#leopold struass

[irishmacguirefucker]

are you gonna look at me and tell me that I'm wrong?

[missn11]

The Possible Meaning Behind The Malkavian Armors In VTMB

I had been planning to write this for the longest time but never could quite get it done until now! XD 

So I’m sure that you all have seen the wacky armors that the Malkavian PC can buy in Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines and just thought it was another thing that added to the fishmalkiness to the VTMB’s Malkavian PC but like the Malk PC themselves, I think there is more to the outfits than we might think.

of course this is purely my own opinion and I could be reading way too much into the armors but I digress.

((All Screenshots of the armors are from this guide of all the armors in VTMB https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1850939973)) 

Light clothing and Santa Monica  

The first outfit that you start the game with for both the male and female Malkavian PC highlights their vulnerability of their new situation. This shows of how not only their sire seduced them into letting their guard down to be able embrace them but also the dangerous political situation they have been thrust into, a vulnerable pawn at the mercy of being taken advantaged by Kindred older than them. Though despite that vulnerability the PC has, they still have it better than the Thin-bloods at the beach who are often pushed around or hunted by other Kindred for being who they are. https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Thin-blooded 

Santa Monica is where the Malk PC spends most their time in this outfit, getting their first taste of being used as a pawn in the Voreman sisters’/Bertram Thung’s feud. Even when they gain victories in their time in Santa Monica (especially upon destroying the warehouse) the shovel-heads attacking and kidnapping the PC highlight further how vulnerable they are and still in need of being saved by Nines Rodriguez.

Heavy clothing and Downtown

So the second outfit you can get in the game in Downtown is where the outfits for the female and male Malkavian PC gets starts to become more interesting. Now walk with me on this one and the later outfits. I think that these outfits give a hint of what Downtown has in store for the PC. And how you get these outfits in the game aside from the body armor, is always procured by yourself, no one gives you the protection you so need, aside from Heather Poe. 

The second female Malk PC outfit, a sexy cowgirl outfit, highlights the situation in Downtown between the Camarilla, the Sabbat and the Anarchs. A Mexican standoff if you will. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_standoff neither of the three factions present in Downtown can strike at each other without possibly losing, so instead they all in a stand still until one of them makes the first move. The female Malkavian PC is a slightly more covered but her cleavage is still shown and her bottom is now more exposed. Again showing how much she has to watch her back with the intrigues and dangers that all three factions pose for her. But in a way she may be (depending how you play the game) using her more seemingly vulnerability as an advantage when it comes to mortals, e.i seduction.

The second male Malk PC outfit on the other hand, a pest control outfit  highlights the disease the plague bearers had spread in Downtown and of course the ‘pests’ of those who threaten the Masquerade, e.i Patty and Simon who can either killed or given to Pisha for her to consume ( like flys to a spider or preying mantis) Boris is also a pest for Venus that she wants us to kill for her, so she can have full ownership of her club, Confession, without having to be forced into sex for late payments. And to both the Camarilla and Anarchs the Sabbat are also pests that are needing to be taken care of. Taking care of these pests seem to be never ending and only some of the quests actually give you rewards in more than EXP.

Yet the Malk PC is starting to grow in strength and become something of notice for those important to the faction Leaders, (LaCroix, Nines and Strauss) even if they aren’t quite ready to fully stand on their own. 

Light Leather and Hollywood

Hollywood is where the PC starts to see and get more entangled with the political situation in LA, starting to learn how to play the intrigue game to their advantage, perhaps gain or lose possible future support from either the Camarilla or the Anarchs ( the support gained from the Camarilla and the Anarch can be also gained back in Downtown but you can lose support from Struass, e.i the Camarilla by telling Isaac who made the Gargoyle hiding in the Chinese Theater. And is also shown of how much a threat the Sabbat are.  

The third male Malk PC outfit, a sewer worker outfit, hints at the eventual trip down into the sewers to rescue the Nosferatu from Andrei’s monsters’ siege. With how fully covered the male Malk PC is now, shows how far he has come from the true vulnerably of the beginning of the game and despite the odds, is more prepared to take on a army of monsters by themselves than most. (either through combat or sneaking, depending on how the player has build their character! XD) 

The third female Malk PC outfit, a sexy cop outfit, hints at the sleazy and illegal goings on in the underbelly of Hollywood that need the police’s attention but due to corruption and the secrecy needed for the Masquerade that falls to us to investigate and bring to Justice. In the PC’s investigate into the origins of a snuff film of monsters killing and eating a woman trapped inside a flesh decorated mansion, they discover anyone who has anything to do with the illegal tape is quickly killed. With Isaac’s help, the PC tracks down the source of monsters to Andrei and attempts to bring him to Justice by fighting him. 

Funny enough, the sexy cop outfit also hints at the sidequests where you can protect and serve the Masquerade. But it’s not just that simple as shown with Julius, the serial killer and the Gargoyle all being victims of their circumstances. 

Julius is a Thin-blood that has been abandoned by the rest of Kindred society and only breaks the Masquerade out of ignorance, as well the need to make a living for himself. (provided that David Hatter does pay him for his ‘ideas’) 

The serial killer is a Gangrel that was doing all the killings, turns out to have been avenging his family when they were killed in a break in gone wrong. The Gargoyle hiding in the Chinese theater, had escaped from the Tremere Chantry and was a creation of Strauss. 

Gargoyles in Vampire the Masquerade are a bloodlines created by the Tremere to serve them as scouts, warriors and sentinels.But their creation is not so simple as embracing, rather they created in a ritual. https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Gargoyle_(VTM)   

You can either help them or kill them, Julius can spared so he can flee out of town. The serial killer can be convinced to no longer go on anymore killing sprees now that he avenged his family. And the Gargoyle can talked into joining Isaac against the Camarilla and as well the Tremere.

Heavy Leather and Body Armor, Chinatown and The Endgame 

Chinatown is when the PC really begins to become so powerful that Kindred society, especially the leaders of LA faction are starting to take notice of them. Now I feel for both the female and male Malk PC final outfits are now showing the great strength the Malkavian PC gained through their trials by fire their journey has constantly brought. 

The final female Malk PC outfit, a black leather outfit that nearly covers her whole body aside from her cleavage and a few rips on her bottom and thigh and a painted face that cries blood and the words ‘Exxxploit me’ Some would say that the ‘Exxxploit me’ on the back is further showing of the unnecessary sexualisation of the female Malkavian but I don’t that’s the only thing going on here. 

By this point in the story the PC has endured countless dangers and plots of LaCroix, Ming Xiao, the Society of Leopold and the Sabbat has thrown their way and always managed to come out on top. And not only that, the PC (especially a Malkavian) is without doubt fully aware of how every single Kindred in LA has used and exploited them for their own gain in one form or another throughout their journey and perhaps bitter about it. But with gaining power at a fast pace and by the end the PC is now able to stand fully on their own, either choosing to side with which faction they cultivated favor from or leave LA effectively siding with themselves, no longer the helpless pawn of the city’s Kindred.

I believe the ‘Exxxploit me’ is mocking those who would attempt to use or exploit them, highlighting that they are beyond or at the very least aware of the schemes of the older Kindred of LA.  

On a more personal note, when I play as the female Malkavian, I tend to pick the ‘Lone Wolf’ ending and I feel that the meaning I’m trying to get across about the ‘Exxxploit me’ on the back is shown quite well.

The final male Malk PC outfit, a big white fur coat and a Cat in the Hat style hat

shows that the male Malk PC have grown so much in strength and isn’t afraid to show it by wearing such a flamboyant outfit. His body is nearly all covered up except for his chest, perhaps as a challenge to his enemies to strike at him if they dare or even able to. 

Like with the ‘Exxxploit me’ on the female Malk PC’s back, the male Malk PC’s outfit is also showing that he is no longer so easily exploited anymore.  

Phew, that was a long post that I spent hours writing! XD I hope you all enjoyed reading this essay on the Malkavian outfits of VTMB.

Many thanks to @leadflowers​ for giving me the encouragement to write this by saying that you were interested in my thoughts on the Malkavian outfits! :D 

[irishmacguirefucker]

Why and how did the gang start a ranch?

(So this got long as FUCK but please read it because oh my god i'm so so proud of it ok? Big thank you to @awesomeundertalelover3​ for proofreading and editing this for me, especially since I'm incoherent when I type.) The choice to start the ranch and stop being a “gang” was the result of a few things. First, it was the botched job in Blackwater. Dutch killed innocent Heidi McCourt, planting the first seed of distrust within the gang. Then in the escape, they lost Sean and the gravely injured Mac, and John, Davey and Jenny were both injured. Then Jenny died, of course, followed by Davey. The next big push into the decision was the time spent in the mountains. The cold and the difficulty of survival made many members of the gang think long and hard about their life as gang members, especially now that Hosea and Dutch seem to be fighting over whether or not Dutches plans will work out. 

At this point they are cold, they are tired, and they have lost what they assume is 4 members of their family. But they kept on. They gained Sadie Adler due to Micah’s stupidity and they gained Kieran. You all know how things go until they get to Horseshoe Valley. But this is where things start to change in my AU. 

Horseshoe Valley is good for everyone, they continue to commit crimes as usual. But Hosea is contacted by the elder brother of his late wife Bessie. He wrote that he feared he would die soon, and his property would be sold to the government since he had no other family left in the area. His daughter lives in new york and she doesn’t want it. He’s going to go live with his daughter and get to know his grandchildren before he passes. But he doesn’t want the ranch he and Bessie grew up on in anyone else’s possession so he asks Hosea to do what Bessie would do. Who Bessie would give the farm to. 

The deed was to 55 Acres of land in New Austin. A beautiful 3 story ranch house with all the facilities to keep cattle, chickens, pigs, sheep, and horses. The man had sold all his livestock so that he could make it to see his family and then give the money to his daughter as a gift for letting him live with her. Hosea never told anyone, he was going to keep the deed for a while and sell it when the gang was in need. 

The Van Der Linde gang was being hunted and they all knew it. However, they tried to ignore it and tried to believe in Dutch. But with the unfortunate loss of so many members of their family at once was weighing on them. They were having trouble getting money and getting food, and they knew that gangs all over America were being wiped out around them. Arthur and Hosea would talk about how bad it was getting, and more than once members of the gang would tell Hosea that they just want to be loyal. They want to be safe again but they would never leave their family. The final straw was at the fault of Micah. 

When Arthur went to retrieve Micah in Strawberry he ended up discussing the jailed outlaw with the sheriff. He was going to get the man drunk and then get Micah out Hosea style, but when he spoke to that drunk sheriff he learned a lot. The sheriff revealed that the Pinkertons had been by and spoke with him and that he was part of a famous gang. With further prompting, the sheriff dropped the bomb that Micah was a rat. The Pinkertons had come to Strawberry to take Micah away because they knew who he was but offered him a deal. They would let him wait here to be saved and then continue feeding Pinkertons information, or they could haul him off to Siska and hang him before the gang even noticed he was gone. And so Arthur thanked the wasted lawman for his time and left Strawberry without the rat. 

When he got back and talked to Dutch and Hosea, he shared that Micah had told the law everything he knew and planned to come back as a rat. They knew very well that Micah knew far too much and finally Hosea knew what he was going to do with that land. With Dutch and Arthur there, he explained everything about his brother in law, and then he let them know *his* plan.

Hosea wanted the gang safe, even if that meant not being a gang anymore. He had been the shoulder to cry on for Lenny, who missed young Jenny. For Karen, who drunkenly admitted that she might be in love with Sean but never told him. For Tilly, who was terrified her old gang would find her again and she would be back where she was when she was 12. And for many others, who felt so broken by the last few months. His plan was to start collecting as much money as they can and use it to pay off their bounties and move to the ranch. To buy a few heads of cattle, take their chicken, buy some pigs and sheep, and start that ranch up again. 

Dutch thought it was crazy. Arthur agreed, but the look of hope in the blonde’s eyes was enough to see what he really thought. Dutch was angry, he was so so angry that Hosea would suggest this after everything they had been through. He even threw it back in Hosea’s face that he had tried to live the regular life, that Hosea couldn’t do it. That insult was the last straw.

He told Dutch that if he didn’t do this, he was going to die alone on a hill made from the bodies of this gang. People were going to leave him behind because they all know that the age of gangs and crime is over. Or worse, they would be loyal to him and they would die for it. Dutch would be responsible for the deaths of everyone in this camp. And with Dutch still stunned by the older man’s outburst, Arthur spoke up. He thought they could do it, and he would follow Hosea if that’s what would secure the safety of his new family. That’s what finally drilled it into Dutch’s head that this is the only option. His orphan son, who he had rescued off the streets at fourteen, was willing to leave him behind for this new plan. 

The first person they let into the new plan was surprisingly Strauss. While Hosea was sure they could figure it out, he needed to know just how realistic he was being here. He knew they would need to figure out what their collective bounties were and how they were going to pay that off. Strauss did a little math and a little research. Dutch himself had a $5000 bounty in New Austin. Hosea had around $2000 on his head, and everyone else (including Arthur) altogether was around $2000 max. They were lucky that many of the members were unidentified, meaning they were without bounties. Strauss told them they would need to get around $9000 dollars, and then another $500-$1000 to get the ranch started based on his estimations.

Getting the money would be hard if they kept the plan to themselves. The next people the three men told were Susan and John. They would need to start brainstorming ideas on how to get the money. Arthur was going to enlist the help of Javier and Charles to track down every treasure hidden across the map. John would start asking around towns for small jobs, legal ones. People who needed help building things, finding people, etc. Susan would have the girls get as much information as they could about possible leads with fake stories about their deadbeat husbands needing jobs to support their children or stories about wanting honest work for themselves to avoid becoming a prostitute. Everyone would have to pitch in, the only issue with this is that they couldn’t tell everyone yet, lest something go wrong and they can’t do it.

As they were collecting the money and saving, the gang was beginning to get suspicious. They were all working far harder and far more than usual for no apparent reason. Dutch was sending them to do legal work which was extremely odd, and the money they were earning was just sitting around waiting to be spent. Dutch knew he would have to tell them what was happening eventually, but he didn’t know how. He would have to tell the gang that they were no longer going to be a gang. That he was ending the life of crime they knew but expecting them to follow him into a new one. 

When they found Sean again, alive, spirits were high. They had his welcome home party and everyone celebrated. But Dutch was the first to see the toll that months of time spent with the bounty hunters had done to the man. He had new scars that he was hiding from his family, he was missing a tooth that he definitely had when he left. He had been tortured for months, and no matter how well he hid it, Dutch knew it was time for his gang to be safe again. 

Not long after the welcome party, many of the individual members knew. Charles learned from Arthur, Sean overheard a discussion between Hosea and Arthur and eventually told Karen, Susan learned from Dutch, etc. Soon Dutch was ready to tell the gang. And then Arthur ran into the Pinkertons when he was fishing with Jack and it really was the right time to say it. They moved to the new spot near Rhodes at Dutch’s insistence, if it were up to Hosea they would have up and left for the ranch instead but there were still a few things to be finalized. Once they were safe once more, Dutch made a speech. Arthur had let everyone know that Mac was dead, but hadn’t ratted them out and that Micah was dead too and he had been a rat, not long after he found out. And then he nudged Dutch forward to tell everyone what their new life could be. 

Dutch told them the whole plan, told them that they would be safer and they would be happier, but they had to trust him. And if they couldn’t trust him, they could trust Hosea. The gang is loyal, many of them were saved by Dutch and even with their uncertainty, they chose to go with him to this new life. And so in the next 2 months or so, they had enough money to pay their bounties. The Pinkertons would have to leave them alone, provided they played by the law. So they all travelled to New Austin to live on a ranch, and become more of a family than a gang. Bill was there for a while, until one night he wasn’t. There was a note in his room claiming that they had all turned into a bunch of soft bellied do gooders and he was going to start his own gang. Nobody searched for him.

[irishmacguirefucker]

RDR2 Ranch AU: Jobs

Jobs: Listed are the jobs they do the most, but as we all know; the whole gang helps each other. (Almost) everyone chips in on a bit of everything for the most part. Strap in, this is a long one. If I forgot a job or person let me know!

-

Arthur

Manages livestock

Manages Horses

Travels to town most often (for all types of trips)

Dutch

Still the “Leader”

Delegates jobs

Takes the more important town trips for business

Hosea

Manages the herb garden

Manages Dutch

Group Dad Duties(™)

Takes the more important town trips for business

Teaching Jack

John

Manages Livestock

Takes town trips that don’t involve a lot of social interaction

Structure upkeep

Training the dogs

Abigail

Manages the crops

Helps with general housework

Raising Jack

Sadie

Manages crops (less)

Manages Livestock (more)

Upkeep and building of structures

Javier

Manages Livestock

Manages Horses

Town trips

Charles

Manages Livestock

Manages Horses

Manages any animals he’s rescued*

Upkeep of buildings

Builds all new structures

Sean

Some Town Trips

Cleaning stables

Helps with the dogs

Lenny

Some town trips

Livestock management

Helps with teaching Jack (and Sean) to read

Kieran

Manages Horses (does the most of anyone in that area)

Manages Livestock

Cleaning Stables

Helps with training the dogs. (Says it’s far harder than horses)

Tilly

Manages Crops

General Housework

Helps with the Chickens

Karen

Manages Crops

Trips into town

Housework

Mary Beth

Manages Crops

Housework

Helps with milking cows

Molly

Housework

She likes to take care of the barn cats

Ms. Grimshaw

General Management of the main house and jobs

Housework

Pearson

Cooking

Management of stocks and supplies

Trelawny

Manages most of their business outside of New Austin

Strauss

Accounting

Bookkeeping

Uncle

Freeloading

Lumbago

*later post on Charles

[irishmacguirefucker]

RDR2 Ranch AU

This is part one. This is all about the land and the livestock and how the gang lives on it. a HUGE thank you to @awesomeundertalelover3 for helping me with the farm stuff that I had no idea about! Ok let's go

The Setting: A ranch just like Beechers Hope but bigger. The main house is 3 stories with an attic and a cellar. Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, + Dogs, cats, and rescues*. The Ranch is (TBD) acres of land owned between Hosea and Dutch. 

The Main house:

On the first floor: 

Master Bedroom (Dutch/Molly), Main office, Large study/library, Sitting room with fireplace-opens to the dining room, Kitchen, Pantry, Mudroom and Entrance.

Second Floor: 

 Medium bedroom (Grimshaw), Medium Bedroom(Hosea), Small Bedroom(Karen), Small Bedroom(Mary Beth), Small Bedroom(Tilly), wrap balcony

Third Floor: 

Medium bedroom(Pearson), Medium bedroom (Javier), Small bedroom (guests), small bedroom (Sean), small bedroom (Lenny) Wrap Balcony

Attic: Non-food storage. Extra clothing, sentimental items, etc

Cellar: Extra dried/canned food, spices, Alcohol, Emergency food. Soaps and candles, blankets. 

cont. under the cut

The Cabins:

The Marstons

They have the biggest of the cabins. Its the only one of the cabins with a second floor, that's where Uncle lives.

Arthur Morgan

Has the cabin closest to the actual house for all Dutches bossy needs. Has all the same stuff he had in his tent but with a better bed and heating.

Charles Smith

He has the cabin furthest from the main house so that he can enjoy the quiet. It's not that far, it's just last on the line of cabins. 

Sadie Adler

Sadie has targets painted on hay bales around the back of her cabin. Though the gang is far safer now, she still practices on her own. Usually just with throwing knives and tomahawks. She has a photo of her late husband hung in the cabin.

Leopold Strauss

His cabin has a large desk and a bookshelf full of ledgers, files, etc. The most important paperwork is checked and taken care of by him before being stored safely elsewhere.

Kieran

He has the smallest of the houses. Branwyn manages to get out of the stable often and ends up here every time. 

The Land: Located in roughly the same place as Beecher’s hope. The main house has a long path before it reaches the road, with the cabins along this road. The land stretches mostly behind and around the sides of the house. 

The Livestock:

Around 40 chickens. They are for eggs only and aren’t raised for meat.

20 Cows for beef and milk

10 pigs for pork (real sized pigs, not the itty bitty ones like in-game)

10-15 Sheep for wool

7 sheepdogs + Cain and Rufus

All camp horses

Rescued Animals*

The crops (not a big garden, managed by 5ish people) (TBD on who)

Corn

Wheat

Apples

Oranges

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Summer Squash

Separate spice garden:

American Ginseng

English Mace

Blackcurrent

Indian Tobacco

Oregano

Yarrow

Desert Sage

Hummingbird Sage

*to be explained in a later post but its about charles