Page 160 - Hunter - The Vigil

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B BLESSED PROTECTION OF ST. AGRIPPINA
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Epipodian Safeguard “MORTAL?”
Satan’s servants are as subtle as they are powerful. Many
are capable of warping a hunter’s mind, forcing her to betray The term mortal means anything
her friends and allies. By invoking St. Epipodius, patron saint that looks like a human, acts like a
of the betrayed, a member of the Malleus Maleficarum can human and can die like a human. For

safeguard herself against such blasphemous arts. Through the purposes of this game, all hunters,
power of faith, her soul remains pure and loyal. no matter how strangely they are
Cost: 1 Willpower. made, are considered “mortal.” So are
Action: Instant. most witches, cultists and slashers.
Dice Pool: None. Demons, fairies, Reanimated,
Effect: By spending a point of Willpower and uttering a vampires and werewolves are not
prayer to St. Epipodius, the hunter gains a preternatural resis- considered “mortal” for purposes of
tance to mental domination, be it by spell or possession or a more determining system effects.
mysterious force. For the rest of the scene, she adds her Benedic-
tion rating to any Resistance Attribute rolled to contest any su-
pernatural power that seeks to control her mind. This resistance creature, the hunter does not need to know the name of the
does not apply against powers that merely affect her mind (such entity — an obvious designation, such as “the vampire who
as a witch’s ability to conjure illusions or a demons ability to in- killed Maria Buchenwald” or “the demon that tempted me

voke terror), only those that would control her actions (such as with wealth and power” is a sufficiently accurate description.

demonic possession or a vampire’s dread gaze). Specific blessings protect against only that particular being,
though. They have no effect on any other monster.
Blessed Protection Each blessing must be tied to some sort of physical mark-
of St. Agrippina er, such as a fence or a line of holy water sprinkled across the

Those strong in the faith can expel demons from the floor. If anyone or anything disturbs or makes an opening in
bodies of the possessed and even force them to depart from this physical marker, the blessing instantly ceases to function.
a place, but even the righteous warriors of God must have A character cannot bless an area that is more than 21 yards
their secret counsels, and it does no good to banish Satan’s on a side; he can protect a small house and most of its yard,

spawn if they have already overheard your battle plans. By a large house or most of a warehouse, but not an entire office
calling upon the blessings of the virgin martyr St. Agrippina, building or city block. The Blessed Protection of St. Agrip-
a hunter may create a safe space into which the creatures of pina is generally stationary; the only way to move the effect

the night cannot enter. Most cells of Malleus Maleficarum is to move the entire structure the blessing protects. Thus, it
hunters have at least one member who knows this Benedic- is possible to ward a house or even a car, but not an individ-
tion, and whose sacred duty it is to ensure that the group’s ual person (wards must affect an area, and most people don’t
headquarters remains protected. move the ground under their feet when they walk).
Cost: 1 Willpower. The blessing has a Strength rating equal to its creator’s
Action: Extended; each roll represents one minute of Benediction rating (or Benediction +1 for a blessing against
chanting and prayer. The Benediction may be “rushed,” re- one particular creature) that measures its ability to keep out
ducing the time per roll to one turn at the cost of incurring Satan’s spawn. This score is subtracted from the Presence (or
a -1 penalty on the roll. The hunter must roll a number of Power, for a ghost or spirit) of any affected monster that seeks
successes equal to the number of square yards the blessing’s to enter the area. If the entity’s Presence or Power would be re-
protection encompasses. duced to zero, it cannot enter the blessed area. Otherwise, the
Dice Pool: Resolve + Benediction. creature can enter, but all of its Power Attributes (Strength,
Roll Results Intelligence and Presence) are reduced by the Strength of the
Dramatic Failure: An improperly performed ritual either blessing for the entire time the entity remains in the area. If
draws spirits and ghosts to the location or grants such beings a any of these Attributes is reduced to 0, the monster cannot
temporary +1 to their Power when they are in the area. use any actions that rely on that Attribute. Monsters outside
Failure: No progress is made toward blessing the area. the blessed area that attempt to use supernatural powers to af-
Success: The character makes progress toward blessing fect anyone or anything inside the blessed area are still subject
the area with St. Agrippina’s protection. to the blessing’s Strength. Monsters within the blessed area at

Exceptional Success: Not only is significant progress made the time of its casting (such as a vampire within its haven dur-

toward completing the blessing, but the protected area’s Strength ing the day) will endeavor to flee at any cost; inability to flee
also gains a +1 bonus (Benediction + 1 for a general blessing, causes the monster to suffer the effects as noted above.
Benediction +2 for a blessing against a specifi c monster). The Blessed Protection of St. Agrippina lasts for one full
The Blessed Protection of St. Agrippina can be a gen- day if it is performed to ward off all supernatural entities, or for
eral blessing that protects against all monsters, or it may be a week if its blessing works against a single creature. Multiple
custom-tailored to affect only a single unholy blasphemy, but Blessed Protections of St. Agrippina do not stack; however, it

at greater potency. When creating a ward against a specific is possible to lay a blessing against one particular entity and
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