Page 23 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

CHAPTER ONE: PIECES OF FLESH

• Moment of clarity. What if the Disquiet breaks, like a behaves strangely, depending on the Lineage of the Promethean
fever, after its most intense point? The characters have a in question (Tammuz, Galateid, Frankenstein, and Osiran, respec-
torch-wielding mob at their backs, they’ve cornered the tively). Ulgan Prometheans affect spirits instead of an element.
monster in a blind alley, they’re about to set it on fire — In game terms, the extra die to detect Prometheans and
and then it all drops. The characters see the Promethean the extra die on Disquiet rolls remains. Further, the appropri-
as a helpless, scared individual. Everyone around them is ate element becomes poisoned and stagnant. In addition, the
clearly ready to set this person on fire and watch him burn Wasteland is considered a level one Extreme Environment (see
to death. What do the characters do? Are they willing to p. 213 of the God-Machine Chronicle).
try to head the mob off? What if the characters see the
Promethean’s disfigurements again — is that enough Earth and stone becomes brittle. -1 Durability to any
to confirm that this thing needs to die, or is more data stone- or earth-based material.
required? Or, do the characters just go through with it, Air is dry and foul-smelling. -1 on all scent-based
figuring it’s too late to back out now?
Perception rolls.
Wasteland Fires flare up or go out unpredictably, and electric
devices short out without warning. Any failure with an
The Created poison the land around them. This rot afflicts electronic device shorts it; such devices can be repaired
the environment in different ways, depending on the creature in with a Wits + Crafts roll.
question and his Lineage. But, it’s always destructive, and it always
ends in cataclysm unless the creature is destroyed or moves on. Water becomes stagnant and sluggish. Drinking any
A Promethean staying in one place doesn’t necessarily start water that has been in the radius of the Wasteland for
a Wasteland. Certain trigger events scorch the land, and the more than an hour imposes a -1 modifier on all rolls due
Wasteland begins there, radiating outward like progressive ne- to stomach cramps.
crosis from a wound. For Hunter purposes, it’s not necessary to
know what the trigger event was; from a story perspective, a cell Spirits become restless. All spirits and ghosts receive a
of hunters probably encounters a Wasteland already in progress. +1 modifier to affect living targets, but any devices or
powers that hunters can use on such beings also enjoy
Wastelands, like Disquiet, progress in four stages, repre- this modifier.
sented by Conditions. The longer a Promethean stays in one
place the more intense it gets. “Within one place” is defined This stage of the Wasteland should be noticeable even to
here as within a mile radius, but feel free to restrict this distance casual observers. If the Strange Condition remains, the area
if that’s too big an area for your purposes. How long between develops a reputation, but not one that terrifies people — an
stages isn’t usually important from the hunters’ perspective, so area of town where water is thick and gross or your cell phone
feel free to have the intensity of the Wasteland increase at the always quits working is a curiosity more than anything else. The
speed that the story requires. characters might (correctly) recognize this as a chance to stop
the Wasteland before it gets any worse.
Stage One: Marked
This stage of the Wasteland carries no easily detectable Stage Three: Blighted
markings. A character with some method of sensing supernatu- At this point, the affected area becomes dangerous. The
ral activity (the Unseen Sense Merit or various Endowments appropriate element surges out of control, and unprotected
that allow for detection of such things) might sense that some- human beings suffer for it. While a normal person might not
thing is off in the area, but nothing more than a general sense ascribe anything supernatural to the area, anyone with real ex-
of unease. Any rolls to detect the Promethean via magical or perience can tell that something is deeply wrong.
supernatural means gain a +1 modifier, and any rolls made to The air is acrid and toxic, and every breath sticks in a person’s
inflict Disquiet (not resist it) also receive a +1 modifier. lungs. Earth shifts beneath one’s feet, making tripping and falling
The Storyteller should use this stage of the Wasteland a serious danger. Electronic devices spark and thunderclouds hang
to indicate that something is wrong. It’s a good way to let the ominously overhead. Water takes on a gelatinous consistency, and
characters know they’re on the right track, or that something everything feels warm, oily and sluggish. The spirits howl even loud-
sinister is going on in an area that they previously thought safe. er, reach out of Twilight and grasp at people as they pass. In game
Since this stage of the Wasteland doesn’t carry any detrimental terms, all the modifiers listed above increase by one die, including
game effects, it’s a good way to convey the otherworldly nature the added dice to Disquiet and detecting Prometheans. In addition,
of a Promethean without tipping your hand, so to speak. the Wasteland is considered a level two Extreme Environment.
A Blighted area might be the lair of a Promethean that
Stage Two: Strange has no intention of leaving. The area is intense enough that it
At this stage, the Promethean’s presence is noticeable and ob- causes damage if people stay too long, which means while visi-
vious, though casual observers probably don’t have any idea what tors don’t start suffering damage right away, no one is going to
they’re looking at. One of the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) remain here. Residents move out, and the place gains a reputa-

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