Page 196 - Hunter - The Vigil

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O OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
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Specifi c Target (-1 to -5)
The Endowment only applies to a specific DREAD POWERS AS

range of monsters. (As always, at Storyteller ENDOWMENTS
discretion, it may still create collateral damage
against unintended targets.) Note that the in- Later in the book, you’ll fi nd a list

creasing specificity of targets requires reasonable of Dread Powers available to the various
knowledge of the target, not random guesswork. horrors of the World of Darkness (p. 276).
Examples: The bone sliver in your brain is from your Can these be borrowed and turned into
adversary’s creator and thus it only works on her (Thau- Endowments?
matechnology), the souped-up and ruggedized Palm Pilot Absolutely. Assume that the dots in the
emits a sound only werewolves can hear (Advanced Ar- Dread Power equate to the dots in the
mory), the draught of Djinn’s blood empowers the soldier of Endowment; here they have a slightly higher
Allah to battle those Christian vampires (Elixir). cost (dots x 6), but with Storyteller

Discount:-1 for a defined target, such as approval, you might still be able to

“vampires,” -2 for a well-defined target, such as add certain Frailties to potentially
“bloodjacker vampires,” or -3 for an individual reduce the cost. In fact, any time you
target such as “Carmilla Incarnadine, the vampire attempt to translate a Dread Power to an
I have stalked these long and many years” Endowment, it bears mentioning that the
Storyteller needs to aid in and approve
Strange Cost (-3) that translation.
The Endowment’s activation necessitates a Alternatively, feel free to look at a book
particularly strange cost in addition to the Will- like World of Darkness: ReliquaryWorld of Darkness: Reliquary, whose
power. Maybe it requires an animal sacrifice. items can be mined as Relics or to help come

Could be that it needs to be “fueled” somehow up with new Endowment abilities.
with the blood, tears, saliva or sweetbreads of a
particular creature.
Examples: The ritual will only bring pain to an enemy if Other Considerations

the hunter first brings pain to an innocent creature (Castiga- What follows are further considerations when finalizing a

tion), miraculous tears or stigmata from a statue are necessary to developed Endowment. It is vital to work with the Storyteller
contact the saints (Benediction), the Clock of Ill-Tidings only when designing a new Endowment for use in game.
strikes midnight when love letters are burned below it (Relics) Activation: All developed Endowments must be acti-
Discount: -3 vated with Willpower and, most likely, a dice roll.

Stir Madness (-1 or -2) Dice Pool: If a dice roll is necessary to activate the Endow-
Use of the Endowment incurs a mild or severe derange- ment or to incur the Endowment’s effect, it should be tailored in
ment. The derangement takes hold upon successful activa- some fashion to the process necessary to use that item or ritual.
A gunlike weapon belonging to VALKYRIE’s Advanced Armory
tion and lasts for a full 24 hours (though, as with all derange- might necessitate a Dexterity + Firearms roll to use, or a Wits +
ments, the player can roll to determine whether the character Crafts roll to “tweak” before firing. Meditating on one’s vices for

“gives in” and manifests its effects). The derangement is not a Castigation rite might demand a Wits + Resolve roll, whereas
necessarily chosen at the time of the Endowment’s develop- Benediction is its own trait and basking and reflecting the holy

ment; the Storyteller chooses whatever derangement is ap- power of God might necessitate a Presence + Benedictions roll. All
propriate to the story. Elixirs already require a Stamina + Resolve roll to transubstantiate
Examples: Sebek’s salve has a psychoactive element that
cannot be metabolized (Elixir), babbling glossolalia is the price the substance into something that doesn’t kill or dose the hunter.
Action: Many Castigation and Benediction rites neces-
you pay when you speak to the Angel of the Presence (Benedic- sitate extended rolls. How many successes are necessary, and
tion), one of those military-grade “No Doze” pills will fuck your how much time is represented by each roll? Alternatively, is it
shit up and really put you on edge (Advanced Armory) instant or refl exive? Could it be contested by a target?
Discount: -1 for a mild derangement, -2 for a severe de-
rangement Roll Results: You probably know what happens on a
normal success (effect happens!) and failure (effect doesn’t
Willpower Addition (-1 to -3) happen!). But how does it go awry on a dramatic failure? How

A sacrifice of additional will is required to activate the does an exceptional success add to or magnify effects? Dra-
Endowment. matic failures might cause damage or derangements. Excep-
Discount: -1 per point of additional Willpower points tional successes might add to duration or effect (+1 to hunter
necessary to activate the Endowment or -1 to enemy). For Elixirs, failure causes some kind of drug
dose, and a dramatic failure damages the body with toxins.

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