Older characters and the Oceans of Time table

Oceans of Time is an optional way to build an older 5th Edition vampire. You play out the years between the Embrace and the start of the chronicle as a row of eras. Each era gives something and some can cost Humanity.

It only appears for a 5th Edition vampire built with In Memoriam rules at 8th to 12th generation. You choose both on the Concept step. Ghouls, revenants, mortals and the other editions don't have it.

Where to find it

On the Concept step turn on Use In Memoriam ancilla creation rules and pick a Generation from 8th to 12th. An Oceans of Time section then appears under the Generation. Its switch reads Use until you turn it on and Included after. You plan the history there and settle it on the Summary.

Plan the eras

1. Pick Years since Embrace. Up to 100 years gives 3 eras. 101 to 150 years gives 4 eras and costs 1 Humanity. 151 years or more gives 5 eras and costs 2 Humanity.
2. Choose a type for each era. The table below shows what each one gives.
3. For most eras you can tick Take the additional benefit. That gives more but then you roll a die and a 1 to 5 brings the cost in the last column.
4. Press Roll d10 where the era needs a roll. The die rolls in the dice tray. The roll is final. After it that era and its risk can't be changed.
5. Adversity, Calm and Intrigue ask for an Archaic specialty: a Skill and a specialty that has gone out of date, for example "Georgian contract law". The field doesn't take commas because the sheet uses commas to separate specialties.
6. Press Done. The Concept step won't let you go on until you do.

Closing the section keeps what you chose so far. Only Done confirms it.

Settle it on the Summary

The Summary shows Oceans of Time again under Still to settle. There you place what the eras gave you and pay any Humanity they cost.

Humanity can't fall below 4. Instead of losing Humanity you can give up a Conviction and its Touchstone. Then say how the pair was lost and write a Present-day Conviction and a Replacement Touchstone. Flaws above six dots cost you two Advantage dots each.

The XP from the eras is restricted. Skill XP buys Skills, Discipline XP buys Disciplines and Sorcery XP buys what the Sorcery era names. You spend it in the Summary's XP section further down. XP you don't spend in one era carries on to the later ones. What's left at the end isn't added to your general XP.

Each raise you buy becomes part of the last era, so open the Oceans of Time panel again and press Done before you save. Reset Oceans XP takes back everything you bought with this XP.

In a chronicle

Choices your table restricts are never offered in the eras. A table that sets a higher Humanity minimum also raises the floor.