Page 56 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

THE RESPOnSE

True Fae. Others think her secret headquarters in Milan is a fer a penalty to Social actions equal to 10-Integrity. As well, oth-
doorway through the Hedge, leading to her Arcadian demesne. ers get exceptional successes against her in Social actions with
From the Archives: three successes instead of five. It resolves when she suffers an
Unto Armaros, faithful servitor, do We send most sincere greet- exceptional success from another.
ings. We thank you for your report of 20 November, and are most Failure: No effect.
pleased with the news that your wounds have fully recovered. While Success: The character wraps herself in a demonic aura
your bravery in the face of the unexpected turn of events was no less that others find intimidating, attractive, ingratiating, or the
than We have come to expect from you over the past several decades, like, depending on how it is wielded. For the remainder of the
your ingenuity and calm heart are, as always, inspirational. We are scene, all of the hunter’s Social dice pools receive a +3 bonus
including a sum of notes equivalent to five hundred pounds sterling and the 9-again quality.
along with this missive. Please utilize these funds to pay for the dam- Social dice pools against Changelings, hedgebeasts, or hob-
ages incurred in said situation, as well as the furnishings lost in the goblins receive a +6 bonus.
subsequent fire at your lodgings. Any additional funds may be used as True Fae are likely to recognize this aura as similar to their
you see fit, to prepare you for your next assignment, with Our gratitude. own. Unfortunately, not only does this Rite not offer the hunt-
Herein, as well, please find a composite file of the data collected er any mechanical bonuses against them, it is possible the True
in regards to the disappearance of three (3) lighthouse keepers assigned Fae will target the Lucifuge hunter over others present in the
to the Flannan Isles house. Their relief discovered, on 26 December, scene, as a rival.
that all three men had disappeared from their post. There are reports Exceptional Success: The Lucifuge receives the benefit of
of a storm of unusual ferocity immediately afore, but of more direct the effects until the next dusk or dawn, whichever comes first.
concern to Us is a singular report from one Margaret Laine, currently
employed as a laundress and purportedly a sometime paramour of one Malleus Maleficarum
of the keepers. Upon his last visit to the mainland, Ms. Laine does Because most Changelings don’t resemble bloodsuckers,
allege that her compatriot spoke strange things, of a man made of ice the Malleus Maleficarum rarely target them. When they do, the
stalking the island near the lighthouse. Malleus believe that Lost is a vampire; sometimes Changelings
In all likelihood this is simply the wine-addled ramblings of a with a ghastly Darkling Seeming can give them a pale coun-
tavern doxy, but on the chance that this relates to the ice-ghost sighting tenance, gaunt features, a preference for nighttime activities,
before the disappearance of the fishermen outside of Dundee some years and sometimes unsavory eating habits. However, regardless of
in the past, or the woman from Abernethy who claimed to have been surface similarities, most Lost are not hurt by sunlight, nor do
rescued by a monster carved of snow last spring, it would be negligent most require blood to survive. Though hunters may be con-
not to pursue additional information. fused why Changelings don’t share these traits, their most com-
We have the utmost faith in your ability to discover the truth mon means for dealing with vampires — a stake through the
behind said situation. heart, or beheading — is also exceedingly effective against the
TL Lost.
— Intercepted from a personal messenger travelling between Milan While the Malleus Maleficarum has no official stance on
and Leith, circa 1901. how to deal with the fae, many of the same regions where Ca-
tholicism has historically been the dominant religion also have
a strong cultural relationship with “elves” and “fairies.” Because
New Castigation Rite: Unholy Aura of this, while the conspiracy may not educate its hunters to fear
17 century English poet, John Milton wrote that it was or respect the Lost, their cultural traditions may have done so.
th
better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven, and the Lucifuge Fairy tales and folklore may not prepare modern hunters for
agree. Through this rite, they are able to access some of the su- their interactions with Changelings and the True Fae, but it
pernatural magnitude possessed by infernal overlords, making can create an interesting dynamic when their paths do cross.
them physically and emotionally impressive and intimidating. From the Archives: I have met with Mr. O’Sullivan, the Regis-
Fae creatures — especially those who have escaped Arcadia trar of the National Folklore Commission, lately of the County Kerry.
— recognize a resonance similar to that of the True Fae in the His name was provided to me, along with a transcript of his Trinity
power this rite bestows. This makes them especially vulnerable College lecture provided by a research secretary we have on employ in
to the unholy authority of this rite. the States.
The hunter using this rite wraps himself in an aura of de- We spoke upon the matter with which you tasked me, re: the loca-
monic superiority. Used on a fae creature other than one of tion of the castle Dun Dreachfhoula as referred to in his lecture in Dub-
the True Fae (Changeling, hedgebeast, hobgoblin), its effects lin last year. Mr. O’Sullivan appeared quite surprised at my arrival,
are doubled. although cordial, and we discussed the matter at great length. While
Cost: None early in the evening he protested that the “Castle of the Blood Visage”
Action: Instant he’d spoken of in his lecture was merely a myth, he later recanted
Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation vs. Composure his words, after a generous portion of the local distilled beverage. He
Roll Results admitted to having visited the fortress as a boy, although not in the
Dramatic Failure: The Unholy Aura backlashes on the years since. The bastion, according to his account, is located on a pass
hunter. She gains an Unholy Condition that causes her to suf- in the Magillycuddy Reeks in Kerry (Mr. O’Sullivan’s home county),

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