Page 38 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

INSPIRATIONS & RESOuRCES

A random person off the street? For example, it’s not hard to Promethean as an honest mistake (“Too much absinthe? Yes, I
imagine Imp kidnapping a victim in order to get to know him understand.”) or the scientists of Null Mysteriis would note the
before she removes a few body parts for transplant, just to see occurrence as a failed experiment (“Can I see your notes?”). But
if that knowledge makes any kind of difference in how the part the Long Night or the Loyalists of Thule might want the demi-
handles. urge’s head on a pike. It’s quite possible the demiurge might lie
Tier One: The characters know the victim. She might be about who created the monster. If you can keep the truth from
a character’s child, spouse, relative, co-worker, best friend, or the players, that would make for a superb final scene.
even enemy. The fight is personal. In this case, some element of If the characters belong to different compacts, what
physical threat is probably warranted — maybe the victim needs brought them together? It’s not hard to imagine that a person
medication, or maybe the characters know (or believe) that the capable of creating a Promethean has contacts throughout the
Promethean will kill the victim if it becomes angered. occult world — does the demiurge know hunters in various
Tier Two: The characters don’t necessarily know the victim, places? If so, on what basis did she select these characters? Do
but they are involved in some other way. If the cell belongs to the they all have a skill she needs, or was the only criteria “willing
Long Night, maybe the victim is a church member. Or, a cell of to help?”
Network Zero hunters might have corresponded with the victim Tier Three: Conspiracy-level hunters have more power to
online. The important thing is that the cell knows of the victim, bring to bear, but also a much more detailed and involved view
but not any real particulars about who this person really is and of the supernatural world. The same questions that apply to
why the Promethean chose him in particular. The victim might tier-two hunters apply here, but a multi-conspiracy cell is much
actually be a willing participant — or was, before Disquiet set in. less likely; how would a TFV soldier explain going off with a
Tier Three: In this case, the victim should be supernatu- bunch of other beings to hunt down a rogue creation? It’s not
rally aware in some way. Maybe the victim is a descendant of impossible, but it would take some clever explanation should
Satan, relying on her fellow Lucifuge to get her out of danger. the cell start to question what’s happening. In a tier-three ver-
Maybe she is a church scholar, kidnapped because the Pro- sion of this story, a conspiracy’s history should play into the
methean wants certainty on the disposition of his soul, and situation. If the characters belong to the Malleus Maleficarum,
the Malleus Maleficarum needs the scholar for her expertise in for example, maybe the demiurge stole notes from the Vatican
other areas. Maybe the kidnapped person is a gardener who ca- that allowed her to create her monster. If they belong to the
pable of growing or preparing a plant that the Ascending Ones Lucifuge, maybe she’s been having dreams about Satan whis-
need. Again, the issue isn’t personal, but it’s still important. pering to her, telling her to build a home for a demon.
What Have I Wrought? Inspiration

Summary: One of the characters has created a Promethe-
an, and brings the others together to hunt down and slay the & Sources
monster.
Setup: To make this story work, the Storyteller needs to work Probably the best source of inspiration about Prometheans
with one of the players to come up with the circumstances un- is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The novel tells of Victor Fran-
der which the character created the Promethean. What obsessed kenstein’s obsession to create life, but more importantly, his
the character to perform this task? Desire for companionship? revulsion at the thing he made. That kind of regret and hatred
Scientific curiosity? Wishing to bring a dead loved one back, in is perfectly on par for a Hunter story involving the Created.
whatever form? Decide how the character did it, what sacrifices Fritz Lang’s M tells the story of a man marked, pursued,
she had to make and what occult methods she used. Think about and eventually put on trial for his crimes. Peter Lorre portrays
the lab or the ritual space, and what the scene was like when the the child murderer Hans Beckert, who argues that while other
Promethean finally rose. And then think about Disquiet, why it criminals commit their crimes by choice, he is merely following
all went sour, and why the character wants to kill her creation. urges he cannot ignore and does not understand. The story is
That, then, leads to the character recruiting others. resonant with Promethean; the Created do not always com-
Tier One: In a tier-one Hunter game, the other characters prehend why they do the things they do, and sometimes their
might be the demiurge’s friends, compatriots, or confidants. Pilgrimage takes them to the darkest places. This doesn’t mean
Maybe the character enlisted these folks to help her collect body that they get a moral pass, however, as the hunters are there to
parts. Maybe she’s been corresponding with them by email and remind them.
believes herself to be a “hunter” who, until tonight, thought Finally, Dogville, directed by Lars von Trier, examines a
this was all just an elaborate fiction exercise. Maybe the charac- small town that takes in a woman (played by Nicole Kidman)
ter somehow finds a cell of hunters with some experience and running from her past. At first, they welcome her, but then
begs them for help. their fears and lusts overtake them, and she winds up becom-
Tier Two: If the characters all belong to the same compact, ing a slave to the townsfolk. It’s an intense and difficult film to
are the other characters going to let the demiurge off lightly? A watch, but well worth it, and interesting to consider from the
cell of Ashwood Abbey hunters would view the creation of a perspective of building Disquiet.

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