Announcement: The Middle Kingdom

The VEKN Design Team is proud to announce The Middle Kingdom, the third V:TES expansion set designed for print and play by the worldwide player community. This third set will focus upon on material from the Kindred of the East product line from Vampire: The Masquerade, which focuses on mysterious Asian vampires that call themselves the Kuei-Jin.

In the World of Darkness the Kuei-Jin are vampiric creatures not related to Kindred or Cainites. They bear some superficial similarities, and Western vampires often to mistake them as beings of similar origin. However, these Cathayan creatures do not originate from a single descendant and do not need to feed exclusively from human blood – insist they subsist on magical energy called Chi, which exists in both Yin and Yang forms. Kuei-Jin rise again from the dead to fulfil their Dharma – their karmic purpose. Instead of subscribing to the Masquerade, the Hungry Dead of the Middle Kingdom follow the Great Principle – a series of rules based on ancient oriental philosophy.

The new set will contain 30 crypt cards, consisting of 6 Kuei-Jin each from the five schools of Dharma – a close equivalent to the Clans of the Kindred world. The Howl of the Devil Tiger are masters of pain and purification – sadomasochists and militants, they scorn weakness and are entirely without restraint. The Way of the Resplendent Crane are lawmakers and perfectionists who advocate virtuous behaviour and right action. The Song of the Shadow are investigators, archivists and masters of learning. The Path of the Thousand Whispers celebrate the wheel of life and death and are catalysts and instigators of change. The Dance of the Thrashing Dragons are indulgent hedonists, pursuing all disciplines and endeavours to excess.

The new set will also contain 30 library cards, the majority of which represent the various Disciplines of the Kuei-Jin. Following the existing mechanics of VTES, the new icons on these cards will need to match the corresponding icons on your controlled minions. However, instead of a blood cost, many cards will have a Ying or Yang Chi cost. Shintai Disciplines are based on ritual and meditation. Chi Disciplines concern the focusing of inner energies. Soul Disciplines interact with the mystical realms beyond the Middle Kingdom.

The set will also include a number of oriental-themed master cards, and allies and retainers that provide a glimpse of the other supernatural creatures that co-exist with the Hungry Dead of the Middle Kingdom. Kitsune, Heygeyokai and Bastet are shapechangers native to eastern lands and are as fearsome as the werewolves known to western vampires. The Wu Lung (‘Dragon Wizards’) are fearsome mortal magicians that few vampires would dare to trifle with. The wraith denizens of the Emerald Court often haunt the sacred placed of the Kuei-Jin.

Since 2014 – the year of the 20th Anniversary of VTES - is devoted to the testing and publishing of our second set concerning the Independent clans, The Middle Kingdom will begin testing in late 2014 for release in Q3 of 2015.

I loved everything you guys did so far, but another imbued?

I will wait with glimpse of finished product, but not really excited about this, mainly following the reasoning that adding new complex mechanic to a out-of-print game may be further detriment to it ever getting picked up.

I'm excited to know that you are not excited about this.

Pendargon wrote: I loved everything you guys did so far, but another imbued?

I will wait with glimpse of finished product, but not really excited about this, mainly following the reasoning that adding new complex mechanic to a out-of-print game may be further detriment to it ever getting picked up.

I stand on similar ground.

Were we in print, maybe KotE. But honestly, Risen have better crossover use, hell, mummies (Amenti) are probably better. But we will see.

ReverendRevolver wrote:

Pendargon wrote: I loved everything you guys did so far, but another imbued?

I will wait with glimpse of finished product, but not really excited about this, mainly following the reasoning that adding new complex mechanic to a out-of-print game may be further detriment to it ever getting picked up.

I stand on similar ground.

Were we in print, maybe KotE. But honestly, Risen have better crossover use, hell, mummies (Amenti) are probably better. But we will see.

It's April 1st. So presumably this is just a bad April Fool's Day joke.

Not being a native English speaker, I wonder where does it start becoming cyber-bullying?