Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom

Last updated
Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom
VampireKoE.jpg
Cover art
Designers Justin Achilli, Voronica Whitney-Robinson, Will Hindmarch, Jason Feldstein, Joddie Gray, James Lowder
Publishers White Wolf
Publication2003
GenresPersonal horror
Systems Storyteller System

Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom is a source book, alternative setting, and stand-alone pen-and-paper RPG designed for Vampire: The Masquerade , Vampire: The Dark Ages , and other games set in the Old World of Darkness universe. It was developed by White Wolf Game Studios and released in 2003. The setting focuses on vampires in the continent of Africa.

Contents

Overview

The Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom, known as the Laibon, are fictional European vampires native to Africa in the Old World of Darkness. Despite sharing roots with the Western Kindred (traditional vampires) and being afflicted with the same curse, the Laibon have existed in relative isolation from the Western Kindred for some time and have become distinct from traditional vampires. They do not consider themselves to be descended from Caine (the first vampire), but rather view their existence as related to various African myths and legends.

Unlike Kindred, who are most commonly defined in-game by their adherence to or violation of "Humanity", the Laibon owe a dual loyalty to their mortal counterparts (called Aye) and to the spirit world (called Orun). Failure of these loyalties leads to monstrous degeneration and feral predatory behavior. High levels of Aye causes a Laibon to appear alive while high levels of Orun causes a Laibon to appear unearthly and often demonic. Those few Laibon who manage to maintain high levels of Aye and Orun simultaneously appear angelic, possibly even transcendent.

Tenets of the Ebony Kingdom

In the RPG, the Tenets have been handed down for millennia and represent the conservative status quo of Laibon society. Recently brought into question by the rapid change of the modern world, they are nevertheless fiercely upheld by the Guruhi and the Shango.

  1. The Guruhi Are The Land: As the oldest Legacy, the Guruhi have a natural right to rule.
  2. Those Who Endure Judge: Leadership and status are naturally assumed to derive from age and experience.
  3. Belonging Grants Protection: More cynically, "citizenship implies fealty".
  4. The Secret Must Be Kept: This ensures that mortals are not acutely aware of the existence of the undead.
  5. No Secrets From The Magaji: This Tenet is enforced to keep the Magaji (ruler) "in the know."
  6. Sires Command, Children Inherit: In other words, just as age determines leadership, lineage determines fealty.
  7. The Eldest Command Undeath: A reinforcement of the rulership by the eldest.
  8. Travelers Obey The Tenets: This twofold rule requires that Laibon away from home adhere to the Tenets, as do outsiders in the Ebony Kingdom.
  9. The Eldest Are Kholo: This Tenet allows some flexibility in any given area's power structure, as traveling elders (particularly among the Kinyonyi) are granted due respect despite their not belonging.

Legacies

Unlike the highly political clans of the western Kindred, Laibon can be divided into legacies, which are more akin to extended familial relations than unified factions. These legacies are bound by a common lineage and curse but hold no full loyalty to one another. They include the Akunanse, Children of Damballah, Guruhi, Ishtarri, Kinyonyi, Mla Watu, the Naglopers, Nkulu Zao, Osebo, Shango, and the Xi Dundu.

Other factions

Other major players in the World of Darkness setting also have interactions with the Ebony Kingdom legacies, including the Ghiberti bloodline of the clan Giovanni, the Malkavians, and the Ventru.

Laibon Bloodline

When first introduced in Vampire: The Dark Ages , the Laibon were presented as a bloodline of wandering wise men and shaman from Africa. Since the publication of Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom, Laibon has become the blanket term for all African Kindred who belong to one of several different lineages. Although the Laibon remain an option for Dark Ages game settings, in such a case they are probably meant to represent the wandering Akunanse Lineage.

BloodlineFounderParent ClanFactionDisciplinesNicknamesWeakness
LaibonFakir Al SidiGangrelIndependentAbombwe, Animalism, FortitudeSphinxes, WatchersIf a Laibon expends or ingests Blood Points, the "Beast" automatically consumes a point, or two points for an ingestion / expenditure of five or greater in a scene. Laibon grow hungry much quicker than other Kindred.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
SourceRating
BackstabStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Casus Belli Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Goodreads Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Backstab was critical of the sourcebook, saying that while it had a good concept, it was poorly implemented and written, with information often being hard to find and embedded in pieces of short fiction. They compared it unfavorably to an earlier sourcebook, Kindred of the East . [1] Meanwhile, French RPG magazine Casus Belli and American social cataloging web site Goodreads gave Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom mixed reviews. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Vampire: The Masquerade</i> Tabletop role playing game

Vampire: The Masquerade is a tabletop role-playing game created by Mark Rein-Hagen and released in 1991 by White Wolf Publishing as the first of several Storyteller System games for its World of Darkness setting line. It is set in a fictionalized "gothic-punk" version of the modern world where players assume the role of vampires, who are referred to as "Kindred." and deal with their night-to-night struggles against their own bestial natures, vampire hunters, and each other.

<i>Vampire: The Dark Ages</i> 1996 tabletop horror role-playing game

Vampire: The Dark Ages is a tabletop role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing in March 1996. It is a spin-off from Vampire: The Masquerade, also published by White Wolf, which is set in modern times. It was released in a new edition in 2002 as Dark Ages: Vampire, and in 2015 as Vampire Twentieth Anniversary Edition: The Dark Ages.

World of Darkness is a series of tabletop role-playing games, originally created by Mark Rein-Hagen for White Wolf Publishing. It began as an annual line of five games in 1991–1995, with Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Wraith: The Oblivion, and Changeling: The Dreaming, along with off-shoots based on these. The series ended in 2004, and the reboot Chronicles of Darkness was launched the same year with a new line of games. In 2011, the original series was brought back, and the two have since been published concurrently.

<i>Kindred of the East</i> 1998 role-playing game book

Kindred of the East is a tabletop role-playing game book and game line released by White Wolf Publishing in February 1998 for use with their horror game Vampire: The Masquerade. It is part of the World of Darkness series, and is the first and main entry in the Year of the Lotus line of Asia-themed books released throughout 1998.

<i>Werewolf: The Wild West</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Werewolf: The Wild West is a tabletop role-playing game in the World of Darkness series, published by White Wolf Publishing on May 30, 1997. It is a spin-off from their 1992 game Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and is set in the Wild West in the 19th century. Players take the roles of werewolves, warring to defending the Pure Lands from corruption in the form of the mighty Bane called the Storm-Eater.

<i>Victorian Age: Vampire</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Victorian Age: Vampire is a tabletop role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing on September 30, 2002. It is part of the World of Darkness series, and is based on the 1991 game Vampire: The Masquerade. Players take the roles of vampires existing in secrecy among humans, in 1880–1897, during the Victorian era. The setting is primarily focused on Europe, but also features locations including Africa, India, and the United States. The core book does not contain the full rules for the game, and so an additional rulebook is required, such as Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition or Dark Ages: Vampire.

<i>Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade</i>

Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade is a tabletop role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing in 1998. It is part of the World of Darkness series, and is a spin-off from Mage: The Ascension. Set during the Renaissance, it depicts the beginning of the struggle between "traditionalists" and "technocrats".

<i>Constantinople by Night</i> 1996 role-playing game supplement

Constantinople by Night is a supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in 1996 for the medieval horror role-playing game Vampire: The Dark Ages, a spin-off of Vampire: The Masquerade.

<i>Chicago by Night</i> Role-playing game supplement

Chicago by Night is a tabletop role-playing game supplement originally released by White Wolf Publishing in 1991 for use with the first edition of their game Vampire: The Masquerade, and released in updated versions for the game's second and fifth editions in 1993 and 2020. As a sandbox-style setting sourcebook for storytellers to use in campaigns, Chicago by Night describes the city of Chicago as it is portrayed within the game's setting, reinterpreted as having a large population of vampires.

<i>GURPS Vampire: The Masquerade</i> Licensed adaptation of Vampire: the Masquerade for GURPS

GURPS Vampire: The Masquerade is a licensed adaptation of White Wolf Publishing's horror role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade, written by Jeff Koke and published by Steve Jackson Games in 1993 for the third edition of their GURPS rules.

<i>Le Monde des Ténèbres: France</i> 1997 TRPG supplement

Le Monde des Ténèbres: France is a tabletop role-playing game supplement published in French by Ludis International in January 1997, for use with the games in White Wolf Publishing's World of Darkness series. It interprets France for the series' gothic-punk setting, and presents information on the region related to vampires, werewolves, mages, wraiths, and changelings, along with story hooks and pre-made characters, and introduces two new types of fae to the series. Ludis International planned to follow it with a book about Paris in June 1997, but this never materialized, and the publisher closed down a year later.

<i>Book of Storyteller Secrets</i> Role-playing game supplement

Book of Storyteller Secrets is a supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in 1997 for the horror role-playing game Vampire: The Dark Ages.

<i>The Shadow Court</i> 1997 tabletop role-playing game supplement

The Shadow Court is a tabletop role-playing game supplement released by White Wolf Publishing in January 1997 for use with their horror fantasy game Changeling: The Dreaming, and is part of the larger World of Darkness series.

<i>Libellus Sanguinis</i>

Libellus Sanguinis is a line of four tabletop role-playing game supplements released by White Wolf Publishing in 1997–2001, for use with their game Vampire: The Dark Ages. The line includes Masters of the State (1997), Keepers of the Word (1998), Wolves at the Door (2000), and Thieves in the Night (2001).

Transylvania Chronicles I: Dark Tides Rising is a 1998 role-playing game adventure published by White Wolf Publishing for Vampire: The Masquerade.

World of Darkness: Hong Kong is a 1998 role-playing game adventure published by White Wolf Publishing for Vampire: The Masquerade.

World of Darkness: Demon Hunter X is a 1998 role-playing game supplement published by White Wolf Publishing for Vampire: The Masquerade.

References

  1. 1 2 Pasteau, Cyril (September–November 2003). "Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom". Backstab (in French). No. 45. FC Publications. p. 36.
  2. 1 2 Lhomme, Tristan (August–September 2003). "Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom". Casus Belli (in French). No. 21. Arkana Press. p. 59.
  3. 1 2 "Kindred of Ebony Kingdom by Justin Achilli". Goodreads.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.