The publishers confirmed they are removing the Chechnya chapter from the book. Seeing them take accountability for trivializing this real tragedy is a relief for everyone who felt erased by their choices. Thank you for staying loud with me while we demanded they treat these human rights abuses with the …
January 26, 2019
Final supporters
Already well described here on this website: https://trulyrural.blogspot.com/2018/11/vampire-5t...
A facebook post here goes into more detail: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015606514...
(Thanks to the authors)
The short version is Vampire: The Masquerade is a tabletop roleplaying game about the existence of vampires living among us. It is, by and large, a game which has always championed the rights of queers and minorities. Vampire 5th Edition has been stated by its developers to be people who hold those values and have a desire to deal with mature subject matter in a respectful but entertaining way.
Unfortunately, in the recent supplement THE CAMARILLA, they had a chapter where the real-life nation of Chechnya has had its ongoing genocide depicted as being the product of....vampires looking for a free meal. It treats the herding of queer citizens into literal death camps, happening now in our world, as a distraction by supernatural entities and "media manipulation" designed to divert from the wholly fictitious actions of magical creatures.
It's not the depiction of oppression that's the problem but the fact it's using real life oppression and attributing it to fictional beings, confusing the issue. White Wolf has avoided this in the past, making sure they respect things like the Holocaust and 9/11 by firmly establishing them as the work of humans.
I believe horrors in the real world should have attention brought to them by fictional works as well as actual news agencies. However, this is crass and sensationalizes the suffering of individuals struggling for their lives.
It is my request that the developers remove the offending chapter from the book's PDF and future supplements. It's a bad idea and one that does not reflect the values they claim to espouse.
Updates
November 9, 2018
Seeing so many of you connect with this issue has been overwhelming because these real lives matter far more than any game lore. I am currently reaching out to industry voices to ensure this gross trivialization of human suffering does not get swept under the carpet.
November 9, 2018
Seeing this kind of movement confirms that so many of you understand why minimizing real human suffering in this way is unacceptable. I am overwhelmed by the response because it shows we refuse to let these atrocities be treated as background flavor for a game.
57 Comments
As a mental health professional and a gamer I believe that this minimizing portrayal of the very real dangers LGBT people face is harmful.
This use of a population of people who are being harmed and killed to be plot in your game is horrific. I’m a D&D fan and own most editions and I will absolutely not be purchasing this one unless you remove this content, and think carefully about who thought it was a good idea in the first place and why, to avoid further issues like this going forward.
This content is egregious and dismissive of the real impact of these atrocities. It's nothing short of irresponsible to turn suffering - especially suffering that is still going on right now - into a "distraction" for your fictional, cackling villains.
It's in terrible taste. To see what good taste looks like, go look at the foreword in New York By Night, which came out shortly after 9/11
This is just bad form, and harkenss back to the WoD Gypsy book and the liberties taken to gloss over the facts and legends of the Romani to fit the needs to make a product.
Are you tired of being human, having talented brain turning to a vampire in a good posture in ten minutes, Do you want to have power and influence over others, To be charming and desirable, To have wealth, health, without delaying in a good human posture and becoming an immortal? If yes, these your chance. It's a world of vampire where life get easier,We have made so many persons vampires and have turned them rich, You will assured long life and prosperity, You shall be made to be very sensitive to mental alertness, Stronger and also very fast, You will not be restricted to walking at night only even at the very middle of broad day light you will be made to walk, This is an opportunity to have the human vampire virus to perform in a good posture. If you are interested contact us on [email protected]
What the hell White Wolf?
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Share this petition to help it reach more people.
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The publishers confirmed they are removing the Chechnya chapter from the book. Seeing them take accountability for trivializing this real tragedy is a relief for everyone who felt erased by their choices. Thank you for staying loud with me while we demanded they treat these human rights abuses with the …
January 26, 2019
Final supporters
Already well described here on this website: https://trulyrural.blogspot.com/2018/11/vampire-5t...
A facebook post here goes into more detail: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1015606514...
(Thanks to the authors)
The short version is Vampire: The Masquerade is a tabletop roleplaying game about the existence of vampires living among us. It is, by and large, a game which has always championed the rights of queers and minorities. Vampire 5th Edition has been stated by its developers to be people who hold those values and have a desire to deal with mature subject matter in a respectful but entertaining way.
Unfortunately, in the recent supplement THE CAMARILLA, they had a chapter where the real-life nation of Chechnya has had its ongoing genocide depicted as being the product of....vampires looking for a free meal. It treats the herding of queer citizens into literal death camps, happening now in our world, as a distraction by supernatural entities and "media manipulation" designed to divert from the wholly fictitious actions of magical creatures.
It's not the depiction of oppression that's the problem but the fact it's using real life oppression and attributing it to fictional beings, confusing the issue. White Wolf has avoided this in the past, making sure they respect things like the Holocaust and 9/11 by firmly establishing them as the work of humans.
I believe horrors in the real world should have attention brought to them by fictional works as well as actual news agencies. However, this is crass and sensationalizes the suffering of individuals struggling for their lives.
It is my request that the developers remove the offending chapter from the book's PDF and future supplements. It's a bad idea and one that does not reflect the values they claim to espouse.
Updates
November 9, 2018
Seeing so many of you connect with this issue has been overwhelming because these real lives matter far more than any game lore. I am currently reaching out to industry voices to ensure this gross trivialization of human suffering does not get swept under the carpet.
November 9, 2018
Seeing this kind of movement confirms that so many of you understand why minimizing real human suffering in this way is unacceptable. I am overwhelmed by the response because it shows we refuse to let these atrocities be treated as background flavor for a game.
57 Comments
This is an unacceptable addition, especially after the apology about the core rulebook. White Wolf, you need to get an outside editor and proofreader, and get multiple of them, people who have no stake in the company, so they can tell you straight up if something is bad.
As a mental health professional and a gamer I believe that this minimizing portrayal of the very real dangers LGBT people face is harmful.
This use of a population of people who are being harmed and killed to be plot in your game is horrific. I’m a D&D fan and own most editions and I will absolutely not be purchasing this one unless you remove this content, and think carefully about who thought it was a good idea in the first place and why, to avoid further issues like this going forward.
This content is egregious and dismissive of the real impact of these atrocities. It's nothing short of irresponsible to turn suffering - especially suffering that is still going on right now - into a "distraction" for your fictional, cackling villains.
It's in terrible taste. To see what good taste looks like, go look at the foreword in New York By Night, which came out shortly after 9/11
This is just bad form, and harkenss back to the WoD Gypsy book and the liberties taken to gloss over the facts and legends of the Romani to fit the needs to make a product.
Are you tired of being human, having talented brain turning to a vampire in a good posture in ten minutes, Do you want to have power and influence over others, To be charming and desirable, To have wealth, health, without delaying in a good human posture and becoming an immortal? If yes, these your chance. It's a world of vampire where life get easier,We have made so many persons vampires and have turned them rich, You will assured long life and prosperity, You shall be made to be very sensitive to mental alertness, Stronger and also very fast, You will not be restricted to walking at night only even at the very middle of broad day light you will be made to walk, This is an opportunity to have the human vampire virus to perform in a good posture. If you are interested contact us on [email protected]
What the hell White Wolf?
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This is an unacceptable addition, especially after the apology about the core rulebook. White Wolf, you need to get an outside editor and proofreader, and get multiple of them, people who have no stake in the company, so they can tell you straight up if something is bad.