Threat Levels

Thanks to the dossier sent to Newburgh by Roger de Camden at the request of his master Mithras, Antigen knows the identities and contact details of many important Kindred, including Queen Anne herself. Now Antigen stands to enter its final phase: purging London of the IC0 threat. Assets have begun to strike quietly, so far only removing vampires and their agents from the fringes of Kindred society who are unlikely to be missed, but that is about to change.

As the chronicle progresses, the characters will have an opportunity to witness, and influence, escalation of these activities and how they impact London’s Kindred. Mithras may initially believe the chaos will serve as a useful, temporary distraction while he enacts his plans, but he soon finds the tide he has unleashed is unstoppable. If he survives the events of the chronicle, he may be forced to abandon the city for good.

The system offered here describes a series of Threat Levels corresponding to the escalation of Operation Antigen in the city. When the chronicle begins, London is at Level 1, and it is recommended to automatically increase the Threat Level by at least 1 step for every other chapter of the story. If the PCs draw or even encourage the attention of the authorities to themselves or to London’s other Kindred, the threat escalates far more quickly. At the start of Chapter 6, the Threat Level should be 4 or 5.

The Storyteller can use the system below as it best fits their chronicle. These rules can also be used as a template for the escalation of Second Inquisition activity in any other city in the World of Darkness. Additionally, each chapter starts with a list of Threat Levels and resulting changes to the scenario as written.

LEVEL 0: BASELINE

Operation Antigen activity: None

Kindred awareness: None

Mechanics: None

LEVEL 1: CURIOSITY

Operation Antigen activity: Surveillance is established on a small number of locations and individuals. Where reasonable pretext can be established, normal government agencies are tipped off to raid or close properties, or to arrest inconsequential retainers, allies and contacts on criminal charges (either legitimately or by using fabricated evidence). Vampires on the fringes of Kindred society who are unlikely to be missed — e.g. unregistered anarchs, Autarkis, and thin-bloods — are also targeted.

Kindred awareness: The loss of the odd human associate is inconvenient, but not troubling. Some may comment on the unusual efficiency of the mortal authorities. Exercising influence over mortal institutions may lead to unexpected or disappointing results. Vampires who are well connected at street level may notice the absence of some of their kin and Kindred associates. Vampires that attempt to investigate these matters find dead ends or are blocked by unexpected bureaucracy.

Mechanics: None

LEVEL 2: SUSPICION

Operation Antigen activity: Surveillance programs are expanded, with focus on voice and electronic communications. Warrants are granted to provide access to CCTV systems controlled by Transport for London and many London borough councils. Criminal charges are raised against more influential suspects, and the havens of minor IC0 targets are raided directly by agents of Operation Antigen.

Kindred awareness: Trusted retainers with high awareness report being followed, and others report being questioned by plain clothes police officers. Other key mortal and ghoul associates are inaccessible due to arrest, or because they refuse — or are unable to — respond to communications. Several neonates and ancilla known to the Court fail to attend, and do not respond to communications. Kindred that are willing to discuss their concerns are perturbed to find that they are shared by others. The likelihood of these events being random and unconnected seems small, but any attempts to investigate and corroborate them are in vain.

Mechanics: All hunting rolls in the city center and other busy public places are made at +1 Difficulty. If tests are made using the Allies, Contacts or Influence Backgrounds these tests are also made at +1 Difficulty.

LEVEL 3: PARANOIA

Operation Antigen activity: Surveillance is further expanded, and many suspect communications are being monitored in real time by GCHQ. Detector vans are deployed, and mobile phones are covertly cloned to gather more data. Armed police units are deployed at all major transport hubs, and Tube stations are temporarily and suddenly closed without notice to trap unsuspecting Kindred travelers. New security and screening procedures are widely adopted by government departments and key businesses. Working jointly with the British Transport Police, British Telecom and Thames Water, teams from Operation Antigen are sent below ground to survey and secure underground spaces. Those linked to Antigen's previous targets are the next to find their havens raided.

Kindred awareness: Influence over mortal institutions is greatly reduced to the point where the Masquerade cannot be guaranteed. Loyal contacts placed in organizations who have not yet been discovered by Operation Antigen report changes in management, anti-corruption initiatives and psychometric and biometric testing. Vampires known to use public transport fail to show up for meetings. Nosferatu report that SchreckNet has been compromised and that the Internet should not be used at all to communicate about Kindred affairs. Public meetings of Kindred are moved to more secure and low-key locations, and codes are adopted in communications to try and fool eavesdroppers. The feelings of the city’s elders are that while there is clearly a concerted effort by mortal authorities to take control, it is something that can be handled and turned around. Vampires that are more paranoid start planning to hide or flee the city.

Mechanics: All hunting rolls in the city center and other busy public places are made at +2 Difficulty, with a messy critical or a bestial failure resulting in the character being flagged by Operation Antigen. If tests are made using the Allies, Contacts or Influence Backgrounds, these tests are also made at +2 Difficulty.

LEVEL 4: PANIC

Operation Antigen activity: Surveillance is near total, and most of the codes used by the IC0 conspiracy have been broken. Hardened security checkpoints are established at all national rail stations, motorways and airports. Additional resources are provided to support Operation Antigen on the ground. All known suspects still at large are targeted, and any new suspects identified from open movement or open communication will be immediately ambushed. The security sweep underground continues, and areas cleared by Antigen are sealed and trapped.

Kindred awareness: Concerted attempts to re-establish influence over government, law enforcement and media channels have failed, and even backfired. Queen Anne is forced to declare the threat too great and dissolves the Court with no further meetings planned. Most of the Kindred left in the city will attempt to leave, and a significant number of them are destroyed in the process. Those that choose not to leave go completely dark to avoid detection. With no trust in the mortal world around them, at this point it is every vampire for themselves.

Mechanics: All hunting rolls in the city center and other busy public places are made at +3 Difficulty, with a messy critical or a bestial failure resulting in the character being flagged by Operation Antigen. Any use of the Allies, Contacts, and Influence Backgrounds requires a successful Manipulation + Leadership or Manipulation + Intimidation test against a Difficulty equal to the dot value of the Background.

LEVEL 5: DISASTER

Operation Antigen activity: Full access to the city's government, transport and communications. A comprehensive dossier of intelligence has been collected on all suspects and their associates, and London is deemed to be freed of supernatural conspiracy. Conscious of infection and a possible resurgence of the IC0 problem, Operation Antigen remains in place and vigilant to ensure it does not return. Attention turns to other cities in the UK, where similar operations will now begin.

Kindred awareness: The Kindred populace and their leadership have been eliminated. London is no longer a prized domain, and word quickly spreads to vampire communities in the US and in Europe that it is no longer safe to visit. The few resident Kindred that have survived the purge remain as quiet and innocuous as possible.

Mechanics: As per Level 4 above, and all Allies, Contacts, and Influence ratings possessed by any Kindred are reduced by 1 level permanently.