Page 176 - Hunter - The Vigil

I
K
L
D
G
N
A
N
I
M MIND-TALKING DRUG|BREATH OF THE DRAGON
A
-
D
E
R
B
N
O
A
|
U
U
R
|
G
G

The clear, slightly cinnamon-flavored Elixir called A Glimpse Elixir, he is affected as though he had taken a potent (-3 to all

of After fills the imbiber’s mind with visions of the heavenly after- dice pools and traits) dose of hallucinogen.
life that awaits him after death (each hunter is likely to experi- Success: For the rest of the scene, the Ascending One may,

ence his own unique glimpse of beyond — one may see a garden, as a reflexive action, hold a two-way mental conversation with
another a meadow, and another an endless-yet-comforting void). another character within his line of sight or scan the surface
These visions drive away the pain of injury and fatigue, turning the thoughts of another. Holding a two-way conversation requires a
Ascending One into a nigh-unstoppable dynamo. Presence + Composure roll, with one roll required of both char-
Action: Instant acters for every turn’s worth of conversation. If the character be-
Roll Results ing conversed with is also under the effect of the Mind-Talking
Dramatic Failure: The hunter is affected by a Toxicity 4 Drug, conversations are automatic, with no roll required.
lethal poison. He may resist this poison by rolling Stamina + Scanning the surface thoughts of another character like-
Resolve as a contested action versus the poison’s Toxicity. wise requires a Presence + Composure roll, contested by the
Failure: The hunter receives no benefit and is affected target’s Resolve + Composure if the target is unwilling. Even

as though he had taken a moderate (-2 to all dice pools and if the target has also taken Mind-Talking Drug, the roll is re-
quired for reading surface thou
traits) dose of heroin. quired for reading surface thoughts.

lled with a rapturous
One is fi
Exceptional Success: In
Success: The Ascending One is filled with a rapturous Exceptional Success: In addition to communication
away the earthly distraction of and surface-thought reading,
vision of Heaven that drives away the earthly distraction of and surface-thought reading, the Ascending One can probe
deeper into a subject’s mind
est of the scene, he ignores all
torment and death. For the rest of the scene, he ignores all deeper into a subject’s mind to uncover buried thoughts.
Th
an
p
y stays u
d
ll
h
e
d
e automatica
an

d
uires an exten
is re
wound penalties. In addition, he automatically stays up and This requires an extended and contested roll of Presence
q
b
h
ox is mar

k
e
conscious if his rightmost Health box is marked with a bash-- + Composure vs. Resolve + Composure, with the number
Composure vs. Reso
+
C
ve +
l
h
h
wit
d
as
b
a
t
l
exive Stamina roll each turn
by
of successes determined
fl
ing wound, and may make a reflexive Stamina roll each turn of successes determined by the “depth” of the information.
e
t

h
h
to stay up if his rightmost Health box is marked with a le- Surface thoughts passing through the target’s mind require
e-
ox is mar
Surface t
b
e
d
a
k
wit
l
o
h
a
assi
ng
p
h
t
t
r
l
ts
gh
ou

h
b
l
h
k
k
oo
e c
, p. 173
e
.
h
h
ness Ru
f
)
Dar
one success, somet
ing t
thal wound (see The World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 173). one success, something the character thinks about in pass-
H
x i
od
s
h
ing on a daily basis (where
He does continue to suffer blood loss if his last Health box is ing on a daily basis (where her kids go to school) requires
l
ea
t
bo
h
l
ast
oss
if hi
s
l
b
h
th
ree, somet
marked with a lethal wound. three, something thought about infrequently (where he
ing t
h
t a
oug
h
ff
l
e
i
effects of t

d
When the scene ends, the effects of this Elixir wear off went on vacation as a child) requires five, while deeply
ent on vacation as a c
h
w
ixir wear o
is E
l
h
p
suffers all his wound
uried secrets (the name of
enalties
b
and the character immediately suffers all his wound penalties buried secrets (the name of the man she had an affair with)
th

q
l
d.
tmost Hea
h
uire 10 or more. Eac
t
r
b
ox fi

ll
e
h
re
gh
ro
and any effects of having his rightmost Health box fi lled. require 10 or more. Each roll represents one turn of psychic
ll

Exceptional Success: In addition to the above effects, the probing..
dd
b
e a
e
ing
h
ition to t
pro
b
h
ove effects, t
T
T
Ascending One suffers only half damage from bashing attacks for The effects of the Mind-Talking Drug last for one scene.
damage from bashing attacks for
he effects of the Mind-
h
d
amage from t
the duration of the Elixir’s effect (determine damage from the at-e at-
(d
etermine
Breath of the Dragon (••••)
ing up
tack normally, then halve the number of successes, rounding up). Breath of
mb
d
).
er of successes, roun
In the old le g ends, befo re
In the old legends, before the fire-breathing cliché got
i
Dru
(•••
n
Mind-Talking Drug (•••) started, it was said that the breath of a dragon was a deadly
T
)
g
g
alk
started, it was said that the
br
a
is E
h
component of success for any
ixir
,
Communication is a vital component of success for any poisonous fume. This Elixir, already toxic by nature, is in-
poisonous fume. T
l
ty
e
to maintain communication
haled and distilled
the Asc
by
hunter cell. Without the ability to maintain communication haled and distilled by the Ascending One’s will into a terrible
gi
on
n
during an assault, no plan can survive contact with the en- survive contact with the en- airborne contagion..
airborne conta
emy. Other groups rely on sophisticated radios or complex Breath of the Dragon is a fine, crystalline powder of sil-
h
ex
Breat
l
d
e Dragon is
d
ph
a
ra
isticate
ios or comp

h
of t
n
systems of hand signals, but the Ascending Ones simply brew very hue. Because it must be inhaled to take effect, many As-
ry
ve
e
Ascending Ones simply brew
hue. Because it must be i

up a vat of this mind-expanding psychotropic and inject it cending Ones either smoke it or carry a dose in a modified
cending Ones either smoke
ng
ic and inject it
sychotro
p
p
it
i
rou
nce
gh
f
orm of ast
is wa
t
er
h
l
y

into the base of their neck. Once he fights his way through form of asthma inhaler..
e fi
gh
ma in
h
h
h
a
h

ts
the hallucinations, the Ascending One finds he has the abil-nds he has the abil- Action: Instant t
i
sta
n

in
n

:
One fi

n
I
g
Act
o
d
of others and even to
s
p
ity to read the surface thoughts of others and even to project R o ll R es ul ts
roject
Roll Results
his own thoughts into their minds.nds. Dramatic Failure: The c h
Dramatic Failure: The character is afflicted by a Toxicity
The Mind-Talking Drug is a virulent shade of yellow, 4 lethal poison. This poison may be resisted with a contested
with subtle veins of a slightly darker color swirled throughout Stamina + Resolve roll subtracting the poison’s Toxicity.
the liquid. Since it must be injected, it is usually carried in a Failure: The hunter is affected as though he had taken a
large, sturdy syringe. potent (-3 to all Social rolls, no bonus to Strength or Stami-

Action: Extended; five successes required; each roll rep- na) dose of cocaine.
resents one minute of struggling with hallucinations. Success: The hunter expels a small cloud of Toxicity
Roll Results 4 lethal poison from his mouth. The cloud is large enough

Dramatic Failure: The character is afflicted by a Toxicity to catch one victim within close combat range (about two
3 lethal poison. This poison may be resisted with a contested yards). This poison may be resisted with a Stamina + Resolve
Stamina + Resolve roll subtracting the poison’s Toxicity. roll subtracting the poison’s Toxicity.
Failure: The hunter makes no progress toward sifting Exceptional Success: The Ascending One distills the
through the hallucinations to find the truth. If he is unable to Breath of the Dragon into an especially potent form. Add his

earn five successes in a number of rolls equal to his Stamina + Elixir rating to the poison’s Toxicity.

5
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