Page 123 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

CHAPTER FIVE: TO HELL AND BACK

not enough. The promotion to regional director isn’t everything coming religions. If the mortal coil and the world are prisons,
he thought it was. He still can’t afford the lifestyle his family de- they ask, then why not carve out Hell here, right under the
serves, especially not on a single income, not with twins on the demiurge’s nose?
way. So, the demon offers him a new deal that seems perfect; Libertines encounter hunters who seek social connections,
it’ll take his ex-girlfriend. She was an addict, anyway, or so he because violence is a thrill of the flesh, too. They’re almost too
thought. Surely, shaving her off is better for everybody? interested in the hunt. Since these demons tend to be wealthy,
Then, when all that isn’t enough and the soon-to-be father they can help a lot. Initially. Libertines’ll work with hunters if
has failed his family and all that money’s turned out not to they think that cell will be fun or rewarding…or if they can win
buy his peace of mind — not even to buy a fucking armistice of a few converts to whatever they’re peddling this month.
mind — the demon will return with the best deal yet: to end These demons are dangerous because all they want to do is
the victim’s suffering. Oblivion. No suicide, no fear of hell…the enjoy the world. Hunters, at their worst, disrupt the demiurge’s
demon promises him that. Hell isn’t a place for human souls. creation just by doing what they do best. Libertines don’t want
Instead, the greater demon will take his victim’s soul away. All to disrupt; they want to co-opt. Their perfect Hell would be
he has to do is live his life better than ever before, with the de- one formed from this Earth, and they’ll pervert the works of
mon backing every step, providing everything the victim could their Father in Heaven to get there. Maybe even corrupt a few
want. One last shot at happiness…and then a clean break. mortals along the way.
The best part and the worst part of most pacts is that de- Libertines disguise themselves as wealthy benefactors; they
mons are telling the truth. They want a mortal life and, once are the one-percenters who discovered the truth and now spend
they have it, they’ll treat it like gold. Loved ones will be taken their fortunes to make the world a better place. If they seem
care of. If the demon loves them less, they’ll never know. A a little lighthearted…well, everybody’s got to cope somehow,
mother may lose her temper when her daughter draws all over right?
the walls, but a demon never will. A father may get depressed Demolishers are perhaps the most obvious allies (and
because he can’t afford his son’s wedding, but a demon won’t threats) to hunters. They see the reality, the prison the demi-
have that problem. He’ll keep up his obligations. He has to. It’s urge is created, and want to tear it apart. They recognize the
all part of the contract. status quo, the establishment, the machine. They know it’s full
Just fucking sign already. of monsters and renegade angels, and they want to demolish it
Purposes so they can start anew. To them, a hunter cell may be filled with
the perfect allies: the more violent the cell, the better. Torch a
Greater demons are a diverse lot. Maybe freedom goes to few lairs, execute a few cults, and an unsuspecting cell might
their heads, and they embrace self-expression. Maybe to corrupt attract the friendly attentions of a Demolisher. They’re oh-so-
a community, they need to be all things to all people. Hunters, helpful and use their stolen gifts to work wonders against a
on the other hand, have narrowed down their intents and have hunter’s enemies. Hellfire burns vampires. Cause and effect
classified them accordingly. turns against witches.
Cryptics seem the least dangerous and search after secrets. The thing is: a Demolisher never stops. To these greater
Like some hunters, they study how the world works and all the demons, reality is the enemy, and they’re not crazy. They make
lies that keep it running. They want to know about the strange very good arguments about why monsters and society’s engines
surgeries happening in the warehouse on 7 street and might both need to be stopped. What’s more, they can offer power
th
even help a hunter stop them, if it comes to that. They want to do just that. They can grant a financially-strapped cell, who
the information Big Data has on consumers the same way they usually meets in a brother-in-law’s basement, a converted ware-
want to break into the Vatican’s secret archives. They’re willing house decked out with everything the hunters need to be more
to negotiate with hunters to obtain those secrets. Unlike other effective. Maybe the price is too high. But the alternative? Let-
mortals, Cryptics won’t bother striking a demonic pact with a ting the monsters win. Letting the world stay just the way it is.
hunter — just easy, mundane bargains. How can any hunter refuse such an offer?
Hunters should beware them nonetheless. To a Cryptic, Demolishers disguise themselves as fellow hunters, wit-
nothing rankles him more than a stone left unturned. An un- nesses, and allies who have glimpsed the truth of the world and
covered secret is more valuable than a tool that’s reused…in- can’t help doing something about it.
cluding their “partners.” Cryptics think of everyone as tools, the
same way Libertines think of everyone as toys. Hunters aren’t Unholy Strengths of
exempt just because they didn’t enter into a demonic pact. Greater Demons
Cryptics are most likely to disguise themselves as mentors,
government investigators, and that one good cop who’ll cut the
cell a break from time to time. Apocalyptic Form
Libertines see the world the demiurge created, and ask Ah, but for all its lies, once in a while a demon tells the
why it should have all the fun. They’re the most likely to make truth. It shows its true face and form. Sometimes, the demon
minor pacts, to steal entertaining bits of people’s lives that are is a red-skinned, horned monstrosity straight out of a medieval
the most pleasurable. They’re the demons who own the secret painting. Others, a biomechanical horror with a single lens for
clubs, who run the orgiastic cults, or who start the up-and- an eye and dripping hypodermic needles drilled to its finger-

122