New Supernatural Options

Origin

In the Beginning, you had the Sephyr as the agents of the Creator and the Natura who were born at the moment of Creation. The Sephyr devolved or evolved (depending on your perspective) into the Archangels and Gods. The Natura equivalent to these beings were the High Sidhe, Natura who patterned themselves after humans (Oberon, Titania, folks like that). Other Natura patterned themselves after animals, the elements and other natural features of the world. Collectively, these beings are the Faeries.

The Faeries ruled their own kingdoms such as Avalon and Tir Na Nog in the ancient times of the Elder Kingdoms. Like the other kingdoms of the time, they too were destroyed by the flood. The survivors fled into the wild places, until humanity began the slow yet determined destruction of forests, marshes, jungles and all other wild places. Many faerie races perished as their natural habitats were destroyed, outnumbered by humans, the survivors fled to Yesod. There they split into two courts and formed their own society from the ruins of their ancient world.

The native faeries of Yesod are known by many names; amongst them are the Sidhe, the little people, the Good Folk, and the Tuatha dé Danann. These faeries do not resemble the romanticised courts of Shakespeare or the ætheric semi-gods of Early Victorian art (although truth resides in both) as much as those described in the tales of the Brothers Grimm. Their beauty is both breathtaking and at times horrifying. Illusion and trickery are integral to faerie life and existence. One would do well to remember that the legends concerning them are many and ofttimes contradictory, especially across cultures.

Most Faeries hold very little interest in the human world and therefore contact between the two has almost entirely faded from memory. Every now and then a Faerie will come to our world out of curiosity, or being banished for some crime against the courts. Many of these Faeries find it very hard adapting to our world which is so cold, sterile and lifeless compared to Yesod.


Yesod

The Sphere of the Moon is home to the Sylvan and Fey races, creatures descended from the Naturas born during creation. The Norse called it Alfheim, the land of the Elves. Some believe Yesod an idealised reflection of Earth, created by the faeries to mimic the world they claim was once theirs. True or not, it is clear that the lands are bound inextricably.

Passage between Earth and Yesod is possible, although unpredictable. Places of convergence are ofttimes found at locations such as standing stones, faerie rings, streams, green mounds, and perchance even barrows or temples that were built upon earlier such sites.

Yesod is divided into two distinct regions that provide balance. One enjoys perpetual spring and summer; the other suffers through unending fall and winter. Although both lands are quite similar to Earth, everything is exaggerated. In the fair lands, the Good Folk need for nothing; everything is provided by the land (and each other). The flora and fauna grow strong and vigorous; colours are more vivid; tastes are better and more refreshing (indeed, anything that gives pleasure does so in greater quantity and intensity). Furthermore, the plants and animals are intelligent and ofttimes speak.

In the dark lands, of course, the opposite holds true. The land is harsh and unforgiving, and a chill wind constantly blows. All is overcast and foreboding, as if the light itself were reluctant to shine. Storms strike frequently, and violently. Plant life is stunted and scarce; if something flourishes in the gloom it is surely to be avoided. Animals are either malformed and weak, or volatile and extremely dangerous. Faeries who make the dark lands their home are surely something less than friendly.

Yesod also has a Dragon Realm, dragons being Natura who patterned themselves after dinosaurs in the same way that the Sephyr patterned themselves after humans to become Gods and Angels. Dragons are immensely powerful and both respected and feared by the Faeries.


Faerie Portals

The most traditional means to pass to Yesod is through a faerie ring or mound. Faerie rings usually appear as a circle of toadstools in some wild or natural location. Anyone walking into the circle finds himself in Avalon, mayhap in Unseelie lands. From the faerie side, the portal might be a circle of trees or bushes, a hazy portal through which one could see the mundane world, or again, a circle of toadstools.
Faerie mounds generally lead directly into underground areas or the dwellings of dark faeries. Travel via a mound usually requires one to ascend to the summit; from there the traveller sometimes must go to sleep. In addition the gifted can access Yesod through any of the normal means it takes to travel to the Overworlds, through invocations, gateways etc.


Lives of the Faeries

Faeries live to be thousands of years old. Thus, they develop rather peculiar tastes and habits to stave off the inevitable boredom that near-immortality promises. These tendencies are generally a product of their environment.

Faeries who live in the fair lands are ofttimes lazy and hedonistic. They tend to be mischievous, although rarely in a dangerous way. They obsess over the tiniest details, looking deeply to find something interesting.

The faeries of dark Yesod also seek diversion, but doing so usually involves a degree of spite, malice, or cruelty that is lacking in their softer kindred. To them, our world is nothing but a pale reflection of their own where nothing seems real, substantial, or satisfying. This, in turn, encourages them to meddle and play tricks on humanity.

Beyond the general environment, a faerie’s proclivities stem partially from which royal court it holds allegiance to—Seelie or Unseelie. Keep in mind, however, that regardless of origin, all faeries have the capacity to be dangerous. Whether their diversions are kind or cruel, they are always enthusiastic, and in the end, this passion may occasion a great deal of harm.


The Seelie Court

The faeries of the Seelie Court are the most familiar. They come in a variety of sizes from small to human-sized, although the nobles tend more to the latter. The Seelie are inclined to be cheerful, with a good sense of humour, although tempered by a hardness born of the struggle against the Unseelie. They are slender of build and have pointed ears. Their skin ranges in tone from fair to brown. In all, they are charismatic, graceful, and appealing.

Although ofttimes compassionate to humans, these faerie are still mischievous and their honour is not quite the same as the human variety. They are sensitive that proper respect being shown to them, demand politeness, and deplore rudeness. If a Seelie’s word is given, it shall never be broken even unto death, for doing so is an unpardonable offence. They tend to live up to the spirit of their agreements (although out of fancy or mischief they might decide else wise) unless they have been insulted.

Good faeries can be capricious, and appear aloof and distant, as over-familiarity with humans is generally considered in poor taste. The Seelie usually find humans uncouth, ugly, and clumsy, and are singularly unimpressed with what they see as human urgency. Still, humans do fascinate the Seelie Court at times, and those with a fine sense of humour or artistic bent are valued above others.

The Seelie Court is presided over by King Oberon and Queen Titania who rule sternly but fairly—those who cross the Court are treated with contempt, sometimes violently. Lords and Ladies of great age and power form the higher nobility along with the leaders of smaller Seelie troops. These nobles may also call themselves kings and queens. Beneath them are master artisans, followed by the lesser nobility that make up the bulk of the Seelie Court. Most of the latter have no title but still must be treated with respect and deference by humans. Disgraced members, hostile races, exiles, and various outsiders are considered to have no standing, and come last in the Court hierarchy. This includes the Unseelie, who are scorned and disdained for their evil and destructive ways.

Of late, many Seelie have become interested in human events and have taken to observing and reporting what has been occurring in Earth. Some even feel that action should be taken to aid the humans against the malevolent predators that hunt them, lest these same creatures strike the Court next, or worse, Yesod itself.


The Unseelie Court

The Unseelie are to the Seelie as night is to day, winter is to summer, and destruction is to creation. The Unseelie Court harbours mostly evil intent toward humankind, which is seen as a threat to the faerie lands, albeit a fascinating one. Unseelie enjoy playing dangerous pranks on humans or taking them captive and subjecting them to mental and physical torture. Likewise, they may occasionally ally themselves with powerful humans who have proven their mettle. Rarely, a human may earn the respect of the Unseelie. In such instances, the faerie do everything possible to convert the human to the Unseelie perspective—something quite possibly worse than enmity.

Like the Seelie, the Unseelie tend to be distant, arrogant, and sticklers for politeness and respect. If they feel they have been slighted, they never forget; no matter how long it takes, they shall punish the offender (usually violently). Like many faeries, they are bound by their word, but make every effort to twist the intent of their oaths without quite breaking them.

The Unseelie Court is also known as the Unholy Court or by some simply as "the horde to avoid attracting their attention. The horde can be seen roaming the night winds, spreading sickness and blight or abducting those unfortunate enough to encounter them. Many of the traditional methods of placating faeries were born of attempts to protect one’s family from the Unseelie. The Court, which allows for little leeway in its dealings, is rigidly ruled by its King and Queen, whose word is law and rarely defied. Titles are generally bestowed based on age and power, although the latter, if it is great, can sometimes be enough.

Unseelie faeries, on the average, have darker hair, pointed ears, a cold grace and charisma, and are thinly built. Those who are not pale range from blue-tinged to dark. They tend to be cruel, temperamental, and violent. Some are grotesque in appearance, solitary by preference, or predatory by nature.


Relations between the Courts

At the risk of monumental understatement, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts do not see the world in the same light. Each constantly jockeys for advantage, seeking to discredit the other. Interactions are ofttimes excessively difficult, slow, and conducted with false civility. Despite the mutual hatred and constant scheming, the two courts manage a shaky balance, for the rulers of both know that war benefits neither. Indeed, when Yesod has been sorely endangered, the courts have set aside their differences, however briefly, to push back the threat. Then again, if the Unseelie are of the opinion that no one is watching, they will attempt anything they deem apt.


Orphans and Exiles

Faeries, on occasion, abandon their children to be raised by humans. Sometimes this is done to protect the child from a threat faced by the parents. Other times, enemies might kidnap the babe and leave it with humans, denying it a true faerie upbringing.

Sometimes a human baby is taken and replaced with a faerie; these are the changelings of legend. Orphaned faeries know little, if anything, of their native history or customs, but do possess some racial attributes and Qualities, as well as an inherent glamour that disguises the truth of their conception. Ofttimes, these children remain ignorant of their own origin until adolescence, when many learn to see through the illusion. Players may find this a happy medium for playing a faerie character with solid ties to the human world.


Faeries and Un-death

Humans can return from death as ghosts, Vampyres, phantasms, or zombies. As creatures intimately linked to the natural world, faeries follow a strong rebirth cycle. When they die, they are reincarnated again.

Furthermore, faerie magic is incompatible with the necromantic forces required to animate the dead. Thus, no stories have been told of faeries becoming ghosts or Vampyres. Although exceptions exist, in general, any effect that would cause a human to become a Vampyre, phantasms, or a ghost cannot affect a faerie.

All Common Faerie share these special abilities and vulnerabilities.

Essence Manipulation and Recovery
Faeries use Essence to activate their Powers. This Essence is recovered at the rate of 1 point per Willpower every minute. Faeries can use as much of their personal Essence as they need, without the limitations normal humans, even those with channeling have.

Rapid Healing
Faeries recover very rapidly from injury. Any Life or Endurance losses are regained at the rate 1 point per Willpower level every turn. If any limb is severed, it regrows when Life Points are fully restored.

Resistances
Faeries need to eat, sleep, and breathe, although their supernatural constitution allows them to do without far longer than normal humans. Narcotic and irritant poisons affect them, but cannot kill them. Corrosive poisons retain their full force. Disease affects them, but cannot kill them, unless the disease is supernatural in origin. In addition, Faeries can harm and be harmed by creatures that normally could not be harmed by physical means, such as ghosts.

Restricted Metaphysical Arts
Besides their own unique powers, Faeries never demonstrate supernatural abilities. Some few Faeries (the Sidhe) can use Invocations but most Faeries can only use magic through the ritual skill.

Faeries have no power over the dead; therefore they can never use necromancy. Neither can Faeries acquire psychic abilities or become Inspired. Such powers are the province of pure humans. In a way, their Fae nature imposes limits on them that do not exist in humans, all whom at least have the potential to work Necromancy and other powers.

Supernatural Attributes
Faeries receive the following physical Attribute bonuses: +1 Strength and +1 Constitution. They may also add +1 to one mental Attribute of their choice. The following formulae determine the Faerie’s Secondary Attributes (Speed uses the normal formula):

Life Points: ((Strength + Constitution) x 3) + 40
Endurance Points: ((Constitution + Strength + Willpower) x 2) + 30
Essence: Sum of Attributes +10

Supernatural Senses
Faeries can sense large concentrations of Essence, and the presence of supernatural beings, and see through all forms of illusion crafted by a non-Faerie by passing a Difficult Perception Test at +2.

Unaging
Faeries do not grow old. Their aging process stops shortly after reaching full adulthood (sometime after their mid-twenties).

Drawbacks
All Faeries possess the following drawbacks:

Vulnerability (Minor — Iron): Faeries take double damage from cold-forged iron weapons.

Mental Problem (Mild Faerie Arrogance): This prejudice affects all they do; Faeries considers themselves better than others, and would rather deal with a hostile faerie than a like-minded human.

Few beings encompass beauty, magic, and otherworldliness quite like the Sidhe, who appear to be something out of a Henry Fuseli painting, beautiful and terrible to behold at the same time. Known as the Tuatha dé Danann in Ireland, they are every bit the stereotype of a Norse elf—tall and graceful, with skin the colour of cream and hair of sunlight blond, ash-grey, red, and gold. They seem to embody nature itself, rather than simply living in harmony with it.

They frequently engage in games of power and status with one another. The magical, martial, verbal and fashion contests of the Sidhe have very real consequences for those involved. The status and power of those involved in these "games" depend on their outcome.

In theory, all other faeries must pay them homage and respect. Trooping faeries certainly do, even the "evil" ones, but solitaries ofttimes find them intolerably aloof. Although Sidhe have an easy time visually passing for human through use of a Seeming, their extreme arrogance renders them nearly incapable of acting human.

The Sidhe are much more powerful than other Faeries and possess the following:

Essence Recover and Rapid Healing
Sidhe are much more powerful than common Faeries. Their essence recovers at twice the rate of a lesser Faerie, 2 points per Willpower every minute and also heal much faster at 2 points per Willpower level every turn. If any limb is severed, it regrows when Life Points are fully restored.

Rapid Healing
Faeries recover very rapidly from injury. Any Life or Endurance losses are regained at the rate 1 point per Willpower level every turn. If any limb is severed, it regrows when Life Points are fully restored.

Resistances
Faeries need to eat, sleep, and breathe, although their supernatural constitution allows them to do without far longer than normal humans. Narcotic and irritant poisons affect them, but cannot kill them. Corrosive poisons retain their full force. Disease affects them, but cannot kill them, unless the disease is supernatural in origin. In addition, Faeries can harm and be harmed by creatures that normally could not be harmed by physical means, such as ghosts.

Restricted Metaphysical Arts
Besides their own unique powers, Faeries never demonstrate supernatural abilities. Some few Faeries (the Sidhe) can use Invocations but most Faeries can only use magic through the ritual skill.

Faeries have no power over the dead; therefore they can never use necromancy. Neither can Faeries acquire psychic abilities or become Inspired. Such powers are the province of pure humans. In a way, their Fae nature imposes limits on them that do not exist in humans, all whom at least have the potential to work Necromancy and other powers.

Supernatural Attributes and Qualities
Faeries receive the following physical Attribute bonuses: +3 Strength and +3 Constitution. They may also add +1 to one mental Attribute of their choice. The following formulas determine the Faerie’s Secondary Attributes (Speed uses the normal formula):

Life Points: ((Strength + Constitution) x 5) + 40
Endurance Points: ((Constitution + Strength + Willpower) x 3) + 30
Essence Pool: Sum of Attributes +20

In addition, all Sidhe gain two levels of the Attractiveness Quality (p. 68 of Armageddon) for free and all of them possess the following powers as standard: Seeming and Glamour.

Drawbacks
All Sidhe possess the following drawbacks in addition to those of lesser Faeries:

Mental Problem (Deranged Faerie Arrogance): One level higher than Common Faeries.

Obligation (Total — Faerie Court): The Sidhe have binding loyalties, first and foremost, to the Seelie or Unseelie Courts.

Each Faerie has their own special powers, usually determined by species and personality. Some Powers are known only by the oldest and more powerful Faeries, some are quite common, while others are simply rare. During character creation, players may buy these Powers, using Metaphysics Points.

Air Magic
10-point Power
Allows the casting of the Elemental Air spell, with an effective Invocation level equal to the character’s Willpower level, and an Essence Channelling level equal to the character’s Willpower plus three.

Animal Communication
2-point Power
The character is able to communicate telepathically with rats, bats, and wolves. This communication does not permit control (Influence rolls may be used however), but does mean the supernatural may gather information from the animals. Use of this communication power requires an expenditure of an essence point for every five minutes. Information learned is revealed in only the simplest of terms—animals are incapable of higher reasoning.

Arcane Knowledge
Variable Power
Prerequisite: Sidhe
The character can learn magic normally. He has an Essence Channelling level equivalent to his Willpower + Glamour Skill. Invocations are purchased normally, and are acquired through mystical revelation, not learned from a teacher. The cost of this power is six points, plus the cost of the Invocations.

Blink
1-point per level Power
Certain Faeries are able to translocate to any location with which they are familiar. The distance traversed depends on the level of this Quality.

At the first level they can travel 100 feet, than 0.5 miles, than 2 miles, than 100 miles, 500 miles, 1,000 miles, 5,000 miles and at level 8 they can travel anywhere on the planet.

Blinking 100 feet costs 1 essence point, and you double it each level up i.e. to travel 0.5 miles you use 2 essence points, to travel 2 miles it costs four points etc.

Calling
5-point Power
The faerie is able to mystically call his personal arms, armor, and various tools to him. The number of Essence points spent dictates the item: one for a dagger, two for a sword, three for a shield or helm, and four for a suit of armor. More than one object may be summoned at one time, but the combined number of necessary Essence points must be spent. Calling takes one Turn to accomplish.

Purchasing this Quality also allows the faerie to possess one weapon and a suit of armor of faerie metal. The weapon possesses a +1 bonus to attack and adds two points to its damage. The armor is AV 10 and is effective against both physical and magical attacks.

Cloak of Beasts
4-point Power
The faerie is able to take the form of a normal creature such as a cat, dog, mouse, wolf, hawk, fish, frog, or the like. The character gains the Strength and Dexterity Attributes of the new form, but all others remain the same. He can also use the animal’s natural weapons (fangs or claws), and fly or breathe under water.

The larger the animal, the more costly the transformation. Transforming into a small animal like a bird or a rat costs 2 Essence points per hour. A large creature like a wolf or dog costs 5 Essence points per hour. Very large animals (like horses, tigers and any animal that masses more than a human) cost 10 Essence points per hour.

To return to natural form requires a single Essence pint to be spent.

Dominion
8-point Power
Prerequisite: Sidhe
This is the power to control the minds of mortals, and, for the most powerful Sidhe, of other supernatural beings as well. Each use of this power allows the character to issue a one-phrase command to one being. The Essence cost is equal to two points per Willpower for a mundane, or four points per Willpower level for Gifted and supernatural characters. The victim resists with a Simple Willpower Test; Gifted and Supernatural characters can replace the Test with any appropriate Task for that purpose. Like the Mindrule Power, this ability is more easily resisted when the orders are clearly something the victim does not wish to do. The Task or Test against such commands gains a bonus ranging from +3 to +7.

Earth Magic
10-point Power
Allows the casting of the Elemental Earth spell, with an effective Invocation level equal to the character’s Willpower, and an Essence Channelling level equal to the character’s Willpower plus three.

Elfin Soul Flame
5-point Power
The faerie can cause his hands to glow with an eldritch flame of yellow (Seelie) or light blue (Unseelie) to be used in three separate fashions. No two Elfin Soul Flame effects may be combined at one time. Manifesting the flame requires 5 Essence points spent.

First, the faerie may illuminate an area up to six feet per 5 Essence points spent in radius with a non-heat producing fire. The light lasts five minutes per 5 Essence points.

Alternatively, the faerie can project a bolt of coloured fire from his hands up to 50 feet; the target may avoid it with a dodge manoeuvre. If it strikes, the fire decreases two of the target’s Attributes by one point, or one by two points (faerie’s choice on degree and Attribute affected). To simplify matters, treat each point of Strength decrease as a –2 penalty to damage totals and each point of Constitution decrease as –4 Life Points.

Other Attribute decreases simply apply resultant penalties to rolls based on that Attribute. This damage lasts for one hour, and although it cannot kill an opponent, it renders him incapable of movement (Strength or Dexterity 0) or unconscious (zero in other Attributes). Each usage of this power allows one bolt.

Finally, the wielder can allow the flame to slip around a wielded melee weapon. In that case, the Attribute decrease detailed above supplements the weapons normal damage, but only one Attribute is lowered by one point (again faerie’s choice). Once triggered, the flames last two Turns before dissipating.

Emotion
Variable Power
The Faerie can inspire emotions in those around him. Typical emotions include courage, fear, lust, and rage. Although the feelings are always the same, a victim’s reactions may vary. Scared people may run away, or may start shooting wildly, for example.

Activating this power costs five Essence Points. The effect lasts for one Turn per Success Level in the Task. The base range of this power is one yard (meter) per Willpower Level. Mundane characters feel the emotion in question unless they pass a Difficult Willpower Test at a -2 penalty. Gifted and Supernatural characters resist with a Simple Willpower Test.

This Power costs five character points per emotion affected. Typically, only one emotion is picked, the one linked most closely with the character’s species (e.g., fear for Sluagh, lust for Leanan Sidhe). For additional range, one character point increases the range by five yards (meters).

Faerie Compulsion
2-point Drawback
The faerie in question is obsessed with some action. This may be the need to repair all shoes in bad condition, prepare better meals, tidy up living quarters, mend clothes, polish all metal, or some such. Any time the faerie sees his obsession, he must make a Willpower (doubled) roll or immediately go about fixing the situation (as always, the Chronicler may apply situational modifiers as he sees fit). Even if the faerie succeeds, he must return the next night and attempt to rectify the situation. The Chronicler and player should discuss the obsession beforehand to ensure it is suitable.

Faerie Eye
5-point Power
The faerie may launch a bolt attack from his eyes up to 30 feet away. The attack can be dodged, or reversed by placing a mirror directly in the bolt’s path. The faerie spends 5 Essence points. The effect passes through non-magical armor and causes (Willpower x 6) damage, lowers one physical Attribute by one (faerie’s choice), and the target suffers a –1 to all metaphysics checks. The last two effects last one hour.

Faerie Veil
4-point Power
This is a blending with the environment akin to limited invisibility. The faerie is unnoticeable even to supernatural senses as long as he does not move. If he moves, Supernatural Senses divulges that something using faerie magic is present, but not exactly what or where. Normal vision detects something "unnatural" if a Perception (not doubled) roll is made. If the faerie takes a violent action, such as attacking, the veil falls and he is revealed. It takes a full Turn, using 5 Essence points, to trigger this ability.

Fire Magic
10-point Power
Allows the casting of the Elemental Fire spell, with an effective Invocation level equal to the character’s Willpower level, and an Essence Channelling level equal to the character’s Willpower plus three.

Flight
2- or 5-point Power
This supernatural can fly either via innate magic or a set of faerie wings. This Quality comes in two fashions. No Essence need be spent as this is an innate ability, whether or not they have wings.

Simple: The character is able to fly as well as a similar-sized human can run. Level flight may be supplemented by climbing, diving, and simple turns. This costs two points.

Advanced: The character is able to fly three times as fast as he can run. He is also completely weightless in flight, and capable of aerobatics. This cost five points.

Gáe Sidhe
3-point Power
Using Gáe Sidhe or "elf arrow," the faerie enchants a piercing missile or sling bullet with a mystical toxin. This requires an expenditure of 3 Essence points, with more used when affecting an additional missile. The enchantment lasts as long as the items are held by the faerie. This ability may not enhance any weapon that is designed to be used in melee.

If the faerie strikes a target with the envenomed missile (using a normal attack roll), all Life Point damage inflicted heals at one half the normal rate (including supernatural regeneration). In addition, the target’s metaphysics suffers a –1 penalty for the next 24 hours. Multiple shots at the same target increase the penalty by –1 each. The poisoning lasts 5 minutes from the time of the latest injury.

Glamour
5-point Power
Glamour is the most famous and well known power of Faeries. It allows them to create an illusion around themselves. This illusion feels as solid as the real thing, and can transform the person’s size, gender and appearance. The illusion’s movements will follow the subject’s perfectly. This effect costs 5 Essence points and maintained under normal circumstances. Under duress (combat situations, loss of more than half of Life Points, failed Fear Test, and so on), the creature must spend an additional 5 Essence points in order to maintain the glamour.
This illusions can also allow them to alter their appearance from hideously ugly (Attractiveness –5) to unearthly beautiful (Attractiveness +5). This costs an additional 2 essence points per level of attractiveness on top of the base 5 essence points.
The glamour cannot abide contact with iron; once touched with it, it dissipates.

Grand Glamour
3-point Power
Prerequisite: True Glamour
This is the strongest of Glamours; it effectively creates something from nothing. It could also be considered a temporary conjuration (although not in the faerie’s mind) for the items are not entirely real. Still, the ability can be used to create a solid object that the faerie understands or has studied. The item can be previously memorised or reproduced whilst a sample is present. Blades so created cut individuals or vines or ropes; muskets fire and damage targets (assuming the faerie understood how firearms worked). If the Faerie creates something he believes he understands, but really does not, the object fails to function properly.

The faerie spends 6 Essence points to use this power, which takes one Turn per 10 pounds of the object. Generally, nothing heavier than 10 pounds per 6 Essence points can be created, nor anything bigger than one cubic foot per 6 Essence points, but two or more faeries may work together to create larger objects. Objects appear within 10 feet of the creator and last five minutes per 6 Essence points spent.

Invisible
10- or 20-point Power
Some Faeries cannot be seen through normal means, although they might still be heard and some with supernatural senses may detect them. Anyone attacking an invisible opponent suffers a –6 penalty.

If the creature’s invisibility can be turned on and off at will, this Quality costs 20 points. If the invisibility drops for at least one Turn when the character attracts attention to himself (for instance, by attacking another), the cost is reduced to ten points. At the lower cost, any damage to the invisible character renders them visible for at least one Turn. It costs 10 Essence points to become invisible for ten minutes, twenty minutes if they take the 20 point quality.

Mending
3-point Power
Some faeries are able to convince broken, torn, or disrupted materials to join back together into their original forms. This power might heal wounds (not cure disease or neutralize poison) or repair objects and tools. For every 5 Essence points spent, three Life Points are healed or five pounds of broken materials are reformed to be indistinguishable from their original shape. Small amounts of the original object can be missing (less than an eighth), but limbs cannot be regrown (although severed ones could be rejoined).

Nurture Growth
3-point Power
The Faerie can accelerate the growth of any plant, even in places where a plant should be unable to survive, let alone thrive. A seed can be turned into a full-fledged plant in a matter of seconds (one Turn). This Aspect Task requires an expenditure of Essence based on the size of the plant in question. A dozen blades of grass or a small flower costs one Essence, a foot-tall plant costs two Essence, a shrub or small tree costs four Essence, a medium-sized tree costs eight Essence, and a large tree costs 15 Essence. Giant trees like sequoias or baobabs cost 30 Essence Points to force-grow. Growing trees can tear through concrete and cement.

Reduced Size
2-, 4-, or 6-point Power
Although some humans are tiny (Tom Thumb was born in 1838 and grew to be only 25 inches tall), these faeries are remarkably small. In all cases, the reduced height is due to supernatural heritage and does not impose any associated health problems. Reductions in Strength cannot bring the Attribute below zero, and apply before calculating Life Points.

Small: A small faerie is less than four feet tall and half normal weight. Strength is decreased by two. Abnormally small faeries gain a +1 to all dodge maneuvers.

Diminutive: A diminutive supernatural is at most two feet tall. Weight is one-third the norm. Strength drops by three points, and a +3 modifier is applied to all dodge maneuvers.

Tiny: An tiny faerie is smaller than one foot and not even remotely human-looking. Weight is one-fourth to one-eighth the norm. Strength is reduced by five, and a +5 modifier is added to all dodge maneuvers.

This is a permanent aspect of the character's appearance and uses no Essence.

Scale Walls
2-point Power
By the means of this ability, one can scale a vertical wall as easily as one can walk on a horizontal surface. Whether accomplished in a spider-like fashion or as if walking normally, any direction— up, down, sideways—may be traversed.

This Power does render the supernatural immune to the effects of gravity. Scaling a wall upside down might still lead to items tumbling from one’s pockets

Seeming
1-point Power
An innate magic common to most Seelie and Unseelie Court faeries disguises their supernatural nature whilst in the human lands. Their ears are not pointed, their eyes are smaller, and their skin flesh coloured. This is a subconscious ability that even changeling or orphan faerie-born babies adopt when not in the faerie realms. The form assumes is similar to the faerie’s own, usually of appropriate attractiveness, or lack thereof. It may be varied to appear slightly different (variances of up to 15 pounds and three inches are possible and clothing may be changed), although gender may not be changed. In effect, this is a weaker form of Glamour. No roll is required to adopt or release this power. Seeming costs nothing to maintain but can be broken at will or through contact with cold forged iron, if the faerie has the drawback Vulnerability (Iron). Characters and creatures with Supernatural Senses (Gifted or otherwise) can see through a seeming with no roll or effort.

Swimmer
4-point Power
The character can breathe underwater and swim, using his ground Speed. This power costs three Essence Points per minute, which cannot be regained until the character deactivates the power.

Táinte
3-point Power
Táinte ("Tan-cha") means good luck or good fortune. Once per target per day, the faerie may grant one point of Good or Bad Luck (see p. 23) per each level of Essence Channeling. Good Luck must be used within 24 hours or it dissipates. Bad Luck is resisted using Willpower (not doubled) the target’s Success Levels are deducted from the faeries (to a minimum of zero). The faerie must concentrate for one minute to manifest this power and may not grant both Good Luck and Bad Luck to the same target in the same day

Chroniclers may wish to restrict the use of Táinte to certain times of day—dawn and dusk (neither being fully day or fully night) is a common choice. They may also wish to allow Táinte in combat situations by lowering the manifesting time to one Turn.

Touch of Beauty
2-point Power
Prerequisite: Glamour
The character can temporarily increase a person’s Attractiveness and Charisma. The effect is illusory, and lasts one hour per Success Level in the Task. The Essence cost is twice the level of the temporary bonus to Attractiveness or Charisma (choose one, or divide the bonus among the two).

Transcendent Music
2-Point Power
Prerequisite: Emotion (Any Emotion)
You can play an instrument with a level of skill and subtlety that you can almost make rocks cry and sooth the hearts of the darkest of people.

By spending 5 points of essence per person, you may use your instrument of choice to enchant people with your music in different ways. This works similar to your Emotion Power but you may choose an additional emotion on top of those from your Emotion Power that you may choose from and gain a +2 on the roll.

Otherwise this power works just like your emotion power.

Travel Through Earth
5-point Power
The character can move through earth like a fish swimming through water. Even stone and metal can be traversed, although at great cost. Using this power requires a Willpower Task every Turn. Movement is relatively slow—divide the character’s Speed by five (rounded down). This is the number of yards (meters) travelled per Turn. Most walls are thin enough to traverse in one Turn. Moving through earth and soil costs 10 Essence Points per Turn; stone or concrete costs 20 Essence Points per Turn; metal costs 40 Essence Points per Turn.
The character does not physically tunnel through the material. When he emerges, no holes or damage appear. If the character fails the Task while travelling through a solid, he becomes trapped in the material, and loses an additional D10 x 2(10) Essence Points. He can attempt to resume moving through earth, but Tasks incur a -2 penalty.

Tree Shape
10-point Power
Prerequisite: Nature Growth
This power allows the character to become a living plant entity, with enhanced strength, resistance to damage, and healing abilities. Activating this power costs 15 Essence Points and lasts one minute per Success Level. While the power is active, the character grows to twice his normal size, and his body is covered with bark, small branches, and leaves. Any clothing, armor, or equipment on the character is absorbed and seems to disappear. While in this form, the character has +6 to Strength, +100 Life Points, and an Armor Value equal to Constitution x 5. The transformed character takes double damage from fire or heat, however, and if he suffers more than 20 points of flame damage (after subtracting armor) he catches on fire and take D8 x 2(8) points of fire damage every Turn.

True Glamour
2-point Power
Prerequisite: Glamour
This stronger Glamour disguises objects, buildings, or landscapes. The images are not real, but do have substance and do not disappear when touched. If damaged, the vision reacts like a weak version of the normal object. The phantasmagoria can include movement within a landscape, as well as sounds and scents, but it cannot cause damage.

A True Glamour can create a wooden door that would splinter if bashed upon. One certainly could cross a stream using a True Glamour bridge.

Even so, the illusory objects are not real and are relatively brittle and insubstantial. Twenty points of damage smashes most True Glamour objects. None weigh more than the creator’s Willpower x 10 pounds or are bigger than Essence Pool x 10 cubic feet.
The illusions take one Turn per 10 cubic foot area to create and last five minutes per 10 Essence points spent.

Water Magic
10-point Power
Allows the casting of the Elemental Water spell, with an effective Invocation level equal to the character’s Primal Skill level, and an Essence Channelling level equal to the character’s Willpower plus three.

Water Incarnate
8-point Power
The character can transform himself into an elemental being of water. While in this shape, physical attacks causes half damage, and the character can swim as per the Swimmer power, at no additional cost. The character can hurl high pressure streams of water towards targets, inflicting D4 x (Strength +1) points of damage, with an effective range of 3/10/20/60/120. If submerged, the character is virtually invisible (attempts to spot him visually have a -6 penalty as long as the character is not swimming or moving, and a -3 penalty when doing so).

Wilderness Speech
3-point Power
This faerie is able to speak to animals and plants in the human world. The intelligence of the living thing spoken with does not increase. Plants speak in impressions and feelings more than words; animals have only limited awareness. Roll Intelligence + Occultism +3. Each Success Level grants one Turn of communication.

Night Hunters: Vampyres

The Nosferatu, the Drinkers of Blood and Stealers of Life, mentioned in the myths of almost every culture, are a major part of the occult underworld in Armageddon. Even before the changes brought on the Church of Revelations, these Undead were the most numerous supernatural predators in the world, hiding in plain sight among the teeming populations of cities, striking carefully and leaving no traces. Despite what the legends say, most Vampyres do not have to gain their sustenance by draining mortals of their blood. They take life force from humans, and they can do so in many ways. Vampyres are, at best, benign parasites who do no lasting harm to their victims; at worst, they are sadistic predators who have no respect for life.


The Unbirth: Becoming a Vampyre

Vampyres break free from the embrace of Death in many different ways. Some are forced or guided into Undeath by another Vampyre. Others become Undead by their refusal to Move On to the next stage of the Cycle, be it reincarnation, life in the Death Realms, or transcendence into the higher planes of existence. Some Vampyres are people who commit suicide and discover that Death offers no true escape for their troubles.

The Unbirth occurs at the Threshold, the Death Realm of choices and chaos. Vampyres can enter this realm at will, and they sometimes follow their victims there to further torment them or to drag them back to become new Undead. Other recently dead people see glimpses of their future in the Death Realms and are so horrified that they try to turn back and return to their bodies. Most fail in their attempts, but a
few manage to leave the Threshold and reach their now dead bodies. This act of despair, or this forced violation of their soul in the case of those dragged back by Vampyres, causes a profound change in the basic Essence matrix of the person. The end result is a creature not quite alive, but no longer dead, cut off from the normal flows of Essence but able to replenish itself by stealing energy from others.

After the Unbirth, the Vampyre finds herself back in her corpse, wherever the body might be. Often this means the Undead will be buried in some graveyard, or stored in a morgue locker, and must somehow break free. If another Vampyre had a hand in the new Undead’s creation, he may be close at hand to help release the creature and cover up any tracks or evidence that might remain.


Existence as a Vampyre

Vampyres soon discover that their new existence has a great many advantages, and just as many drawbacks. Most new Undead are afflicted by a feeling of hollowness and despair, the result of being cut off from the normal flow of life. Living beings are part of the currents of Essence that permeate reality; this connection creates a feeling of belonging that is intrinsic to even the most alienated person. Vampyres, first and foremost, are outsiders, alone even amidst a huge crowd, able to see -- and feed upon -- the emotions of people, but never able to fully partake in them. Vampyres still feel emotions, even noble feelings like love and compassion, but not in the same way as humans.

Some legends claim that Vampyres cannot experience the pleasures of the flesh, being little more than ambulatory corpses. This is not true. As long as they can fuel enough Essence to maintain the semblance of life, these Undead can and do feel pleasure and pain like normal humans. In some ways, they can experience them with even more intensity than normal people, perhaps because of their unique perspective as someone returned from the dead. Further, their senses are supernaturally amplified, and they enjoy music, the arts and all sensual experiences like no mortal can. Vampyres cannot become intoxicated; drugs and alcohol have no effect on them, although many Undead consume them in a vain attempt to dull their senses. Most Vampyres feel a sense of intoxication as they feed on others’ life forces.

Hunger is the other eternal part of a Vampyre’s existence. Unlike normal humans or even Ghosts, Vampyres cannot renew their Essence by themselves. Furthermore, maintaining the semblance of life is a constant drain on their Essence, and so they must constantly replenish their energies. Some power can be taken from ambient Essence but only in minute amounts. Most of the Essence needed to sustain a Vampyre must come from living beings. Willingly or unwillingly, with or without their knowledge, mortals must give the Vampyre some of their life force in order for the Undead to survive. This Essence loss need not be permanent, or even life-threatening, but many Vampyres become greedy and take more than they need.

Use the Undead Character Type to distribute character points among the different categories. Vampyres receive special bonuses and abilities; their value is included in the cost of the Vampyre Quality, which costs 15 points.

Attributes: Vampyres have bonuses to all their physical Attributes. After purchasing Attributes normally, add +3 to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution. These bonuses may raise the Vampyre’s Attributes beyond the normal human limit of 6. To figure out the cost of buying an
Attribute, do so before adding in the bonuses. For example, buying a Strength of 7 costs only 4 points; 4 points for the base Strength of 4, plus the +3 bonus for being a Vampyre. Furthermore, all physical Attributes must never be below a 4, including bonuses; this means that a minimum of 1 point must be spent on each of the three Attributes.

Secondary Attributes: Vampyres add +20 to their Essence Pool. More Essence can be purchased normally. Vampyres are not subject to fatigue and have no Endurance Points.

Qualities: Qualities and Drawbacks vary, depending on the Vampyre’s background. Some Vampyres have very high Resources, while others will be dirt-poor. Many Vampyres look exceedingly attractive (most Undead tend to choose goodlooking humans as their progeny). On the other hand, Life as an Undead is not good for a person’s mental balance or state of mind and many Vampyres were suicides or people with emotional problems before their death and resurrection. Mental Drawbacks like Addictions, Cruel, Delusions, Emotional Problems, and Paranoia are very common. Like most supernatural characters, Vampyres are considered to have the Gift, and do not have to acquire that Quality.

Associations: Most Vampyres operate as Lone Wolves, though an increasing number have joined up with the Alliance in order to help fight the Church of Revelations. The Alliance tolerates Vampyres who control their hunger and are willing to work peacefully with others. That said, a majority of organizations are afraid and suspicious of the Undead. In particular, the Heavenly Host and Society of Sentinels have a long history of hunting and destroying Vampyres, and the Infernal Legion often tries to use them as pawns. There are two factions in which Vampyres have a strong presence: The House of Thanatos and the Fellowship of Judas.

Metaphysics: Vampyres have a number of inherent powers, some of which are developed with time, and others that are innate. They can also use Magic, Necromancy, and Tao-Chi. Essence drain is the biggest drawback of using these powers, however, since the Vampyre will
have trouble replenishing it. The Disciplines of the Flesh, the Sight and Inspired Powers cannot be acquired by Vampyres, and a character who had those abilities in life will lose them after the transformation process. It appears that only beings in perfect harmony between the realm of flesh and spirit (which Vampyres definitely are not) can attain those abilities.

All Vampyres have these special abilities, the result of their status between the worlds of the flesh and the spirit. They are included in the cost of the Vampyre Quality.

Creatures of Essence and Flesh
Vampyres, even more so than other Undead, mix the attributes of Spirits with those of living beings. Vampyres have large Essence Pools (typically with no less than 30 points), but they are constantly being drained of Essence to keep their bodies going. Unlike living beings, Vampyres do not regain Essence normally; they must take it from living beings. Ambient Essence can be tapped, but each 5 points used in this manner only restores 1 Essence point to the Vampire.

Enter the Threshold
Vampyres cannot easily enter most Death Realms, but they have a unique link to the Threshold, the place where they were created. After a few seconds of concentration, Vampyres can project their minds into the Threshold in a manner similar to Soul Projection, but limited only to the Threshold. Once there, the Vampyre can communicate with the souls of the recently dead. The most common use of this Power is to follow a recent victim of the Vampyre to the Threshold, and then to enslave the victim’s soul and bring it back to its body, creating a new Vampyre that is almost always subservient to its "creator."

Essence Vampirism
Vampyres have the power to drain Essence from the living. Humans (especially the Gifted) are the richest sources of Essence, although Vampyres can also drain Essence from other supernatural beings, including other Vampyres.

Taking Essence from a victim requires the Vampyre to elicit a strong emotion. The easiest such emotion is fear. Anyone who fails a Fear Test in the presence of a Vampyre unconsciously releases D6(3) Essence Points every Turn (ignore Essence losses detailed in the Fear Table, if used). The Undead absorbs these loses automatically and all at once as long as he is within a meter (yard). This process can be repeated until the human is reduced to -10 Essence points, at which point the human will probably die. The Manipulations of the Flesh Power (see next page) is often used to modify Fear Tests. Also, the Chronicler can apply Fear Test modifiers depending on the circumstances (say, the Vampyre tears someone’s limb off).

Pain is a slightly more effective means of gaining Essence. Each Turn a Vampyre tortures someone, the victim loses D8(4) Essence Points, which may be fully absorbed as detailed above.

The emotions need not be negative. Vampyres can feed as easily on the pleasure of humans. Some Vampyres specialize in the arts of seduction and sensual pleasure. A human brought to ecstasy through any combination of sensations is drained of 1D10(5) Essence Points. Draining a human below -10 Essence Points will still kill, but sybaritic Vampyres rarely resort to such crude methods.

When drained for the Vampyre’s Essence Pool, the victim’s Essence replenishes normally. When drained for Evolution purposes, Essence is regained at one point, or the victim’s Essence Channelling level, per week.

Evolution
Vampyres can increase their Essence Pools over time by absorbing large amounts of Essence. This works in the same manner as Spirit Evolution, but 50 Essence Points must be gathered and only the Vampyre’s Essence Pool is affected. The oldest Vampyres have hundreds of Essence Points.

Invulnerability
Conventional weapons can only slow down Vampyres. Their bodies recover from any type of injury given time, although they can feel pain and shock from their injuries. Leaving a Vampyre for dead is often a tragic mistake; not only will the creature recover but she will harbor an intense hatred for those who made her suffer. Any damage sustained by a Vampyre is recovered at the rate of 1 Life Point for every level of Willpower at the end of each turn. Damage inflicted on the Vampyre’s Essence Pool is much harder to replenish, however. Contrary to popular belief, stakes through the heart are no more or less effective against Vampyres than any other weapon, unless the weapon is somehow empowered through the expenditure of Essence. Likewise, religious symbols will only affect Vampyres if they are held by the truly faithful -- and then only if the Vampyre has been guilty of serious crimes.

Manipulations of the Flesh
Vampyres can use their Essence to manipulate their bodies. The creatures can make their bodies more attractive and life-like. Also, fangs and claws can be grown to inhuman lengths, the better to terrify and slay victims. Most physical changes, like growing claws, reshaping the face, or sprouting fangs, cost 1 Essence Point, and the changes can be undone without spending any energy. The size and damage inflicted by these claws and fangs, or the level of attractiveness attainable, is determined by Willpower.



Semblance of Life
Vampyres can counterfeit life at the cost of Essence. Giving a body the full semblance of life (including such signs as a pulse, warmth and a healthy skin color) costs 2 Essence points per day. Maintaining the ability to move, but abandoning any pretense of being alive costs only 1 Essence point every other day. Anybody touching or performing a medical exam on the Vampyre in this state will realize something is terribly wrong (the Vampyre lacks a pulse and her flesh is at room temperature). Furthermore, if her Essence Pool is reduced to 10 points or less for a period of more than twelve hours, her body starts showing signs of deterioration. The skin becomes pale and increasingly discolored and distended, and the Vampyre starts smelling of decay.

If a Vampyre cannot or does not want to spend at least 1 Essence point every other day, she enters a state of suspended animation. She cannot move or act in any way, and appears corpse-like but does not degenerate (no smell, no rot, etc.). A Vampyre can spend as long as she desires in this state, and time has little meaning for her as she does so. It costs 2 Essence points to awake from such a state, but these points may be gathered during the stupor from ambient Essence.

Essence Depletion
The biggest weakness of Vampyres is their dependency on living beings for Essence. If a Vampyre’s Essence Pool is reduced to -10 points or below, the Vampyre’s body decomposes rapidly, and her soul is released, typically to an unhappy end in one of the Otherworlds. In other cases, the Undead’s Essence matrix becomes Unraveled. After decades or centuries of rebuilding, the soul may put itself back together, but it will have lost its Undead status and will be no more powerful than any common Ghost or reincarnated spirit. If a character is destroyed in this manner, she is removed from the game permanently, or, at best, may be rescued by her companions after a lengthy quest, and even then she will no longer be Undead.

Vulnerability to Daylight
Sunlight is a major threat to the Undead. The Essence released by the sun and stars is a force of Life, and as such it reacts badly with beings that violate the normal order of Life. Contrary to myth, Vampyres can be active during the daylight hours, but the Essence cost is enormous. One Essence point is drained for each minute of exposure to daylight, or for every minute of activity during the daylight hours, even in the shade or underground. Sunlight also feels uncomfortable and painful, imposing a -1 penalty to all tasks. To minimize Essence losses, most Vampyres slumber during those times; waking up during the day is very difficult, requiring a Difficult Willpower Test at a base -2 penalty.

Holy Burial
Religious burial rites, developed to combat Vampyres, usually include beheading the monster. This may sever the link between the creature’s body and soul. If such a rite is performed (typically on a slumbering Vampyre), she must pass a Difficult Willpower Test, with a -1 penalty per Success Level of a Theology and Intelligence Task by the leader of those doing the burying. Occult Knowledge (Vampyres) or Rituals (Vampyres) may also be used by the leader. If the Vampyre loses, she is drained of 1d10x10 (50) Essence points when the rite is completed (time to complete varies), which may destroy her. If the body is burned or exposed to sunlight as part of a rite, the Vampyre loses 1d8 (4) Essence points per minute until rescued or destroyed.

Each Vampyre has her own special abilities, often determined by the Undead’s own lusts and personality. Some Powers are known only by the oldest and more powerful Vampyres, while others are simply rare. During character creation, players may buy these Powers, using Metaphysics character points.

Bard
9-point Quality
The power to absorb the Essence released by an adoring audience is known as Bard. The oldest Undead to have this Power were traveling minstrels who only performed at night, leaving behind contented but strangely exhausted audiences. This Power requires that the Vampyre be an accomplished artist. They can only feed on the Essence releases triggered by the emotions their performance inspires. Bard Vampyres cannot tap the Essence of a huge crowd of people. Only relatively small groups of less than thirty or so people, in relative proximity to the Undead, actually provide nourishment, and any excess Essence is lost. As a result, most Vampyre performers with Bard avoid large venues and concentrate on small nightclubs or coffeehouses.

In game terms, the Vampyre must perform for the crowd or audience, using the appropriate skill. For every three Success Levels in the performance Task (round up), the Vampyre causes each audience member to lose 1 Essence point (this is an average, as some people are more affected than others). The Vampyre can take that Essence from up to 30 people as long as they are within 20 meters (yards). Bard can only be used once every other day.

For example, Violent Vaughn, lead singer of Nemesis Lipstick, is a Vampyre with Bard. She performs at the Cellar, a cozy Gothic club. The house is relatively full, and all of the hundred-plus audience members are within 20 meters (yards). Violent gives a great performance, for a total Task result of 19 (five Success Levels). This translates to 2 Essence points per audience member in range (up to the limit of 30 members). Violent maxes out and absorbs 60 Essence points.

Vampyres with Bard and the talent to make it work for them rarely use any other means of acquiring Essence except in an emergency. Most Bards become intoxicated by the feelings they inspire. Their vampiric senses can share in the emotions of the audience, allowing the Undead to actually feel like part of Humanity, a very rare experience that Vampyres treasure.

Bloodthirst
4-point Drawback
Blood is considered by many cultures to be the basic component of life, and Vampyres are often depicted in legends as blood drinkers or cannibals. Undead with this Drawback are, in fact, only capable of absorbing the Essence of humans by drinking their blood. It is not known whether this dependency is psychological (many modern occultists hold to this belief) or applies to some sub-species of Vampyre. For whatever reasons, some Vampyres need the blood of the living; their senses are attuned to the sight, scent and sound (i.e., heartbeats) of blood, and they will hunt down victims and drain them of the precious fluid.

In game terms, the Vampyre needs to injure her victim with a slashing attack (which can be made by a weapon or any fangs or claws she creates through manipulations of her flesh), and then drink the blood as it pours out. Every 2 Life Points the victim loses in the process cause her to lose 1 Essence point, which is in turn absorbed by the Vampyre. A shallow wound bleeds slowly, at the rate 1 Life Point per minute. A slashed carotid artery, on the other hand, inflicts 1d4x4 (8) points of damage every turn! If the Vampyre drains all the Essence points from the victim in this way the victim dies. By the same token, the damage may be enough to kill the target through simple blood loss. A person killed in this way is a prime candidate for conversion to Vampirism. Note that Bloodthirst precludes many special Powers, like Bard, Magus and Muse, which are nothing more than unique methods of absorbing Essence. Blood drinkers cannot gain power through any of those methods; they must hunt or seduce victims and steal their blood directly to gain Essence.

Greater Shifting
5-point Power; 2 points per additional shape
By spending enough Essence, Vampyres can take on the shape of animals. Birds, bats, rats and wolves are the most common shapes assumed.

The larger the animal, the more costly the transformation. Transforming into a small animal like a bird or a rat costs 2 Essence points per hour. In such a form, the Vampyre’s Life Points and Strength (for damage and lifting purposes) are halved (still far better than a normal animal). Rats and other vermin can crawl through holes and small openings, however, and have a natural Stealth skill of 5 (or add 3 to the Vampyre’s Stealth skill, whichever is better). Birds and bats can fly; both small forms are very useful for moving around unobserved. A large creature like a wolf or dog costs 5 Essence points per hour. In this form, the Vampyre’s Strength and Life Points are unaffected, but she is not able to use most tools or vehicles. On the other hand, her Speed (assuming the animal is a quadruped) is increased by +10, and she can make biting attacks, inflicting 1D6(3) x Strength points of slashing damage. Very large animals (like horses, tigers and any animal that masses more than a human) cost 10 Essence points per hour. The Vampyre gains +10 extra Life Points, +2 to Strength, +10 to Speed, and bite or clawing attacks inflicting 1D6(3) x Strength points of slashing damage, or, in the case of a horse, a kicking or stomping attack of 1D6(3) x Strength points of blunt damage.

This Power gives the Vampyre two basic animal forms, one small and one large animal, selected by the player or Chronicler at the time of creation. Some Vampyres can assume many different forms; each additional form costs 2 character points, except very large animals, which cost double.

Magus
15-point Power
This very rare and feared Power allows Vampyres to absorb the Essence released in the use of magic! Very few Vampyres have this ability; most of them were people slain -- or who committed suicide -- through arcane means, and somehow developed an affinity to the Essence energies. Known as the Witch Killers or Mage Hunters, Vampyres with Magus are among the worst nemesis the Gifted can face. Such Vampyres often make it a point to find and feed on them.

Whenever an Invocation is cast at a Vampyre, she can try to absorb the power of the spell before it affects her. A Resisted Simple Willpower Test between the Vampyre and the Magician is first resolved (if the Invocation is being cast as Group Magic, the leader makes the Resisted Test). If the Magician wins, the Invocation works normally. If the Vampyre wins, the Invocation fails and the creature absorbs the Essence used in the Invocation. The only good news for the Magician is that he does not have to worry about Dismissing the energies of the failed spell –- they have been devoured by the Undead.

Additionally, a Vampyre who overpowers a Magician can drain his Essence by tapping into his Channeling powers. The Undead must be in physical contact with the victim. A Resisted Task pitting the Strength and Willpower of both combatants is performed every turn the two are touching. During this intense psychic duel, both the mage and the Vampyre are quite helpless and cannot defend against outside attacks. Every turn the Vampyre wins, the victim loses as much Essence as he can Channel in one turn. If the victim wins or ties, nothing happens. If the Magician wins three consecutive Tests, the psychic connection is broken -- the Vampyre is knocked away by the mystical backlash, and cannot try to feed on that Magician for one day.

Although they primarily feed upon Magicians, Vampyres with Magus can hunt any human being with Essence Channeling, including other Gifted like Necromancers and Tao-Chi practitioners.

Manipulate Emotions
2-point Power
Some Vampyres are able to manipulate the Essence of others in such a way that their emotional state is altered. This Power is particularly useful against Mundanes; with enough power and dedication, a Vampyre can effectively enslave a person.

Activating this Power costs 1 Essence point per Willpower level of the victim. The Vampyre does not know how strong the victim’s mind is until she tries to use the Power, however, so the Undead is not aware of how much Essence must be spent beforehand. The Vampyre must win a Resisted Test. The Vampyre and a Gifted or Supernatural victim use a Simple Willpower Test; a Mundane must use a Difficult Willpower Test. The Vampyre can use Seduction or other appropriate skills (Intimidation, for example, if she is trying to inspire fear) to enhance her powers. Every level of success adds a +1 to the Vampyre’s Willpower Test.

If the Vampyre is successful, she can make the victim feel any emotion, from fear to love. The emotion will last for 5 minutes per Success Level in the Test. By repeated uses of this Power, the Vampyre can extend her influence; each time this ability is used successfully on the same person, the duration of the power is doubled (i.e., 10 minutes per Success Level the second time, 20 minutes on the third, and so forth). If applied long enough, and supplemented by the appropriate behavior, the victim may come to truly feel the desired emotion without needing further uses of the Power.

As is the case with the Affect the Psyche Invocation, the emotional state of the victim influences but not determine his behavior. A suddenly love-struck person might shy away from the Vampyre instead of rushing into her arms, depending on the victim’s personality. By the same token, a terrified street tough might lash out instead of running away.

Mirage
7-point Power
Vampyres with this Power can use their Essence to create illusions around themselves. Vampyres can only affect their own person and their immediate surroundings with this illusionary Power. Common tricks performed by Vampyres with Mirage include assuming the appearance of other people, to camouflage themselves and hide from their intended victims, and enhances their appearance beyond their basic shape shifting abilities. This Power requires the expenditure of 5 Essence points and a Simple Willpower Test. Once created, the illusion lasts for one hour per Success Level in the Test, or until the Vampyre does something to shatter the illusion.

To ensure that the false shape is close enough to the real thing to fool most onlookers, the Vampyre makes an Intelligence and Perception Test. Each level of success subtracts from the chances that somebody will discover that something is wrong with the illusion. Anyone who sees the illusion may notice it if they succeed on a Perception Test (a Difficult Test for Mundanes, a Simple one for the Gifted), with a penalty equal to the Success Level(s) of the Vampyre’s Intelligence and Perception Test. Even if the onlookers’ Perception Tests are successful, they only notice that something is wrong, but do not know exactly what.

Mirages affect only sight. All other senses are unaffected. Also, these illusions do not work against Spirits, Undead, Fey and other supernatural beings that can see Essence patterns.

Muse
3-point Power
Muses are Vampyres who are fascinated with the artistic process. Most of them are not themselves very talented or creative, although they want desperately to be part of creative activities, from painting to writing to the performance arts. Muses associate with artists, typically latching onto an individual. Depending on their wealth and influence, Muses can take on the role of groupies, lovers or patrons of the artist.

A Muse’s influence on her object of fascination is not one-sided. The Vampyre can enhance the artist’s creativity in return for power. Artists around Muses find themselves able to transcend their limits and outdo themselves. Their work combines bursts of frenetic creativity followed by periods of exhaustion. This is the result of the Vampyre’s enhancement of the artist’s natural talent, which in turn causes a release of Essence that feeds the Muse. The Muse stimulates artistic creativity in a person, and feeds on the person’s Essence as he works. Several renowned but short-lived artists were blessed and cursed by the presence of a Vampyre with this Power. In effect, the Vampyre is jump starting the person’s talents at the expense of the artist’s life energy.

At first glance this would seem like an ideal symbiotic relationship -– after all, the Vampyre does not need to drain the artist to dangerous levels. While this is not necessarily fatal, however, it is easy for both the Vampyre and the artist to be swept away by the creative process and carry on beyond safe limits. The Muse Power operates on a highly emotional level. The Vampyre is not only acquiring sustenance from the process, but is also experiencing the joys and passion of creation. There is always the risk that both parties insist on pushing on at all costs, which may lead to death. Some evil Muses actually destroy the artist on purpose, moving on after their previous victims have been drained away. Most Muses who kill their partners do so by accident, unable to restrain themselves, more like tragic junkies than serial killers.

A few Muses bring their partners back from the dead as Vampyres. The Muse Power can be used on a Vampyre artist in a similar manner as a live artist, but the danger is even greater, since Vampyres cannot renew their Essence Pool naturally, and can be destroyed more quickly in this manner.

In game terms, the Muse Power requires a person with artistic skills (Muses also prefer to find subjects with Artistic Talent, but this is not always possible). The Muse needs to be in close proximity (arm’s length if possible) to the artist while he is engaged in his work. The Vampyre must pass a Simple Willpower Test to activate the Muse. As long as the ability is activated, the artist performs as if he had the Artistic Talent Quality (artists who already have Artistic Talent double all bonuses). Every hour the Muse is active, the artist loses 1d8 (4) Essence points, which are absorbed by the Vampyre.

Turning off the Power is not easy. Both the Vampyre and the Artist must pass Simple Willpower Tests to stop when exhaustion reaches dangerous levels. Otherwise, they continue the work (and the Essence Drain) for another 1D4(2) hours, risking the artist’s life and sanity.

Nightmare
6-point Power
A Nightmare Vampyre drains the Essence of dreamers through fear or ecstasy. These dream predators are capable of entering the subject’s
Panorama, the inner world of one’s subconscious, and influencing the course of a dream, turning it into a seductive scenario or terrifying experience. Some Vampyres (known as the Phobi) feed on fear and terror; others (the Succubi and Incubi of legend) prefer to make the subject’s darkest sexual fantasies come to life. A third group, the Harrowers, makes their victims relive the most painful, humiliating and sorrowful moments of their lives, draining them as they suffer. In all cases, the victim can be killed. Although Nightmares usually prefer not to go to such extremes, the occasional death can be attributed to their activities. Some Vampyres use Nightmare to influence a victim and then eventually contact him personally, establishing a relationship of servitude -- or climaxing the long hunt with the kill.

The Nightmare Power sends the Vampyre’s body and soul into the Panorama of the dreamer. There, the Nosferatu can manipulate the course and events of the dream to her advantage by plucking scenes, characters and settings from the victim’s memories and weaving them into the dream. Also, the Vampyre can use any and all of her other Powers, affecting dream constructs as if they were real.

Gifted characters with Soul Projection or similar abilities can also enter the dreams of a person. Confrontations in a dream Panorama play out as do conflicts in the physical world, but the Vampyre has the advantage of being able to warp the "dreamscape" to suit her needs.

Activating this Power costs 4 Essence and requires a Simple Willpower Test. The subject must be dreaming, and within 100 meters (yards) of the Vampyre for the ability to work. The range of the Power can be increased by 100 meters (yards) per additional Essence point spent on the activation.

Sade’s Curse
3-point Vulnerability
Some Vampyres develop a taste for Essence with a particular flavoring -– the "flavor" of agony, especially dying agonies. These monsters can feed on Essence released by other emotions, but they crave the flavor of terror and pain. They often take insane risks to satisfy their craven urges. As a result, these Undead are the primary targets of such organizations as the Sentinels, and they make enemies even among their own kind. This addiction can be combined with Bloodthirst. Vampyres who have both disabilities are the worst killers among the Undead, sadistic predators who will take their victims’ dignity along with their lives.

Vampyres with Sade’s Curse cannot take Essence from willing or unwitting victims. Their targets must always be terrorized and hurt. The amount of Essence released from terrified or tortured victims is presented in the Fear Table.

Wither
9 or 18-point Power
A few Vampyres have the ability to drain Essence instantly from unwilling victims. Some do it by simply touching their target and stealing his life force so quickly that the target appears to age rapidly. The more powerful among these beings can affect targets at a distance by merely focusing their Will on them. Witherers are very rare among the Undead, and they usually hide their powers even from other Vampyres. Their abilities make them very dangerous and some Vampyres prefer to pre-empt such dangers by destroying them as soon as they learn of their existence.

This Power has two levels. The first one requires the Vampyre to touch the victim’s bare skin. Every turn this physical contact is maintained (the Vampyre must hold on for several seconds; punching or light touches do not count), the Vampyre drains 1 Essence point per level of her Willpower Attribute. This process is terribly painful. The victim feels a wrenching, burning sensation where the Vampyre is touching him, and will try to break free unless restrained in some way. If the victim is drained to below 0 Essence Points, he appears to age rapidly, losing hair and skin tone, and becoming weak and frail. Every Essence point below 0 that the Vampyre steals from the victim appears to age the victim by 5 years (in addition to the regular effects of such an Essence loss. If drained to -30 Essence, the victim dies, and the corpse looks like a withered mummy.

At the second level of this Power, the Witherer can affect people at a distance. As long as the Vampyre can keep the victim in sight, and the target is within 10 meters (yards) per level of the Vampyre’s Willpower Attribute, the Vampyre can drain the target every turn as above. This requires a Simple Willpower Test to focus the Vampyre’s will, and the target resists with a Difficult Willpower Test. The victim feels the same horrible pain, and if he spots the Vampyre he intuitively knows the creature is responsible.

A number of Gifted and supernatural abilities can resist this power. Magical Shields block Witherers completely, as does the Necromantic Power Soul Armor.

Unliving Vengeance: Relentless Dead

The Relentless Dead were once human beings, until they fell prey to tragedy, madness, or both. Most Relentless Dead were murdered in some gruesome or shocking manner, often after witnessing the deaths of loved ones. Many were abused for years before their deaths. Others are psychotic killers who continue to follow their insane urges even after being executed for their crimes. Invariably, Relentless Dead are consumed by anger, be it righteous indignation, cold, calculating fury, or rabid, mindless rage. Many are Unborn in a fit of convulsive fury, go on a mindless rampage, and are destroyed or fulfill their self-appointed mission in a matter of days or hours. Others are more calculating and patient, and have remained on this world for several lifetimes, pursuing their goals with great determination.

The Relentless Dead are powerful but tragic. Their existence is consumed by their obsessions, and they cannot survive the completion of their quest. Although they are almost impossible to stop, let alone destroy, by conventional means, Gifted enemies can sever their link to their bodies and send their souls spiraling into the Death Realms.

These Undead are becoming more numerous in the chaotic world of Armageddon. Some of their self-appointed missions are too grandiose to be completed in less than a lifetime, or even a dozen lifetimes. Not all the Relentless Dead are insane berserkers; many methodically and cold bloodedly implement their plans of revenge and destruction. Players who wish to play these characters should keep in mind that the Relentless Dead do not have to be stereotypical killing machines.

Although loners by nature, some Relentless Dead are willing to work with others to achieve their goals. Relentless Dead rarely join a faction, but may forge alliances with Gifted or supernatural groups. Sometimes, the purposes of the Relentless Dead are so similar to the goals of a faction, that the Undead will work closely beside its members, sometimes without their knowledge.


Rising From the Grave

Most Relentless Dead were victims of violent crimes, although a few died in accidents or committed suicide. Whatever the cause of their demise, their deaths occurred while they were in a state of rage against real or imagined tormentors. This wrath was so intense that it transformed the soul, altering its Essence matrix to the point that it was no longer subject to the Cycle of Life and Death.

The transformed soul does not leave the physical world. Instead, it hovers over the corpse, gathering power by feeding on its rage. When it has accumulated enough power (a process that may take as little as a few hours or as long as several years), the soul re-enters its body, restoring it to life. The newly-risen Undead, after a brief period of disorientation, soon remembers her demise and sets out to avenge it.


Playing the Relentless Dead

At a glance, the Relentless Dead appear to be somewhat one-dimensional. Even if true, playing a straightforward, uncomplicated character can be fun sometimes, especially if done with gusto. Additionally, revenge as a motive can have many different facets and not all of them are grim and serious. Some Relentless Dead bring a twisted sense of humor to their mission and start out by humiliating and ridiculing their targets before destroying them. Others might see their cause as a complex game and be as attracted to the conflict itself as to the idea of winning it.

But anger and the thirst for vengeance need not be all there is to the Relentless Dead. For all their obsessions, they were once human, and are capable of friendship and compassion, even if they are not as strong as their primary motives. Sadness is also a part of the Relentless Dead’s existence. They have had their lives stolen from them, and all they have left is the quest to punish those responsible.

Relentless Dead characters can be used in some at the Chronicler’s discretion. When creating these characters, players should try to remember that, even under the best of circumstances, it can be tricky to bring a rage-filled Undead into a game where the other players are human Gifted or even other types of supernatural creatures. The Undead should at least have some motive for working with some of the other characters. Relentless Dead characters need not be easygoing, friendly people (there are precious few such Undead anyway), but some cooperation, even if motivated by a hidden agenda, is necessary or the game may degenerate into endless bickering and backstabbing (which can make a good Story for some gaming groups, of course).

When creating a Relentless Dead character, the player must purchase the Relentless Dead Quality. The value of this Quality takes into account the unique Powers and limitations of this type of Undead. This Supernatural Quality costs 15 character points, and can only be purchased with points from either the Quality or Metaphysics categories.

Attributes: The Relentless Dead have superhuman physical Attributes; their bodies have been enhanced by their rage-filled souls. Add +3 levels to any two physical attributes (Strength, Dexterity or Constitution) and +4 levels to the remaining one. To figure out the cost of an Attribute, purchase the level first and then add the Relentless Dead bonus. For example, if the player wanted a Strength of 8, he would buy up to level 4 (4 points), and add the bonus to that. Relentless Dead can have Attributes well above the maximum human level of 6.

Secondary Attributes: Except for Endurance points, these attributes are determined normally. Relentless Dead are not subject to fatigue and have no Endurance Points.

Qualities: Common Qualities and Drawbacks among the Relentless Dead include Obsessions (usually for revenge), Emotional Problems and even Delusions. Most social Qualities and Drawbacks cease to have meaning for the Undead -- Relentless Dead characters do not get any bonus points for such Drawbacks as low Resources or Social Level.

Association: The Relentless Dead are almost always alone Wolves. A few belong to the House of Thanatos and the Fellowship of Judas, and the occasional Relentless Dead masquerading as a human can be found in other factions, but such extraordinary individuals are very rare.

Metaphysics: The Relentless Dead have a number of special Powers. Beyond those Powers, however, they are basically human, and have no access to Gifted powers. No other Gifted powers can be acquired by the Relentless Dead; even those who were magicians or psychics in life lose those abilities, or replace them with the closest equivalent Relentless Power.


The Relentless and Essence

Most Undead, like Vampyres, need to continually replenish their Essence, usually by stealing it from others. The Relentless Dead are different in that their driving purpose sustains them, while at the same time, cuts them off from all other sources of power. The Relentless Dead do not lose Essence normally, and they regain lost Essence at a very high rate. They cannot tap into ambient Essence, however, nor can they steal it from others. The source of their power is purely internal.

Some of the special Powers of the Relentless Dead are activated with Essence points, and the Undead may lose Essence through mystical attacks. These losses are regained at the rate of 1 Essence point per minute. This makes the Undead somewhat more vulnerable to direct Essence attacks than to physical attacks, but only through a combination of both can the Relentless Dead be truly destroyed.


Wrath

The Relentless Dead have a special ability, called Wrath. This is a measure of their drive and will to carry on with their mission of vengeance. There are two types of Wrath: Noble and Dark. Noble Wrath is righteous indignation, aimed at the people or group that brought harm to the Relentless or her loved ones. Dark Wrath is pure mindless rage, focused against not only the rightful target but also anybody who gets in the Undead’s way or even towards all living beings.

Note that despite its name, Noble Wrath does not mean the Undead is a pure, moral being. The name simply means that the Relentless Dead focuses her obsession against a particular individual or group. Depending on their morality, Relentless Dead with Noble Wrath may or may not injure the innocent as well as the guilty; some believe their end justifies any means, while others show great self-restraint. Adversaries with Noble Wrath are devious and calculating enemies.

Dark Wrath is not appropriate for Cast Members because Undead afflicted by it are not in control of themselves. Their actions are not constrained by morality or even self-interest. These Undead carry out their murderous impulses even when they endanger their own existence. Although capable of cunning, these Relentless Dead ultimately fall prey to their dark desires. They are rarely able to work with others, and invariably turn against any allies, often before their usefulness is at an end. Even as villains, Relentless Dead with Dark Wrath are little more than murderous berserkers, dangerous but not hard to outwit.

Whatever its orientation, Wrath provides the Undead with a number of special abilities. It adds +4 Life and Essence points to the character per level; furthermore, it is used to activate some unique Powers. Wrath can also be used to resist any magical or psychic attack that tries to control or destroy the Undead. Add the Wrath rating to any Task or Test used to resist magic, the Sight or other Gifted powers.

Wrath is purchased during character creation, using points from the Metaphysics characteristic. Each level of Wrath costs 4 character points per level from levels 1 to 5, and 8 points per level thereafter. After character creation, this cost goes up to 6 and 10 character points respectively.

These are characteristics shared by all the Relentless Dead, and are part of the Relentless Dead Quality. Powered by their Wrath, and no longer limited by the weaknesses of the living, the Relentless Dead are nearly unstoppable warriors.

Inhuman Strength and Vitality
The Relentless Dead have re-created their bodies and made them into supreme instruments of vengeance, unhampered by the frailties of living flesh. These superhuman Attributes are reflected in the bonuses that Relentless Dead characters gain during character creation (see above).

Invulnerability
It is impossible to destroy the Relentless Dead with Mundane weapons, although massive damage temporarily slows them down. All damage inflicted through conventional means (from bullets to fists to explosions) is regenerated. The regeneration rate varies, but is never less than 1 Life Point per minute. If the Relentless Dead is reduced to below -20 Life Points, she collapses, seemingly dead, until she regenerates back to -20 points or higher. The most common mistake victims make around the Relentless Dead is to approach their apparently lifeless corpses...

Essence depletion also slows down the Undead. If the Relentless Dead is reduced to below -20 Essence points, she collapses and appears to die. Until her natural regenerative powers restore her Essence back to at least -20 points, the creature is essentially helpless.

Although the Undead cannot be destroyed by either physical or Essence attacks, resourceful enemies can disable and then imprison or restrain them. Some Associations have a number of Relentless Dead imprisoned in remote, well-guarded places, either because they lack the means to destroy them, or because they might find a use for them some day. One story tells of a Wicce Coven that cast a Relentless Dead into a live volcano. To this day, the Coven’s descendants watch the now dormant volcano, making sure the Relentless Dead does not surface and return to the world.

The only way to permanently destroy a Relentless Dead is to reduce the creature’s Essence and Life Point Pools to -20 each, and then perform a magical or Necromantic Invocation such as Spirit Mastery or Death Lordship. These rituals are resisted by the Undead’s Willpower and Wrath Task. Only if that Task is overcome is the link between the raging spirit and her body severed.

Semblance of Life
Many Relentless Dead rebuild their bodies and look, act and feel wholly alive. Their wounds bleed normally, and even a cursory medical examination shows nothing unusual. This happens even if the Undead’s body has been dissected or embalmed after death and despite any mutilation or dismemberment suffered on or after the Undead’s demise. A number of Relentless Dead rise bearing the wounds and disfigurements they had in life, but this difference appears to be psychological. Some Undead seem to relish looking like something that crawled out of a grave, while others look totally human, making their seeming invulnerability all the more shocking. The Stigmata Special Power is shared by those Undead who truly look the part.

The Relentless Dead do not have a lot of special abilities. Their nature is such that these beings rarely have Powers other than the common ones. Nonetheless, a few Relentless Dead do possess special abilities, often determined by the nature of the Undead’s demise.

Nemesis
5-point Power
Relentless Dead with this ability are not hindered by distance or physical barriers in their effort to reach their targets. Their victims may run, but they cannot hide. No matter how far they travel, or how well they defend themselves, the Undead will find them.

Nemesis transports the Relentless Dead to the vicinity of her victim. This Power works like teleportation, crossing distance and barriers without hindrance, but it has a number of limitations. First of all, the target of the Power must be an enemy the Undead knows personally and someone the Relentless Dead has a good, driving reason to find. Secondly, the Power does not work if the Relentless Dead can be seen by any creature or being. The Relentless Dead must always disappear and reappear unseen and unnoticed. Even if the Undead herself is looking at her image in a mirror, the ability will not work. Typically, the Undead appears in a closet, a dark street alley, or some place where nobody can see her. If the target is in a crowded area, the Relentless Dead appears in the nearest unwatched place. This may be less than helpful if the target is in the middle of a crowded concert, for example.

To the Relentless Dead, the Power does not feel like teleportation but more akin to a dream-like run at incredible speeds through city streets, forests, or on the surface of the ocean (once the Nemesis is activated, the Relentless Dead becomes invisible and intangible).

Activating the Nemesis Power costs 15 Essence points and requires a successful Perception and Wrath Task. If the Task fails, the Essence is lost and the character cannot try again for an hour. If the Task is successful, the Relentless Dead disappears for about one minute, reappearing at the closest unwatched location near the target. The place needs to be somewhere out of sight. Right behind the target would not do, but the next room in a hotel or the closet in that room would, provided the closet door was not open at the time.

Regeneration
Variable Power
All Relentless Dead regenerate any physical damage inflicted, and they cannot be killed by normal means. Their common regeneration Powers are relatively slow, however -- 1 Life Point per minute. Quicker regeneration can be purchased as a special Power. Some Undead can heal massive amounts of damage in a matter of seconds, while others may lie in a death-like state for hours before recovering from crippling wounds.

For 2 points, the character can regenerate 1 Life Point per level of Constitution per minute. For 5 points, the Undead can regenerate 1 Life Point per turn. Each additional point after 5 increases the regeneration rate by 1 Life Point. For example, to create a Relentless Dead character who regenerates 6 Life Points per turn would cost 10 points. At these rates, the healing is clearly visible. A gunshot wound closes (after the bullet is expelled) in a few seconds, for example.

Spirit Bane
6-point Power
Relentless Dead with this Power can harm Spirit beings with hand-to-hand attacks. This Power usually manifests among those Relentless Dead who were killed or victimized by a Spirit. Often, they target all Spirits for revenge, not just the one who victimized them. In game terms, the Relentless Dead can inflict normal hand-to-hand damage as Essence point damage on any creature with a Vital Essence Pool.

Stigmata
Variable Vulnerability
Some Relentless Dead bear the marks of their demise. These Stigmata range from easily concealable wounds to signs of death and decay that make it impossible to appear as normal humans. The more noticeable and hideous the wound or characteristic is, the higher the value of this Vulnerability. Note that Stigmata also make the character more terrifying, which is not altogether a bad thing, so the value of this Vulnerability is not very high.

Minor Stigmata: This category includes such things as open but bloodless wounds that can be concealed under clothing, pale, gaunt features, and a vaguely "corpse-like" appearance. If exposed, these marks may cause most normal people to undergo a Fear Test, at a +2 bonus. Most of the time, however, the character attracts strange looks but little else. This Vulnerability is worth 1 character point.

Common Stigmata: This category includes large, bleeding wounds that cannot be easily concealed, such as large burns, scars or other disfigurements that clearly mark the character as abnormal. People who see these Stigmata must pass an unmodified Fear Test. This is worth 2 points.

Major Stigmata: The character is clearly not alive. She may resemble a rotten corpse, bear horrendous wounds, or look like a burn victim. Anybody seeing the creature must pass a Fear Test with a -2 penalty. The Relentless Dead cannot pass for a normal human under most circumstances, and she must hide from the sight of people or she will be discovered. This Vulnerability is worth 3 points.

The Beast Inside: Ferals

Ferals are humans whose souls have become enmeshed with -- some might say infected by -- a beast spirit. They are aberrations, hybrid creatures of spirit and flesh with characteristics of both. They are the lycanthropes and werewolves of legend, the man-beasts that hunt at night or are driven to madness by the full moon. Ferals are more than mindless predators, however. Their dual nature gives some of them powers over both animals and spirits. Despite this, being a Feral is a terrible burden. Often, the victim is unable to repress her urges and emotions; a Feral is likely to reply to a slight insult with a murderous rampage. To be a Feral is to fear oneself -- or to let go and become a true monster, viewing the world as a place to satisfy one’s instincts, with a complete disregard for the consequences.

There are three types of Feral: Accursed, Reconciled and Born. Accursed Ferals have been "infected" with the curse of lycanthropy; they have little or no control over their curse, and usually lead short, unhappy lives before their rage consumes them. Reconciled Ferals have, through some means, gained a measure of control over their dual nature; they are more likely to survive for a few or even several years. Born Ferals are the descendants of other Ferals, whose curse is passed down through the generations. This type has a better chance of not being destroyed by the curse, as their heritage may give them some ways to control the change. No Feral is likely to lead a normal life, however.

Being part human, part animal spirit, Ferals can alter their bodies, assuming a bestial shape. This form is not fixed. It actually shifts from one moment to the next, ranging from a mostly human but hair-covered form to a full animal shape. Usually, the Feral shifts to the most useful form for the circumstances; this is an instinctive reaction, and it may not always be in the best interests of the person. For example, a frightened Feral may go on all fours and turn into a full-fledged wolf -- making it impossible to use a weapon, tool or vehicle that might have been enough to deal with the situation.

The curse is both transmissible and hereditary. Once a human turns Feral, her curse is passed down from generation to generation. The curse does not strike every child, or even most descendants, but it will manifest at some point, sometimes generations after the original curse. As long as the offspring of a Feral exists, there is a chance their dual nature will manifest itself. Most Ferals living in the world are the descendants of previous victims. This ratio is beginning to change, however, as more and more spirits pass unbidden into the world and, by chance or design, forge a link with some unfortunate mortal.

Ferals come in several species. All known Feral "races" are predatory mammals, however. There are no known cases of "cow Ferals," "snake Ferals" or "insectoid Ferals." Some occultists believe that nonpredatory spirits lack the individuality and thirst for revenge required to afflict humans, and non-mammals are too alien and different for such mergings to flourish. Semi-human creatures of those species do exist in the world of Armageddon, but are created through different mechanisms; they belong to different orders of being.


Accursed Ferals

Becoming a Feral is mostly an involuntary process. A few occult societies have rituals of initiation by which a person is transformed, but those situations are rare. For the most part, a Feral is created in three ways: by attracting the wrath of an animal spirit, by being critically injured by a Feral, or by killing a Feral.

An enraged animal spirit may infect a particularly offensive human. This is how "first generation" Ferals are created. Hunting animals is rarely enough to warrant the curse; the spirits accept the predator-prey relationship as a fact of life. Pollution, wanton killing, and lack of proper reverence for the creatures one kills may be enough, but only the most extreme acts of this nature would attract the wrath of the spirit world. Committing such a crime in a sacred place (a holy grove in a forest, for example) increases the likelihood of such a curse. In game terms, the Chronicler should decide whether a character’s sins warrant a curse from the spirits. The spiritual attack is most likely when the offense takes place in a Place or on a Day of Power. Like the gods of old, these entities are often whimsical and unpredictable; a crime that gets one person cursed may have no effect on another. Use a Resisted Test, pitting Simple Willpower Tests of the spirit and the target (in this case, there are no bonuses for being Gifted). Only one attempt can be made at a given time. If the spirit loses, it may not attempt to curse the human until another suitable occasion (usually another crime or offense) presents itself.

Those who are transformed as a punishment gain few benefits from their dual lives. They become Accursed Ferals.

When a Feral attacks people, the curse may be spread. Merely being bitten by a lycanthrope is insufficient, myths and legends notwithstanding. The injuries must be life-threatening -- enough to send the victim to the Threshold, a realm between life and death. At that point, the animal spirits that hover around Ferals like a metaphysical entourage may take the chance to invade the victim’s soul, and "infect" her with the curse.

In game terms, this requires the victim to be reduced to -10 Life Points or below. If the victim survives, she must pass a Simple Willpower Test; Gifted characters gain a +4 to this Test. If failed, the character is affected by the curse, and becomes a Feral of the same species as her attacker. Even if the character fails a Survival Test and dies, at the Chronicler’s discretion, the invading animal spirit might "save" the character in order to afflict her. In that case, the Chronicler may rule that the character survives regardless of any Survival Test outcomes -- but that the character is automatically cursed. The victim is transformed into a Feral of the same "species" as her attacker; typically, the victim will be Accursed Feral, until she finds a way to control the change.

It is also possible to become infected if one kills a Feral, especially if silver, magic or other supernatural means were not used. In such a case, the person who delivered the final, killing blow must pass a Simple Willpower Test with a +3 bonus; Gifted characters, or those using silver or magic, gain a +6 bonus. On a failure, the victim is cursed, as above, with the victim becoming a Feral of the same animal type as the one she killed.

After character has become Feral, a small scar appears somewhere on her skin, resembling three claw marks. Among those who were attacked by a Feral, the mark appears at the site of the wound.

The first transformation occurs on the first night in which 10 or more ambient Essence points become available -- midnight during a full moon is the most common such occasion (see Spontaneous Transformation). The first time is the most traumatic, and is likely to come as a complete surprise to victims, especially non-Gifted characters. The Gifted are more likely to sense the transformation; a Simple Perception Test reveals that their aura has been altered. Invocations like Insight immediately reveal the presence of the curse.

The Feral Curse cannot be easily removed. Death usually cleanses the curse from the victim, but then the soul either enters the cycle of reincarnation or is transported to one of the Otherworlds. In a few cases, the Feral Mark is so powerful that it actually carries over to the next life! No commonly known Invocations have the power to sever the curse. It is rumored that some Black Magic rituals will remove the curse -- but at the price (in addition to whatever the Magician wants) of passing the curse onto someone who loves or is loved by the victim.

While removing the curse is very difficult, helping reduce its effects is possible. Through the use of Gifted powers, or sheer strength of will, the victim may eventually become Reconciled. This should be a lengthy and difficult process, however.


Reconciled Ferals

Some among the afflicted manage to gain some control over the transformation. This is often a case of the human victim’s will proving stronger than the animal spirit’s, although metaphysical help can be a big factor. The Reconciled are still dual-natured beings, and many find it difficult to resist the animalistic urges of their bestial side, but, unlike their Accursed brethren, they often can transform back and forth willingly, and can control their animal shape. Although the struggle with their inner beast is a constant element of their lives, Reconciled Ferals are more likely to avoid a violent end. Some even manage to lead more or less normal lives -- as normal as of any Gifted human or supernatural being in the world of Armageddon, that is.


Born Ferals

All those born of a Feral have a chance of manifesting the curse. The heirs of a Feral may live a normal life; unlike infected Ferals, the transformation does not occur spontaneously. If they avoid any major traumas that might awaken their bestial spirit, the transformation may never occur, even during Times of Power that usually trigger it. Triggering traumas include extreme emotional distress (especially involving the more violent emotions like anger or fear), near-death experiences (where the soul may become temporarily unfettered from the body), and supernatural events (being targeted by hostile magic or other metaphysical powers, for example) where enough free Essence may flow to spark the change. At those times, the person’s Feral nature may assert itself, often with tragic results. Thus, the curse might pass over one, two or more generations without manifesting itself, until it strikes someone decades or centuries later.

Some Feral bloodlines make it a point to trigger the transformation in their children, preparing them for it rather than letting them become monsters without warning. The methods vary widely, from mystical ceremonies like those performed by the Nomads, to violent rites of initiation that leave the child scarred physically and emotionally.

To Born Ferals, lycanthropy may be a burden, but it is often not a curse. Over the generations, they often strengthen their connection to the spirit world, and use it to their advantage. Getting rid of their heritage is even more difficult than for the Accursed, on the other hand, because the two spirits are so tightly enmeshed. It is rarely possible to separate them without destroying them both.


Life as a Feral

The life of an Accursed Feral is likely to be short and miserable. Unless help is available, the wretch suffers from blackouts during which her animal side runs rampant, possibly killing livestock or people. Given the reckless nature of the beast, it is only a matter of time before someone kills her -- usually, the local community organizes a hunting party to deal with the threat (typically believing that the Feral is a mad animal and not a supernatural being), and kills the Feral. The second most common cause of death among the Accursed is suicide. Only the very lucky or strong-willed survive their transformation for long; those that do become Reconciled.

With the proper education, most Reconciled and Born Ferals can learn to control and manage their animalistic side, but it is a hard path even for those who have the understanding and support of their families or allies. The animal side of the Feral affects the character even when she is in human form. After the transformation, the sufferer becomes less inhibited, more likely to react without thinking, and more likely to follow her instincts. The results vary widely depending on the circumstances. A Feral may be the first to throw a punch during a bar fight -- or she may meekly retreat in the face of someone she considers a superior or "Alpha male." As lovers, Ferals can be fiery and passionate -- or totally selfish. Leading a normal life is hard in the best of circumstances.

As a result, many Ferals find themselves shunning the company of others, preferring to lead lonely lives, or to deal only with a select group of people, those few who can understand them. Gifted humans and other "inhumans" are the preferred companions, since they have secrets of their own and are more likely to make allowances for a Feral’s behavior. In the past, such alliances were rare, since there were few Gifted and even fewer Ferals. They are becoming more common of late, and mixed bands of Gifted, Ferals, Undead and other beings are no longer
unique. Usually, these alliances occur when the "supernaturals" find some common cause, be it an enemy that threatens them all, a political cause they all espouse, or even a criminal undertaking.

Playing Ferals

Accursed Ferals are not meant to be used as Cast Members, but can make for a challenging roleplaying experience. Even among the two basic types of Feral normally used as characters (Born and Reconciled), a wide range of potential personalities exist. While the number is growing, only a few hundred Ferals exist worldwide. Thus, it would be fair to say that each of them is a unique individual. Their common feature is a closer contact with the savage, predatory side that exists in all humans. Some are passionate beings, and are often overpowered by their lusts or impulses. Others keep their emotions under very tight rein, fearful of losing control. For many Ferals, getting rid of the curse is the overriding goal of their lives, but a sizable minority consider their dual nature part of who they are, and would not give it up.

Ferals use the Lesser Supernatural Character Type, and must purchase one Feral Shape. Otherwise, they are created normally. The shape shifters have two sets of Attributes, one for their human form (which is purchased normally), and another for their bestial form (which is modified from the human form based on the shape chosen).

All Ferals have a number of common abilities and detriments. Some characteristics are determined by their shapes, and others are the result of special training or affinities.

Feral’s Curse
Ferals can transmit their condition onto others. Being injured by a Feral, or even killing a Feral may trigger the transformation. If a person is reduced to -10 Life Points or below by a Feral’s claws or bite, she must pass a Simple Willpower Test; Gifted characters gain a +4 to this Test. If failed, the character is affected by the curse and becomes a Feral of the same species as her attacker.

It is also possible to become infected if one kills a Feral. The person who delivered the final, killing blow must pass a Simple Willpower Test with a +3 bonus; Gifted characters, and those using silver or magic, gain a +6 bonus. On a failure, the victim is cursed, as above, with the victim becoming a Feral of the same animal type as the one she killed.

Regeneration
Ferals in animal form are extremely hard to kill. Most types of damage suffered are rapidly healed, at the rate of 1 point per Constitution level every Turn. In human form, Ferals are relatively normal, except that they do heal wounds more rapidly than others, regaining lost Life Points at the rate of 1 per Constitution level every hour of rest, or every two hours of activity.

Injuries sustained in one form carry over to the other, however. If a severely injured Feral transforms into a human being, the sudden shock to the system is likely to kill her. So, a Feral who suffered 50 points of damage, and transformed into human form before regenerating it, transfers the damage to her human (and far frailer) form. Crippling injuries (like lost limbs or eyes) carry over from bestial to human form, but not vice versa. This means that a Feral who is a quadriplegic in human form could be perfectly active in bestial form, but if the creature lost an arm while rampaging in animal shape, the human form would have that injury when it next transformed.

Unlike other supernatural creatures, Ferals can be killed with conventional weapons. If reduced to -10 Life Points or below, Ferals must pass Survival Tests normally. Killing a Feral can be dangerous, however.

Restrictions
Ferals are no longer fully human. They lose the ability to acquire or use most Gifted powers, including Magic, Seer abilities, and Necromancy. Spirit Patrons may allow Ferals to perform magic, however. A Gifted human who is transformed into a Feral during a game loses most of her powers unless she can be cured (a cure is not described in this book; finding one should be a quest unto itself). The Chronicler should allow the character to shift the lost points towards paying for the Feral Quality, however.

Spontaneous Transformation
If enough ambient Essence is available, the Feral transformation may be triggered involuntarily. The most dangerous times for a Feral are midnights during a full moon, the Solstices and Equinoxes, and the evenings of the four major Days of Power. During those times, the Feral transforms into lycanthropic form unless she can pass a Difficult Willpower Test. Every 10 minutes after that, the character can try to regain control by passing a Difficult Willpower Test. During the time of the transformation, the spirit animal form is very much in control of the creature. The Feral tends to react to everything with "fight or flight" instincts, and often ravenously eats any edible substances available -- or hunts for food otherwise. Friends of the creature usually have nothing to fear from the Feral even under these circumstances; the animal mind recognizes and usually respects them. Any acquaintance who has offended or angered the Feral is likely to be attacked on sight. The animal spirit has little self-restraint and acts on any urge the character might feel.

Essence released by strong emotions can also cause the transformation. This Essence can come from the Feral herself, or anybody within 5 yards (meters) from the creature. Fear, anger, lust or pain causes the release of D4(2) to D10(5) Essence points. If that release is combined with a time of power, that might be enough to trigger the transformation, as above. Essence used in Invocations or Gifted powers is not "raw," however, and it will not trigger the transformation. An Essence Channeler could trigger the transformation, but would have to do it on purpose.

Superhuman Attributes
Ferals gain enhanced physical attributes while in their bestial shapes. These increased attributes vary from species to species.

The Essence Pool of Ferals is increased by 10 points (use the human form’s attributes to determine base Essence). Additional Essence can be purchased normally.

Life Points are determined normally for the human form. The bestial form uses its enhanced attributes and the following formula: ((Str + Con) x 5) +50.

Supernatural Senses
Ferals can see spirits, including ghosts, nature spirits, and Elementals. They can also see through the Seemings and Glamours of the Sidhe, and can "smell" the presence of large amounts of Essence in people and places, which enables them to uncover probable Gifted characters. This ability works even while in human form; when the character senses something strange, her nostrils flare up and she involuntarily makes sniffing noises.

Transformation
Ferals have the ability to assume a bestial shape, half-animal and half-human. This shape can change instantly, becoming more or less human depending on the needs or mood of the lycanthrope. Characters facing a Feral should be struck by the fluid, dreamlike "morphing" of the creature. A typical werewolf, for example, may shift from second to second between the form of a fully animalistic wolf to that of a vaguely wolf-like human.

The bestial form is not fixed -- it shifts fluidly, from fully animal (identical to a large member of the appropriate species) to humanoid, although fur-covered and with clear animalistic characteristics. The Feral unconsciously assume whatever shape she needs instantly. For running, she drops on all fours and turns into a regular animal; for combat, she assumes a humanoid shape and strikes with clawed limbs, or even uses a hand weapon if one is available. This happens so fast that, in game terms, the attribute bonuses are in effect for as long as the transformation occurs. In all manifestations, however, the Feral is covered in the fur of the animal shape, and her features remain consistently bestial, with sharp teeth, snout instead of nose, and inhumanly-shaped ears.

Any clothing worn by the Feral is torn apart by the transformation. Only light, elastic garments can survive the change.

Changing into animal form costs 10 Essence Points. The effect lasts an hour, at the end of which another 10 Essence must be spent to maintain the shape. This lost Essence is not regained until after the character assumes her human form once again. At that point, it is recovered at the normal rate.

Vulnerability
Attacks that normally drain Essence (like the Soulfire Invocation) do Life Point damage to Ferals in bestial form. Also, silver has some of the properties against Ferals ascribed to it by legend. Silver weapons inflict double normal damage (slashing weapons inflict triple damage). Silver weapons are less effective than normal metal weapons, however; subtract 3 points from any damage rolled (before the doubling effect), to a minimum of 1 point of damage.

Feral Shapes
Listed below are some of the possible Feral Shapes, with their character point costs and game stats. In general, any mammal predator can become the source of a Feral Shape. All forms have the equivalent of Acute Senses (all senses). The cost of this ability is included in the shape’s cost.

The character point cost of the Feral Shape can be paid from the Qualities or Metaphysics Point pools. A character may only have one such shape.

Bear: This shape covers most common bear types, from the Black Bear to the Polar Bear. In animal shape, the character is a huge creature of the appropriate breed. Bonuses: +7 to Strength, +1 to Dexterity, +4 to Constitution, +2 to Perception, +5 to Speed. Armor Value 3. Natural Attacks: Bite: D4 x Strength slashing. Claw: D6 x Strength slashing. Cost: 29 points.

Coyote: This predator and scavenger is also the living avatar of the trickster deity of some Native American tribes. Some Ferals adopt that god as a Spirit Patron (see p. 109). Bonuses: +2 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +2 to Constitution, +2 to Perception, +10 to Speed. Armor Value 1. Natural Attacks: Bite: D4 x Strength slashing, Claws: D4 x Strength slashing. Cost: 21 points.

Hyena: Common in parts of Africa, the Hyena is a powerful scavenger and predator. Bonuses: +3 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +2 to Constitution, +1 to Perception, +10 to Speed. Armor Value 1. Natural Attacks: Bite: D6 x Strength slashing. Claws: D4 x Strength slashing. Cost: 23 points.

Jaguar: One of the great hunting cats, the Jaguar is common in the Americas. Bonuses: +4 to Strength, +3 to Dexterity, +2 to Constitution, +1 to Perception, +10 to Speed. Armor Value 1. Natural Attacks: Bite: D4 x Strength slashing. Claws: D6 x Strength slashing. Cost: 24 points.

Lion: The so-called King of Jungle is a prolific hunter of the African wilderness. Bonuses: +5 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +3 to Constitution, +1 to Perception, +10 to Speed. Armor Value 1. Natural Attacks: Bite: D6 x Strength slashing. Claws: D6 x Strength slashing. Cost: 26 points.

Tiger: The largest hunting feline on the planet, tigers dwell in the Indian sub-continent and parts of Asia. Bonuses: +6 to Strength, +3 to Dexterity, +4 to Constitution, +2 to Perception, +10 to Speed. Armor Value 1. Natural Attacks: Bite: D6 x Strength slashing. Claws: D6 x Strength slashing. Cost: 30 points.

Wolf: One of the most common shapes, at least in Western Europe and America, the wolf is a social predator that operates in packs, and can be found from Russia to North America. Bonuses: +3 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +2 to Constitution, +2 to Perception, +10 to Speed. Armor Value 1. Natural Attacks: Bite: D4 x Strength slashing. Claws: D4 x Strength slashing. Cost: 22 points.

These are abilities and disadvantages some Ferals have. Most powers can only be acquired by Born or Reconciled Ferals; the Accursed rarely get a chance to learn any. After character creation, some of these powers can be acquired by paying double the base cost with experience points; they are gained through mystical revelation, although having a teacher would help. Some powers (like Inborn Feral) cannot be gained after character creation, for obvious reasons. In addition to the powers below, Ferals can also have Spirit Patrons. The Patrons can give them a number of special abilities, including the power to use magic, at the price of owing a measure of allegiance and servitude to their Patrons.

Camouflage
3-point Power
By spending 5 Essence Points and passing a Simple Willpower Test, the Feral can change her coloring to match that of her surroundings. The result is near invisibility -- a Perception and Notice Task with a -5 penalty is necessary to spot the character while she remains immobile; a -2 penalty is applied when she is moving slowly. If the Feral betrays her presence, she will be spotted, but ranged attacks against her still have a -1 penalty.

This power can only be used while in the Feral Shape. The Camouflage remains in effect for 1 minute, at which time a new Test and Essence expenditure is needed to maintain it.

Inborn Feral
2-point Power
Ferals who gained the curse through their ancestors have a number of advantages. First, they are less likely to lose control, or to spontaneously transform. Inborn Ferals gain a +2 bonus to resist all such impulses. This power is a prerequisite for some other special abilities.

Moon Slave
2-point Vulnerability
This affliction is most common among Reconciled or Cursed Ferals. Moon Slaves are at constant risk of losing control of themselves when in their Feral Shape. They are also unable to resist the transformation when enough ambient Essence is present to trigger it; the most common such time is midnight during the full moon, but also the Solstices and Equinoxes, or when the Feral inadvertently enters a Place of Power. In game terms, Ferals suffer a -2 penalty to Willpower Tests to resist the transformation whenever they are exposed to enough ambient Essence.

Spirit Claws
2-point Power
Ferals with this ability can harm ethereal beings like ghosts and spirits with their physical attacks. Each attack using Spirit Claws drains the Feral of 1 Essence point, whether it strikes the target or not.

Strength of the Beast
6-point Power
Prerequisite: Inborn Feral
Some Ferals have such a strong connection to their animal soul that they can enjoy some of their strengths even while in human form. Invoking the Strength of the Beast requires a Simple Willpower Test and the expenditure of 5 Essence Points. The character gains the physical bonuses of her Feral Shape, while retaining her human visage. The Feral’s natural attacks (like claws and bite) do not carry over, however. The power lasts for 1 minute, at which time a new Test and Essence expenditure is required. While invoking her animal powers, the character is at a -1 penalty to resist a spontaneous transformation (cumulative with any other bonuses or penalties).

Summon Animal Spirits
4-point Power
By calling upon her totemic animal, the Feral can summon a number of "spirit fragments" to materialize and do her bidding. The Feral must be in her bestial form to summon her brethren. The summoning requires a Simple Willpower Test, and the expenditure of 5 Essence per spirit summoned. The maximum number of spirits the Feral can summon cannot exceed the Success Level of the Test, regardless of how much Essence is available. Some sample summoned spirits can be found below.

Summoned Spirit Stats
All summoned spirit fragments have Acute Senses, and are able to track with a Simple Perception Test (plus Acute Senses bonuses). They attack or Dodge by making Simple Dexterity Tests. They fight until destroyed, never retreating or fleeing no matter how bad the odds are. These beings take Life Point damage from Essence-draining attacks like Soulfire, but they are no more or less affected by silver than any other non-Feral being. The creatures have neither Essence Pools nor Endurance Points. Note that these game stats reflect the fragmentary nature of the entities forced into existence by the Feral’s will. Their stats vary from fully formed, or true Animal Spirits.

Wolf
Strength: 3, Dexterity: 3, Constitution: 4, Perception: 3, Intelligence: 1, Willpower: 2, Life Points: 33, Speed: 25, Attacks: Bites for D4 x 3(6) slashing damage.

Bear
Strength: 8, Dexterity: 3, Constitution: 5, Perception: 2, Intelligence: 1, Willpower: 3, Life Points: 60, Speed: 20, Attacks: Bites for D4 x 4(8) slashing damage, claws for D4 x 8(16) slashing damage.

Jaguar/Panther
Strength: 5, Dexterity: 4, Constitution: 5, Perception: 3, Intelligence: 1, Willpower: 3, Life Points: 30, Speed: 30, Attacks: Bites for D4 x 3(6) slashing damage, claws for D6 x 5(15) slashing damage.

Tiger/Lion
Strength: 7, Dexterity: 4, Constitution: 5, Perception: 3, Intelligence: 1, Willpower: 3, Life Points: 60, Speed: 25, Attacks: Bites for D4 x 7(14) slashing damage, claws for D6 x 7(21) slashing damage.