Line #11 WebVideo/LAByNight


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dkq8e8suyaeyvg_6.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350: The best argument for 5E.[[note]]From left to right: Nelli G, Victor Temple, Jasper Heartwood, Annabelle.[[/note]]]]
3	->''"Let's tell a vampire story..."''
4
5	''L.A. By Night'' is a web video series created by Creator/GeekAndSundry that follows a group of players during a game of ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasqueradeFifthEdition'' with Jason Carl as the Storyteller. It was originally shown on Alpha and Twitch before gradually being released on Website/YouTube. After three seasons on Creator/GeekAndSundry, the remaining two seasons were published by World of Darkness.
6
7	The premise of the series: three vampires have been granted domain over Griffith College when a series of anemic students appearing in the clinic clues them into the presence of a "poacher" on campus. Investigating, they meet a fourth member of their coterie and become involved in a conspiracy that threatens the stability of the Anarch Free States as well as their own freedom.
8
9	The player characters consist of:
10
11	* Annabelle Li (as played by Creator/ErikaIshii): A NaiveNewcomer Brujah of the 13th generation who knows nothing about Kindred society.
12	* Jasper Heartwood (as played by Alexander Ward): A snarky Nosferatu who is the closest the group has to a CreepyGood FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire. He relies heavily on stealth and invisibility.
13	* Nelli G (as played by Cynthia Marie): A Toreador who uses her good looks and social skills to get what she wants. She's very secretive and hides a DarkSecret.
14	* Victor Temple (as played by B. Dave Walters): The self-styled OnlySaneMan who is a rich rap media mogul and PapaWolf turned Ventrue ManipulativeBastard.
15
16	Two more were added to the main cast in Season 4:
17
18	* X (as played by Xander Jeanneret): X is a Malkavian who straddles the line between Fishmalk (a "wacky" mentally ill character) and a genuine depiction of his condition's tragedy.
19	* Eva (as played by Josephine [=McAdam=]): The mysterious White Witch of Griffith Park who is a CreepyGood, BlackMagicianGirl, and the LoveInterest of Jasper. She's also the most powerful of the vamily by far.
20
21	The series was also visited by numerous guest stars like Creator/MarkMeer, Creator/TaliesinJaffe, Creator/MatthewMercer, and Satine Phoenix.
22
23	The story ended on October 29, 2021. In June of 2022 the sequel was announced: ''WebVideo/NewYorkByNight'', starring Aabria Iyengar, Alexander Ward, Joey Rassool, and Mayanna Berrin, with Jason Carl returning as Storyteller.
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25	----
26	!!''LA by Night'' provides examples of the following tropes:
27
28	* AbortedArc: A few of the plotlines of the game didn't pan out.
29	** The Ministry betraying Victor Temple never amounted to much due to Satine Phoenix's busy schedule.
30	** Chloe's role as Jasper's LoveInterest and LostLenore was gradually replaced with his romance with Eva due the actors' awesome chemistry.
31	** Strauss was about to replace Vannevar Thomas as Prince but the recovery of the latter's sanity allowed him to resume his duties.
32	** Fiona's ultimatum to Nelli [[spoiler: after her ghoul Greg caused Fiona to be captured by the Second Inquisition ]] was also left unresolved.
33	* AscendedExtra: A lot of them.
34	** Eva moved to become the LoveInterest of Jasper before becoming their GlassCannon as well as a SixthRanger.
35	** Gregory Demetrios was originally an antagonist before becoming TheRenfield as well as a major supporting character.
36	** Lavender is another ghoul that joined the main cast, being one of Chaz's former servants.
37	** Kyoko joined the main cast as well in Season Four. She serves as Annabelle's BirdsOfAFeather and the rest of the vamily's AnnoyingYoungerSibling.
38	* AntiHeroTeam: None of the coterie is without sin.
39	* BigBad:
40	** Bobby Blaine is this for the first season.
41	** Vannevar Thomas is this for Season 2, 3, and 4 with his HotConsort Suzanne.
42	** The Second Inquisition becomes this with Season 5.
43	* BigBadWannabe: There's a number of villains who don't quite pull off being as dangerous as the main threats.
44	** Fiona is an eternal irritation to Victor and Jasper. [[spoiler: She manages to steal some of Victor's territory and take Chloe as a ghoul but the former is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things while she quickly loses the latter.]]
45	** Don Antonio is a ghost and can't affect the group the majority of the time.
46	** Chaz is [[spoiler: killed as a lesson to Vannevar.]]
47	** Vannevar and Suzanne prove to be this as well, neither of them proving to be nearly as big a threat as the Second Inquisition.
48	* BigGood: Isaac Abrams is a particularly dark example of such. [[spoiler: Subverted by the Council of Barons, where Isaac joins in betraying Victor.]]
49	* BigShutUp: After Victor alerted the police to the Kindred presence, Abrams interrupts one of his futile attempts at explaining his prior actions.
50	** When Annabelle is discussing her worries at the fate that might befall the mortals she cares about the most - namely, one of the two partners in her polyamorous relationship who are both ''still alive'' - and the prospect of losing one or both of them, Jasper; a Nosferatu who rarely, if ever, raises his voice for ''any'' reason and a Kindred who had been forced to abandon his entire mortal life, turns to her and actually ''screams''.
51	--->'''Jasper:''' "You made him a ''FUCKING GHOUL''!! That was ''your'' goddamn decision!"
52	* BittersweetEnding: The GrandFinale of the series in Season 5 has a number of things that make it more bitter than sweet, reflecting the tragedy of the gameline. [[spoiler: Los Angeles has survived the Second Inquisition and the Anarch Free States is formally re-established. However, the vamily has broken with Nelli and Jasper turning on Victor due to his constant scheming. Eva has been DrivenToSuicide and X has entered torpor, possibly forever. Annabelle also can't stay due to her anger making her unable to deal with peace. Mark is in a coma and, while he's getting better, is still in a bad way.]]
53	* BombThrowingAnarchist:
54	** Annabelle torched an office in an act of defiance. She moves away from this, however.
55	** Jeanette reveals herself to be this and advocates violence at every opportunity, even against her own sister. [[spoiler: Who is also her split personality.]]
56	* BoringButPractical:
57	** Victor Temple and Nelli G often use Presence 1's "Awe" power to make themselves more persuasive in regular conversation.
58	** The plan for taking down Chaz? [[spoiler: Just invite him to a remote spot and gang up on him.]]
59	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Shows up numerous times, usually at the hands of either the villains or Victor Temple.
60	* BreakTheCutie: Annabelle undergoes this after being Embraced.
61	* BloodMagic: Eva uses Thaumaturgy, which is basically this.
62	* BrokenPedestal: X becomes this to Annabelle [[spoiler: when he attempts to kill her after a mission in order to gain the strength to fight Therese. It proves to her that she can't actually trust her fellow Kindred as much as she thinks.]]
63	* TheCaligula:
64	** Vannevar Thomas gradually starts turning away from being a LawfulEvil AristocratsAreEvil {{Jerkass}} to this. [[spoiler: This is due to Therese Voerman using Dementation on him to drive him mad.]] He uses his Scourge extensively, pours molten gold down the throats of his own minions, and heavily quotes the ''Book of Nod.''
65	** This was apparently the same way that François Villon ruled the Kindred of Paris right before the French Revolution, though his persecution was primarily directed at mortals.
66	* CanonWelding: By way of character features/cameos, both the ''Winter's Teeth'' comicbooks and the ''No Vacancy'' one-shot take place alongside - [[spoiler: and, given they're still working with Victor, before the dissolution of]] - the "Valley Coterie". A crossover oneshot has ''LA By Night'''s Annabelle and Victor starring alongside Vodd and Margot from ''Winter's Teeth'', while the Kindred of ''No Vacancy'' - featuring new characters played by Josephine [=McAdam=] (Eva) and Mica Burton (Delilah) - take their mission from Victor Temple himself; with the letters being hand-delivered by Jasper.
67	* CantTakeCriticism: Victor takes being lectured badly.
68	* CatchPhrase:
69	** Victor has "I activate Awe". Following Episode 4, he always introduces himself at the start of episodes as the [[spoiler: "undisputed Baron of the Valley"]].
70	** Jason has a habit of responding to important rolls or info with, "I'm going to make a note of that."
71	** Fiorenza has "Victor, my boy!", which has flavors of CondescendingCompassion.
72	* CloudCuckoolander: X is the Malkavian variation of this.
73	* ColorMotif: White is a color of purity and divinity, but also the color of death in some cultures. Eva dresses in an all white outfit.
74	* CoolShades:
75	** Both Nelli and her sire Chaz have them.
76	** Jasper gets a pair in season 2.
77	* CourtMage:
78	** Eva's role in Anarch society. She is known as the White Witch of Griffith Park. [[spoiler: Until she rejoins the Camarilla in Season 4.]]
79	** Strauss is her EvilCounterpart in the L.A. Camarilla.
80	** Katya takes up the role of Strauss in the L.A. Camarilla court when he becomes Keeper of Elysium.
81	* DecadentCourt:
82	** The Camarilla is portrayed as this.
83	** The Council of Barons proves to be no better.
84	* DeclarationOfProtection:
85	** Victor tells Annabelle he'll do anything to protect his children. Including [[MindWipe wiping their memories]] and ''killing'' Annabelle.
86	** Annabelle makes one towards Mark and Ellenore.
87	** Jasper then makes one to Annabelle, Eva, and then [[spoiler: Chloe.]]
88	* DepravedBisexual:
89	** Nelli G and Victoria Ash fall under this. They feed on and kiss girls and boys in the Succubus club.
90	** Suzanne is Vannevar's consort but attempts to seduce Nelli G into becoming her handmaiden.
91	* TheDragon:
92	** Campbell is this for Victor Temple.
93	** Greg and Lavender gradually become this for Nelli G from Season 3 onwards.
94	** Aurora and her brother Rodrigo are this for Vannevar Thomas.
95	* DrivenToSuicide: In Season 5, [[spoiler: Eva chooses to meet the Sun, taking the extreme risk that it might turn her human but very clearly burning. X also chooses to enter torpor as a last ditch attempt to cleanse himself of a curse, knowing he is unlikely to awaken on his own.]]
96	* EnragedByIdiocy: Annabelle at the beginning of the 3 episode of season 2, when calling out Victor. Later on, also Jasper, when Victor babbles about his secrets to everyone, and at the end Abrams, for the same reasons Annabelle was.
97	* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Victor and Annabelle both have their Touchstones addressed.
98	* ExactWords: Jasper [[FriendlyNeighbourhoodVampire doesn't hurt people]]. [[spoiler: Other vampires aren't "people" though.]]
99	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: X turns against the group when he attempts to diablerize Annabelle.]]
100	* FamedInStory: Nines Rodriguez is considered a OneManArmy and the toughest man in L.A. He denies this reputation.
101	* FamilyOfChoice: The vampires don't have anyone beside their coterie to turn to without violating the Masquerade.
102	* FantasticRacism: What most Kindred express towards Thin-Bloods.
103	-->'''Victor:''' They're like ghouls plus.
104	* FireForgedFriends: The coterie is very close at the beginning and gradually comes to protect Annabelle with equal fervor.
105	* FlowerMotifs: Red and pink flowers, mostly roses are Eva's aesthetic. She also gave different kinds of flowers to the coterie members once.
106	* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire:
107	** A DownplayedTrope example as none of them are actively trying to harm mortals but only Annabelle (along with possibly Jasper) really qualifies. Eventually, both of them are forced to ShooTheDog at various points.
108	** The Valkyries are a GoodIsNotSoft variety of these.
109	* FunnySchizophrenia: X is a "Funny" brand of Malkavian, making odd allusions and metaphors to screw with people.
110	* GrandFinale: Season 5's ''Valediction'' wraps up all of the remaining plotlines and characters.
111	* GreaterScopeVillain: The Second Inquisition looms over everything as an enemy to the Camarilla and Anarchs. They initially seem to be an overstated threat that is swiftly dealt with [[spoiler: before its revealed that the three agents taken down were not part of Project: Firstlight.]]
112	* HotWitch:
113	** Eva is both beautiful and creepy, she also uses blood magic.
114	** Nelli also counts as this, as she knows Thaumaturgy and is also quite attractive.
115	* HorrorHunger: A constant threat as per 5th Edition. The characters lose control over themselves multiple times.
116	* ImAHumanitarian:
117	** Vampires, obviously are this by default.
118	** [[spoiler: Jasper]], however, turns out to be this to his fellow Kindred.
119	* InadequateInheritor: There are questions on whether [[spoiler: Nelli G]] will be able to replace [[spoiler: Isaac Abrams]] in Season 4.
120	* IgnorantOfTheirOwnIgnorance: Victor seems to be unable to realize how reckless he's being, thinking himself to be somewhat untouchable.
121	-->'''Abrams:''' You probably expect me to yell at you...\
122	'''Victor:''' Nope!\
123	'''Abrams:''' Well, you were wrong!!!
124	* InformedAttribute:
125	** Jasper bemoans his hideousness but it's implied he mostly just looks like his actor with visible black veins.
126	** Annabelle is said many times to have great leadership ability. This...doesn't seem to be the case on-camera.
127	* ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime: Victor's "plan" for distracting the police when rescuing the Weird Sisters is this to him. And only him.
128	* KilledToUpholdTheMasquerade: comes with the setting. This hits Annabelle really hard when [[spoiler: Chris the lacrosse player]] is killed, despite not knowing anything, cementing the seriousness of the Masquerade in general and YouCantGoHomeAgain.
129	** Averted with Archangel [[spoiler: as neither X or Annabelle are willing to kill Chloe despite her regular violations of the Masquerade.]]
130	* KlingonPromotion: Jasper [[spoiler: gets one of these when he kills the Sheriff and is unexpectedly promoted to replace him. Sadly, for the Camarilla, he refuses this request.]]
131	* KnightTemplar: The Second Inquisition has a SortingAlgorithmOfEvil with the Society of Leopold's faith-based hunters being at the top.
132	* LesCollaborateurs:
133	** Bobby Blaine and a group of Thin-Bloods are working with both the Second Inquisition.
134	** Baron Therese is working with the Camarilla.
135	** An iffy case with [[spoiler: Nelli G as she takes one of the Inquisitors on as a ghoul. Greg eventually becomes her full-time servant.]]
136	** Archangel turns out to be this as an independent ghoul [[spoiler: a.k.a Chloe]] working for the undead.
137	* LetsGetDangerous: After the Second Inquisition was repeatedly run rings around by our heroes, they proceed to mop the floor with L.A.'s Kindred in Season 5.
138	* LighterAndSofter: The protagonists are much more on the FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire scale of things than is typical for the World of Darkness. They even rescued a bunch of human trafficking victims and sent them to college.
139	* LoopholeAbuse: Jasper won't feed on [[spoiler: humans, but he feeds Tara who Jasper then feeds upon. Later, it is revealed that he embraces humans he sees as monsters in order to feed on them in the future.]]
140	* LooksLikeOrlok: Comes with being a Nosferatu. Jasper is actually implied to look a great deal more human than most of his kind (as befitting 5E) but still ticks most of these tropes.
141	* TheMasquerade: Discussed and demonstrated numerous times. The Masquerade is treated with grave importance by the characters, even above it being the title of the game.
142	* {{Metaphorgotten}}: X is prone to this as he often loses track of his own allusions.
143	* TheMole:
144	** [[spoiler: X proves to be one of these for Baron Theresa.]]
145	** [[spoiler: Eva becomes this among the Camarilla in Season 5.]]
146	* MrExposition: Victor tends to play this role, usually to Annabelle.
147	* NaiveNewcomer: Annabelle knows absolutely nothing about Kindred society.
148	* NeverHurtAnInnocent: Revealed in Episode 4 to be one of Victor's values.
149	* NoodleIncident:
150	** Apparently Chaz ''was'' hit by a flying Malkavian before.
151	-->'''Chaz''': There was that time in '48...
152	** Annabelle apparently punched a cougar to death.
153	* NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering: The Council of Barons introduced in Season 2. They can barely formulate a plan against the Camarilla and [[spoiler: swiftly throw Victor under the bus.]]
154	* NotUsingTheZedWord: Annabelle is quickly told in episode 1 that the proper term for what she has become is ''Kindred'', and that their society doesn't like the V word.
155	* OddFriendship:
156	** A Toreador, a Brujah, A Nosferatu, and a Ventrue are more or less a collection of the polar opposites of Kindred society.
157	** Eva and Jasper as well as their whole ShipTease.
158	* OurFounder: Jeremy [=MacNeil=] is cited as this to the Anarch Free State.
159	* PoliceAreUseless: They are just oblivious mortals.
160	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: The head of Project: Firstlight gets one of these from a Society of Leopold Inquisitor at the end of Season 5, Episode 1.
161	* RememberTheNewGuy: Suzanne is one of these for fans of [[Literature/VampireTheMasqueradePrinceDuology The Dark Prince]] books. Vannevar Thomas has his entire life detailed in ''Prince of the City'' and a long term relationship with a female Toreador never comes up. Also, he supposedly hadn't met any other vampires until 1836 but visits Prince Villon's court in 1789.
162	* RunningGag:
163	** The appearance of Juan the OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent (college, though) who is Annabelle's MuggleBestFriend.
164	** The cougar running around Santa Monica that Victor assumes is a older attractive woman rather than a giant cat.
165	* SadClown: There's a few genuinely heartbreaking moments with X as he sometimes communicates how desperate and terrified his condition makes him.
166	* ShipTease: Despite most vampires not really being romantically inclined in this setting.
167	** Jasper with Eva, and Chloe.
168	** Victor and Nelli G.
169	* SlobsVersusSnobs: Averted. Despite the characters all being Anarchs, most of them are reasonably posh. The exception is Jasper.
170	* TearsOfBlood: Vampires don't have any other fluids in their body, so they cry tears.
171	* TrueCompanions: The cotrie are a group of best friends and they swear to take care of one another.
172	-->'''Nelli:''' And you're not alone.\
173	'''Victor:''' We look out for each other.\
174	'''Jasper:''' I mean... yeah, I guess.
175	** Subverted by [[spoiler: Victor dominating Eva not to attack Strauss and losing her friendship. Later in a big way when X attempts to kill Annabelle.]]
176	** Ultimately subverted by the series as a whole as [[spoiler: Jasper and Nelli turn on Victor, Annabelle leaves LA, and Victor is left contemplating that Kindred never band together in times of crisis.]]
177	* UrbanFantasy: It is a story about magic, vampires, and general weirdness existing behind the surface of present-day Los Angeles.
178	* VampireHunter: The Second Inquisition as a whole, but especially the Society of Leopold that shows up in Season 5.
179	* WeAreStrugglingTogether:
180	** The primary problem of the Anarchs according to virtually everyone. They are divided into baronies that are constantly at each other's throats.
181	** Victor believes this is the problem of vampire society with regard to the Second Inquisition. [[spoiler: He's proven correct in Season 5.]]
182	* WhatWereYouThinking: What Annabelle, Abrams, and Jasper subject Victor to in episode 3 of season 2 after he nearly broke the Masquerade and caused a war.
183	-->'''Abrams:''' If "fine" exists in the bright center of the galaxy, you're on the planet that's farthest from it.

Context WebVideo / LAByNight