Territory is important in Norwich: not only is a place to feed and to hide from the sun, but it can be a sign of your influence in the city. The Prince has divided the city up into seven Regencies, each a powerful bargaining chip in any argument and a sign that the Kindred has earned, or at least, connived it. The Regents are respected figures within the city who make the most of their monopolies. All abide by the Prince's laws, of course, but each Regent is free to set their own rules within their territory, provided they do not break with the traditions or contravene the Prince's law.
Each Regent rents out areas of their territory to a number of landlords, called Barons. Where the role of Regency is usually conveyed based on position within the city or relationship to the Prince, the Districts can provoke bidding wars to offer the best advantage to the Regent who issues them. They can also be a good chance for Regents to support their clan or covenant by providing them with a living and feeding space under their own laws, and of course many Regents rent to their friends.
Barony conveys a certain degree of respect, as Barons are required to protect and upkeep their territory as well as enforcing their Regent's laws.
Most Kindred in the city rent their Feeding Grounds from one of these Barons. Rent is typically based on the amount of Feeding Grounds a Kindred has within a District and is paid twice yearly - one Sang per dot of Feeding Grounds in that Regency. The first game will be held during one of the two festivals that heralds rent payment, but it will be assumed that all PCs at the first game have already paid, giving you time to build up the rent needed over the next six months.
Over the next week, we will be posting one Regency per day, with details of their Regent, Districts and Barons. If your character has Feeding Grounds, we will need to know which of these Districts they are in, so have a look to see which is suitable and e-mail us at shadesofnorwichdarkmetropolis@gmail.com before the 24th of January. We will also need to know where your character's Haven is located and if your Herd is based in one location, where that will be.
At the end of the week, we will also be posting a list of the borderlands, the areas around the edge of the city that are no-go areas for whatever reason. These have the potential to be turned into Districts in the future, but it will take a lot of investigation and work.
See our blog post on territory and the Vitae economy for more information on how renting works with our other resource systems.
Happy hunting!
The Regency of New Eaton
Each Regent rents out areas of their territory to a number of landlords, called Barons. Where the role of Regency is usually conveyed based on position within the city or relationship to the Prince, the Districts can provoke bidding wars to offer the best advantage to the Regent who issues them. They can also be a good chance for Regents to support their clan or covenant by providing them with a living and feeding space under their own laws, and of course many Regents rent to their friends.
Barony conveys a certain degree of respect, as Barons are required to protect and upkeep their territory as well as enforcing their Regent's laws.
Most Kindred in the city rent their Feeding Grounds from one of these Barons. Rent is typically based on the amount of Feeding Grounds a Kindred has within a District and is paid twice yearly - one Sang per dot of Feeding Grounds in that Regency. The first game will be held during one of the two festivals that heralds rent payment, but it will be assumed that all PCs at the first game have already paid, giving you time to build up the rent needed over the next six months.
Over the next week, we will be posting one Regency per day, with details of their Regent, Districts and Barons. If your character has Feeding Grounds, we will need to know which of these Districts they are in, so have a look to see which is suitable and e-mail us at shadesofnorwichdarkmetropolis@gmail.com before the 24th of January. We will also need to know where your character's Haven is located and if your Herd is based in one location, where that will be.
At the end of the week, we will also be posting a list of the borderlands, the areas around the edge of the city that are no-go areas for whatever reason. These have the potential to be turned into Districts in the future, but it will take a lot of investigation and work.
See our blog post on territory and the Vitae economy for more information on how renting works with our other resource systems.
Happy hunting!
This Regency used to belong to a Ventrue Circle who has since been stripped of power and territory. It has since been gifted to Ermenrich Fowler, a Gangrel Carthian.
This area covers the Eaton, Cringleford and Hethersett areas, with developed suburbia and pockets of commercial shopping areas stretching down the A11 to almost, but not quite, the isolated village of Wymondham. Some parkland and woodland areas still remain, including the lake by the UEA and the Central Eaton wood, which contains entrances to the disused Danby Chalk Mines.
This area saw a concerted settlement effort by local land developers in the mid-20th Century, diversifying the outer areas and becoming a main location for immigrants in modern times. While the area closer to the city remains suburban and upper middle class, the many square miles beyond that is much more diverse - and somewhat less wealthy too. Shopping centres dot along the junctions, with a giant super-mall in the Eaton Centre Mall. Further out, charity shops, antique shops, Halal butchers, grocers’, and dozens of different denominations’ and faiths’ places of worship all jostle together on side streets off A11.
The area has seen racial and religious tensions over the years, with groups based in the individual faith centres coming into disagreements with each other. Each of these groups belonged to individual Acolytes, or groups of Acolytes, and were the pawns in their various conflicts with each other, competing for more Kine worshippers and influence in their Domain.
Over the years the Masquerade grew thin from Cults spilling over, from conflicts becoming more heated, from Kindred powers being used too loosely. No single incident could be called a complete breach of the Masquerade, but all added together, the Regency was suffering, and the Kine within were growing suspicious and frightened.
The area has seen racial and religious tensions over the years, with groups based in the individual faith centres coming into disagreements with each other. Each of these groups belonged to individual Acolytes, or groups of Acolytes, and were the pawns in their various conflicts with each other, competing for more Kine worshippers and influence in their Domain.
Over the years the Masquerade grew thin from Cults spilling over, from conflicts becoming more heated, from Kindred powers being used too loosely. No single incident could be called a complete breach of the Masquerade, but all added together, the Regency was suffering, and the Kine within were growing suspicious and frightened.
The old Regent was stripped of their territory at the same time as being removed as Ventrue Priscus, and the current Regent, a Gangrel Carthian called Ermenrich Fowler, was installed.
Many of the residents within this Regency were Circle, and there was outrage at the idea of a Carthian coming in and telling them how they are allowed to live. However, the Prince’s office has allowed Ermenrich to rule as he wishes.
Living in This Regency
Ermenrich has several specific rules unique to his Regency:
Ermenrich is well aware that these rules are strict indeed, but it’s not his choice to go so far to protect the Masquerade. You know who really likes these heavy handed rules...
One might question why Kindred still choose to reside in this Regency with the harsh rules - the answer being that the domains are fruitful, there’s a diverse and plentiful supply of Kine, and there are plenty of nooks and crannies for Kindred to try to get lost in (lost to everyone but the Office of the Regency, at least).
Districts
Eaton Centre - the Commerce District- All ghouls must be registered with the Office of the Regency
- Any prospective ghouls must be pre-approved by the Office of the Regency
- Any use of Kindred powers witnessed by non-ghouled Kine must be reported to the Office of the Regency within 24 hours by either the Kindred in question, or another
- Herds must be registered with the Office of the Regency, as well as details on what Kindred powers or qualities these Herds may witness
Ermenrich is well aware that these rules are strict indeed, but it’s not his choice to go so far to protect the Masquerade. You know who really likes these heavy handed rules...
One might question why Kindred still choose to reside in this Regency with the harsh rules - the answer being that the domains are fruitful, there’s a diverse and plentiful supply of Kine, and there are plenty of nooks and crannies for Kindred to try to get lost in (lost to everyone but the Office of the Regency, at least).
Districts
Baron Toloni is not necessarily who you would choose for this bustling, commercial area. A rather stuffy ancilla whose theory of economics has updated little over the 20th Century, it’s gossiped that he was installed by the previous Regent due to in-Covenant politics and favouritism, and possibly links to his extended Nosferatu family. Ermenrich Fowler has yet to remove Baron Toloni, though some are waiting with baited breath for it to happen.
Outside of the Mall, this District has a plethora of small, independent business, charity shops, markets, restaurants, pubs and some high street stores as well. Several of the Kindred who have set up in the Commerce District own small businesses or have influential stakes in them.
The Mall itself is a behemoth of a shopping centre, stretching over three floors and with a total leasable area of over 145,000 square metres it is the 8th largest shopping centre in the UK. It boasts a fitness centre, a multiplex cinema, underground and overground parking and late-night opening hours in the wintertime.
Physical: Access 3, Safety 3. Healthy bus routes, plentiful taxis and underpasses connect the Eaton Centre with other areas of Norwich. It can get pretty busy at peak shopping periods, and petty crimes such as shoplifting do occur. Outside of the Mall it can be a little tougher, whereas the Mall boasts its own private security firm as well as a regular police presence.
Mental: Information 2, Awareness 3. The shopkeepers often talk far more to each other than to the buyers - they try to work together to understand who is visiting their shops.
Social: Prestige 2, Stability 0. The fanciest shops and restaurants are to be found elsewhere in Norwich - this is a place for the masses to come and spend their money. Turnover can be quite high, both inside and outside the Mall.
Downtime Hunting Quality: Average (3 Vitae)
Available Feeding Ground dots: 3
The Faith District
The Faith District is ruled by The Lady, a Mekhet of the Invictus.
Naturally in the Faith District there are many Acolytes with their own Cults, though since the Carthians have come into power here there are several Lancea et Sanctum members who have moved in - whether to influence Kine, or keep an eye on Kindred activities, it is unknown.
It’s not just churches in the district - other places of worship, community centres, outreach and health centres, and volunteering centres all come together to form a diverse and disunified District in which Kine of all ages, walks of life, and backgrounds come together. Both daytime and evening activities are common - some areas of the district are seen as safer than others, and availability of Kine after hours, and who those Kine are, varies as a result.
Physical: Access 1, Safety 2. Bus links tend not to connect with the less cosmopolitan areas of parks, community centres and homes, but there’s a local police station, and many of the churches have community neighbourhood watches organised. They try to look after their own.
Mental: Information 3, Awareness 2. The churches and centres use registered for pre-organised events and the community leaders know the faces of their flocks. They use outreach, leaflet drops, events at the local post offices etc, to spread information to the community.
Social: Prestige 1, Stability -2. While violence is normally rare, the area is quite mutable, and different groups can come into conflict with each other. It’s not the richest of areas, with nothing to boast about except to members of the same community.
Downtime Hunting Quality: Average (3 Vitae)
Available Feeding Ground dots: 2
The UEA
This district is ruled by Baroness Breanna Smyth, a Mekhet Carthian.
This district includes the UEA, its rather small teaching hospital, the surrounding residential areas with primary and secondary schools, and the parkland. The UEA itself is the highlight of this district, however.
It’s not just churches in the district - other places of worship, community centres, outreach and health centres, and volunteering centres all come together to form a diverse and disunified District in which Kine of all ages, walks of life, and backgrounds come together. Both daytime and evening activities are common - some areas of the district are seen as safer than others, and availability of Kine after hours, and who those Kine are, varies as a result.
Physical: Access 1, Safety 2. Bus links tend not to connect with the less cosmopolitan areas of parks, community centres and homes, but there’s a local police station, and many of the churches have community neighbourhood watches organised. They try to look after their own.
Mental: Information 3, Awareness 2. The churches and centres use registered for pre-organised events and the community leaders know the faces of their flocks. They use outreach, leaflet drops, events at the local post offices etc, to spread information to the community.
Social: Prestige 1, Stability -2. While violence is normally rare, the area is quite mutable, and different groups can come into conflict with each other. It’s not the richest of areas, with nothing to boast about except to members of the same community.
Downtime Hunting Quality: Average (3 Vitae)
Available Feeding Ground dots: 2
The UEA
This district is ruled by Baroness Breanna Smyth, a Mekhet Carthian.
This district includes the UEA, its rather small teaching hospital, the surrounding residential areas with primary and secondary schools, and the parkland. The UEA itself is the highlight of this district, however.
The UEA is a modern, cutting-edge rival to the more traditional collegiate University of Norwich, which is found in the City Centre. Breanna Smyth is rumoured to have many connections to the Dean of the UEA and several high-ranking UEA officials, and her standing request is that any Kindred hoping to influence things within the UEA informs her of whom they are influencing.
Physical: Access 1, Safety 3. Healthy bus routes and well-maintained roads connect the UEA to the rest of the city, and it is an open campus, though ID cards make it difficult to make your way into any building you’re not authorised for. Campus security is a strong presence that responds quickly to threats or disturbances, though this safety is negligible in the more abandoned areas of parkland and wooded areas past the UEA lake.
Mental: Information 4, Awareness 3. Some of the finest minds of the UK teach or research at the UEA, and a wealth of information is available to those who seek it. ID cards are required to access any buildings but the on-campus shops, however, and these can be tracked, and people without student ID are asked to sign in and wear visitor’s badges.
Physical: Access 1, Safety 3. Healthy bus routes and well-maintained roads connect the UEA to the rest of the city, and it is an open campus, though ID cards make it difficult to make your way into any building you’re not authorised for. Campus security is a strong presence that responds quickly to threats or disturbances, though this safety is negligible in the more abandoned areas of parkland and wooded areas past the UEA lake.
Mental: Information 4, Awareness 3. Some of the finest minds of the UK teach or research at the UEA, and a wealth of information is available to those who seek it. ID cards are required to access any buildings but the on-campus shops, however, and these can be tracked, and people without student ID are asked to sign in and wear visitor’s badges.
Social: Prestige 3, Stability 2. A degree from the UEA won’t hold as much social cache as one from the respectable Norwich University, but it’s by no means looked down upon, and the area benefits from the UEA’s presence. Much of the residential area is dominated by students and sees a lot of turnover, drunken revelry and arguing.
Downtime Hunting Quality: Abundant (4 Vitae)
Available Feeding Ground dots: 5
ETA: Baroness Kelia Seaver replaced by The Lady.
This section was removed: "Baroness Kelia Seaver is also an assistant to the Office of the Regency, which can be interpreted however one wishes, though generally she is seen as a ‘yes-woman’ to Regent Fowler. Baroness Seaver was given the territory shortly after Ermenrich came to power and acts somewhat as a Spymaster, making sure that infractions on the laws of the Domain are noticed and appropriately punished."
Downtime Hunting Quality: Abundant (4 Vitae)
Available Feeding Ground dots: 5
ETA: Baroness Kelia Seaver replaced by The Lady.
This section was removed: "Baroness Kelia Seaver is also an assistant to the Office of the Regency, which can be interpreted however one wishes, though generally she is seen as a ‘yes-woman’ to Regent Fowler. Baroness Seaver was given the territory shortly after Ermenrich came to power and acts somewhat as a Spymaster, making sure that infractions on the laws of the Domain are noticed and appropriately punished."
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