Grace’s horror show isn’t as traumatic to look at as it is to be targeted by; dealing mind damage in the form of fear and stress, being forced to live out Obedience’s burning for a few moments… the screaming, flames, and reflections are violently transferred to the target as they suffer the onslaught.
Being on the receiving end of this is brutal. It’s the girls’ oldest ability; the betrayal and pain were enough to keep Obedience’s soul at unrest, so when it’s all put towards someone’s mind in a few seconds, it’s the most reliably terrifying thing contained in the five foot frame.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action to activate. Select a Sapient target within 20 feet. Roll Intelligence + Influence at Difficulty 6. Affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 8 with a -3 dice penalty. If they are incapacitated or unconscious, they fail automatically and their Outcome is 0.
If the Contested Outcome is positive, the target takes Mind damage equal to the Contested Outcome. If you deal at least 3 Mind damage, the target will gain a new Trauma selected by you (the GM can overrule you at their discretion). This trauma may be removed by Effects or mundane therapy as per normal rules. Affected targets are aware that they are being attacked and can generally tell who did it.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see Obedience’s form vibrating and flickering in and out of sight like a camera shutter, classic horror movie style; the echoing screams that accompany Stake flames come from her own mouth, which opens with a distending jaw, pulling Grace’s unnaturally along with it. Their eyes and anything reflective on their body (including sweat and saliva) reflect orange violent fire.
Grace focuses her energy towards pulling someone into that pathway. If successful, the target’s vision will flutter in and out between their real-world view and being flat on their back, laid out on a table surrounded by cakes and tea sets in a desaturated forest clearing. The Dead Kid Tea Party stares down at them with hollow, prying eyes: Grace, Obedience, Sally, Horatio, and Hope staring into the grey area between your body and your consciousness, and reading.
The pathway to Grace’s mind for other souls is wide open. In the past, visitors have been relatively invited, but as Grace becomes willing to do more… what's keeping her from yanking someone in through the door?
Exert your Mind and spend 1 minute. Select a Living, Animate target within 20 feet You must maintain Concentration while the effect is active. Roll Intellect + Influence at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.
You are able to view your target's memories. The target is aware that their thoughts are being probed but not of the source of the probe. The Effect ends if the target moves out of range or your Concentration is interrupted.
You may ask specific questions about their memory - “what is their computer password,” “What were they doing at 4:00PM yesterday,” etc - but you cannot get answers to broad, analytical questions like “are they a good person?” or “what are their plans for the future?”
Each question takes as long as it takes to answer to read. When replaying a full memory, it is replayed in double time.
The Assimilator appears even more alien than when they first arrived on this planet, their body no longer resembling a normal centipede, and now being seen as much more.
The Assimilator appears even more alien than when they first arrived on this planet, their body no longer resembling a normal centipede, and now being seen as much more.
The Assimilator counts as an Alien Creature, meaning targets affecting Creatures must be able to target Alien Creatures as well.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You are permanently and visibly transformed: a freakishly large, black alien centipede. You are considered to be a Sapient, Living Creature when targeted. Your Charisma is increased by 2 and your Intellect is increased by 2.
Your appendages can reach an additional 30 feet.
You may make a +2 Weapon Damage Acid Spit attack without additional equipment.
You cannot be mistaken for a normal human. You cannot always use standard human clothes, equipment, vehicles, and facilities, and when you can, you suffer an increased Difficulty.
You cannot speak any coherent verbal language and must resort to other means of communication.
You are incapable of fine object manipulation and can only hold or grasp things in a crude, clumsy way.
You cannot ignore or decrease the effects of Stress for any Self-Control rolls you make.
The Severity of any Injury caused by Poison is increased by 2.
When the James activates "Phantom Arsenal," the air around him shimmers with an ethereal glow, and the ghostly figure of his sister appears beside him, her translucent form exuding a serene yet formidable presence. She gestures gracefully, and a swirling vortex of spectral energy materializes, revealing a selection of weapons.
As the James selects a weapon, it solidifies into his hand, glowing with an eerie luminescence and leaving a faint trail of spectral mist with every movement. The sister's ghost remains visible for a few moments longer, offering a silent nod of encouragement before fading back into the shadows
Spend a Quick Action.
You may withdraw an item from your stash, or add an item that is within arm’s reach to your stash. You may only stash targets which are in your possession, grappled, or otherwise controlled by you.
You may store spectral weapons in your stash, each no larger than something which could fit inside a briefcase (15 liters), and you may store up to 5 of them at a time.
You may choose to equip any equipment you withdraw at no additional cost.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see a ghost.
God's divine blessing
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming damage from all sources of physical attack except holy weapons. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. This Armor cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.
You may transfer your Armor to another target within 30 feet once per Round as a Free Action. You may transfer it back to yourself at any range.
You may spend an Action or Reaction and Exert your Mind to double your Armor rating for one Round.
Any time your Armor prevents Damage, your Armor rating is temporarily decreased by 2. Whenever it goes five Rounds without preventing any Damage, it is restored back to its full value.
A row of metal plates run along Dan’s back, shifting to reveal vents, which vent steam following intensive energy usage. Additionally, his knuckles can now open up to deploy a pair of concealed shotgun barrels.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You are permanently and visibly transformed: A row of metal plates line the spine, shifting to reveal vents which vent steam during or after moments of extreme exertion. You are considered to be a Sapient, Non-Living Computer when targeted..
Your Injuries no longer degrade with time.
You may make a +2 Weapon Damage Shotgun attack without additional equipment.
The Soldier has spent a healthy ten thousand hours training with the weapons of their military. They are deadly when wielding any firearm made in their home country. Drawing their standard issue at the start of a confrontation is pure reflex, and they may plan their shots to deal collateral damage to those behind their target.
You gain the following benefits as long as engaged in combat with firearms made in your home country.
+2 dice to all firearms made in your home country rolls.
You also gain the following effects:
Come one, come all! Stand in amazement and behold as the Fire Eater consumes a flame as if it were cotton candy! Gasp with fright as they breathe a plume of fire a great distance! And yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is quite dangerous.
Exert your Mind and spend two Actions performing the following ritual: perform a fire-breathing trick. Select a target within 20 feet which has both fuel and oxygen available (if you are starting a new fire). Roll a single D10 as a critical failure check. If you roll a 1, the Effect fails, and you take a Severity-4 Injury as the fire burns your throat. You must maintain Concentration while activating this Effect, and it fails if you are interrupted.
You may start or extinguish a fire as large as a fire in a residential fireplace at your target. You may create or extinguish fires the size of a lighter or candle flame without Exerting your Mind. Your fires require fuel and oxygen in order to continue burning.
Lighting a target on fire deals 3 Damage each Round on your turn, starting in the Round after the one in which they caught fire. This Damage is reduced by Armor, but the target’s Armor rating will be depleted by any Damage dealt, destroying the Armor once it reaches 0.
You may extinguish flames as a Reaction. This does not extend to explosives.
The mobster presents a reasoned, logical case to the target: there's a lot of dangerous folks out there, and only they can offer safety... for a price.
If they agree, they will pay the mobster a monthly fee for protection. If they stop making their payments... well, let's just say, the mobster can't be held responsible for any unsavory types that might pay them a visit.
This Effect cannot be used unless you are making a deal to exchange money for protection.
You may make an oath with a physically-present, Sapient target. Communicate the oath's terms to the target, including the requirements and penalties for each participant. If all agree to the terms, you must Exert your Mind and all participants must shake hands to seal the deal.
Record the oath as a Condition. If a party breaks the oath, the Condition ends and they suffer the oath's penalty.
When crafting your oath, you may incorporate any of the following penalties:
The target cannot be compelled to agree via a direct threat of violence, another Effect, or another oath. If you would like to use clever wording to mislead the target, you must succeed a contested Intellect + (Culture or Influence) roll.
The Werewolf’s body, long caught in the crossfire between human and beast, has developed a powerful coping mechanism. It draws upon the conflict, healing severe injuries in a matter of days.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Any Injury you receive from a source other than silver or fire. heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every day. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active automatically count as a successful Proper Stabilization and do not deteriorate further. Any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will heal with the Injury.
You may Exert your Mind and spend an Action to reduce the Severity of one of your Injuries by 1. Does not affect Injuries suffered as an activation cost for Effects.
Injuries you receive from silver or fire. are increased in Severity by 1.
The detective can learn a lot by watching someone for a minute. Each subtle detail, every unexplained stain, reveals something about where the target has been. Ocassionally, they'll drop a business card, or explain how to contact them. The detective is listening.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a Sapient target within 20 feet. This Effect cannot be used unless the target does not know you're watching them. You cannot investigate the same target more than once per hour. At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn a single specific piece of information, chosen from the following list, about your target:
The quality and specificity of information gained depends on your Outcome.
This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is that you keep peeking at the target. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.