This game is set after events such as the Time of Thin Blood and Avatar Storm, but otherwise deviates from canon, somewhat. In particular, the Garou Apocalypse and 'Final Nights' of the Kindred have already happened - they haven't been overt, though. The former was primarily an Umbral battle, and the latter was as clandestine as so many prior vampire activities. The Apocalypse doesn't bear much more comment - it was a huge battle, everyone died. The end of the vampires was more of a whimper, but is still ongoning - with Methusala's Thirst claiming the Kindred, and the Embrace no longer seeming to be possible, there are merely fewer and fewer vampires each night, as the feed on eachother. The Fey are still around, if that matters... but, there are supposed to be four horsemen.
The rules we'll use are M:tA, but, an amalgam of the 'better' aspects of the various editions, and a few more detailed variants here and there, particularly dealing with cooperative and extended magick. All the variants I'll use, and a lot more that probably won't come up can be found here AMS, but there's no need to even look at them to play in the game. This is Storyteller, afterall, and the rules are of only passsing importance. As far as spheres and effects go - if a sphere-level or rote worked in any version of the game, it'll work here (within reason). If you want to run your old 1st Ed SoE who can make lazer beams but not matches, that's fine. If you're only familiar with Revised, that's fine, too.
Characters can be of any Tradition, Hollowers, Orphans, 'Disparates' or even Technocrats. Marauders would be inapropriate, and Nephandi are always inapropriate, of course. PCs need some meaningful magickal and combat power at one or two points in the scenario, though they might also be circumvented with sufficient cunning and RP, but most of the game will be investigation, RP, and lower-level magic use (like senses, slinking past wards, and the like). So, one or two strong combatants or Adepts would be nice to have, improving the groups options, but Disciples and less combat-oriented characters will also be well able to contribute throughout the majority of the session. Most importantly, the characters should actually feel motivated to do something about the threat, rather than huddling behind wards with thier friends and loved ones (really, the more sensible thing to do, given the circumstances).
Though it hardly needs to be said of a WoD game, this is a 'dark' story, and will deal with unsavory topics possibly including (and not limitted to) violence, mutilation, mutation, genocide, damnation, perversion, hate, and, of course, angst, dispair, hopelessness, tragedy, and the End of All Things.
This will also be the last Mage: the Ascension game I run, so if you've liked any of the previous ones I've run at DDC over the last 11 years, this is your last chance. Of course, I may pick up with Mage: the Awakening, if it's any good.
See you at the con,
Tony Vargas