TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Basics: Introduction; Concealment; In-game/Out-of-game Cost; Layaway Cards; Primary Influence Types; Repairing An Item; Time Cost; Links; Version Control.
Items: Armor; Firearms; Melee/Missle; Reinforcement; Stakes; Other Items.
Other Activities: Diminishing Influence Attack; Haven Building and Attacking; Influence Investigation; Ritual Research.

INTRODUCTION:
There are five different types of influences: Business, Government, Herd, Occult, and Underworld.
All characters start with 3 influences except Tremere, who start with 2, and Toreador, who start with 3 or 4. Influences may be purchased for 1 xp or freebie each.
All influence types may be used to build or attack havens, attack others' influences, or investigate characters or actions.
Business, Government, Underworld, and Occult (to a lesser extent) may be used to acquire items.
Herd may be used as sources of blood (normally 3 points of blood per herd, this amount may decrease if in-game events have broken or threaten the masquerade).
Occult may be used for research and development of new rituals.

CONCEALMENT:

• Blue cards are jacket concealable.
• Yellow cards are trenchcoat concealable.
• Red cards cannot be concealed. They might be able to be obfuscated, depending on the size of the item.

IN-GAME/OUT OF GAME COST:
All item prices listed below are doubled when the player attempts to get the item during the game.

LAYAWAY CARDS:
All influence actions that are discrete events that are continued over several months (partially buying an item, researching a ritual) will be given out on "layaway cards". The layway card should be signed by an ST, dated, list the influences used, and list the task working toward. These cards can be given away or sold by the owning character. If the player loses the card, then that work is lost.

PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES:
Any of the five influence types not specified as a primary type is considered a secondary type. Herd and cash are secondary types for all items. If the primary type is "any", any of the five types and/or cash may be used. The total influence expenditure must be at least 50% primary influences.
Example: An item that costs 4 influences can be obtained by any of the following ways:

• 4 primaries.
• 3 primaries and 1000$.
• 3 primaries and another influence of any type.
• 2 primaries and 2000$.
• 2 primaries and 2 more influences of any type.
• 2 primaries, 1000$, and 1 more influence of any type.

REPAIRING AN ITEM:
If an item is broken (such as armor that has all of its boxes marked or a melee weapon that had too much Potence used on it) or has reached its expiration date, it can no longer be used. The item may be restored to full working condition by spending half its original cost (using the original item's primary category). Armor may be restored if it is only partially damaged but the repair costs the full amount.
Examples: A 3 trait, 2 wound gun is would cost 7 (15/2, round down) influences to repair. The same rifle with a silencer would cost 15 (15 for the original rifle + 15 for the silencer/2) to repair.

TIME COST:
If an influence expenditure (including use of herd) uses 10 or less influences, that task takes 10 minutes. Otherwise, the task takes 30 minutes. Reinforcement and ritual research can only be performed during downtime.

ARMOR:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Business, Government.
Each point of armor is a box on the item card. For each hit received in combat, the victim may mark off a box to automatically ignore one wound level of damage. Exceptions: aggravated wounds, the first wound level of damage caused by a staking attempt, and the damage caused by Cauldron or Control may not be soaked by armor. Armor does not regenerate after a scene - once a box is marked off, the armor must be repaired before it is marked again. A character may only wear one armored item.

• 2 influences- 1 point armor, blue card.
• 4 influences- 2 point armor, yellow card.
• 7 influences- 3 point armor, yellow card.
• 12 influences- 4 point armor, red card.
• 18 influences- 5 point armor, red card.

FIREARMS:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Government, Underworld.

• 1 influences- +0 trait, 1 wound generic firearm, blue card.
• 3 influences- +1 trait, 1 wound generic firearm, blue card.
• 5 influences- +2 trait, 1 wound generic firearm, blue card.
• 5 influences- +3 trait, 1 wound generic firearm, yellow card.
• 7 influences- +0 trait, 2 wound generic firearm, yellow card.
• 10 influences- +1 trait, 2 wound generic firearm, yellow card.
• 13 influences- +2 trait, 2 wound generic firearm, yellow card.
• 15 influences- +3 trait, 2 wound generic firearm, red card.
• Silencer: firearm modification.
  • Silencers are permanently affixed to a gun (that is, the STs write 'silencer' on the gun card and sign it again). They cannot be detached from the gun once affixed. Certain gun types cannot be silenced: revolvers and shotguns.
  • Silencers cost whatever the original gun cost. So a silencer for a 0t, 1w pistol would cost 1 influence; a silencer for a 3t, 2w rifle would cost 15 influences.

MELEE/MISSLE/STAKES:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Business, Occult, Underworld.
Stakes cannot be reinforced. Melee weapons other than stakes can also be used as missle weapons.

• 1 influences- +0 trait, 1 wound stake, blue card.
• 1 influences- +0 trait, 1 wound generic missle/melee weapon, blue card.
• 3 influences- +1 trait, 1 wound generic missle/melee weapon, blue card.
• 4 influences- +1 trait, 1 wound stake, blue card.
• 5 influences- +2 trait, 1 wound generic missle/melee weapon, blue card.
• 5 influences- +3 trait, 1 wound generic missle/melee weapon, yellow card.
• 7 influences- +0 trait, 2 wound generic missle/melee weapon, yellow card.
• 8 influences- +2 trait, 1 wound stake, blue card.
• 10 influences- +1 trait, 2 wound generic missle/melee weapon, yellow card.
• 13 influences- +2 trait, 2 wound generic missle/melee weapon, yellow card.
• 15 influences- +3 trait, 2 wound generic missle/melee weapon, red card.

REINFORCEMENT:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Business, Underworld.
There are two levels of weapon reinforcement. Reinforcement is needed if potence is used to more than double the original wound capability of the weapon. Reinforcement can only be performed during downtime. Stakes cannot be reinforced.

• 1 wound weapons can be reinforced to Potence 2a and then Potence 3a.
• 2 wound weapons can be reinforced to Potence 3a.
• Cost of reinforcing to Potence 2a: 10 influences.
• Cost of reinforcing to Potence 3a: 20 influences.

OTHER ITEMS:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Any.

• Cell phone- 1 influence, blue card.
• Pager- 1 influence, blue card.
• Deactivating a cell phone or pager- 1 influence.
• Trenchcoat- 1 influence, yellow card.
• Voice activated tape recorder- 3 influence- blue card.
• Video camera- 3 influence, yellow card.
• Small video camera- 4 influence, blue card.

DIMINISHING INFLUENCE ATTACK:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Any.

• For every two influences spent by any character to diminish another character's influence, the victim loses one point off the back end of their spending. Herd cannot be diminished. Both influences lended by that character and influences lended to that character are diminished. The victim cannot have their influences reduced below zero. If an attack occurs during downtime, the victim will get a message that his influences are under attack. If an attack occurs at the game, the victim will be notified as he spends or transfers any influence.
• Examples:
  Bob and Doug (does not matter if they cooperate or are working independently) spend a total of 1 underworld, 3 business, and 10,000$ to diminish Jeriko's influences this month. Bob and Doug have spent 14 points, so Jeriko loses up to 7 points of his spending.
  • If Jeriko only had herd, nothing happens. Bob and Doug have wasted their attack.
  • If Jeriko was lending his 3 underworld (say he has underworld instead of herd) to someone else, that person does not get any influences from Jeriko (that person does not get a message that Jeriko's influences were under attack, they just know that Jeriko didn't give them anything). Bob and Doug wasted 4 points of their attack.
  • If Jeriko was cashing his 3 underworld in, he gets no cash. Bob and Doug wasted 4 points of their attack.
  • If Jeriko was using his 3 underworld and his packmates lended him 17 more (which may have included secondary influences and/or cash) to get firearms, then he loses 7 of them, for a total of 13 influences spent on firearms.
  • If Jeriko was using his 3 underworld to paint his haven, he does not get his haven painted this month, but the haven is not otherwise effected.
  • If Jeriko was using his 5 occult (say he has occult instead of underworld) to do research on ward vs. everyone, he gets no research done this month, but his previous research is not hurt.

HAVEN BUILDING AND ATTACKING:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Any.
For haven information, see the Links section.

INFLUENCE INVESTIGATION:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPES: Any.

• Information can be retrieved at the game or downtime, going back one month only. There are two types of investigations: investigating a character or investigating an action.
  • Investigating a character - choose a character and spend any number of influences to investigate them. If any of the victim's actions cost less than or equal to half of the investigation's cost, the investigator finds out what his actions were.
  • Investigating an action - choose an action and spend any number of influences to investigate it. For all victims that have done such an action AND the victim's actions cost less than or equal to half of the investigation's cost, the investigator finds out most (but not as much as investigating a character) of what that person was trying what and the results of that action.
• Covering up- anytime any character wants to make an action more difficult to investigate, they may overspend on that particular action (for example, spending 17 on a +3, 2 wound gun means that an investigator must spend at least 34 to find that fact).
• Framing- there is no way currently to frame someone.
• Examples:
  • Vincent the Ventrue wants to know what Tammy the Tremere is up to. Vincent spends 6 influences to investigate her. Tammy happens to have given 1 herd to Todd, 2 occult to research ward vs. spirit, and 3 underworld to get a big gun. Since 6 is two times all of the actions Tammy has done, Vincent finds out exactly what she was doing and the results of each action (gave 1 herd to Todd, 2 occult to research ward vs. spirit, and 3 underworld for layaway on a +3, 2 gun). Note that Vinnie does not find out what Todd did with the herd or how close Tammy is to getting the ritual or gun.
  • Vincent is flush with success, so wants to find out who has been buying any guns anywhere. He spends 20. Bob spent 4 to buy a +3, 2 wound gun; Chuck spent 5 to buy a +0, 2 wound gun; and Dave spent 15 to buy a +3, 2 wound gun. Since 20 is more than two times 4 and 5 but not 15, Vinnie finds out that Bob and Chuck are buying guns. Note that Vinnie does not find out that Dave was buying a gun, nor does he find out what kind of gun or how close they are.

RITUAL RESEARCH:
PRIMARY INFLUENCE TYPE: Occult.

• Research Points = ((researcher's occult ability / 3 ) + 1 + (1 if researcher is Tremere, 0 otherwise)) * influences spent.
• Ritual research can only be performed during downtime.
• The researcher does not need occult ability to do research, though it helps. Researchers cannot collaborate but influences may come from anyone.
• The desired ritual must be specified.
• When enough research points for a particular ritual is acquired, then those cards should be taken to the influence desk. The character learning the ritual must have enough occult ability or thaumaturgy and then spend the XP for the ritual. The research points are then destroyed (the cards are taken by the STs). That character may then teach the ritual per the main rules.
• Research points needed to learn a basic ritual that is already in the rules: 100.
• Research points needed to learn an advanced ritual that is already in the rules: 150.
• Research points needed to learn a basic ritual that is not in the rules: 300.
• Research points needed to learn an advanced ritual that is not in the rules: 450.
• Examples:
  • A tremere with 8 occult ability, 3 occult influences, and 5 other influences does research toward apport object. Research points = ( ( 8/3 ) + 1 + 1 ) * 6 = 30. Note that at least 50% of the influences spent must be occult, so only three of the five other influences can be used for research. At this rate, it will take that researcher 4 months to accumulate 100 points for apport object.
  • A caitiff with no occult ability, 5 occult influences, 1 other influence, and spending 4000$ does research toward deflection. Reseach points = ( ( 0/3 ) + 1 + 0 ) * 10 = 10. At this rate, it will take that researcher 10 months to accumulate 100 points for deflection.

LINKS:

• Haven appendix: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Area51/Starship/6060/havens.html
• Influence appendix: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Area51/Starship/6060/infl.html
• Elysium Nights Theater General: http://geocities.datacellar.net/TimesSquare/Chamber/9515/
• Elysium Nights Theater Rules: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Area51/Starship/6060/
• Subscribe to the Elysium Nights Theater In-Game email list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/ent-ig
• Subscribe to the Elysium Nights Theater Out-Of-Game email list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/ent-oog
• Send mail to the Elysium Nights Theater Storytellers: mailto:nothasp@hotmail.com

VERSION CONTROL:

• 1998/12/06: v1.0 beta 1: First version.
• 1998/12/09: v2.0: Added haven references.
• 1999/07/26: v2.1: Changed primary categories, added time cost, ritual research, attacks, and investigation.