Glorious Defense A second chance, such a small and fragile one. Take it.

1
The power to create a protective barrier.
Used by Vivian Sterling, Created by Panpharmacon.
(Activating this Effect is not obvious. The only sign you are using an Effect is Golden Eyes.)

Upon activation Vivians eyes tint a golden hue, as a skin tight invisible barrier forms around her body protecting her from harm.

When one announces her presence and makes herself known to the enemy they naturally become a target even when compared to more dangerous individuals if they are less obvious. As such it is only natural that one who wishes to truly inhabit the role of a Font of Hope must be able to stand tall and be hit. This is the embodiment of the phrase "If you are going to shoot someone, shoot me."

The way Vivian has utilised her powers recently has resulted in harm coming to many. This is not what she wants to do, despite how easy it may seem. No, she must remember why she is here on this earth. So she will stand tall, and shout to the world that "I am here". A second chance to be what she wants to be, a hope for the hopeless.


Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, 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 Golden Eyes. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

  • Effects which circumvent Armor completely also circumvent your barrier.

Community Barrier Gifts

Exert your Mind (unless you win a coin flip) and spend an Action. You must actively and obviously use Non-conductive fingerless gloves to activate this Effect. Roll Brawn + Alertness at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around yourself, which absorbs the next Outcome +4 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.

  • Effects which circumvent Armor completely also circumvent your barrier.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action.

Your senses are enhanced in the following way. Lasts for three hours.

  • Sight: You can see perfectly in dark and even pitch-black environments. You suffer no dice penalty due to darkness.
  • Sight: You can see things that are up to a mile away as though you were only standing twenty feet away, provided your view is unobstructed.

The user radiates Causal Diction to the point where it begins to interact with the world around them. On paper, this might seem like a barrier that blocks incoming attacks against the user. However, it would be more accurate to state that objects drawing close to this radiated energy become filled with the desire to miss the intended target and deviate from their chosen course. If more than will the user is exerting is put into an attack, not all of its force will be diverted. It is imperative to understand that this is not a shield. It is merely an interaction between fundamental forces of the universe.

Spend an Action or Reaction. Select a Animate target within 20 feet. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, you create a barrier around your target, which absorbs the next Outcome +4 Damage. The Damage reduction from the barrier is applied before Armor. This Artifact may have up to 3 barriers active at a time.

You must maintain Concentration while using this Effect. The barrier will fall if you are interrupted, 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 Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 1.

Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their body and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Battle Scar: Weak Stomach. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Battle Scar heals over the course of the next day.

Anyone who touches this Artifact will notice it warping their mind and may drop it. If they choose to hold or use it, they immediately receive the following Trauma: Nightmares. If they lose possession of this Artifact, the Trauma heals over the course of the next day.

  • 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.

Expend a point of Battery and spend an Action or Reaction. Select a Animate target within 20 feet. 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. This Artifact may only have 1 active barrier at a time.

You must maintain Concentration while using this Effect. The barrier will fall if you are interrupted, 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.

  • If you use this Effect as a Reaction to dodge, you still need to make a roll to dodge. The Effect will occur regardless of the Outcome of this roll, but if you fail you will be hit by the relevant attack prior to the Effect occurring.
  • 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 Sapient or Creature target within 20 feet. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. Affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 8 with a -3 dice penalty. If they are incapacitated or unconscious, they fail automatically.

If they fail, your target will take 1 point of Mind damage and gain a new Trauma selected by the GM. This Trauma may be removed by Effects or mundane therapy, as normal. 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 an abhorrent spirit.

  • Mundane animals have a Mind score of 1 or 2 at the GM’s discretion.
  • 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.

Stock Barrier Gifts

Exert your Mind and spend an Action or Reaction. Select a Animate target within 20 feet. This Effect cannot be used unless the target is a living human. Roll a single d10, Difficulty 4. If you fail or botch, the Effect fails and you cannot activate it again for an hour. Roll Charisma + Occult 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.

You must maintain Concentration while using this Effect. The barrier will fall if you are interrupted, 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 you whispering a prayer under your breath. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

  • If this Effect fails due to the Unreliable check, you must still pay any associated activation costs.
  • 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.