A Look at Vampire The Masquerade - Bloodlines part 6

Now for another instalment of my biased look at Vampire The Masquerade - Bloodlines. In the previous part, Mark Flavian (kind-hearted madman) blew up a warehouse and received an opinionated course on vampire society from one Bertram Tung. This is going to be a long series of posts since there are quite a lot of quests to pick up so buckle up, reader.

 This is the main means of travelling between hubs for non-Nosferatu player characters: a beat-up taxi cab. As previously mentioned before, Nosferatu characters have to travel using the maps in the sewers.

This is the hub selection screen. I have no idea how accurate this map is when compared to the actual city of Los Angeles but it works for the game.So far, the only other location available is Downtown but others will open up in due time.

Arriving in an area near Downtown LA, it can be seen that Mark Flavian has a welcome committee. A rather batty one.

Looks like the Sabbat found out about Mark's role in destroying the warehouse. This probably will not end well...

Even the Sabbat is fully aware that this is not going to end well. Personal comment: On repeated playthroughs, I am often left puzzled by this fourth wall break. How does this particular Sabbat vampire become aware of the fourth wall? It is an odd moment that can break immersion (or hurt suspension of disbelief) for some people.

Well I guess they had second thoughts. I wonder why they would stop hurting Mark...

Ah... A Desert Eagle-wielding man. Who looks familiar...

True, there is three of them and one of him. So how will this Rodriguez rectify this?

What an explosive solution. Shrapnel damage is nothing to mock at though so it would be enough damage to trigger Final Death.

Not that the Desert Eagle is a pushover as one foolishly brave Sabbat vampire discovers via the hard way.

Mark's saviour is none other than Nines Rodriguez, leader of the LA Anarchs as Bertram Tung states and the same vampire whose outburst saved Mark during his first night as a vampire. He eventually offers to give Mark an obviously biased overview of the situation of LA's vampire society.

This is Downtown LA or rather the CWoD version of Downtown. This version of LA is filled with tall, imposing buildings that seem to surround and trap whoever walks the streets. I personally have not seen LA myself but I would be interested to see how different (or similar) real world Downtown is to the game's Downtown.

The log reminds me that Mark still has to report to LaCroix at Venture Tower but since this is a new hub, there are quests to be discovered.

As noted in the log from the previous picture, there is a quest involving a riddle. Said riddle mentions a mystical sun and this building has a burning purple circle over it. It can be inferred that this is the mystical sun from the riddle and that this is where Mark needs to go to solve the riddle.

Further away is The Last Round bar, the same one Jack mentioned in the first part of this series (A look at Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines part 1).  Since Mark would want to see Jack again, Mark enters the building.

On the right is Jack himself while on the left is an Anarch vampire. The guy in the middle is just a guy playing a Call of Duty pinball machine. I will admit that the pinball machine got a chuckle out of me, mostly because I do believe that there is a Call of Duty pinball machine out there somewhere.

Smiling Jack still remembers Mark.

It is obvious that Jack dislikes "bullshit" politics in all forms. Or more appropriately, he hates it with a burning passion.

Now for a theory on how the Sabbat welcoming committee found Mark.

From this, the player is informed that Jack is a particularly old vampire (when compared to the player character) and he is used to dealing with the Camarilla.

Here is a good point about why LaCroix sent Mark on a solo mission to destroy a warehouse teeming with Sabbat goons even if most of those goons were humans: Mark was not meant to survive. This is mostly due to the fact that LaCroix's authority was challenged by Nines when he protested against Mark's execution. To save face, LaCroix had to spare the fledgling (Mark) to maintain a good impression among the vampires present but leaving him with a constant reminder that his authority was challenged successfully in the form of the player character (Mark).

Once again, firmly establishing that Jack is an Anarch who opposes politicians of LaCroix's ilk.

Here is Jack's view of the label, "anarch" and everyone that falls under said label.

This also establishes Jack's rather strong faith in the Anarch's cause. Since Jack is a character in the source materials, his faith in his own cause can be seen there too (or at least from his wiki article).

Including him as well. If the reader remembers what Bertram said about Brujah, some of his notions about the Anarchs are beginning to click.

I have chosen to cut out some of Jack's responses because the reader could find his statements somewhere else online (or even on a Let's Play on Youtube). I have instead chosen to leave this rather important line of Jack here; a reminder that the player character should find out more about the world and the society they are in so that when the lines are drawn, the player can make a choice and do something with said choice.

Jack's thoughts on the Sabbat reflect the Sabbat in the game, fourth-wall breaking one included.

Jack's thoughts on humans. Said thoughts do recognise that vampires are a predatory species of sorts and humans are the prey.

The guy on the left engages dialogue once Mark attempts to walk up the stairs. Looks like Mark is associated with the Camarilla.

Once again, I like how the game has different reactions to player characters from differing clans. Since I want to unnerve the vampire here, I let Mark call him by name.

This is Skelter, another Anarch.

Here is a different perspective on vampirism when compared to others who praise its benefits or do not have much concern for it; how the Dark Gift contains a curse.

From this, the player can tell that Skelter is a more superstitious sort when compared to other vampires since he brings up more fanciful statements on this topic and goes into more detail (at least when compared to Bertram).

Statements that involve Caine, the supposed father of all vampires.

I guess Caine really is the biblical Cain in this universe.

Once again, Skelter is an Anarch and his points return back to rebuking the Camarilla.

I do find that Skelter does have a point here. Some of the Masquerade rules are rather obvious, like not showing off one's vampiric powers to the entire world lest the humans realise that vampires are real and that they outnumber said vampires.

Classic dilemma when it comes to circumstances: Should one follow the law to the letter to ensure that said laws are highly regarded or should there be leniency at the price of the law not being held up in high regard?

This line does establish Skelter's background; that he was a former soldier when he was human who served in Vietnam.

This conversation does highlight how not all of the LA Anarchs are obsessed with being rebels and how some of them acknowledge the need for certain laws.

And here is one other side-quest for this hub.

Looks like a ghoul has been causing problems for the Masquerade.

 This part does point out how becoming a ghoul places an addiction on said ghoul for the blood of their vampire master.

What kind of heat is there for vampires? Fire-fighters?

Ah... Fun fact if the player breaches the Masquerade, vampire hunters will appear in the world and attack the player character upon detecting them.

Maintaining the Masquerade is a big deal for most vampires, save the Sabbat.

Mark, being a kind-hearted madman, accepts the quest to help uphold the Masquerade.

Skelter's opinions on the Anarchs.

Here is Skelter's thoughts on Jack.

Upstairs is this area with Nines and this female vampire. Since Nines is expecting Mark and there is no rush, Mark chooses to speak to the female vampire first.

Looks like Mark's association with the Camarilla is widely known.

As the various dialogue options from before suggest, this person's name is Damsel. She has a short-temper to say the least.

Since she is rather volatile, Mark picks an option to pacify her a little.

It is weird to not be considered completely batshit considering how Malkavians are batshit insane. Mark ought to pick the second option to remind Damsel that he is batshit insane.

Sounds like another quest to complete. Plaguebearers sound problematic.

The game does acknowledge the CDC by having NPCs in hazard suits standing around.

Essentially, a plaguebearer vampire can spread bloodborne diseases to Kine. An epidemic caused by a plaguebearer would eventually lead to the human authorities launching thorough investigations that could result in the humans discovering that vampires are involved here.

Here's one lead in resolving this quest.

Here is the other lead.

And now, questions for Damsel.

Damsel is more like the stereotypical Brujah that Bertram references to in his explanation. She is quite expressive on her opposition towards LaCroix's leadership.

Here is Damsel's thoughts on Jack.

It would be cool if Jack really was a pirate. It is feasible to say the least.

Here is the short version about being an Anarch by Damsel.

Here is a more detailed explanation on why she thinks the Anarchs are a good idea.

Here are her points on the Camarilla.

Now for Nines.

There is more to this explanation but I cut out some of the screenshots to save space. It matches Damsel's points to a certain degree though it is delivered in a more calmer manner like Skelter.

Nines is rather aggressive when it comes to his opposition towards LaCroix and the Camarilla.

This part does provide details on the backstory of Nines Rodriguez; That he was around during the Great Depression and probably developed his views from the circumstances of those times.

This is another explanation of the Anarchs, like-minded individuals who are equal in status towards each other but oppose any attempts to impose order by individuals claiming superiority.

This, along with previous statements, establish that LA did not use to be Camarilla territory until recently which is why the LA Anarchs are particularly aggressive towards them for changing the status quo.

Them fighting words, Nines if Mark was a Camarilla loyalist. Can you back them up?

Looks like he can back them up.

This establishes that Nines, while considered the leader of the Anarchs, tries to avoid being associated with the authorities he opposes. He is still their leader though for all intents and purposes.

Essentially, avoid breaking the Masquerade and do not drain Kine dry.

For this part, this translates to; do not trust the Camarilla, be ever cautious and learn how to fight.

With low enough stats, Nines offers some training to the player character. This results in an increase in particular stats.

With that, Mark completes his conversation with Nines.

On the same floor Nines and Damsel are on is a bathroom with this window. It is essentially a shortcut out of the building from the top floor.

This is that same bathroom window shortcut from outside.Now to enter the building with the purple sun on it. It looked nice...

Walking right, Mark reaches a small room with bookcases, seats and an interact-able book.

A book on gargoyles. That may be useful someday to Mark seeing how he is dealing with supernatural beings.

Leaving the aforementioned room, Mark keeps right until he is inexplicably transported to this door.   

Presumably, this is the person who sent Mark the invite. In fact, he even states it so it is a certain fact.

He does have some accurate insight into what the madness of Malkavians are though, at least from what I have read.

Nice to see Mark is getting some respect. This individual clearly knows far more than any vampire Mark has encountered so far as he understands, to a certain degree, the mad wisdom behind the words of Malkavians. 

Another valuable piece of advice. Bertram's anger at being called Nasty Dude was only quelled when he recalled that Mark is a Malkavian, others may not be as calm in comparison.

This is Strauss as the picture clearly states. From his Malkavian-given title, it is rather obvious that he is the Camarilla with the most amount of authority, especially when compared to LaCroix.

The Tremere are an interesting clan. They are a relatively young clan and are the Camarilla clan most closely associated with magic. In-game, the magic they wield is rather powerful to say the least.

Here is a basic explanation on regents.

One nice touch here is that a Tremere player character can ask for Strauss to be allowed to join this chantry and become Strauss's apprentice. Following a future quest in a certain manner even unlocks the chantry as a Haven.

Like Jack, Strauss reminds the player character to figure out more about the situation around them. Not only will it help the player character pick a side, it would aid them in surviving.

Looks like Strauss is also informed about the plague spreading around.

From here, we can see how Strauss looks down on the LA Anarchs and using Damsel's irrational anger as a point of reference, there are valid reasons to look down on them.

Here is Strauss, a member of the Camarilla, explaining what the Camarilla is. It is more different from what we have been hearing but then again, those explanations are from known Anarchs.

Here is Strauss's own thoughts on clans not aligned with the Camarilla and on the Sabbat.

Looks like Strauss does not have much respect for LaCroix and has greater regard for the Camarilla itself or his own plans.

Ah... so while the two are in the Camarilla, they may not actually be on the same side in a way. Mark will continue this conversation another time.

How Strauss views the Anarchs is interesting as he views them as children in need of guidance from authority that provides discipline and structure in order to prevent the Anarchs from harming others and themselves with their antics.He does see them as pests but redeemable pests.

Since Strauss also wants to solve the epidemic, Mark offers to assist in the matter.

Getting payment from both Anarchs and the Camarilla. It is good to play both sides who want the same goals.

Before Mark leaves, I put a point into Scholarship to raise Persuasion, note that the picture here is from a different save game I have been using to restore the missing screencaps. This may come in handy later.

Getting out is a little more complicated but manageable. The post box on the left is meant for Tremere player characters who use the chantry as a Haven.

Sometimes, players may encounter occasional gang wars that are not pictured here. The outcome does not really matter and oddly enough, the police do not actually pursue them. Then again, running around with a weapon out in the street does not lead to police pursuit so there we go...

This man seems important; Mark is able to converse with him and everything.

This is Fat Larry. He is the merchant (or salesperson) for the Downtown hub. At this point, he does have useful items for the player to purchase.


Nice to see he recognises that Mark is deranged at least. Fun fact, talking to him as a Nosferatu leads to a different conversation here.

Regardless of Mark's insanity as long as Mark has cash, Fat Larry will pay no attention to the ramblings of a madman.

This is probably the most important item to purchase here. It acts as a form of armor for player characters and should be bought if the player has the money. However, the heavy clothing is rather expensive.


Looks like Fat Larry is getting curious about the gear Mark has. Is it time to drain him dry?

 Oh, a job then! That sounds right up Mark's alley.

Translation: I need a competent individual who is not afraid to break rules for an illegal job. Are you willing to help me out?


This is why I raised Mark's Persuasion skill. Since Mark is risking his undead life to obtain the briefcase, Fat Larry should be persuaded to give a better incentive.


And that is why we took that option. Being able to persuade Fat Larry to get a discount and the offered reward is a better incentive.

Mark will not be needing heavy firepower. All he needs is some blood and a good vent.


Before helping out Fat Larry, Mark decides to investigate a building near to where he was standing when he arrived in Downtown LA. There is a door here so it is open to investigation.

And there is a problem with the building already. Something else lives in it.


A reminder: Deranged people tend to not be good at consoling people.


Looks like there is something that clearly scared these people. This scene looks far better in motion (so I recommend finding a Let's Play of this part to see it all unfold animated).


A nearby vent acts as a mean of ingress into the building.


From the wheelchairs and beds, one can presume that this place is an abandoned hospital.


Beneath a flight of stairs are these breakable beams of wood.


Nothing like watching a victim being dragged off to their deaths by an unseen force. I guess this is building up to something.


There is the camera that shot the previous scene. Looks like that is where Mark needs to go next.


One detail I do like here is how the footage on the monitor changes based on where the camera is. So when I moved the camera here, the footage changes to reflect where the camera is pointing at. Fun fact, the player character does not appear on the monitor even if the player stands in front of the camera.


How foreboding...


The only to bypass the barricade from earlier is to crawl through the hole as depicted here.


Either he hates that door with a passion or there is something in there he wants to escape from. The latter is more probable.


Yep, it was the latter. I guess Mark is in for a tough fight. Perhaps that person is still alive...Or not. I guess whoever this is, they adhere to eating corpses directly rather than preparing dinner like Dr Lecter.


Fear of the unknown tends to be a powerful form of fear. Once one knows what they face, the fear is lessened (unless you realise that what you are facing is something more horrific than you presumed). In this case, this lady seems to be a fellow being of the night.


In her case, she has to eat flesh to survive. It does make drinking blood look simpler in comparison.


This is Pisha, described to be a vampire of the Nagaraja bloodline (according to the wiki).


She offers a quest and the promise of more once her first quest is fulfilled. Since Mark is a helpful sort, he accepts it but notes the problem in the first quest which is to lure the man from earlier to Pisha's lair.


The man's death is necessary to uphold the Masquerade lest he reveals what he witnessed here.


What a conveniently placed man-sized vent! Hopefully the man is still there...


Of course he isn't. Then again, why would anyone want to stay in a place they know contains some sort of horrific creature? He did foolishly leave a business card though... Anyways, this ends this instalment of my look at Vampire The Masquerade - Bloodlines. The next part will involve wrapping up some of the quests Mark has picked up.

Note that this post can be found on my Wordpress site as well:

https://threeheadedthoughts.wordpress.com/2016/09/07/a-look-at-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-part-6/