Post by Storyteller on Nov 27, 2016 14:15:39 GMT -8
Influences is a standard background from the books. I have split that into a number of categories, as follows. Please refer to the Influences Actions thread in this forum to determine how to gain (and lose) influence in these categories.
Influence is the number one way that Kindred have to control the daily affairs of mortals. The reasons Kindred have for this are countless, from protecting their havens and hunting grounds to covering up their own illegal activities.
Influences, in a nutshell, simply make Kindred life easier.
Influence can take the form of contacts or allies, or a direct control over a certain area of mortal activity. Influence can also be used to exercise direct control over another Kindred or can be used to outwit one's foes, or even used as a weapon against them.
Influence space is limited. Influential power isn't infinite. Each sphere of influence is composed of levels and each level can only hold so many Kindred. At relatively lower levels, there's (usually) more power to go around, but as a Kindred continues to move higher and therefore command greater allies and authority, spaces swiftly become more and more restricted — and the higher you go, the more difficult the journey becomes. If the level that a Kindred is attempting to enter into is already full, they will be locked out... perhaps. After all, if your plan is more cunning, more cut-throat, and more... "motivating" than your competition, it's more likely you'll be the one a mortal has more interest in serving.
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Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy Influence is the ability to affect the aspects of local government. A character can manipulate the rules, red-tape and regulations that are necessary to run a city. Influence can be attained by amassing contacts or allies among the clerks, supervisors, utility workers, road crews, surveyors, other civil servants and even city councilmen and alderman. Chicago's political and bureaucratic world is vast, sprawling and byzantine beyond compare. Its areas of authority overlap and its various functions, bureaus, and authorities form a labyrinth which few can navigate.
1 - Trace utility bills
2 - Fake a birth certificate or driver's license; Disconnect a single small residence's utilities; Close a small road or park; Get public aid ($250)
3 - Fake a death certificate, passport or green card; Close a public school for a single day; Shut down a minor business on a violation
4 - Initiate a phone tap; Fake land deeds; Initiate a department-wide investigation
5 - Start, stop or alter a city-wide program or policy; Shut down a big business on a violation; Rezone areas; Obliterate records for a person on a city or county level
Church
The Church and those associated with it, are no strangers to politics and intrigue. This, of course, is something upon which the opportunistic Kindred can capitalize. Church influence usually only applies to mainstream denominations, which include: Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and the Islamic faith Other religions, such as Paganism, would fall under Occult influence. Contact and Allies affected by Church influence include: ministers, bishops, priests, activists, evangelists, nuns and assistants, as well as attendees.
1 - Identify most secular members of a given faith in the local area; Pass as a member of the clergy; Peruse general church records (baptism, marriage, burial, etc.)
2 - Identify higher church members; Track regular church members; Suspend lay members
3 - Open or close a single church; Find the average church-associated hunter; Dip into the collection plate ($250); Access private information and archives of a church
4 - Discredit or suspend high-level church members; Manipulate regional branches of the church
5 - Organize major protests; Access ancient church lore and knowledge
Finance
All around us are the trips and trappings of affluence and the rich and famous capture our attention on a daily basis. Kindred who enter into the world of Finance can speak the language of money and investments. They peruse the Wall Street Journal with all the interest another person lends to a fabulous novel. Kindred with this influence know where to find capital; they can access banks, mega-corporations and the truly wealthy of the world. Those with this influence control CEO's, bankers, corporate yes-men, financiers, stock brokers, loan agents and even bank tellers.
1 - Learn about major transactions and financial events; Raise capital ($1,000); Learn about general economic trends; Learn real motivations for many financial actions of others
2 - Trace an unsecured small account; Raise capital to purchase a small business (single store or small service)
3 - Purchase a large business (a few small branches or a single large store or service)
4 - Manipulate local banking (delay deposits, some credit rating alterations); Ruin a small business
5 - Control an aspect of city-wide banking (shut off ATMs, arrange a bank "holiday"); Ruin a large business; Purchase a major company
Health
In this modern age, there are many organizations and places and people that exist and make their living at easing the aches, pains, illnesses and needs of people. These organizations are rife for manipulation and exploitation by enterprising Kindred. Those with this influence control health agencies, hospitals, asylums, medical groups and even nursing homes. Contact and Allies affected by Health influence include: nurses, doctors, specialists, lab workers, therapists, counselors and pharmacists, amongst others.
1 - Access a person's health records; Face vaccination records and the like; Use public functions of health centers at your leisure; Get a single bag (1bp) of mortal blood
2 - Access some medical research records; Have minor lab work done; Get a copy of a coroner's report; Instigate minor quarantines
3 - Corrupt results of tests or inspections; Alter medical records
4 - Acquire a body; Completely rewrite medical records; Abuse grants for personal use ($250); Have minor medical research performed on a subject; Institute large-scale quarantines; Shut down businesses for "health code violations"
5 - Have special research projects performed; Have people institutionalized or released
High Society
There are people in this world that, by dint of birth, possessions, talent, luck or knowing who to blow, have risen above the "unwashed masses." Those with this influence are able to control and direct the energy and actions of mortals who move amongst society and in the entertainment sector. Contact and Allies affected by High Society influence include: dilettantes and debutantes, the old rich and the nouveau riche, movie stars, rock stars, artists, dancers of all sorts, fashion models, trendsetters, critics, and fashion models.
1 - Learn what is trendy; Obtain hard-to-get tickets for shows; Learn about concerts, shows or plays well before they are made public
2 - Track most celebrities and luminaries; Be a local voice in the entertainment field; "Borrow" idle cash from rich friends ($1,000)
3 - Crush promising careers; Hobnob well above your station
4 - Minor celebrity status
5 - Get a brief appearance on a talk show that's not about to be canceled; Ruin a new club, gallery, festival, or other posh gathering
Industry
The World of Darkness is rife with the grinding of machinery, the thuds and clangs of smoke-billowing engines, and the ceaseless and thankless toil of its pastry-faced workers whose lives are ended far too early due to the constant exposure to toxins, long-hours and stress. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the energy and actions of mortals who move in the industrial complex, engineers, contractors, construction workers and the poor souls who labor in factories.
1 - Learn about industrial projects and movements
2 - Have minor projects performed; Dip into union funds or embezzle petty cash ($500); Arrange small accidents or sabotage
3 - Organize minor strikes; Appropriate machinery for a short time
4 - Close down a small plant; Revitalize a small plant
5 - Manipulate large local industry
Legal
In the so-called hallowed halls of Lady Justice, Kindred walk with influence can walk with impunity. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the courts and justice bureaus. Those who enter this influence can even affect the law schools, and law firms attached to the Court system. Contacts and allies can include: lawyers, judges, bailiffs, clerks, and District Attorneys.
1 - Get free representation for minor cases
2 - Avoid bail for some charges; Have minor charges dropped
3 - Manipulate legal procedures (minor wills and contracts, court dates); Access public or court funds ($250); Get representation in most court cases
4 - Issue subpoenas; Tie up court cases; Have most legal charges dropped; Cancel or arrange parole
5 - Close down all but the most serious investigations; Have deportation proceedings held against someone
Media
Media is the eyes and ears of the mortal world. At once informative and insightful, Media is also considered corrupt and biased. No one is surprised when news people seem to turn a blind eye to big problems and then on the next day, make much ado about something relatively minor. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the printed news and the broadcast news. The Kindred who controls the media is a powerful Kindred indeed, frequently sought to handle breaches and the like. Contacts and allies can include: station directors, editors, reporters, anchors, camera people, photographers, and radio and television personalities.
1 - Learn about breaking stories early; Submit small articles (within reason)
2 - Suppress (but not stop) small articles or reports; Get hold of investigative reporting information
3 - Initiate news investigations and reports; Get project funding and waste it ($250)
4 - Ground stories and projects
5 - Broadcast fake stories (local only); Kill small local articles or reports completely
Occult
The supernatural world and those that move in it are a strong curiosity for a great many people. Many look at the Occult world and its occupants and cannot help but consider it a sham and a fraud. This could not be further from the truth. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the world that comes the closest to the Kindred world. Kindred who have control in the Occult world are able to garner support and information from cult leaders, alternative religious groups, charlatans, would-be occultists and New Agers.
1 - Contact and make use of common occult groups and their practices; Know some of the more visible occult figures
2 - Know and contact some of the more obscure occult figures; Access resources for most rituals and rites
3 - Access vital or rare material components; Milk impressionable wannabes for bucks ($250); Access occult tomes and writings
4 - Learn of signs of local supernatural activity and possibly contact those involved
5 - Access occult artifacts and rare occult writings; Control a small cult or circle
Police
Protect and serve. That is the motto of the enforcers of the law. But kindred and kine alike know this is not entirely true. In most cities, many people are truly wondering who the police truly serve… and why. Most of the time, they are serving their Kindred masters. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the police and their affiliates. Contacts and allies include beat cops, desk jockeys, prison guards, special divisions such as SWAT teams and homicide, detectives and all the related clerical and ancillary positions associated with law enforcement.
1 - Learn police procedures; Hear police information and rumors; Avoid traffic tickets
2 - Have license plates checked; Avoid minor violations (first conviction); Get "inside information"
3 - Get copies of an investigative report; Have police hassle, detain or harass someone; Find out bureau secrets
4 - Access confiscated weapons or contraband; Have some serious charges dropped; Start an investigation; Get money, either from the evidence room or as an appropriation ($1,000)
5 - Institute major investigations; Arrange setups; Instigate bureau investigations; Have officers fired
Political
Politics is an art which even the youngest Kindred knows something about. From the time a neonate is introduced to society, he or she begins to learn exactly how complex and convoluted politics in the Kindred world truly is. Many Kindred find it amusing at how cut-throat mortal seems, but they themselves know how deadly real politics can be. Individuals which Kindred can latch onto and use include statesmen, pollsters, activists, party leaders and even members, lobbyists, candidates, and politicians.
1 - Minor lobbying; Identify real platforms of politicians and parties; Be in the know
2 - Meet small-time politicians; Garner inside information on processes, laws and the like; Use a slush fund or a fund-raiser ($1,000)
3 - Sway or alter political projects (local parks, renovations, small construction)
4 - Enact minor legislation; Dash careers of minor politicians
5 - Get your candidate in a minor office; Enact encompassing legislature
Street
Overlooked, underappreciated, and even ignored, those who live on the street have their own culture, their own lifestyle and deal with the harsh lot they have been dealt in their own, unique way. Disenfranchised and jaded, insane and ill, those who dwell beneath the underbelly of a city are a force to be reckoned with. Contacts and allies can be found in the darkest of alleys and poorest of slums. Those who can be used by Kindred include: gang members, the homeless, street performers, petty criminals, prostitutes and the forgotten - this would include Veterans and those cast out of mental wards.
1 - Open an ear for the word on the street; Identify most gangs and know their turfs and habits
2 - Live mostly without fear on the underside of society; Keep a contact or two in most aspects of street life; Access small-time contraband
3 - Get insight into other areas of Influence; Arrange some services from street people or gangs; Get pistols or uncommon melee weapons
4 - Mobilize groups of homeless; Panhandle or hold a "collection" ($250); Get hold of a shotgun, rifle or SMG; Have a word in almost all aspects of gang operations
5 - Control a single medium-sized gang; Arrange impressive protests by street people
Transportation
People have to move. They have to travel to and from work, shopping and for business and pleasure. People fly, drive, and travel by train. Goods are hauled over rail, sea, air and via the highways. With the means of moving about, our big old world becomes a much smaller, accessible place. Contacts and allies can be found on the roads, in the airports and in train and bus stations. Those who can be used by Kindred include: cab drivers, bus drivers, pilots, air traffic controllers, travel firms, sea captains and their crews, border guards, and many, many others.
1 - Know what goes where, when and why; Travel locally quickly and freely
2 - Track an unwary target if he uses public transportation; Arrange passage safe (or at least concealed) from mundane threads (robbery, terrorism, sunlight, etc.)
3 - Seriously hamper an individual's ability to travel; Avoid most supernatural dangers when traveling (such as Lupines)
4 - Shut down one form of transportation (bus lines, ships, planes, trains, etc.) temporarily; Route money your way ($500)
5 - Reroute major modes of travel; Smuggle with impunity
Underworld
Organized crime, the undercurrent that is common in each and every city, large or small. Each group that moves through the Underworld provides a "valuable" if nefarious service and provides access to those who will carry out the most dangerous and questionable of deeds. Contacts and allies can be found in hit men, the Mafia, Yakuza, bookies, fencers and launderers.
1 - Locate minor contraband (knives, small-time drugs, petty gambling, scalped tickets)
2 - Obtain pistols, serious drugs, stolen cars; Hire muscle to rough someone up; Fence stolen loot; Prove that crime pays (and score $1,000)
3 - Obtain a rifle, shotgun, or SMG; Arrange a minor "hit"; Meet someone in "the Family"
4 - Make white-collar crime connections
5 - Arrange gangland assassinations; Hire a demolition man or firebug; Supply local drug needs
University
Knowledge is power. Everyone knows that, or at the least has heard that. University influence is a fairly straight forward influence that covers all aspects of the University life. Contacts and allies can be found in teachers, professors, deans, students, and sororities and fraternities.
1 - Know layout and policy of local schools; Have access to low-level university resources; Get records up to the high school level
2 - Know a contact or two with useful knowledge or Abilities; Have minor access to facilities; Fake high school records; Obtain college records
3 - Call in faculty favors; Cancel a class; Fix grades; Discredit a student
4 - Organize student protests and rallies; Discredit faculty members
5 - Falsify an undergraduate degree
Influence is the number one way that Kindred have to control the daily affairs of mortals. The reasons Kindred have for this are countless, from protecting their havens and hunting grounds to covering up their own illegal activities.
Influences, in a nutshell, simply make Kindred life easier.
Influence can take the form of contacts or allies, or a direct control over a certain area of mortal activity. Influence can also be used to exercise direct control over another Kindred or can be used to outwit one's foes, or even used as a weapon against them.
Influence space is limited. Influential power isn't infinite. Each sphere of influence is composed of levels and each level can only hold so many Kindred. At relatively lower levels, there's (usually) more power to go around, but as a Kindred continues to move higher and therefore command greater allies and authority, spaces swiftly become more and more restricted — and the higher you go, the more difficult the journey becomes. If the level that a Kindred is attempting to enter into is already full, they will be locked out... perhaps. After all, if your plan is more cunning, more cut-throat, and more... "motivating" than your competition, it's more likely you'll be the one a mortal has more interest in serving.
---------------------
Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy Influence is the ability to affect the aspects of local government. A character can manipulate the rules, red-tape and regulations that are necessary to run a city. Influence can be attained by amassing contacts or allies among the clerks, supervisors, utility workers, road crews, surveyors, other civil servants and even city councilmen and alderman. Chicago's political and bureaucratic world is vast, sprawling and byzantine beyond compare. Its areas of authority overlap and its various functions, bureaus, and authorities form a labyrinth which few can navigate.
1 - Trace utility bills
2 - Fake a birth certificate or driver's license; Disconnect a single small residence's utilities; Close a small road or park; Get public aid ($250)
3 - Fake a death certificate, passport or green card; Close a public school for a single day; Shut down a minor business on a violation
4 - Initiate a phone tap; Fake land deeds; Initiate a department-wide investigation
5 - Start, stop or alter a city-wide program or policy; Shut down a big business on a violation; Rezone areas; Obliterate records for a person on a city or county level
Church
The Church and those associated with it, are no strangers to politics and intrigue. This, of course, is something upon which the opportunistic Kindred can capitalize. Church influence usually only applies to mainstream denominations, which include: Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and the Islamic faith Other religions, such as Paganism, would fall under Occult influence. Contact and Allies affected by Church influence include: ministers, bishops, priests, activists, evangelists, nuns and assistants, as well as attendees.
1 - Identify most secular members of a given faith in the local area; Pass as a member of the clergy; Peruse general church records (baptism, marriage, burial, etc.)
2 - Identify higher church members; Track regular church members; Suspend lay members
3 - Open or close a single church; Find the average church-associated hunter; Dip into the collection plate ($250); Access private information and archives of a church
4 - Discredit or suspend high-level church members; Manipulate regional branches of the church
5 - Organize major protests; Access ancient church lore and knowledge
Finance
All around us are the trips and trappings of affluence and the rich and famous capture our attention on a daily basis. Kindred who enter into the world of Finance can speak the language of money and investments. They peruse the Wall Street Journal with all the interest another person lends to a fabulous novel. Kindred with this influence know where to find capital; they can access banks, mega-corporations and the truly wealthy of the world. Those with this influence control CEO's, bankers, corporate yes-men, financiers, stock brokers, loan agents and even bank tellers.
1 - Learn about major transactions and financial events; Raise capital ($1,000); Learn about general economic trends; Learn real motivations for many financial actions of others
2 - Trace an unsecured small account; Raise capital to purchase a small business (single store or small service)
3 - Purchase a large business (a few small branches or a single large store or service)
4 - Manipulate local banking (delay deposits, some credit rating alterations); Ruin a small business
5 - Control an aspect of city-wide banking (shut off ATMs, arrange a bank "holiday"); Ruin a large business; Purchase a major company
Health
In this modern age, there are many organizations and places and people that exist and make their living at easing the aches, pains, illnesses and needs of people. These organizations are rife for manipulation and exploitation by enterprising Kindred. Those with this influence control health agencies, hospitals, asylums, medical groups and even nursing homes. Contact and Allies affected by Health influence include: nurses, doctors, specialists, lab workers, therapists, counselors and pharmacists, amongst others.
1 - Access a person's health records; Face vaccination records and the like; Use public functions of health centers at your leisure; Get a single bag (1bp) of mortal blood
2 - Access some medical research records; Have minor lab work done; Get a copy of a coroner's report; Instigate minor quarantines
3 - Corrupt results of tests or inspections; Alter medical records
4 - Acquire a body; Completely rewrite medical records; Abuse grants for personal use ($250); Have minor medical research performed on a subject; Institute large-scale quarantines; Shut down businesses for "health code violations"
5 - Have special research projects performed; Have people institutionalized or released
High Society
There are people in this world that, by dint of birth, possessions, talent, luck or knowing who to blow, have risen above the "unwashed masses." Those with this influence are able to control and direct the energy and actions of mortals who move amongst society and in the entertainment sector. Contact and Allies affected by High Society influence include: dilettantes and debutantes, the old rich and the nouveau riche, movie stars, rock stars, artists, dancers of all sorts, fashion models, trendsetters, critics, and fashion models.
1 - Learn what is trendy; Obtain hard-to-get tickets for shows; Learn about concerts, shows or plays well before they are made public
2 - Track most celebrities and luminaries; Be a local voice in the entertainment field; "Borrow" idle cash from rich friends ($1,000)
3 - Crush promising careers; Hobnob well above your station
4 - Minor celebrity status
5 - Get a brief appearance on a talk show that's not about to be canceled; Ruin a new club, gallery, festival, or other posh gathering
Industry
The World of Darkness is rife with the grinding of machinery, the thuds and clangs of smoke-billowing engines, and the ceaseless and thankless toil of its pastry-faced workers whose lives are ended far too early due to the constant exposure to toxins, long-hours and stress. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the energy and actions of mortals who move in the industrial complex, engineers, contractors, construction workers and the poor souls who labor in factories.
1 - Learn about industrial projects and movements
2 - Have minor projects performed; Dip into union funds or embezzle petty cash ($500); Arrange small accidents or sabotage
3 - Organize minor strikes; Appropriate machinery for a short time
4 - Close down a small plant; Revitalize a small plant
5 - Manipulate large local industry
Legal
In the so-called hallowed halls of Lady Justice, Kindred walk with influence can walk with impunity. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the courts and justice bureaus. Those who enter this influence can even affect the law schools, and law firms attached to the Court system. Contacts and allies can include: lawyers, judges, bailiffs, clerks, and District Attorneys.
1 - Get free representation for minor cases
2 - Avoid bail for some charges; Have minor charges dropped
3 - Manipulate legal procedures (minor wills and contracts, court dates); Access public or court funds ($250); Get representation in most court cases
4 - Issue subpoenas; Tie up court cases; Have most legal charges dropped; Cancel or arrange parole
5 - Close down all but the most serious investigations; Have deportation proceedings held against someone
Media
Media is the eyes and ears of the mortal world. At once informative and insightful, Media is also considered corrupt and biased. No one is surprised when news people seem to turn a blind eye to big problems and then on the next day, make much ado about something relatively minor. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the printed news and the broadcast news. The Kindred who controls the media is a powerful Kindred indeed, frequently sought to handle breaches and the like. Contacts and allies can include: station directors, editors, reporters, anchors, camera people, photographers, and radio and television personalities.
1 - Learn about breaking stories early; Submit small articles (within reason)
2 - Suppress (but not stop) small articles or reports; Get hold of investigative reporting information
3 - Initiate news investigations and reports; Get project funding and waste it ($250)
4 - Ground stories and projects
5 - Broadcast fake stories (local only); Kill small local articles or reports completely
Occult
The supernatural world and those that move in it are a strong curiosity for a great many people. Many look at the Occult world and its occupants and cannot help but consider it a sham and a fraud. This could not be further from the truth. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the world that comes the closest to the Kindred world. Kindred who have control in the Occult world are able to garner support and information from cult leaders, alternative religious groups, charlatans, would-be occultists and New Agers.
1 - Contact and make use of common occult groups and their practices; Know some of the more visible occult figures
2 - Know and contact some of the more obscure occult figures; Access resources for most rituals and rites
3 - Access vital or rare material components; Milk impressionable wannabes for bucks ($250); Access occult tomes and writings
4 - Learn of signs of local supernatural activity and possibly contact those involved
5 - Access occult artifacts and rare occult writings; Control a small cult or circle
Police
Protect and serve. That is the motto of the enforcers of the law. But kindred and kine alike know this is not entirely true. In most cities, many people are truly wondering who the police truly serve… and why. Most of the time, they are serving their Kindred masters. Those with this influence are able to control and direct the police and their affiliates. Contacts and allies include beat cops, desk jockeys, prison guards, special divisions such as SWAT teams and homicide, detectives and all the related clerical and ancillary positions associated with law enforcement.
1 - Learn police procedures; Hear police information and rumors; Avoid traffic tickets
2 - Have license plates checked; Avoid minor violations (first conviction); Get "inside information"
3 - Get copies of an investigative report; Have police hassle, detain or harass someone; Find out bureau secrets
4 - Access confiscated weapons or contraband; Have some serious charges dropped; Start an investigation; Get money, either from the evidence room or as an appropriation ($1,000)
5 - Institute major investigations; Arrange setups; Instigate bureau investigations; Have officers fired
Political
Politics is an art which even the youngest Kindred knows something about. From the time a neonate is introduced to society, he or she begins to learn exactly how complex and convoluted politics in the Kindred world truly is. Many Kindred find it amusing at how cut-throat mortal seems, but they themselves know how deadly real politics can be. Individuals which Kindred can latch onto and use include statesmen, pollsters, activists, party leaders and even members, lobbyists, candidates, and politicians.
1 - Minor lobbying; Identify real platforms of politicians and parties; Be in the know
2 - Meet small-time politicians; Garner inside information on processes, laws and the like; Use a slush fund or a fund-raiser ($1,000)
3 - Sway or alter political projects (local parks, renovations, small construction)
4 - Enact minor legislation; Dash careers of minor politicians
5 - Get your candidate in a minor office; Enact encompassing legislature
Street
Overlooked, underappreciated, and even ignored, those who live on the street have their own culture, their own lifestyle and deal with the harsh lot they have been dealt in their own, unique way. Disenfranchised and jaded, insane and ill, those who dwell beneath the underbelly of a city are a force to be reckoned with. Contacts and allies can be found in the darkest of alleys and poorest of slums. Those who can be used by Kindred include: gang members, the homeless, street performers, petty criminals, prostitutes and the forgotten - this would include Veterans and those cast out of mental wards.
1 - Open an ear for the word on the street; Identify most gangs and know their turfs and habits
2 - Live mostly without fear on the underside of society; Keep a contact or two in most aspects of street life; Access small-time contraband
3 - Get insight into other areas of Influence; Arrange some services from street people or gangs; Get pistols or uncommon melee weapons
4 - Mobilize groups of homeless; Panhandle or hold a "collection" ($250); Get hold of a shotgun, rifle or SMG; Have a word in almost all aspects of gang operations
5 - Control a single medium-sized gang; Arrange impressive protests by street people
Transportation
People have to move. They have to travel to and from work, shopping and for business and pleasure. People fly, drive, and travel by train. Goods are hauled over rail, sea, air and via the highways. With the means of moving about, our big old world becomes a much smaller, accessible place. Contacts and allies can be found on the roads, in the airports and in train and bus stations. Those who can be used by Kindred include: cab drivers, bus drivers, pilots, air traffic controllers, travel firms, sea captains and their crews, border guards, and many, many others.
1 - Know what goes where, when and why; Travel locally quickly and freely
2 - Track an unwary target if he uses public transportation; Arrange passage safe (or at least concealed) from mundane threads (robbery, terrorism, sunlight, etc.)
3 - Seriously hamper an individual's ability to travel; Avoid most supernatural dangers when traveling (such as Lupines)
4 - Shut down one form of transportation (bus lines, ships, planes, trains, etc.) temporarily; Route money your way ($500)
5 - Reroute major modes of travel; Smuggle with impunity
Underworld
Organized crime, the undercurrent that is common in each and every city, large or small. Each group that moves through the Underworld provides a "valuable" if nefarious service and provides access to those who will carry out the most dangerous and questionable of deeds. Contacts and allies can be found in hit men, the Mafia, Yakuza, bookies, fencers and launderers.
1 - Locate minor contraband (knives, small-time drugs, petty gambling, scalped tickets)
2 - Obtain pistols, serious drugs, stolen cars; Hire muscle to rough someone up; Fence stolen loot; Prove that crime pays (and score $1,000)
3 - Obtain a rifle, shotgun, or SMG; Arrange a minor "hit"; Meet someone in "the Family"
4 - Make white-collar crime connections
5 - Arrange gangland assassinations; Hire a demolition man or firebug; Supply local drug needs
University
Knowledge is power. Everyone knows that, or at the least has heard that. University influence is a fairly straight forward influence that covers all aspects of the University life. Contacts and allies can be found in teachers, professors, deans, students, and sororities and fraternities.
1 - Know layout and policy of local schools; Have access to low-level university resources; Get records up to the high school level
2 - Know a contact or two with useful knowledge or Abilities; Have minor access to facilities; Fake high school records; Obtain college records
3 - Call in faculty favors; Cancel a class; Fix grades; Discredit a student
4 - Organize student protests and rallies; Discredit faculty members
5 - Falsify an undergraduate degree