Masquerade Threat Levels

Below is an optional system Vampire the Masquerade games can use to heighten tension within their games and use for themselves as an indicator of the threat of the Order coming to their city.

The Masquerade Threat Level of a game generally starts at a 1. Sabbat games are never able to drop this below a 1. The Chart below details what each Masquerade Threat level means in relation to the Order.

• 0 Masquerade Threat Level: The Order has no presence of interest in this city. Vampires are too well hidden to present any interest.
• 1 Masquerade Threat Level: The standard starting Threat Level of a game. Still no active Order involvement. There is a heightened sense vigilance and monitoring but that is it.
• 2 Masquerade Threat Level: The Order is considering sending monitoring groups to the city and keep an eye out for obvious masquerade breeches. Still no direct involvement.
• 3 Masquerade Threat Level: The Order has sent its agents to monitor the city. The Benediction PMC has entered into the city. Vampire characters hunting run risk of running into these agents and being attacked. A Single Crusader NPC is in the city to assist.
• 4 Masquerade Threat Level: The Order is on full alert and active in the city. Several Squads of Benediction PMCs are active and hunting vampires. 3 Crusaders and 1 Purifier has been called to the city.
• 5 Masquerade Threat Level: The City has been declared Excommunicado. There is no going back. Dozens of Benediction Squads are actively hunting vampires and attacking their havens. 5 Crusaders, 3 Purifiers, and 1 Lord Marshal are in the city.

The Masquerade Threat Level may be raised or lowered in the following manners:

• +1 Mass Murder of Mortals (30+1) in a single month
• +1 Mortals see Discipline use or feeding and live to tell about it.
• +1 for general breach of the Masquerade that is not covered up
• -1 for Media 5, Police 5, and Street 5 used over the course of 3 months to specifically effect this chart.
• -1 for calculated murder of witnesses.
• -1 for calculated use of dominate of witnesses.

The Masquerade Threat Level should be calculated once a month and posted for players to see. If a game reaches a 5 in this scale, it cannot be reduced any further. Storytellers are encouraged to offer other modifiers that fir their game that allow players actions to effect this rating on a monthly basis.