13 KiB
BON TEMPS
A Campaign Frame for Daggerheart
In the humid backwoods of Louisiana, the invention of synthetic blood has allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin." In the small town of Bon Temps, humans and supernaturals must navigate a fragile peace fraught with prejudice, secret desires, and ancient blood feuds.
- Complexity Rating: High (introduces custom supernatural ancestries, vampire transformations, and drug/blood addiction mechanics).
THE PITCH
Read this section to your players to introduce them to the campaign.
"The air in Bon Temps is thick with humidity, the drone of cicadas, and secrets. For centuries, the things that go bump in the night stayed in the shadows of the Louisiana bayou. But two years ago, a Japanese corporation developed Tru Blood—a synthetic blood beverage that satisfies a vampire's physical hunger. Almost overnight, the undead revealed themselves to the world.
Some call it a new era of integration. Others call it an abomination.
Here in Bon Temps, you're caught in the crossfire. Whether you're a human local trying to make ends meet at Merlotte's Bar & Grill, a shapeshifter keeping your beast hidden, a werewolf protecting your pack's territory, or a newly turned vampire trying to survive the night, you'll have to choose a side. But be careful who you trust—in this town, everyone is thirsting for something."
TONE & FEEL
Southern Gothic, Sultry, Suspenseful, Gritty, Melodramatic, Dark Urban Fantasy.
THEMES
- The Fragile Peace: The thin veneer of civilization masking deep-seated animalistic and primal urges.
- Identity & Prejudice: How mainstream society reacts to the "other," and how minority factions struggle between assimilation and preservation of their nature.
- The Lure of Power (V): The corruption and addiction associated with supernatural power, represented by the high of Vampire Blood.
- Secret Lives: Everyone in Bon Temps is hiding a double life, a forbidden romance, or a dark history.
TOUCHSTONES
- True Blood (HBO Television Series)
- The Southern Vampire Mysteries (Novels by Charlaine Harris)
- Sharp Objects & Justified (For the Southern Gothic atmosphere, small-town secrets, and grit)
OVERVIEW
Give your players the following information before character creation.
The Great Revelation
Two years ago, the vampire race revealed its existence to humanity following the mass production of Tru Blood, a synthetic blood substitute that allows vampires to survive without feeding on humans. Since then, vampires have campaigned for equal rights, led by the Vampire League of American public relations. However, society remains deeply divided. "Mainstreamers" seek peaceful coexistence, while "Traditionalists" view humans as nothing more than cattle.
The Vampire Authority & Shreveport Area 5
Vampires are governed by a strict, ancient hierarchy known as the Vampire Authority. North America is divided into geographical Sherifdoms. Bon Temps falls under Area 5, ruled from Shreveport by the powerful, enigmatic Sheriff Eric Northman. While vampires must obey human laws during the day, by night, the Sheriff's word is absolute law among the undead.
The Swamp and the Moon
While vampires command the headlines, the backwoods of Louisiana harbor other secrets. Shapeshifters live quietly among humans, hiding their abilities for fear of being hunted or experimented on. Werewolf packs run illegal operations in the deeper forests, highly territorial and bound by ancient laws of pack dominance. Meanwhile, whispers of ancient Faerie magic linger in the oldest homesteads, drawing the eyes of vampires who crave their intoxicating blood.
The Illegal V-Trade
Vampire blood, known colloquially as V, has become the most dangerous narcotic on the black market. For humans, a single drop of V heals physical wounds instantly, sharpens the senses, and induces a euphoric, hallucinogenic high. But V is highly addictive, and harvesting it requires draining a vampire—an act punishable by death under both vampire and human law.
CHARACTER CREATION GUIDANCE
When building characters for a Bon Temps campaign, players should select their Ancestry and Community from heritage.md and consider the transformations in transformations.md.
Ancestries in Bon Temps
- Human: The backbone of the town. Can be police officers, bartenders, or religious zealots.
- Faerie (Fae): Rare and mysterious. Often pass as humans, using their telepathy to get by, but constantly running from the threat of vampire predators.
- Shapeshifter: Usually solitary. They often take jobs that keep them close to nature or let them blend in, like Sam Merlotte running a bar.
- Werewolf: Deeply loyal to their pack. They rarely associate with vampires and view shapeshifters as weak cousins.
- Werepanther: Reclusive and defensive. They live in impoverished rural enclaves and view all outsiders with extreme suspicion.
Communities in Bon Temps
- Bayou-Born: Swamp trackers, fishermen, or bootleggers.
- Small-Town Local: Merlotte's waitstaff, deputies, or local business owners.
- Fangbanger: Regulars at Shreveport's Fangtasia, seeking thrills and danger.
- Hot Shot Reclusive: Members of tight-knit rural families, distrustful of the law.
- Vampire Courtier: Human lawyers, security guards, or blood-donors serving the local vampire hierarchy.
Class Adaptations
- Bard: Charismatic preachers of the Fellowship of the Sun, sultry lounge singers at Fangtasia, or local radio hosts who know everyone's secrets.
- Ranger: Swamp guides, game wardens, or rogue werewolf hunters navigating the deep bayous.
- Rogue: V-dealers, smugglers, thieves, or spies working for the Vampire Sheriff.
- Warrior & Guardian: Werewolf enforcers, Sheriff bodyguards, or local deputies trying to keep the peace.
- Wizard, Sorcerer & Druid: Wiccan coven leaders channeling elemental magic, or Faeries utilizing their natural light magic.
GM & PLAYER PRINCIPLES
1. Sweat the Small Stuff (Keep it Humid)
The environment of Louisiana is a character in itself. Describe the sticky heat that makes clothes cling to skin, the buzz of mosquitoes, the smell of damp earth and stale beer, and the sudden, violent summer thunderstorms.
2. Everyone Has a Skeleton
In Bon Temps, no one is completely innocent. Every PC and major NPC should have a secret they want to protect—whether it’s a drug addiction, a forbidden love affair, an illegal superpower, or a past crime. GMs should reward players for playing into their secrets.
3. The Blood is Intimate and Dangerous
In this setting, blood is not just a resource; it is a vector of power, intimacy, and control. A bite is a highly personal act. Feeding on someone creates a psychic connection. Treat vampire feeding and V-use with narrative weight.
4. Fear the Day, Fear the Night
The campaign should feel different depending on the sun. During the day, humans hold the power, and the law protects the weak. At night, the predators wake up, the bayou becomes a death trap, and the Vampire Sheriff’s word is the only law that matters.
SETTING DISTINCTIONS
Merlotte’s Bar & Grill
The social heart of Bon Temps. Owned by the shapeshifter Sam Merlotte, this roadhouse serves as the neutral ground where locals, truck drivers, and the occasional vampire gather for burgers, beer, and synthetic Tru Blood.
Fangtasia
A notorious vampire bar in Shreveport, run by Area 5 Sheriff Eric Northman and his progeny, Pam. It caters to "fangbangers" (vampire groupies) and tourists looking for a thrill, but behind the red velvet curtains lies the dark center of local vampire politics and illegal enterprises.
Hot Shot
A rundown, impoverished settlement deep in the woods outside Bon Temps. It is home to a reclusive clan of werepanthers who live by their own rules, hostile to outsiders and fiercely protective of their territory.
The Fellowship of the Sun
A radical, heavily funded anti-vampire megachurch led by the charismatic Steve Newlin. They preach that vampires are soulless demons and actively recruit young humans into a militaristic wing called the "Soldiers of the Sun."
THE INCITING INCIDENT: "DRAINED & DISCARDED"
The campaign begins at dawn behind Merlotte's Bar & Grill.
The morning cook discovers the body of Maudette Pickens, a local human woman known to associate with vampires, slumped against the dumpster. Her body is completely pale, drained of every drop of blood, with two distinct puncture wounds on her neck.
As the sun rises, the local sheriff's department arrives, but so does a representative of the Shreveport Vampire Sheriff, demanding jurisdiction. Factions instantly polarize:
- The Humans: Terrified and angry, led by local Fellowship of the Sun members who demand all vampires be run out of town.
- The Vampires: Claiming Maudette's murder is a frame-job orchestrated by human extremists to spark a race war.
- The Shapeshifters/Werewolves: Sensing a strange, non-vampiric scent on the body, suggesting something else—something older and wilder—might have committed the deed.
The characters are drawn into the investigation, either because they worked with Maudette, were at the bar when it happened, or are ordered by their respective factions (the Pack, the Sheriff, or the Town Council) to find the killer before Bon Temps burns.
CAMPAIGN MECHANICS
In addition to the core Daggerheart rules, the Bon Temps campaign uses the following mechanics:
1. Silver Vulnerability
Vampires, Werewolves, and Werepanthers are highly allergic to silver.
- Silver Weapons: Any weapon coated or forged with silver deals an extra +1d6 damage to these creatures.
- Silver Binding: If bound in silver chains or cuffs, these supernaturals cannot shift, use magic, or use their supernatural features, and they mark 1 Stress for every hour they remain in contact with the silver.
2. Blood Feeding & Tru Blood
Vampires must consume blood to survive. They have three options:
- Tru Blood (Synthetic): Satisfies physical hunger. Consuming a bottle of Tru Blood allows the vampire to survive for 24 hours but provides no mechanical benefits.
- Warm Blood (Living Humans/Animals): Feeding on a living creature requires an Agility or Strength roll to grapple, followed by a bite. Feeding on a living human clears all Stress and heals up to 3 physical damage.
- Faerie Blood: Feeding on a Faerie clears all Stress, heals all physical damage, and grants the vampire +2 to all Trait Rolls for the next hour. However, it is highly addictive; the vampire must succeed on a Difficulty 15 Instinct Roll or enter a feeding frenzy, attempting to drain the faerie completely.
3. Vampire Glamour
Vampires can use the Glamour feature described in transformations.md. However, glamour does not work on other vampires, shapeshifters, or anyone wearing or carrying Vermilion (a local herb that blocks mental influence).
4. V-Addiction
Consuming vampire blood (V) grants humans supernatural power but triggers the V-Addict transformation rules. Obtaining V requires dealing with the Shreveport black market or harvesting it from captive vampires.
SESSION ZERO QUESTIONS
Use these questions during character creation to tie the PCs to the town and each other.
- What is your character's public opinion on vampire integration, and how does it differ from your private thoughts?
- What is the deep, dark secret you are hiding from the rest of the town, and which other PC knows about it?
- Have you ever tasted Vampire Blood (V), or have you witnessed someone close to you lose their mind to it?
- What is your relationship with Merlotte's Bar & Grill? Are you an employee, a regular drinker, or do you view it as a den of sin?
- Who is the person in Bon Temps you would die to protect?
MAP LOCATIONS
Place these locations on your campaign map:
- Merlotte’s Bar & Grill: The roadside hub of social life.
- The Stackhouse Homestead: An old antebellum home surrounded by woods, rumored to have portals to the faerie realm.
- Fangtasia (Shreveport): The neon-lit, underground vampire club.
- Hot Shot: The impoverished, insular settlement in the deep swamp.
- The Swamp Cemetery: An overgrown, historic burial ground where spirits gather and vampires bury their newly turned.
- Fellowship of the Sun Temple: A pristine, modern church compound preaching anti-vampire dogma.
- The Bellefleur Mansion: The historic estate of the town's founding family, now falling into disrepair.