Whew... been a while. Been stupidly busy and been between stuff... STUFF! Anywho... started running Werewolf the Forsaken and started digging out all my old World of Darkness stuff and giving it an update. For some odd reason, World of Darkness makes me stupidly patriotic! I only run WoD games set in Australia (or the past, which is just like talking to someone from Queensland...). So I've been revising all my old World of Darkness: Oz stuff, starting with a faction of Hunters. I should stress, though, I neither own nor have read the current edition of Hunter, so these guys are mainly background for NPC's in Vampire or Werewolf games. That said; if anyone wants to write them up as a proper Hunter faction (or Conspiracy, whatever they're called now) I'm fine with that... just email me your efforts!
Hostel: The mate you need.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
Rumors of China’s involvement in Harold Holt’s disappearance struck the right cords in parliament to launch an ASIO investigation. But when the culprit was discovered, neither the lack of communist involvement nor the locations (that’s right… plural) of Harold Holt were the focus of subsequent debriefing. Rather, the most disturbing of facts took focus; monsters are real and they ate the Prime Minister.
Both ASIO and Parliament were unclear just how far many nor of what nature these creatures were, so they did they thing they do best. They passed the buck to a private firm. Off the books, unaccountable and completely unknown the vast majority of Parliament Hostel was formed to protect the Australian government from Supernatural influence.
As is the case with many of the Australian Government’s outsources, it didn’t take long for Hostel to go off the rails. Given the job of privately recruiting and training agents to fight an enemy no one knew any hard facts about. What was initiated as the grand defense of the great southern land quickly became a guerilla war waged by lone, mobile agents hopping from one isolated safe-house to the next as required.
To both compensate for their lack of funds and provide adequate cover, Hostel quickly adopted the emerging Backpacker culture; it’s safe houses doubling as Hostels, its agents posing as Backpackers. From their lonely vigils on the long, open roads Hostel’s Hunters come together briefly to confront a Vampire Haven or Werewolf Pack and then depart before any repercussion can (usually) befall them.
The Enemy
Hostel knows relatively little about the monsters they hunt. They know the difference between Vampires, Werewolves, Wizards and so on. But they are often hard pressed to distinguish between a shape-shifting Vampire or blood-Wizard.
On the other hand, Hostel are often quite aware of the ‘benchmarks’ or fundamentals which, on a broad and basic level, separate one monster from the next. For example; they are aware that if it drinks blood, then chances are it’s a Vampire. Naturally they make mistakes, deadly and costly mistakes.
Still, if Hostel have a strength it’s their universal awareness that most monsters- of any type –have a lair. Somewhere to which the beast can be tracked and used to establish ambushes, ferret the creature out and so forth. Once aware their home has been compromised, its Hostel’s experience that any monster is more dangerous but overwhelming prone to mistakes.
Bludgers On Mate’s Rates
Most of Hostel’s agents operate in one of two modes. Either they run a safe-house or they hunt. As both Hunters and safe-houses receive funding, there is widely acknowledged that Hostel must have some central structure or organization. Yet no member of either category has ever claimed to receive an order or direction.
Since Hostel is virtually unknown to Parliament and invisible to the public and every government agency, it cannot simply recruit through conventional means. Hostel’s Hunters are thus typically not recruited. Rather; they’re the victims of monsters ‘taken in’ and trained by a more experienced Hunter. Operating in cells, the Hunters of Hostel move from safe-house to safe-house as needed. Typically, however, what classifies this ‘need’ is quite unclear and unique to each individual Hunter. Some might contact various safe-houses to see ‘what’s cooking’. Others may look for clues in local news, while others still may simply roll from town to town.
Safe-houses for Hostel usually pose as backpacker hostel’s or something similar with lots of ‘comings and goings’ to hide the presence of operatives when they roll through. This also allows, on paper at least, for a Safe-house to employ their Hunters; providing both an alibi for any ‘crimes’ they may be accused of and a legitimate explanation for their funds. Safe-houses also house hidden armories. Australia’s weapons laws are quite tight and even carrying a knife can result in jail time, much less a firearm. While Hostel’s Hunters certainly carry weapons with them at all times, they need not take the risk of carrying anything more than absolutely necessary.
Hostel: The mate you need.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
Rumors of China’s involvement in Harold Holt’s disappearance struck the right cords in parliament to launch an ASIO investigation. But when the culprit was discovered, neither the lack of communist involvement nor the locations (that’s right… plural) of Harold Holt were the focus of subsequent debriefing. Rather, the most disturbing of facts took focus; monsters are real and they ate the Prime Minister.
Both ASIO and Parliament were unclear just how far many nor of what nature these creatures were, so they did they thing they do best. They passed the buck to a private firm. Off the books, unaccountable and completely unknown the vast majority of Parliament Hostel was formed to protect the Australian government from Supernatural influence.
As is the case with many of the Australian Government’s outsources, it didn’t take long for Hostel to go off the rails. Given the job of privately recruiting and training agents to fight an enemy no one knew any hard facts about. What was initiated as the grand defense of the great southern land quickly became a guerilla war waged by lone, mobile agents hopping from one isolated safe-house to the next as required.
To both compensate for their lack of funds and provide adequate cover, Hostel quickly adopted the emerging Backpacker culture; it’s safe houses doubling as Hostels, its agents posing as Backpackers. From their lonely vigils on the long, open roads Hostel’s Hunters come together briefly to confront a Vampire Haven or Werewolf Pack and then depart before any repercussion can (usually) befall them.
The Enemy
Hostel knows relatively little about the monsters they hunt. They know the difference between Vampires, Werewolves, Wizards and so on. But they are often hard pressed to distinguish between a shape-shifting Vampire or blood-Wizard.
On the other hand, Hostel are often quite aware of the ‘benchmarks’ or fundamentals which, on a broad and basic level, separate one monster from the next. For example; they are aware that if it drinks blood, then chances are it’s a Vampire. Naturally they make mistakes, deadly and costly mistakes.
Still, if Hostel have a strength it’s their universal awareness that most monsters- of any type –have a lair. Somewhere to which the beast can be tracked and used to establish ambushes, ferret the creature out and so forth. Once aware their home has been compromised, its Hostel’s experience that any monster is more dangerous but overwhelming prone to mistakes.
Bludgers On Mate’s Rates
Most of Hostel’s agents operate in one of two modes. Either they run a safe-house or they hunt. As both Hunters and safe-houses receive funding, there is widely acknowledged that Hostel must have some central structure or organization. Yet no member of either category has ever claimed to receive an order or direction.
Since Hostel is virtually unknown to Parliament and invisible to the public and every government agency, it cannot simply recruit through conventional means. Hostel’s Hunters are thus typically not recruited. Rather; they’re the victims of monsters ‘taken in’ and trained by a more experienced Hunter. Operating in cells, the Hunters of Hostel move from safe-house to safe-house as needed. Typically, however, what classifies this ‘need’ is quite unclear and unique to each individual Hunter. Some might contact various safe-houses to see ‘what’s cooking’. Others may look for clues in local news, while others still may simply roll from town to town.
Safe-houses for Hostel usually pose as backpacker hostel’s or something similar with lots of ‘comings and goings’ to hide the presence of operatives when they roll through. This also allows, on paper at least, for a Safe-house to employ their Hunters; providing both an alibi for any ‘crimes’ they may be accused of and a legitimate explanation for their funds. Safe-houses also house hidden armories. Australia’s weapons laws are quite tight and even carrying a knife can result in jail time, much less a firearm. While Hostel’s Hunters certainly carry weapons with them at all times, they need not take the risk of carrying anything more than absolutely necessary.
No comments:
Post a Comment