Page 342 - Hunter - The Vigil

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city entirely, missing their chance to build a network among
the city’s large population of German Americans. Their later I walked the avenue till my
attempts to do so ran afoul of anti-German sentiment that legs felt like stone
rose in Philadelphia before and during the Second World
War. They’re an underrepresented, disrespected underdog I heard the voices of friends
among the Philly’s hunter groups. Then again, Philly is the vanished and gone
city of underdogs. At night I could hear the
The Lucifuge: Stable. The Lucifuge has never had any blood in my veins
special affinity for Philadelphia, nor has it any cause to avoid Black and whispering as the

it. Its presence in the city at any give time depends on the rain
particular interests of its individual members. At present,
Seventh Children enjoy goodwill from other Philadelphia On the streets of Philadelphia
hunters, especially Union members, thanks to their help — Bruce Springsteen, Streets
routing an epidemic of demons a few generations ago. of Philadelphia
Philadelphia hunters have long memories.
Malleus Malefi carum: Weakening. Possibly because
Philadelphia has always been a religiously tolerant city,
the Hammer has been unable to find fertile ground for its once roused to action, Philly’s Union is a force to be reckoned

strident ideas. Propped up by the wealth of the archdiocese of with. Any unaffiliated hunter cell in the city that achieves a

Philadelphia, local Malleus Maleficarum cells usually include measure of success is likely to be noticed by the Union, and
clergy temporarily transferred to Philly from other locales. perhaps offered membership.
Which means there’s potential for a resident true believer to
advance quickly through the ranks. Welcome to the
Network Zero: Populous but disorganized. The Secret Neighborhoods
Frequency may be the most diverse hunter organization in
the city, attracting everyone from preteen nerds to working “City of neighborhoods” is a label Philadelphia’s often
journalists to the guy who sleeps in the park during the day but tagged with, and it’s an apt one. The city’s usually described
sneaks into the library at night to surf the web. On the other as having seven distinct areas: North, Northeast, Northwest,
hand, its “membership” lacks a consensus on what membership West, South and Southwest Philadelphia, with Center City in
even means. Time will tell whether the Network’s various the middle. Each of these districts has its own characteristics

affiliates will coalesce into something more robust (some are and unofficial but widely agreed-upon borders, but each also

trying to broadcast on pirate radio band called RVLT, “the contains multiple neighborhoods with borders and identities
Revolution,” calling for unity among hunters and a return to of their own. South Philadelphia, for example, contains
the days of the Candle Compact). at least 20 such neighborhoods, with the exact number
Null Mysteriis: Strong. Philadelphia’s many colleges, depending on who’s doing the counting and how long
universities and hospitals, and the city’s central location they’ve lived there. Philadelphians are not necessarily hostile
relative to other east coast institutions of higher learning, to those from outside the neighborhood, but most have no
have made it an attractive location for the scholars of Null trouble telling who’s local and who’s from the other side of
Mysteriis. The University of Pennsylvania not only hosts a town (or out of state). As an optional rule, characters who are
larger Null Mysteriis contingent than any other college in the not Philly natives or long-term residents suffer a -1 penalty
country, but it also frequently hosts meetings and colloquiums to Social or Investigation rolls in a residential neighborhood
attended by members from all over the world. if their questions go beyond what a typical tourist would ask.
Task Force: VALKYRIE: Lean and mean. Emaciated Conversely, characters from the same neighborhood (not
by staff and budget cuts, the city’s remaining TFV agents just the district) gain a +1 bonus. Note that Philadelphians
choose their missions carefully and operate with swift and themselves don’t refer to, say, the Southwest “district.” They’ll

deadly efficiency. Out of necessity, they’re more likely than just say “he lives in Southwest Philly.”
their counterparts in other cities to work with civilian hunter
groups, but such alliances are often brief and guarded. To some West Philadelphia
hunters, TFV is as shadowy and frightening as any werewolf Bordered on the east side by the Schuylkill River,
pack or witch coven. West Philly is filled with the row houses for which the

The Union: Consistent. Its blue-collar roots and city is famous, some dating back to the 19 century. It also
th
everyman outlook have always made the group a good fit for harbors many historical sites, numerous specialty restaurants,

the average Philadelphian; even before the Union became an the Philadelphia Zoo and the University City area, which
organization in name, the city had a long history of ordinary contains the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University,
folk rising up against supernatural oppressors. As in other the University of the Sciences, and other institutions.
cities, the group’s decentralized structure and informal ties Among its curiosities is the White Dog Café , an eatery that
makes it a challenge for its many cells to act as a whole. Still, also hosts community events. The building was once home to
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