The way to create a political game is to have the right kinds of stakes, both in terms of PC goals and the way characters react. It takes a fair bit of time and effort to build up the game situation to that point. You have to establish that

• direct action against another character, particularly any NPC, particularly direct violent action, has the opposite effect of what is usually desired, and that
• that any action will have a equal and forceful reaction, and therefore threats (and blackmail) are the worst possible tactics to use in getting another character (either PC or NPC) to do what you want them to do, therefore
• the way to achieve a goal is to create a situation where doing what you want is the most attractive thing to a given NPC, something he or she obviously wanted to do all along, or
• if you must take action against another character,do it in such a way that it can never be traced back to you.

But the most important thing to establish are the goals themselves.This includes both the goals of the player characters, and the goals of the Storyteller Characters, most of whom will be far more powerful, and have better resources, than the player characters. And needless to say,the goals of the PCs and the Storyteller Characters should be in conflict. (Not between the PCs themselves, however, or at least not on a large scale -- that will rip apart your game).Goals need to be real and concrete. It isn't enough to say, "I want my character to be powerful" or "I want to be Primogen". That's not a bad place to start, but it's far too vague to build a storyline around -- and far too great a goal to be achieved in less than a several-year run of your chronicle. (After all, once achieving that, where else can you go?).

So you need to introduce storylines that will create more immediate, concrete and achievable goals. These goals must really mean something to your players (as well as their characters). And they cannot be achieved by direct or violent action. This means that the forces opposing your characters must be clearly more powerful than they are, or totally unknown -- either situation will (possibly after a dismal failure or two) force them to try other tactics than violence and direct reprisal. If your players run clubs, do they each run different ones or are they partners in the same one? What are their goals in regards to the clubs? What are they trying to achieve, and why? And who's trying to stop them, and why? What is the social structure of the city in which they live -- do Kindred frequent these clubs, or are they mostly just sources of income and private hunting grounds for the PCs who run them? (If so, they are designated as vulnerable assets, rather in the same category as sand castles... very easy to be kicked down by bullies or washed away by the tide). If they're running different clubs, it might make for a stronger story if (like the Three Little Pigs) some Big Bad Wolf (tm) comes along and blows two of them away, forcing them all to work together in one -- shared goals makes it easier to run the chronicle, and it creates a common enemy who is obviously more powerful -- one they can't deal with by engaging him directly in combat. (The "blowing the clubs away" should not necessarily be literal... being closed by the fire marshal or forced into bankruptcy is equally good, and indicates a different kind of Big Bad Wolf than literally blowing the place up would do... or does it?)

Having an unknown enemy will make for considerable excitement in the chronicle and probably drive the players into a closer alliance. It also gives the Storyteller some freedom in making some of it up as he goes along, as long as it makes sense by the clues the players have to start with. A ghoul character is always in a very vulnerable position by his very nature -- he is a player in a society where he has no rights, and about as much value as an expensive car. He'd better be good at politics if he wants to act independently of his master's orders or direct protection -- because the Camarilla Traditions do not offer him any protection. A ghoul is considered part of Domain, but more in the line of property, not a member of the family -- killing him carries no penalty -- it's like deliberately breaking another kid's favorite toy. The killer would get the equivalent of a wrist slap, maybe have to give up one of his favored ghouls or pay a fine. And that would be it. So if a ghoul wants to play politics, he'd better make himself valuable in a number of ways, or he's toast. He's still vulnerable to mortal authorities - he can be arrested, injured, crippled or killed. He has to do things indirectly, so no one knows what he's doing. And he'd better not piss anyone off seriously. Most importantly, he cannot threaten, he cannot use force or Disciplines, and he cannot use blackmail (at least not in his own name) because the most natural reaction of any Kindred to a threat is to destroy it.

Actually, that's a good principle to keep in mind. The most natural reaction of almost any Kindred to a direct threat (and blackmail is also a direct threat) is to destroy it. Young Kindred (particularly the physical types like Brujah and Gangel) tend to be pretty direct and violent in their reactions to a threat. Elder Kindred simply take their time and savor their revenge over a long period of time, rather than going for the instant gratification of merely tearing you limb from limb (which, in the words of a certain elder, "lacks creativity"). Threatening a Kindred is like making a dare to the playground bully -- they cannot back down or they lose face, therefore they will attempt to rip your face off. Threats are the tactic of the last resort -- you will have to carry out your threat,so it is best never to make one unless carrying it out was what you intended all along. Never expect a threat to make the other Kindred back down, especially if there are witnesses. Always expect when you make a threat that you will have to carry it out.

Therefore, to reach a goal, particularly if your goal is to make another Kindred do anything, threats are not a good tactic to use unless you are so much more powerful than they are that the threat is almost unnecessary -- and only builds up resentment and creates enemies. (This is, however, a good tactic for Storyteller Character Antagonists to use to motivate PCs to fight them). Instead, you want to set up a situation where doing what you want is more attractive to the Kindred (or mortal) in question than not doing it. The trick is not to force them to do things they otherwise would never do -- the trick is to convince them that doing what you want them to do was something that they really wanted to do all along.

And that is the essence of politics.

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