Page 148 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

NEW DREAD POWERS

Note that the influence afforded is highly abstract. The Curse of Words ( to )
monster has an air of authority, but no official position. She A victim’s worst fears are triggered by the persistent sound
can cut through red tape, but the red tape still exists. Using this of fearful screams that echo in his mind. This Dread Power
influence will likely require other Social Actions to accomplish, allows the monster to curse its victim with distracting, fright-
but they benefit from the mock Merits. The group will not act ening voices. Depending upon when this Power is used, these
dangerously for the monster, but will let her access its resources sounds can cripple a victim at inopportune times, but will pull
with little struggle. at the back of his mind for some time, before the voices encom-
Also, a monster can only have one instance of Cloak of pass him in a frightening cacophony of noise.
Authority active at any given time. Using Cloak of Authority Cost: 2 Willpower
on the same group multiple times in the same month levies a Action: Instant
cumulative -2 penalty on the monster. Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult + Curse of Words
Roll Results Effect: This Dread Power requires the victim hear the mon-
Dramatic Failure: Not only does the Cloak of Authority ster’s words. Many monsters with Curse of Words will confi-
not take, but the monster cannot gain any Social Merits with dently express the curse to the victim; some mumble esoteric lan-
the desired group, as they reject her whole cloth. guages, while others use completely unrelated phrases. Monsters
Failure: The organization is not impressed. may curse victims with the voices of their dead family members,
Success: Success awards the Social Merits for one day. the chattering of alien beasts, or the sounds of children playing
Exceptional Success: As a success, but the Merits last up loudly. Each monster expresses this Dread Power differently.
to a month. Once active, the victim suffers a Vocalization Condition.
Curse of Failings ( to ) This distraction removes the 10-again quality from the victim’s
rolls until resolved. To resolve the Condition, the victim must
The pain of memory can be turned into a devastating force
that renders hearts in two and freezes victims with doubt and roll a chance die on a meaningful action, reflecting the voices
insecurity. This Dread Power curses its victim with visions and building to a crescendo. Alternatively, the voices vanish after
memories of lost loves, lost opportunities, and other actions he one day per dot of Curse of Words the monster possesses.
wishes he could do over. Everything the victim does acts as a Roll Results
reminder of a personal failing. This leaves the victim drained, Dramatic Failure: The voices do not take, and the victim
second guessing his every action. For some, this manifests as a is now immune to this Dread Power going forward. The mon-
mental paralysis, being unable to act at all, for fear of massive ster cannot use the power on the victim ever again.
failure. Failure: The power fails.
Cost: 2 Willpower Success: The victim suffers the Condition.
Action: Instant Exceptional Success: The Condition lasts for double the
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult + Curse of Failings time without resolution. Ignore the first success on any of the
Effect: This Dread Power requires the victim hear the victim’s rolls until resolved.
monster’s words. The monster expresses to the victim a seed of Dark Gate ( to )
doubt. The victim does not need to understand the monster’s The shortest distance between two points isn’t a straight
words; he just needs to hear them. Unless the character is as- line, but a magical door that allows the monster to quickly step
sured of his success, doubt will set in, and memories of past where others can’t. This Dread Power allows a monster to mysti-
failings will haunt his immediate actions. cally connect two locations. She steps through one portal, door-
The victim suffers a Persistent Doubtful Condition. It way, arch, or other passage, and emerges from the other. Many
causes a penalty equal to the monster’s Curse of Failings dots monsters use the Dark Gate for emergency escape and ambush
to any actions the victim takes with five or fewer dice (this limi- routes. Some use it to build access points to victims, or even to
tation applies after all modifiers). Any such rolls that fail are steal valuable items at opportune times.
automatically considered dramatic failures, offering the char- Cost: 5 Willpower
acter a Beat. The effect eventually fades after a week per dot of Action: Extended
the monster’s Curse of Failings. If it fades, the character does Dice Pool: Intelligence + Occult + Dark Gate
not earn a Beat. The character can resolve it by learning a risky Effect: To open the Dark Gate, the monster must spend
or harmful lesson in the present that offers a new perspective hours attuning each location. Each roll takes a half an hour,
on a past failing. and half the successes must be garnered at each site. The whole
Roll Results process requires four successes. If the distance is more than ten
Dramatic Failure: The curse falls on the monster, instead miles, it requires eight. If it’s more than 100 miles, it requires
of the victim. twelve. Any Gates leading to a different continent require twen-
Failure: The power fails. ty successes.
Success: The victim suffers the Condition. Once established, the monster may step through the Dark
Exceptional Success: Not only does the curse take, but the Gate at any time with the expenditure of a Willpower point.
Condition will not fade over time. It must be resolved, or it Others may step through if they know how it works (usually ex-
persists.

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