag, a swamp demoness given 
  many-a-name by our demon captive: Lila’s  
  maiden, the Screeching Woman, Lilith, Lilitu, 
  Ki-sikil-lil-la-ke, Lamashtu, She-Who-Erases, 
  Ardat-Lili, Arbartu, Labartu, the Lamia. Our 
  demon explained that this hoary creature was 
  barren, her womb a pocket of bone dust and 
  dry leaves, and that her greatest desire was to 
  have children. She would seduce men, steal-
  ing their seed 
  in that dark 
  pocket. Then 
  she’d consume 
  them, a spi-
  der queen eat-
  ing her male 
  charge. Some-
  h o w,  s h e ’ d 
  take that seed 
  and make her 
  wretched de-
  mon-children, 
  her “babies,” 
  her spawn. 
  Woodcut of Mother,  
  Demon hag
  Artist Unknown
  Mother
  Demons & Spirits 
  296
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Storyteller [multi]/World of Darkness (WoD) [multi]/CofD/Hunter - The Vigil/SAS/Hunter the Vigil - SAS - Blood Drive.pdf