Page 90 - Hunter - The Vigil

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calls on him for advice more. He sees the supernatural and unex- really do walk the streets drinking blood, or the so-called vam-
plained everywhere, in every panicked call from a parishioner, in pires are something else entirely. A Scientist who encounters
every tragedy that befalls his congregation. A monk must adhere such creatures fi rsthand has to come up with some way to ex-
to peace, but know when to pick up the sword. He must balance plain what she has seen. Some develop theories, capturing
his two lives, lest the hunt consume him. the monsters they encounter in order to better explain them
Background: Religious Leaders come from all religions. — is a cult ritual really relying on ultra-low-frequency vibra-
In the United States, leaders of all flavors of Christianity take tions and hallucinations, or is the 10-legged horror clinging

up the vigil. Rabbis and imams also fall under this profession, to a meteor actually an extraterrestrial life form? Only ex-
as does any servant of a religion who undergoes specific edu- periments will tell. Others brush off such strange encounters,

cation and training. It takes a special mindset to give oneself lumping them into an area that science cannot explain.
over to the church, a mindset that necessitates strong faith Cataloguing and modeling the supernatural is hard work.
and a desire to both learn and understand. Just when one theory seems to explain all the creatures that a
Social Attributes are normally primary. Many clergymen fa- Scientist encounters, an example comes along that blows the

vor Presence and Composure, though televangelists and the like whole thing out of the water. Several Scientists find solace in
prefer Manipulation. Mental Attributes focus on Intelligence and fringe fields like parapsychology, trying to piece together working

Resolve. Most Religious Leaders have at least two dots in Aca- theories from whatever they can find. Others discard their frame-
demics (Theology). Many also have a dot in Empathy, Expression, work altogether or begin taking wild forays into pseudoscience.
Medicine, Occult and Socialize. Common Sense, Contacts, Holis- Perhaps the worst part is the hit that a Scientist’s reputa-
tic Awareness and Unseen Sense are all common Merits. tion takes if he dares to publish one of his theories. The scien-

Concepts: Blood-and-thunder Baptist, conflicted rabbi, tific world thrives on peer review: the concept that a theory
callous confessor, jihadist imam, popular televangelist, travel- must be testable and verifi able by anyone. The unique nature
ing Catholic exorcist, Vodou houngan, Wiccan high priest of most paranormal phenomena means that even if one Sci-
Asset Skills: Academics and Occult entist comes up with an experiment to back up his theory, the
Professional Training: next time he encounters it, his experiment won’t work. Woe
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Priest
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• • Lay Priest/Upasaka betide anyone who tries publishing such a fanciful notion —
•• Pastor/Hazzan and a Scientist who spends his time chasing monsters rather
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••• Vicar/Rabbi than publishing papers soon fi nds himself unemployed.
icar/Rabbi
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•••• Bishop/Imam Several compacts and conspiracies recruit Scientists.
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••••• Car d ina l/ A ya to ll ah Task Force: VALKYRIE and the Cheiron Group both con-
Cardinal/Ayatollah
duct R&D according to their version of the scientific method.

Scientist Others are drawn to the approach of Null Mysteriis and the
Loyalists of Thule, or want their 20 minutes of fame conduct-
What I don’t think anyone else has realized is this creature
ing bizarre pseudoscience experiments on Network Zero.
sleeps in water. Hence, we have the advantage: my lab has plenty
Those who reject the paranormal as “beyond science” may
of potassium.

find a more welcoming home among the Malleus Maleficarum
Most people think Scientists are looking for the truth be-
or Long Night (as not all Scientists are so keen to separate
hind the world. That’s not necessarily the case. While many
God from the equation). Many Scientists relegate themselves

get into the profession looking for the truth, they soon find
to the background of an organization or cell’s activities, but
out that science doesn’t uncover the truths behind the world,
more than one theoretical physicist has taken up a crowbar to
it models the facts that a Scientist observes. This is a crucial
beat back a swarm of living dead.
difference that most people don’t understand.
Background: Many Scientists come from estimable uni-

Scientists often find themselves pulled into the Vigil
versities, and return to those universities to continue their
by friends or associates. A contact might bring her a strange
studies and teach. But just as many fall in line with big com-
ore sample to analyze. A lab assistant has a photo of what he
panies: oil conglomerates, the pharmaceutical industry, food
thinks could be a ghost and dares the Scientist to disprove
production and government work all need help from biolo-
it. The guys over in the bar want to know if it’s possible for
gists, chemists, physicists.
a pack of wolves to live in the sewers. Only rarely does a Sci-
Mental Attributes are usually primary, with Intelligence
entist encounter the strange events that lead her to hunt
and Resolve often higher than Wits. Dexterity and Stamina
firsthand: a serial killer hunts the Scientists who proved that

are useful for conducting experiments, as is Resolve, while
he wasn’t really human, or a strange eschatological cult kid-
Manipulation and Presence are both useful for dealing with

naps her to sacrifice in a ritual to keep evolution out of their
superiors and bureaucrats. When it comes to Skills, most Sci-
schools. However she starts out, a Scientist is driven by a need
entists have several dots in Science or Investigation, along
to prove (or more likely, disprove what she saw). Some dismiss

with a specialty that applies to their field. Other common
the supernatural events they witness as too much adrenaline;
Skills include Academics, Computer, Medicine, Persuasion
others realize there’s something below the surface and try to
and Socialize, with refinements according to specialty — a

explain the creatures of myth and legend.
zoologist or botanist likely has Survival, while a psychologist
The Vigil is tough on a Scientist’s presumably rational
would have dots in Empathy, and a pop-sci author would have
outlook. Either the models they have are wrong and corpses
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