Tutorial: VDS Relationships: Clan, Sire, Bloodlines, BBEs, and Families

Clan Members Tab

"Clan"refers to  players who you choose to accept into your VDS clan through the game.  You must be FB "friends" to clan, but you don't automatically join clans with all FB friends - you have to accept them into your clan in the game.   You cannot Fight vamps in your clan, but all others are fair game.  (For this reason, I recommend being both friends AND clan with people or neither friends NOR clan -- not being friends but not clan; it's just more peaceful that way.)  If you "de-friend" someone on FB, you must also "de-clan" them in the game; the process is not automatic.  You can manage your clan on the Clan page (more about that in the clan tutorial).

"Bloodlines" are dictated when you first enter the game by whomever is designated as your sire.  You are the same bloodline as your sire.  There are four - Varaco, Nosferatu ("Nozzies"), Gayal, and Muroni.  You can attack people of the same bloodline - in fact, your bloodline is, for practical purposes, immaterial except if there is a "Blood War" (this is a game-wide event where different Bloodlines fight each other for a limited period of time - but don't worry about this yet).  Some people are very loyal to their Bloodline, will not attack others of the same Bloodline on their Fight Lists, and will only clan with those of the same bloodline.  But, for most people, being in the same clan is more relevant.  (Bloodlines are also relevant to powers; a power with your bloodline symbol beside it is worth +1 to attack and defense.)

There are also two "sub-bloodlines" now.  Sub-bloodlines, or Houses, happen when a single person manages to sire 500+ players.  They become "regents" and earn their own House designation and icon, displayed on all their descendent's walls (childe, grandchilde, you name it).  As of this writing, there are only two Houses, the House of Northman of which my VDS mom and dad, Lisa and Eric, are co-regents, and House of Letalis, of which the regent is Darla the Deadly.  If your sire is of either of these Houses, so will you be.

Your "Sire" is the person who invited you to VDS first.  Ideally, your sire is an active player who can help you in the game!   If no one invites you, or in other circumstances, you might be assigned a "Trinity" sire, meaning you get Lillith, Andilaveris, or Caine as a sire - these are sim characters, not real players. Those you sire are your "childe."  (More about Sire/Childe elsewhere.)

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Your "BBE Partner" means "Black Blood Exchange" partner.  When you are "20 years" old in the game (every day that you sign into VDS you age one "year" in the game), you are old enough to partake in a black blood exchange. This is a once-every-24-hours process where either you or your chosen partner (another player of your choosing) clicks on the "BBE" button on the other's sanctum for a full Rage or Energy refill.  Both partners do not need to be online at the time, and if your meter is already full, a BBE will double it.  People usually pick a time of day and take turns clicking the other's button every other day.   It is considered VERY bad form to click someone's BBE button without permission.  It is often considered somewhat intimate, though of course plenty of just-friends platonicly BBE each other too.

Sometimes there are VDS "families."  This usually has to do with having a common sire/ancestor.  For example, the Northman family (of which I am a "daughter") is composed of those of us who have either Lisa Spanky Northman ("mom"!) or Eric Northman Longspery ("dad"!) as a sire.  (My childe are even considered "grandchilde" by Lisa and Eric.)  It is usually conventional to always allow family members into your clan and to help teach each other about the game.  Not all players consider themselves part of a "family" with their sire or his/her other childe, and you needn't take part if you're not interested, but for many (like myself) having and participating in a VDS family is a very fulfilling experience.  If you are looking for such an experience, let us know.