Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents
___________________________________________________________
Introduction 03
The World Of Darkness Merits 04
Vampire The Requiem Merits 127
Werewolf The Forsaken Merits 169
Mage The Awakening Merits 185
Promethean The Created Merits 222
Changeling The Lost Merits 233
Hunter The Vigil Merits 264
Geist The Sin-Eaters Merits 275
Introduction
This list was compiled to help the players in the creation process of their characters. The
idea was to make a lot easier to choose Merits, putting them in just one book. However,
you’re going to need the World of Darkness core book, and all the others templates books
to make sense of the descriptions below. It’s really important to buy these books, so they
will keep releasing them for our entertainment. So, White Wolf staff, don’t sue us, we are
satisfied customers trying to help other players.
This is the second version of the list and we will keep updating with new merits as soon
as they are released. This project was started by a group of players in an internet WoD
group, we want to keep releasing merits on future versions of this ebook.
I hope you enjoy the list.
The autor
Acknowledgements
First the White-Wolf’s staff for writing the games, second the people who compiled this
list (Leonardo, Paulo, Mateus, Aécio and myself) and the others from the WoD Group. In a
personal perspective I would like to thank all the players and storyteller’s who helped me to
love these games (André, Bandit, Berzins, Bu, Diana, Duda, Flávio, Igor, Jano, Judson,
Pantera, Pedro, Ricardo), with a special thanks to Diana and Leonardo who helped me in
these list with his thoughts, works and opinions.
EOD (••)
Book: Armory, p. 208 (errata correction)
Prerequisite: Wits ••• or Dexterity •••, Crafts •••, Demolitions Specialty in Crafts
Effect: Your character is well versed in handling all types of explosives. She is familiar with all kinds of
techniques used in bomb making, from creating her own explosives to identifying and arming manufactured
ones. She has also been trained in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and is comfortable disarming
unfamiliar devices. Your character does not suffer the –2 penalty for disarming an explosive she did not build
(see p. 114).
Hypnosis (•••)
Book: Mekhet - Shadown In The Dark, p. 120; Mage Chronicler's Guide, p. 115
Prerequisite: Medicine • or Occult •
Effect: A character with this Merit can hypnotize others (or herself) using the Occult or Medicine Skills.
The character must choose which of the two Skills the Merit is tied to, and write the Merit down on the
character sheet as either Hypnosis (Medicine) or Hypnosis (Occult). The character can only use the chosen
Skill to perform hypnosis. If the player wants the character to be able to use either Skills, he has to buy the
Merit twice, once for each Skill.
Many hypnotists use equipment such as pendulums, pocket watches, simple machines that project revolving
spiral patterns and the like. A subject placed in a trance becomes easily manipulated and likely to respond
positively to questioning or suggestion.
This Merit is not limited to vampires or mages; it can be bought by any character.
Hypnotizing a Subject
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult or Medicine + equipment (hypnotist) - subject’s Resolve (if target
resists)
Action: Extended
The hypnotist requires a number of successes equal to twice the target’s Willpower. Each roll represents
one minute of work. If the hypnotist succeeds, the target falls into a trance and becomes malleable to
suggestion.
A hypnotist can hypnotize himself.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The hypnotist fails even to calm the subject down, or makes a basic error in the process.
The subject cannot be hypnotized again for a number of days equal to his Resolve.
Failure: The hypnotist fails to induce trance in the time allowed, or gains no successes towards hypnotizing
the subject.
Success: The hypnotist makes progress, or gathers enough successes to place the subject in a trance.
As long as the trance persists, any rolls the hypnotist’s player makes to influence the subject (eg. to induce
the subject to impart information or to implant a posthypnotic suggestion which will make the subject behave
in a certain way after the trance has ended) gain a bonus equal to the hypnotist’s dots in Manipulation.
Exceptional Success: The hypnotist makes speedy headway towards hypnotizing the subject.
Equipment: Pendulum or pocketwatch on chain (+1); audio visual stimulation (+1 to +3); white and
featureless room (+1).
Possible Penalties: Unfamiliar with subject (-2); language barrier (-3); distractions nearby (-2).
Language (•)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 109 (Errata Version)
Effect: Your character knows an additional language besides his own, one that he can read, write and speak
with fluency. If he wishes to convince others that he is a native speaker, however, the Storyteller might call
for an Intelligence + Expression draw, contested by a reflexive Intelligence + Academics draw by anyone
who is suspicious.
You must specify which language your character is familiar with when purchasing this Merit. There is no
limit to the number of languages that a character may learn, though each language must be purchased as a
separate Merit.
Locus-Drinker (•••)
Book: Book Of Spirits, p. 109
Prerequisites: Mortal (non-supernatural)
Effect: Your character can draw Essence from a locus, an ability normally reserved for spirits, werewolves
and some mages. This requires a Morality roll that the character can only attempt once per day.
Each success allows the character to draw out one point of Essence, and each point requires one minute of
meditative effort. The character still has no ability to store that Essence within himself or use it for any means,
but he can channel it to objects or creatures that can (such as spirits or the Cup of Life fetish, see p. 120). If
the character somehow has the ability to use Essence, he may bend this Essence to that use immediately (but
still cannot store it).
Drawback: Possession of this Merit makes the character a threat to some (endangering their supplies of
Essence) and a resource to others (potentially doubling their daily Essence acquisition). If the character isn’t
careful with his ability, others may try to eliminate him or use him as a tool.
Make Do (• to •••)
Book: The Free Council, p. 132
Prerequisites: Wits ••• and • in the appropriate Skill
Effect: Your character has some experience working under sub-optimal conditions. With poor tools or the
wrong tools, she can change a tire, repair a roof or perform an emergency tracheotomy. When you purchase
this Merit, assign it to a particular Skill (e.g., Make Do: Crafts). Reduce all penalties stemming from poor or
inappropriate tools by the number of dots you have in this Merit. You still must need and have some kind of
tools to attempt the action (you can’t patch a tire or perform a tracheotomy with your bare hands), but you can
scrape by with poor substitutes using this Merit. Note that this Merit does not add dice to your pool; this Merit
negates penalties.
This Merit can be purchased multiple times to apply to multiple Skills.
Multi-Lingual (• to •••••)
Book: Reliquary, p. 85
Effect: The character either has knack for languages or grew up in a culture that teaches several different
tongues. In addition to the character’s native language, the player may choose two languages for every dot in
this Merit that the character speaks conversationally.
Note that the character cannot speak effortlessly in these languages. Communicating quickly or over the
telephone requires an Intelligence + Wits roll, and talking about anything esoteric (including humor, politics
and certainly occult matters) imposes a penalty of –1 to –3 dice. Reading the language requires an Intelligence
+ Academics or Wits roll (depending on how the character learned the language; study or immersion,
respectively), and writing something coherent in the language requires a roll of Wits + Academics or
Intelligence (again, study or immersion). Even if these rolls succeed, the character’s utterances or writings
obviously come from a non-native, unless the player rolls an exceptional success, in which case the character
manages to sound like a native-born speaker of the language for a few moments.
The player can spend one experience point for the character to become fluent in one of languages covered
by this Merit.
Technophile (• to ••)
Book: Armory, p. 208
Effect: Through professional experience or a hobbyist’s fanaticism, your character is exceptionally
knowledgeable with regard to one specific type of equipment, chosen upon purchase of this Merit. With one
point in this Merit, its focus is relatively narrow: Edged Weapons, Handguns, Consumer Vehicles, 20th-
Century French Military Equipment and so forth. With two points, the Merit’s focus may be broader: for
example, Melee Weapons, Firearms, Vehicles, 20th-Century Military Equipment.
With regard to items that fall within the chosen focus only, this Merit functions as the Encyclopedic
Knowledge Merit (see p. 109, the World of Darkness Rulebook). With a successful roll, your character is
fully versed in the performance, history and trivia of any specific item he encounters. In addition to
identifying an item, he can recite the likely metallic composition of an ancient sword, the ballistic
characteristics of an enemy’s sidearm, the top speed of a sports car or the explosive yield of a nuclear
warhead.
This Merit confers no actual bonuses or abilities when the character attempts to use an item that falls within
his field of study. Unlike Encyclopedic Knowledge, this Merit is available after character creation, though the
character’s actions and interests over an extended period of time should justify the purchase.
Vision (• to •••••)
Book: The Free Council, p. 133
Prerequisites: Intelligence, Wits, Resolve or Composure ••••
Effect: Your character has vision. He is capable of visualizing his wants with great clarity and knows how
to use that vision to guide his work. A character with two or three dots in this Merit has vision on a smaller
scale — he sees his sculptures, inventions or performances with unusual clarity. A character with four or five
dots in this Merit has a uniquely vivid vision of whole worlds. Whether he uses his vision to paint, to govern
or to achieve some other aim is up to him.
The character’s vision helps him accomplish his goals. Essentially, this Merit gives a skilled character a
chance to gain more than the usual +3 dice when he spends Willpower. By spending a Willpower point, your
character can reflexively rely on his vision to “assist himself” on any extended action he performs, whether
it’s drawing the plans for a building, sculpting a statue or speaking in front of an audience (see “Teamwork,”
p. 134 of the World of Darkness Rulebook). The character rolls Vision + an appropriate Skill, and each
success is added as bonus dice to the next roll on the extended action.
Your character may substitute his dots in Vision for either an Attribute or a Skill when rolling to assist
another character on an extended action. The Storyteller has final say on whether a given trait can be replaced,
however. Vision may be no substitute for Strength when lifting a boulder.
Willpower points spent to activate this Merit don’t grant any of the usual effects of Willpower points; they
simply allow the character to use the Merit. This Merit does not enable a character to spend more than one
Willpower point per turn.
Though a character may be said to have gained this Merit through supernatural means, Vision is not in itself
a supernatural power. A character’s vision for the future may be the result of some supernatural experience or
may simply the product of a profound imagination.
Well-Traveled (•)
Book: Reliquary, p. 85
Effect: The character has either made a study of customs and practices in cultures other than his own or, as
the name suggests, traveled extensively enough to know such customs. The character receives the 9-again
benefit on any Social roll involving dealing with a foreign culture, or Mental roll for remembering the
practices and mores of such a culture. This knowledge is purely practical; the character might remember that
it’s rude to show one’s bare head in a given country, but not why.
Whispers (•)
Book: The Mysterium, p. 179
Your character’s mind has ripped open, allowing tendrils of underlying primordial truths to reach into his
psyche. He can purchase the Dream Merit (see Mage: The Awakened, p. 82) even if he is not a mage, and
may attempt to gain insights through that Merit as an instant action while conscious rather than requiring the
usual hour of meditation or sleep. However, each time he accesses Dream in this accelerated manner further
erodes his sanity, requiring a character with a Wisdom (or Morality) higher than five dots to make a
degeneration roll.
Physical Merits
Ambidextrous (•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 110
Effect: Your character does not suffer the -2 penalty for using his off-hand in combat or to perform other
actions. Available at character creation only.
Berserker (• to •••••)
Book: Armory Reload, p. 113
Prerequisites: Resolve •••, Stamina •••, and Supplemented Skill or Style •
Effect: The character supplements his chosen style or Skill with his own maddened fury. Berserk characters
work themselves into a violent rage, sometimes aided through the use of drugs, which have the usual effect on
their physiology (see p. 176, World of Darkness Rulebook). Working oneself into this fury requires an
intense exercise of will, costing the character one Willpower point and an instant action. Once the character
has entered the berserkergang, she may use any of the maneuvers listed below. These benefits can be
combined with one another or with an associated Fighting Style Merit during the same turn, so long as the
drawbacks or necessary expenditures do not contradict (for example, a character cannot benefit from Strength
in the Fury when using a Fighting Style maneuver that otherwise costs the character her Defense).
A character in a berserker haze occasionally has difficulty telling friend from foe, and must make a
reflexive Resolve + Composure roll to avoid assaulting allies during any turn in which those allies present a
more tempting target than an enemy. Characters who are already prone to a form of supernatural rage (such as
vampires and werewolves) must roll Resolve + Composure during every turn in which they take advantage of
this style. If they fail, they fall into their maddened state (frenzy, Kuruth, etc.) and lose the benefits of being
berserk.
The character remains in a berserk state until she either spends a second Willpower to calm herself, she is
rendered unconscious, or the combat comes to an end.
Characters who fight in a berserk haze often purchase Iron Stamina to represent their ability to ignore pain.
The Brawl and Weaponry Skills are equally appropriate for use with this style, as are the Two-Weapon
(usually axes), Shield, Knife, Stick and Staff Fighting Styles. Styles that require careful precision such as
Evasive Striking or Light Sword are not appropriate. Defensive styles are explicitly incompatible with the
aggressiveness required of berserkers.
Dots purchased in this Merit provide access to special combat maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite
for the next.
Strength in the Fury (•): A berserker goes all-out, all the time, and her body rewards her heedless actions
with increased power and speed. The berserker gains an additional die (for a total of three) when taking all-
out attacks (page 157, World of Darkness Rulebook).
Adrenaline Rush (••): The berserker ignores pain and her foes’ attacks only drive her madness, pushing
her to brutally defeat them. The character gains a point of armor against bashing and lethal attacks as she
casually shrugs off weak attacks.
Inhuman Alacrity (•••): A berserker’s opponents are shocked and frightened by the speed and ferocity that
manifests in her actions, making her far more difficult to hit. The character gains an additional 2 dice (for a
total of four dice) when using Willpower to avoid suffering an attack.
Ignorant in the Face of Death (••••): The berserker’s rage overrides her physical limitations, pushing her
to greater feats even when others would fall in pain. In a mad, violently fit, the character can ignore some or
all wound penalties for a turn. Drawback: The character sacrifices part of her Defense in any turn during
which she ignores wound penalties on a one-for-one basis (for example, by ignoring two dice of wound
penalties, she suffers a –2 to her Defense trait). If she has already applied her full Defense against an
incoming attack during the turn, she may not use this maneuver. The character may still use Willpower to
enhance her attack or Defense, if she so chooses, but may not utilize any other maneuver or supernatural
ability that necessitates the loss of Defense (such as an all-out attack).
Bloody-Handed Bastard (•••••): The berserker gouges at eyes, bites at ears, and tears at genitals. Her
behavior is so violent that she inflicts lasting damage on her foes, regardless of weapon. The character’s
attacks inflict lethal damage. Drawback: The character sacrifices her Defense during a turn in which she uses
this maneuver. If she has already applied her Defense against an incoming attack during the turn, she may not
use this maneuver.
Combatant (••)
Book: Armory Reload, p. 181
Prerequisite: Resolve ••, Brawl, Firearms or Weaponry •
Effect: Your character either has training in how to handle himself in a fight, or has been in enough crisis
situations that he doesn’t lose his head when people start getting hurt. A number of combat hacks involving
the effects of pain and stress do not apply to this character. These hacks are: Freezing Under Fire, Lethal Stun
and Unable to Attack.
Disarm (••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 110
Prerequisite: Dexterity ••• and Weaponry ••
Effect: Your character has refined his Weaponry Skill to the extent that he can use a weapon to disarm
opponents in close combat. When making a normal attack, compare your successes to the opponent’s
Dexterity. If you get a number of successes equal to or greater than the opponent’s Dexterity, you can choose
to have your character disarm him instead of doing damage. A weapon lands a number of yards away from
the opponent equal to your successes rolled.
Disarming is a different activity than specifically attacking or breaking weapons or items carried by
opponents. See “Equipment” (p. 139) for rules on doing that.
Driving Style: High Performance Driving (• to ••••)
Book: Midnight Roads, p. 56
Prerequisites: Dexterity •••, Resolve ••, Drive ••
Effect: Your character is trained in advanced driving techniques. Maybe he’s a cop or a federal agent.
Maybe he’s a stuntman for film and TV or the wheelman in a heist gang.
Dots purchases in this Merit allow access to special driving maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for
the next. Your character cannot possess “Smuggler’s Turn” until he has “Speed Demon.” Maneuvers and
effects are described below.
Speed Demon (•): For this character, a vehicle’s Maximum Speed is now the same as the vehicle’s Safe
Speed. The character is very comfortable with driving fast, and thus does not suffer penalties for driving in
excess of a vehicle’s Safe Speed (see p.143, the World of Darkness Rulebook).
Smuggler’s Turn (••): Also known as a J-Turn, this is essentially a radical U-turn used at high speed: the
driver puts the car into a controlled skid, the car turns around, and as it’s turning, he puts it into gear and
keeps driving — except now, in the other direction. Used by bootleggers during Prohibition, it’s a great way
to escape a pursuing vehicle, if it works. The character must succeed on a Dexterity + Drive + Handling roll
to make this turn. In doing so, any pursuing vehicles lose the Handling bonus when trying to follow, unless
the pursuing driver also possesses this Merit.
Safe Passage (•••): Driving through strange or unsafe conditions — icy road, debris-littered highway, grid-
locked highway — invokes penalties for most drivers, but not this character. He’s able to zip past wreckage
and control his car even when in a fishtailing hydroplane. Doing so still requires a Dexterity + Drive +
Handling roll, but the character can ignore up to three dice of penalty caused by bad or unsafe conditions.
Offensive Driving (••••): When locked in vehicle pursuit (see pp. 69–71, the World of Darkness
Rulebook), it’s good to drive in a way that distracts and disrupts the other driver. Whether the character is the
pursuer or the pursued, he can perform a number of distracting and disrupting techniques to hamper the other
car. The quarry might drive over the median, clip trashcans with his bumper to knock them over or even
careen through a busy intersection. The pursuer can perform maneuvers such as bumping the back end of the
fleeing car or distracting the fleeing driver by weaving in and out of traffic behind him (even disappearing
momentarily behind, say, an 18-wheeler) inan effort to draw the driver’s attention away from what he should
be paying attention to: the road. The effect is the same for whether the character is the pursuer or the pursued:
the tricky driving hampers an opponent’s driving. The opponent’s Acceleration and Handling scores are
halved (round up) as he is distracted. Drawback: The character must expend a Willpower point at the
beginning of vehicle pursuit to achieve this effect. Moreover, by the end of it, the vehicle the character was
driving assumes an automatic loss of two Structure from the highly offensive driving.
Giant (••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 112
Effect: Your character is seven or more feet tall and over 250 pounds. He is +1 Size (and thus +1 Health).
Available at character creation only.
Drawback: Your character needs to shop in big-and tall clothing stores or gets clothes custom tailored. He
might also be required to purchase two seats for air travel, depending on the airline.
Gunslinger (•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 112
Prerequisites: Dexterity ••• and Firearms •••
Effect: Your character’s capability and experience with firearms is such that he can accurately fire two
pistols at the same time. Your character still suffers the –2 offhand penalty for shooting with his secondary
hand (unless he also possesses the Ambidextrous Merit, above), but he can shoot both pistols as a single
action during a turn. The second attack is also at a -1 penalty. Your character may shoot at two different
targets if he wishes, but the amount of concentration required negates his Defense for the turn.
The Merit can be used with pistols only.
Drawback: Your character cannot use his Defense against any attack in the same turn in which he intends
to use this Merit on two separate targets in the same turn. If he uses Defense against attacks that occur earlier
in the Initiative roster, before he can perform this maneuver, he cannot perform the maneuver this turn. He is
too busy bobbing and weaving out of the way of attacks.
Outdoorsman (••)
Book: Midnight Roads, p. 59
Prerequisites: Survival 3
The character is a natural at making her way in the wilderness, and she has a knack for surviving situations
that would prove deadly to most. She can find food and shelter where others see only the possibility of hunger
and exposure to the harshness of the elements, and she knows the signs and subtle tells of the outdoors as
though they were her native tongue.
Characters with this Merit may ignore up to three points of penalties from environmental sources applied to
any roll involving the Survival Skill. If a Survival roll is not penalized, then the character instead receives a
+1 modifier to her dice pool.
Parkour (• to •••••)
Book: Strange Alchemies, p. 74, Tribes Of The Moon, p. 98
Prerequisites: Dexterity •••, Athletics ••
The sport of parkour began in France, and has quickly spread to other parts of the world. Parkour demands
a level of athleticism from its practitioners that few other sports do. The purpose of parkour, which is also
called “free running” or “urban running,” is to move as quickly as possible through an environment with a
variety of obstacles, sprinting through the terrain and using a variety of climbing techniques, leaps, rolls and
other athletic movements to navigate.
Watching an expert traceur (one of the terms for someone who practices parkour) at work is awe-inspiring,
like something out of an action film. Though the technique comes from well-disciplined training, imbedding a
certain body of movements and techniques into the parkour’s instinctive reactions, the goal is a flawless,
seamless flow of movement from one obstacle to the next, with hardly any pause in speed or movement.
This “flow” is the goal of traceurs — it is the highest achievement of a practitioner of parkour to achieve a
Zen-like state of lack of thought, where purest instinct and reaction drives the movement. Skilled traceurs
speak of sometimes being aware that they’ve accomplished a tremendously difficult feat heartbeats after
they’ve accomplished it. Through intensive training to drive home certain actions when confronted with
certain obstacles, the traceur can depend on his instincts, rather than his thoughts — which are vulnerable to
fears and doubts — when moving through the urban environment.
Traceurs gather in clubs. Though the sport has begun to catch on, and some of these clubs are receiving
corporate sponsorship, the clubs tend to be quite informal, with members gathering in a given place on a
given day of the week to work on their techniques.
Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special athletic maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for
the next. So, your character can’t have “Cat Leap” until he has “Flow.” The maneuvers and their effects are
described below, most of which are based on the Athletics Skill.
Flow (•): Your character has some basic training in the techniques of parkour, allowing him to act
instinctively to obstacles and jumps. When using running or using the Foot Chase rules (see the World of
Darkness Rulebook, p. 65), your character may negate hazardous terrain penalties equal to his Rating in the
Parkour Merit. Additionally, the roll to gauge a jump distance (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 67)
is a reflexive action.
Cat Leap (••): Your character has mastered some of the twisting leaps, landing rolls and wall taps used by
traceurs. When using a Dexterity + Athletics roll to mitigate damage from falling (see the World of Darkness
Rulebook, p. 179), your character gains one automatic success. Additionally, add one per dot in this Merit to
the threshold of damage that can be removed through this roll. Thus, if the Storyteller decrees that only three
successes may be garnered to reduce falling damage, the traceur with three dots in this Merit may actually use
six successes (assuming the player accumulates that many, including his automatic success).
Wall Run (•••): Your character has mastered the quick wall-run and leaping climb techniques of parkour.
When using Athletics to climb (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 64), your character is capable of
scaling heights of 10 feet + 5 feet per dot in Athletics as an instant action (rather than the normal 10 feet),
though every full 10 feet beyond the first imposes a –1 die penalty. so extensively in this athletic discipline
that its maneuvers are normal and instinctive for him. Your character may designate any Athletics roll that
involves running, jumping and climbing as being a Rote Action (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p.
134). However, when doing so, he is less able to react to events that don’t have to do with navigating the
environment, causing him to lose his Defense for that turn.
Expert Traceur (••••): Your character has trained so extensively in this athletic discipline that its
maneuvers are normal and instinctive for him. Your character may designate any Athletics roll that involves
running, jumping and climbing as being a Rote Action (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 134).
However, when doing so, he is less able to react to events that don’t have to do with navigating the
environment, causing him to lose his Defense for that turn.
Freeflow (•••••): Your character has achieved the freeflow that is the holy grail of traceurs everywhere —
he acts without thinking, his movements flowing, graceful and quick when he enters “the zone.” He can
perform any Athletics action that involves running, jumping or climbing as a reflexive action, rather than an
instant action. Doing so requires that the character has been running for at least a full minute previously; any
use of this ability before that minute mark requires the expenditure of one point of Willpower, however.
Strong Lungs(•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 113
Prerequisites: Athletics •••
Effect: Your character is practiced at holding his breath for long periods of time. He might be a pearl diver
or escape artist, capable of staying underwater without aid for longer than most people believe is possible.
When determining how long your character can hold his breath, add two to Stamina when referencing the
Holding Breath chart on p. 49. For example, if your character’s Stamina is 2, he can hold his breath for four
minutes before you need to make a roll.
Student Of The Blade (•)
Book: Armory Reload, p. 66
Prerequisite: Fighting Style: Fencing (Aggressive Light Sword) or Iaido (Defensive Light Sword) •
Effect: Your character trains with a wide variety of light swords and sticks, allowing her to flow from one
method to the next. She never suffers a penalty for being unfamiliar with a weapon outside her original
Fighting Style.
Stunt Driver(•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 113
Prerequisites: Dexterity •••
Effects: Your character can drive a vehicle and perform an unrelated action (e.g., fire a gun, punch another
passenger) in the same turn. Drive rolls may still be necessary for dangerous maneuvers or situations. See
“Vehicles, “ p. 141.
Wheelman (••)
Book: Midnight Roads, p. 59
Prerequisites: Dexterity 2, Drive 2
Some people were born to sit behind the wheel of a car (truck, van, etc.). Likewise, there are those for
whom steering a motorcycle is as natural as moving their own limbs by will alone. Such individuals often take
to the nomad lifestyle with the eagerness of a natural wanderer.
Characters with this Merit receive the benefit of the 9-again rule with respect to all rolls involving the Drive
Skill.
Social Merits
Allies (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 114
Effect: Allies are people who are willing to help your character from time to time. They may be associates,
friends of convenience or people who owe your character a favor. Each acquisition of this Merit is dedicated
to one type of ally, whether in an organization, society or circle. Examples include the police, City Hall,
criminals, unions, banks, university faculty and hospital staff. In order to have alliances in more than one
venue, you need to purchase this Merit multiple times, each trait with its own dots. Thus, your character might
have Allies (Police) ••, Allies (Criminals) ••• and Allies (City Hall) •, each acquired separately at character
creation or during play.
Each dot that your character has indicates how deep his influence runs in that group. One dot might mean
he can ask for minor favors, such as being spared a parking ticket if alliance is among police, or being
allowed to see an article before it goes to press if alliance is among reporters. Three dots garner considerable
favors, such as a building permit “going missing” at City Hall, or a strike resolution being wrapped up early
among union leaders. Five dots allow for dangerous and even overtly criminal favors, such as a stock being
sabotaged on Wall Street or the answers to an exam being shared by a university professor.
The kinds of requests made of people in an organization typically have to relate to their sphere of influence.
Asking a criminal to slow down the bureaucratic process at City Hall makes no sense, but asking him to pass
along word of a drug buy does. Favors might be minor and within the bounds of a person’s job or role, such
as processing some paperwork more quickly than usual, or could be significant or dangerous and outside
what’s allowed or even legal, such as allowing a civilian access to the police evidence locker.
The Storyteller has final say over what is an acceptable request and what is not. If there’s any doubt, the
Storyteller could call for a Manipulation + Persuasion roll, with a bonus equal to your character’s Allies dots.
Penalties might also apply based on the importance or danger of the request. Asking someone to do something
already in the bounds of their role imposes no modifier, while asking them to do something that could get
them suspended imposes a -3 penalty, and asking for something that could get them jailed or killed is -5.
Frequent favors asked of the same group also imposes a penalty as group members grow tired of being called
upon.
Similarly, a roll of Manipulation + Persuasion + Allies dots could determine how many police answer your
character’s call for help, or how many longshoremen turn up when your character needs a show of force (one
per success rolled).
Allies doesn’t have to be defined in terms of specific individuals over whom your character has sway. He
could simply know a variety of people among city reporters and he can call upon them in general from time to
time. You should, however, explain why your character has influence in a particular body. Maybe he worked
there himself at one time and still has friends in the organization. Or he has done a group a favor and its
members still owe him.
Drawback: Allies are not automatons, waiting for your character to ask for help. They have their own lives
and needs. An alliance is a two-way relationship. Calling for favors makes your character indebted to his
friends, and they are sure to call such favors in when they need help. The Storyteller can use such debts as
inspiration for future stories.
Armory (• to •••••)
Book: Banishers, p. 51
Prerequisites: Resources •••
Effect: Your character can draw upon an array of weapons and armor. This Merit could represent a large
gun collection, the ability to call in favors for arms or ownership of a firearms or martial arts supply store.
When you select this Merit, give it a descriptor such as “dojo weapons” or “hunting club.” This will guide
your use of the Merit.
Each dot provides five “points” of weapons and armor. The pool of dots provides a vaguely defined
assortment of available arms. You may use weapons and armor equal to your pool total at any given time.
The base pool cost for a weapon is equal to its Damage rating. Add 1 to the cost if the weapon is a firearm.
Armor has a pool cost equal to its Defense bonus. Add 1 to the cost of any weapon or piece of armor if it’s
illegal or highly restricted.
The maximum Damage or Defense rating possible for any Armory equipment is equal to the Merit’s dots
+1. Firearms come with a full load or magazine. One Armory point adds an additional load or magazine.
You don’t need to account for every single knife and gun, and in fact, there are more parts and arms than
the pool would allow — the equivalent of the classic briefcase or rack full of guns. Your total represents arms
in good enough repair to actually use. You may change weapon selections freely as long as the choices could
plausibly fit under the general descriptor.
Similar to the Sanctum or Library Merits, it’s possible to purchase this Merit collectively, dividing its
benefits among the entire group.
Drawback: Unlike arms and armor purchased with standard Resources, Armory gear is gray market at
best. It includes a selection of stolen, illegally modified or improperly registered weapons. If the authorities
discover your Armory, you might incur a fine or imprisonment.
Barfly (• to •••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 114
Effect: No matter what town or city your character is in, he can find his way into the best nightspots with a
few quick words and a timely bribe. There isn’t a velvet rope made that can keep him out of a restaurant or
club.
Contacts (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 114
Effect: Contacts provide your character information in a particular area of awareness. Each dot in this Merit
represents one arena or circle in which your character has a web of connections and from which he may draw
information. If he has Contacts •••, his dots might be assigned to computer hackers, couriers and big business,
respectively. Contacts can include individuals whom you or the Storyteller defines, but more likely they
comprise an array of people from whom your character can draw information with a phone call, email or face-
to-face query. Contacts is strictly information-gathering. Contacts do not come perform services for your
character or rush to his aid. Those actions are the purview of other Merits such as Allies and Retainer.
Gaining information from contacts requires a successful Manipulation + Persuasion or Socialize roll,
depending on the relationship between your character and the people in question. Penalties might apply if the
information sought is little known (-1 to -3), confidential (-3), or if sharing it could get people in trouble or
harmed (-3 to - 5). Success doesn’t guarantee exactly the information for which your character looks.
Contacts aren’t all-knowing, and the Storyteller is perfectly justified in saying that a particular contact simply
doesn’t know something.
Dramatic Failure: The contact doesn’t tell your character the full extent of what he knows, or provides
misleading information. Perhaps he’s holding out for money or favors, or simply makes an honest mistake.
Failure: The contact doesn’t have the information your character needs.
Success: The contact is able to provide some information that’s helpful to your character.
Exceptional Success: The contact is able to provide a wealth of information to your character, providing
answers to questions that aren’t even asked.
Suggested Equipment: Gift (+1), small bribe (+1), large bribe (+2), an outstanding favor (+1 to +3)
Possible Penalties: Lack of bribe (-1), frequent and recent requests (-1 to -2), information confidential (-1
to -3), information scarce (-2), information obscure (-3).
Decorated (• to •••••)
Book: Dogs Of War, p. 39
Effect: Your character has received an award for meritorious conduct of some sort. Characters gain a bonus
on all Social rolls relating to one’s Allies, Contacts or Status in the military, regardless of whether the
character is currently serving or not.
The three-dot, four-dot and five-dot Merits indicate an exceptional award: the Silver Star for the three-dot
Merit; the Distinguished Service Medal or Distinguished Service Cross for the four-dot Merit; and the Medal
of Honor for the five-dot Merit.
Those who have earned the Medal of Honor are entitled to a salute regardless of rank or whether they are
now civilians.
Servicemen and servicewomen who have received lethal injuries as a result of combat during a military
action are automatically awarded the Purple Heart, a two-dot Merit.
Drawback: This Merit rides on the world’s perception of the character’s honor and Morality. The character
must be seen to retain honor and dignity in his actions. Should the character commit sins rated 5 or lower on
the Morality chart, and should those sins become public knowledge, the Merit may be revoked, earning him
the Notoriety Flaw (see “Character Flaws”, the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 217).
Fame (• to •••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 115
Effect: Your character has a measure of recognition in today’s media-saturated society, possibly as a
performer, athlete, politician or other sort of public personality. He’s frequently identified and can often get
star treatment. On the other hand, it’s difficult for your character to go places without being recognized, and
the media watches him carefully.
Each dot adds a +1 modifier to your character’s Socialize (or Persuasion, where applicable) rolls among
those who are impressed by his celebrity status.
Drawback: The more famous your character is, the more easily he is recognized by the public. The
Storyteller should apply the same +1 modifier per dot to a general Wits + Composure roll to see if he is
recognized by anyone on the street. An exceptional success indicates that one or more people are loyal fans
who approach him for autographs, pictures and long conversations.
Fence (• to •••)
Book: Banishers, p. 51
Prerequisite: Streetwise •••
Effect: No matter your character’s location, she can almost always find a way to buy and sell stolen goods
within the local criminal community or online. No dice roll is required. She avoids common law enforcement
tactics designed to catch fences, but her clients might not be as clever.
The one-dot version of this Merit applies to typical stolen goods: items that would require Resources •• or
less to purchase. More expensive or exotic goods such as sports cars, fine art or assault weapons require the
three-dot version of the Merit.
Friend (• to •••••)
Book: Requiem Chronicler’s Guide, p. 68
Effect: The Allies Merit from World of Darkness Rulebook represents influence in groups. While this is a
valuable Trait for a Prince to have, sometimes it’s necessary to have individual allies who are more potent by
themselves. The Retainer Merit can represent these potent allies if they are subordinate to the character.
Likewise, Mentor can represent individual allies to whom the vampire owes favors or allegiance. However,
this new Friend Merit is intended to represent allied peers, individuals who have independent power and are
neither beholden to the character with this Merit nor owed any allegiance by her.
Similar to Haven, there are multiple aspects of this Merit: allocate dots purchased to Power and Trust.
Power represents the friend’s level of skill and influence; one dot is significantly less powerful than the
character, three dots is about the same level of power and five dots means a friend who is significantly more
powerful. Trust is an indicator of the depth of the friendship; dots in Trust are added as bonus dice to any roll
to convince the friend represented by this Merit to do something for the character.
Inspiring (••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 115
Prerequisite: Presence ••••
Effect: Your character is able to rally others in times of great distress, renewing their courage and
determination in the face of adversity.
Once per game session, your character can exhort those around him to redouble their efforts in the face of
great stress or danger. Make a Presence + Persuasion roll. If the roll succeeds, any individuals who actively
assist your character and who are within earshot regain one spent Willpower point (not to exceed their
Willpower dots). The character may not use this Merit on himself, and may not use it on the same subjects
more than once a day.
Mentor (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 115
Effect: This Merit gives your character a friend and teacher who provides her with advice and guidance.
Your character’s mentor acts on her behalf, although the Storyteller determines exactly how. A mentor
usually offers advice, allowing the Storyteller to use him to help guide your character through tough
situations. A mentor may also use his influence or abilities to help your character out, although he probably
wants to see his charge do things for herself. A mentor is likely to give up in disgust on a pupil who
constantly asks for aid. Mentors may also ask for something in return for their assistance, which can lead your
character into some interesting situations.
The number of dots purchased in this Merit determines the relative power, knowledge and experience of
your character’s teacher. One dot indicates a mentor with one or more specialized Skills and a small amount
of experience in your character’s field of interest. Two dots indicate a mentor with a wide range of capability
and experience in your character’s field of interest. Three dots indicate a mentor possessing a broad range of
Skills, years of experience and significant influence in your character’s field of interest. Four dots indicate a
mentor who not only possesses a broad range of Skills and decades (or in some cases, centuries) of
experience, he is also a preeminent figure with major influence in your character’s field of interest. Five dots
indicate a mentor with towering influence and power in your character’s field of interest. A five-dot patron
watches over your character and influences her life in ways both obvious and subtle, and likely has an agenda
in which your character is pivotal.
Resources (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 115
Effect: This Merit measures your character’s material resources, both possessions and wealth. All
characters are assumed to have a job or a source of income (trust fund, parents) that is sufficient to cover their
basic needs: food, shelter and transportation. Dots in this Merit represent disposable income - wealth and
assets that can be liquidated for more money in case of emergency. The number of dots indicates your
character’s general level of wealth. One dot suggests low disposable income: $500 a month and
approximately $1,000 worth of assets. Two dots suggest moderate disposable income: $1,000 a month and
approximately $5000 worth of assets. Three dots suggest significant disposable income: $2000 a month and
maybe $10,000 worth of assets. Four dots suggest substantial disposable income: $10,000 a month and
$500,000 worth of assets. Five dots suggest significant wealth: $50,000 a month and as much as $5,000,000
worth of assets.
Resources can be used to determine if your character can reasonably afford a purchase or expenditure.
Equipment, weapons and items throughout these rules are assigned costs in dots. The Storyteller can assign
cost dots to other items during play based on what’s here. If your character has the same or more dots in
Resources, he can afford the item on his disposable income. That doesn’t mean he has a blank check with
which to buy everything he sees. He might be able to afford one or two items with a cost equal to his
Resources dots in a single month. Items with lower costs can be acquired more often. The Storyteller has final
say on what’s too much or what’s too often.
Your character’s Resources dots aren’t spent and don’t go away. They represent available cash at any given
moment. The only means by which your character’s Resource dots might decrease is if story events conspire
against them. Perhaps your character’s fortune is wiped out, he loses his job or his company is subjected to a
hostile takeover. The Storyteller therefore influences how your character’s dots might decrease, and whether
they can be salvaged.
Retainer (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 116
Effects: Your character has an assistant, aide, indentured servant or fanatical follower on whom she can
rely. You need to establish how this trusty companion was acquired. He may be paid exorbitant amounts of
money that buy his unwavering loyalty. He might owe his life to your character (or to your character’s
predecessors). Your character might blackmail this person or threaten his family with harm if services are not
rendered. Or your character might have a supernatural hold over this poor person. Regardless of the
circumstances, this person is constantly loyal and follows almost any order without question.
A retainer can be called upon to perform many duties without fail. A bodyguard might be willing to hurt
other people on a mere command. A dedicated street kid might hang on your character’s every word and get
her information or contacts without being asked. Unless your character has direct control over a retainer’s
mind, however, this person can’t be made to perform any task. He might not risk his own life unduly or
perform a task that violates his own morals. You or the Storyteller should detail your retainer with an identity,
background and character sheet of his own. The Storyteller usually plays your character’s retainer.
Each acquisition of this Merit grants your character one follower. Dots spent in the trait indicate the
training, capability or flexibility of the aide. One dot suggests a child, an automaton or a madman with limited
capabilities and freedom of thought. Two dots indicate an ordinary person over whom your character has
sway. The servant is completely mundane and has no particular training above the human norm (he has two
dots in all of his Attributes and Skills). Three dots represent a capable employee with a range of training at his
disposal (three or four of his traits have three dots). Four dots represent a valued and irreplaceable assistant
(someone with a handful of traits with four dots each). Five dots indicate an extraordinary follower. He is
exceptional in many ways (five dots in a couple traits, and four in many others) or he may be capable of
supernatural feats.
Retainer is different from Allies in that no roll is ever made to get results from an aide. He performs the
task requested, unless subjected to repeated abuse or an utterly intolerable assignment (as decided by the
Storyteller based on the assistant’s personality).
Drawback: If your retainer is ever hurt he may be incapable of service while recovering. If he is killed,
he’s lost forever unless supernatural in origin. A retainer who possesses his own will and who is forced to
perform a duty that offends his sensibilities or defies his morals may abandon your character, temporarily or
permanently. Points spent to acquire a retainer who is killed or driven off are lost.
Saintly (•••)
Book: Book Of Spirits, p. 110
Effect: Spirit’s do not like your character’s presence. She might make spirits uncomfortable because of her
extraordinary faith (per the Merit’s name) or maybe she has a less earthly reason for disturbing them. A
mighty spirit might have blessed or cursed her when she was young, or declared her off-limits to others for
inscrutable reasons. Either way, she has a little influence on them, and they don’t like her. She gains a +1 to
Intimidate rolls against spirits, and to attempts to abjure or exorcise them from places or human hosts (see the
World of Darkness Rulebook, pp. 213–124). They may also be unwilling to harm her or disrupt her life.
Drawback: Some spirits are not unwilling to harm her, and may even see it as a challenge — after all, she
has a level of notoriety. She suffers a –1 die penalty to all Expression, Persuasion and Socialize rolls against
spirits. A given spirit may be unwilling to involve itself with her at all, which could cause complications.
Status (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Core, p. 116
Prerequisites: Varies (see below)
Effects: Your character has standing, credentials, authority or respect within an organization, group,
company or social body. He might have an official position or title, or might simply be revered and honored
within the group and therefore accorded a degree of authority. Your character might be a company vice
president, a police sergeant or lieutenant, an army corporal or a nurse at a hospital. Or he could be a lowly
member of the group whom everyone likes or who has won some acclaim and is allowed more standing than
he is officially entitled.
Each acquisition of this Merit is dedicated to one type of authority, whether in an organization, society or
circle. Examples include police, City Hall, criminals, unions, banks, a university faculty and hospital staff. In
order to have authority in more than one venue, you need to purchase this Merit multiple times, each trait with
its own dots. Thus, your character might have Status (Police) ••, Status (Criminals) ••• and Status (City Hall)
•, each acquired separately at character creation or during play. You would need to explain how he reconciles
all this authority in the setting. The aforementioned character might be a dirty police sergeant who has paid
his dues in civil elections and gained some recognition among city officials.
Status represents the privileges and liberties that your character is authorized to take within the confines and
definitions of his group. Increasing dots reflect increasing clout. A cop with Status 1 can enter the suspect
lockup and interrogation rooms, while a cop with Status 4 can enter the evidence locker without supervision
or get involved in a crime scene investigation without specifically being called in.
The phrase “within the confines and definitions of his Group” is emphasized above because Status operates
exclusively through official channels. A surgeon might have one patient seen or operated on before another,
because that’s within the official confines of his authority. Exceeding the confines of authority or proper
channels transcends the limits of the Status Merit. Going above and beyond — to ask for favors rather than
give orders or to requisition an official request — enters the realm of the Allies Merit. So, a police detective
who gets a lower-ranking officer to investigate a case may do so with Status. That request is conducted
through proper channels. Meanwhile, a police detective who asks another officer to overlook some evidence
or to delay an investigation does so with Allies. The favor is asked outside official channels.
While Status might allow your character to give orders to underlings, the Merit doesn’t automatically get
results. Subordinates or co-workers might resent their assignments, dislike your character or have personal
agendas that interfere with your character’s needs. Efforts to get things done through official channels still
call for Manipulation + Intimidation, Persuasion or Socialize rolls, whichever Skill is appropriate to the
request, circumstances and your character’s standing within the organization. Bonus dice equal your
character’s Status dots. Penalties might apply if your character browbeats someone (-1), uses threats (-2),
skirts the limits of his authority (-2) or exceeds his authority (-3 to -5).
Some sample organizations and the basic benefits, perks and privileges of standing in them are listed below.
City Police: A patrol officer has legal powers of search, seizure and arrest, is permitted to carry a firearm at
all times and has access to a wide range of local databases. High-ranking officers (•••+) can initiate
investigations, coordinate with neighboring county or state police, and call in urban-assault teams.
Clerical Standing: Your character is a licensed minister, gaining access to people and places such as
accused criminals, hospital patients, crime and accident scenes, and restricted areas in religious institutions.
Prerequisite: Academics Skill Specialty: Religion.
Corporate Executive: A low-level corporate executive has access to much of the company’s resources,
including corporate credit cards, vehicles, cell phones and computer equipment. Depending on the company,
he can also access sources of information and influence not available to the general public. Executives (•••+)
have larger salaries, expense accounts, and hiring and firing powers, not to mention social perks and access to
connected political figures and/or celebrities.
Diplomat: Your character is a registered diplomat for a sovereign country. If he works in a foreign country
he has free lodging, access to his country’s embassy and immunity from foreign criminal prosecution.
Prerequisites: Politics •• and Persuasion ••.
Licensed Professional: Your character is licensed in a recognized profession that affords him privileges
unavailable to most civilians. He might be a private investigator and authorized to carry a concealed weapon
and to have access to restricted databases and government files, or he could be a building contractor and be
authorized to own and use explosives for professional applications. Prerequisite: Academics Skill Specialty:
Law (private investigator), Science Skill Specialty: Demolitions (building contractor).
Medical: Your character is licensed to practice medicine. He can write prescriptions, access medical
records and gain access to restricted areas such as crime and accident scenes. Prerequisite: Medicine ••.
Military: An enlisted soldier has a monthly stipend, is permitted to possess military-grade firearms and has
access to restricted sources of information and equipment. If he is an active-duty soldier he receives free room
and board and medical care. High-ranking soldiers (•••+) are officers who can command units, requisition
military equipment and perhaps even initiate foreign insurgencies. Rotary Club: A basic member in good
standing has access to the local meeting hall and a network of members who can provide club-related
information or perform club-related duties. A basic member can also benefit from the organization’s
emergency fund in times of need. High ranking members (•••+) have access to other clubs around the country,
and have sway over connected civic groups and political figures.
Drawback: Your character’s standing in a given organization is dependent on the fulfillment of his duties
and on abiding by the regulations required of members.
Atavism (•)
Book: Slashers, p. 127
Prerequisite: Dexterity ••• or Wits •••, Intelligence •• or below.
Effects: You’re a throwback to a time when men were closer to beasts. Whether your mental state matches
a warped and twisted body, or you look out of a normal face with the eyes of an ancient predator, you’re not
normal. You run on instinct more than intellect, your body moving in response to signals that your brain never
consciously registers. Like an animal, you use the higher of your Dexterity and Wits to determine your
Defense. Available at character creation only.
Drawback: Other people can see that look in your eyes and know that something’s wrong. You suffer a -2
modifier on non-confrontational Social rolls. If you raise your Intelligence above •• then you no longer benefit
from this Merit.
Barrister (••••)
Book: Book Of The Dead, p. 91
Prerequisite: Politics •••
Effect: The Lower Mysteries thrive on the Old Laws, and you’re a natural at comprehending legal systems.
While the Kerberoi who enforce them know when someone breaks the law, you’ve got a decent sense for just
when you can push the very edges, obeying the letter of the law but not the spirit without drawing undue
attention. Better, you know precisely when it’s best to get the hell out of Dodge. Once you know all of the
Old Laws that apply in a particular Dominion, you can work out ways to push the edges. You can only do this
once in each Dead Dominion.
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Politics - the number of Old Laws (max -5)
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: Your character thinks he’s found a loophole, but he’s wrong. The first time he takes an
action that isn’t clearly allowed by the Old Laws, the Dominion’s Kerberos knows precisely where he is.
Failure: The Old Laws are cast in stone, and your character can’t think his way around them.
Success: Your character knows how and when to push his luck. You can take one action that would
normally contravene the spirit but not the letter of the Old Laws without the Kerberos knowing; for example,
you can’t get around spilling blood on entering a Dominion that requires it, but unless the Law is very specific
you don’t need to spill your own blood.
Exceptional Success: Your character has a sudden flash of insight. You can pick two actions, rather than
one.
Boneless (••)
Book: Wicked Dead, p. 154
Prerequisite: Dampyr
Effect: You are like the Balkan Dampyr whose exploits fed much of the old mythology, and possess
flexible bones. Though you appear normal, you’re able to bend and contort your body in grotesque ways,
easily allowing you to fit through gaps as small as a human fist, though doing so requires several minutes
(tighter squeezes taking longer to negotiate). You are also extremely resilient to Bashing damage, and have 2
points of durability against such attacks.
Drawback: Your flexible bones don’t protect your organs as well as normal human bones, and Lethal
attacks against you benefit from the 9-Again rule.
Chi (•••)
Book: Immortals, p. 111
Note: Purified
Effect: Your character gains an additional dot of Chi. All purified begin play with one dot of Chi.
However, more experienced and powerful purified have more dots in Chi. During character generation, each
additional dot of Chi costs the character three Merit dots. See Effects of Chi (p. 99) for more information
about how this Merit affects your character. Purified characters can purchase this Merit no more than twice,
for a total Chi of three.
Available at character creation only. Your character can only purchase additional dots of Chi as a Merit
during character creation. During play, Chi can only be increased using experience points.
Dream (• to •••••)
Book: Immortals, p. 111
Note: Purified
Effect: Your character’s ties to the Shadow Realm also gives her a connection to ancient truths that can be
seen and comprehended only in dreams. She gains flashes of insight through reverie and visions, finding
answers to questions she couldn’t normally get by mundane means. This might be through the collective
unconscious, universal mind, poetic reverie or even an imagined journey to a fictional dreamscape. Through
effort of will, your character can channel this insight into action.
Once per game session, your character can use her Dream ability to gain a supernatural insight concerning a
question or topic. Activating this ability requires at least one hour spent in sleep, meditation or an activity
exclusively focused on accessing an altered state of consciousness. The Storyteller then rolls the character’s
Wits + Composure in secret. A successful roll results in one or more clues per dot of Dream.
The meaning of these clues is hidden behind allegory, symbols and archetypes. Dreams rarely answer
questions directly, typically relying on symbolism and images to convey information. If one of the purified is
seeking a specific person’s location wouldn’t see his address, but landmarks nearby could lead the way: a
river, a tower or even the face of a man walking by at dusk. The answer has the potential to resolve the
problem. It’s a tool for the Storyteller to help drive events of the story.
Familiar Traits
Attributes: 3/3/2 (allocate dots in any order among Power, Finesse and Resistance)
Willpower: Equal to Power + Resistance
Essence: 10 (10 max)
Initiative: Equal to Finesse + Resistance
Defense: Equal to highest of Power and Finesse
Speed: Equal to Power + Finesse + “species factor” (same as its earthly counterpart)
Size: 5 or less (same as its earthly counterpart)
Corpus: Equal to Resistance + Size
Influence: 2 dots (choose one)
Numina: Choose one
Ban: The fetch has one Ban, chosen by the Storyteller pp. 320-321 in Mage: The Awakening, pp. 278-279
in Werewolf: The Forsaken, or Book of Spirits, pp. 135-137.
The character to which the familiar is bonded is considered to be its anchor to the material world, although
there is no limit to how far a familiar can travel from the purified it is linked to. It also does not lose Essence
for every hour it spends in the physical world or Twilight. It must follow all the other rules concerning
Essence, however, including spending one Essence per day. If it is reduced to zero Essence, it falls into
Slumber but it is not transferred back into the Shadow Realm as long as the purifiedfamiliar bond still exists.
Like other spirits, it can gain Essence by being in proximity to something that it reflects (p. 135, Book of
Spirits, pp. 319-320 in Mage: The Awakening, pp. 275-276 in Werewolf: The Forsaken, or Book of
Spirits, p. 135). The purified and her familiar have an empathic connection; each can automatically feel the
emotions of the other. However, supernatural effects that damage or manipulate the familiar through an
emotional attack don’t damage or manipulate the purified to which it is bonded. Also, your character can use
his familiar as a magical connection that is sufficiently close that there are no penalties to her Siddhi roll.
Improvement: To improve a familiar, the player of the purified must spend some of his character’s
experience points on the familiar.
Fetish (• to •••)
Book: Blood Of The Wolf, p. 125
Prerequisites: Wolf-Blooded; any rating
Effects: This Merit allows the character to begin play with a talen or a fetish. Wolf-blood characters cannot
begin play with a fetish rated higher than ••, however. One dot of this Merit indicates that the wolf-blood
owns two copies of the same talen, two dots translates to a level-one fetish and three dots means the character
owns a level-two fetish. Some examples of fetishes that are applicable and useful to wolf-bloods can be found
on p. 127, and the rules for creating such fetishes (for werewolves) and using them (for uragarum) can be
found on the previous page.
Gatekeeper (••••)
Book: Book Of The Dead, p. 51
Prerequisite: Mortal. A gatekeeper that experiences the Awakening, the First Change, or the Embrace
loses this Merit, as does a character taken by the True Fae. Hunter: The Vigil characters can have this Merit
at the Storyteller’s discretion. Sin-Eaters cannot possess this Merit, though of course they can already open
Avernian Gates.
Effect: The character can open Avernian Gates. All that is required is that she touches the gate, and the
player expends a point of Willpower. The gateway remains open for a number of minutes equal to the
character’s Morality. This Merit doesn’t enable the character to detect Avernian Gates; for that, she would
need the Unseen Sense Merit, with a focus on ghosts or other death-related phenomena (see p. 109 of the
World of Darkness Rulebook).
Drawback: If word of the character’s talents gets out, she can expect various supernatural factions to want
her enslaved or dead in very short order.
Available at character creation only.
Locus (• to •••)
Book: Immortals, p. 112
Note: Purified
Effect: The character has claimed a minor locus (see p. 92). One dot provides your character with a one-dot
locus, two dots provide your character with a two-dot locus. The addition of one dot to the cost allows this
locus to be mobile. However, the object to which the locus is attached must be inanimate and can never be
smaller than a large steamer trunk or some other object of at least Size 5. Loci do not combine, moving a one-
dot mobile locus into the area of a three-dot locus does not temporarily create a four-dot locus. Instead, spirits
and the purified can still draw Essence from both loci separately.
Few purified are powerful enough to claim anything larger than a two-dot locus, and any who try must deal
with powerful and hungry spirits. Many purified put the locus in a ward (see p. 109) to keep out spirits. Also,
most arrange to have it nearby, having their dwelling or place of work very near or even inside the area of
influence of the locus. Owning a locus allows one of the purified to regain Essence easily.
Mythologist (•••)
Book: Book Of The Dead, p. 91
Prerequisite: Occult •• with a specialty in “Underworld Lore” or similar
Effect: Your character has studied the mythology of death in all manner of cultures. She knows the tales
and the legends, and she’s been to more than one site that inspired myths of the lands beyond death. While the
Underworld takes impressions from the death-myths found in several cultures, it’s not truly a product of any.
Even so, the details your character can recall from mythology can sometimes come in very handy, offering a
+3 bonus to dice rolls made to decipher the enigmas of the Underworld (“That looks like a doorway into
Mictlan. If we’re lucky, we might get some assistance navigating from Xolotl”). This cannot help with
navigation, but it might offer a Social bonus on dealing with a Ferryman or a Kerberos, a Mental bonus on
solving a riddle or a mystery related to the Underworld (such as the riddles put forth as a means to enter the
Athenaeum on p. 172), or a Physical roll to help a character survive off the mythic “bounties” available in the
Great Below.
Occultation (• to •••)
Book: Immortals, p. 112
Note: Purified
Prerequisite: No Fame Merit dots
Effect: Because of their connection to the Shadow World, some of the purified can effectively slip through
the cracks of mortal society. Your character is also protected from all supernatural effects designed to spy
upon or learn anything about her. When any magician or supernatural being attempts to use their power to
learn anything about your character, subtract a number of dice equal to your character’s dots in this Merit.
Occulted purified mostly live on the fringes of mundane reality and the edges of mortal society. Mortals
have trouble keeping track of their identities and activities. Records concerning them tend to get lost, and the
authorities are challenged to investigate their activities. Since most mortals find it hard to gather information
about the character, they won’t gather many details about him. This Merit also makes it harder for
supernatural beings to research information about the character through mundane sources. Whenever someone
makes a roll to gather information about your character, your Occultation dots are subtracted from the
researcher’s dice pool. This Merit is especially helpful for purified who are several centuries old and wish to
conceal this fact.
Drawback: If your character ever becomes well known to the public (such as getting caught on camera and
being shown on television night after night), he loses his Occultation until the public at large forgets him
(which could take many years, depending on how famous or notorious your character became). Likewise, if
he maintains a public persona at all among mortals, even to the degree of having several prominent or well-
known friends, he cannot maintain his Occultation. The character must constantly cultivate this Merit,
working to remain away from the attention of mortal society. It does not affect his standing among any
supernatural beings he knows.
Potency (• to •••••)
Book: Night Stalkers, p. 157
Effect: Every vampire, whether she feeds from blood, meat or dreams, possesses this Merit. The Merit
represents how old or how powerful the vampire is—elder immortals have fed so long on the lives of the
innocent that the blood in their bodies is like red sap.
The Potency Merit lets vampires store Willpower above their expected Willpower score. Vampires can also
use their Potency dots to resist the effects of other vampires’ and other creatures’ Dread Powers, and even
certain Endowments such as certain Benedictions or Castigations. As Potency increases, vampires’ Attributes
can even rise above the human limit of five dots.
Potency dots also add bonus dice to contested rolls to resist any Dread Power or Endowment intended to
influence a vampire’s mind or emotions. This is cumulative with any bonus from enhancing Resistance
Attributes; see p. 95 and 133, World of Darkness Rulebook. (The bonus equates to the dots held in the
Potency Merit.)
Age is how long the vampire has been dead, not the vampire’s age was when she was turned. The age
ranges overlap, because some vampires are more active than others. Some might spend many nights feeding,
fighting rivals, fleeing hunters and testing the physical limits of their dead tissues, whereas others pursue
more sedentary unlives and develop Potency more slowly. Potency and Age are not always married: a young
vampire sired by a truly puissant elder may possess higherthan-normal Potency for his years in death.
Maximum Willpower/per Turn is the vampire’s total potential pool of Willpower; as the vampire grows
in power, she is able to transubstantiate the blood of her victims into the will that animates her undead form
and fuels her Dread Powers. Note that this different from the vampire’s base Willpower score, which remains
as a computation of Resolve + Composure. A vampire of Potency • with a Resolve •• and Composure ••• still
has five dots of Willpower. However, because a vampire at that Potency can store up to 10 total Willpower
points, the vampire can store five points above her normal Willpower total. This also calculates how many
Willpower points the vampire may spend per turn. Vampires of low Potency (• and ••) may only spend one
point of Willpower per turn, like most characters—but higher Potency increases this.
Maximum Attributes is the maximum unenhanced levels in a vampire’s Attributes. A vampire with
Potency 3 can have an Attribute go up to 6, for instance.
Proximus (•)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 334
Prerequisite: Sleepwalker
Effects: Your character has a magical heritage. One of his ancestors might have been permanently
enchanted with Life magic, or encountered a spirit or other supernatural entity that enchanted him such that
his progeny have a tinge of magic about them. He might have come from a long line of Awakened mages, an
inheritance that seems destined to breed true. Proximi are valued by some mages because they are believed to
have a greater chance of Awakening than common Sleepers, but they are sometimes resented as hindrances
and fifth wheels.
Only mortal, mundane characters can possess this Merit. The pivotal moment of becoming or being
changed into a being with supernatural capabilities eliminates it.
Reel It In (•)
Book: Wicked Dead, p. 154
Prerequisite: Dampyr
Effect: Unlike most Dampyr, you can temporarily suppress the effects of your Lure, preventing it from
attracting unwanted vampire admirers. Spend 1 Willpower to suppress the Lure for 1 scene.
Drawback: While the Lure is suppressed, you can’t use your advantages.
Regnant (• to •••••)
Prerequisite: Ghoul
Book: Ghouls, p. 71
While many ghouls are little more than unquestioning slaves, your character enjoys the benefit of a special
relationship with her regnant, which goes beyond the simple master-servant boundary. Your character can
rely on her regnant to provide information, extra Vitae, equipment or even to personally intervene on her
behalf. Conversations with your character’s regnant might be genuine interpersonal dialogue rather than the
simple dispensation of orders, and you might even find him turning to your character for true companionship.
This doesn’t suggest that the ghoul is anything remotely like an equal to her regnant, just that she isn’t
necessarily made to feel like a lowly, servile nonentity.
There are a variety of beneficial relationships with regnants. One ghoul might enjoy service to a generous
master who isn’t significantly influential, while another is sheltered by her regnant’s status without receiving
any special attention from him. The advantages of this Merit are split into three factors — power, favor and
trust. Players who choose this Merit must also choose how to allocate these three factors when spending
points. For instance, the first dot might go toward Regnant Power with two more going toward Regnant
Favor. Each one of these characteristics has a limit of five dots, and the fifth dot costs two dots to purchase.
A ghoul with a powerful regnant finds that her dealings with local Kindred and their ghouls are, while not
simple, at least a bit easier. Her compatriots (and regnant’s compatriots) know who she serves, and probably
won’t be eager to impede her, especially if the news of such interference reaches her regnant’s ears. A regnant
represented by several dots in Power might hold a significant position in the city (such as a respected
Primogen, Priscus or Prince), while one represented by just a couple could be an acknowledged member of a
powerful covenant. Each dot of Regnant Power confers a +1 die bonus on Persuasion, Intimidation and
Socialize rolls when in conflict with a local ghoul or Kindred. Regnants whose ghouls have no dots allocated
thus are local bottom-feeders.
Note that Regnant Power need not be a simple reflection of title or position. A Priscus regnant might
actually earn very little respect from the local Kindred, while an unaligned vampire without ties to the local
vampire community might be so old and dangerous as to be feared by all.
Regnant Favor reflects the master’s willingness to provide her ghoul access to Vitae, resources and
equipment. It doesn’t necessarily reflect an emotional bond between the regnant and ghoul as much as it does
a measure of generosity. Each dot of Regnant Favor could reflect an additional hit of Vitae (one at a time) that
a ghoul may request from her regnant per month without risking his wrath. Alternatively, Regnant Favor
could be used in place of Resources to determine whether a ghoul can afford to secure equipment. A ghoul
with three dots in Regnant Favor could requisition a heavy pistol from his regnant, while one with five dots
could take one of his regnant’s sports cars from the vast warehouse-like garage. Regnants without any dots
allocated to this category are typically tight-fisted with their resources (and Vitae) and not likely to give any
gifts without some real convincing.
Regnant Trust is a measure of the extraordinary quality of the relationship your character enjoys with her
regnant. Some ghouls are simply well liked by their regnants and are more likely to be afforded some
breathing room with respect to their performance. The Kindred knows that his trusted ghoul will perform
whatever job has been set before her, so he’s willing to let some minor early setback slide. An especially
trusting regnant might even gift his ghoul with tidbits of forbidden information, which might prove infinitely
more valuable than a gun or a car. Each dot of Regnant Trust confers a +1 die bonus on Persuasion rolls in
dealings between your character and her regnant. Regnants who are represented by having no dots allocated to
this category don’t necessarily dislike their ghouls, they just fail to see any reason to be friendly with them.
Note that ghoul characters may not share the Regnant Merit. If several players wish to have their ghoul
characters serve the same Regnant, they should all spend the same amount on Regnant Power. The favor and
trust aspects of the Merit reflect personal relationships, however, so they can be different for several
characters in service to the same master. They can also change in time as the various characters demonstrate
their worth.
Relationship (• to •••••)
Book: Mirrors, p. 212
Effect: The character has a reciprocal relationship with a Storyteller character, in which he has at least
some emotional investment — the more dots, the more significant the relationship.
This relationship is a source of strength and aid. It could be a parent, a sibling, a child. It could be a lover or
an ex-lover. The relationship doesn’t have to be a positive one: that ex-wife who you’ve got to see every week
because she’s got custody of the kids is still important to you, even if love turned horribly sour long ago. Your
feelings for your going-right-off the- rails teenage son may be appallingly conflicted, but he’s still central in
your world.
Each purchase of the Merit counts for a relationship with one specific Storyteller character. The character
can be human or supernatural.
Once per scene, you may add your dots in the Relationship Merit to one, and only one dice pool, provided
that you can give a plausible rationale as to why the relationship should aid you. If it is plausible, the
Storyteller must accommodate the rationale.
It can reward any dice pool at all. You can even get the bonus relationship dice while using supernatural
powers (if you have any), but only in a circumstance when the player can justify the bonus.
Be creative with your rationale for getting the dice.
Sometimes, this is simple: when you’re trying to convince your ex-wife that you need to see the kids a day
early because you’re going to be out of town (and no, you can’t tell her you’re off risking your life), add your
relationship dice to your Manipulation + Persuasion roll.
The relationship might be at stake in some way: you’d get the bonus while trying to convince the head
teacher at your deadbeat teenage son’s school not to expel him for truancy and the stuff they found in his
locker.
You might decide that the object of the relationship is doing something to help your character (or hinder
your character): you’re trying to talk a vampire you know out of coming into your house, and you say “my
five-year-old daughter calls down the stairs and says ‘Daddy, who’s that?’ and I decide that I mustn’t let her
see him...” And you take the dice for your relationship with your daughter.
You might even take the bonus for a person with whom you have an adversarial relationship turning up.
You’re desperately fighting a horde of zombies; you declare: “But each zombie carries an amulet around his
neck, exactly like the one (my arch-enemy) wears! He sent them! He must have learned how to make them!”
And you take the dice, and if the Storyteller hasn’t already decided that your character’s archenemy did send
the zombies, he has to re-jig the story to cover that.
Drawback: Relationships are reciprocal and complicated. The Storyteller character with whom you have
the relationship gets the same bonus on dice pools when it’s relevant to you. Also, relationships need to be
kept alive. You actually need to have some contact with the character with whom you’ve got the relationship
— phone, face-to-face contact, running arguments, office conflict, whatever — or risk losing dots in the
Merit. The Storyteller can decide what constitutes a reasonable interval for lack of contact (perhaps if the
character doesn’t engage in the relationship once per game session, a dot in the Merit is thrown into jeopardy
for the next session). Finally, if the subject of a character’s Relationship Merit dies, the Merit is lost.
Power in Relationships
That’s an extremely powerful Merit, isn’t it? You get a pile of free dice for bringing friends and enemies
into the story. But, I hear you say, wouldn’t that mean that the players end up dictating much of what happens
in the story, as they force you to bring in their relationships again and again?
The answer to that question is: yes. Absolutely. That’s the whole idea. What it does is take some of the
responsibility for driving the story away from the Storyteller and put it firmly in the hands of the other
players. If the players get into it enough, the amount of work a Storyteller does to keep the story going should
become more and more minimal.
The Relationship Merit is also there to show how even a tiny mechanical change can fundamentally alter
the way you play the game. But you can make it even more extreme: consider:
• Allowing characters an extra seven Merit dots at character creation set apart solely for Relationships,
giving every character the chance to get those lovely extra “relationship” dice.
• Allowing players to shift around the Relationship dots they have at the end of a story, the better to reflect
how their personal relationships have shifted. (Though perhaps they can only move one dot from the Merit at
a time?)
It’s not for everyone. But if you’re cool with everyone taking responsibility for driving the story and you’re
willing to wing it, it can make for some fabulous evenings of play.
Scourge (•••••)
Book: Wicked Dead, p. 154
Prerequisite: Dampyr
Effect: Your half-Damned nature is flexible and potent, affecting any vampire that encounters you as if
your Lure and doom were perfectly attuned to her blood. None of your other traits or advantages change, and
this power is almost more of a curse—your life will be an unstoppable pageant of tragedy and revenge, but for
all vampires you are a whirlwind of endings, leading your obsessive admirers into conflict with one another.
Secret (• to •••••)
Book: Mirrors, p. 210
Effect: Secret is a unique Merit in that its value is set by the Storyteller and it costs nothing. It can be taken
in conjunction with the Flaw of the same name, and it is designed to represent secrets with somewhat higher
stakes, like shadowy patronage or an illicit background. It’s appropriate to the sort of secret that includes
benefits that last only as long as the secret stays hidden.
The benefit of this Merit is that it allows the character to take two free dots of Merits for each dot of secrets.
These merits cannot be intrinsic things (like Quick Draw or Striking Looks), rather they must be Merits that
could potentially be lost, like most Social Merits. So long as the character’s secret remains hidden, these
Merits remain; if the secret ever goes public, they are immediately lost.
When taking this Merit, the player describes the secret, and the Storyteller assigns its value. Practically
speaking, this allows the Storyteller to set the maximum value of Secrets in his game. Secrets above •• are
very powerful, and are best suited to games with a heavy emphasis on intrigue and politics. In such games,
allowing a high threshold of secrets is a quick and dirty way to allow characters to be movers and shakers
without also making them combat monsters.
(You’ll also find information on secrets earlier in this book (Mirrors), on p. 132.)
Sexualized (••)
Book: Ghouls, p. 73
Prerequisite: Ghoul
Maybe it’s something brought on by the Vitae, or perhaps it’s the perverse function she serves for her
regnant. Regardless, the ghoul now has an intangible undercurrent of sexual power and experience that those
exposed to her cannot help but notice. This carnal aura can be a potent tool in taking advantage of weak-
willed or lustful individuals. What’s more, it bears no relation whatsoever to the character’s physical
appearance. Having this Merit grants a +1 modifier on all Presence or Manipulation rolls when the character
is attempting to intimidate, seduce or distract others.
Drawback: Some mortals might find themselves disturbed by the feelings your character’s presence stirs in
them, especially if those feelings seem inappropriate. (For instance, if your character is very young, very old
or contrary to the subject’s gender preference, a heady mien of sexuality can have a profoundly troublesome
impact.) This drawback doesn’t change the bonus your character can apply to dealings with them, but it could
change the way those characters react when considering their actions later.
• The sanctum is both larger and more comfortable. It can be as large as a large house or small mansion and
contain light heat, running water, a well-stocked larder, some facilities for entertainment and various similar
comforts.
• The sanctum is far more formidable. It now has a penalty of –5 to all roll to locate it and is also highly
defensible. When locked up, which your character can accomplish in one turn, its walls have a Durability of
10.
• The sanctum becomes a spirit that is intelligent and loyal to your character. This spirit cannot move.
Sanctum Spirit
Attributes: 10 dots total (allocate dots in any order among Power, Finesse and Resistance, with a minimum
of two dots and a maximum of five dots on any Attribute)
Willpower: Equal to Power + Resistance
Essence: 15 (15 max)
Initiative: Equal to Finesse + Resistance
Defense: Equal to highest of Power and Finesse
Speed: 0, this spirit is immobile and can never move under its own power.
Size: 20 (35 for a larger Shadow Sanctum)
Corpus: Equal to Resistance + Size
Influence: 2 dots (choose one)
Numina: All spirit sanctums possess the Innocuous Numina and one additional Numina*
Ban: The intelligent sanctum has one Ban, chosen by the Storyteller; see the familiar Merit for further
information
* Shadow Sanctum Spirits cannot possess any Numina that allows it move or to travel to or affect the
mortal world in any fashion. Common Numina for Sanctums are Blast, Harrow and Wild Sense.
Sleepwalker (••••)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 334
Prerequisite: Mortal (non-supernatural)
Effects: Your character is not completely asleep; the Quiescence does not affect him fully, and he is not
susceptible to Disbelief. He can witness improbable or vulgar magic without increasing the chances of a
Paradox.
Only mortal, mundane characters can possess this Merit. The pivotal moment of becoming or being
changed into a being with supernatural capabilities eliminates it.
Sleight of Hand (••••)
Book: Immortals, p. 84
Note: Body Thief
Effect: The world is rarely what it seems, and it doesn’t take several stolen lifetimes to see that. To body
thieves who have manifested this talent the difference between what you see and what you don’t see is just a
matter of practice. The thief in question need only put her hands on a pair of inanimate objects, and if the
power activates successfully, one object appears to be the other and vice versa. For example, a clever thief
puts his briefcase down on the ground between herself and another passenger on the train. With use of this
power, her briefcase appears to belong to the man next to her, and his appears to be hers, then it’s just a matter
of knocking them both over, grabbing the one that appears to be hers and make off with the stranger’s things.
A young artist walks into a museum with a sketch pad under his arm, and with a little leaning on the wall, he
switches his pad with a oneof-a-kind oil painting under his arm and he walks out without a single witness.
Beyond the specific needs of thieves like the Archer Family to have personal items of their targets, this
ability has a myriad of uses. Stealing a wallet is small time, but being able to lift a laptop with a room full of
people certain that the thief wasn’t you can go a long way to setting up a new life in a new body. If it isn’t
nailed down and the thief has a good enough replacement, she can walk out the door with her prize with no
one the wiser.
Dice Pool: Wits + Subterfuge, minus the highest Resolve of all witnesses
Duration: One scene
Possible Modifiers: Items are similar in appearance (+2), witnesses expect a trick (–2), each level of Size
difference between the two (–2)
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The power fails, and all possible witnesses feel something weird, as if they all were
possessed of the Unseen Sense Merit for the turn.
Failure: No effect. The items remain as they were.
Success: The caster simultaneously touches two objects. If successful, the two items switch appearances.
For the remainder of the scene, appearances suggest the two items switched places. Any mundane scrutiny
will suggest that an item is the other. Only mystical scrutiny can pierce the temporary illusion. The only
limitation is that objects gain no additional functions and are no more durable than they were before. A
yardstick disguised as a rifle can’t fire and is easy to break. At the end of the scene, the objects revert.
Exceptional Success: The items remain switched for one full day.
Staff (• to •••••)
Book: Ghouls, p. 74
Prerequisite: Ghoul, Resources (varies)
Your character has official command over a staff of employees. These people are mundane mortals, but
they’re also professionally trained and capable of taking on a host of roles. An aristocratic household, for
example, might employ a number of maids, valets and cooks, while a social predator might have publicists,
investigators and lawyers on the payroll.
The number of dots in this Merit reflects the relative size and complexity of the force at your character’s
disposal. You can assign a category to each dot, reflecting the separate tasks that can be delegated at any
given time. For example, if your ghoul has Staff •••, you could assign the dots to chauffeurs, gardeners and
security guards. Your character could then assign tasks involving driving guests, landscaping and guard detail
to her own employees without requiring special effort beyond a simple dispensation of orders.
The number of dots your character can have in this Merit is limited by the number of people your
household can afford to employ. You may not have more dots in Staff than you have in Resources. It’s also
possible to have the ghoul’s regnant be the one whose Resources dots support the service staff. In such a
situation, the Kindred is the true master of the house, but the ghoul character is his butler or housekeeper in an
Edwardian manor-house-style division of labor. And while the ghoul might be the one giving the orders and
maintaining the staff’s affairs, the master’s wishes are the rule of the night.
Unmask (••••)
Book: Wicked Dead, p. 154
Prerequisite: Dampyr
Effect: You may share your ability to pierce vampiric veils and undo vampiric influence by touching a
target, and spending a point of Willpower. The recipient benefits from the same perception and protection you
enjoy for the remainder of the scene.
Unobtrusive (•••)
Book: Ghouls, p. 74
Prerequisite: Ghoul, Stealth ••
Your ghoul character performs her daily duty with such apparent single-minded purpose that she seems to
fade into the periphery of Kindred perception. Granted, Kindred rarely notice each other’s ghoul servants
anyway, but this Merit reflects a feature of a ghoul’s service that is truly unusual and useful. Your character
has trained herself to notice details without appearing to pay them any heed at the time, storing them for
retrieval from memory later. She makes an excellent spy, retaining information without consciously noticing
it, so that even the most discerning subjects (sometimes even those with Auspex) tend to ignore her.
In studying a subject or a location, the character gains a +2 die bonus to escape notice as long as she’s
engaged in some practical task at the same time. (Such tasks include driving, clearing a table, gardening,
washing a car, performing a mundane desk job or any other such routine, monotonous drudgery.)
To retrieve the information he’s “stored,” a character must engage in silent, sometimes ritualistic,
contemplation. He could engage in such mnemonic techniques as the “memory palace,” he could undergo
hypnosis, or he could simply meditate. This Merit also grants a +1 to the ghoul victim’s Resolve for purposes
of resisting The Forgetful Mind (Dominate •••).
Unobtrusiveness (••)
Book: Immortals, p. 86
Note: Body Thief
Effect: Few thieves get far in their careers as the center of attention, doing their deeds in broad daylight
with an audience. Some do, but that’s another matter entirely. For the body thief, staying hidden and acting
with subtlety can be the difference between escaping to the next lifetime and death or perhaps imprisonment
as a lunatic. The thief who develops this ability has learned to excel in going unnoticed, blending and
becoming a part of the background. This is not any form of invisibility, not even as much as the ability to
create a fake invisibility by forcing others to ignore you. This power is simply the ability to be utterly
uninteresting and avoid notice. Even on a successful roll, victims in the area will still be able to see the thief,
they would simply think nothing ill of their presence. In a crowded restaurant, who notices the extra busboy
rushing from table to table to keep things clean, and who would take notice of said busboy leaning over the
table to take something from it? In a club full of club kids bumping into each other in a throng, what’s one
more club kid?
In essence, this is not so different from donning a good disguise and acting unobtrusive. Though this is
every bit as supernatural ability as the others listed in this section, as such a Storyteller should take that into
account.
Dice Pool: Resolve + Stealth
Duration: One scene
Suggested Equipment: Inconspicuous clothing (+1), a crowd (+1), bright lights (–1), clothing that doesn’t
fit environment (–2) Possible Modifiers: Active pursuit (–2), Caster has Striking Looks (–1 or –2)
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The power fails. The caster is unaware of the failure.
Failure: The power fails. The caster is aware that she has failed, and can attempt again.
Success: If successful, this power’s successes subtract from any rolls to locate the caster.
Exceptional Success: In addition to the increased successes, the caster also enjoys a +2 benefit to any
action where visibility may be a complication, such as pickpocketing.
Veteran (• to •••••)
Book: Mirrors, p. 20
Character creation only
Effect: A veteran character is one with at least five years of experience in a specific field. These characters
haven’t yet experienced enough of the oddities of the World of Darkness to truly recognize everything isn’t as
it seems, but they’ve had more real-world experience than is typical of your average starting character. For
each dot spent on this Merit, the character gains one Specialty in a Skill that relates to her field. Stacking
Specialties (above) is recommended in coordination with this Merit.
Examples of appropriate Skills to enhance with Specialties by way of this Merit include:
Cop: Computer, Investigation, any Physical Skill except Survival, any Social Skill (including Animal Ken
for K-9 units) except Socialize.
Blue Collar Laborer: Computer, Crafts, possibly Medicine by field, Athletics, Drive, any Social Skill
except Streetwise.
Professor: Any Mental Skill except Occult, Athletics, Drive, any Social Skill except Streetwise.
Professional Thief: Computer, Crafts, Investigation, any Physical Skill except Survival, any Social Skill
except Animal Ken.
White Collar Laborer: Any Mental Skill except Crafts and Occult, Athletics, Drive, any Social Skill
except Animal Ken and Streetwise.
Soldier: Academics, Computers, Crafts, Medicine, any Physical Skill except Larceny, any Social Skill
except Animal Ken and Streetwise.
Street Thug: Crafts, Investigation, any Physical Skill except Survival, any Social Skill except Animal Ken
and Empathy.
Example: Stew decides he wants to make a beat cop with several years experience on the job. He invests
three dots into the Veteran Merit, which allows him to select three Skills to enhance with a Specialty. Stew
figures his character has in-depth knowledge of Drive, Firearms, and Investigation and so the character
begins play with a Specialty in each of those Skills. Likely choices for Narrow Choice Specialties include
Drive (Police Cruiser), Firearms (Pistol), and Investigation (Crime Scene).
Drawback: Time on the job frequently comes with some disadvantages and the longer you spend on the
same job; the more problems are likely to come up. Buying this Merit at three dots or above means beginning
play with one Flaw. A construction worker might lose hearing after being around loud equipment day after
day, a cop is likely to make some enemies during the course of his duties, or an accountant might take to
slugging back the booze to drown out the numbers dancing in his head. Select Flaws that seem in-character
and use them as possible future plot points and roleplaying opportunities. Don’t feel bound by the Flaws
presented in the World of Darkness Rulebook (p. 218) either. Be creative and design Flaws that say
something about the character.
Example: Continuing with the example above, since Stew took three dots in the Veteran Merit, he must
select one Flaw. Stew decides that his cop’s time on the job has made him cynical about human behavior,
which makes him hard to deal with at times and imposes a –2 penalty to Socialize rolls.
ESP Merits
Astral Projection (•••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 36
Prerequisites: Clairvoyance. A clairvoyant who has the “Uncontrolled Clairvoyance” option cannot learn
to project astrally.
Effect: Astral Projection allows a clairvoyant to completely free his consciousness from his physical form
and travel mentally to distant locations while leaving his body behind. The psychic must first enter a trance
state (see “Entering a Trance,” p. 35). Then, the player makes a reflexive Stamina + Composure roll to
determine how long the character can remain away from his body. Once separated, the psychic can instantly
travel to any location he is capable of perceiving with a normal Clairvoyance roll (Wits + Composure; see p.
37).
Once at a desired location, a psychic can move around freely but is generally intangible and invisible. He
can, however, be perceived through any appropriate psychic means (such as Aura Reading •••••). Other astral
projectors or other beings existing in Twilight — an ephemeral state in the material world, such as a ghost’s
— can perceive him normally. Returning to his body requires an instant action and a successful Wits +
Composure roll, or the clairvoyant can return to his body reflexively with an exceptional success.
If the psychic’s physical body is tampered with while he is “gone,” the he may sense the intrusion with a
successful Intelligence + Composure roll. The psychic always feels actual pain inflicted on his physical body
and may react accordingly. However, an astral projector’s physical body may be subjected to a killing blow if
the body is left unprotected (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 168).
If a psychic using Astral Projection uses the optional form of Clairvoyance that grants only one sense, he is
able to use only that one sense while projected. A projector who has only clairaudience is at a severe
disadvantage, as he arrives at a location and is functionally blind. Characters whose Clairvoyance grants only
vision are slightly less handicapped, but are still effectively deaf. While astrally projecting, a psychic is free to
use any other ESP or telepathic Merit he possesses. Thus, a “deaf” projector with Mind Reading can attempt
to “ride the senses” of someone nearby, while one with Animal Empathy could do the same to a nearby
animal.
Cost: 1 Willpower to project. None to navigate.
Dice Pool: Stamina + Composure (to determine the duration of the projection). Wits + Composure (to
navigate astrally to the desired location)
Action: Extended to enter the trance state. Instant to release the astral form and navigate to the desired
location.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic is rendered unable to use his Astral Projection power until he has rested for
at least eight hours. A dramatic failure on a navigation roll means he is lost and has traveled to some
unintended and possibly dangerous location.
Failure: The psychic fails to project, but can try again. A failure on the navigation roll means that the
ESPer has missed his destination, but is close enough to try again.
Success: The psychic can maintain his astral form for up to 10 minutes per success. A success on the
navigation roll means that he finds the location he was seeking.
Exceptional Success: The psychic maintains his astral form for the duration of his trance. An exceptional
success on a navigation roll gives the psychic a +2 bonus on all Perception rolls while at the desired location,
as well as a +1 bonus on any other psychic powers used astrally.
Clairvoyance (•••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 37
Effect: When most people discuss ESP, they really refer to clairvoyance — the power to perceive things
beyond the normal range of human senses. The default form of clairvoyance permits a seer to project all of
her senses to a distant location, observing what happens there as if she were physically present. The events
witnessed happen contemporaneously. The seer can neither see into the future nor into the past of the location
viewed, unless she also has precognition and/or postcognition. A person who possesses this Merit is often
referred to as a clairvoyant. While this power is in use, a player is at a –2 penalty to all Perception rolls
pertaining to both the status of her character’s body and anything going on in the character’s immediate
surroundings.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Wits + Composure
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The character receives erroneous or misleading information.
Failure: The character is unable to project her senses.
Success: The character can perceive events at the location she wishes to observe for up to one scene.
Exceptional Success: The character can “move around,” changing the vantage point of her vision at will.
She can even “pause” and “rewind” as needed, although she cannot see what happened before her vision
began (see “Postcognition,” below).
Suggested Modifiers
Modifier Situation
+2 The intended vision is of a person or place with which the clairvoyant
has a strong emotional attachment, such as with a loved one or home.
+1 The intended vision is of a person or place with which the clairvoyant
has some emotional attachment, such as with a friend or workplace.
+1 The clairvoyant holds some object or is in the presence of someone
with a strong emotional attachment to the subject of the desired vision,
or is in a location strongly resonant with the desired vision (such as the
last place a missing person was seen).
0 The clairvoyant attempts to perceive someone she knows personally
and whose location is currently known.
–1 The clairvoyant either does not know the person whom she attempts
to scry or she has no idea of the location she attempts to scry. If both
situations apply, the penalty is –2.
–2 The person or location that’s the subject of the intended vision is not
currently resonant with strong emotion. That is, it is hard to scry a
location if nothing interesting is happening there at the moment, and it
is hard to scry a person if he is simply asleep or watching TV as
opposed to running for his life. This penalty may also apply if the
intended subject of this vision is dead, although that may depend on the
situation and the Storyteller.
Option [Crystal Gazer]: The clairvoyant can perceive only the target location while focusing on some
type of special surface such as a mirror or crystal.
Option [Eyes of Another]: The psychic can view a scene only through the eyes of someone witnessing
that scene. Thus, the clairvoyant cannot scry a location if no one is present there. The clairvoyant can get a +1
bonus if she can simply choose any person to view through, or she can get a +2 dice bonus if she is limited to
only seeing through they eyes of a certain class of individuals. For example, the title character in The Eyes of
Laura Mars had the power to observe murders taking place, but only through the eyes of the murderer and
only in an uncontrolled manner. A character with those options gains +4 bonus on all Clairvoyance rolls —
+2 for the Eyes of Another option and +2 for the Uncontrolled option (see below).
Option [One Sense Only]: The clairvoyant can perceive the target location with only one of his senses,
most commonly vision or hearing (i.e., clairaudience).
Option [Trance Only]: The psychic can use his clairvoyant powers only while in a trance state (see p. 35).
While the psychic is using his powers, he suffers the –5 penalty for Perception rolls inflflicted by trances,
instead of the normal –2 penalty. A psychic with this option gains a +2 dice bonus to activate this power.
Option [Uncontrolled]: A psychic whose powers are uncontrolled has visions only at times of the
Storyteller’s choosing, although the psychic should generally have at least one vision per session. A common
form of Uncontrolled Clairvoyance causes the ESPer to perceive only visions of nearby individuals who are
in danger. Another form might be combined with the Eyes of Another option (see above) to cause the ESPer
to involuntarily see “through the eyes” of another person, perhaps a serial killer who stalks prey. The psychic
can attempt to force a vision, but doing so reduces the player to a chance die. The psychic’s player spends a
Willpower point only on Clairvoyance rolls if a vision is forced.
Dowsing (•)
Book: Second Sight, p. 38
Prerequisites: Clairvoyance, Cayce Channeling or Spirit Channeling
A limited form of divination, dowsing is a technique that lets a psychic to search for hidden objects.
Traditionally, dowsing was used to search for good places to dig wells for fresh water, although it was also
used to find gold and oil with varying degrees of success. The procedure requires a psychic to walk around
and concentrate on the object or substance to be found, while holding either a swinging pendulum or a stick
called a divining rod. If the psychic is successful, the rod or pendulum swings slightly in the direction of
whatever is sought. Exactly how dowsing works is unclear, even to psychics. Some say it is a form of
clairvoyance, others a form of mediumship (with spirits moving the divining rod in the same way a ghost
might affect a Ouija board). Still others say the practice calls upon the Universal Unconscious. Generally,
dowsing can find things and not individuals, although the Storyteller might permit a psychic to perform feats
such as find a missing person with a divining rod if the performer has some personal possession belonging to
the subject.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Wits + Occult
Action: Extended. The number of successes required is determined by the Storyteller based on how well
hidden or distant the substance is. A hidden safe might require three successes, while a fresh water source in
the Sahara might require 20 or more. Each roll represents 30 minutes of dowsing.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic is led on a wildgoose chase far from his desired goal. He also loses all
accumulated successes.
Failure: The current dowsing attempt is unsuccessful, but more rolls may be made.
Success: When the player has accumulated the number of successes required, the attempt succeeds.
Exceptional Success: The psychic might also gain insight into some other prize hidden nearby.
Postcognition (• or •••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 40
Prerequisites: Precognition for the • version. None for the ••• version.
Effect: Your psychic has the ability to see into the past. If the roll to activate this power is successful, you
are allowed to ask a variable number of questions about a past event based on your successes. The effort
suffers a dice penalty based on temporal proximity, and the Storyteller should always roll for the player who
uses Postcognition, since the player may be able to deduce when something might have occurred by noting
the penalty applied, even if the roll is unsuccessful. Each success on the roll allows the player to ask one
question about the past event viewed.
Precognition (••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 40
Effect: Precognition represents the power to predict the future. This power is perhaps the most difficult to
incorporate into games, and the Storyteller should proceed cautiously. Precognition is also difficult for
characters to use properly. While precognitive visions might give a psychic a clear vision of a future event,
the future changes constantly based on people’s actions. Thus, when a psychic receives a completely
“accurate” vision of the future, time remains in flux, and a seer can never be entirely sure whether his actions
in response to the vision will prevent the it from coming to pass or ensure that it will do so. Even with an
exceptional success, a character’s vision can still be distorted, blurry or possibly even wrapped in symbolism,
particularly in the case of dream precognition or precognition though a focus. Characters must generally use
the Occult Skill to interpret what they perceive. Psychics who possess the Precognition Merit are sometimes
called “precogs.” Those who require foci such as cards or tea leaves are sometimes referred to as “seers” or
(often disparagingly) “fortune-tellers.”
A precog can never predict the immediate future (i.e., what will happen next within the current scene). That
is more the purview of the Danger Sense Merit (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 108). A roll to see
the future suffers a penalty based on temporal proximity, and the Storyteller should always roll for a character
who uses Precognition, since the player may be able to deduce when something might occur from noting the
penalty applied, even if the roll is unsuccessful. Each success on the roll allows the player to ask one question
about the future event.
Suggested Modifiers
Modifier Situation
+1 The character has drawn a psychic impression from the object before.
— Recent and intense (a murder weapon used a few hours ago)
-1 Recent but mild, or old and intense (a dusty family heirloom in a chest)
-2 Emotionally shallow or long forgotten (a leisure suit found at a secondhand clothing
store)
-3 Disconnected or spiritually muted (a set of keys found several weeks ago)
-3 Object read during a fight or other stressful circumstance
Mediumist Merits
Automatic Writing (••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 42
Effect: Automatic Writing permits a medium to access a source of paranormal knowledge through indirect
means. Individual mediums disagree on whether they commune with spirits or the Universal Unconscious, or
if they simply use clairvoyance. In any case, the mechanical effects are the same. The psychic must first enter
a trance state (see p. 35). As she does so, she also randomly draws on paper, usually in a spiral pattern. As her
trance takes hold, her writings become less random, and she draws pictures symbolic of whatever questions
she seeks to answer. She continues to draw until the trance ends (usually an entire scene unless someone
interrupts her), by which time she is typically surrounded by crudely scribbled drawings that may direct her to
whatever she wants to find. The precise source of this knowledge is left to the Storyteller’s discretion, but if a
psychic possesses the Channeling or Clairvoyance Merits, they may grant a +2 bonus on automatic writing
attempts.
Cost: None
Dice Pool: Composure + Craft
Action: Instant; although the psychic must first enter a trance state
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic’s drawings contain false or misleading information. The Storyteller should
make any chance-die rolls for the player.
Failure: The automatic drawing attempt is unsuccessful.
Success: The psychic’s drawings contain vital clues to whatever mystery she seeks to solve.
Exceptional Success: The drawings are particularly clear, giving a +1 modifier to any subsequent
Investigation rolls pertaining to the drawings’ subject matter.
Suggested Equipment: Any item that has a strong connection to the subject about which the psychic seeks
information (+1 to +3, depending on the strength of the connection).
Channeling (•••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 43
Prerequisites: Ghost-Calling for Spirit Channeling. None for Cayce Channeling or Past-Life Channeling.
Effect: Channeling represents a psychic’s capacity to paranormally gain abilities that he does not normally
possess. There are three distinct forms of channeling: Cayce Channeling, whereby the psychic accesses the
Universal Unconscious to gain the knowledge he seeks; Past-Life Channeling, with which he accesses the
talents he possessed in a former life; and Spirit Channeling, with which a psychic allows a ghost to possess
his body and give him access to its wisdom. The three versions are grouped together because the mechanical
effects are the same. The psychic must successfully enter a trance before he can channel effectively to gain
new Traits (see “Entering a Trance,” p. 35). Skills gained last until the psychic next sleeps or until he attempts
to channel again.
Cayce Channeling: With this technique (named for Edgar Cayce), the psychic enters a trance state in
which he can access the Universal Unconscious, the sum total of accumulated human knowledge.
Theoretically, anything that has ever been known can be rediscovered through this power. Few modern
practitioners have psychic powers on par with Edgar Cayce’s and are thus unable to utilize his techniques to
their full extent. Cayce Channeling alone cannot be used to learn personal or secret details about people and
places outside the psychic’s vicinity. Clairvoyance and precognition are more useful for that purpose; Cayce
was also skilled in both of those powers. Finally, while Cayce Channeling can give a psychic access to
potentially any empirical knowledge, Cayce Channeling cannot convey talents that require kinesthetic training
(i.e., Physical Skills). A psychic might be able to use this power to identify a particular sword as a 15th-
century Japanese katana, but he could not use the power to gain any proficiency in swordsmanship. The Skill
dots acquired through this power take the place of any dots a character already possesses. Thus, if a player
wishes to raise his character’s Skill above what it currently is, he must roll more successes than the
character’s current Skill dots.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Occult
Action: Instant; although the psychic must first enter a trance
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic is trapped in his trance state for hours as he contemplates the infinite
mysteries of the Universal Unconscious. Waking requires a number of successes on an extended Intelligence
+ Resolve roll equal to the psychic’s combined Stamina + Composure, with each roll taking one hour.
Alternatively, the psychic is unable to access this Merit again until 24 hours pass.
Failure: The effort is unsuccessful.
Success: Each success is converted into one dot of a single Mental or Social Skill selected by the player.
The number of successes must exceed the character’s current Skill dots, if any, in order for him to gain any
benefit from the power. The new rating lasts until the psychic next sleeps or until he next uses this power.
Exceptional Success: In addition to the normal benefit of extra successes, the psychic receives one bit of
useful knowledge that he randomly comes across in the infinite Universal Unconscious, although the true
significance of this nugget might not be immediately clear. If the successes exceed five, any more can be
assigned to another single Mental or Social Skill of the character’s choosing.
Past-Life Channeling: The psychic has a preternatural awareness of his own prior incarnations. After
entering a trance state, he can summon forth the collective life experiences of one of his prior selves, merging
it with his own personality. Although each person conceivably has countless past lives, the more recent they
are, the more progressively difficult to channel. Most past lives capable of being channeled are from primitive
eras, so this Merit cannot be used to access abilities that require a modern education. Mechanically speaking,
Past-Life Channeling cannot be used to gain Mental Skills.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Composure + Occult
Action: Instant; although the psychic must first enter a trance
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic assumes a personality from a previous life. He manifests a new Storyteller-
assigned personality and background for the duration of the scene, including a new Virtue and Vice. He may
(or may not) retain the ability to speak his normal languages, and has no knowledge of any friends, his current
situation or, indeed, anything about modern life, viewing everything through the lens of a Roman centurion, a
courtesan from the era of Louis XIV, a Mississippi plantation owner on the eve of the Civil War or anything
else of which the Storyteller can think.
Failure: The past-life regression was unsuccessful.
Success: Each success is converted into one dot of a single Physical or Social Skill selected by the player.
The number of successes must exceed the character’s current Skill dots, if any, in order for him to gain any
benefit from the power. The new rating lasts until the psychic next sleeps or until he next uses this power.
Exceptional Success: In addition to the normal benefit of extra successes, the psychic can access the
personal memories of the past life sharing his body. These new memories are lost when the power’s effect
ends. If the successes exceed five, any more may be assigned to another single Physical or Social Skill of the
character’s choosing.
Spirit Channeling: A medium uses his powers to commune with the dead to summon a ghost capable of
providing the capabilities that he needs. After entering the necessary trance state, the medium invites a ghost
with useful traits into his body. Spirit Channeling is also used by professional mediums to allow ghosts to
commune directly with bereaved loved ones. The weakness of Spirit Channeling is that ghosts generally lack
the capacity to interact normally with the living. Spirit Channeling can never be used to gain dots in Social
Skills.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult
Action: Instant; although the psychic must first enter a trance
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The ghost summoned is instinctively hostile toward the psychic or the effect summons
a different and more malevolent entity than intended. The hostile spirit can automatically succeed on a roll to
possess the psychic (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 212).
Failure: The medium was unsuccessful.
Success: Each success is converted into one dot of a single Physical or Mental Skill selected by the player.
The number of successes must exceed the character’s current Skill dots, if any, in order for him to gain any
benefit from the power. The new rating lasts until the psychic next sleeps or until he next uses this power.
Exceptional Success: In addition to the normal benefit of extra successes, the psychic can access the
personal memories of the ghost who shares the psychic’s body. If the successes exceed five, any more can be
assigned to another single Physical or Mental Skill of the character’s choosing.
Ghost-Calling (•••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 45
Effect: Your medium is capable of more than merely perceiving the dead; he can summon them to his
presence and even assist them in crossing over to the physical world. A sufficiently talented medium can call
out to an existing ghost and draw it to his location. By doing so, he can also help the entity to “cross over,”
aiding it in manifesting in the physical world or in using other ghostly powers that affect the material realm.
Mediums who possess this Merit and Astral Projection (p. 36) have the option of physically interacting with
ghosts and other beings in Twilight with the expenditure of a Willpower point. Ghost-Calling can only
summon ghosts; other supernatural beings existing in Twilight are not affected.
Roll Wits + Occult for your character to make spiritual contact with an existing ghost. Not all deceased
persons continue to exist as ghosts, and few ghosts persist more than a few decades after their demise. If a
ghost is still in existence, the medium can potentially contact the ghost wherever it roams. Once the
connection is formed, the medium is considered to be a temporary anchor for the ghost, and it can instantly
come to his vicinity from wherever it may be. If the ghost is unwilling to come to the medium, he can attempt
to compel its attendance with a successful Presence + Occult roll versus the ghost’s Resistance in a contested
action. Whether the ghost comes willingly or not, a Willpower point need not be spent for the ghost to travel
to its new anchor. A medium cannot control a ghost in any meaningful way. A character with this Merit
cannot automatically detect ghosts unless he also has the Death Sight Merit. If he does have that Merit, he
receives a +2 bonus on all Ghost-Calling rolls.
When a medium forms a psychic connection with a ghost, the medium continues to serve as the ghost’s
anchor for the duration of the scene. If the medium attempts to sever the connection early, a successful Wits +
Occult roll must be made versus the ghost’s Power in a contested action, unless the ghost consents to the
severing. When a medium no longer serves as an anchor, a ghost returns instantly to wherever it was prior to
the summoning. Severing the psychic connection does not harm the ghost in any way. While a connection is
in force, a medium is considered an anchor for all purposes. Thus, the ghost can manifest in the psychic’s
vicinity without need for a roll. A medium may place himself in grave danger if he does not know with what
sort of ghost he deals.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Wits + Occult versus an unwilling ghost’s Resistance to become a temporary anchor to a ghost
(resistance is reflexive). Presence + Occult versus an unwilling ghost’s Resistance to forcefully summon one
to the medium’s vicinity.
Action: Contested
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: A psychic connection is forged with some entity other than the one the medium sought.
The medium may be unable to sever the connection or may even become a permanent anchor to a hostile
ghost.
Failure: You fail to get more successes than the ghost. The attempt to contact or summon is unsuccessful.
Success: On a contact roll, more successes are rolled for the medium than for the ghost. The medium is
considered an anchor for the remainder of the scene unless the effect is ended early. On a summoning roll, the
ghost is compelled to come to the medium’s vicinity.
Exceptional Success: On a contact roll, the player gets five or more successes, more than rolled for the
ghost. The medium gains a +2 bonus on all rolls made in dealing with the ghost during the scene.
Option [Spiritualist Medium]: The medium can interact with the dead only in the context of a séance. In
order to utilize this power, she must be assisted by one or more people. The medium gains a die bonus equal
to the total number of believers in the séance up to a maximum of +5.
Psychokinetic Merits
Biokinesis (• to •••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 46
Effect: Biokinesis governs a psychic’s ability to manipulate the biological processes of living things. The
scientific explanation for biokinesis eludes most parapsychologists. The most commonly accepted explanation
relies on Wilhelm Reich’s theories regarding orgone energy, which are consistent with biokinetics’ claims
that they can perceive and manipulate some form of ambient “life energy.” Biokinesis permits a psychic to
manipulate his own personal life force to alter his body in three ways. First, Biokinesis is a prerequisite for a
number of other powers that allow a psychic to manipulate life energy. Second, the power can aid a psychic in
attempts to control his own mind and body. Each dot in Biokinesis is added as a bonus die to all attempts to
either meditate (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 51) or to enter a trance state (see p. 35).
Finally, Biokinesis allows a psychic to make minor alterations to his own physical body, temporarily
affording him the benefit of certain Physical or Mental Merits, including some from the World of Darkness
Rulebook and others listed here. Each Merit gained this way has a “success cost” equivalent to the Merit’s
normal rating. The player must make an extended Intelligence + Composure roll with each roll representing a
number of minutes equal to the success cost of the desired Trait. A Merit gained through Biokinesis lasts for
the duration of a scene unless stated otherwise. Normally, the psychic can gain only a single Merit with a roll,
but a biokinetic’s successes can be spent on multiple Merits with an exceptional success. In order to be able to
use a Merit, the psychic must meet any prerequisites for that trait, and the psychic must have Biokinesis dots
equal to [the success cost of the Merit +1]. The Merits that can be acquired through this power include the
following:
Eidetic Memory (Two successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 108. This Merit lasts for one
scene.
Fast Reflexes (One or two successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 110. This Merit lasts for
one scene.
Fleet of Foot (One to three successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 112. This Merit lasts for
one scene.
Fresh Start (One success): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 112. This Merit lasts for one scene.
Hysterical Strength (Variable successes): The psychic can trigger a massive surge of adrenaline,
temporarily boosting his own Strength. For every success spent to purchase Hysterical Strength, the psychic
increases his Strength by one dot to a maximum of 5. Doing so is very taxing and potentially life threatening.
Every turn in which the psychic actually uses his augmented Strength (for example, to lift something heavy or
to strike a powerful blow), he suffers one point of bashing damage. The increase in adrenaline also makes the
psychic extremely excitable, and he is at a –1 penalty on all Composure-based rolls to resist provocation to
anger while the power is in effect. This Merit lasts for a number of turns equal to the psychic’s Biokinesis
rating.
Improved Awareness (One to three successes): For each success spent, the psychic gains a +1 bonus on all
Perception rolls. This Merit lasts for one scene.
Improved Immune System (Four successes): While this Merit is active, the psychic can attempt to cure
himself of diseases, poisons or drug effects by temporarily heightening the effectiveness of his immune
system. The player must make an extended Stamina + Resolve roll, with each roll reflecting one hour
recovering from a drug or poison or one day spent recuperating from an illness. During this period, the
character can take no action more strenuous than walking, and, ideally, should have complete bed rest. The
number of successes required is determined by the severity of the disease, drug or poison from which the
psychic seeks to recover. Generally, common colds require three to five, while cancer, AIDS and other
persistent or deadly diseases might require as many as 30 successes to send into remission. Similarly, a single
success might be required to overcome the effects of alcohol or minor food poisoning, while five or so might
be required to overcome the effects of LSD or a rattlesnake bite. Note that if a poison or toxin is especially
fast acting — having a lethal effect within turns or minutes rather than hours or days — this capability may be
of no use against it.
This power can affect only mundane diseases, drugs and poisons. It cannot aid the psychic in curing himself
of a blood bond. This power also does not affect any supernatural diseases or poisons. It also has no affect on
psychological addictions, although it can cure the physiological effect of an addiction.
Iron Stamina (One to three successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for
one scene.
Iron Stomach (Two successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for one
scene.
Natural Immunity (One success): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for one
day per dot of Biokinesis or until the psychic uses his Biokinesis again, whichever comes first.
Pain Resistance (Three successes): The psychic becomes extraordinarily resistant to the physical side
effects of pain and injury. Wound penalties are reduced by one, and the character gains a +1 bonus on rolls to
stay conscious after all Health boxes have been filled with bashing damage, all for the duration of the scene.
Quick Healer (Four successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for one
day per dot of Biokinesis or until the psychic uses his Biokinesis again, whichever comes first.
Strong Back (One success): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for one scene.
Strong Lungs (Three successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for one
scene.
Toxin Resistance (Two successes): See the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 113. This Merit lasts for one
day per point of Biokinesis or until the psychic uses his Biokinesis again, whichever comes first.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Composure
Action: Extended
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic suffers one point of bashing damage due to painful psychic feedback. He
cannot attempt to use his Biokinesis powers for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The psychic fails to accumulate any successes for now, but may keep trying, or utterly fails to
manifest any biokinetic benefits.
Success: Accumulated successes can be used to temporarily acquire a single desired Merit, provided the
psychic meets any prerequisites and his Biokinesis dots equal or exceed the desired Merit’s success cost, plus
one.
Exceptional Success: Accumulated successes can be used to acquire multiple Merits temporarily, with
successes allocated for dots as the player chooses.
Cryokinesis (• to •••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 47
Prerequisites: A character’s dots in this Merit cannot be higher than the lesser of her Resolve or Stamina.
Effect: Cryokinesis permits a psychic to decrease ambient temperature. The player must spend one
Willpower point to activate, and then roll Intelligence + Composure. The effectiveness of the cryokinetic’s
power is based on her Merit dots, with successes rolled lowering the temperature according to this chart.
When used to attack a moving target, treat Cryokinesis as a ranged attack. Defense does not apply, and the
temperature shift bypasses armor unless the protection has some type of thermal aspect or the protection is a
supernatural armor capable of protecting against cold. The attack also ignores cover, since the character can
potentially lower the temperature over an area big enough to encompass even someone behind full cover.
Cryokinesis affects the temperature of everything within the affected area, so living targets suffer a drop in
body temperature commensurate with successes rolled.
Short range for a cryokinetic attack is equal to a psychic’s Intelligence + Wits + Cryokinesis dots in yards.
Medium range is twice that distance and imposes a –2 penalty on an attack dice pool. Long range is up to
twice medium range and imposes a –4 penalty on an attack dice pool. The Size of the area to be affected is
subtracted from the cryokinetic’s dice pool. Thus, an attempt to freeze a human-sized target suffers a –5
penalty. However, physically touching the object to be affected confers a +2 bonus on the roll.
Once a psychic has successfully lowered the temperature in a given location, he can do one of three things:
(1) maintain the reduced temperature as long as he concentrates, (2) release his concentration and let
temperature equalize normally or (3) use his Cryokinesis powers again to lower the temperature even further.
Thus, with time and a prodigious amount of Willpower, a cryokinetic can reduce ambient temperature to low
levels, although the absolute lowest temperature that any cryokinetic can achieve is about –400 degrees, well
above absolute zero.
Cryokinesis is potentially deadly to living beings. The record for the lowest body temperature in a human is
approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit, although that patient lost all four limbs as a result. When Cryokinesis is
used against a human, the victim suffers nothing more than discomfort until her internal body temperature is
reduced by 10 degrees. At that point, the victim suffers a –1 penalty to Dexterity, Strength and Wits (and
consequently, a –1 penalty to Initiative and potentially Defense, and a –2 penalty to Speed). For every
additional five degrees of reduction, this Attribute penalty intensifies by an additional –1. If any of a victim’s
Dexterity, Strength or Wits is reduced to zero, the victim is immobilized due to the onset of hypothermia.
Also, if a victim’s body temperature is reduced by 20 degrees or more, she takes one point of lethal damage
per turn spent subjected to the cryokinetic attack. If this lethal damage crosses over into aggravated damage,
the victim suffers frostbite and may lose Attribute dots or gain Flaws to represent the loss of fingers or even
limbs.
Most physical objects suffer no direct damage from low temperatures, but pipes can burst from frozen
water, and machines that depend on lubricants may seize up if ambient temperature drops below freezing. At
temperatures of 50 degrees below zero, trees snap and splinter spontaneously as heavy ice accumulates on
their branches. Ice accumulates on streets and bridges, making travel hazardous. At 100 degrees below zero,
almost any amount of water within an area is flash frozen, and living creatures are killed almost instantly
unless protected somehow. Vampires and the undead are almost completely immune to low temperatures, but
at temperatures of –100 or lower, a vampire’s body might well freeze solid. Unless she can thaw herself out
(through the use of blood or Disciplines), she may well remain paralyzed when the sun comes up the next
morning.
Once a psychic ceases to focus her attention on a specific location, temperatures equalize normally. In the
case of extreme temperature changes in excess of a 400-degree difference from the surrounding area,
“equalize normally” may mean an explosive reaction, inflicting two dice of bashing damage on everyone
within a radius equal to the Size of the area initially affected x5. The explosion also causes knockdown (see
the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 168). If the temperature shift is less than 400 degrees, the affected area
returns to normal temperature at a rate of 10 degrees per minute.
Cryokinetics also have an improved resistance to environmental temperature extremes. A psychic with this
power is automatically immune to natural temperature extremes ranging from zero to 100 degrees, plus an
additional temperature range equal to plus or minus [Merit dots x20] degrees. A cryokinetic is automatically
immune to the temperature-based attacks of other cryokinetics whose Merit dots do not exceed her own.
Cost: 1 Willpower per roll to affect temperature. None to resist temperature.
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Composure (– Size of area to be affected) to reduce the ambient temperature. The
cryokinetic can resist low temperatures without a roll.
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic fails to affect the ambient temperature and suffers one point of bashing
damage as his own internal body temperature goes haywire.
Failure: The psychic fails to affect ambient temperature.
Success: Each success lowers the ambient temperature as described above.
Exceptional Success: Additional successes are their own reward.
Option [Emotional Cryokinesis]: Whenever the cryokinetic is in the grip of strong emotion, Resolve +
Composure must be rolled with a penalty equal to the level of the emotion as described by the Emotional
Response table on p. 60. If the roll is unsuccessful, the cryokinetic’s powers function uncontrollably, raising
or lowering the ambient temperature in random ways. A dramatic failure means that this wild activity might
flare up at random intervals over the next several days whenever the psychic becomes agitated, causing
freakish “cold spots.” Such uncontrolled power may have catastrophic effects for powerful cryokinetics.
These random phenomena do not require the expenditure of a Willpower point.
Psyrokinesis (•••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 50
Effect: Pyrokinesis represents the ability to cause objects to spontaneously combust. Psychics with this
power are usually referred to as pyrokinetics. Pyrokinesis is separate and distinct from Thermokinesis (see
below), the latter of which permits a psychokinetic to actually manipulate ambient temperature. Pyrokinesis
does not directly produce heat. Instead, this power triggers a chemical reaction that causes a given material to
burn. A fire triggered by this power continues to burn until its fuel has been exhausted or until the fire is put
out normally. A pyrokinetic can also extinguish an existing flame (whether or not she started it), but stopping
a fire may be more difficult than starting one, as a fire may quickly spread to encompass a bigger area than
where it was ignited. Once a fire is set, it follows all normal rules for fire damage. (See the World of
Darkness Rulebook, p. 180.)
A character with Pyrokinesis must overcome three difficulties in starting a fire: the size of the fire to be set,
the desired heat level of the fl ame and the relative fl ammability of the material to be ignited. The modifiers
applied to an attack roll for each of these criteria are listed below.
The roll to start a fire involves Wits + Resolve. When the pyrokinetic seeks to ignite a person or some other
target capable of movement, the attempt is treated as a ranged attack. Defense does not apply, but the
pyrokinetic suffers a –2 penalty when attempting to ignite a moving target. Short range for a pyrokinetic
attack is equal to a psychic’s Intelligence + Wits + Pyrokinesis dots in yards. Medium range is twice that
distance and imposes a –2 penalty on an attack dice pool. Long range is up to twice medium range and
imposes a –4 penalty on an attack dice pool.
The damage inflicted with a successful pyrokinetic attack is equal to one point of lethal damage for each
success. This damage pool (minus the benefits of any heat-resistant armor) is inflicted every turn on anyone
set ablaze until the fire is put out.
Once a fire is set, it can be put out normally or extinguished instantly with another application of
Pyrokinesis. Putting out an existing fire requires an extended Stamina + Resolve roll with the number of
successes required equal to the Size of the blaze +1, with each roll taking one turn’s action.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Wits + Resolve to start a fire. Stamina + Resolve to snuff one out.
Action: Instant to start a fire. Extended to snuff out a fire, with each roll representing one turn.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic suffers one point of lethal damage due to painful psychic feedback.
Alternately, the psychic might produce a flame of the desired intensity but not where he wants it to combust.
A pyrokinetic attempting to snuff a flame might make it larger instead.
Failure: The attempt to start or extinguish a fire is unsuccessful.
Success: The pyrokinetic ignites his target. If attempting to snuff out a flame, the pyrokinetic accumulates a
number of successes equal to the Size of the fire +1.
Exceptional Success: Additional successes are their own reward.
Option [Emotional Pyrokinesis]: Whenever a pyrokinetic is in the grip of strong emotion, the Storyteller
may direct the player to roll Resolve + Composure with a dice penalty equal to the intensity of the emotion as
described by the Emotional Response table on p. 60. If the roll is unsuccessful, the pyrokinetic’s powers
function randomly, igniting small, nearby flammable objects. A dramatic failure means that this pyrokinetic
activity might flare up at random intervals over the next several days whenever the pyrokinetic is agitated.
Such wild phenomena do not require the expenditure of a Willpower point. A pyrokinetic with this option
gains a +2 bonus on all deliberate uses of this power.
Dice Modifiers
Modifi er Situation
+1 The pyrokinetic created the flames with his Pyrokinesis Merit, and
they are now manipulated
0 The flames being manipulated are natural fire.
-1 The flames being manipulated were created by another pyrokinetic.
-3 The intended manipulation is something wholly unnatural to fire,
such as shaping it into a face or into the form of an animal.
Telekinesis (• to •••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 52
Prerequisites: A telekinetic can possess but cannot use more dots in this Merit at one time than he has
Resolve.
Effect: The power to move physical objects by mind alone. The psychic can lift objects, assuming they are
light enough for his Telekinesis to handle. He can also throw objects that he is capable of lifting at a target. At
high dots, a telekinetic can immobilize someone with a telekinetic grapple or even strike someone with a
telekinetic blow.
Lifting an Object
The simplest use of Telekinesis is to lift objects. The player must first spend a Willpower point to activate
the power. Each dot gives a character one dot of Strength that can be applied to move any physical object
within the telekinetic’s direct line of sight, pursuant to the lifting/moving objects chart in the World of
Darkness Rulebook, p. 47.
When attempting to lift something, consult the chart and compare the psychic’s Telekinesis dots to the item.
If the telekinetic’s dots exceed the Strength required to lift the object, he can move it freely. If his Merit dots
equal the Strength required, he can slide the object across the floor at about a yard per turn. If the telekinetic
seeks to lift something even bigger, roll Resolve + Composure reflexively, with each success adding to the
telekinetic’s Merit dots for the action.
Telekinesis is both physically and mentally taxing; a character can hold up an object for a number of turns
equal to the lesser of his Stamina or Resolve. After that, he must either drop the object or another Willpower
point must be spent to retain control. A telekinetic can lift objects smaller than Size 1, but he must still be able
to see the object directly.
Cost: 1 Willpower + 1 additional Willpower after every [lesser of Stamina or Resolve] turns
Dice Pool: No roll is required to lift an object, provided that the psychic’s Telekinesis Merit dots are
sufficient to do so. If the object is too big, a Resolve + Composure roll is required.
Action: Reflexive
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The item is dropped and/or the telekinetic suffers one point of bashing damage due to
psychic feedback from the effort.
Failure: The telekinesis attempt is unsuccessful.
Success: Telekinesis dots increase by one per success.
Exceptional Success: The telekinetic increases his Merit dots by five or more and gains a +1 bonus on any
attempt to manipulate the item, such as throwing it. Also, the telekinetic can continue to manipulate the object
for a number of turns equal to the greater of his Stamina or Resolve before needing to set the object down or
spend another Willpower.
Throwing an Object
If the telekinetic wishes to hurl an object at a target, he must first lift it. An object can be lifted and thrown
as part of the same instant action, provided the character’s total Telekinesis dots exceed those required to lift
the item. A non-aerodynamic object (such as a clay pot or tire) can be thrown a distance in yards equal to
Wits + Resolve + total Telekinesis dots, minus the object’s Size. This distance is considered short range.
Medium range is double that, and long range is twice medium range. So, a character with 4 Wits, 3 Resolve
and an unmodified 2 Telekinesis can throw a tire with 2 Size a short distance of 7 yards, a medium range of
14 yards and a long range of 28 yards. Aerodynamic objects can be thrown double those distances, but an
object whose Size exceeds the psychic’s modified Telekinesis dots cannot be thrown no matter how
aerodynamic it is.
Hitting a target requires you to roll Wits + Resolve, –2 for medium range and –4 for long range. The
Damage of the object thrown (usually the lesser of its Size or Durability) is added to the dice pool, and the
target’s Defense applies. A character can hurl an object up to twice long range, but is automatically reduced to
a chance die.
Cost: None, although 1 Willpower is required to lift the object
Dice Pool: Wits + Resolve + Damage bonus of thrown object (– target’s Defense)
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The character loses control of the item. If it is large or heavy (Size 4+), he loses his
telekinetic grip and drops it, possibly hurting himself or others. Smaller objects land wildly off the mark.
Failure: The telekinetic attack misses its target.
Success: The telekinetic hits his target, inflicting one point of damage per success.
Exceptional Success: The telekinetic hits his target with great accuracy and force.
Suggested Equipment: See the Damage ratings of possible thrown objects on p. 150 of the World of
Darkness Rulebook.
Thermokinesis (• to •••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 53
Prerequisites: A character’s dots in this Merit cannot exceed the lesser of her Resolve or Stamina.
Effect: Thermokinesis permits a psychic to increase ambient temperature. The player must first spend one
point of Willpower to activate the power and then roll Intelligence + Resolve. The effectiveness of the
thermokinetic’s power is based on her dots in this Merit, with each success increasing the temperature
according to the chart below. Merit Rating Temperature Ranges
When Thermokinesis is used to attack a moving target, treat the power as a ranged attack. Defense does not
apply, and the temperature shift bypasses armor unless it has some type of thermal protection aspect or is a
supernatural armor capable of protecting against heat. The attack also ignores cover, since the character can
potentially lower temperatures over an area big enough to encompass even someone behind full cover.
Thermokinesis affects the temperature of everything within the affected area, so living targets caught in the
hot spot suffer an increase in body temperature commensurate with successes rolled.
Short range is equal to a psychic’s Intelligence + Wits + Thermokinesis dots in yards. Medium range is
twice that distance, and inflicts a –2 penalty on the psychic’s dice pool. Long range is twice medium range,
and inflicts a –4 penalty on the psychic’s dice pool. The Size of the area affected is subtracted from the
cryokinetic’s pool. Thus, an attempt to heat a human-sized target suffers a –5 penalty. However, if the psychic
can touch the object to be heated, a +2 bonus to the roll is gained.
Once the psychic has successfully raised the temperature in a given location, he can do one of three things:
(1) maintain the increased temperature as long as he concentrates, (2) release his concentration and let the
temperature equalize normally or (3) use his Thermokinesis powers again to raise the temperature even
further. Thus, with time and a prodigious amount of Willpower, a thermokinetic can raise ambient
temperature to incredibly high levels, although the absolute highest temperature that any thermokinetic can
achieve is roughly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thermokinesis is especially deadly against humans, as a normal mortal caught within the area of effect is
physically heated up as if caught in a giant microwave. Normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees
Fahrenheit. When Thermokinesis is used, a victim suffers a –1 penalty to Dexterity, Strength and Wits (and
consequently, a –1 penalty to Initiative and possibly Defense, and a –2 penalty to Speed) for every five
degrees of temperature increase for the duration of the thermokinetic effect. If any of the victim’s Dexterity,
Strength or Wits is reduced to zero by a thermokinetic attack, the victim is immobilized due to heat
prostration. If a victim’s body temperature is increased by 15 degrees or more, he suffers a point of lethal
damage per turn spent subjected to the thermokinetic attack.
At temperatures of 200+, all living things suffer one point of aggravated damage per turn. Most paper and
cloth combusts at just over 400 degrees, and wood catches fire and lead begins to melt at around 600 degrees.
Surprisingly, vampires and other undead creatures are immune to ambient temperatures below 1500 degrees.
However, in most cases, an undead creature’s clothing ignites somewhere between 350 and 500 degrees,
inflicting aggravated damage as normal.
Once a psychic ceases to focus her attention on a specific location, the site’s temperature equalizes
normally. In the case of extreme temperature changes in excess of a 400-degree difference from the
surrounding area, “equalize normally” may mean an explosive reaction, inflicting two dice of bashing damage
on everyone within a radius equal to the Size of the area initially affected x5 in yards. The explosion also
causes knockdown (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 168). If the temperature shift is less than 400
degrees, the affected area returns to normal temperature at a rate of 10 degrees per minute.
Thermokinetics also have an improved resistance to environmental temperature extremes. A psychic with
this power is automatically immune to natural temperature extremes ranging from zero to 100 degrees, plus an
additional temperature range equal to plus or minus [Merit dots x20] degrees. A thermokinetic is immune to
high-temperature attacks unless the attacker’s Thermokinesis dots exceed his own.
Cost: 1 Willpower per roll to affect temperature. None to resist temperature.
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Resolve (– Size of the area to be affected) to increase temperature. No roll to
resist temperature extremes.
Action: Instant
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The psychic fails to affect ambient temperature and suffers one point of bashing
damage as his own internal body temperature goes haywire.
Failure: The psychic fails to affect the ambient temperature.
Success: Each success raises the ambient temperature as described above.
Exceptional Success: Additional successes are their own reward.
Option [Emotional Thermokinesis]: Whenever the thermokinetic is in the grip of strong emotion, Resolve
+ Composure is rolled with a dice penalty equal to the level of the emotion as described by the Emotional
Response table on p. 60. If the roll is unsuccessful, the thermokinetic’s powers function uncontrollably,
raising ambient temperature in random ways. A dramatic failure means this activity flares up at wild intervals
over the next several days whenever the psychic becomes agitated, possibly causing small fires. With
powerful Thermokinesis, catastrophic effects may occur. These random phenomena do not require the
expenditure of a Willpower point.
Telepathic Merits
Animal Empathy (•• or ••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 55
Effect: Although Animal Empathy is sometimes considered a rare gift, some parapsychologists speculate
that it is more common than it appears, since the average observer cannot readily distinguish between a
psychic with the innate ability to communicate with non-sentient creatures and an ordinary “horse whisperer”
who is simply “good with animals.” Regardless, this Merit combines a wide number of psychic effects,
including Mind Reading, Thought Projection and Emotion Control under a single power, albeit one which can
affect only animals. The two-dot version allows a psychic to affect a single species of animal such as dogs,
cats or rats. The four-dot version permits a psychic to affect any type of animal. Either version can allow a
psychic to affect multiple animals at once, although the power usually inflicts a dice penalty on a roll. Also, a
psychic attempting to control large numbers of animals at one time must give the same instructions to all of
them, and cannot send different animals off on individual missions without a separate roll for each of them.
There is also a separate Merit called Animal Rapport that creates a permanent psychic link with a single
animal. No version of this power can affect truly sentient animals or other beings that have transformed into
animals.
Cost: None if the psychic has time to interact with the animal and achieve some kind of rapport. If the
psychic has never seen the animal before or it is currently hostile, one Willpower point must be spent to
instantly seize control of the animal. One point of Willpower must be spent to control multiple animals
simultaneously.
Action: Instant or contested
Dice Pool: Wits + Animal Ken to communicate. Manipulation + Animal Ken (versus animal’s Resolve
rolled reflexively) to control.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The character triggers psychic feedback in the animal, making it immediately hostile.
Further attempts to use Animal Empathy against the animal fail automatically for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The character fails to infl uence the animal in any way.
Success: The psychic can intuitively understand the animal’s mood and thought processes. Although true
communication is not yet possible, the psychic can intuit crude impressions such as “I’m hungry,” “I want to
play” or “That man beats me.” With Manipulation, the psychic can command the animal to follow simple
instructions such as “Heel,” “Fetch” or “Tear him apart!” Animals that were previously hostile become docile,
and trained guard dogs let an intruder walk right by.
Exceptional Success: The psychic can freely communicate with the animal, almost to the point of sharing
its senses. The psychic can also give relatively complex instructions and expect them to be obeyed, such as
“Go fetch Timmy! He’s in town at the movie theater, in the third row!” Dice Modifiers
Modifier Situation
Modifier Situation
+1 The psychic has previously used this power successfully on the same
animal(s).
0 The animal is a mammal or bird.
-1 The animal is a common fish or a group of up to three mammals.
-3 The animal is a single insect, a school/swarm of up to 25 fi sh or
vermin or a group of up to 10 larger mammals.
-5 The animal is a swarm of insects with a hive mentality, or a collective
group of up to 100 small creatures or up to 25 larger mammals.
Dice Modifiers
Modifier Situation
+1 The psychic has previously used the Animal Possession power on the
animal to be possessed.
— The animal is a mammal or bird.
-1 Per point of the animal’s Size in excess of 5.
-2 The animal is a reptile or sophisticated aquatic life form such as a
dolphin or shark.
-4 The animal is a fish.
No roll is ever required for verbal communication, but the character does not have the capacity to control
the creature outright. If he wishes it to do something that the animal might consider dangerous, you must win
a contested roll against the animal, which, while generally loyal, does not normally commit suicide on its
master’s behalf. Resolve or Composure is rolled reflexively for the animal, while Manipulation or Presence +
an appropriate Skill is rolled for the character.
The animal with which the character has a bond is a normal example of its species, but a side effect of the
rapport permanently increases the animal’s Intelligence by one. If the character seriously mistreats his pet, it
is capable of turning, at the Storyteller’s discretion. The character must be within line of sight to communicate
freely with the animal, but if the animal can hear the character even at great distance (such as Timmy yelling
from down a well a half-mile away), the animal likely travels as quickly as it can to its master’s location.
If the animal is ever lost or killed, experience spent or dots assigned to this Merit may be lost or reassigned
at the Storyteller’s discretion. The character may even forge a bond with another such amazing animal,
assuming one can be found.
Dice Modifiers
+1 The psychic has successfully used Mind Control on the subject within
the last week.
-1 The command forces the subject to act against a loved one or to
violate deeply held personal beliefs.
-2 The command forces the subject to harm a loved one or to act against
a Virtue.
-4 The command forces the subject to kill a loved one or perform an
action that might cause her to lose Morality.
-5 The command is clearly suicidal.
Dice Modifiers
Modifier Situation
+1 The psychic has successfully used Mind Reading on the subject within the last week.
+1 The psychic touches the subject.
+1 The subject willingly consents to a telepathic probe.
+2 The subject willingly consents to a telepathic probe and also has this Merit, or, at the
Storyteller’s discretion, has some other supernatural or psychic power that conveys
telepathic abilities.
-1 The subject actively resists the telepathic probe and also has this Merit, or at the
Storyteller’s discretion has some other supernatural or psychic power that conveys
telepathic abilities.
Emotional Response
0 No discernable signs of the emotional state.
-1 Noticeable signs of the emotional state.
-2 Obvious signs of the emotional state. A Resolve + Composure roll for the subject
must succeed to avoid acting on the emotion in minor ways (snide comments toward
someone he dislikes, flirting with the person for whom he now feels sexual attraction)
every time he has an opportunity to do so.
-3 Unambiguous signs of the emotional state. As with the previous entry, except that the
target must get at least as many successes on the Resolve + Composure as the empath
does on the Psychic Empathy roll to avoid acting out on the emotion in a very obvious
way (picking a fight with a person he now hates, acting in a subservient manner toward
a person he now loves).
-4 Overwhelming signs of the emotional state. The emotional state approaches or even
exceeds the level of a derangement (homicidal rage, suicidal depression, obsessive
stalking). A Willpower point must be spent for the subject to even attempt a Resolve +
Composure roll to contest the emotional compulsion, and he must still get as many
successes as the empath does on the activation roll. The target seeks out opportunities to
act on the emotion in obvious ways, and any attempt to conceal his state is
automatically reduced to a chance die.
Any attempt to manipulate a subject’s emotional state is penalized by the intensity of the emotion to be
created or suppressed. Thus, if an empath wanted to make a total stranger fall in love with her (i.e., moving
from no discernable signs (0) of love to unambiguous (–3) signs of love), the dice pool suffers a –3 penalty.
Or if an empath wants to totally suppress an enemy’s overwhelming (–4) hatred of her in order to allow for
peaceful interaction, the dice pool suffers a –4 penalty. Often, an empath seeks to produce an emotion that is
the opposite of one a target currently feels, such as causing a man to hate his beloved wife, or when she wants
a suicidal person to suddenly feel happy about his life. In such cases, the penalty is the total associated with
the previous emotion, plus the new one. Thus, converting a subject’s unambiguous (–3) love for his wife into
unambiguous (–3) hate inflicts a total –6 penalty.
Emotions produced with the four-dot version of this power last while the empath concentrates, or for the
duration of an entire scene if the empath achieves an exceptional success. The five-dot version automatically
lasts for at least a scene, and applies for a day with an exceptional success. With either version, the dice pool
for affecting emotions is Manipulation + Empathy, contested by the subject’s Resolve + Composure. The
five-dot version is capable of affecting a being with a supernatural template, but the four-dot version
automatically fails against such beings.
Any emotion can be affected by this power, and its parameters are limited mainly by the Storyteller’s
discretion and a player’s innovation. A few of the more commonly affected emotions include anger, happiness
or sadness, love, sexual libido, possessiveness (for an object or a person) and compassion. Only one
successful attempt can be made to alter a subject’s emotions per scene.
Cost: 1 Willpower per use. One Willpower must also be spent to activate the character’s Aura Reading
powers prior to manipulating a subject’s emotions.
Dice Pool: The psychic must first successfully use Aura Reading on the subject (see “Aura Reading” on p.
57). The roll to alter emotions is Manipulation + Empathy versus Resolve + Composure (resistance is
reflexive).
Action: Contested
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The character triggers psychic feedback in the target, making him instinctively
withdraw or distrust her. The subject is also immune to the psychic’s Psychic Empathy for the rest of the
scene.
Failure: The character fails to influence the target’s emotions.
Success: The subject’s emotions change according to the empath’s desires.
Exceptional Success: The emotional change lasts for a longer period of time. With the four-dot version, the
effect persists for a scene without concentration. With the five-dot version, the effect lasts for a day.
Option [Limited Empath]: The empath’s powers are limited in some way, such as in the type of person
affected, the type of emotion manipulated or the type of person or object that can be made the subject of an
altered emotional connection. The dice bonus is determined by how specific and limited the empath’s powers
are. An empath who can affect only women might gain a +1 bonus, while one whose sole power is to trigger
intense misogyny in other men might gain a +3 bonus.
Option [Touch Only]: With this option, the empath can affect another’s emotional state only while
physically touching the target, (although concentration is all that’s required after contact is made). See
“Touching an Opponent,” the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 157.
Option [Uncontrolled]: With this option, the empath’s power is not totally under his control. Whenever he
experiences a profound emotion, a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll must be made, with a penalty based on
the emotion as determined by the response table, above. If the roll is unsuccessful, Presence + Empathy is
rolled, plus a bonus equal to the emotion’s rating, with everyone in his vicinity making a contested Resolve +
Composure roll. Anyone who fails to get as many or more successes than the empath instantly experiences the
same emotion as the character. Uncontrolled uses of Psychic Empathy do not require use of Aura Reading or
the expenditure of a Willpower point. Deliberate uses of this power functions as normal, except that with this
option, the empath has a +2 bonus.
Believers (• to •••••)
Book: Second Sight, p. 64
Prerequisites: Any Psychic Merit
Effect: Believers are typically Storyteller characters who serve as assistants to a psychic character and who
unconditionally believe in the psychic’s powers. Believers are essentially the same as Retainers (see the
World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 116), except that the Believers’ strong belief in psychic phenomena allows
them to aid the character in using his powers. When a psychic is assisted by Believers, he gains a +1 bonus to
a power’s roll for each dot in this Merit, assuming that at least the same number of such people are present.
Normally, this bonus is limited to a +3. Some Merit options can allow the bonus gained from Believers to go
as high as +5. So, if Believers ••• is possessed and only two such people are actually present, a +2 bonus is
gained. If seven Believers are present and only three dots are possessed when using another Merit, only +3 is
gained. If a psychic suffers a dramatic failure while using a power, the results never cause a Believer to
withdraw or develop an aversion to the psychic.
Memory Recovery
Once a subject has been put into a deep trance, the hypnotist can attempt to help him to recover repressed or
stolen memories, although doing so might be highly traumatic for the subject depending on the experiences’
nature. The player must roll Manipulation + Persuasion, resisted by the subject’s Resolve + Supernatural
Advantage, and accumulate [the subject’s Resolve x5] in successes, all as part of an extended and contested
action. The player’s dice pool also suffers a penalty according to the nature of the memories recovered. The
hypnotist must achieve an exceptional success (gather five or more successes than needed in the time allowed
or under the circumstances) for the subject to be able to recall the repressed memories after waking from the
trance. If more successes are ever achieved for the subject in any contested roll, that memory cannot be
restored by the hypnotist in this effort. Another attempt may be made after 24 hours.
Cost: None
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Persuasion versus the subject’s Resolve + Supernatural Advantage (resistance is
reflexive)
Action: Extended and contested, with each roll representing 30 minutes of hypnotherapy
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The hypnotist’s attempts to dredge up the lost memories traumatizes the subject,
inflicting a mild derangement on him.
Failure: The character gathers no successes at this time.
Success: The character gets the required number of successes. The subject is able to recall the lost
memories while under a trance, but does not recall them while awake.
Exceptional Success: Five or more successes than required are accumulated. The subject recalls the lost
memories after awakening.
Relic (• to •••••)
Book: Reliquary, p. 85
Effect: The character owns a mystical object or relic. How the character came to own the object is up to the
player. The character might have inherited the object, stolen it, purchased it or just found it by sheer luck.
Note that this Merit only represents an object that a character begins play with; if your character finds a relic
during a story, you don’t need to pay the experience points for it.
Relics have a variable point cost, determined as follows:
Condition Cost in Merit Dots
Powers +1 per Power dot
Durability +1 per dot
Equipment Bonus +1 per dot (maximum of +5 above what such an item would
normally confer)
Bonded (the item only works for this +1
character)
Cost -1 per dot of Cost (see p. 116-117)
Curses/Drawbacks -2 per Curse (see p. 113-116)
Example: Matt, in creating a new character for Chuck’s chronicle, decides to put some Merit points into a
relic. He has visions of a ring that looks plain, but in fact contains a deep and abiding power.
Right off the bat, Matt decides he doesn’t want to deal with anyone stealing the ring and using it on him.
The ring is Bonded to his character (1 dot). He decides against raising its Durability, and a ring doesn’t
normally confer an equipment bonus anyway, so he doesn’t spend points in those areas. For Powers (see p.
87-113 for a full list of Relic Powers), Matt chooses Hypnotic Suggestion and Reward Temptation — the ring
allows the wielder greater benefit from indulging his Vice and great opportunity to do so. These are both two-
dot Powers, which raises the total to five; a little more than Matt was hoping to spend.
Fortunately, there are ways to lower the cost. Matt decides that the ring is Cursed (see p. 113). Yes, using it
can grant the character untold amounts of pleasure and mental fortitude, but it saps his physical well-being.
The ring has the Leech curse, sapping the character’s Health away every time he uses it. Matt decides that this
Health loss manifests as a wracking cough, sometimes with a bit of blood. This drops the total cost to 3 Merit
dots, which both Matt and Chuck feel is fair. All that remains is for Matt to figure out where he got the ring,
what it looks like and how he discovered its powers, all details that he will work into his character’s prelude.
Note: The reduction in price for taking Costs is only applicable if these costs are taken in conjunction with
the specified cost of the chosen Power(s), not as a replacement for the costs listed. If the relic only works at
night, and its Power still costs the specified Willpower to activate, the builder can subtract the appropriate 1-
dot Cost value for a Temporal Cost. If the relic only works at night, and the builder takes this limitation in
place of its Willpower cost, it does not lower the relic’s overall cost.)
Beast-Kin (••••)
Book: Changing Breeds, p. 95
Effect: Not everyone affiliated with the changing breeds actually transforms. This Merit reflects a character
whose First Change has not yet arrived, and might never arrive. Kin to the feral folk, this person lives in the
shadow of their world. He hears odd stirrings in the back bedroom, sees fur or feathers too thick for normal
explanations. Perhaps he serves one of the Regencies, surrounded by hopeful relatives. Or languishes in a
backwater swamp, tending the gator that just happens to be his sister, too.
The upside? This character is immune to the Delusion and the primal terror associated with werewolves. He
understands how far back the curtain of “reality” can be drawn, and sees at least a glimpse of the parties
behind it. Chances are, he’s very good with animals; although the breed of his associated beast might terrify
him, he shares a deep affinity with it. He can understand animals through body language and vocal cues, and
while he’s no Dr. Doolittle, they often understand him, too. For now, this character exists on the cusp of a
world that may or may not take him in completely. Even so, he knows more about that world than most.
Drawback: That world is no gentle playground. Despite the New Age fascination with “spirit totems” and
such, the animal realm is harsh by human standards and the feral one even more so. Enemies of the
shapeshifter or her clan often target the kin when they want to make their presence known. Meanwhile, that
shapeshifter in her clan might abuse, neglect or despise the “weakling” among them. Feral clans, even the
wealthy ones, are notoriously hard on their members, and all it takes is one bad day to turn Mommy or Big
Brother into the lion at the door. (Note: If the First Change finally overtakes this character, the Merit gets
“traded” for the feral supernatural template).
Pack (• to •••••)
Book: Changing Breeds, p. 96
Effect: See that flock of ravens following the chick next door? The yard full of dogs down the street? That
person might be a real animal lover . . . or she could be a feral with a “pack” of associated kin.
Similar to the Animal Companion Merit, Pack gives your character some bestial company. In this case,
though, that company is a bit more numerous and bit less loyal. A Pack (which could actually be a herd, flock,
pride or what-have-you) includes a number of animals that remain close to your shapechanger. They’re
probably members of the feral’s species, but might be something else instead if there’s a good explanation for
their presence.
The dots in this trait measure the number and relative power of the Pack. For one dot, the character has two
or three small beasts — a handful of rats, bats or small birds. Two dots reflect 10 or 12 smaller animals or a
couple of larger ones — cats, small dogs, owls, falcons. Three dots allow for a much larger group of small
beasts (30 or more), about a half-dozen larger animals or two or three strong, competent ones — wolves,
monkeys, falcons, cheetahs. At this level, the Pack might include a few different animals — say a wolf, a
hawk and a ferret. For four dots, the feral gets a regular menagerie — 40 or more small animals, 10 larger
ones, five powerful ones, two or three really impressive ones (tigers, sharks, oxen) or three powerful ones of
different species. These beasts aren’t as devoted as a single Animal Companion, but their numbers make up
for that reduced loyalty.
Drawback: Where do you keep those animals, Tarzan? What can you feed them? What have they not
destroyed yet in your home? A Pack is a horde of wild animals, not a collection of tame pets. Their presence
in human settlements is disruptive, destructive and very often dangerous. Unless your feral lives in the
wilderness, a large Pack is chaos . . . and even there, it makes its presence known.
Through devotion to their shapechanging friend, these beasts avoid eating one another. That doesn’t mean
they won’t eat anything else. Animals in a pack need to hunt, run free and generally be themselves. If they
don’t get that — or worse yet, if they’re treated badly or sent off on suicide missions — these creatures
abandon their so-called master. Affection is not blind loyalty, and a feral who considers herself Lord or Lady
of the Beasts soon winds up with an empty kingdom.
Mental Merits
Common Sense (••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 100
Effect: You are blessed with sound judgment and natural prudence. Given a moment to think, you can
generally suss out the proper course of action — or at least a sensible one.
Once per scene, when your character is about to do something very dangerous or stupid, or the group is at a
loss for ideas or clues, the Storyteller may point out a fact or clue you’ve missed, or delineate the risks of your
plan in very clear terms. You may ask the Storyteller for this hint when you feel you’re completely out of
ideas, but he is under no obligation to provide it — he may know you’ll need your Common Sense even more
just around the corner, after all. Available at character creation only.
Language (•)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 101
Effect: Your character is fluent in another language in addition to her native tongue. Maybe you’ve lived in
a foreign country, have family who speak another language, or you really paid attention in French class. Each
language is purchased as a separate Merit.
Multilingual (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 101
Effect: Your character grew up in a culture that teaches several different tongues, or maybe she has a
prodigy-like gift for languages. In addition to the character’s native language, the player may choose two
languages for every dot in this Merit. The character speaks these languages conversationally.
Note that the character cannot speak effortlessly in these languages. Communicating quickly or over the
telephone requires an Intelligence + Wits roll, and talking about anything more complicated than simple
pleasantries or asking straightforward questions imposes a penalty of -1 to -3 dice. Reading the language
requires an Intelligence + Study or Wits roll (depending on how the character learned the language; study or
immersion, respectively), and writing something coherent in the language requires a roll of Wits + Study or
Intelligence (again, study or immersion). Even if these rolls succeed, the character’s utterances or writings
obviously come from a non-native, unless the player rolls an exceptional success, in which case the character
manages to sound like a native-born speaker of the language for a few moments.
The player can spend one experience point for the character to become fluent in one of the languages
covered by this Merit, as described in the Language Merit, above.
Physical Merits
Ambidextrous (•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 102
Effect: Your character is equally capable with both hands: she can swing a bat righty or lefty, and even
write legibly with her off-hand. She does not ever suffer the -2 penalty for using her off-hand in a fight or on
any other die roll. Available at character creation only.
Giant (•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 104
Effect: Your character towers over other children. She is, for all intents and purposes, the same size as an
adult. She wears adult clothing, can ride all the rides at amusement parks, and can survive a deploying airbag.
She gains +1 Size (to the adult size of 5). This also grants her +1 Health. This also adds one die to any attempt
to pass as an adult (see Disguise, p. 74).
Drawbacks: People have a tendency to treat your character like an adult, when she’s not. This can lead to
awkward social situations. Also, she no longer fits on or in a whole lot of fun kid stuff. Finally, when
Dodging, you don’t get as much of a bonus as most kids (see p. 142).
Tiny (•)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 105
Effect: Your character is very small for his age. He may look (or actually be) underfed or in poor health, or
he might just be waiting longingly for a growth spurt to kick in. On the plus side, he can fit in some very
small spaces, and he has an easier time hiding when the need arises (see the Stealth Skill in Chapter Three).
Also, there are times when being treated like a younger kid comes in handy — when it’s time to take out the
trash or wheedle treats, for instance. The character receives a +1 modifier to any attempt to hide (see p. 65),
and to most other Stealth rolls. The Storyteller is encouraged to apply a positive modifier to any other
situation where being a little smaller than average might pay off, such as Socialize rolls to convince an adult
of the character’s innocence. The character can also walk across thin branches and other surfaces that won’t
support much weight. Finally, when Dodging (see p. 142), this character gets more of a bonus than bigger
kids.
Drawbacks: Your character is at -1 Size (Size 3); this also means -1 Health. Also, there are times when
being treated like a younger kid is a pain — when getting permission to stay up late or go somewhere
“dangerous,” for instance. Finally, your character receives a -3 modifier to any attempt to pass as an adult.
Tough (• to ••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 105
Prerequisite: Stamina ••• or Resolve •••
Effect: Your character possesses a rare attribute among children: the ability to persevere, to push on
through pain or exhaustion. Most children will be tempted to cry uncle when they hit “uncomfortable” or
“tired.” Your character plugs onward even as his body begins to suffer real harm. Coaches and scoutmasters
love him. School counselors and social workers may want to sit him down to find out what dreadful
experiences might have hardened such a young child to pain.
Each dot in this Merit eliminates a negative modifier (on a one-for-one basis) caused by injury or fatigue
(see Chapter Six, Applying Damage (p. 150) and Fatigue (p. 159)). For example, a character with one dot in
this Merit and a -2 penalty from injuries can ignore one point of that penalty, for a -1 modifier. With two dots,
he could ignore the entire -2 penalty.
This Merit can only be used to remove penalties from your character’s actions. It never provides a positive
bonus to a roll.
Drawback: Your character crashes hard when he finally stops moving. When he finally falls asleep after
fighting off the effects of fatigue, he must sleep for a minimum of 12 hours. Before that 12-hour period is up,
he will be almost impossible to wake up — even if the house is on fire.
Social Merits
Allies (• to •••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 105
Effect: Allies are people — other kids or even adults — who will help your character out from time to
time. Child Allies could be school friends, members of a club or sports team, or even a street gang. Adult
Allies could include police or social workers, teachers, clergy, or even a local criminal enterprise. A child can
even justify having Allies among a crowd most children do not normally have access to, through a parent or
other relative. If your character’s uncle is a highly respected attorney, a small amount of pull with local
lawyers is not out of the question. Each group of Allies must be purchased as a separate Merit with its own
dots: for example, your character might have Allies (Drama Club) • and Allies •• (Children and Youth
Services), both acquired separately at character creation or with experience points during play.
Each dot in this Merit indicates the depth of your character’s involvement in or influence on that group. At
one dot, your character can ask for small favors, like an extra credit assignment from a teacher to boost a
shabby grade, or just a verbal warning from police for being caught out after curfew. Favors at two dots are a
little more involved; your character can arrange tutoring sessions with a teacher to help his grade, or get a
safe, warm lift home in a police cruiser (no cuffs). With three dots, your character can get pretty substantial
favors: the teacher fudges your character’s grade upward because he knows “you know the material,” or
police sit an unmarked car in front of your character’s house to watch for suspicious individuals.
The favors and requests made to Allies should fall within their spheres of influence, like the teacher and
police examples made above. Obviously, asking a policeman to fix a grade isn’t likely to have the desired
effect. And while a very involved teacher may be willing to help with situations outside school, she doesn’t
have the authority or resources of the police.
The Storyteller needs to evaluate each request for help with the following criteria in mind: is it simple or
complicated? Easy or difficult? Legal or questionable? Can it be traced? Some factors will matter more or
less, depending on the Allies in question — a criminal might have no compunctions about breaking the law,
but plenty about sticking out her neck, while a local minister might be willing to spend a great deal of time on
an issue that is completely legally and morally on the level. In an unclear situation, the Storyteller can ask for
a Manipulation + Socialize roll with a modifier equal to your dots in the appropriate Allies group. Penalties
may apply to the roll based on the gravity of the favor (from -3 for a serious concern about the request, to a -5
for an almost deal-breaking concern). Penalties may also apply if your character asks for help too often and
wears out his welcome with the group.
Your character can also call on Allies for immediate aid. In this case, successes on the Manipulation +
Socialize + Allies roll determine how many members of the group show up to help; for example, how many
Drama Club members come by to help your character hang up LOST DOG signs.
You do not need to designate individual members of a group as specifically being the Allies referred to in
the Merit, although you and your Storyteller together can detail members of the group. It is important,
however, to explain the connections between your character and the group as a whole. It can be as simple as
“My character is in the Drama Club,” or as roundabout as “My character has been picked up by the police a
lot, but they can tell he’s basically a good kid.”
Drawback: Allies are characters in their own stories — they have their own lives to live, and they won’t
always be right where your character wants them, when he wants them. Also, favors are barter; a favor
granted to your character may be a bargaining chip when your ally comes to ask for help in return. If your
Allies are adults, they might not be so demanding, but then the relationship is different. The adults probably
won’t take as much for granted as other kids would, and if the favor is liable to land them in trouble or make
them look suspicious (and, sadly, an adult slipping off with a child can look suspicious), they might well
decline or call the character’s parents.
Contacts (• to •••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 107
Effect: Contacts provide your character with information — the word on the street or the gossip in the
schoolyard. Each dot in this Merit represents one area of information; for example, Contacts ••• can cover
goings-on at local bars, teachers’ lounge gossip and the scuttlebutt at the firehouse. A child may take this
Merit to represent a parent’s or guardian’s information sources, to which the child can gain access by listening
in on phone conversations, reading papers he shouldn’t, or carefully asking questions about how a day was at
work. Contacts can include specific individuals who like to dish with your character, but more often, it is a
large group of acquaintances your character knows just barely well enough to pose a question to. Contacts
only applies to gathering information — favors and other help are the purview of other Merits.
Getting information requires a successful Manipulation + Socialize roll when asking around. (The
Storyteller may instead allow a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll or even a Dexterity or Wits + Stealth roll to
ask leading questions, listen in on conversations, or search a briefcase.) Penalties on the roll apply if the
information is little known (-1 to -3), confidential (-3), or if sharing it could get someone in trouble or hurt (-3
to -5).
Even success on the roll doesn’t guarantee that your character’s Contacts have the desired information. If
they don’t have the information, they can’t share it — but they would if they could! The information known
by any single contact or set of Contacts is always at the Storyteller’s discretion.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: Your character’s informant holds back an important piece of information, or gives
completely false information (either unknowingly or on purpose).
Failure: Your character’s queries turn up no information.
Success: One of your character’s contacts provides the sought-for information, or something just as helpful.
Exceptional Success: Your character’s contact is a font of information, sharing items of interest your
character wouldn’t have even thought to inquire about.
Suggested Equipment: An appropriate gift, like a desired trading card; a fistful of fl owers, or can of soda
(+1 to +2); an outstanding favor (+1 to +3)
Possible Penalties: Rude behavior (-1), frequent or repeated requests (-1 to -2).
Guardian (• or •••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 108
Effect: Someone is personally responsible for your character’s physical safety on a day-to-day basis. This
custodian accompanies your character everywhere — to and from school, on shopping trips and picnic
outings, even to check out the mummies in the museum; everywhere but around the house. A one-dot
Guardian may be a nanny, au pair or tutor. A three-dot Guardian is a bodyguard, someone trained in close
personal protection, who may even carry a gun and wear body armor. Obviously, a typical nanny or tutor isn’t
trained to physically protect a child, but without a doubt, an accompanied child is much safer than one
wandering around alone. Note: parents and other relatives may qualify for this Merit. The difference between
a stay-at-home mom who is a Guardian and one who isn’t is that the former expects her child to not be safe,
and/or to cause trouble. Most parents, rightly or wrongly, expect that their children not be in danger every
day.
Drawback: Your character’s actions are limited by what the Guardian will allow. It is possible to ditch the
Guardian to have a little fun, but it won’t be easy, especially if the Guardian has tactical training (or your
character has a reputation for escapes and escapades). But at least if your character disappears, somebody
knows he’s missing.
Inspiring (•••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 109
Prerequisite: Presence •••
Effect: Your character can rally other children to action. Even if her speech is loaded with references to
comic book characters and popular movies, it nonetheless raises the spirits of her intended audience and
bolsters their courage, no matter what lies ahead.
Once per chapter, you may make a Presence + Socialize roll for your character. If the roll succeeds, all
children listening — and who intend to help out or go along with a proposed course of action — regain one
spent Willpower point (not to exceed their Willpower dots). Your character cannot use this Merit on herself.
Mentor (• to •••••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 109
Effect: A Mentor provides your character with support and advice, and a voice of experience and wisdom.
For a lucky child, possible mentor figures abound: a parent, grandparent or other family member; a teacher; a
social worker; a religious figure; a sports coach; or even someone from a mentoring organization. For a child
from a more disadvantaged background, potential mentors may not be so thick on the ground, but they can
still be found. A mentor can use her own assets, influence or abilities to help your character, but she will also
insist that her protégé learn something along the way. Mentors are not necessarily selfless and endlessly
patient, either — a surly, lazy or unwilling pupil might find himself without an instructor.
A mentor always acts in what she perceives to be her protégé’s best interest. Both the mentor’s perception
and actions are determined by the Storyteller. This means that in some situations, depending on the mentor,
going to her for help may not have the results the child wants. For instance, a mentor may report to the police
a stranger habitually lurking outside her charge’s house, when the child really wanted help figuring out just
what that lurking stranger is. The Storyteller may also employ advice given by a mentor to guide your
character into a new storyline, or to nudge one that has stalled.
The number of dots purchased in this Merit determines the influence, knowledge and experience of your
character’s Mentor. One dot represents a Mentor with one or more specialized Skills in an area of interest
shared with your character, and some life experience to go with it (for example, a baseball coach who played
some college ball back in the day). Two dots represents a Mentor with a wide range of Skills and abilities and
significant experience in that area of interest (here, a coach who played for a minor league team, and has some
pull with local sports fundraisers). Three dots represents a Mentor with an even broader reach, years of
experience and accrued influence (our coach has now led his young teams to state championships, owns a car
dealership, and has donated generously to political and charitable fundraisers). Four dots adds major influence
to your character’s Mentor (Coach scouts for major league teams on the side, and keeps his fingers in a whole
handful of high-profile dugouts). And finally, a five-dot Mentor is a leading figure in his area of expertise and
has vast influence in that area and many others. (Your character’s coach is an active baseball star or
successful coach who runs a charitable foundation, owns a car dealership, works as a motivational speaker
and still finds the time to throw the ball around in the backyard.) Baseball coaches, schoolteachers and other
neighborhood types are not likely to be five-dot Mentors, though they provide much-needed guidance to the
kids who rely on them. The most powerful mentors are likely to be individuals who wield power on a national
or international level (or on a level that transcends such boundaries), who are also related to their child
protégés. After all, how many such high and mighty types have time to deal with a child?
Your character’s Mentor may have tasks that she requires be completed (some boring, like keeping up with
piano practice, or some that may lead to great adventures), but it is highly unlikely that she will demand quid
pro quo for her assistance. The earning of extra privileges (like joining the starting lineup, or not being
grounded anymore) is another matter entirely.
Pet (• or •••)
Book: The World Of Darkness Innocents, p. 110
Effect: Your character keeps a pet of some kind: a dog, a cat, a horse, a hamster, a snake, or practically any
kind of animal that can be given a cute name. A pet can be a very important part of a child’s life. No matter
what grades are on the report card, or how shabby the family’s clothes are, a pet given just the basics of food
and care will always provide companionship and love. A kid can tell things to a pet that she would never dare
tell a person, even a trusted parent or friend — hopes, fears and dreams and troubles all go safely into a pet’s
ear.
This judgment-free friendship is the sole contribution of a one-dot Pet. Spending 15 minutes playing with
or caring for a pet gives your character a +1 modifier on her next degeneration roll; she knows there is always
someone who will love her and listen to her, no matter what has happened. This bonus lasts until a
degeneration roll is made, or until the character sleeps, whichever comes first. When your character has made
a degeneration roll, she may go back to her pet for solace (and refresh her +1 modifier) without having to
sleep first.
A three-dot Pet provides the same love and affection as a one-dot Pet, and therefore the same bonus on
degeneration rolls. There is, however, a different bond between a character and a pet at this level of
investment. The pet is fiercely loyal, even in the face of terrible danger or a terrifying creature. Your
character’s pet will remain with her through thick and thin. If rescue is possible, the pet will run for help. If
there is nowhere left to run, the pet will gladly die protecting your character.
The type or size of pet does not matter when determining how many points this Merit will cost. A dog can
be a one-or three-dot Pet — a one-dot dog will turn tail and run when danger appears, whereas a three-dot dog
will interpose itself between danger and child. Admittedly, guinea pigs, fish and their ilk are lousy protectors
and should be relegated to the lower rank.
Your character can teach her pet tricks with Animal Ken, using the normal method. All Animal Ken rolls
for training the pet, understanding its body language or communicating a need to it are made with a +2
modifier. A three-dot Pet learns the “guard” and “heel” commands for free — your character must still train
the pet, but these two commands do not count against the animal’s known tricks.
Drawbacks: Here begins the parental lecture: having a pet is a big responsibility. A pet must be fed, taken
on walks (or have its litter box or cage or tank cleaned), groomed, and shown attention and love. An abused or
mistreated pet provides no benefits — an animal pushed far enough may even attack its owner.
It is a sad fact of life that pets die. They grow old, they get lost, or they may die tragic deaths before their
time. The loss of a one-dot Pet may grieve a child, but such pets are, blessedly, somewhat interchangeable. A
fish dies, is replaced, and a few weeks later its owner loves it as much as its predecessor. After a month of
story time, the benefits of the lost one-dot Pet can be provided by its replacement. The loss of a three-dot Pet
is another matter. This bond between child and pet is unique, and if such a pet dies, the player must make a
trigger roll for the character (see p. 82). The child may, in time, replace her lost friend with another animal
companion that will provide the benefits of a one-dot Pet. At the Storyteller’s discretion, this pet (if it is of an
appropriate species), can eventually rise to the three-dot level.
Catacombs (• to •••••)
Book: Nosferatu - The Beast That Haunts The Blood, p. 115
Some Necropoli are little more than a series of connected rooms: a rotting set of pocket doors opens to
reveal the library, a rusted porthole leads to the temple, and so forth. Others, though, have a great deal of
space between the rooms, and in some, this space is a precarious tangle, a true labyrinth. These are the
Catacombs.
In one Necropolis, the Catacombs are a series of long-forgotten and ill-conceived sewer tunnels, never-
mapped and choked with the foul miasma of trapped methane. In another, they are a tortuous knot of
abandoned mine tunnels or even an endless series of gutted bomb shelters whose matte gray appearances are
damnably similar that over time it becomes impossible to orient oneself in the never-ending sameness. Some
Nosferatu carve out their own Catacombs, blasting or hacking away at the rock to forge twisting burrows and
narrow bolt-holes. Some even decorate their catacombs with a funhouse flare, with strobe lights, rooms of
warped mirrors, floors that move, or concealed speakers that emit unnerving cacophonous notes.
Story Use: The Nosferatu use the Catacombs for protection. Those who seek to traverse the grim
underground and find the Necropolis have a great deal of trouble navigating the labyrinthine structure, thus
providing a potent buffer against the Haunts’ secrets. Those who dare to find the Necropolis often end up
wandering the dark tunnels and twisting chambers, hungry, thirsty, blind, mad. They wail as they feel along
the walls, driven to fits of hysteria.
System: Navigating the tunnels necessitates an extended Wits + Investigation roll, with ten successes
required. Each roll is equivalent to one hour’s worth of wandering. Those who do not have dots in the
Necropolis Merit suffer a penalty to this roll equal to the owners’ total dots in Catacombs. Those who do
possess any dots in the Merit, however, may still have to succeed on the roll. Even the Haunts may find
themselves periodically lost in the dark and distorted heart of their own Necropolis.
The Catacombs are almost unremittingly dark. Standard Perception rolls are hampered by a standard -3
penalty, and the “Fighting Blind” rules (p. 166, World of Darkness Rulebook) may apply at Storyteller
discretion.
Connections (• to •••••)
Book: Damnation City, p. 200
Prerequisite: Presence •• and Politics •• or Streetwise •••
Effect: Your character knows who is connected to whom in the feudal hierarchy. He’s met others face to
face throughout the social network. He knows names and faces. He knows the relationships between Kindred.
Each dot in this Merit represents knowledge of and rapport with two connections between your character
and others in the feudal hierarchy. For example, with just one dot in this Merit (a poor value by itself), your
character might have a rapport with his personal feudal lord (up one step from your character) and another of
the lord’s vassals (down one step from the lord). With more dots, the character can develop a reasonably
accurate picture of the city’s politics.
At the Storyteller’s discretion, two connections can be used to forge a connection between the character and
another Kindred of the same feudal rank or to recognize a private (invisible) connection between a Kindred of
the same feudal rank and any other. Connections with Kindred above the level of Regency (such as the Prince
and, in some cities, the Primogen) may be worth two connections as well, at the Storyteller’s discretion.
This Merit interacts with the schema described later in this chapter. Each branch of the feudal hierarchy is a
connection. With this Merit, a character has a good starting sketch of the city’s feudal schema.
Devoted (• to •••••)
Book: Ancient Mysteries, p. 65
Note: If your chronicle does not incorporate the system of Merit Degeneration, found on page 51 in this
book, this Merit does not have any mechanical effect.
Effect: When Kindred enter torpor, they often leave a number of assets, relationships, and other loose ends
unattended. In many cases, mortal individuals and institutions simply forget about the vampire. On occasion,
some of the groups a vampire holds an interest in simply vanish, a casualty of culture, technology or conflict.
Kindred who are used to power, influence and prestige do not adjust well to the loss of their comforting
control over mortal society.
Gathering a host of Devoted followers, descendants, cults, or even worshippers helps to shore up a
vampire’s influence that he worked for before entering torpor. The Devoted can be organized in a number of
different ways. A preferred ghoul and his family watch over the vampire, knowing that this dark family duty
will one day be rewarded. An occult society places magical significance on the torpid vampire, shaping and
evolving the secret society around their vigil. An old world crime family, bound by tradition and respect for
elders, watches over the family secret and keeps a web of influence ready for the dark ancestor’s return.
This Merit allows a vampire to retain a number of Social Merits in the event that he enters torpor for nearly
any length of time. Social Merits affected by this Merit include Allies, Contacts, Resources and Retainer.
However the player describes the vampire’s Devoted, this mixed group of mortals is charged with supporting
the Kindred’s wealth, keeping records on the surrounding populace, and maintaining a presence in institutions
in lieu of the slumbering Kindred. For each dot the character possesses in the Devoted Merit, the player may
assign two automatic successes to a single at-risk Merit.
Example: Referring to the previous example of Maxwell’s Merits, he also has the Devoted Merit at two
dots. Of the three Merits at risk (Allies 4, Contacts 2, and Resources 3), he may choose two of them, assigning
two automatic successes to those two merits’ dice pools before rolling. He chooses Contacts and Resources,
ensuring the retention of the entire Contacts Merit and only needing a single success on the roll for Resources
in order to retain all of the dots in that Merit. The player must roll for the Allies Merit as usual.
Domain (• to •••••)
Book: Damnation City, p. 200
Prerequisite: Fealty Flaw
Effect: Your character is lord over a domain granted to him by an overlord.
Like the Haven Merit, the Domain Merit actually encompasses several other related Merits. Most of these
“under- Merits” closely resemble their counterparts from the Haven Merit (see Vampire: The Requiem, p.
100-102).
In many cases, your character’s ratings in this Merit won’t be variable, but rather given to you by the
Storyteller to reflect a domain already in existence in the game world. You may be able to gradually increase
certain values of these Merits with experience points, but changing the character of a neighborhood doesn’t
simply happen and certainly does not happen because your character solved a mystery last week. The
Storyteller must oversee alterations to this Merit. See “Designing Domains,” p. 203, for guidelines on creating
and altering domains.
The following Domain Merits are each purchased or defined separately.
Domain Location (• to •••••)
Effect: This Merit generally measures how easy it is for a vampire to hunt within the Domain. Each dot of
Domain Location grants a +1 bonus to hunting rolls for any character in the domain, whether resident or
trespasser. This Merit also defines the maximum number of dots in Haven Location a resident Kindred can
have here. Your character, as the lord of the Domain, may impose a lower maximum on a tenant, vassal, or
simple resident by demanding she nest in some secluded part of the territory.
This Merit is not identical to the Feeding Ground Merit. Feeding Ground represents a body of mortals
suitable for hunting regardless (or even in spite of) the general atmosphere and landscape of the area. Dots in
Domain Location cannot be “cashed in” for dots in Herd.
This Merit is its own drawback. Better feeding grounds attract trespassers who often bring trouble with
them. The lord of a domain with a good Location has to protect it.
Domain Quality: Interactive (• to •••••)
Effect: The Domain Quality Merit describes the Domain’s influence over actions in the area and the nature
of its populace. In practical terms, it defines the maximum modifiers, positive or negative, the Domain can
have in its Interactive Attributes (see p. 251). An Interactive Attribute can have a positive or negative
modifier up to the number of dots in this Merit.
Thus, with two dots in this Merit, the Domain can have a +1, –1, +2 or –2 ratings in Access, Information,
and Prestige. An Attribute does not have to be rated to the maximum possible modifier, but no Attribute’s
modifier can exceed the dots in this Merit. So, with Domain Quality: Interactive •• the Domain could have
Access –2, Information +1 and Prestige +2.
Domain Quality: Reactive (• to •••••)
Effect: The Domain Quality Merit describes the Domain’s influence over actions in the area and the nature
of its populace. In practical terms, it defines the maximum modifiers, positive or negative, the Domain can
have in its Reactive Attributes (see p. 251). A Reactive Attribute can have a positive or negative modifier up
to the number of dots in this Merit.
Thus, with two dots in this Merit, the Domain can have a +1, –1, +2 or –2 ratings in Safety, Awareness and
Stability. An Attribute does not have to be rated to the maximum possible modifier, but no Attribute’s
modifier can exceed the dots in this Merit. So, with Domain Quality: Reactive ••• the Domain could have
Safety +2, Information –3 and Prestige –1.
Domain Size (• to •••••)
Effect: Domain Size measures the amount of physical ground your Domain covers. More is not always
better. A larger Domain means more land to patrol and defend, more space for Kindred trespassers to slip in
or even lair unnoticed, and more room for troubles to emerge. More land, however, generally also means
greater Status and prestige among other Kindred in the feudal hierarchy.
Domain Size isn’t a precise measure of blocks or miles. It’s a relative measure of the domain compared to
the city and its Districts. In general, each dot of Domain Size should correspond roughly to the lord’s station
in the feudal hierarchy — the lowliest domains are Domain Size • while all but the most modest or token-
appointed Regents are Domain Size •••••. (The Prince doesn’t count his dominion by Domain Size as his
Domain trumps everyone else’s — it’s the whole damn city.) In some cities a single dot of Domain Size
might represent three or four blocks of turf while in others it could be nine or ten streets wide. It depends on
the size of the city and the Prince’s standards for the number of domains her city should have.
The guiding rule of Domain Size is its relationship to the Tenant and Vassal Merits. Your character can
purchase a Tenant or Vassal Merit once for each dot of Domain Size. Resident Kindred who keep havens in
the domain, but have no formal claim to land under the lord, count for about half a dot of Domain Size as an
abstract measurement, but the Storyteller should adjust that measurement relative to the size of the domain. A
nest with five dots in Haven Size may be worth a whole dot of Domain Size in a small city or crowded
District where a mansion sized lair would be almost impossible to maintain under the Masquerade. The
Masquerade is always a looming factor in determining what kinds of havens are suitable for the Domain Size.
(But don’t discount the ability of a domain to contain hidden networks of rooms in defunct office buildings or
even abandoned subway stations serving as palatial havens.)
This Merit, therefore, doesn’t necessarily limit the number of dots that local havens can have in Haven Size.
The Storyteller has the right to set a limit in order to reflect the nature of the domain’s neighborhood, but it’s
not essential. Regardless of limits imposed by the domain, the lord of the land always has the right to limit the
size of local havens. It’s his right to decide how much of his land another Kindred receives. Some lords cite
the Masquerade when forcing their tenants into smaller havens, but the fact is that lordly fiat is all the
justification they need.
Domain Security (• to •••••)
Domain Security reflects the general safety of the area, either as the result of police oversight or the
proximity of Hounds or a surplus of gated condos and iron grilled storefronts. Domain Security interacts with
the local District’s Attributes (and thus the Domain Quality Merits) but doesn’t override them. Neither does it
dictate a limit on Haven Security dots in the domain.
Domain Security modifies the likelihood of thieves and muggers in the domain. Each dot of Domain
Security imposes a –1 die penalty on rolls to locate or hire characters specializing in Skills like Larceny,
Stealth, Streetwise, and Subterfuge. This penalty does not apply to the actual physical acts of breaking and
entering, though; that’s covered by the Security dots of individual buildings like havens. Rather, Domain
Security reduces the need for dots in Haven Security.
The Storyteller could assume that an average neighborhood in the city is prowled by muggers and thieves
with an average dice pool of 7 plus or minus Stability modifiers. The Storyteller rolls that particular dice pool
to determine if a random act of crime or violence emerges from the background to spice up the chapter. A
success indicates a couple of muggers or a car thief. An exceptional success could indicate an armed robbery,
drive-by shooting, or open shootout in the street. Dots in Domain Security, modified by Safety, are rolled to
contest the random crime roll.
The domain’s rating in Haven Security (modified by District Attributes) can be rolled, with each success
reducing the response time by one minute from a base starting time of ten minutes, to determine the response
time of local police.
Strictly speaking, a lord may impose a ruling on the security measures of local havens — declaring blaring
alarms off limits or demanding Kindred have barred windows — but it is not his feudal right to do so. The
space within a Kindred’s haven is his own. That is where every vampire is a lord.
Dream Visions (•••)
Book: Mekhet - Shadown In The Dark, p. 119
Effect: More than any other clan, the Mekhet dream. And sometimes, between bizarre, gory, awful dreams
of death and transformation and blood, they dream of places they haven’t been to and people they haven’t yet
met. Sometimes, during some later night, they find themselves going to those places or meeting those people
(Nitokris, Vincent Moon and Elisabeta all dreamed of Frances before they met her, for example).
With this Merit, your character can make use of his dream-visions. The first time (and only the first time)
he meets another person or visits a place, the player can make a roll of Blood Potency. If it’s a success, the
player can ask one (and only one) question about the person or place, which must be phrased so that it can be
answered truthfully with “Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe.” The roll can only be made once regarding any individual,
and the roll can only be attempted once a scene (meaning that, for example, if the character meets two
vampires for the first time, the player must choose which of them to ask the question about, because he won’t
ever get the chance to ask about the other).
Note: Though this Merit is not restricted to Mekhet characters, it is found among the Shadows more often
than any other clan.
MERITS
Heaven* (2) ••••
Heaven •••
Retainer ••
In this example, the character shares a Haven Merit dedicated to the coterie’s communal shelter. He
contributes two dots to the relationship, and the group has a total of four dots that are made available to each
member. The character also has his own private Haven Merit rated •••, which he maintains by himself. And,
the character has Retainer rated •• that is also his own Merit.
Haven (Occultation) (• to •••••)
Book: Mekhet - Shadown In The Dark, p. 119
Prerequisite: Haven Size ••• or less
Effect: Some Vampires become so linked to the places they inhabit that they somehow imbue these places
with something of their own being. The Shadows are particularly good at this: consider the boarded-up house
that everyone walks past, but no-one ever looks at, or the basement room that everyone forgets, or the attic
that Frances used to inhabit, with the trapdoor that no one ever looked at.
This is an extension of the Haven Merit (Vampire: The Requiem, p. 100) which works alongside Haven
Size, Location and Security. The larger a haven, the more difficult it is to hide: a character with Haven Size of
more than three dots cannot take advantage of this Merit.
A haven belonging to a vampire with this Merit simply becomes very difficult to find: characters who have
never been to the haven who try to find a way to access it suffer a dice pool penalty equal to the character’s
dots in the Merit; characters who don’t know it is there at all don’t normally notice it, but if it comes to rolling
Wits + Composure to notice it, they suffer the same penalty.
Herd (• to •••••)
Book: Vampire: The Requiem Core, p. 102
Some vampires tire of the hunt and seek to develop a small group of mortals upon whom they can feed
without fear. Such a herd may take many forms, from a brothel of prostitutes to a blood cult worshipping a
vampiric god. These mortals provide nourishment without the difficulties of the hunt. Typically, herds are not
very controllable or closely connected to the vampires who use them, nor do they possess great skill in any
one area. (For effective agents, the Allies or Retainers Merit is more suitable.) Each dot of Herd adds one die
to feeding rolls (p. 164).
Initiation (• to •••••)
Book: Ancient Bloodlines, p. 27
Prerequisite: Mortals can only take one dot in this Merit. Ghouls can take up to two dots. Only Kindred
can take the Merit at three or more dots.
Effect: Your character has received initiation into one of the Shadow Cults. On the first occasion the
character meets another member of the cult, he gains a bonus to Social rolls for the duration of the scene,
equal to his dots in this Merit.
Other benefits come from Initiation into a Shadow Cult, depending on the cult and the number of dots the
character has gained in his Initiation.
Drawback: Initiation into a Shadow Cult carries with it duties, and failure to perform those duties can
cause dots in this Merit to fall, although benefits gained from initiations (such as access to the cult’s
proprietary Disciplines, once learned) don’t go away once granted. A character with more than one dot of
Initiation into any Shadow Cult can become initiated into others, but can never gain more than one dot in
Initiation in any other cult.
Occultation (• to •••)
Book: Mekhet - Shadown In The Dark, p. 120
Prerequisite: no Fame Merit dots
Effect: Some vampires — especially the Shadows — become so adept at disappearing into the dark that
something of the dark attaches itself to them, and they become surpassingly difficult to notice. After a while,
an occulted vampire becomes so forgettable that it becomes hard even to remember even if the vampire was
male or female, let alone details like dress, or hair or eye color. Old vampires with Occultation (such as Doe)
even begin to forget who they themselves were.
A vampire using Auspex •• to read the aura of a character with this Merit aura suffers a dice pool penalty
equal to the character’s dots in Occultation. Likewise, uses of Auspex ••• on items last touched by the
character suffer the same penalty.
Further, the character gains a bonus on uses of Obfuscate equal to her dots in the Occultation Merit.
Drawback: If the character ever somehow gets dots in the Fame Merit, she loses her dots in Occultation.
More importantly, a character with Occultation who has dots in the Majesty Discipline always suffers a dice
pool penalty equal to her dots in the Occultation Merit: Majesty is about being noticed; a supernatural
tendency towards Occultation flies in the face of that.
Sepulchers (• to •••••)
Book: Nosferatu - The Beast That Haunts The Blood, p. 117
The bigger the commune of Nosferatu gathering in the Necropolis, the bigger the need for Sepulchers. The
Sepulchers are the havens of the Haunts who call the Necropolis home. Not every Haunt needs to slumber in
these places, but many do.
The Sepulchers are generally gathered together in a cluster in one part of the Necropolis. Perhaps a half-
collapsed mine tunnel, rock walls riddled with boltholes, leads to the sleeping chambers. Perhaps a busted-up
bomb shelter’s many Spartan rooms have been claimed by the many Haunts. Some, though, aren’t clustered
together at all, and are scattered throughout the whole of the Necropolis. Consider the general layout of the
Necropolis and determine where the Sepulchers could fit.
Individually, the Sepulchers are of roughly equivalent Size, usually big enough to sleep in and to have a
few personal things, perhaps even one or two pieces of furniture (an old rickety set of drawer in which one
keeps her many porcelain dolls, or a burnished mirror whose glass has been replaced with a crazed painting of
the character). In some cases a Necropolis may have an “emperor” or “Senex” of sorts, and he won’t sleep in
the havens represented by the Sepulchers, instead keeping some grand chamber of horror and divinity away
from the chattel. In most cases, though, the Necropoli are truly communal, with the space offered by the
Sepulchers divided equally among the Haunts.
Story Use: A Nosferatu’s Sepulcher is his haven: or at least one haven. While not huge, it does give the
Haunt a chance to customize his space a bit: does he sleep on the bare floor, surrounded by tapestries stolen
from a wicked sire? Does he sleep on a cot, beneath which waits a suitcase full of guns and knives? Has he
managed to bore a hole all the way down from the above world and secure a shitty modem connection for his
crusty old laptop? The Sepulcher might be religious, with the Nosferatu using it to offer worship to some old
god or accept worship as if he himself is of twisted divinity. The Sepulcher might be where he keeps his
Resources, recognizing that banks are too public for a guy who smells of the slaughterhouse: his money,
therefore, waits in a rusted gun-safe.
System: The Sepulchers are purchased a bit differently from other elements of the Necropolis. In this case,
a character must purchase his own Sepulcher, and the dots that go toward it are his and his alone to access,
representing his own “private” space within the community. It’s a bit like Haven, but here Size doesn’t matter
(assume all Sepulchers are about the size of small apartments, one to two rooms). Location doesn’t figure in,
either, because they’re all a part of the Necropolis. And Security isn’t something the character really controls:
Security is largely communal, so assume that for every five Sepulchers in the Necropolis, intruders suffer a -1
penalty to discover and intrude upon the tombs (to a maximum of -5). So what do dots in Sepulcher go
toward? Pick a Skill upon the purchase of a Sepulcher. This Skill gains a bonus equal to dots purchased when
the character is present in the haven itself. The Storyteller must approve the Skill chosen, but nearly any
choice can work with a proper explanation. Perhaps the Nosferatu gains Empathy dice because he has set up
the room to scrutinize those who gain entry (the way a shaft of light is angled to illumine a face, or the way
the walls echo every peep, squeak, moan). Maybe the Nosferatu gains dice toward Science because his
Sepulcher is more a lab than bedroom: beakers and burners, specimens bound to a workbench with medical
tubing, a periodic table written in blood on the wall. Could a Nosferatu gain Brawl dice? Sure. Maybe he
knows every crooked floorboard, every cubbyhole of loose mortar (dust that can be thrown into an
adversary’s face), each iron pipe hanging low in the darkness… all of which allows him to move with an
unerring grace while within the confines of his tomb.
Site (• to •••••)
Book: Damnation City, p. 202
Effect: Your character has a degree of access to a useful building in the city or a degree of influence over a
mortal who can provide access to such a place. A Site grants bonus dice equal to the Merit’s rating to the dice
pools of one Skill when used on the premises. You must define the Site and the relevant Skill when this Merit
is purchased. Purchase this Merit multiple times to represent multiple Sites or Sites that grant bonuses to
multiple Skills.
The bonus granted by this Merit represents a selection of equipment kept at the site (something more
substantial than just a few tools — a complete garage, not a toolbox) or a supporting character found at the
Site who can provide service and expertise. Thus a Site worth Medicine •••• might represent access to a
private medical practice’s surgical suite or access to an underground surgeon.
A Site might not comply with this Merit as neatly as, say, a haven. Specific Sites can be designed by the
Storyteller or the player with additional bonuses or penalties, provided the final Site and its rating in dots are
approved by the Storyteller.
Dozens of sample Sites can be found in Chapter Five.
Social Chameleon (• to •••)
Book: Daeva - Kiss Of The Succubus, p. 115
Prerequisites: May not possess the Fame Merit ••+.
Effect: Your character is one of those people who just belongs. He can walk into a party not caring that he
doesn’t know the guests and doesn’t know the host. All he truly needs is awareness of exactly the kind of
people he’s surrounded by: how they dress, how they act, and most especially what they want. This Merit is
based on long periods of interaction with and observation of the herd. In fact, understanding how to belong is
based on knowing the differences that make mortals many herds instead of just one. He knows how to stand
out, and he knows how to blend in.
Your character gains a bonus, equal to his rating in this Merit, for Socialize rolls in dealing with the
members of a group who adhere to a specific sort of identity: hanging out at the cop bar,among the society
mavens at the most exclusive club in town, or just chilling with the local underworld scum at an illegal
gambling den. Additionally, you receive this same modifier for any Persuasion or Subterfuge rolls made to
convince the members of that group that you’re one of them.
At the Storyteller’s option, not having any dots in a Skill appropriate to the group (Computer when trying to
blend in with programmers, or Streetwise among criminals) inflicts a –3 dice penalty to Socialize rolls
associated with this Merit.
This Merit can also be used as social camouflage, blending into groups of others to remain unseen by those
searching for the character. In such an instance, the character with this Merit may make a Manipulation +
Socialize roll, opposed by the Wits + Composure or other appropriate roll used to look for him.
Tomb (• to ••••)
Book: Ancient Mysteries, p. 67
Prerequisite: Haven •
Effect: Tomb is to Haven as a vault is to a padlock. While both provide some measure of security, a Tomb
is nearly impregnable. Tombs in ancient Egypt and Babylon were built beneath havens as a matter of survival.
Throughout history, the Damned have needed a place where they could sleep without fear of discovery.
Gravediggers, miners and archeologists bent on raiding sacred resting places could not be allowed access to a
Kindred’s greatest secrets, so added security was necessary.
• 1 room, earthen, with a crawlspace leading to primary haven
•• 2 rooms, some furnishings and a tunnel leading to primary haven
••• 3 rooms, furnished, security measures in place with multiple tunnels leading to the primary haven
•••• 4+ rooms, comfortably furnished, extensive security measures with multiple tunnel system leading to
various locations, including primary haven
In order for an intruder to access a Tomb, he must first gain entrance to the vampire’s Haven (and cope
with any Haven Security measures that the vampire has in place). From there, any rolls to find or gain ingress
to the Tomb suffer a negative modifier equal to the vampire’s rating in Haven Security + the vampire’s rating
in the Tomb Merit. For example, a vampire with Haven (Size 1, Security 2) and Tomb 2 has taken over the
basement of an apartment building. The basement is small, but serviceable, and the undead inhabitant has
taken measures to hide his presence and keep intruders out. He has also dug a tunnel into the nearby sewer
system and found a disused room with thick concrete walls — his Tomb. Anyone who breaches his Haven
suffers a -4 modifier to find and gain entrance to the Tomb.
In addition, a vampire can seal the Tomb from the inside. This doubles the Tomb rating for purposes of
figuring this modifier. In the example above, if the vampire decides to go into torpor in this Tomb, anyone
trying to get in suffers a -6 to all attempts (Haven Security 2 + [Tomb 2 x 2]). Drawback: No matter how
secure the Tomb, once it’s breached, it’s breached. Tombs might have multiple escape routes, but once a
Tomb has been discovered, it’s compromised. The player can add half the Tomb rating to the Haven’s Size
(rounding up), but the security modifiers are forfeit.
Vassal (• to •••••)
Book: Damnation City, p. 203
Prerequisite: Domain Size • per Merit, Fealty Flaw
Effect: This Merit functions essentially the same as the Tenant Merit but with a separate drawback. Your
character cannot have more Vassals and Tenants in any combination than he has dots in the Domain Size
Merit.
Drawback: A vassal’s authority over his territory can come into conflict with the lord’s authority over his.
When the Storyteller deems your character’s vassal is exerting his authority over the territory more loudly
than your character or plotting to gain more power from (or over) him, your dots in this Merit serve as a
penalty to your character’s Social dice pools to influence other Kindred within the domain.
(If this Merit is being used in a Primacy chronicle, it can also interfere with one’s use of Assets who reside
within your character’s domain.)
Zeal (••)
Book: Ancient Mysteries, p. 68
Prerequisite: Resolve •••
Effect: Your character believes. He’s experienced something in his unlife that allows him great faith in
something — a god, a cause, or a goal. His zeal is obvious to anyone he encounters, and this can work for or
against him. This Merit provides two effects, one public and one personal.
The public effect is that your character can influence those around him. The player gains a +1 to Social rolls
where the character’s zeal would be helpful. If the character is a fervent Christian, for instance, the player
could apply this bonus to whip up church support for the character’s cause.
The personal effect is that your character can substitute his Resolve rating for a lesser Attribute score once
per chapter. For instance, in a fight, the character might substitute his Resolve rating for his Strength in order
to strike down an unbeliever. In a debate, he might substitute his Resolve for his Manipulation to doggedly
cling to his points, even in the face of opposing logic.
Drawback: Zeal is often mistaken for (or equated with) fanaticism, which instantly turns off some people.
Depending upon the group that your character is attempting to influence, this Merit could lead to either
admiration or contempt. The player applies a -1 penalty when dealing with people who do not share the
character’s convictions. In addition, if the player fails a Social roll (other than an Intimidation roll) using this
Merit, all further attempts to deal with the same targets suffer a -3 modifier, as the vampire appears over
zealous.
Merits List
The following list was meant to be used with the Requiem for Rome Book. However, most of the physical
merits were put in the general World of Darkness section.
Patron (• to •••••)
Book: Requiem For Rome, p. 111
Prerequisites: Status: Camarilla or Status: Wing •••
Your character is engaged in the practice of Kindred clientela, and one or more less powerful vampires are
beholden to him. Because of the favors he has done for them in the past (generous material gifts, official
endorsement allowing entry to a Wing of the Camarilla or other direct, beneficial expressions of political
support), the lesser Kindred are considered the character’s dependent, and are forced to do your charact’s
bidding in an attempt to work off the debt. So long as your character provides the dependent with much-
needed gifts, that dependent will never be able to escape the obligation.
Each acquisition of this Merit grants your character one dependent, who can be called upon to perform
duties or provide information at any time. This dependent must be younger and less powerful than your
character — she should almost always be a single-Status neonate. You or the Storyteller should detail your
dependent with an identity, background and character sheet of her own. The Storyteller usually plays your
dependent.
Dots spent in this Merit indicate the severity of the debt owed by the dependent to your character. One dot
suggests a series of small favors that must be repaid in kind. Two dots indicates a foundation of assistance and
gifts that have accumulated into a serious debt. Three dots represents a history of favors that would justify
timeconsuming or difficult requests. Four dots represents favors that change the course of a vampire’s
Requiem for the better, necessitating great effort to repay, and five dots represents gifts or favors that
arguably saved the dependent from Final Death, allowing your character to demand massive repayment.
Since the dependent is working to pay off a debt of favor, the Storyteller determines how much your
character can expect of her dependent. If there’s any doubt, the Storyteller could call for a Manipulation +
Persuasion roll, with a bonus equal to your character’s rating in the Patron Merit. Penalties might be applied
based on the importance or danger of the request. Asking a vampire to do something already within the
bounds of her role imposes no modifier, while asking her to do something that could cause her to lose Status
imposes a –3 penalty, and asking for something that could result in exile or Final Death is –5. Frequent favors
asked of the same dependent also imposes a penalty as the dependent grows tired of being called upon.
Drawback: Dependents are not automatons, waiting for your character to call for help. Dependents have
their own Requiems and desires. A patronage is a two-way relationship. Calling for aid without dispensing
more favors allows a dependent to pay off her debt, and she may abandon your character if the Storyteller
feels that the dependent’s duty is done. To prevent this eventuality, your character will have to continue to do
the occasional favor for the dependent as well.
Be Zoar (••)
Book: The War Against The Pure, p. 183
Effect: Some animals cough up a calcified ball of hair or fiber, and ancient civilizations all the way through
the Middle Ages considered such biological detritus to be an excellent talisman against evil, poison and
sickness. The bezoar kept by the character may be from the character (i.e., he threw it up at one point, likely
after consuming a hearty kill) or another shapechanger. Three types of bezoars exist, and the character may
choose one effect to accompany his talisman:
• The character gains +1 on any resistance rolls when opposing supernatural powers that would affect his
mind (such as the Forsaken Gift, Loose Tongue).
• The character heals wounds lost to aggravated damage a little faster. Instead of taking a week (seven days)
to heal one point of aggravated, it only takes five days to heal one point.
• The character gains +3 dice when making a Stamina + Resolve roll to resist poisons and toxins. Some
poisons or toxins don’t allow a character to roll to resist, but if the character possesses this type of bezoar, he
is afforded a chance to resist reflexively (though in such cases, he does not gain the +3 bonus; the chance to
resist is reward enough).
Beginner’s Luck (••)
Book: Signs Of The Moon, p. 29
Effect: Some people just happen to be pretty decent at most anything they attempt. An Irraka with this
Merit only suffers from a one-die penalty (rather than the normal three) when her player attempts a roll for a
Mental Skill in which the character has no dots. Those blessed with this sort of universal adroitness often get
flustered when they genuinely screw up; if a character with this Merit dramatically fails a Mental Skill roll, he
loses a point of Willpower.
Normally, this Merit is only available at character creation, though a Storyteller may waive this requirement
for a character just undergoing her First Change (particularly if she is chosen of the New Moon).
Demolisher (• to ••)
Book: Blood Of The Wolf, p.62
Prerequisites: Strength ••• or Intelligence •••
Effect: The character has an innate feel for the weak points in objects. When attempting to damage an
object, he ignores one point of the object’s durability gained via reinforcement per dot in this Merit.
Eyrie (•••)
Book: Territories, p. 47
Effect: You know the best lookout points and lines of sight within your pack’s territory. You receive +2
dice to all Perception pools while within your own territory, and if you attack a foe at range, you receive +1
die to your pool to do so.
This Merit can only be learned by a werewolf with a defined territory.
Fetish (• to •••••)
Book: Werewolf: The Forsaken Core, p. 79
Effect: Your character possesses a fetish, a tool or weapon empowered by a spirit bound within. Perhaps
she inherited it from a relative, received it from another werewolf, crafted it herself as part of her initiation or
took it from a fallen ally during the prelude. Whatever the reason, your character begins play with a fetish that
is already attuned to her.
The fetish has a level equal to the dots in this Merit. One dot of Fetish is equal to three talens (small, minor
fetishes; see p. 205), which may be multiple copies of the same talen. You may purchase multiple fetishes
during character creation as long as the total dots in this Merit do not exceed five. You could put four dots
into Fetish by assigning your character a Spirit Drum (one dot) and a Mask of Life (three dots), but your
character could not begin play with a four-dot klaive and a Fireflash (two dots). Further fetishes can be
acquired through roleplay as the chronicle progresses, but cannot be purchased by experience points.
Sample fetishes are provided in Chapter Three (pp. 204-209).
Legend (• to •••••)
Book: The War Against The Pure, p. 69
Legends abound among the Forsaken, especially about what the world was like before the spirits went mad.
They say that, then, the People could bind spirits into their tools. These fetishes were objects of utility and
power, and helped keep the world a safe and right place. Likewise, the People could hunt down spirits and
force boons out of them, increasing the werewolves’ powers and enabling them to better protect the world.
For any given purchase of the Merit: Legend, the character remembers one particular tale with crystal
clarity. It resonates with him somehow, and he longs for the age when it was true. The player chooses one
fetish or Gift of equal value (three-dot legend for a three-dot fetish or Gift) that inspired his character, though
it’s still just a legend. Once per story, when the character’s remembered fetish or Gift would have come in
handy (but, of course, is now gone), the character feels a flash of inspiration. Learning innovation to
overcome her difficulties, she finds a way to do whatever she would have used the fetish to do.
Mechanically, the character gains one bonus die per dot of the lost fetish or Gift (and correspondingly, the
legend) in an attempt to do something similar to the lost power. A werewolf lamenting the loss of a flash fire
might decide to kick sand into her enemy’s face instead for a similar result; that attempt gains a one-die bonus
because it was a one-dot fetish. One who listened, bright-eyed, to stories of creating water from nothing might
gain a one-die bonus to the Survival roll for finding water in an unexpected place.
That said, fetishes do still exist. They are just rare and hard to control. Not every player will want to give up
the fetish for mundane inspiration. For any permanent fetish, there remains the possibility that the bound spirit
was unable to escape. Make sure that any player who wants to keep a fetish is aware that using one properly
will be very, very difficult, and that using one without an exceptional success on the activation roll will be
dangerous.
That said, having and using a misbehaving fetish can be an interesting source of plot advancement. Besides
attracting spiritual freedom fighters, misbehaving fetishes rarely work the way they are supposed to. A fetish
compass designed to locate the nearest locus might instead point toward the nearest encampment of Beshilu
or duguthim, sending the pack into fight after fight instead of toward the Gauntlet, as the pack desires. A
fetish fork that makes lies undetectable could force the werewolf to speak truth, creating awkward situations
and furthering the story.
Local (••)
Book: Territories, p. 47
Effect: You are so comfortable within your pack’s territory that you blend right in with local humans. They
accept you as one of their own. You receive +1 die on all Social rolls when dealing with humans in your
territory. Humans in your territory unconsciously suspect that there’s something strange about you, but know
that you are one of them — humans in your territory receive +1 to their effective Willpower to resist Lunacy
that you cause. If you are seen alone in Urshul form in your territory, for instance, the Willpower 5 observer
reacts as though he had Willpower 6. If you and your three packmates (who lack this Merit) all shapeshift
within sight, the same guy would respond to you all with his base Willpower 5.
This Merit can only be learned by a werewolf with a defined territory.
Moon-Centered (••)
Book: The Rage - Forsaken Player's Guide, p. 103
Effect: No matter your character’s auspice, the sight of the full moon fills him with a powerful rage that
yearns to be unleashed. Mother Luna’s face fully revealed spurs him to release the rage within in the only way
he knows. On nights of the full moon, your character adds one to his Stamina + Primal Urge when
determining the number of turns spent in Gauru form only. This counts as the natural duration for the
purposes of Gifts and other effects that alter the duration.
Drawback: Your character is on edge in the light of the full moon until he can release the rage within. All
Composure rolls suffer a –1 penalty during the full moon until he can take Gauru form. Changing forms just
once is enough to offset this penalty for the duration of the phase (usually three nights).
Scout (••)
Book: Territories, p. 48
Effect: You are exceptionally talented at scoping out an enemy’s territory, so long as you are not interfered
with and don’t attack. You receive +1 die to Perception and Stealth dice pools in a rival werewolf’s territory.
Shield-Bearer (•)
Book: The War Against The Pure, p. 89
Effect: Your character has trained in the art of fighting with weapon and shield, striking accurately without
giving up the protection of the shield. When using a shield, he suffers only a –1 die penalty to attacks instead
of the usual –2.
This Merit is not cumulative with the effects of Ambidextrous.
Synergistics (••)
Book: Tribes Of The Moon, p. 150
Prerequisite: Rituals •••
Effect: Sometimes a ritual is impractical — crowded urban centers can make it difficult to hunt openly, for
instance. Synergistics allows the ritualist to alter the materials and components needed for a ritual without
changing the underlying rite. A burned-out circuit board takes the place of a skull, a symbolic hunt takes the
place of a real one. Some Iron Masters use this ritual to wrap their spirit magics in the trappings of a human
religion, wielding the powers of the spirits through the prayers of a Christian or the divinations of a Shinto
priest. The character reduces the penalties for altering the form of a rite by 3 (see Lore of the Forsaken, p.
108)
Drawback: Once she’s changed a rite, a werewolf suffers all normal penalties for attempting to use the
normal form of the rite.
Synergy (••)
Book: The Rage - Forsaken Player's Guide, p. 156
Effect: Your character has spent a lot of time working with his packmates, to the point where they are more
effective working together than with other people. They know how to apply each other’s strengths in general,
rather than in specific trained situations. If your character is involved in a standard teamwork roll (not
including pack tactics) with other members of his pack, and everyone involved has this Merit, you get a +1
die bonus to your roll.
Drawback: If your character is involved in a standard teamwork roll (not including pack tactics) without
any other members of his pack, you suffer a –1 penalty.
Watched (• to •••••)
Book: Blood Of The Wolf, p. 126
Prerequisites: Wolf-Blooded (any rating)
Effects: The character is important to a werewolf or a pack of werewolves. This is usually because the
character is a direct relation, but sometimes Uratha ask their packmates to watch over their children or
siblings, should the werewolf die prematurely. In any case, the character has a sort of feral guardian angel.
The degree to which the uragarum is protected depends on the number of points spent on this Merit. One
dot means that the werewolf or pack isn’t local or is busy with other concerns, and only checks in on the
character once a month or so. Unless the character knows about her protectors (at the player’s and
Storyteller’s discretion), she has no protection from immediate threats unless the werewolf happens to be in
the area when something unfortunate occurs. Alternately, one dot could indicate that the character’s protector
is young, weak, stupid, elderly or is in some other way sub-par, or that he simply doesn’t care about the wolf-
blood all that much.
Two dots indicates that the protector takes his responsibility seriously, and looks in on the wolf-blood at
least twice a month. Again, this is better protection against an ongoing threat than an enemy who simply
appears one night, fangs glistening, but it’s certainly better than nothing.
A three-dot Watcher visits the wolf-blood once a week or so. This level indicates either a pack of young or
mostly disinterested werewolves or a single but experienced or dedicated Uratha. The werewolf might even
give the uragarum a method of contacting him should anything urgent arise (but Uratha take an extremely dim
view of “crying wolf” and wasting the protector’s time often results in a lowering of this Merit’s rating or in
the Merit disappearing altogether).
For four dots, the wolf-blood enjoys the dedicated protection of a pack or a seasoned and loyal warrior.
This level of devotion usually indicates a parent-child relationship. The wolf-blood probably has a way to
contact the werewolf, and if the Uratha is sufficiently talented, it might even take the form of a Running
Rabbit talen. Woe unto anyone who crosses the wolf-blood with this level of Watched.
Finally, for five dots the uragarum enjoys the protection of the Lodge of the Shepherd (p. 106). The
members of the lodge look in on the character at least once a week, normally more frequently, and she
probably has some sort of spiritual protection in her home (whether she knows about it or not).
Drawbacks: The major advantage of this Merit is also its biggest drawback — the character is periodically
in close proximity to werewolves. The Uratha might mean well, but one bad day can lead to an unfortunate
incidence of Death Rage, and the wolf-blooded always come out the losers in such instances. Also, enemies
of the Watcher might follow him right to the wolf-blood’s door (although a werewolf willing to put in the
effort to watch over a human is usually conscientious enough to avoid such mishaps).
If the wolf-blood ever becomes a werewolf, this Merit disappears. Traditionally, the Merit dots spent are
lost, although the Storyteller may choose to allow the player to retain and reassign one or more of the Merit
dots spent to a new Merit such as Allies or Contacts (representing the same werewolves).
MerItS LISt
Additional Familiars (••)
Book: Tome Of The Watchtowers, p. 154
Prerequisite: Thyrsus Path
Just as Odin had Hugin and Munin and Sleipnir, some Thyrsus mages are able to have multiple familiars.
The mage may continue to buy additional familiars after character creation. The mage’s player must buy them
all separately with experience points, but there’s no limit to the number of familiars a mage with this Merit
may acquire. Though many familiars would slow the mage’s growth in other areas, a mage could theoretically
surround herself with a veritable brood of familiars in this way.
Cartomancer (• to •••)
Book: Keys To The Supernal Tarot, p. 13
Prerequisites: Awakened, Occult Specialty — Tarot, Wits •••
Effects: A cartomancer is never without a Tarot deck. In the myriad possibilities of the Tarot lies true
magical power and a way to make Awakened magic fit a bit more seamlessly into the Fallen World. A mage
can become a cartomancer without training by another mage, but must still fulfill the perquisites.
The Cartomancer Merit is progressive. Each dot is a prerequisite for the next dot. So your character cannot
have the “Interpretive Draw” ability unless she first has the “Divinatory Eye” ability.
• Divinatory Eye: This level of the Merit represents basic familiarity with the Tarot with respect to
Awakened magic. This has two effects. First, the character gains a +2 to all attempts at divination, including
spells that attempt to see the future or uses of the Dream Merit, if she uses a Tarot deck in the attempt.
Second, the character can dedicate a Tarot deck as a magical tool. She can also dedicate individual cards as
Arcana tools, but she needs a way to find a particular card quickly in a crisis situation if this is to help.
•• Interpretative Draw: Before casting a spell, the character draws one card from her Tarot deck.
Depending on what the card is, it can help her cast the spell or warn her against it. The system for this can
either be a dice roll or a literal random draw from a Tarot deck.
If you choose to use a random draw from a deck, the Storyteller and the player must interpret the card in
relation to the spell being cast and the situation at hand. If the card indicates that the casting is favorable,
apply the bonus as described below under “Success.” If the card is something extremely favorable, the
Storyteller may deem it an exceptional success. But by the same token, if the draw indicates something truly
disastrous, the character suffers a failure or a dramatic failure.
The dice pool, should you choose to use that system, is Wits + Occult. Drawing and interpreting the card is
an instant action, meaning that the character casts the spell on the following turn.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The spell is the wrong choice for the situation. If the mage chooses to cast it, the player
rolls a chance dice. A dramatic failure on this roll is treated as a Havoc Paradox, whether or not the spell was
vulgar in aspect.
Failure: The spell isn’t the best choice, but it might work. Apply a -2 to the character’s casting attempt if
she chooses to go through with it.
Success: The spell is a good choice given the situation. Apply a +2 to the character’s attempt. If the
character has the High Speech Merit and chooses to spend the next turn chanting, this bonus stacks with the
High Speech bonus for a total of +4.
Exceptional Success: The spell is exactly appropriate for the circumstance. The player receives a 9-again
bonus on the casting roll.
••• Instinctive Draw: The character can now use the Interpretative Draw ability as a reflexive action,
meaning that she can draw, interpret, and cast in the same turn. Alternately, the character can draw, interpret,
and then chant in High Speech, thus gaining the High Speech Merit along with the bonus from this Merit (if
any) on the following turn. Although the mage does not have to cast the spell if the draw isn’t favorable, she
can only make one draw per spell, even if the draw is a reflexive action.
Daimon (•••)
Book: Tome Of The Watchtowers, p. 66
Effect: “Daimon” is the original Greek word from which the modern English “demon” is derived. The
Greeks regarded the daimon as an intermediary between the gods and man, distinct from the free-roaming
malevolent spirit of Mesopotamia. Comparable to other Paths’ guardian angel, faerie kin, power animal or
ancestral protector, the daimon shares an intimate personal link with the bearer of this Merit, but also partakes
of the Supernal Realm that is the daimon’s birthplace. A mage’s daimon is far older than the mage, at least in
an ontological sense, and has access to knowledge, wisdom and modes of thought or being that are beyond
mortal ken. Mages of any Path can purchase this Merit.
This Merit acts similar to the Dream Merit (p. 82 in Mage: The Awakening). The mage with this Merit,
however does not need to spend an hour in sleep or trance to receive a clue from his daimon. He merely
spends one turn in meditative concentration, and the Storyteller rolls his Wits + Composure in secret, with the
same results as described for the Dream Merit, except that success provides only one clue. This clue comes
from the daimon, and similar to dream clues, is cloaked in allegory and metaphor.
Destiny (• to •••••)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 81
Prerequisite: Awakened
Effect: Your character’s thread stands out in the skein of fate. It may be cut short through tragedy or
catastrophe, but until then, she has the ability to weave it into a sound pattern of her choosing. She is fated for
great triumphs, and this Merit helps her achieve them. Like any true hero, she finds success a little more
easily than mere mortals. In true heroic fashion, she also has a fatal flaw — no matter how strong her Pattern
might be, it has one weakness others can use to tear it apart.
For each chapter in a story, you have a pool of “destiny dice” equal to twice the number of dots your
character has in this Merit. For instance, a character with 2 dots of Destiny has four dice in his destiny pool.
Each time you use one of these destiny dice, you can add it to any one dice pool. You can use them all on
one dice roll, or split them up between different dice rolls. Either way, once you use them, they’re gone until
the next chapter or game session. For example, a player whose character has Destiny 3 (giving him six dice)
might choose to add two dice to a Brawl roll and then four to an Occult roll. The next game session, he might
apply six dice to a single Intimidation roll. The bonus can apply to Mental, Physical or Social rolls, or to
spellcasting rolls. You can even use these dice on a Skill for which your character has no training (although
she still suffers the penalties for untrained Skill use).
Drawback: Your character’s blessing has a price: her bane. There is one type of person or situation that
can bring her down. This bane can be summed up in one sentence, generally describing what her downfall
will be. The Storyteller must either declare or approve this bane during the course of the game. For instance, a
hero may have been told to “Beware the Queen of Hearts” (perhaps a reference to the woman who will seduce
and destroy him), while another may be warned, “Wolves will devour your soul.” The reference may be literal
or figurative, but it should never mention a specific time or place.
Whenever the bane comes into play, the character’s dice pools are penalized by one die per Destiny dot he
possesses. This applies only to dice pools for directly dealing with the bane or for resisting its attacks, spells
or even Social rolls to intimidate or persuade the character. For example, if the character’s bane mentions
wolves, anytime he encounters a “wolf” (whether that’s an actual werewolf or a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,”
depending on how the Storyteller interprets the bane), dice pools are penalized.
Dream (• to •••••)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 82
Effect: Your character has a connection to primordial forces in the world, ancient truths that can be seen
and comprehended only in dreams. He gains insight into secrets through reverie and visions, finding answers
to questions he couldn’t normally get by mundane means. This might be through the collective unconscious,
universal mind, poetic reverie or even an imagined journey to a fictional dreamscape. Through effort of will,
he can even channel this insight into action. Behind the lie of the so-called real world, dreams reveal the
world as it really is… from a certain point of view.
Once per game session, your character can use his Dream ability to gain a supernatural insight concerning a
question or topic. Activating this ability requires at least one hour spent in sleep, trance or an activity
exclusively focused on accessing an altered state of consciousness. The Storyteller then rolls the character’s
Wits + Composure in secret. The results are:
Dramatic failure: A nightmare. The character can interpret it any way he wants, but it probably leads to
more trouble than solutions.
Failure: Meaningless images.
Success: One or more clues (one per Dream dot), although they must be interpreted.
Exceptional success: One or more clues (one per Dream dot), and a suggestion about their interpretation
provided by the Storyteller.
The information conveyed is hidden behind allegory, symbols and archetypes. Dreams rarely answer
questions directly, typically relying on symbolism and imagery to convey information. A mage seeking a
specific person’s location wouldn’t see his address, but landmarks nearby could lead the way: a river, a tower
or even the face of a man walking by at dusk. The answer has the potential to resolve the problem. It’s a tool
for the Storyteller to help drive events of the story.
Dreamland (• to •••••)
Book: Legacies: The Ancient, p. 21
Prerequisite: Awakened, Dreamspeaker Legacy
Effect: The mage may freely visit one or more locations in the Dreamtime. These Astral locations arise
from the psychic resonance associated with a place. Some Dreamspeakers say that the Dreamborn came to
rest in such places, and that Dreamlands are the echoes of the Dreamborn’s own fitful dreams. Others say that
ancestors won these places from the Dreamborn at the dawn of time, or that they merely arose after millennia
of rites and initiations in the sacred place. Dreamspeakers can know multiple Dreamlands. Each one
represents one Merit dot. A character does not require this Merit to reach a Dreamland, but he cannot access
its wisdom without first purchasing this Merit.
Each Dreamland contains one dot of the Library background (see Mage: The Awakening, pp. 85–86). This
usually doesn’t represent Astral books and scrolls, but visions of wise ancestors and Dreamborn who are
willing to share their knowledge. This lore can often reveal histories — both mundane and supernatural — of
the region that are otherwise unrecorded in any book or living memory.
Drawbacks: Dreamlands are at least 20 miles apart from one another. Each Dreamland’s physical location
also has one essential feature that, if destroyed or changed (by construction or landscaping, for example), cuts
off access to the Dreamland until the problem is repaired.
* If the enhanced equipment bonus is more than double the item’s normal equipment bonus, the enhanced
item causes Disbelief when Sleepers witness its use.
Enhanced items have the following features:
Function: Persistent only. A persistent power is always active (i.e., of indefinite Duration). The user
simply needs to hold the item or wear it.
No Paradox: Enhanced items’ properties do not invoke Paradoxes, although they might invoke Disbelief in
Sleepers if their properties are clearly impossible.
Example: A katana normally has a +3 equipment bonus, but Zeno carries a special katana. It sports a +2
enchanted equipment bonus (for a total bonus of +5 dice) and a +2 Durability (for a total of Durability 6). It
costs him 3 Merit dots.
An item can be both enhanced and imbued. See “Imbued Item,” below. Simply add the cost of all
enhancements and imbuements together to determine the item’s total Merit cost.
Acquiring an enhanced item once play begins does not cost Merit dots; characters must gain such items
through roleplaying actions. If the item is ever lost, stolen or destroyed, the player loses the Merit and the
points he spent to gain it.
Familiar Traits
Whether immaterial or embodied, a familiar is considered to be a rank 1 spirit (a “squire”; see “The
Spiritual Hierarchy,” p. 317). The Storyteller designs the spirit’s traits. Each familiar begins play with at least
one dot in each Attribute, with extra dots as listed below. See “Spirits,” pp. 317- 322, for rules concerning
spirit traits.
Most mages with a fetch have a respectable command of Spirit Arcanum, since its spells are useful for
influencing the familiar. It is possible to have a fetch without knowledge of Spirit magic — or even knowing
what the fetch really is — but such a relationship may torment the mage more than it helps him.
When a fetch manifests, use the following modifiers:
Location Modifier
Wilderness +3
Demesne +3
Hallow +2
Place associated with the spirit’s Influence +2
Ley line nexus +1
Handmade structure (wooden bridge, shed) +1
Parking lot -1
Modern commercial building -1
Modern industrial building -2
Modern laboratory -3
Embodied familiars live in the material world in a physical body, although it might be a rather strange
body. They are often clever and loyal animals, the black cat or cunning rat of sorcerous legend.
All embodied familiars have the Innocuous Numen (see pp. 321-322). It is very good at not being noticed
by others. Anyone but its bonded mage suffers a –2 penalty on perception rolls to notice the familiar, unless it
does something to draw attention to itself.
A familiar’s bonded mage is considered to be its anchor to the material world, although there is no limit to
how far a familiar can travel from its mage. It does not lose Essence for every hour it spends in the physical
world or Twilight. It must follow all the other rules concerning Essence, however, including spending one
Essence per day. If it is reduced to zero Essence, it falls into slumber (see “Essence,” p. 319), but it is not
transferred back into the Shadow Realm as long as the mage-familiar bond still exists. Like other spirits, it
can gain Essence by being in proximity to something that it reflects, or its mage can spend Mana points to
give it Essence.
The master and familiar have an empathic connection; each can automatically feel the emotions of the
other. (Magical effects that damage or manipulate the familiar through an emotional attack don’t damage or
manipulate the master.) All familiars have a Sensory sympathetic connection to their bonded mage, meaning
that a mage’s scrying spells can use the familiar’s senses in place of a scrying window, with no sympathetic
penalty. This makes familiars superlative spies. Even more useful, however, the mage can spend his familiar’s
Essence points as Mana points, no matter how distant the familiar is from the mage. He can also spend his
own Mana points to give his familiar Essence.
Improvement: To improve a familiar, a mage’s player must spend some of his character’s experience
points on the familiar.
Geomancer (•)
Book: Sanctum And Sigil, p; 99
Prerequisite: Occult Skill Specialty in Geomancy Effect: The character has a sense for the ley line energies
in the local landscape, and can apply certain principles to its particular conditions to alter the ley lines’ shape
and/or flow through construction, architecture, interior design, landscaping and pretty much any activity that
goes on in the place.
What this means is that the character can make an extended-action Intelligence + Occult roll to figure out
what steps need to be taken in the area to affect its ley energies. The target number depends on the size of the
area. A single room might require only five successes, while the entire house might need 10 successes; a city
block might require 20 or more successes. The time per roll is one day, during which the character studies the
area and contemplates how geomantic principles might apply. Possible tool modifiers include classic
geomancy manuals (+1 or +2, depending on quality), dowsing rods (+1) and even satellite imagery (+2).
Dramatic Failure: The character completely misunderstands the meaning and portent of certain features of
the area. If his project is implemented, it will have the opposite effect than that desired (ley flow will weaken
rather than get stronger, a line will be repelled rather than attracted, etc.).
Failure: The character fails to grasp how any activity might alter the area’s ley line landscape.
Success: The character has a blueprint for how to alter the shape and/or flow of ley lines in the area.
Exceptional Success: The character’s blueprint is so efficient it can save the project time and money,
cutting in half the amount of work required.
Generally, altering a line requires construction that involves raising or lowering the ground level, or placing
and/or removing structures. Altering the flow requires more subtle affects involving placement of objects in
the area and even the look and feel (color and imagery) of buildings and objects. In other words, this means
getting permits for construction, hiring architects and workers and buying materials. Not every mage can
afford this kind of endeavor. Most of them try to manipulate private builders or City Hall into doing it for
them.
In addition to planning mundane projects for the alteration of ley lines, the geomancer can attempt to find
undiscovered or dormant Hallows based on where he thinks they might occur, given particular conditions in
an area. He can study a region to extrapolate the potential location of Hallows, and then investigate the
locations he pinpoints to see if he was right. There are no set rules for this; it mainly involves the Storyteller
feeding the geomancer clues that might lead him to the proper spot. The Storyteller must decide whether or
not a Hallow is really possible at such a place or if it’s just a dead end — or a trap that the geomancer’s rivals,
following the same clues, have set to spring upon him.
Geomancer (•)
Book: Secrets Of The Ruined Temple, p. 51
Prerequisite: Occult Skill Specialty in Geomancy
Effect: The character has a sense for the ley line energies in the local landscape, and can apply certain
principles to determine how the ley lines’ path, intensity and resonance are affected by construction,
architecture, interior design, landscaping and pretty much any activity that has occurred in the place.
The character can make an extended action Intelligence + Occult roll to figure out what has affected the ley
energies. The target number depends on the size of the area, and how far back the character wants to trace the
geomantic changes. Atlantean-era sites lie in the distant past, and the local net of ley lines may have
undergone dozens or even hundreds of changes. In such cases, 20 or more successes might be required to map
the effects of time — even considering that powerful mystic sites tend to bend the local energies and attract
ley lines through all the changes. The time per roll is one day, during which the character studies the area and
contemplates how geomantic principles might apply. Possible tool modifiers include classic geomancy
manuals (+1 or +2, depending on quality), dowsing rods (+1) and even satellite imagery (+2).
Dramatic Failure: The character completely misunderstands the meaning and portent of certain features of
the area. If exploration proceeds along these lines, the investigators find themselves in some dire predicament
(clinging to cliffs, exploring unstable caves, trespassing upon military bases, etc.).
Failure: The character fails to grasp how the area’s ley landscape has altered.
Success: The character has a timeline for how the shape and/or fl ow of ley lines in the area have changed.
Exceptional Success: The character’s knowledge is so precise that other effects are possible, such as
uncovering possible nodes or revealing the logic behind the initial network of ley lines.
Other uses of geomancy can be found in Sanctum And Sigil.
Note that changes to a spirit’s Attributes may alter other characteristics, such as Health or Speed, and adjust
those traits accordingly. Goetic familiars may not have their Influences increased.
A mage who already has a familiar (Twilight or embodied) may still acquire a goetic familiar of either sort,
but may only ever have one goetic familiar, regardless of type.
The player or Storyteller creates the ghost, distributing its Attribute dots among its Power, Finesse and
Resistance traits, and choosing its Numina.
Drawback: Ghosts can be controlled by other mages using the Death Arcanum. They can also be driven
out by an exorcism, which even a Sleeper can perform. (See “Exorcisms,” p. 214, in the World of Darkness
Rulebook.) If that happens, all dots in this Merit are lost.
The player or Storyteller creates the spirit, distributing its Attribute dots among its Power, Finesse,
Resistance and Influence traits, and choosing its Numina. The player or Storyteller also chooses its Ban.
Drawback: Spirits can be controlled by other mages using the Spirit Arcanum.
The spirit’s masters must provide the spirit with one Essence point per day (using Prime to convert Mana,
or taking it from another source) or else the spirit will become surly. It can still be commanded, but it will
seek to be freed from its bondage. If the spirit cannot harvest properly aspected Essence at the sanctum, the
spirit will slowly lose Essence each day until falling into slumber and forced across the Gauntlet. If that
happens, all dots in this Merit are lost.
Lu (• to •••••)
Book: Magical Traditions, p. 54
Prerequisites: Taoist Skill package (see “Becoming a Taoist,” p. 51), Taoist Status •, Mentor •••
Effects: A character with this Merit can call upon a roster of minor spirits. Unlike Familiars, each spirit in a
lu performs only one feat, and only when specifically invoked through the proper ritual. A lu might be seen as
a sort of collective Familiar — both in the sense of powers spread among a collection of spirits, and in the
sense that all the Taoists of a particular school might call upon the same lu.
The size of a school’s register of spirits may vary. A very large lu, however, is a sign that a school lost
Awakened leadership long ago, never had it in the first place, or just pads out the register with multiple names
for the same spirits to sound more impressive. The number of spirits in a lu (or the number of applications, if
one spirit can be invoked for multiple functions) is actually quite modest — no lu exceeds the 24 magical
feats offered by the register of Chang Dao-Ling.
The Storyteller decides what services a Taoist can obtainfrom a lu. At one or two dots of lu, a Taoist can
obtain only minor services, from spirits of rank 1. For three to four dots of lu, a Taoist can invoke spirits of
rank 2 and obtain somewhat greater services. Only at five dots of lu can a Taoist direct rank 3 spirits to
perform feats of considerable power. Typical feats for the spirits of a lu include luck, protection from various
hazards or curing disease. To invoke the spirits in a lu, a Taoist writes the proper talisman for that spirit at an
hour whose eight defining numbers (a pair for the hour, day, month and year) harmonize with the spirit’s
nature and function.
The Taoist also burns an offering of incense and makes particular mudras while he imagines elementally-
charged qi flowing from the proper part of his body into the talisman. The whole process takes an hour. Once
he completes the talisman, the Taoist may burn it, bury it or otherwise treat it like any other talisman.
When a character invokes his register of spirits, his player rolls Dexterity + Academics + Spirit – the target
spirit’s Rank, to see whether the Taoist correctly draws the talisman and performs the associated ritual.
Masque (•)
Book: Guardians Of The Veil, p.69
Prerequisite: Manipulation •••, Guardians of the Veil Status •
Effect: Your character has trained to master a particular Greater Masque. When the character has the token
of that Masque, she is entitled to the bonus the Masque grants (see the “Trained Benefit” entry for each
Masque). Furthermore, when she wears or uses the Masque’s token while using the Masque identity as a
disguise, you gain a +2 dice bonus to disguise attempts associated with the Masque’s identity.
You may purchase this Merit multiple times. Each purchase represents training in a different Greater
Masque or a different identity within the same Greater Masque (with each one favoring different Skills).
Drawback: Whenever you are capable of using this Merit’s benefits, your character is so immersed in the
Masque that she also acquires the Masque’s Drawback. See the Masque Drawback entry for each Greater
Masque.
The Masque’s benefit and its drawback dice modifiers do not apply to magical or other supernatural tasks.
Oathbound (• to •••••)
Book: Adamantine Arrow, p. 63
Prerequisites: Awakened, Adamantine Arrow Member
Effect: Your character can make a vow so powerful that it has supernatural consequences. She makes the
vow more important than herself, down to her most trivial or powerful personal desires. Her oaths influence
all of her thoughts and actions. Some Arrows discover inner peace in service, but most battle with their vows.
This Merit does not represent a specific oath. Instead, this Merit measures the mage’s psychic capacity for
keeping oaths. Arrows train to increase this by meditating, practicing ascetic discipline and the studying the
order’s secret philosophical texts. Each dot in the Merit provides the capacity to retain (or “bind”) one point’s
worth of oaths. The Arrow can fill some or all of her capacity with one especially intense oath or a number of
minor ones, as long as their point values don’t exceed her total Oathbound Merit dots.
Calculate the cost of the oath by adding its binding strength to the listed additional costs. Oaths have an
effect based on their binding strength alone; do not count additional costs.
Drawbacks: If the character binds an oath during the chronicle, doing so requires one point of Mana
(regardless of the oath’s point total) and 16 hours of secluded, uninterrupted study and meditation. A new
character can fill her capacity at no cost, but doesn’t have to. In the latter case, the mage is assumed to have
bound these oaths before play began.
Bound oaths are public matters. Order mages do make secret vows from time to time, but they aren’t
covered by this Merit. The Arrow has 24 hours after taking the oath to tell others about it. The Arrow cannot
ask or imply that witnesses should keep the oath a secret. If the Arrow doesn’t meet these conditions, the oath
doesn’t bind to her soul, and she loses it.
Arrows lose bound oaths in one of three ways:completion, rejection or violation.
● Completing the oath occurs whenever the oath’s conditions can no longer apply. Her liege dies, for
example, or she completes a quest. The oath is no longer relevant, and dissolves at no penalty to the mage.
Arrows can also specify that an oath end after a preset time (such as a year and a day) or event, but must
include such conditions when they publicly declare their oaths.
● The mage can reject the oath, but it isn’t easy. This requires 16 hours of uninterrupted contemplation and
one point of Mana per binding point of the oath. The Arrow finalizes the rejection by spending a Willpower
point and informing others that she’s rejected her oath.
● Violating a bound oath can have devastating effects. The Arrow immediately loses a point of Willpower
and suffers a point of resistant lethal damage. This happens every 24 hours until the mage has lost Willpower
points and suffered lethal damage equal to the oath’s binding point total +1. The mage looks weak and sick.
Violating an oath is also a tremendous dishonor.
The order lives and dies on its word. If a mage makes that meaningless, she endangers her comrades.
Occultation (• to •••)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 86
Prerequisite: Awakened, no Fame Merit dots
Effect: A mage’s spells come with a mystical stamp of his personality — his aura. Mages with this Merit
“hide their light under a bushel.” Their resonance is so subtle that only expert or extended scrutiny can root it
out. This effect even extends into the mundane world, making a mage incognito to Sleeper society.
When a sorcerer attempts to read the aura of one of your character’s spells, subtract a number of dice equal
to your character’s dots in this Merit. This same penalty applies to any roll to analyze the aura of your
character’s magic. See “Resonance,” pp. 277-289.
In addition, Occultation protects your character from spells that attempt to directly affect him at
sympathetic range. His Occultation dots are subtracted from the caster’s dice pool. See “Sympathetic Spells,”
pp. 114-116.
At the Storyteller’s discretion, this Merit can also affect other supernatural abilities to find the creator of a
magical effect. For example, a vampire using Spirit’s Touch to analyze the results of a magical spell should
have difficulty finding the occulted mage who cast it. When this trait applies, subtract a number of dice equal
to the mage’s Occultation dots from the activation roll for that supernatural ability.
Occulted mages tend to live on the fringes of mundane reality, as though they are an anomaly or aberration.
Sleepers have trouble keeping track of their identities and activities. Records regarding an arcane mage tend
to get lost, and the authorities are challenged to investigate his activities. Since most Sleepers find it hard to
gather information about the mage, they won’t know many details about him. This also makes it harder for
mages to research information about the mage through mundane sources. Whenever someone makes a roll to
gather information about your character, your Occultation dots are subtracted from the researcher’s dice pool.
Drawback: If your character ever becomes well known to the public (such as getting caught on camera and
being shown on television night after night), he loses his Occultation until the public at large forgets him
(which could take many years, depending on how famous or notorious the mage became). Likewise, if he
maintains a public persona at all among Sleepers, even to the degree of having many Sleeper friends, he
cannot maintain his Occultation. The mage must constantly cultivate this Merit, working to remain away from
the attention of Sleeper society. It does not affect his standing in Awakened society.
Otherwordly Eyes (••)
Book: Tome Of The Watchtowers, p. 154
Prerequisite: Thyrsus Path, Spirit •
The mage has trouble staying focused on this side of the Gauntlet. His attention wanders, and he seems
perpetually distracted — because he is. Shamans with this Merit have an easier time focusing on events on the
other side of the Gauntlet, but at the cost of attending to the material world around them.
A mage with this Merit gains two extra dice for all rolls to sense events in the Realm Invisible, but at the
cost of two dice from all perception dice pools pertaining to anything in the material realm. This otherworldly
awareness can be used in any scene, but once invoked, this Merit cannot be dismissed for the rest of the scene.
This is a common Merit (some might say affl iction) for those mages of the Dreamspeaker Legacy.
Portable (•)
Book: The Mysterium, p. 141
Archaeomancers, Reclaimants and other mages who travel extensively have learned to adapt their ability to
set up a sanctum to a form that can be erected and taken down as needed to suit their nomadic ways. While
portable sanctums require effort to create and are limited in some fashions, they give traveling mages a
measure of safety that they might otherwise find sorely lacking.
The creation of a portable sanctum requires a knack for knowing how to combine mundane materials and
supernatural sympathies to create a whole that is stronger and more secure than any of the elements would be
separately. While not precisely a spell, the creation of a portable sanctum does require a great deal of
concentration, time and effort. Those who frequently travel from one location to another, staying for days or
weeks at a time, are those most likely to use a portable sanctum. An archaeologist who is out on a dig for
several months may erect a portable sanctum to protect the Artifacts he hopes to discover. Likewise, a
diplomat sent to parlay with a foreign Consilium may set up a portable sanctum in his hotel suite, giving her a
modicum of sanctuary and privacy from prying eyes. A mage who is “on the run” and pausing only to catch a
few hours sleep is unlikely to spend the time or energy required to create a portable sanctum in the cheap
motel he is planning on leaving at dawn, although if the situation is dire enough, he may choose to sacrifice a
few hours’ travel for the extra security a portable sanctum may offer.
The creation of a portable sanctum is reflected in game mechanics by an extended roll. The player rolls an
extended test of Wits + Crafts or Larceny with modifiers based on how defensible and hidden the location
they have chosen is. A simple tent might offer a –3 modifier, while an abandoned military bunker might give
a +3, with a standard wooden room serving as the “standard” (with no modifier). Each roll is one hour, and
successes are used to “buy” the sanctum’s traits as the area is set up, starting with Portability and Size and
then moving into any applicable Sanctum Traits the mage’s player wishes, to a maximum of the Sanctum
Merit’s normal ratings.
The Portable Merit can be combined with the following other Sanctum Merits: Size, Security, Guardian
Ghost*, Guardian Retainer* or Guardian Spirit*. Because of this Merit’s transitory nature, the Portable
Sanctum Merit cannot be combined with the Sanctum Gauntlet Merit. (Note that those traits marked with an
asterisk must be completely “purchased” through set-up in order to take advantage of them.)
Because of the impermanent nature of portable sanctums, they can be difficult to maintain. For every dot of
Portable Sanctum in use, the Storyteller should roll that many dice each day. The Portable Sanctum loses one
dot in one of its traits per success on that roll. If the sanctum is being used by more than one person, add one
dice per person to this roll. For example, a mage who has a Sanctum of 8 (Portable 1, Space 1, Security 4,
Guardian Spirit 2) receives word that he’s offended a local vampire. The mage begins work in the afternoon,
setting up his sanctum in a brick pump house near the sight of the archaeological dig he’s been working on.
On his first roll, the mage’s player roll two successes, allocating them to Portability and Size; by the end of
the first hour, the mage has unpacked the small trunk of motion sensors, checked the angles on the room’s
entrances and windows, and generally gotten a feel for the place and figured out what he needs to do to secure
it. The next hour (with the player rolling two more successes, which are placed into Security), the mage
begins setting up his precautions, filling locks with grit to make them harder to pick, placing small mirrors in
perfect locations to help spot those trying to sneak up and burning the specialized incenses that make the
sanctum harder to find with magic. Then, with an hour until sunset, he decides to place the sanctum’s interior
into the configurations that will draw the guardian spirit bound to it; his player rolls again, placing the three
successes he rolls into bringing the Guardian Spirit trait into play, and then placing a third point into Security.
A Mage may possess a portable sanctum and a permanent one, buying them separately as if spending points
on both a shared sanctum and a personal one. Portable sanctums are personal, however, and cannot be bought
as a shared sanctum.
Relationship (• to •••••)
Book: Mage Chronicler's Guide, p. 129
Effect: The character has a reciprocal relationship with a Storyteller character, in which he has at least
some emotional investment — the more dots, the more significant the relationship. This relationship is a
source of strength and aid. It could be a parent, a sibling, a child. It could be a lover or an ex-lover. The
relationship doesn’t have to be a positive one: that ex-wife who you’ve got to see every week because she’s
got custody of the kids is still important to you, even if love turned horribly sour long ago. Your feelings for
your going-right-off-the-rails teenage son may be appallingly conflicted, but he’s still central in your world.
Each relationship requires a separate purchase of this Merit. Once per scene, you may add your dots in the
Relationship Merit to one dice pool, provided that you can give a plausible rationale as to why the relationship
should aid you.
Sometimes, this is simple: when you’re trying to convince your ex-wife that you need to see the kids a day
early because you’re going to be out of town (and no, you can’t tell her you’re off risking your life), add your
relationship dice to your Manipulation + Persuasion roll.
The relationship might be at stake in some way: you’d get the bonus while trying to convince the
headteacher of your deadbeat teenage son’s school not to expel him for truancy and the stuff they found in his
locker. Players are encouraged to be creative with their rationales for getting the dice.
You can get the bonus relationship dice while using magic, but again only in a circumstance when the
player can justify the bonus.
Drawback: Relationships are reciprocal, and complicated. The Storyteller character with which you have
the relationship gets the same bonus on dice pools when it’s relevant to you. Also, relationships need to be
kept alive. You actually need to have some contact with the character with whom you’ve got the relationship
— phone, face-to-face contact, whatever — or risk losing dots in the Merit. The Storyteller can decide what
constitutes a reasonable interval for lack of contact. Finally, if the subject of a character’s Relationship Merit
dies, the Merit is lost.
Of course, Sanctum Size does not prevent intrusion by Sleepers (police, criminal organizations, social
workers). Players wishing to ensure privacy and safety may choose to spend dots on Sanctum Security, thus
making it difficult for others to gain entrance. Sanctums with no dots in Sanctum Security can be found by
those intent enough to look, and offer little protection once they have been breached. Each dot of Security
subtracts one die from efforts to intrude into the place by anyone a character doesn’t specifically allow in.
This increased difficulty may be because the entrance is so difficult to locate (behind a bookcase, under a
carpet) or simply difficult to penetrate (behind a vault door). Also, each dot of Security offers a +1 bonus on
Initiative for those inside against anyone attempting to gain entrance (good sight lines, video surveillance).
Characters for whom no points are spent on Sanctum at all might have their own small, humble chambers,
or perhaps they share the space of a master or order. In any event, they simply do not gain the mechanical
benefits of those who have assigned Merit dots to improve the quality of their homes.
Each aspect of the Sanctum Merit has a limit of 5. In other words, Sanctum Size and Sanctum Security may
not rise above 5 (to a maximum of 10 points dots on this Merit, total).
Special: It’s possible for the Sanctum Merit to be shared among characters in a close-knit group. They
might simply be devoted to one another and willing to pool what they have, or perhaps their mutual reliance
on an individual or trust could bring them together to share what they have in common.
To share this Merit, two or more characters simply have to be willing to pool their dots for greater
capability. A shared rating in the Sanctum Merit cannot rise higher than five dots in any of the two aspects of
the trait. That is, characters cannot pool more than five dots to be devoted to, say, Sanctum Size. If they wish
to devote extra dots to the Merit, they must allocate those dots to Security.
Shared Sanctum dots can be lost. Cabal members or associates might be abused or mistreated, ending
relationships. Group members might perform actions that cast themselves (or the group) in a bad light. Money
might be spent or lost. If any group member does something to diminish the sanctum, its dots decrease for all
group members. That’s the weakness of sharing dots in this Merit. The chain is only as strong as its weakest
link. The Storyteller dictates when character actions or events in a story compromise shared Sanctum dots.
Characters can also leave a shared sanctum. A rift might form between close friends. A character might be
killed or lost in the Shadow Realm. Or one could be kicked out of the sanctum by the others. When a
character leaves a sharedsanctum relationship, the dots he contributed are removed from the pool. If the
individual still survives, he doesn’t get all his dots back for his own purposes. He gets one less than he
originally contributed. So, if a character breaks a relationship with his cabal, his two Sanctum dots are lost by
the group, but he gets only one dot back for his own purposes. The lost dot represents the cost or bad image
that comes from the breakup. If all members agree to part ways, they all lose one dot from what they
originally contributed.
The Storyteller decides what reduced dots means in the story when a character leaves a shared sanctum.
Perhaps no one else picks up the character’s attention to Sanctum Security, leaving that score to drop. Maybe
a portion of the sanctum falls into disuse or even collapses, causing an effective drop in Sanctum Size.
Whatever the case, a plausible explanation must be determined.
A character need not devote all of her Sanctum dots to the shared Sanctum Merit, of course. A mage might
maintain a separate sanctum outside the communal one represented by the shared trait. Any leftover dots that
a character has (or is unwilling to share) signify what she has to draw upon as an individual, separate from her
partners. For example, three characters share a sanctum and expend a group total of five dots. One character
chooses to use two other dots on a private sanctum. Those remaining two dots represent a sanctum entirely
separate from what she and her partners have established together.
To record a shared Sanctum Merit on your character sheet, put an asterisk next to the name of the Sanctum
Merit and fill in the total dots that your character has access to thanks to his partnership. In order to record his
original contribution, write it in parentheses along with the Merit’s name. It is not important to note on which
aspect of the Sanctum Merit those points are spent; this allows greater flexibility should a character ever
decide to withdraw from the community arrangement. The result looks like this:
MERITS
Sanctum* (2) •••
Sanctum ••
Retainer •••
In this example, the character shares a Sanctum Merit dedicated to the cabal’s communal shelter. He
contributes two dots to the relationship, and the group has a total of four dots that are made available to each
member. The character also has his own private Sanctum Merit rated 3, which he maintains by himself. And,
the character has Retainer rated 2, which is also his own Merit.
* Minimum Strength of 1. A Verge cannot be created around the sanctum with this Merit.
Slayer (•••)
Book: Summoners, p. 185
Prerequisites: Awakened, Occult 4, Brawl 4 or Weaponry 4
Effect: Mages know the risks involved when they decide to conjure up entities from other planes of
existence, yet they continue to do so. Each time a summoner botches a casting or allows an entity into the
material realm as part of a pact, someone has to clean up the mess. Usually, nearby cabals are up to the task
and if not, the Consilium is. In cities where the problem of summoned creatures gone amuck is a frequent
occurrence, the Consilium may take to training slayers specifically to deal with the threat. A slayer receives
intensive training on how to combat otherworldly menaces and their negligent masters if necessary. Every
slayer is already an accomplished combatant in his own right before the training begins; a mage that has
learned how to effectively combine magic and brute physical force. Training a slayer takes upwards of a year,
during which time the character learns a large amount of summoning lore, allowing him to identify
weaknesses in the things he will fight. When confronted with an alien threat, if the character spends one turn
observing the entity he can attempt to determine where the thing came from and how best to fight it by rolling
Intelligence + Occult. Each success reduces the entity’s Defense by one for any attacks made or directed by
the character. With an exceptional success, the character remembers exactly what kinds of weapons are best
used to combat the entity, as well.
Status (• to •••••)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 88
While certain Merits detailed in the World of Darkness Rulebook focus on recognition in mortal society,
certain Status concerns itself with the social orders of the Awakened and represents recognition among other
mages. Status is divided into two areas — Consilium and Order. Players must choose one of these two areas
for each Merit dot spent. (Enterprising Storytellers may come up with additional types of Status, and clever
players might have unique applications as well. As such, Status is designed as a sort of “umbrella” Merit
under which new types can be created.)
Consilium Status represents a vested responsibility and according acknowledgement in the affairs of the
Consilium of the region. Certain individuals rise to the top of the social strata, exemplary because of their
efforts in the name of their cabal, Consilium or in the area as a whole. Hierarchs, Heralds, Sentinels and other
“officers” fit this description, but the Merit can also apply to mages who are popular but who eschew politics.
Their opinion holds sway even if they don’t involve themselves in a particular Consiliar function.
Consilium Status is most often based on accomplishment. A character must earn his way into the title or
esteem of his fellow mages. While this often involves being recognized for worthy deeds, it can also be a
result of careful politicking and gossip. In general, mages of other cabals recognize a mage’s Consilium status
and give him respect (although they do not necessarily heed him or reveal secrets).
Order Status represents rank, achievement and responsibility in a magical order. It is concerned with the
order’s goals and accomplishments. It is not enough to be powerful or exemplary of the order’s ideals. The
group is concerned with what its members have done to benefit its cause and combat its rivals.
Those mages who enjoy the greatest order-based recognition are often the core members of their order in a
given region, those who call the local caucuses and around whom others rally. These mages instigate or
mediate conflict with other orders or cabals, generally looking to further certain idealistic goals and to
establish themselves or other members in positions of influence in the Consilium hierarchy of their region.
A character must have at least a single dot of Order Status in order to gain the benefits of any special
abilities of that society. In other words, a character must have at least one dot of Order Status in order to learn
the rotes of her order. (A character’s beginning six dots worth of rotes are an exception. They were
presumably taught by the order to win the mage’s loyalty). If a character leaves an order after learning some
of its secrets, she does not lose any of those abilities for which experience points were spent, such as rotes or
Rote Specialties, but she may not learn additional abilities without finding a new teacher. In addition, some
orders punish those who violate their oaths and spread their secrets.
Order Status is not so specifically tied to certain titles. It is more a notion of an individual’s
accomplishments.
• The character is known to a select subset of the order — a spy network, perhaps.
•• The majority of the order in the region recognizes the character’s face and can recall her exploits.
••• The character’s deeds are known to all in the order, even in nearby regions. Many members of other
orders recognize her face.
•••• Word of the character’s exploits has traveled far, and her name is known in cities around the country.
••••• The character’s name and face are synonymous with her order; her exploits are taught to new members
of the order.
Status can serve as a mixed blessing, however. Those who enjoy the most renown might be able to use it to
their advantage, but they are also visible targets for their enemies. High Status dots make it almost impossible
to pass unnoticed, but they can open doors that would otherwise remain blocked.
Status works like a “social tool” in that it adds to dice pools for Social interactions between members of the
sub-groups given. That is, Order Status adds to dice pools for interactions with members of the same order,
and Consilium Status affects those who are recognized residents of the given region. Consilium Status,
however, may be ignored by enemies of the Consilium. Status does not add to die rolls predicated upon
magic, only for mundane social actions.
Dealing with Status can be a mire of responsibility for characters, though clever characters can turn it to
their advantage. They may actually have a variety of Status. It is not uncommon for someone to have
Consilium Status and Order Status.
A character may, on occasion, have more than one form of Order Status. This occurs almost exclusively at
low levels, where a character is often beneath the notice of most other members of his group. A character may
never have more than three dots total in Order Status among multiple orders. A double agent, for example,
might have two dots worth of Order Status (Silver Ladder) and a single dot of Order Status (Adamantine
Arrow), representing his true allegiance to the Silver Ladder and the fact that he’s in on the ground floor of
the Adamantine Arrow. (He can feed information back to his Ladder fellows.) A character may even have a
single dot of Order Status in three different orders — perhaps he’s somewhat accomplished in each, but has
yet to determine where his true loyalties lie. Naturally, a character with Status in only one order is not
beholden to the three-dot limit.
A character with dots of Order Status in multiple orders does indeed gain access to those groups’ special
benefits. Orders expect certain things of their members, however, and if other mages find out that the
character plays multiple sides against the middle, he might see that Status vanish in a single day when he’s
called upon to account for his treacheries. Such is also the reason that cumulative Order Status is limited to
three dots. By the time a character gains a certain degree of Status in a single order, he sticks out like a sore
thumb if he turns up among another order’s members. (An exception to this might occur if the character is
truly some sort of deep-cover agent or other mole, but that circumstance is best handled at the Storyteller’s
discretion.)
Thrall (•••)
Book: Mage: The Awakening Core, p. 89
Effect: Your mage physically controls another’s soul stone (see p. 277), making that willworker his thrall.
By custom, your character can demand up to three favors before he must return the stone. These favors can be
as weak or as daunting as he desires, although if they are particularly difficult or dangerous the thrall can
petition the Consilium for redress.
Possession of a soul stone gives your mage an Intimate sympathetic connection to its owner and allows him
to tap the owner’s Mana without casting a Prime spell. Roll Gnosis + Presence – the soul stone creator’s
Resolve and take one Mana per success. Such theft can be done only once per day, and is considered one
favor toward the three allowed.
The Storyteller works with the player to determine who the thrall is. The more powerful or politically
connected the thrall, the more potent the favors he can provide, but the more dangerous it is to anger him. One
day he will be free of his obligation, and although by custom he cannot seek direct revenge or demand a duel,
he almost surely manipulates events to enact his vengeance for him. Conversely, if your character’s favors
benefit the thrall and don’t violate his dignity, he might gain a grudging respect.
After the three favors are completed, your character is expected to return the soul stone to the rightful
owner, freeing the thrall. If he does not free his thrall after the three favors are completed, he can be punished
freely by any other mage, even a mage not of his order or the Consilium.
Some mages set daunting favors, ensuring that their thralls will almost certainly never complete the
requirements for freedom. Doing so is considered bad form. The thrall can take his case to the Consilium, but
most officers hesitate to intervene unless the thrall’s master endangers their interests or challenges their
authority through his flaunting of custom. More often, mistreated thralls must rely on their own cunning to
turn the master-thrall relationship.
*The Azothic Object’s equipment bonus cannot be more than double the item’s normal equipment
bonus.
Example: Vox Vulgus’ creator broke into the sewers beneath Philadelphia to give her perfect body life.
When the spark of Azoth blazed within, the Divine Flare lashed out and touched the creator’s set of lock
picks. At character creation, Vox’s player gives her four dots in this Merit. The lock picks would normally add
+2 dice to appropriate Larceny rolls, but with the flare of Azoth, the picks improve dramatically. The player
spends two of the four points on the equipment bonus, granting the lock picks an additional +2 bonus (for a
total of a +4 equipment bonus). She also spends two dots on Durability, granting the picks +4 Durability,
thus making them inordinately resilient to damage.
Drawback: The Azothic Object is supernaturally tied to the Promethean character who takes this Merit. If
the character loses the object, her player must make a Resolve + Composure roll every time she sleeps.
Failure on that roll means she suffers nightmares about the object, and for 12 hours upon waking, suffers a –1
penalty on all rolls. (A dramatic failure incurs a –2 penalty.) This ends once the object is found. If the object
is ever destroyed, the character’s Azoth flares up within her and burns her from the inside. At the moment the
object is destroyed, the character suffers lethal damage equal to the dots spent originally in this Merit.
Companion (••• or ••••)
Book: Strange Alchemies, p. 55
Prerequisite: Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment
Effect: Whether he wants it or not, the Promethean has a bond with a spirit that aids him and supports him.
The ectoplasmic humour within the Promethean attracts the spirit. Like calls to like. The kind of spirit that
would follow something as grotesque as a Promethean is not always the kind of spirit that a Promethean
would have following him. Many are revolting or demonic in appearance and behavior, a small imp that does
its master’s bidding, but cannot be commanded to leave. At rest, it sits invisibly on its master’s shoulder and
whispers obscenities, lies and unpleasant truths into his ear.
The companion being is either in Twilight, invisible and immaterial, or it is embodied. A companion in
Twilight has no body. An embodied companion possesses the body of an animal or bird in the material world.
The spirit doesn’t suffer from Disquiet, even in the form of an animal or bird.
It costs three dots to buy a Twilight spirit as a companion. A Twilight spirit can manifest like a ghost (see
“Manifestations,” the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 210), but only the Promethean whom the spirit
follows can see it or talk to it. The Promethean can always see the spirit. It’s like a (hideous and sometimes
unwelcome) imaginary friend for the Promethean.
Embodied companions cost four dots. The animal an embodied companion possesses is ordinary, but as the
spirit body, the creature takes on a distinctly unhealthy look. A dog becomes yellow-toothed, mangy and flea-
bitten. A rat grows to enormous size and develops an evil glint in its eye. A cat gains scars and weals in its
fur. A crow’s feathers become matted and stinking.
The spirit can embody itself in any animal up to the size of a large dog. Whatever the animal is, the
Promethean can understand anything the companion says to him in this form. To everyone else, the
companion’s talk just sounds like animal noises.
A companion is a Rank 1 spirit (see Promethean: The Created, p. 255), whether it is immaterial or
embodied. The Storyteller and the Promethean’s player should work together to design the spirit’s Traits. A
companion begins play with at least one dot in each Attribute, with extra dots as listed below. See
Promethean: The Created, pp. 255–256 for the rules that govern spirit Traits.
Twilight Companion Traits
Attributes: 3/3/2 (allocate dots in any order among Power, Finesse and Resistance)
Willpower: Equal to Power + Resistance
Essence: 10 (10 max)
Initiative: Equal to Finesse + Resistance
Defense: Equal to highest of Power and Finesse
Speed: Equal to Power + Finesse + “species factor” (usually 5)
Size: 3 or less
Corpus: Equal to Resistance + Size
Influences: 2 dots (choose one)
Numina: Choose one Numen. These can be picked from the following Ghost Numina: Ghost Sign, Ghost
Speech, Magnetic Disruption, Phantasm or Telekinesis (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 211).
When a companion manifests, use the following modifiers:
Location Modifier
Its master’s lair +2
Wasteland +1 for each level of the Wasteland effect
In front of people suffering from Disquiet +1 for each level of Disquiet
Although the companion obeys its master without hesitation, the companion finds its powers are easier to
use if Disquiet or Flux have affected the area around the Promethean. The companion, if left to its own
devices, tries to convince its master to stay in one place and interact with humans, allowing Disquiet to build
up and the Wasteland to spread.
Embodied Companion Traits
Attributes: 4/4/3
Skills: 8/5/3
Willpower: Equal to Resolve + Composure
Essence: 10 (10 max)
Initiative: Equal to Dexterity + Composure
Defense: Equal to highest of Dexterity and Wits
Speed: Strength + Dexterity + “species factor” (based on its animal type)
Size: 4 or less (based on its animal type)
Health: Equal to Stamina + Size
Influence: 2 dots (choose one)
Numina: Choose one of the same Ghost Numina available to Twilight companions.
A companion can travel as far as it wants away from its master, although its master (or rather, the
ectoplasmic humour within its master) is its anchor in the material world. No matter how far away the
companion wanders, it knows when its master needs it.
The companion loses one Essence per day, and needs to feed on Essence to survive. The companion gains
one Essence per day from being close to something it reflects (so a spirit born of trees gains a single point
every day it stays near trees, and a spirit that reflects violence gains a single point by being close to a place
where violence regularly happens, such as a street in a particularly bad neighborhood, or a boxing ring or the
house of a man who beats his wife).
Once a day, the companion can draw Essence from an appropriate source. Roll Power + Finesse. This roll is
modified by the same modifiers that affect manifestations. The companion gets one Essence for every
success.
A Promethean can also spend Pyros to give the companion Essence, channeling the Divine Fire through his
ectoplasmic humour. Each point of Pyros the Promethean spends gives the companion one Essence.
If the companion loses all of its Essence, the companion falls into slumber. A Twilight companion
vanishes, absorbed into the Promethean’s ectoplasmic humour until the Promethean awakens it by spending a
point of Pyros.
On the other hand, the Promethean can spend his companion’s Essence points as Pyros, using his
companion’s Essence to draw the Divine Fire back down through his humours.
Improvement: A Promethean’s player can improve his companion’s Traits by spending some of his
character’s experience points on the companion. It costs the same number of experience points to raise a
companion’s Traits as it does a Promethean’s. Power, Finesse and Resistance are Attributes, and cost (new
dots x 5) experience points to raise.
Elpis (• to •••••)
Book: Promethean: The Created Core, p. 95
Effect: The Promethean relies on Hope, the final force released from Pandora’s Box, to get him through his
Pilgrimage. This aspect of the Divine Fire that calls out to Prometheans, urging them toward Mortality, is
called Elpis. Promethean philosophers equate it with a guiding force, a sort of teleological principle calling
from the future, drawing the Promethean down the proper paths to the New Dawn. With this Merit, the
Promethean can tap into this guiding force and gain clues through dreams and visions that might aid his
Pilgrimage.
Once per game session, the character can use his Elpis ability to gain a supernatural insight concerning a
question or topic relevant to his Pilgrimage. Activating this ability requires at least one hour spent in sleep, a
trance or another activity that focuses exclusively on accessing an altered state of consciousness. The
Storyteller then rolls the character’s Wits + Composure in secret. The results are:
Dramatic Failure: A nightmare. The Created can interpret it any way he wants, but it probably leads to
more trouble than solutions.
Failure: Meaningless images.
Success: One or more clues (one per Elpis dot) that might help him to achieve a Pilgrimage milestone,
although they must be interpreted.
Exceptional Success: One or more clues (one per Elpis dot), and a suggestion about their interpretation
provided by the Storyteller.
The information is usually conveyed in brief visions of people, places or things that are somehow important
to one of the character’s milestones, as determined by the Storyteller. (See “Summa Perfectionis: The
Pilgrimage” on p. 190.) The exact role the subjects of these visions will play remains unclear, though. The
Promethean might see a rare, medieval book behind glass. After some research, he learns it is in a museum in
Chicago. He travels there and breaks into the museum at night, trying to steal the book, only to be confronted
by a Promethean who makes his lair there. The Storyteller knows that this Promethean is the key to the
milestone, not the book; the book merely led the character to this encounter. But will the character realize
this?
Elpis is not a means of gaining an exact roadmap to Mortality. It’s a tool for the Storyteller to help drive
events of the story, especially if the character is lagging behind on his Pilgrimage.
Incorruptible (••••)
Book: Pandora’s Book, p. 49
Prerequisites: Composure •••
Effect: While Centimani are immune to the debilitating effects of learning and using Pandoran
Transmutations, Prometheans on other Refinements are not, and neither are former Centimani. While the
power of Flux is strong, individuals with the Incorruptible Merit are more resistant to the dehumanizing taint
of Flux than others. Incorruptible grants a +2 on the degeneration roll to resist the loss of Humanity due to
learning or using Pandoran Transmutations, as well as on the roll for derangement afterwards, should the
degeneration roll fail. This bonus does not apply to any other degeneration rolls, only those related to using
Pandoran Transmutations.
Permanent Pandoran Transmutations that result in an automatic loss of Humanity are unaffected by this
Merit.
• A large apartment, small family home, or large underground chamber; 3–4 rooms
•• An abandoned warehouse, church, mansion or network of subway tunnels; equivalent of 9–15 rooms or
chambers
••• A sprawling estate or vast network of tunnels; countless rooms or chambers
Of course, Lair Size does not prevent intrusion by mortals (such as police officers, criminals or social
workers). Players who want to ensure privacy and safety may spend dots on Lair Security, thus making it
difficult for others to gain entrance. Lairs with no dots in Lair Security can be found by anyone intent enough
to look, and they offer little protection once they have been breached. Each dot of Lair Security subtracts two
dice from efforts to intrude into the place by anyone a character doesn’t specifically allow in. This increased
difficulty might arise because the entrance is so difficult to locate (behind a bookcase, under a carpet) or
simply difficult to penetrate (behind a vault door). Also, each dot of Security offers a +1 bonus on Initiative
for those inside against anyone attempting to gain entrance (good sight lines, video surveillance).
Characters for whom no points are spent on Lair at all might have some small, humble chamber or favorite
spot under a bridge. In any event, they simply do not gain the mechanical benefits of those who have assigned
Merit dots to improve the quality of their temporary homes. Each aspect of the Lair Merit has a limit of three
dots. In other words, Lair Size and Lair Security may not rise above 3 (to a maximum of six dots on this
Merit, total).
Special: It’s possible for the Lair Merit to be shared among characters in a close-knit group. They might be
devoted to one another and willing to pool what they have, or perhaps their mutual reliance on an individual
or trust could bring them together to share what they have in common.
To share this Merit, two or more characters simply have to be willing to pool their dots for greater
capability. A shared rating in the Lair Merit cannot rise higher than three dots in either of the two aspects of
the trait. That is, characters cannot pool more than three dots to be devoted to, say, Lair Size. If they wish to
devote extra dots to the Merit, they must allocate those dots to Security.
Shared Lair dots can be lost. Throng members or associates might be abused or mistreated, ending
relationships. Group members might perform actions that cast themselves (or the group) in a bad light. If any
group member does something to diminish the lair, its dots decrease for all group members. That’s the
weakness of sharing dots in this Merit. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The Storyteller dictates
when character actions or events in a story compromise shared Lair dots.
Characters can also leave a shared lair. A rift might form between close friends. A character might be killed
or decide to go to the wastes. Or one could be kicked out of the lair by the others. When a character leaves a
shared-lair relationship, the dots he contributed are removed from the pool. If the individual still survives, he
doesn’t get all his dots back for his own purposes. He gets one less than he originally contributed. If a
character breaks a relationship with his throng, the group loses both of the Lair dots he contributed, but he
gets only one dot back for his own purposes. The lost dot represents the cost or bad image that comes from
the breakup. If all members agree to part ways, they all lose one dot from what they originally contributed.
The Storyteller decides what a reduction in dots means in the story when a character leaves a shared lair.
Perhaps no one else picks up the character’s attention to Lair Security, leaving that score to drop. Maybe a
portion of the lair falls into disuse or even collapses, causing an effective drop in Lair Size. Whatever the
case, a plausible explanation must be determined.
A character need not devote all of her Lair dots to the shared Lair Merit, of course. A Promethean might
maintain a separate lair outside the communal one represented by the shared trait. Any leftover dots that a
character has (or is unwilling to share) signify what she has to draw upon as an individual, separate from her
partners. For example, three characters share a lair and expend a group total of five dots. One character
chooses to use two other dots on a private lair. Those remaining two dots represent a lair entirely separate
from what she and her partners have established together.
To record a shared Lair Merit on your character sheet, put an asterisk next to the name of the Lair Merit and
fill in the total dots that your character has access to thanks to his partnership. In order to record his original
contribution, write that amount in parentheses along with the Merit’s name. It is not important to note on
which aspect of the Lair Merit those points are spent. This allows greater flexibility should a character ever
decide to withdraw from the community arrangement. The result looks like this:
MERITS
Lair* (2) ••••
Lair •••
Allies •••
In this example, the character shares a Lair Merit dedicated to the throng’s communal shelter. He
contributes two dots to the relationship, and the group has a total of four dots that are made available to each
member. The character also has his own private Lair Merit rated 3, which he maintains by himself. And, the
character has Allies in the police department rated 2, which is also his own Merit.
Pilgrim (••)
Book: Magnum Opus, p. 53
Prerequisite: Promethean; must have experienced (but not necessarily yet completed) the Revelation
Those Prometheans who have experienced part of the Seer’s Pilgrimage are often its most ardent adherents,
possessed of a nearly missionary fervor to tell the stories of the Seer. They are also quite focused on learning
more about the Seer — though this focus is most often on the Cycle associated with their Refinement.
Effect: When you gain the opportunity to tell the story that has had such an effect on your Pilgrimage, you
gain a point of Willpower. Should one of the Prometheans you tell this or any Seer legend to experience the
Revelation, you regain all your Willpower. Finally, if you succeed in gaining inspiration at a Shrine, you gain
one more Vitriol than normal from the experience.
Pilgrim (•••••)
Book: Strange Alchemies, p.58
Prerequisites: Elpis ••, Humanity 6
Effect: The character has a kind of destiny. He can feel it in his Azoth, in the way that it stirs his humours
within the crucible of his dead body. The Divine Fire within seems to drive him more purposefully than it
does others. This feeling may exist within from the moment he is created, or may dawn slowly over time like
a slowly stoked flame.
The result is that, whenever the character completes a milestone, he gains one more Vitriol for the act than
normal.
Drawback: The character must maintain a Humanity 6 or above to keep this Merit. If his Humanity drops
below that, the Merit is lost and can only be regained when the character’s Humanity becomes 6 again. A
character may not possess both the Pilgrim and Shepherd Merits at the same time.
Repute (• to •••)
Book: Promethean: The Created Core, p. 97
Effect: Prometheans hear many stories from other Prometheans on the road, and many of these stories
concerns the exploits of others of their kind. A Promethean with this Merit has had some of his exploits told
to others. These legends don’t even have to be true, but they are popular enough to be told and retold to
Prometheans on their Pilgrimages around the country or even the world.
When other Prometheans encounter the reputed Promethean, their players roll Intelligence + the
Promethean’s Repute dots to see if they recognize him. Once someone recognizes him, the Promethean can
add +1 per Reputedot to any Socialize roll made to influence or befriend those who know his legend. He can
also use those who recognize him as temporary allies, as if they were bought through the Allies Merit (p. 114,
World of Darkness Rulebook). They are worth one dot each — capable of rendering minor favors — and
can be used this way only once per person (i.e., one minor favor per person), unless the Promethean spends
experience points to codify his relationship with them into the Allies Merit.
With one dot in this Merit, the Promethean is mildly famous among his own kind. They won’t recognize
him on sight (based on his description in the legends), but they might come to realize who he is once they’ve
spent more than a few turns with him. With two dots, the Promethean might be recognizable on sight, and
with three dots, his renown positively colors the Measure, the initial opinion other Created make of him.
Drawback: Prometheans who recognize the renowned character and from whom he has asked a favor,
might seek to enlist his aid. This is usually due to his obvious ability to accomplish the task requested, based
on the legends told about him. If he refuses too many of these requests, he might lose Repute dots as word
gets around of his selfishness.
Shabti (•••)
Book: Strange Alchemies, p. 58
Prerequisite: Revivification Bestowment
Effect: The Promethean — most likely an Osiran — owns a “Shabti,” a small, fairly intelligent creature
that follows his commands and guards him when he rests. It takes the form of a little unformed man, maybe a
foot tall, made of clay or of some kind of ceramic. It might be the color of blue faience, or brightly painted,
like an Egyptian tomb ornament.
The Shabti has been animated with the same Azoth that created the Promethean, channeled through his
conceptual journey to the land of the dead. The Shabti has an empathic link with its master. No matter how far
away the Shabti is from its master, it knows what the Promethean is feeling. The Shabti can say a few words,
and can repeat perfectly things it has heard said, even if it doesn’t understand what it has heard. It has
grasping hands, and can, if its master wishes, bear small objects or use weapons. A less scrupulous
Promethean could use his Shabti as an assassin, able to enter an enemy’s home through small cracks, and
strangling him in his sleep.
The Promethean can spend one Pyros to be able to see through the Shabti’s eyes for a scene. While sharing
the creature’s perceptions, the character can’t perform any other action, but is aware of what’s going on
around him and can choose to abandon looking through the Shabti’s eyes.
A Shabti, being made of inanimate material, doesn’t heal naturally, but its master can heal any wounds the
Shabti has taken using Pyros. One Pyros heals one point of aggravated damage, or two points of lethal or
bashing damage.
If the Shabti dies, the Promethean loses the Merit, although he can use the Revivification Bestowment to
resurrect the Shabti in the same way that he could resurrect another Promethean.
Making a new Shabti involves a great deal of effort, as the Promethean spends days crafting a new Shabti
figure out of faience, metal or clay, contemplating its shape and design, and infusing it with tiny amounts of
Azoth (in game terms, he’s just spending the 12 experience points necessary to buy the Merit over again).
The player and the Storyteller should work together to create the Shabti’s Traits, using the following as a
guide.
Shabti Traits
Attributes: 4/3/3
Skills: 6/5/3
Willpower: Equal to Resolve + Composure
Initiative: Equal to Dexterity + Composure
Defense: Equal to lower of Dexterity and Wits
Speed: Strength + Dexterity + species factor 2
Size: 1
Health: Equal to Stamina + Size
Improvement: A Promethean’s player can improve his Shabti’s Traits by spending some of his character’s
experience points on the Shabti. It costs the same number of experience points to raise a Shabti’s traits as it
does a Promethean’s.
Shepherd (••••)
Book: Strange Alchemies, p. 59
Prerequisites: Elpis •, Repute ••, Humanity 6
Effect: The character’s very presence is a stable guiding hand. His throng recognizes it, though perhaps not
consciously. The character may appear wise and particularly astute when it comes to helping others along the
Pilgrimage, but he may appear as confused as the rest. Something within him, however — a yearning,
transformative part of his Azoth — helps urge others along. Your character is likely to offer more help than
other Created when it comes to the throng seeking out the completion of new milestones. He may not always
be right, but he’s always on point and concerned with the shift from half-souled creature to human being. This
generally means the character is less concerned with his own Pilgrimage, however. It is possible that a
Shepherd character chooses to forego the New Dawn, staying in Saturnine Night and acting as a bodhisattva
for other Prometheans.
As a result, whenever a Promethean completes a milestone using the Shepherd’s advice or aid, that
character gains one more Vitriol than is normal. Note that this does not apply to the character who possesses
this Merit. The Shepherd must help the character with the milestone in some way — guiding him into the
situation, assisting in the fight, helping to choose the body for a new Promethean.
Drawback: The character must maintain a Humanity 6 or above to keep this Merit. If his Humanity drops
below that, the Merit is lost and can only be regained if repurchased when the character’s Humanity raises
above 6. A character may not possess both the Pilgrim and Shepherd Merits at the same time.
Weatherproof (•)
Book: Strange Alchemies, p. 59
Effect: Although Prometheans don’t really age and can go almost indefinitely with only bugs, roots and
tree bark for food, most still feel the cold and the heat. Most still have to keep warm.
A Promethean with this Merit doesn’t feel the cold or heat at all. Extremes of temperature cause no
penalties. A plunge into arctic seawater and a mid-August afternoon walk in Death Valley are all the same to
the Promethean. The Promethean suffers no penalties from extremes of cold and heat. Penalties that don’t
depend on the Promethean being directly affected by the weather (such as from poor visibility, for example)
still affect the Promethean. Available at character creation only.
=
Merits List
=
Age Reversal (•)
Book: Grim Fears, p. 84
Prerequisites: Wyrd 4
Effect: The changeling ages backward instead of forward: a 50-year-old man gets younger by the day —
one year of life is equal to one year reversed (instead of turning 51, he turns 49 on his birthday). This has little
mechanical effect, though certainly it’s possible that a player will seek to affect stats accordingly as a
character grows younger — Willpower might drop, for instance, but Physical stats might increase a bit. (Why
is this such a low-dot Merit? Ultimately, because in the day-to-day game, it doesn’t have a lot of effect.
Maybe a year passes and the character appears a bit younger, but it’s only the type of thing that really shows
itself over a long chronicle — and even then, it doesn’t have any huge systemic effect on the character,
instead incurring a more narrative effect. Plus, the drawback is worth figuring into the cost.)
Drawback: Not only does the character still one day die (he’ll eventually be a baby and will continue to
age backward until his frail infant body cannot support his life outside a womb), but in addition, the character
does not find his life expectancy grown any more (according to Wyrd) once he purchases this Merit.
Devotee (• to •••••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 14
Prerequisite: Wyrd 7
Effect: You have followers. And not necessarily because you want them, either. No, these humans have
caught glimpses of your mien past the Mask, and they’ve come to… well, worship you. They’re not
ensorcelled (unless you choose them to be), but once in a while they catch a hazy aura of your truly awe-
inspiring or monstrous mien, and as a result they think you’re quite special indeed. It’s probably because
they’re damaged; these aren’t healthy people. But they’ll follow you into the gates of Hell. They’ll do pretty
much whatever you want — and that means throwing themselves in front of a bus or strangling their own
mother at your behest.
This Merit functions like the Retainer Merit (p. 116, World of Darkness Rulebook). Each acquisition of
this Merit equals one zealous Devotee (and several acquisitions pretty much means you have a cult that puts
you at its holy center). Your character doesn’t necessarily need to do anything to pick up a Devotee; they
simply glom onto her because somehow they saw her mien or sensed her power.
Dots spent in this Merit indicate the training, capability or flexibility of the zealot. (Again, see the Retainer
Merit for comparable aptitudes.)
Drawback: In addition to the drawback of the Retainer Merit, it’s important to note yet again that Devotees
are damaged. Each suffers from at least one severe derangement. In addition, while a Devotee zealously
throws himself into completing the changeling’s commands, sometimes they have… creative ways of
interpreting instructions. A Lost asks one of his zealots, “While I’m busy across town going through
Bethany’s closets, I need you to occupy her for the next few hours so she doesn’t come home.” The cultist
does as demanded, but interprets “occupy her” as meaning “put her in the hospital.” Technically, it worked.
But that might not be what the Lost wanted, precisely.
modifier Situation
-1 General mild discontent or a small group of active and dedicated revolutionaries
-2 Widespread major discontent or a medium-sized group of active revolutionaries
-3 Full-blown civil war
Fetch-Bane (Special)
Book: Autumn Nightmares, p. 103
Type: Milestone
Circumstance: The changeling kills his fetch with a weapon. He might stab his fetch to death with a
sword, throttle it with a rope, beat it with a club or even shoot it with a bow or a gun. The changeling must kill
the fetch that weapon alone, though; he can’t shoot the fetch and then slit its throat as it lies bleeding. Cold
iron weapons cannot become fetch-banes.
Effect: The weapon used to kill the fetch becomes a token called a fetch-bane. When activated, the
weapon’s damage either becomes lethal (if it is normally bashing) or increases by two (if it is normally
lethal).
Action: Reflexive
Mien: The weapon shows evidence of the killing committed with it. A knife or cudgel drips with blood, a
rope smells of chafed flesh and a gun smokes.
Drawback: A fetch-bane cannot be used in self-defense. If a character attempts to use a fetch-bane in a
fight in which he is not the aggressor in a fight, the fetch-bane turns in his hands, imposing a –3 penalty on all
attempts to use it.
Catch: The character must start a fight with someone that he knows personally within the next 24 hours.
The fight must be physical, unprovoked and without warning (i.e., the character cannot say to a member of his
motley, “I have to punch you now, please punch me back once and we’ll call it a day”). If the character does
not do so within 24 hours of using the fetch-bane, the weapon leaps into the character’s hand and attacks the
nearest person (the character makes a normal attack roll against the victim, and must deal with the
consequences).
Fighting Style: Dream Combat (• to •••••)
Book: Rites Of Spring, p. 90
Prerequisite: Wyrd •••, Empathy •••
Effect: Your character has honed her oneiromachy skills to a high degree, allowing her to push the
envelope of dream-battle and take the dream-bound combat beyond the reach of less experienced or dedicated
oneiromancers.
Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special combat maneuvers that are only applicable for
oneiromachy (dream-battles). Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the next. So, your character can’t have
Double Team until he has Stunning Blow. The maneuvers and their effects are described below.
Stunning Blow (•): Your character’s dreamonslaught is overwhelming, literally stunning your opponent to
the point of inaction. If successes inflicted in a single attack equal or exceed a target’s Wyrd, the victim loses
his next action. Attacks of this strength are often accompanied by appropriate special effects in a dream, from
shockwaves to tendrils of grasping fog that seem to stall the stunned opponent for a moment.
Double Team (••): Not content with a single avenue of attack, your character is adept enough with
oneiromancy that he can coordinate an environmental and a personal attack against his target at the same
time. The second attack suffers a –1 penalty. Drawback: Your character cannot use his Defense against any
attack in the same turn in which he intends to use this maneuver. If he uses Defense against attacks that occur
earlier in the Initiative roster, before he can perform this maneuver, he cannot perform the maneuver in the
same turn, his attention is too focused on protecting himself.
Blind Spot (•••): Your character’s control of the dream environment is so great that it allows him to attack
from the vantage point most detrimental to his opponent. He must use the lowest, rather than the highest, of
her Finesse Traits (Wits, Dexterity or Manipulation) as her Defense and the lowest, rather than the highest, of
her Resistance traits as her armor.
Wyrd Armor (••••): Your character’s mastery of the dream-realm protects him in battle. He may add his
Wyrd to the highest of his Finesse Traits to serve as his Defense and to the highest of his Resistance traits to
serve as his armor.
Coup de Grace (•••••): Even as your character’s opponent fades from the dream-arena, he is capable of
delivering a final blow. At any time that an opponent in a dream-combat is beginning to waken (i.e., has
dropped to or below 0 Willpower), he may deliver one final dream-attack (environmental or personal) against
her as she wakes. She may not use her Defenses or armor against this attack.
Harvest (• to •••••)
Book: Changeling: The Lost Core, p. 94
Effect: Glamour is a precious commodity, and one of the first things many changelings do upon coming to
terms with their new existence is try to find some way to secure a steady supply. This Merit represents a
relatively stable and consistent source of Glamour that the changeling is considered to have ready access to,
allowing her to more easily refresh her supply of Glamour in times of need. This does not guarantee that the
changeling will always be able to find the exact amount she needs — in all its forms, Glamour is an
unpredictable energy at best — but it does give her a bit more security than a changeling who never knows
where his next bit of Glamour will come from. Each dot of Harvest adds one die to certain rolls related to
gathering Glamour.
A character must specify what type of Glamour-gathering activities this Merit represents when it is
purchased. The different types available include but are not necessarily limited to Emotions, Pledges, Dreams
and Hedge Bounty. Thus a character adept at gaining Glamour from mortals would take Harvest (Emotions),
while a changeling receiving Glamour due to upholding pledges would possess Harvest (Pledges) and a savvy
scrounger who knows where some of the best groves in the local Hedge can be found would have Harvest
(Goblin Fruits). The bonus applies only to rolls related to that type of collection, so a changeling with Harvest
(Dreams) would receive no bonus on a roll to gain Glamour from a mortal’s waking emotions. The actual
source of the Glamour can vary considerably, from a reserved room at the back of a local nightclub where the
changeling brings her conquests (Emotions) to a secret glen in the Hedge where the goblin fruits ripen (Hedge
Bounty).
This Merit may be purchased multiple times, but only once per type of Glamour gathering. Note that the
changelings receiving Glamour from pledges with mortals are still limited to the maximum number of vows
determined by their Wyrd rating (see p. 176).
Having a lot of space doesn’t always do much good if there isn’t anything occupying it, which is where
Hollow Amenities comes in. Reflecting the relative luxuriousness of the Hollow as well as how well-stocked
it is with supplies and other material comforts, this rating gives an idea of how elaborate the Hollow is as well
as what a character can reasonably expect to find within it at a given time. (A character who wants a humble
cabin doesn’t need to allocate much here, but a character who wants an elaborate treetop village stocked with
delights should be ready to invest quite a bit.) A Hollow without any dots in Amenities contains few if any
buildings or possessions — it might be big but it’s mostly empty space. At the other end of the spectrum, a
retreat with five dots in amenities is likely fully stocked with all manner of luxuries, and while most of these
Amenities are made of ephemeral dreamstuff and thus cannot travel across the Hedge or even that far from
their origin within it, they still make for a very pleasing stay. (In other words, Hollow Amenities cannot be
used as a substitute for other Merits such as Resources or Harvest, and if the character wants the things found
in his Hollow to travel outside of it, he must purchase the appropriate Merits to represent these riches.) While
a high Hollow Amenities rating often entails a high Hollow Size rating, exceptions do occur for example, a
changeling might not invest much in Hollow Size, but then make that small cabin a veritable wonderland full
of excellent food, interesting books and a magical fireplace that keeps itself at the perfect temperature all the
time. Likewise, a motley might invest a lot in Hollow Size to get a giant Victorian mansion, but without much
spent in Hollow Amenities, it will be sparsely furnished and likely a bit rundown.
Although Hollows cannot have access to some high-tech facilities such as phone service, Internet
connections or satellite broadcasts, some of the more impressive Hollows make up for it with minor magical
touches. These magical elements should not mimic anything as powerful as Contracts, but can provide basic
household services and serve as excellent descriptive details and flourishes to create exactly what the player
desires for the look and feel of their Hollow. A game board with living chess or gwybdyll pieces that can play
against a living opponent is a perfectly acceptable entertainment amenity, for example, as might be a battered
arcade cabinet that changes every new moon to a different video game never seen in the mortal world.
Hollow Doors reflects how many entrances and exits a Hollow has, which can be equally important if a
character is cut off from her normal access point in the real world or finds herself in need of a quick escape
route while staying in the Hollow. Without any dots in Hollow Doors, a Hollow is assumed to have one
entrance in the real world and one small entrance in the Hedge — the Hollow can be reached through either
side. (A character may waive either of these “free” entrances if he only wishes the Hollow to be accessible
from one side.) With each dot in Hollow Doors, the Hollow has one additional point of entry/exit, either in the
real world or through the Hedge. For example, with the expenditure of multiple dots, each motley member
might have a door in his own residence that allows him access to the group’s private Hollow. Note that these
doors must be tied to static access points in either realm — these places do not change.
Of course, a changeling might have the most gigantic and elaborate Hollow imaginable, but unless it is
properly warded and secured against intrusion, it will most likely be lost to opportunistic scavengers in short
order — or worse yet, subject to an unpleasant visitation from the Others. Thus, it is wise to invest at least a
few dots in Hollow Wards, representing the precautions both mundane and magical that protect the Hollow
from unwanted visitors. Each dot invested in Hollow Wards subtracts one die from all attempts by unwanted
visitors to find or break into the Hollow; in addition, those inside receive a +1 die bonus per dot on their
Initiative compared to those attempting to break in. Lastly, the more dots invested in Hollow Wards, the less
likely the location is to be found by True Fae or creatures from the Hedge; each dot subtracts one die from
any rolls made to find the Hollow.
Characters whose players spend no points at all on Hollow simply do not have access to any sort of special
location in the Hedge. They might come as guests to another’s dwelling from time to time, but if they wish to
have regular access to any particular location, they must purchase this Merit on their own or pool points with
other changelings who already own an existing Hollow. Characters with no Hollow points simply do not
enjoy the mechanical benefits of having spent dots on a better living space in the Hedge.
Each aspect of the Hollow Merit has a limit of 5. In other words, Hollow Size, Hollow Amenities, Hollow
Wards and Hollow Doors may not rise above 5 (to a maximum of 20 points spent on this Merit). The
combined pool of points is used to determine the cost in experience points for raising the Hollow Merit during
play.
Special: The Hollow Merit may be shared among characters in a close-knit group. They might simply be a
motley whose members are devoted to one another and are willing to pool what they have, or perhaps their
mutual reliance on an individual or trust could bring them together to share what they have in common.
To share this Merit, two or more characters simply have to be willing to pool their dots for greater
capability. A shared rating in the Hollow Merit cannot rise higher than five dots in any of the four aspects of
the trait. That is, characters cannot pool more than five points to be devoted to, say, Hollow Size. If they wish
to devote extra points to the Merit, they must allocate those dots to a different aspect of the Merit, such as
Wards or Doors.
Shared Hollow dots can be lost. Motley members or associates might be abused or mistreated, ending
relationships. Group members might perform actions that cast themselves (and the group) in a bad light.
Ravaging creatures from the Hedge might damage part of the location, or some True Fae could discover the
Hollow and decide to make it their personal residence for a time. If any group member does something to
diminish the Hollow, its dots decrease for all group members. That’s the weakness of sharing dots in this
Merit. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The Storyteller dictates when character actions or events
in a story compromise shared Hollow dots. Characters can also leave a shared Hollow. A rift might form
between close sworn comrades, or perhaps a character falls in battle. Or one could simply be kicked out of the
Hollow by the others. When a character leaves a shared- Hollow relationship, the dots he contributed are
removed from the pool. If the individual still survives, he doesn’t get all his dots back for his own purposes.
He gets one less than he originally contributed. So, if a character breaks a relationship with his motley, his
two Hollow dots are lost by the group, but he gets only one dot back for his own purposes. The lost dot
represents the cost or bad image that comes from the breakup. If all members agree to part ways, they all lose
one dot from what they originally contributed.
The Storyteller decides what reduced dots mean in the story when a character leaves a shared Hollow.
Perhaps no one else picks up the character’s attention to the Hollow’s mystical defenses, causing Hollow
Wards to drop. The Hollow might not be tended as fastidiously, causing a drop in the Hollow Amenities
value. Maybe a portion of the Hollow falls into disuse or even collapses, causing an effective drop in Hollow
Size. Whatever the case, a plausible explanation must be determined.
A character need not devote all of her Hollow dots to the shared Hollow Merit, of course. A changeling
might maintain a separate Hollow of her own outside the communal one represented by the shared trait. Any
leftover dots that a character has (or is unwilling to share) signify what she has to draw upon as an individual,
separate from her partners. For example, three characters share a Hollow and expend a group total of five
dots. One character chooses to use two other dots on a private Hollow for herself. Those remaining two dots
represent a Hollow entirely separate from what she and her friends have established together.
To record a shared Hollow Merit on your character sheet, put an asterisk next to the name of the Hollow
Merit and fill in the total dots that your character has access to thanks to his partnership. In order to record his
original contribution, write it in parentheses along with the Merit’s name. It is not important to note which
aspect of the Hollow Merit on which those points are spent, as this allows greater flexibility should a
character ever decide to withdraw from the community arrangement. The result looks like this:
MERITS
Hollow* (2) •••
Hollow ••
Allie •••
In this example, the character shares a Hollow Merit dedicated to the motley’s communal refuge. He
contributes two dots to the relationship, and the group has a total of four dots that are made available to each
member. The character also has his own private Hollow Merit rated •••, which he maintains by himself. And,
the character has Ally rated •• that is also his own Merit.
Manymask (• to •••••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 14
Prerequisite: Wyrd 7
Effect: For most, the Mask is a set thing — some innate reflection of one’s humanness or an unconscious
costume of mortal skin and features. Some changelings learn how to project a whole new Mask, while others
learn how to keep a mental and mystical closet of several Masks one can wear. For each dot purchased in this
Merit, assume that the character has another Mask. This Mask is of the player’s design, and is very likely
formed consciously on the part of the changeling (though some changelings, especially those with multiple
personalities, may forge them unawares). Each Mask must be of the same gender and same Size (a 90 lb. wisp
of a girl must have all of her Masks be reflective of a 90 lb. wisp of a girl), but otherwise, all other cosmetic
features are up for grabs. One might be buff and mustachioed, another might be a pale slip who looks more
like a chemo patient than a circus strongman. To slip into another Mask, the changeling merely needs to
spend a point of Glamour as an instant action, and can do this as many times in a chapter (game session) as
her Wyrd score.
Mantle (• to •••••)
Book: Changeling: The Lost Core, p. 97
Mantle represents a mystical connection with the elements and emotions that a particular Court embodies.
The higher a changeling’s Mantle rating, the more he has come to embody that Court’s ideal — even if he is a
hermit who doesn’t involve himself in local politics, a character with a high Mantle is still given at least
grudging respect by his peers because of his obvious commitment to the values his Court cherishes. From a
descriptive perspective, as a character’s Mantle rises, his fae mien reflects this ascendance, displaying both
literal and figurative signs of the season. A character with Mantle (Autumn) • might be followed by a slight
brisk breeze, for example, while one with Mantle (Autumn)••• might have illusory leaves kicked up as she
walks and at last at Mantle (Autumn) •••••, the character might be illuminated by late afternoon light and
surrounded by a reflective hush similar to that found in a library. Specific examples of how a Court’s
particular Mantle increases can be found in the “Courts” section in Chapter One. These trappings are not
visible to mortals and have no real game effect, but should be used to enhance a character’s description and
convey a sense of how rooted in her Court she has become.
As a sign of brotherhood, Mantle adds to dice pools for social interaction with members of the Court in
question. Each dot adds a +1 die bonus to relevant rolls with members of that particular Court. This Merit
does not add to dice pools predicated on supernatural powers. Characters with no Court cannot purchase
Mantle. Mantle also serves as a prerequisite for learning certain Court-related Contracts.
A character may learn clauses from the relevant Contract path of his Court, which generally require a
certain amount of Mantle to learn, though he must still meet any other prerequisites as well. Should his
Mantle fall or he adopt the Mantle of a new Court, he might no longer meet the prerequisites for some of his
old Contracts; in that case, he must spend additional Glamour to activate those Contracts. (See “Changing
Seasons,” p. 94, and the note on Contract prerequisites, p. 174).
Each Court has certain mechanical and descriptive benefits for all its members developing a Mantle rating,
as outlined in the Court descriptions in Chapter One. In addition to those benefits, each Court has a benefit
reserved for its leader, an advantage most commonly referred to its “crown.” A crown can only manifest in a
freehold where there are at least a handful of members of a particular Court and they are able to choose a
common leader, and generally manifests only during the appropriate physical season. Occasionally, a crown
will manifest during the off-season if a Court is especially prominent or powerful in the area, as the Hedge
reflects the Court’s potency, or a changeling who is elected leader of the freehold might manifest his crown
out of season if he is sufficiently popular. Note that the leader of a Court is not always the member with a
highest Mantle rating. Ultimately, the Storyteller is the final arbiter of when and how a crown appears, but as
a rule, only one crown may manifest in a given freehold at a time.
Blessing of the Green (Spring): A character who wears the crown of Spring may spend a Willpower point
to bestow the Blessing of the Green, allowing her to add her Mantle rating as bonus successes to a single roll
related to gathering Glamour. The changeling may use this ability up to a maximum number of times per
session equal to her Mantle dots. A particular character may only benefit from one use of this ability per
session, however. The Spring fae may cast this blessing on herself, or she may choose to bestow it on another
with a touch, in which case the blessing must be used before the next sunrise or it is lost.
Challenge of the Black Spear (Summer): This benefit applies in one-on-one situations such as duels. By
spending a Glamour point, the character with the crown of Summer receives a bonus to his Initiative rating
equal to his Mantle dots for the duration of the duel, and is not considered surprised by ambushes or other
unexpected trickery, though if the duel shifts to mass combat this Initiative bonus drops to a simple +1. The
changeling may use this ability multiple times per session, up to a maximum number equal to his Mantle
rating. However, this ability may only be used once against a particular foe per combat.
Harvest of Whispers (Autumn): Once per session, the Autumn leader may take a minute to reflect on
what she has learned so far that session (and consult the Storyteller as to whether or not a particular bit of
information qualifies for this ability), and then perform the Harvest of Whispers. For each valuable secret,
important truth, revelatory fact or other significant piece of information she has uncovered this session, up to
a maximum number equal to her Mantle rating, the character receives two Glamour points that are placed in a
special pool apart from her regular Glamour points. These harvested Glamour points can be spent only to
power Contracts, activate tokens, facilitate dream travel or cross into the Hedge. These points cannot be used
for any other purposes, including seeming abilities, and cannot in any way traded or given away; anything left
in this pool fades to nothingness at the end of the session. This ability may allow the character to effectively
exceed the limit of Glamour points she can possess as dictated by her Wyrd, but the number of Glamour
points she can spend per turn is still limited normally. Furthermore, as long as a character exceeds her normal
limit of Glamour, she is considered especially noticeable by beings that can detect Glamour or magical
energy, so unless she wishes to attract undue attention, it is also best to ready a concealing Contract or two to
help dim this radiance.
It is important to note that only new information learned that session can be used for the Harvest of
Whispers even if a character learned something just last session, it’s old news and doesn’t qualify. Those who
don the crown of the Autumn Court are expected to always be seeking out new and interesting information,
not rest on the body of knowledge they’ve already accumulated. The Storyteller is the final arbiter of whether
a piece of information is new, valuable or important enough to qualify for this ability.
Feast of Ashes (Winter): Once per session, a changeling wearing the crown of the Winter Court may
devote himself to the Feast of Ashes, converting one point of Glamour to one point of Willpower, up to a
maximum number of points equal to the character’s Mantle rating. He may even exceed his normal limit of
Willpower points in this fashion, though any excess points are lost at the end of the session. In addition, for
the remainder of the scene in which this ability is activated, the changeling’s Willpower rating is effectively
increased by a number equal to his Mantle rating, making it extremely hard for others to undermine his
confidence in his ability to survive.
• The Hollow moves a set distance chosen by the changeling when purchasing this Merit (no more than the
changeling’s Wyrd in hours of Hedge travel) in a random direction at a regular interval of no less than a
month and no greater than a season. The Speed of this travel depends on the mode of locomotion chosen, but
can be as fast as instantaneous. Changelings with such Hollows may find this mobility more a nuisance than
an advantage, and most take extreme pains to ensure that they are within the Hollow’s walls at its scheduled
time of migration. If not, their own Hollow may be lost to them until such time as they hunt it down again via
the usual rules for navigating the Hedge. Once the Hollow has been located again, any doors to the mortal
world can be re-established at the changeling’s wont.
•• The Hollow can move a set distance chosen by the changeling (no more than the changeling’s Wyrd in
hours of Hedge travel) when the Merit is purchased in a random direction at the changeling’s whim. This
relocation can only be performed once per month and only when the changeling is within the Hollow. The
Speed of this travel depends on the mode of locomotion chosen, but can be as fast as instantaneous.
••• The Hollow can move at up to Speed 10 in a direction chosen by the changeling for a distance chosen by
the changeling (no more than twice the changeling’s Wyrd in hours of Hedge travel) once per month.
•••• The Hollow moves constantly at Speed 10. Doors into the Hedge tend to leave the character stranded in
unfamiliar locations…and passing back through them only leads back into the Hollow if done within 10
seconds. (Navigating the Hedge towards the Hollow suffers a –3 penalty to the usual roll.) Doors into the
world do not similarly move, instead remaining fixed. Such doors are typically the preferred manner of
entering and exiting the Hollow.
••••• The Hollow can move at up to Speed 10 for an unlimited distance and does so at the changeling’s
whim. The changeling chooses the direction and can alter it at her discretion.
Hollows moving through the Hedge ignore trods or other established paths; the walls of the Hedge part
before the Hollow and close behind it. Furthermore, Hollows avoid other entities in the Hedge, instantly
leaving pursuers behind (often by slipping through a Hedge wall that seals behind it) and circumventing any
other individuals or obstacles along the way. A Hollow cannot be used as a weapon to ram other entities, nor
can it be crashed into other Hollows. Space within the Hedge is subjective enough that even if another Hollow
exists precisely where the character’s Hollow is traveling, it can set up a comfortable distance away.
Special: Like other aspects of the Hollow Merit, the cost for Mobile Hollow can be split amongst different
characters as described on p. 96 of Changeling: The Lost. If the Hollow is shared, the Wyrd prerequisite
changes. Instead of being a flat Wyrd 3, the sum of the characters’ Wyrd ratings must equal 6 or more.
No Seeming (••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 107
Prerequisite: Changelings only
Effects: Your changeling lacks both a seeming and a kith. As a result, her fae mien is largely identical to
her original human form; the fae changes she has undergone are not distinct enough to have rewritten her
body into a full seeming. Your character lacks any seeming blessing or curse, as well as any kith. However,
retaining her human appearance also gives your character a better grip on sanity. As a result, she gains +1 to
all Clarity rolls to avoid losing Clarity or gaining a derangement. Available at character creation only. The
basic form of a changeling’s body is set once they come back from Arcadia.
Pledgesmith (• to •••)
Book: Rites Of Spring, p. 94
Pledges are a vital part of changeling society, and those who craft them well can gain significant prestige
among their fellows. Your character is noted for having an adept way with words, a skill that affords her a
small measure of respect from other Lost, and others may seek her out for advice on crafting pledges. This
Merit adds one die per level of the Merit to all social interactions involving pledges, either on topics related to
them or in the actual crafting thereof (including manipulating a hesitant party into a pledge or creating a
pledge that contains loopholes or hidden meanings.)
Seeming (•••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 107
Prerequisite: Fae-Touched Mortals Only
Effects: Your character has a changeling seeming, and possesses the associated blessing and curse. Only
faetouched mortals can purchase this Merit.
Drawback: Having been touched more deeply by the mad nature of Faerie, the character suffers a –1
penalty to all rolls to avoid gaining a derangement.
Slave (• to •••••)
Book: Goblin Market, p. 23
Your character has purchased a slave at Market. The creature is bound to serve you in almost any way
imaginable, chained to your will. This chain always manifests in some way in the creature’s appearance: iron
collars around the neck and silver cords about the wrist are typical markers, but brands, tattoos and even fur
patterns have been known to manifest. So long as the slave’s fetters remain, it must make a successful
Resolve + Composure roll to act against its master. The roll is penalized by -3 dice if the slave attempts to
refuse, ignore or disobey a direct order, and -5 if it tries to physically harm the character. Even the most
simple-minded slaves have feelings, however, and the Storyteller can reduce (or even waive) these penalties
in the face of long-term abuse.
The complexity and intelligence of a slave varies based on the value of the Merit. At •, the slave is little
more than a magical automaton, such as a lamp that follows its master or a broom that sweeps of its own
accord. For ••, the slave is a simple imp or wisp of limited intelligence, capable of carrying out relatively
simple tasks but without any significant capacity for problem solving. At •••, the slave has the intelligence
(and often temperament) of a child. At this value, a slave can be large enough to provide its master with
physical defense and may possess one dot in a single Contract. A •••• slave is a familiar of average intellect
and skill, perhaps possessing two dots in a single Contract. Finally, for •••••, the slave is of greater-than-
average intelligence or strength, able to think critically and creatively about problems and possessed of four
clauses from one or two Contracts. At this level, the slave may even be a changeling or non-fae supernatural
creature (with four of their appropriate powers), but keeping such powerful creatures as slaves is asking for
trouble.
Drawback: Besides the dangers inherent in housing abused hobgoblins, owning slaves carries a social
stigma among changeling society (composed, as it is, primarily of former slaves). Most changeling slave-
owners take care to be discreet in their proclivities, lest they garner a reputation in their Freehold for being no
better than the Others.
Special: Slaves at the Goblin Market come in two varieties: trained and untrained. The latter are most
common and tend to come cheap, and have a value (see p. 28) equal to half the Merit’s rating. The character
purchasing such a slave must also pay the usual experience cost of the Merit in order to “break in” the new
slave. Trained slaves serve obediently from the moment of purchase (requiring no expenditure of experience),
but cost an exorbitant amount. These have a value equal to the Merit’s rating.
Sublime (•••••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 14
Prerequisite: Wyrd 9
Effect: The character’s mien has become truly otherworldly. Perhaps her human form is gone and she is
just a being of pure light or darkness. Maybe she appears as a creature out of myth, or as an angel, or even a
goddess. She may be the pinnacle or horror of beauty. While humans still see the Mask, they sense her
transcendent nature. Mortal beings may not attack her (unless in self-defense), may not lie to her, and may not
attempt to intimidate her. In addition, all humans who can see her must halve their Speed and Initiative scores
(round down). Changelings, on the other hand, do not halve Speed or Initiative, but must succeed at a
reflexive Resolve + Composure roll to attack her (unless in self-defense), lie to her, or intimidate her. Finally,
the Gentry no longer see her as a direct enemy, and they see her as almost a kindred spirit. It doesn’t mean the
True Fae won’t attack her, but it’s quite likely they’ll approach her first as something close to an equal.
Drawback: She also draws the attention of the Gentry. The Fae want her to come “home” to Faerie, and
will do whatever they must to push her in that direction. That means her friends and family are subject to
possible torment or death by the Fae, who think she must have her “fetters” to the mundane world removed.
In addition, changelings don’t often trust her; why would they, when the Gentry seem so fond of her?
Token (• +)
Book: Changeling: The Lost Core, p. 98
Fae lore is replete with stories of objects with magical powers, either “liberated” from former masters in
Arcadia, discovered deep within the Hedge or even forged by skilled changeling craftsmen. Though these
objects are seemingly mundane to the mortal eye, the Lost see these useful but double-edged objects for what
they are. A character with this Merit has one or more such tokens in his possession. Each dot in this Merit
translates into one dot’s worth of token, which can be divided up as the player sees fit. Thus, a character with
Token •••• could possess one four-dot token, two two-dot tokens, one one-dot token and one three-dot token,
and so forth. This Merit can also be used to purchase the expendable tokens called trifles at a cost of three
trifles per dot, or even goblin fruits (p. 222) at the same rate.
In most instances, a character does not need to spend experience points for tokens acquired during the
course of play, only those in her possession at the beginning of the chronicle. At the Storyteller’s discretion,
ownership of truly mighty tokens may require a partial or even complete investment of experience points,
representing the time required to learn the complexities of using such epic items as well as safeguarding them
from potential thieves. For more on tokens, see Chapter Three (pp. 201–210).
Tokenmaster (•••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 14
Prerequisite: Wyrd 7
Effect: The character’s Wyrd is truly potent: it radiates from her mien in unseen waves. Those objects she
values and touches run the chance of becoming tokens. She must first be in somewhat constant contact with
the object for a number of days equal to (10 minus her Clarity score). A knife hung at her belt or a bed she
sleeps on at night counts: the coffee maker she uses every morning would not count. At the culmination of
that time period, the Storyteller rolls a single die — if that die is a success (8 or above on the roll), the object
becomes a token as her Wyrd has inadvertently infused it. It’s not impossible for a truly potent changeling to
effectively create tokens left and right…
Drawback: …and that’s not always a good thing. First, she has no control over what the objects become—
she cannot say, “I wish that this hand-me-down wallet from my deceased father magically makes money
appear” and have that happen. The Wyrd does what it wants. Second, tokens can be dangerous, especially if
they get into the hands of her enemies or into the hands of foolish humans who trigger dangerous catches.
modifier Situation
+1 Your character has a very close connection with the location or individuals involved.
-1 Your character has only a casual connection with the location or individuals involved.
+2 Your character has no real connection to the location or individuals in question.
Wyrdskill (•••••)
Book: Equinox Road, p. 15
Prerequisite: Wyrd 6
Effect: As noted on p. 173 of Changeling: The Lost, each changeling gains a free Specialty to Athletics,
Brawl or Stealth to represent the minor physical aspects that carry from mien to Mask and give the character
an extra edge. With Wyrdskill, a character binds another Skill to his mien and seeming, and at every Wyrd dot
gained starting at Wyrd 6, the character receives another free Specialty for the Skill chosen to be bound to
one’s Wyrd. The mien literally grows to reflect the Skill: think of a Flowering Fairest who finds her Wyrd
score is bound to her Subterfuge score. At Wyrd 6, her player grants her the Specialty of “Seduction” because
her dizzying floral scent allows her to lie to get men into bed; at Wyrd 7, she maybe earns the “Swindle”
Specialty because she finds that her “hothouse flower” veneer helps her with her many con jobs; and so forth.
Drawback: Upon finding that a Skill is bound to her mien and seeming, a character begins to rely on it too
much, driven both by its potency and by the Wyrd itself. Other Skills may falter slightly: the experience costs
to buy Skill dots or Specialties in other Skills in the same area as her Wyrdskill (Mental, Physical or Social)
increase slightly. New Skill dots in the same area are now new dots x 4, and Specialties purchased for Skills
in that same area now cost 4 experience points. (So, if her Wyrdskill is Subterfuge, it would cost more to buy
new Social Skills or Social Specialties, but not Physical or Mental ones).
Merits List
Hunter characters receive seven dots of Merits at character creation, just as other World of Darkness
characters do. They have a wider pool of Merits from which to choose, however, particularly third-tier hunters
who can choose Endowments (see below).
Endowments (• to •••••)
Book: Hunter: The Vigil Core, p. 67
Prerequisite: Membership (at least one dot of Status) in a third-tier conspiracy.
Effect: The hunter has been entrusted with some of the secrets of the conspiracy to which he belongs. The
six Endowment categories and the specific Endowments they can grant are discussed later in this chapter,
beginning on p. 150. A character can learn these Endowments in play by purchasing the Endowments Merit
with experience points (and probably by fulfilling some story-based prerequisites as well; Task Force:
VALKYRIE doesn’t hand out equipment to just anyone, for instance), or at character creation by allotting
Merit dots to Endowments. What exactly those Merit dots buy the character varies depending on which
Endowment is represented.
Advanced Armory, Relics and Thaumatechnology are all Endowments represented by devices and
objects. These objects have ratings of one to five dots, and so representing them with the Merit is simply a
matter of taking the required number of dots in the Endowments Merit. For instance, if a Cheiron Group
character wants the Devil’s Eyes Thaumatechnology Endowment at character creation, the player needs to
invest two dots in the Merit. These Endowments don’t run dry or disappear (though some of them might need
ammunition — these are called Renewable Endowments, and are described on p. 150), but a character might
lose an Endowment in play, or if he chooses to abandon his organization (and the organization has enough
time and notice to make sure it gets its equipment back).
Elixirs are the oils, potions and other alchemical preparations of the Ascending Ones. Taking dots in this
Merit indicates the character has the necessary “tolerance” to the potions to be able to use them without ill
effects.
An Ascending One can use Elixirs with higher ratings than her own ratingsin this Merit, but suffers a
penalty on the Stamina + Elixirs roll tosuccessfully use the substance (see p. 172 for more details).
Castigation Endowments represent the knowledge of the rites of the Lucifuge. For every dot in this Merit,
the character can learn one more rite. A character with three dots in Endowments (Castigation), therefore, can
learn a maximum of three rites. Any given character, though, can only call upon a maximum of five
Castigation rites at a time. Simply knowing the rites creates a strain on the soul and the sanity of the character,
and using them requires sacrifice, of blood, will or some other precious commodity. A character can “swap” a
Castigation rite that he knows for a new one, provided he learns about the rite from someone who knows it or
from a Lucifuge text. Switching out rites requires a rededication of the character’s energy, though, and that
takes time. The player rolls Resolve + Occult as an extended action. The target number of successes is 20
minus character’s rating in Endowments (Castigation), and the player makes one roll per day in which the
character spends at least four hours studying, fasting, fl agellating or otherwise preparing himself for the
change. As the total number of successes climbs, the character suffers nightmares, sweats, spontaneous
nosebleeds and other ailments, and then finally peace as the change sets in.
Benedictions, like Castigation, represent the character’s ability to know rites, but unlike Castigation, the
number of dots in the Endowments Merit doesn’t refl ect how many rites the character knows. A character
with the Merit Endowments (Benedictions) at one dot can potentially know every Benediction in existence, if
he’s willing to invest the time (and experience points) to learn them. The Endowments (Benedictions) Merit
refl ects how well the character can access that knowledge. All the Benediction rituals have different dice
pools associated with them, but the character’s Benedictions rating is always part of these pools.
Familiar (•)
Book: Witch Finders, p. 183
Prerequisites: Gnosis •, Occult ••
Effect: The ritual to summon and bind a familiar is easily learned by any witch with adequate mystical
knowledge. The witch prepares for the ritual by gathering items sympathetic to both herself and the familiar
with which she seeks to bind. For naturally occurring animals sympathetic items could include the usual
blood, hair or claw clippings, while for ghosts, the anchor of the specter is always necessary. Spirits require a
physical representation of their nature as a sympathetic device and speaking aloud or transcribing the name
the entity, along with some sort of sacrifice, serves as a sympathetic connection for demonic creatures. When
the witch has gathered the necessary components, she binds her own sympathetic items to those of her desired
familiar and burns them while chanting the name of the familiar. The caster then rolls Resolve + Occult +
Gnosis. With a single success on the roll, the witch has successfully summoned and bound the familiar to her
and spends a dot of Willpower to seal the union. If the bound familiar of a witch is ever killed, destroyed or
permanently banished, the witch loses a dot of Willpower, representing the loss of the bit of herself she bound
into her familiar. Witches may only have one familiar at any time.
The four main types of familiars available to witches are animal, demonic, and ghostly. Below are
instructions for the creation of each type of familiar and the benefits enjoyed by the witch and her familiar as
a result of their bonding. Regardless of type, all familiars share an empathic connection with their master;
each can automatically feel the emotions of the other. (Magical effects that damage or manipulate the familiar
through an emotional attack don’t damage or manipulate the master.) The familiar can always understand its
master, no matter what language the master speaks, and vice versa. Additionally, the connection shared
between the witch and her familiar allows the master to see through the eyes of her familiar as described
below. Through the Eyes: By spending a point of Willpower, the master of an embodied familiar can shift his
perceptions to the familiar. He sees what the familiar sees, hears what it hears, and so on. He is oblivious to
his own surroundings while viewing through his familiar, but still possesses tactile sensation (thus he is aware
of any damage or physical sensation to his own body). Ending this viewing is a refl exive action and requires
no roll.
Animal Familiars:
Animals are the most common type of familiar owned by witches. Cats, snakes, birds and even some
fantastic hybrids all serve as companion and helpmate to witches. Animals bound to witches as familiars are
always more intelligent and hearty than other members of their species, as a result of the binding ritual.
Examples of mundane animals to provide a basic guideline for what is appropriate in mechanical statistics for
an animal familiar can be found in the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 202.
Familiar Traits: Attributes should be equivalent to the familiar’s mundane cousins, with a bonus of
an additional dot in both Intelligence and Stamina. Willpower, Initiative and Defense are all generated in the
usual fashion, keeping in mind that animals choose the greater of their Dexterity or Wits as their Defense.
Speed, Size and Weapons/Attacks remain coned sistent with that of other animals of the same type and Health
is increased by one level as a result of the familiar’s superior Stamina. Animals have no Virtue, Vice or
Morality traits.
Skills: Assign 10 dots in pertinent Skills. Animal familiars gain a free Stealth specialty.
Preternatural: Animal familiars enjoy enhanced protection against magical and mundane threats as
a result of the bond with their master. Familiars gain an armor rating equal to the Gnosis of their master
against any physical attacks and may add the Gnosis rating of their master to any roll to resist or contest
magical effects. Additionally, no spell or effect of any kind can turn a familiar against its master.
Magical Companion: Witches frequently include their familiars in their magical workings. Any
spell cast while in physical contact with their familiar gains +2 dice bonus to the casting pool.
Dread Powers: Assign three dots among Dread Powers (see Hunter: The Vigil, p. 276). Any Dread
Power can work with creative application (a cat may cause “Ecstasy” simply by rubbing up against a target,
for instance).
Demonic Familiars:
Demonic familiars are imps, lesser demons and minor infernal entities that are summoned up from the
darkness to serve a witch. See the familiar entry under the Lucifuge Endowment, “Calling Forth the Pit” for
descriptions of these creatures (Hunter: The Vigil, p. 164) and the Familiar Traits sidebar for complete rules.
The spell for summoning or banishing a demon is found on p. 158 of this book.
Ghostly Familiars:
Ghostly familiars are often ancestors or friends of the witch that have shuffl ed off their mortal coil yet still
remain tied to this world because of their love for the witch. These ghosts are usually less powerful than the
other poor souls trapped in Twilight, but suffer less confusion about their state of being. Ghostly familiars are
created using the rules found for ghosts in the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 208. Regardless of actual
age, ghosts bound to serve a witch are allowed a maximum of two Numina. When a witch destroys the anchor
of a ghost during the binding ritual she is actually offering up herself as a replacement. The physical body of
the witch is the new anchor for the ghost, though the ghost may have additional anchors that allow it to travel
away from its master. Ghostly familiars may always manifest at the command of their master, without
needing to roll and can always communicate directly with their master through speech, though most other
people won’t be able to hear the ghost and may assume the witch is talking to herself.
Gifted (• to •••••)
Book: Witch Finders, p. 139
Prerequisite: Five-dot Gifts are available at character creation only. A character may not have both the
Gifted and Gnosis Merits.
Effect: The character has either an inborn or learned paranormal ability. Each time this Merit is purchased
the character may select one spell with a dot rating equal to the Gifted Merit rating from the Mysteries section
as a Gift. Gifts function exactly like the original spell except that any Source cost is paid instead with
Willpower and the Gifted character never gains Source. Substitute the dot rating of the Gifted Merit for
Gnosis rating to determine casting dice pool or for any spell effect based on Gnosis. The powers of the Gifted
never cause Paradox and characters may purchase multiple Gifts.
Drawback: Channeling magic through the body in this unconventional fashion can have unpleasant side
effects, especially in the case of the more powerful Gifts. Tier-two spells selected as Gifts cause one point of
bashing damage (headaches, strange patterns of bruises) to the Gifted the first time they are activated in a
scene, and tier-three spells selected as Gifts cause one point of lethal damage (nose bleeds, heart palpitations)
to the Gifted the first time one is activated for the scene.
Gnosis (• to •••••)
Book: Witch Finders, p. 135
Effect: The character has an understanding of magic and an ability to wield it. Only characters with dots in
the Gnosis Merit have access to the spells of the Mysteries. The Gnosis rating of the character is an indicator
of how much magical knowledge a witch can absorb as well as granting the witch access to higher tiers of
Mysteries. Gnosis rating is also added to any contested dice pool to resist magical effects.
• Access to Tier One Mysteries. The witch may draw spells from one Mystery of his choice and the
Mystery of Lore.
•• The witch may draw spells from up to two Mysteries of his choice.
••• Access to Tier Two Mysteries. The witch may draw spells from up to three Mysteries of his choice.
•••• The witch may draw spells from up to four Mysteries of his choice.
••••• Access to Tier Three Mysteries. The witch may draw spells from up to five Mysteries of his choice.
He also gains the Unseen Sense Merit for free and now suffers from the bane of Paradox.
Indomitable (• to •••••)
Book: Night Stalkers, p. 134
Prerequisites: Resolve •••, Composure •••
Effect: Whether due to resolve, strength of will, or sheer bloody mindedness, some people just won’t bend.
The hunter with this Merit is altogether less prone to suggestion of any sort, be it mundane or supernatural
and gains a bonus to resist outside forces imposing their will on her. Be it by Intimidation, Persuasion, or
Dread Powers, the hunter gains a bonus equal to the dots in this Merit on all Composure or Resolve rolls to
resist attempts bending her will to someone else’s wishes.
Kin (•••)
Book: Spirit Slayer, p. 139
Effect: Werewolves start out life as ordinary people. Whether they later become werewolves through magic
ritual, a pact with Satan or because of an inherited genetic abnormality is open to debate, and different hunters
have different opinions. It certainly seems likely that some people are predisposed towards lycanthropy,
perhaps as the result of a curse that strikes every seventh child. A character with the Kin Merit was born
carrying the legacy of lycanthropy in his blood, even though that legacy never came to fruition. Because of
this legacy, werewolves respond slightly more favorably to the character than they do to regular humans and
the character shares some of this empathy. The character gains a +2 bonus to all Social rolls in his dealings
with werewolves, gains the benefit of the Unseen Sense Merit applying specifically to werewolves (see the
World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 109) and receives a +3 bonus to resist the effects of Lunacy.
Drawback: Mortals with this Merit are typically viewed as potential breeding stock by werewolves and
will have to deal with potential suitors at some point. Depending on the werewolf involved, the suit may be
presented to the character as a practical arrangement, take the shape of a brief love affair or – and this happens
with an alarming regularity – the character may simply be dragged off in the middle of the night to fulfill his
“duties.” Even if the werewolves aren’t interested in propagating the species, they still might hang around just
to see if the curse ever fully kicks in. This possibility could haunt the hunter. Might he become what he hunts?
If other hunters become aware of the character’s background they might be leery of him as well. In addition,
the hunter suffers a -1 Social penalty when dealing with normal humans (including most other hunters).
Null (••••)
Book: Spirit Slayer, p. 140
Effect: Because of an accident of birth, ancient family curse, or blessing from a higher power, your
character is surrounded by an aura that is antithetical to spirits and spiritual energy. Spirits don’t like being
near you and will go out of their way to avoid contact with the character. Simply visiting a Locus is enough to
temporarily shut off the flow of Essence from that place while you remain present. Werewolves can sense the
unnatural disruption of spiritual energy caused by proximity to your character and they have a harder time
using their magical rites and abilities with you around.
The character is completely immune to possession or influence by spirits. The aura of spiritual null extends
for 10 yards in every direction around the character. Spirits prefer not to deal with the character if they can
possibly avoid it, which gives the character a +1 to Intimidation rolls made against spirits. Spirits also suffer a
-5 penalty on any attempt to materialize within the aura (this includes attempts to summon or force spirits to
manifest), except at a Locus, where the penalty is reduced to -3. Werewolves within the aura must spend
twice the amount of Essence normally required to perform a ritual or activate a Dominance that requires
expenditure.
Characters with the Null Merit are something of an aberration. Every attempt made to quantify or reproduce
the phenomenon has, thus far, met with failure. One possible explanation is that Null characters represent a
sort of balancing force to the spirit world. It is possible that these characters exist to help maintain the
separation between worlds, their mere presence acting to reinforce the barrier. Organizations like the Cheiron
Group and the Loyalists of Thule are very interested in finding a way to intentionally create Null humans.
Available at character creation only or with Storyteller approval.
Drawback: The character suffers a -2 penalty to all Social rolls (excluding Intimidation) when dealing with
werewolves or spirits. This penalty is extended to any other hunter that attempts to peaceably contact or
negotiate with werewolves or spirits while standing in the aura of the character.
Safehouse (• to •••••)
Book: Hunter: The Vigil Core, p. 70
Effect: The hunter has a place of his own where monsters cannot find him. A safehouse might be the
headquarters for a cell, or it might be a personal hideaway for an individual. Hunters often rig a safehouse
with traps, hidden weapons, security systems and escape routes, because as impregnable as it might be,
monsters are persistent and clever. They’ll probably find the way in, and the best a hunter can do is make it
hard on them.
A safehouse might be a storage shed that the hunter rents out and uses as a weapons locker, an apartment
that is rigged to set the building on fire if he fl icks a switch, or a mansion belonging to his organization that is
woefully lacking in security. In game terms, dots spent on the Safehouse Merit need to be distributed among
four categories: Size, Cache, Secrecy and Traps. Thus, the storage shed might have no dots of Size or Traps,
but several of Secrecy. The apartment doesn’t hold much in the way of Cache (as the owner is afraid to leave
anything there), but has a high Traps rating. The mansion has five dots in Size and probably a few in Traps
and/or Cache, but none in Secrecy.
Safehouse Size is perhaps the simplest defining characteristic, governing the amount of raw space the
safehouse encompasses.
x Barely any space; only a pair of characters can fit inside comfortably.
• A studio apartment; one to two rooms.
•• A large apartment or small family home; three to four rooms.
••• A warehouse, church or large home; five to eight rooms, or large enclosure.
•••• A mansion or very large home; equivalent to nine to 15 rooms.
••••• A sprawling estate, interconnected tunnel network; countless rooms or chambers.
Safehouse Cache: A lot of space is good for a very large cell, or for a cell that chooses to live in its
safehouse, but it can also make the inhabitants paranoid. After all, if there are 10 rooms in the place, who
knows what’s in the other nine at any given time? Hunters find that having some weapons at their fingertips
lessens this paranoia somewhat (or it might make it worse, because what if the monsters find the stash?).
Each dot allocated to Safehouse Cache translates to one cache. A cache can hold five Size points worth of
equipment, so while one might be a weapons locker with two shotguns and a pistol (and a few boxes of ammo
for each, which is negligible as far as Size goes), another might hold surveillance equipment (a set of wire
taps, binoculars, night-sight goggles and maybe a pistol for good measure). Chapter Six of the World of
Darkness Rulebook has some examples of equipment and weapons that might be useful, and players should
work with the Storyteller to figure out what might fit in a cache. It is possible, too, to combine two or more
dots of Cache into one space, for a total Size of 10 or more. Equipment doesn’t have to be stored in a cache,
of course — a large safehouse can have entire rooms devoted to storage. Equipment that is stored in a cache,
however, is effectively hidden from anything but a devoted (or supernatural) search. Mundane interlopers
receive a -5 modifier to any attempt to find a cache (on a dramatic failure, the searcher finds and triggers a
trap, instead, if the safehouse has any). If the players wish, this modifier can instead apply to attempts to
access the Cache. The gun safe might be in plain view, but it’s not at all easy to crack open without the proper
combination.
Safehouse Secrecy: One of the biggest advantages a hunter can enjoy is, ironically, one that his prey tries to
cultivate as well: anonymity. If the monsters don’t know where to find the hunters, they have a harder time
killing them. Dots in Safehouse Secrecy indicate how far removed from the hunters the safehouse is, from a
legal (and paper trail) standpoint. These dots impose a negative penalty on any attempt to find the hunter
through the property, or vice versa. The descriptions of the different dot ratings below are just examples; it’s
up to the player to decide what the Secrecy represents.
x The hunter rented or bought the place using his real name, credit card or bank account.
• The hunter went through an intermediary, but cosigned a loan at some point.
•• Some effort toward concealment; an assumed name or paying in cash.
••• Considerable difficulty in tracing the property — the hunter might just be squatting.
•••• The hunter never goes back to the place if he doesn’t have to, never gets there by the same route, and
his real name never appears on any of the documentation.
••••• The property has a real owner who lives there full time, is aware of his rights and, if necessary, can
show cops around the place while casually denying that he’s ever seen the hunter before.
Safehouse Traps: Sooner or later, a safehouse is going to be compromised. Hunters know it, even if they
don’t want to admit it. That’s why many of them build traps into their safehouses, in hopes they can kill a
supernatural intruder — or at least deter him long enough to get away. A trap can take a myriad of forms.
Opening a door to a promising-looking room reveals a shotgun aimed at chest level, which promptly fires.
Walking up the stairs on the left side is safe, but on the right side, they’re rigged to collapse. Looking behind
a painting causes an ax to swing down from the ceiling, just about at head level. A trap can also be designed
to destroy part (or all) of the safehouse — at the fl ick of a switch, the place goes up in flames, collapses or
explodes (see sidebar for what this means in terms of the Merit).
A trap can either inflict damage equal to the dots allocated to it to a single target, or can inflict less damage
to a large area. Once a trap is tripped (provided it doesn’t destroy the place), any hunter who contributed dots
to the safehouse can reset it with minimal work. This is what differentiates traps represented by this Merit
from others that the characters might build themselves during the course of the chronicle; no rolls or special
effort are required to reset a Safehouse Trap. Again, though, if the trap is designed to destroy large sections of
the safehouse, that damage can’t be repaired without significant effort and expense, if at all. Any trap that
deals damage to the Safehouse Size can be rigged to go off after a short delay, giving the hunters time to flee.
x The hunters haven’t bothered setting traps. Perhaps they’re afraid of setting them off themselves.
• A trap that infl icts one point of lethal damage to a target (concealed knife, caltrops) or three points of
bashing damage to a small area (electrified fl oor, mild poison gas).
•• A trap that infl icts two points of lethal damage to a target (spring-loaded knife, concealed pistol trap) or
inflicts six bashing damage to a small area (falling sandbags, fire-hose trap), or a trap that incorporates fire
and thus has a chance of igniting targets and the house (see p. 180 of the World of Darkness Rulebook).
••• A trap that infl icts three points of lethal damage to a target (falling ax, poisoned needle on a doorknob)
or eight bashing damage to an area (collapsing staircase), or a trap that damages a portion of the safehouse,
reducing its Size by one (explosives; anyone caught in the blast takes two lethal damage).
•••• A trap that inflicts four lethal damage to a target (shotgun trap, pit with spikes) or 10 bashing
damage/two lethal damage to an area (concussion grenade trap, deadfall trap), or a trap that reduces the
Safehouse Size by one to three dots (anyone caught in the area suffers three points of lethal damage).
••••• A trap that inflicts five points of lethal damage to a target (spring-loaded sharpened stake, blowtorch
trap) or 12 bashing damage/three lethal damage to an area (bouncing Betty, acid spray), or a trap that
completely destroys the safehouse, no matter how large (anyone caught inside suffers four points of lethal
damage).
A note on vulnerabilities: some creatures, such as vampires, suffer aggravated damage from fire. Others
have more specialized weaknesses, and hunters might well guess at them or learn them over the course of the
chronicle. The Safehouse Traps system doesn’t make capitalizing on these weaknesses a special case —
working silver bullets into a gun trap doesn’t put the dot rating up. This is because the creatures get a chance
to notice the traps anyway (see below), and because a hunter can’t be sure that a) werewolves really are
vulnerable to silver, or if that’s just a story and b) werewolves are going to attack the safehouse, rather than,
say, vampires, who don’t care a bit about silver.
Any intruder receives a Wits + Composure roll to notice a trap before it activates:
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The intruder activates the trap and suffers all relevant damage. In addition, roll (the
rating of the trap in question + 2) and apply any successes as additional damage (type as appropriate to the
trap).
Failure: The intruder activates the trap and suffers all relevant damage.
Success: The character notices the trap and can try to disarm it (Wits + Crafts minus the dots allocated to
that trap, failure sets off the trap, dramatic failure doubles the damage) or just leave it be.
Exceptional Success: The intruder notices the trap and can attempt to disarm it (Wits + Crafts, no penalty
for the trap rating).
Suggested Modifiers:
Modifier Situation
+1 Intruder is actively looking for traps
+1 Intruder has successfully surveilled the location recently
-1 Dim light
-1 Loud ambient noise
-2 Intruder is hurried
-2 Trap does not require visible apparatus (collapsing staircase, for instance)
-3 Total darkness
Each aspect of the Safehouse Merit has a limit of 5. In other words, Safehouse Size, Safehouse Cache,
Safehouse Secrecy and Safehouse Traps may not rise above 5 (to a maximum of 20 points spent on this
Merit). The combined pool of points is used to determine the cost in experience points for raising the
Safehouse Merit during play.
Special: The Safehouse Merit may be shared among characters in a cell. The cell may have built the place
from the ground up, or a single hunter might have found or purchased it and improved as he met the other
characters.
To share this Merit, two or more characters pool their dots for greater capability. A shared rating in the
Safehouse Merit cannot rise higher than five dots in any of the four aspects of the trait. That is, characters
cannot pool more than five points to be devoted to, say, Safehouse Size. If they wish to devote extra points to
the Merit, they must allocate those dots to a different aspect of the Merit, such as Traps or Secrecy.
Shared dots can be lost. If a hunter dies or leaves the cell (perhaps due to a falling-out over methods), the
dots that he contributed are subtracted from the safehouse. The Storyteller decides what reduced dots mean in
the story when a character leaves a shared safehouse, but the decision should make sense. Dots representing
Size, for instance, should probably disappear last, if at all, and if they do, it might mean that a portion of the
safehouse has become unusable rather than vanishing outright. A character might take equipment with him
when he leaves, thus reducing dots in Safehouse Cache, or a death might draw attention to the place, reducing
Safehouse Secrecy.
A character need not devote all of her Safehouse dots to the shared Merit, of course. A hunter might
maintain a separate safehouse of her own outside the communal one represented by the shared trait. Any
leftover dots that a character has (or is unwilling to share) signify what she has to draw upon as an individual,
separate from the cell. For example, three characters share a safehouse and expend a group total of five dots.
One character chooses to use two other dots on a private safehouse for herself. Those remaining two dots
represent a safehouse entirely separate from what she and her comrades have established together.
To record a shared Safehouse Merit on your character sheet, put an asterisk next to the name of the
Safehouse Merit and fill in the total dots that your character has access to thanks to his partnership. In order to
record his original contribution, write it in parentheses along with the Merit’s name. It is not important to note
which aspect of the Safehouse Merit on which those points are spent, as this allows greater flexibility should a
character ever decide to withdraw from the community arrangement. The result looks like this:
MERITS
Safe House* (2) ••••
Safe House •••
Professional Training ••
In this example, the character shares a Safehouse Merit dedicated to the cell’s collective headquarters. He
contributes two dots to the safehouse, and the group has a total of four dots that are made available to each
member. The character also has his own private Safehouse Merit rated •••, which he maintains by himself.
And, the character has Professional Training rated ••, which is also his own Merit.
Undondable (••)
Book: Night Stalkers, p. 135
Prerequisites: Stamina ••, Resolve •••
Effect: The hunter is highly resistant to the intoxicating effects of vampire blood. Vampires require twice
the necessary dosages (six instead of three) when attempting to bind this hunter to its will or improve her
disposition toward it through blood. Available at character creation only.
Merits List
Ceremonies (•+)
Book: Geist: The Sin-Eaters Core, p. 87
Throughout the ages, countless rituals have been devised for the living to contact, placate, or honor the
dead. These rituals rarely have much innate power of their own — but in the hands of someone bound to a
geist, they can be invested with deathly power. The adoption of these ceremonies, and to some extent the
duties that these ceremonies reflect, are in some ways what defines the role of the Sin-Eater.
This Merit represents the number of ceremonies (see page 150) that a Sin-Eater knows and can perform. A
character beginning play with three dots of Ceremonies might know three one-dot ceremonies, one one-dot,
and one two-dot ceremony, or a single three-dot ritual.
In order to learn a new ceremony, the Sin-Eater must usually find an instructor to teach her, though in some
cases (particularly with high Synergy) a Sin-Eater can learn how to “create” a ceremony from scratch. For
instance, a character might study a particular culture’s rites for propitiating the dead, and with assistance and
advice from her geist, finetune a version of those rites that has some supernatural effect when she performs it.
When purchasing new ceremonies with experience points, they aren’t treated as expansions of this Merit.
Learning a new ceremony costs 2 experience points per dot, or three per dot if the character has no instructor
available and must devise it on her own.
After the Death Rite, the temporary Haunt gradually fades, losing one dot of Haunt fluidity per hour.
Drawback: A Death Rite’s benefits don’t stack with a normal Haunt, but do stack with the Flesh Fair
Merit.
The Flesh Fair can be a solemn ritual of remembrance or a raucous wake, but it must be a structured event
that incorporates the krewe’s values and symbolism that takes at least three hours to complete.
Merit Merit
Haunt Accessibility ••• Haunt Accessibility-Shared •
Haunt Fluidity •• Haunt Fluidity-Shared •••
Haunt Residue •••• Haunt Residue-Shared ••
Memento (•+)
Book: Geist: The Sin-Eaters Core, p. 89
The golden death mask of Tut-Ankh-Amen. The rifle with which Lee Harvey Oswald (ostensibly) killed
Kennedy. The cremated remains of Nurhachi, first sovereign emperor of the Manchu dynasty. Relics and
reminders of such potent deaths (and lives) carry with them the emotive resonance of their history. Each one
is a symbol of the power of death, held in tangible form, with memory carried in it just like a ghost that clings
to some half-faded, decaying vestige of its former living glory. To a Sin-Eater, such memento mori not only
serve as artistic and maudlin reminders of mortality, but as focal points of very real and very tangible power.
Every Bound has access to at least one memento: the keystone originally given to her by her attendant geist.
Many Sin-Eaters go out of their way to collect additional mementos, often for their utility and sometimes out
of a perverse desire to assemble a medley of morbid miscellany. A few krewes even hunt down other Sin-
Eaters and their geists for the express purpose of relieving them of their mementos. Due to the utility of
mementos, Sin-Eaters are apt to gather as many as they can — but mementos are, after all, signature objects
that generally have a unique provenance. This means the demand for mementos far exceeds the supply, with
predictable and sometimes violent consequences.
Mementos generally grant access to a Threshold — a symbolic representation of a specific form of death,
such as “death by violence” — which carries with it bonuses when invoking ceremonies related to its form of
death. Some mementos provide Keys, which grant bonuses when used by a Sin-Eater who shares the same
Key; a Sin-Eater with the Pyre-Flame Key, for instance, gains a bonus when using a Pyre-Flame memento to
invoke a Manifestation.
Six different forms of mementos generally make the rounds of Sin-Eater society. The simplest memento is
a charm, a small item imbued with a trace of symbolic death-energy so as to assist in unlocking
Manifestations. A vanitas is a memento created by a Sin-Eater to symbolize her personal artistic interpretation
of death. A fetter is a ghost’s anchor to which the Sin-Eater has bound the ghost via a special ceremony,
thereby granting the item a cold infusion of death via the ghost’s traits. A deathmask is the remnant of a geist
given material form; worn by a Sin-Eater, it provides association with the former geist’s own qualities in the
form of innate knowledge from the geist’s past as well as a Key associated with the former geist’s keystone.
Memorabilia, the most potent of mementos, are unique relics from powerfully symbolic deaths, such as the
aforementioned rings, weapons, clothes, and implements associated with the demise of legendary figures from
King Arthur to Elvis Presley. Finally, a keystone is a Manifestation of the pact between geist and Sin-Eater,
given to the living by the dead as a symbol of the connection between the two.
A Sin-Eater’s initial keystone (granted by her geist) is an automatic special Memento Merit with a
Threshold and two Keys, provided at no cost. Each additional memento counts as a separate Merit purchase.
If a player wants to possess multiple mementos, then the Sin-Eater must have multiple Memento Merits to
match. A Sin-Eater who possesses a Charm and a vanitas has two separate Memento Merits: the Charm is a •
Memento Merit, and the vanitas is a •• Memento Merit.
Unlike other Merits, mementos do not improve via use, practice, or the simple expenditure of experience
points. Each type of memento represents a signature item with unique characteristics. A Charm, for instance,
is a simple object imbued symbolically with some association with death. It is not possible for a Charm to
suddenly “become” a deathmask, a remnant of a destroyed geist. In extremely unusual circumstances, a Sin-
Eater might discover that an item thought to be a weak memento is actually something of greater provenance
(such as a Charm bullet that later turns out to be a memorabilia, perhaps the bullet that killed Martin Luther
King, Jr.). Such an improvement in the value of a memento is fodder for story development, and should not
occur simply because the player wants to make a given memento “better.”
In addition to the varied powers of mementos, every memento is in essence a battery of death energy. As an
instant action with a Resolve + Occult roll, a Sin-Eater can destroy one of his own mementos while in contact
with it in order to release its energy and stanch his wounds. The Sin-Eater absorbs the freed plasm, healing a
number of Health equal to twice the memento’s Merit rating. The memento permanently loses its supernatural
powers (and, since its unnatural resilience disappears, crumbles into dust).
Specific examples of mementos, and of the particular benefits they provide to their owners, can be found
starting on page 192.
If the Sin-Eater successfully uses a factor, he enjoys a number of dots in benefits equal to the factor’s
rating. These can be either one or multiple benefits whose total equals the factor rating. Each benefit listed
under a given rating has an independent cost.
Drawback: If the Sin-Eater breaks his channel’s Ban, he cannot use Mythic Factors in that scene or the
next scene in which he uses a Manifestation for any meaningful purpose.
Revenance (•••••)
Book: Geist: The Sin-Eaters Core, p. 189
Through its Aspect, the founder’s geist is capable of resurrecting its host, and constantly animates it to a
degree. The Aspect serves as a medium by which the geist channels powers it normally cannot access. Of
course, it infuses a part of its mythic form into the founder; the Sin-Eaters independence erodes every time he
comes back.
Prerequisites: Psyche 6, founder of a Tier Three krewe
Benefits: This Merit brings a founder back to life as though his geist resurrected him, but with one
important exception. The founder’s maximum Psyche does not decrease (though he does lose a Psyche dot as
usual). It takes just one scene (or about an hour) for the founder to return to life. In the interim, he appears
truly dead. His body must be somewhat intact. Missing limbs and organs may return, but if the body is
reduced to ash or otherwise bereft of most of its human form, the power doesn’t work. The founder also stops
aging, though this presents its own complications.
Drawbacks: The founder loses a point of Synergy when he comes back to life and his maximum Synergy
decreases by a point. Someone else dies in the founder’s place, as with the usual self-resurrection.
The founder also no longer ages, but physical wear and tear affects his body. Every decade past the age of
100 reduces the character’s permanent health points by one. The founder can get around this by voluntarily
“resurrecting” himself, at which point his current and maximum Synergy depletes as usual.
Lastly, this Merit does not function against the event that caused the Sin-Eater’s original Threshold, as long
as it somewhat resembles the specific circumstances of his brush with death. A founder with Revenance who
almost died of a stabbing can’t return to life after another fatal stab wound, for example.