FEBRUARY 20, 1999

This will be continually 'nipped and tucked' until the final release, so watch the SbN listserver for updates.  A few more things will be added, such as a description of combat and Status, as well as other systems.

TRAMPS BECOMES SBN SPONSOR!
The downtown Tramps location will be providing us with a location for next month's event!  There will be a $2 cover charge for the use of the place, but it should be a very neat location.  When it warms up a bit more, we might give Club Lux another go as well…

WHITE WOLF RELEASES "GUIDE TO THE CAMARILLA"
This is one of the better White Wolf supplements to come out in a long while.  It contains pretty much everything you need to know to play a Camarilla vampire.  If you can get a hold of a copy, you won't be disappointed!  Check out the description of the book online at http://www.white-wolf.com

CHARACTER UPDATES
All characters are loaded onto the new Grapevine LARP utility, but there may be some discrepancies yet.  Please take the time during the Elysium night to check on the most up-to-date version of your character sheet.

ROOM BOOKINGS AT THE U OF S
If you are interested in using one of the rooms at the U of S for an SbN-related event (Clan gathering, coterie meeting, etc) we are able to book rooms.  However, the U of S needs at least 72 hours advance notice to book a room for all of the administration shhhh…tuff to go through.  So if you can let us know a week in advance, we can probably book a room for you.

BOONS
(FROM THE “GRAND UNIFICATION THEORY”, A DOCUMENT OF THE UK CAMARILLA GROUP)
"The boon system has created a race of beings who owe loyalty to leaders they do not respect and would often gladly tear down. Unlike human political factions, which are often designed to promote inspirational leadership based upon trust, Cainite political systems promote  treacherous leadership based on fear. Betrayals are common in the Camarilla, as are reprisals for betrayal." (Storyteller’s Handbook, First Edition. Page 66)

The most important thing to remember is that Boons are the currency of the Kindred. If no one owes you a Boon, then you are broke. Remember that. But let’s get things into some kind of scale. 90% of Boons should be between levels one to three. Rank Four Boons should be RARE! And as for Life Boons... Life Boons should be like diamonds. When you have a Life Boon, you OWN them. It’s not nice!

Let’s be specific as to what a Life Boon means here (and we have to say this as people keep forgetting). If you owe someone a Life Boon you are a slave... you are an indentured servant. Whomever you owe it to gets to own you. They can do with you as they wish. The Servitor is virtually Caitiff, and most Clans very quickly forget their former member, as it causes embarrassment for them to have one of their Clan brought down to such a level (the treatment is worse for Ventrue who owe so much; Tremere tend to be recalled to Vienna; Brujah get treated better but still). The person who owes a Life Boon is publicly trapped. They can nothing about it. Tough luck sweetheart!

Boons are the way things are done. You want to do anything in the world of the Kindred, you need Boons to do it. There are other options... you could always do it yourself. No doubt this means you have a hugely powerful PC who has a sheet that is twice the size of the Justicar’s and could take on Caine in a straight fight. Good for you... now please leave! The Camarilla is designed so that everyone NEEDS to do deals. Boons are Boons, the currency of the Camarilla. Try to just keep the following scale in mind... a level one boon means you owe someone a simple favour. A level two means that it is a bit more important, perhaps a series of little favours. A level three Boon can be a series of actions, or a LARGE favour. A level four is a HUGE favour, that means you may owe the respondent something for a while... and a Life Boon means they OWN you. Just keep that in mind. Keep Boons down to Levels one, Two and Three... a four means you are in trouble and a five is something virtually impossible to get out of.

 Try to keep in mind the following... a life boon is a rare thing to give. You have got to give someone back their LIFE. Saving their life... and by that the definition is SAVING, not helping. A person finds themselves attacked by a bunch of Malkavian Neonates... you help him kill them, and claiming that they owe you a life boon is bound to get you laughed at. It ain’t a life boon. But if that self same person is attacked by several Get of Fenris... well then, it’s a life boon. Provided that YOUR life was in danger as well. You almost gave your life to save them... they OWE you now.

Please remember one thing- unless you tell someone about your boon it doesn’t exist. Boons have to be registered. And the people who keep track of Boons are the Harpies. You need Harpies... they make sure that everyone is paying the price for the favours they have asked. This leads us into the nastiest part of all this... not keeping a promise. Failing to respond to a boon is a REAL bad thing. REAL bad

If person has ignored the Boon they must pay the price. If someone is discovered to have defaulted then they get it in the neck... immediately they are considered to have lost all their status; they should be ostracized; exile from their home Domain is to be considered a good thing. Their assets and goods are free to be seized by ANY Kindred; their Ghouls, their Influences, their money, all of it is open to be taken. Some old fashioned Princes may even use this as an excuse to have them Blood-hunted. It’s that’s nasty and that simple. If you owe you had better pay... or else you lose EVERYTHING. Title, station, the lot.

Things become complicated when we get to those of Station. Primogen who refuse their debts are automatically assumed to have resigned their position.  Princes are the same.  Owing someone a Boon is a regrettable fact of life. Owing them a life boon is a BIG drag. Not paying your Boons is much, much, MUCH worse!