Cyberpunk Meets Thousand Year Old Vampire (Session 3, His Name in the Dark)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclaimer: Images and some of the writing here were created with the assistance of AI tools, which I use for fun and to enhance my solo Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) hobby experience and storytelling. I enjoy using AI as a creative companion, but I also understand that not everyone is comfortable with its use, and I fully respect that perspective. While AI helps me explore new ideas and streamline parts of my creative process, I do want to emphasize the importance of supporting real artists and creators. Human creativity is irreplaceable, and I encourage everyone to credit, commission, and celebrate the work of talented artists in the TTRPG community and beyond. Thank you for being here and sharing in the adventure. Again, this is all just for fun. Hope you enjoy!
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Session 3, His Name in the Dark
Queens, New York, Autumn, 1988
Jeff exited Jimmy's Tavern and allowed the back door to clang shut behind him, sealing him off from the bar’s warmth and light. It was well past two AM and the air outside was crisp and damp, still holding onto the rain from earlier. Jeff lit a cigarette with cupped hands, the flame briefly lighting his face before vanishing into the dark.
The alley behind Jimmy’s smelled like fryer grease and wet garbage. Steam coiled up from a distant sewer grate. Puddles reflected the amber glow of a single streetlamp, trembling with the rhythm of passing traffic.
Jeff took a long drag off his cigarette and leaned back against the wall, one foot resting loosely against the brick behind him, finally able to relax after a long night.
Then the world changed.
He didn’t hear a thing at first. No footsteps. No warning. Then, a whisper, just his name in the dark, "Jeffery."
Then hands, clamping down on his arms from behind with crushing strength, pinned him before he could turn.
He staggered a step forward, shoes dragging across the wet concrete, soles scraping sharply in protest. He twisted, instinctively trying to break free, but the grip only tightened.
"HEL-" he started, but at that moment a searing pain exploded at the side of his neck, just below the ear. Not a cut. A bite. Deep. Invasive. Hot.
His knees buckled.
He tried to push back, to shout, but he couldn’t draw enough breath. Every heartbeat felt like it was being pulled out of him, unraveling something more than just blood.
The cigarette fell from his fingers and hit the ground, ember hissing out in a shallow puddle.
His shoes scraped again as he struggled, his heels dragging now. A boot from behind scuffed against loose gravel. His body didn’t want to remain standing. His arms burned. His vision blurred at the edges.
Breath at his ear, cool and steady. A familiar voice, almost kind, penetrated his mind. “It will only be a moment, then you will understand.”
He wanted to ask why. He wanted to scream. But the fight was bleeding out of him with every second. The alley swam. The bricks across from him pulsed in and out of focus.
His body went slack.
The grip loosened just enough to let him fall, held upright only by the thing that had taken hold of him.
And with his last human breath, a single word made it past Jeff's lips.
“Eli.”
***
Vampire Character Creation
In the vampire creation section of the Thousand Year Old Vampire (TYOV) rulebook, it suggests imagining a person in the distant past, a Roman emporer or French knight, for example. But I chose instead to have my vampire born in the late 1950’s, and turned into a vampire in 1988, when he was 30.
In real life, I was 16 in 1988, and one of the jobs I had around that time was as a bus boy in a restaurant in Queens NY, so when TYOV had me create experiences for my vampire, I drew inspiration from that. One of my managers was even named Jimmy. The weekend I started playing this game I also happened to be helping one of my best friends move his very large toy collection from one 10x10 storage unit to another, which took about 8 hours. He’s been collecting since we were kids. We met in 7th grade and have always been into games, toys, electronics, music, etc., so I included those details into my vampire’s experiences as well.
Below is my starting vampire character with his Skills, Resources, a Mark, Mortals, one Immortal, and Experiences for his Memories. With the exception of Jimmy’s first name, all other names, including Jimmy’s last name, were chosen using an online name generator.
I am Jeffery Goodwin, I was born in New York in the late 1950’s. I was a bartender at a neighborhood bar in Queens, NY called Jimmy’s Tavern.
Mortals:
Lauren Clarke, girlfriend
Jimmy Pino, boss at the bar
Brian Mulligan, friend
Skills:
Customer service, charisma
Good memory
Attention to detail
Resources:
A mint condition car from the 1980’s
A collection of vintage electronics
A storage unit containing a collection of 1980’s toys and action figures
Three more experiences:
Lauren and I used to take long drives and listen to music in my car.
I used to spend hours organizing my toy and action figure collection.
My boss Jimmy was really into electronics, I remember at the restaurant we used to talk about the latest tech on the market, video games, stereos, cameras, computers, that sort of thing.
My Immortal:
Elijah Butler (Eli) - Eli was born in the Victorian era and looks very young, he may have been no more than 19 years old when he became a vampire himself. He frequented the bar in the restaurant where I worked, and was carded often. Eli befriended me while I was working and over time we became friendly, would talk regularly at the bar, etc. One night after work, having just exited the restaurant’s back door, he attacked me in the alley and transformed me into a vampire.
Mark:
Because of how Eli attacked me from behind, my Mark are his teeth marks visible towards the back of my neck. I wear my hair long to conceal them, or a scarf or hood. I also have scars on both arms from where Eli dug his claws into me.