Zephyren collects blades almost obsessively, perhaps because they are some of the least detectable weapons. Or, he does it instinctively because a bird is never complete without its talons. In result, he's also the most proficient with blades.
On blade types:
Specifically, Zephyren is proficient in knives, daggers, and swords. They're good for kitchen use too (he wants to toss a bunch of vegetables in the air one day and try to slice them all).
On weapon usage:
People have guns (even in Canada, they're just quieter about it), but Zephyren legally cannot own one, and traveling with those can be such a pain for those with licenses anyway. He very much prefers a quieter option too. Also, blades are far more versatile. Never bring a sword to a gun fight? Think again.
On blade proficiency:
Fighting isn't the only thing Zephyren uses blades for. If anything he's rarely had to fight outside contracts; he mostly uses knives in the kitchen, and since he has been cooking from a very young age, there's no surprise that this is what he's the most comfortable with. In any video games, he also predominantly uses a knife or sword. Don't ask how he's gotten through Resident Evil; let's just say he had to face a lot of corpses up close.
On bird talons:
Thankfully Zephyren has never been attacked by a bird, but from what he's read, talons can be really sharp. They have to grip onto things after all, even if it means they'd puncture their target.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with bladed weapons.
+2 dice to all rolls with bladed weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using bladed weapons.
You also gain the following effects:
Jake tensed his body just as he was once instructed... before an overwhelming pain coursed through his body, feeling like he was burning alive from the inside out. He couldn't help but scream as he felt his back start to swell like a balloon, his skin darkening substantially as he held his head. He coughed up blood and bile as his arms began to unfold and expand, his skin growing soft and malleable - then the true horror began.
His body would swell and shrink, swell and shrink, like a mix between a bubble and a lung... And it kept growing. Eventually, it grew until it was twice his original size before unfolding into an array of flesh, bone, and blood, dancing and layering on itself as it took on a new, terrible form: his head was longer, like the Xenomorph if half of the back of its head was missing. His jaw opened and fell slack, easily going past a foot in length. His back was heavily arched into a slouching position as it looked incredibly swollen, spines protruding at random points from it as it's spine extended out before slowly retracting back in. Then there were his limbs... His arms were thin yet layered with muscle while his legs were spindly and long, his feet and hands now reduced to bone talons and claws respectively. Instead of a cry of pain, it let out a series of wet clicks before it's throat opened to reveal a flesh sack, which inflated as the thing let out a deafening roar, declaring dominance and a demand for bloodshed.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action to activate.
You transform into Abberant Humanoid for 30 minutes. You have access to all of your Powers while you are Abberant Humanoid, and you can use your equipment. Your Battle Scars, Injuries, and physical Liabilities are carried over between forms. While transformed, your Brawn is increased by 1 and your Dexterity is increased by 1.
Your alternate form is its own deadly weapon. Unarmed attacks made in your alternate form deal +3 Bonus Damage (instead of the typical -2).
You do not suffer wound penalties while in your Alternate Form.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation or for its duration will almost certainly be disturbed to see His body twisting, stretching, and folding out like someone knitting his corpse into a new form..
Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: The area of his chest where his heart is located is swollen, the veins around it inflamed and a deep red and blue, making it hard or impossible to hide..
While transformed, you automatically fail any Mind roll to resist an impulse and suffer -3 dice on all other Mind rolls.
You cannot speak any coherent verbal language while transformed and must resort to other means of communication.
Applying the first principles of umbral theory, Cássio has created an istrument by by which he may exact his revenge. With a flourish, the focus card is drawn from his sleeve, upon which it begins to burn with shadow. Cássio flicks it towards his target, and a wave of pitch-black shadowstuff cuts through the air, ready to rend the flesh of whatever poor fool crossed him. At the end of the attack, the card reappears in Cássio's hand.
Spend an Action. Select a target within 45 feet. You must actively and obviously use a tarot card (Three of Swords) to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Occult Difficulty 6. The target may contest by rolling to Dodge or Defend as a Reaction, Difficulty 6.
If the Contested Outcome is positive, the target takes that much Damage plus 4.
Any Injury inflicted is considered unstabilized even if its Severity is less than 4. The equipment and roll required to Stabilize it is treated as though it is a minimum of Severity 6.
You may use this Effect to Defend against any melee, projectile, or firearm Attacks within range or Clash against any Attack targeted at you. Using it to Defend deals no Damage but does not cost Exertion.
This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.
Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: Vengeful: Whenever someone wrongs you in a major way, you must roll Self Control or seek retribution.
Many people think a doctor cares about his health with a good diet. I care about my health, I really do. It's just, that sometimes it's hard to care about my health. It was worth the scar on my stomach, and the stab wound on my head.
Raw energy is pumped into my veins, glucose straight to the brain. This is some kind of ultimate power, only achieved by me, a power I will never share. For it is mine, and mine alone.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You no longer require any food, water, or sleep in order to survive.
The user spends the course of the treatment physically or emotionally comforting themselves or the target, choosing to weigh the pros and cons of the issue in a lighthearted way.
just got over a long term relationship? They were toxic anyways. You have a crippling fear of sharks? Sharks are actually kind of like dogs, you know?
If the user is unable to vocally comfort their target or themselves, this power can extend to the usage of research over the internet or through different forms of media.
Exert your Mind to activate. Select a Living target within arm's reach. Over the course of one day, your patient must communicate with you and reveal at least one of their Traumas to you, including the details of those Traumas and the circumstances of how they were acquired. After the full treatment time has elapsed, roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6.
Your target may Resist. If your treatment is successful, you may remove one of the patient's revealed Traumas without incurring any Experience cost.
Your patient is required to not be an a situation where they would roll Self-Control on the treated trauma. for the next month. If they violate this rule, your treatment is immediately reversed.
Amarjeet prefers the telescoping baton or the striking spur on her cybernetic leg for those times when close combat is necessary.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with Eskrima Weapons.
+2 dice to all rolls with Eskrima Weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using Eskrima Weapons.
You also gain the following effects:
The Witch is a master herbalist and can cure any number of illnesses and diseases with her special potions. She goes into the wilderness to find the proper set of herbs. Once she has what she's looking for, she mixes them together and boils the concoction. Steam rises from the mixture, twisting into recognizable shapes such as animals and spirits. The whole process takes about fifteen minutes, after which the patient must drink the entire mixture. They are immediately cured.
The proper preparation varies from person to person, so a single batch cannot be used to treat multiple people.
Exert your Mind and spend 15 minutes. Select a Living target within arm's reach. This Effect cannot be used unless you can forage for herbs. You must actively and obviously use water, a container, and heat to activate this Effect.
You may cure any Non-Alien diseases, toxins, or poisons afflicting your target even if you have not diagnosed or fully understood it. You may cure diseases or poisons even if they are not treatable through modern medicine. During treatment, the malady you are treating does not progress or cause additional Damage or other effects.
Whenever you cure a disease, poison, or toxin, if it had inflicted any Damage, your target is healed for half that Damage.
The vampire sucks a copious amount of blood from a human and replenishes their own cursed flesh.
Exert your Mind and spend 1 minute. This Effect cannot be used unless you drink blood directly from a human until it injures them. Choose a specific Injury on yourself that has not yet been treated with this Effect and roll Brawn + Occult at Difficulty 6.
If you succeed, the Injury is reduced in Severity by your Outcome. If you reduce its Severity to 0, the Injury is fully healed. Otherwise, it is partially healed and will heal the rest of the way at its natural rate.
This counts as a successful Makeshift Stabilization if the Injury was not already Stabilized; any Battle Scars caused by the Injury will remain.
If your Outcome is greater than the Severity of the Injury you were attempting to treat, you may apply any excess Outcome to other Injuries on yourself.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation or for its duration will almost certainly be disturbed to see you drink blood directly from the vein.
The doctor heals severe injuries in minutes using only standard medical supplies. Lacerations seal under the needle and thread, and reset bones can be used shortly after.
However, for the treatment to last, the patient must adhere to any aftercare regimen the doctor requires. Those who violate the doctor's orders suffer their injuries anew.
Exert your Mind and spend 15 minutes. Select a Living target within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use basic medical supplies to activate this Effect. Choose a specific Injury on your target that has not yet been treated with this Effect and roll Intellect + Medicine at Difficulty 8.
If you succeed, the Injury is reduced in Severity by your Outcome. If you reduce its Severity to 0, the Injury is fully healed. Otherwise, it is partially healed and will heal the rest of the way at its natural rate.
This counts as a successful Makeshift Stabilization if the Injury was not already Stabilized; any Battle Scars caused by the Injury will remain. You may specify a specific condition that the patient must adhere to. If they break this condition, the treatment is immediately reversed. Record this regimen as a Condition. Lasts until the end of their next Contract or 1 month for non-Contractors.
While transformed, the Werewolf can leap great distances, climbing structures and closing the gap to their prey.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Location which is at most 60 feet away horizontally or 15 feet away vertically. This Effect cannot be used unless you are in werewolf form.
You jump to the chosen location. If jumping blind or landing precariously, must roll Dexterity + Athletics to land safely. You will never take fall Damage from successfully landing a jump made with this Effect.
You may opt to trade your free movement for a Super Leap if you are jumping less than 50 feet or if you are closing a gap to an opponent and spend your Action on an attack.
Through their faith, the priest is able to stretch bread or fish to extreme lengths, feeding a seemingly endless number of people from meager supplies.
Spend an Action. Select a Animate target within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use bread or a fish to activate this Effect.
For the next 24 hours, your target does not require any food, water, or sleep. Any attempts to age your target fail. Any roll to resist an Effect dependent on any affected requirement is made at -1 Difficulty.
This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.