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Vital Pigments "It is not usual for a red this red to survive the death of the body. "
The vial is poured from the shadows, forming a ring around the object. Next, blood is poured from her own wrist, and mixed.
The whispers tell her secrets.
Increase your sacrificial Injury's Severity by 1 and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must use up a vial of virgin's blood in order to activate this Effect. At the end of your investigation, roll Brawn + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- Determine if this target is Alien in origin or whether it has any Alien energy or outside influences. You receive information about the type of energy, including the name of the relevant Source pool or equivalent. You determine the effect of any active Alien energy detected, and you get an idea as to the sorts of ways that latent Alien energy may be channeled by the target.
- You receive a mental image of the area, painted in blood, allowing you to discern where this object has recently been.
- You gather information about where the object was made and when.
- You receive scent and taste telling you who has used this object recently.
If you do not have a sacrificial Injury when you activate this Effect, take a new Severity-1 Injury.
You cannot investigate the same target more than once per day.
- The sacrificial Injury received from activating this Effect cannot be prevented by any means or healed before 1 day has passed. It is shared with all Effects that use sacrifice. This Injury does not requires Stabilization or cause Battle Scars when it becomes Severe.
- 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.
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Charlatans
“Unsettling are the days in which everyone is an expert.”
― Criss Jami
Nowadays you can't go a day without some phony prophet trying to peddle their wares to you.
Driven by the increased interest in the supernatural, charlatans from palm readers to televangelists are everywhere. And while the vast majority of witches, psychics, magicians, hypnotists, cures, potions, faith healers, and clairvoyants are complete fakes, they do make a living.
As the saying goes, "it's easier for an actor to make it in alternative medicine than Hollywood."
Most people scoff at these clearly-phony supernatural services, yet those same people often buy into at least one scam.
The most dangerous charlatans are the self-styled monster hunters who carry a mall-ninja arsenal and guns with silver bullets. Most have never encountered anything supernatural and do absolutely nothing besides burn some sage and patrol the area for a night or two. Even so, those who are superstitious, fearful, or desperate enough will hire them to solve the problems they simply don't understand. In some cases with disastrous results.
For Contractors, charlatans are red herrings and obstacles. Clumsy fakes that conjure a smokescreen of misinformation and escalate the situations they're in.
Community
Investigate Object Gifts
SpecterScan Umbrella
“This is interesting.”
When activated, the Umbrae Defender processes its gathered data and displays the results on a concealed, high-resolution screen embedded discreetly into the handle. As the multispectral imaging completes, the screen illuminates, revealing a color-coded map of residues and fingerprints, each substance tagged and classified with forensic precision. Soil, pollen, or microscopic traces appear as glowing markers, each one identified by its chemical signature, presenting a clear visual of the object’s recent environments.
Next, the GPS data renders as a series of coordinates on a small map overlay, showing the object’s last known locations. These coordinates pulse on the screen, tracing a path of its journey, almost like a breadcrumb trail left by the item’s history. You can zoom in on these points to get a sense of specific places, each location tagged with approximate timestamps that correspond to environmental changes noted by the sensors.
The LIDAR-generated surface map appears as a 3D model on the screen, rotating slowly to display every scratch, dent, and mark on the object. Each detail is magnified, allowing you to examine wear patterns up close and trace the item’s handling history. This surface map provides clues about the object’s use, as well as how it may have been involved in the crime.
Finally, any available RFID data or manufacturing records load into a separate information tab on the screen. This section gives background details like the object’s origin, manufacturer, and production date, presenting a digital “birth certificate” of sorts. Each piece of information, meticulously presented on the screen, combines to create a clear, organized summary of the object’s journey, origin, and recent interactions—making the Umbrae Defender a powerful, portable investigative tool.
Spend a minute. Select a evidence of crimes within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Culture at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- You receive gps coordinates, allowing you to discern where this object has recently been.
- You gather information about where the object was made and when.
- You receive scene of what caused evidence during the crime telling you who has used this object recently.
- You learn the object's intended function and how to use it for its intended purpose, though not necessarily the ability to do so.
This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 1.
You cannot investigate the same target 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.
Psychometry
"History lives all around us"
Xander's latent psychic ability begins to blossom - items he handles reveal their histories, including the tragic past that haunts them.
Exert your Mind and spend 2 Actions. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Culture at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- You may learn how much sentimental value an object has and to whom.
- You learn the object's intended function and how to use it for its intended purpose, though not necessarily the ability to do so.
You cannot investigate the same target 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.
Cthulhu Concentration
Cthulhu-like tentacles come out of the lens and touch the object all over and makes sure they know where this came from.
Spend 2 Actions to activate. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Perception + Alertness at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- Determine if this target is Alien in origin or whether it has any Alien energy or outside influences.
- You gather information about where the object was made and when.
Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see Cthulhu-like tentacles come out of the lens.
This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.
- When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
- 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.
Uncanny Assessment
Some things require a closer look.
Price pulls out her loupe, old tarnished silver framing a wide lens, and intently examines minute features and faint energies.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use a loupe to activate this Effect. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- Determine if this target is Alien in origin or whether it has any Alien energy or outside influences. You receive information about the type of energy, including the name of the relevant Source pool or equivalent.
- You learn the object's intended function and how to use it for its intended purpose, though not necessarily the ability to do so.
You cannot investigate the same target 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.
The Professor's Consideration
"I'm not arrogant enough to call myself Sherlock Holmes."
Tam considers the object, stroking it gently. Over the next minute, she examines it from all directions, making mental deductions from the smallest observations. The gloves glow softly, little rivlets of psionic energy running along them during it.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. This Effect cannot be used unless Advanced Analysis is active. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. If you fail or Botch, you receive one Mind Damage and a new Trauma. At the end of your investigation, roll Intellect + Investigation at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- Determine if this target is Alien in origin or whether it has any Alien energy or outside influences. You receive information about the type of energy, including the name of the relevant Source pool or equivalent. You determine the effect of any active Alien energy detected, and you get an idea as to the sorts of ways that latent Alien energy may be channeled by the target.
- You receive a visual description of the surrounding area, allowing you to discern where this object has recently been.
- You receive a visual description telling you who has used this object recently.
- You may learn how much sentimental value an object has and to whom.
You cannot investigate the same target 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.
Stock
Investigate Object Gifts
Appraise
Her greed knows no bounds.
The Thief examines an object closely for a minute to appraise its value. As their eyes dance across the subject, their pupils split vertically, and their irises fade to gold. If it is a particularly valuable item, the Thief may greedily lick their lips, revealing a forked tongue.
Within a minute, they have determined how materially valuable the object is and why.
Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a target Object within arm's reach. At the end of your investigation, roll Charisma + Culture at Difficulty 6.
You learn all the following information about your target:
- You learn the object's highest material value and why it is worth so much.
You cannot investigate the same target 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.