Weaponized Angst Cthulhu's Sleeping Pill

1
Requires Seasoned
This Artifact grants you the power to put a target to sleep.
Created by Riley.
(Anyone who witnesses you activate this Effect is very likely to be disturbed to see an unfavorably presented echo of the user's past. The user may be able to control how this power interacts with their target, but the runoff that results from firing this weapon always has a random negative effect on those unseasoned in the supernatural world. Anyone that witnesses this power activation will very briefly gain a context-less supposition of the user forcefully downloaded into their head based on the user's regrets and shames. For example, if the user once had to kill a child for whatever reason (even if it was completely justified), normal passersby will gain an impression of that knowledge (typically a biased one against the user) and will tend to react negatively toward them; usually with fear, outrage, or disappointment. This impression can take the form of memory flashes or may simply manifest as inexplicable emotional sensation. You must use this Artifact obviously when activating this Effect.)

A manifestation of the user's regret and shame, per the Maddening on Umbra's Spite, is cultivated and weaponized. It pools from the hands and infests the next shot in the chamber of the gun. It wraps around, subsumes, and completely coats the round until it's barely recognizable- only as a silhouette of its former self.

The bullet becomes so changed that it will no longer be capable of dealing damage, but instead becomes a compressed round of pure emotion. When it hits a target, that emotion suddenly rushes directly into the target's mind, projecting one or more of the user's regrets, shames, and most disappointing moments. The sheer quantity of information overloads the brain or processing center and forces it to essentially reboot, temporarily forcing a few moments of paralysis in which the target is unable to move or resist.

Regrets Include: the creation of Umbra, the multiple times she's been kidnapped, etc.
Shames Include: having to cover herself in shit to shield her scent from hunting dogs, being kidnapped by Paula and stuffed in her trunk, etc


Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Living or Animate target within 300 feet. Roll Perception + Firearms at Difficulty 6. Affected targets may resist by rolling Body at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, your target becomes drowsy for the next 3 Rounds, during which time they suffer an additional -2 dice Penalty to all Actions. At the end of their drowsiness, they fall into a state of sleep paralysis for Outcome x 3 rounds. During this time, they remain fully conscious and aware of their surroundings but are incapable of taking any actions.

Sleeping targets will not prematurely wake up on their own, but may still be woken up by sudden loud noises, being jarred or splashed with water, taking Damage, or similar rousing events. They will also awaken before dying of hunger, thirst, or suffocation. Drowsy targets always fall asleep, regardless of what happens while they are drowsy.

An affected target's dreams while they are asleep will involve you in some way, and will reveal you as the source of their sleep as well as reveal secret information about yourself to them.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see an unfavorably presented echo of the user's past. The user may be able to control how this power interacts with their target, but the runoff that results from firing this weapon always has a random negative effect on those unseasoned in the supernatural world. Anyone that witnesses this power activation will very briefly gain a context-less supposition of the user forcefully downloaded into their head based on the user's regrets and shames. For example, if the user once had to kill a child for whatever reason (even if it was completely justified), normal passersby will gain an impression of that knowledge (typically a biased one against the user) and will tend to react negatively toward them; usually with fear, outrage, or disappointment. This impression can take the form of memory flashes or may simply manifest as inexplicable emotional sensation.

  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
  • The target is aware than the secret information about you which was revealed in their dream is true, even if the rest of the dream may be written off as just a dream.
  • For targets where "sleep" does not make any sense in terms of flavor, they will power down, freeze, etc, whatever state they can be in which is analogous to sleep.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Community Targeted Gifts

Spend an Action. Select a Animate target within arm's reach. Roll Brawn + Alertness at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around your target, which absorbs the next Outcome +2 Damage. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. You may only have 1 active barrier at a time.

The barrier will fall after two hours, or if it absorbs the full amount of Damage. When a barrier falls, you cannot use this Effect again for a minimum of 2 Rounds.

This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is the muscels flexing as he goes in a defensive stand. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.

Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: Wheezing.

Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: Nightmares (The Oktagon).

  • Effects which circumvent Armor completely also circumvent your barrier.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend one minute. Select a number of Living targets equal to your Charisma within 45 feet as well as a specific emotion. You must actively and obviously use a Flag, Banner or Standard to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Culture at Difficulty 6. Affected targets can resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, for the next hour, affected targets will do things they otherwise wouldn’t have done, inspired by the chosen emotion. They will not necessarily display their emotions in an obvious way.

Actions they take will be in keeping with their character and the way they tend to deal with strong emotions. They will be unlikely to change their mind about any actions taken or decisions made until after the Effect ends.

  • Common emotions and the actions they inspire
    • Anger (shouting, cruelty, denying requests, attacking)
    • Pity (stopping an attack, executing an injured target)
    • Happiness (generosity, dancing, joking, socializing)
    • Sadness (finding solitude, openly crying, demotivation)
    • Fear (running, attacking)
  • If you succeed, the target MUST take at least one Action they otherwise would not have. Hey, GM who is reading this, I'm talking to you. You have to enforce this. Remember: Gifts must feel powerful.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind (unless you win a coin flip) and spend a minute. Investigate an area with a radius of up to 20 feet At the end of your investigation, roll Brawn + Alertness at Difficulty 6.

You learn the following information about the area:

  • You can locate the source of any Alien energy or the presence of any Alien effects on the area. Specific information about the function of these effects beyond their general type is not forthcoming.
The quality and specificity of information gained depends on your Outcome.

You cannot investigate the same area more than once per day.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action or Reaction. Select a Non-Alien Creature target within arm's reach. This Effect cannot be used unless Can Only Be Used with Immortal Form.

If targeting a Sapient target that counts as a Creature due to an Effect, you must succeed a contested Mind roll. You roll at Difficulty 6, and the target rolls at Difficulty 8

You possess your target and have control over their actions for the next minute. Your original body will be left behind, unconscious, in its same location. You may perceive through your original body's senses, at a -2 penalty to all Actions while doing so. If your original body is touched, you get a Perception check to notice. You may spend an Action to end the possession early. While the effect is active, you may switch into a new target without Exerting your Mind.

Stats: Any Actions you take will use the possessed creature’s Brawn, Dexterity, and Perception, but use your own Charisma, Intellect, and Abilities.

Gifts: You have access to your Powers from within the host's body.

Death: If the host suffers an Injury, or is destroyed or incapacitated, you are evicted back into your own body. If the possession ends and your original body was killed or destroyed, you will die.

Eviction: You cannot force your host to take Actions which would violate their instinct for self-preservation (which includes engaging in Combat for any purpose other than self-defense or natural hunting); any attempt to do so will sever the connection and send you back into your own body. If you are forced out of the target's body prematurely, you must make a Trauma roll.

If you die and there is a Augmented Creatures within a mile, you instead possess them indefinitely.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Conner’s Perspective (The Caster)

As Conner prepares to bridge the vast distances between himself and those he’s marked, he settles into a familiar ritual with the tattooing gun in hand. This instrument, more a wand than a tool in this moment, hums to life with an almost eager anticipation. As he begins the process, not on another but on his own flesh, the needle dances with precision and intent. It doesn’t inscribe a new tattoo but activates the magic latent within him, a conduit to those he seeks.

The ink under his skin stirs, coalescing into the face of the individual he wishes to communicate with. It’s a generic face, a template that morphs to adopt the nuances of expression and emotion, a mirror to the person’s current state. This face doesn’t belong to anyone yet resembles everyone, a paradox made possible through magic. It’s a surreal experience, watching these features form and shift, their eyes locking with his in silent conversation. The connection is palpable, a thread of energy that tugs at his core, a blend of concentration and a mysterious, ethereal bond.

The Tattooed Individual’s Perspective (The Receiver)

For the person on the receiving end, the experience is equally mystifying. The tattoo that marks their bond with Conner, usually a static image, begins to undulate gently. This movement is subtle, not painful but undeniably present, like the first hint of a breeze that promises the storm to come. Then, as if the ink itself is alive, their tattoo morphs into a face.

This face, while not Conner’s, carries an echo of his presence. It’s a visage without identity, yet filled with expression, changing and responding as if part of a conversation. This manifestation is deeply personal, a visual representation of the invisible line that now connects them over distances untold. The voice that accompanies this visual transformation is clear, resonating not in the air but in the mind, a direct conduit to Conner. It’s an intimate exchange, shielded from the world, as though the words are whispered directly into their soul.

Spend an Action. Select a number of targets up to your Mind rating any distance away from you. You must have specific targets in mind, but you require only an intuitive understanding of them, such as their name, face, or Location. This Effect cannot be used unless “Connor has used Permanent Magical Tattoos on the target.”. You must actively and obviously use Tattooing Gun to activate this Effect.

You open up a line of communication to your targets, and may converse with them as long as one of you maintains Concentration

The conversation will only be perceived by the intended recipient. You must share a common language for your target to understand the message.

  • Receiving a message does not force a target to pay attention to you, and they can feel free to ignore your message if they choose. Depending on the flavor of your Gift, they may or may not be able to return to it and read it later on.
  • Generally you cannot communicate with Contractors who are not in a Contract with you.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.

Stock Targeted Gifts

Exert your Mind and spend one minute. Select a Living target within 25 feet. This Effect cannot be used unless the target deserves it. Roll Charisma + Occult at Difficulty 6. Your target may resist by rolling Body at Difficulty 7.

If you succeed, the target is afflicted with a Condition that causes one of the following symptoms:

  • Gross: The target exhibits significant and obvious signs of illness, making them into a social pariah. They will be shunned in public places, and take a -2 penalty to all social actions, which grows by -1 every hour until it reaches your Outcome.
  • Poisoned: The target gains a Severity-1 Injury which ignores Armor and doesn’t heal naturally. For every hour that passes, they receive a new identical Injury. If this new Injury would kill them, they roll 1d10 at Difficulty 6. Success cures the condition; otherwise, they will die.
Symptoms begin to appear immediately, and will remain and continue to worsen until the affliction is cured. The affliction is not contagious and will not spread to others.

The affliction is not treatable by modern medicine. It may be diagnosed by rolling Intellect + Occult at Difficulty 6, and can be cured by bathing fully in clear running water.

This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is you staring at the target, speaking calmly. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

  • Successfully diagnosing an affliction also includes information about the treatment method.
  • The chosen method of treatment must be something that you could obtain in a small town given an afternoon.
  • Curing an affliction removes the Condition, but does not automatically heal any Injuries, Battle Scars, or Traumas which may have been caused by that condition.
  • This Effect’s symptoms do not stack with themselves on multiple applications.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Spend an Action. Select a Living or Animate target within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use a melee weapon to activate this Effect. Roll Brawn + Melee at Difficulty 6. The target may roll Body, -2 dice at Difficulty 7, as a Free Action to resist.

If you succeed, the target receives a new Battle Scar of your choosing, limited by the contested Outcome:

  1. A Minor Battle Scar E.g. an aesthetic-only body modification (a disfigured face, a pig's tail), impacted hand or foot, or vocal changes that complicate communication
  2. A Major Battle Scar E.g. a disabled/removed hand or foot, an inability to speak, an impacted major sense, removal of a minor sense, impacted movement.
  3. A Severe Battle Scar E.g. a disabled/removed arm or leg, deafness, aesthetic changes that are nearly impossible to conceal.
  4. An Extreme Battle Scar E.g. removal/disabling both hands or both legs, blindness, a full-body deformation that leaves the target humanoid but makes it difficult to use clothes, vehicles, and equipment designed for humans.
Refer to the stock Battle Scars on the Character Sheet for specific systems.

All alterations you make must damage the target's knees.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.

  • Remember: A Contractor’s Body rating is reduced by 1 for each Battle Scar after their fourth.
  • You may opt to inflict a Battle Scar that is less severe than what your Outcome allows.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend 2 Actions. Select a Location within your line of sight , and which is directly adjacent to water. You must be within arm's reach of water to activate this Effect.

You are transported directly to the chosen Location. You must wait an hour before activating this effect again.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a target Location within 75 feet.

You may perceive things as if you were standing at that Location. The effect lasts indefinitely but you must maintain Concentration to keep it up. You cannot perceive anything at your physical location while the effect is active.

You create a visible manifestation at the Location where your senses are projected which looks like a ghostly image of yourself meditating.

  • This does not satisfy the Line of Sight requirement for targeted Effects.

Spend 30 minutes. You may only target yourself. The target can easily Resist.

You may add one augmentation to your target. Each augmentation counts as a Battle Scar and can have exactly one of the following Effects:

  • Specialized: You receive +2 dice to a particular non-combat, non-Effect Action.
  • Environmental Adaptation: You do not suffer harm from heat, cold, pressure, or lack of oxygen in a particular environment, provided that challenge normally exists in that environment.
  • Implanted Tool: You have access to the functionality of some common Device at all times. The selected Device can be no larger than a motorcycle helmet.
  • Armor: You have 2 Armor at all times. As always, Armor from multiple sources does not stack.
  • Pouch: Part of your body functions as a hidden pocket. It can hold no more than a briefcase (15 liters).
  • Zippy: Your Free Movement is increased by 10 feet.
  • Maws and Claws: Your unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage instead of -1.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.

Your alteration "heals" over the course of the next month, after which it is fully cured.

  • Remember: A Contractor’s Body rating is reduced by 1 for each Battle Scar after their fourth.
  • You may not augment targets with pouches or implanted devices that are larger than they are.
  • Targets without Body ratings may have a maximum of 4 augmentations.
  • Example environments for adaptation: space, all saltwater, all fresh water, all water under 50 feet deep, all water deeper than 50 feet, the jungle, radioactive areas, a specific alien world, etc.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.