Code of Honour - 1pt Merit
You have a personal code of ethics to which you strictly adhere. You can
automatically resist most temptations that would bring you in conflict
with your code. When battling supernatural persuasion that would make you
violate your code, either you gain three extra dice to resist, or your
opponent's difficulties are increased by two. You must construct your
personal code of honour in as much detail as you can, outlining the general
rules of conduct by which you abide
Higher Purpose - 1pt Merit
You have a special commitment to a higher purpose. Your chosen goal drives
and directs you in everything. You do not concern yourself with petty
matters and casual concerns, because your higher purpose is everything.
Though you may sometimes be driven by this purpose and find yourself forced
to behave in ways contrary to the needs of personal survival, it can also
grant you great personal strength. You gain two extra dice on any roll
that has something to do with this higher purpose. You need to decide what
your higher purpose is. Make sure you talk it over with the ST.
Curiosity - 2pt Flaw
You are a naturally curious person and find mysteries of any sort irresistable.
In most circumstances, you find that your curiosity easily overrides your
common sense. To resist the temptation, make a Wits roll vs diff 5 for
simple thins like "I wonder what is in that cabinet?". Increase the difficulty
up to 9 for things like "I'll just peek into the Archmage's lab - no one will
know. What could possibly go wrong?"
Addiction - 1 to 3pt Flaw
You are addicted to any one of a variety of things. A one point flaw would
be a mild addiction to an easily obtained substance, such as nicotine or
alcohol. A two point flaw would be a either a severe addiction to any
easily obtained substance or any "mild" drug, such as pain killers, sleeping
pills or marijuana. A three point Addiction involves hard-to-find drugs. The
need for these drugs varies from once a day for some drugs to two to three
times for others, depending on the strength of the drug and the addiction.
If, for whatever reason, you are denied access to the drug, you lose the
number of dice equal to the level of your addiction (one, two or three) until
you receive your "fix". If you are deprived of the drugs for an extended length
of time, you will be forced to make a Willpower check (diff of 4 for first day,
+1 for each additional day). If you fail, you will forgo everything and forcibly
go seeking the drug. This would be an easy way for you to be either controlled
or forced to do favours for your supplier, especially if the drug is hard to
obtain due to its rarity or price.
Compulsion - 1pt Flaw
You have a psychological compulsion of some sort, which can cause you a number
of different problems. Your compulsion may be for cleanliness, perfection,
bragging, stealing, gaming, exaggeration or just talking. A compulsion can be
temporarily avoided at the cost of a Willpower point, but it is in effect
at all other times.
Dark Secret - 1pt Flaw
You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense
embarrassment
to you and would make you a pariah among your peers. This can range
from having murdered someone to once having succumbed to a demon's temptations.
While this secret weighs upon your mind at all times, it will only surface
in occasional stories. Otherwise, it will begin to lose its impact.
Intolerance - 1pt Flaw
You have an unreasoning dislike of a certain thing. This may be an animal,
a class of person, a colour, a situation or just about everything else. The
difficulties of all dice rolls involving the subject are increased by two.
Note that dislikes of some things may be too trivial. The ST is the final
arbiter on what you can pick to dislike.
Nightmares - 1pt Flaw
You experience horrid nightmares every time you sleep, and memories
of them haunt you during your waking hours. Sometimes the nightmares are
so bad they cause you to lose one die on all your actions for the next
day (ST's discretion). Some of the nightmares may be so intense that you
mistake them for reality. A crafty ST will be quick to take advantage of
this.
Phobia(Mild) - 1pt Flaw
You have an overwhelming fear of something. You instinctively and illogically
retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common phobias include
certain animals, insects, crowds, open spaces, confined spaces and heights.
You must make a Willpower roll whenever you encounter the object of your
fear. The difficulty of this roll is determined by the ST. If you fail the
roll, you must retreat from the object
Overconfident - 1pt Flaw
You have an exaggerated and unshakeable opinion of your own worth and
capabilities - you never hesitate to trust your abilities, even in situations
where you risk defeat. Because your abilities may not be enough, such
overconfidence can be very dangerous. When you do fail, you quickly find
someone or something else to blame. If you are convincing enough, you can
infect others with your confidence.
Shy - 1pt Flaw
You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try
to avoid social situations whenever possible. The difficulties of all rolls
concerned with social dealings are increased by one; the difficulties of
any rolls made while you are the centre of attention are increased by two.
Don't expect your character to make a public speech.
Speech Impediment - 1pt Flaw
You have a stammer or some other speech impediment which hampers verbal
communication. The difficulties of all relevant rolls are increased by two.
Do not feel obliged to roleplay this impediment all the time, but in times
of duress, or when dealing with outsiders, you should attempt to simulate it.
Sadomasochism - 2pt Flaw
You are excited either by causing pain or receiving it. In many situations
you will seek to be hurt or hurt someone for your pleasure. For a masochist
(someone who enjoys pain), your soak roll for actual physical damage is
increased by one because you really want to feel the pain. A sadist (someone
who likes to hurt others) must make a Willpower roll verses a 5 to stop combat
(modified depending on how much you are into the attack and how much you are
enjoying hurting the other person). If you fail, you are so caught up in the
event that you are unaware of anything else happening around you.
Obsession - 2pt Flaw
There is something you like, love or are fascinated by to the point where
you often disregard common sense to cater to this drive. You react positively
to anything related to your obsessions, even if it's not in your best interests.
For example, if you are obsessed with supernatural creatures, you will go out
of your way to talk to and befriend vampires, werewolves and stranger things
and find out as much as you can about them, disregarding all warnings. There
are many other obsessions, including British Royalty, guns, knives, football,
roleplaying games... you know the type.
Vengeance - 2pt Flaw
You have a score to settle - your friends were killed, family slain.. whatever.
You are obsessed with wreaking vengeance on the guilty party. Revenge is your
1st priority in all situations. The need for vengeance can only be overcome by
spending Willpower points and even then, it only temporarily subsides. Someday
you may have your revenge, but the ST won't make it easy.
Driving Goal - 3pt Flaw
You have a personal goal, which sometimes compels and directs you
in startling ways. The goal is always limitless in depth, and you
can never truly achieve it. It could be to eradicate goblins or
to achieve total enlightenment. Because you must work toward your
goal through-out the chronicle (though you can avoid it by spending
Willpower), it will get you in trouble and may jeopardize other actions.
Choose your driving goal carefully, as it will direct and focus everything
your character does.
Hatred - 3pt Flaw
You have an unreasoning hatred of a certain thing. This hate is total
and largely uncontrollable. You may hate a species of animal, a class
of person, a colour, a situation or just about anything else, and you
constantly pursue opportunities to harm the hated object or to gain
power over it.
Life Saver - 3pt Flaw
You believe that human life (or for 5 points, all life) is a sacred gift
and will not take a person's life except in the most extreme circumstances.
You may not ever willingly endanger the lives of innocent or in any way
participate in a killing. You may not have any problems with killing animals
(for the right reasons) and will kill evil and inhuman creatures to protect
others if necessary. (Be very careful, however, with your definition of
"evil"...) Senseless death in all forms repulses you, and you feel that those
who perform murder should be punished and stopped.
Phobia(Severe) - 3pt Flaw
You have an overwhelming fear of something. You instinctively and illogically
retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common phobias include
certain animals, insects, crowds, open spaces, confined spaces and heights.
You must make a Willpower roll not to freak out whenever you encounter the
object of your
fear. The difficulty of this roll is determined by the ST. If you fail the
roll, you must retreat in terror from the object of fear. If you score less
than three successes, you will not approach it. The ST has final say over
which phobias are allowed in a chronicle.
Loyalty - 1pt Merit
You are a loyal and devoted individual. The object of this
loyalty may be either a particular individual, or a group or
cause. You easily resist almost all temptations towards
disloyalty. If you are facing supernatural or magical
persuasion to betray your master or cause, your effective
Willpower is increased by two due to your extreme loyalty.
Compulsive Speech - 1-2pt Flaw
You are compelled to speak in some manner which is against
your best interests. You find it impossible to stop yourself
from being rude and blunt when finesse is called for, telling
a self-aggrandizing lie when it is obviously not the truth,
criticising someone or her work when you actually know very
little about the subject, or telling the absolute truth
when a small fib or white lie would smooth the way.
Choose one of these (or some equally obnoxious tendency). A one
point flaw means you only do it some of the time when you are
speaking to those that you consider equal or inferiors. A two
point flaw means you say such things to everyone, regardless
of their relationship to you. Spending a point of Willpower lets
you ignore the urge for a scene.
Conflicting Loyalties - 1-3pt Flaw
You are a very loyal individual (and possibly possess the loyal
merit). Unfortunately, one or more of the things that you feel
great loyalty towards are in conflict. Even if the conflict is
currently submerged beneath other concerns, you know that one
day you will be forced to make one or more anguish-filled choices.
What will happen when your sister discovers that the man who
killed her child is the mage of your Company? You know it was
an accident, but you also know your sister will never
rest until she avenges her baby... Yet you are desperately
in love with the spellcaster in question. You can only hope
that you can find some way to reconcile your conflicts before
you are torn apart by your need to fulfill the responsibilities
of your conflicting loyalties.
The extent and intimacy of the conflict determines the point cost of
this flaw; the greater and/or more immediate the conflict, the larger
the flaw.
Hero Worship - 1pt Flaw
You regard another individual, possibly family or even one of the
other characters, with respect that approaches reverence. The object
of your hero worship can literally do no wrong in your eyes, which
can lead to some serious disputes with your fellows. You must make
a Willpower roll (difficulty 5) to disobey an instruction given by
your hero. In your eyes, he is perfect. In fact, you add +1 difficulty
to any roll in which success would require you to admit that your
hero is wrong.
Whimsy - 1pt Flaw
You become whimsical under stress. Rather than getting serious when
things go wrong, you tend to get tickled and adopt a fey attitude.
While this can occasionally be so disarming that foes are caught off
guard (perhaps giving you another chance to best them), it usually
prevents you from doing anything particularly helpful for
one turn and really annoys your companions.
Isolated Upbringing - 2pt Flaw
From your childhood until fairly recently, you were raised separately
from the main community - your parents were both loners and you lived
with them and away from the mainstream, such that it is. As a result,
you have a +1 penalty on all social dice rolls.
Berserker - 2pt Merit
The Rage is in you, but you know how to direct and make use of
it. You have the capacity to go into a berserk state of rage, thus ignoring
all wound penalties, on a sucessful roll of Stamina + Primal Urge vs
6. However, once you come out of this rage, there may be consequences.
Dual Nature - 2pt Merit
You have two distinct Natures, both of which have an influence on
your personality and behaviour. When you pick these Natures, be careful
to choose Archetypes that are somewhat similar or at least compatible.
Dual Nature doesn't
mean schizophrenia (that is a derangement). This Merit allows you to
regain Willpower using both Natures. you may still choose a demeanor,
and it can be as different from the Natures as the player desires.
Softhearted - 1pt Flaw
You cannot stand to see others suffer - not necessarily
because you care about them, but simply because you dislike
the intensity of emotion. If you are the direct cause of
suffering, and you witness it, you will experience days of
nausea and nights of sleepless grief. You avoid situations
where you might have to witness suffering, and will do
anything you can to protect others from it. Whenever you
must witness suffering, difficulties of all rolls are increased
by two for the next hour.
Low Self-image - 2pt Flaw
You lack self-confidence, and don't believe in yourself. You have two
fewer dice in situations where you don't expect to succeed (at the ST's
discretion). At the ST's option, you may be required to make a Willpower
roll to do things that require self-confidence, or even to use a Willpower
point where others would not be obliged to do so.
Shortfuse - 2pt Flaw
You are easily angered. The difficulties to avoid losing your temper
are always two less, no matter how you were provoked. If you have any
Primal Urge, you may go berserk against your will if provoked - roll
Stamina + Primal Urge against your Willpower.
Pack Mentality - 2pt Flaw
You pride yourself on being a member of the pack; it is your life. Your
identity is tied to that of your closest group of friends, so much
that you always think in terms of "us" rather than "me". When with your
group, you receive a -1 on all pack tactics difficulties, but you
receive a +2 to all difficulties when not with your friends. You are so
dependent on that social circle that sometimes you can't make decisions
without them. The ST may decide you have to make a Willpower roll or
even spend Willpower to act on your own in a stressful situation.
Mental
Common Sense - 1pt Merit
You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever you
are about to do something contrary to common sense, the ST should alert you
to how your potential action might violate practicality. This is an ideal
merit if you are a novice player because it allows you to receive advice from
the
ST concerning what you can and cannot do, and (even more importantly) what
you should and shouldn't do.
Concentration - 1pt Merit
You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or
annoyances, above and beyond normal discipline. Any penalty to a difficulty
or Dice Pool arising from a distraction or other inauspicious circumstance
is limited to two dice, though no extra benefits are gained if only one
penalty die is imposed.
Lightning Calculator - 1pt Merit
You have a natural affinity with numbers and a talent for mental arithmetic,
making you a natural when working with high finance or betting at the
racetracks.
The difficulties of all relevant rolls are decreased by two. Another
possible use for this ability, assuming you have numbers on which to base
your conclusions, is the ability to calculate the difficulty of certain
tasks. In appropriate situations, you may ask the ST to estimate the difficulty
rating of a task you are about to perform.
Eidetic Memory - 2pt Merit
You can remember things seen and heard with perfect detail. By gaining
at least one success on an Int+Alertness roll, you can recall any sight or
sound accurately, even if you heard it or glanced at it only once (although
the difficulty of such a feat would be high). Five successes enable you to
recall an event perfectly: the ST relates to you exactly what was seen or
heard.
Iron Will - 3pt Merit
When you are determined and your mind is set, nothing can divert you from
your goals. You cannot be Charmed, nor can your mind be affected in any way
by any mindcontrol effect. Any spell that can be resisted by Willpower or
is used against your Willpower has its difficulty raised by 1, or by 3 if
you actively spend Willpower on it.
Self-Confident - 5pt Merit
When you spend a point of Willpower to gain an automatic success, your
self-confidence may allow you to gain the benefit of that expenditure
without actually losing the WP point. When you declare that you are using
a Willpower point and roll for successes, you do not use the Willpower unless
you fail. This will also prevent you from botching, but only if you
declare that you are spending the Willpower point before you roll. This
merit may only be used when you need confidence in your abilities in order
to succeed (ie the difficulty is 6 or higher).
Amnesia - 2pt Flaw
You are unable to remember anything about your past, yourself or your
family. Your life is a blank slate. However, your past may someday come back
to haunt you. (You can, if you wish, take up to 5 points of other flaws
without specifying what they are. The ST will supply the flaws.)
Confused - 2pt Flaw
You are often confused and the world seems to be a very distorted and twisted
place. Sometimes you are simply unable to make sense of things. You need to
roleplay this behaviour all the time to a certain degree, but your confusion
becomes especially strong whenever stimuli surround you (such as when a
number of different people all talk at once, or you enter a tavern with
loud pounding music). You may spend Willpower to override the effects of
your confusion, but only temporarily.
Absent-Minded - 3pt Flaw
This flaw may not be taken with the merit: Concentration. Though you do not
forget such things as Knowledges or Skills, you do forget such things as
names, addresses and the last time you slept. In order to remember anything
more than your own name and home address, you need to make a Wits roll,
or as a last resort, spend willower.
Time Sense - 1pt Merit
You have an innate sense of time, and are able to estimate the passage
of time accurately. You can accomplish this whether you are concentrating
or not. You can estimate the time of day to a minute or so, and the passage
of time to the nearest couple of seconds.
Light Sleeper - 1pt Merit
You need less sleep than other mortals; you can function quite
well on four hours a night. If the ST imposes penalties on other
characters for sleep deprivation, then you are exempt. Needless
to say, this allows you to accomplish a lot more with your
daily activities.
Calm Heart - 3pt Merit You are naturally calm and well-composed, and you do not easily fly off the handle. Raise the difficulty of all effects that would prompt panic or fury by 2.
Deep Sleeper - 1pt Flaw
When you sleeps, you sleeps hard. It is difficult for you to awaken
once you are asleep (+2 to difficulty to awaken you) and you do not
function well without at least 8 hrs
sleep (-1 dice penalty to Alertness rolls the next day). Somehow you
never seem to be on time for early morning appointments.
Weak Willed - 2pt Flaw
You are highly susceptible to domination and intimidation by others;
you are, in fact, unable to use your Willpower freely. You can employ
your Willpower only when survival is at stake, or when it is appropriate
to your Nature.
Untamable - 5pt Merit
You are a wild one that has never been bent to the leash. You are immune
to charm spells of all types and to any effect that would try to
civilised or domesticate your spirit.
Awareness
Acute Sense (1 of 6) - 1pt Merit
You have exceptionally sharp hearing, smell, vision or taste. The difficulties
of all dice rolls that relate to the sense in question are decreased by two.
Colour Blindness - 1pt Flaw
You can only see in black and white. Colour means nothing to you, although
you are sensitive to colour density, which you perceive as shades of grey.
Hard of Hearing - 1pt Flaw
Your hearing is defective. The difficulties of all dice rolls related to
hearing are increased by two.
Bad Sight - 2pt Flaw
Your sight is defective. The difficulties of all dice rolls related to
vision are increased by two. This flaw is neither near or far sightedness -
it is a minor form of blindness. The impairment is not correctable.
One Eye - 2pt Flaw
You have only one eye - choose which, or determine randomly. You have
no peripheral vision on your blind side and two less die are rolled when
a situation involves depth perception. This includes rolls for missile
combat.
Deaf - 4pt Flaw
You cannot hear sound and automatically fail all rolls that require hearing.
Blind - 6pt Flaw
You automatically fail all dice rolls involving vision. You cannot see -
the world of colour and light is lost to you.
Aptitudes
Animal Magnetism - 1pt Merit
You are especially attractive to others. You receive a -2 to your
difficulty on Seduction or Subterfuge rolls. However, this will
aggravate others of your gender.
Ambidextrous - 1pt Merit
You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with
the 'wrong' hand at no penalty. The normal penalty for using both hands
at once to perform different tasks is +1 diff for the on-hand and +3
for the off-hand.
Mechanical Aptitude - 1pt Merit
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices. The difficulties
of all dice rolls to understand, repair or operate any kind of mechanical
device are reduced by 2. This is a common merit amongst gnomes, and not
uncommon amongst dwarves.
Poison Resistance - 1pt Merit
You have, for some reason or another, become resistant to poisons. It could
be that you are naturally resistant or that you have spent years building
up your resistance against most types of poisons. Any time you need to make a
soak roll against the effects of a poison or toxin, reduce your difficulty
by 3.
Natural Linguist - 2pt Merit
You have a flair for languages. This merit does not allow you to learn
more languages than the number permitted by your Linguistics score,
but you may add three dice to any Dice Pool involving languages (both
written and spoken).
Daredevil - 3pt Merit
You are good at taking risks, and are even better at surviving them. All
difficulties are one less whenever you try something particularly dangerous,
and you can ignore one botch result when you roll "ones" on such actions
(you can cancel a single 1 that is rolled, as if you have an extra
success).
Fast learner - 3pt Merit
You learn very quickly and pick up on new things faster than most do. You
gain one extra experience point at the conclusion of each story (not
each game session).
Perfect Balance - 3pt Merit
Your sense of balance is extraordinary - a feat achieved by constant
training or inherited traits. It is very unlikely that you will ever fall during your
life. You may trip, but you will always catch yourself before you fully
lose your footing or handhold.
This Merit functions for such actions as tight-rope walking, crossing ice,
tree walking and climbing mountain slides. All difficulties for such
feats are reduced by 3. It would take a lot to push or shove a character
off his feet if he has this Merit.
Jack of All Trades - 5pt Merit
You have a large pool of miscellaneous skills and knowledge
obtained through your extensive travels, the jobs you've held or
just all-around know-how. You automatically have one dot in all
Skill and knowledge Dice pools. This is an illusory level, used
only to simulate a wide range of abilities. If the character trains
or spends experience in the Skill or Knowledge, he must pay the point
cost for the first level a "second time" before raising the Skill or
Knowledge to two dots.
Natural Leader - 1pt Merit
Something about you seems to inspire people to do more than they
normally would find themselves capable of. All Leadership rolls are
at a -2 difficulty for you, and persuading people to any cause you
support is simplicity itself.
Innocent - 1pt Merit
You are always thought of in the most positive light, unless evidence
exists to prove otherwise. If you do something wrong and the act is
not easily attributed to you, it will most likely be blamed on someone
else. This does not mean that you are "an innocent" - it just means
everyone thinks you are.
Pitiable - 1pt Merit
There is something about you which others pity. This causes them
to care for you as if you were a child. Some natures will not be
affected by this Merit (Deviant, Alpha, Fanatic) and some Demeanors
may pretend they are not. You need to decide what it is about you
that attracts such pity and whether or not you like it.
Literate - 1pt Merit
Someone has taught you to read - either a parent, a church member or
some other educated person in your town. Any language that you know
(according to your Linguistics trait) you are capable of reading.
Inept - 5pt Flaw
You are not attuned to your natural aptitudes, and therefore have
four less points to spend on your Talents (so the most you could
spend would be 7 points, and the least 0). Of course, you can still
spend freebie points to take Talents. However, at the start of the
game, none of your Talents can be above 3.
Uneducated - 5pt Flaw
You have not received any formal education, or your mind does not
lend itself to formal educating. You therefore have
four less points to spend on your Knowledges (so the most you could
spend would be 7 points, and the least 0). Of course, you can still
spend freebie points to take Knowledges - however, at the start of the
game, none of your knowledges can be above 3.
Unskilled - 5pt Flaw
You have never trained extensively in any skill or craft, and therefore
you have four less points to spend on your Skills (so the most you could
spend would be 7 points, and the least 0). Of course, you can still
spend freebie points to take Skills - however, at the start of the
game, none of your Skill traits can be above 3.
Supernatural
Past Life - 1-5pt Merit
You can remember one of more of your previous incarnations. This can be
as simple as constant deja vu in places known to your past lives,
or as complex as conscious waking memories of being another person. In
practical terms, this means the character, and therefore the player,
knows slightly more about whatever situations the dead memories contain.
The character might know her way around the past life's hometown, or
back away from her murderer without knowing why. This is a good Merit
for beginning players; the ST can tell them that something they
are about to do is stupid, dangerous or both, because even if the character
wouldn't logically know that, one of her past lives might. However, this
Merit cannot be used to 'remember' abilities - the character still needs
the Dream background to do that.
The ST can, and likely should, take the opportunity to flesh out one or
more of these past selves with the player. Unless the memory is very
detailed, the character, and probably the player, isn't likely to know
everything about that past. In fact, this half-and-half recollection
is a rich source of story ideas, particularly if any of the past lives
were unusual themselves.
True Love - 1pt Merit
You have discovered, and possibly lost (at least temporarily) a true love.
Nonetheless, this love provides joy in a torrid existence usually devoid
of such enlightened emotions. Whenever you are suffering, in danger, or
dejected, the thought of your true love is enough to give you the strength
to persevere. In game terms, this love allows you to succeed automatically
on any Willpower roll, but only when actively striving to protect or
come closer to your true love. Also, the power of your love may be powerful
enough to protect you from other supernatural forces (ST's discretion).
However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid (or even
rescue) from time to time. Be forewarned: this is a most exacting Merit to
play over the course of a chronicle.
Medium - 2pt Merit
You possess the natural affinity to sense and hear spirits, ghosts and
shades. Though you cannot see them, you feel their presence and are
able to speak with them when they are in the vicinity. It is even possible
for you to summon them (through pleading and cajoling) to your presence.
Spirits will not simply aid you or give you advice for free - they will
always want something in return. Combining this merit with the Spirit
Magnet merit will make your life exceedingly interesting and problematic.
Danger Sense - 2pt Merit
You have a sixth sense that warns you of danger. When you are in danger, the
ST should make a secret roll against your Perception and Intuition;
the difficulty depends on the remoteness of the danger. If the roll
suceeds, the ST tells you that you have a sense of foreboding. Multiple
successes may refine the feeling and give an indication of direction,
distance or nature.
Faerie Affinity - 2pt Merit
You presence does not frighten faeries or their kin; indeed it attracts
them and you are naturally attuned to their ways. You may even share some
small amount of faerie blood. This is a good merit for elves and hin.
Spirit Mentor - 3pt Merit
You have a ghostly companion and guide. This spirit is able to employ
a number of minor powers when it really struggles to exert itself (see
Haunted, below), for the most part, its benefit to you is through the
advice it can give. The ghost is an incorporeal spirit of someone once
living, perhaps even someone particularly famous or wise. The ST will
create the ghost character, but will not reveal to you its full powers
and potencies.
Magical Companion - 3pt Merit
You have a friend and ally who just happens to be a supernatural
creature of some sort, such as a lycanthrope, pixie, nixie or
similar magical humanoid. Though you may call upon this being in
time of need, she also has the right to call upon you (after all
you are friends). Neither your kind nor hers appreciate such
a relationship; if either of you appeared openly in the other's
society, there would be Trouble. The ST will create the creature
in question, and will not reveal its full powers and potencies.
Luck - 3pt Merit
You were born lucky; maybe the Devil looks after his own. Either way,
you can repeat three failed non-magical rolls per story. Only one
repeated attempt may be made on any single roll.
Spark of Life - 5pt Merit
The flow of life runs within you with preternatural strength. This
lifeforce is so strong in fact, that all non-aggravated wounds heal as
if they were one would level less; if you are Injured, you will heal
in three days what others heal in a week. If you are Hurt, you heal in
only one day. Bruises disappear in an hour.
If in perfect health yourself, you may share your vitality with others
through the power of your touch. Anyone you assist recovers at your
accelerated rate, but if the person is badly mauled or crippled, she will
require months of constant bedside nursing. All difficulties with healing
magic are -2 when touch is used.
In the downside, your blood is particularly tasty to vampires, being
twice as potent as most mortals, and you regenerate on top of it. This goes
for other energy-draining undead as well.
Guardian Angel - 6pt Merit
Someone or something watches over you and protects you from harm. You
have no idea who or what it is, but you have an idea that someone is
looking out for you. In times of great need, you may be supernaturally
protected. However, one can never count upon a guardian angel. The ST
must decide why you are being watched and what is watching you (not
necessarily an angel, despite the name).
Spirit Magnet - 3-7pt Merit or 2-6pt Flaw
Spirits congregate at a location in their world that parallels your
position in the Realm. You do not know of their presence unless alertness
in some manner. Spirits are around you because they like being around
your lifeforce or your soul. These spirits often fight amongst themselves
for various reasons - they are enemies, they all want to be around your
heart or brain, they want to protect you, or kill you.
Some of these spirits might remain within the spirit realms in areas that
correlate with the physical space that makes up your physical presence.
These spirits affect the behaviour or appearance of the character. If there
are 'evil' spirits within the character's spirit form, the character will
slowly be twisted into doing evil acts unless the proper procedures are
taken to remove these blights from the character's soul. If good spirits
possess the spirit form, they will be likely to help the character out in
appropriate situations. Also note that there is a distinction between spirits
and wraiths.
Strangeness - 1pt Flaw
Reality is slightly stranger for you. Once per game session, the ST will pick
something random to happen related to your abilities. If the roll suceeds,
the strangeness passes. If the roll botches, the strangeness may intensify.
Throwback - 1-5pt Flaw
One or more of your past lives still affects you... badly. Their fears
come back to haunt you in your dreams, and you have flashbacks of their
worst memories (such as their death), or even worse, a personality that
encroaches on your own. For bad dreams or flashbacks, take one or
two points, depending on the severity of the condition and how much it
will affect your studies or performance in dangerous situations. For a
"roommate in your head" take three points (whether you know he exists
or not). For the package deal and a truly miserable existence, take 5
points, but expect the ST to take every opportunity to use these against
you. This Flaw can be "worked off" during the course of play, but only
with difficulty.
Cursed - 1-5pt Flaw
You have been cursed by some-one or -thing with supernatural or
magical powers. This curse is specific and detailed. It cannot
be dispelled without extreme effort, and it can be inherently
life-threatening.
Some examples follow:
Bard's Tongue - 1pt Flaw
You speak the truth, uncannily so. Things you say tend to come true. This
is not a facility for blessing or cursing, or an effect that can be
ruled by any conscious control. However, at least once per story, an
uncomfortable truth regarding any current situation will appear in your
head and come out your lips. To avoid speaking prophecy, the owner of this
'gift' must expend a Willpower point and take a wound level from the
strain of resisting (especially if he bites a hole in his tongue).
Haunted - 3pt Flaw
You are haunted by a ghost that only you (and Mediums) can see and hear.
It actively dislikes you and enjoys making your life miserable by insulting,
berating and distracting you, especially when you need to keep your cool.
It also has a number of minor powers it can use against you (once per story
for each power): hiding small objects, bringing a chill over others, making
them feel ill at ease with you, causing a loud buzzing in your or another's
ears, moving a small object such as a pen or knife, breaking a fragile item
such as a bottle or a mirror, tripping you or making eerie noises. Yelling
at the ghost can sometimes drive it away, but it will confuse those who
are around you. The ST will likely personify the ghost in order to make
things all that more frustrating for you.
Psychic Vampire - 5pt Flaw
The spark of Life is dying within you and must be continually fed from
outside forces. You are a psychic vampire. Plants and insect life wither
or die in your presence as you feed on their energies, and any person you
touch for more than an hour will suffer one non-aggravated Health Level
as you siphon away his life. Those already injured (including those whose
Bruises level you sucked away) will not heal in your presence. You can
still be in the same building without harming someone, but sharing a bed
is not possible unless you want the other person to slowly die. If you
do not feed the emptiness within yourself at least once a day, you will
begin to die. The rate at which you take wounds follows the natural
progression for healing in reverse; you take a Health level after one day,
a second in three days and third in a week, and so on.
Characters with this flaw have a -2 on difficulties with magic designed to
damage, stunt, destroy or corrupt living things when touching them is
involved. For each Health Level done in this matter, however, a Health
level caused to the mage as a result of live-energy starvation may be
healed, or if the character has not gone without, the dying flame may be
sated for an additional hour per level done. While a psychic vampire is
bloated with life energies, he will not automatically cause death and
injury to those around him. Some churches and groups find this Flaw to
be a mark of extreme evil, best dealt with by the extermination of the
one possessing it, while demons may actively recruit those with this dark
blessing. On the plus side, vampires and other lifedraining creatures
find you completely lacking in sustenance.
Duck Feet - 5pt Flaw
You are doomed to experience a most horrible demise or, worse, suffer
eternal agony. No matter what you do, someday you will be out of the
picture. In the end, all your efforts, your struggles and you dreams
will come to naught. Your fate is certain, and there is nothing you can
do about it. Even more ghastly, you have partial knowledge of this, for
you occasionally have visions of your fate - and they are most disturbing.
The malaise these visions inspire in you can only be overcome by the
use of Willpower, and the malaise will return after every vision. At some
point in the chronicle, you will indeed face your fate, but when and
where and how is completely up to the ST. Though you can't do anything
about your fate, you can still attempt to reach some goal before it
occurs, or at least try to make sure that your friends are not destroyed
as well. This is a difficult flaw to roleplay; though it may seem as if
it takes away all free will, we have found that, ironically, it grants
freedom. WARNING: This flaw, if taken, allows no second chances.
Burning Aura - 2pt Merit
Your aura, no matter what colour it takes, is unusually brilliant to
those who can see it; you are practically a beacon among other mortals,
burning with a mystical fire. Even those who cannot see auras are
immediately drawn to your presence. Some people find this a positive
aspect; others may be hostile toward you. Many will believe that you
have great power (regardless of whether you truly do) and be
appropriately respectful to you.
Psychic Awareness - 3pt Merit
You have an intuitive awareness of psychic activity. Even if you display
no other talent, you can determine if any psychic phenomena have recently
been operating within a 10' radius; this includes the mage spell ESP.
How much you determine about what is
or was in use depends on the number of successes on a Perception + Occult
roll.
Precognition - 4pt Merit
You occasionally have glimpses of the future. Although these visions
ordinarily come unbidden, you can, on occasion, attempt to see things
on your own initiative. The ST will usually let you know when you have
such a vision - essentially it is a good technique for Storytelling. You
can try and seek out such knowledge by rolling Per + Meditation (diff 8),
at a cost of one Willpower point; in this case, the clarity of the vision
depends upon a number of successes. A botch indicates a misleading vision
or interpretation of future events. Either way, visions are not necessarily
guarantees of future events or actions, but just reflect probable outcomes.
Divinatory aids, eg: Tarot cards, scrying pools, various chemicals, lower
the difficulty, as decided by the ST.
Clearsighted - 5pt Merit
You can see through all forms of Invisibility and illusions
with a Per + Awareness roll against the opposing power's level + 1.
Supernatural Enemy - 1-5pt Flaw
Similar to the Enemy flaw, you have an enemy from your past who possesses
some supernatural abilities. It will not be a constant threat, but it will
appear to bedevil you and your companions. The more powerful the enemy, or
the more frequent his appearance, the more powerful the Flaw. You must
determine who your enemy is, and how you became enemies; this is easily
worked into a character's prelude.
Offensive to Animals - 1pt Flaw
For some reason, animals cringe from your touch, and are uneasy in
your presence. Perhaps you have been touched by something that
they can sense, or perhaps they just dislike your smell. For whatever
reason, animals are jittery around you. You have a two die penalty
in any actions involving animals.
Shapechanger Kin - 4pt Merit
By some quirk of fate, you are closely related to some form of
shapechanger - either a lycanthrope or something similar. The
Changing Blood has not stirred in you, but it has left its mark.
The particular Breed that you are kin to will not attack you without
good reason, and may be downright friendly.
Magic Resistance - 2pt Merit
You have an inherent resistance to all forms of magic used against
you, from clerical spells to wands which throw fireballs. Although
you yourself may never wield magic, all difficulties of spells and
rituals are two greater when directed at you specifically. Note that
this includes all spells - beneficial as well as malign.
Charmed Existence - 5pt Merit
Your life is somehow protected, and you do not face the
perils that others must. It could be that you are simply
lucky. Whatever the reason, you may ignore a single 1
on every roll that you make. This makes it far less likely
that you will ever botch, and grants you more successes than
others obtain.
Magic Susceptibility - 3pt flaw You are susceptible to magic far more than any normal person. While this is nice when people are casting cure light wounds on you, it kind of bites when it's a magic missile. Any spell cast against you has a -2 bonus to the difficulty, and has twice the effect it normally would.
Natural Channel - 1pt Merit
For some reason, the Walls between Worlds are much thinner
for you than most other beings. All rolls involving interaction
with Realms and Planes other than the one you were born in
are -1 in difficulty.
Society
Black market Ties - 1-5pt Merit
You have special ties to the underground shopping network, ties that help
you acquire hard-to-find equipment. This merit adds 1 die per point to your
Citywise roll when trying, for instance, to obtain black market weaponry.
Difficulties for such rolls are left up to the ST (typically 7 or higher).
The point cost reflects how "connected" you may be. The ST may allow you to
use your black market connections during the game to provide you with needed
or useful equipment. Such connections will not simply hand you whatever
you want - such things don't come cheap. Its is up to the ST to determine
the quantity, quality and availability of the equipment. He may feel free
to disallow it entirely if such connections would unbalance the game.
Judicial Ties - 3pt Merit
You have influence over and contacts in the justice system. You know most of
the judges as well as the advocates, and can affect the progress of various
cases and trials with limited difficulty. Though it is difficult to intervene
in a case, you can influence it in one direction or another.
Church Ties - 3 pt Merit
You have influence and contacts in some local churches, and have the means
to help the needy, raise money or gain the support of members of a clergy.
The more you use your ties, the weaker they may become.
House/Guild Ties - 3 pt Merit
You have both influence over and contacts in the local House or Guild
community. You understand the dynamics of trade in the area and have links
with most of the major players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of
financial mayhem, and can raise considerable amounts of money (in the form
of loans) in a very short period of time.
Entertainment Ties - 3 pt Merit
You have a degree of fame and influence in the local entertainment scene
(music, travelling players, bardic guilds). You have some notoriety among
peers and fans. You can exert this influence to ferret out information or
buy favours. For 5 points, this fame can become nationwide.
Watch Ties - 3 pt Merit
You have influence over and contacts in the local Town Watch. However,
the more often you use your ties with the Watch, the weaker they become,
and the more attention you draw towards yourself. You influence is not
solid (that can only be achieved through game play), and it can let you
down at times.
Political Ties - 3 pt Merit
You have both influence over and contacts with the Darokin Diplomatic Core
and/or one or two Border Magistrates in the area. In times of need, you can
unleash many forms of
harassment against your enemies. The more you used your political
ties, the weaker they become.
Underworld Ties - 3 pt Merit
You have both influence over and contacts in the local crime organisation,
back-country bandit bands and street roughs. This provides you with limited
access to large numbers of "soldiers", as well as extensive links to the
underworld of crime. The more often you use these ties with the criminal
element, the more likely they will be exposed.
Mansion - 3pt Merit
You own a large mansion - a home with 25 or more rooms - as well as
the surrounding estate. The servants, if any, are provided for if you
choose this Merit, though they cannot be used as Retainers unless you
buy the appropriate background. The mansion is assumed to have a fenced
perimeter and some small amount of magical security. While the mansion
can be in as poor or as good shape as you wish (or even not where you
actually live - it may be that it was left to you recently), the more
inhabited it appears to be, the more attention it will garner.
Ward - 3pt Flaw
You are devoted to the protection of another person. You may describe your
Ward, though the ST will actually create her. This character may be a friend
or relative, or just someone who caught your eye and heart. Wards have a
talent for getting caught up in the actions of stories, and they're frequent
targets of a character's enemies.
Hunted - 4pt Flaw
You have somehow attracted the attention of some individual who seeks
your destruction. This hunter is beyond reason and has some form of
power, influence or authority that puts you at a disadvantage. Your
friends, family and associates are likewise endangered. Sooner or later,
this Flaw will result in a confrontation. The resolution should not be
an easy one.
Hideaway - 2pt Merit
You own a special hideaway - a house, cottage or other building that
no one knows about but you. It has never been registered in your name
or linked to you in any way, making it quite unlikely that anyone could
trace you there. It is modestly furnished, and you keep it stocked with
necessities for about a two week stay. Such places are good for hiding
from all the various enemies characters are wont to make.
Once each game in which the hideaway plays an active part (ie: one when
people might discover it), the ST will call for a roll on two dice with
a difficulty of 6. Success (at least one 6) means no one has discovered
the hideaway. Failure indicated that you didn't adequately cover your
tracks, and your foes know the general vicinity of your property. Four
such cumulative failures leads them straight to you, while a botch
immediately renders your secret worthless.
Double Agent - 2pt Flaw
You are a double agent, secretly working for another faction other than
the one that you claim to be a part of. Whoever you actually work for
will eventually make demands which place you in an awkward position.
Should your actual role in affairs be discovered, you would be reviled
(at the very least).
Boon - 1-3pt Merit
Someone important owes you a favour or two because of something you
or your family once did. The extent of the boon owed to you depends on
how many points you spend. One point would indicate a relatively minor
boon, while three points would indicate that the personage probably
owes you their life.
Special Gift - 1-3pt Merit
Your family gave you a valuable gift once you told them you were
leaving or reached a certain age. It may be a family heirloom or
just something your father found in a creek. The ST will create
something suitable, and you may not know all of its abilities.
Reputation - 3pt Merit
You have a good reputation amongst people who know of you. The reputation
may be your own, or may derive from the company you keep or from
your family. Whatever the reason, you gain three more dice to any social
roll involving those that know of you.
Enemy - 1-5 pt Flaw
You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who seek to do
you harm. The value of this Flaw determines how powerful these
enemies are. The most powerful enemies would be worth 5pts, whilst
those closer to your own power would only be 1pt. You must decide
who you enemy is and why you are enemies.
Mistaken Identity - 1pt Flaw
You look similar to another person, and are easily mistaken for her,
much to your chagrin. This individual's allies will approach you and
tell you things you don't want to hear, her enemies will do away with
you, and others will treat you in odd ways. Ultimately you might be
able to sort things out, but it will take tremendous effort.
Notoriety - 3pt Flaw
You have a bad reputation amongst people who know of you. The reputation
may be your own, or may derive from the company you keep or from
your family. Whatever the reason, you lose two dice to any social
roll involving those that know of you.
Physical
Double Jointed - 1pt Merit
You are unusually supple. Reduce the difficulty of any Dex roll involving
body flexibility by two. Squeezing though a tiny space is an example of the
use of this merit.
Huge Size - 4pt Merit
You are abnormally large in size, possibly over seven feet tall and 400
pounds in weight - perhaps one of your ancestors was a giant. You
therefore have one additional health level and are able to suffer more
harm before you are incapacitated. Treat this as an extra OK level, with
no dice penalties. For obvious reasons, this Merit is not takeable by
Hin or Dwarves, and is extremely rare amongst Elves.
Allergic - 1-4pt Flaw
You are allergic to some substance - pollen, animal fur, alcohol, chocolate,
etc. For one point, you get hives, sneeze or become dizzy upon prolonged
contact with your bane; for two points, you swell up uncomfortably in the
affected area, reducing all Dice Pools by one; for three points, your reaction
actually incapacitates you, reducing appropriate Dice Pools by three. If
the substance is really common, add an additional point to this flaw.
Asthma - 1pt Flaw
You have difficulty performing strenuous tasks because you cannot breathe
properly. Asthma prevents your lungs from pulling in the air that
normal lungs require. Any time you exert yourself, you must make a
Stamina roll against a difficulty of 6 or be unable to perform any action
on the next round while you catch your breath. And yes, boys and girls,
this includes combat.
Short- 1pt Flaw
You are well below average height, and have difficulty seeing over high objects
and moving quickly. You suffer a two dice penalty to all pursuit rolls, and
you and the ST should make sure your height is take into account in all
situations. In some circumstances, this will give you a concealment bonus.
Once again, this merit is not available to Dwarves and Halflings.
Disfigured - 2pt Flaw
A hideous disfigurement makes you ugly and easy to notice or remember.
You therefore have a zero Appearance.
Child - 3pt Flaw
You are younger than the average character - you may be precocious, but
you're still a kid (14 or younger). You have the flaw Short, and find it
hard to be taken seriously by others (two dice penalty on all relevant
rolls). Additionally, you may be subject to parental control, curfews
and similar problems.
Deformity - 3pt Flaw
You have some kind of deformity - a misshapen limb, a hunchback, or whatever -
that affects your interactions with others and may inconvenience you physically.
The difficulties of all dice rolls related to physical appearance are raised
by two. Your deformity will also raise the difficulty of some Dexterity
rolls by two, depending on the type of deformity that you possess.
Lame - 3pt Flaw
You legs are injured or otherwise prevented from working effectively. You
suffer a two dice penalty to all dice rolls related to movement.
Mute - 4pt Flaw
Your vocal apparatus does not function, and you cannot speak at all.
You manage to communicate through other means - typically writing,
signing or mind related magic.
One arm - 3pt Flaw
You have only one arm - choose which, or determine randomly at character
creation. This could be a battle scar, birth defect or other form of
injury. It is assumed that you are accustomed to using your remaining
hand, so you suffer no off-hand penalty. However, you do suffer a two
dice penalty to any dice pool where two hands would normally be needed
to perform a task. You cannot take this flaw with the Merit: Ambidextrous.
Paraplegic - 6pt Flaw
You can hardly move without assistance, such as a pair of crutches or a
wheelchair. Even then it can be painful and cumbersome to do so. The ST
and you should take care to roleplay this Flaw correctly, no matter how
difficult it makes things. A character may not take this Flaw along with
the Merit Doublejointed.
Animal Musk - 1pt Flaw
You smell of an animal scent of some sort, and this causes all sorts
of social problems. Any social roll where this scent would be noticeable
is at a +2 to difficulty, and those tracking you with animals of any
sort gain a -2 bonus to their difficulty.
Lack of Scent - 2pt Merit
You produce no scent, or it is extremely faint. You are hard
to track by dogs or other hunters that use scent. They receive
a +2 penalty to their difficulty.
Longetivity - 2pt Merit
You are extremely long-lived. You do not suffer aging effects until
you are 85+ years old (100+ for Hin, 200+ for Dwarves, 600+ for
elves). You can expect to live to 120-130 years old (150, 300 and 1000
respectively), barring death in combat.
Strict Carnivore/Herbivore - 1pt Flaw
For whatever reason, you will or cannot eat either meat or vegetables.
Either this is a philosophical choice, a metabolic thing or just some
fluke of nature, you sometimes have trouble subsisting in areas where
your diet is scarce (desolate landscape where hunting is sparse,
vegetarian commune :-)