"My fellow Kindred, Loyal Citizens of Amsterdam; Long has our proud
city stood tall over others as a center of culture, learning, industry
and commerce. Our port once saw magnificent ships set sail for many
uncharted lands, bringing back spices worth more than gold itself. It
is from here, that an empire was forged which held sway on every
landmass save the icy south. And through it all, we, the Damned, have
played our parts behind the curtains. We have schemed, and we have
prayed. Drinking and bleeding alike, we have survived within this city
for nearly a thousand years. Through the great fires, through the
plague, through the second world war; we have endured. Why? We have
endured because of the laws that bind together our great society."
- Antonius Severijn, Prince of Amsterdam
Speech given before Court, 1998
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Welcome to Shadows Over Amsterdam
A World of Darkness Roleplaying Community set in The Netherlands.
Amsterdam knows the weight of ages well. Once it was the richest and most powerful city in the world, with
massive tradefleets sailing to all corners of the earth. This is where capitalism was born, and where greed
became a virtue, rather than a vice. A beacon of culture, education, and profit, the city stood as the center
of the Dutch republic, which held the other great powers of Europe at bay for two centuries before it was finally
conquered. Since then, the city has lost it's former glory and prominence, but it also known a new renaissance, parts
of the city flourishing once more even as others slip further and further into decay.
But that's just the ordinary tale of Amsterdam, which ignores the shadows that creep over the city's buildings.
It's narrow streets and alleys are plagued by the ghosts of 800 years of history, and are drenched in blood.
The canals; of which the city boasts more than even Venice; form a spiderweb around the historical
city, containing dark horrors that even the world capital of vice can't bear to witness. Both it's former and present
stature attract the attention of forces not quite human, eager to make their mark.
The Kindred
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"They say that it's always been like this; constricted and suffocating. There have always been regents and serfs. Those on top
and those who toil in the mud. Staking your claim has been utterly impossible for centuries; you'd have to toil in the mud for
ages before you'd get a few measly streets as your own. Only the powerful Elders could take what they wanted. In that respect,
i suppose not much has changed. Sure, De Graaf and others tried to change all that back in 1805, but they failed, and from their
failure was born the Carthian movement, a thorn in the side of Invictus everywhere. Yet still, Amsterdam remained feudal, and still
it squeezed out what little breath remained in our undead lungs. Only with the chaos of WW2, and the ash filled skies that resulted,
were we able to breathe again. And yet, we changed nothing. We still have to pay our respects to our 'betters'. We still have to toil,
and we still have to pay the rent. But despite the fact the population is growing again, there's still opportunities to be had, we can
still stake our claims before everything is parcelled out again. I better get to work."
Amsterdam tonight is ruled by a Sanctified Prince; Antonius Severijn, who mixes his religious beliefs with the Invictus traditions which
have permeated the city since it's earliest nights. This is a city where the laws and traditions are sacred, and where one's only hope of
a pleasant requiem lies in playing the feudal game. Everyone owes their allegiance to someone, and those that don't, are not long for
this world. It's also a city of secrets and of ambitions that stretch beyond the local scope. Not all Kindred are content to let the past
be unknown or to spend their eternity ignorant of the world beyond their city's borders.
Six decades have passed since the Sanctified have taken the throne, and a lot has transpired since then; the Carthians have been allowed
back into the city which they regard as the birthplace of the Movement, the rise of the Malkavians, and the appearance of strange Kindred
cults that spread teachings not even the Acolytes would touch. Dealing with these and other issues requires a delicate hand, especially
as neighbouring cities are always eager for a chance to strike at Amsterdam; they need not worry the wilds between cities as much as they
have to in other countries, the urban density of the Netherlands sees to that; they need only comprehend the subtle and convoluted politics
of the Damned.
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