Page 272 - Hunter - The Vigil

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A ALLIES IN THE DARKNESS|REDEMPTION
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With its forked tongue and lyrical voice, the creature became the part of all involved. So, how does one “cure” vampirism?
a poet, inspiring euphoria instead of hatred, singing instead of kill- Or lycanthropy? Traditionally, werewolves are what they are,

ing. One of the hunters sat in the audience on that first night, and unable to extricate the beast from the man, or vice versa. But
has been in the audience ever since. Just in case. folklore may provide an ancillary solution: the werewolf, bur-
The Vigil throws every cell a few surprises now and then. ied in the ground for a day and a night with a mouthful of
One of those will occasionally come in the form of a creature wolfsbane, may jump-start the process and it goes from there.

that doesn’t relish its inhuman existence. Perhaps it was once The werewolf must make further sacrifices. The hunters, too,
human and laments its changed state, or perhaps it merely must protect him from other hunters who might destroy him,
wishes it could dwell in the world without needing to harm or keep him safe from those shapeshifters who consider him a
others. Whatever the truth of the matter, it can be one hell traitor to their skin. Plus, fi nding out the cure is likely to be a

of a shock when a monster approaches the hunters and seeks story arc in itself, filled with investigation, interrogation and
their help, or begs for a means of redemption. the forces of the enemy opposed to the characters, either to
The cell is faced with an immediate dilemma. Many cells prevent their success or to keep the secrets the hunters now
consider the Vigil to be focused on removing these threats, seek.
and this usually means a permanent removal, via the indeli- Even with the right knowledge and whatever compo-
cate application of brutal violence. Letting these creatures nents are necessary for the redemption, there’s the very real
continue to exist is anathema to most cells’ cause, no mat- threat that the creature might change its mind at the last mo-
ter what tier of influence they fight from. But…we’re talk- ment. When confronted with the chance to become human,

ing redemption here. A creature that sincerely wishes to make many monsters will balk in those final moments, not wishing
amends for its past harm, or wishes to find some

way to reconcile its lost humanity. Characters
might well ask themselves: “Are we right or wrong STORY HOOK:
to kill this creature?” THE SICKNESS
A fair question. The Vigil isn’t often bro-
ken down clearly into good and evil or black Immortality. Superhuman strength.
and white (though some hunters like to see it Regeneration of injury. Some creatures
that way), and these situations are deep into possess these powers and more besides.
the moral gray area between what’s right for They never seem to fall prey to disease,
some cells and wrong for others. and no wounds slow them down for long.
Potential redemption takes many forms. Re- If there’s anything to envy about the
demption can come as a mercy killing, even one creatures of the night, it’s their ability

a fiend asks for. It can come as some kind of neu- to just keep going, to survive almost
tralization: surgery, perhaps, to damage the part of anything. The characters fi nd they need
the monster’s brain that drives it to its wretched that ability themselves, when one of the
acts, or focused prayer or chants to keep its urges cell falls ill with a degenerative or
imprisoned. Some creatures simply offer to help: terminal disease, such as Alzheimer’s or
they know their nature cannot be revoked, but cancer. Understandably, players might feel
they also know it’s possible to do some right by aggrieved at this “death sentence” on their
helping the cell. Others…they do seek the revo- character, so Storytellers should either
cation of their monstrous state. They want a cure. clear it with them fi rst or target one of
This is likely impossible in most cases, but it their loved ones.
presents a unique opportunity for the cell to act The “cure” doesn’t come easy. A vampire’s
differently, to approach the Vigil in a purer, more or werewolf’s blood is not a component
human way. A ghost may be given the chance to that will cure much of anything on its
resolve some issues and move on. A bloodsuck- own (unless at Storyteller discretion) and
ing fiend may be given the chance to do right by it might be that a dizzying range of body

the families of those she drank dry and killed. A matters from various creatures needs to be
demon might, like the hunters of the Lucifuge, be combined to halt the disease’s effects.
offered the chance to destroy others of its ilk. And that’s presuming, of course, that it
Can an actual revocation of the monstrous works at all. Just because the characters
state exist? Depends on the nature of hope in heard of the miracle cure from someone
your World of Darkness, and that can be unique doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to work. If
to your game. You may rule that the monstrous it fails, there’s hot-blooded vengeance to
state cannot be truly cured or repealed. Or you be taken. And if it succeeds, there’s no
may rule that if the cell works hard enough and way of knowing just what changes such a
close enough with the creature at hand, it can be ritual could induce within the patient…

possible, even if it necessitates great sacrifice on
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