Brussels is more than cobbled streets and Gothic architecture. It’s a living, breathing entity that has profoundly shaped my life. For almost three decades, I’ve savored its alleys, strolled its pleasures, admired its beer and thought its art. But Brussels has another side, one that lurks in the shadows and whispers through centuries of history – a city of intrigue and dark corners that invites exploration into the World of Darkness.

During my journey into the world of “Vampire: The Masquerade”, I discovered that this magnificent city had its place in the web of the Cainite world, and I wanted to go further. I wanted to extend its richness, breathe life into its hidden corners and highlight the splendor and complexity that only a true Nosferatu like me could grasp.

My humble contribution is this book, which allows me to unveil Brussels in all its dark glory. Through its pages, I seek to reveal the complex web of alliances and rivalries that shape the lives of the Cainites who inhabit the heart of Europe.

It’s not just about my connection with Brussels, it’s also about the evolution of the game itself. The transition from 20th Edition (V20) to 5th Edition (V5) marked an era of transformation in the world of “Vampire: The Masquerade”. My own journey through this transition began years ago, around a table with friends, where we ventured into V20 using Brussels as a backdrop. When V5 came out, we decided to adapt our beloved characters, feeling the familiar nerf pain with their NPC counterparts. We undertook a rules transition from V20 to V5. It was no mean feat, but it was a labor of love that proved fruitful (bane of the Tremere clan you are specifically targeted).

This journey, born out of a hobby and a desire to create a unique setting and narrative for my players, has evolved into this book. The story of Brussels by Night is an odyssey that began as a simple campaign, and evolved into a quest to showcase the rich, dark and multifaceted city I call home.

The story doesn’t end there. This first book, I hope, is just the beginning. It’s an exploration, a canvas that focuses on the end of the V20 story, touching on the first major events that will turn the World of Darkness upside down, and then moving into V5, which will be a second book in the future.

This journey into the shadows of Brussels bears witness to the evolution of the game, the setting and the power of storytellers and players to shape their own World of Darkness.

Welcome to a journey that combines old and new, classic and modern. Welcome to Brussels by Night, where you are the co-author and the story belongs to you.

The V5 system is therefore used, and there will be notes to help you in this transition from V20. If you prefer to adapt it to pure V20, please do so. Use this book as you see fit. You’ve got the power.

This book is for people who like explore dark subjects. Vampire the Masquerade is a political and a personal horror game. With that in mind you can be certain that some subjects in this book will not be for delicate souls. Terrorism, supremacism, human trafficking, scheme and plots, backstab, propaganda, and more, are subjects explored in this book.

In fact, I felt in love with World of Darkness because we can explore those subjects and learn about those in a fictional universe. We can explore our interior beast to be better humans in the real world. For that, this universe as a special place in my heart.

Learning in Gaming is a motto that I cherish.

As is customary, one chapter will be around the history of the city, I’ve summarized it in this article, you can begin with the first one here.

Brussels as describe in page 146 and 147 of Victorian Age Vampire book is special. The Peace is an anomaly in the kindred world, permitting to kindred to live in the city regarding of their sect appartenance. The Peace was set up by Ludmilla van der Holst, a Malkavian Methusaleh, you can read a bit about her in english in here.

Ludmilla felt into torpor in the Great War and thus The Peace has been undermined by next Princes Nikolaus Vermeulen and Gérard Lejeune. However Ludmilla van der Holst should awaken soon. Will The Peace will be restored? That is for you to decide in your game.

Another particularity is the Treaty of Majesty, it’s fancy words to erect a pure Camarilla Law in Brussels. The treaty was put in place by Gérard Lejeune around World War 2.

This section will be also be covered by communes and then by prestigious or important locations for the Cainites of Brussels. You can refer to this section when you will be exploring the Cainites of the city.

This section will cover the Cainites of Brussels. There will be 36 characters in this book. Each character will be constructed as the following (note that this is work in progress and is not the final product, also it’s in french and not in english, as the first version will be in french) :

Also with the Cainite section we will have a deep dive into each clan represented in Brussels. The present clans are the Beryn, Brujah, Gangrel, Gargoyle (1), Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere and Ventrue. It will look like this:

A section for the coterie, or faction will be present in this chapter. We will deep dive into, per example, the Knight of Christ, the faction of Gérard Lejeune and Grégoire Marteau, with history, mechanical stuff and explanation on the structure.

Chevalier du Christ

We will have also Loresheet, some related directly to faction, some related to Brussels.

Regarding the scenario proposed in this book, I’m still thinking to put those not in this book but as a free separated complement. If you have an opinion on the matter I will gladly take it in consideration.

We will explore further what’s in this book as the development goes.

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