Character Advancement: Giving and Earning XP

For each gaming session a character participates in she is eligible for up to 8 experience points.

1 Point is given automatically for participating in the session.
1-2 Point is given for the character learning something This is more geared towards character development.
1-2 Points for role-playing the character well.
1-2 Point for heroism or survival of a dangerous or deadly situation. This doesn't necessarily mean busting a cap. Talking down an armed assailant with a gun trained on you is heroic.
1 Point for working the system. Working the system boils down to working with and around the system of law. Resolving a case within the bounds and regulations of legality can be tricky, given the ways of the WoD. Likewise, figuring out a way to get something done outside the rules and regulations without getting caught should likewise be rewarded.

After a case is wrapped up, an officer needs to submit a report. Now, there are things in the world that most mortals are unaware of, and it is your job to put the criminals behind bars. That gets difficult when you arrest a guy who killed all his victims using voodoo dolls. So you need to lie, and make sure everyone else is lying the same way. After gaming sessions you need to get your story straight and everyone can submit a police report. This doesn't have to be long and involved, just enough to explain things and get the guy sent to to the pokey.

1 Point is given for submitting a bare bones police report. 2 if the police report is particularly detailed.

Police Reports and Aftermaths

1 exp police reports are simple straight forward affairs comprising only a few sentences just to explain the basics.

2 exp police reports go into more detail, and may even be set up like narrative reports.

Example Case:
Wolfy McWerewolf has been killing people in war form because he has fallen so low. He killed three women. After a shoot out in an alleyway, Detective Bob has to explain all this in the police reports. Detective Bob lucked out that McWerewolf also kept a large vicious dog. Because a few people owe him favors and are willing to look the other way, he is able to fudge some details.

Example 1 Exp Report:
Detective Bob explains that McWerewolf was a psychotic killer that used his dog to tear apart women that turned him down.

Example 2 Exp Report:
At 1500 I arrived on the scene of Victim number 3. Again it was the same MO. Her throat was torn open. Bite impressions were taken from the wound. Victims 1, 2, and 3 all frequented "The Blues Lagoon" a local night club. The bartender finally was able to give us a good sketch of a man that all the women had been seen with. When I went to question the man, Wolfy McWerewolf, he flew into a rage and came at me with a knife. I drew my weapon and fired. Bite impressions from the victims matched those of an attack dog that McWerewolf kept.

Example Aftermath:

Detective Bob investigated a string of brutal murders in which the victims were mauled by something. Upon further investigation Bob found all three women had turned down Wolfy McWerewolf. When Bob went to question him, he attacked Bob with a knife and Bob shot him dead. Bite impressions from the victims matched a dog that McWerewolf kept.

The better your police report, the better the story teller will be able to write an aftermath that every player will see. This can spark downtime role playing discussions and bring the players closer together. (Detective Dan - "So, was it really a dog." Detective Bob - "Nope. That guy turned into... something.")

Flaws can be taken to represent downsides to PCs. There are many flaws in various books. IF a flaw significantly hinders a PC during a game session, an extra point of XP could be awarded.

Police reports should be considered on the merit of the "mundane reporting of the case." If a case has a lot of supernatural activity that cannot be reported in the context of a short "mundane crime" that can, do not punish the players for writing as detailed a report as they can. The purpose is detail, not length.