Page 201 - Chronicles of Darkness

for a missed job interview, an insult to someone in power, Once a dreamer’s Willpower has been reduced to 1, he
an ill-considered move that resulted in prison time — the become dull, listless, and only interested in making further
person gets a do-over. The one limitation is that dreamers edits. When someone’s Willpower falls to 0, he vanishes,
don’t have much time in the past. If someone sleeps on and the world edits itself around his absence, so that no one
the couch for seven hours, she spends only seven hours in remembers that he ever existed other than people who have
the past, before and during the incident that she wishes to also used the room to alter the past.
change. However, time that the person was asleep, too drunk Minor or even moderate damage to the couch or room
to remember, or otherwise unconscious passes in an instant automatically repairs itself the next time someone enters the
and doesn’t count. Dreamers only experience times when room. However, demolishing the couch or ripping down most
they were conscious and able to make decisions. of the wallpaper and damaging the walls causes the room to
In the dream, the character inhabits the body of her past cease to exist. For one minute, the room distorts, appearing
self, with only the possessions and physical capabilities that to change shape and size rapidly and randomly. Anyone who
she had at that time. However, the dreamer retains all later leaves during this time is fine. Anyone who remains inside
memories, Abilities, Mental and Social Attributes, as well vanishes with the room and is never seen again. When the
as any Merits not involving money, rank, or social connec- room vanishes, the door to it also vanishes.
tions. As soon as the character makes the desired change, she
awakens with full memory of the dream. When she leaves Linchpins
the room and enters the hallway, she gains new memories
of how her life has changed based on the changes she made The two Linchpins are the room and the other dreamers. The
while dreaming. Everyone else remembers the new set of eight-by-ten-foot windowless room looks exactly like something
events, and any physical changes are present in the world. that belongs in the 24-hour diner, a ratty old couch, a 1980s
The dreamer alone remembers the previous version of reality, floor lamp, and a couple of beat up tables. The only entrance or
what she changed, and why. exit is the door from the diner. Underneath the faded, stained,
Some changes could be significant: retaining a job or and faintly lumpy gold and blue striped wallpaper, the wall is
a marriage, not having a prison record. Other changes are covered with a connected series of metallic sigils.
minor: she made it to the interview, but didn’t get the job The couch looks large and surprisingly comfortable, with a
— perhaps resulting in the realization that she needed to slightly tattered harvest gold fabric cover. Anyone who lifts up
choose another career. the seat cushions sees struts and springs like those found in a sofa
The problem is that changing your life can become ad- bed. However, anyone attempting to fold out the couch finds that
dictive. Many people want to try this again, and they can do it doesn’t open up. Carefully examining the struts reveals that
so. The only limitation is that if the room is in use, the door they connect to an unusual network of wires that go inside the
stays locked. However, if the character waits, the other person base of the couch. Gaining access to the rest of the mechanism
eventually walks out looking slightly dazed, as he adjusts to requires cutting or ripping off the fabric covering the couch’s
his own new memories. base. Inside the base is a bizarre and nonsensical-looking array
Anyone who uses this room begins remembering other of carved bits of quartz, human finger bones wrapped in copper
incidents where he made serious mistakes, and experiences a wire, and the complete skeleton of a crow wired together with
compulsion to change those as well. A Resolve + Composure silver wire, connected to the rest of the mechanism.
roll is required to resist the temptation to return to the Once the characters have used the room a few times,
room. After their first journey, characters can consciously and perhaps lost some Willpower, the God-Machine sends
choose what past incident they wish to change. Dreamers the angel Jenn to watch the place. She takes the place of the
must make a Resolve + Composure roll after every dream night waitress, and keeps a careful eye on the patrons. More
journey to avoid using the room again. Players also subtract information on Jenn can be found on p. 259.
one die from this roll for every dream journey to the past
their characters have made. Methods
After their third trip back into the past, characters lose a
Crafts: Characters who examine the couch and succeed
dot of Willpower (which can be regained for one Experience). at an Intelligence + Crafts roll notice that struts in the couch
Characters lose one additional dot of Willpower after every are not part of a fold-out bed. They are instead connected
two additional dream journeys. Characters who have lost to strange devices that lead into the interior of the couch.
Willpower from dreaming of the past must succeed on a roll Investigation: The door into the room with the couch
of Wits + Resolve – (the number of dots of Willpower already is in between the restroom and the manager’s office. A suc-
lost) every time they use the room. Failing this roll means that cessful Intelligence + Investigation roll allows someone to
the dreamer is compelled to undo one of his significant social notice that only two feet of space exists between the wall of
connections and reduce his visibility. He might have left his the bathroom and the wall of the manager’s office, making
spouse years ago or refused a past promotion to a position the interior dimensions of the room impossible.
of authority. Merits like Influence are lost first, followed by Larceny: A Wits + Larceny rolls allows a character to
Allies, Contacts, Rank, and Retainer.
discretely place a wireless camera in the hallway near the

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Tales of the God machine