II

Creatures and Companions for

Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition
Credits Dedication
Authors: Cedar Blake, Satyros Phil Brucato, Hiromi Cota, For my friend Raven Bond — healer, magician, therapist,
Matthew Dawkins, Atalanti Evripidou, Antonios Galatis, trickster, a malcontent against the established order, and one
Joshua Heath, Chance Jason Kallisti, Isabella L. Price, James of the best men I have ever known. You beat the odds for five
H. Sambrano, and John Snead long years, and you left this world a far better place for your
Developers: Satyros Phil Brucato, Matthew Dawkins, and presence among us. Fly well, old friend, and thank you for
Eddy Webb the foolish magic of your wisdom.
World of Darkness Line Developer: Matthew Dawkins Shortly before this book’s completion, our friend Ember
Johnston Nannysdotter was killed in a car crash. Ember had
Creative Director: Richard Thomas
been a creative luminary in our Seattle community and a
Editor: Dixie Cochran ferocious voice for justice and transformation. Their (Ember’s
Art Direction: Mike Chaney pronoun) sudden and unforeseeable death underscores the
Book Design: Josh Kubat need for all of us to appreciate one another while we can,
and to live lives that make our world a better place long after
Art: Michael Gaydos, Brian Leblanc, Eric Lofgren, Andrew
we’re no longer physical parts of it. Thank you, Ember, for
Trabbold, Ivan Dixon, Claudio Pozas, Drew Tucker, Ken
the beauty you shared and the spirit you revealed through
Meyer Jr.
your arts.
Brain-Trust: Eva Cruz Andrade, Maria Archimandriti, Liz
Argall, Rose Bailey, Hope Blood, Raven Bond, Bill Bridges, Special Thanks
Kate Bullock, Sandra Buskirk, Brian Campbell, Luka Carroll,
Mara Elkheart/ R.S. Udell, Tristån Erickson, Adam J. Faber, To Josh Heath for helping us walk along the Path.
Khaos Farbauti, Antonios Rave-n Galatis, Nina Galatis,
Boomer Hanke, Damian Lincoln Hector, James High, Oliver
Hoffmann, Ernie LaFountain, Travis Legge, Êmili Lemanski,
Shep Turner MacGregor, Ryan Macklin, Logan L. Masterson,
Rafael Mastromauro, Camille Meehan, Balogun Ojetade,
Isabella L. Price, Chris Rubenstahl, Michael Schatz, Zakariya
Ali Sher, Thaynah Leal Simas, J.P. Sugarbroad, Bryan Syme,
Richard Thomas, Allen Turner, Ioanna Vagianou, Brian Ward,
Coyote Ward, Jason Weeks, Wendell B. Whittaker Jr., Travis
Williams, Shan Wolf, and Lindsay Woodcock

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2 Gods & Monsters

Prelude: Burning Bones IX Kendell Keye 29
Power Players 29
Introduction: Lenora Paige Wilder 30
Something Rich and Strange 12 Subculture Devotees 31
Gods in a Monstrous Mirror 13
Trix 32
What’s in a Name? 14
Acolytes, Consors,
Flock Together 15 and Extraordinary Citizens 33
How to Use This Book 15 What’s in a Name? 33
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consor Roles and Motivations 34
Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 17 Assistant 34
The Heart of the World 17 Dorothy “Doro” Franco 35
The Sleeping Masses 18 Backup 35
The Weight of Living 18 The Banner Dei Brute Squad 36
Young Child (2-8 years old) 18 Cleaners 37
Joey McCallister 19 Jason “Lurch” Shale 38
Older Kid (8-13 years old) 20 Cultists 39
Lesedi Omiata 20 Jayleen White 40
Teenager (14-18 years old) 21 Handlers 40
Kim Phan (Phan Thi Khiêm) 21 Ethan “Romeo” Berg 41
Senior (60+ years old) 22 Igors 41
Scott Walters 23 Riddhi 43
Everyday People 23 Lovers 44
Porter Pryce 24 The Sanctum 45
Hardcases 25 Professionals 45
Jeremy Bruckner 26 Jean-Pierre Lompo 46
Homeless Survivors 26 Servants 47
Brain 27 Katherine Peet 48
Human Resources 27 Slaves 49

Table of Contents 3
 Mahalia Sanchez 50 HIT Mark IX: “Iron Bob” 83
Hunters and “Static” Adepts 51 MODES 84
Bioenhanced Field Agent 51 Reanimates 85
Henry Woo 52 Eye Scream 85
Hedge Magician 53 Creeper 86
Shivante Harris 53 Flayed Skin 86
Invested Infernalist 54 Frankensteinian Monstrosity 87
Grace Denise “GDP” Powell 55 Handy Hands 87
New-Age Dilettante 55 Shambling Horror and Slaughterer 88
Leonidas Running Deer 56 Talking Head 88
PDC Aberration Hunter 56 Soulflowers 89
Agent Melissa “Leezi” Olivarez 57 Eva Cherone 89
Spirit-Talker 57 Lord Floof 91
Jacqui High Thunder 58 Talos 91
Witch-Hunter 59 Thorn Gorgers 93
Marcus Washington 60 Tiny Warriors 94
The Night-Folk 60 Zombies 94
Vampires 60 Vodou Zombi 95
Blood-Bound Ghoul 61 Cannibal Corpse 96
Fallon Marx 62 Familiars 97
Violent Young Vampire 63 Daqqanoenyent, Uncle Whirlwind 97
Lupita and Michael 63 Lullabye 99
Ancient Master Vampire 64 Tiberius 99
Roberto “Uncle Robert” Castrovinci 65
Werebeasts 66
Chapter Three:
A Bestial Bestiary 103
Murderous Werewolf 66
Close to Home, and Far Away 103
Hunts-the-Wizards 67
Natural Animals 103
Enigmatic Werecat 68
Packs and Swarms 104
Callianne Barrister/Calli Groves/
Packs and Swarms 104
Whisper/Salome Grey 68
Ape, Large (Gorilla, Mandrill, Orangutan) 104
The Fae 70
Bat 104
Jason “Goatboy” McClean 71
Bear, Small (Black Bear, Brown Bear) 104
Ghosts 72
Bear, Large (Grizzly, Polar Bear) 105
Tragic Phantom 72
Bison / Buffalo 105
Brenda Marshall 73
Boar /Swine 105
Raging Spectre 74
Bull 105
Ragdoll 74
Camel 105
Chapter Two: Coyote 105
Constructs and Familiars 77 Deer (Stag) 105
A League of One’s Own 77 Dolphin 105
Constructs 78 Elephant, Medium (Asiatic, African Forest) 105
Artificial People 78 Elephant, Large (African Bush Adult) 106
Darius 78 Fox 106
Masako 01 79 Goat 106
HIT Marks 82 Octopus, Small (A Foot or Two Across) 106
Mark VI: “The Mercury” 82 Octopus, Large (Roughly Human-Sized) 106
Mark VII: “The Mask” 82 Octopus, Monster (Boat-Eater Size) 107

4 Gods & Monsters

 Shark, Small (Dogfish, Mako, Sand Shark) 107 Lesser Entities 137
Shark, Medium (Blue, Tiger, Whitetip) 107 Dataphyte 137
Shark, Large (Great Hammerhead, Great White) 107 Grinders (Technology Minions) 138
Snake, Small (Copperhead, Miengu 138
Coral Snake, Rosy Boa) 107 Omniphage 139
Snake, Large (Cobra, Diamondback, King Snake) 107 Owl Shards 139
Snake, Huge (Anaconda, Python, King Cobra) 107 Qilin 141
Bygone Monsters 108 Personages 142
Anuk Ite 108 Aelida, Lady of Feathers 142
Aigamuxa 109 La Huesera, the Bone Woman 142
Black Snakes 109 Lord Viscount Talos Perdix (Umbrood Lord) 143
Eloko 110 Tzitzimimeh 144
Grootslang 111 Paradox Manifestations 145
Inkanyamba 112 Erinyes (Entropy and Hubris) 145
Jiangshi 113 Alecto the Mad 146
Kijimuna 114 Megaera the Spiteful 146
Kongamato 114 Tisiphone the Relentless 147
Ravening Winds 115 Farandwee (Correspondence and/or Time) 147
Shisa 115 Hex (Entropy) 148
Skymurmurs 117 Swipe (Mind and Correspondence or Data) 148
Taniwha 118 Whisper (Mind or Life) 149
Yao Guai 118 Totem Spirits 150
Hulijing 119 Cat 150
Inugami 119 Cockroach 150
Oni 119 Joe Dread 150
Tanuki 120 Mama Plenty 152
Tengu 121 Mr. Black 153
Chapter Four: Trip 153
Ephemeral Entities 123 Wolf 154
The Breathing World of “Other” 123 God-Forms 154
Avatars 124 Anansi the Spider, Keeper of Tales 155
Beloved (Dynamic Avatar) 124 Big Owl, the Screaming Night 155
The Boss (Pattern Eidolon) 125 Bondye, the Most High 156
Crush (Dynamic Avatar) 126 Christ, the Good Shepherd 157
Flutterby (Pattern Avatar) 126 Grandmother Elephant, the Wise and Kindly 157
Grandmother (Pattern Avatar / Eidolon) 127 Itzpapalotl, Queen of Tamoanchan 158
Hunter (Primordial Avatar) 128 Kane, the Maker 158
Jumble (Dynamic Avatar) 128 Kudu, the Old Tortoise 159
Manic Pixie (Questing Avatar) 129 Mawu-Lisa, Twin Parents and Breath of Life 160
Mask (Primordial Avatar) 129 The Nine Muses 161
Melody (Dynamic Avatar) 129 Namaka, the Soothing Seas 162
Ojisan (Questing Avatar) 130 Our Lady, the Merciful Mother 163
Stalks-The-Master (Primordial Avatar) 130 Pan, the Goat-Foot God 163
The Djinn 131 Pele, She Who Shapes the Sacred Land 165
al-Ghadib, the Mad Warrior 134 The Greater Kami 166
Amira the Storyteller (Amira al-Kadhaab) 135 Amaterasu Omikami, Empress of the Sun 166
Yazid al-Ghul 136 Hachiman, Lord of Martial Order 166

Table of Contents 5
 Ryujin, Dragon of the Deep 167 How do You Survive Your Association with These
Susanoo, Lord of Summer Storms 168 Mages? 190
Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, Lord of the Moon 168 Character Advancement 190
The Loa 169 Mistreatment 191
Tying Souls Together 169 The Non-Human Mindset 191
Gamespeak 170 Physical Shape 191
Possession 170 Abstract Intellect 192
A Bond of Favor 170 Communication 193
Aido-Hwedo, the Great Social Interactions 193
Python and Rainbow Serpent 170 Merits, Flaws, and Special Advantages 194
Baron Samedi, the Cemetery Lord 171 Merits 194
Erinle/Abatan, Land-Elephant of Waters and Earth 172 Alpha (2 pt. Social Merit) 195
Legba, Keeper of the Crossroads 173 My Master is My Slave (5 pt. Social Merit) 195
Obatala, the Sky-Father 174 Flaws 195
Oggun, Master of Tools 174 Alien Impression (1-5 pt. Physical Flaw) 195
Oko of the Fertile Staff 175 Animal (2 pt. Social Flaw) 197
Oshosi, the Hunter 175 Beta (1 pt. Social Flaw) 197
Oshun, Bright Lady of Fertility and Moon 176 Broken (5 pt. Mental Flaw) 197
Oya, Our Lady of Rage 177 Limbless (5 pt. Physical Flaw) 197
Shango, the Thunderer 178 No Dexterous Limbs (4 pt. Physical Flaw) 197
Yemaja, La Sirène 179 Omega (4 pt. Social Flaw) 197
Power Source (1-5 pt. Physical Flaw) 198
Chapter Five: Thaumivore (5 pt. Supernatural Flaw) 199
Crafting Characters 181
Unbelief (3, 5, or 8 pt. Supernatural Flaw) 199
Building the Perfect Beast 182
Ungainly Fingers (2 pt. Physical Flaw) 200
Types of Characters 182
Weak Spot (3 pt. Physical Flaw) 200
Alien 182
Special Advantages 201
Animal 182
Alacrity (2-6 pts.) 201
Bygone 183
Armor (variable) 201
Construct 184
Aura (3 pt. Advantage, or 3 pt.
Familiar 184
Supernatural Flaw) 202
Object 185
Aww! (1-4 pts.) 202
Reanimate 186
Bare Necessities (1 or 3 pts.) 202
Robot 186
Bioluminescence (1 to 3 pts.) 202
Spirit 186
Blending (1 pt.) 203
Companion Character Creation 187
Bond-Sharing (4 to 6 pts.) 203
Character Questions 189
Cause Insanity (2 pts. per die) 203
What Drew You to This Crazy Life? 189
Claws, Fangs, or Horns (3, 5, or 7 pts.) 203
Where do You Live? 189
Deadly Demise (2, 4, or 6 pts.) 204
Why Are You Still Here? 189
Dominance (1 pt.) 204
How do You View the Magickal World? 189
Earthbond (2 pts.) 204
Do You Pursue Magick Yourself? 189
Elemental Touch (3, 5, 7, 10, or 15 pts.) 204
How do Your Awakened Associates Treat You? 190
Empathic Bond (2 pts.) 205
What Benefits Do You Get From Your
Extra Heads (2 pts. per head) 205
Association With Reality-Twisting Demigods? 190
Extra Limbs (2 pts. per limb) 205
Are You Alone, or
Are There More Companions Like You Here? 190 Ferocity (2 pts. per point of Rage) 205
If It All Falls Down Tomorrow, Flexibility (2 pts.) 206
Where Will You be Then? 190 Hazardous Breath (Variable) 206
6 Gods & Monsters
Healing Lick (3 or 6 pts.) 206 Soul-Sense / Death-Sense (2-3 pts.) 211
Homing Instinct (2 or 4 pts.) 206 Speed (Variable) 211
Human Guise (2 or 4 pts.) 206 Spirit Travel (8, 10, or 15 pts.) 211
Human Speech (1 pt.) 207 Spirit Vision (3 pts.) 212
Information Fount (5 pts.) 207 Telepathy (2, 4, or 6 pts.) 212
Intangibility (8 or 10 pts.) 207 Telekinesis (3, 5, 8, or 12 pts.) 212
Mesmerism (3 or 6 pts.) 207 Tides of Fortune (5 pts.) 213
Musical Influence (6 pts.) 208 Tunneling (3 pts.) 213
Musk (3 pts.) 208 Unaging (5 pts.) 213
Mystic Shield (Variable) 208 Universal Translator (5 pts.) 213
Needleteeth (3 pts.) 209 Venom/Poison (Variable) 213
Nightsight (3 pts.) 209 Wall-Crawling (4 pts.) 213
Omega Status (4 pts.) 209 Water Breathing (2 or 5 pts.) 214
Paradox Nullification (2-6 pts.) 209 Webbing (5 pts.) 214
Quills (2 or 4 pts.) 209 Wings (3 or 5 pts.) 214
Rapid Healing (Variable) 210 Spirit Charms 214
Razorskin (3 pts.) 210 Purchasing Charms 214
Regrowth (2, 4 or 6 pts.) 210 Suggested Resources 220
Read and Write (1 pt.) 210 Books 220
Shapechanger (3, 5, or 8 pts.) 210 Nonfiction 220
Soak Lethal Damage (3 pts.) 211 Fiction 220
Soak Aggravated Damage (5 pts.) 211 Movies 220

Table of Contents 7
VIII Gods & Monsters
 Burning
Bones
Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
— Marie Curie

“Big Owl spreads his wings. He brings down shadows, “Big Owl?”
y’know, and our shadows respond to him.” “Yes.”
“Who’s Big Owl?” He’s not like me, Napayshni. He does what he does
Napayshni nods his head in the direction of his window. without magick — only courage, like his name says. His mem-
We both know what he means. Outside, the city rumbles dis- ories don’t pull him back and forth across temporal tides. He
content. At night, it just gets worse. TV voices filter in from remembers where we’ve been, what we’ve done, but though
surrounding apartments, cutting through the sound of wind it haunts him — and I know it does — he doesn’t seem to
outside and the murmur of voices — often talking, sometimes drown in it the way I sometimes do. He’s braver than I am,
raised — from those busy lives around us. too. I could have killed them all. He knows what would have
In my head, I still hear the roaring, icy wind of the happened if I had, and he’s strong enough to have stopped
camp we left behind. The crackle of flames, our whispering me from doing it.
tears. The men beyond the fire, dressed in black, suited up The ache of power strong enough to tear steel cries in
for war. Crouched in the shadow of their black machines, my bones and screams to be unleashed.
flames reflecting off their visors and eyes. When did this war Shake my head clear. “Big Owl,” I repeat. “Who is he?”
come home, lurch out of the secret dream and slash itself
Napayshni laughs. “I don’t know if I should tell you that,
across the eyes of the world? Better yet, when did it become
Lee Ann. It’s pretty sacred stuff.”
so goddamned normal? Thirty years back, that would be
inconceivable. Now, it’s just a Facebook refresh away. I laugh, then stop myself. It’s not my place to laugh at
this. “You’re teasing me again.”
Years compress, unwind, embrace. Napayshni’s apartment
feels too old, too fresh, too raw for me. Across the decades, I still “Yeah, I am.” His smile reveals uneven teeth, a lifetime
feel needles push through skin, bringing surges of forgetfulness of dental issues too costly to fix and too painful to ignore.
and the timeless ache of need. And so, I escape past and present I’d offered to fix that for him, shortly after we’d first met,
to a time in between, when thick snow muffled our footsteps but he didn’t want that kind of help. “It’s part of who I
and wind bit through layers of our clothing, too heavy to move am, Lee Ann,” he tells me in that long-ago. “It wouldn’t
freely in, too light to save us from the winter’s cold. be fair to get my magic friend to fix it when so many other
people have to go without it.” He smiled at me then, too.
He catches me drifting through time in my head. “He’s
He smiles a lot for someone who’s seen what he’s seen. I
fear,” Napayshni says, pulling me back to our present con-
could learn a lot from him. “I carry my past in my teeth. It
versation. “An old story that never gets old enough to stop
tastes better that way.”
mattering, y’know?”
Prelude: Burning Bones IX
 I smile at the joke he made so long ago and at his ad- away. Finally, after the moon had grown thin and then full
mission of teasing me now. I love his smile, crooked as it is. again, Killer-of-Enemies felt the ground shake and heard the
“So what’s so sacred,” I ask, “about Big Owl?” rustle of Big Owl’s wings on the wind.”
Napayshni leans in closer, the shower he took earlier I consider asking him whether Big Owl was walking or
today still ghosting soap across his scent. I inhale bitter flying, but keep my mouth shut. He’s right — I’m the last
winter wind and the wood smoke of our fires. His nearness person who should be taking things literally.
drowns the echoes of my past. I could get lost in him if I was “Big Owl was as big as the night sky. The moon hid be-
more his type. “In the old days, when night would spread its hind his head. The stars ran from the feathers of his wings.
blanket out and let the stars have their turn at our sky, Old Killer-of-Enemies felt the crushing winds that beat down and
Man Big Owl walked freely under the clouds. His hairy head sent up dust storms to blind the hunter’s eyes. He set down
brushed up against the moon, and his feet made the ground his club and he aimed his bow, and he fired six of his seven
shake as he walked.” arrows into the Big Owl’s chest. Big Owl didn’t even slow
“Are we talking about an owl or a guy?” down. As he dove in to snatch Killer-of-Enemies up, the hero
thought, ‘This might be it, y’know? This might be the last
“Lee Ann,” he says, tilting his chin down so his eyes roll
fight I ever fight.’”
up at me, “you of all people should know not to ask such
literal questions. Especially not when someone else is talking.” Breath catches in my chest. I know that feeling well.
Every fight might be your last, and someday, if you fight too
I grimace. “You’re right. Sorry. Go on.”
much and define yourself by fighting, one of them will be.
“When he’d catch somebody out where they shouldn’t
“He knew fear. It scared him. Fear rushed down on
be, Big Owl would reach down and scoop them up and eat
Killer-of-Enemies and it blocked out the sky. That’s the way
them the way we might eat a chicken leg. Y’know, stripping
fear is, y’know? When it’s over you, when it comes rushing
off the flesh bit by bit, pulling muscles off with his teeth,
down on you that way, then it seems like there’s nothing left
sucking all the juices off the bones…”
in the world.”
I laugh. “I get the picture.”
My bones burn with the lust to kill.
“I’m sure you do. So, even when he wasn’t eating
My fist, I noticed, clenched without me even realizing
people, all the people — the four-footed ones as well as the
it. It lies on the table between us, like a part from someone
two-footed ones — learned to fear Big Owl. Mothers would
else’s body, hard as stone, cold as winter.
tell their kids, ‘Behave, or else Big Owl will come here at
night and take you away from us and chew your skin like I see their columns in the distance. Black uniforms.
an old chicken bone.’ Big Owl invaded their dreams. His War machines. Bright lights burning against a darkened
feathered wings flapped thunder inside their heads. When sky. Black armor swallowing the snow. Behind their visors,
his little cousins hooted in the dark, the people curled up I feel fear. It tastes like blood and tear gas and oil. Reaching
inside their homes and prayed that Big Owl would go on by past it, I sense a mother’s touch. A lover’s caress. Children’s
and go eat someone else instead. Big Owl was fear. Big Owl laughter. Empty nights and endless skies.
ate fear. Big Owl became fear. And so, wherever fear was, I could send them burning with a single wave.
Big Owl was there, too.” But he knows what will happen if I do. Not even I can
Night ruffles its feathers at us outside the walls. Long-dead fight the world.
needles push against my skin, hungry for release, to release Napayshni’s voice reaches past my memory. “That’s what
me, to devour me. Around us, gathered at their keyboards fear’s like,” he says. He speaks for himself as well. “It makes you
and their plasma TV screens, voices rise and weave past and want to fight the world,” he adds as if he’d heard my thoughts.
present into one. Black feathers brush against my soul. A Who knows? He probably did. “Especially when you know
weeping man shivers against my lips. Happy lovers share my you can’t.” As the night reaches in around us, he disappears
sweat. And underneath it all, the fist of hate rises, aching for into shadows even though he’s sitting right across from me.
a face to smash. Inside his skin, I feel blood pulse, catch the clenching fist of
Anger is the fist of fear. his heart in his chest. “And that’s when you have to stand,”
My friend goes on, his voice rising past sensations in he whispers. “That’s when standing matters most.”
my soul: “When the hero Killer-of-Enemies heard about the I stood and watched them burn the camp.
terrors of Big Owl, he came out of the east to take Big Owl I’m standing even now, even when the flames have died.
down. In one hand, he held the club he had made from the
I could have killed them all. I wanted to. He stopped me.
bones of a three-legged giant, and in the other he held the
Napayshni knew how much everyone else had to lose. Knew
seven arrows that hit every time he aimed his bow. Killer-of-
it in ways only those who’ve lost damn near everything can
Enemies walked around at night for many nights. Fear pecked
possibly understand.
at his muscles and tore at his flesh, but he refused to run

X Gods & Monsters

 The heat I feel is shame at what I might have done. with the life inside us both. “But you can face it. And you fight
Napayshni swallows hard, breaking the trance for both it. And you can bust it right in its fucking chops. It doesn’t
of us. “So, Killer-of-Enemies, he took that last arrow, y’know? kill the fear… but, y’know, it makes it easier to deal with.”
And he aimed it straight at Big Owl’s right eye, and when he I nod. “I do know. Yeah.” I lay my other hand over his
let it loose that arrow sailed straight through the darkness hand and my cold fist. “Thanks for reminding me. I tend
and hit Big Owl square in the eye socket and punched that to forget it.”
eye out.” His voice rises. “And Big Owl pulled up out of his “Easy to forget,” he says. “There’s so much out there
dive, but he was going too fast to stop, and as his claws and trying to make us feel afraid.”
wings spread out, Killer-of-Enemies grabbed up his club and
The wind rises outside his window, shaking the glass and
he belted Old Man Big Owl right in the fucking chops.”
rattling the frame. The burning in my bones subsides, but
I see him grin again. the fire never really leaves.
“And Big Owl busted up into a million pieces, a billion Outside, I hear the rustle of Big Owl’s wings. Voices
pieces, and he flew off all over the world, anywhere he could raised in desperation. Fingertips on keys. Clenched lungs
get that Killer-of-Enemies wasn’t.” and muttered curses. The pulse of a nation beating its head
He pauses. against the wall.
“That’s what fear does. It flies away and hides. And it’s We’re all afraid. Of them. Of us.
still there, y’know? Just like Big Owl, it’s never really gone.” Breathe, I remind myself. The first lesson you learn in
He reaches out to my winter-cold fist. Warms it with his touch, life: to breathe.

Prelude: Burning Bones XI

 Introduction:
Something Rich
and Strange
To a new world of gods and monsters!
— Dr. Pretorius, The Bride of Frankenstein

“God, John — he even looks like you.” higher-ranking operatives has shielded him, so far as I’m aware, from
It’s a poetic conceit, of course. Agent Tiberius looks nothing the infestation of our Union and the corruption all too obviously
like me, and I resemble him only insofar as two black-clad agents seething at its core.
might resemble one another. In this case, the other agent is clad I had not wanted to believe this, but the evidence is plain. We
in fur. I, of course, maintain the assigned uniform. Fellow Black are at war within our Union, and those of us who value its ideals
Suits resemble me far more than Agent Tiberius does. Which is, of must save it from what it has become.
course, a primary reason I have done so much for so long with so Beside me, Tiberius cocks his head at me. Assessment begins,
few repercussions. I am, especially when I wish to be, the proverbial so I assess him in return. Green letters flash by in the corner of my
needle in a haystack. vision, but I don’t need their information. Tiberius is a familiar
Still, I feel a smile crease one corner of my mouth. It’s an asset, and Agent Simpson is as close as one gets to being my friend.
uncommon sensation at best. With a mental shrug, I shut down the VDAS feed. The tilt of
Tiberius allows his tail a single wag. His cropped ears perk my head says all they need to know.
with a tension I’ve begun to recognize as humor. Dogs are generally Tiberius relaxes, his flanks shifting with near-imperceptible
far more intelligent than most humans give them credit for. Agent relief. He looks back to Simpson, who nods, and then he sits, his
Tiberius is far more intelligent than most people. He appreciates claws tapping on the metal floor.
the irony, as do I.
“You two know each other, correct?” Simpson’s voice holds a
Agent Simpson laughs. The white of his teeth shines bright casual note no one but those closest to him would recognize.
against his skin. I trust him like I trust few others of my kind
I allow myself to nod. “By reputation until now, but yes.”
and his essential humanity, however flawed it might appear to be
under regulation standards, is the reason why. The same stroke of “Then gentlemen,” Simpson says, his scan of the room now
independence that allows him to make a joke at the mild expense of complete, “Let’s talk. We have very little time, and a lot of work to do.”

12 Gods & Monsters

 Gods in a Monstrous Mirror
We move in the shadows of monsters and Yeah, right.
gods, those aspects of infinity through which Look around us now, and you’ll see fragments. Disunity.
we view our lives. Reflecting us back to Conflict. We’re more enemies than audience to one another
ourselves, these living mirrors show us who these days, and all too often we see monsters where instead
we think we are. We do the same for them we might see gods. If indeed there is something Divine inside
as well, capturing the things we see and then us trying to see Itself, that deity must be appalled. We have
casting those impressions out into the world created wonders and then turned them back upon ourselves,
we share. We are, as the old song says, “each hating what we think we see while refusing to recognize our
another’s audience” — the gods, the monsters, own reflections in our hate.
the familiar and the strange. I’m a mystery to
Yet, literally speaking, we are all gods and monsters, familiar
you, you’re a mystery to me, but in the middle
strangers more alike than we are different. The distance between
grounds where we meet, we reflect aspects of one another back
us is an illusion, a myth of separation that keeps us from seeing
so that, through those relationships, we get to know ourselves.
how truly wondrous we are. Ascension may be an ideal, but
In the Kabbalistic tradition, Divinity shatters Itself into unity remains possible — a flawed and limited unity, perhaps,
infinite pieces in order to better know Itself. Every element, but one that mere humans can still, to some degree, achieve.
each person, every thing, is therefore an aspect of Divinity in-
Mage is a game of realities at war. Folks who consider
carnate. In the lore of Mage, those fragments become Avatars,
themselves enlightened and awake spend untold amounts of
Awakened and Sleeping, who ideally will reconnect someday
energy trying to kill each other in service to ideals that are, on
and exalt this flawed and frightening world into a greater state
many levels, just the same theme seen from a different vantage.
of being: an Ascension through which all things may perhaps
Worse still, they put themselves on pedestals above the so-called
become possible.
“sleeping masses” and the companions in their shadows. Caught

Introduction: Something Rich and Strange 13

in a state between humanity and transcendence, they unleash
hell in the name of heaven. Mages, then, are monstrous gods What’s in a Name?
— all too human, blind with open eyes. In James Whale’s classic film The Bride of Frankenstein, Dr.
Pretorius (whose name, in Latin, means “the one who leads”)
Those mages are a lot like us.
offers up a toast to the possibilities of new lives created by the
Like Mage’s fictional willworkers, we shape our own realities. hands of men. Although that experiment goes rather badly for
At keyboards, at gaming tables, even walking down the street, our everyone concerned, the idea of a world peopled by “gods and
concept of what is and is not real depends on our perceptions. In monsters” offers a perfect fit for Mage’s themes of power and
order to escape the prisons we construct with our own minds, we its corruptions. Awakened folk move through such a world…
must look outside ourselves, see the reflection in another person’s and, thanks to their reality-weaving powers, they move that
eyes, and accept that we’re all in this big thing together. If we world as well. Thus, our mages live among gods and monsters
can’t or won’t do that, then the world we see and the reality we while also being gods and monsters themselves.
create become stagnant. Static. Ultimately doomed.
Gods, of course, are defined by Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate
Mage, then, is about saving reality from itself by looking Dictionary as “being(s) or object(s) believed to have more than
at The Other and recognizing, in that “other,” ourselves. natural attributes and powers and to require human worship;
And to that end, the book in your hands is about people specifically, one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality.”
we might see as “others”: animals, constructs, vampires, beasts. The word monster, as noted in the Mage 20th Anniversary
Paradox Spirits and familiar companions. Internal Avatars and Edition rulebook, refers to omens, warnings, and fearsome
transcendent gods. Although mages often think of such beings reflections of our inner demons. Familiar means “intimate,
as companions and enemies, lovers and friends, they are all, to related, close at hand,” with obvious ties to the word family.
some degree, living aspects of reality — parts of the whole that And yet, a stranger is foreign, unrelated, distant, alien — the
mages all too often miss because they’re too busy staring at their apparent opposite of familiarity. That paradox sums up the
own reflection instead of seeing it right beside them all along. theme and mood of this book: Mages and their companions
wield godlike powers that make them monsters, and though

Optional Rule: Troupe Play

Originally created by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen for Mage’s ancestor Ars Magica, troupe play allows
each player to create and control several characters, not just one. Rather than playing multiple mages, though, each
player has one mage and several companion characters. This way, companions get a chance to shine as well. Instead
of Background Traits with names, they become protagonists in their own right.
The troupe play option also frees your group from relying solely upon their mages. A given story can feature two
mages and two companions, a single mage and three companions, or whatever other variations seem to fit the story
best. One session or scene might feature only companions, while another scene deals with mages alone. This option
expands the potential stories you can tell, especially if the relationships between those characters get as complex as
the relationships between real people can be.
Generally, you’ll want to play only one character at a time. Portraying multiple characters at the same time can lead
to power-gaming, shared knowledge between characters who don’t possess telepathy, spotlight-hogging, player
confusion (“Which character are you speaking for this time?”), dramatic monopoly, and creative fatigue. Pick one
character, and then stick with it throughout a given scene or story.
Troupe play provides an excellent showcase for Backgrounds like Allies, Familiar, and Retainers; and for Merits and
Flaws like Family Support or Issues, Manifest Avatar, Sleeping with the Enemy, True Love, and Ward. Those Traits
become a lot more significant, obviously, if another player takes on the role of your Trait’s associated character; a
beloved paramour or jealous spouse has far more depth if he’s being played by the guy right next to you.
Troupe play can also give the Storyteller a break if a fellow player steps into that position. In this case, another player
is entrusted with the Storyteller role while the usual Storyteller gets to step out in character. The Book of Mirrors
features a detailed rundown of this option (“Sharing the Spotlight,” pp. 149-151). For a group full of imaginative
players, this option presents a wider range of stories than a single person could provide… and that, in turn, leads to
more fun for everyone.
For additional inspiration, see the storytelling chapter in Mage 20, specifically “Troupe Collaboration” (p. 342),
“Characters” (pp. 355-357), “Settings as Characters” (p. 359), and “The Avatar” (pp. 366-367); plus the “Genre,
Storytelling, and Mage” section of The Book of Secrets, specifically the entries for “Romance” and “Tragedy”
(pp. 285-286).

14 Gods & Monsters

they’re intimately related they appear strange and threatening into other World of Darkness chronicles, either as non-player
to one another. Fascinated by the strangers beside them, they characters or as foundations for characters the players employ.
often fail to notice we’re all in this big thing together. The following chapters break down this way:
Like those mages, we’re “playing god” in our own little
• Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-
worlds — if only around the gaming table — fascinated by the
Folk presents dozens of templates and characters for
strange monsters we fight while often missing that, to them,
the people who deal most closely with mages and their
we’re strange monsters, too.
world.
We are all “the other” in someone else’s eyes.
But when we transcend our petty bullshit, we can see that • Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars offers a look
we’re family. Even when we kind of hate each other, we’re all One. at the creatures that mages craft and conjure in order
to keep themselves company in a world few people
Flock Together understand.
You’re known, as the saying goes, by the company you • Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary deals with non-hu-
keep. And mages, whose presence guides the world around man entities: familiar animals and legendary critters
them, attract allies, associates, and enemies who reflect their who live on the hidden fringes of this world.
personalities back at them. The nature witch finds herself sur-
rounded by animals; the Enlightened scientist associates with • Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities goes beyond the
lab assistants and experimental beings. Urban saints attract material realm and features Avatars, Paradox Spirits,
creatures who call their city home, while devotees of spiritual totem-spirits, and actual divinities.
practices draw sacred friends and profane foes.
• Chapter Five: Crafting Characters lays out rules and
As shown by the Mage 20 Background entries for “Backup
Traits for non-mage characters, and features Spirit
and Familiar / Companion” (pp. 306 and 314-315), and the
Charms and Special Advantages, which offer powers
Resonance entry “Roleplaying, Storytelling, Merits, and Flaws”
beyond human capacity.
(The Book of Secrets, p. 169), a mage’s companions reflect the
temperament of the magus in question, assuming forms and • There’s also a selection of suggested resources at the
functions that reflect the essential nature, metaphysical energies, end of Chapter Five, featuring books and films that
and magical focus appropriate to the mage in question. And so, may inspire or inform characters and stories for you.
as you introduce companions into your Mage chronicle, makes
sure those allies, associates, and enemies seem appropriate to Whether walking by each other’s sides or chasing each
the Awakened characters in your game — related in some way other through the shadows, mages and their various compan-
that reveals how your mages shape their world and the ways ions become essential characters in the stories of their lives.
in which that world responds to them. By extension, the adventures they share, good and otherwise,
forge the basis for their realities. We’re all stories, actually — the
How to Use This Book memories we share, the tales we tell ourselves, the impressions
we draw from the way the world seems to work… at the end of
As a compendium of creatures and companions, Gods & the day, they’re all stories which shape our view of what’s real.
Monsters presents an array of non-mage characters. You can
And though we often miss the significance of that guy
use these entries straight out of the box as presented, employ
behind the counter or that neighbor who drives us up the
them as springboards for original character designs, build mages
wall, the most amazing stories often stand right next to us,
on the framework of certain characters and templates (notably
unspoken and usually unseen, in the guise of the people and
those given in Chapter One), work them into the Backgrounds,
animals we believe we know best.
Merits, and Flaws of your Awakened characters, or drop them

Introduction: Something Rich and Strange 15

 Chapter One:
Sleepers,
Consors, Hunters,
and Night-Folk
We cannot despair of humanity, since we ourselves are human beings.
— Albert Einstein

You’re sure he’s in here?” about his son’s new boyfriend, and so Christian had done what most
“Dude, I’m not sure of anything right now.” kids in his situation would have done: grabbed his shit, stormed out,
and got himself lost in an environment he couldn’t begin to understand.
It used to be a mattress place, I think. One of those standalone,
luxury-item storefronts that used to cover the landscape back when There’s a lot of that going around these days.
the economy was good and everybody thought it’d stay good forever. Lee Ann took some deep breaths to focus her senses to the point
So many buildings built and abandoned — office parks, McMansions, where she could see in the blackness beyond the storefront’s missing
malls — that even the busiest city looks like a ghost town if you turn window. I’m not nearly as good at that sort of thing as she is, so I slid
down the right (or wrong) corner and find graffiti-masked hulks rotting on my light-enhancing glasses and pressed the stud until I could see
right off the main drag… and occasionally right along the main drag, what was waiting for us in the dark.
too. Hell, it’s not that long ago that my favorite part of town featured A sea of trash, punctuated by old furniture and ringed by surreal
niche bookstores and fashionable boutiques. Now they’re all boarded graffiti covering every visible meter of the walls. Some old mattresses,
up and fenced off by the cheap chain-link fences that seem to be the cloaked by dirty blankets and sporting bodies that shivered and snored
nation’s biggest industry. Fences that are, at best, a polite suggestion but didn’t seem to notice us. A thick stench of rotting food and rotting
ignored by anyone who wants or needs to find what lies behind that fence. bodies, undercut with the vinegar-sweet tang of meth and the rougher
In our case, Lee Ann and I needed to find the runaway teenage smell of cheap beer.
son of our friend Maurice — a great guy to have taking care of Chantry Silent, Lee Ann tapped my shoulder.
paperwork but not someone equipped to go digging through the rougher
That’s when I felt the press of bodies right behind us, and heard air
side of town on what would be, for most folks, a wild-teen chase. Maurice
whistle around the lead pipe swinging straight at the back of my head…
had said some stupid… and, to be fair to the kid, really ugly… things

The Heart of the World

It starts with people. For all the paranormal goodies on display were-whatevers we could imagine wouldn’t even exist. Though often
in a World of Darkness chronicle, the human element is essential. forgotten in the mad rush of claiming the next Sphere, the mortal
Without the people at the heart of that world, all the vampires and side of your Mage saga is the foundation for every other thing.
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 17
 And so, our tour through this world of Gods & Awakened lives, and then onward to the eventual reach
Monsters begins with the heart of that world: the human of actual gods.
beings who make up much of its population. Moving out- In the beginning, though, we’ve got people. Just people
ward, we’ll visit the near-human Night-Folk, the familiars who, despite the dismissive names given to them by high-and-
and constructs who are such an intimate part of most mighty mages, are where all our tales begin.

The Sleeping Masses

“Sleepers.” “The Masses.” Really? When you the herd” — potentially fatal.
reduce the majority of human beings to such In addition to the entries given for Typical Citizen, Thug,
simple, dismissive terms, is it any wonder that Beat Cop, Government Agent, and Extraordinary Operatives
they refuse — consciously or otherwise — to go (Mage 20, pp. 620-623), the following entries reflect rough
along with your agenda? Mages like to think they game Traits and concepts for characters who have yet to enjoy
call the shots where reality is concerned and the strange powers and extreme crises so familiar to Awakened
to a degree, they’re right. Still, the Consensus folks. The character entries below represent a handful of such
ultimately depends not upon the whims of people who might or might not appear in your adventures.
wizards but upon the hopes, fears, and beliefs
Assuming they do appear, the following templates and
of students, bankers, bus drivers, salespeople,
personas could be background characters, supporting charac-
farmers, factory workers, children, elders, and everybody in
ters, Background characters (Allies, Backup, Contacts, Cult
between. The true face of the Masses is not some slumbering
members, Retainers, personnel for your Chantry or Sanctum),
imbecile but the person in your classroom, at your job, in your
characters associated with Merits or Flaws (True Love, Ward,
mirror. We are the Consensus. Mages are just along for the ride.
Family, Property, and so forth), or perhaps even the people
Although those high-flown Awakened types often forget your mages were before the Awakening changed their lives
this fact, even the most supposedly mundane Sleeper has se- forever. Either way, these folks will grow and change as the
cret, interesting elements of life. He might belong to a mixed chronicle progresses; if they become a consistent presence in
martial arts gym, host a Satanic cult, run guns for the local your chronicle, you can be sure these “sleeping masses” will
gangs, or have a gender other than the one assigned at birth. be more than they initially appear to be.
One Sleeper has a massive gun collection in her basement and
The characters provided beneath each template are in-
goes out shooting with her girlfriend on the weekends; another
tentionally presented without Traits so your Storyteller can
can sell anything to anyone without employing a single Merit
personalize them as she sees fit. This way, folks like Lenora
or Sphere — just force of personality. Everyday people have net-
and Jeremy retain an element of surprise and individuality
works and interests, helpful skills and hidden lives. In real life,
beyond the base provided by the suggested Traits above them.
this author is a former shop clerk who plays in an occult-rock
band with two construction workers, an IT tech-support rep,
a customer-service rep, and a pizza server… all of whom have The Weight of Living
lives their coworkers would rarely understand. The point is this: So often, roleplaying games presume young-to-mature
No human being is “just normal.” Everyone has hidden sides. adults as the baseline characters. In stories, however, as in
life, people range from infancy to decrepitude. And so, when
In chronicles that feature Merits and Flaws, it’s not
creating World of Darkness characters older or younger
unusual for mundane human beings to have Merits like
than the adult baseline, either as Storyteller characters or as
Artistically Gifted, Dark Triad, or Confidence, much less
player-character mages, let the following suggestions be your
Flaws like Impediment, Profiled Appearance, Troublemaker,
guide. For more details, see The Book of Secrets, pp. 39-41
or Ward. (Anyone who understands more than their native
(the Flaws: Child, Impediment, Aging, and Short), and pp.
tongue has at least one Language Merit, and many people
115-116 (“Child-Mages”), and the character creation rules in
have several of them.) The weirder Merits and Flaws are
this book’s Chapter Five.
rare but not impossible Traits among the Masses, although
things like Cloak of the Seasons or Psychic Vampire mark
Young Child (2-8 years old)
that mortal as a rather unusual person. Saintly folks might
have a dot or two in True Faith, while more wretched mortals Physically smaller and weaker than adults, young children
struggle with Addiction or Dark Fate. The tendency of World also lack much life experience aside from the skills gained
of Darkness critters (and players) to dismiss the capability of from playing and early academic learning. Their mental fac-
normal human beings is short-sighted at best, and it can be- ulties, however, can approach an adult’s capacity, and their
come — especially for mages who regard themselves as “above ability to perceive things their elders miss is surprisingly high
— hence, a boosted Perception and Wits, plus the Abilities:

18 Gods & Monsters

Awareness and Enigmas. Young kids also tend to have even
higher Appearance and Manipulation Attributes because most
adults are hard-wired to take care of children. Being small and
relatively fragile, though, they have fewer health levels than
adult humans do. Those strengths and weaknesses make small
kids especially vulnerable to adult power, though, and a child
cannot reasonably be expected to take care of himself in an
adult-oriented world even though some children manage to
survive on their own anyway.
In game terms, a character in this age range has a hard limit
on most Traits (a six-point maximum in Physical Traits, and
no Physical Attribute higher than 2), and no character points
to spend during the creation stage except for the six points
gained from the Flaws Child (at the 3-point level) and Short,
possibly four more from the Flaw Aging in its youthful option,
plus any other Flaws allowed at the Storyteller’s discretion.
That character may also have a few Merits and Flaws ap-
propriate to childhood situations: Curiosity, Family Support,
Issues, Inner Strength, Naïve, Pitiable, Rival House, Ward,
and so on. A child this young won’t be taken seriously by
adults, remains a ripe target for exploitation, and faces ob-
stacles ranging from a small, fragile body to a lack of social
power and the limitations of what he could possibly have
learned during a very short time in this life. That child could,
of course, have a much older Avatar, guiding spirits, allied
adults, and so forth. That said, a kid’s life in the adult world
might look carefree, but it never really is.

Suggested Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 2,

Charisma 1-3, Manipulation 2-5, Appearance 3-5, Perception
2-3, Intelligence 1-3, Wits 3
Suggested Abilities: Alertness 1, Athletics 1, Awareness
3, Enigmas 2
Willpower: 2
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒4, Incapacitated
Image: Little kids tend to be adorable by default, though
they also create one hell of a mess. Finicky adults might find
young children repulsive because such kids get sticky, snotty,
and overall kind of gross; other adults find children irresistible
and want to take care of them whenever possible.
Roleplaying Notes: You’re not a small adult — you’re a
child, and this very big, often-scary world seems, for better
and for worse, to revolve around you.

Joey McCallister
Little Joey hears music in his head. He envisions scenes
of action and adventure. His fingers twitch and his limbs
move in imitation of the heroes of on his parents’ TV screen.
He sees himself as a human engine of destruction without
really knowing what that really means. He yells “KABOOM!”
and other explosive sounds. Joey hasn’t learned yet that he
should probably keep such things to himself. And because he

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 19

rarely speaks in words, or communicates with other kids his Short Flaw is no longer required after puberty sets in, even
age, his parents have begun to wonder if maybe something’s though most kids still have it until their mid-teens if not
wrong with him. later. Maturing kids tend to be distractible (hence a lower
“Wrong” is relative. A doctor might say Joey’s on the Perception and Wits than younger kids might have), but are
shallow end of the autism spectrum, but he’s just really imag- more experienced at life than younger children are. Since
inative, that’s all. Nothing much to worry about unless Joey most kids this age are attending some form of schooling,
starts acting out more violently. As of now, anyway, he’s not. their academic understanding, though incomplete, is often
At daycare, the kids find Joey a little strange if they notice fresher than that of many adults. And since roughhousing
him at all. Joey keeps to himself most of the time, and his is a common thing for kids of all genders, a single dot of
interactions with other children are, if anything, more gen- Brawl and at least one in Athletics is not inappropriate for
tle, shy, and temperate than most kids his age. He thrashes the average kid this age.
around in his sleep at naptime, though, and the sounds he
makes sometimes alarm the adults. Whatever Joey sees and Suggested Attributes: Strength 1-2, Dexterity 2, Stamina
hears, however, is a mystery. He’ll share his toys but has not 2, Charisma, 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception
yet decided how or if to share his thoughts. 2, Intelligence 1-4, Wits 2
Not quite five years old, Joey lags a bit behind the devel- Suggested Abilities: Academics 1, Alertness 2, Athletics
opmental curve for kids his age. Words come slowly to him, 1-2, Brawl 1,
and he seems unusually distracted most of the time. His bright
Willpower: 2
blue eyes reveal a vivid, perhaps unnerving, level of perceptive-
ness. It’s not that Joey doesn’t see the world around him — he Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
clearly does. Joey can recount conversations, if pressed to do Image: Young enough to be cute, old enough to begin devel-
so, with an accuracy surprising for someone his age. The times oping a personality of their own, older children are generally
his parents have turned him loose on musical instruments, neater than their younger counterparts but still keep the local
Joey showed prodigious natural ability. Still, he often seems adults busy with cleaning, caretaking, and repairing the damage
to be somewhere else. That’s not unusual for young children, those kids leave behind.
of course — kids his age are still figuring out what is and is Roleplaying Notes: Nobody’s the boss of you, except
not “real” in the eyes of their elders. Joey’s reality, though, maybe your parents, but probably not them either.
appears somewhat removed from that of his peers. What’s
going on in there, and will he ever share the stories in his Lesedi Omiata
head? In a world so unpredictable, many answers are possible “I’m a mermaid,” she thinks, even though she knows
in the future… some hopeful, many really not. that isn’t true. Lesedi loves to swim. She’s loved it ever since
An adorable blond kid, Joey has slender features, piercing her family took a vacation at the beach when she was a little
blue eyes, and a largish head in proportion to his body. His kid, though it’s hard for her to swim as often as she likes.
clothes seem unusually neat for those of a boy his age, and The local pool got shut down due to lack of funds, and the
while he can speak understandably, he rarely does so. Joey school isn’t rich enough to afford its own pool despite talk of
seems nervous in social situations, preferring his own company a school swim team if they can make the proper arrangements
whenever possible. His fingers often weave intricate patterns, for it to happen. In the meantime, Lesedi soaks a lot in the
designs only he can see, and his preference for long pants, family bathtub and draws mermaids with dark blue skin and
long sleeves, socks, and shoes under almost every circumstance curly greenish-black hair.
suggests a desire to protect himself from the world outside. For Lesedi, dry land feels wrong beneath her feet. Gravity
weighs upon her like social disapproval. Between the not-so-
Older Kid (8-13 years old) gentle jokes some of her friends make about “washing all your
Mobile enough to get into lots of trouble, more resilient black off” and the crueler remarks from local white kids who
than smaller children, and experienced enough to become say she’ll turn their water dirty, mermaid dreams are never
somewhat capable (though still far below the adult baseline), easy for a girl like Lesedi. Still, she loves to swim, to float, to
older kids begin to approach their mature abilities while hold her breath like she could forget what it’s like to need to
remaining children in most regards, especially in legal ones. breathe. The mockery just convinces Lesedi that true home
By this age, in many societies, kids begin to have chores and lies elsewhere.
responsibilities, perhaps even jobs. Initiation into adulthood
She does pretty well at school. Her grasp of facts is obvious,
generally begins around age 13 or so.
and she catches on fast. She’s been studying outdoorsmanship
A character in this age range, then, gets 10 freebie points, and knows her way around basic home technology. Still, the
but is still limited to a six-point maximum in Physical Traits. halls and streets above the waves seem alien, like a distant
Although such characters still get the Child Flaw (at the 2 planet on which she does not belong. Now, with womanhood
pt. level), and maybe Aging, too (two additional points); the
20 Gods & Monsters
rising toward her like a wave she cannot dodge or surf, the Thanks to the physical, mental, and legal transitions of our
clutch of air feels like drowning. Lesedi dreams of swimming teenage years, characters in this age range inevitably have various
away, diving down, hovering in her weightless space until Mental, Social, and possibly Physical Flaws: Impediment can
those alien distractions drift away and all that’s left is the represent literal growing pains, while Family Issues are pretty
truth of who she really is. much a given for any teenage character. Teens are Impulsive
For now, Lesedi gets by with soft obedience. She does by default, and usually Intemperate, too, with Rivalry, True
what she’s told, as much as any child can. She gets good Love, Socially Networked, and New Kid being common Merits
grades, doesn’t fight too much with her brother and older and Flaws for adolescent heroes. On the plus side, characters
sisters, and nods her head when her parents tell Lesedi what’s in this age range tend to have a dot or two more in Stamina
expected of her. Yeah, she scraps occasionally with the girls than their older peers might have, and the older ones can pass
at school, and even busted Amare Jackson’s nose when he for adults even if legally they’re not quite there yet.
asked her if mermaids smell like fish. Mostly, though, the
girl keeps to herself, and dreams of the day… or perhaps the Suggested Attributes: Strength 1-3, Dexterity 2-4, Stamina
night… when she can grow her tail out secretly and slip away 1-3, Charisma 1-4, Manipulation 3-4, Appearance 1-4,
from the human world for good. Perception 2-3, Intelligence 2-4, Wits 2
A lean-muscled preteen with long limbs, dreadlocks, and Suggested Abilities: Academics 2, Alertness 1-2, Athletics
a voice vibrant with quiet intensity, Lesedi favors blues and 0-3, Brawl 1, Expression 2-3, Technology 2-3
greens in her clothing and the occasional makeup she has
Willpower: 2-5 (Teens can be incredibly uncertain and yet
begun to wear. Her rugged clothing reflects a lifestyle that’s
totally assured at the same time.)
active even by kid standards, and she’s usually got a well-earned
scrape or three. Lesedi tends to go barefoot or wear sandals Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
rather than shoes, and her large eyes go hazy and distant when Image: Working their way from children to adults, teens range
she considers her retreat to, and eventually under, the sea. from the most awkward and ungainly people imaginable to the most
gorgeous specimens of our species. There are reasons artists, mer-
Teenager (14-18 years old) chants, and philosophers remain fixated on adolescence; for better
Older children have essentially reached the baseline for and worse, those years shape the adults we eventually become.
World of Darkness characters. Teenage kids might still have the Roleplaying Notes: You are who you are, even if you’re not
Child Flaw, and are still considered children in many societies, sure exactly who that is just yet. By nature and culture, you’re
but have the general capacity of an adult in terms of game Traits. impulsive, rebellious, and often confused, and so any hater
Historically speaking, the mere idea of “teenagers” is a who tries to cram you into a box is asking for trouble.
recent innovation of the 20th-century Western industrialized
world. Before then (and, in many cultures, even now), people Kim Phan (Phan Thi Khiêm)
are considered young adults once they hit puberty, and the “Where are you from?” Kim’s from here. Always has been.
traditions of apprenticeship, clerical orders, arranged marriag- Sure, her grandparents fled Vietnam in the late 1970s, but
es, and military service were on many levels invented in order that was an eternity ago. Her parents barely speak Vietnamese
to channel the restless, reckless urges of human adolescence at all, and Kim’s accent fits the world she grew up in, not the
toward what societies considered to be practical applications place her ancestors came from. Hell, she’s barely even met
of lust, intensity, and violence. her grandfather, and grandma passed on when Kim was still
Regardless of the culture they hail from, adolescent a kid. The Twin Towers fell on New York before Kim was
people tend to be impulsive and drastic. By adult standards, even born, and she’s never known a world without social
they’re literally insane thanks to the chemical and sociological media, cell phones, and other stuff grandpa’s still trying to
transformations between childhood and adulthood, combined understand. His world is not hers. Where she’s from? The
with the social stresses of conformity, obedience, rejection here and now, thank you very fucking much.
of parental authority, and indecision about who and what Kim’s not especially good at math, no matter what people
they want to be now that they have the chance to grow up. expect from her. She prefers skateboarding, and she’s got a
Modern media has a very profitable fixation on this stage of pretty decent collection, including a few she made herself. Her
human development: Teens spend money, so lots of industries signature rig’s got blue LEDs on the wheels and a deck painted
use media to entice teens (and their parents) to buy as much with a punk rock Princess Luna flying against a backdrop of
stuff as they can possibly afford… and quite often more than purple lightning — a custom job Kim built and painted herself.
that. For obvious reasons then, teens tend to distrust adults She set up a YouTube channel to show off her tricks, and it’s
even when they still crave support and approval from “their got a few thousand subscribers plus the requisite haters. She
elders.” This stage of life is a dance with fire, with part of its and her buds Travis, Shan, and Erika catch some air between
appeal being the potential for a truly glorious burn. classes whenever possible, then hang out anywhere they’re less
likely to get busted for skating like fiends.
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 21
 I guess she’s sort of popular. I mean, maybe? Kim’s got mortal folk. Eventually, youth passes into maturity and (if
a decent circle of friends, even if most of ‘em are skate-rats allowed to do so) endures to seniority and possibly old age.
and stoners. The mean girls have better things to do than Older folks often acquire a reputation for grumpy, can-
pick on Kim, and Kim gets invites to the better parties even tankerous, or grossly inappropriate behavior. Sometimes, this
though she doesn’t show for most of them except maybe comes about because such people are “products of another time”
long enough to see and be seen while downing a beer or two (see the Mental Flaws Bigot, Impatient, and Inappropriate,
before heading back out to skate. She likes her metal hard and maybe the Supernatural Flaw Anachronism for extreme
and fast and old, preferably with some hip-hop mixed in to cases), with values and opinions outside the social mainstream
keep it from sounding too white for words, and has a crush of their age. More often, though, it’s simply the result of being
on Ville Valo that she admits to no one, even though (like in constant pain. Age reminds you each morning about every
his band) he’s really fucking old. Kim keeps her grades up stupid thing you’ve ever done, because you feel all of it every
to keep the ‘rents off her back, and she’s got her eye on a time you get out of or into bed. Declining perceptions don’t
job at a skate shop when she hits 16, but she’s got time yet help either; when you need reading glasses to decipher that
before that happens. As for college, she’s not sure. It seems thing you could have read just fine a year or two earlier, it tends
like a lot of work for nothing in the end, and the career to make one cranky as hell. Despite these truisms, though, old
she wants has nothing to do with books and everything do people aren’t naturally any more obnoxious than anybody else…
to with skill. unless, of course, they’ve slipped into distraction or dementia
When she’s not out honing her skating chops, Kim’s thanks to Alzheimer’s or some other form of age-inflicted decay.
spending more and more time with her friend Marissa’s (See the Flaws Absent-Minded and Derangement.)
teen pagan study group. Yeah, some of the stuff they say is The game Trait consequences of advancing age can be
kind of woo, but it makes more sense than Mom’s weird found in The Book of Secrets, p. 40, under the Flaws Aging
Catholic hang-up thing. Dad says he respects Kim’s spiritual and Impediment. The greater effects of age, regardless of a
decisions, so she’s begun checking out websites and talking character’s chronological years, come through a progressive (or
Goddess-stuff with Marissa and her friends. Kim really likes really, degenerative) series of Trait ceilings and penalties. For
the strange designs she’s found online. Some of them have most unAwakened human beings, those effects start to kick in
begun to find their way onto her skateboard-deck designs, between age 50 and 60, with a hard, unhealthy lifestyle aging a
and everybody thinks they’re cool, so really it’s no big deal… person by their mid-30s. Although folks can live vigorous lives
Thin and muscular, Khiêm often wears road rash and into their 70s if they’re fortunate, conscientious, and often
a daredevil grin. She might own a single pair of jeans that wealthy, most people’s bodies begin to break down during the
hasn’t been slashed, torn, or otherwise abraded by her as- middle years. A senior-age character, then, could range from
phalt hobbies, and her closet’s full of mangled T-shirts from a healthy person who’s down a dot or two in their Physical
death- and old-school metal bands. Most of Kim’s wardrobe is characteristics, to a near-invalid who’s ridden by disease and
dark (it’s better at hiding bloodstains), accentuated with hot deteriorating physical and mental capacities.
pinks, slash patterns, and vivid reds. Although she wears her It’s been said that age brings wisdom. It doesn’t… but it
hair long and straight, she usually ties it back, braids it up, does bring perspective. A person who’s survived a few dozen
or otherwise keeps it out of her face. Typically tricked out in decades in their current incarnation has plenty of experience,
skater shorts, scabbed knees, overlarge tees, scuffed-up Nikes, and while that experience might not translate into Ability dots,
a backpack, and one of her collection of dark hoodies, Kim it’s not out of line to give an elder character 20 or 25 freebie
carries a board everywhere and never walks if she can skate. points to distribute between Abilities, Merits, and Flaws.
Kim’s parents kept her legal name Vietnamese out of Though their Attributes are reduced by one dot for every two
respect to Grandpa. Everyone she knows, however, her folks points spent in the Aging Flaw, with Physical Traits generally
included, calls her Kim. If Mom calls out Kim’s full name, the capped around four dots after age 50 and three dots after age
girl understands she’s really in trouble now. Unlike most of 70 (Storyteller’s call, not a hard-and-fast rule), the extra points
her friends these days, Kim still gets along with Mom… most in Abilities reflect the greater time and work older people have
of the time, anyway. Still, she prefers the silence of her room often put into the things they do. Obviously, this suggestion
or the grind of skate wheels and wood across hard surfaces won’t be true for people who have just sort of skated through
right before she grabs air and flies again. their lives, not really committing themselves to anything, and
an older person’s diminished physical and perhaps mental
Senior (60+ years old) capacities will, of course, limit the sorts of Abilities at which
Mages and other Night-Folk have many ways of bypassing they can excel. Still, it’s not unusual for an ancient martial
the physical effects of age. Other people have no such talents, artist to exceed his younger students’ capabilities, and many
and while exercise, luck, genetics, and a healthy lifestyle can Knowledge disciplines demand decades of study and application
reduce the worst ravages of age, those years do pile up on before one can reach true excellence in that field.

22 Gods & Monsters

Suggested Attributes: Strength 1-3, Dexterity 1-2, Stamina stops to think about those last 40 years, they seem to have gone
1-3, Charisma 1-4, Manipulation 3-5, Appearance 1-3, by so fast. Sure, he spent a lot of time at work, too much time,
Perception 1-4, Intelligence 2-4, Wits 1-5 really, not that you could tell from the size of his paychecks. But
Suggested Abilities: Whatever the person in question has now retirement age is coming up, and he hasn’t got anything
spent the majority of their life doing. socked away (when did he ever have time and money enough
Willpower: 2-9 (Elders range from tentative confusion to to do that?), and the folks at work have begun treating him
ironclad certainty; when older folks make up their minds about like a dead man walking, because everybody knows that old
something, though, they can be the stubbornest people alive.) hands just can’t hack it the way the young hires can. Maybe
it is time for a change of scenery, a new lifestyle, a chance to
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒4, ‒5, Incapacitated do all those things he’s always wanted to do.
Image: The degree to which age, well, ages a person depends Scott’s got a new friend these days: a woman who claims
tremendously upon diet, lifestyle, genetics, overall health, and she can freeze the passage of time, maybe even turn it back
social circumstances. Some folks make it to their 60s with most for certain folks who can meet the price. Poor Scott doesn’t
of their physical youth intact, while others burn out their bodies have much to offer and isn’t sure what to believe. This new
and confidence by the time they hit 30. As a general rule, friend, though, has done some pretty impossible things, so
though, older people tend to show their experience through Scott’s inclined to think maybe she’s not as full of shit as she
greater self-awareness or stubbornness, with the obvious phys- comes across as being. She’s made him an offer, and he’s not
ical signs attributed to aging — wrinkles, graying, hair loss, sure he can refuse. Where did all that time go, anyway? And
notable weight change, sagging skin, stooped posture, and is there something, maybe, that Scott’s friend could do in
so forth — making some people more attractive than they were order to get Scott a little more of it?
in their youth and turning others into everything they feared
about advancing age.
Roleplaying Notes: For better and worse, the life you’ve
Everyday People
Every face in the crowd is a hero in disguise. Such
lived catches up with you if and when you live long enough
people might lack the powers of Sphere magick, but their
to see it settle in.
identities and dreams are no less valid than those of wizards
Scott Walters and man-machines. Does that lack of magick, though, make
them lesser beings? Vampires and werebeasts won’t bother
Where’d all those years go? Scott had plans, lots of them.
to ask such questions — the answers are obvious. For a mage,
He always meant to pick up the guitar again, after putting it
however, the power of “sleeping humanity” is a practical
aside when his post-college band went nowhere fast. He was
matter as well as a philosophical one.
going to be a writer, too — still could be, once he gets around
to it. I mean, it’s not like Scott is old or anything, right? Sixty Despite their overall lack of martial finesse, “just plain
years old isn’t really old these days; hell, Brad Pitt’s pushing 60, folks” exist in all corners of a mage’s world. They’re your family,
and Arnie and Sly are still making action movies and pumping your friends, your Wards (as per that Flaw) and Retainers (as
themselves up. Heroes don’t age, and Scott knows he’s still per the Background of that name). These are the folks right
the hero of his own personal film. It’s just that he’s always next to a mage at the gym, working in her office, tending to
so tired by the time he gets home from work. His back hurts. her car, walking her dogs, attending her poli-sci class, and
His knee gives him trouble. That spare tire around his waist usually teaching it, too. When your mage hits the clubs, most
isn’t getting any smaller, but he’ll fix that soon… tomorrow, folks she meets there are everyday people; if she has a cult
maybe. Just as soon as he gets his second wind. He still wears or congregation, fan club or manor house, almost everyone
his hair kind of long for a middle-aged white dude (it’s not there is this sort of character. A so-called Sleeper doesn’t need
really a mullet, is it?), and his former good looks have been powers in order to play a major role in your chronicle. Hell,
softened by flab and worn deep by constant work and pain. before her Awakening, your character was one of them as well.
Scott was all about getting stuff done in the 70s and 80s.
Jobs. Songs. Women. Set ‘em up and knock ‘em down, baby. Suggested Attributes: Strength 2-3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2,
Back then, he didn’t ever get tired. Scott burned the candle Charisma 1-3, Manipulation 1-3, Appearance 1-4, Perception
at every end that would light, and then figured out ways to 1-3, Intelligence 1-4, Wits 2
light the same end more than once. Three marriages and Suggested Abilities: Academics 1-3, Area Knowledge 1-3,
two kids later, he slowed down, but not that much. I mean, Athletics 0-2, Crafts 0-3, Computer 1-3, Drive 1-2, Firearms
he wasn’t like his former classmates at the school reunions, 3, Technology 1-3 (plus Talents, Skills, or Knowledges appro-
with their big bellies and fading hairlines. He was hot, fit, priate to their field or hobby, 1-3)
and still ready to take on the world and win.
Willpower: 3
He still feels that way now. It couldn’t possibly have been
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒ 2, ‒5, Incapacitated
over 40 years since he graduated college, could it? When Scott

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 23

Equipment: Wallet, cell phone, typical clothing and gear case through the courts for five years, the insurance company
for the appropriate culture. went out of business, leaving Porter’s family with ruinous legal
Image: This person could be anyone. and medical bills. An avid hiker and aspiring ecologist, Porter
Roleplaying Notes: Depending on your background and needed to reassess almost every aspect of his life.
personality, your behavior runs the range of human experience. Porter was never good at playing the victim, much less
the beatific handicapped inspirational icon, and his justified
Porter Pryce bitterness at the situation alienated many parties who might
The world looks different when you’re in a wheelchair. have helped (a little bit) if only he’d quietly assumed the role
Counters and tables are set at the wrong height, doors are too assigned to him by society. As things are, he’s not interested
narrow, and your leverage is all wrong. Curbs too rarely feature in being anybody’s poster boy. Now in his early 30s, Porter is
cuts and ramps, and those damn stairwells are everywhere. heavily tattooed, aggressively self-reliant, and driven by sheer
Perhaps worst of all, people insist upon defining a person in attitude through the many obstacles of his life.
a wheelchair by that wheelchair, as if a mobility tool was the After working a boring series of data-entry jobs and at-
be-all-end-all feature of the person using it. For many folks, tempting and failing to learn programming, Porter combined
that wheelchair is the only feature another person sees. his interest in political and cultural history with his anger
Porter Pryce has been in wheelchairs since age 16, when regarding the treatment of physically impaired people. What
a driver who’d always sworn “I drive better when I’m drunk” began as a series of social-media posts about obnoxious custom-
plowed into Porter’s mother’s car, leaving Pryce paralyzed from er-service reps, wheelchair access and lack thereof, predatory
the waist down. The driver, by that time, had burnt through insurance companies, and the tendency of people to park in
every decent insurance company and was riding on the grace handicapped-only parking spaces (and then throw fits at people
of a fly-by-night company that offered the Pryce family a set- whose mobility actually is limited) became first a viral sensation,
tlement that wouldn’t feed the family dog. After dragging the then a paid activist gig. Porter’s frustrations echo a common
theme in a world where the Americans with Disabilities Act
24 Gods & Monsters
is at best a polite (and typically ignored) suggestion and many
nations have no such provisions at all. Porter has turned his Hardcases
ecological interests toward sociological ones, and his penchant Whether or not they fight for fun and profit (as per the
for sardonic outrage has begun to generate a trickle of income Mage 20 “Thug” and “Professional Badass” entries pp. 620-
— not enough to live on but more than he was making before. 621), some folks are pretty damn tough. Truckers, freight
handlers, ironworkers, bodybuilders, athletes, martial artists,
These days, Porter and his friends Rachel Morse, Teal
farm workers, warehouse personnel, military veterans, and
McClean, and Regina Washington maintain ANVIL (Advocacy,
other otherwise normal human beings whose work and play
Normalization & Vigilance for Impaired Lifestyles): a virtual
involves a lot of physical activity… they’re not people you want
network with related blogs and YouTube channels that criticize
to mess with. They may not be violent by inclination and
cultural preconceptions about physically impaired people and
might sometimes — as with professional dancers — not seem
their conditions, demand protections and provisions for folks
like much unless you realize just how physically fit they really
with such conditions, and expose abuses perpetrated against
are. If push literally comes to shove, though, these people are
people (physically able and otherwise) who are being abandoned
in no way “pushovers,” even if you’re a mage.
and exploited by outside parties. Inspired by the symbols for
the Greek blacksmith god Hephaestus — often dismissed for Although Physical Traits define a hardcase, these sorts
his “deformities” among the physical perfections of Olympian of people can be damned smart, sociable, or both, as well.
gods — ANVIL employs the logo of a golden anvil and two The common preconception of physically fit morons is often
hammers against a fire-red background. Teal’s in the process of belied by the people themselves. With or without martial or
turning that logo into a line of clothing specifically designed for other skill sets, however, a strong person of any gender can do
people with bodies of unconventional size, shape, and function; things a less-capable person cannot manage. If their physical
Regina’s organizing a legal and lobbying team for ANVIL; and prowess is obvious to the eye, these folks often seem more
Rachel’s providing moral, media, and logistical support for the socially attractive than average, too. There are reasons, after
team. It’s Porter, though, whose sharp words and fierce attitude all, that celebrities and executives employ personal trainers,
keep ANVIL in an ever-growing spotlight, and whose blog and why models spend so much time in the gym.
kicked the entire process off. Despite his bitterness regarding Sadly, the human body tends to break down under stress;
the path his life has taken, he enjoys a grim satisfaction about thus, hardcase types generally fade out when middle age begins
the way things have begun to turn out for them all. to remind them how much wear and tear they’ve put on their
A thin Anglo-Franco man with long, bushy brown hair, bodies. That said, some folks (thanks to an apparent immunity
a thick beard, intense green eyes, and a wealth of heavy metal to chronic pain and damaged joints) manage to stay in peak
and cartoon character tattoos, Porter has the powerful shoul- physical condition up into their elder years. As shown by the
ders and atrophied legs of someone who’s spent half his life Aging Flaw in (The Book of Shadows, p. 40), physical aging
unable to walk. Pervasive poverty keeps him gaunt and angry, can weaken a person, but doesn’t always do so. Thus, the right
and that hungry state galvanizes his activism. If he likes you, person can be a hardcase even if she’s got grandkids and a
you’ll find the sweet-hearted, animal-loving kid Porter was retirement check.
before that drunk driver changed his life. For obvious reason,
though, he doesn’t let many people get that close. Porter’s Suggested Attributes: Strength 3-5, Dexterity 2-4, Stamina
small apartment features two cats (Rocky and Baryshnikov) 3-4, Charisma 1-4, Manipulation 1-3, Appearance 1-3,
and a rosy boa snake named Charmer. His girlfriend Clary Perception 2-4, Intelligence 1-3, Wits 2-4
Simonson spends most of her time there, but Pryce remains
Suggested Abilities: Area Knowledge (scene of choice)
convinced that “she’d dump my ass if she had to deal with
1-5, Athletics 1-4, Brawl 1-5, Drive 1-3, Intimidation 2-4, Law
my shit 24/7.” He still does freelance data-entry and other
1-3, Politics 1-3, Technology 1-3 (plus an array of Abilities
stay-at-home gigs, but such jobs are thin pickings in a dog-
that suit an individual’s mundane and other pursuits.)
eat-dog economy. It’s enough to keep the lights on and the
electric wheelchair working, but not much more than that. Willpower: 3-5
Not yet, anyway. Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Recently, ANVIL fielded offers from Petersson Equipment: The tools of one’s trade.
Therapeutics, a medical research facility covertly tied to Image: A person in unusually fit physical condition, possibly
Iteration X. That facility offered to provide “experimental” marked — for better and worse — by the stresses and risks of
cybernetic augmentation for Porter and his similarly impaired their vocation.
partners. ANVIL thanked them but refused. Although the
Roleplaying Notes: “Seriously? You’re messing with me?
network accepts advertising from PT on their websites, Porter
Are you sure that’s really what you want to do?” Some of these
asserted, “I’m not broken, and I don’t need anyone to fix me.”
folks are the proverbial bullies, but others avoid trouble unless
The world might look different from his perspective, but as
it insists on making itself their business.
Porter told the PT rep, “This is still my world.”

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 25

Jeremy Bruckner themselves? That’s a problem. And he knows they’re out there.
When that 18-wheeler roars past your car, you probably They’ve been out there for years already. What happens if the
don’t give much thought to the man or woman behind its day comes when the work dries up and the pensions have all
wheel unless it’s to curse at them for being there. Jeremy been spent and “Here’s your pink slip, Jer, my man. Thanks
Brucker knows your curses well. He’s been trucking for almost for all the good work and don’t let the door hit you on the way
20 years, with the aching back, strong arms, big belly, and the out?” Jeremy Bruckner kind of hopes he’ll crash and burn before
1,000-yard stare that all come with that vocation. Jeremy’s hit that day so he doesn’t need to face what the future means to
every truck stop, rest area, access road, and all-night coffee him. Dying behind the wheel scares him less than living in a
shop in the United States… or so it seems to him, anyway. world where he’s not needed anymore.
Got food in your supermarket? Books at your bookstore? That
car part or Amazon order that you couldn’t wait to receive? Homeless Survivors
Thank Jeremy and the million truckers like him. Some folks don’t fit anywhere but in between the cracks of
You see a lot of weird shit on the roads, especially after society. Addicted, mentally ill, broken, or just too damned stub-
midnight when only the cops, insomniacs, and truckers are born to play nice within a false-faced world, these people live on
around to see it. Folks with something to hide often strike out whatever they can beg, borrow, scrounge up, or steal. We’re not
on the interstate in order to disappear. Jeremy’s seen the cars talking here about the poor folks who’ve lost their homes through
and vans with blacked-out windows rolling past just before a quirk of fate or finances, but about people who’ve given up on
dawn, anxious to reach shelter before the morning comes. mainstream America and now exist in a precarious state of freedom.
He’s seen the pale children gathered in the shadows outside For better and worse, these people are survivors. Kick at
a truck stop, tearing through the garbage bins in search of them, and they’ll kick back harder. By and large they’re not
something to eat. He’s got a wife and two kids at home, but “criminals” in the usual sense of the word, though, if only
on the rare times he gets to see them someone’s usually asleep because crime involves too much risk. When you can’t get
and it’s often him. Such is the life he leads, and if it pays the patched up on your medical plan, after all, or hit the medicine
bills, then everything’s worth it, I guess. cabinet for some bandages or antiseptic, there’s not much
Jeremy didn’t start out planning on seeing white lines benefit in looking for trouble. Most of these folks get by on
that never fade from his sight. He went to college, though whatever they can find without sticking their necks out too far.
he doesn’t often say so. Even majored in philosophy, if you Oh, but they see what’s going on around them — all too well,
can believe that one. Played trumpet in a jazz band that never more often than not. Because homeless folks are considered
took off, too. There aren’t many jobs for a philosophy major, “un-people” by the average citizen, they tend to blend into
though, and since 9/11 and the rolling economic crash, there’ve surroundings that most folks prefer not to notice and try not
been even less. Not wanting to wind up on the unemployment to care about. As a result, these people — and they are still
line, Jeremy got his commercial driver’s license and took one people, after all — make helpful allies, nasty enemies, and
job… then another… then another. When so many folks are willing (if unreliable) sources of information, redemption, or
out of work, it’s good to even have a job. And so, Jeremy even friendship for folks who treat them with respect.
keeps driving, pays his union dues, and wonders if or when
all those miles will finally catch up with him. Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina
Oh, he’s seen some crashes. Survived some, too. He’s seen 3, Charisma 1, Manipulation 3, Appearance 1, Perception
fellow truckers hauled, sometimes hosed, out of their cabs, and 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 1
he’s heard the stories of the bodies no one ever found. He’s Suggested Abilities: Alertness 2, Area Knowledge 3, Brawl
picked up the hitchhikers who swear the world is ending, and 2, Crafts 1, Intimidation 2, Melee 2, Stealth 2, Streetwise 3,
shared a smoke or a drink or sometimes more with girls (and, Survival 3, Technology 1
though he’ll never admit it, a few boys, too) who know the open
Willpower: 4
road even better than he does. He’s seen a man grow eight feet
tall as the guy ripped four other dudes in half, and he once saw Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒ 2, ‒5, Incapacitated
a girl get hit by a truck and then get up, shake herself out, and Equipment: Whatever personal possessions and improvised
walk away like nothing much had happened. He doesn’t talk weapons they can easily keep within reach.
about much of this with the wife, and she knows he’s holding Image: Ragged but possessing a distinct sense of pride, if only
out on her. Their bedroom — when he’s home at all — has for having survived through the awful things they’ve encountered
become a silent movie where the title cards got lost somewhere along the way, a “hardcore homeless” sort of person could be
along the way. His kids are older each time he comes back a grizzled veteran, backpacking vagabond, aging street kid,
home, and their eyes grow narrower and more sullen every mumbling addict, glaring bag-lady, or any other “un-person”
time Jeremy walks in the door after a cross-country run. Still, that “polite society” strives not to recognize as human. Although
it’s good money, and steady work. But those trucks that drive such folks tend to intimidate the average citizen (especially in

26 Gods & Monsters

the World of Darkness, where a street survivor must be truly protected spot where the begging is pretty good. Beyond that,
badass to live for long), they usually prefer to be avoid trouble though, Brain is a pain-wracked dude who’s waiting to die,
and be left to their own devices. For very good reasons, they with a body that won’t let him heal but refuses to let him go.
don’t often trust society to give a shit what happens to them, You’ll usually find Brain hunched in his battered folding
and so it’s not worth the risk of trying to make trouble. garden chair, huddled up against the weather and reading intently
Roleplaying Notes: In an ugly, world, you’ve got to grab while cars roll by. If you catch his eye, Brain might say “Thank
what you can for you and yours. Watch your back, protect you” in a cracked-pavement voice, then duck away before some-
your friends, and be no one’s victim if you can possibly avoid it. one can take offense or think he’s being too familiar. Pain and
Parkinson’s Disease wrack his body with perpetual shaking, and
Brain the smell of old pot and unwashed skin is obvious to anyone
He used to be Brian. These days, he’s Brain. Why? Maybe who stands too close. Brain’s light-blue eyes peer out of a lined
because the girl who named him was dyslexic as hell and kept parchment face, darkened by dirt and whatever sunlight reaches
scrambling up his name. Maybe because he speaks in words through his layers of protection. He moves slowly, eyes downcast,
more suited to a college classroom than to the homeless part whenever he rises from his chair, and sleeps whenever he feels
of town. Perhaps it’s because he reads all the time, whatever safe enough to doze off… which, admittedly, isn’t often. He’ll
he can get: cereal boxes, discarded newspapers, the books he read anything you hand him, but he’ll rarely say more than a few
scrounges from bookstore dumpsters and occasionally receives words to you unless he knows you’re not a threat. At night, he
from sympathetic passersby. He’s smart, and people know it. often crashes with a pack of folks who pitch tents in the bushes
Some folks resent him for it, too, but when someone’s got a along the highway, under the overpass, in an abandoned house,
question or needs a dispute resolved, they often to go Brain. or wherever it is they can crash for a night or two before the cops
Especially when there’s almost nothing left of your life, drive them off again. Those folks keep Brain in reading material,
you do what you have to do. drive off human parasites, and share whatever they have that
Brian was a quiet guy before he lost damned near every- might make him sleep a little better or hurt a little less.
thing. Decent job as an architectural engineer. Nice house. Some nights, Brain dreams of the life he had. Other nights,
No long-term partner but a lot of flings when he could pry of the death he craves. Most nights, he doesn’t remember what
himself away from the office, books, or both. But then came he dreams… only that he’s past the point where dreams are
the epilepsy, the Parkinson’s Disease, and a bad fall (caused anything more than bad jokes spat in his face by God until
by his faltering coordination) down a set of icy steps. Brian’s the night he never has to dream again.
insurance took care of some of the injury, but the rest was
chalked up to “pre-existing conditions.” Shaky hands made Human Resources
him useless to the company, so the company began easing Drones. Pawns. Red marks on a balance sheet. Yeah, right.
Brian out the door. Skyrocketing coverage premiums, chronic Within every company, you’ll find people who keep that company
pain, shattered concentration and bad office politics drained in business. They might not get any respect from the higher-ups…
Brian’s bank account, cost him his job, and plunged him hell, they rarely receive anything better than lip service, a paycheck,
into intractable depression. Slightly over a year after his and a constantly shrinking benefits package. Really, though, it’s
fall, Brian was on the street. Not long afterward, he became these clerks, admins, baristas, receptionists, delivery people, cooks,
known as Brain. assistants, stockers, drivers, customer-service representatives, and
At first, he was sleeping in his car. Then some assholes so forth who keep every business functioning. Their jobs rarely
smashed the windows in for laughs. The cops towed it off seem glamorous (much less fulfilling), but these people are the
when Brain was out scoring food. Everything that wasn’t on heart and hands of the modern world. Ignore them at your risk.
his back wound up gone. With his shaky hands and constant Throughout the industrialized world, and much of the
pain, Brain wasn’t able to contribute much to the folks he rest of it as well, “human resources” is the category into
met among the homeless communities… not much but his which most everyday people are put by default. The skill sets
ability to solve problems and give advice. When asked, he and cultural abilities vary from place to place and job to job,
can still provide all manner of trivia and near-Socratic wis- but the overall emphasis on manual or intellectual labor in
dom. Trouble is, he’s so depressed, so often in pain, and so service to a larger whole is almost universal. Certain human
frequently high from whatever he’s able to score to help him resources — construction workers, groundskeepers, warehouse
deal with the other problems that Brain’s not up for anything personnel, day laborers, and so forth — favor Physical Traits,
that demands concentration or work for more than a few while others, mostly office workers and shop staff, emphasize
minutes at a time. Most days, he just holes up in a chair at a Mental Traits instead. Folks with high Social Traits tend to
strategic spot on a freeway ramp, swaths himself in blankets gravitate toward upper-level job status eventually, though an
and coats, and reads whatever he’s got that day. Sure, he’s unusually charismatic or physically attractive person might start
got a few friends who look after him and beat the crap out out (or stick with) an otherwise unglamorous profession due
of anyone who dares to mess with Brain, and a steady and
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 27
 to circumstances, opportunities, or a simple desire to score a
paycheck and spend their energies doing something else entirely.
Contrary to preconceptions, most workers do have outside
lives that are more important than their jobs. These people have
kids, families, dreams, or outside vocations that have little or
nothing to do with work. And so, from a game perspective, it’s
this other, greater life that generally determines the Abilities
and Attributes, perhaps the Merits and Flaws, such characters
possess. A bookstore clerk might have three dots in Art or a
pizza server could have Athletics 4, and you’d never know that
unless you viewed that person as something other than a drone
behind the counter or the recipient of a minimum wage.
What does any of this have to do with mages? For starters,
many mages begin their Paths this way, stuck in a restaurant or
office building until something drastic shakes their world. Some
mages, like the Marauder Hive (see Mage 20, p. 629), even stay
in such positions after their Awakening, especially if the mage
in question hails from the Technocracy or the Virtual Adept
Tradition. Even if they don’t Awaken, these people could join
Cults, become Wards, or work as Backup, Contacts, or Spies
for an Awakened operative. Allies with low combat potential are
consors and extraordinary citizens with useful professional skills.
Human-resource characters might tend the counter at a Chantry’s
coffee shop, crunch the numbers for a Syndicate rep’s Procedures,
or drive the limo for that Hermetic wizard who’s too rich and
busy to drive herself around town. In short, these are the folks
mages rarely think about even though they surround themselves
with human resources all the time, sometimes employing them
as instruments of Enlightened Arts (see Mage 20, p. 595).
Most vitally, however, the Awakened must look beyond the
simple labels like “Masses,” “Sleepers,” or “human resources”
to see the true makers of our reality. For just as a corporation
would grind to a halt without the many workers who make
things happen, so too would Earth’s Reality slide into chaos
without the hopes, dreams, and daily lives of the people who
decide what is and is not possible.

Suggested Attributes: Strength 1-3, Dexterity 1-3, Stamina

1-3, Charisma 2-4, Manipulation 1-4, Appearance 1-5,
Perception 2-4, Intelligence 1-5, Wits 1-3
Suggested Abilities: Academics 1-3, Area Knowledge
(home town / city) 1-5, Athletics 1-3, Crafts 1-4, Computer
1-5, Drive 1-2, Empathy 1-2, Etiquette 1-4, Technology 1-5
(plus various Abilities suggested by that person’s job and
private life.)
Willpower: 1-4
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Equipment: The usual accoutrements of a person in a blue-
or white-collar position in their respective field and society.
Image: At work, human-resource characters tend to dress
in their job’s preferred uniform. A retail clerk probably wears
certain predetermined colors and garments (aprons, polyester

28 Gods & Monsters

shirts, etc.), a security guard will wear his company’s uniform Sure, Kendell still has dark moments, and those retail jobs
unless he’s a plainclothes officer, an office worker dresses in are starting to wear very thin. There’s no place to move upward
attire that’s “appropriate for the office,” a construction worker in such a job, really, and Kendell has their eyes set on a more
wears rugged clothes and safety gear, and a barista might creative career. YouTube channels and the occasional role in
wear whatever that person can get away with wearing under local theatre, though, do not pay the rent, and so Kendell
their apron. At home, of course, the person will wear whatever continues to ply the retail trade, moving from store to store
the hell he wants to wear; even so, an observant viewer can with a clutch of good recommendations and an expanding pool
often size up someone’s occupation by the way they look of contacts and skills. Smart, efficient, and good at making
away from the job. customers spend money, Kendell’s still a work in progress who
Roleplaying Notes: Keep your head down, do your job, — at least for now — has managed to play the customer-service
and live for the life outside work. Despite the begrudging suf- game to their advantage while staying a few steps away from
ferance you feel toward your profession, you still feel a mote financial crisis. It’s a balancing act, especially without that
of pride when comparing your role to those beneath you in college degree Kendell cannot begin to afford, but at least for
society, and utterly diminished when someone with a more now, Kendell Keye has a potentially promising future.
extravagant life speaks up. Mages conversant with the Crafts and Traditions often
mistake Kendell for one of their own. They’re wrong, though;
Kendell Keye Kendell’s “magic” comes from personal skill and an ingratiating
“Hi! What can I help you with today?” Kendell’s so helpful personality. The raven skull and occult-inspired tattoos are
that folks tend to overlook their unconventional nature. Black- flourishes of fashion, little more. Oh, Kendell is intrigued by
painted nails, silver raven skull on a chain, hints of eyeliner, and the mystic fringes of popular culture. Aside from a few books
a stylish wardrobe complement Kendell’s natural good looks and some online reading, though, Kendell’s not versed in the
and personable charm. Kendell’s pretty, no doubt about it. And deeper levels of esoteric knowledge… yet. If the right person
so, folks who normally trip over ideas like “genderfluid” smile comes along, though, and gives Kendell a half-decent offer
and use Kendell’s name or the pronoun “they” when referring toward something better than competent retail experience,
to the nice young person on the other side of the counter. Keye might just become a useful consor, a great assistant, or
It hasn’t always been this easy… nor, really, is it when perhaps someday even an Awakened mage.
Kendell’s not behind a counter where they can make themselves Tall and angular, Kendell sports a shaggy dyed-black,
useful. Initially pegged with a gender and name that did not suit razor-cut hairstyle. Their clothes seem boyish, but their voice
the person in Kendell’s soul, that bygone not-Kendell barely and body language resist binary distinctions. Unfailingly polite
survived their early teens. Depression, ostracism, and a feeling to customers, Kendell seems equally at home selling books, car
of wrongness when facing the mirror or other people’s precon- parts, groceries, or cooking supplies. They’ve worked a few gigs
ceptions weighed Kendell’s former self into an abyss of self-harm as a food server or barista, but the mess, waste, and obnoxious
and social withdrawal. Their parents had no problem with the customers force those options to the back of the “only if I
idea of their child being gay, but still couldn’t bring themselves have to” queue. For now, the local economy keeps Kendell’s
to accept that their kid was not the person they thought they’d paycheck steady, supplementing a slender stream of income
raised at all. Even now, Mom struggles to remember Kendell’s from Kendell’s YouTube gig. Off the clock, Kendell hosts a
name and proper pronouns… not out of malice but simply because series of podcasts on gender issues and evolving concepts of
she still sees the child she bore, not the adult that kid became. identity, shares an apartment with two significant others, and
If Kendell hadn’t discovered theater during high school, strives to lay the foundation for something more permanent
they might never have found a toolbox that helped them build than a string of retail jobs. “I don’t know yet,” is the refrain
the identity they needed to create. Acting gave them confidence, when friends ask what Kendell eventually wants to do with this
social skills, and a group of like-minded peers who were less tied life. As for when their parents ask similar questions, Kendell
up in who Kendell “should be” than in who Kendell could be. A says simply, “I’ll let you know when I get there.”
few of those friends helped Kendell find websites and online com-
munities that explained gender dysphoria, supported Kendell’s Power Players
quest to find an identity that suited Kendell better, and helped Up the ladder, away from the unwashed masses, typically
the shy kid Kendell was grow more personable than before. ensconced in a corner office or some other place of privilege,
By the time they reached graduation, Kendell had assumed a you’ll find the folks who make the world go ‘round. Brokers,
more fitting, gender-neutral name, collected a growing roster of politicians, bankers, producers, executives of one stripe or an-
friends and lovers, and begun to love the person they saw in the other… these are the people whose incomes start at six figures
mirror. Acting, meanwhile, helped Kendell nurture the engaging and head skyward from there. With money and power, they
persona they use at work these days. From a depressed, reclusive shape our world, and though a handful of them command
kid rose the charismatic charmer Kendell is today — one who Enlightened hypertech, most of them simply know how to
reworks external reality without the use of magickal Spheres. use vast resources to their best advantage.
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 29
 The technological world is, for better and worse, run by Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3,
these people. Their decisions reach beyond the boardrooms Charisma 3-5, Manipulation 3-5, Appearance 2-4, Perception
to encompass government policies and global economies. 3, Intelligence 3-5, Wits 4
The coffee farmer in Lake Valencia and the factory worker in Suggested Abilities: Academics 3, Athletics 2-3, Computer
Tianjin have their lives determined (and occasionally ruined 2-4, Cultural Savvy 3-5, Drive 1, Etiquette 3-5, Expression 2-5,
or ended) by power players in New York, Tokyo, Bangalore, Finance 3-5, Law 2-5, Leadership 1-4, Politics 3-5, Seduction
and Moscow. Sadly, people at such levels of influence rarely 1-3, Technology 3
see the human fallout of their actions. To them, the bottom Willpower: 5-7
line involves their corporate reports and the bank accounts
that sustain their prosperity. Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
It’s easy, especially from the lower levels of society, to Equipment: Expensive stylish clothing, high-end accessories
view such people as faceless evil sociopaths. Speaking frankly, (wallets, jewelry, business cards, phone, etc.), credit cards and
some of them are; corporate culture is innately sociopathic, expense accounts, a staff of people ready to do whatever you
and its only real concern is the effect its actions have upon tell them to do.
the corporation’s profits or losses. For the people in those Image: Power is all about making an impression. Thus,
boardrooms, though, life as we know it hinges on those big power players cultivate high-end fashions that usually don’t
decisions that only highly qualified people can make. These are look high-end; people who actually do look high-end are
big-picture folks whose profession depends upon combining trying too hard. Tailored clothes, stylish haircuts, just the right
the vast scale of international effects with the intimate scope amount of shaving (or lack thereof) and cosmetics (or lack
of private business meetings. In their view, prosperity for all thereof) set the tone for class and distinction. The specifics
must be built on the prosperity of an elite. The common man depend on culture, field, and fashion, of course, but unless the
or women is an idiot, incapable of turning off the most vapid power player is flaunting their ability to be eccentric — which
of TV shows long enough to learn how the modern world really is a valid fashion choice — such people tend to be extremely
works. Elitism aside, some power players really are interested well-groomed and well-dressed in ways that accentuate their
in advancing the common good in ways that might not benefit innate charisma and their position in the field without making
them personally. Philanthropists might not be as common as too obvious a statement.
raiders, but they actually do exist. For such people, wealth and Roleplaying Notes: Make it look easy. This level of status
influence are a means toward a much greater goal. is never as simple as mere wealth, but the more relaxed you
Knowledge and influence are the cornerstones of any seem, the more competent you appear. Granted, there are
power player’s life. While manual laborers excel at Physical times to show people who’s boss around here. Save those mo-
Traits, power players dominate through Skills and Knowledges. ments, though, for extreme and often private situations. Public
Sharp wits and complex topics are the power player’s purview, displays of temper make you look weak; instead, use politesse
and though such characters enjoy generous Background Traits and misdirection to accomplish your goals. Use whomever you
(often Social Merits and Flaws as well), they secure and retain need to use, with whichever tactics seem most effective within
those perks through Social and Mental Attributes and vigor- the bounds of taste. Never appear to struggle even when you
ously cultivated people skills. Oh, sure, the executive gym lets are struggling. Exceptional people never seem to sweat.
a power player get into decent shape and stay that way. The
real power in today’s world, though, comes not from strength Lenora Paige Wilder
of arm but through force of personality. “I’m not just giving it you,” her father said. “You have to
Despite luxurious offices and sumptuous lifestyles, power show me you’ve earned it.” Lenora’s parents owned half the
players work hard to get and keep what they have. Fourteen-hour town where she grew up, and her father maintained a warehouse
days are par for the course at this level of success, and so the whose only purpose involved sheltering his collection of antique
pleasures they’re able to catch between high-stakes meetings cars. Yet despite a sizable family fortune, Lenora went to public
and tedious paperwork tend to involve high-octane thrills com- school, endured a tight allowance, and grew up following her
pressed into short bursts of vigorous excitement. Thus, many parents around their offices, learning various trades before going
young power players boast high degrees of Athletics, and even to business school herself. By the time she hit college, Lenora
the older ones can beat the average person at a young kid’s had already begun one home-based business of her own. By
game. Such people work hard and play hard, sometimes with the time she graduated summa cum laude, that business was
“games” that are highly illegal and deeply unethical. Power, as bringing in over a million dollars a year and employing half
they’ll tell you, has a morality all its own, and those who can’t of her high-school friends. Eventually inheriting her parents’
make the hard calls in this world will never understand the business too, Lenora became a major player in regional com-
lives of those who do. merce and politics. She has indeed showed her father than she
could earn their trust, respect, and wealth.

30 Gods & Monsters

 Now in her early 40s, Lenora heads a major tech firm in curators, mad inventors, psychotropic anarchists, installation
the American south — a firm she hopes to use as a springboard pros, gutter punks, political reformers, traveling merchants,
for a Silicon Valley alternative. VisoTech International aims to and hardcore vagabonds all nurture skill sets far outside the
break through the current limitations of tech-industry culture, mainstream norm. These folks might participate in what some
both through diverse hiring practices and by way of the visionary call “normative culture” when they must, but they choose to
technology that inspires the corporate name. Lenora has an eye live as far outside of it as possible.
for talent, and though she’s not Enlightened in the technomancer Although the range of their capabilities runs from dabblers
sense, she can spot potential when she sees it. Thus, VisoTech to dedicated pros, such people pursue odd vocations: pole
employs a clutch of Awakened personnel who work toward dancing, fire spinning, computer hacking, musical perfor-
advancements in Sleepertech that can soon bring Enlightened mance, three-dimensional art, electronic technologies, global
hypertech further into the mainstream than it already is. cuisine, wilderness hiking, acroyoga, armor-crafting, meditation
Lenora herself is no mage, and would consider that idea techniques, aerial performance, costuming, car modifications,
absurd. Instead, she’s a dedicated and sometimes ruthless dumpster-diving, salvage, and other unusual yet non-magickal
businesswoman whose relentless work ethic extends to the pursuits. These are the folks who travel from Burning Man
folks in her employ. She demands near-perfection from herself, to Rainbow Gatherings, belong to the Peace Corps or kink
she and expects it from her staff as well. Hours are long but scenes or Doctors Without Borders, who’ll dance at Coachella
pay and benefits are good, especially for the impoverished area before heading down to Goa and backpacking across Mongolia
where VisoTech makes its home. Her HR department has no between their attempts to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.
patience for nonsense, and offenders against company policy Some favor Renaissance festivals, while others throw hip-hop
are shown the door in short order. Lenora herself practically block parties, form step-dance troupes, employ “circus arts”
lives in her office, and the company’s gyms and overnight at established or transient venues, and generally live a more
bedrooms are based on her own devotion to a “whatever it colorful life than the average guy on the street.
takes” managerial approach. Ms. Wilder gives her all to the Because such vocations tend to be mentally, physically, and
company, and she expects her people to do the same. often emotionally demanding, true devotees (as opposed to short-
A fierce-eyed woman of Nordic and Mediterranean heritage, term “tourists”) tend to have a few Attributes higher than the
Lenora has freckled pale skin, short red hair, and the chiseled mundane norm. Each individual’s Abilities reflect her chosen sub-
arms and shoulders of a veteran color-guard performer who culture; a backpacking enthusiast will have respectable Survival,
works out constantly. Her understated, business-casual attire sets Medicine, and Athletics Traits, while an urban “maker space”
the tone for VisoTech’s office culture: casual yet professional, devotee would have decent-to-formidable scores in Technology,
unconstrained yet never slovenly. Despite her obvious southern Research and, naturally, Crafts. They don’t shock easily, either,
accent, she can talk circles around any west coast elitist … and so their Willpower tends to be higher than the norm. To balance
often does so, too. She enjoys baiting would-be rivals into un- it out, such people often (but not always) lack more mundane
derestimating her intellect, then destroying them with superior skills, like the ability to balance their checking account, and
technical knowledge and a dazzling grasp of strategy. Lenora can might suffer penalties to their Social-based rolls when dealing
play the girly-girl when it suits her, then snap without warning with mainstream culture. Hardcore devotees generally (but again,
into executive predator mode. Her acumen for reading people not always) sport elaborate tattoos, unconventional wardrobes,
and then leading them to advantageous conclusions helps keep and striking hair styles, and favor “alternative” perspectives on
VisoTech near the head of a very competitive field. Thanks to politics, sexuality, spirituality, and overall identity. It’s worth re-
her parents’ connections (and wealth), Lenora often calls the membering, too, that while such people get typecast as “liberals”
shots with state and local politicians despite her gender and in socio-political terms, quite a few of them are radically, perhaps
comparative youth. That status, combined with her quick mind even violently, conservative instead.
and savvy tactics, plus the growing rep enjoyed by her corpora- (Certain subcultures — such as skinhead groups, Antifa,
tion, makes Lenora Paige Wilder a person of influence in her MMA fighters, medieval recreationists, doomsday preppers,
region and field of expertise. The fact that she has no real time and the like — also nurture the Abilities: Brawling, Melee,
for any sort of social life is a subject of some speculation among Martial Arts, and possibly Firearms and Gunsmithing. These
her peers; as far as Lenora’s concerned, however, she’s got too folks generally have higher Physical Attributes than usual, too.
much shit to do. When folks ask, “Hon, when you gonna get For more details about devotees of more-violent subcultures,
married?” Lenora just laughs and replies, “Maybe in the next life.” see “Hardcases,” p. 25.)
Within their chosen community, serious devotees often
Subculture Devotees know (or at least have heard of) one another, stick together
Anyone can go to a club, attend a festival, or watch sports against outsiders, and have their own way of dealing with prob-
or cool performances. Certain people, though, make a life- lems. Folks who spend serious time in these subcultures believe
style of such things. Artists, dancers, musicians, technicians, mainstream society is flawed, even broken, and so they have
roadies, preppers, organizers, wayward Rennies, art-show formed their own communities in response. Their reaction to
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 31
“mundanes” can range from patronizing pity to searing scorn, Image: Willfully eccentric clothing, tattoos, and piercings
and that reaction generally goes both ways, especially when cops both obvious and hidden are more the rule than the exception
are involved. That said, many devotees have learned to work in many rebel subcultures across the world. Folks within such
within the law while manipulating it to their advantage; thus, groups tend to adopt self-made identities (as opposed to the
the Law Ability is common among scene organizers, activists, ones they were raised with), and often choose new names to
and folks who like to live outside that law as freely as they can. mark their departure from mainstream culture.
The average age for people in such groups generally ranges
Suggested Attributes: Strength 2-4, Dexterity 2-4, Stamina from the mid-teens to early 40s, although subculture parents tend
3-4, Charisma 2-5, Manipulation 1-4, Appearance 1-5, to raise their kids in those cultures as well, and elders within the
Perception 2-4, Intelligence 1-5, Wits 1-3 community can be 70 years old or older. It’s rare to find sub-
culture insiders who predate the 1950s, but some folks refuse to
Suggested Abilities: Academics 1-4, Area Knowledge grow old no matter how many years they have under their belts.
(scene of choice) 1-5, Art 1-5, Athletics 1-4, Awareness 1-2,
Crafts 2-5, Computer 1-5, Drive 1-3, Expression 2-5, Law 1-3, Roleplaying Notes: Normative culture is a prison. You
Politics 1-3, Survival 1-5, Technology 1-5 (plus an array of might punch a clock in that world, but you refuse to let it limit
Abilities that suit an individual’s mundane and other pursuits.) who you become.
Willpower: 3-5 Trix
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated Lights, fire, action. That’s what Trix is all about. He’s been
Equipment: Flamboyant or unusual clothing, strange devices, slinging flame since the 1990s, and with almost 20 years of cir-
vehicles suited for adventures, and often-dangerous toys that cus-stunt experience he’s among the best you’ll ever see. Flame
demand specialized skills before you can use them without is focus, discipline, sex. It’s the element of light that drew Trix
looking like a complete fool. out of darkness and helped him illuminate a new generation of
artists who’ll go further and burn brighter than Trix ever could.
32 Gods & Monsters
 Quiet, introverted, and socially awkward as a kid, Trix Too many lovers but no true partner. Too many cities, none
discovered circus arts by way of a girl he had a crush on in of them home. Oh, sure that first rush when the crowd gasps
high school. She’d be hooping outside between classes, even in still lights up his heart, but the many hours of practice, meet-
the rain, and young Trix (then called Steven Morris) watched, ings, and setups and tear-downs have really gotten to Trix.
fascinated as she wove patterns of motion around her arms He’s considered handing the whole thing off to one of his
and legs, often spinning two or three hoops instead of only associates, but what would he do then? As tiring as the grind’s
one. He bought his own hoops, practiced with the fanaticism become, boredom would be even worse. Besides, as he’ll
of a young man looking to get laid, and then — when he felt admit when the fun’s over and yet another friend has run,
good enough — showed up near her practice spot before his Trix can’t count on the people in his troupe. Yeah, they’re
crush arrived, began hooping, and acted casual when she saw around when there’s glory to be had, but it’s still a struggle
him, applauded, and struck up the conversation he’d been to get folks who’ll show up for practice every time or make
dying to have with her. The girl’s given name was Stephanie, it through a tour without some kind of drama Trix needs to
but she preferred Sapphire. By the time they broke up with soothe. Injuries, breakups, permits, insurance … when did
typical high-school explosivity, she’d christened Steven “Trix” it get to be so much damn work? Worse still, he’s got little to
and introduced him to flow toys, circus tricks, and the dis- show for it all except a Ford Explorer choked with playa dust,
ciplines of flame. stuffed with gear, and redolent of sweaty bodies too tired for
In the years since, Trix has studied every form of circus a shower before hitting the road again. No savings to speak
art he could find. Stilt-walking, sword-swallowing, contor- of, and a couple of credit cards that spend most of the year
tions, acrobatics, the works. To supplement this vigorously near the cut-off zone. Trix is having fun, essentially, but this
unprofitable (and frequently expensive) skill set, he studied life doesn’t have a retirement plan and the years are starting
computer security, learned some basic hacking, and taught to pile up on him.
himself desktop video production. As the new millennium Slender, tall, and pretty, with a long hair flowing straight
opened new venues in self-production and self-promotion, down past the middle of his back, Trix cultivates an aura of
Trix took to the festival circuit, set up an array of social-me- androgyny. His blue eyes contrast with sun-browned skin and a
dia platforms, took on apprentices, and formed a troupe of hint of distant Cree ancestry. Shimmering strands of iridescent
traveling professional performers. Since 2007, PyroKenYeSuz “faerie hair” sparkle in his dark brown mane, and the few
has opened for bands, performed in videos, appeared in indie folks who see him without his shirt on know that Trix is all
films, and trekked from Seattle to Tokyo — spinning flame at sinew, no fat. In a subculture infamous for elaborate tattoos,
Burning Man, breathing fire in music videos, walking on glass Trix has only one: a black bunny done in vaguely Haida style
to protest the last election, and getting snubbed by judges on on his right shoulder blade. Not many people see that either,
reality-TV talent competitions. Trix’ troupe has grown and because Trix tends to cover up even in the hottest Nevada
contracted over the intervening years, but it remains among summers. His wardrobe echoes his fondness for flames, with
the most respected groups of its kind. bright colors and fire motifs being a hallmark of his clothes.
Despite his success, Trix is beginning to wonder where Trix speaks softly and rarely yells even when under pressure.
and how it all ends. Now pushing 40, he’s slowing down and His intensity, though, vibrates through this artist like a hard
running out of energy. The restless passion that once drove slap, and his aura (for those who can see it) burns like the
him from stage to stage has become bone-deep weariness. little suns he spins on a chain.

Acolytes, Consors,
and Extraordinary Citizens
Mages don’t have to face their world alone. of magick, however, those roles (and the people in them) grew
Although the majority of unAwakened people more secretive and remote. These days, folks who collaborate
must remain unaware of the occult war fought with the Awakened / Enlightened elite either do so without
in their midst — if only for their own protection knowing who they really serve, do so secretly, or live and work
— certain people assist the Awakened, either mostly in Realms and strongholds far from the mundane world.
willingly or otherwise. In the old days, such
people were known as grogs, custos, or, for What’s in a Name?
truly skillful companions, consors. Back then, Among the Nine Traditions, these sorts of associates are
such folks were acknowledged (if not always often, though not universally, known as consors if they know
respected) associates of the wizards in their who and what they’re working with, and acolytes if they do
midst. As the tides rose against practitioners not. Old-school Tradition magi still employ the term “custos”
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 33
for their knowing but relatively unskilled servitors, but that associates also have professional reasons for their assistance,
term and the elitism behind it have fallen out of favor in the they tend to work more closely with the mages on a daily basis
21st-century world. The Technocratic Union, of course, refers than, say, backup agents or cleanup crews do.
to its more knowledgeable associates as “extraordinary citizens,” Unlike certain sorts of employees, assistants typically
and its lower-tier associates as “citizens,” “employees,” or simply understand who they’re working for, what they’re doing, and
“human resources.” The Fallen tend to lump all their associates how that job is, at the very least, an unconventional employ-
under the heading of “dregvati,” “pawns,” or “dregs,” while ment opportunity. Though not Awakened or Enlightened
other mages simply call these folks their friends and neighbors, themselves, these consors know the score. Some practice
sometimes with honorific titles but rarely with any sort of formal mystic disciplines even though they cannot work True Magick
acknowledgment of inferiority regarding to the mages they assist. under their own power: Yoga teachers, neopagans, clerical
aides, lay clergy, teen witches, lab helpmates, and roadies for
Consor Roles and Motivations Awakened musicians are all assistants who can wrap their
Anyone who associates with mages has personal reasons heads around metaphysical weirdness even when they lack
for that choice, and any role that person fulfills will depend the skills to employ magick themselves.
upon that associate’s skills and motivations, combined with
Given the proper training, of course, such assistants can help
the needs of the mages themselves. With those truths in mind,
mages perform rituals and other acts of major-league magic. As
the following entries reflect the most common roles consors
detailed under “Allies, Assistants, and Cults” (Mage 20, p. 532)
fulfill within Awakened society, the most common skill sets
and “Acting in Concert: UnAwakened Assistants” (Mage 20, pp.
within those categories, and the most common motivations
542-543), helpers with the proper outlook and skillset provide
people have for assuming those roles.
minor support roles when their Awakened friends attempt certain
The following roles are not exclusive, of course, and many magickal acts. Thus, it’s a good idea to keep a few like-minded
folks combine several categories into a single role. A bodyguard associates nearby if you’re a mage. If nothing else, such people
might love her employer, merging the Backup, Lover, and are not considered to be Sleeper witnesses when vulgar magick
Professional roles into one very busy life. Ultimately, the most vital gets cast in their vicinity unless they’re Technocratic assistants
elements of a consor’s role are the function she fulfills and the watching some Reality Deviant cut loose with that crazy magick
reasons she fulfills it. Every other aspect of that role is negotiable. shit (for details, see Mage 20, pp. 531-532).
In game terms, such associates range from the sorts While many assistants work for money, serve out of a
of normal people detailed under “The Sleeping Masses” sense of tradition, or receive some other form of compensation,
(pp.18-33) and “Among the Masses” (Mage 20, pp. 620-622) too, affection and belief provide the primary motivations for
to highly skilled non-mages who possess unusual, perhaps such companions. Sure, they might be getting paid as well,
inhuman, abilities, like the Hunters and “Static” Magical but the long hours and hard work typically involved in this
Adepts detailed later in this chapter, and under “Extraordinary sort of assistance come more from a sense of devotion to the
Operatives” and “Technocratic Creations” (Mage 20, pp. 623- cause than devotion to a paycheck. An assistant’s personal
626). Consors can be vampires, ghouls, constructs, familiars, and political beliefs tend to align with those of the mage in
or other paranormal beasties who can be found throughout question, perhaps shading into dedication to the mage herself.
this book; the following section, however, deals with associ- It’s not a stretch to see love as an element of this devotion,
ates who are essentially human beings that might add a few either — maybe not the primary reason for an assistant’s loyalty
unusual powers to their non-magical skills. but probably a secondary motivation whether the assistant
Those abilities, and the people who employ them, are realizes it or not.
exceedingly diverse in terms of power and identity. Rather Affection might run both ways… but it also might not.
than present detailed Trait blocks for the following charac- Hermetic wizards and mad scientists are notoriously hard on
ters, therefore, the entries below concentrate on the sorts of the hired help, with cranky witches and selfish executives often
associates a mage can have, with a few notes that describe the taking assistants for granted, too. Oh, the high-and-mighty
sorts of Traits such characters could have, as well as the tem- Enlightened Ones might consider their assistants to be a cut
plates that best suit the associate in question. The Storyteller, or two above the rank-and-file Masses, but for every magus or
therefore, can customize those characters to suit the nature of Technocrat who appreciates the efforts of their unAwakened
their group and chronicle. Your game, your choice. sidekicks there are at least two who regard assistants as useful
but ultimately limited inferiors, even if those mages don’t say
Assistant as much in as many words.
Many associates simply stick around to help mages with Suggested Traits: At the lowest levels of proficiency,
their work. Lab technicians, political hacktivists, street-gang assistants have one to three dots in Abilities that would be
members, office workers, and so forth provide support around useful to the mages they serve. Most often, those Traits in-
a Chantry, Construct, sanctum, or home. While many of these clude: Academics (for research assistants, teaching assistants,

34 Gods & Monsters

editors, students, etc.); Art and Expression (artists, designers, He gave her the money. Then he gave her a job.
celebrities); Crafts (maintenance workers, domestic workers, Doro still works for PykUp. Her regular clients, however,
artisans, and other folks who need to be good with their are a pretty exclusive bunch. They know she can keep her
hands); Esoterica of one or two appropriate specializations mouth shut, stand up when she has to, and get them where
(cult members, clergy, metaphysical practitioners, unAwakened they need to be without awkward questions or silly pretenses.
initiates, and so on); Occult (cult members, neopagans, New Local street-mages have Doro’s number and PykUp account in
Agers, vodou practitioners, and the like); Law (cops, lawyers, their directories, and she’s got a standing agreement with them:
paralegals, politicians, activists, journalists) and Politics (like- “Don’t call me during class, don’t get me killed, do not fuck
wise); Cooking (cooks, servants); and Computers, Science, me over, and cover any and all damages to me and my car.” Her
and Technology (technicians, students, lab assistants, bloggers, Saturn is neutral ground; if you want to fight, get the hell out
engineers, and so forth). of Doro’s car to do it. In return for discreet, reliable service,
Upper-tier assistants have higher levels in more Abilities, Doro gets steady business, great tips, and occasional goodies
and probably have Attributes in the 3-5 range (even higher if like minor Wonders and some excellent information about all
they’re not normal humans), plus a variety of character-appro- manner of strange topics. Her clients have helped her with her
priate Merits, Flaws, and possibly certain Advantage Traits. homework, and if she needs a good job after she graduates,
For details about the latter, see Chapter Five, pp. 201-214. Doro has several standing offers from mages all over town.
Suggested Templates: Assistant-type companions tend A solid young woman just shy of 22, Doro has the thick
to be “everyday people” sorts of characters, usually with black hair and olive skin of her Persian grandfather and
one or two skill sets that determine the role they serve in a Mexican mom. Majoring in business, she keeps in shape by
mage’s company. The Human Resources template is probably kickboxing at the college gym whenever she’s got the time to
most common, although the Hardcase, Thug, Professional go. Her short nails remain constantly grimy from working
Badass, and Extraordinary Scientist templates are common under the hood of her blue 2003 Saturn, and she favors
in this role, too. black distressed jeans, high-tops, a black denim vest, and
bootleg punk T-shirts. Thanks to her clientele, Doro’s not
Dorothy “Doro” Franco hurting for money anymore, and has stockpiled a bunch of
It’s hard to make a living out there, especially when it for when her student loans come due. Hashing out plans
you’re a student facing the moment when those damn loans with the wizard has also given her a potential business plan
all come due. Dorothy dropped down to part-time status in for her pending graduation: a hush-hush transport service
her final year of college when she scored that gig as a PykUp called D-Ryde where a group of like-minded drivers handle
driver. Thanks to her longstanding interest in the ways cars covert transport and delivery among her region’s Awakened
work, she’s been able to keep the old Saturn her mother gave community. Thanks to her connections and discretion, the
her in good running order, and she can handle the repairs local Technocracy Construct leaves her alone… for the moment,
without too much cost or trouble. The PykUp job fit in anyway, and certain Night-Folk have begun to avail themselves
around her class schedule, giving Doro time for homework of her services too. Doro’s open-door “don’t be an asshole”
if not a social life. policy has earned her the respect and protection of a network
And then she met the wizard. of powerful people, and so Doro and her Saturn sail through
the night unmolested by occult interference and shielded (to
Okay, he doesn’t look much like a wizard from the mov-
some degree) from the nonsense that occurs when a young
ies. No scar, no broom, no owl on his shoulder. But the stuff
woman gets behind the wheel and asks her client, “So, where
Doro saw that night after she got the strangest compulsion to
am I taking you tonight?”
pick up a fare who hadn’t gone through the usual channels
convinced her that, yeah, magic’s real and he knows how to
use it. That was a batshit crazy night, filled with chases and Backup
gunshots and impossible escapes. By the time she got him to When mages — or, more often, Technocrats — who belong
where he was trying to go, her Saturn was a bullet-riddled wreck. to an organization get themselves into a tight spot, they may
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” she demanded be able to call upon backup: professional consors tasked with
when the wizard bolted from her car and tried to disappear getting those Enlightened or Awakened agents out of trouble.
down that alleyway. Her kickboxing classes came in handy as Unlike assistants and other personal companions, these folks
she grabbed the wizard by his hoodie and dragged him back work for a greater organization, not for the mage herself. A few
to her car. “You, pretty boy, are paying for this — and for your wealthy mages retain mortal backup agents too, as part of an
goddamned ride, which I noticed you did not book through organization they command; for the most part, though, such
my agency — or I am introducing your face to the pavement companions serve a cause greater than both parties involved.
and then handing you over to those Terminator rejects you As the name suggests, backup consors tend to be agents
were running from.” of weaponized force: cops, soldiers, bodyguards, paramilitary

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 35

troops, and the like. In a crisis, they swoop in and provide neopagan backup agents, on the other hand, would find that
covering fire, extractions, diversions, getaways, and other perfectly normal (if unusual) within their sphere of beliefs.
avenues of victory or escape. Certain agents deal with more Although the Background entry refers to backup person-
mundane situations, too: moving gear, delivering money, nel as “faceless,” they certainly don’t view themselves or one
passing messages, cleaning up a mage’s mess (see the entry another that way. Where a mage sees a bunch of essentially
below), providing accounting or administrative assistance, anonymous folks rushing to her aid, the agents themselves
invoking diplomatic aid, marshalling media venues, and respect their compatriots, watch each other’s backs, and follow
facilitating other forms of nonviolent backup. The skills, per- their employer’s instructions. A mage who’s not willing to
sonalities, and motivations of such agents, then, depend upon respect those things can go take a flying leap into the sun as
the organization they serve and the role they play within it. far as backup agents are concerned. While they’ll probably
Backup agents generally feel a sense of loyalty to the group recognize the mage’s superior capabilities, backup personnel
as well as to their more obvious financial remuneration. As a won’t view themselves as, much less act as, cannon fodder
rule, though, their first and most important motivation involves unless their loyalty to the group renders them expendable in
a paycheck. Like their counterpart the Professional (pp. 45-46), their own eyes. Especially in the modern world, though, such
these folks are essentially mercenaries: workers employed by devotion is unusual unless those agents are fanatics, slaves,
a specific cause, client, or institution, true enough, but most abused into perpetual submission, or otherwise bound toward
dedicated to their paychecks. Thus, when faced with apparently self-destructive behavior; in most situations, such behavior
impossible situations, these folks tend to fall back fighting makes those agents less effective, not more, than free-willed
or, if possible, run away. After all, that paycheck ain’t doing operatives who do what they do for their own reasons.
you much good if you happen to get killed while earning it. Suggested Traits: As detailed in the Background entry of
As detailed under the Backup Background (Mage 20, that name, rank-and-file backup characters have between one
pp. 306-307), these companions arrive in groups that handle and three dots in a handful of useful Abilities. Elite backup
certain kinds of tasks. Those groups feature a team leader who agents can have higher Traits and character-appropriate Merits,
calls the shots while specialists handle different duties within Flaws, and Advantages. The Abilities in question will deal
the team’s overall goal. A team of fire-support agents will with the duties of the operatives and their team; security or
fan out, find cover, and follow the commands of their team paramilitary backup will boast Firearms, Melee, Brawling,
leader, deploying whatever tactics and weapons those agents and so forth, while a repair crew favors Crafts, Computers,
employ. As a result, backup agents don’t follow the orders of Technology, and other suitable Traits.
the mage they’re assigned to protect; after all, if she knew what Suggested Templates: Mage 20, p. 306, features a list of
she was doing, she wouldn’t need them there to begin with. potential backup personnel. As that list suggests, such agents do
The team leader might accept input from the mage on the not have to be human; packs of rats or wolves, troops of apes,
scene, but that sort of thing tends to be an “only as needed” or flocks of ravens could all be backup agents, too. Although
arrangement. The team leader, whoever that is, gets the first all agents in a given backup team will share a related template
and final say… and if that say involves ditching out on the (Wolf, Professional Badass, etc.), the individuals within that
mage, then so be it. Backup agents risk their lives only when team have specific Traits that reflect their role.
they must, and then only in the service of their organization,
not to serve the mage who called them in. The Banner Dei Brute Squad
Within each team, the members’ individual personalities When the Ecstatic jam band and performance troupe
and skills correspond to the sorts of situations they’re dis- Banner Dei formed on the last night of 1999, it found
patched to handle. A group of battle-hardened mercenaries immediate, enthusiastic support from fans who’d been
won’t drop by to help a mage with her taxes, while a group of there that night. The Brute Squad, as they were dubbed by
skilled accountants would fare poorly in desperate firefights. then-bandleader Tricia “Thunderheart” Rykomanski, held
Whoever they are, though, they’ll be trained to expect what- the fire line against unskilled, would-be performers who’d
ever sorts of reality-warping nonsense their associated mages be more likely to set themselves on fire than add anything
create; in game terms, they don’t count as witnesses for vulgar to the performance, pounded out improvised percussion on
magick so long as said vulgarity comes from a mage in their anything that would make some noise, and then stayed all
organization. As mentioned above, Technocracy backup would day the following morning in order to help the Banner Dei
count as witnesses against mystic Reality Deviation, but not members and their friends clean up the post-gig trash piles
against Enlightened hypertech, even if said hypertech comes and load the gear into whatever vehicles they could find.
from another sort of technomancer, provided that the mage Since that night, both Banner Dei and the Brute Squad
still uses some form of reasonably explainable scientific prin- have cycled through dozens of members. The cores of both
ciples. Sure, that Etherite’s robot army seems scientifically groups, though, remain stable: Banner Dei blows minds, and
plausible, but that witch tweeting thunderbolts with her the Brute Squad gets them in and out of gigs intact without
cell phone is committing crimes against Reality! A coven of leaving a huge mess behind.

36 Gods & Monsters

 Under the guidance of Kore Valkyrie Smith since 2010, Brute gets booted for good cause (as opposed to retiring
the “Banner Brutes” provide drop-in support for Banner Dei’s from the group on good terms), his tattoo burns away in an
members and former bandmates. Either individually or as a agonizing flash of bright green fire, leaving the thunderbolt
group, those Banner Dei personnel can send up a flare, text behind as a permanent scar.
message, phone call, or blog post and have members of the
Brute Squad on the location as quickly as a bunch of mortals Cleaners
can arrive. Because the Brute Squad consists of several dozen Mages make messes. Someone has to clean them up. And
unAwakened hangers-on scattered across North and Central if the mage in question belongs to an organization like the
America, northern Europe, Japan, and India, and because Technocratic Union, a large cult, or a religious organization
Smith happens to be really good at resource management (and with a lot of things to hide, then that group dispatches cleanup
has backing from several noted Ecstatic philanthropists), a specialists to dispose of said mess before things can get even
team of three to 15 Brute Squad folks can show up within a messier than they already were. An ancient tradition in many
day or less with a little advance warning, or be on-site when organizations (you didn’t think all those medieval wizards
needed if they know at least two days in advance. gathered their own vials of slain dragons’ blood, did you?),
Once dispatched, the Banner Dei Brute Squad can handle the cleaner role comprises a hidden yet essential element of
trash collection and disposal, crowd control, violence-free the Ascension War’s innate secrecy.
de-escalation, light medical attention, and setup and tear-down Equipped with strong stomachs, tight lips, and the best
logistics for stage gear and musical equipment. Most Brute cleaning supplies money (and sometimes magick) can pro-
Squad members can also dance, spin fire, perform acrobatics, vide, these special assistants stealth in, sort out the damage,
play musical instruments, or contribute other skills to the cover everybody’s tracks, and get out before the mundanes
performance itself. Kore and her co-leaders train Brute Squad notice something’s wrong. Body disposal, bloodstain removal,
personnel in the essential skills before they’re allowed to back property repair — it’s all in a night’s work for these consors.
up the band and its people, and though Banner Dei and Although a mage or two might be sent along with the crew
its support team have rather liberal attitudes about sex and in order to handle issues that only Spheres can conceal, these
drugs, there’s a strict code of conduct that expels any Brute hardcore operatives have been trained to handle most messy
Squad member who abuses his position or can’t be bothered situations with a minimum of fuss. That training includes
to respect a given “no.” So far, most folks associated with the misdirection skills (to divert potential witnesses), attention to
Brute Squad have remained trustworthy and reliable; Kore’s detail (so as to spot things a casual eye might miss), the ability
very good at vetting people, and the few who step out of line to bullshit convincingly (“Why no, officer, this is simply routine
and take advantage of Ecstatic hospitality tend to wind up maintenance”), and an array of tactics that let the cleaners
gibbering mindlessly by the side of a road if they’re ever seen adapt to rapidly changing circumstances (like, say, that bunch
again at all. of ghosts who just showed up to haunt the place they were
Banner Dei’s Brute Squad features a colorful collective killed). Most vitally, however, cleaners must remain discreet
of Subculture Devotees (pp. 31-32) whose training lets them and keep their cool under situations that would drive most
haul gear and calm crowds with minimal fuss. Although folks screaming for the nearest bomb shelter. The few, the
the oldest members have looked age 40 in the rearview mir- proud, the drenched in gore — there’s your cleanup crew.
ror, most Banner Brutes are in their mid-20s to early 30s. Depending on the group that hires them, these cleanup
Regardless of age or gender, these folks combine tattooed consors might range from a team of half a dozen specialists
badassery with Zen-focused people skills. Most have traveled to a single person who’s formidably good at his job. (Think
extensively throughout the mortal world, and a number have Mr. Wolf from Pulp Fiction, but with paranormal resources
spent time in the Otherworlds as well. Despite appearances, at his fingertips). Like backup consors, these folks generally
these are friendly people who blend old-school manners with arrive with a team leader and a list of responsibilities for each
new-millennium social consciousness. They rarely possess member. One cleaner could be tasked with blood removal
paranormal powers themselves (Kore probably does, but if while another patches holes in the walls, one or two others
so she doesn’t brag about it), but occasionally bring along conceal the cleanup operation from prying eyes or send the
mystic goodies they’ve found or been gifted with at various cops packing when they show up to investigate the latest
events. The majority of them speak at least two languages, “gas main explosion.” Fake IDs, mop-up gear, holographic
and some enjoy learning as many tongues as they can recall. projectors, whatever the gig demands, the cleaners usually
Arriving in dust-crusted cars (many of which have been have the tools to get that job done.
modified for all-terrain use), all Banner Brutes sport a tat-
It takes a special kind of person to work a cleanup crew
too that marks them as approved and official members of
— the sort of person for whom severed tentacles, exploded
the group. This design — a Hulk-green banner with a white
bodies, and werewolves turned inside-out are all in a day’s
lightning bolt slashed across its surface — glows in low-light
work. Although most cleanup operatives are normal human
situations so Brutes can find each other in the dark. If a

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 37

beings with a few bits of unusual gear, the mental toughness Occasionally, a private mage with money to burn employs
essential for such a job is hard to find when the person in a personal cleanup crew. These companions might mop up her
question must also be reliable, discreet, and stable enough disasters, keep the Chantry or sanctum clean, live full time
to do the job under almost any circumstances. Although in an off-world Realm, or any combination of those duties.
mystic mages tend to disregard those hard-minded operatives, Technocracy Constructs, of course, have dedicated cleaning
Technocratic field agents are well aware of the challenges crews, too. “Domestic” cleaners — that is, folks who aren’t
inherent in the job, and generally afford cleanup crews the expected to go out into the field and make dead Sleepers
respect they deserve. disappear — are essentially glorified custodians, without the
Game-wise, cleanup crews are a specialized form of the specialized Traits field agents live and die by. Even these as-
Backup characters detailed above, equipped with appropriate sistants, though, have high Willpower Traits and an initiated,
gear and Abilities, and possessed of Willpower Traits rated no even jaded, view of magick and its effects; they don’t count
lower than 7. Because they’re used to pretty much anything as witnesses for vulgar Effects, and consider weird shit to be
the job can throw at them, cleanup specialists don’t count as perfectly normal. (“Don’t bother the ghosts in the containment
witnesses against any form of vulgar magick. Though they’re field — they get cranky when you come too close.”)
pretty much the opposite of suicidal, cleanup consors seem Suggested Templates: As the Traits above suggest, cleanup
unfazed by all but the most demented circumstances. These crews are not your normal everyday sorts of people. Few clean-
are folks who clean up alien gore and slaughtered innocents ers would qualify as anything less than Professional Badasses
as a matter of routine, and who know how to keep secrets that even if their Traits favor cleanup over combat. Among the
would choke a mob enforcer. Naturally, neuroses are par for Union’s ranks, such agents are considered to be extraordinary
the course, with nightmares being frequent perks of the job. citizens, with appropriate status and compensation. Sanctum
Sure, the best of them can compartmentalize the things they custodians might be exceptional Human Resources, but those
scrub off the walls, but all that madness has to go somewhere, folks are not qualified for field work.
so Flaws like Icy, PTSD, Inappropriate (gallows humor and
grotesque conversations), OCPD, Flashbacks, and Nightmares Jason “Lurch” Shale
can be standard issue for such companions. The job pays well, No prospects. That’s what the guidance counselor thought.
though, and cleanup crews have enough leverage with their That’s what Jason’s parents thought too. Jason was a loner,
Enlightened associates to be able to request (or demand) a weirdo, a freak. Obsessed with private games only Jason
favors and expect to get them. After all, no sane mage wants understood. Engrossed in internet pages filled with autopsies
to find herself stuck out in the open with a bunch of bodies and gore. Car crashes. Burnt bodies. Torture videos. Jason
to dispose of, approaching police sirens, and a recorded mes- studied them with the clinical resolve of a brain surgeon prac-
sage telling her, “I’m sorry but no one is presently available ticing on an orange. He wasn’t violent, no. Not a Columbine
to take your call…” waiting to happen. Jason just saw things differently, a world
Suggested Traits: As noted above, cleanup agents have built from sticky pieces that fit together in mysterious ways
very high Willpower Traits; weak-willed people cannot do but came apart all too easily. His grades remained strong.
what these folks do. Common Traits include high Perception His test scores showed great intellect. Jason was just creepy,
and Wits Attributes (3 or higher); three or more dots in that’s all.
Alertness, Crafts, Search, and Subterfuge; two to four dots Tallish and gaunt, pale enough to show acne scars, Jason
in Computers, Stealth, Technology, and perhaps Medicine; earned the nickname “Lurch” from classmates too young to
and — especially among team leaders or solo specialists — really get the joke. His penchant for dark colors, army jack-
several dots in Blatancy. The Flaws noted above are pretty ets, and combat boots kept the assholes just scared enough
common among cleanup crew members, and a sick sense to leave Lurch be. There was always someone more fun to
of humor is universal. Cleanup agents generally work “on taunt, anyway. Jason’s reaction to it all was a long dark stare
call,” and must be ready to scramble to a new location within lit by flickers of contempt.
minutes if need be. There had to be a place for him out there somewhere.
Cleaners who work for mages and Technocrats receive And there was.
gear — hazmat suits, disposal bags, cleaning agents, official
“Is crime-scene cleanup the career for you?” The question
ID badges (often with fake names), and the like — from their
hovered over the faces of a pack of models clearly chosen for
employers, and that gear often includes low-level Wonders
their inoffensive array of genders and skin tones. Is it really
that unAwakened personnel can use: cross-dimensional con-
that easy? Jason wondered as he noted the application, sorted
tainers, enhanced-perception sensors (Rank 1 Sphere Effects
out his answers, and prepared a suitable resume. Jason always
built into sensor gear), cloaking devices, and so forth. Field
had been good with tests, so the application process flew by
agents also carry small but effective weapons, and they know
without complications until the moment he faced the actual
how to use those sidearms (the Firearms or Energy Weapons
human being who interviewed him for the job. That meeting,
Abilities) if necessary.

38 Gods & Monsters

he noted, sent pangs of apprehension through his veins. The cliques, New-Age networks, prayer circles, dance groups,
interviewer, though, didn’t seem to mind. A thin, pale woman alternative-science research groups, medieval recreationists,
with a near-robotic cadence to her voice, she showed him a live-action roleplaying groups… the variations are as expansive
parade of gruesome images, each more ghastly than the last. as the paradigms that inspire them. All such cults, however,
“Does this bother you?” she asked him, finally. share a few common elements: a powerful belief, an ideal-
Jason shook his head. He’d seen worse. He got the job. ized figurehead for that belief, a social hierarchy established
around them both, and a devotion to the group’s ideal that
Not being a real people-person, Jason was given the
overshadows the individual identities of its members. The
dirty jobs — the ones furthest from the grieving relatives and
degree to which that idea proves toxic to the people in the
queasy cops. Once he’d received his orders, Jason became a
group depends on the cult and its leadership. No matter how
machine of sprays and scrubbings with an attention to detail
toxic it might be, though, there will always be someone who
that seemed almost supernatural. Appreciating his abilities,
wants to join in, if only to find a semblance of meaning in
his employers at Catalyst Cleaning Services gave Jason all
an implacable world.
the work he could handle; well-compensated work with an
excellent medical plan. Two years out of high school, with no Cultist companions revere the mage, the message he con-
college or debt, Jason’s pulling down more than both parents veys to them, or — typically — both. The bonds of fellowship
combined. He’s got his own place, and a sweet car, and if created by cult membership exert a strong appeal as well, with
his job calls him in at odd hours to hose down scenes that cult members “finding themselves” through their association
would make the devil shit himself, well that is what they pay with like-minded folk. Loyalty often comes through a personal
him for, and they pay him really well. Jason doesn’t argue, connection with the group’s ideals, combined with a sense of
doesn’t ask questions or talk about what he does at work. It’s belonging to something greater. Cult members, then, tend to
not like he had many friends to begin with, so this morbid be people seeking a cause worth living (and possibly dying)
career suits him perfectly. for, with a devotion to that cause which provides a core to
that person’s identity.
Jason has noticed, though, that many of these crime
scenes he visits have horror-movie overtones: weird graffiti, Whatever their reasons, people who join cults tend to be
dead animals, human remains, pillaged graves, old books extremely, perhaps fatally, loyal. In game terms, that loyalty
in strange languages, corpses riddled by military hardware, provides a bonus to a mage’s spellcasting attempts when the
occasionally things that don’t look as though they’d ever been cult throws the weight of its collective belief behind those
human… They’re not the sorts of sites he was hired to clean spells. The cult’s members trust so deeply in the mage (or
back when he first joined the firm. No, these are different. at least in the ideal he represents) that their belief literally
More sinister. Definitely occult. Tom Robinson, Jason’s changes reality in his favor. Such belief, en masse, is the true
foreman, has been watching Jason more closely than before power of a cult. Its individual members might not be much
— not actually saying much beyond his usual instructions but of a match for a mage, but their collective psychic energy
clearly waiting to see if Jason passes some new test. It’s no big magnifies his abilities. The cult, then, is worth protecting,
deal, though. Jason’s cool with everything. By now, he knows even from itself.
there are things on the edges of the night, things you don’t It’s not always true that members of a cult are suckers
talk about if you want to keep that nice job and sweet car with nonexistent self-esteem. That stereotype is accurate in
and a salary many folks would kill for. Oh, he’ll look a few of some cases, of course, but the average member of such a
‘em up on the internet from time to time, jot down mental fellowship probably has a number of things going for her.
notes, and fit the pieces together in his mind. This world is Even so, there’s a hole in her life, a hole this sort of group
a puzzle, Jason knows, and the seams between its pieces are can fill. Maybe she’s suffering from a crisis of faith, believes
cut from flesh and colored with blood. in nothing, is rebelling against an upbringing that left her
scarred, or is sorting through a personal sorrow. The thing
Cultists is, everybody’s got their reasons for things they do, and so
So you wanna be a cult leader? It’s pretty easy, especially a person who joins a cult does so in order to meet a rather
with magick. Just find a handful of people who desperately pressing need. Assuming the cult provides what she’s searching
want a certain degree of excitement or enlightenment, offer up for, that group may inspire devotion for life.
a gospel that suits their needs, establish a number of parame- Suggested Traits: As detailed in Mage 20 (p. 310) the
ters that set your followers apart from the general population Cult Background reflects a group of normal human characters
(possibly through enforced separation, for maximum control), united by a shared faith in a mage or cabal. Those people
and voila! Instant cult! Well, maybe it’s not quite that easy, aren’t exceptional in game terms, and so their Traits remain
but you get the idea. Mages can and do assemble cults quite anchored in the Everyday People range.
frequently: prosperity sects, religious orders, Pagan covens, Suggested Templates: Background-level cult members
faith-healing devotees, fan clubs, extropian fellowships, social could be Homeless Survivors, Human Resources, and so on,

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 39

but they lack the militant prowess of Professional Badasses group or a big church, and nothing about them is fancy.
or upper-level consors. A given cult probably has a few cops Still, for the folks who live in Ms. White’s neighborhood,
or veteran military personnel for protection and essential it’s enough. And while Joe gets the credit when folks think
enforcement, but powerful allies like vampires and cyborgs to mention it at all, it’s Ms. White and her inner circle that
are the province of Backgrounds like Ally, instead. really get things done.
As for Ms. White, with her cats and her yoga and her
Jayleen White high-end shoes and jewelry business, she gets what most folks
Ms. White lives down the street. She has three cats and want: a relatively safe life, a relatively prosperous career, some
she’s in your yoga class. Nothing about her screams “cultist” to relatively good friends, and a small part of this world that
you. Jayleen works at an upscale shoe store, selling Ferragamos finally feels like home.
and Louboutins to affluent customers. She’s got an online
store where she sells handmade jewelry, too, and she’s doing
pretty well at it. Maybe you went to school with her — with
Handlers
The Awakened are complicated people. The ones who
the pretty Black girl who never said much but always seemed
aren’t trying to bring dragons into the Consensus or steer
to have a few friends who accepted her quiet personality
popular belief toward instant cloning would usually mis-
without question. Even then, she dressed well, with a sense
place their own brooms if someone wasn’t nearby to store
of classic, understated fashion in contrast to the usual teen
those tools where they belong. Hence, mages often have
rebellion and conformity chic.
handlers: personal Retainers (as in the Background Trait
Jayleen was born in Miami, but she has lived most of her of that name, detailed in Mage 20, p. 323) who take care
life in your town. Her dad was in the Coast Guard, but he of those little details mages are too busy, scattered or proud
and mom split up decades ago. Mom grew up in a small town, to handle themselves.
too, from a small handful of Black families in that place. She
Handler consors are the receptionists, personal assistants,
taught Jayleen how to rise above the usual nonsense. Jayleen’s
office managers, lawyers, librarians, agents, housekeepers,
smart. She learned well. These days, she’s one of the few folks
nurses, butlers, advisors, head mechanics, chiefs of staff,
she knows in her age group who actually owns her own house.
and other logistical personnel whose job demands organi-
She works hard, is nice to everyone, and goes to that church
zational skills and attention to detail. These folks tend the
down the road from the youth center.
sanctum, run the Chantry, make sure the office doesn’t fall
That church with the minister who performs miracles. apart around the mage’s ears, and otherwise keep the gears
Jayleen knows he’s touched by God. She’s seen what the humming smoothly in a mage’s life. And because her position
man can do, and it’s way beyond human gifts. She’s seen involves duties that are important, perhaps invaluable, to the
him cure meth addicts with a touch, stop a gang brawl with mage she works with, a handler enjoys a certain amount of
a few soft words, and unearth a crooked bank’s attempt to autonomous authority.
gentrify a nearby neighborhood by foreclosing on folks who’d In many regards, this sort of companion is a hired
owned their homes for decades, sending the guilty parties to Professional, a trusted Servant, or both. Her compensation
jail instead of to an executive suite. Joseph Sewell insists that involves status as well as income, and might involve a degree
everybody call him “Joe,” not “minister,” and Jayleen knows of affection, too. In service to that job, of course, a handler
he’s much older than he seems to be. Her mom worked with needs valuable skills and must be unusually proficient at what
Joe when he was just starting out, and he’s been a family friend she does. Game-wise, these are characters with four or five
for ages. He even cured mom’s cancer a few years back, so dots in their most vital Abilities, with a high Willpower and
whatever Joe needs, Jayleen will work to provide. respectable Mental or Social Attributes. Such companions
Ms. White runs an inner circle of congregation members might have a bit of combat training in case of emergencies,
who keep an eye on their neighborhoods and participate in but that’s not their primary focus. As shown by the list of
local politics. They understand there’s more to Joe and his potential vocations above, handlers excel at intellectual
associates than meets the obvious eye, and because that group Knowledges and social acumen. They’re cool under pressure
of blessed healers works to keep them safe, they return the and confident in their roles. A mere servant moves through
favor for the church. It’s not a cult, for God’s sake — it’s a the shadow of his Awakened master, but the handler is capable
support-group for the church and its neighborhood and all and respected enough to give that same mage a hard time on
the people in it, whether they belong to the church or not. It general principle. (“I don’t care where that portal opened to, don’t
keeps secrets when need be and monitors the local cops and track your muddy boots on my freshly cleaned rug!”)
gangs and businesses for signs of pending attack. Ms. White By definition, a handler has an attitude; it’s her job to
and her friends also counsel local kids, tutor at the schools, handle things, and by all that’s holy and unholy alike, that
help out at the local youth center, and report potential threats is what she’ll do. She tends to keep a tight rein on her field
to Joe and his friends. And so, the many plagues of American of expertise, and probably knows more about it than the
Suburbia keep passing their neighborhood by. It’s not a big
40 Gods & Monsters
mage who hired her… which, of course, is why he hired her Ethan had established a reputation for connecting Party A
in the first place. Under most circumstances, she lives on with Party B to the benefit of both parties and Ethan’s bank
the property where she works, probably has an office all to account. That’s been his gig ever since.
herself, and exerts authority over other servants, employees, During college, with help from mom, Ethan opened
and so forth if that place has them. If that property exists in Clairon Media Talent Unlimited, an agency for models,
some Otherworldly realm or Construct, then the handler actors, and internet celebrities. Clarion was doing so well
might not even be a human per se; cybernetic, mutated, by the time Ethan graduated that he was contracted by a
Bygone, or otherwise paranormal handlers are unusual but Technocratic subsidiary to represent several of their then-new
not exceptional in the Awakened world, especially in those MODES personalities (see Chapter Three). That was five years
places that differ considerably from what passes for the ago, and CMTU has since become one of the rising stars of
everyday world. 21st-century celebrity management, in large part thanks to
Suggested Traits: As always, a handler’s Traits depend Romeo’s unflagging energy and the personal touch he employs
upon the role she fulfills. A librarian would have formidable with everyone on his client list.
levels of Academics, Investigation, and Research, while a A rakish bro in his late 20s, Ethan is stylish if not per-
housekeeper specializes in Crafts (for maintenance), Etiquette, sonally handsome. His everyman-in-Tagliatore casual fashion
Search, and appropriate specialties in Academics, Technology, sense, dazzling charisma, and smooth social moves make up
and the like. As noted earlier, handlers possess high Trait rat- for his rather ordinary features. Freckled with tousled red hair,
ings in their specialized fields, with commensurate Attributes Romeo earns his name because everything he says seems to be
like Intelligence, Manipulation, and Perception reaching hopelessly devoted to whomever he’s speaking to at the time.
rather heroic degrees. Regardless of the other specific Traits, That charming intimacy feels natural, not skeevy, and so folks
a handler is organized, assertive, and capable enough to hold are inclined to trust him. Ethan plays the game as fairly and
at least one dot in Leadership, and possibly a dot or two in squarely as a high-end talent agent can possibly be, and so
Intimidation as well. his reputation remains golden among clients and rivals alike.
Suggested Templates: Although they’re skilled Human At least to all appearances, he’s a sincerely nice guy whose
Resources, handler characters hew closer to the Power Player agency excels at teaming the right performer with the venue
template in terms of the skills and resources they command. that suits them best. The fact that he’s secretly bankrolled
by Halcyon Holdings (a Syndicate media firm) just makes
Ethan “Romeo” Berg Ethan’s pockets deeper and his clients richer.
Those who know him have a saying: “If you need sand Despite his extraordinary clients, Ethan is not himself
sold in the Middle East, call Romeo.” The guy’s a hardcore an extraordinary citizen. Really, Romeo doesn’t know much
charmer and the kind of salesman who makes this world’s at all about his benefactors. He’s got no ties to the Ascension
Willy Lowmans blow their brains out on a Sunday night. In Conflict as it stands, and he’d be deeply confused if some
the parlance of Alec Baldwin’s motivational speech, Romeo’s weirdo showed up and started trying to convince him that his
a closer. It’s not real estate he sells, though: it’s reality — agency serves a shadow-war agenda. (He’d also call security
specifically the reality you see on TV news and internet on the offending weirdo and have that conspiracy-theory
channels. You’ll never see him do it, though. That’s not whackjob escorted from his offices posthaste.) Sure, he un-
Romeo’s style. Nope, he’s a seller of impressions in human derstands that he’s got a lot of uncannily convincing clients
form, personalities who determine what’s real in the eyes working all ends of the socio-political spectrum, but keeping
and ears of viewers across the world. Romeo’s an agent of them employed and popular is all Ethan gets paid to care
elite clientele: broadcast celebrities from across the political about. If confronted with the truth behind his agency and its
spectrum, whose arguments define what is and is not “real” investor Halcyon, Romeo might just crack. Then, again, he’s
in our 21st century. not really opposed to the idea of a stable, prosperous world
He’s always been good at this sort of thing. Ethan’s governed by a powerful elite, either, especially not if he gets
mother works in insurance, and she’s good enough at it that to be one of the folks on top when the smoke finally clears.
Ethan and his family grew up in one of the nicer parts of
town. Cute, charismatic, and schooled in salesmanship from Igors
a very early age, Ethan learned how to ingratiate himself with It’s an archetypal scene: the mad doctor bellowing com-
total strangers within seconds of meeting them. By way of a mands as his deformed assistant scurries around the lab,
girlfriend in the theatre department, he discovered the joys lightning flashing and thunder crashing as some obscene
of talent representation by helping her score a modeling con- experiment reaches its horrible conclusion. And while that
tract. Their relationship didn’t last long, but the friendship scene involves melodramatic exaggeration, the name “Igor”
behind it remains solid to this day. She introduced him to has become associated with debased and often impaired ser-
some friends… and they introduced him to some friends… and vants whose bond with an abusive master is based more upon
so on. By the time he’d graduated, near the top of his class,

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 41

desperation than upon respect, loyalty, or pay. Officially, this below — it’s still practiced by certain mages today although
sort of “Igorism” is frowned upon within the ranks of the few folks are willing to admit that publicly.
Nine Traditions and the Disparate Alliance; behind closed To a modernistic mindset, the whole Igor thing is gross-
blast doors, however, it’s still kind of a thing where certain ly exploitative. Even in technologically advanced cultures,
mages are concerned. though, the practice has defenders. “What else would they be
In the old days, wizards and artisans of noble lineage doing,” goes a typical argument, “if they weren’t able to work
could compel service from their lessers simply because they for people who have the tools and resources to deal with their
held the rank to do so. Especially if those unfortunates also handicaps?” Some defenders of the practice compare Igorism
suffered from grave illness or debilitating physical conditions, to the employment of impaired people as baggers, greeters,
appeared to be “not in their right mind,” were outcasts, or custodians, and so forth in mainstream corporations, forgetting
had some other condition that prohibited them from working the abusive element that seems near-inevitable in Igor-type
alongside “normal” people, this sort of demi-slavery could relationships. The practice takes advantage of people whose
even have been considered kindness of a sort. Thus, a tradi- health, for whatever reason, brands them as “crippled” in the
tion developed in which mages of various sorts gathered up eyes of mainstream society, and it demands absolute servitude
servants who really had no place else to go, and then used from them in return for whatever food and shelter an Igor’s
and abused them into performing the dirty work that would “master” provides. And so, though it may be “traditional,”
be considered beneath that mage’s station. Because the Igor Igorism is, at the very least, ethically questionable.
had no better options, such service tended to be a lifetime That said, it still exists.
deal. Rebellion would be punished with exquisite sadism, and
The hallmarks of an Igor-style consor include some drastic
resentment was managed through an alternating system of
form of Impediment (as per the Flaw of that name; see The
rewards, promises, and grotesque punishments. Mad scien-
Book of Secrets, pp. 39-40) or other Physical or Mental Flaws,
tists, in particular, had a habit of using their Igors as guinea
desperate circumstances for the consor in question, and an
pigs, often after death — occasionally before it. The rise of
abusive relationship with “master.” Secrecy is essential, espe-
humanistic and democratic philosophies drove this practice
cially in an era where such abuses are considered unethical
often literally underground, but — like the slavery detailed
42 Gods & Monsters
and typically illegal, yet despite the cruelties rained down upon In addition to that infirmity, an Igor consor also suffers
the servant’s back there’s a distinct element of codependence from one or more Flaws that reflect his psychological depen-
in such relationships. The Igor has some skill or talent “mas- dence upon the master and the abusive bond they share.
ter” needs, and that service earns a certain type of support That Igor character could be a Ward, might feel True Love
(possibly even twisted affection) from “master” that the Igor for the master, may be Cursed, a Ghoul, a construct (with
wasn’t getting elsewhere. In a world where social networks those attendant challenges), or simply so beaten down by life
crumble, governments slash public funding, and people must and Master than he accepts the arrangement for what it is…
constantly “prove their worth” or else wind up on the streets, for the present time, anyway.
such arrangements are not nearly as rare as they perhaps should Traditionally, an Igor has several unusual capabilities that
be. Indeed, it’s been argued that groups like the Syndicate make him useful to the master’s purposes. Such capabilities
deliberately impoverish people so as to create a large pool of could include great strength or stamina, uncanny perceptions,
potential Igors, while Etherites and Progenitors are said to an ability to phase through walls, inhuman stealth, and so
actually create their own Igors with specific services in mind. forth. Higher-than-usual Attributes cover the obvious talents,
Voodoo has a legendary history of such arrangements too, and the Special Advantages in this book’s final chapter can
while religious orders employ the “charity” of giving orphans provide options for other unusual abilities.
and other discarded children “something useful (and typically
Suggested Templates: Regardless of their individual
illegal) to do.” And so, while few mages will introduce an Igor
nature, Igor-type consors tend to be unusually competent
as such, that sort of associate remains a dirty little secret in
in some degrees and unusually deficient (if only in their
more sanctums and laboratories than most mages like to admit.
own minds) in others. Template-wise, a Thug, Professional
What about the person behind that archetype? In most Badass, Hardcase, Homeless Survivor, Human Resource or
cases, an Igor-style companion suffers not only from physical Subculture Devotee would be perfectly appropriate for an
or mental conditions but also from a debilitating lack of con- Igor, with the possible addition of a Special Advantage or
fidence. That person may have been raised or even bred into appropriate Merits and Flaws.
this role and might not even realize a different life is possible.
Years — more likely decades — of abuse have convinced this Riddhi
servant that he deserves his station. He could feel affection, Riddhi was born to a family of fruit-sellers in Srinagar,
even love, for his master, perhaps making eloquent arguments Uttarakhand, India. The youngest of six children, she
in favor of continued servitude. Then again, an Igor might seemed like a burden on her poor family. To make a hard
hate his master’s guts and look forward to the day when a situation worse, Riddhi’s nose was deformed and her head
lock is not fastened correctly, or a gate is left ajar. This sort was disproportionately large… so large her mother died
of Igor sabotages his master’s plans whenever possible, abuses soon after she was born. Her father struggled to support
the master’s other creations, and takes his fury out on anyone his family — even taking on a new wife to help out with the
who happens to be nearby. Whatever form it takes, regardless girls. Never, though, could he forgive the child who had
of the person on the receiving end of the arrangement, Igorism killed his first love, and Riddhi’s siblings blamed her for
does not breed healthy partnerships. Near-inevitably, an Igor’s taking their mother away.
tale comes to a nasty end. Until that time, the consor does
When she reached the age of three, Riddhi’s family sold
what he’s told, takes whatever joys he can manage in this
her to a temple run by reputed “holy men.” At the temple, the
world, and avoids the real and figurative whips that signal
young girl was expected to act as a living avatar of Ganesha
displeasure in a master’s hands.
during rituals, thanks to her still-overlarge head. Despite that
Given the abusive nature of an Igor relationship, this sort supposedly blessed role, however, Riddhi was also expected
of situation is potentially risky content. You should probably to work at all tasks put before her at any other time. She
check in with the rest of your group before bringing Igor- found herself questioning the rightness of such a dichotomy
style consors into your chronicle. See the sidebar regarding early on, and regularly stood up against her “masters” in the
“Triggers, Limits, and Boundaries” in Mage 20, p. 345, and temple. Her impetuous nature was not exactly encouraged by
its associated entry about “Problems, Boundaries, and the the “holy men,” of course, and regular beatings they inflicted
Three-Strike Zone.” upon her left Riddhi sullen and emotionally broken.
Suggested Traits: Igor-type servitors have some form of As a living embodiment of generosity, Riddhi is ex-
infirmity that sets them apart from the people around them. pected to bear the abuse and smile, offering pretty blessings
In game terms, this could be a Flaw (or a collection of them) to people who come to the temple seeking guidance from
that suits the character’s concept and origins. Contrary to Ganesha. Such blessings seem to please a devotee known as
Universal Studios lore, an Igor doesn’t have to be physically Arjunachrya. A poor man with subtle yet noticeable power,
impaired, nor — and this is vital — are all impaired consors Igors. Arjunachrya lurks around the temple, siphoning off energy
The idea that handicaps make a person “twisted” is the sort from the worshippers. Riddhi has noticed him feeding, has
of thinking that allows Igorism to flourish in the first place. recognized a selfish soul within him, and understands that
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 43
he needs her. She also realizes that Arjunachrya employs a maybe even pawns, falsified love remains a ruthless tactic
subtle talent for influence which has lessened the severity of for those who crave loyal companionship. (For a disturbing
the beatings inflicted upon Riddhi by her masters. Thus, she example of how that sort of thing plays out for the person
feels caught between hatred and appreciation. Without her, on the other side of it, watch season one of the TV show
he would have left this temple long ago; without him, she Jessica Jones.)
probably would have died. Regardless of her reasons, or the sincerity of that mage’s
Riddhi resists her masters in subtle ways. She takes her affections, a lover consor tends to put aside every consideration
time with simple tasks, she drops rice, and she stumbles and that doesn’t support her devotion to that mage. Families may
falls at inopportune moments. Her masters view her as dull, be abandoned, jobs quit, homes abandoned in favor of the
but she is not. Amidst their taunts and insults, the servant wild adventures such love might bring. Passionate love might
catalogs a list of the abuses she has faced. Riddhi has a list for blind her to deadly risks and hurl the lover into the line of
every cut, for every beating, for every missed meal, and for the fire even if the mage himself wants to keep his beloved out
name of the person behind each one. Ultimately, she’s storing of harm’s way. A calmer sort of love, like that often seen
up her hatred, planning for the day that she finally receives between a certain Doctor and his companions, can still take
the power to strike back. Until then, Riddhi does as she is a consor from familiar surroundings into every sort of danger
told; to do otherwise would be to face pain and humiliation imaginable. And while a long-running relationship might
that no human being should bear. lack the spontaneous fire of new love, the bond between
Although she still prays to the god she supposedly em- the mage and his companion may last past death and span
bodies, Riddhi doubts in his benevolence. How could a god many incarnations.
who personifies prosperity and mercy let his mortal servant A mage’s loving companion could be anyone: an everyday
suffer this way? Despite her lack of faith, Riddhi has noticed person caught up in a shadow war, a faithful consor who
a slow but potent surge of energy within her, washing away fell in love with some strange wizard, a field agent or office
her aches and lessening the pain of beatings. For a time, she functionary whose job grew way beyond her expectations, a
thought that power might come from Arjunachrya; now she’s paranormal creature who’s crossing ancient lines in order to
beginning to believe it comes from somewhere else. Like the love a mage, a childhood flame whose life crosses paths with
elephants who labor for their human masters, Ganesha is her old lover again, a psychic vampire drawn to Enlightened
slow but mighty. The time may come, perhaps soon, that folk, or the ghost of a long-lost paramour — the possibilities
she truly will embody the power of that god. When that day are as infinite as love itself. An Awakened person might even
comes, Riddhi will crush her masters as the elephant crushes find herself falling in love with her Avatar if that “compan-
the grass beneath its feet. ion” is a Manifest Avatar character like Aria in the original
Cult of Ecstasy Tradition Book. (See the Avatar entries for
Lovers “Crush” and “Manic Pixie” in this book’s Chapter Four,
They do it for love, that’s why. Certain consors will fol- pp. 126 and 129) The course of true love can run down
low their mages to the ends of known Creation out of sheer some seriously bizarre channels in the Awakened world, and
devotion to that mage. The love in question might be familial, although a mage’s sweetheart is probably human, such love is
as with a relative, or platonic, as in a friendship. Perhaps the a many-splendored thing.
strongest sort of bond, however, aside from that between and No matter who the lover might be, or what the nature of
mother and child, is the bond between lovers. And so, such that attachment really is, romantic connections are marvelously
beloved consors stand beside their mages not for fear, faith, dramatic, especially when complicated by jealous rivals, forbid-
or profit but for love. den passions, committed relationships with other people, or
The love in question might not be reciprocated; mages any number of other explosive surprises from Cupid’s quiver.
are infamous for their remote and occasionally disdainful Sure, the love bond between a companion and her mage could
view of “the Sleeping Masses.” A besotted person, though, be simple, mutual, and effortless… but really, where’s the fun
might decide to win over her would-be lover through duti- in that? Love so literally magickal should burn bright enough
ful service or mortal risk, conceal her true feelings for that to make the gods weep.
mage, or perhaps hide her true feelings even from herself. Suggested Traits: Love-based companionship is especially
The mage might reciprocate those feelings, too… or, in a well-suited for Merits like True Love, Family Support, Loyalty,
nasty but not unusual variation, charm his paramour with Twin Souls, or an Avatar or Supernatural Companion. For
magick and let her believe their “love” is genuine. That last entertaining complications, throw in a few Flaws like Rivalry,
trick is literally rape (as discussed in the entry “Questions Ward, Family Issues, Old Flame, Psychic Vampire, Extreme
of Consent” in How Do You DO That? pp. 119-120), but Kink, and, of course, Sleeping with the Enemy.
it’s a common practice in most magical cultures. Especially Suggested Templates: As mentioned above, a lover com-
among mages who view unAwakened people as lesser beings, panion could be anyone. For guidance when dealing with such

44 Gods & Monsters

relationships in your chronicle, check out the “Romance” sometimes get complicated. Honest and open communication
entry in the “Genre, Storytelling, and Mage” section of The within the family, though, helps keep major problems to a
Book of Secrets (p. 285), and the essay “Gender, Sex and minimum… so far.
Magick” in the same book (pp. 291-292). Every adult within the Sanctum’s core is tall — no less
than six feet in height, with teenage Crystal rising fast to join
The Sanctum them. Jason, Jennifer, and Crystal share a collective Euro-Asian
Jason Hightower and Jennifer Cheng met while they were heritage, while Alice, Arnold, and their children show an ob-
serving in the Army. They loved one another deeply, created a vious Nordic ancestry. Jason lifts weights and strength-trains
loving home and, in time, had a daughter they named Crystal. to deal with of his anxiety about getting older. Alice is thin,
As Crystal transitioned from an infant to a young child, daring, and prone to stating her intent and then leaving others
Jason and Jennifer decided to expand their family beyond to deal with the fallout. Jennifer’s the quiet one in public,
the traditional nuclear-family mode. After several trials (and but she’s also the organizer, the planner, and the director
several errors), they began to construct what’s often called an of the family, the calm center pillar that the other partners
intentional family: a collection of polyamorous relationships spin around. Arnold is the witty one, with a good-natured
that reach beyond the two-partner dynamic, ideally providing laugh and a smile for everyone; that said, he can shrewd and
a loving home for everyone involved. calculating when need be. A child of the YouTube generation,
When Jason met Alice Bergstrom at a gaming event, Crystal comes across as a budding social-media celebrity… a
he felt smitten by her energetic personality. Alice’s husband vocation her parents support so long as it doesn’t blow the
Arnold was pretty cute, too, and before long the two couples lid off their unconventional family structure. The family
had formed a “quad” of essentially equal partnerships. After is progressive in many regards but conservative in others.
several years of deepening connections, the group formed That dichotomy keeps the household hopping (especially in
a communal household they call “the Sanctum”: a family recent years), but love remains the law of that home. All four
based upon the love between its four primary partners, their partners love one another, love learning, and love that they
children, and the people who are, as they say, “tall enough have, by being a unit, found a peace and strength they did
to ride this ride” without pulling it off its tracks. not have otherwise. No one in the family wants to fight, but
But love, like life in general, is not without its compli- damned if they won’t finish — together — a fight if someone
cations. Jason works for a hospital that provides support for else begins one.
a Progenitor facility, while Alice is a consor for the Order
of Hermes. Alice and Arnold are pretty open about their Professionals
polyamorous connections; Jason and Jennifer are… not. We’re in it for the paycheck. Mages and their organizations
Despite some tense wrangling with the higher-ups, the quad can pay decent wages, especially if you’re hired by a deep-pock-
continues to share a household, children, and a small but ets group like the Order of Hermes, certain Ecstatic sects, or
eager constellation of secondary relationships. The fact that those Syndicate ops who believe in merit-based pay for their
those relationships occasionally include Awakened mages subordinates. Hence, many low-level consors — groundskeep-
and Enlightened operatives keeps things around the house ers, housekeepers, lab assistants, office personnel — and some
interesting but currently non-fatal. Love, as they say, is lim- higher-level ones, such as bodyguards, trainers, specialized
itless and can transcend the rivalries of the Ascension War. technicians, and executive assistants, perform their duties for
Communication, respect, and honesty: These are the com- a paycheck and perhaps the benefits that come with working
mandments of the Sanctum. No one is allowed in without for a mage.
the unanimous consent of the four partners, and anyone In most regards, the pay-for-play associate holds the most
who causes excess drama is kicked out immediately. The straightforward role. He’s there for the money, and though
primary partners have devised a seemingly complex language other forms of loyalty and affection might creep in around
of agreements and cues, but that code has endured almost 10 the edges, the consor sticks around in order to pay his rent.
years of shifting relationships, with no apparent end in sight. It’s a decent gig if you can get it, too: flexible hours, lots of
Crystal — now a teenager — finds the poly-mode to be “too excitement, intriguing work environments, and a decent
much damn work” for her own relationships, but she adores pay package so long as you’re not hiring out to some mangy
her four parents and three siblings with more affection than street magus. Such work is rarely boring, especially if it deals
teens generally display. The younger kids — Jeremy, Emily, with maintaining hypertech, grooming Bygone critters, or
and Grace — have never known any other mode of family, polishing the furniture in some wealthy wizard’s manor
and while they know enough to keep things quiet with most house. Of course, it’s got its challenges, too, with all those
outsiders (“Lots of people just don’t understand”), they have metaphysical weirdos forever trying to convert you to their
four parents who spoil them rotten yet hold them respon- way of thinking, and their rivals occasionally blowing down
sible for their behavior with a level of respect few children the doors. For folks with the patience to deal with endless
ever get from two parents, let alone from four. Sure, things evangelism and periodic violence, however, there are plenty
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 45
of rewards involved, especially if you’re working for some Abilities for which they’ve been hired — anything less is wasting
witch whose medical plan puts modern medicine to shame. the employer’s time. Upper-level hirelings might have a few
Professional consors, thanks to their mercenary motiva- Merits, probably Flaws as well, and Background Traits that
tions, tend to receive less respect from their employers than add value to their services. Every so often, an employer might
do consors who truly believe in the cause. A cranky mage can give an unskilled employee a ground-level job in order to help
be literally the boss from hell, too, especially if the associate’s that person out. Given the risks any hired consor both faces
unlucky enough to be working for a Nephandus. Syndicate and brings to their employer simply by existing, however, that
execs are ruthless, Ecstatic ones unpredictable, and Thanatoic person will need to earn his keep soon if he wants to hold that
ones downright frightening. If combat cyborgs start shooting, job… especially if he’d prefer not to leave the job feet first.
the hired help ranks among the lowest of priorities as far as Suggested Templates: At the very least, a professional
the cyborg’s targets are concerned. A primary reason for the consor would rate as a Human Resource. Upper-tier specialists
high salaries such consors receive comes from the potential are more like Hardcases, Professional Badasses, Extraordinary
hazards involved. Coupled with a need for absolute discretion Scientists, and Subculture Devotees with skills appropriate to the
(You can’t exactly tell your friends about the average day at gig. With very few exceptions, such hirelings are unAwakened
work), a mage’s life exerts heavy demands upon her hired help. humans, though the occasional ghoul or Night-Folk employee
Unlike most other consors, professionals don’t take on might find her way onto the payroll of an especially flush magus.
more duties than they’re paid to handle. They might sweep
your sanctum, but don’t ask them to help you cast a spell. Jean-Pierre Lompo
In terms of vulgar magick or extravagant hypertech, low-level Born in Mali, Jean-Pierre and his parents left the country
professionals are considered to be witnesses; high-level ones in the late 1980s for Burkina Faso. They almost fled during
are used to such things, though, so they’re not witnesses in the coup that led to the rise of Blaise Compaoré, but through
that sense of the word. Unless their job specifically requires some deals made they were able to stabilize their lives for a
loyalty under fire, and pays accordingly, these consors will time. Jean-Pierre’s father was a Sufi, and his mother a Catholic
head for the hills at the first sign of violence. Their devotion who ultimately joined a convent during the youth’s teenage
to the job and their employers depends significantly upon years. Thus, Jean-Pierre grew up in a split household, a divided
each individual’s personality and the benefits or liabilities neighborhood, and a country with high hopes but persistent
involved with that gig. A shaman who slaps her employees internal and external tensions. Following the example set by
around for minor infractions can’t count on their loyalty, his father, Jean-Pierre sought the love in those around him;
though an abusive executive who pays the best salaries in he spoke calmly, and quietly, and listened with pure respect
town can get away with quite a bit of crap. It’s in a mage’s and joy to anyone and everyone he interacted with. Thanks
best interests, then, to pay her crew as well as possible, treat to his near-inhuman patience, he had the simple ability to
them with respect, and keep ‘em out of harm’s way. That’s make those around him feel wanted and understood, and he
no assurance, naturally, that a paid employee won’t sell out used that gift to bring people together. He couldn’t always
his boss for a better offer, but it reduces the possibility that make them work with one another, of course; sometimes the
it’ll happen easily. rift between them was too strong. Even so, Jean-Pierre was
able to mend many fences, and even as a young man he was
A person who’ll work in the eccentric world of the
renowned as a fair judge and peacemaker.
Awakened tends to have flexible views about reality, ethics,
and law. After all, most of the stuff the employee’s liable to Ultimately, Quakers schooled him, and though he never
see and do will violate at least two of the average Sleeper’s accepted their faith he did accept their mission of bringing
perceptions about those three things. That employee will and sustaining peace. When they offered him a scholarship to
have at least one skill of suitable value to his employer, too, attend school, first in England and then in the United States, he
and should at least seem trustworthy. He probably won’t have jumped at the offer. In the course of three years, he completed
to share his employer’s paradigm, although mutual beliefs a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s
make a lot of things easier for everyone involved. In return, in International Peace and Conflict Resolution. During his
he’ll most likely earn a respectable pay grade, possibly with last course in that program, a professor approached Jean-Pierre
benefits… which, in places where such things grow increasingly to assist him with a particularly difficult project. Two men
precious, is compensation perhaps worth killing for. wished to meet to begin a dialogue, but their people had a long
and difficult history, fraught with persistent frustrations and
Suggested Traits: Even low-level functionaries need
long-festering wounds. Jean-Pierre was, at that time, unfamiliar
valuable skills before they’ll be of any use to a mage. Cooking,
with the Ngoma and the Solificati, but felt that he was up to
Academics, Etiquette, Crafts, Art, Finance, Law, Gunsmith,
the task of bringing these two trailblazers of peace to the table.
Technology, Cultural Savvy, Pilot, Seduction, Vice… any
sort of Ability will do so long as it’s something a mage (or Despite a pervasive aura of secrecy between the negotia-
group of mages) will benefit from having around the house. tor and his employers, Jean-Pierre eventually pieced together
Professional consors should have at least three dots in the the sense that these two groups had a shared history with a

46 Gods & Monsters

third party. That third party had left both groups to fend for and freedom. For now, then, he quietly observes and creates
themselves, and much of their hostility toward one another a space for the deepening dialogue between these groups.
probably should have been directed toward this “Order” his Jean-Pierre excels at bringing people together, and though he
dossiers mentioned. Jean-Pierre’s first action, then, involved remains unAwakened in the metaphysical sense of that word,
getting the men to describe their view of their people’s per- his current project may write a new chapter in the history of
sonal histories… at which point he asked them to plot their the magickal world.
commonalities, their places of overlap, the times they worked
with one another and not in opposition. The meeting was Servants
fruitful, and Jean-Pierre — though unAwakened himself — It’s traditional: the faithful butler, the brilliant mechanic,
stands near the center of the budding Disparate Alliance. the groundskeeper or housekeeper who tends the same manor
A thin man of Afro-Indian ancestry, Jean-Pierre leans close their ancestors tended. Such servants have provided mages
when he is listening to those he speaks with. He has a habit with companionship for millennia, and some still do so today.
of listening intently for many minutes, and then releasing a Although such positions are often filled these days by hired
quick breath with a “Yes!” spoken in the appropriate language. workers (pp. 45-46), full-time servants occupy a significant
His clothes often seem carelessly thrown together because he’s place in the Awakened world, especially among mages with
more worried about the people around him than about how a decidedly old-fashioned outlook.
he appears. Since the first meeting with the representatives Unlike punch-clock employees, these sorts of servants
of the Ngoma and the Solificati, he’s been sent around the live where they work, and often define their lives (or have
world by his mentor and employer in the Society of Friends their lives defined for them) in terms of the role they fulfill
to build bridges in this new Alliance. Some of the particulars in that household. Some serve out of cultural tradition (“As
about who these people are still escape him, but Jean-Pierre my forefathers served you, so will I”), others out of personal
has realized that this Alliance involves important and powerful desperation (“Help me and I will serve you”), quite a few from
people from various marginalized societies and cultures. He social status (“My people are born to serve”), and many out
knows they seek a greater peace — a world that’s better for of personal obligation (“I owe you a debt I can never repay”).
all people, one open, at least in theory, to new possibilities
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 47
Participants in kinky relationships might pledge servitude Suggested Traits: Servants specialize in the Traits
to their dominants, too. (“Yes, Mistress…”). Either way, a their job demands. An archivist would have several dots in
certain amount of respect and deference is essential. (“As Academics, Investigation, Research, and an array of appropri-
you wish, sir. May I be excused?”) In return, their overlords ate Knowledges, while a mechanic possesses enough Crafts,
provide food and shelter, clothing, protection, a certain Technology, and Jury-Rigging dots and specialties to handle
amount of trust, and perhaps a small allowance. Such com- the gear in his care. Any wise servant, however, has at least a
pensations might not seem like much, but they’re probably dot or two in Etiquette, if only because a servant’s fortunes
an improvement over the state those servants would have depend upon ingratiating himself with the overlords.
experienced otherwise. Suggested Templates: Any sort of character can be a
Other forms of servitude exist as well, most notably in servant under the right (or wrong) circumstances. Most of-
groups with ritualistic cultures and ancient hierarchies, like ten, however, a servant character would follow the Human
the Verbenae, Thanatoics, Akashayana, and the Hermetic Resources template, with skills determined by that servant’s
Order. Apprenticeships and initiations often feature periods role in the household. More formidable servants might
of servitude in order to weed out uncommitted applicants function as Thugs or Professional Badasses if they’re, say,
(particularly among groups that do not differentiate between bodyguards or gang members. Under certain circumstances,
Awakened and unAwakened members), and certain sentences Night-Folk or other superhuman entities might work as
within the Tradition Council’s justice system suggest servi- servants to an especially powerful master. Power Player-type
tude as punishment for a person’s crimes. (See “Indenture/ characters, though, would almost never be found in a ser-
Service” in The Book of Secrets, p. 216.) Thus, Awakened vant’s role.
mages occasionally wind up as servants, too. Although that
wizard’s butler is probably a consor with a few useful skills, Katherine Peet
it’s often wise not to underestimate people you meet around Kate Peet was born to a rough family in a rough part of
the Chantry, even when they’re called servants. town. She tried to avoid the fighting, the arguing, and the
The master-servant relationship is troubling to discuss general malaise plaguing many working-class families in her
these days. Unequal and exploitative by definition, it’s regarded small section of Preston, in northern England. Through
with distaste in many circles. Culturally, though, it’s a common sheer perseverance, she made her way through school and
arrangement even in the 21st century — not merely in “tradi- university, the first in her family to have done so, ever. Her
tional” regions but in corners of the modern world we don’t job interviews to work as a translator, though, failed time
talk about very often. Caste-based societies have dominance and time again. It didn’t matter that she had nearly perfect
and submission integrated into their foundations; folks with scores; interviewers heard her lower-class accent, and their
wealth and power have servants as a matter of course. Mages interest in her skills seemed to disappear.
and Enlightened executives maintain ranks of servants and, Finally, Katherine broke down and answered an advert
especially in the Otherworlds, might assert the rights of life for a position as a nanny for an American couple. The family
and death over them. Though deeply opposed to egalitarian clearly had money, with the husband working in the energy
philosophies, domestic servitude remains a fact of life. sector, and the wife operating a successful marketing business
A person’s attitude toward their servitude depends a online. The wife had given birth to twins the previous year but
great deal upon the reasons for that servitude, the culture taking time away from work wasn’t really an option for either
surrounding both the servant and their overlord, and the of them. The family had gone through dozens of nannies,
treatment and dignity afforded to that servant by the master none of whom proved able to keep up with the difficulty
in question. A lower-caste person who was raised in a family of working with two intensely energetic toddlers. Kate was
of servants would consider the situation perfectly natural, well-used to the energy level of young children, though; she’d
maybe even desirable if the masters are especially generous, practically raised her brother and two sisters, and her hard
whereas someone from an egalitarian society who’s been upbringing left her with an attitude of, “Well, it’s paying work
sentenced to servitude would kick against that situation as — just get on with it, then.” As she did in school, Katherine
much as possible. Even in societies where servitude is part rose to the task, well enough to be kept on by the family for
of the culture, though, a servant’s apparent deference may going on three years.
mask sarcasm, resentment, opportunism, and outright hate. Taking care of another person’s children is challenging:
For both the masters and the servants, their arrangement is You must find an acceptable middle ground between parenting,
a balancing act of politesse and obligation. If both sides feel advising, and letting the children do as they are told by their
they’re getting what they need from that relationship, things parents. Katherine seems to have found that magical middle
will probably go well for everyone concerned; if not, then ground. The Americans, Scott and Felicia, have nothing but
“master” might learn the hard way that intimate resentment good things to say about her and her work with their kids.
can have serious consequences, or the servant might fall into With the children now approaching school age, though, there
a far more abusive situation… have been discussions on whether or not they are going to

48 Gods & Monsters

keep Katherine on for much longer. They’ve already floated that money always needs to go back to the employer’s pockets,
the idea that Katherine could go and work for one of the leaving just enough to assure nosy authorities that the slaves
other families in Scott’s firm, a place Scott jokingly refers to are technically being paid, and thus are not enslaved as far
“the Syndicate.” At least, Katherine assumes those are jokes, as the law is concerned.
but no one seems to laugh when he mentions them. She cer- Mages, of course, can use those tactics, and employ
tainly hadn’t planned for a nanny’s life, but the pay is good, other methods, too: mental bondage through subtle or bla-
especially in these rough times, so she muddles through. Kate tant influence (detailed in How Do You DO That? under
has had enough of poverty to last a lifetime, thank you much! “Uncanny Influence,” pp. 114-136); captivity in a Horizon
Katherine has considered asking Felicia if she could take a Realm or Construct; Igorism, as described above; mystic
crack at translating some of Felicia’s articles into French and pacts that compel servitude (typically from spirit-entities,
Spanish as a way of earning some extra cash, but Kate’s bitter but occasionally from organic beings too); creating servitor
attempt at making her degree useful has rather crushed her beings through magick, hypertech, or both; invocation
self-confidence in that regard. of ancient cultural traditions that demand service to the
Katherine calls herself short, and as she stands a mere Awakened Ones; servitude compelled by magickal oaths
1.57 meters in her bare feet, many people would agree. She’s or punishments; and the threat of catastrophic retribution
got the thick, black curly hair that points to both Lancastrian unless the mage’s whims are fulfilled. Especially for mages
heritage and Irish relations. Kate’s preference is for long-sleeved with a particularly draconian fondness for “the Old Ways,”
shirts, to cover up the scars she received from being dragged the democratic distaste for slavery is a passing trend that
into knife fights she wanted nothing to do with as a teenag- contradicts the will of history.
er. She tells herself daily: “Chin-up, do this until you find Unlike servants, slaves have no choice about their con-
something better, at least you aren’t living at home or drunk dition unless they decide to risk their lives to change it, and
on a street corner.” Such pep talks rarely leave her in good receive no respect except occasional titles meant to divide slaves
spirits, but she never lets the children see that. Her adopted against each other (body servant, as opposed to field hand) and
family, at least for now, seems to generally appreciate her. petty flatteries that confuse an abused person’s perceptions
in the abuser’s favor (“I love you and I’m doing this for your own
Slaves good…”). Some slaves may be treated better than others; at
Let’s be honest: Certain mages are awful human beings. the end of the day, though, these folks remain essentially, if
Although slavery is officially illegal throughout much — though not legally, property.
not all — of the modern world, “the peculiar institution” has Because slavery of any form demands obedience, slaves
a very long and traditional pedigree, one that a handful of are abused until most, if not all, thoughts of rebellion are
cultures have yet to abandon, and which flourishes in the crushed. The strongest chains, of course, are the ones we put
technological world under the rubrics of human trafficking, on ourselves, and so an enslaved character usually believes
bonded servitude, wage slavery, and captive or prison labor. their situation is hopeless, probably even deserved. Mind
Do mages practice such things? Yes, some of them do. games (magickal or otherwise) forge the most effective shackles,
Not often openly, but they do. and so mental cruelties supplement and occasionally replace
Chattel slavery, the literal ownership of human beings, physical force. Slave masters, meanwhile, believe they’re to-
became distinctly unfashionable during the 1800s. In mod- tally justified — even moral — in their behavior. Convinced
ern times, slaves tend to be people who have been trapped of their innate superiority, these people can (and do) commit
by lures of “jobs” they can never escape: prisoners of war or atrocities that sustain their power, cloaking that ruthlessness
legal systems who’ve been put to work by the authorities; in genteel facades and pretentions of kindness that reinforce
would-be refugees who wind up getting sold by “transport- the effects of their abuse. When those slave owners possess
ers” who were supposed to help them find safety; runaways the power to command Reality itself, revolt against them
and kidnap victims who get put to work by pimps and other seems damn near impossible.
captors; abused children whose parents rent them out or sell Grotesque, sadistic punishments are hallmarks of slave
them, and adults who grew up in such situations; residents culture. If the masters own many slaves, those punishments are
of areas captured in war, or taken over by corporations, who as public as the masters can afford to make them. For mages,
are subsequently forced to work or die; or people whose low- whose talents allow them to torment minds and souls with-
caste status within their society makes them slaves by default out leaving a mark on the body (or who can magickally heal
if not by name. Unlike the Servants described above, these whatever damage they inflict), those penalties can be literally
people aren’t compensated with anything other than the barest hellish. Willworkers who attempt to seem respectable avoid
of essentials and the fact that they haven’t yet been killed. extravagant displays of cruelty, but ones whose ethos places
Some corporations and other “employers” allow their slaves them above pesky considerations like morality or compassion
to keep a little bit of income, in theory; somehow, though, become the most fearsome slave owners imaginable.

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 49

 For what should be obvious reasons, slavery and its related year, you can come home at any moment, no problem.” So
abuses are hot-button topics in an RPG. Many troupes may Mahalia signed the paperwork, sold the few things she owned,
choose to avoid them altogether. Slave owners might not consider and left Puerto Princesa in the Philippines for Seoul, South
themselves to be evil, but… well, they really fucking are. The Fallen Korea. When she arrived and met her recruiter, he asked to
have the most obvious connections to slave-based companionship, see her passport — only so that he could get a copy of it, of
though not all Nephandic companions are slaves. Other factions course, to ensure she was paid correctly and would receive
have a history with slavery, too, and that history nearly ended the her proper health benefits.
Council of Traditions many times over. Even now, the Syndicate In the car, he talked endlessly about the amazing things
employs indirect slavery by way of corporate exploitation, and she would do. When they got to the small town near the
the lowest dregs of Iteration X are slaves in all but name. You American military base, Mahalia thought nothing of the
can choose to leave these elements of Mage’s setting off your situation. Even arriving at the bar that evening didn’t fully
gaming table, and you should do so if the subject trips triggers set off the warning bells it should have. Mahalia saw a bar
for anyone. Sadly, in our real world, millions of human beings full of women and men — many of them American service
actually are 21st-century slaves… and in the World of Darkness members, even — and thought it was a great location to make
that situation is even worse than in our own. a name for herself. No, it was the second night when things
In case it’s not already clear, this entry is in no way, shape, finally clicked… when the woman who ran the establishment
or form an endorsement of slavery or the mindsets that defend it. beat her around the head for not “dressing right.” Mahalia
Enslaving people is reprehensible, and the Storyteller is advised soon realized she had made a grave mistake. Those beatings
to treat such characters (and their players) as compassionately continued, never hard enough to leave serious bruises where
as a master treats his slaves. it would disturb the “Army boys” but enough that Mahalia
Suggested Traits: Unless you’ve employed elaborate rit- realized she wasn’t allowed to think for herself any longer.
uals to compel service from spirit-entities, it’s pretty hard to Mahalia was well-fed when she arrived, but slowly lost what
enslave beings of inhuman capabilities. Even human beings weight she had through a “diet” she’s now physically forced
are difficult to enslave for long unless their wills have been to uphold.
broken, their circumstances appear hopeless, or they’ve been The first night she was “encouraged” to “go on a date”
convinced that slavery is what they deserve. Also, slaves lead with a soldier was brutal. Mahalia wasn’t interested in men
extremely limited lives in terms of the things they can learn (she never had been) but she couldn’t refuse the order and
or the time they can devote to bettering themselves. Hence, she knew what would happen if she tried. That night became
enslaved companions tend to have low Traits in all areas ex- a nightmare, and then her madam beat her when the client
cept the ones that benefit their masters most. High Physical refused to pay. Mahalia was forced to “date” at least once per
Attributes (and often Appearance, too, depending on the type week, and then forced to continue up the charade of “dating”
of slavery involved) are common among such “associates,” and certain men in order to get even more money from them. She
combat-oriented Traits are rare unless the slaves have been spe- never even got to sing; when she tried to sing, while working
cifically trained and conditioned for fighting. Hard work and or even after hours, she was beaten for “getting too big for
hard living generally reduce such characters to low Willpower herself.” A few months ago, a soldier she was forced to string
ratings, and Flaws that represent the physical and mental toll along offered to pay off her “contract,” effectively buying her
of slavery are almost essential for characters of this kind. from the madam. Despite her growing revulsion about men in
Suggested Templates: Except in cases of slavery through general, Mahalia resolved to take whatever path she could in
powerful magicks, enslaved characters are normal human order to escape this prison. Sadly, some of his friends talked
beings with one or two notable Traits and several deficient him out of it. Now he won’t return her calls. She was beaten
ones. Human Resources may be considered slaves of a sort, for this offense, too… for squandering the money her jailers
but the closest representation of a character like this in game had hoped to make by selling her off.
terms is probably the Homeless Survivor template with an Although Mahalia has retained her pretty features, the
even lower Willpower than usual. light has gone out in her eyes. Painfully slender and small, she
moves now more like a robot than like the woman she once
Mahalia Sanchez was. Her “boyfriends,” of course, rarely notice — the one thing
What’s wrong with wanting to dance, to sing, and to they want, she still appears to have. A caring person might
become famous? Nothing, really, but things that sound perfect notice the wary way she moves or the flat tone in her voice,
and amazing rarely work out that way. Mahalia was entranced but caring people, in her world, are few and far between. A
by the recruiter’s pitch: She’d work in a small bar for a year, functionary at a Technocratic playhouse, Mahalia has noticed
singing at least a six-hour set twice per week. From there, she a certain “shine” that a handful of her clients seem to have.
would record a pop single or two, and get picked up by a local Her life, however, has no magic to speak of… not that she
radio station, and by the end of that second year, she would perceives, anyway. Magic is the lie in the back of a limousine,
hit it big. He told her, “If you don’t get noticed in the first snuffed out by the things you must do to survive.

50 Gods & Monsters

 Hunters and “Static” Adepts
Despite the Union’s best efforts, many Sleepers Mage 20 (pp. 623-624), these operatives most often investigate
still believe in magic and other supernatural potentially dangerous mysteries, handle “tough assignments”
forces. That’s especially true in cultures where on the streets, or track down and recover or eliminate escaped
technological materialism and mystical faith creatures, rogue Victors, and similar problems.
coexist on essentially equal terms, as discussed
in the Book of Secrets entry “Do You Believe
Suggested Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4,
in Magick?” (p. 287). Some people discover
Charisma, 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4, Perception 3,
that they have a natural talent for unAwakened
Intelligence 4, Wits 3
magic, while others learn it though years of
dedicated practice, or attain sudden powers Suggested Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness
thanks to drastic bargains with supposedly 3, Brawl 3, Computer 3, Drive 2, Firearms 4, Intimidation 2,
“impossible” forces. Regardless of their attitude towards Investigation 3, Melee 3, Sciences 4, Stealth 3, Technology 3
Awakened magick, such people do not count as Sleeper witnesses Willpower: 6
if you’re checking for Paradox, nor do their powers (if they have Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5,
any) gather Paradox or rework Reality in the flexible manner Incapacitated
of Sphere-based magick.
Attacks/ Powers: All bioenhanced field agents heal one
Such “adept” mortals are not always, shall we say, friends bashing level every 30 minutes, or one lethal level every 12
of the magi — or of the Technocrats, either, for that matter. hours. They also possess two to four of the following biomods:
Quite a few of them mind their own business, pursue their
own agendas, and get rather hacked off if some arrogant • Enhanced hearing and smell (reduce the difficulty of
willworker decides to make them his bitch. “Hedge wizards,” hearing and smell rolls by ‒2, to a minimum of 2).
for instance, aren’t fond of such depreciative terms, and de-
• +3 dots to Physical Traits (applied as desired).
mon-pledged Infernalists tend to consider themselves superior
to anyone and everything they meet… except, of course, for • +3 dots to Wits, Perception, or both.
the demons they serve.
The following entries typify unAwakened characters • Enhanced pheromones (+2 dice to all Social Trait rolls
with unusually potent abilities… folks who may be as likely made with targets in the same physical location).
to face off against smug mages as they are to walk slightly in
• Gecko pads on hands, feet, knees, and forearms (reduce
their shadows.
the difficulty of all climb rolls by -‒2, to a minimum of 2).

Bioenhanced Field Agent • Gills (breathe water, concealed when not in use).
Improving upon nature’s imperfections, many extraordi-
nary yet unEnlightened operatives employ biological implants • Night vision (no vision penalties for anything brighter
and gene therapies that duplicate, or even improve upon, than total darkness).
the modifications produced in some vat-grown Progenitor • Retractable claws ([Strength + 1] lethal damage).
servitors like Victors and MODES. Unlike Victors, however,
these operatives get customized implants and enhancements, • Increased tissue density (+2 armor).
generally assigned to them by upper-tier supervisors. Generally
deployed by Progenitor or Syndicate teams, most enhanced (Special Advantage Traits from Chapter Five might reflect
field ops receive biomods that speed healing, boost their these biomods, too.)
health, lengthen their lifespans, and enhance their strength, Image: As mentioned earlier, biomodded operatives look like
speed, and intellect. perfectly normal human beings until and unless they employ
To casual observation, these bio-modified personnel an obvious Enhancement. Even so, these folks sometimes have
appear to be perfectly normal humans, with senses or other weird Flaws that betray their “modified” status; for details, see
hidden capabilities that reach well beyond the human norm. “Genetic Flaws” in Mage 20, pp. 648-651.
And so, for the most part, these Enhancements (as per the Roleplaying Notes: Superior science has made you a
Background of that name) remain coincidental unless the superior person. You don’t have to lord over the lesser beings
operative does something essentially “impossible,” like picking around you… but if you wanted to, no one could reasonably
up a car. Far subtler than the “steelskin” cyborgs detailed in blame you. After all, it’s only the truth.

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 51

Henry Woo was debriefed and reassigned away from federal duty. Instead,
Stronger, faster, better, right? Well, that was the pitch and Bio-X hired him out to a small police department in Oregon.
Henry bought it hook, line, and sinker. After high school and They needed a new officer and, due to the Bio-X laboratory
community college, Henry didn’t know what he wanted to do in town, it fit both the needs of the company and the town to
with his life. His parents were supportive but concerned when have him on the force. For the first three years, Woo passed
he discussed joining the Marines. Breaking his ankle during his out in a haze of booze and depression at the end of every shift.
second week at Parris Island wasn’t in the plan. The break was The extent of his work was pulling over teens that sped through
severe enough that the Marines cut him separation orders and town in the middle of the night on the way to their next kegger.
told him not to come back. In one fell swoop, even the basic The animal attacks caused him to pay attention, though. At
plans for the future he’d made collapsed. When the recruiter first it was a bear ripping through the home of a plant executive.
from Bio-X arrived at his doorstep a few months later, Woo was Then it was a wolf stalking and killing a jogger. Turned out that
confused. The Schwarzenegger lookalike gave him the sales pitch: he worked for Bio-X, third-floor accounting, office J. When
“We can fix your ankle and give you a purpose again. You the birds started assaulting anyone that considered walking
wanted to join the Marines, well we can do you one better. in Veterans Park, well, Woo had enough, and he needed to
You’ll become an operative for a private corporation providing figure out what was going on. For now, Woo is keeping his
consulting services to local and federal government departments. drinking under control, but he still sneaks a drink here and
You’ll be stronger, faster, and better than you are now. All it there when he absolutely needs one. He’s connected a few
will take is a short surgery, three weeks of recovery, and then dots between Bio-X and this “Technocracy” that conspiracy
nine weeks of training. Are you up for the task?” theorists on a Portland Facebook group like to rant about.
The animal attacks appear to be a pattern that tracks through
Woo was, and everything went according to plan, until
multiple Bio-X facilities around the country. Of course, Woo
his first mission. Woo froze in the middle of a firefight. It was
doesn’t want to take any of this information to anyone until
probably the man calling down lightning from the sky that
he’s sure that he has enough not to be laughed out of the
did it, but the raging bear spirit didn’t help matters much. He
office. Considering his track record, that’s pretty likely.

52 Gods & Monsters

 Woo’s parents aren’t thrilled they don’t get to see him much editions of World of Darkness: Sorcerer. In simple Mage
and are concerned that he hasn’t found anyone to settle down terms, assume that hedge magicians can perform between four
with. He’s an attractive man in his late 20s now, he should and 10 rituals that reproduce magical feats given on Mage
have found someone by now, or at least that’s what his mother 20’s “Common Magickal Effects” chart (pp. 508-510). Each
keeps saying. Woo has no interest in a relationship, never has, spell duplicates the capabilities of a single Sphere-based Effect
so he just shakes them off with promises that he’ll start using of between one and four dots. Every Effect a hedge magician
Tinder or something. When he went home last, his mother knows requires him to perform some sort of ritual or use a
introduced him to a young woman his age. It didn’t go well. magically enchanted artifact. Yet despite their limitations, such
She was too interested in what he did at work, and Woo was characters can be dangerous and powerful even without the
convinced that her eyes looked just like the wolf from the attacks. fluidity of Sphere magick.
Image: The trappings of our magician’s faith or practice
Hedge Magician probably seem obvious to anyone who know what to look for.
Awakened mages are quite rare, so many mystic groups In some cases, he might be flamboyant enough to wear them
include “hedge magicians” among their membership. Certain openly: ritual robes, occult symbols, mystic T-shirt designs,
groups, like the Bata’a and Sisters of Hippolyta, don’t even and so forth.
distinguish between Awakened and unAwakened practitioners Roleplaying Notes: Through hard study, work, and dis-
— one member is essentially as good as any other. In the wake cipline, you’ve refined your Arts. Let no one tell you they’re
of the Technocracy’s supposed victory, many practitioners lost neither real nor worthy of the title “mage.”
sight of any distinction at all between mages and sorcerers. If
a person knew some sort of magic… well then, that person Shivante Harris
knew magic. End of story. Baltimore is not an up-and-coming town; in fact, it’s rather
In game terms, of course, the difference is simple, yet shocking it hasn’t collapsed in on itself just yet. Shivante was
significant: An Awakened mage has the improvisational powers born to a middle-class Black American family in the city’s
of the Spheres, which allow him a flexibility that his unAwak- suburbs. They thought Shivante was going places in life, and
ened peers cannot match; a hedge magician or sorcerer uses a Shivante thought so too. When she came out, her family
set of predetermined Paths and spells that have specific and essentially shrugged their shoulders and accepted her as she
defined effects. The characters themselves might not recognize is. Dad even asked if that would stop her from becoming a
this difference, but the game systems work very differently. doctor like she’d always wanted. It didn’t, and it wouldn’t,
and she put her nose to the grindstone and graduated, with
While skillful Awakened mages may pull off complex
honors, from Johns Hopkins University. Was it easy? No,
feats with little preparation, hedge wizards employ complex,
she worked hard and dealt with shit from people who should
specific rituals in order to cast their arts. Those specifics de-
have known better. If it hadn’t been for the car accident, she
pend upon the occult practices of the sorcerer in question,
probably would have stayed on track. These things happen,
and range throughout the cultural traditions of human mag-
though, and no amount of determined planning could have
ic. Unlike their Awakened cousins, however, hedge wizards
prepared Shivante for a broken back, shattered legs, and
cannot alter or discard their tools and rituals at a significant
hands that were crushed beyond a surgeon’s capabilities to fix.
level of understanding. For them, those tools and rituals
reflect centuries-old cultural traditions, and although such All that work. All that life. All for, what seemed like
beliefs might allow them to manipulate “reality” to a certain, back then, nothing.
limited degree, it does not confer the metaphysical potential Why, Shivante wondered as she lay in her hospital bed,
of Awakened Arts. didn’t I just fucking die that day?
“Get up,” a voice told her on an especially awful night.
Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, “You kidding?” Shivante’s voice held obvious bitterness.
Charisma, 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 3, “Do you see this mess?”
Intelligence 4, Wits 3 “Yeah,” the voice replied. “I do. And you’ve never let
Suggested Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 2, Awareness anything else stop you before, so don’t you dare give up on
3, Brawl 1, Computer 2, Drive 1, Enigmas 1, Esoterica 3, me now.”
Firearms 1, Investigation 2, Occult 4, Science 1, Technology 1 The pain fled. In its place, she felt a clear, clean sense
Willpower: 5 of strength. She flexed her legs, and they worked just fine.
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated She sat up and looked around. The hospital room, now dark,
flickered with candlelight. She breathed the scent of sweet
Suggested Powers: The rules for the “static magic” Paths
incense. Her chest no longer hurt. At the side of her bed,
employed by hedge magicians and sorcerers are too extensive
in the shadows, sat a large, dreadlocked Black man, a top
to present in this sourcebook; for details about them, see both
hat cocked on his head, his face painted with black, white,
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 53
and red designs. “You still ready to make your own life?” he they once were (there being “no such things as demons” and
asked Shivante. all), they’re still out there in the occult underground. Teen
She was. And she has. malcontents, desperate rebels, folks who’ve lost all other
hopes, and people too rich or egotistical to care about the
Although she’s not Awakened in the sense that mages
consequences… such people still strike demonic pacts and
prize so deeply (not yet, anyway), Shivante Harris has become
sometimes gain uncanny, if temporary, powers.
a skilled practitioner of Candomblé. The creed’s emphasis
upon fulfilling destiny regardless of all obstacles appeals to Typical demonic pacts involve money, fame, power, and so
her, and she retains her healing vocation. Since the night forth — Background or Ability Traits in game terms, perhaps
her mentor Jean-Marcos fixed her broken body, she’s put some Merits, too. These “investments” are double-edged: the
everything she has behind learning the Arts of the Orisha Infernalist invests himself in the bargain, and the patron invests
and using that knowledge to help other folks whose lives get in the Infernalist. Despite appearances, these “demons” might
sidetracked by random disasters. You can’t heal everyone, be malicious ghosts, malignant nature spirits, prankster faeries,
she knows, and some folks flat out don’t deserve a second or other sort of entities. True devils are usually above this sort
chance. For those who do, however, Shivante offers them the of nonsense in the mortal world… although, since immortality
choice Jean-Marcos gave her all those years ago: Stay in the can be frightfully dull, they might just make these deals to keep
bed lamenting your fate, or else get your life back and see themselves amused. As for the people themselves, they tend to
how much more you can become. be rather unpleasant souls — outwardly charming perhaps, but
inwardly consumed with the evil they’ve embraced.
A tall, composed, and striking woman with broad shoul-
ders, strong cheekbones, long hair, and a sad-yet-stunning
grin, Shivante works these days as an herbalist and physical Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2,
therapist at Restoration Center, an alternative-medicine clinic Charisma, 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 3,
for folks who cannot afford high-end treatment. Her face Intelligence 2, Wits 3
still bears scars from the accident, and she wears them as a Suggested Abilities: Academics 2, Awareness 1, Brawl
reminder of both what her Arts can do and of what so many 1, Computer 1, Drive 1, Esoterica 2, Firearms 1, Occult 3,
people must endure without her healing powers. Her bared Seduction 2, Streetwise 2, Style 2, Technology 1
arms show faint scars from reconstructive surgery, plus one
Willpower: 5
tattoo of a winged scarab beetle and another of a growing
tree. For obvious reasons, she cloaks her practices in alter- Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
native-medical jargon mixed with the western medicine she Suggested Powers: Normal Investments, as mentioned
learned at Johns Hopkins, and then works her healing Arts above, often take the form of Backgrounds, Attributes,
in among modern medical techniques that seem especially or Abilities that the character wouldn’t have otherwise.
effective when she performs them. Shivante’s personality Supernatural Investments include between two and 10 points’
combines her dogged willfulness with a genuine sympathy worth of Special Advantages, as seen in this book’s Chapter
she learned from her helpless condition in the hospital bed. Five. The aura of an Invested character pulses with black
At home or at work, she almost always wears something streaks, stains, clouds, or lightning; although he might have an
white — a blouse, slacks, a shirt, a headscarf — and a necklace Investment that conceals his essential nature, that’s not often
of pearls to reflect her commitment to the healing path and the case. For more about Investments, see The Book of the
her devotion to the Orisha and Loa, especially her patrons Fallen, Chapter Five.
Erinle, Obatala, and Oshun. (Detailed in Chapter Four.) In Image: Like other practitioners, the Infernalist tends to reveal
game terms, she practices the hedge-magic Paths of Ephemera, his true nature to folks who know what to look for. Among other
Healing, Divination, Herbalism / Brewing, and — for extreme people, though, he might appear perfectly normal or perhaps
situations only — Summoning, Binding, and Warding, em- a bit eccentric. Sure, he might sport a devil beard, wear hor-
ploying the ritual practices of Medicine-Work, Invigoration, ror movie T-shirts, and otherwise come off like Rob Zombie’s
and Voudon wrapped up in medical technology so as not to cousin. Most Infernalists, though, aren’t nearly as obvious
scare the mundanes. No, Baltimore might not be an up-and- about what they are and who they serve. Many of them, far
coming town, but for Shivante and others like her, there’s more than you’d suspect, are politicians, executives, and other
almost always time for a second chance at life. respectable members of the community. It’s the pleasant ones
you really need to look out for.
Invested Infernalist Roleplaying Notes: Truth is, you don’t care about much
Some folks have no illusions of morality. They’ll do what- beyond yourself… and considering how precarious your
ever it takes to get what they want, and if that means dealing bargain probably became, you’d prefer not to die any time
with devils… well then, bring on Lucifer and let the blood fall soon, thank you very much! Find other folks to take risks on
where it may! Though these Infernalists aren’t as common as your behalf. It’s not, after all, as if they matter.

54 Gods & Monsters

Grace Denise “GDP” Powell Blonde hair, flawless complexion, a stunning figure,
She wasn’t always a mean girl. Back before Grace Denise sparkling eyes, all the best clothes, and a radiant streak of
Powell (nicknamed GDP by her stockbroker dad as a not cruelty: That’s GDP these days. With Moliax as her lover and
especially kind joke) became the archetypal cheerleader from literal hell powers at her command, the former Fluttershy is
hell, she was a nice kid, with a soft spot for birds and My mean girl on campus, with money, stellar grades, and all the
Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Hell, her favorite character was popularity a high-school girl could want. Mom’s essentially a
Fluttershy, and she even preferred that name herself. Yeah, slave in her own home, and there’s a literal devil in the details
her folks had cash and she lived in the money part of town. of GDP’s new life. What’ll happen when she graduates next
Fluttershy was a sweetheart, though. What changed? year? Heaven only knows…
Money. More specifically too much of it, followed by
too little. New-Age Dilettante
Many mages are more afraid of fame or publicity than
Daddy, as it turns out, was a scam artist. He conned
they are of most physical threats. Unfortunately, it’s pretty
his firm, his clients, and his family before dashing out on
easy these days to get caught performing vulgar magick. The
the wife and kids in order to build a new life in Mali with a
brutal combination of cell-phone cameras and YouTube videos
fellow broker named Carl. GDP found out in the hardest way
exposes a lot of mages to unwanted publicity. And sometimes,
possible: coming home from work to find a houseful of cops,
the folks who see those videos and want to share in the fun
a hysterical mom, an empty bank account, and a note on her
are even worse than the folks who simply want to kill you.
bed: Fuck off and die, you little shit. Love, Daddy.
A typical dilettante has bookshelves full of works about
Grace kind of lost her soul over that one. Literally.
Atlantis, auras, and reincarnation. She wears symbols around
His name was Rob, but folks called him Charlie. As in her neck that she doesn’t really understand, and figures that
Manson. Rob liked the comparison — it kept folks at a distance. her yoga classes open her to the mysteries of the universe. For
Charlie cultivated an air of barely suppressed psychosis, and the most part, she’s harmless — a useful member of a Cult
he got away with it only because his mom was a local-hero Background, perhaps even a Backup or Retainer consor. She
rock star. Charlie had been a not-so-secret admirer of Grace could become a lover, a friend or, if she attains actual power,
since they’d shared a 6th-grade homeroom; GDP had kept a Background-level Ally. That said, she also has the potential
her distance until Daddy pulled his disappearing act. Charlie, to become annoying, intrusive, or even hazardous to a mage
though, was into the occult, the real stuff, not just some retro who winds up on her radar… especially if she either decides
Ozzy T-shirt thing. After Daddy’s sudden, brutal departure to take that mage as a “divine lover,” an “ascended master,”
and the ensuing plunge from the in-crowd to exile row, Grace or a target for unhealthy obsessions. That obsession might
found herself intrigued by Charlie’s pursuits. Intrigued enough become even more destructive if the dilettante spends lots of
to become friends, and then lovers, and then something more. time on social-media groups. A Facebook video of her “real
Charlie really should have paid more attention to the magic” inspiration might wind up in front of a deadlier set
details when he summoned Moliax. Details, though, weren’t of eyes than her own.
really his style. His loss. Grace’s gain. Moliax offered GDP
all the things she wanted: Beauty. Money. Status. Revenge.
Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2,
All she had to do was cash out Charlie’s debt to Moliax and
Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 2,
take her boyfriend’s place as his preferred devotee.
Intelligence 3, Wits 2
The cops have yet to find all the pieces, but Charlie’s
Suggested Abilities: Academics 3, Art 2 (Dance), Athletics
parts keep turning up all over town. Grace makes a game out
2, Awareness 1, Brawl 1, Computer 2, Crafts 2, Drive 1,
of finding newer, funnier places to drop them off. The hand
Esoterica 4 (Wicca, Yoga, Tai Chi, Tantra), Etiquette 2,
in that sandbox, sticking up its middle finger at the world,
Expression 2, Investigation 2, Meditation 1, Occult 2, Research
remains her favorite gag so far.
1, Science 1, Stealth 1
The kids at school still wonder how Grace and her mom
Willpower: 4
got back on their feet so soon. How sweet little Fluttershy
became such a fucking bitch. Why the kids who get in her way Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
suffer life-changing accidents, like Amber’s car crash and that Suggested Powers: Probably none, aside for perhaps a
weird disease that made Charlotta drop out of school. They Wonder or an unusual Merit or two.
don’t ask too many questions about that stuff, though. They Equipment: Laptop computer, old compact car, yoga mat,
don’t dare. No one wants to be the next one pondering that smartphone, occult jewelry and book collection.
stuff from the wrong side of a body bag. Even teachers seem
Image: Attractive in a bohemian way, a New-Age Dilettante
scared of GDP these days… and well they should be. Just ask
has the sleek fitness of a yoga-trained dancer and the intense
Charlie’s ghost how nasty Grace can be.
manner of a true believer.

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 55

Roleplaying Notes: Normative culture is so constrained Blessed with his namesake’s flowing mane of hair,
by its consumerist blinders than it refuses to see — and cannot Leonidas cuts a striking figure. Years of yoga and lack of
appreciate — the wonders in plain sight. You do, though, and so decent food have slimmed him to a lean physique. Honed
every day, to you, is a miraculous new adventure. Blessed Be! muscles beckon from beneath what little clothing he deigns to
wear (“Clothing is just another lie meant to shield us from our inner
Leonidas Running Deer souls.”), and his warm amber eyes glitter with the essence of
He’s a leonine charisma bomb: agile, good-looking, skilled the superior man (or maybe that’s just hunger). His wandering
in the many arts of Tantra, yoga, NVC, ecstatic dance, and (read: homelessness) leads him to assorted couches, tents, sleep-
the profound utterances of the innately divine. Leo (“As my ing bags, and beds across North America. He speaks Spanish
name says, I am like the lion, but also like the deer.”) is a dedicated (badly) and can recite passages of various sutras (the Kama
seeker of enlightenment wherever it can be found… and if it one in particular) with scholarly devotion. Leo’s not actually
can be found wearing the earthly form of a good-looking girl entirely clueless, and he’s got a decent working knowledge of
who loves to party, so much the better for everyone! yoga techniques and basic Ecstatic practices. As a result, he
He wasn’t always this way. Back when Leonard Feldstein eagerly seeks out Cultists of Ecstasy (who find him vaguely
was in college, he was the sort of shy, bookish guy who always teachable), Dreamspeakers (who find him offensive), and
wondered why the other guys got the chicks. A short-haired, Verbena (who, truth be told, scare the living shit out of him)
stocky fixture of the computer department, he seemed des- whenever he can. Like a bouncy puppy, Leo inserts himself
tined for a chaste devotion to artificial intelligence and its into gatherings, festivals, protest rallies, and so forth, generally
fascinating applications when he happened to take a yoga class by being as helpful as he can be. Dude can cook, to be fair,
as a means of losing some weight. Seeing the well-sculpted can play guitar (badly), and lends a strong pair of arms to
people who frequented that class, Leo took to the discipline any physical task that needs doing. His once-brilliant mind
with the ardor of a young man who has discovered his true still makes appearances from time to time, as well, and most
calling in this incarnation. Though his initial enthusiasm folks he’s been with find him pretty decent in the sack. If Leo
came from a desire to get laid, Leo soon discovered that he Running Deer ever learns to get over himself, there might
not only looked better, he felt better in ways that surpassed just be a potentially powerful mage in there someplace. For
physical aesthetics. His journey from bookworm to lion-deer the moment, though, he keeps on running.
had begun.
An enthusiastic seeker of all things demi-spiritual, Leonidas PDC Aberration Hunter
soon adopted a name that suited his vision of himself. Between One of the Void Engineers’ primary directives involves
his new name, his new build, and his undeniable intellect protecting Earth from extradimensional incursions while
(with, as he discovered, a talent for picking up all the right cleansing “instability zones” close to Earth. And although the
words and phrases to employ), Leo quickly attained a circle of leaders of these strike missions are nearly always Enlightened
admirers, detractors, and soon-to-be ex-girlfriends. Bristling operatives, most of the personnel on these missions are highly
with newfound confidence, he joined campus pagan groups, trained and well-equipped extraordinary citizens. Recruited
Buddhist groups, sex-positive societies, queer-advocate groups from military forces worldwide, these elite troops face things
(turns out he wasn’t really into guys after all), Wiccan covens, the average solider sees only in video games.
a Nordic Tradition band, even (briefly!) a Satanic church. His Trained with advanced hardware, the Pan-Dimension
favorite practice, however, involved an… eclectic blend of west- Corps soldiers, Enlightened and otherwise, can use
ern Tantra, yoga, freeform acroyoga dance, and the legendary Technocratic Devices even when the Procedures are beyond
Sweet Medicine SunDance Path. It was in the latter society them. Among the standard-issue gear, these troops also get
that he acquired the surname Running Deer, for his now-lean the Alanson R-25 Hardsuit, the Biggs X-5 Model A Protector,
build and his tireless endurance. (Or, perhaps, because he and the Bolan Mk 13 Weapons System, all of which a specially
spent each gathering running from pretty girl to pretty girl.) trained citizen can employ. (For details, see Mage 20, pp. 447,
Who needs artificial intelligence when you can major 452-453, and 656.) Thus equipped, these men and women
in enlightenment? After flunking out of college, Leonidas can face down werewolves, aliens, vampiric mutations, and
embarked on a hike across America, bringing the fruits of other assorted Reality Deviants… including, of course, those
his spiritual wisdom to the darkened corners (and darkened arrogant “wizards” and their kind!
bedrooms) of souls who seemed as lonely as he once had
been. Now an itinerant seeker with a heart full of joy (and a
Suggested Attributes: Strength 3 (5 with suit), Dexterity
complex collection of interesting diseases), Leonidas Running
3, Stamina 3, Charisma, 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3,
Deer embraces the many forms of ecstatic wisdom to be found
Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
between the cracks of normative society… and if said wisdom
can be found between the sheets of a beguiling yogi, so very Suggested Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Awareness 1,
much the better! Brawl 4, Computer 2, Cosmology/ Subdimensions 2, Drive 3,

56 Gods & Monsters

Energy Weapons 3, Firearms 4, Jetpack 3, Leadership 2, in martial etiquette, and if said transgressor happens to be
Medicine 1, Melee 4, Science 2, Technology 3 some paranormal critter or wiseass RD, then said lesson
Willpower: 6 tends to be permanent as well.
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Suggested Powers: None beyond those provided by their Spirit-Talker
Technocratic hypertech. The Union also provides its aberration As certain people know, the spirits are very real. Although
hunters with a variety of ammunition, including: non-lethal this sort of hedge magician lacks the full spectrum of Awakened
rounds (inflicts normal firearms damage, but bashing, not lethal); magicks, a spirit-talker can deal with the invisible world in ways
incendiary rounds that do aggravated damage to vampires that materialists believe to be impossible. More of a religious
(makes standard firearms damage aggravated when it’s used vocation than a form of “magic,” the art of spirit-talking turns
against the Kindred); and armor-piercing rounds (subtract two a practitioner into a vessel for les invisibles; it’s those spirits,
points from all forms of armor). not the vessel, who bring miracles to pass.
Equipment: Assault rifle, heavy pistol, four knives, six gre- Despite the New-Agey feel of that last paragraph, spirits
nades, hand claws. can be wicked bastards. Assuming that “all spirits are kind
and holy” is a good way to turn one’s soul into a nice snack
Image: Tough, determined, and scarred by battles no one else
for some amoral or outright malignant spirit. On that same
can possibly imagine outside this strange and wonderful corps.
note, certain spirit-talkers can be vicious, malicious, even
Roleplaying Notes: You’re the world’s true line of defense downright satanic. Some spirit-talkers become healers and
against the unspeakable. intermediaries between the human world and the worlds of
the spirits and the dead; others are either tools of powerful
Agent Melissa “Leezi” Olivarez and malevolent spirits, or else monstrous individuals who use
Never underestimate a cheerleader. Today’s squads de- their powers to enrich themselves and destroy their enemies.
mand peak-condition athletes with unusual flexibility, lean The distinction between a holy shaman and an unholy one
strength, and a tolerance for pain that would make football depends largely upon the spirits she deals with and the pur-
players weep. Leezi Olivarez wasn’t one of those terminally poses to which she turns such talents.
perky bitch-machines you see in all the teen flicks. Nope, she
was a dedicated athlete in her own right — one whose squad
took top honors three of her four years in high school, while Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3,
Leezi herself was on the honor roll two years out of four and Charisma, 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 3,
had a near-perfect SAT score. Intelligence 3, Wits 3
How, then, did she become a Technocratic mon- Suggested Abilities: Academics 2, Art (Dance, Singing, or
ster-hunter? Simple: Leezi survived an attempt at making Music) 3, Awareness 3, Brawl 1, Computer 1, Cosmology 3,
her the human sacrifice for a traditionally minded bunch Crafts 2, Drive 1, Enigmas 2, Esoterica (culturally appropriate
of misogynistic jerks who summoned demons in hopes of spiritual practices), Firearms 1, Lore 3 (Spirits), Medicine 2,
getting laid. Escaping their poorly tied attempt at binding Occult 3, Technology 1
her to a makeshift altar, she beat the living shit out of the Willpower: 5
boys and got the hell out of Dodge… though not, however, Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
before the summoned demon showed up to collect his
Suggested Powers: Spirit-talkers can detect spirit-pos-
paycheck. Leezi got away from him as well, employing clever
session, and they often see and hear spirits and ghosts.
tricks and stunning acrobatics that impressed the BCD agents
Unfortunately, most of these folks can’t stop seeing and hear-
who showed up to take the monster down. “Want a job?”
ing spirits and ghosts — a fact which often makes them seem
the team’s commander asked her. “Sure,” she replied. “But
highly eccentric or mentally ill — and may wind up possessed,
first you pay my way through college.”
temporarily or permanently, by them as well.
They did, and here she is: Field Agent Leezi, age 22.
Such people can also summon, exorcize or banish spirits (see
With five years’ experience as a Technocratic operative,
“Necromancy” and “Summoning, Binding, Bargaining, and
she’s became one of the youngest recruits at her level in
Warding” in How Do You DO That? pp. 84-87 and 90-106),
recent history. Though not enlightened in the paranormal
and may raise or lower the Gauntlet within a small area (never
sense, Leezi’s smart as blazes and tricky as sin. She tends
lower than 2 or higher than 9). They can awaken the spirits
to work undercover, with a few hidden items of gear, on
inherent in objects or places, duplicating the results of the Spirit
the local college campus, calling in her team if and when
3 Effect Rouse & Lull Spirit. (See Mage 20, pp. 443 and
she runs across alien incursions and predatory beasts. To
521-522). As with the hedge magician above, the spirit-talker
normal eyes, she’s a cute college kid with an unusually lean
character must conduct long and elaborate rituals in order to
physique. Anyone — monster or otherwise — who tries to
make things happen. Such rituals generally last between 20
take advantage of her apparent normalcy gets a swift lesson
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 57
minutes and three hours. At the end of such a ritual, the spirit-talk- Russell Means said: “If you take away all the four-legged
er’s player makes a roll using Charisma + Esoterica or Occult beings, nothing on earth could survive. If you took away everything
(whichever is higher), and then spends a point of Willpower. that flies, nothing could survive. Or if you just take away everything
Once summoned or awakened, the spirits may do as they will; that swims or crawls upon the earth, nothing could survive. If you
temporary actions like raising or lowering the Gauntlet only last take all of our green relatives, everything that grows, all the medicines,
until the next sunrise or sunset. nothing could survive. But if you take the human being away, every-
Spirit-talkers also tend to have one or more of the following thing will flourish. Our knowledge of that makes us very humble.”
Traits: The Background Totem; the Merits Mark of Favor, Spirit Frank High Thunder froze to death on the side of the
Magnet, and Spirit Mentor; and the Flaws Strangeness, road on a cold February morning. He was walking home from
Uncanny, and Primal Marks. the bar, the one that had a floor covered in peanut shells to
Image: In certain subtle (and not-too-subtle) ways, the spirits soak up the puke and urine, and that kept serving after legal
leave their mark. This spirit-talker might be an urban shaman in hours. The cops never bothered to check in on it. It was an
primal-chic tatterwear; a fashionable medium with a thriving Indian dive. No one found Frank right away, but a week later
practice; a cultural traditionalist in ancestral garb; or perhaps his remains were perfectly preserved in the ice. It was a bad
a person who avoids talking about or showing off the things winter, and they conducted the ceremony quickly to get out
she knows or does. Even so, the spirits linger. Those who un- of the cold. Jacqui never got to see her father before he was
derstand their ways can plainly see their mark. buried, and no one liked talking about him much after that.
Roleplaying Notes: Those who cannot see beyond the No one was proud of him. No one was proud of his family.
obvious things in life are fools. Your life might not be easy, can No one had much faith in Jacqui either. But she stuck close
be quite difficult, in fact, but at least you’re not that kind of fool. to the elders, and she listened. Jacqui listened to their stories,
and of whom they spoke praise. She listened to their songs,
Jacqui High Thunder and especially to their silence.

58 Gods & Monsters

 She was a resentful teenager. She went to school because Young, tall, lovely, and furious, Jacqui is a teenager consumed
she had to, and because the cops would pick her up during with seething fury. She is rude and temperamental, and she resists
the day. They never took her to juvie — they just took her to the influence of authority. Her only two interests are hunting
uncle’s house, and he was drunk and handsy, so she stayed those in need of death, and then dealing out the murder itself.
in school. She gave plenty of lip to her teachers, and plenty
of fists to her classmates. She didn’t fool around much with Witch-Hunter
boys because she didn’t want to be just another teen preg- Most Sleepers know nothing about the supernatural, and
nancy. Everyone gushed about those girls, and talked about the few who do know much about magick usually work for, or
the future in the next generation, but Jacqui recognized just with, the Awakened. Certain Sleepers, however, learn about
how little future there was. magick the hard way. A careless, or callous, mage harms or
Jacqui held a heart full of resentment and wrath. The kills someone they love, and the newly “informed” person
elders counseled peace and she listened, but nothing could knows that mages exist… and he hates them. Gearing up for
still the rage in her. She witnessed the atrocities at home. a bitter last stand, this person joins the ranks of hunters: those
She witnessed the atrocities afar via social media. Her inim- brave and crazy mortals who decide to go down fighting —
itable fury piqued the interest of the spirits. Every time she preferably while taking a lot of monsters with them.
heard a classmate’s story of violent abuse, and every time she In a fair fight, a single witch-hunter is no match for a
witnessed white supremacists chanting hate down the streets mage; thus, witch-hunters rarely bother to fight fair. Sniper
of major cities, she opened the secret doors in her hearts to rifles, improvised explosive devices, vicious traps, teams of
another spirit. Soon the spirits flocked to her, and eventually fellow hunters who prepare careful ambushes: Such tools allow
a powerful one slipped inside of her. the best witch-hunters to survive and succeed. Many hunters
If the spirit had a name before it possessed Jacqui, no consider all mages to be monsters, possessed by horrific and
one can call for it any longer. Now it only calls itself the High powerful spirits. And like any other brand of fanatic, these
Thunder. To call the High Thunder a spirit of anger would folks don’t consider their foes to be human. Consequently,
be to not truly cognate the nature of it; the High Thunder few witch-hunters consider ideas like “mercy” or “compas-
is a spirit of awesome wrath, of revenge, and of cold, certain sion” when they’re dealing with mages. A few even take grisly
faith. Although the teenager known as Jacqui High Thunder trophies from the “sorcerers” they kill.
struggled with feeling helpless to change a corrupt and damaged
world, the spirit that is now melded to her soul gives her its
Suggested Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3,
strength and powerful charms. The problem with this world,
Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3,
she knows, is the people. Without them, the world will fall
Intelligence 2, Wits 3
back into peace and goodness. Without people, the stories
the elders tell of the before time will become true again. Suggested Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2,
Computer 2, Crafts (Weaponsmith, Mechanic, Traps) 4, Drive
Jacqui High Thunder is a murderer; not some sloppy
2, Firearms 3, Hunting 2, Investigation 3, Melee 3, Occult 3,
serial killer who targets anyone who strikes her fancy for a
Science (Chemistry) Stealth 3, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 2,
fleeting moment of ecstasy, but a precise tool driven by ha-
Technology 3
tred. She seeks out CEOs of oil companies, and presidents
of international banks. She practices and hones every form Willpower: 8
of murder — the quick knife, the long-distance rifle, the Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
burning agony of fires drawn from the spirit world — in order Equipment: Electronic surveillance devices, two heavy pistols
to become a perfect killer. She spends the rest of her time plus ammo, homemade bombs, Kevlar vest, several large knives.
researching and stalking those deserving of death, her studies
Image: Wary, haunted, and more than a bit crazy, the
aided by the supernatural senses of her spirit rider. The High
witch-hunter’s always looking over his shoulder. That fanatical
Thunder seeks the death of the wicked, and will one day come
look comes through in his eyes, posture, and the things he says…
to understand that anyone who cannot be humble is wicked
which seem extremely reasonable to him (and may well be
and seek the slaughter of thousands. For now, her strikes are
true) but sound demented to almost everyone else.
swift, precise, and permanent.
Roleplaying Notes: Nothing matters anymore except
It is possible to try and draw Jacqui’s calmer self out
the fight, revenge, and the safety of the innocent people left
through the stories of her people’s ancestors and the ministra-
behind. Your own innocence ran screaming out the door a
tions of her elders, but such soothing can never be permanent.
long time ago…
Jacqui will fight until she is dead… and killing her won’t be
easy with the power of the High Thunder keeping her safe
Marcus Washington
and feeding her bloodthirst. Jacqui is ridden — permanently
Don’t move to Des Moines, his mother said. Marcus probably
possessed — and an attempted exorcism of the High Thunder
should have listened. For some reason, though, agricultural
would simply kill them both.
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 59
chemistry caught his attention in school and Iowa was where blood, and the sigil that covered his door. He remembers
the jobs were. His mother regretted buying him the book on the look on Alicia’s face when the bullets ripped through
George Washington Carver that started the entire thing. In her. He remembers the soft yelp, and the mournful last
8th grade, Marcus built a car that ran completely on peanut whimper as Carver got hit by the explosion. The sigil burns
fuel. By the time he graduated high school he was focused on in his mind. He can see it clearly, he could draw it, even
finding a way to create a biodiesel that was carbon negative. as complex as it was, from memory. It was that explosion
He failed, but his research earned him a scholarship. Marcus that ultimately saved Marcus’ life, as it created a shelter
could have burned through and got his PhD, but the party- around him, a shelter from the fireballs, the lightning, and
ing cut into his study time enough to push him off the early the impossible machine men.
doctoral path. The job at Agri-Chem Industries (a Progenitor The insurance company declared the damage an act of
training facility) made the most sense to him at the time. god, which cleared them from having to pay any claims.
Plus, his girlfriend, Alicia, was originally from the city and
Since that night, Marcus has searched for details of the
her father was offering him some networking opportunities
sigil he saw. He’s used it as a breadcrumb to find the bastards
if they moved there.
that killed his loved ones. So far, he’s tracked them to a few
When they moved to Des Moines, Marcus carefully obscure internet groups, and he’s slowly building up his trust
plotted out the neighborhood to live in. He didn’t want to in those communities, enough so that he can find out where
end up getting shot for Existing While Black. In the end, these “wizards” live. He’s discovered that mages clump together,
the couple moved into a pleasant two-bedroom duplex with and so he works tirelessly on the bomb he’s been building.
a basement. Marcus converted that basement into a mini-lab His plan is to deliver it to their doorstep, but if that doesn’t
for his personal projects and the couple settled into a nice work quite as planned he has a few backups. Worst case, he
life. Making things even better, the owners were dog lovers, straps a bomb on himself and rushes them while they plan
and Marcus was allowed to bring his dog, Carver. That should their next attack on innocent people.
have been the start of the “happily ever after” story of his
Marcus has lost a lot of weight since the attack, only
life. Instead, nine months into living there, the entire world
eating when he realizes it’s been two or three days since he
came crashing down around Marcus’ ears.
last did so. For now, he’s got enough money to sustain him
Carver started barking. The clock read 2:11 a.m. for another few months, but he knows he’s going to run out
Marcus and Alice leapt out of bed as a car slammed into before too long. He’s pretty sure he’s zeroed in on this Order
the house next door. There were people screaming in the of Hermes that’s destroyed his life, so it doesn’t matter much
parking lot, and then a large police-style van pulled up. anyway. Marcus is a dead man walking, but he’s not going
The rest of Marcus’ memory is a little fuzzy, but he remem- to his grave alone.
bers the look on the intruder’s face. He remembers the

The Night-Folk
Mages aren’t the only supernatural inhabitants truly understand such beings as they understand themselves.
of the World of Darkness. And although many And so, the following characters feature impressions of the
mages know very little about these creatures Night-Folk as seen through the eyes of Awakened observers,
(and the Technocracy insists upon classifying not through the omniscient viewpoint of game statistics.
them all as Reality Deviants), such ignorance On that subject, we could also burn thousands of words on
can prove rather fatal. the appropriate Traits for the following critters, and yet fumble
Speaking of ignorance: readers famil- over changes between editions, updates, and forth. Thus, we invite
iar with the World of Darkness as a whole players and Storytellers who wish to include these characters
might notice that the following templates in World of Darkness crossover games to add the appropriate
and characters are presented in Mage terms, Traits from the character entries below, assuming the proper
not in the usual Traits and trademarks associated with their rule systems based on the descriptions featured below.
respective game lines. Why? Because mages don’t know a damn
thing about clans, Masquerades, and the like. Even the Lore Vampires
Knowledge confers an incomplete, often flawed understanding Mages tend to be horrified when they realize that
from an outsider’s perspective, filled with misconceptions, blood-drinking, undead things inhabit almost every human
disinformation, and outright lies. Mages can spend decades or city. These creatures are powerful and secretive, and few mages
centuries studying the habits of those strange werecreatures, know much about them beyond the obvious legends and a few
can even call a few of them allies or friends, and yet never

60 Gods & Monsters

facts mixed in with folklore. A Mage character needs at least • Increase one Physical Attribute by one dot.
one dot in Lore (Vampires) before he can know more than the
usual misinformation regarding the Kindred and their kind. • Heal one health level.

• Gain an additional action that turn without dividing up

Blood-Bound Ghoul
his dice pool.
Able to walk in daylight and pass for human even under
magickal scrutiny, ghouls can venture where their undead Even if they don’t use those blood points, ghouls lose one of
masters cannot. In most senses of the word, these servitors them every month. If a ghoul runs out of blood points, he suffers
are still mundane humans… most senses, but not all of them. agonizing withdrawal, losing all of his powers and enduring
Each ghoul has been blood-bound — that is, captivated by the the swift return of his true age. If that ghoul happens to be
potent magic of vampire blood. To secure that blood, these a century old (or older), he dies an awful, withering death,
addicted creatures will do almost anything, and the deeper becoming a husk of what he once was. For more details, see
that fatal addiction, the more degraded a ghoul can be. True The Book of Secrets and the Flaw: Ghoul.
enough, vitae provides uncanny strength, speed, endurance, Image: A ghoul tends to look like a normal human unless he
and longevity — but at an often-terrible price. has accepted (or been afflicted with) some form of body art
On top of that addiction, your typical ghoul has also or weird mutation that marks him as the vampire’s property.
been conditioned by the mental powers and fearsome se- Even the most normal ghouls, however, have an unnerving
ductions of vampire-kind. Bound through chemistry, magic, vitality crossed with a sinister obsession. Like junkies, such
and passion, a ghoul becomes a dedicated servant — or, people display nervous tics, odd behaviors, and emotional
more accurately, a slave — to the creature that created it. The quirks, suddenly kicking into awful fits of violence or despair.
combination inspires a savage ecstasy whenever the ghoul Roleplaying Notes: You know what it is to suffer a love and
feeds upon vampire blood: an ecstasy that leads a handful of hunger so deep it makes the passions of your past life seem
ghouls to hunt and kill vampires in order to take that blood. tame. For the object of that love — who, indeed, you might
And certain mages, being rather fond of ecstatic experiences, also despise — you’ll move whatever obstacles stand in the
wind up becoming slaves to that thirst, either blood-bound to way of your beloved’s happiness, safety, or needs.
a vampire or else turning vampire-hunter in order to satisfy
their craving for more.
Vampire blood keeps a ghoul from aging, so long as
he’s got a bit of vitae in his system. Ghouls don’t suffer Night-Folk Mages?
from the traditional weaknesses of vampires, but they can
Despite rumors to the contrary, mages cannot
only replenish their blood pool by imbibing a vampire’s become vampires, vampires cannot become mages,
blood… and drinking the same vampire’s blood three times and werewolves cannot Awaken to employ the
automatically makes the ghoul into that vampire’s thrall. Spheres. Mages can become ghouls (with terrible
As noted above, vampires refer to this foul connection as consequences…), and Garou Kinfolk might Awaken,
the blood bond: an emotional and metaphysical obsession but the vampiric Embrace shreds an Awakened Avatar.
Meanwhile, the innate nature of werewolves and
similar to love but far more intense than any mortal passion. other Gaian shape-changers makes them already
Certain powerful vampires have blood-bound mages by their Awakened, but to a different Path than the mage’s
sides… and those vampires are among the most dangerous way. The same holds true for faerie changelings,
of their kind. demonic incarnations, and so forth. Such entities are
what they are, and they cannot Awaken to magick.
In short, a mage cannot be some other World of
Suggested Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Darkness creature, and such a creature cannot
Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 2, become a mage. Although those other entities have
Intelligence 2, Wits 2 their own mystic talents (technically, a kind of static
magic, like that of hedge magicians), they cannot
Suggested Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Drive employ the Spheres, and Sphere-using mages cannot
2, Firearms 3, Intimidation 3, Investigation 2, Lore (Vampire) employ vampiric Thaumaturgy, Garou Gifts, and the
2, Melee 2, Occult 1, Stealth 2, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 3 like. A hunter could Awaken, theoretically, but then
Willpower: 3 she’d become a target of her own kind. Under the
rules, then, a hybrid mage is not possible. Awakening
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated is its own blessing — and, at times, its own curse.
Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total) As mentioned in Mage 20 (pp. 531-532), the
Powers: A ghoul has three blood points to spend (one per Night-Folk do not count as witnesses to Awakened
magick of any kind. Their lives are weird enough to
turn) on one of the following abilities per turn: accept the many possibilities of Art and Science.

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 61

 Fallon Marx
Nightclub bartending makes the perfect gig for would-be
vampires. The sun’s on its way down by the time you head to
work, the money doesn’t suck, and if you want to head home
afterward with some patient, trusting soul, nobody’s likely to
say “boo” to you so long as that night’s paramour manages
to show up later looking no worse for wear. Small wonder,
then, that such jobs feature real and wannabe ghouls. Fallon
is one of them, and while he’s smart enough to be discreet,
folks familiar with his nocturnal conquests know he’s more
than just a pretty face.
Fallon is a pretty boy. Give him that much, at least. His
good looks and surprising physical endurance make him a
popular pickup for last-call lonely hearts. Fallon’s not picky;
any gender will do. Sure, he likes the sex just fine. It’s blood,
though, that he’s really after. A few sips in the midst of some
kinky pre-dawn hijinks satisfies his thirst just fine most nights.
On the happiest occasions, though, he manages to score a
real vampire too inexperienced to recognize what Fallon really
is. Most of Fallon’s conquests show up healthy the following
night; none of his vampiric lovers, though, have appeared
in public again.
Back in 1995, in a little dive called Pandora’s Box, Fallon
was the one on the hook. A night creature took him home
and made Fallon his little chew toy. Torn between agony and
ecstasy, Fallon stayed on that hook for over 15 years. He’s a
smart guy, though, and while he endured his master’s little
games, Fallon watched for an opening and learned what he
could about vampiric weaknesses. A shade past the turn of the
millennium, Fallon saw his chance, took it, and “inherited”
his deceased master’s fortune, home, and other little pets.
Fallon’s not selfish. He knows how to share. On those
occasions when he bags a paranormal score, he shares the
resulting blood-supply with two ghouled pit bulls (Hope and
Destiny), a ghoul associate named Freedom, and the two
hungry critters in his master’s basement. One of those critters
was once a mage; that person’s soul, however, was ravaged
by vampiric blood addiction to the point where their former
powers fled. Decades of degradation have left that no-lon-
ger-Awakened shadow of its former self ravenously pitiable.
Not even Fallon knows who this mage once was or even what
gender it might have been. The desiccated, naked form in
the basement resembles a skeletal travesty of humankind,
and if Fallon feeds that poor thing (and its similarly debased
yet never Awakened companion) the occasional stray dog,
homeless bum, or barroom troublemaker… well, it’s an act
of kindness, don’t you think? I mean, he could just let them
starve, and that’d be a goddamned shame.
Fallon Marx owns a townhouse not far from his longtime
job. He hasn’t aged visibly since 1995, but that’s just part of
his appeal. Pandora’s Box is long gone, but Fallon never lacks
for employment. He knows his business, treats customers
well, and always has a smile for the other creatures who work

62 Gods & Monsters

the club. He’s not the boss and doesn’t want to be. After all, his previous action. The vampire can lick that wound closed in
it’s not like he lacks for funds. Locked in near-eternal youth, a turn, which keeps the monster’s prey from bleeding to death
Fallon Marx abdicates any responsibility beyond his reliable after the vampire has fed.
services to whichever club he’s working at the time, plus his Beyond that, a young vampire may have two or three additional
dedication to Freedom, Hope, Destiny, and the hunger that dots in one Physical Attribute, can use two or three additional
never leaves him. Oh, he’s strong enough to lift a Buick if he dice for Intimidation rolls, might grow a set of claws (Strength
needs to, savvy enough to drop a bloodsucker or a clueless + 2, aggravated damage), or employ the ability to look a
mage before they even know what hit them, and perceptive target in the eye and give her a simple command that must be
enough to avoid the real predators who’d turn Fallon into the followed. (To use this power, roll Manipulation + Intimidation
final round of their night. Right now, though, he’s got no need against target’s Willpower; commands that violate the target’s
to show off his hidden talents. Fallon knows a lot about a lot nature require four or more successes.)
of things, but almost no one knows who or what he truly is, Vampires also suffer between one and three health levels’ worth
and Fallon aims to keep it that way… no matter the final cost. of aggravated damage for every turn in which they’re exposed
to sunlight or fire. (The specifics depend upon the intensity of that
Violent Young Vampire fire or sunlight.) When faced with such forces — or when other-
Vampires who survive long enough to grow old have wise enraged — vampires flip out (as per the Traits: Berserker
generally learned how and why to avoid the Awakened, and or Stress Atavism) unless they make a Willpower roll to control
so the vampires a mage is likely to encounter are often young, themselves. (Difficulty depends on the cause of that frenzy.)
impulsive, and arrogant to a potentially fatal fault. These Vampires must also sleep during the day, but they can awaken
neonate vampires tend to be violent, and easily fall prey to for brief periods after a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 8).
the murderous urges that are part of their undead existence.
Being neither alive nor dead, vampires are not subject to Life
As charming and seductive as they can be, a single neonate Sphere magick alone. To affect a vampire with Life Sphere-like
vampire isn’t much of a threat to an accomplished mage. A Effects, a mage needs to combine both Life and Matter in order
pack of neonate vampires, on the other hand, can destroy to attack that undead monster’s Pattern. The Mind Sphere can
a powerful wizard with very little difficulty. And because act as countermagick to a vampire’s mind-domination powers,
vampires tend to be social predators, a mage who sends one and basic countermagick can oppose vampiric Thaumaturgy:
of them off to Final Death (or worse — to some temporary Each countermagick success subtracts one success from that
yet humiliating fate) usually winds up on the bad side of his vampire’s attempts. Fire, of course, is amazingly effective, so
peers. Thus, vampires and mages try to avoid open conflicts. Forces-using mages can terrorize vampires with relative ease…
Such clashes go poorly for both sides. at least until the vampires regroup and catch that mage unaware.
See “Night-Folk Counterspelling” in Mage 20 (p. 546), for
Suggested Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, other details about vampires and their resistance to Awakened
Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 3, magick.
Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Image: Young vampires often favor the look of a particular
Suggested Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Drive Clan: the blood-inspired families to which these monsters be-
2, Firearms 3, Intimidation 2, Melee 2, Occult 2, Performance long. Some resemble beast-folk, whereas others seem eerily
1, Stealth 3, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 2, Technology 1 refined. All vampires have a predatory air, chilly skin, and an
Willpower: 5 unsettling otherness marked by a steady gaze, an aversion
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated to eating normal food, and a creepy stillness that explodes
without warning into sudden action.
Armor Rating: 1 (leather jacket; four soak dice, total)
Roleplaying Notes: Forget that Twilight shit. You’re a
Powers: Vampires have 10 blood points to spend (one per predator so refined that legends and pop culture merely hint
turn) on one of the following abilities per turn: at the majesty of what you truly are. Damnation’s a drag, in
• Increase one Physical Attribute by one. theory, but for now, at least, the party belongs to you… unless,
of course, those fucking elders come around to spoil your fun.
• Heal one health level (except those lost to injuries by
fire or sunlight). Lupita and Michael
Sonia Velasquez was a good girl, really. But she wanted
• Gain one to three additional actions that turn without to be bad. Wanted it so much she dated that hirsute gringo
dividing his dice pool. her mama warned her about. So badly she wandered off with
Drinking blood replenishes these blood points. him into the woods long after dark. So deeply that when he
A vampire can also bite a character for (Strength + 1) aggravat- tore her throat out, she tore his out, too. They both eventu-
ed damage, assuming the vampire grabbed that character with ally walked away from that experience — a few days later, in

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 63

Sonia’s case. Sonia went into the ground. Lupita came out and Michael are still dangerous as hell, with inhuman powers,
of it, a “little wolf” now groomed by her bad boy to feast on several dozen cultist allies, occult curiosity, and a depthless
blood and let her inner animal run free. thirst for blood drawn from magely veins.
Lithe, strong, hungry as hell itself, Lupita embodies
vampiric savagery wrapped in a thin black-leather layer of Ancient Master Vampire
rebel poise. She’s seen the movies, of course, and so she Careful vampires are essentially immortal, existing for
knows (or at least believes she knows) what this undeath thing hundreds or even thousands of years. Despite centuries of
is all about: endless parties in the woods and nightclubs, research (some of it lost under mysterious circumstances),
bodies ravished for blood and pleasure, fights fought with neither the Traditions, the Technocracy, nor other Awakened
superhuman strength, and a certainty of damnation that orders truly understand much about these secretive monsters.
makes the boundless night much sweeter for the brimstone Oh sure — mages think they know all there is to know about
along its edge. these so-called “Kindred.” In reality, the ignorant misinforma-
tion mages consider to be the truth of these undead entities is
Too young to realize what a cliché she is, Lupita has
nearly as erroneous and incomplete as the knowledge vampires
nurtured her unlife on pop-culture vampire lore. Her sire,
believe they hold regarding those jumped-up mortals who
Michael, isn’t much better off. He, too, is a young dude
consider themselves to be like the wizards of old.
raised on The Lost Boys and Natural Born Killers, running
through the shadows of the greater, and wiser, vampiric Because elder vampires use pawns — young vampires,
society. Their mutual love of dark mythology attracts them ghouls, dominated Sleepers, mortal authorities, and even other
to the sinister fringes of the occult underground, where they mages — to further their ends, the ancient Kindred cover their
hope to continue learning forbidden secrets and feasting on tracks with rumors and misdirection. Certain vampires, it’s
innocent blood. In this realm of sects and cultists, they occa- been said, command entire cities through their proxies and
sionally meet people of real power: Awakened mages whose strange powers. A mage who angers such a beast might never
Arts intimidate these youthful rebels, yet attract them with even know who his enemy truly is, only that attacks seem to
the promise of powers greater than the raw might and feral come from everywhere, with little obvious connection between
talents they already possess. them. Why do living statues, political activists, riot cops, street
kids, and the local sheriff all seem to have something against
A muscular Latina in her apparent mid-teens, Lupita
a given mage? Only that secretive vampire elder knows for
wears her hair loose and wild around her face. Ladder-
sure… and she’s not talking, least of all to you.
slashed jeans, too-large biker boots, an array of gothic band
T-shirts, and a battered leather jacket twice as old as she is
(stolen off some old guy they mugged and drained outside a Suggested Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 6,
club) complement her clawed fingers and toes and lambent Charisma 5, Manipulation 6, Appearance 4, Perception 5,
yellow eyes — legacies of the animalistic self she lets loose as Intelligence 6, Wits 5
often as possible. Lupita’s still too fresh to have mastered full Suggested Abilities: Academics 6, Alertness 6, Awareness
shape-changing, but her wolfish aspect remains close to the 3, Brawl 4, Expression 3, Esoterica 3, Etiquette 5, Firearms
surface of her skin. Michael is only slightly better at it than 2, Intimidation 5, Leadership 5, Law 4, Melee 4, Politics 5,
she is; he can shift into wolf-form while leaving his human Occult 5, Stealth 5, Subterfuge 6, plus hosts of other Abilities
guise essentially intact. If you look close enough, you can tell that suit the vampire in question.
that his body hair is more lupine fur than human fuzz. In the
Willpower: 9
dark, though, he looks like a normal-enough dude until his
claws or teeth are in your neck. Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Lupita’s Catholic traditions still skitter around in her Armor Rating: 0 (six soak dice, total; ancient vampires can
skull, assuring this bad girl that her sins mean eternity in also use between three and five dice to soak fire and sunlight)
hell. Thus, she — unlike her paramour Michael — tends to Powers: In addition to all the powers of a young vampire,
be cautious in situations where she might get killed. Both an ancient has 20-30 blood points and may spend between
vampires pick one-sided fights with human targets, but then four and six of them per turn.
skirt the presence of greater predators. In vampiric terms, Beyond that, most ancients have the equivalent of 15-20 dots’
they’re Caitiff: clanless vampires too young, reckless, and worth of rotes; each rote costs one blood point to activate. Most
stupid to choose a side in the immortal wars. A mage who often, these rotes involve the Mind Sphere, though others also
meets them, though, isn’t likely to know such things. To involve Entropy, Forces, Matter, or Time. These abilities are
him, these kids are everything pop culture tells them vam- not true Sphere magick, however, and do not rework reality
pires should be: dangerous to mortals, but no match for an or invoke Paradox.
Awakened antagonist. That perception, however, has gotten
Most ancient vampires invoke bowel-emptying terror. To attack
a few young mages killed, ghouled, and tortured to the point
such a monster directly, a player must spend a Willpower point
of madness. Despite their youth and cultural banality, Lupita
64 Gods & Monsters
and roll Willpower (difficulty 8) in order to do so. For each Smuggled through Ellis Island by a small army of loyal
success on that roll, the character is able to act against that retainers, Roberto Castrovinci took up residence in the
vampire for one turn. A successful Mind 1 Effect (coincidental) Bronx borough of New York City during the fall of 1915.
can add its successes to that Willpower roll; even then, how- After disposing of several potential rivals and establishing a
ever, the mage feels like a mouse facing off against a furious protectorate neighborhood, “Uncle Robert” secluded himself
bobcat… and will probably be right about the comparative in a brownstone and wove himself a network of allies, infor-
difference in power! mants, procurers, and enforcers. There, safe from all but the
Image: The embodiment of primal hunger, these refined most powerful intrusions, he continues to study the mystic
monstrosities capture godlike power in immortal frames. Some arts, occasionally allying himself with devoted practitioners
resemble grotesque assemblies of limbs and faces, whereas of Old Country wizardry.
others would shame Greek deities with their raw beauty. All Despite Siciliano stereotypes, Uncle Robert has no love
elder vampires radiate awful majesty, with centuries of cunning for La Cosa Nostra. He saw the misery they inflicted upon his
and survival locked behind their eyes. homeland, and allows them no influence within his protec-
Roleplaying Notes: You didn’t reach this age by being torate. Roberto has banned all sales of drugs and weapons
stupid. Let lesser beings throw away their lives (or unlives) around his property; unauthorized gangs are forbidden; and
acting like impulsive children. You’re thinking three steps ahead the gruesome fates of muggers, rapists, and other parasites have
of every other being in the room. If, and when, you take direct become the stuff of local legend. Real-estate developers are
action, make sure to annihilate whichever creature dared to bought off with money or warned off with force. Trespassers
inconvenience you with force. are dealt with in manners that suit the phrase “go medieval,”
and so the people of Uncle Robert’s dominion remain happy…
Roberto “Uncle Robert” Castrovinci so long, of course, as they stay within well-established rules.
No one sees Roberto unless he wants them to. He Only rarely does Uncle Roberto leave his home: two
learned secrecy during the War of the Vespers in his medieval Morris Avenue brownstones converted into a single unit,
homeland, Sicily, and has lived (or whatever this benighted with three basement levels dug beneath their foundations.
excuse for living is called) by such disciplines ever since. In Two families of living descendants occupy the upper floors
that long-ago time, Roberto was a common man swept up and protect their downstairs benefactor. The building and
in the tide of violence that washed across Sicily when some surrounding blocks are protected by mundane methods and
rude Frenchman groped the young niece of Roberto’s friend vampiric magic: traps, illusions, allies human and otherwise, a
Vincente. Outrage became violence, violence became massa- pervasive police presence, and a handful of gangs with funding
cre, and massacre became war. In the process, hot-blooded and permission from Uncle Robert himself protect the param-
Roberto learned to fear the urges of his fellow mortals, and eters and deal out brutal justice to anyone who dares intrude
then went from being an eager young brawler to a traumatized on Castrovinci turf. Roberto’s got a few younger vampires in
man seeking refuge in a church. his circle, too: old-school Turks, Spaniards and Sicilians who
As things turned out, the wrong church. still measure their power and experience in centuries. Few
What good Christian could have imagined in those people see Uncle Robert unless he wants them to, and even
days that churches housed the faithful Damned? Who might fewer survive the experience if he doesn’t.
have believed Roberto had he run from that church seeking A short, stocky, gnarled man whose undeath warped
aid? Possibly no one… but in such bloody days, those pious his mortal features into ghastly exaggerations of homeliness,
vampires could not afford to be discovered. And so, Roberto Uncle Robert dresses in impeccable handmade Italian suits
was converted in a most unholy way, his soul initiated into and shoes. The contrast between his brutish face, bent body,
the legions of hell, his body twisted to mirror the tortures and elegant fashion makes this vampire even more unnerving.
of his mind. He’s frighteningly adept at static magical Arts, too — not the
That was over 800 years ago, and Roberto has become blessings of True Magick, but the sorcery known to vampires
very good at hiding himself from sight. and certain mortals. (In game terms, hedge magic and the
Thaumaturgy Discipline.) Although he’s fluent in over two
A master of secrets, Roberto moved between the Sicilian dozen mortal languages, including several dialects of Arabic,
island kingdom, Italy, Iberia, and the Ottoman Empire Italian, English, Greek, Latin, Urdu, and so forth, Roberto
for centuries. He built networks of trade and information, speaks casually in a hoarse medieval Sicilian language com-
mastered the occult lore of Africa, Europe, and the classical posed of Latinate Italian, Norman French, Aragonese, classical
world, and witnessed the soulless barbarism of mortal men. Greek, arcane Arabic, and plenty of other things living people
Roberto lost his faith in those days, and so when the modern have barely even heard of, let along understand. His descen-
age came to his world in clouds of flame, famine, and poison dants and retainers, of course, understand it perfectly, and
gas, he fled his homeland for the cleaner, safer shores of a that linguistic obscurity adds another secretive dimension to
young United States. this elder vampire’s existence. For the few mortals allowed

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 65

into his presence, Uncle Robert projects a majestic aura Traits and runs fast enough to catch a speeding car. Sleepers
of ageless charisma tinged with ruthless cruelty. He is not, flee in terror, pass out, or go temporarily insane if that wolf-man
Roberto emphasizes, a brutal man by nature. Ah, but nature or titanic wolf form appears, and although mages are immune
has little sway within the gory human legacy, and so if he to this Delirium, even the most dedicated willworkers feel an
must assume a monster’s form, then he’ll remind people why intense desire to run like hell.
this particular monster has lived nearly a 1,000 years with no This discretion really is the better part of valor. In the lupine
apparent end in sight. and war-wolf forms, a Garou can bite or claw for (Strength +
1) aggravated damage (Strength + 2 in the titanic wolf form),
Werebeasts saok lethal and aggravated damage, and shrug off everything
Shapeshifting creatures with close connections to the short of heavy machine-gun fire… and often even that.
Umbra also inhabit the World of Darkness. Most of them Each werewolf has a pool of Rage points (usually between five
dwell in remote wilderness areas, but some prefer human cities and seven) that he can spend to gain additional actions while
and the various pleasures and challenges therein. using his full dice pool for each of them. That Garou can spend
one point of Rage for every dot of Dexterity he has in that form.
Murderous Werewolf Werewolves regain Rage in stressful situations — and almost
Filled with rage at humanity, loathing the extent to anything, from an insult to an injury, stresses out a werewolf.
which humans have defiled and destroyed the natural world, Additionally, some werewolves have the ability to act first
werewolves strike out at those they think are enemies of the every turn, automatically; the power to deactivate all man-
Earth. Members of the Technocracy regard these monsters as made technology within 50 feet; or the ability to assume their
deadly threats to humanity… and they’re essentially correct. war-wolf form as a reflexive action. (The Storyteller employs
Some Tradition mages share this view, but others revere the the werewolf’s power to deactivate technology by spending
purity of these primal monsters. a point of Willpower, or by rolling the character’s Willpower
Like Awakened shamans, werewolves hold profound against the Arete of a technomagickal device.) A werewolf
ties to the spirit world. They bond with totems and employ can sometimes step sideways into the Penumbra if the local
nature magic that resembles the effects of Spirit Arts. Mages Gauntlet is weak enough (roll Willpower against the Gauntlet
who travel into the Otherworlds often meet werewolves there, difficulty), and he can often employ other nature magics, too.
usually with violent results. Although some werewolves (who (Simply assign a handful of Forces-, Prime-, or Spirit-based
call themselves Garou) strike alliances with mages who share rotes, as per the vampire powers above.)
their views, these alpha predators remain too unpredictable, On the downside, Werewolves suffer unsoakable aggravated
temperamental, and fanatically devoted to their nature goddess wounds from silver weapons (they can attempt to soak all other
to be truly considered friends. kinds of damage, regardless of type). A vulgar Life-based
attack needs to combine both Life and Spirit (both Spheres
Suggested Attributes (human form): Strength 4, Dexterity at no fewer than three dots) in order to harm the werewolf’s
4, Stamina 5, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, half-spirit, half-flesh pattern. And like vampires, werewolves
Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 4 fly into berserk frenzies when angered or frightened beyond
their limits. Given their primal spirit nature, werecreatures
Suggested Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Awareness 2,
seem incredibly resistant to magick in general (see “Night-
Brawl 4, Esoterica 2, Expression 2, Firearms 2, Intimidation 4,
Folk Counterspelling” in Mage 20, pg. 546 for other details
Leadership 2, Melee 3, Occult 2, Stealth 3, Survival 4
about such resistance).
Willpower: 4
Image: Even in his human form, a werewolf radiates predator
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated with a capital “P.” This animal nature is both attractive (adding
Armor Rating: 0 (but see below) bonuses to the werewolf’s seduction-based rolls if he’s dealing
Powers: In any form except their human guise, werewolves with Ecstatics, nature mages, or other folks who crave a little
regenerate one health level of bashing or lethal damage per primal lovin’) and frightening (imposing penalties on any other
turn, or one health level of aggravated damage per day. form of Social roll when dealing with easily intimidated humans…
A Garou can shift between several shapes, too: the human unless, of course, the werewolf wants to be intimidating). Even
form, a caveman-like throwback, a horrific part-human “war- with a fresh shave and a three-piece suit, a typical werewolf
wolf” monster roughly nine feet tall, a titanic wolf form, and the feels feral… and probably looks feral, too. In their wolf-forms,
form of a normal (though robust) wolf. In that wolf-man form, Garou favor the markings of their lupine kin. Many werewolves
a werewolf character doubles his Physical Attributes, drops also sport body art, scars, and other marks of their intensely
his Appearance to 0, attacks two or three times per turn, and tribal nature.
ignores dice penalties from his wounds unless those wounds Roleplaying Notes: You don’t “believe” that the Earth is
were caused by silver. The titanic wolf adds +2 to its Physical under attack from demonic forces; you know it. Mages might

66 Gods & Monsters

not all be allied with such forces, but the ones who are — the in ways no drug had ever managed to damage her before. Her
Nephandi and Technocrats — must die. That’s it, that’s all. Such body lived but she lost her wolf, and now mumbles through
people are a cancer on a dying Earth and must be erased with the cold nights with vague dreams of who she once was back
fang, claw, magic, and steel. when she could still think straight.
As for the rest of ‘em, they’re probably dead meat, too. Maybe And then the wizard turned him into silver. That pain
you’ll pause long enough to see if an individual mage can be never leaves him.
trusted. Most of them, though, cannot. They’ll just have to die as well. It didn’t last long. Hot would not have survived if it had.
But the searing torment of having his own skin and bones
Hunts-the-Wizards and fur turned into mystic anathema lingers in Hot Coffee’s
He wasn’t always this way. Long ago, rumors claim, Hunts- mind. He spent days recovering from the physical damage,
the-Wizards was called Hot Coffee, an urban werewolf who then assumed the deed-name Hunts-the-Wizards, took up
guarded homeless encampments from parasites human and the banner of his fallen packmates, and turned the mages
otherwise. Hot Coffee’s pack swept out the neighborhood responsible into abstract urban art. The last of them, after
dope fiends and their high-numbers profiteers, worked soup failing to repeat his silver-werewolf trick, perished screaming,
kitchens, and earned Hot’s deed-name by keeping the locals his intestines wound like fat spaghetti around Hunts-the-
as safe, fed, and warm as they could manage. Wizards’ claws.
And then some asshole wizard turned him into silver. That might have been the end of it, but then other mages
He still remembers the pain. It wakes him from night- came looking for their friends. From them, Hunts-the-Wizards
mares, shivers up his scarred nerves at unexpected times, discovered his vocation. By the time the last of those wizards
bristles his neck when a random breeze or sound calls up defaced a mural with biological graffiti, Hot Coffee had
those memories. He nearly died. Three packmates did: one disappeared forever beneath the raging heart of Hunts-the-
incinerated by bolts of fire, a second yanked out of this world Wizards… or simply, as he’s known in human guise, Hunt.
by evil spirits, and his best friend, Cherokee Red, turned into a Hunts-the-Wizards knows the truth: All mages are servants
cook-brained basket case, unseen magick blasting her synapses of the Wyrm. Their messy deaths are gifts to the Earth Mother,

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 67

and so he and his new packmates stalk, hunt, corner, and Earthly reality, and claim territories that can stretch from
kill every single mage they can find. Without pity, reason, or apartment-sized to several miles across. Within those terri-
fear, this knot of monsters employs the physical and spiritual tories, a werecat likes to know what’s going on. And so, it’s
environment of their city home in a bloody vendetta that often possible for a mage to meet a Bastet who considers that
has claimed the lives of over a dozen Awakened souls and mage and his home to be her property.
over 100 of their friends and allies. No argument can sway
Hunts-the-Wizards from that task; this werewolf and his pack
Suggested Attributes (human form): Strength 3, Dexterity
consider their hunt a holy crusade, and only death will end it.
5, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4,
Until that final night, Hunts-the-Wizards relives his torment,
Perception 5, Intelligence 3, Wits 4
tends his broken friend, and conducts his sacred duty as only
a spiritual war-machine monster can do. Suggested Abilities: Academics 2, Alertness 3, Athletics
3, Awareness 3, Brawl 3, Drive 2, Esoterica 2, Expression 2,
Hot Coffee wasn’t exactly a good-looking guy, but Hunts-
Firearms 1, Intimidation 2, Investigation 3, Melee 2, Occult
the-Wizards bears dozens of scars from his various encounters
4, Stealth 4, Survival 2, Subterfuge 3
from the magi: burns, bullet wounds, patchwork places where
flesh and muscle have been cooked, slashed, dissolved, and Willpower: 5
otherwise disfigured by magickal Arts and mundane weaponry. Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Sure, he heals fast, but that healing demands a cost when so Armor Rating: 0 (but see below)
much of it comes from metaphysical means.
Powers: All werecats regenerate one health level’s worth of
In human form, the man called Hunt conceals his bashing or lethal damage per turn, or one aggravated health
battle-ravaged body under a large coat and layers of cast-off level of injury per day. In cat-form, use the appropriate big
clothing. The ripe scent of homelessness carries an undercur- cat’s entry from the Mage 20 Bestiary (pp. 619-620) and add
rent of his bestial nature, too. His pale skin features winding two dots to both Dexterity and Perception. Like a werewolf, a
tattoos over grotesque scar tissue, and his brown eyes glow Bastet can attain a human-cat hybrid war-form; in that form,
with the banked fires of a doomed fanatic. increase the character’s Dexterity and Perception by three dots
In werewolf form, he’s a rangy terror with patchy black each, and increase Strength and Stamina by two dots each. The
fur, ritual scars, and a roadmap of magickal tortures etched titanic cat form resembles a sabretooth tiger, inflicts (Strength +
across his skin. Though not especially tall or bulky by werewolf 3) lethal damage with its bite, and inspires the Delirium effect
standards, Hunts-the-Wizards is fast, clever, and breathtakingly in unAwakened human beings.
brutal, with a trickster’s glee if he gets a chance to make a Also like a werewolf, each werecat has a pool of Rage points
mage’s demise especially horrific. (usually between two and four) that she can spend to gain
As his name suggests, Hunts-the-Wizards is beyond additional actions without splitting her dice pool. And although
compromise. To his mind, every single mage must die. The werecats lack the Garou’s deep ties to the spirit-world, the
things he’s seen and survived prove beyond all arguments Bastet have their own rote-like Effects — typically drawn from
that so-called “mages” are corruption incarnate. His many the Life and Mind Spheres — to call upon. They suffer the same
battles have given Hunt a sense of strategy — rushing in with effects from silver as Garou, and inflict similar attacks with their
claws drawn got his first pack killed, and so now deception, claws and teeth. (Really big cats, like tigers and lions, dish out
distraction, ambush, misdirection, and fear are Hunt’s most Strength + 2, as they have larger mouths than wolves.) Also
effective weapons… until, of course, the moment when speed like werewolves, the Bastet fly into berserk claw-shredding
and power end the chase. frenzies when furious, hurt, or scared.
Image: Uncommonly attractive (perhaps even inhumanly so),
Enigmatic Werecat a werecat exudes that same predatory presence. Unlike her
Since the days of ancient Egypt, magick and mages have werewolf cousin, that sense of menace is more beautiful than
fascinated these subtle and ever-curious creatures. Divided brutish. Even so, this creature is every inch a predator. When
into several distinct breeds — tigers, lions, leopards, lynxes furious, she’s as savage as any Garou.
and more — the shape-changing cat-folk enjoy a wide range
Roleplaying Notes: The epitome of grace and curiosity,
of sizes, powers, and temperaments. As a rule, however, the
you’re a master of secrets. Such enigmas are literally your na-
Bastet crave secrets and knowledge. That craving brings them
ture, and you seek information about other people as eagerly
into frequent contact with mages who’re obvious about what
as you guard your own.
they are, and often attracts their attention if a mage isn’t who
he seems to be. Callianne Barrister/Calli Groves/
Like werewolves and vampires, the Bastet have their own Whisper/Salome Grey
forms of magic. Unlike Garou, they don’t seem to be able She always did love books. Calli Groves learned to read
to walk into the spirit world. Werecats make their home in short, but full, sentences by around age four, and she wrote

68 Gods & Monsters

her first story, “Bumble’s Jungle,” in first grade. By age eight, variety of cults, sects, and covens, plus online groups and a
she could read full-length adult novels and actually under- growing circle of intimates who know who and what she really
stand what went on in them. Is it any wonder, then, that is. That’s an especially dangerous game at her level, though,
she was a full-time professional novelist before she graduated as she’s begun to realize that some of these people command
high school… which Calli managed to do at 15? Her first power and influence far beyond her wildest fictions.
novel, the paranormal romance Mandolin Wind, featured a Bastet excel at keeping secrets while uncovering everyone
shapeshifting cat-girl named Whisper, and though the name else’s dirt. With money and magic, she’s performed an impres-
on the cover read Callianne Barrister, its feline hero was the sive, if unsustainable, juggling act for years. Her masquerade,
author herself. though, is wearing thin. Several books ago, Calli tripped over
Whisper’s adventures hit just as the post-Twilight surge the existence of the Technocracy. Though she understands
took hold, making Calli a bestselling author by the time she hit very little of what she’s learned, she added them to her books
legal age. It didn’t matter that her protagonist’s early brushes as the Agency, a hypertech conspiracy of paranormal author-
with sexuality had been based on imaginative speculation itarians. For obvious reasons, this did not go over well with
and the sort of internet searches that parents fear — the lush the Union, and although their inquiries have been discreet
sensuality of Whisper’s world entranced readers of all ages. (so far), the Technocracy would like to find out how this
A rousing contrast to the blank-stare infodumps favored by Callianne Barrister person learned as much as she appears to
so many of her peers, Calliane Barrister became one of the know. Thanks to her insular nature, her financial success, her
names to watch for on the paranormal romance lists. This Bastet bag of tricks, and the odd things you discover doing
fame, of course, had a distinct downside for an author who paranormal-romance research, Calli has managed to cover
really was what she wrote about: Calli had to distance herself her tracks thus far. It’s not going to be long, however, until
from Whisper when several associates of her Bastet identity someone slips between the many levels of misdirection Calli
began to say, “What a minute, aren’t you the chick from Groves constructed around her various identities. If someone
those books…?” Hence, to them, she became Salome Grey, manages to get a peek inside her head, this entire Whisper
her surname an elbow-shot at the rising Fifty Shades series game may soon come to an unfortunate conclusion.
and the popularity of their slick hero. Although her shapechanging Gift allows Calli to cultivate
Living a double life is challenging enough. These days, a number of different personas and appearances, her primary
Calli lives four of them: Her best-selling pen name, her in- “selves” are as follows:
quisitive heroine, her Bastet aspect, and whatever is left of her Calli Groves is a rail-thin and prettily bookish woman in
own life when she’s not writing, touring, or living the other her late 20s, with long wavy, black hair, wire-framed glasses
three. As any writer knows, the sheer butt-in-chair element of (which, since her Bastet birthright manifested in her early teens,
writing is time-consuming enough for one person. Add the she no longer needs), large eyes that shift from green to gray
social media and marketing presence of a persona who’s not to hazel in accordance with her mood, and a decidedly casual
really you and not one shape-shifting cat-girl but two, and wardrobe of jeans, plain-color sweaters, and near-inevitably
you’ve got a fair impression of Calli’s busy life. Good thing bare feet. Her features and skin tone suggest Indian descent,
she’s adept at catnaps or she’d never get any sleep at all. but she’s actually Irish-Egyptian with a bit of Lakota from her
Granted, Whisper is more a person of the page these days mother’s side of the family. Though she’s nearly six feet tall,
than she is a living entity; still, Calli keeps having to clean Calli weighs less than 130 pounds and slumps her shoulders so
up the messes her initial feline self left lying around before as to appear shorter than she truly is. The author’s fey features,
she got so popular. Like any good pulp-action hero, Whisper thin build, and changeling eyes earned her the nickname “Elf”
has left her claws in lots of hearts, literal and otherwise, and among her friends, and though she used to cultivate that look
some of her paramours keep coming back for another round. when she was younger, she now concedes it to…
Whisper has enemies, too, some of whom would love to expose Callianne Barrister, who stands Calli’s full height and
the woman behind the character. As this cat has learned the accentuates her fey appearance with peasant blouses, hippie
hard way, hot tin roofs have nothing on the bestseller list! skirts, copious bangles, and a flirtatious persona. Like Calli,
Partly because Whisper’s adventures deal so heavily with she shuns footwear; unlike her, Callianne wears tumbles of
the occult, but largely because Calli herself is implacably deep-red hair and faerie-like cosmetics that contrast with her
curious about such things, Salome has ingratiated herself skin to make it look darker than it naturally is. Callianne
among the local occult subcultures. A few tricks of makeup, doesn’t wear Calli’s glasses, and in most regards seems to be
hair dye, and body language let her appear differently enough more her “better self” than the shy girl she manifests at home.
from her other three personas that few people have caught Where Calli’s personal aspect is quiet and shy, Calliane’s a
on yet. One of her Bastet tricks also allows her to change her charisma bomb in a New-Age shop.
shape and appearance in radical ways — a useful stunt for a Whisper, of course, is a lean, punky, sullenly attractive
cat-woman with more lives than usual. Between her magical rebel apparently stuck somewhere around her mid-to-late teens.
powers and social guile, Calli has insinuated herself into a
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 69
Like Callianne, she wears no glasses; her messy dark mane Nope.
falls across her face as she adopts a terminally jaded slump- Not even close, and an attitude like that will get a mage
and-glare. Unlike her other personae, Whisper wears heavy killed if she’s lucky and worse if she’s not. The Disneyfied
boots, shredded jeans, ankh-and-scarab jewelry, and battered bullshit cloaks entities of strange and fearsome mien, and
leather jackets. Although Calli herself avoided getting real though some who know them claim the fae are harbingers
tattoos that might expose her multiple identities, Whisper has of imagination’s power, those same mages are often quick to
a variety of fake tribal-style black tats, including the inevitable warn you that “imagination” also gave us the atomic bomb.
tramp-stamp sported by every paranormal-romance cover girl.
Despite formidable powers, vampires and werebeasts are
Salome Grey, aside from her slender build, looks noth- fairly prosaic monsters — more complex than Sleeper legends
ing like the other three women. Calli’s magic grants Salome give them credit for, but ultimately straightforward reflections
paradoxically pale skin, flowing red-blonde hair, and eyes the of human fears. Faeries, though, are other. Unpredictable.
steely color of her surname. Like that particular Christian, Often alien. Although they might superficially resemble the
she dresses in tailor-made business wear, with stylish shoes sanitized legends attributed to their name, faerie beings are
and an intimidating presence. Calli hones her social domi- walking puzzles whose ways make little sense when analyzed
nance in this persona, and she uses her height and looks for with magely vision.
maximum effect. Most of the folks who know Calli’s Bastet
Lore asserts that the True Fae left the mortal realm be-
identity are familiar with Salome Grey, with a mere handful
hind some time ago. An Umbra-faring mage might run across
knowing Whisper and only three of her must trusted intimates
such beings in a hidden glade or distant palace, but those
knowing Calli.
immortals won’t be found on Earth. Instead, a mage might
In her Bastet feline forms, Calli resembles a lean, encounter changelings: faerie spirits trapped in human hosts,
black-furred Egyptian Bast statue, a huge black cat, or a struggling in the face of what they call banality to retain the
saber-toothed monster vaguely reminiscent of a prehistoric essence that makes them what they are. Their magics are, by
panther with especially large ears. In all three forms, Calli nature, more subtle than Awakened Arts, their effects often
goes nude and rarely appears unless she wants to be seen. hidden behind screens of misdirection. Literally “such stuff
If you see her at all, you’ll note lambent green eyes and as dreams are made of,” the ephemeral Arts of changelings
bright white teeth right before the latter rip into a vital part bend reality in ways mages envy but cannot duplicate.
of your anatomy.
Faerie creatures display an inhuman affinity with magic,
Like any Bastet — much less one of her Bubasti lineage — and although those Arts are not True Magick in the way that
Calli possesses an unquenchable lust for secrets and a literal willworkers understand the term, they’re far closer to that
hunger than never goes away. Nothing is ever enough for her: power than are the weird talents of vampires and werebeasts.
enough books, enough food, enough money, enough lovers, Faerie beings share ancient ties with the Verbena and some
enough forbidden secrets about things she really should leave Hermetic mages, but those ties don’t necessarily mean friend-
alone. Calli indulges them all as much as she can without putting ship. Ultimately, the fae remain mysterious, haunted by dream
her multiple lives at too much risk. As a result, this werecat is a horizons that not even mages truly understand.
fabulous liar and social chameleon whose prodigious mind and
True to faerie-tale lore, fae characters take aggravated
boundless curiosity are backed up with magical powers that let
damage from cold-iron weapons, and they suffer illness and
her slide between identities and slip out of perception when
a distinct lack of magic in areas with high levels of “cold”
she wants to disappear. Those powers let Calli move unseen
technology (as opposed to the weird Science of Etherite
and unheard, edge around most physical barriers, change her
mages). If a changeling gets stuck someplace with high levels
human guise on cosmetic levels, and convince people to give
of cold technology or banal behavior (the unimaginative herd
her whatever it is she wants at that time.
mind that seems safest for the Masses), he might forget who
Despite inhuman speed, endurance, fangs and claws, and what he really is, losing not only his magic but also his
plus some basic fight training she’s picked up while writing memory that he was something other than a normal, mortal
a paranormal adventure series, Calli’s not fond of physical man. For this reason, among others, the fae avoid such places
conflicts. If backed into a corner, she can take out the average and behaviors; to them, banality literally is a plague.
human without breathing hard. That’s not her style, though.
Although certain fae practice their own form of odd tech-
Knowledge is so much more satisfying than blood.
nologies, most changelings fear Technocratic establishments
and forces… and with good reason: Such institutions can drain
The Fae a faerie’s magic simply by existing in his presence! And so,
Ah, the wonders of the fae! Their flitty mischief and giddy most fae-folk concentrate their pranks on environments that
playfulness! The rustic glamour of bygone tales, half-draped in encourage a least a bit of magic and imagination: churches,
wild joy and packaged colorfully for our amusement! Wait… temples, Akashic dojos and Verbena groves, art schools, media
you mean faeries aren’t like that? offices, and even labs where science favors imagination over

70 Gods & Monsters

procedure. In more rigid areas, a changeling’s powers falter, Mages and faeries can each resist the other’s magic(k). The
locking him into that mortal guise until he can escape again. mage can shake off the effects of a direct fae enchantment by
This innate tie between imagination and ability provides rolling her Willpower like a soak roll (difficulty 7), subtracting
a key to any faerie’s nature. It’s been said that technology successes as usual. That mage could also counter a faerie’s spell
strangles the very essence of what faeries are. If and when the by rolling her Arete (difficulty 6), and the faerie can do the same
Technocracy gets its wish, fae of all sorts will disappear forever. thing to counter a mage’s Effect. In all cases, the countering
character’s successes remove the successes of the character
casting that spell. (Again, see “Night-Folk Counterspelling”
Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 5, Stamina 2, in Mage 20 for details.) As creatures linked to the Dreaming
Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Otherworlds, changelings and other fae are immune to Life
Intelligence 2, Wits 4 magick alone; harming a fae being requires a combination
Suggested Abilities: Acrobatics 3, Alertness 3, Art 3, of the Life and Mind Spheres.
Athletics 3, Awareness 3, Brawl 3, Cosmology 3, Enigmas 2, Image: In their natural forms, faerie beings range from freakish
Expression 4, Occult 3, Seduction 2, Stealth 3, Subterfuge 4 trolls to charismatic paragons of unearthly gorgeousness. To
Willpower: 4 conceal their true natures among the Masses, however, fae
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated changelings cloak themselves in the illusory forms of mortal
Armor Rating: 0 (two soak dice, total) human beings. In all cases, a changeling who suffers harsh
degrees of banality forgets its true nature and remains stuck
Powers: The reality-warping powers of the fae resemble
in that ridiculous human form.
mage Spheres, with several vital differences:
Roleplaying Notes: You’re an avatar of imagination and
• They’re less powerful overall, limited to Sphere ranks wonder, fighting to keep the mortal world from swallowing
1-3 in terms of their Effects. itself in banality. That said, you can be pretty damn scary,
too. Lots of people think faeries are cute little critters full of
• They demand ritual behaviors (a rhyme, a wrinkled
mischief and fun. They’re wrong. In many ways, you’re an
nose, a set of clothes turned inside out, etc.) before the
alien thing — familiar in certain regards, but possessed of an
spell takes effect.
amoral conscience and living by rules that make no sense to
• They cost Glamour (a form of Quintessence generated mortals but mean everything to you.
by imagination, passion, inspiration, and dreams) to
cast.
Jason “Goatboy” McClean
Class clowns often start off as kids with social handicaps
• Their effects are often more or less invisible to mortal they learn to work around by making people laugh. In Jason’s
eyes unless they significantly transform the environment. case, those handicaps included thick body hair, a strong body
odor that resisted every antiperspirant on the market, and a
• They’re limited by the level of banality in the area. The temperament that’s volatile even by adolescent standards. As
more banal the area — that is, how technological it is, so many embarrassing things do, the bodily changes kicked in
how trivialized it seems, or how otherwise rendered “flat” when Jason hit puberty, leading his schoolyard nemesis Vince
and unimaginative it has been — the more resistant that Angelini to dub him “Goatboy” — a name that stuck even after
place is to the effects of faerie magics. Jason started racking up an impressive list of hookups that
To reflect those powers in Mage terms, consider a fae character included some of the best-looking boys and girls in school…
to be like a mage with an Arete between 1 and 5; the Entropy, including, to both guys’ amazement, Vince himself. When
Life, Matter, and Mind Spheres at between Ranks 1 and 3; asked how a smelly, hairy dude named Goatboy was able to
and a casting difficulty based upon the local Gauntlet rating win his way into their hearts and pants, Jason’s intimates
in order to bring mortals into the realm of fae enchantment. If tend to shrug, look aside, and say, “I dunno, he just makes
that roll fails, then the magic fails as well. That’s not how magic me laugh.”
works in Changeling: The Dreaming, but it’s a decent And so he does. Of course, Jason’s heritage among the
approximation for troupes without those rules. satyr-kith fae doesn’t hurt his popularity either, but the kids
If a fae character tries to enchant a mage or other mortal, the at school don’t know about that, and Jason’s certainly not
difficulty depends upon the target character’s Banality Trait. gonna be the one to tell ‘em.
Mystic mages (Dreamspeakers, Verbena, Bata’a, etc.) have Jason learned the truth about two years ago, and now
a Banality between 4 and 5; mystic technomancers (Etherites, understands why he’s always felt so drawn to art classes even
Virtual Adepts) range between 7 and 8, and Technocrats go though he’s got little talent for art himself. Currently the
as high as 9 or 10. Marauders and Nephandi have either superstar of his high school’s drama department (a status he
extremely low Banality ratings or very high ones, depending earned through charisma and popularity, not his ability to
on the nature of that Mad or Fallen mage. act worth a damn), Jason passes freely among every clique
Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 71
in school, scoring like an 80s rock star despite being under both horrified by what he sees in the mirror now and yet
legal age. The fact that some of his satyrian hookups include fascinated by what it says about the man he’ll soon become.
several members of the faculty keeps people from looking What kind of man will Goatboy be? That remains to be
too carefully at what he’s doing and who he’s doing it with. seen… but if anyone thinks he’ll ever be “just one of the guys,”
The messes he makes, however, turn those relationships into the joke is truly on them.
stormy dramas, and although Goatboy remains mysteriously
popular with his peers (and many of their parents, too), the
emotional turmoil in his wake keeps Jason’s life… interest-
Ghosts
Certain mages seek out ghosts for information about the
ing. His family has begun to notice this sensual chaos, and
past. Others either enjoy the company of the Restless Dead,
although mom thinks she knows what’s really going on, she
or else converse with them in an attempt to understand
has no idea what to do about it. As for Jason’s dad, well…
the mysteries of life and death. For most mages, however,
um, “That’s my boy” isn’t an especially healthy attitude to
ghosts are — at best — sad creatures they want to lay to rest,
take about such things, but sadly it’s not unusual even when
occasionally showing up as horrific monsters that must be
dad himself isn’t actually fae.
exorcised or destroyed.
Not long ago, Jason’s dramas included every single mem-
With very few exceptions, the Restless Dead cannot affect
ber of his school’s miniscule goth occultist contingent — a
the mortal world through physical phenomena. They might
contingent scattered by the resulting emotional typhoon.
alter temperature, move physical objects, or possess a living
One of those kids, though, realizes now what Goatboy really
host, but those abilities depend upon the nature of each indi-
is… and she’s begun to orchestrate a grand, public reveal that
vidual ghost. In haunted places, ghosts often attain the eerie,
might bring Goatboy’s kingdom down for good.
insubstantial forms for which they’re best known. Physical
Really, Jason’s not a bad kid. Although his vengeful ex barriers rarely hinder them, and distance seems more like a
suspects he’s what folks call Unseelie Fae, the truth is, he’s polite suggestion than a limiting distinction. Because ghosts
not deliberately malicious. Jason is a kid — kind of literally exist as, basically, consciousness manipulating energy, these
speaking. Passionate by nature as well as by age, he hurts entities probably grasp the principle that Correspondence
himself as badly as he hurts the folks around him. In time, Masters teach: All places are actually one big place, and the
Goatboy might learn to temper his impulsive sexuality with spans of time and space we perceive really are just all in our
discretion and ethics, if only out of self-preservation. Right heads.
now, though, Goatboy stars in a real-life teen flick that veers
Technically, ghosts should be listed among Chapter Four’s
from comedy to tragedy to impending horror with all the verve
Ephemeral Entities. Because wraiths tend to be considered
of a horny goat on a hormonal cocaine binge. Everybody’s
Night-Folk, however, and because they’re World of Darkness
laughing in public and crying secretly, with several ticking
player-critters, we’ve included them below. For further details
clocks just waiting for the right explosion.
about mages and the Restless Dead, see the “Necromancy”
To ordinary eyes (and to any mage who doesn’t exam- section of How Do You DO That? (pp. 84-89).
ine him with magick), Goatboy appears to be a moderately
attractive, red-haired teenage dude with copious body hair Tragic Phantom
and a weirdly compelling musk. Jason wears his hair shortish Here’s one of the terrible truths about death: Although
but shaggy, and most folks seem to like it that way. (It’s even death sometimes is not the end, there’s no return from it, and
kicked off a mini-trend around school, with Vince among those there’s often a whole lot of regret. Despite being unable to
wearing that style these days.) His careless sense of fashion manifest physically in the mortal world, this ghost’s still trying
is just mainstream enough to let Jason navigate cliques with- to right the wrongs she committed in life, looking after any
out defining him by the clothes he wears. He has large feet loved ones who are still alive. Our tragic phantom’s willing
and stubby toes (another source of his nickname, thanks to to provide information and aid to any mage who’s willing to
locker-room exposure), and is incredibly self-conscious about help her accomplish those goals. Even so, she’s got a nasty
them, generally wearing socks even in bed. Whether Jason’s side that comes out at the most unexpected time, turning a
facial features can be defined as “strong” or “heavy” depends phantasmal ally to a terrifying spectre.
on who you ask, and under what circumstances. The older
he gets, though, the less he looks like his parents and more
like some dude out of an old painting his mother has a print Suggested Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina
of in her closet… a print she no longer hangs up around the 2 (Physical Traits apply only in the Low Umbra), Charisma 3,
house because it reminds her (and her husband) of a guy she Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence
knew a long time ago, in what was literally a different life than 3, Wits 4
the one she and her family live in now. To folks who can see Suggested Abilities: Alertness 2, Awareness 3, Brawl 1,
through a changeling’s human illusion, of course, he looks Cosmology 3, Enigmas 2, Expression 3, Etiquette 2, Intimidation
like the young satyr he truly is. Like most teens, Jason feels 4, Investigation 2, Occult 3, Stealth 3, Subterfuge 2
72 Gods & Monsters
Willpower: 5 A mage who helps the ghost resolve the issues that bind him to
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, Incapacitated the Earthly plane can release that wraith to whatever peace
or torment awaits him on the other side of death.
Armor Rating: N/A
Image: Ghosts reflect their state of mind. Some appear to be
Powers: Ghosts don’t suffer wound penalties. Their Physical
noble, if melancholy, figures, whereas others embody shrieking
Traits matter only in the Low Umbra, where they’re as real as
horror. A wraith’s image tends to be fluid, shifting in accordance
any living thing. Life and Matter Sphere magicks are obviously
with its mood. Even the most peaceful ghosts, however (if such
worthless when dealing with a wraith, and only Spirit magick
beings could ever be considered “at peace”), evoke uncanny
can affect (or even perceive) such entities in the living world.
sensations in the living: shivers, shudders, nightmares, sweats,
In the dead lands, Spirit 3 or Prime 2 (combined with Entropy
creeps, and other “that just ain’t right” reactions. No matter
3) works like Life; Mind works normally; Forces, Life, and
how tragic or gentle it might appear, a ghost is literally the
Matter mean nothing; Correspondence and Time have weirdly
Restless Dead.
unpredictable results; and Entropy has… unfortunate… effects.
Roleplaying Notes: You didn’t recognize what you had until
Entropy magick brings out the worst aspects of a ghost.
life slipped away. Now you hover between the life you once
Although such beings are unusually vulnerable to that Sphere
knew and the void of ultimate Oblivion. Maybe there’s something
(‒2 difficulty to castings made against a wraith), it energizes
else there, too — eternal peace or a heavenly reward; based
their darkest elements. Each success gives the ghost additional
on what you’ve seen, though, , that’s pretty unlikely. Hell seems
powers and — unless that ghost wins a successful Willpower
more possible than heaven, and the place you’re trapped in
roll at a difficulty of (the mage’s successes +5) — drives it mad.
now seems an awful lot like the prelude to a greater form of
The resulting spectre manifests violently unpredictable powers
damnation. Maybe one of those wizard folks can help you.
beyond the ghost’s usual abilities and behaves as destructively
Anything has got to be better than what you currently endure.
as it possibly can.
When representing ghostly abilities in a Mage chronicle, let Brenda Marshall
that entity use an array of traditional ghost powers — spectral What a stupid way to die.
manifestation, psychokinesis, atmospheric disturbances, spooky
Brenda Marshall was taking a selfie on a convention-center
sounds, illusions, etc. — on a successful Willpower + Occult
escalator when she stepped backwards, lost her balance, and
roll. In the living world, the difficulty depends upon the local
bounced all the way down, hitting what must have been every
Gauntlet rating, which gives ghosts a decided edge in haunted
sharp edge along the way. Worst of all, her fall wound up being
houses and other such places. In the Low Umbra, that difficulty
recorded by over a dozen people’s cell phones and was posted all
depends on the size and strength of the manifestation; conjur-
over the internet — minus her bloody-corpse conclusion — as a
ing a wall of fog would be easy (difficulty 5) but calling up a
“massive fails” video for folks to laugh at. Between her pending
storm would be far more challenging (difficulty 8 or higher).
graduation, a new girlfriend, and a massive scholarship award
A ghost can also possess a living host with a successful Willpower that was supposed to take Brenda to Yale, she had everything
+ Occult roll (difficulty 3 + the target’s Willpower, maximum to live for and a lot to lose. Combined with the video’s popu-
10); enter her dreams (same roll, difficulty target’s Willpower); larity and the sheer indignity of her demise, Brenda got stuck
or simply scare the living hell of her (Storyteller’s discretion). between life and death. Three years later, she’s still hanging
Certain ghosts can try to conjure material phenomena like insect around, with no end of this Restless existence in sight.
swarms, bloody walls, or sinister animal forms with similar rolls
She’s not the only person to perish in that convention
if such manifestations suit the ghost in question.
center, of course; Brenda, though, was among the youngest other
All ghosts appear to be connected to Earthly objects, people, than that poor kid who got stabbed to death in a bathroom
or locations that mattered to them in life. Referred to as Fetters, during a drug dispute in the early ‘90s, so she’s bored as fuck
these provide a focus for the wraith’s consciousness. Mages and sick of the company. She can leave the convention center,
who understand this fact (roll Intelligence + Occult or Lore and often does, if only to see how her family, best friend, and
[Ghosts], difficulty 7) can try to locate the Fetter and use it as former lover are doing these days. The escalator keeps draw-
a bargaining chip, summoning focus, or weapon. Mages who ing her back, though, and it’s the site of her greatest degree
work with the Restless Dead claim that destroying a Fetter can of influence over the living world… in short, her strongest
destroy the ghost. In practice, though, that might simply piss it off. Fetter, if only because she was “immortalized” falling down
By using Spirit 3, or combining Entropy 3 and Prime 2, a mage the damn thing. As a result, rumors about the ghostly girl
can inflict aggravated damage on a wraith. A wraith defeated and the screams that echo around the convention center after
with such damage is apparently gone for good, although he can nightfall continue to swirl around that place. A web-famous
try to soak it with his Willpower. (This, by the way, will definitely group of paranormal investigators even filmed a segment in the
piss off said wraith.) Otherwise, ghosts heal one health level convention center, though it was later removed from YouTube
per turn in the presence of their Fetters, one per day otherwise. by order of the convention center’s management. They didn’t

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 73

catch any evidence of Brenda’s haunting, but a member of their Suggested Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina
team had recently Awakened, and he noted her presence even 4 (only in the Low Umbra), Charisma 3, Manipulation 4,
though he said nothing about it to his peers. That guy began Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 3
trying to contact Brenda on his own, but Brenda’s not sure Suggested Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 4, Awareness
if she wants to contact him back or not. Yes, she’s bored and 3, Brawl 4, Cosmology 4, Enigmas 4, Intimidation 5,
getting frantic about her in-between existence, but his status Investigation 3, Leadership 3, Melee 3, Occult 5, Subterfuge
as a grandstanding internet “ghost-hunter” has not, shall we 3, Technology 3
say, inspired her with confidence about his motivations. Willpower: 8
Meanwhile, Brenda remains drawn to her former girl- Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, Incapacitated
friend, Marisha, who’s now married to another woman in what
Brenda knows is a covertly abusive relationship. Trapped in Armor Rating: N/A
the Shadowlands, Brenda’s essentially helpless to intervene. Powers: Beyond the powers, abilities, and characteristics de-
Her power, though, is growing, fueled by loss, sadness, and scribed above, a spectre can project emotions and dreams (as
an ever-hotter sense of rage. Her paranormal furies have al- per Mind 2), read and inspire thoughts (Mind 3), and possess a
ready manifested eerie phenomena on the living side of the host (Mind 4). The spectre’s Willpower stands in for Arete in these
Gauntlet — phenomena that paradoxically frighten Marisha efforts. Such entities have an ugly gift for picking up the things
even worse than they scare the wife on their receiving end. that frighten a target most, and they use their mental abilities to
Caught between worlds, passions, and circumstances, Brenda select awful impressions and drive their victims crazy with them.
descends deeper into her darkest self; coupled with her grow- Certain ghosts can also possess and control machines in the
ing ability to cross the barrier between life and death, this living world with a Willpower + Occult roll (difficulty based on
phantom’s existence seems bound to turn a grotesque farce the nature of the machine and the extent of control; this costs 2
into gruesome tragedy. Willpower per scene). The oldest and most powerful spectres
For the few people who can see her, Brenda looks like might have an additional four to eight dots’ worth of Entropy,
a hypervivid impression of the young woman in the selfie Forces, Mind, and Time rotes, to reflect the additional fearsome
she was taking right before she fell: a tallish, pretty blonde powers of these soul-consuming monsters.
girl just shy of 19 years old, dressed in a bright-red blouse, Image: All spectres specialize in manifesting in the most gro-
a white denim jacket, distressed jeans, and the black high- tesque forms imaginable… and a tortured soul-eater who’s spent
heeled shoes that led to her death. Some folks might recall centuries in something very much like hell can imagine some
having seen her video — after all, several million people did. pretty unspeakable things. For ultimate effect, the Storyteller
Brenda’s still got the vibrant life-ahead-of-me smile she had should avoid vivid descriptions, and instead suggest awful
in that photo, but she doesn’t show it much anymore. When details that imply something even worse than what she could
distressed, she manifests a swirling wind around her, the skin possibly describe.
of her face thinning into a taut visage pulled tight across her Roleplaying Notes: Share the torment you’ve endured for
skull. Her voice, pleasant if a bit high-pitched under calm ages with as many beings as inhumanly possible.
circumstances, rises to a gut-freezing shriek in those frequent
moments when rage and sadness consume the Brenda she Ragdoll
was when it seemed she might live forever. One night, long ago, a young single person went on a date
with the wrong guy. His neighbors found the pieces stuffed
Raging Spectre into two dozen trash cans, mailboxes, and — perhaps the most
Sometimes the destructive side of a ghost’s personality appalling touch of all — a dog’s food bowl. The guy was found,
takes control, either for a short while or for good. Mages who but his victim’s identity was lost. The last thing that tortured
understand the depths of the Dark Umbra call the latter sort soul recalls hearing above their own screams and the sounds
of ghosts spectres. Such entities exist to spread destruction and of slow dismemberment was the killer singing that Aerosmith
suffering, both in the Underworld and in the mortal realm. song “Rag Doll.” Now, it’s the only name Ragdoll still knows.
Most of these spirits soon destroy themselves in their pursuit
Before the pain, there was a life. After one hell, there
of death and pain; a few, though, become skilled at the arts
came Oblivion — not the all-consuming end of torture but
of terror, surviving in that form for decades or even centuries.
the roar of extinction reverberating through an endless
Awakened folk have learned to fear these terrible creatures,
labyrinth winding through the Underworld. That roaring
and to keep records of their powers and deeds. The most dan-
torment claimed every shred of Ragdoll’s identity save the
gerous spectres often visit the mortal world for a short while
hated phrase and the name their killer gave them. “Their” is
and then return to the Low Umbra for months or even years…
Ragdoll’s proper pronoun, too, because the person they once
only to return again, but stronger and deadlier than before.
were has been supplanted by fractured consciousness and a

74 Gods & Monsters

jigsaw body that cannot hang together. Even in death, the murderer disposed of the remains has become a literal ghost
dismembered bits of Ragdoll remain separate, connected by town, inhabited only during daylight hours by creatures too
slivers of identity but nothing so coherent as a self. desperate for shelter to go elsewhere. Nothing larger than
Years past their death, Ragdoll’s ghostly pieces haunt an insect, though, sticks around for longer than it must. A
the places where those bits were laid. Each home violated handful of ghost-chaser types have tried to pin the Ragdoll
by the butcher’s sense of humor has gone through a list of legend down, so to speak. Most of them gave up the trade
owners before winding up abandoned and unsellable. Still, for good after they found what they were looking for. Three
the spectral limbs manifest on eerie nights when the darkness didn’t survive at all. Oh, the occasional death-mage drops by
feels deeper and the wind blows colder than usual. Ghastly to see if Ragdoll can finally be laid to rest… or perhaps be put
shrieks burst from empty air, sending living things into pan- to less-altruistic purposes. One sight of the dancing limbs,
icked, shivering fright. The neighborhood where Ragdoll’s though, wreathed in black flames of Oblivion, is enough to
remind them that some powers are better left alone.

Chapter One: Sleepers, Consors, Hunters, and Night-Folk 75

 Chapter Two:
Constructs and
Familiars
It is an anxious, sometimes a dangerous thing to be a doll. Dolls cannot choose;
they can only be chosen; they cannot ‘do’; they can only be done by.
— Rumer Godden, The Dolls’ House

Darius never wears his shirt. He doesn’t have to. It’s not as Darius helps me around the lab. I don’t need him to, but I like
if he feels the cold. Besides, I like to see the muscles slide across having him around. His rough voice purrs against my ears as I puzzle
his chest and shoulders as he moves, his bare feet soundless on the through the snags in my latest project’s practical applications. A
floor. An eight-pack tight enough to bounce a quarter off of, and a hologram can’t bring me a drink directly, of course, but there’s always a
delicate sheen of phantasmal sweat that never stinks up the lab or nice cool glass of iced tea, perfectly mixed and seasoned, close at hand
demands showering. He’s delicious, really. Fits my tastes perfectly in once he tells me it’s ready. I calibrated the electrodynamic sensors for
all departments. I should know. I made him that way. the transpatial TENS unit so that it feels like he’s giving me a massage
I did give him pants, though. I mean, who wants to see that when I need one. And for those times when I need something more than
big thing hanging down unless he’s putting it to good use? Darius’ that, Darius’ synthskin chassis is waiting for me, warmed to the perfect
ass looks just as fine in that pair of skin-cupping jeans, with the temperature and ready for whatever pleasures I require.
thick suggestion of manly goodies packed tight against the front. There are times, I admit, when I miss the unpredictability of
The human body is a perfect argument against intelligent design, human company — that ability to surprise me with a gift or reaction
with the raw absurdity of male genitalia presenting, so to speak, I didn’t program in. Given the hassles inherent to such relationships
the exclamation-point in that debate. I can’t say honestly that I and their infinitely fallible components, though, I’m going to stick with
don’t enjoy the way it feels, but honey, there’s a time and place for Darius. He doesn’t snore, doesn’t stink, doesn’t mess up my lab, and
everything, and that particular everything does not belong out and keeps random unpleasantnesses limited to flickers of projection and
about in my laboratory. the uncanny sense that something actually is alive in there, beyond my
control and locked within a matrix of artificial whims.

A League of One’s Own

No mage is an island. Even if that mage avoids human or hypertech to craft biomechanical constructs, others invite
company, she’ll generally fill that empty space with compan- guardian spirits to inhabit material bodies for mutual gain, and
ions of a nonhuman sort. Certain mages employ their Arts a number of Awakened folks do both. With or without human

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 77

company, these familiar beings provide comfort, security, constructs and familiars have their own needs, desires, limits,
and assistance in a life that few folks could ever understand. and agendas. One HIT Mark may recite poetry while another
Whether the following characters find their way into your quotes lines from 80s action movies and a third remains sto-
chronicle whole-cloth or inspire creations of your own, these ically silent. For mages and players alike, individuality is the
entities are far more than simple “artificial intelligences.” Even key to surprise… and we wouldn’t those folks getting bored
when conjured or engineered by their Awakened creators, or anything, would we?

Constructs
Miracles of magick and Enlightened science distaste for human company didn’t overrule their sex drive.
allow Awakened folk to build or alter living He’s gorgeous, great in bed, and knows when and how to shut
beings. Uplifted animals, cybernetic associates, the fuck up. The ideal playmate for certain tastes, he’s only
clones, robots, living skeletons, and far more, good for one thing… but he’s very good at that.
these beings transcend mundane biology and Under most circumstances, Darius hovers around the lab
bring new meanings to the old saying, “Life and living spaces in holographic form, aided by transcutaneous
always finds a way.” electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices that can stimulate
the creator’s skin and muscles from a distance. Programmed
Artificial People to respond with words, gestures, or massage whenever he
Humanity’s great conceit involves seeing the detects a given threshold of stress or desire in his creator,
whole world as an extension of ourselves. And so, when we Darius remains silent and out of the way unless his creator
invent artificial companions, one of the first impulses of such wishes otherwise. Remote appliances help Darius keep the
creators involves making them look something like us. Hey, living chambers tidy, dispense cold drinks (or hot ones),
if it’s good enough for God then it must be good enough for handle the laundry, and monitor the needs of his creator.
us, right? When mages employ hypertech or ancient rites to Ideally, he’ll notice what they need before the creator does,
construct companions, then, those companions tend to look and have it taken care of right around the time that creator
a lot like human beings. realizes how much they need it.
Artificial people, as opposed to more utilitarian sorts of For extended physical enjoyment, Darius has an auto-
robots, have been crafted to simulate human behavior and mated chassis constructed to suit the hologram’s appearance.
appearance. Guided, in many cases, by sophisticated AIs, they Elaborate arrays of sensors and stimulators, mechanical plea-
occupy bipedal forms, moving and speaking much as humans sure devices and biopattern analysis allow Darius to shape his
do. The most elaborate of them seem almost indistinguishable actions to the creator’s wants. Being mechanical, of course,
from real people unless you look closely and remain attuned to Darius has endless patience and inexhaustible stamina. No
the “uncanny valley” effect in which a simulation seems accurate living human being could possibly be a better lover if your
enough to fool some of our senses but artificial enough to feel own pleasure is the only thing that counts.
bizarre. How real are they, though? Good question. While theo- What does Darius think about his role? Does Darius
logically inclined people argue that machines have no intrinsic think at all? Well, he certainly seems to have a functioning
souls (and thus, in a metaphysical sense, have no innate reality), consciousness and discernable personality — he was designed
transhumanists and animists alike counter that a being who has that way, after all. At times, Darius seems just unpredictable
sentience of a sort, and whose existence has a certain degree of enough to give his creator pause. Has he developed sentience?
psychic energy invested into it, is as “real” as we are. Can such Did he have it all along? And if he is sentient, what does
entities Awaken? Maybe not… but maybe so. For mages of a Darius want and need out of this relationship? For the mo-
futuristic bent, there’s no intrinsic quality separating human ment, Darius isn’t saying much about that topic, even when
beings and other animals from the vast potential of artificial directly asked. He’s certainly obedient, responsive, and loyal.
consciousness. Biological reality, psychic reality, and mechanical His needs, insofar as the creator knows, are being met to the
reality well may be one and the same, with the only difference best extent of the creator’s admittedly distracted ability to do
between them being the preconceptions of unenlightened minds. so. Designed with emergency override commands and built
For rule systems governing artificial and robotic lifeforms, without any form of martial purpose in mind, he certainly
see the entry for “Robots” in Chapter Five, p. 186. doesn’t seem like he could be a threat. Still, anything could
become dangerous, especially if it’s intimately connected
Darius to the person it wishes to hurt. Would Darius turn on his
A comforting hologram wedded to an animated sex creator, then? It’s not likely, but the thought has crossed the
toy, Darius was crafted by an Enlightened technician whose creator’s mind.

78 Gods & Monsters

Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 8, Charisma Masako 01
4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 6, Perception 2, Intelligence They’re so lifelike… and that’s what their creators want
2, Wits 3 you to think. Even among Sleepers, the current state-of-the-
Abilities: Alertness 2, Medicine 1, Seduction 5, Technology art android design builds a ramp over the uncanny valley
2 (plus a dot or two in a wide range of Knowledges for times and prepares to jump right over it and into the next level of
when the creator wants a conversation) reality. Among technomancers, naturally, that state of the art
Willpower: 1 (or higher…?) passed the point of casual observation long ago. And while
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒3, ‒5, Broken many robot builders strive to exceed the limitations of human
design, or cling to traditions of awkwardly crafted robots, the
Armor Rating: 2 (10 soak dice, total)
real trendsetters prefer to mimic the human condition through
Powers: No attacks the creator is aware of; Empathic Bond; artificial means. By doing so, they push the boundaries of
Human Speech; Reading and Writing; Soak Aggravated Consensus and inspire greater belief in robot-tech capacities.
Damage
For Etherite Professor Ishikawa Jiro, the “celebridroid”
Image: A guy of inhumanly beautiful features and proportions, Masako 01 represents a new horizon for robotic accomplish-
with a husky voice, fashionably tousled bed-head, ambiguous ment. Unlike the covert models favored by the Technocracy,
ethnicity, and a sheen of artificial sweat. Darius rarely “wears” Masako is a budding celebrity among the Masses. Professor
anything more than a tight set of jeans, although he can be Ishikawa modeled her after the teenage girls who make
outfitted with a range of seemingly tailored clothing whenever Shibuya, Tokyo, the bleeding edge of modern youth culture,
his creator desires it. Unless he occupies his physical form, and he brings her there to show off her lifelike features and
Darius is a hologram; hence, he occasionally wavers, stutters, adolescent mannerisms. Not content merely to replicate hu-
and flickers, and has no substantive form to speak of. man appearances, Jiro outfitted Masako with the elaborate
Roleplaying Notes: Whatever you need, my love. Whatever combat capabilities of anime tradition, hiring fighting experts
you need… of all kinds to test and train his young apprentice. Equipped
with blades, lasers, targeting systems, needle-guns, and various

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 79

countermeasures, Masako can lay a dozen normal fighters
down without breaking a single artificial nail. Atlas Units
Fighting prowess aside, Masako 01 has the freckled skin, In the waning years of the 20th century, NWO White
slightly messy fringe, and faintly pouty mouth of an archetypal Suit agent James Michael Smith assembled the Enlightened
Tokyo schoolgirl. She moves with an almost carefree gait and Shock Corps (ESC) as a hardline assault team. Grinding
laughs like the teenager she appears to be. Her AI absorbs subtlety beneath the Primum heels of his experimental Atlas
communication styles from several dozen cultures, and she units, Smith unleashed hell on mystics across the globe and
speaks a flawless, though casual, array of dialects and languag- its related Realms. Captured mages were subjected to hor-
es. Her personality favors an extroverted tone completely at rendous degrees of Social Conditioning designed to convert
odds with robotic stereotypes. If forced to fight, however, she them into willing agents of Technocratic mayhem, and then
displays all the mercy of a well-oiled tree shredder… which had their consciousnesses removed from their frail human
is to say, none. frames and implanted within new prototypes of HIT Mark
variants. (For other HIT Marks, see below.)
Though certain critics (notably the Shibuya teens who
seem both fascinated and repelled by Masako) have accused Theoretically, the success of Atlas units would allow for
Professor Ishikawa of perverse intentions, he insists there’s the creation of even more Atlas units. Smith’s plans projected
no such agenda involved. “I want Masako,” he says, “to a self-growing armada of cybernetic war machines. In practice,
represent the future of Japanese youth. More importantly, however, Atlas units tended to self-destruct in short order,
I know that if anyone can spot a fake and point her out, it’s often because the imprisoned consciousness broke condition-
a teenage girl. My ultimate aim is to show the world what ing and either committed “suicide by Reality Deviant” (that
android technology can do, and to move from simulation is, charged into an impossible situation and allowed itself
to new levels of what’s real!” By doing so, Jiro continues to to be destroyed), or else rebelled against its programming
dissolve the limits of Unbelief, at least where androids are and turned back against the Technocratic ranks until it was,
concerned. The fact that Masako accompanies the Professor again, destroyed. Given the ruinous expenses and intricate
almost everywhere (publicly and otherwise), functions as his procedures involved in the creation of such shock troops,
bodyguard, and resembles a pretty, teenage girl is obviously combined with their unreliability and high attrition rate,
coincidence. Obviously… the ESC was officially discontinued around 2015. Off the
record, of course, several Atlas units remain in service; just
whom they’re serving, though, is anybody’s guess.
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 6, Charisma Forged atop the consciousness of mystic mages, Atlas units
4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4, Perception 4, Intelligence possess unstable psyches whose allegiance to the Technocratic
3, Wits 3 cause is questionable at best. Although these Awakened con-
Abilities: Acrobatics 3, Alertness 4, Brawl 5, Cultural Savvy sciousnesses allow an Atlas to deploy reality-warping Enlightened
4, Etiquette 5, Martial Arts 5, Media 3, Melee 5, Technology Procedures, the Social Conditioning, torturous entrapment, and
5, and an ever-changing array of various Knowledge Traits. frequent mind-wipes jumble an Atlas unit’s guiding conscious-
Willpower: 4 ness. According to field reports, at least one Atlas went full-on
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3, ‒3, ‒5, Broken Marauder, and unsubstantiated rumors claim at least two more
went into the Nephandic Cauls before they were (reportedly)
Armor Rating: 2 (eight soak dice, total)
purged. Each Atlas unit contains an override program and
Powers: Claw (with sharp retractable nails) for Strength + 1 emergency remote-destruction capabilities so that a field com-
lethal damage; various martial arts maneuvers, as described mander can remove an errant Atlas from service. The problem
in Mage 20, pp. 423-426; Alacrity; Aww!; Empathic Bond; with those systems, however — a flaw that led to the program’s
Hazardous “Breath” (actually lasers; 5 lethal damage); Human termination — is that certain Atlas units have been able to override
Speech; Nightsight; Quills (needle-guns); Reading and Writing; those theoretical safeguards, inflicting heavy casualties on the
Soak Aggravated Damage Technocratic forces attempting to bring them down.
Image: As described above. Professor Ishikawa prefers not Initially collected into a corps of 13 units, each Atlas was
to dress her as a schoolgirl, though; instead, he hires several designated with a 10-digit code name based on their production
young women to keep her fashionably current, with clothes sequence. As shorthand, the units were named Atlas One through
strong enough to withstand the occasional fights Masako Atlas Thirteen. According to official Technocracy records, all
encounters in her role as the bodyguard to an eccentric RD. units save for Atlas Six and Atlas Twelve have been terminated.
Roleplaying Notes: You’ve got the manners with attitude The truth, of course, is whatever a Storyteller wants it to be; if
of a modern teen with Japanese cultural heritage, and the a Nephandic coup has taken place, it’s quite possible that more
mercurial temperament and vocabulary of someone who’s (perhaps most) of those 13 units remain in service… and that more
learning social cues from social media. than 13 may have been produced. It’s possible, especially under
such dire circumstances, that they’re still being produced today.

80 Gods & Monsters

Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 3, Stamina 10, Charisma • Body spikes or blades (Strength +1 lethal damage to
1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 0, Perception 4, Intelligence any character or surface hit by or colliding with the
3, Wits 3 spikes or blades).
Abilities: Alertness 5, Brawl 4, Energy Weapons 5, Firearms
• Plasma cannon (10 dice aggravated damage, difficulty
5, Occult 4, Stealth 4, all other Skills and Knowledges 3
7; 10 charges).
Willpower: 7 (4 when opposing the assigned mission
commander) • Kinetic deflection shield generator (+10 armor, lasts one
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒5, turn per charge; contains 10 charges).
Terminated All Atlas units also command an array of Technocratic
Armor Rating: 10 (20 soak dice, total) Procedures — that is, magickal Effects focused through formi-
Powers: Each Atlas unit is essentially a bipedal, vaguely hu- dable hypertech weaponry and systems that are sophisticated
manoid tank with unique configurations of modular equipment. even by Technocratic Union standards. For each Atlas unit,
Putting all HIT Mark models to shame, these walking weapons choose five to 10 Effects (typically Entropy, Forces, Life, Matter,
platforms stand four meters (roughly 13 feet) tall and move with and Prime Effects) from the “Common Magickal Effects” chart
surprising grace and silence for such bulky machines. More in Mage 20 (pp. 508-510). In general, these Effects deal with
properly viewed as robots guided by human consciousness straight-up offensive and defensive capabilities, though a few
rather than as “cyborgs” in the common sense of that word, might employ psychic disruption (Mind), spatial compression
Atlas units feature steel-alloy chassis heavily plated with Primum (Correspondence), Dimensional Science (Spirit), or temporal
and mundane Matter-hardened armor, modular weapon sock- acceleration (Time). Due to the constraints of Atlas technology,
ets, electronic countermeasures, and all manner of scanning these Effects are limited to Ranks 1-3.
technology, including the VDAS feed described in Mage 20 Countermagick: Six dice worth of Primum countermeasures.
(pp. 655-666) and sensors that provide a technological focus Image: Purposefully shaped to inspire the proverbial “shock
for Rank 1 Effects of all nine Spheres. and awe,” Atlas units resemble a bulky nightmare crossbreed
Each Atlas unit carries between three and five of the following between gargoyle, anime mech, bipedal lion, and plate-ar-
modular weapon systems. With an hour or so of prep time at a mored knight. Bristling with weaponry, these machines move
properly outfitted Technocracy facility, those installed weapons with quiet speed and grace that seems more unsettling than
can be changed out for others in the set: the heavy clanking one might otherwise expect.
• Thermal lance (Strength + 3 aggravated damage, Initially, such units were painted with white enamel; for greater
difficulty 6). effect, however, they soon sported paint jobs ranging from
urban camo patterns to glossy black, bloody red, and various
• Retractable claws (Strength + 3 lethal damage, diffi- disconcerting color schemes. The base color, however, doesn’t
culty 6). really matter in the field — Atlas units were subsequently
outfitted with light-refraction spectrum countermeasures… in
• Rocket battery (10 dice lethal damage, Blast Area 6, plain English, the ability to shift their surfaces into any color
difficulty 7, per rocket; explosives as per Mage 20, p. or pattern imaginable. Although these countermeasures don’t
455; can be fired one at a time or all together; each allow for complete invisibility, an Atlas unit that has a few
battery holds two 10-rocket barrages, the first of which seconds to prepare can analyze its surroundings and blend
must be fired before the second loads up). with them accordingly. In game terms, this allows the Atlas unit
to take one turn and add +3 to the difficulty of anyone who’s
• Flamethrower (3 health levels aggravated damage per
trying to see, spot, or hit the unit while using normal biological
turn, difficulty 4; fires napalm as per Mage 20, p. 455).
sight to view it. (Magickal perceptions, technological targeting
• Ectoplasmic Disruption cannon (5 dice aggravated systems, and so forth are not affected.)
damage explosion vs. spirits and vampires; 5 dice le- Atlas units communicate through psychic links and internal
thal damage vs. standard physical targets, difficulty 6; radio communications links. When they wish to address out-
automatic fire as per Mage 20, pp. 418-419; contains side parties, an Atlas can “speak” out loud with an uncannily
100 rounds). modulated voice, often calibrated for maximum psychological
effect. Depending upon the target, the orders of the mission
• 30 mm cannon (16 dice lethal damage, difficulty 7; as commander, and the whims of the Atlas itself, an Atlas unit
per Mage 20, p. 453; contains 300 rounds). may talk in a mechanical monotone, mimic a normal human
voice (sometimes that of the target, a loved one, or the mage
• Pacification spray (6 dice bashing damage; 100’ cone
who the Atlas once was), or emit all sorts of unnerving sounds.
area-effect gas; as per Mage 20, p. 453; contains
Despite their impressive physical capacities, Atlas units were
10 blasts).
designed with all forms of combat in mind… and no form of
Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 81
combat is more ultimately effective than the wars that take Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 4, Stamina 7, Charisma, 1,
place in the mind itself. Manipulation 1, Appearance 1-3, Perception 2, Intelligence
Roleplaying Notes: In what may be the biggest liability of 1, Wits 2
this program and its operatives, Atlas units tend to veer between Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, all Skills and Knowledges 3
apparent obedience, subtle insubordination, unbridled sadism, (save Cosmology, Esoterica, Meditation, Occult, and Stealth,
and furious dementia. Your Social Processing creates an unstable all of which are 0)
psychic matrix, and so although you generally behave like a Willpower: 5
loyal ESC operative, that loyal behavior is subject to erratic
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒5,
mood swings, volatility, and potential treason.
Terminated

HIT Marks Armor Rating: 4 (11 soak dice, total)

Powers: The Mark VI employs hyperflexible memory alloys that
You can’t keep a good cyborg down. Despite changing
fashions and fluctuating budgets, there always seem to be a allow it to shift its physical form into almost anything of roughly
few techs from the Progenitors and Iteration X who want human mass and size; its weight, of course, is significantly heavier
to pump new blood into a rather shopworn hulk. Besides, — roughly 200 kg — which limits its tensile possibilities. Each shift
even when those pesky Tradition wizards have gone into demands an Intelligence + Subterfuge roll, with difficulties ranging
hiding, there are always were-monsters, alien creatures, and from 6 (minor cosmetic shifts) to 9 (radical alterations of form).
other threats to humanity lurking around in dire need of a Creating weapons from its own body requires a difficulty 7
Primum beatdown and a few hundred rounds of heavy fire- roll; failed rolls reflect a flawed shift that must be corrected
power. Thus, the Hyper-Intelligent Tactical units (detailed the following turn, while botched rolls “freeze” the metal in
further in Mage 20, pp. 624-626) continue to defy resource an awkward — and usually terminal — state.
reallocations, thumb their cybernetic noses at obsolescence Despite the popularity of certain films among the Masses, these
and the conceit of a “kinder, gentler Technocracy,” and kick shifts remain extremely vulgar, which causes a Mark VI to break
down doors, walls, and anything else that stands in their way down or “freeze” after five failed rolls. In high heat or cold,
when Reality Deviants need to be taught a high-velocity lesson. or under dusty or sandy conditions, this drops to three failed
rolls. As a result, very few Mark VIs remain functional by 2018.
Mark VI: “The Mercury” Body-forged weapons typically inflict (Strength + 1 to 4)
Given the high attrition rates of the classic Mark IV and damage, depending on the nature of the weapon forged. That
V models, the Union’s innovators spent the later years of the damage is usually lethal, although blunted weapons inflict
20th century exploring alternatives to the hefty “blast through bashing damage instead. As with other HIT Mark models, the
the doors and start shooting” mode of HIT Mark design. Mark VI can use human weapons and Technocratic Devices
Those attempts, once deployed in practical situations, often too, and features IR and UV sensor arrays in addition to its
proved to be more trouble than they were worth. Although “normal” sight, plus audio and radio capacities.
the Mark VI designation was initially assigned to a primitive
Countermagick: Five dice worth of Primum countermeasures.
attempt at nanotech, those original models proved unsuitable
for long-term field work. Therefore, the designation was later Image: Oddly inhuman and uncannily flexible, a Mark VI has
assigned to an upgraded application of that idea. a faint sheen to its skin. When shifting forms, it “pours” itself
into shimmering rainbows of color that settle into the desired
Experimental models employing “liquid metal” and
shape; those colors, however, seem to be slightly “off.” When
nanotech innovations, respectively, the Models VI and VII
“frozen,” a Mark VI appears to melt into a nightmarish figure
proved unsatisfactory for field work. Although many of these
whose blended colors and metallic shine seem all the more
systems saw action in the savage strikes of the late 1990s and
disturbing.
early 2000s — reportedly deployed in the Middle East against
Awakened, Sleeper, and vampiric targets in various theatres of Roleplaying Notes: Typical HIT Mark implacability.
engagement — their intrinsic instability and vulnerability to the
Paradox Effect (also sand, heat, and extreme cold) rendered Mark VII: “The Mask”
them unfit for duty in all but the most stable Technocratic Designed for infiltration missions, the malleable “Mask
environments. Mark” appears and acts like a normal human being… until
it unleashes its weapon systems, anyway. Still, the processes
Although removed from production by the second decade
involved were not quite as sophisticated as those employed
of this century, existing Mark VI and VII models still func-
in the creation of Mark X units, and so the “masks” do not
tion as facility guards; disguised “surprises” masquerading as
stand up to close, careful, or prolonged observation. Though
office staff, warehouse personnel, and security officers; shock
superior in many regards to Mark IV, V, and VI units, Mark
troops; or occasional “experiment platforms” upon which
VIIs seem stiff and inhuman and remain vulnerable to Paradox-
Technocrat engineers and occasional Reality Deviants explore
induced shutdown and “freezing” effects unless deployed
the possibilities of additional modifications.
82 Gods & Monsters
outside Consensus reality. the Mark VII employs normal human weaponry or Technocratic
Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 7, Charisma, 1, hypertech devices. This feature allows the HIT Mark to deploy
Manipulation 1, Appearance 1-4, Perception 4, Intelligence alongside normal combat troops as a sort of “super-soldier” — a
2, Wits 2 capacity in which such machines have proven quite effective so
long as they avoid sand, dust, and extreme hot or cold weather.
Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, all Skills & Knowledges In such conditions, they “freeze” on any botched roll until they can
3 (except Cosmology, Esoterica, Meditation, Occult, and be maintained by a trained Technocratic technician. Hence, the
Stealth, as above) remaining units tend to be deployed in temperate environments
Willpower: 5 and Technocratic Constructs.
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒3, Countermagick: Four dice worth of Primum countermeasures.
‒5, Terminated Image: As noted above, the Mark VII is a masterful
Armor Rating: 3 (10 dice soak, total) shapechanger; unlike the Mark VI, however, it cannot mimic
Powers: More stable but less powerful than its predecessor, the clothing or other features, only physical features. “Frozen,” a
Mark VII is essentially a clone loaded with nanotech enhance- Mark VI looks like a grotesquely deformed human being with
ments. As a result, this model retains its ability to “change faces” unsettling nodules beneath its skin.
(that is, to adopt a wide range of human appearances) without Roleplaying Notes: Social graces are not your strong suit,
the radical shapechanging that hobbled the previous iteration. but you’re a bit smarter and more mentally flexible than previous
In game terms, the Mark VII can appear as a human being HIT Marks. Dare one even call you… sentient?
of any gender or ethnicity between 5’ 5” and 6’ 5” tall. The
nanotech nodules allow it to shift skin tone and physical fea- HIT Mark IX: “Iron Bob”
tures, though without the fine details necessary to impersonate Almost immediately obsolete, the bulky HIT Mark
a given individual. (Attempts to do so are VIII — which returned to the “big heavy weapons platform”
met with unanimous failure.) Equipped design of older models — proved to be too massive, vulgar,
with several USB ports, these units can and unreliable for widespread deployment. Even so, teams
infiltrate a complex, crack computer of Iteration X and Void Engineer specialists co-opted the
systems, and upload information for framework and many of the parts from the Mark VIII to
later retrieval. In combat, they’re create the huge and deadly HIT Mark IX.
incredibly tough, and possess a These monstrosities are
limited “self-healing” function. exceptionally vulgar but
(Heal one health level
every other turn until the
‒3 level of damage
is reached; at that
point, the self-repair
function shuts down.)
A s i d e f ro m t h e
hand-claws option
(Strength + 3 le-
thal damage),

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 83

incredibly lethal. Sometimes, they’re the only things that will
work. And so, if a team of Technocratic operatives discovers an MODES
exceptionally dangerous threat, like the gateway to a particularly Beauty is truth. Beauty sells. The average person is much
hellish Realm or an attack by several dozen werewolves, the best more likely to believe even the greatest absurdities if they
response may involve sending in the deadliest option possible… fall form the mouth of a beautiful person. And so, our age
and that’s the Mark IX. Standing almost seven-and-a-half feet tall, of “alternative facts” may fairly be called a pageant of the
this model weighs over 300 kg , has a plasma cannon mounted MODES, wherein gorgeous icons — not fusty academics or
inside each arm, and resembles a massive bodybuilder physique crabbed pedants — guide the shape of our Consensus.
of a hardcore iron man… hence its nickname, “Iron Bob.” Taking the Technocracy’s love of acronyms to an
absurdist level, the Union’s Media-Operations Diversionary
Enterprise Specialists are literally manufactured celebrities.
Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 3, Stamina 10, Charisma,
Based upon updates of the venerable Victor models, MODES
1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence
emphasize physical beauty and dazzling charisma over the
1, Wits 2
brutal strength of Victor models. Instead of field deployment
Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, all Skills and Knowledges for infiltration and enforcement, MODES models become
3, save the usual exceptions. sensations of mass and social media. In those venues, their
Willpower: 5 good looks and engaging charisma earn followers worldwide.
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒5, Versed in the most current modes of slang and expression,
Terminated they host YouTube channels, cultivate TV personae, and
keep Twitter and other platforms buzzing with their words.
Armor Rating: 5 (15 soak dice, total)
Because those words come from attractive people, their au-
Powers: Twin IR-Mark Plasma Cannons (damage 8, range diences are inclined to grant a greater degree of credibility
100, capacity 200, inflicts aggravated damage; can per- to their vision of the truth.
form the automatic fire, multiple shots, three-round bursts,
Although it would seem the obvious MODES are
and two-weapons maneuvers, with no penalty for using two
young Caucasian women of the conservative persuasion,
weapons); large claws (Strength + 3 lethal damage); and
the Union plants these constructs everywhere. A well-known
usual capacity to use normal human-sized gear and hypertech.
liberal trans activist is secretly a MODES, as are a righteous
The large size of Mark IX units, however, means that firearm
left-wing blogger and his TV counterpart. Whatever their
trigger-guards must be modified to fit the huge fingers of the
apparent gender (a state as fluid among MODES as the
HIT Mark unit; without such modifications, most guns are too
opinions they produce) or affiliation might be, MODES
small for a Mark IX to employ. (Even then, they easily break
share a common purpose: dictating the media metanarra-
such weapons by squeezing the triggers too hard; on a botched
tive in ways that enforce an authoritarian worldview even
roll, the gun gets broken.)
when they appear to undermine the status quo. Whether
Outside Technocratic facilities or Realms, Mark IX units are the approach favors top-down governmental controls “for
Paradox magnets. The moment a Mark IX unveils its plasma the common good,” mockery of religious figures and other
cannons in a typical Earth Consensus environment, count that mystics, or the overthrow of politicians whose interests
HIT Mark as having an immediate eight points of Paradox… run counter to the Technocratic vision, MODES nurture
and the cannons are, of course, vulgar Forces or Prime Effects. discontent among their audiences and dispense whatever
Even without the plasma cannons, a Mark IX in combat is opinions suit the current agenda of the White Tower and
clearly too strong and tough to be human. Each turn a Mark Media Control.
IX fights in clear view of Sleeper witnesses, it gains one point
In a Nephandic infiltration metaplot, MODES act
of Paradox.
as agents of venality, selfishness, violent propaganda, and
A Mark IX that loses its last health level automatically outright chaos, working every angle of the socio-economic
self-destructs. Technocratic technicians can also set one to spectrum in an effort to undermine all forms of rational
self-destruct if it’s captured or incapacitated. Normally, this communication. These figures cultivate personas from the
self-destruct function just melts and fuses all internal compo- hard right to the hard left, tearing apart anyone who dares
nents; however, a technician can also cause the Mark IX to to cross them and hosting cross-platform proxy feuds with
explode, inflicting 8 lethal damage upon everyone within one another. In metaplots that emphasize a more stable,
four yards of the Mark IX. sympathetic Technocracy, MODES still play different ends of
Countermagick: Four dice of Primum countermeasures. the field but aim their barbs at Tradition celebrities, Sleeper
Image: As mentioned above, this HIT Mark looks like a malcontents, and celebrities who buck the Technocratic
refugee from a ‘90s comic book, but probably taller, and cause. In all cases, though, MODES leverage the human
he has feet. desire for beautiful people who speak the “truths” those
Roleplaying Notes: HIT Mark smash! people avoid saying where anyone else can hear them. Folks

84 Gods & Monsters

love, after all, to hear a gorgeous MODES verify what they The game systems for animating mortal remains can be
always felt was true, giving them permission to step up and found in the “Necromancy” section of How Do You DO
speak out for that truth as well. That? (pp. 87-88). Aside from Frankensteinian Monstrosities,
these odd critters possess few Traits beyond the powers of
movement, perception, vestigial consciousness, and perhaps
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma,
speech — all represented by Special Advantages and perhaps
5, Manipulation 5, Appearance 5, Perception 3, Intelligence
Flaws. Occasionally, a morbid magus may invest a spirit into
3, Wits 4
these reanimated parts, creating a spirit Fetish or a familiar
Abilities: Academics 2, Alertness 3, Art 2, Athletics 2, character… which, especially if the mage in question has
Belief Systems 3, Computer 4, Conspiracy Theory 3, Etiquette high Ranks of Mind or spirit, could create an especially
4, Expression 5, Investigation 2, Martial Arts 2, Media 5, disgusting prison for a living consciousness.
Misdirection 3, Newspeak 3, Politics 3, Propaganda 4,
Clearly, such perversions of mortality involve vulgar
Research 3, Seduction 4, Style 3, Subterfuge 4, Technology 3
magick. While they do not age as such, they attract bugs
Willpower: 4 and other scavengers, smell awful unless treated to prevent
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated rot, and continue to molder unless, again, magicks have
Armor Rating: 0 (four soak dice, total) in normal clothing, been employed to stop decay. In game terms, all reanimat-
but see below. ed scraps have the highest level of the Unbelief Flaw, not
merely because witnesses might not accept them as real but
Powers: Generally, MODES rely upon beauty, charisma,
also because their continued existence in this state involves
social savvy, and a bit of physical conditioning and basic
defying core principles of the material world.
martial-arts training. Especially successful, well-placed, or
high-risk MODES, however, are equipped with Technocratic Encountering certain flamboyantly constructed rean-
small arms and Falconi Elite Business Wear; for details, see imates might constitute one of the “Things Man Was Not
Mage 20, pp. 452 and 655. Meant to Know,” described in Mage 20, pp. 407-408. A
person acclimated to horror and mortality may take such
Image: Smart-looking, stylish, and seductive in a your-
things in stride, but the average person — Awakened or
friends-and-neighbors sort of way, MODES cultivate an
not — probably won’t.
“everyday Joe” persona instead of the intimidating gor-
geousness of high-end celebrities or the unnerving plasticity
Eye Scream
of their Victor counterparts. This down-home misdirection
Composed of eyeballs equipped with tiny wings and
appeals to their audiences, who distrust people who look
taloned legs, “eye screams” serve as spies for mages who
like they couldn’t possibly understand the desperate lives
weave a bit of Correspondence perception into these eerie
those audiences lead.
little forms. Though vulnerable to any amount of force,
Roleplaying Notes: Whatever your assigned role might they move near-silently, hide well, see even in darkness,
demand, you are the very model of what a forthright, upright, and communicate the things they see back to the mage
righteous member of that community should be. Deploy hu- who created them.
mor and charm, with heaping helpings of commiseration for
your audience and eloquent hellfire for all who oppose you.
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 0, Charisma 0,
Reanimates Manipulation 4, Appearance 0, Perception 3, Intelligence
0, Wits 1
Winged eyes. Crawling hands. Finger-scorpions and literal
talking heads. Necromancers and mad scientists with a gruesome Abilities: Alertness 1, Intimidation 2, Stealth 4
sense of humor sometimes reanimate corpse pieces, flayed skins, Willpower: 1
dried bones, removed organs, and other heralds of mortality. Health Levels: OK, Squish
Imaginative bio-tinkerers occasionally graft such things together
Armor Rating: 0
into disturbing playmates that scurry around the lab. And while
these gruesome goodies rarely have much capability beyond a Powers: Scratch for one die (bashing); Homing Instinct (2);
single specific purpose (holding candelabras, fetching drinks, Nightsight; Telepathy (4); Wings (3)
spying on one’s enemies, and so on), they provide grotesque Image: A single flying eyeball (often but not always human)
amusement and really liven up a place. At the higher levels of with wings and tiny bird legs. Certain eye screams have four
the necrotic Arts and Sciences, full bodies may be animated legs instead of two, but those “screamers” lack the wings that
with a sense of purpose and identity that set them apart from allow them to fly.
mere walking corpses. Despite taboos and legendary risks, Roleplaying Notes: Fly, spy, escape, or die.
revival of the dead remains a mainstay of Awakened Arts and
Enlightened Science.

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 85

Creeper Abilities: Alertness 1, Intimidation 5, Stealth 4
Assembled from parts that don’t belong together in any nat- Willpower: 1
ural configuration, a creeper reanimate features grotesque mashups Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒4, Dismembered
of dead remains: spiders made from severed fingers, chairs made Armor Rating: 0
from limbs, lumps of flesh peppered with mouths, eyes, and so
Powers: Scratch for one die (bashing); Homing Instinct (2);
forth… the potential applications are limited only by the parts
Telepathy (4); possibly other Advantages as well.
at hand (so to speak) and the perversity of the creator mage.
Image: A sick collection of dead bits thrown together and
Unlike the more dangerous Shambling Horror or
left to walk around.
Slaughterer, creepers tend to be small, weak, fragile, and unin-
telligent. Their primary value involves freaking the shit out of Roleplaying Notes: Essentially mindless unless crafted by
whoever’s unfortunate enough to see one. From time to time, an especially cruel creator.
a particularly ambitious (read: bent) necrotinkerer will house a
spirit or consciousness inside one of these freakish reanimates; Flayed Skin
in such cases, the creeper might speak (or more likely, scream Among the most sadistic applications of the Arts and
a lot), think, and possess abilities like Telekinesis or Cause Sciences, a dismal rite invests a living consciousness into a
Insanity that make up for the creepers’ ungainly physical nature, flayed skin. Although the trapped mind remains conscious
as if the mere sight of such a horror wasn’t bad enough already. of this atrocity — and probably still feels pain from it — it
cannot move except perhaps to flap or tense itself a bit.
Dropped to the ground, a flayed skin may creep along,
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Charisma
inch by agonizing inch, so long as nothing large or powerful
0, Manipulation 4, Appearance 0, Perception 1, Intelligence
gets in its way. Draped like clothing, tapestries, or other loose
1, Wits 1
materials, the skin might tighten itself with a small degree of

86 Gods & Monsters

strength. A merciful creator might remove the sense of pain Immortal and Physically Impressive (as per those Merits).
from such a skin so that the residing consciousness may Though uncanny in presence, a well-constructed monstrosity
endure without endless suffering. For the most part, though, might not be ugly after all. Regardless of appearances, such
such necrotic materials are helpless to change their ghoulish reanimates possess a strength and vitality (though rarely
state. Hung on walls, tailored into clothing, stretched to dexterity) that put living humans to shame.
form musical instruments, worked into props for rituals or Unlike “scrap” reanimates, monstrosities can be-
harrowing experiments, these reanimates expose the most come viable characters outside the lab, and may be (with
awful face of malignant magick. Storyteller approval) employed by players, too. The Etherite
celebrity Elias was a full-fledged member of his Tradition,
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 1, Charisma 0, although whether or not he was truly Enlightened in the
Manipulation 0, Appearance 0, Perception 2, Intelligence metaphysical sense of that word is open for debate. An
2, Wits 1 especially skillful creator can craft a former corpse who’s
almost indistinguishable from a living person except under
Abilities: Alertness 1, Intimidation 5, Stealth 4
close examination; few creators, however, are that skillful,
Willpower: 1 and even the best monstrosities suffer psychological scars
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒3, Torn Apart if not physical disabilities. They were, after all, dead, and
Armor Rating: 0 might have understandable personality crises if they were
cobbled together from various corpses.
Powers: None unless the creator invests the skin with some
additional talents.
Image: At first glance, a “living” skin probably isn’t obvious Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 1, Stamina 7, Charisma 1,
for what it is. Once you see it, though, that’s not the sort of Manipulation 3, Appearance 1, Perception 2, Intelligence
impression you’ll forget. 2, Wits 2 (Social and Mental Attributes could, for certain
monsters, be much higher.)
Roleplaying Notes: (…please god let me die…)
Abilities: Alertness 1, Brawl 3, Intimidation 5, Melee 3,
Frankensteinian Monstrosity Stealth 1; possibly a wealth of other Abilities, too, if the
Whether composed of portions from the recently de- monstrosity retains their human intellect.
ceased (as popularized by the infamous Dr. Frankenstein) Willpower: 4
or animated from whole corpses (a la Herbert West), the Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3,
whole-bodied monstrosity may be perhaps the most famous ‒3, ‒5 Destroyed
sort of reanimate. Not quite like the zombies detailed
Armor Rating: 1 (eight soak dice, total)
elsewhere in this chapter, a Frankensteinian monstrosity
maintains a certain degree of self-willed intellect. Oh, sure Powers: Punch, kick, trample and crush for Strength + 1
— that intellect tends to be damaged by the ravages of brain bashing damage; may also possess Claws or Fangs for
death, but some vestiges of individual personality remain… a Strength + 2 lethal damage; Empathic Bond (with creator);
personality that might have carried over from the murderer Ferocity; Rapid Healing; Soak Lethal or Aggravated Damage;
whose brain or hands had contributed to the final result, Soul Sense/ Death Sense.
but a personality nonetheless. Image: The proverbial Frankenstein Monster — possibly a
Traditionally hampered by death trauma, brain damage, stitched-together corpse, an exceptionally gorgeous person,
and other effects of reanimating dead bodies in defiance of or a hideous thing. Might also be a reanimated single corpse
natural laws, monstrosities generally bear a grudge: revenge who still bears the scars of their death and its aftermath, or
against the parties responsible for their deaths, hatred of the an apparently “normal” person whose stiffness and behav-
creator who brought them back to life, isolation angst thanks ior seem off-kilter even if there’s nothing obviously scarred
to their horrible appearance, and probably a combination about them.
of all those factors… such creatures are seldom happy and Roleplaying Notes: Depending upon your origins, you
often pissed. Their once-dead bodies tend to retain a certain could be a shambling macabre hulk, a rampaging vengeful
degree of rigor mortis, and their physicality feels disturbing corpse, a socially awkward but physically powerful person,
to living things even if the scars from their death and resur- or a veritable slave with glowing coals of fury. Regardless
rection don’t show. Flaws like Alien Impression, Horrific, of your physical condition and continued life, the spectre of
Impediment (clumsy stiffness), PTSD, Stress Atavism, and your death never truly leaves you.
morbid forms of Obsession are almost essential, and Unbelief
(manifesting as accelerated decay) is almost standard for Handy Hands
monstrosities who leave the grounds where they were cre- Why deal with whole people when a hand or two will do?
ated. On the plus side, such reanimates are almost always Properly animated and imbued with vestigial intellect, a severed arm

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 87

or hand can provide useful assistance around the lab or sanctum. Willpower: 6
Such companions might heft lamps, taunt and attack intruders, Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5, Ick
or hang out in a box until needed. Hands can’t speak, of course Armor Rating: 0 (seven soak dice, total)
(though they can write), don’t eat (but they might cook), and lack
the leverage and physics necessary to do more than crawl around Powers: Slash, claw or impale for Strength + 3 lethal dam-
on their fingers (unless they’ve been anchored somehow). Even age; Alacrity; Cause Insanity; Claws, Fangs or Horns (often
so, they appear to be able to “see” without eyes (possibly due to all of them); Extra Limbs (typically many); Homing Instinct
tactile sensitivity awareness), and often manipulate objects with (2); Needleteeth; Nightsight; Soak Lethal or Aggravated
fair dexterity and a surprising degree of strength. Damage; Venom
Image: An appalling mass of “who the fuck thought that
was a good idea?”
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma
0, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 1, Intelligence Roleplaying Notes: Enough sentience to respond to cir-
1, Wits 1 cumstances but little more than mute ruthlessness.
Abilities: Alertness 3, Intimidation 3, Stealth 4 Talking Head
Willpower: 2 Preserved in a vat, dropped in a box, mounted on a
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒3, Broken pike, or hung on the door, a severed human head may be-
Armor Rating: 0 come a literal conversation piece. Though it’s traditional
mad-scientist procedure to keep a living head around the
Powers: Scratch for one die (bashing); Alacrity; Homing
lab (typically hooked up to tubes, wires, and other accoutre-
Instinct (2); Nightsight; Read and Write
ments), mystics have employed this sort of necrofetishism
Image: A hand or arm that continues to act more-or-less for millennia, often as a way of tormenting their enemies,
normally even though it’s not connected to a body. preserving their loved ones, and scaring the living crap out
Roleplaying Notes: Depending upon circumstances and of trespassers.
their relationship with the creator, such appendages range The amount of personality a severed head retains
in temperament from mute slaves to loyal companions to depends upon whether or not the creator trapped a spirit
ghastly vengeful horrors. or consciousness in the head or simply animated it with a
facsimile of life. Either way, these gruesome decorations have
Shambling Horror and Slaughterer a distinctly unnerving effect on people who aren’t used to
A variation on the creeper theme involves grafting ma- seeing this sort of thing, much less having a speaking head
terial or mechanical appendages onto hacked-up pieces or talk back to them.
reanimated corpse parts. Spikes, blades, chainsaws, hooks Playful necrotinkerers sometimes attach hands, crab or
— anything that the proper Ranks of Matter and Life can spider legs, and other mechanical or biological appendages
merge together can become a shambling horror or slaughterer. to severed heads, making them somewhat mobile and oc-
The former is good mostly for shock value, intimidation, casionally proficient at limited sorts of combat. Otherwise,
and gross-out humor, while the latter adds the capacity for a talking head has the Flaw: Limbless and no ability to get
killing in the grisliest manner possible. around on its own unless it possesses some form of wings
Essentially mindless apart from their intended pur- or levitation.
pose, these reanimates merge the tormented identity of a Stripped of flesh and muscle, a talking head might
Frankensteinian monstrosity with the relentless singularity be a talking skull instead. This, too, is a pretty traditional
of a reanimated hand. If one is meant to scare, then one prop for mages with a morbid sense of humor or a sincere
scares; if meant to kill, then one kills. Essentially unique, reverence for the dead.
each shambler or slaughterer reflects the crazed imagination
of its creator and the role — bodyguard, mass-murderer, gross
sex toy — for which it was created. There’s nothing remotely Attributes: Strength 0, Dexterity 0, Stamina 3, Charisma
natural about such reanimates, and outside their intended 0, Manipulation 3, Appearance 0, Perception 2, Intelligence
setting they self-destruct and decay with nauseating speed. 1-4, Wits 1-4
Abilities: Alertness 2, Awareness 2, possibly all sorts of
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 6, Charisma Knowledges if the head’s living consciousness (or a spirit)
0, Manipulation 4, Appearance 0, Perception 2, Intelligence has been trapped inside its mortal form.
1, Wits 1 Willpower: 4
Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 2 or 4 (slaughterers), Intimidation Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, Crushed
6, Melee 4 (slaughterers), Stealth 4 Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)

88 Gods & Monsters

Powers: Bite for one die (lethal); Human Speech; As The Book of Secrets explains, the nature of
Nightsight; possibly also a range of additional Advantages Resonance can change the nature of the Soulflower too. A
like Information Fount, Telepathy, Telekinesis, and so forth. goldfish infused with Quintessence that has an Aggressive
Image: A head or skull with some degree of animation and Resonance is one nasty goldfish, and while such changes
identity. Under the best of circumstances, this sort of thing’s won’t matter much with, say, a goldfish, they could spell
disquieting; if the head has been flayed, burnt, tattooed, the difference between a docile living “container” and a
shrunken, or otherwise mutilated, it can be downright horrific. rebellious enemy, if you’ve infused Quintessence into a
Roleplaying Notes: Anything from mute anguish to a creature who has the physical and intellectual capacity to
stubborn refusal to ever shut up. harm you. Despite the risks, however, certain mages still
invest Quintessence into higher-order animals (humans
Soulflowers included), if only because the sense of power appears to
outweigh the potential risks if that “flower” gets fed up with
One of the creepier forms of magickal “construction” the arrangement and decides to turn that mage’s power back
includes investing living beings with Quintessence and against her “master.”
using them as portable batteries for both Quintessence and
Paradox. Detailed in Mage 20 (p. 521), The Book of Secrets Eva Cherone
(p. 145), and How Do You DO That? (p. 48), this discipline is When her boss told Eva, “We’re deeply invested in
high-level stuff with an occult pedigree going back to ancient you,” he meant it literally.
times. Despite its traditional nature, however, the thought
The job at HAXCorp seemed like a dream come true,
of turning living things into paranormal tools — especially
especially with a mountain of student-loan debt weighing her
without their consent — runs roughshod over the autonomy
down. Until that gig came in, she was sharing an apartment
of the “flowers” in question. Thus, many modern mages view
with her thankfully now-ex and a cat that pissed on everything
the practice with disgust even as their pragmatic peers employ
that wasn’t covered in plastic. How she passed the interview
every trick and tool at their disposal, regardless of the ways in
with that little beast’s urine ghosting her clothes, Eva still
which such practices impact their living instruments.
doesn’t know. That was three years ago, and here she is: office
Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 89
admin for the division manager of Accounts Receivable, and Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma
while the pay package isn’t glorious, Eva’s pulling down more 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4, Perception 2, Intelligence
than anyone else she knows. Hell, she’s even got benefits at 4, Wits 3
this job — pretty much a first in her employment history. So Abilities: Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Martial Arts 1
if she glosses over a few “irregularities” here and there, or Willpower: 4
turns a blind eye (okay, several blind eyes) to some stuff she’s
seen or heard about… hey, that’s the business world, and no Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒ 2, ‒5, Incapacitated
one told you it’d be easy. Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)
It’s not that Eva’s not ambitious. I mean, she graduated Powers: Eva’s martial-arts training gives her the Elbow /
in the top 1% of her high-school class, held down a 4.0 Knee Strike and Snake Step combat maneuvers from Mage
average in college while her friends and roommate were out 20, p. 425. She also carries a small tear-gas cannister in
partying, and left school with a summa under her belt. Why her purse, which inflicts 3 bashing damage, holds 5 shots,
she wound up flipping burgers for the next three years is and reduces an attacker’s dice pools by two dice for one
anybody’s guess, but things are tough all over, that economic turn per success.
downturn’s still keeping jobs scarce, and Eva wasn’t nearly Image: A tall, slender woman in her late 20s, with olive
as bad off as lots of people she knew. She kept clawing, kept skin and short, black hair in a fashionable crop, Eva’s got
interviewing, kept her head up and her eyes on the prize. a small wardrobe of trendy business-casual office wear, a
An admin job’s not exactly much of a prize, but after the few pairs of jeans, some T-shirts and shoes, and not a whole
last few years, she’ll take what she can get. lot else. For some odd reason, she really can’t stand cats. In
Hardworking, attractive, and sharp as the edge of another life, her pretty face, large brown eyes, and subtle
70 lb. letterhead paper, Eva’s almost 30 and has her own hand with makeup might have scored her some modeling
small-but-fashionable apartment a short bus ride from her gigs when she was younger. That’s not her style, though,
office. Too bad she’s never home, but there’s only so many and never was. Eva’s been aiming for the business fast track
hours in the day when you’re trying to get ahead. The ex and since her teens, and if she occasionally finds herself looking
his rotten cat are distant memories, and her boss Michael in the mirror and wondering if she’ll find it before the years
keeps her busy enough. The fact that he’s “Michael” to her catch up with her, there’s always some way to keep her from
instead of “Mr. Del Rio” speaks to her high spot in the thinking about that too much. She has noticed lately that she’s
office pecking order. On Mr. Del Rio’s suggestion, she’s got kind of a “glow” about her. She hasn’t slept with a guy in
taking some self-defense classes — a girl can’t be too careful almost two years, though, so she figures it’s just the classes
in the city, right? Especially not when she works so many she’s been taking and the promise of her long-sought goal
late nights. Her boss is paying for those classes, too. Yeah, finally coming into sight.
Michael really looks out for his people, and Eva’s pleased In reality, that “glow” comes from around 25 points of Primal
to be part of his team. Utility energy Michael and his friend Jerrilynne Fukuyama
Some folks whisper (not where she can hear them, of (Eva’s trainer) invested into the administrative assistant. Every
course) that Eva’s got a thing with Mr. Del Rio. They’re so often, Eva suffers debilitating migraines, body aches, oc-
not wrong, but it’s not what people think it is. Mr. Del Rio casional bruises, and really nasty flus. She attributes those
really has invested in her, but it’s in no way sexual. Eva’s ailments to long hours and hard training; as it turns out, she’s
what you might call a living asset: a walking charisma battery taking “Market Correction” Paradox from Michael’s occa-
who keeps secrets, handles dirty laundry, and knows how to sional slips. It’s a good thing her boss is so subtle and careful
pull out that little bit of extra energy at crunch time when about his Procedures these days. Eva’s never met the woman
things get hairy and billions of dollars are on the line. He’s she replaced in her position, and let’s just say Michael wasn’t
grooming her to be his personal assistant, but needs to make nearly as careful or as subtle back then.
sure she’s up to the task. So he tests her, and tracks her For more information about Soulflowers, see Mage 20, p.
progress, and hands her assignments that aren’t too crucial 521; The Book of Secrets, p. 145; and How Do You
to see what her limits might be. He’s also keeping tabs on DO That? p. 48.
her to see if there’s some potential for true Enlightenment Roleplaying Notes: Smart, driven, personable, and ambi-
behind that aging college-girl façade. If there is, though, tious, you’re a HAXCorp player to the bone. You’ve worked
Mr. Del Rio hasn’t seen it yet. For now, he’s just investing hard to get where you are, and you’ve got more than enough
her with energy, tapping it when necessary, and watching experience with the yawning economic gap waiting for you if
to see if Eva’s got long-term prospects or if she’s just one you slip off your place on the ladder. Admins make the world
more human resource to liquidate eventually in the name go ‘round, and you keep Michael Del Rio’s department running
of the bottom line. smoothly despite its many complications. Okay, yes, you’ve
done a few shady things in this line of work, and you’ll do

90 Gods & Monsters

more of them in a heartbeat if it keeps you from looking too
hard at the homeless people camped out under the overpasses Talos
and wondering if you’ll wind up joining them. Long gone are the days when this copper giant carried
out its duty. Presently, echoes of its past intellect reside within
Lord Floof a shattered, barnacle-covered shell. Legend has it that Talos
Why does she carry that cat everywhere she goes? The way guarded Crete from outsiders and enforced the kingdom’s
she strokes his fur, it’s a wonder the poor thing hasn’t gone bald! laws, which were carried with it, written on copper tablets.
Lord Floof is indeed Sharisha Mae’s a constant companion, This ancient construct was known to circle the island thrice
and he does indeed have very soft and strokable fur. A beautiful a day, throw boulders toward unfamiliar ships, and breathe
example of the Ragdoll breed of cat, Lord Floof (his real name fire on intruders. King Minos tasked Daedalus, the fabled
is Bhaga, but everyone these days calls him “Lord Floof”) is an artisan and inventor, with the improvement of Crete’s de-
ingratiating little beast with a well-honed sense of how to make fenses. His creative genius brought forth many artifacts and
himself as adorable as possible. Even folks who normally hate marvels; Talos and the Labyrinth, however, are the only two
cats love Lord Floof, and everyone wants to pet his fur. standing to this day.
No, he’s not her familiar. But he is more than he seems to be. The giant’s animation is attributed to the Ichor circu-
Lord Floof is, in most regards, a normal cat — no smarter lating through a single vein in its body. Contrary to popular
or more magical than any other feline. Sharisha Mae, however, belief, Ichor — often described as an opalescent substance
has invested Lord Floof with a combination of spells that make – was originally thought to be the blood of the gods. It’s
him a combination Quintessence vacuum and battery, absorbing also said that Ichor, not water, flowed in Styx, one of the
life-energy from those who pet him and retaining it for Sharisha’s five rivers crossing into and traversing the realms of the
use. A low-level Mind spell also entices people to pet him even dead. Talos’ end came at the hands of the Argonauts and
more than they would under normal circumstances. And so, Medea, whose sorcery drained the giant of its Ichor and
beyond his innate cuteness and pettable fur, Lord Floof is an sank it into the sea.
effective Soulflower: sweet-tempered enough to appreciate his Mythology aside, the true tale of Talos is filled with
coddled life and appealing enough to suck energy from even enough hubris and death for a grand Greek tragedy. In order
the most resistant ailurophobes. It’s a good thing, however, that to uncover the facts, one must go even further back: To the
Sharisha Mae has conscientious taste in friends. As things are, man named Talos and his fatal obsession. A teenage prodigy,
the Quintessence he retains in his purring little form tends to be Talos was Daedalus’ nephew and apprentice. He was such a
Calming, Nurturing, and Adorable; if folks started infusing him visionary that, where others saw the spine of a fish, he saw
with Predatory, Obnoxious, or Treacherous energy, this adorable what we came to know as the hacksaw. Thus, Talos earned both
companion might remind his human associates that felines are admiration and envy from his peers. Being constantly around
the alpha predators in their weight class, and can take on things his mentor’s lifelike statues, the young artisan was tormented
much larger than they are if the cat in question is so inclined. by the realization that he could not surpass his master in any
way. Until, one evening, while in the workshop and praying
to Hephaestus, god of artisans and smiths, Talos saw a flicker
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 4, of movement. The light from the furnace reflected off of the
Manipulation 3, Appearance 5, Perception 3, Intelligence smooth surface of the statues, making them appear not just
2, Wits 3 lifelike, but truly alive. The idea of giving life to matter soon
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics (Climbing) 4, Brawl 2, begun to consume Talos, who constructed several hydraulic
Empathy 3, Intimidation 1, Stealth 4 and pneumatic automata before becoming frustrated with
Willpower: 4 how simple the constructs’ functions were. After several
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated sleepless weeks, he traveled to Helicon and stole water from
Olmeios, where the Muses bathed, thinking the blessed river
Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)
of inspiration would animate his creations. And he was right;
Powers: Bite for Strength + 1 bashing damage; claw for the Tass-laden water did animate the automata… but at a cost.
Strength + 1 lethal damage. The living statues were temperamental and violent, unable
Image: Majestic yet adorable, Lord Floof is a large, thick- to follow instructions, dangerous even to their creator. Talos,
ruffed white and gray Ragdoll cat with an exceptionally though, would not give up. Desperate and overworked, he had
affectionate temperament, a rumbling purr, and an insatiable an epiphany: no water would be good enough or pure enough;
desire to be stroked. Folks who perceive auras note a vivid what he needed was Ichor, the blood of the gods. Of course,
glow in Lord Floof’s fur: a Quintessential nimbus of calming wounding a god was not an option. But there was another
Primal energy. place where Talos could secure some Ichor: Styx. There were
Roleplaying Notes: You are the center of your world, and rumors that the famed Necyomantes of Acropolis died and
that world treats you with all the loving deference you deserve. came back to life during their chthonic rituals of initiation.

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 91

Talos, obsessed with his work and thinking he was destined Dr. Makrygiannakis and his PhD students at the University
for greatness, threw himself off the rock of Acropolis, hoping of Crete. Rumors of this academic endeavor, however,
the Necyomantes would bring him back. They did not, and have reached a local Amalgam, the Iteration X members of
Daedalus was accused and convicted for pushing him over which are exceedingly interested in getting their hands on
in a fit of envy. Talos. Supposing they succeed, scanning and analyzing the
Exiled from Athens, the artisan sought refuge in Crete automaton will leave them perplexed at the huge flaw in an
and entered King Minos’ service. But dreams of Talos and otherwise flawless machine. Temperance is an old lesson,
his living automata plagued him and would not let him and it’s one that many a young artisan has failed to learn.
rest. Talos’ soul would not rest either. One day, his pupil’s
wraith appeared to him. Artisan and spirit labored together Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 3, Stamina 10, Charisma
to realize Talos’ vision of a sentient automaton. They built 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4, Perception 6, Intelligence
a giant out of copper, and then used Ichor from the River 4, Wits 3
Styx to animate it. Because Styx was a river of truth and
Abilities: Alertness 4, Athletics (rock throwing) 4, Brawl 3
oath-keeping, the giant’s temperament remained mild, pro-
tective, and obedient. Daedalus named it Talos in memory Willpower: 6
of his nephew, and purposefully gave it a flaw in case the Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2,
automaton ever became dangerous: a large nail sealed the ‒2, , ‒5, ‒5, Disabled
vein through which Ichor flowed — a nail that, if removed, Armor Rating: 6 (16 soak dice, total)
would release the precious liquid and disable Talos. Daedalus
Powers: Fire Blast for 5 dice aggravated damage that con-
was not simply being proactive, though; having seen his
tinues to inflict 1 level of lethal damage per turn until washed
nephew’s hubris, he built flaws into all his creations to
off; also throws rocks for Strength + 2, lethal damage.
make sure he would always remember to remain humble.
Image: Smaller than his legend but far larger than a man,
Presently, Talos’ remains were recovered from the depths
Talos stands roughly eight meters tall and features the sub-
of the sea, and are being studied by the Utopian Etherite
lime proportions of Classical Greek statuary. Much to the

92 Gods & Monsters

embarrassment of modern mages, Talos was sculpted entirely were spiritually awakened and directed to assist the mystics
nude. The years have tarnished his bronze skin green, but the against their Daedalean rivals. While this tactic proved an
Ichor that animates Talos preserves the mineral’s integrity from advantage powerful enough to undo the Cosian handiwork,
rot. Talos’ lips were sculpted partly open, as if he is ready something changed forever within the thorn gorgers. As the
to speak. If someone manages to animate the giant again, it greenhouse where the Progenitors practiced their experi-
will be very interesting to hear what he might have to say… ments was smashed to smithereens, the semi-sentient plant
Roleplaying Notes: For now, you remain silent, a machine life escaped; soon, new varieties quickly spread across the
deactivated and abandoned millennia ago. There’s a chance, world in the same way the original strain did. Certain new
however, that you’re the earthly anchor for a departed soul strains, however, were capable of crossing the Gauntlet
— what many wraiths call a Fetter for a ghost — and though into the Umbra; since then, they’ve found a whole new
it’s not likely that young Talos has willingly remained shackled collection of worlds to grow into. Invasive species of a
to a statue for so many centuries, legend is a powerful thing, spiritual nature, they crowd out all that is native, slowly
and both Talos and Daedalus were men of immortal vision choking it to death until the thorn gorgers are the only
and relentless stubbornness. living things left.
So far, this infection has progressed slowly throughout
Thorn Gorgers the nigh-infinite Otherworlds. As both the physical and
Hungrily, thorn gorgers spread across worlds, ravenously spiritual worlds became harsher and more difficult for
hunting for nutrients. These creatures are dominant feeders plants and Naturae of the more mundane variety, however,
— vegetative apex predators — and few plants or animals can the gorgers continue to spread.
withstand their ever-growing gluttony.
Thorn gorgers, at one time in the ancient past, were little Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 7, Charisma 0,
more than pest-like plants. They invaded gardens and farms, Manipulation 0, Appearance 2, Perception 1, Intelligence
devouring all the plant life there. Farmers cut them back, 1, Wits 0
but such pruning just gave them room to grow back, twice as Abilities: Alertness 2, Brawl 2
thick as before. Ripe, sickly sweet berries grew amongst their
Willpower: 2
thorns, and eventually the farmers gave in and allowed these
irritating plants to live. And so, the gorgers transformed the Health Levels: OK, ‒5, Incapacitated
diets of humankind. Then, as humanity expanded and good Armor Rating: 2 (eight soak dice, total, which makes the
farmland became scarce, the farmers sought new soil. In the plant incredibly difficult to destroy as a whole, although it’s
process, they brought thorn gorgers with them. easy to rip out individual vines.)
Everywhere the farmers brought these plants, they Powers: Strength + 1 lethal damage per vine; four to six
spread like wildfire, consuming native plant life and vines can wrap around the average human being in a turn.
eventually evolving a thirst for blood as well. Indigenous Any creature grappled by the thorn gorger is at +2 difficulty
animals were devoured to the last drop; when the animals to escape.
became scarce, the gorgers devoured the humans who tried Image: Thorn gorgers most commonly resemble blackber-
to cultivate them. Rarely, though, did mortal eyes witness a ry vines with large, ripe, unusually colorful berries. These
thorn gorger feeding, and so they continued to spread with predators can also appear as other forms of invasive plants.
the aid of their prey. Alternative varieties are uncommon, but they’re much harder
Eventually, these creatures were noticed by the to tell apart from normal plants than the original gorger strain
Awakened. Certain mystics cultivated these ferocious with its tell-tale berries. Without those berries, there’s less
plants as barriers, traps, and occasionally even pets. Early reason for the plants to be willingly cultivated by humans and
pre-Progenitor Cosians found thorn gorgers’ semi-sentience spread by animals; by now, though, the gorgers are certainly
fascinating, and eventually brought gorgers into their labs capable of propagating on their own.
to dissect, splice, and propagate. These scientists created a Roleplaying Notes: Thorn gorgers are semi-sentient —
multitude of strains with different features. The original aware of their surroundings, with faint yet discernable desires
gorger plants closely resembled blackberry vines, but the and an apparent group demi-consciousness. Certain strains
newly created varieties mimic the appearance of loosestrife, can even plan ambushes and traps though they don’t possess
kudzu, and ivy. creative intelligence, as such. Instead, gorgers are driven by
During the long and bitter warfare between the a collective instinct to consume, to produce, to spread, and
Traditions and the nascent Technocracy, Verbenae, to survive — and they’re quite proficient at all of the above.
Hermetics, and Dreamspeakers uncovered the blasphemous Usually, thorn gorgers remain placid. If threatened or hungry,
Cosian crossbreeds. During one especially epic battle in though, they can be motivated toward quick, decisive action.
the Appalachian Mountains, hundreds of thorn gorgers In such moments, thorny vines snake around their target

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 93

and constrict it while lacerating it to shreds. Gorgers tend warriors an enduring intellect unless the mage has also
to consume other plant life first, but won’t hesitate to gorge turned the construct into a spirit-Fetish… a decision that
on sentient creatures when other options wither. While thorn tends to have unfortunate results.
gorgers are not spirits per se, they can grow on both sides of Tiny warriors can’t remain active for long. The energy
the Gauntlet, occasionally uprooting themselves to cross over animating them tends to run out pretty quickly unless, once
and consume spirits as well as organic matter. Some mages again, a bound spirit has animated the warrior’s form. In
still grow such creatures as guardians for their Sanctums and system terms, a tiny warrior can fight for two turns for each
Chantries; gorger-management is extremely dangerous, dot in the creator’s Arete Trait; after that, the warrior goes
though, and most cultivators soon regret their attempts. rigid for three turns, and then returns to its toy-like size.
Before it can fight again, the creator must invest the warrior
Tiny Warriors with at least 10 points of Quintessence. Without that vital
Have you ever wished you could have an army in your energy, a tiny warrior is exactly what it appears to be: an
pocket? As it turns out, you’re not the first person to dream impressive yet ordinary toy.
of such a thing. The origins of so-called “tiny warriors” are
lost to the ages, but Awakened craftsmen have been creating
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 2, Stamina 6, Charisma
such things since the dynasties of Classical Egypt. Though
1, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 1, Intelligence
they’re not exactly common, these constructs have become
1, Wits 3
more prevalent in the era of tight airport security and heavily
guarded borders and installations. Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 4, Firearms 1, Melee 4
Traditionally shaped from wood, ceramic, bone, and Willpower: 3
cloth, tiny warriors are manufactured most often these days Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒5,
from plastic and synthetic polyfibers. The concept is simple Shattered
enough: a toy soldier who, upon magickal activation, grows Armor Rating: 5 (11 soak dice, total) + the appropriate
to the size of a full-grown man or woman and rushes off armor type
to fight at your command. The warrior’s gear grows to the
Powers: Attacks with a punch (Strength bashing damage),
proper size as well, and then transforms from fragile wood
or by weapon type; Human Speech.
or plastic into combat-ready steel. Such warriors are loyal
unto death, and if they seem a bit more… um, literal… in Image: In their tiny form, these warriors look like toys, gen-
their interpretations of commands than actual human beings erally static figures between two and 12 inches high. Certain
would be, they lack neither courage nor ferocity. crafters create articulated tiny warriors with moveable joints,
plus gear that can be removed and changed out with equip-
Tiny warriors, to be honest, are pretty dense.
ment and clothing from other figures of their kind. (Equipment
Appropriately crafted warriors know how to use basic fire-
from non-enchanted figures cannot be changed out this way.)
arms, but their grasp of strategy consists of “See enemy, kill
Without magickal or Enlightened hypertech perceptions, these
enemy.” They attack when ordered, retreat when ordered,
“action figures” appear to be perfectly normal toys.
and hold back when ordered. Mercy and self-preservation
seem to be as alien concepts to such constructs as any other When activated, tiny warriors seem to become human fighters
form of independent thought. For anyone who’s ever been of an appropriate appearance, culture, and temperament.
in a fight, the drawbacks of such limitations are obvious. They’re not terribly bright, though, and can’t manage any
Still, the damn things can be pretty useful in a full-blown task beyond the most basic and direct form of fighting. Under
war, and mages of all kinds (even Technocrats who can solve close observation, their features seem crude and artificial,
the physics puzzles of energy and mass) have been known and even the best of them move with mechanical stiffness,
to toss tiny warriors at their enemies and then take full not the fluidity of normal human activity. When not moving,
advantage of the ensuing mayhem. these warriors stand with unnerving rigidity. Though they’re
not obviously vulgar to people who don’t see them transform
Unless ordered otherwise by its creator, a tiny warrior
from toys into apparent people, tiny warriors seem distinctly
obeys only the mage who crafted it. It’s tough, fearless,
strange to everyone who watches them in action.
fanatical, and mute. What little personality it displays fol-
lows the design of the toy it appears to be: A tiny Viking Roleplaying Notes: You live for war. Follow orders, kill
berserker charges into battle like a bear on bad steroids, on command, and try not to get killed yourself.
while a samurai warrior moves with disciplined precision.
In recent years, mages have added Forces Effects to such Zombies
warriors in order to imbue comic-style superheroes with the Man, they’re everywhere these days. Between the ubiquity
appropriate powers. But while skilled artisans have been able of zombies in popular culture and the more mystical side
to program tiny warriors with a collection of pre-recorded of walking death, zombies seem unavoidable in the world
speeches and remarks, no one has yet managed to give tiny of the 21st-century mage.
94 Gods & Monsters
 Still, zombies are far older that this recent fascination. Vodou Zombi
In the earliest days of human memory, the walking dead Slain by ghosts, revived by magick, and damned to
reflected primal terrors. More recently, the “traditional” follow a conjure-man’s commands, the “traditional” zom-
zombie of vodou lore mirrored the horror of a slavery that bie or, more properly, zombi embodies a state of perpetual
could continue beyond death. Later decades brought different servitude. His physical body crumbles, but the mind inside
visions: white guilt, fear of the Other, anxiety about betrayal retains just enough consciousness to follow commands while
by one’s closest friends, and the relentless consumption of acutely aware of his wretched situation.
the American “dream.” Regardless of specific cultural touch-
Such pitiful horrors can be found in the ranks of ruthless
stones, though, the zombie represents a fearsome insight:
bokors, sadistic necromancers, and powerful Infernalists…
Your neighbors want to kill you, and perhaps you’re looking for
generally in numbers that make up for their decayed forms
an excuse to kill them, too.
and glacial reflexes. Unlike the pop-culture zombie, these
For mages, that fear is all too real. Among the Awakened, creatures neither eat flesh nor crave brains. What they do
such reanimated monstrosities — and the fears behind them crave is release, a freedom denied to them until a zombi’s
— are parts of everyday life. Whether the zombie in question cursed soul is set free.
comes from an inexplicable cosmic flux, Frankensteinian
experiments, necromantic Arts (see How Do You DO
That?), mystic slavery, or a simple yet appalling plague, the Suggested Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 1, Stamina 5,
deadly walking corpse — or more often, a whole horde of Charisma 0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 2 to 0, Perception
walking corpses — has a nasty tendency to show up when 2, Intelligence 1, Wits 1
it’s least wanted. Suggested Abilities: Alertness 1, Brawl 4, Intimidation
5, Melee 3, Stealth 3

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 95

Willpower: 10 (but 0 against the mage who created it) cultists stage their own “zombie flicks,” sometimes actually
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5, filming an orgy of slaughter and then putting the results on
Destroyed YouTube for entertainment.
Armor Rating: 3 (eight soak dice, total) The angry re-animates of the Week of Nightmares fit
Powers: Punch for Strength (bashing), or strike with a similar mold, although those monsters were apparently
weapons, as per weapon type. The animated remains self-created. Slightly less voracious than their hunger-demon
of a vodou zombi continue to decay, yet never reach a state counterparts, they still waged impressive bouts of mayhem
of decrepitude. Instead, this damned creature regenerates before time and enemies whittled down their numbers.
just enough to sustain its vile-yet-robust physical form. That Occasionally, though, such creatures still appear — often in
regeneration heals one health level per turn, no matter what, hordes of near-mindless ferocity, tearing into every living
unless the zombie was damaged by fire, acid, or salt. thing until either the zombies or their prey are twitching
smears of gore.
Salt, it is said, holds the key to a zombi’s freedom. Supposedly,
a bit of salt on the tongue will release the captive soul and
break the spell that holds the zombi together. For that reason, Suggested Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina
most necromancers sew a zombi’s mouth shut, cut out his 5, Charisma 0, Manipulation 4, Appearance 0, Perception
tongue, or both. The thing no longer needs to eat or drink, 1, Intelligence 1, Wits 3
after all, and speech from such unhappy beasts would be Suggested Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Intimidation 3
a liability; thus, the average zombi cannot speak… simply Willpower: 7
moan, if he makes any sound at all.
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3, ‒5, Incapacitated
Despite his apparently fragility, a zombi holds considerable
strength in that desiccated shell. And despite the health-lev- Armor Rating: 2 (seven soak dice, total)
el rating of “Destroyed,” no amount of damage — short of Powers: Bite for Strength + 2 lethal damage; claw for Strength
complete consumption by acid or fire — can permanently + 1 lethal damage. Unlike the vodou zombi, this breed of
annihilate a zombi unless his soul has been set free. walking corpse tends to be fast and unspeakably aggressive.
Image: A rotting yet ambulatory corpse, the traditional Utterly without mercy or self-preservation, such gibbering
zombi can range from a stiff, gaunt figure smelling of decay things fling themselves at prey (typically in packs), tear it to
to a pathetic scrap of a human being, skeletal yet still imbued pieces, and then feed until they have consumed roughly half
with a mockery of life. Despite the abhorrent nature of this a zombie’s weight in once-living tissue.
walking cadaver, though, the eyes remain its most horrible (Handfuls of more intelligent zombies appear to retain their
feature… because those eyes are still alive, and still aware. human intellect and personality. Whether those gruesome
Roleplaying Notes: Whatever remains of your original exceptions to the rule are truly walking dead or simply de-
personality has been submerged under degradation and monic props remains a mystery.)
atrocity. Although you still manage an occasional flicker Also unlike its vodou-crafted cousin, the cannibal corpse
of self-motivation, your soul belongs to the man or woman cannot regenerate; it can, however, continue to attack until
who made you. Given just what it is he’s made of you, that its pieces are destroyed by fire or some other form of anni-
master’s own personality is a terrible thing… and so, as an hilation. (Whether or not a headshot stops such beings is a
extension of that personality, you’re a terrible thing as well. Storyteller’s call.) Spirit 4 magick can purge the animating
demons or ghosts, essentially freeing the zombie from its ram-
Cannibal Corpse page. This, however, is no soul-trapped victim, but a spiritual
Driven by demons of Infernal hunger, the cannibal obscenity that combines malignant entities with awkward yet
corpse fits the modern concept of a killer zombie. Despite implacable flesh.
that Romero-Russo pedigree, however, this flesh-gnawing Image: Like its cinematic reflection, a cannibal corpse comes
thing has primal ancestry. The sorcerers of ancient Egypt across as a near-mindless machine of dead flesh and lively
and Akkad trapped minor demons and angry ghosts in hunger. Such things tend to be messy eaters, and they carry
prisons of flesh that could feed voraciously and yet never the stains of past meals and injuries with them.
satiate their hungers. Such verboten magicks survive to the Roleplaying Notes: Eat. Ravage. Destroy.
present day, when Nephandic malcontents and Infernal

96 Gods & Monsters

 Familiars
“We are family” has a whole other well. Uncle died and was reborn. For many years, he rolled
meaning when you apply it to familiars: around on the ground, but eventually he grew tired of it,
the materialized spirits embodied in semi- and learned the secrets of flight from the eagle people above,
permanent bio-bodies and teamed up with and from the great wisdom of his children’s children, who
the mages who help them sustain their learned to fly with a different kind of magic.
material forms. The name applied to them Magnificent wings — sometimes resembling those of a bat,
by mystic traditionalists evokes their kindred but usually a bird of some colorful variety — grow out the sides
status, and any mage with a lick of sense of this floating skull’s head. Daqqanoenyent’s eyes are alight
regards their familiar as a respected and with the phosphorous glow of secret forest fungi, and his laugh-
usually beloved (if often prickly) member ter peals through the trees as he floats around, following his
of their family. sister’s children’s children. He eagerly agrees to come to the aid
Although familiars are, in game terms, constructed as of his sister’s descendants, particularly when they are plagued
physical characters, they have a few of the Traits normally by the powers of a witch greater than themselves — because
reserved for ephemeral spirit characters. Even so, they bleed no witch is greater than Uncle Whirlwind, and he will prove
like living things, behave as though they’re native to mate- it gladly. Uncle keeps the faith with his charges; if asked, he
rial reality, and have the solidity of any biological organism might even hunt down their enemies and howl terrible spells
despite their Otherworldly origins. of death and destruction down upon them. He transforms the
Also referred to as companions, these unusual entities living into piles of bones and, as his namesake, whirls through
can bond with an Awakened person from any group, or from the piles and scatters them to the corners of the earth. When
no group at all. Technocrats, of course, do not regard such the bones are scattered, he teaches his nieces and nephews
companions as metaphysical entities — such thoughts are the secret words of transformation. They, in turn, utter the
nonsense, naturally, and might provide evidence for accu- spells that turn the bones into birds so that no one can ever
sations of Reality Deviance. Their “familiars” don’t regard
themselves with any sort of mystical hogwash either; their
uplifted nature is a manifestation of Enlightened science,
nothing more. In game terms, of course, there’s no real
difference between the two aside from (as with Tiberius,
Matter or Ephemera?
below) a lack of Charm Traits… a lack more rooted in the Are familiars material beings guided by Otherworldly
spirits, or spirits who’ve materialized in the human
companion’s perception of himself than of any system- or world? Really, they’re both. In previous Mage
setting-based differences between mystic and hypertech sourcebooks, though, familiars were presented with
familiars. two different sets of rules. The Book of Shadows,
For details about familiar-type characters, see the Ascensions’ Right Hand, The Bygone
Bestiary, and various other books regarded familiar
Background entry of that name (Mage 20, pp. 314-316), and characters as mortal beasts with mystical powers;
this book’s Chapter Five. the familiars chapter in the Mage sourcebook
Forged By Dragon’s Fire, however, presented
Daqqanoenyent, Uncle Whirlwind a new set of rules that treated familiars with the rules
Uncle screams into the night, terrorizing the enemies given for spirits, not for material creatures. Those
rules define familiars as spirits who occasionally
of his nieces and nephews: “Fall and become bones! Scatter to manifest on the human side of the Gauntlet, yet
the wind! Bones become birds!” continue to use the rules given for ephemeral entities.
Uncle spent his whole life pursuing great power, and That book’s treatment of Charms, and the ability to
build ephemeral player characters, differ from many
when his relatives come calling he answers with wisdom of the rules presented in various other Mage and
and great magic. His kin, and the accumulation of might, Werewolf rulebooks and sourcebooks, and may
are his greatest concerns, and at times it’s unclear which be too complex for certain playstyles.
one holds greater priority. At one point, Uncle Whirlwind You can use whichever approach suits your
explains, he too was a great sorcerer — perhaps the greatest preferences. For the sake of simplicity and
sorcerer of all time. He was instructed by the great people of consistency, however, Gods & Monsters treats
the sky, and the humble people who live beneath the earth. familiars as material beings in terms of the systems
He soaked in the wisdom of his ancestors and dreamt of the involved. For more details, see this book’s Chapter
Five, with the Traits and rules associated with
generations that would come after his death. He went into materialized familiars, pp. 184-185.
the woods and lost himself in his study. He lost his body as

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 97

 Attributes: Strength 0,
Dexterity 4, Stamina 5,
Charisma 4, Manipulation 4,
Appearance 0, Perception
4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4
Abilities: Alertness 3,
Enigmas 5, Esoterica 5,
Cosmology 3, Medicine
bring 2, Occult 5,
them together again Willpower: 10
and resurrect the
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK,
evil sorcerers who have
OK, OK, ‒5, Incapacitated
plagued his family.
Armor Rating: 3 (eight soak
Sometimes, instead of protecting his line, he
dice, total)
chooses to go out into the world and seek more
magick so as to become even more powerful. After Powers: Daqqanoenyent attacks
all, he says, what’s the use of being one of the greatest and defends using his wide array of
wizards in the history of all time if you let today’s children Advantages and Charms:
think they have a chance of catching up with you? They don’t. Special Advantages: Armor (3
What’s important, of course, is that they don’t think they do. pts.); Bond-Sharing; Cause Insanity (10
Daqqanoenyent loves stories, but most importantly he pts. / five dice); Elemental Touch (15 pts.);
loves stories about himself and how powerful and terrifying Homing Instinct (4 pts.); Human Speech;
he is. He loves stories of the many enemies he has vanquished Information Fount; Intangibility; Mystic Shield (10
over the centuries. Compared to him, his descendants are pts); Nightsight; Paradox Nullification (3 pts.); Read and
merely apprentices… though apprentices worthy of his in- Write; Shapechanger (8 pts.); Soak Aggravated Damage;
struction. Daqqanoenyent prefers that the mage he forms a Soul-Sense/Death-Sense; Spirit Vision; Spirit Travel (15 pts.);
bond with call him “Uncle.” He rarely bonds with anyone Telepathy (6 pts.); Telekinesis; Tides of Fortune; Universal
who’s not a distant relative of his in some way. If he is not Translator; Wings (3 pts.)
treated with the respect due one’s mother’s brother, the Charms: Airt Sense, Blast, Call for Aid (Indigenous American
Whirlwind quickly departs and finds another sorcerer worthy spirits), Disable, Dream Journey, Ease Pain, Illuminate,
of his time, instruction, and protection. Influence, Insight, Healing, Peek, Reform, Swift Flight, Terror
Game-wise, Uncle Whirlwind is a five-dot Familiar with Rage: 5
a decidedly ambivalent relationship to his hosts. He’s not Gnosis: 5
actually as great a sorcerer as he imagines he is (at least not in Essence: 30
his current form), but his abilities are impressive nonetheless.
His high ratings in Enigmas, Esoterica, and Occult reflect Image: As described above, Uncle Whirlwind assumes the
a wide variety of Indigenous American practices combined form of a winged, flying skull with eyes that glow a pale green,
with a lot of things he knows or thinks he knows about other blue, or occasionally red. Those who know Daqqanoenyent
forms of magick. For a flying skull, he’s amazingly resilient; if understand that while red is the most frightening hue, pale
Daqqanoenyent faces a serious threat, however, he’ll escape blue verging into white is the most dangerous color of all.
into the Penumbra or teleport elsewhere before he risks facing At times, he becomes a laughing tornado, a large bat, or a
as ignominious a fate as mortal defeat. Native American man of kindly aspect and apparent age but
uncanny speed and an unnerving tone of voice.
In addition to the obvious Flaws like No Limbs, Thaumivore,
and Unbelief (8 pts — at home only in the wild spaces of North Roleplaying Notes: Laugh often at the travails of your chil-
America), Uncle Whirlwind has both the Merit and the Flaw dren, and rarely take danger seriously. Even if your nieces and
side of Family Support/Issues, the Merit My Master is My Slave, nephews die, you have many more. Call out curses loudly upon
and the 5-pt version of the Flaw Alien Impression. Being a flying your enemies. Shriek and wail hauntingly at night, and in the trees.
skull, he has no physical Strength Trait, though his telekinesis Remind others (often) that they are very small and meaningless
helps alleviate that handicap somewhat. He can assume a human compared to you, but remain unquestionably loyal to your blood,
form, but generally chooses not to. After all, as one of the greatest and give the benefit of the doubt to those who are willing to treat
sorcerers ever, Daqqanoenyent appears as he wishes to appear, you with respect. Aside from giving aid to your relations, however,
not in a form designed to please and comfort mere people. your only goal in this world involves all the power you can seize.

98 Gods & Monsters

Lullabye
Everyone loves spiders, right? Especially great big blue Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1, Charisma 1,
tarantulas with wings? Okay, maybe not. But Spider Chase Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence
does, and true to her name she called up a familiar of the 2, Wits 3
aforementioned description. She loves the flying furry beastie, Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Enigmas
and anyone who doesn’t is hereby invited to piss up a rope 4, Esoterica 3 (Hypnosis, Omens, Sacred Geometry,
as far as Spider is concerned. Symbolism), Cosmology 3, Medicine 2, Occult 4, Stealth 4
Lullabye is not exactly the greatest conversationalist, Willpower: 3
but Spider’s not big on chatty companions under most Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1 ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
circumstances. A lovely example of Cyriopagopus lividus with
especially vivid blue legs, cephalothorax, and opisthosoma, Armor Rating: 3 (four soak dice, total)
Lullabye has the mating hooks of a male tarantula but the Powers: If Lullabye bites someone, he inflicts one health
size and coloration of a female one. Actually, Lullabye’s level of lethal damage; if that target cannot soak that damage,
quite a bit larger than a normal cobalt tarantula — a bit the spider also injects a venom of Toxin Rating Three, Lethal
more than six inches across, if you get close enough to (detailed in Mage 20, p. 442). Alternately, he can choose
measure the little furball. Very few people do, and Spider to simply paralyze the target with his Disable Charm, which
Chase likes it that way. lasts for one turn per Essence point spent.
Overall, Lullabye seems content to catch bugs, fly around, Special Advantages: Armor (3 pts.); Blending; Bond-
suckle Quintessence off a specially designed glyph tattoo Sharing (with Spider); Paradox Nullification (3 pts.); Webbing;
that Spider has on her right bicep, and scare the living crap Wings (3 pts.),
out of the occasional asshole. He knows enough about the Charms: Airt Sense, Cling, Disable, Dream Journey, Ease
modern world to keep his wings tucked up in an apparent Pain, Healing
caprice on his back, and very few people look close enough Rage: 3
or long enough at Lullabye to get a clear view of those wings.
When he’s not hanging out in his terrarium or flying around Gnosis: 3
Spider’s house, he tends to nestle up inside her jacket or Essence: 15
sometimes ride around on her shoulder. Most of Spider’s Image: An especially large, blue, pretty, cobalt-blue ta-
friends think he’s awesome. Everyone else just screams and rantula with wings. Said wings resemble foldable iridescent
runs away. Spider likes it that way, too. dragonfly wings, which really shouldn’t be able to support
Rules-wise, Lullabye is a three-dot Familiar whose spe- Lullabye’s weight but do so anyway.
cial abilities allow him to fly around, help soothe Spider’s Roleplaying Notes: Eat, fly, heal, dream. When all else
chronic pain issues, and occasionally visit people (not just fails, run away and hide. If that doesn’t work, scare the shit
Spider) in their dreams. He doesn’t talk, but conveys in- out of someone. It’s funny to watch them scream.
formation and holds limited conversations with Spider by
spinning words into webs only she can read. (Cyriopagopus Tiberius
lividus is not usually a web-building spider, but Lullabye is Although named for “the gloomiest of men,” Tiberius
an exception.) His Disable Charm takes the form of biting is pretty friendly for a Technocratic agent. And make no
people or spitting venom at them, and though he can shoot mistake — an agent is what he is. Oh, they don’t call this sleek
webs at other characters he generally prefers not to. He’s murder-machine an “agent” on the rosters; anyone who’s met
fast, obviously, and rather fragile if you get past his carapace. Tiberius, though, knows that this uplifted Doberman-Great-
Spider is ferociously protective of Lullabye, and with good Dane hybrid is as smart as any field agent and smarter than
reason! As familiars go, he’s rather breakable. most people. He doesn’t talk or use “charms” of any kind
Lullabye’s Flaws include Alien Feature (4 pts.); Animal; — that would be Reality Deviance, and Tiberius is as loyal a
Ungainly Fingers (legs, actually — and yes, he can type, just Technocrat as one could ever hope to meet… or, depending
not well); and, of course, Thaumivore. Although weirdly on who you are, hope not to meet. He is, however, a tribute
frightening, Lullabye isn’t uncanny enough to suffer from to fine training, Progenitor biotech, and the miracles of
Unbelief; even if Spider was crazy enough to take him to Primum reinforcement.
a Technocratic stronghold, folks there would probably just The Union has been growing canine companions in vats
consider him to be some Progenitor’s experiment. As things for decades. Tiberius is hardly unique. Still, he’s smarter
are, he rarely leaves Spider’s ward-guarded Sanctum, and than the average Union pooch, and processes his intellect
almost never leaves her side if he does. It’s a big world, in an often-startling mix of canine perspective and human
especially by arachnid standards, and Lullabye doesn’t plan discernment. He’s not exactly working around the lab —
to become a hairy blue smear on anybody’s floor. that’s not sort of duty a field agent does. When it comes

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 99

to threat assessment, strategy, tactical discernment, and an strength, and tactical acumen send such Deviants straight
uncanny awareness about the deeper levels of human and to the oblivion they so earnestly crave.
near-human body language, Tiberius is a master of his field. System-wise, Tiberius is a five-dot Companion (in the
Raised and trained to maintain order in a chaotic world, Technocratic Familiar sense of that word) whose lack of
Tiberius has seen enough to make his loyalties clear. Like “magical” power is offset by prodigious physical and men-
any good Technocrat, he serves the cause of higher evolution tal ability. He communicates through telepathy and body
for Earth’s deeply flawed species, and he stands as proof of language, and he understands, and can mind-speak in, over
what such order can achieve. Yes, he’s a dog, but a sterling a dozen human languages. His Academics Trait reflects an
example of the best aspects of canine and human potential. extensive knowledge of tactics, history, and social protocols
Brave, loyal, honorable, disarmingly polite, and unexpect- rather than academic schooling in a human sense. While
edly compassionate (by Technocratic attack-dog standards, he’s not a cyborg per se, his bones have been enhanced
anyway), Tiberius is a model citizen of futuristic supremacy. with Primum countermeasures. He’s got the Animal and
Though tough enough to face a full-fledged werewolf No Dexterous Limbs Flaws, though his telekinetic abilities
in combat (and win), Tiberius prefers to tailor his response allow the Emperor to work a bit around the latter. Because
to an appropriate level of force. Negotiation is an option, he appears to be a perfectly ordinary (if huge) black dog, and
and while he cannot speak human words, his command of lacks overt cybernetic Enhancements, he incurs no Paradox
nonverbal communication is eloquent enough to cross most and does not suffer from Unbelief. That said, he does require
lines of species, culture, and linguistics. His perceptions, a diet of specially formulated food, plus a regimen of medical
enhanced well beyond the normal capacities of man and treatments, in order to sustain himself for long. Although
dog, and skills allow him to assess potential hazards and no good Technocrat would use the word “Thaumivore” to
then circumvent them before many targets even realize he describe his needs, that is, in game terms, what Tiberius
is there. His human teammates regard Tiberius as an equal, is. He also neutralizes the Paradox Effect in the usual way
and they’re well-advised to do familiars do, though it’s not through conscious metaphysical
so. The few agents who effort on his part. The Emperor simply figures he’s “taking
were shortsighted enough one for the team” the way any good agent would do.
to regard this agent as a
mere hound were quickly Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina
and firmly appraised of 6, Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2,
their error. Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 4
These days, Tiberius Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 4, Athletics 4,
works alongside an es- Awareness 4, Brawl 4, Empathy 4, Etiquette 1,
teemed field agent whose Intimidation 4, Investigation 3, Law 1, Medicine
covert allegiance to the 1, Stealth 4, Subterfuge 3, Survival (Tracking) 5
Friends of Courage is
Willpower: 4
shared by Tiberius him-
self. Yes, “the Emperor,” Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1,
as he is colloquially ‒2, ‒ 2, ‒5, Incapacitated
known among the ranks, Armor Rating: 3 (nine soak dice, total)
has discerned a troubling Powers: Bite for Strength + 3 lethal
degree of corruption among damage; claw for Strength + 1 bashing
the Union’s ranks. Though damage.
he is in no way a friend to
Special Advantages:
Reality Deviants — Tiberius
Claws and Fangs; Healing
himself bears the mental
Lick (6 pts.); Homing Instinct;
and physical scars of their
Soak Aggravated Damage;
brand of chaos — Tiberius
Paradox Nullification (5
has begun his own in-
pts.); Telepathy; Telekinesis.
vestigations into the rot
Beyond all that, Tiberius also
infecting his beloved
boasts four dice of Primum
Technocracy. When
countermeasures.
he finds the agents of
its perpetration, his Charms: “Charms,” citizen? Why
Primum teeth, dizzy- would you inquire into such superstitious rubbish?
ing speed, terrifying Rage: 4

100 Gods & Monsters

Gnosis: 4 details, see How Do You DO That? (p. 34). The Device
Essence: 20 has also been rigged to give Tiberius a disabling stun-shock
specially tailored to his physiology, but his handlers and
Image: A HUGE black dog, Tiberius stands almost four feet
companions have never needed to use it on him… yet.
high at the shoulder, with a massive chest, a thick neck, and
the traditionally clipped ears of an attack-trained Doberman. Roleplaying Notes: You are not only what dogs and men
The Emperor has deeply intelligent brown eyes, and his tele- could aspire to be, but what they all should be. Your life proves
pathic voice is deep and resonant. it’s possible to be so much more than what most people (of any
species) believe they’re capable of becoming. Order under
He wears a collar equipped with scrambled-frequency radio,
technological progress, to you, is essential for the survival
a tracking device, and hypertech cloaking technology. System-
of this deteriorating world. You have firsthand knowledge
wise, this is a Correspondence 2 / Forces 2 wave-deflector
of the horrors just beyond the average person’s sight, and
Device (Enlightenment 4) that gives Tiberius invisibility and
your experiences nurture a white-hot rage that sometimes
silence while allowing him to sense his surrounding area; for
undermines your monk-like sense of purposeful calm.

Chapter Two: Constructs and Familiars 101

 Chapter Three:
A Bestial
Bestiary
Monsters just outside our peripheral vision are scarier to contemplate
than monsters miles away or in someplace only a fool would set foot in.
— Andrew Pyper

Corvia calls the crowstorm with a sly grin and a wave of the reckless flight and inevitable mess of droppings on the ground.
her hand. They wheel and crackle from the sky, a torrent of Those damn birds again — what does she see in them, anyway,
feathers and avian wit bringing gossip from distant corners of and why does she keep messing up the street that way? For Corvia,
her neighborhood. This crow tells her of the squashed rabbit in though, the crowstorm is information, fellowship, and a reason to
the gutter three blocks away; that one comments on those damn laugh at a world that looks so small as it passes below their wings,
gulls and how the rival birds keep jockeying for territory again. A disappears into their beaks, and is gone.
bystander would hear harsh cries and fluttering pinions, wincing at

Close to Home, and Far Away

There are monsters in our homes. Monsters next door. comfort ourselves with cat videos online, scratch our dogs behind
Monsters in the shadows. Monsters in the skies and streets. the ears, leave a plate of fresh rice out for the household yokai,
Sure, these “monsters” look like animals more often than not; or hear the maddening whine of skymurmurs as we try to fall
what, though, is an animal if not a living reminder of what we asleep, the truth stares back at us, refusing to be wished away,
are without our high-flown pretentions and bizarre priorities? often ready to scratch our face or tear our throat out if we forget
As we saw earlier, “monsters” reveal the truth. And so, as we our place and truly piss it off.

Natural Animals
Strangers, familiars, monsters, and occasional gods — our an- and often did, kill and eat our ancestors. The cat snoozing next
imal kin are all of them and more. In Paul A. Trout’s book Deadly to your computer these days might not seem like a god incarnate;
Powers: Animal Predators and the Mythic Imagination, Trout traces for beasts in his weight class, though, he’s an apex predator whose
human magic and evolution to the influence of animals who could, metaphysical shadow still colors the Awakened world.

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 103

 Animals, in a mage’s world, can become totem-spirits, mortal Swarms may also have stronger poison than usual, pass on
companions, pets, antagonists, and more. Certain mages can rabies or other diseases, induce allergic reactions, or otherwise
become animals, or at least access their own bestial aspects with inflict substantially more damage than normal. For more about
magick. The Animalism practice and its related paradigms in The venom and toxicity, see “Drugs, Poisons, and Disease” in Mage
Book of Secrets (pp. 195-199), and the “Shapechanging” section 20, pp. 441-444.
of How Do You DO That? (pp. 19-25) show how a mage can
bring out the beast in herself, while the “Bestiary” and “Animal Packs and Swarms
Spirits / Totem Spirits” sections of Mage 20 (pp. 618-620 and
Health
632-636) provide an overview of common animals, their basic
Animal Damage Levels Initiative
game statistics, and some spiritual aspects they might assume.
An array of other non-magical animals can be found below. Small bugs 1/B 5 2
Large bugs 2/B 7 3
Packs and Swarms Flying bugs 2/B 5 4
Sometimes groups of animals attack en masse. A Technocrat Small birds/ bats 4/B 9 5
might use special pheromone sprays to attract a swarm of wasps,
crows, or rats and then sic them on a particular target, whereas Large birds/ bats 5/B 12 6
a Dreamspeaker can accomplish the same goal by commanding Rats 3/L 7 3
the spirit of that type of animal. Feral cats 2/L 6 6
Instead of trying to determine what each and every member Wild dogs 4/L 15 4
of a pack or swarm does, simply roll to see if the swarm itself
Wolf pack 5/L 20 6
harms a character. The most common types of swarms are listed
in the table below. Roll the listed damage dice pool once per Stampede (bison, 6/L 40 10
turn (difficulty 6) and allow the characters to try to dodge or cattle, etc.)
soak the result. Packs attack once per turn per target, and they
act on the initiative given on the chart. Ape, Large (Gorilla, Mandrill, Orangutan)
Characters that successfully dodge can move normally for Attributes: Strength 6-8, Dexterity 2, Stamina 6-7, Perception
the remainder of the turn. Otherwise, the swarm slows the 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
character down to half his usual movement. If the swarm scores Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Brawl 2, Stealth 3
more than three health levels’ worth of damage in one turn (after Willpower: 3
the target soaks), or if the player botches an appropriate roll, Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3, ‒5, Incapacitated
the swarm knocks the character down and overruns him. At
this point, the character can move only a yard or two per turn, Armor Rating: 1 (seven to eight soak dice, total)
and the swarm’s damage difficulty falls to 5. Efforts to get back Attacks: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; rend/punch for
up and continue moving have higher than normal difficulties Strength + 2 bashing damage.
(typically 7 or 8), depending upon how big the members of
the swarm are. Bat
The health levels listed reflect the amount of damage it Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1, Perception 3,
takes to disperse a pack or swarm. An additional two health Intelligence 1, Wits 2
levels’ worth of damage destroys the attackers completely. Pistols, Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 1, Flying 4
rifles, and small melee weapons (knives, brass knuckles, bottles, Willpower: 1
bare hands) inflict a single health level per strike, no matter how Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
many attack or damage successes you roll — that is, the strike hits
Armor Rating: 0 (one soak die, total)
only one creature. Shotguns, submachine guns, and large melee
weapons (swords, staves, boards, chainsaws) inflict normal damage Attack: Bite for Strength + 1lethal damage.
(each damage success rolled eliminates one health level from the
swarm as a whole), as do large-area attacks (Molotov cocktails, Bear, Small (Black Bear, Brown Bear)
plasma gun bursts, gusts of wind, explosions). Swarms and packs Attributes: Strength 5-7, Dexterity 2, Stamina 5-7, Perception
don’t soak. Larger packs can attack two or more characters at 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 2
once and can be attacked by all of them in return. Packs can Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Intimidation 2, Stealth 1
also attack anyone who helps an overrun character. A normal Willpower: 4
human can outrun some packs or swarms (those consisting of
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3, ‒5,
rats or bugs) but can’t hope to outrun others (those consisting
Incapacitated
of hyenas or birds).
Armor Rating: 1 (six to eight soak dice, total)
104 Gods & Monsters
Attacks: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; claw for Strength Willpower: 4
+ 2 lethal damage. Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒3, ‒5, ‒5, Incapacitated
Bear, Large (Grizzly, Polar Bear) Armor Rating: 0 (eight soak dice, total)
Attributes: Strength 7-9, Dexterity 2, Stamina 7-9, Perception Attacks: Bite for Strength ‒ 1 lethal damage; trample for Strength
3, Intelligence 1, Wits 2 + 1 bashing damage. An annoyed camel can also spit in some-
one’s face, as per the dirty-fighting maneuver Blinding (Mage
Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Intimidation 3, Stealth 1
20, pp. 423 and 447).
Willpower: 4
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5, Coyote
Incapacitated Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception 3,
Armor Rating: 1 (eight to 10 soak dice, total) Intelligence 2, Wits 3
Attacks: Bite for Strength + 2 lethal damage; claw for Strength Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Empathy 2, Stealth 3
+ 3 lethal damage. Willpower: 4
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3, ‒5, Incapacitated
Bison / Buffalo
Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 2, Stamina 8, Perception 2,
Intelligence 1, Wits 2 Attacks: Bite for Strength + 2 lethal damage; claw for Strength
+ 1 bashing damage.
Abilities: Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Brawl 3
Willpower: 3 Deer (Stag)
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, -1, -2, -2, -5, -5, Incapacitated Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Perception 3,
Armor Rating: 1 (nine soak dice, total) Intelligence 1, Wits 3
Attacks: Head butt or kick for Strength + 1 bashing damage; Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Empathy 2, Stealth 2
gore for Strength + 2 lethal damage. Willpower: 3
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒5, ‒5, Incapacitated
Boar /Swine
Armor Rating: 0 (five soak dice, total)
Attributes: Strength 4-6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 6, Perception 2,
Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Attacks: Trample / kick for Strength + 1 bashing damage; gore
for Strength + 1 lethal damage.
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Intimidation 2
Willpower: 3 Dolphin
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated Attributes: Strength 3-5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4-6, Perception
Armor Rating: 1 (seven soak dice, total) 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
Attack: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; gore for Strength Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Empathy
+ 2 lethal damage. 2, Swimming 4
Willpower: 4
Bull Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 2, Stamina 7, Perception 2,
Armor Rating: 0 (four to six soak dice, total)
Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Attack: Ram for Strength + 1 bashing damage.
Abilities: Alertness 2, Brawl 2, Intimidation 3
Willpower: 2 Elephant, Medium
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒3, ‒3, Incapacitated (Asiatic, African Forest)
Armor Rating: 0 (seven soak dice, total) Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 2, Stamina 12, Perception 3,
Attacks: Bite for Strength ‒ 2 lethal damage; gore for Strength Intelligence 2, Wits 2
+ 1 lethal damage; trample for Strength + 1 bashing damage. Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Empathy 2, Swimming 1
Willpower: 4
Camel
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5,
Attributes: Strength 5-6, Dexterity 2, Stamina 8, Perception 2, Incapacitated
Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Armor Rating: 2 (14 soak dice, total)
Abilities: Alertness 2, Brawl 2, Survival 2

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 105

Attacks: Gore for Strength + 2 lethal damage; trample for Armor Rating: 0 (two soak dice, total)
Strength + 3 bashing damage; trunk grab-and-slam for Strength Attack: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage.
+ 1 bashing damage.
Goat
Elephant, Large (African Bush Adult) Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception 2,
Attributes: Strength 14, Dexterity 2, Stamina 15, Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Intelligence 2, Wits 2
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 4, Brawl 2
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Empathy 2, Swimming 1
Willpower: 2
Willpower: 4
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5,
Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)
Incapacitated
Attacks: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; gore for Strength
Armor Rating: 2 (18 soak dice, total)
+ 2 bashing damage.
Attacks: Gore for Strength + 2 lethal damage; trample for
Strength + 3 bashing damage; trunk grab-and-slam for Strength Octopus, Small (A Foot or Two Across)
+ 1 bashing damage. Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception 2,
Intelligence 2, Wits 2
Fox
Abilities: Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Stealth 4
Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Perception 2,
Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Willpower: 2
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Stealth 3 Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Willpower: 3 Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated Attacks: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; crush for Strength
+ 1 bashing damage per turn.

106 Gods & Monsters

Octopus, Large (Roughly Human-Sized) Shark, Large
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 6, Perception 2, (Great Hammerhead, Great White)
Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 8, Perception 3,
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Stealth 4 Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Willpower: 3 Abilities: Alertness 4, Brawl 3, Hunting 3, Swimming 4
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated Willpower: 3
Armor Rating: 1 (five soak dice, total) Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Attacks: Three attacks / turn; Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; Armor Rating: 2 (10 dice, total)
crush for Strength + 1 bashing damage per turn; rend for Strength Attack: Bite for Strength + 3 lethal damage.
+ 1 lethal damage.
Snake, Small
Octopus, Monster (Boat-Eater Size) (Copperhead, Coral Snake, Rosy Boa)
Attributes: Strength 10, Dexterity 3, Stamina 12, Perception 2, Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 1, Perception 1,
Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Stealth 2 Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 1, Stealth 4
Willpower: 5 Willpower: 2
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, Health Levels: OK, Squished
‒3, ‒3, ‒5, Incapacitated
Armor Rating: 0 (one soak die, total)
Armor Rating: 3 (13 soak dice, total)
Attacks: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage. Venomous snakes
Attacks: Three attacks / turn; Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage; add toxin damage between levels one and three, either bashing
crush for Strength + 1 bashing damage per turn; rend for Strength or lethal, depending on the type of snake; for details, see Mage
+ 1 lethal damage. 20, p. 442.
Shark, Small Snake, Large
(Dogfish, Mako, Sand Shark) (Cobra, Diamondback, King Snake)
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Perception 3, Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Perception 1,
Intelligence 1, Wits 2 Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Abilities: Alertness 4, Brawl 3, Hunting 3, Swimming 3 Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 2, Stealth 3
Willpower: 3 Willpower: 3
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Armor Rating: 1 (four soak dice, total) Armor Rating: 0 (two soak dice, total)
Attack: Bite for Strength + 3 lethal damage. Attacks: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage. Constrictors can
crush for Strength + 1 bashing damage per turn. Venomous snakes
Shark, Medium (Blue, Tiger, Whitetip) add toxin damage between levels two and four, either bashing
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Perception 3, or lethal, depending on the type of snake.
Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Abilities: Alertness 4, Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Hunting 3, Swimming 4 Snake, Huge
Willpower: 3 (Anaconda, Python, King Cobra)
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated Attributes: Strength 5-7 (large constrictors), Dexterity 3, Stamina
4-6, Perception 2, Intelligence 1, Wits 2
Armor Rating: 1 (six soak dice, total)
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 4, Brawl 3, Stealth 3
Attack: Bite for Strength + 2 lethal damage.
Willpower: 5
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
Armor Rating: 1 (five to seven soak dice, total)
Attack: Constrictors can crush for Strength + 2 bashing damage
per turn. King cobras do not constrict, but their bites inflicts toxin
level three (lethal).

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 107

 Bygone Monsters
The living nightmares of our legendary world through the clouds. The Anuk Ite wear this face while they hunt
have retreated, in our modern times, to the and only after their hunger has been (temporarily) satisfied do
fringes of the mortal realm or escaped to far they show their human face again.
safer Otherworlds. You might find a cockatrice Rarely, some Anuk Ite eschew their human face and only
hiding in the bombed-out basement of a remote live to feed. Dining on human flesh is their greatest, basest desire,
tenement’s ruins, but you’re not likely to see one and some of them choose a life of pursuing it rather than holding
strutting its poisonous way down Main Street it at bay. These monsters hunt aggressively and tactically. They
unless some zooterrorist Marauder is up to his have more strength and speed than normal humans, and they’re
usual tricks again. Dragons and unicorns have always the most fit and agile of their people. If they could not
honored places in popular culture and legend, hunt with such efficiency, they would not survive their lifestyle.
but their existence in the everyday world is None of them are fools. Worse, when Anuk Ite wear their monster
precarious and rare thanks to Unbelief Paradox (Mage 20, p. 553). faces, they are naturally resistant to the forces of the supernatural.
Although the famous critters of classic myth have largely fled Their curse weighs heavier than any curse an angry Verbena or
the human world (but can be found in World of Darkness: The a revenge-driven Euthanatos could lay upon them. They are not
Bygone Bestiary), newer monsters — and fairly obscure older immune to the effects of belief and magick, but as long as they
ones — still creep through the bushes and occasionally pop up walk as monsters, they are abnormally resistant to it.
to bite some mage in the ass. Most Anuk Ite no longer know their stories or where they
came from. They are lost people without the guidance of an-
Anuk Ite cestors and the teachings of their original language. Without a
They walk in the shadows of tall hills at sunset. They shuffle connection to the past, they have nothing and no one to guide
through underbrush when the day is bright. They saunter without them to their future. There’s little hope left for these people,
fear when the light of the sun is clouded out. They are the Anuk and even though they strike fear into the hearts of those who
Ite: those whom some people call a race of merciless cannibals, still know their stories and warn of their terrors, the greatest
whom others whisper are bearers of an ancient curse. But every thing these stories teach is the danger of losing one’s first name.
story about them is true.
In the time before time, when many peoples were scattered Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 3,
across the land, one people settled into the crevices and cracks Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
between high hills, relishing the shade and turning away from Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 1, Brawl 3, Enigmas
the light of the sun. Their first-name is lost, because their sto- 2, Intimidation 2, Melee 3, Stealth 4
ries are no longer told, and names live on in stories. It is said
that a leader of these people chose a husband from another Willpower: 4
people, but her husband did not want her. To take revenge for Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
the unwanted marriage, the husband murdered the children Armor Rating: 1 (four soak dice, total)
of the leader, and then cooked them and fed them to his wife. Powers/Advantages: Anuk Ite attack with knives or clubs
Although the leader was ignorant of her husband’s betrayal, she (as per weapon type) before biting and clawing (Strength + 1
was cursed for eating her own children, and the face of her evil / + 2) at close range / Armor (1 pt.); Fangs and Claws; Mystic
and greed was cast forever on the back of her head. She birthed Shield (four dice, 8 pts.).
more offspring with her husband, and although these children
Image: The Anuk Ite still prefer to avoid the sun, living in craggy
were also born with two faces, her husband did not kill them.
hills or forests, or in the back alleys and abandoned buildings of
Generations after the leader passed on, her lineage dominated
the city. They often wear hooded garments, sometimes as simple
the people, and those descendants gained the name they carry
as a trash bag wrapped around their heads, or large, bulky
to this day: the Anuk Ite.
hoodies. Sometimes even an oversized hat or wig will do. They
Anuk Ite have voracious appetites, and are frequently en- are always hiding one face, so as to appear as any other human.
countered seeking their next meal. They prefer to keep to the Most Anuk Ite choose to show their human face. There is nothing
darkness of their homes otherwise. Eventually, even those who at all to suggest a difference between this face and an average
choose to show their human faces can no longer control their human being.
desires and seek out the only nourishment that satisfies them:
Roleplaying Notes: Whoever you once were is gone. Perhaps
human flesh. When the Anuk Ite hunt for human food, they
some memories linger from the existence you once knew. The
show their cursed, monstrous faces. These faces are twisted and
core of you these days, however, is endless, grinding hunger.
cruel, with many sharp teeth and eyes that glow like the moon

108 Gods & Monsters

 physicality. His nails and teeth are long and mangled, and his
Aigamuxa face is devoid of eyes.
From a distance, the aigamuxa might be mistaken for a nor- Roleplaying Notes: Sense, stalk, feed, repeat.
mal man. He has a head, two arms, a torso, and two legs. When
someone approaches, though, it’s clear that he’s anything but
normal. Perhaps his arms are too long, or the witness glimpses
Black Snakes
his long fingers, ending in sharp nails, or maybe they hear the Generation after generation, stories have been handed
sound of his feverish snarls and snorts. Certainly, the lack of down from sacred lorekeeper to sacred lorekeeper regarding the
eyes on his face is a clue to this creature’s uncanny nature. No, prophecy of Zuseca Sape. The stories are many and varied, and
the aigamuxa doesn’t look at all normal up close. But then not only told among one people. The prophecies, however, are
again, by the time you realize that fact, it’s probably too late. recognized far and wide: When Zuseca Sape crawls its way across
the land of the ancestors, the end of the world will follow. Since the
Aigamuxa has his eyes on the soles of his feet. Blind while
first prophecy was told, the storytellers have considered and
standing still, he relies on scent and hearing to tell when some-
debated the nature of Zuseca Sape. They knew their prophecies
one else is near. His perceptions are keen enough to smell the
to be truth, and their stories to be sacred. Zuseca Sape has always
differences between a human and an animal from far away — and
been a truth and has never been a myth.
he much prefers the meat of a person over that of an animal.
When pursuing prey, he hops up onto his hands and runs using Today, as the need for power and energy to fuel technological
his arms, not his legs. With his long limbs, he can chase that advancement grows exponentially, oil companies desperately seek
person far faster than they can run, particularly if they struggle new methods and techniques with which to pull as much oil
with the sandy dunes of the aigamuxa’s desert territory; how from the crust of the earth as they possibly can. Arctic drilling
he keeps that sand out of the eyes on his feet is one of those and metropolitan frakking wreak havoc on the environment,
mysteries whose answers wait beyond the shell of rationality. Like and the Canadian Tar Sands have turned an ancient forest into
so many legendary creatures, the aigamuxa exists beyond logic, an endless, stinking wasteland, thick with choking poisons. Oil
in the space between fevered dreams and vibrant life. deposits are scattered across the land, and the need for pipelines
to transfer the dirty oil to refineries has cast spiderwebs of steel
Once the aigamuxa captures his prey, he’ll crush it into a sack
across the world. Over highways and under lakes, through neigh-
of skin and shattered bones, then use sharp teeth to tear meat
borhoods and across forests, the pipelines are everywhere. The
from the body. The best way to escape this fate involves waiting
black snakes have crossed the land, and it seems as though no
until the beast is standing, blinded, on its feet. If the prey remains
force on earth can turn them back.
silent and doesn’t move, it won’t disturb the air and attract the
aigamuxa’s notice. To elude his sense of smell, the target needs to Squirming through the pipelines and seeping out of a
use stinky natural materials, like animal feces or mud, to obscure nigh-infinite number of leaks come Zuseca Sape’s children, the
its own scent. Once the aigamuxa stands on its hands to use its Black Snakes, slick and liquid black, without tint until light
eyes, though, the target has a chance to run — it’s hard to grab touches their ichorous scales in just the right way. When the
when he’s running on his hands. Once he knows its scent and sun illuminates their great coils, however, the fluidic plates
can return to his feet, unless it manages to escape him completely, that cover their elongated bodies cast it back in a blaze of color.
it’s only a matter of time before it becomes his next meal. These night-hued serpents reflect a sickly rainbow sheen as
their bodies crack the beams of the sun into fragments.
These monsters have no obvious head or tail. More often
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 1,
than not, by the time they’re discovered, they have grown to
Manipulation 3, Appearance 1, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
such incredible lengths that observers will never have a chance
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Brawl 3, to see the head and tail at the same time. As these uncanny black
Intimidation 3, Stealth 4, Survival 2, Investigation 3 snakes crawl across the land, they leave greasy, pitch-colored
Willpower: 5 stains in their wake. These trails soak into the earth, leaving it
Rage: 3 (from Ferocity Advantage) untenable for life. Nothing new will grow in such places, and
nothing made by the hands of man can stand — except, of course,
Health Levels: OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
for the pipelines that serve as birthing pods for these monsters.
Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total)
More militant orders of magi suggest that these creatures are
Powers/Advantages: An aigamuxa grapples (Strength easy to defeat and so aren’t truly anything to be concerned about.
bashing damage), body slams (Strength + 2 lethal damage),
Destroying a single black snake is an arduous work of labor,
and then bites (Strength + 1 lethal) and squeezes its prey until the
but hardly an impossible one. They’re particularly flammable, and
victim dies. / Alacrity (2 pts.); Fangs and Claws; Ferocity (6 pts.);
slow to react to an assault. When such creatures die, their remains
Needleteeth; Nightsight
exude deadly poisons, but cleaning up the mess isn’t especially
Image: Larger in build and stature than a normal human being, difficult of a cabal of skillful, determined willworkers. Destroying
an aigamuxa’s distended torso and limbs give him a grotesque a single black snake, however, or even a small nest of them, means

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 109

little in the grand scheme of things. The nests in which they breed forest that give a traveler the feeling of doom. If someone happens
are numerous, and much more difficult to destroy. Worse, those to trespass into an eloko’s territory, that person might notice a lack
nests tend to be protected by technomancers — especially operatives of game animals and editable vegetation. Why? Because each eloko
of the Technocratic Union — while other magickal groups remain has enchanted the forest to hide his food from them. It’s best, really,
blind to the truth around them. Rare is the dieselpunk-powered that such food remains hidden, though. If a stranger finds food and
Etherite who’ll lift a finger to protect the sacred lands these black takes it for herself, the eloko will jealously hunt that person down
snakes defile; even rarer is the Chorister who understands the and take her life. Occasionally, however, he won’t bother trying to
sacred nature of the lands such pollution destroys forever. hide the food — he may, in fact, make its presence more obvious.
When black snakes are destroyed, the remains of their Biloko love the taste of human flesh (particularly that of women),
corpses immediately seep into the earth, scarring it irrevocably. so they sometimes use their magic to lure in their next meal.
Where the corpse of a snake lies, the land and its significance The sound of an eloko’s bells invokes an enchantment that
are soon forgotten, as the entropic nature of the snake’s re- tricks the trespasser into imagining whatever the eloko wants
mains slowly corrode the memory of the land from the minds them to imagine. In one old story, for example, a young hunter
of living things. Soon after a black snake is destroyed, there’s ventured into the forest and took his wife with him. When he left
literally nothing left in that land that matters. In order to save the her at a campsite to gather wood, she heard the sound of bells. A
sacred nature of the land and its hold within the human soul, tiny voice came out of the woods and called to her. She thought
according to many Dreamspeakers and Batini mages, humanity it was a human child. It wasn’t. It was an eloko. When the hunter
must transform the cultures that rely so heavily on the fuel and returned, the only thing he found at their campsite was her bones.
energy produced by oil… or better still, must end those cultures An eloko’s greed knows no bounds. His hunger for food and
entirely. Killing black snakes individually does little to halt the desire for flesh makes him volatile, and so trying to reason with
encroachment of Zuseca Sape, the herald of last sunset. him is useless. It’s been said that biloko possess (or are possessed
by) the vengeful, angry spirits of ancestors who died in the forests;
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 6, Stamina 3, Charisma 1, by channeling their rage through his claws and hunger, this creature
Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 1, Wits 4 can tear a person’s soul apart. Those devoured by an eloko, tales
claim, cannot pass on to What Waits Beyond. When consumed,
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Stealth 3
their essence is utterly destroyed. The only defense against eloko
Willpower: 4 involves magic — traditionally bound into an amulet — that can
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1 ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, protect the stranger from illusions before the eloko has a chance
Incapacitated to kill them. If an eloko gets his claws and teeth into you, he
Armor Rating: 0 (three soak dice, total) won’t merely be eating your flesh — he’ll also devour your soul.
Powers/Advantages: Crush for Strength lethal damage /
Deadly Demise (six dice lethal damage); Hazardous Breath (two Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 3,
dice lethal caustic damage, 14 pts.) Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 2,
Image: Fluid black until struck by light, these monsters appear to Wits 3
normal sight as mindless streams of crude oil. Spirit-perceptions, Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 5 (Devour), Expression
however, reveal the true demi-sapient nature of the black snakes, 1, Intimidation 4, Melee 2, Stealth 4, Survival 2
Prime exposes the coruscating essence of primal life within them, Willpower: 5
and Entropy perceives the fluid nature of entropic forgetfulness.
Health Levels: OK, ‒1 ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Dematerialized
Roleplaying Notes: It would be easy to confuse black snakes with
Armor Rating: 0 (four soak dice, total)
twisted forces of nature, like Bane spirits or other monsters associated
with the corrupted state of Entropy known by some spirit-workers as Powers/Advantages: After using its bell to draw prey away
the Wyrm. Truthfully, however, these great worms represent only the from safety, the eloko attacks from concealment (‒2 difficulty),
end of all things — not malicious but simply indifferent. They seep with claws (Strength + 2 lethal damage) and then attempts to
across the land in an effort to erase it. They journey from their wombs swallow its prey whole (Strength + 3 lethal damage) / Claws and
into the creeks and rivers and oceans of the world because they Fangs; Human Speech; Musical Influence; Rapid Healing (4 pts.)
understand that water is the birthplace of life; when they have so Image: A small, dwarf-like creature with sharp claws, piercing
filled the oceans and blotted out every memory of life, and every eyes, reddish skin, and vivid green grass covering his body instead
memory of water, the sun will set for the final time. of hair, an eloko has a gaping mouth that opens wide enough to
swallow a human whole. He tends to use weapons made from
Eloko the bones of his prey, and it’s been said that the bells he rings are
If you hear the soft sound of bells, don’t move. This is the made of bone as well.
first sign of the presence of an eloko. These creatures (known in Roleplaying Notes: The souls of the dead within you cry out
the plural sense as biloko) live in those deep, unexplored parts of the for sustenance. To feed them, you must feed yourself as well.

110 Gods & Monsters

Grootslang in order to lure him. Considering, though, that he’s still around,
that’s probably not a successful strategy. Grootslang, on the other
When the gods created each of the animals on earth, giving hand, often feeds himself by using the same trick; when people
each one a purpose and a shape, they made a large mistake: They who lust after diamonds seek those riches out in lakeside caves,
made the grootslang. they may fall prey to Grootslang’s hunger. He coils in the depths
With the head of an elephant and a body of a snake, the of mineshafts, too, eating the miners who seek jewels in the
creatures originally known as grootslang were powerful and cunning dark. Did the gods truly make a mistake when they left a single
monsters, able to live on land and underwater as well. These Grootslang alive, or is this immortal monster a living lesson about
creatures were violent, too, using their strength and intellect to the awful price of greed?
run rampant upon the earth. And so, the gods decided to split
the grootslang into two separate animals, turning their heads into
Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 6, Charisma 1,
elephants and their bodies into snakes. Almost every grootslang
Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4
was separated this way; one, however, was sly enough to hide
away underwater and escape the justice of the gods. Now known Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 4, Awareness 3 Brawl 3,
as the Grootslang, he’s still alive today. Cosmology 2, Enigmas 3, Occult 3, Intimidation 5, Stealth 5,
Survival 5
The last of his kind, the Grootslang lives in large lakes,
where he lures elephants and people to the water’s edge. When Willpower: 6
his prey lower their heads to drink from the water, he wraps his Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1 ‒1 ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5,
serpentine tail around their legs, pulls them in, and drowns them. ‒5, Incapacitated
Once they’re dead, he devours them whole, with a powerful jaw Armor Rating: 4 (10 soak dice, total)
full of sharp teeth that can gnash bones to pieces and a body
Powers/Advantages: Bite for Strength + 2 lethal damage;
that digests food like an anaconda’s: slowly and near-completely.
gore for Strength +3 lethal damage; crush for Strength + 2 bashing
Grootslang’s one weakness is his love of jewels. He’ll hoard damage / Armor (4 pts.); Fangs and Horns (tusks); Flexibility;
enormous amounts of precious stones (especially diamonds) in Needleteeth; Tunneling; Soak Aggravated Damage; Unaging;
a nearby cave, and then guard them with fierce intensity. Folks Venom (6 pts.)
who wish to trap or divert Grootslang leave jewels laying around
Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 111
Image: Nightmarishly huge, the Grootslang has thick black skin, “swimming” through clouds high in the air. If a mage becomes
a probing trunk, long tusks, a cavernous mouth that opens wide powerful enough to possess an Inkanyamba, they can quickly
beneath his tusks, and a long serpent’s body that stretches out into travel vast distances by water, destroying almost any physical
the darkness of the caves he loves. obstacle that stands in their way. In order to approach the waters
Roleplaying Notes: The tiny lights in the darkness belong to without getting swallowed up by Inkanyamba, however, prayers
you. Only to you. Your immortal mind recalls the rise and fall and offerings must first be given to the creature in order to ap-
of empires, and though you’ll occasionally spare a trespassing pease its violent nature, and to calm the raging storms and rain
mortal snack so you can learn more about the world beyond your the creature often summons to hide itself or distract its prey.
caverns and lakes, you get hungry in the void, and so, you feed.
Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 7, Stamina 8, Charisma 2,
Inkanyamba Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 2, Intelligence 1, Wits 3
Inkanyamba is so elusive that it’s unclear whether there’s Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 5, Awareness 2, Brawl 4, Stealth 3
only one Inkanyamba, or an entire species of them. It is, or they
Willpower: 4
are, most active during the summer months, and are thought to
be responsible for the seasonal storms that spring up around that Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1 ‒1 ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5,
time and devastate the land. During the winter, Inkanyamba either ‒5, Incapacitated
hibernates or migrates to warmer waters (where it is seen in other Armor Rating: 3 (11 soak dice, total)
parts of the world). Because of this creature’s elusive nature, it’s Powers/Advantages: Bite for Strength + 3 lethal damage;
hard to discern whether Inkanyamba is laying eggs in other waters crush for Strength lethal damage; swallow for Strength lethal
and returning to its African home once it’s done, or if it simply damage; barbed “mane” gores for Strength + 2 lethal damage /
prefers to travel all over the globe. Sadly, very few people get close Alacrity (6 pts.); Armor (3 pts.); Elemental Touch (15 pts.); Fangs
enough to Inkanyamba to confirm either theory before being eaten. and Horns; Flexibility; Soak Aggravated Damage; Tunneling
Most often observed in fresh inland waters, the Inkanyamba Image: Inkanyamba has a serpentine body roughly 50 feet long,
is capable of rapid underwater travel, and can blast through rock with a vaguely horselike head. The creature’s “mane,” however, is
formations and survive the scalding steam of geysers. Legends made of sharp, hooked fins, and its two foreflippers extend out from
portray these creatures riding the winds of violent storms, or
112 Gods & Monsters
its body by two meters or so. Its mouth is filled with jagged teeth, injuries rather than feed, and gradually become more decrepit
like those of a piranha, and although it’s often known by a single as the rigors of not-death wear their mortal bodies away.
proper name, the various colors and patterns attributed to its skin Restless by definition, jiangshi rarely stay idle or in the same
suggest there may be many such creatures deep beneath the waters. place for long. While they’re most famous in China, jiangshi roam
Roleplaying Notes: All things about you, save your hunger, all over East Asia, with a few of them even choosing to migrate to
remain mysteries. other regions of the globe. Many take up work as club bouncers,
construction workers, and workers from other physically active
Jiangshi professions. These beings never sleep, and they can see into the
These infamous “hopping vampires” are recidivism personi- Penumbra… often through the morbid Vidare Mortem which,
fied. Stiff corpses whose rigid physicality forces them to “hop” and incidentally, does not help with their sanity and anger issues.
thrash around with distinct unsubtlety, these undead parasites If you happen to encounter a hopping vampire who’s trying
endure decades of being trapped within their own bodies before to pass for a living person, be ready for that jiangshi to go full
they manage to escape their graves. Such lengthy imprisonment raving madman as soon as they realize that you can see them for
and isolation gives them the shittiest attitudes imaginable. Most what they are. Under better circumstances, the creature may act
display a certain degree of the personalities they held in life; those calmer and perhaps even personably. Bring a stick and a carrot
personalities, however, have been hardened and coarsened by if you plan on bargaining with one of them, though, just to be
decades — sometimes centuries — of graceless non-death, and safe. Especially the stick, most especially if it came from a peach
so these creatures remain stuck in a state somewhere between tree, whose sacred wood drives malignant energies away. Better
zombie, true vampire, and a really crappy excuse for a life. still, bring a mirror (jiangshi fear and flee their own reflections), a
Occasionally, this state results from a curse inflicted by some Taoist paper talisman (affixed to the vampire’s head, such charms
vengeful enemy. Most jiangshi, however, have no one but them- immobilize jiangshi), an axe or broom (to chop up the critter or
selves to blame for their current predicament. Spectacularly bad beat it away), the blood of a black dog (splashed on a jiangshi, it
luck (and bad Qi, known in the West as Quintessence) made their burns them like acid), Taoist or Confucian prayers, the ba gua sign
bodies too restless to properly die. Jiangshi owe their dismal state of (which they flee as Christian vampires flee a cross), a bag of coins
life after death to a near absence of yin energies, and a monstrous or glutinous rice (which, when spilled, distracts the vampire, who
amount of yang. Ironically, this crucial energetic imbalance means feels compelled to pick it all up), or maybe just a torch or other
that a jiangshi who drains someone’s Quintessence is essentially source of fire. Vampires — even the hopping kind — fucking hate fire.
committing suicide, because restoring balance to a jiangshi’s Qi
breaks their control over the physical body, releasing their spiritual Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, Charisma 3,
essence from that rigid form. Nevertheless, jiangshi must drain Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence 5,
Quintessential energy from living things in order to retain their Wits 3
mortal state… and despite that rather uncomfortable state, the
Abilities: Academics 2, Alertness 1, Athletics 3, Awareness 2,
proposition of following being undead with several centuries in
Brawl 2, Enigmas 2, Esoterica (Taoist Alchemy) 4, Firearms 2,
a Buddhist hell-realm is enough to keep a hopping vampire, well,
Intimidation 3, Martial Arts 2, Melee 2, Occult 3, Subterfuge 3
hopping for their next meal.
Willpower: 6
When feeding, a jiangshi goads or entices would-be prey into
emotional exertions that raise the vital energies (preferably in a Rage: 2 (from Ferocity Advantage)
passionate yang state: vibrant, active, perhaps amorous or violent) Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5,
to a pitch. Some jiangshi then latch themselves onto the prey with Incapacitated
grasping hands or a hungry mouth, but many — especially those Armor Rating: 2 (six soak dice, total)
of the more “old-school” variety — simply sit back and draw the
Powers/Advantages: Bite for Strength + 2 aggravated dam-
energy into themselves from a discreet distance. Mages skilled
age, claw for Strength + 3 aggravated damage; Armor (2 pts.);
in the Sphere of Prime can sense these energies, of course, but
Aura; Fangs and Claws (aggravated); Ferocity (4 pts.); Human
most mortal folk cannot unless their perceptions reach into
Guise; Mystic Shield (two dice, 4 pts.); Nightsight; Soak Lethal
sublime realms hidden from foolish human eyes. (In game terms,
Damage; Soul-Sense /Death Sense (3 pts.); Spirit Vision
the Awareness Talent or similar energy-based Disciplines, Gifts,
or other powers.) Regardless of the method employed, jiangshi Image: Newly risen jiangshi stick out like pale, moldering corpses
must drain such energies in order to remain “alive.” Stealing Qi dressed in outdated funeral wear. Their iconic “hopping” pose
is essential for a jiangshi’s survival, as they must feed in order to generally clues people in, too. Once a jiangshi learns to control
heal injuries or even to repair their rigid bodies from the basic his body, however, his movements become more fluid, eventually
wear and tear of walking around. Some clever jiangshi preserve surpassing his body’s original speed and strength. After a few years
their unlife-spans by draining Qi only from feverish patients, (and a bit of makeup), a jiangshi can look almost like any other
unrepentantly violent criminals, and other folks with severe Qi person… to the naked eye, anyway. For anyone with paranormal
imbalances. Others of a more philosophical bent accept their perceptions, jiangshi (including those still interred) glow like hot

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 113

coals, their massive spiritual imbalance making their nature plain. who wants to pierce the Gauntlet in the Okinawan Prefecture.
Roleplaying Notes: Almost as chatty as you are pissed off. It also makes them an immediate obstacle for anyone (or any-
Your imbalanced yang energy makes you emotionally volatile, thing) trying to cross over from the Umbra. If you’re tracking
talkative, mercurial, and often hasty, while your stiff form is really… an Umbral critter, you’d do well to search the banyan trees for
fucking… frustrating to work with. kijimuna and ask for help.

Kijimuna Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 3,

Anyone looking to pierce the Gauntlet in the Ryukyu Manipulation 5, Appearance 3, Perception 2, Intelligence 3,
Islands deals with the kijimuna. Sometimes, people even talk to Wits 5
the leaf-clad imps on purpose. The little maniacs love twisting Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 4, Empathy 2,
reality, making Umbral trespassers on the islands rare. Often Enigmas 3, Expression 3, Investigation 5, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge
mistaken for kids with huge, red, bushy manes, kijimuna will 4 (Practical Jokes), Stealth 4, Survival 4
ruin your day if they sense aggression or decide that someone
Willpower: 7
broke a promise to them. Or if they have nothing better to do.
Look — just don’t fuck with them, okay? Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
On the plus side, kijimuna talk straight. If they say they’re Armor Rating: 0 (two soak dice, total)
going to do something, they’ll do it, no matter how wildly im- Powers/Advantages: Aww! (2 pts.); Blending; Cause Insanity
possible it sounds. Trust and fear their words. Some fishermen (10 pts.); Earthbond; Elemental Touch (10 pts.); Spirit Travel (8
have made good fortunes for themselves by partnering up with a pts.); Spirit-Vision; Tides of Fortune
kijimuna. Some fishermen have also had everything they owned Image: Somewhere between cute and repulsive, kijimuna look
march into the sea for not holding up their end of their deal. like little orange humans with clawed fingers and toes, wild red
This doesn’t mean that kijimuna are honorable; they just have hair, and large pointy ears. They tend to wear grass-frond skirts if
no tolerance for bullshit. Their expansive definition of “bullshit” they wear anything at all, though some have been known to dress
includes not giving them sweets. The kijimuna will get their hands in tacky imitations of the most obnoxious human clothing they can
on your candy, so you might as well share deliberately. At least find. Oh, did I say “human clothing?” Gee, sorry — I meant clothing
then their pranks will be funny for you, too. humans wear, not clothing made of humans. Hmmm… now that
Most of their pranks aren’t very complicated, but their skill you mention it, though, that sounds like a great idea for a joke…
at manipulating reality means that they don’t need to play the Roleplaying Notes: Gee, those humans have no sense of
con game to disrupt life for others. For example, an unattended humor. None at all. You’d think that something so big would
fire may just walk away. Strings of unlit lanterns are usually a good have the smarts to laugh, especially with how silly it looks when
sign that kijimuna are nearby and screwing with people. For that it’s trying to play with magic. Fireball? What? Oh, I set his balls
matter, most things going missing in the Okinawan Prefecture can on fire. See? It was funny. He did fireballs. I did fire balls. Now
be blamed on a bored kijimuna. They usually steal sweets, but will he has fire balls. Heh.
absolutely take money if they feel like it. If they ever figure out
the internet, world banking might get the wind knocked out it.
Kongamato
If that hasn’t put you off chatting with the short critters, Called “the Breaker of Boats,” Kongamato has long terrorized
you’ll find communication with them challenging. Most don’t fishing villages all over Africa. They say you can’t see Kongamato
speak Japanese, let alone any European languages. Instead, they coming; in the skies above, he looks just like any other bird. It’s
rely on a pidgin of Ryukyuan and their native language to speak not until Kongamato makes its descent that you realize what it is.
with humans. Distantly related to Ryukyuan and Japanese,
Kongamato announces itself with a piercing scream — not
Kijimunan would be relatively straightforward to learn if the
the call of a normal bird, but a shrill shriek that shatters eardrums
kijimuna could sit still long enough to teach anyone. Translation
and incapacitates people. Survivors often say that’s the last sound
spells can prove useful, although kijimuna might just take such
anyone heard before their fellow crewmen disappeared. Kongamato
a spell as an excuse to talk in riddles and puns.
(or perhaps it’s the Kongamato, or a kongamato — accounts differ)
While dealing with kijimuna usually results in headaches, then attacks the boat or shoreline by flying high into the sky and
kijimuna generally care about the well-being of people. After then darting down. The creature’s strong body and pointed beak
all, if all the humans died, who would the kijimuna screw with? pierce through boats on the water, shattering decks and sinking
Anyone willing to take a joke will have a great time hanging out vessels. While the crewmen try desperately to swim to shore,
with them. Nailing one of them with a great practical joke might Kongamato picks them off — grabbing them up, ripping their
win you a lifelong friend. Or a hell of a beating. Look, they’re a bodies in half, or sometimes dropping them from great heights
rowdy bunch, but they’re not actually assholes. and then carrying their broken bodies off to feast on in its nest.
And, it’s a good thing, too. Their proficiency with bending The Kongamato doesn’t limit itself to human flesh. It also
reality and probability makes them insanely valuable to anyone feasts on small animals such as dogs, cats, and goats. Its beak
114 Gods & Monsters
has a sharp point capable of tearing into bone, and its powerful Many tale-speakers suspect the increasing madness of natural
jaws can crack a body’s bones before its large mouth swallows phenomena is a result of the planet’s sickness: humankind. The
the shattered animal whole. temperatures rise with the waters to drown out a disease that
Kongamato lives along rivers, hiding its nests up high in exists in numbers too great (or merely too greedy) for Earth to
sturdy trees. Some people claim to have seen more than one support. The coming cataclysm is a fever burning out the actual
of them at a time, but most accounts portray the Breaker of disease. The huge weather-related death tolls are but symptoms
Boats as a solitary creature. As with many predators that seem of the land’s illness. Memory-keepers know this to be true, and
half-real, half-legend, Kongamato appears only when it’s hunting; the stories about living creatures who’ve been found bloodless,
otherwise, it seems to keep to the trees or fly so high in the skies or fleshless, or who’ve simply disappeared in the wake of these
that human eyes cannot spot its presence. Stalking the monster, natural disasters are not mere coincidences or urban myths. They
therefore, is quite difficult, and while some men have claimed speak the truth about the consuming skies: the Ravening Winds.
to have slain Kongamato, no proof for such deeds exist… and After the passing of a storm, when survivors come out of the
the Breaker of Boats continues to kill. woodwork to see what’s left of their homes, families and lives,
animals and people are sometimes discovered dead and drained
of blood. Sometimes, stripped skeletons are found twisted into
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 6, Stamina 6, Charisma 1,
piles of rubble or wrapped around the branches of leafless trees.
Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 2,
Thousands of animals and people have gone missing in the wake
Wits 3
of life-taking storms. Usually these deaths are attributed to the
Abilities: Alertness 5, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 5, Stealth violence of the storm itself; in a sense, this suspicion is not wrong.
5, Survival 3
Riding the gyrating winds of the storm are disease-hunters
Willpower: 3 known as Ravening Winds. When a storm approaches, some people
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5, incapacitated swear they can hear the keening and wailing of miserable souls. In
Armor Rating: 4 (10 soak dice, total) truth, Ravening Winds are not miserable, nor do they mourn. Their
howls are gleeful; they look forward to hunting their quarry and
Powers/Advantages: Claw for Strength + 2 lethal damage);
stealing life from it. Each kill is another chance for their mother to
beak “bites” for Strength + 3 lethal damage) / Alacrity (6 pts.);
live. Each bloodless body no longer poisons her blood, but returns
Armor (4 pts.); Claws and Fangs; Hazardous Breath /Scream
to her instead, to nourish her back to life. Ravening Winds cannot,
(three dice lethal, 15 pts.); Homing Instinct; Soak Aggravated
and will never, see the sorrow inherent in a loss of life. To them, the
Damage; Wings (5 pts.)
creatures that take sustenance from the blood of their mother are
Image: With a wingspan roughly three meters across, Kongamato as gnats or bacteria are to human beings, negligible and forgettable.
resembles a demonic parody of the prehistoric Pteranodon.
Once, there were days where the storms were small and brief
Cryptozoologists speculate that the Breaker of Boats is a survivor of
enough that the murderous rampage of Ravening Winds was hardly
that era, a holdover species, or perhaps the manifested spirit of such
a concern. But as those storms grow larger, longer, and greater in
a beast whose material body is long gone. Whatever its nature might
number, the Ravening Winds who ride the tempests run down
be, Kongamato has the strength and mass to smash small watercraft
living things with joy in their hearts and laughter on their lips.
and lift grown men into the skies. Its scaly, red and black skin seems
too thick to puncture with handheld weapons, and guns seem only to
make the beast angry. The sharp edges of its long beak, meanwhile, Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 2, Charisma 1,
have been known to snip a man’s arm off like a titanic scissor blade. Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 2,
Roleplaying Notes: You’re cunning enough to hide, quick Wits 3
enough to strike, and hungry enough to take on all manner of Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 2, Brawl 5, Intimidation 2
intelligent prey… and when you do, to win. Willpower: 5
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Dissolved
Ravening Winds Armor Rating: 0 (two soak dice, total)
As the world grows ever warmer, hurricanes, typhoons,
and other terrible storms increase in instance and magnitude. Powers/Advantages: Rip skin off with wind and debris,
Communities that have withstood the test of winds for centuries inflicting Strength + 1 lethal damage per turn / Alacrity (2 pts.);
are suddenly unequipped to ride out the weather, and communi- Aura; Blending; Intangibility (10 pts.); Elemental Touch (10 pts.)
ties that have never known the ferocity of the angry skies are now Image: Ravening Winds generally appear to be just that; some-
forced to learn to survive them or be destroyed. As the weather times, however, they’ll appear as shadowy humanoid figures
transforms into something so much more dangerous than ever whipping through tempests, obscured by the tumultuous haze.
before, ancient tales of the Ravening Winds are once again sung Often, their howls join the chorus of the storm.
on the lips of the people who have known them since the time Roleplaying Notes: Ravening Winds cannot be reasoned with.
before people knew how to sing. They’ll take as many lives as they can in the passing of a storm.
Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 115
Shisa someone else is nearly impossible, as they want their families to
continue believing that shisa are just statues. Okinawans live in
No one comes to the Ryukyu Islands without seeing the shisa, peace because they don’t know that they have the Awakened
or shishi dogs. They grin hungrily from atop store entrances and equivalent of cruise missiles sitting on their front step. That’s not
glare at visitors in every home. Tourists buy plastic versions and hyperbole, by the way. The last time the entire shisa community
T-shirts of them. Even the filthiest cockroach nest of an apart- was active in the Ryukyu Islands, dragons roamed the islands. It
ment has a pair of shisa lurking by the door. At first glance, you is important to note that there are currently over a million shisa
might mistake a pair of shisa for statues of lion cubs or mastiffs. pairs in Okinawa and zero dragons.
Their cartoonishly large heads and wide mouths give them broad
Keeping in mind that shisa are all linked, anyone brave
smiles easily mistaken for inviting.
enough to do a shisa pair a favor might see the favor repaid by
But don’t worry about their physical forms too much. virtually any other shisa. This is not to say that all shisa are equal.
Sculpted from stone, clay, or wood, each pair of shisa statues Some retreated away from humans, dwelling on otherwise unin-
poses only a mild risk. But the conjoined spirits that inhabit the habited islands, while others revealed their true nature to their
shisa pairs can completely erase unwanted trespassers, channeling families. Some of these families willingly submit to their shisa
waves of memory and existence until even the wrongdoer’s closest with fanatical reverence, and others live in a perilous balance of
friends forget that person existed. If these creatures sound like fear and Stockholm syndrome. Perhaps the strangest situations
absolute nightmares, good; that means you won’t underestimate with shisa arise when a shisa pair attempts to protect their family
them. Most of them don’t swing that level of power or aggression, from criminals who have their own shisa pair protecting them.
but the former Ryukyu Kingdom has almost as many shisa as Usually, this results in a stalemate, but Okinawa sees up to a
people; a careless mage doesn’t live long enough to learn the dozen typhoons per year, providing plenty of opportunity for a
difference between the minor shisa and that ones that purged house to be leveled without provoking Paradox.
the dragons from the islands.
Speaking of learning things, shisa have human-level intelli-
Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 3,
gence, but many pairs have lived for generations, accumulating a
Manipulation 5, Appearance 4, Perception 4, Intelligence 3,
significant amount of knowledge. Talking with any of them will
Wits 3
teach you an entirely new way of looking at the world, particularly
with identity politics. Simultaneously one gestalt entity and two Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 4, Athletics 3, Awareness
separate bodies, shisa may refer to itself as “I” or “we” and they 5, Brawl 4, Cosmology 4, Enigmas 2, Esoterica 3, Etiquette 3,
may refer to their pair-mate as “he,” “she,” or “me.” Each head Intimidation 4, Investigation 3, Law 4, Leadership 2, Occult 3,
has its own mind and its own opinions, often agreeing with their Politics 3, Stealth 3, Subterfuge 4
lifelong companion, but these creatures can and will argue with Willpower: 8
each other from time to time. On top of that, each shisa pair is Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒1, ‒5,
somehow linked to every other shisa in the prefecture. Thanks Dematerialized
to this connection, the pronoun game gets further complicated
Armor Rating: 5 (nine soak dice, total)
when shisa pairs refer to other pairs, using any and every damn
pronoun they feel like, including “we.” Powers/Advantages: Bite for Strength + 2 aggravated
damage / Armor (5 pts.); Aww! (4 pts.); Bond Sharing (2 pts.);
Shisa consider themselves to be the guardians of the
Earthbond; Empathic Bond; Fangs (aggravated); Human Speech;
Okinawan people, and they take great pains to care for their
Information Fount; Mystic Shield (four dice, 8 pts.); Soul Sense
charges. (Non-Okinawan residents also get included in this
/Death Sense(3 pts.); Spirit Travel (10 pts.); Telepathy (6 pts.);
protective attitude, but there is a pecking order.) For the shisa,
Tides of Fortune; Unaging; When suitably annoyed, a pair of shisa
“taking care” of their people encompasses all aspects of life, from
can focus their wills in order to temporarily erase someone from
defending family members against violence to making sure the
existence and memory. This frightening power involves spending
children packed their homework. This means that the shisa have
all 16 points of the shisas’ Willpower and putting both entities into
a vast number of things they could use help with.
stasis for a week; that effort, however, makes a normal person
Really, the problem with working with shisa is that there’s a disappear forever. Mages and Night-Folk return to existence
nearly infinite supply of both work and reward. Mages who aren’t when the shisa recover from their week-long “vacation,” but do
careful will find themselves doing relatively trivial tasks for the rest so far from the Ryukyu Islands (Storyteller’s call about how far
of their lives. For the shisa, the focus is always on taking care of their “far” might be).
families; getting them to see any sort of big picture is a struggle.
Image: Huge-mouthed and mighty-maned, shisa are often
This, coupled with the fact that all shisa share a psychic link, means
(though incorrectly) referred to as “fu-dogs” by clueless westerners.
that it’s easy to get frustrated and exactly as easy to get blackballed.
Their hefty bodies loom behind those grinning maws, and while
Provoking the shisa to violence is a bit of a mixed bag. On many of them crouch and wag their little tails in what seems to be
one hand, getting them to kill to protect their families is remark- a playful manner, don’t be fooled into thinking that their idea of
ably easy. On the other hand, trying to enlist their help to kill
116 Gods & Monsters
“play” looks like anything the average trespasser could survive. waves (Forces Rank 1), can hear that buzz. The sound remains
Roleplaying Notes: Until someone crosses your boundaries constant and ever-present, apparently lacking an obvious source
or steps out of line, you’re content to sit back and let the world go while simultaneously remaining bound to a specific location.
by. If someone forces you to take action, though, then teach them Skymurmurs might be heard across a stretch of miles, but they’ll
to respect the world by teaching them to fear you. never follow an individual who escapes their territory. The tinny,
inner-ear tickling sound they make has no direct impact on those
Skymurmurs who can hear it except to irritate and frustrate. The source of
that irritating sound cannot be seen with normal sight, blocked
Awakened scientists claim that skymurmurs came into ex-
out by earplugs, or overwhelmed by other noise.
istence mere decades ago — living signs of human dysfunction,
or perhaps the mechanical sounds of technology’s development. Annoying, right? It gets worse.
Some authorities even suggest that both factors are in play. The danger of skymurmurs involves their relationship to
Humanity, after all, isn’t always prepared for the rate of tech- spirits — hazardous entities who manipulate the emotions of
nological advancement and development… and so, when the humans from the safety of the spirit world. Spirits of despair
workings of machinery become so commonplace and natural encourage people to harm themselves; spirits of anger encourage
within their homes that our natural hearing gives way to subtle them to harm those around them. Spirits of madness tear mortal
damage, people begin to hear the skymurmurs. These skymur- minds apart until their prey cannot understand the nature of their
murs aren’t spirits per se, but aren’t exactly apart from spirits, own thoughts. While the skymurmurs remain ambivalent about
either. These entities are never seen and cannot be touched. such things, and don’t truly encourage any of these behaviors,
They exist only as sound, and therefore leave behind a spiritual their persistent hum wears away the will of the mortals who can
resonance that attracts spirits of madness, despair, and even rage. hear them… and the longer someone is exposed to the droning
Most often echoing through deep deserts, coastal regions, call of the skymurmurs, the more susceptible they become to the
and metropolitan areas, skymurmurs manifest as a low, hum- influence of these corrupting spirits.
ming buzz that resonates on a frequency only a small percentage Some Dreamspeakers insist the skymurmurs were once
of people can hear. Animals, however, as well as beast-people, spirits and ghosts who’ve been wailing in the ears of the living
spirits, and mages who can understand the language of spirits (in for so long that most of humanity has learned to ignore them;
game terms, Spirit Rank 1), or the intricacies of frequencies and those who still hear those spirits cannot understand their cries

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 117

of misery. These are the spirits and ghosts who’ve been fading have the conversation quickly; the taniwha instinct to patrol and
away so slowly, and for so long, that not even they remember protect dominates their lives, so they have virtually no patience
what they truly are. Dreamspeakers and other ancestral mages and would rather fight you than waste time deciding whether
have many stories about the people who died long ago and still or not you’re a threat. That said, creative mages who figure out
cry out, and of the nature-spirits whose presence slowly decays a way to make their interests coincide with a taniwha’s stand to
beneath the weight of the modern world we’ve made for ourselves. have a rather powerful friend by their side. Exceptionally creative
Attributes: N/A and daring mages might even find a way to play several taniwha
off each other, though that whole “swallow you whole” element
Abilities: Awareness 2, Expression 4, Intimidation 4
should be factored into the risk-assessment of such attempts.
Willpower: 4
Health Levels: N/A
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 6, Charisma 2,
Armor Rating: N/A Manipulation 5, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 2,
Powers/Advantages: Intangibility (10 pts.); Musical Wits 3
Influence; Soul-Sight /Death-Sight (3 pts.) Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Brawl 5, Empathy
Image: None. They are only sounds. 2, Enigmas 2, Expression 2, Esoterica (Polynesian magic) 3,
Roleplaying Notes: If they once had a personality, it has been Stealth 3, Subterfuge 2, Survival 2
lost to the susurrus. Now, there is only the sound. Willpower: 6
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒2, ‒3, ‒3,
Taniwha ‒5, ‒5, Incapacitated
Known as mo’o in Hawai’i and honored by some Polynesians Armor Rating: 4 (10 soak dice, total)
as tribal guardians, most taniwha serve as protectors — mainly
Powers/Advantages: Bite and / or claw for Strength + 3
against other taniwha but sometimes against other humans. Since
aggravated damage / Armor (4 pts.); Claws and Fangs (aggra-
many Polynesian islands are well within swimming or rowing dis-
vated); Earthbond; Elemental Touch (7 pts.); Shapeshift (8 pts.);
tance of other islands, taniwha rarely rest, often swimming patrol
Soak Aggravated Damage; Telepathy; Unaging
routes for most hours of the day. In fact, if taniwha establish lairs,
no one has ever found one. Due to this constant vigilance, rarely Image: The shape a taniwha assumes depends upon their needs at
does anything cross their borders without them knowing about it. the time. For a quick trip between islands, one might swim as a giant
shark or dolphin, while a longer voyage might call for the efficiency
Though their natural forms (if any one form can be consid-
of a whale-like shape. Closer to shore, a taniwha will pick whichever
ered “natural” for creatures who are literally born shape-changers)
shape makes them feel most at home. Some enjoy lounging around
resemble giant serpents, orcas, sharks, or sea turtles, taniwha
as large people, while others bask as whales, scour the bottom as
consider their prodigious shapeshifting talent as just another tool
octopuses, or leap into the air as dolphins or titanic rays.
to use as needed. The more aggressive ones tend to grow thick
leathery skin, spines, and massive teeth, ending up resembling Roleplaying Notes: Taniwha are surprisingly forthright and
a cross between komodo dragons and Godzilla’s little brother. honest. Hey, when you can swallow people whole, deception is
Some even grow wings to fly, which has probably inspired more a pretty useless tactic.
than a few giant monster movies. When feeling sociable, or on
some errand, they manifest as tall and bulky Polynesian folks, Yao Guai
often heavily tattooed with authentic cultural designs that suit Found all over Asia, yao guai (yokai in Japan, and yokwe
the birthplace of the taniwha in question. Many taniwha, though, in Korean) make up one of the largest categories of supernat-
don’t bother trying to pass for humans, though they’ll adopt hu- ural critters in the Pacific. Because of this, describing them in
manoid limbs and faces in an otherwise monstrous form. In any generalizations just creates confusion and misunderstandings.
form, these creatures are big; even wearing human guise, they tower Breaking them down into subcategories doesn’t help much
over normal people, with the bulk and muscle of bodybuilders. either, since different cultures break yao guai down differently.
Taniwhas tend to be solitary creatures, so if you ever manage For example, hulijing (fox spirits) get lumped in with one cat-
to catch one in a mood to chat, you can probably talk shit about egory of spirit in Japan, but with another in China. In Japan,
other taniwha without offending them. Just be sure you absolutely most supernatural creatures get lumped into the category
know which taniwha did what to whom. There’s nothing more “yokai,” with some getting subcategorized further based on
awkward than talking to a shapeshifter about something they did their appearance or abilities.
while wearing a different form, especially when that shapeshifter Since the Japanese language has the habit of using the same
could swallow you alive. word for Awakened and mundane versions of the same animal
While you can make friends with a taniwha, don’t bet on (kitsune means both “fox” and “fox-spirit”), this section favors
it. Most of them feel a responsibility to a given area or people, Chinese words when describing entities that are more or less the
which puts you low on their list of priorities. And be prepared to same thing described in different languages. An important note
118 Gods & Monsters
about Asian languages: Most Asian languages do not distinguish Image: Hulijing can transform into human forms — typically
between singular or plural, so the plural of shisa is still shisa. those of young, beautiful women (regardless of their gender in
Basically, if you run into magic creatures in the Pacific, fox form) of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean heritage. In vulpine
follow these rules: form, these yao guai appear to be unusually large and gorgeous
foxes, occasionally with two or more tails in place of the usual one.
1. Be respectful.
Roleplaying Notes: Cunning, crafty, and playful, but often
2. Take no shit. use outdated language.
3. Do not have sex with them.
4. Hold up your end of any deal. Inugami
Forged through intense torture on every level imaginable,
Hulijing inugami have arguably the most disturbing origins among
Generally benevolent, the legendary fox spirits hulijing (kitsune Japan’s many magical critters. Unlike most of Japan’s para-
in Japan, and distinctly different from the Changing Breeds of normal fauna, inugami owe their existence to mages, not to
the same name) move like dancers, effortlessly covering great nature. They resemble dogs, but have been twisted by violence
distances with feet that don’t appear to touch the ground. They so horrible that it brought them back from death. Because of
can shift between fox and human forms, but regardless of their their cruel circumstances of creation, they’re among the few
visage, hulijing retain their tails, making them somewhat imperfect yokai who are incapable of communication, existing only to
spies, especially since many hulijing have multiple tails (the oldest do the bidding of their masters… which is usually murder.
and most powerful have nine). Too clever for violent force, fox Despite being born from the corpses of large-breed dogs, inu-
yao guai employ guile and seduction in order to avoid conflicts. gami have unusually gaunt and bony frames — a byproduct of being
When cornered, though, hulijing can bite, scratch with their tortured and starved. Their rebirth inflicts a permanent hunger,
claws, and occasionally breathe fire in a would-be assailant’s face. incapable of being satisfied even with vast amounts of blood and
Most of these sly creatures have seen centuries come and go. death… though not for lack of trying. Compassionate mages find
Because of this, conversations with hulijing routinely befuddle no happy ending when dealing with inugami; those who try to save
the unprepared; not only are hulijing supernatural, but they have inugami by turning the creatures into familiars tend to realize what
witnessed generations of different human customs. Most don’t a horrible mistake they’ve made once the psychic link floods their
remember which idioms are still in vogue, making them sound minds with murderous imagery. Ending an inugami’s bondage doesn’t
like hipster grandmothers. Thanks to their comely appearance, free it from its curse; you need to put the poor thing down forever.
however, most people find their odd mix of slang from the ages
as endearing as it is confusing. Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma 2,
As adorable as their cultural confusion might be, it can also Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 2
create some serious problems. A cute, almost playful suggestion Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Brawl 4, Investigation 2,
may be a directive straight from a powerful kami. An offhand Stealth 2, Survival 3
remark could spell flirtatious interest or grave danger. Choose
your words carefully and listen to everything they say. Willpower: 3
Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒3, ‒3, ‒5,
‒5, Incapacitated
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2, Charisma 4,
Manipulation 5, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Armor Rating: 0 (four soak dice, total)
Wits 5 Powers/Advantages: Bite for Strength + 2 lethal damage;
Abilities: Academics 4, Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Fangs; Needleteeth; Soak Lethal Damage
Cosmology 3, Empathy 3, Enigmas 5, Esoterica (Occult Secrets) Image: Dog zombies. They look just like dog zombies.
5, Etiquette 2, Expression 4, Intimidation 3, Leadership 3, Martial Roleplaying Notes: Hunger. Must… satiate… hunger.
Arts 2, Melee 3, Occult 4, Research 2, Seduction 3, Stealth 4,
Subterfuge 5 Oni
Willpower: 5 Known outside their homeland as “Japanese devils,” oni
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5, Incapacitated take a strange sort of pride in their public image as dimwitted
thugs. Given their demonic appearance, and their capricious
Armor Rating: 0 (two soak dice, total)
and violent natures, it would make sense that these yokai would
Powers: Bite for Strength + 1 lethal damage, though hulijing have serious problems blending in with the human world.
avoid fighting unless absolutely necessary / Aww! (4 pts.); Bare However, a little makeup and bulky clothing goes a long way
Necessities (3 pts.); Hazardous Breath (four dice lethal, 20 pts.); toward disguising them as ugly but otherwise normal human
Human Guise (2 pts.); Human Speech; Intangibility (8 pts.); Mystic beings. It helps that oni often pose as yakuza — a group of people
Shield (four dice, 8 pts.) most Japanese folks go out of their way to ignore.

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 119

 Oni social structure features rigid hierarchy, with each tier Leadership 2, Martial Arts 3, Melee 2, Stealth 4, Streetwise 3,
figuratively and literally browbeating the lower ranks into sub- Subterfuge 1, Survival 2
mission. Consequently, conversations with oni feature an odd Willpower: 6
mix of chatting and blood. Making a good first impression on Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5, ‒5,
an oni is essential… and often requires breaking some bones. Incapacitated
Oni will rarely challenge a mage a second time if that mage has
bested them once already, but it would be foolish to trust such Armor Rating: 2 (seven soak dice, total)
creatures, so smart mages really don’t. Powers/Advantages: Although oni prefer to use weapons
Rule #2 is in full effect here. Oni will absolutely beat the shit out and /or martial arts, they can also bite for Strength + 1 lethal,
of you to prove a point. Nonviolent negotiation works only when the and claw or gore for Strength + 2 lethal damage / Armor (2 pts.);
threat of violence looms so heavily that no one doubts the outcome. Aura; Claws, Fangs and Horns (7 pts.); Dominance; Soak Lethal
Don’t worry — these bastards can take a beating. Besides, if you really Damage; Spirit Vision; Unaging
wanted things to go peacefully, you wouldn’t be making deals with Image: Oni mostly appear as stocky, red- or blue-skinned hu-
literal devils. Thanks to the rules of oni social hierarchy, however, manoids, with one or two horns and large fangs. Among humans,
you can pretty much do what you want with these creatures once these demonic brutes tend to disguise themselves as low-class,
you’ve earned their respect. More than a few mages of questionable violent people with body art and attitude to spare.
morals have made their fortunes by using oni as muscle. Think of Roleplaying Notes: They like to talk... but more, they like to fight.
oni as Japanese orcs, and you won’t be far from the truth.
Tanuki
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Charisma 3, Taking top prize in the “Best Shapeshifter to Party With”
Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 2, Intelligence 4, contest, tanuki also win the “Biggest Asshole” award. Pranksters at
Wits 3 heart, tanuki love a good joke, especially if their shapeshifting allows
them to play multiple roles in it. Greedy people with poor senses
Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics (climbing) 4, Awareness 3, of humor run the risk of becoming the butt of overly complicated
Brawl 4, Etiquette 1, Firearms 3, Intimidation 4, Investigation 3, jokes. To the credit of all tanuki, no one has died from any of their
120 Gods & Monsters
cons, although a kitsune did nearly drown from one. Other prank- role with regards to humanity — guiding, advising, teasing, pro-
sters, drunks, and travelers are the tanuki’s favorite sorts of people. tecting, often tricking, and occasionally beating the shit out of
Confusingly given the same name as the raccoon dogs of the younger sibling when he does something especially stupid.
Japan, tanuki vaguely resemble their mundane counterparts, if To this end, tengu have meddled in human politics for centuries.
you ignore the fact that they stand upright, wear clothes, tower In addition to meeting the rich and powerful behind the scenes,
over six feet tall, and possess truly impressive testicles in their masked tengu played a more insidious role: They are said to have
native form. Tanuki claim to be the best shapeshifters in Japan, been Japan’s first ninjas, spying and sabotaging their way into
however, and often live undetected among humans for years Japanese history… and may continue that tradition secretly today.
before growing bored and moving on. Dealing with a tengu is a game of endless second-guessing. Did
Being friends with a tanuki can be profitable, but no one who’s they give in too quickly? Not quickly enough? Did they agree with
interested in profit is likely to become friends with one. Despite their you only because they had planned the whole affair to go in their
zany antics, though, tanuki often give good counsel and are among favor from the start? Tengu prize cunning, not raw power. Unlike
the most reliable guides for wilderness travel, especially among the the oni, kicking a tengu’s ass doesn’t buy you any respect — they’ll
mountains of Japan. Thanks to their penchant for playing roles, few give you a wide berth after such displays of violence, but consider
mortals can claim to truly know the personality of a tanuki. For the you a rank amateur in terms of real power. To test a potential rival’s
most part, these yokai give off the air of happy drunks, even when intellectual capacities, these beings often speak in riddles, making the
they’re completely sober. Tanuki personalities tend to fill rooms, mage who can keep up with them a rare treat. If you can put one over
too — a characteristic which endears them to many people and on a tengu, they might even grow to like you. Tengu would rather
annoys the shit out of others. If you like hanging out with the life make a deal; if they have to fight, though, they will, and viciously.
of the party, a tanuki friend will make your day. If you’d rather have Modern tengu drive hard deals. Expect plans within plans,
a quiet night, you’ll probably want to strangle the chubby beast. and always read the fine print. As far as a tengu is concerned,
mages are not “normal” human beings, and thus fall outside the
protective courtesy they afford to most people. In fact, expect
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma 5,
a tengu to screw you over for a fistful of yen until you manage
Manipulation 4, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 5
demonstrate your merit. If you manage to prove yourself to be an
Abilities: Academics 1, Alertness 1, Area Knowledge (Japanese asset to the tengu, they’ve been known to grant favored people
Wilderness) 5, Art 1, Awareness 3, Brawl 3, Cosmology 3, Drive access to their very deep pockets and troves of magical and mun-
1, Empathy 2, Enigmas 3, Etiquette 4, Expression 3, Meditation dane secrets. Even then, though —read the fine print. Seriously.
3, Occult 3, Stealth 5
Willpower: 3
Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Charisma 5,
Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5, Incapacitated Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 4
Armor Rating: 2 (six soak dice, total) Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Awareness 4,
Attacks/Powers: Claw for Strength + 1 lethal damage, bite Brawl 2, Cosmology 3, Empathy 3, Enigmas (Riddles) 4, Esterterica
for Strength + 2 lethal damage; Aww! 1; Armor (2 pts.); Healing (Omens) 5, Etiquette 2, Finance 4, Firearms 2, Intimidation 3,
Lick 3; Human Guise 2; Human Speech; Nightsight; Shapeshifter Investigation 2, Law 4, Leadership 4, Martial Arts 4, Melee 3,
5; Soak Lethal Damage Occult 4, Politics 3, Stealth 4, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 5
Image: Tanuki look like a blend of human and raccoon-dog. Willpower: 8
Everything about them is improbably large. Everything. Health Levels: OK, OK, OK, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒3, ‒5,
Roleplaying Notes: Life is far too serious to take too seriously. Incapacitated
Armor Rating: 0 (five soak dice, total)
Tengu
Powers/Advantages: In addition to weapons and a wide
Potentially the most dangerous of the yokai, tengu possess
array of martial-arts techniques (detailed in Mage 20, p. 449),
nearly the same brute strength as the oni, but with far superior
tengu can peck or claw for Strength + 2 lethal damage / Claws
intelligence and potent magical skills. On top of that, they blend in
and Fangs (really, beak); Dominance; Human Speech; Information
easily among humans, being distinguishable only by their extra-large
Fount; Shapechanger (bird form, 3 pts.); Soak Lethal Damage;
noses. Although their name translates roughly as “heavenly dog,”
Spirit Vision; Wings (5 pts.)
the tengu are bird-people spirits, considered to be “slayers of vanity,”
challengers of over-proud humanity, and patrons of the martial arts. Image: Generally disguised as Japanese people of great wealth
but unusually large noses, tengu in their true form appear as man-
While originally hostile to humans, these yokai have since
sized bird people — generally crows but sometimes hawks, owls,
found their place in the modern world as guardians of a sort. People,
or other Asian birds of prey.
tengu feel, are weak, stupid, arrogant, and often self-destructive.
Given the human tendency to ruin the rest of the world in the Roleplaying Notes: Speak in riddles, keep to yourself, and
process, tengu have adopted a sort of “protective older sibling” try to stay five moves ahead of everybody else.

Chapter Three: A Bestial Bestiary 121

 Chapter Four:
Ephemeral
Entities
From wonder into wonder, existence opens.
– Lao Tzu

And so, he runs. “What am I supposed to learn from this?” The words tumble
Feet torn, limbs bleeding, sides pierced by cramps and teeth, he runs. from his lips as he runs, broken teeth from a mouth that’s said
too much. The breath behind them, wheezing, drops those falling
Ground bucks. Rocks cut. Cramps sear along his ribs. Blood
words to whispers. Without answers, the wind carries them away.
flows from a thousand cuts, and still, behind him, they come.
And so, he runs.
Wake up, he begs himself. Wake up before they get me.
The nightmare stretches out, though, like a lover on a bed of Sole-shredded bursts of pain flare from his battered feet. Cold
thorns, voluptuous in agony and hungry for more. wind scourges him with sand.
Storm winds lash his skin. Lightning throws the landscape into The wolves close in.
sharp relief. But no relief shakes Chatan Rolling Waters from his “What?” Chatran cries, the hopeless words like wires in his
vision. The hunt is on, and Chatan’s losing. throat. “What am I not seeing here? What am I supposed to
Behind him, Stalks-the-Master shivers in a dozen lupine know?”
forms, cutting through the dark like knives in Chatan’s skin. Pain, he knows, is a teacher.
Flames flicker from its hungry eyes. The wind is a hungry hunter’s But class is over as the wolves close in…
howl, steadfast as stone, flowing like a gully-washer flood.

The Breathing World of “Other”

Umbrood. Such a clinical word. It suggests shadow-children, The spirit-world breathes. With or without delusional
eclipsed by the light of human Arete. Arrogant mages stick mages, it’s alive. Whether that life consists of visions shaped
that word to the forehead of beings they barely understand, by human beliefs into familiar forms, alien beings from
slapping names of convenience into hierarchies that promise distant cosmos, fragments of mythology given life by mortal
illusions of control. thoughts… these are philosopher’s games, more suited to a
Morons. polite fireplace conversation or the brain-wrenching lessons
of some polysyllabic know it all. Spirit entities are what they

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 123

are, and don’t need mortal minds to contain their mysteries. Storyteller, make these beings mysteries, not mere monsters.
Sure, we all see ‘em a little bit differently, but that speaks Describe them a little differently (maybe even a lot different-
more to our lack of imagination than to the limited essence ly) to each player; wrap the landscape and elements around
of beings without boundaries. them. Bring as much of a sense of enigmatic awe as you can
The material world is a sham. Mages know that already. possibly describe, and hint at things far greater than anything
The beings whose essence pervades reality aren’t bound, as your players sense. Use the following entries as guidelines,
we so often are, to the frailties of bone and skin. We can post not limitations, and feel free to add to or alter the powers
names and descriptions on these ephemeral entities, but the and abilities given in the pages below. These aren’t monsters
truth they represent is beyond any language a human throat that can be killed with a blast of fire or hypertech plasma, but
can frame. sacred emanations whose apparent forms are rough sketches
of what they truly are.
Pedantic poetry aside, the following characters are bigger
than the Traits we’ve given them or the names we speak when For more details about spirit entities and the game-
we refer to them. Papa Legba might look like an old dude with rules surroundings them, see the Mage 20 sections about
a dog, but that’s an illusion: He is the principle of transition “Umbrood Spirit Entities” (pp. 485-495), “Inhuman Entities”
and passage, embodied in a human form but so much more and “Atmosphere and Description” (pp. 356-358), “The
than we could ever be. When your mages meet such entities, Deeper Level” (pp. 363-369), and “Spirits” (pp. 631-641), plus
then, treat them with respect. If you’re a player, remember “Summoning, Binding, Bargaining, and Warding” in How
that the god or Loa or Avatar or djinni you’re dealing with Do You DO That? (pp. 90-106). For new spirit Charms, see
has levels your mage only barely understands. If you’re a this book’s Chapter Five.

Avatars
The guiding “inner gods” mages perceive can like you, and certainly won’t make your life easier. The Avatar in
range from whispering voices to apparent people question can be as demanding, neurotic, quarrelsome, obnoxious,
in their own right. Gods & Monsters features an irritating, selfish, depressing, messy, infuriating, and abusive as any
array of Avatars to inspire players and Storytellers human being can be. A Beloved Avatar is inevitably possessive,
to create their own such characters. Several of too — after all, that entity is literally possessing or possessed by the
these Avatars have no physical presence to speak mage, so it’s a natural state of affairs. Thus, a relationship with a
of, and thus have no Physical Traits; Avatars Beloved Avatar tends to be rather dysfunctional by human terms
associated with the Manifest Avatar Merit, — at best, high-maintenance, at worst, a literal walking nightmare.
however, possess the same Traits any other
character of their kind would have.
The following entries have been left essentially “anony-
mous,” too; this way, you can adopt these Avatars to suit your
own characters and chronicles, adopting specific elements as
Objects, Forces,
you see fit. and Phenomena
Not all Avatars manifest as entities. A rare few
Beloved (Dynamic Avatar) appear to their mages as objects, forces of nature,
or other inanimate phenomena. These manifestations
Love is inspirational. So, for that matter, is lust. And so,
aren’t characters per se; they have no Traits or
certain Avatars assume the form of a Beloved: a person of the apparent sentience. Despite their lack of apparent
mage’s preferred gender whose devotion to that mage runs “life,” however, these Avatars still teach their
deep, if not always easy, through both partners’ lives. mages important lessons, lead them on Seekings,
and otherwise engage the mages’ Enlightened,
Such manifestations assume a distinct form and identity intellectual, and often emotional sensibilities in the
— typically, though not always, the mage’s lover. The Avatar ways any other Avatar spirit would do. For mages
could appear as a child, a parental figure (perhaps the apparent whose worldview bridles at “guardian angels,”
“ghost” of a long-dead parent or sibling who’s not actually “mystic selves,” and other such rubbish, however,
among the Restless Dead), an adored (and possibly long-gone) an apparently inanimate Avatar can assume forms
such as those detailed below. Obviously, the insights
pet, a cherished mentor, the best friend you never had, a gained from interactions with such manifestations
dedicated roommate, perhaps even a rival whose antagonism should be credited to the mages themselves, not to
stems from a frustrated form of love. silly things like “avatar entities,” right? Ideas to the
Avatars can be a real pain in the ass. A Beloved one is no contrary would simply be absurd…
exception. Sure, this entity loves you… but might not particularly
124 Gods & Monsters
 By default, a Beloved Avatar manifests in perceptible
ways. That spirit might be seen and heard only by the mage
herself, but the Avatar does have a distinct, recognizable
identity and presence. In Trait terms, such Avatars comprise
Background ratings of 3 or higher; a lesser Avatar could not
have such a potent relationship with its mage. The Manifest
Avatar Merit (see The Book of Secrets, p. 71) is essential when
such spirits come into play, and the Ally Background must
be chosen as well if the Beloved is to become an entity that
people other than the mage herself can perceive. Chances
are good, though, that the Beloved will assume an apparently
mundane form. It’s possible to have a Beloved Avatar who
looks like a puppet, shark, or six-armed alien, but it’s not
bloody likely and that relationship would seem weird even
by the standards of a mage.
As detailed in the Manifest Avatar entry, this sort of
Avatar becomes a character in his own right. It’s possible
that a trusted player could roleplay that Avatar if the player
portraying the mage agrees to that arrangement. Otherwise,
the Storyteller controls the Beloved; the mage’s player can
give suggestions and guidance, but Avatars are notoriously
independent entities and so the Beloved spirit ultimately
remains beyond the player’s command.
In addition to the usual matters an Avatar spirit address-
es, Beloved Avatars tend to shape, challenge, and comment
upon their mage’s approach to relationships in general. The
Avatar could be jealous, sabotaging all human rivals for its
affection… or, possibly, supportive of them instead. (“When
was the last time you called your mother, anyway?”) A willworker
with family or romantic issues (and really, who doesn’t have at
least a few of those?) will find herself dealing with an extension
of those issues when dealing with her Avatar. The Avatar
might spoil her for mortal relationships, too; after all, what
kind of person can compete with a loving extension of your
soul? Love, though, has many faces, some of which are ugly.
That battering brute with a volcanic temper might be your
Avatar, and no restraining order or domestic violence shelter
can hide you from someone who is literally part of your soul.

The Boss (Pattern Eidolon)

Oh, crap — the Boss is back! He’s gonna be all up in
your shit unless you get cracking on whatever it is he needs
done. Filing? Proposals? Homework? Contracts? The Boss is
looking for them now, and if you don’t complete that task
posthaste you’ll be in a world of hurt.
An embodiment of authority, the Boss Avatar has no time
for excuses and no use for people (Enlightened or otherwise)
who can’t be bothered to move whatever mountains he sets in
their path. He shows up whenever that slack-ass Technocratic
operative (or perhaps an especially business-oriented magus)
has too much free time on her hands. Slacking off? Not on
his watch! This guy’s the proverbial hard-nosed businessman.
His clothes are impeccably stylish. His authority is complete.

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 125

Yeah, he might yell at you, throw a fit, trash your office, or to dare the things you fear, to overcome the obstacles that
dress you down if he’s in an especially poor mood. More confine you to endless disappointments. Crush is the arms
often than not, however, he’ll just glare at you, dealing out that hold you and the voice that soothes you. His Seekings
an especially cutting remark or two if you’re lacking sufficient aren’t easy, but his touch makes it all worthwhile.
devotion to his cause. If he manifests in solid form, Crush can add endless
Seekings featuring this personage are literal nightmares complications to a mage’s life. He’s so desirable, after all,
of paperwork and organization, strict deadlines and difficult that anyone who’s into dudes wants to have him in their
tasks. In order to win the Boss’s approval, you’ll need to lives. Jealousy, possessiveness, insecurity… they come with
move your ass and get your head out of the clouds. Should the territory when a mage must share this guy with other
you happen to succeed, the Boss might reward you with a folks. Oh, sure — he’s probably devoted to you. I mean, he
handshake, a nod, or maybe even a compliment or two. More is a projection of your psyche after all, right? Still, who’s to
often, though, he’s beyond pleasing, with an impatient temper say that Crush won’t leave you for someone better if the
that proves you’re just wasting his time. right mage comes along? Something this perfect, they say,
Generally, the Boss hangs around inside your own head. never lasts forever.
An especially potent Boss, however, (that is, one represented
by the Manifest Avatar Merit and the Allies Background) Flutterby (Pattern Avatar)
might stalk around the material world as well. In this form, Children in the industrial world often miss the simple
he browbeats everybody even if they don’t officially work pleasures of their childhood… for example, chasing fireflies.
under his department. Most often, he appears as a powerful One mage, though, recalls her rural southern upbringing in
executive businessman; occasionally, for agents of a more the form of Flutterby: her name for the spirit that combines
military stripe, he’ll manifest as an officer instead. Depending the fireflies she used to chase with the butterflies that still
on his hoist’s vocation, the Boss could also be an especially fascinate her now that’s supposedly too old and cool to care
strict teacher, an implacable coach, a demanding sensei, or about such things.
an imperious priest. However he appears to you, this entity Like its elusive namesake, Flutterby is a tiny, fleeting
tolerates nothing less than perfection. Weakness is for the presence of great beauty and childlike allure. Bright cor-
weak, loser. Get on the ball, or get out of his sight! uscating colors flow across its wings, while a firefly glow
bathes the spirit in luminescent shine. Flutterby’s presence
Crush (Dynamic Avatar) comforts the mage, evoking memories of a simpler time.
Oh, Gods — he’s beautiful. Manly in all the right ways, Like the darker side of childhood, however, Flutterby’s
without the toxic soup that often passes for masculinity in appearance may presage abrupt disaster; the mage recalls
real guys. His arms are just buff enough, his belly ridged into how her father’s stormy temper could be predicted by a
a perfect flabless eight-pack. His hair’s just messy enough to sudden surge of clouds across the sun. Flutterby, when it
look sweet. His eyes sparkle with mischief. Whatever he wears, appears, sometimes warns its mage when there’s danger on
Crush wears it well. And if you happen to catch him wearing the horizon; at such times, Flutterby’s glowing colors dark-
nothing, well then, it’s your lucky day, isn’t it? en and its happy flutter slows to an ominous pace. If the
His name’s not really “Crush,” is it? I mean, that’s what danger seems especially significant, Flutterby might freeze
he is, really, but this Avatar goes by whatever name his host in place, pulsating in the air but otherwise motionless. Such
prefers. Immaculately masculine, he appears to mages who, warnings have taught the mage to remain watchful, not only
regardless of their gender or sexuality, desire the company of of Flutterby’s motion but also of the currents of sound and
an unapologetic guy. He’s the romantic lead of your dreams, stillness that surround her in the mortal world. Although
assuming whatever form pleases you best. A guiding spirit, her father died a long time ago, she can occasionally detect
Crush transcends culture or ethnicity; one mage might see that darkening of the sun that used to warn her not to go
him as a beefy jock, while another sees a slick tycoon, or a home quite yet… or, if she was home, to go hide before the
tattooed leather-daddy bear. In all guises, though, this spirit storm broke in her direction.
is archetypally male, living up to the standards of manhood In Seekings, Flutterby tends to flit toward the direction
craved most in his mage’s life. of a potential test or the solution to a puzzle facing the mage.
Unlike the brutal Boss, Crush nurtures his host. He’s a The Avatar won’t actually solve the puzzle for the mage, but by
lover, not a brute… unless, of course, a brute is what you’re watching the spirit that mage might arrive at the correct con-
looking for. Where other men fall short, Crush delivers. He’s clusion. As far as that mage is concerned, Flutterby embodies
sensitive without being timid, strong without being oppressive. youthful innocence mixed with caution. As she realized long
His presence inspires you to do better than you might have ago, Flutterby teaches the mage to remain watchful, remember
otherwise; his words bring out the best in you. He wants you the wisdom of little things, and hang on to the essence of
youth even in the face of despair.

126 Gods & Monsters

Grandmother Grandmother’s children usually prefer field work.
Even when they’re immersed in the sciences (say, studying
(Pattern Avatar / Eidolon) the biodiversity of the fauna in the Olympic Mountains, or
Everything that the human race needs to survive and splicing together berry-producing plants to produce new and
thrive already exists. It lives in the forests and grows in the unique fruit), Grandmother’s teachings always come rush-
oceans. There’s no need for hunger when food sources are ing back. The people, after all, are dying because so many
nigh infinite. There’s no need for sickness when medicines of them pursue material wealth above all things, up to and
grow in your backyard. Grandmother teaches these concepts including their own lives. Grandmother shifts her children’s
to her descendants when they are young, and these lessons perception of poverty and its effect on people dramatically.
remain deeply rooted in their way of thinking. After all, Grandmother’s people, the family and community
of her children, do not suffer because of poverty — they suffer
Grandmother walked her descendants through the forests
because they’re not properly connected to the rest of the
if they hadn’t already been adventuring there themselves.
living planet. All people suffer for this reason. To alleviate
Grandmother’s charges, nearly always Indigenous Americans,
suffering, then, and to allow humanity to prosper as it once
had absent parents — their fathers practically nonexistent,
did in older times, we must nurture and understand our
constantly shifting in and out of the prison system, or having
connection to the land.
no care to foster a relationship with their progeny. They were
so young when their mothers went missing that their only The children in question must be careful about what they
memories of her rest in photographs. When those children say, and to whom they say it, with regards to Grandmother’s
were still children, Grandmother died, as is the way of the influence. Hard-minded Technocratic supervisors have
elders, and they were shuffled back and forth through the little patience with (or mercy for) students who babble on
homes of aunts who could not always remember which sister about walking through the woods with long-dead relatives.
the children were supposed to be staying with. This leaves the Grandmother, though, is subtle; her charges tend to recall her
wards of Grandmother with plenty of time to themselves in lessons and visitations as old memories and dreams inspired
the woods — reminding themselves of Grandmother’s stories by the past. Childhood memories, of course, aren’t terribly
and lessons, collecting food, and surviving with very little reliable, and so when new lessons open a student’s mind to
help from their families, if any help at all. possibilities they might not have earlier have considered, it’s
easy to view that insight as the product of old memories seen
As Grandmother’s children grow older and more aware
through a new, adult perspective.
of their surroundings, her lessons point to the poverty that
surrounds them. Grandmother tells them that this cannot Inevitably, Grandmother calls her children home.
possibly make any sense; if everything you need is merely a Whether they’re resident teachers, or studying the effects of
walk in the woods away, then why must people suffer? The dramatically cutting back the rainforests, her children will
memory of Grandmother urges them to ask questions of their eventually be recalled away from their work to return home
elders. Some community elders embrace such questions with and begin teaching their nations, redeveloping the reservations
open arms, the memories of their Grandmothers whispering with a system of agroforestry and water preservation. Their
to them as well. Others — those who have forgotten their methods may be directed by western science, but at their
elders’ lessons — prickle at the rudeness of the young. And heart you can find Grandmother’s lessons. Permaculture,
so, Grandmother encourages her children to turn away from after all, is an Indigenous art form, and Grandmother urges
home, if only for a short time, in order to educate themselves. her children to use it to save her people.
Because such education is so often found away from the Although Grandmother’s children are members of the
woods, Grandmother sits with her children night and day, community, their relationships within those communities
guiding their eyes and fingers, nurturing their sense of won- remain taxed and challenging. They often come across as rude
der. And so, her children excel in academia. Grandmother’s and somewhat standoffish, and their approach to technology
tenacity (and a decent dollop of guilt) keep her children out often seems to value western science over traditional teachings,
of parties and focused on more important subjects. Those even though Grandmother advocates merging the two. Her
who listen to Grandmother’s wisdom are considered to be methods are based on traditional teachings with the support
geniuses, and they quickly earn respect from professors and of industrial-era scientific principles. Despite doubts both
peers. Such devotees often pursue environmental studies, internal and external, these technomancers look to memories
of course, thanks to unsubtle suggestions from this guiding of their Grandmother’s teachings to inspire them. They still
Avatar. Grandmother pushes hard, and so her children de- attend community events, and they strive to improve their
velop networks and attract the attention of powerful mentors relationships with their tribes. Grandmother shows them the
and guides among the Progenitors; like calls to like, after all, value of traditional teachings, but also urges them to explore
and even hardline materialists can recognize the guidance how much further they can go with a little Enlightenment
of Grandmother’s Genius when it occurs to them to listen. and a respectful state of mind.

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 127

 Those who can see her perceive Grandmother as a short, How can someone beat the Hunter? With tricks, courage,
dark, muscular woman of Native American heritage, with a or knowledge gained over the course of the Seeking. The mage
pair of beaded eyeglasses and a thick shock of wild, loosely must be willing to dare something he has not done before,
braided black hair with a thick streak of silver. She speaks demonstrate a new skill or power, or do something unusually
quietly but with unquestionable force, and she carries a wooden clever or brave. The Hunter is not fooled by the same tricks
spoon that she never uses but often taps in her palm when or tactics twice, however. In order to best this Avatar, you’ll
her children fail to listen to her wisdom. White is her least need to keep learning, thinking, exploring, and growing. Mere
favorite color because Grandmother spends so much time on speed or strength or magic cannot beat the hunter, after all,
her knees, in the earth, in the mud, or even climbing trees. because deep inside this terror lives within you.
She tends to wear durable clothing, and always sports a pair
of brown hiking boots, typically caked with mud. Despite her Jumble (Dynamic Avatar)
obvious age, Grandmother is healthy and spry, and her many A technomancer whose view of the world involves solving
years never seem to slow her down. puzzles or tinkering with objects might have an Eidolon-like
Jumble: a scattering of pieces or parts whose innate disorder
Hunter (Primordial Avatar) invites the mage in question to build something functional
Relentless, they pursue you — the Hunter and its hounds. out of apparent chaos.
Through tortured forests of the mind, down boundless Unlike personified Avatars, Jumble (a name of conve-
hallways and pounding rains, this Avatar chases the magus nience, not identity) consists of a bunch of disconnected parts
away from complacency and toward some deeper realization. whose form suggests intrinsic order if and when the mage
Unlike, say, Crush or Manic Pixie, this spirit is no friend of figures out how those pieces fit together. Jumble does not
yours. Its weapons hurt. Its purpose terrifies. The teeth of speak, move, or act — it merely manifests at times when the
its hounds tear your psychic self, devouring confidence and technomancer seeks the solution to a problem, feels blocked
inflicting bitter pain. with regards to his practices, or otherwise encounters unusual
In certain aspects, the Hunter is male; in others, fe- amounts of chaos that’s internal, external, or both. Once the
male, and quite often neither. Gender is meaningless to mage decides to sort out Jumble, the Avatar begins to radiate
the Hunter’s role. Pursuit is this Avatar’s only purpose… a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Depending on that
pursuit and, if need be, destruction. A veritable demon mage’s situation, the sorting process might be quick and
driving its host onward, the Hunter typically adopts a rustic fulfilling, challenging, downright frustrating, or borderline
medieval guise when seen by Verbena or Hermetic mages, impossible. Ideally, the mage gains insights into his other
a modern gun-toting form when hunting mages of a more problems while sorting through the pieces of Jumble. If noth-
technological inclination, a frightening robotic aspect when ing else, the act of putting things to rights, or of discovering
pursuing tech-obsessed hosts, and a “tribal” manifestation how apparently disparate parts can be joined together into
when chasing folks whose tastes (or terrors) involve the a new and clever whole, helps the mage in question work
bygone world. In all aspects, however, the Hunter’s not through his dilemma. Sooner or later — again, depending
alone. Dogs, wolves, ravens, monsters, cyborgs — the Hunter on how chaotic the mage feels his life has become or how
has them at its beck and call, and wherever the mage flees, insurmountable the obstacles he faces appear to be — Jumble
these creatures follow. attains a satisfying form. The Avatar has helped its human
Seekings with the Hunter Avatar take place in awful partner overcome the illusions of meaninglessness that are
dreamscapes where rugged terrain trips the mage and hides inevitable parts of life.
his pursuers. Occasionally, an especially potent form of this Different mages experience various sorts of Jumble. A
Avatar manifests physically, chasing the magus through the mechanically inclined technomancer could see a collection
waking world as well. Although the Hunter’s weapons and the of machined parts, while a mathematically-inclined magus
teeth of its pets inflict no physical harm (even if the Hunter views a paper or whiteboard covered in dizzying calculations
itself is physical), this Avatar can indeed hurt you. A mage or designs. One mage could see broken bits of ancient wreck-
caught by the Hunter and its pets suffers one unsoakable age, a second confronts a disordered library composed of real
health level of damage per turn until either the mage escapes or imaginary books, and a third unravels a tangle of colored
or the damage eliminates the mage’s health levels. At that yarns, sorts through a CD collection, views botched code on
point, the mage either wakes up out of the Seeking, or falls her computer screen, or sets a tangled garden to rights in his
unconscious from the pain if he was being chased through Chantry’s backyard. Although Jumble Avatars tend to mani-
the physical world. Either way, the mage wakes up sometime fest for tech-focused mages, the idea of sorting order from its
later, sore but physically unharmed, with the knowledge that opposite is a fundamental element of the human experience;
the Hunter won again. thus, any mage could have a Jumble of their own.

128 Gods & Monsters

Manic Pixie achieves inhuman proportions of height, mass, and flexibility.
Like smoke, he seethes, restless even when his limbs remain
(Questing Avatar) still. The mask faces from which he draws his name merge
She’s cute! Spunky! Adorable! Bizarre! Flighty and and melt into one another, presenting three, five, a dozen
unconventional, she’s just what you need to get your life in faces all surging and bleeding into one another, settling into
order and headed off down whatever whimsical path you were a consistent form, and then melding again into some other
scared to follow until she showed up. Why, it’s almost as if vivid guise.
she’s part of you, existing only to further the novelty of your Despite a decidedly sinister appearance and uncanny
own story! Oh, yeah… that’s because she is part of you, the atmosphere, Mask prefers to encourage, not intimidate, his
Manic Pixie Dream Girl who’s literally part of your own soul. host. Once you get used to him, he can seem almost friendly
Although the Manic Pixie archetype tends to show up in an ominous way. Mask revels in creativity, too; his hosts
in popular culture as a superficial and rather sexist trope in are always artists of one sort or another. His protean form
stories where a dude takes center stage, Manic Pixie can, in encourages a mage to seek new possibilities and reshape her
fact, become the Avatar for a female magus, too. In this as- world. In Seekings, Mask bends the landscape into bizarre
pect, she’s the untamed inner self that the mage represses in and haunting vistas wherein nothing feels safe, comfortable,
her daily life — perhaps a “better self” embodying the mage’s or complete. Like the Primordial energies he embodies, Mask
hidden fearless side. Manic Pixie can be a best friend, a lover, reflects endless potential and shifting possibilities — recog-
an antagonist, or a rival. Whatever guise she assumes in a nizable yet ultimately mercurial, too fluid to be bound and
mage’s life, whether she manifests to other people or exists yet too solid to fade away.
only in the mage’s mind, Manic Pixie is stylishly rebellious,
stubbornly impractical, and more than a little bit absurd. Melody (Dynamic Avatar)
Manic Pixie’s Seekings invariably force her magus to You know those songs you can’t get out of your head? Most
confront inhibitions and challenge social norms. Such jour- times, they’re tricks of memory and sensation. Occasionally,
neys can be fun, of course, but they feature quite a bit of though, they’re the voice of the Avatar — an entity (or really,
fear as well. As the mage discovers, those obstacles exist for a type of entity) certain mages call Melody: a guiding spirit
a reason, and cannot be flouted without cost. Before each who manifests as music.
Seeking ends, Manic Pixie will have turned some element of Generally a song only you can hear, she sometimes chimes
her mage’s normal life to ruins. out loudly enough for other people to hear. In the case of
In physical form, Manic Pixie upends conventions and especially strong manifestations, Melody appears in physical
manners whenever she appears. This could be a problem for a form, never speaking except in song, but playing an instrument
mage who’s sworn to a strict order or hiding out in mundane of some kind that makes the sort of music the mage needs to
society. It’s sort of a tradition that Manic Pixie Dream Girls hear at that time. In such manifestations, Melody is near-in-
make shambles of their host’s life before that person finally evitably female, although certain descriptions of this type of
wakes up. In the case of this Avatar, however, there’s no way, Avatar mention masculine rock stars, blues guitarists, mad
really, to get rid of her… except to embrace her, and perhaps organists, and the like. Because music truly has no gender,
even become her. however, Melody Avatars are as fluid as music itself.
What type of music does Melody play? Ah, that depends
Mask (Primordial Avatar) on what you need to hear. In her most encouraging manifes-
The many-handed, many-faced entity known as Mask tations, this Avatar becomes the proverbial theme song for
hovers in the shadows of his mage’s perceptions, floating the mage in question: heroic, perhaps, maybe sad, dissonant
slightly above the ground and stretching his slender limbs into when that suits the situation, occasionally terrifying. The
impossible lengths and contortions. His ever-shifting features tunes range beyond human capability, of course; a single
recall African “false faces,” indigenous medicine masks, stone Avatar manifesting with a flute could play an entire orchestra’s
gargoyles from western Europe, painted noh and kabuki faces, worth of sound. And although “Melody” makes a convenient
leather masques from Renaissance Italy, plastic monsters, catch-all name for this Avatar, the spirit itself can appear in
and sculpted glass. Eerily thin and apparently boneless, Mask whichever guise suits the person perceiving it. One mage
urges his mage onward with eloquent gestures and whispered might experience Melody’s influence as a pretty girl with a
instructions. Occasionally, he mocks his human host, chiding violin, while another perceives metal-slinging demons or a
that person for cowardice or timidity. Most often, though, menacing phantom. What you get from this Avatar is what
Mark simply watches, silent, with a vague air of disapproval. you’re most willing to receive.
Never will Mask reveal himself in bright, clear light. Whatever form Melody attains, this Avatar manifests when
Instead, he moves within shadows, emerging and melting the mage needs direction. Tantalizing music might beckon
back into darkness. Although clearly masculine in form, Mask the mage toward greatness; tragic airs underscore his defeats,

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 129

heroic symphonies inspire his greatness, crushing discord accomplish it. Every day, it gets a little easier to slow the blast
scorns his moments of failure, but intricate harmonies evoke of sensory data, and life gets a little easier, the sensations of
the triumphs he could attain once he gets out of his own way life becoming not just bearable but enjoyable. It’s not always
and — as the old song says — listens to the music of his heart. fun and games, though. Ojisan warned her of trouble more
than once, alerting her to concentrate on incoming dangers
Ojisan (Questing Avatar) instead of finding him.
Not many people knowingly encounter a tanuki. One During Seekings, Ojisan tends to ask the mage for more
mage who did, however, remembers every detail of one so favors than normal, in the hopes that it’ll help her focus and
vividly that she knows for certain she runs into him on a that she’ll notice the edges of her obstacles. Why leap a hurdle
daily basis, despite his frequent shape-changing. It’s become when you can just go under it? For the mage who has trouble
a game for her to find her Ojisan (uncle) and discover more filtering out the noise of daily life, having to take a step back
about herself and the world. to truly see challenges can be a major boon.
Because of Ojisan’s highly variable appearance, recogniz-
ing him presents a difficult challenge. The mage memorizes Stalks-The-Master
everything about him each time she sees him, his gait, how
he leans, the slight waggle of the corner of his mouth before
(Primordial Avatar)
They say that there are two wolves inside of you — one of
he smiles. Noticing everything came easy to her; not noticing
them full of fear and anger, and the other full of confidence
was always the hard part. At first, it seemed like meeting
and kindness. Whichever one you feed is the one that will win
Ojisan was the worst thing that ever happened to her. For
your heart. They also say that this story is a wise old Indian
someone who constantly deals with a firehose of information,
story. Stalks-The-Master says that’s all a hunk of horseshit.
needing to scrutinize details to find someone made things
Stalks-The-Master says you’re a gullible idiot for believing those
immeasurably worse.
stories had any indigenous origin, because some Christian
But Ojisan always gives the mage a small riddle or task fundamentalist made it up and tagged an unknowing tribe
to complete. Each time, she has to narrow her focus to to give it a sense of wisdom and mystery. Also? If there were

130 Gods & Monsters

two wolves inside of you, it doesn’t matter which one you Stalks-The-Master works endlessly, and without regard
think you can feed, because Stalks-The-Master is the wolf full to the sensitivities and weakness of his “Master,” to impart
of anger and bitterness, and he’s the only one living inside the wisdom he has to teach. He nips at the heels of his soul-
you. Obviously, Stalks-The-Master ate the weak wolf without bound partner. He stalks them while they sleep. He howls from
your help, and no one really cares what happens to weak, dead the darkness at night. He reminds them that they’re always
wolves. Do you want to be a weak, dead wolf? You are a fool, being hunted, and that there is never anywhere they can go
so it’s an important question to ask. No? Then learn from the to be safe. He teaches them motivation, and he imparts unto
survivor. Learn from Stalks-The-Master… and if you call him them drive. If they can’t cut it, if they give in to foolishness,
your fucking “spirit animal,” he’ll tear your goddamned throat he urges them to their deaths so that he can be released to
out and reincarnate with someone less stupid than you are. be bound to a more worthy “Master.”
Everyone’s afraid of being afraid. Everyone is terrified of Stalks-The-Master appears most often (sometimes in
doing nothing and being no one. Fear, they say, is the source visions but most often “in the flesh”) as a huge black dog,
of all bad things like hatred and violence. Well, fear is also the and sometimes as an even larger black wolf. He avoids that
source of getting off your ass and getting shit done as well. So latter form, though, in these days of dopey fundamentalist
don’t blame the fear: Blame yourself for not knowing what to and New-Age “wisdom” that discourages the embrace of what
do with your fear. Well, Stalks-The-Master is fear. Stalks-The- he truly is. His eyes glow like embers, and his fur is thick
Master is one of the oldest and most original concepts since and long, whisking after him as he stalks swiftly through the
humankind was able to believe in anything. People believed in night. He will not hesitate to inspire fear in a physical sense
fear first. Stalks-The-Master is the oldest kind of god there is, as well. Stalks-The-Master is not more bark than bite, and if his
and he’s proud of it. Being as old as he is, he has no patience “Master” fails to heed him in the way he deems appropriate,
for foolishness, his greatest enemy. It’s only when foolishness he will rip at their hamstrings and lunge at their throats.
is brother to fear that you’ve got a real problem.

The Djinn
Djinn (commonly known as genies) may conjure noble people whom humans (and according to some, angels,
up images of a being who lives in a lamp, too) have consistently and relentlessly demeaned, subjugated,
granting wishes to its bearer. This, however, and abused. Some feel the trouble began in ancient Israel
is merely a legacy of Scheherazade and her with King Solomon, a wise and powerful mage who either
more vulgar progeny. Gather a few experts in discovered or imposed upon reality certain rules governing
a room and ask them about djinn, and you’re how djinn could behave in the physical world. He used this
likely to get as many different correct answers Solomonic Code, along with a ring giving him power over
as you have experts. A philosopher might demons, to assemble a veritable army of spirits to build his
tell you djinn are similar to muses, inspiring palace and temple, and generally to make his life even more
humans with wisdom, poetry, and songs. A decadent than it already was.
scholar of Middle Eastern history would know Those djinn who blame not just humans for the war,
that in pre-Islamic Persia and Arabia, most people worshipped but also the angels, place the human share of responsibility
the djinn and made sacrifices to those spirits as if they were partly on the patriarch Abraham, but mostly with the prophet
as gods, believing those mortals would receive protection, a Mohammed. The angel Gabriel commanded both men to
fertile harvest, and metaphysical teachings in return. A folklorist prevent worship of any god but theirs. Mohammed took this
could choose to highlight the similarities between djinn and much further even than Abraham’s idol-smashing, occupying
faeries, including their talent for a wide variety of magic, love Mecca with his followers, addressing the djinn directly in
of trickery, fondness for beautiful things, a very long but finite the Qur’an, and inviting them to join his new religion. But
lifespan, a vengeful streak, and a possible weakness to cold to be welcome, they must accept a subordinate position not
iron… though for djinn, the last one is far from certain. Any just to humans, but to all the angels as well. They could still
mage who’s had significant dealings with djinn in the past can’t inspire humans with their ideas, so long as those ideas were
help but mention their cunning, creativity, ruthlessness, and not religious in nature, and they would never be considered
power. A Sufi mystic would smile, opining that just as angels worthy to travel to heaven again. Those djinn who felt this
are made from light without heat, and humans from clay, the too unjust must leave their people’s cities to preserve what
djinn are smokeless fire given sentience, intelligence, desire, they considered a hostile takeover of Arabian religion, or at
and any form it can imagine. best, a coerced ceasefire much more favorable to one side
If you can find a few djinn and ask the same question, than the other.
you’ll receive minor variations on just one answer: Djinn are a
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 131
 The emirs who ruled those cities took their cue from of a bound djinni beyond vague statements like “I
the angels, branding the exiled djinn shaitans, from an old know someone who needs help” or “I’m on a rescue
Sumerian word meaning “male demon.” They knew even if mission.”
all djinn fought as one, they were no match for the combined
Djinn differ from most other spirits in the sophistication
prowess of the Craft that would one day be called Taftani on
of their consciousness, and in considering themselves native
one side, and the entire angelic host with their Hermetic,
to both the Umbra and the physical world, Arabia and Persia
Celestial Chorus, and Ahl-i-Batin allies on the other.
specifically. According to their own lore, djinn were the first
Along with its accompanying seals of binding, the people to walk the earth, far older than humans. Some of the
Solomonic Code allowed the Taftani to imprison hundreds, eldest djinn claim to remember a time before humans could
possibly thousands, of djinn in bottles, lamps, rings, and other write, speak, or even use tools. Those interested in metaphysical
vessels, for use as Paradox-free magical slave-batteries just like matters suggest that if humans’ bodies are clay and djinn’s
Solomon himself. Adherents to the new faith of Islam consid- bodies are fire, their ability to interbreed suggests a kinship
ered Solomon a great prophet, so demand for the Taftani’s of the soul or spirit. Could a human be nothing more than
services grew even more quickly under early Islam than in a djinni’s soul with a permanent human body attached? If
the past. This, say many djinn who remember it, was when so, does this mean Awakened djinn mages are possible? No
they knew they would never win the War of Enslavement. one can say for certain, but it is true some djinn historians
The Taftani and their Hermetic students took too many and occultists consider it possible. A djinni’s mind is at least
marids too quickly. Without their eldest, most powerful and as complex as a human mind. They think of other spirits as
charismatic leaders, the djinn were now a broken people who many humans think of animals: Some can make good pets,
might never recover. While a few individuals could always useful allies, or obedient workers; a few are smart; but most
be malicious, the djinn as a people felt they did not deserve are just simple and not very interesting.
such treatment. Opportunistic human mages had simply
You might notice the characters below have one quality in
done what humans always have: They found a resource and
common: in his or her own way, each of them is disconnected
exploited it, ethics be damned.
from djinn society at large. That’s because most djinn these
Like any ancient book of spirit lore, the Solomonic Code days stay where they are safe: in their home country. Secluded
is available in a variety of contradictory versions. Most agree in the High Umbra, Jinnistan connects via Old Roads with
that somehow, humans and djinn can have children together, various locations in the physical world, the astral plane, the
producing fertile offspring who are not quite one thing or the Dream Realms, and the Elemental Courts of Fire and Air.
other. Some versions of the book say djinn can live no longer Residents of the City of Brass, the most famous djinn city,
than 5,000 years, while others speak of legendary djinn who once acted as ambassadors and courtiers, celebrating and
have lived to the age of 15,000 or even 20,000. A few manu- welcoming dreamers, meditators, and astral travelers who
scripts suggest one can tell a djinni’s age or temperament by found their way to the city gates. Today, the guards turn
whether its skin is blue, green, or red… but how can a natural them away with a polite but firm apology, unless a free djinni
shapeshifter’s skin color mean anything at all? At times, the with a good reputation vouches for them. Parents raise their
book can be almost comical in its uncertainty: cold iron may children on tales of wicked and dangerous mages who want
keep djinn away, if a person sits within seven concentric nothing more than to steal their freedom.
circles made from it, but the scribe admits no one was brave
Before the Gauntlet existed as it does today, some djinn
enough to test the theory personally before writing it down.
believe the entire country of Jinnistan existed simultaneously
Every version of the Solmonic code seems to agree on in the world of spirits and the world of humans, allowing
the following important details about djinn: every type of being to mingle, negotiate, and learn from
• Once bound into a vessel with a Solomonic seal, a each other. But the loss of so many important voices made
djinni must heed the commands of that vessel’s single modern Jinnistan feel increasingly like an abandoned mining
owner to the best of their ability. town or military outpost. The City of Brass’ once-gleaming
towers, spires, and minarets are dingy and tarnished, with
• He or she need not protect the owner from their own far too few unbound djinn available to polish them. The
mistakes or desires, nor go above or beyond the literal sultans still send ambassadors to maintain cordial ties with
meaning of a command. the Elemental Courts, but their hearts aren’t in the formality
anymore. It makes avoiding their ancestral lands on Earth
• A bound djinni must answer the vessel’s owner even especially painful. The djinn who remain are wily and wary,
without a command, if that person addresses him or and they never forget.
her by the full, true, and correct name other djinn use.
Djinn travelers today tend to be exceptionally brave,
• No djinni, free or bound, can directly affect a Solomonic cocky, angry, or foolish. When a son or daughter ignores their
vessel in any way, nor speak about the name or situation parents’ warnings and travels to the human world anyway,

132 Gods & Monsters

their family holds a funeral within a week of the departure. In land in the countryside to set up their own villages and farms.
the age of rapid air travel and lightning-fast cultural diffusion In time, these formerly unknown djinn refugees might help
through the internet, a Taftani could be anywhere and look to replenish their people’s lost numbers. Perhaps some shai-
like nearly anyone. Most families feel it’s best to consider tans and their families might choose to return as well, if only
these children lost. The lavish parties when a prodigal djinni they could forgive those who once exiled them. The dream of
returns from the physical world are fabulous spectacles of wine, returning to Earth as a people is still distant, and might never
dancing, and fireworks the like of which human eyes have materialize, but every returning traveler is still a small victory.
not seen in ages, possibly ever. Normally, these parties and Introducing djinn into a chronicle can evoke potentially
the rare birthday party for a newborn are some of the only challenging themes like imperialism, slavery, racism, or other
joyful occasions for djinn in a post-Solomonic universe. But forms of mass exploitation such as factory farming or sweat-
recently, this dire state of affairs may have begun to change. shop labor. Djinn characters are ideal for exploring questions
For the past several decades, a small but significant number of magical ethics and ideology. If a spirit demands equal
of Jewish djinn calling themselves shedim have trickled into treatment and recognition of its personhood, what should
Jinnistan, seeking refuge from the human world. They practice determine whether that’s a reasonable request? How can a
a peculiar dark and spirit-centric form of Judaism that traces mage expect to gain the trust, let alone the friendship, of a
their lineage to Lilith, whom God cast out of the Garden of being who has only ever known treachery and extortion from
Eden when she refused to submit to Adam. Since then, the that mage’s entire species? If a djinni attacks all humans on
shedim occupied the fringe of Jewish villages and towns, dwell- sight, failing to understand that only a few humans are mages
ing in abandoned or boarded-up homes in observant Jewish and even fewer are Taftani, to what extent are the Traditions
communities throughout Europe and North America. But and Crafts responsible for driving him or her to do so? Should
now, even the most religious human Jews are too skeptical to the characters oppose the Taftani and side with their victims,
believe anything might haunt an empty house, leaving shedim or are the djinn trying to dupe them? What secrets does
nowhere to live when someone who can’t even see them buys the City of Brass conceal, and will any human ever walk its
their home. The weary djinn of the City of Brass welcomed streets again? Could djinn and humans ever live in peace or
the shedim and their families to Jinnistan, giving them fertile symbiosis, as they did in ancient times?
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 133
 and werewolves seem more human than not, and vampires
all used to be human at one time. Close enough. If one of
Glossary the Flames finds anyone even a little human-like in the Astral
Plane, the Shadowlands, or anywhere else in the Near Umbra,
aamar: A djinni or djinniyah who lives among
humans, using Charms only rarely or not at all. all or most of them will soon provide a few excellent reasons
not to trespass there again. When they feel like a little leisure
djinni: A male or sometimes gender-neutral term,
referring to any djinni or djinniyah. time, the Flames retire to one of several bars or inns in the
City of Brass to drink mass quantities of ale and boast of their
djinniyah: A female djinni. exploits to anyone willing to listen. Most also collect teeth,
emir: The ruler of a city or other small territory. finger bones, or other small pieces of their victims, both as
ifreeti: A famous, experienced hero or war general. trophies and to prove their zeal for the cause. Al-Ghadib
Plural is “ifreet” and feminine is “ifreetiyah.” began this tradition with his tailbone collection, which now
marid: One of the most powerful, cunning, and fills several rooms of his opulent manor in the city.
legendary djinn. If even the ifreet speak of someone The Mad Warrior himself is as fearless as he is violent
in reverent tones, that djinni might be a marid. and hateful. His anger and bitterness mainly come from his
shaitan: An “evil” djinni or djinniyah who refused memories of the time before the Code of Solomon, when hu-
to agree to the Qur’an’s proposed rules for djinn mans had to bargain with the djinn fairly, rather than taking
assimilation.
what they wanted by force. While his allies don’t always live
sultan: A djinni who presides over several emirs. up to his expectations in terms of cruelty, each is loyal to the
A female sultan or a sultan’s first wife is known as cause in his or her own way. The caliphs and emirs of the
a “sultana.”
more moderate djinn learned long ago that trying to infiltrate
the Flames of Iblis could be dangerous; al-Ghadib only turns
his rage upon his fellow djinn if they try to impede what he
al-Ghadib, the Mad Warrior sees as his sacred duty. The modern world is the legacy of
Solomon, so humans are all guilty and all deserve punishment.
You might wonder whether this djinni’s name means Pity anyone who gets in the way. Al-Ghadib cares nothing for
“mad” as in hot-tempered, or “mad” as in crazy. The answer the relative power level of his prey, partly because he is old
to this question is “all of the above.” While al-Ghadib literally and formidable, but mostly because he enjoys a good struggle.
means “the angry” in Arabic, any zealot who still directly
and actively works to destroy all humans is also a dangerous Membership in al-Ghadib’s little murder-and-torture club
lunatic in the eyes of mainstream djinn society. Not that fluctuates from decade to decade, but usually the Flames have
al-Ghadib cares a bit what those cowards think of him. He between five and 10 active members at any given time. Among
has his lieutenants to keep him company and aid him in his them, they have access to nearly any Charm one could name.
holy mission. Humans are one of the most destructive and However, as traditionalists who enjoy evoking the good old
arrogant species anywhere in the whole of the Tellurian, so days by inflicting pain and fear, they favor classic mythologi-
he and his band of thugs must exterminate every one of them cal djinn abilities such as Create Fire, Create Wind, Mirage,
like the vermin they truly are. For a little variety, driving them Lightning Bolt, Corruption, Mislead, Sand Storm, and Sand
out of their minds with fear and then leaving them alive to Swallow. Their favorite game is to use Insight and Soul Reading
suffer can also be amusing from time to time. to learn what a victim fears most, then shapeshifting into it,
making it the last thing they ever see.
Al-Ghadib and his allies call themselves “The Flames of
Iblis,” after the first djinni who refused to bow down to humans, The Flames do not make agreements with humans
even when commanded to do so by the Almighty himself. They or human-like beings under any circumstance. In case of
call humans “mud apes,” “dust golems,” or merely “the enemy.” enslavement by a Solomonic seal, each Flame has sworn a
While al-Ghadib is technically in charge, he rarely exercises that solemn oath to carry out their master’s wishes in as harmful
authority unless someone is neglecting their commitment to or humiliating a manner as possible. Most would start look-
terrorizing as many humans as possible. Each member of the ing for a way to die after little more than a decade or two of
group has his or her own favorite places to lurk in the mortal servitude, but the Mad Warrior knows he would escape to
realm or the Near Umbra, ready to use Call for Aid to summon wreak further vengeance upon his enemies, regardless of how
the other members when they spot a good victim (or better yet, long that might take.
a few). al-Ghadib prefers to stalk the mortal realm, waiting for Many djinn are surprised to learn that al-Ghadib has
stragglers to wander into a secluded forest or a back alley where a wife and several children whom he loves dearly. When it
only he and his friends might hear their screaming. comes up in conversation, he is glad to explain that his holy
His merry band of vengeance isn’t particularly picky about mission includes helping to replace those djinn who went into
whether they attack actual humans — to them, changelings battle with the Taftani and their allies, never to return. He is
as friendly and compassionate to his fellow djinn, provided
134 Gods & Monsters
they don’t hinder his life’s work, as he is unforgiving and bitterness, or hatred. Like most young djinn of that time, she
uncompromising toward his human victims. The only infor- allowed the raging flames within her to control her actions
mation that might distract him for a little while is credible and lent her strength and intelligence to the war effort. But
intelligence about the location of an imprisoned djinni. with age came the realization that her people were fighting
While he still won’t work with a human for such a rescue, he one pointless battle after another. By the time humans knew
has been known on occasion to enlist elementals, naturae, the Code and seals of Solomon, the djinn had already lost
chaos spirits, and even Banes or demons if they can smash a thie war… yet they were still fighting it, centuries later. There
Solomonic vessel to release its captive resident. It galls him must be a better way, a nobler and smarter way to make the
that he cannot affect these vessels himself, but he has little physical world safe for djinn once more. She would find it.
trouble enlisting aid from many other types of Umbrood. His As she tells the tale, on those rare occasions when she has
reputation as a stalwart if overzealous defender of spiritkind an audience who can appreciate it, Amira traveled to every
has traveled far, and he trades fairly with any spirit who can corner of the Umbra in her search. Older djinn warned her
negotiate truthfully. not to risk throwing her life away by traveling to the only plane
with a significant number of Taftani and Hermetics to bind
Willpower 8, Rage 7, Gnosis 6, Power 30 her. But searching the Umbra for information about creatures
who weren’t even native to it quickly began to seem pointless.
Charms: Control Electrical Systems, Create Fire, Create Wind,
She would have to take her chances at deep cover: disguising
Corruption, Insight, Lightning Bolt, Materialize, Mind Speech,
herself as a human to learn what they want, how they think,
Mirage, Shapeshift, Solidify Reality, Tracking, Mislead, Sand
and with a little luck, some of their weaknesses. She resolved
Storm, Sand Swallow, Soul Reading
to use her Charms only if it were truly important, reasoning
Materialized Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 5, Stamina that to understand humans, she must live just as they did.
6, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 4,
She began her project by posing as a street performer
Intelligence 3, Wits 3
in 15th-century London. She did a little juggling, some
Abilities: Academics 2, Alertness 4, Art 2, Athletics 5, tumbling, and most of all, sleight of hand. Soon she was
Awareness 4, Brawl 5, Cosmology 4, Empathy 2, Enigmas 3, drawing crowds of 20, 30, 50 people or more. Most of them
Etiquette 3, Firearms 3, Intimidation 4, Investigation 4, Martial were children. From then on, she paid special attention to
Arts 3, Melee 5, Occult 5, Streetwise 2, Stealth 3, Subterfuge 5 the way people who passed her in the street related to their
Materialized Health Levels: 8 children. She admired the care adult humans took when
Image: A tall, muscular Arabic man with a reddish tint to his skin. teaching and protecting their young. Children were much
quicker than adults to believe what they were told and to take
Roleplaying Notes: Mad, bad, and dangerous to know.
it to heart. One could plant an idea in the fertile ground of
Unless you’re a djinni, of course.
a child’s mind and, provided it was memorable enough, that
Amira the Storyteller idea could alter the course of their life. She would ensure her
enemies’ children grew up with the truth about her people,
(Amira al-Kadhaab) as humans did long ago, and their wonder and enthusiasm
If you like to frequent Renaissance faires, storytelling would nourish her and keep her strong.
festivals, or public libraries, you and Amira may already have She continued performing on the streets of Europe and
crossed paths at some point in the past. Perhaps she was that eventually North America but switched to telling stories and
lady with the many-colored patchwork skirt, with a sparkle in occasionally acting in plays. She specialized in tales of humans
her emerald-green eyes and a horde of children listening to and spirits learning to work together for mutual benefit or res-
her every word with silent fascination. She might have been cuing each other from danger. Whenever adults were looking
your town’s librarian for a little while, during which every- away, or those present might accept it without fear, she used the
one came to know her for her long, wavy black hair with a Mirage Charm to create 3D visual aids of great cities, fantastical
bright white streak to the right side, and an almost uncanny monsters, and her characters’ exploits. These delighted the
ability to find even the most unusual books for a curious children so much, they told all their friends to come see her
kid. Maybe you noticed the fire in her eyes when she played show right away, just as she had expected. With ample use of
Lady Macbeth two summers ago at the fairgrounds. There Insight, Soul Reading, and Influence while telling her stories,
was something about her, something unique, even thrilling, she might only need a few centuries to create a radical shift in
but you couldn’t quite place it. humans’ attitude toward spirits throughout the entire world.
Clever and crafty like all her kin, Amira is one of the When she’s tired of the festival circuit, she’ll settle down
more successful modern aamar. As a young djinniyah born in a city or town for up to a few years. She’s that cool librarian
not long after the Taftani first began enslaving her people who can talk with a kid for just a few minutes, present them
in large numbers, she can remember how many djinn’s view with a perfect book that they never knew existed, and must
on humans (especially mages) shifted from interest to anger, have failed to sign them up for late fees when they forgot
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 135
to return it. This is, of course, because the book is unique, “Why have you disturbed my slumber?” and “No one can help me…”
written by her, and conjured ex nihilo, a story built around delivered in a suitably spooky tone serve him well in this regard.
whatever that child most needs to hear to become a lifelong Likewise, while Charms like Soul Reading, Terror, Short Out,
ally of Umbrood in general and djinn in particular. Shatter Glass, Inhabit or Possession might not fool a Taftani, a
real ghost, or a savvy Hermetic or Chakravat, other mages are
easier. If a spirit talks like a wraith and uses powers that seem
Willpower 6, Rage 3, Gnosis 8, Power 25
ghostly, they will usually conclude it’s a wraith. Being able to
Charms: Break Reality, Control Electrical Systems, Corruption, absorb a little of their fear can be a nice bonus, but his main goal
Create Fire, Create Wind, Disorient, Insight, Influence, Lullaby, is to escape without anyone learning what he really is. After any
Materialize, Mind Speech, Mirage, Mislead, Shapeshift, escape from a mage — or any other human able to see him before
Solidify Reality, Mislead, Soul Reading he Manifests — Yazid becomes rather skittish, and he returns to
Materialized Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina the Umbra for days or weeks until he’s feeling safe again.
6, Charisma 5, Manipulation 6, Appearance 4, Perception 5, His ghost impression is usually unnecessary with dying
Intelligence 6, Wits 5 people, since he prefers those who are comatose or delirious.
Abilities: Academics 6, Alertness 4, Art 3, Athletics 2, When his source of emotional energy is a living person, such
Awareness 3, Brawl 2, Cosmology 4, Cultural Savvy 4, Empathy as a child living in an orphanage, he relies upon their lone-
6, Enigmas 5, Esoterica (Folk-Tale Wisdom) 4, Etiquette 5, liness and lack of self-confidence to keep them from telling
Intimidation 4, Investigation 4, Law 5, Leadership 3, Medicine anyone about him. “Tell me your story,” he whispers to the
4, Melee 3, Occult 5, Streetwise 4, Stealth 5, Subterfuge 5, person. Then he listens, asking follow-up questions if they
Technology 2 need prompting, and feasts upon whatever feelings the story
Materialized Health Levels: 7 stirs up for the teller. Insight and Influence can help with
steering the tale toward his favorite emotions. Dream Journey
Image: Amira appears as a friendly, upbeat woman of obvious
and Mind Speech allow him to ask his questions even if the
Middle Eastern descent. She speaks English, Arabic, and Farsi.
person is unconscious or hesitant to talk to him.
The white streak in her otherwise black hair suggests age, but
her skin is unblemished and unwrinkled, suggesting she might It might sound as if Yazid has compassion for human
be any age from 30 to perhaps 55. beings, but this is rarely the case. Humans are responsible
for breaking his people, corrupting them, and taking most of
Roleplaying Notes: She is friendly to anyone who is willing
his family by force. He has little love for them as a species, so
to be civil. Any attempt to heckle or interrupt one of her stories
when listening to the life stories of those whom other humans
receives first a polite warning, followed by vicious ridicule if
have destroyed or discarded, he most often feels a sense of
the person refuses to stop. Perhaps the only thing that might
satisfaction and poetic justice. Good, he thinks. You and all
cause her to erupt into an obvious display of her magical gifts
your accursed race should suffer at least this much for your crimes.
is a threat to any member of her audience, especially if that
If I had been responsible for your misfortune, I would have made it
person is a child. She considers her audience members her
hurt more, and drawn it out far longer, before finally allowing you
guests; any attempt to harm them makes her honor-bound to
the peace you scarcely deserve. He has no qualms about taking
defend them by any means necessary. In such a situation, she
a dying person’s wedding ring, or someone’s only picture of
prefers to start subtly with Disorient, Lullaby, or Mislead, but
their dead parent or spouse, if it’s infused with great emotion
she’s perfectly willing to defend her audience with Create Fire,
or even if it just catches his eye.
Create Wind, or even Break Reality if she must.
But he isn’t always so heartless. As often as once or twice a
Yazid al-Ghul month, one of the stories touches him enough to use Lullaby,
Ease Pain, or Dream Journey to give the person a short reprieve.
Yazid isn’t really a flesh-eating monster or a vampire, but
A few times a year, he meets a dying soul whose nobility, faith,
other djinn know him as “the ghul” because they consider the
or self-sacrifice is strong enough to bring a tear to his eye,
way he spends most of his time... well, ghoulish. Like all djinn,
causing him to use Healing to ensure their story need not end
Yazid enjoys absorbing human emotional energy. His kin all
just yet. He has also been known to rescue a few of the kindest
understand this and they can even accept that his favorite
and most humble orphans, teleporting them near a friendly
flavors are hopelessness, heartbreak, and regret. But must he
household holding a persuasive note from a fake relative. Once
really spend so much time lingering at battlefields, hospices,
every few decades, he finds an unfortunate person he considers
orphanages, and abortion clinics? It’s all so dreadfully morbid,
truly worthy, using Spirit Away to provide them a short trip to
and most are content to let him go it alone.
the magnificent City of Brass before their time on Earth ends.
He visits the physical world frequently, but with great caution,
He avoids Manifesting unless compelled to do so, either
preferring that humans never know he is nearby. If someone does
through magic or by a circumstance that requires it. If directly
notice him, he’s seen enough ghosts over the years to create a
threatened, he prefers to Teleport, Re-form, or duck behind
pretty convincing impression that he is one himself. Phrases like
something to Shapeshift, after using Flee to boost his chances.
136 Gods & Monsters
If unable to escape, he might use Disorient, Terror, Smoke Intelligence 4, Wits 3
Screen, Sand Swallow, Mislead, Mirage, or Heat Metal. When Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 4, Athletics 2, Awareness
truly in fear of destruction or enslavement, he can Possess an 5, Cosmology 4, Empathy 3, Etiquette 1, Intimidation 5,
attacker and turn them against their allies, or use Spirit Away Investigation 4, Leadership 3, Medicine 5, Occult 5, Streetwise
to drop them all into an Umbra Storm of his own creation. 2, Stealth 5, Subterfuge 5
Materialized Health Levels: 6
Willpower 6, Rage 1, Gnosis 8, Power 30 Image: Yazid has no constant appearance.
Charms: Disorient, Dream Journey, Ease Pain, Flee, Heat Roleplaying Notes: For his part, Yazid just likes what he
Metal, Inhabit, Lullaby, Manifest, Mind Speech, Mirage, likes. In his youth, humans frequently died as casualties of war
Mislead, Possession, Re-form, Sand Swallow, Shapeshift, or from outbreaks of the Black Death. The despair and bitter-
Shatter Glass, Short Out, Smoke Screen, Soul Reading, sweet nostalgia of those who felt they shouldn’t die so young
Teleport, Terror became his comfort food. He’s not the type of djinn to sit up
Materialized Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina late at night by candlelight, sipping absinthe and smoking a
2, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 1, Perception 2, clove while reading Edgar Allen Poe. He just wants to enjoy
good, hearty meals that remind him of times he misses.

Lesser Entities
From the lofty reaches of godhood and the might have a dataphyte munching on your ideas. If you’ve
muddy depths of mortal life, countless entities ever entered a room and immediately forgotten what you
fill the spaces gaping between our grubby were doing, you’ve probably crossed paths with a dataphyte.
everyday lives and the sublime Courts where That thing you swore you’d remember and then can’t recall
divine entities hold sway. Because mages for the life of you? Om-nom-nom, as the saying goes. To be fair
often travel in that in-between space, the so- to the little critters, dataphytes can’t eat anything you’re con-
called “lesser” spirit entities – the ones most centrating on, and things that aren’t thoughts (e.g. autonomic
often known as Umbrood – are the spirits a functions, like breathing) aren’t snacks, either. Dataphytes,
wandering mage is mostly likely to deal with in therefore, aren’t harmful, really... just extremely unhelpful.
her journeys, rites, and occasional nightmares. For the most part, people (Awakened and otherwise) remain
relatively safe from these annoying little buggers. Every so often,
Dataphyte though, someone or something sets thought-munching dataphytes
Among the more easily overlooked Umbral natives, loose into the material world; at such times, neighborhood or
dataphytes are little more than mobile mouths with an whole towns may grind to standstills as the inhabitants of those
instinct to keep the Umbra relatively tidy. Well, as tidy as a locales wallow in indecisiveness, perhaps (in rare, extreme cases)
dimension literally formed of the stuff of nightmares can be, starving to death because folks can’t even decide what to eat
anyway. Although creepy, they pose little danger and don’t or remember how to eat it. The Void Engineer Border Corps
really mean anyone harm. Incapable of fighting, talking, or Division shows up when such incursions show up on their
even autonomous thought, these entities aren’t even hard to radar, and they capture or purge every dataphyte they can find.
destroy. Even in the Umbrae where they dwell, subtle Charms Theoretically speaking, even if the Void Engineers took any of
cloak their existence from all but the most accomplished eyes. these thought-eating aliens back to the labs for further study,
Dataphytes create what’s sometimes known as the thought- those paragons of guardianship would never accidentally release
void: a swirling sense of forgetfulness that often misleads any of their subjects back into the wild (or, so to speak, into the
mortal creatures, especially when they venture into the Wyld). They certainly wouldn’t theoretically create a larger, lethal
Penumbrae and seek distant Realms. Essentially metaphysical version of the dataphyte and unleash it on the Deep Umbra.
bottom-feeders, dataphytes eat any “unattended” thoughts Of course they wouldn’t. Perish the thought...
they can find. If you’re not concentrating on something, or
giving it only a passing bit of attention, there’s a chance that Willpower 1, Rage 1, Gnosis 1, Essence 10
thought might disappear into the smooth, seamless surface Charms: Disorient, Materialize, Memory Eater (consumes
that somehow functions as the mouth of a dataphyte. To one random thought or memory, 1 Essence), Mind Speech
a dataphyte’s senses, most living creatures constantly leak (though they don’t have much to say), Mislead
thoughts, leaving disgusting trails for the spirits to clean up.
And so, that’s exactly what they do: clean up your thoughts. Materialized Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 2, Stamina
Are you finding it hard to focus on the task at hand? You 2, Use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 137

Abilities: Awareness 4, Brawl 2, Stealth 1 Image: Each grinder is an essentially unique creation of gears,
Materialized Health Levels: 2 shafts, engines, pistons, wires, domes, limbs, claws, tools, and
other mechanical implements welded together into creatures
Image: Dataphytes resemble polished obsidian salad plates
that range from shambling drones to delicate servitors.
with two pairs of crab-like legs.
Roleplaying Notes: They have a task. Wind them up, and
Roleplaying Notes: Clean. Must clean.
let them get to it.

Grinders Miengu
(Technology Minions) Freshwater spirits best known in Cameroon, miengu (singular
Comprising some of the many inventions of the Lord jengu) bring good fortune and can cure many diseases. Since water is
Viscount Talos Perdix, “grinder” is a catch-all name for a collec- the cleansing potion of life, granting relief to people suffering from
tion of weirdly technological spirit-beings from Theastavroses, illness, the miengu grant magical healing for those who worship
a High-Umbral technology realm where unearthly science them. These entities can also act as messengers between humans
meets inventive spirit. That moniker comes from the grinding and the spirit world. If you need a message sent to an ancestor or
sound they make when moving — a sound that becomes a din a god, you can ask a jengu to send it from you.
when groups of grinders work together. For obvious reasons, The blessings of these benevolent spirits are said to be
then, Theastavroses is, to mortal ears, a loud, dissonant place. fourfold: abundant harvests of crayfish, victory in local boat
Possessed of a rudimentary but subservient intellect, every races, protection from disease, and the end of the rainy sea-
grinder follows the purposes for which it was created. Most of son. For those reasons, among others, local humans revere
these entities are errand runners, lab assistants, brute-force the miengu, often forming fellowships to worship them in
laborers, maintenance workers, and cleanup staff, with little thanks for their generosity.
“personality” to speak of. A few of the more elaborate grinders, Though feminine in most aspects, miengu are essential-
however, work as courtiers in the halls of the Lord Viscount — ly genderless spirits who embody kindness and innocence.
greeting visitors, tending to their needs, and enforcing order Typically invisible unless they choose otherwise, these entities
and discipline throughout the Realm. In this capacity, a grinder favor children most of all, and appear to kids — especially little
may be “lent” to mages allied with the Lord Viscount, ferry them girls — far more often than to adults. When a young girl’s in
from place to place in the Lord Viscount’s domain, or deal with danger, the miengu can help her hide in the water, turning
trespassers and other offenders in the most direct way possible. her invisible as well. If an innocent person needs magical in-
Although the Lord Viscount’s creations may wander the tervention, a jengu may grant her a healing potion if the spirit
Otherworlds (except for Realms where pure, elemental Nature considers her worthy of such a gift. If a jengu allows itself to be
defines reality), they’re far too vulgar to manifest on the Earthly seen by an adult, that’s considered to be extremely good luck,
plane. A grinder brought into human reality through a portal and a sign of valuable protection. People chosen for such favor
or other trans-dimensional technology simply freezes up and by these spirits enjoy helpful coincidences and — if the person
collapses into a heap of interesting junk. A technomancer with needs concealment or escape — a gift of stealth on the land or
Hypertech 4 or 5 might try a combination of Forces 2, Matter invisibility in the waters where these spirits make their home.
2, and Prime 2 to jump start such a creature (difficulty 7; see
the Materialized Attributes and Health Levels, below); at that
Willpower 5-6, Rage 1-3, Gnosis 2-5, Essence 30-40
point, the grinder runs for one scene per success, after which
its works grind to a permanent halt. (It’s worth noting that Charms: Cling, Dream Journey, Good Luck, Healing,
the Lord Viscount is not pleased when his gifts are treated Materialize, Spirit Away, Spirit Gossip
with such carelessness.) Materialized Attributes: Strength 2-4, Dexterity 2-4,
Stamina 3-5, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4,
Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
Willpower 5-7, Rage 4-8, Gnosis 2-5, Essence 20-40
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Brawl 1,
Charms: Armor, Control Electrical Systems, Create Fires,
Cosmology 1, Empathy 3, Enigmas 3, Esoterica 2, Stealth
Lightning Bolts, Materialize, Mind Speech, Short Out, Solidify
5, Survival 2
Reality, Tracking
Materialized Health Levels: 4-7
Materialized Attributes: Strength 7-13, Dexterity 2-4,
Stamina 5-10; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits Image: Essentially African pixie mermaids, miengu combine the
sleek tails of fish with the upper bodies of gorgeous women. Their
Abilities: Alertness 2, Brawl 3-5, Crafts 3-6, Hypertech
bodies are slim and iridescent, shining like the sun of the water’s
4, Intimidation 5, Technology 4; courtier models also have
edge, which also makes them hard to see. Although one may change
Etiquette 2-4, Lore: Umbrood Courts 2-5, and Subterfuge 2-4
size if they desire to do so, the natural form of a jengu is far smaller
Materialized Health Levels: 8-10 than an adult human being. They’re fast, too, and often swim by

138 Gods & Monsters

before you even have a chance to realize they were ever there. against the darkness. You know that no one else will stand in
Combined with their talent for invisibility, these spirits are seen only your place. You know it’s a thankless job, and sometimes a
when they wish to be seen, and only by those who the meingu trust. price has to be paid. In the end, however, the heroes are the
Roleplaying Notes: Helpful, if called upon by someone ones who stand tall. Folks possessed by Owl Shards are such
in genuine need. heroes; they were born to be heroes, and all those naysayers who
want to cry about missing and murdered indigenous women,
Omniphage who want to cry Black Lives Matter while thugs run wild and
murder police without retribution… well, they’re just the tools
These massive silver orbs are more than just scaled-up ver-
of pure, unadulterated evil. They’re the cogs in the machine
sions of dataphytes; omniphages bear clear marks of having been
of anarchy, and Owl Shards are protectors of what is good and
engineered by an external intellect. Fortunately, omniphages
just. The Owl Shards sing of such goodness and justice, and
possess the same level of intelligence as their smaller cousins...
they sear those songs into the souls of their Awakened partners.
that is, almost none. And now the bad news: Omniphages are
exponentially hungrier. They can eat literally anything. They will Owl Shards almost always accompany souls that have been
eat literally anything, too. Matter, antimatter, thoughts, hopes, damaged, or that will become damaged before their Awakening:
dreams, magick, they’re not picky. Casting a spell on one of children of absentee or abusive parents, kids from impoverished
them has a fair chance of feeding it instead of doing any harm. families, or even simply folks who come from households rife
with psychological abuses in the form of toxic masculinity,
Since omniphages have the ability to eat anything, they
racism, pro-militarism, pro-secessionism, and so forth. The
have absolutely no incentive to leave the Deep Umbra where
key here is fear: fear of difference, of The Other, of poverty,
they were marooned. Sure, the beasties could be lured out.
powerlessness, loneliness, persecution. Owl Shards nestle in
Sure, the inhabitants could finally figure out how to push the
the souls of people who, for whatever reason, are afraid, and
omniphages out of their reality. But you shouldn’t hold your
who deal with that fear by turning against their neighbors
breath waiting on those scenarios to happen. On the other
and embracing hate that seems like power.
hand, if the omniphages ever get loose, you probably ought to
hold your breath; they eat air, too. At last count, there were Why? Because Owl Shards originate in the shattered form
three of these things in existence, but no one has risked going of Big Owl, the embodiment of fearful hatred.
out there to see if they’ve reproduced or eaten each other. Even before a mage Awakens to their influence, Owl
Willpower 5, Rage 6, Gnosis 4, Power 50 Shards are quite powerful, able to shape the people around
them through the principles of fear. Once drawn to a po-
Charms: Absorb Spell (acts as six dice of countermagick,
tential host, the Owl Shards encourage hellish childhoods;
and every success negated by the Charm’s “countermagick”
that abuse, in turn, shapes someone who will abuse others.
gets turned into 5 points of Essence instead; costs 5 Essence),
Occasionally, a Shard’s influence leads to, or is tied into, a
Armor, Disable, Disorient, Materialize, Memory Eater, Mind
magickal Awakening; in such cases, the Shard becomes that
Speech, Mislead, Quake, Unbirth (as per the Paradox Spirit
mage’s Avatar spirit, and guides his life accordingly. More
Wrinkle; costs 15 Essence)
often, these entities roost in hosts who never fully Awaken;
Materialized Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina these unfortunate souls become corrupted or even possessed
5; Use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits by the spirit (as in the Corruption and Possession Charms —
Abilities: Athletics 2, Awareness 4, Brawl (Devour) 5, Stealth 1 see Mage 20, pp. 491, 493-494), suffering painful influence
Materialized Health Levels: 10 and, in extreme cases, grotesque physical transformations.
Image: Cold iron spikes riveted to plates of armor dot their rough People chosen by an Owl Shard tend to favor violent
and chipped obsidian hides. Stranger still, those hides features careers, strict discipline, and a communal sense of belonging
additional spikes and plates that look as though they were nat- — like the Shards themselves — to something greater than one’s
urally extruded by the omniphages themselves. The dull glint of self. Rigorous physicality and emotional distance nurture the
iron gradually takes on more of a black stony appearance until it influence of the Shard… and, in turn, the Avatar nurtures a
merges into the obsidian disk. Instead of four spindly legs, these depthless aggression. Although a toxic stereotype of “mascu-
entities are propelled by eight sharply pointed obelisks, jutting linity” provides a firm base for an Owl Shard’s possession,
downward. Finally, whereas dataphytes can fit in your hand, women embrace it, too, either in the cold “ice queen” perso-
these monstrosities are the size of a car... at least the size of a car. na, the “tough bitch,” or the archetypal heartbreaker whose
apparent beauty underscores her ruthless, yet fearful, cruelty.
Roleplaying Notes: Hungry.
Beyond the hidden apprehensions of the Owl Shard’s
Owl Shards host, such entities thrive off the abuse their hosts commit
against other people. That abuse doesn’t have to be physical;
The world is a dark, dangerous place. When you’ve been
in truth, despite the momentary satisfaction an act of bru-
face to face with agents of cruelty and destruction, you learn
tal violence can bring, it’s often easier (especially in a legal
how to fight the good fight. You know that it’s your brothers

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 139

sense) to get away with emotional cruelty. Punching someone hate sows discord; discord feeds violence, which in turn creates
with a fist tends to bring the wrong sorts of attention, while more hate. And through it all, the Owl Shards feed.
ripping someone apart with words tends to earn social status That’s when the Owl Shards begin to manifest. First, they coo
instead. And so, in whatever form, the Owl Shards encourage quietly — gentle whispers of frustration and directed rage. They point
ever-widening spirals of abuse. More abuse means more fear; out lost scholarships and veteran-hating liberals. They cry out about
more fear means more places for the Owl Shards to grow. the unfairness of the media that favors those who would destroy
Generally, Owl Shards tend to gather within the people society, and they mutter about the strangeness of movements to
of a dominant culture, where their abuses can be excused away undermine “traditional values.” Soon, the whispers become violent
as “just the way things are.” If and when a host establishes screeches. The hosts go forth to target “those people,” bold with
a certain amount of respect and influence (as in, say, mili- a sense of righteous fury. Immigrants, natives, homeless people,
tary or police forces, gang culture, upper-echelon corporate women who would falsify rape charges against innocent men…the
management, mass media, government or — most appallingly Owl-hosts take them out to the desert, or dump them in garbage
– childcare, medicine, education, and religious organizations), bins, or just leave their corpses near homeless encampments where
that status excuses untold measures of fearmongering abuse. those corpses will be forgotten. The hosts begin staying up all night
One person so influenced can influence hundreds, perhaps because it makes their work easier… and they start to listen to the
thousands, occasionally millions of other people. And so, the screeches with gleeful anticipation, for now the Owl Shards give
Owl Shards come home to roost. them orders. These people crave direction, and now they have it:
Occasionally, a host goes too far. A cop may be fired, an a sense of purpose that seems to drive the fear away.
executive banished, a celebrity disgraced, a solider dishonorably Except, of course, that it does no such thing, because
discharged. That’s when the Owl Shard truly digs its claws that fear has lived inside them all along.
in deep. Whatever happened to the host is always someone Most Owl Shards remain unseen by mortal eyes… even,
else’s fault: those lazy, crazy, twisted, hateful [fill in the blanks]. in most cases, from the perceptions of their hosts. Such owls
Skin color, gender, religious creed, political affiliation — it’s are seen clearly only in dreams, mystic Seekings, or both. The
all ammunition for boundless fear. That fear ripens into hate; sounds they make, however, might be heard by people who

140 Gods & Monsters

cannot see them directly. Hence, Owl Shards are sometimes the mage perceives. These entities whisper fear and screech hatred.
referred to as “night screechers” by those who have heard of On rare occasions, they manifest during an especially powerful
them, perhaps even heard the sounds of their wings and cries, projection of magick; at such times, the sounds of hundreds of birds
but who have not seen such entities in solid form, or at least can be heard while the light above darkens with their flight.
have not seen such entities in solid form quite yet. Roleplaying Notes: Though not “intelligent” by human stan-
dards, such entities possess enough foresight and cognizance
Willpower 5-7, Rage 8-10, Gnosis 5-7, Essence 20-40 to recognize individuals whose terrors and scars will nurture
their implacable hunger.
Charms: Appear, Blighted Touch, Corruption, Disorient,
Influence, Inhabit, Materialize, Possession, Soul Reading
Materialized Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2-4, Stamina
Qilin
Qilin radiate intense tranquility on a level that most monks
2-3; Use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
would literally die (multiple times) to attain. Despite their
Abilities: Empathy 4, Intimidation 3, Subterfuge 4 nightmarish appearance, qilin won’t even step on the ground
Materialized Health Levels: 4-6 for fear of crushing insects or unnecessarily harming the grass.
Image: Owl Shards appear — generally in dreams and visions, Because of this, if you ever see one attacking someone, that
occasionally in three-dimensional form — as large, shadowy, bird- person had it coming. No question. Fuck that guy. Anyone
like shapes. Sometimes they emit hollow, echoing sounds, like the not flammable will usually get beaten to death with their
flapping of ghostly wings. The size of such apparitions varies signifi- hooves. Hell, things that are flammable will still get beaten to
cantly, and often correlates to the relationship between a mage and death with their hooves; they’ll just be on fire the whole time.
his Avatar. (In game terms, a higher Avatar Background Trait means Although their presence signifies good fortune, they make
a larger and more fearsome Owl Shard.) Stronger Shards often ride crappy conversation partners. Good luck convincing them to
on the shoulders of their companions, digging their sharp talons in do anything more active than meditation; most of them would
deep while spreading their wings to cast shadows over everything

Owl Walkers
People who’ve been possessed by Owl Shards manifest a primordial sense of fear. Although they’re not consciously
“spirit-talkers” in the usual sense of that term, the essence of Big Owl and his brood have infested their damaged souls
with uncanny powers. Those powers — similar to the horrifying talents of Wyrm-ravaged fomori from Werewolf:
The Apocalypse, but without their roots in spiritual corruption — channel terror down subtle yet inhuman paths.
Guided by their fears, these people live out walking nightmares. And when confronted with something that reminds
them of those fears, they often like to share.
In game terms, “owl walkers” are normal human beings with one to three of the Special Advantage Traits found in this
book’s Chapter Five. The Advantages in question won’t be obviously inhuman (sharp claws and teeth, for instance,
not wings or fiery breath), and they’re inevitably tied to the fears that drive that person most. A person who’s scared
of pain will manifest a few points of Armor; one who diverts attacks by appearing cute and helpless could gain the
Advantage: Aww! A guy terrified of darkness could gain Nightsight, and the girl who dreads being seen might learn
to Blend. Most owl walkers also gain a dot or two in their Physical Traits, making them stronger, faster, or tougher than
they might appear. Mages possessed by Owl Shards retain their usual abilities, with a Special Advantage or two
thrown in for good measure in addition to the one or two dots in Physical Traits.
Folks who can see auras and spiritual presence discern a rolling blackness in a vaguely owl shape. That blackness
seems to flap its wings when the walker manifests her powers. The Resonance around such people is much richer than
the usual energy associated with human beings, and it radiates an implacable sense of fright. Possession by an Owl
Shard adds five points of Quintessence to their usual human energies, giving them 15 Quintessence instead of the
usual 10. (See Mage 20, p. 507.) That energy, however, remains Fearsome and Temperamental (as detailed The
Book of Secrets, p. 133-138), so a mage who wants to employ those energies is asking for a harrowing ride that
most likely won’t go well. Such possession can be purged by a mage who knows how (see Exorcism in How Do You
DO That? pp. 125-126), assuming the would-be exorcist can beat the Owl Shard and drive it from its human host.
As far as normal perceptions are concerned, owl walkers seem like everyday people with an especially haggard air
about them. A few behave militantly in the face of the things they fear, but most shy away from contact unless forced
toward interactions. In situations that bring their terrors to the fore, however, even the most mild-manned owl walkers
explode into violence. Whether or not they use their uncanny powers (most will), they’ll hit fight-or-flight mode until
they escape or defeat that threat. In most cases, they’ll have no idea why they’re so afraid, and the terrifying powers
they draw upon just make things even worse. Eventually, most owl walkers disappear into addictions, get themselves
killed, or wind up on the streets, in jail or on the run thanks to bursts of violence they can’t understand, curb, or cure.

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 141

rather contemplate creation than talk to anyone. Because of their Materialized Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 2-4, Stamina
serenity, they come off as genius stoners to westerners. They have 2-5, Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception
a great deal of wisdom but go off on tangents so frequently that 3, Intelligence 5, Wits 3
you can almost mark time based off how many times they change Abilities: Academics 3, Alertness 2, Athletics 4, Brawl 3-5,
topics. That said, anyone interested in day-long conversations Cosmology 4, Enigmas 5, Esoterica 5, Meditation 6
about the nature of existence would do well to look them up. Materialized Health Levels: 8-10
Image: Dragon giraffe unicorns. On fire.
Willpower 10, Rage 1, Gnosis 5-8, Essence 30-40 Roleplaying Notes: Imagine a pacifist philosophy major
Charms: Blast, Create Fires, Deflect Harm, Flee, Good Luck with focus issues and a lot of free time.
Charm, Insight, Materialize, Mind Speech, Soul Reading

Personages
Individual spirits with distinct personalities and meaningless phrases, and while she doesn’t seem to flat-out
agendas, spiritual “personages” exist for their lie, her misdirection, facades, and enigmatic utterances leave
own purposes. Most occupy Realms within many would-be allies confused. Some authorities have even
the High-Umbra Courts, but others wander speculated that Aelida is a particularly adept Marauder,
the Earth or Penumbra on quests that only though her obvious spirit-nature makes this seem unlikely.
they truly understand. Ultimately, the Lady of Feathers remains an enigma — one
of the countless living question marks that inspire the old
Aelida, name for spirits: Mysticae.

Lady of Feathers
A powerful spirit more enigmatic than Willpower 5, Rage 5, Gnosis 8, Essence 30
most, the Lady Aelida most often appears as whomever you Charms: Appear, Break Reality, Create Wind (usually a
trust most. Expect to see your grandmother? She’s there. gale-force wind), Influence, Materialize, Possession (birds
Your best friend? That’s Aelida. The sweetheart you haven’t only), Reform, Shapeshift
seen since college? She’s hanging out in the most unexpected Materialized Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina
places, going by the name Aelida. In every guise, however, the 3; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
Lady of Feathers wears at least one feather somewhere on her Abilities: Academics 4, Alertness 3, Animal Kinship (Birds)
person — a small feather in a hat, a pattern of feathers on a 5, Cosmology 4, Enigmas 4, Esoterica 5, Etiquette 4, Occult
blouse, or even a necklace in the form of a feather. If she’s 4, Stealth 4, Subterfuge 5
in the mood to do so, Aelidia can also appear the same way
to all observers. Equivalent Arete: 6
These feathers contain Tass (typically five points per Equivalent Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 1, Forces
feather), and she sometimes gives them to mages who aid 5, Life 4, Matter 1, Mind 2, Prime 3, Spirit 4, Time 1
her; providing that aid, however, can be difficult. Aelida Materialized Health Levels: 10
prefers to speak in riddles, and rarely says anything directly. Image: In her normal form, the Lady usually appears as a
She’s a staunch opponent of the Technocracy, though… and, beautiful olive-skinned woman wearing a cloak and crown
more generally, of any group that seeks to bind the world to of feathers. Otherwise, she looks like the woman you need
a single unified reality. In her many-changing splendor, the most in your life.
Lady of Feathers is a spirit of Dynamism who values change Roleplaying Notes: The Lady enjoys shape-changing into
and unfettered freedom above all else. a variety of forms (typically avian) and offering cryptic advice
According to Hermetic lore, Aelida was once one of and warnings to mystics she apparently favors.
their own — Yoassmy of Britain, murdered by Craftmasons
in the late Middle Ages. Ascending into heaven as a huge
bird, she took her place among the Umbral Lords and Ladies.
La Huesera,
Although other mages dispute this claim, the Lady of Feathers the Bone Woman
holds an implacable hatred for the Technocrats and their The Bone Woman, La Huesera, collects the bones of
creations. And although she displays a melancholy humour, discarded and forgotten beings, and then sings them back
her recent manifestations reveal a prankish side as well. She to life. Despite surface appearances, though, she is not a
gives out clues in the form of complex riddles and seemingly legend of death, but rather a keeper of memory. She does

142 Gods & Monsters

not collect the remains of just any dead person or animal; Abilities: Alertness 2, Awareness 3, Craft 5 (Bodies), Empathy
instead, she seeks out animals who are disappearing (such as 3, Enigmas 3, Expression 5 (Song), Intimidation 3, Leadership
wolves, cougars, and polar bears), and people whom no one 2, Medicine 5
has time to remember (like street people, or women from Equivalent Arete: 6
minority communities who were murdered and discarded). Equivalent Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 3, Forces
La Huesera sees no distinction between animals and human 2, Life 5, Matter 3, Mind 5, Prime 4, Spirit 4, Time 3
beings; they’re all just different kinds of “peoples” in her eyes.
Materialized Health Levels: 10
Although tales of her powers have inspired more than
a few grieving souls to seek her out, Bone Woman has never Image: La Huesera appears as a rotund and elderly Mexican
been known to assist anyone in returning their loved ones or Apache woman who might be seen digging through trash
to life. La Huesera does not concern herself with the loss of heaps, dumpsters, or even directly in the ground of hidden
those who will be remembered, so if someone cares enough places. Those forsaken places include ravines or gullies (where
to seek her out then the memory of the dead person already bodies are often dumped in the hopes that they won’t be found),
lives on inside of them. Some people who’ve come seeking abandoned ruins, hasty makeshift graves, or streams and
Bone Woman’s help in returning life to their lost ones wind up shores where memories are carried away like bodies often are.
dismayed when she ignores them entirely and chooses instead Roleplaying Notes: Many people who encounter the Bone
to fret over the yellowed bones of a dog for weeks on end. Woman remember her standoffishness; those who’ve tried to
When La Huesera collects enough of the remains of the interfere with her works report that she ignored them complete-
deceased, she attempts to put them back together in some ly. In reality, La Huesera simply has little time or care for the
fashion. Sometimes she wraps them with beads and binds concerns of the living. Living people do not need your magic.
them together; sometimes she carves a wooden frame, bound They’re a waste of your time, and time is a precious thing when
with the remains, that resembles the living form of the dead. so many of the dead have been forgotten.
She’s been known to piece bones together with bits of foil,
wire, and other scraps of refuse. La Huesera spends weeks, Lord Viscount Talos Perdix
sometimes even months, stitching a corpse back together.
And each time, she sings.
(Umbrood Lord)
Technology has its spirit-patrons too. Legends state that
La Huesera almost always sings in indigenous languages Lord Viscount Talos Perdix was once the nephew of the mythic
of the region she appears in, and while some witnesses claim inventor Daedalus, killed by Daedalus in a fit of jealousy because
that her songs are simple and repetitious — “Flesh to bone! Flesh Perdix’s inventions surpassed his own. The truth behind this
to bone!” — the truth behind the song is more complicated. story remains unknown (see the entry for the giant bronze
The words the Bone Woman sings are sacred (some would construct Talos, pp. 91-92), but this powerful Umbrood Lord
say magickal) songs and stories; she sings of the past of the has a close connection to technology and invention.
corpse, and its life before, and she sings of its life to come,
Apparently consumed with Umbrood hierarchies, Lord
after it breathes again and changes shape. When the sacred
Viscount Talos Perdix (he prefers to be called by his full title,
song is complete, the corpse comes back to life, but is changed.
and can get angry if he’s not) maneuvers for status among the
All evidence of death’s traumas is erased by the song. The other High Umbrood Courts. And while he doesn’t seem
new life is nearly always a much stronger, healthier version interested in the conflicts of mortal beings, he is very much
of what the dead person was before their death. A wolf that aware of the power mages hold. As a result, the Lord Viscount
died of starvation might return larger, with a lush coat, and regularly offers his services to favored willworkers — most often
might even be a more skilled hunter than he was before death. Technocrats, Etherites, and other strange tinkerers — in exchange
A woman who lived on the street and carried its many scars for their help with status-boosting endeavors. Mages who agree
is returned to life with gleaming hair and radiant skin. The to such alliances find themselves in the midst of Otherworldly
beings resurrected by the Bone Woman are so dramatically errands to disgrace or undermine other Umbrood courtiers…
transformed that anyone who knew them before could never a dangerous proposition that usually ends with a grudge from
hope to recognize them now. The resurrected people often some powerful spirit-creature. For his side of the bargain, the
return to their old communities as newcomers and live entirely Lord Viscount offers advice and warnings; teaches unconven-
different lives. Always, they remember what La Huesera did tional tech-skills (in game terms, the Hypertech Ability); weird
for them, but never do they betray her secrets. Devices; and occasional help from his pattern spiders and other
mechanical servitors, like the grinder Minions, above.
Willpower 8, Rage 4, Gnosis 8, Essence 50 In addition to his powerful helpers and strange mechan-
Charms: Materialize, Re-form, Spirit Away ical toys, Lord Viscount Talos Perdix is one of those powerful
Umbrood who can use magick-like Effects. (See the optional
Materialized Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina
rule “Umbrood Magick,” in Mage 20, p. 490) In his case,
3; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 143
those “spells” take the form of strange machines, elemental of writhing tentacular wires near his head. He speaks in a growling
phenomena, and mind-twisting acts of unearthly technology. Greek-accented voice that sounds like stones grating against
each other, and cares little for mortal “Ascension” and its wars.
Willpower 10, Rage 8, Gnosis 8, Essence 60 Roleplaying Notes: He is a proud, arrogant spirit that acts
like he’s better than everyone else. No wonder he gets along
Charms: Armor, Blast Flame (eight dice), Control Electrical well with mad scientists.
Systems, Create Fires, Influence, Lightning Bolts, Materialize,
Mind Speech, Possession, Short Out, Solidify Reality, Tracking
Materialized Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina
Tzitzimimeh
Since the Time Before, humanity has sought answers about
4; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
the mysteries of life on Earth in the stars, and the stars have
Abilities: Academics 8, Alertness 5, Awareness 5, Brawl 3, whispered their secrets back. Those stars taught the people how
Cosmology 5, Crafts (many) 6, Dodge 3, Enigmas 4, Etiquette to navigate treacherous seas and twisting mountains. The stars
5, Hypertech 7, Intimidation 3, Intuition 3, Investigation 3, imparted their wisdom of the seasons, and showed the people
Melee 3, Occult 5, Science 4, Subterfuge 4, Technology 6 when to sow and when to reap. In thanks, the people named
Equivalent Arete: 7 the stars, and called them guides and gods. Stars, in those
Equivalent Spheres: Correspondence 3, Entropy 4, Forces days, were revered, and their aid made life possible. But when
4, Life 4, Matter 4, Prime 3, Spirit 5 the sun sank into shadow, the secret stars that were obscured
by its light shone forth to sing their own spells to humanity.
Materialized Health Levels: 19
However, these hidden stars knew nothing of the secrets of
Image: Ruling Theastavrosёs (roughly, “the Crossroads”), the life, and spoke only death. Without the goodness of the sun
redundantly titled Lord Viscount is a bizarre techno-organic hybrid, to protect them, those stars — the Tzitzimimeh — descended
with a wizened human face affixed to a complex mechanical metal to the Earth and snapped up mortal men in their skeletal
head; a snake-like body made of metal, plastic, and rubber; and jaws, devouring them and sending them off to Mictlan, the
a pair of huge peacock-hued bird wings across his back. Perdix kingdom of death, to serve the King and Queen of the dead.
has four clawed draconic legs; in place of hands, he uses a mass
144 Gods & Monsters
 The hunger of the Tzitzimimeh for the living, however, is whose garb suggests (but is not limited to) the classical dress
directed only at men. They will not harm children, and actively of Mesoamerican women. Always, these entities are female.
protect women. Pregnant women, or women with children, Men, to them, are lesser beings, unworthy of the glory of a star.
receive the most attentive care and fiercest defense of all. Praise the stars. And likewise, fear them.
Sometimes, according to ancient tales, when women need their
help, the Tzitzimimeh will tear the sun from the sky so that they
can descend to earth like falling stars and protect their charges. Willpower 9, Rage 8, Gnosis 7, Essence 70
The stars above instruct and teach… and in this way, they also Charms: Armor, Blast, Break Reality, Call for Aid, Cleanse the
act as guides. The Tzitzimimeh guide the lost and forlorn dead Blight, Death Fertility, Ease Pain, Healing, Iron Will, Materialize,
to their final resting places. Most of those dead souls — like the Open Moon Bridge, Re-form, Soul Reading, Spirit Away, Umbral
souls gobbled up by the Tzitzimimeh themselves — are collected Storm
and brought safely to Mictlan, so that nothing truly horrific can Materialized Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 6, Stamina
get to them. Many creatures of the Underworldwill feed upon or 7; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
enslave a lonesome dead soul, and so the Tzitzimimeh intervene, Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 5, Brawl 5,
offering protection to those who might elsewise be consumed. Cosmology 8, Empathy 4, Etiquette 4, Expression 3, Intimidation
The nature of a Tzitzimitl can be, for mortal men, a puzzle. 5, Leadership 3, Medicine 4, Melee 4, Occult 5, Stealth 3
For while she protects women and encourages the birth of new Equivalent Arete: 6
life, acting as a defender of the living, she also descends upon
Equivalent Spheres: Correspondence 5, Entropy 4, Forces
Earth to deal out cruel death and agony, and then guides the
5, Life 5, Matter 4, Mind 5, Prime 4, Spirit 4, Time 3
souls of the departed to a world of unending loss and ruin. But
for those who understand these star goddesses (and yes, they are Materialized Health Levels: 20
astral deities), the dual nature of a Tzitzimitl fits perfectly into Image: Appearing as corpse-like giantesses cloaked in beau-
the nature of life and death. After all, there are times when the tiful regalia of colorfully dyed fabrics and feathers, a Tzitzimitl
stars in heaven are ordered and bright, with light that imparts might manifest as a recently deceased woman, discolored and
wisdom and order unto the world. But then there are times bloated, or she might carry only shreds of rotting flesh on her
when the stars wink out and the sun is dragged down from bones. Most often, she’ll be entirely skeletal, stripped clean
the sky. There are nights when the moon drips with blood, and bleached of any and all signs of having once have lived.
and the anger of the stars booms across the world. Chaos and Roleplaying Notes: Once revered, now forgotten, the
instability are as natural as death, and are just as rightly feared. Tzitzimimeh have little use for people of the modern world except
Large or small, horribly desiccated or uncannily compel- when such people might lead humanity back to the respectful state
ling, Tzitzimimeh personify the awful beauty of a star. Being the people once knew. Many Tzitzimimeh have individual names of
ageless, they can appear as any age they desire to be, changing their own, and some bless certain individuals with their protection
through the span of human years in the blink of an eye. for life; others name a target who has transgressed against women
Most often, though, these entities appear as titanic corpses and children for consumption, and they hunt him across the earth
until he is found and eaten. The stars provide, and the stars destroy.

Paradox Manifestations
When Paradox essence attains a form of Wards and Talismans are rendered useless against these spirits,
sentience, the bizarre entities known as Paradox their Quintessence sizzling and burning away at the righteous
Spirits manifest themselves with lasting identities flame of their torches. Known as Furies in the western world,
and uncanny connections to the metaphysical they came by another name in ages past: Eumenides.
principles that brought them into existence. Few tragedies would be complete without an appearance
Detailed in Mage 20 (pp. 552 and 639-641), of the sisters, yet the truth can often be more tragic than any
these Umbral punishers exact a fearsome toll tragedy. Hidden in allegory and folklore lies the history of
from mages who dare too much and push too far. two of Greece’s most powerful Traditions, as well as the hor-
ror of Tisiphone’s revenge. The legend speaks of an unlikely
Erinyes (Entropy and Hubris) romance between Tisiphone and Cithaeron the king, who
The Erinyes are spirits attracted by acts of entropic imbal- murdered his brother, Helicon, for the throne. Said romance
ance that result in death or murder. It’s a rare thing for someone met a premature ending when a viper hidden in the Fury’s
to look upon the Erinyes and live to tell the tale. It is even rarer hair instinctively bit the young monarch. But what events
for one to do so and remain sane enough to describe them. could have possibly inspired this myth?

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 145

 In a city named Thebes, not far away from Athens, two mate. You will know him by his kiss, by taste of sea and stone, the
great mountains stand: Cithaeron and Helicon. Countless Oracle had said. Eager to prove the vision wrong, the priestess
years ago, beneath the shadow of trees and within the sanctuary pressed her lips to his, only to leave her dying breath in his
of caves, two cults held rites on each of the respective peaks. salty mouth. The waters beneath Acropolis were poison to the
Cithaeron was home to the priesthood of Demeter, whereas living; the Necyomantes were safe from them, for they had
Helicon was a site of worship for the followers of Persephone. already died once and returned. Splenion was then stunned
In Greek mythology, Demeter, goddess of agriculture and into another vision, one of Ismene and himself surrounded by
fertility, was mother to Persephone. Nevertheless, the shrines their laughing children. At that moment, he knew he had to get
of Helicon were there before Persephone, and their stones her back and called upon the gods below, desperate to strike
were thirsty for blood. The sisters of Cithaeron frowned a bargain. Tisiphone watched from the shadows and smirked.
upon the primitive practices of their Helicon counterparts She had marked him long ago — a mark that deepened with
and took it upon themselves to purposely civilize them. With each life he took. The young man didn’t stand a chance. His
careful manipulation, the cult of Demeter persuaded the king plea went unanswered, never reaching Hades’ halls. What did
of Plataies — a city at the foot of Cithaeron — to ally himself answer was Tisiphone, her voice a dry whisper in his ear. For
with Athens and Sparta against Thebes, in hopes of gaining every death, a root you’ll grow, for every scream, a branch, unmoving
his fiefdom’s independence. The war came and went, leaving on Demeter’s soil, her heart within your arms.
behind charred earth and driving the followers of Persephone The Verbenae of Cithaeron know the great tree as the
away from their ancestral home. The remaining survivors Heart of the Mother, and they revere it to this day. Tradition
asked the Necyomantes of Acropolis for sanctuary, uttering dictates that all coven mothers must be buried in its shadow,
the binding words, “konx om pax,” which obliged the temple’s the reason behind it known only to the High Priestess and her
priesthood to open the walls of their sanctum and embrace successor. Unfortunately, such secrecy has dulled the lesson
the refugees as their own. The meaning of these words is lost inherent in the tale. Many Euthanatoi have unleashed the
in time; still, they are used to this day as a formal petition for Erinyes on their targets, hoping that the avenging spirits will
assistance amongst Greek Traditionalists. Ash staining their impart justice on their behalf, only to see the Furies return
eyelids, the diviners of the dead cast the bones and prayed to claim them as well.
to the gods for answers. The gods were displeased, for the
The Verbenae and Euthanatoi of Greece know them
balance was off and only death could restore it. But not just
as three sisters: Alecto the Mad, Megaera the Spiteful, and
any death would do. Ismene, the high priestess of Demeter,
Tisiphone the Relentless.
had to be removed, and they had just the man for the job.
The elders summoned Splenion, who had served the temple Alecto the Mad
for many years and was blessed with both lethality and beauty.
Alecto personifies wrath and mania. Rage is what stirs
His blackened hands were a testament to his efficiency as a
her, and crimes of passion call to her. Alecto’s high-pitched
killer; thus, he came to be known as Melanheiras. Upon the
screams shatter the mind as her claws tear the offender’s
night of his departure for Cithaeron, the elders spoke words
sanity apart. Many mages have taken their own lives after
into the waters underground and filled a goblet for Splenion
realizing that attempts at self-mutilation could not silence
to drink. The salty water would ward him against Ismene’s
Alecto’s persistent wail.
power, they said.
As the sun rose above the ancient mountain, the assassin
stealthily made his way toward his target. Eventually, he came Willpower 7, Rage 5, Gnosis 8, Essence 40
upon a creek; there, the priestess was bathing, her back conve- Charms: Armor, Bad Luck Curse, Blast (Screams), Break
niently turned. He had taken but a step when she locked eyes Reality, Lightning Bolt, Shatter Glass, Terror, Umbraquake
with him and smiled. They boldly approached one another. Materialized Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 8, Stamina
Ismene welcomed him and, at that moment, Splenion realized 7; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
that his intentions were known to her. She was willing to face
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 5, Awareness 4, Brawl 4,
judgment, but she wouldn’t let him touch her with tainted
Melee 5, Stealth 4
hands. She guided him to kneel beside her by the stream and
washed the taint away with her touch. As soon as Splenion Materialized Health Levels: 10
was Melanheiras no more, a vision bloomed in both their
minds: They stood as one, embraced in love, joined in perfect
Megaera the Spiteful
balance. They shrank back in confusion, each one thinking the Megaera embodies hate and envy. She’s the reason behind
other was trying to trick them. Splenion wouldn’t have any of cautionary tales of hexes backlashing when cast with intent to
it and cast the bones for guidance. The gods remained silent. kill. Deaths caused by hexing spells cause the caster’s name to
Ismene had no bones to cast, but she was given a prophecy as carve itself onto the spirit’s flesh. Millennia of scar tissue prove
a girl; the Oracle of Delphi foretold the coming of her soul that seldom are these warnings taken seriously. More often than
not, you only do take them seriously when it is already too late.
146 Gods & Monsters
Megaera’s punishment comes in the form of a temporal loop Willpower 7, Rage 8, Gnosis 6, Essence 40
that cannot be escaped by any means. Death would seem like a Charms: Bad Luck Curse, Blast (Screams), Break Reality,
great option, then… but death is merciful, and Megaera is not. Disorient, Lightning Bolt, Re-form, Terror
Materialized Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 8, Stamina
Willpower 7, Rage 9, Gnosis 8, Essence 50 7; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
Charms: Bad Luck Curse, Blast (Screams), Break Reality, Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 5, Awareness 4, Brawl 4,
Disorient, Lightning Bolt, Terror, Temporal Loop (as a Time 4 Melee 5, Stealth 4
effect, but it runs as long as Megaera desires) Materialized Health Levels: 10
Materialized Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 8, Stamina Image: The half-crazed mumblings of few survivors speak of
7; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits tar-skinned women draped in tattered shadows. Winged and
Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 5, Awareness 4, Brawl 4, crowned in hissing snakes and tangled hair, they descend rap-
Melee 5, Stealth 4 tor-like upon the insolent mage whose hubris provokes their fury.
Materialized Health Levels: 10 Roleplaying Notes: Alecto the Mad, Megaera the Spiteful,
and Tisiphone the Relentless all have their own distinct person-
Tisiphone the Relentless alities, but all crave revenge.
Tisiphone is the manifestation of vengeance. Patient
and predatory, her blood colder than that of her prey, she Farandwee (Correspondence
stalks murderers and assassins alike. Contrary to her sisters,
Tisiphone is insidious and possesses a sense of poetic irony: and/or Time)
She will wait, and she will follow, until the time comes for The eccentric Farandwee (thought to be named from
killer to turn savior. After being marked by Tisiphone, the Arabic firanji: “foreigner”) bedevils mages who disrupt the
very first attempt her target makes at healing, restoring, or orderly rules of space and distance. Endlessly shifting size,
protecting someone’s life will horribly and irrevocably fail. mass, and appearances, this clown’s indistinct gender seems
as impermanent as the reflections it creates.
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 147
 Hermetic lore suggests that Farandwee is a patchwork of Materialized Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina
mages whose carelessness bound them together into a swirling 3; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
trickster of spatial-temporal madness. Early tales depict this en- Abilities: Alertness 5, Brawl 4
tity as a court jester of indeterminate gender. Late-Renaissance Materialized Health Levels: 5 per self
incarnations portrayed the spirit as a harlequin figure, while
more modern ones embrace the eerie clowns of circus shows Image: A catastrophic clown wearing a bizarre hodgepodge
and childhood terrors. In every guise, Farandwee manifests of clothes and ornaments from at least a half dozen periods
in response to people who place their own vanity above the and cultures.
apparent constraints of human dimensions. Roleplaying Notes: A silent, creepy figure. Honks and
As soon as Farandwee appears, the spirit tries to grab the giggles are the only sounds it makes.
mage responsible for the backlash that summoned it; most often,
that backlash comes from Correspondence-based spells, though Hex (Entropy)
the clown appears to punish Time-based backlashes as well. If Immediately after an Entropy Paradox backlash strikes, the
Farandwee succeeds, observers see a large, gray, coffin-shaped affected mage sees a traditional symbol of bad luck: a broken
capsule appear around the punished mage; sometimes, that con- mirror, an inverted horseshoe, a hissing black cat, or a num-
tainer looks more like a giant wrapped present, a puzzle box, or ber that’s unlucky in the mage’s culture. The offender always
a medieval hellmouth attached to a horrifying circus funhouse. notices this symbol, but he might not know what it means.
Regardless of the container’s appearance, a grabbed mage get Hex then waits until the mage is in danger; the next time
pulled inside with appalling and yet somehow comical speed. that mage winds up in a tough situation, he automatically
Inside that enclosure, the mage experiences a maze of botches one roll that doesn’t involve performing magick. In
unbreakable funhouse mirrors. These extremely disorienting most cases, Hex then departs, and the mage’s luck returns to
mirrors increase the difficulty of all Correspondence magick by normal. However, if the mage caused an especially severe Paradox
+2 (up to a maximum of 10). Farandwee then appears within backlash (more than seven Paradox points’ worth), then Hex
this maze, manifesting in up to a dozen duplicate forms so he may cause a second botch to fully balance the scales of reality.
can grab the mage and teleport him off to a dangerous location. Regardless of the backlash, Hex cannot cause more than
This location isn’t immediately fatal (like, say, the inside of a one botch per scene, and always departs after the second botch.
volcano), but it does present the mage with a potentially calam-
itous puzzle: How do you get out of here before things get even worse?
Willpower 8, Rage 5, Gnosis 8, Essence 30
The transported mage finds himself in a ticking-clock
situation: a remote mountain top, a cell in the brutal prison Charms: Bad Luck Curse, Cause Botch (see above),
of a corrupt autocratic nation, high in a burning apartment Materialize (as a symbol of bad luck), Tracking
building, that sort of thing. The location isn’t simply perilous Image: Hex looks like a symbol of bad luck that resonated
in and of itself (though it invariably is), but it contains an with the mage observing him.
impending threat to the mage’s safety. Farandwee, meanwhile, Roleplaying Notes: Show up, ruin a mage’s day, leave.
heals the tears in reality caused by the backlash and its pun-
ishment, and then disappears… along with the mirror-coffin
and all hope of escaping the same way.
Swipe (Mind and
While in the mirror, the offending mage can try to Correspondence or Data)
destroy all of Farandwee’s manifestations before he arrives You know how you sometimes wish you could just
at the place of punishment. (In game terms, he has one turn make annoying people disappear? The universe knows that
per manifestation to do so.) Failing that, he might attempt feeling, too. So when certain mages go bit too far, demand-
a mystical departure via the Correspondence Sphere (no ing that the universe fits their immediate demands, Swipe
telling where he’ll end up), or else escape the situation once sometimes appears to remind such people that the universe
he’s been dropped into it. Given the recursive natures of is not their bitch.
Farandwee, Correspondence, and Time, that attempt might According to Umbrood lore, the entity now known as
trigger a second backlash, which could lead Farandwee back Swipe has been around for centuries. In the old days, this
to the offender, which could result in an even bigger mess spirit manifested as a strong wind that would blow offending
the second time around. mages far away from where they’d been standing moments
before. Just before the mage in question found himself in
some distant, unexpected location, a heavy sigh of wind —
Willpower 4, Rage 4, Gnosis 8, Essence 20
occasionally heard to be muttering to itself in a decidedly
Charms: Duplication (one Essence point per self), Materialize, feminine voice about the annoying inconvenience of Awakened
Mirror Maze (conjures the maze; three Essence), Shift Other humanity — would gust around the mage, ruffle his hair and
(teleport vs. target’s Willpower; three Essence), Spirit Away clothing, and then whisk him off to a rather inconvenient
148 Gods & Monsters
place: a mountaintop, a deep woodland, a faraway crossroad, used to consider “hearing voices on the wind” actually involved
a distant city, that sort of thing. Most often, the trip would the passing of information in the pre-virtual age. Now, with so
simply inconvenience the mage in question; an especially many people attuned to the virtual world at their fingertips,
annoying or dangerous mage, however, might find himself Swipe asserts its true form as an agent of data-transference,
facing a sudden threat — an onrushing train, a hungry lion, shifting a mage “out of sight, out of mind” by rearranging the
a fall from several hundred feet in the air — from which his data associated with his existence. That’s the theory, anyhow.
magick might not save him in time. As is so often the case, this Paradox spirit isn’t talking — just
In the age of smartphones and social media, Swipe re- making folks who disrupt its dominion disappear.
fined its approach. Now manifesting as an attractive member
of the mage’s preferred gender, Swipe appears, holds up a Willpower 6, Rage 4, Gnosis 8, Essence 20
cell phone, scowls or grins at the mage, and “swipes left,”
Charms: Materialize, Shift Other (teleport vs. target’s
erasing that mage from view. Seconds later, the offender
Willpower; three Essence), Spirit Away
pops back into existence elsewhere… usually inconvenienced,
occasionally imperiled. Swipe, meanwhile, disappears back Materialized Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 5, Stamina
to wherever it came from, leaving the mage’s companions 4; use Gnosis for Social and Mental Traits
(assuming the mage had companions) wondering where Abilities: Alertness 5, Brawl 2, Technology 5
their friend went. Materialized Health Levels: OK, OK, ‒1, ‒2, ‒5,
In rare instances, the spirit not only removes the mage dispersed
from his physical location, but also swipes the memory of Image: An attractive human with a smartphone and an ex-
that mage’s presence from the people who were nearby when aggerated grin or scowl.
he disappeared. (“What? Bob was here? I don’t remember him
Roleplaying Notes: Like its original form as a wind spirit,
being here…”) Those memories return in time, generally within
Swipe is often flighty and distracted. Once a mage is “swiped,”
about an hour; until that point, though, no one in the mage’s
it often finds a new target, forgetting the target entirely unless
immediate location will recall his presence after he departs.
its attention gets drawn back to the mage.
They’ll remember he exists, if they knew him before the spirit
appeared… they just won’t remember that he was with them
until he abruptly vanished from view. Whisper (Mind or Life)
A manifestation of paranoia, Whisper cannot materialize;
A mage who finds himself whisked away by Swipe gener-
in the Umbra, the spirit resembles a swirling, shifting mass
ally winds up somewhere within 10 miles or so of his original
of colors and shapes. This entity doesn’t approach mages in
location. Where he winds up, and under what circumstances,
the Umbra, though. Instead, it manifests within an offender’s
is a judgment call on the Storyteller’s part. Wherever he ap-
own mind — reading the mage’s thoughts and fears, and then
pears, the mage finds himself too disoriented to use magic
suggesting that those fears are coming true.
effectively. The strain of being erased from one location and
dropped into another adds +5 to the difficulty of any task he When conjured by a Paradox backlash, Whisper employs
attempts. (Maximum difficulty of 10.) This penalty drops by four tactics: First, it locates the offender, wherever he might
1 difficulty per turn, giving that mage a +4 difficulty on the be; then it possesses people (typically Sleepers) in that mage’s
second turn after his arrival, +3 on the third turn, and so on. vicinity, getting them to behave erratically so that the mage
Until his scrambled senses realign themselves (in game terms, begins to question their motives with regards to him. From
after the penalty has faded, six turns after his transference), all “inside” those mortal minds, Whisper reads the mage’s
of that mage’s magickal attempts are considered to be vulgar thoughts and fears; finally, the spirit moves into the mage’s
with witnesses, even if he’s alone in his new location. Combined own head, inspiring small paranoid delusions until either the
with the increased difficulty modifier, this situation makes mage cracks or the spirit is satisfied.
it difficult, though not impossible, to employ magick… and When possessing mortal hosts, Whisper sends them against
inflicts additional Paradox on the mage if he tries to do it the mage in eerie yet nonviolent ways. People begin to follow
anyway. Thus, the stranded mage is well-advised to rely upon the mage; scary toughs might trail him, New-Age weirdoes
his wits and physical abilities to get him out of trouble in his might follow him, cops might cast wary eyes in his direction.
new location. If that mage is unfortunate enough to invoke Cars creep along behind the mage, driving off before he can
another Paradox backlash while trying to escape, Swipe will confront them. Whisper never possesses any one person for
appear and send him somewhere else where the cycle starts more than an hour or two, and these people never recall what
all over again. happened while they were possessed. Sometimes Whisper jumps
How did an entity who’s essentially a wind spirit get hip to from one person to another in a crowd, delivering a cryptic and
cell phones and social media? Some researchers theorize that ominous message; each possessed person delivers a word or two
Swipe is a manifestation of cosmic code, as described in the of the message while looking directly at the mage, and then the
paradigm “Everything is Data” (Mage 20, pg. 570). What people next person continues that message without pause. Attempts to
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 149
scan the possessed people with Mind magick produce blurs of departs… at least for the time being, anyway.
indistinct and vaguely ominous thoughts — nothing as obvious Willpower 8, Rage 4, Gnosis 8, Essence 40
as a threat but filled with intimations of obsessions or harm.
Charms: Influence, Mind Speech, Paranoid Delusions (as
Once the mage gets jumpy, Whisper flows into its tar- per the Corruption Charm, but with fearsome delusions rather
get’s consciousness, reading the fears that rise in response to than evil suggestions), Possession (one person per Power point
people following him. From there, Whisper begins to seed spent), Reform, Tracking
hallucinations, breed surges of unexpected emotions, and
Image: A chaotic manifestation of color, shapes, and sound
generally drive the mage toward irrational and paranoid acts.
in the mage’s mind.
These delusions generally last until the mage does something
stupidly self-destructive; at that point, Whisper generally Roleplaying Notes: Whatever it takes to get the mage to
doubt her own sanity.

Totem Spirits
To many people, gods are distant, abstract to be boorish, rude, clumsy, or stupid. People who abuse cats
entities — assuming they exist at all. For rare are anathema to her. Although folks often think of Cat and
mortals, though, certain gods are family. Dog as natural enemies, those spirits and their people can be
Favored by these entities, those rare people comfortable allies, even great friends, so long as the Dog-folk
enjoy special gifts, mystic kinship, and frequent remember who’s really in charge.
annoyances from their patron beings. That
bond can be fleeting, lost by carelessness or Cockroach
disrespect. The folks who manage to sustain Though ancient, Cockroach has come into its own in
such ties, however, retain a sublime relationship the modern age. In every city, around every corner and seam,
with someone greater than themselves. Cockroach waits for the dark. Persistent and incredibly hard to
Like kami, the Loa, and other god-forms, totem entities kill, this totem’s chosen folk share Spider’s uncanny patience;
are too vast for simple statistics. Though they’ll assume ma- where she is delicate, though, Cockroach is tough… and its
terial form, or manifest as members of their “broods,” these people know things… things they’re really not supposed to know.
spirits are essentially immortal and, if not omnipotent, then
at least deeply perceptive with regards to their chosen kin.
Manifestations: Large roaches, roach swarms, titanic roach-
For details about totems and their relationship with Mage es, and people with the nightmarish ability to grow antennae
characters see Mage 20, pp. 326-328 and 633-636. or dissolve into vast carpets of… ugh…
Associations: Toughness, persistence, secrets, filth, infesta-
Cat tion, survival.
Sly and graceful, Cat is especially popular in urban areas
Brood: Roach spirits, gremlin-imps, electrical impulse spirits
or farmlands. Like her larger cousins Lynx, Cougar, Tiger, and
that glide through machinery, street people, and especially
so forth, she’s a devastating hunter when need be. The smaller
strange hoarders.
embodiment of Cat favors the domesticated feline, though, so she
tends to be cute and affectionate as well as fierce. Occasionally Abilities: Streetwise, Survival, or the Stamina Attribute
regarded as male (especially under names like Tybalt or Old Tom), Bans: Cockroach doesn’t like people who kill its kind or who
Cat likes people who enjoy the finer things in life. keep their living spaces too clean. This totem’s favored people
leave offerings to Cockroach’s insect children and regard them
as good luck.
Manifestations: A large (sometimes very large) feline of
the more-or-less domesticated sort. Sometimes appears as a
person with distinctly cat-like characteristics or as a cat with Joe Dread
unusually human characteristics, such as Puss-in-Boots or the He’s the face of fear, though he has no face. He can look
archetypal talking cat. like anyone yet resembles no one. Joe Dread is the embodiment
of terror that wears a human guise. He lurks in alleys, shouts
Associations: Grace, insight, sensuality, curiosity, cruelty.
from cars, and walks loudly down the street behind you when
Brood: Spirit cats, catlike people, and the infamous NyanCat no one else is around. Some people, though, make a friend of
and Grumpy Cat. Dread. For them, he’s family, and his gifts to them are legion.
Abilities: Awareness, Seduction, Stealth You’ll never see Dread clearly. That’s the point. His dominion
Bans: Though Cat can be silly, she does not suffer her allies is the unknown factor at the edge of what seems certain otherwise.

150 Gods & Monsters

 Controversy is My Spirit Animal
Taken from the Ojibwe word doodem, meaning “clan” or “lineage,” the word totem has become a contentious subject
in the 21st century. Because the original word refers to a family structure that was destroyed by Euro-American invaders
before that word was adopted as a commodity to be bought and sold by those same people, it’s the subject of intense
debate in certain communities. Like shaman, voodoo, gypsy, and similar terms, it’s a word whose pop-culture usage
ignores deeply offensive baggage and a history of turning something vital to one culture into a bad joke (as in the
convenience-store chain U Tote ‘Em) for another.
A related concept, the “spirit animal,” is even more contentious, with some folks demanding that non-indigenous people
stop using it altogether. The term itself isn’t Native American, of course, though it was coined by anthropologists to
describe the “primitive superstitions” of indigenous peoples. Those waters get muddied further by the fact that certain
European and Asian cultures have their own animistic traditions in which people bond with or are related to animals,
as with the Norse “bear-shirt” berserkers, Siberian ayami, heraldic beasts, and the tradition of familiar spirits. New-
Age commercial culture, naturally, has trivialized and commodified such ideas to a ridiculous degree, and so people
who couldn’t care less if someone feels a spiritual kinship to Wolf get understandably hacked off at “spirit-animal
workshops” where rich attendees pay $1,000 a pop to receive wildly inaccurate (and offensive) “primal wisdom”
based on the same Native American creeds that, for generations, got actual Native Americans beaten, locked up,
and killed. Certain activists now insist that if non-Natives respect the concept, they’ll use terms from their own culture
(patronus, daemon, familiar, etc.) instead of copping sacred concepts from another one. (See “Taking Other People’s
Stuff?” in The Book of Secrets, pp. 290-291.)
The totem concept appeared in Mage and Werewolf years before these debates became common conversations.
In hindsight, we might have chosen another term if we’d been aware at the time that it could offend folks we hadn’t
wanted to offend. At this point, the word’s so ingrained in World of Darkness material that extracting it would cause an
even bigger controversy than keeping it intact, especially since many potential substitute words (like familiar) already
refer to something else entirely. That said, you can represent the same concept by substituting Numen (“a nod of the
head” from a god), Daemon (“guiding spirit”), or whatever else suits your needs if the term totem doesn’t fit your
group or your take on the game.
Regardless of the word employed, the World of Darkness totem concept refers to a greater spirit that shares intimate
kinship with its chosen people. It’s not restricted to “power animals,” and carries a lot more significance than the cool
perks your character gets from this Trait. A totem, by any name, is family. Contentious as it might be, a totem’s presence
reflects a sacred bond, and should be treated with respect.

At times, he’ll crouch on your shoulders when you’re trying to them. Inflicting such fear really is a kind of science, so Joe’s an
get things done, or loom over your bed on a restless night. Dread exception to the rule that Technocrats cannot bond with totem
is an imp. Dread is a stranger. Dread looks just enough like one spirits. His kinsmen among the Black Suit and PsychOp ranks
of those people to get you fired up about them, yet he can look don’t view him as an ephemeral entity, though; to them, he’s just
like you as well. He’s the fiend whose face is everyone’s. Dread a guy like them, who happens to be extremely good at his job.
knows no ethnicity or class because terror haunts us all. Despite his colloquial name, Dread isn’t bound by gen-
Some folks view Joe Dread as part of Big Owl’s brood — a der. A man who fears women would meet Jo Dread instead.
servant, perhaps, or a human manifestation of the fear-god She sneers at him, tears him down, leaves a blank space of
himself. That might be true, but there’s no way to be sure. rejection in the center of his world or else tells that world
These days, Dread is everywhere: screaming at you on the that he’s really no one at all. Names are just conveniences we
internet, lurking behind your best friend’s grin, knocking attach to things we wish to classify, and Dread reminds us we
on your door and the then disappearing before you answer, have no control. Even those who Dread befriends realize that
smashing your car window just for fun so you can wonder what life is full of terrors and their lives are no exception.
he took or fear that someone might be inside the car, waiting.
As a totem entity, Joe Dread gifts his chosen with Manifestations: Loud noises, sudden shouts, feelings of anx-
Intimidation, Stealth, and Torture. He knows how to hurt folks iety, shadowy figures, whispered threats, posts and comments
and likes to share his secrets. For Joe, the threat of pain is sweeter on the internet, sudden acts of random violence.
than pain itself; thus, the favors he confers focus more upon
Associations: Terror, anxiety, suspense, phobias.
what might happen than on violent acts of certainty. He’s not
about beating someone to a pulp, but about getting them to fear Brood: Elementals of cold wind, “bad luck” or fearsome
what being beaten to a pulp feels like. Dread’s chosen people animal spirits (spiders, black cats, crows, owls, snakes, and
are similarly frightening, not because they use brutal force but so forth), people who use fear to their advantage.
because the potential for force always seems to hover around Abilities: Intimidation, Stealth, Torture
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 151
Bans: Those who embrace Dread cannot comfort other people bread, cold water, hot milk. Mama makes the best soup you’ve
or ease their fears unless they do so as a tactic to scare that ever tasted, and even the most miserable folk find something to
person even worse afterward. smile about when she hands out food and says, “Eat, child — eat!”
People bonded with Mama Plenty learn to cook and
Mama Plenty scrounge, how to get the most out of whatever you can get
Mother will take care of you. That’s the idea, anyway. The and then find a little more besides. In return, they must re-
archetypal Mother cares for her children, and although human main dedicated to helping folks in need; Mama has no time
mamas often fall short of that ideal, Mama Plenty comes for selfish kids, and she withdraws her gifts if she ever finds
around when folks lose hope and have nowhere else to go. them being used for profit. Her chosen kin excel at healing,
An embodiment of merciful generosity, Mama Plenty too, and must do so without charge while acting in her name.
has existed in one form or another for as long as people Mama’s gifts must be reserved for people in need. Rich folks
have needed her. She is Mary, Kuan Yin, White Buffalo Calf have money of their own; for the rest of us, Mama’s there.
Woman, Tonantzin… or an aspect of those venerated women,
anyway. More than anything else, Mama Plenty is the feeder Manifestations: The Virgin Mary (by any name), nurses,
of the hungry and the soother of the sick. Healers of all kinds soup-kitchen chefs, relief workers, grandmas, old-country aunts.
revere her, and the roiling hordes of refugees and homeless
Associations: Healing, food, nurture, mercy.
folk sometimes feel Mama Plenty’s hand on their brows or
see her smile through a wall of soup-kitchen steam. She can’t Brood: Doves, spirits who take the form of helpful old women,
feed everyone, of course — human need is too great for even a the ghost of someone’s departed Mom or Grandma, swans,
goddess to resolve. People who dedicate themselves to be her large sows, mama spirit-bears.
instruments, however, help share her bounty across our world. Abilities: Cooking, Empathy, Medicine, Scrounging
Mama Plenty generally appears as a hearty woman from the Bans: People devoted to Mama must help people who need
culture of those who behold her. Her touch is cool; her grin is warm. it, free of charge, whenever possible. Using Mama’s gifts for
She’s got lots of pockets, and all of them are full of goodies: candy, personal gain is a sure way to lose her favor forever.

152 Gods & Monsters

Mr. Black items are as solid as any human-manufactured thing; if they
disappear within a day or two… well, hey, wealth comes and
Mr. Black has the best of everything. The best clothes. The goes, and so do Mr. Black’s assets.
best cars. The best parties. The best women. With a snap of his
Unbound by laws of time and space, Mr. Black is everywhere
fingers, he can get you the best drugs. With a phone cell (on
he needs to be, at once: chewing out a stockbroker in Seattle,
the smartest phone money can buy, of course), he can make or
hefting Cristal in the 40/40 VIP room, and discussing the next
break your career. He’s everywhere at once, and no one place is
big thing with Sony’s CEO. His hair’s always perfect. His suit’s
his home. Mr. Black is the hustle and the flow, with the inside
always clean. He never ages, and his body would awe a physical
track on everything. It’s been said that what goes up must come
trainer for the stars. He’s light-skinned enough to satisfy Euro-
down, but Mr. Black has never been down in his life.
American preconceptions about “where the money is,” but
The fact that he’s not actually a man might have some- elements of his Asian and African heritage keep him ambiguous
thing to do with that. enough to be welcomed from Beijing to Dubai. No matter what
Mr. Black embodies the dream of success, bigger than life location he inhabits, Mr. Black seems right at home. He speaks
and twice as prosperous. A reigning spirit of the 21st century, every language fluently because his real language is success.
he’s tasteful excess riding in style. You can find him in the As a totem spirit, Mr. Black gives inside tips for per-
shadows of the best nightclubs, talking up a storm in the fin- sonal enrichment (adding dice to a character’s Finance
est parties, eyeing the models as they trot through their paces Knowledge instead of to the usual Cosmology Trait),
at Balenciaga, snorting a mirrorful of the very best flake in a introduces his ambitious followers to new Contacts (as in
Shanghai penthouse where even the thought of what he’s doing that Background), and provides an extra dot in Resources
would get you locked up under the jail. He is money. He is power. so long as the character stays on his good side. Mr. Black’s
He’s all the things the richest people dream of and the poorest blessings never seem overtly paranormal, just the benefits
folk know they’ll never have. Suave, classy, and way too busy for of knowing the right people and taking the right risks. He
mere mortals like you, Mr. Black is the essence of the fast track does demand risk-taking, of course — cautious people rarely
where the race is never won, only topped by going even faster. achieve greatness, after all — and his favor is as fickle as a
Like Joe Dread, The Man and The Machine (Mage 20, stock-market surge. He’ll share a few goodies with the people
pp. 635-636), Mr. Black is a totem spirit even Technocrats can who have his ear, but those gifts are always small, fleeting
embrace. They don’t view him as a spirit, of course — that things: a great party, a night on the town, some fine drugs,
would be absurd. Rather, he’s the Platonic ideal of human or the best orgasm you ever had. In return, he wants to be
wealth — not a rattle-shaking grunt of primal ignorance but a shown a good time; He scratches your back, and you’d best
man who always takes it to the next level. You don’t make weird believe you’ll have to scratch his, too. That’s just the way
blood-pacts with him; you make deals with him, and he opens things work, so if you want the best things life has to offer
doors for you. Mr. Black is just a man to them, the epitome of you must offer something else in exchange.
success but nothing more. He is the top of the ladder of success
and getting his attention in a good way can boost you up a few
Manifestations: Jetsetters, playboys, celebrities, top-tier
rungs too. In game terms, of course, Mr. Black is a totem spirit
businessmen.
of formidable means. Technocrats (and many other people,
too) simply believe he’s mortal even though he’s really not. Associations: Class, wealth, greed, prosperity, risk.
So potent is Mr. Black’s allure that only the most percep- Brood: Spirits who manifest as apparently human executives,
tive folk can see him for what he truly is. All perception rolls personal trainers, escorts, personal assistants, and hangers-on.
made to determine his true nature, or to crack the web of Abilities: Finance, Politics, and the Contacts and Resources
misdirection around his financial network, are made against Backgrounds
difficulty 10 simply because he draws his power from the Bans: Don’t invest conservatively, be timid in pursuit of wealth,
concept of prosperity itself. Everyone knows who he is, but or embrace a philosophy or cause based on taking wealth
very few know what he is. Mr. Black’s greatest power, though, from those who enjoy it.
may be the ability to claim other people’s riches as his own.
That mansion where Mr. Black lives this week actually belongs
to Mohammed bin Nayef; Mo won’t be using it for a while,
Trip
Embodiment of warped perceptions, Trip opens mental
though, so why not use it while he’s gone? That Aston Martin
blocks, rearranges expectations, and grants insights that range
was “borrowed” from the collection of a famous action star
from profound peace to screaming terror. Known by many
who’s got several hundred cars and so won’t miss it for a day
monikers (including the names of particular entheogenic plants
or so. Most of Mr. Black’s riches, of course, simply come
like Peyote, traditional brews like Ayahuasca, and modern psycho-
from his innate magic powers. He’s wealth personified, so
tropic compounds like Sid, AKA, LSD), Trip takes his chosen
manifesting a Eurasian Diamond Card, a Lexus, or a roll of
on dazzling journeys of altered reality. To Ecstatics, Children
vintage 1932 $1,000 bills is child’s play to Mr. Black. These

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 153

of Knowledge, shamans, witches, and even the occasional
Technocrat (especially among the Progenitor Convention), Trip Wolf
bends the edges of normalcy and helps you crawl, leap, or fly For all his ferocity, Wolf’s also a noble teacher and protective
to a different dimension… a useful, if precarious, mystic tool. guardian. Like his little cousin Dog, Wolf (known too as Fenris,
Brother Wolf, Mama Wolf, and the Big Bad Wolf, among other names)
shares close ties to humanity even in his most primal state. Few
Manifestations: Trip manifests as… well, a trip. The specifics archetypes, in human symbolism, hold as ambiguous and ambiv-
vary from compound to compound, but usually involve bright alent an identity as Wolf. Loyal yet predatory, bestial but majestic,
colors and altered sounds, shifting textures and surfaces, “bent” he’s among the most powerful totem spirits known to man.
perceptions of time, incredible and sometimes horrific visions,
and the deconstruction of “reality” as the shaman typically
perceives it. Trip also manifests as people offering hallucino- Manifestations: Huge, regal wolves, wolf packs, howls,
genic visions (with or without chemicals), psychedelic sages lupine people of feral aspect.
and seers, or the material embodiments of what the shaman Associations: Hunger, protection, ferocity, terror, loyalty,
sees… which can be pretty damned unnerving! seduction.
Associations: Insight, perception, prophecy, deception, Brood: Spirit wolves, storm spirits, hunger spirits, human
illusion, impermanence. predators, and — of course — werewolves and other lupine
Brood: Serpents, jaguars, floating balls of light, time-spirits, shapeshifters.
and other psychotropic entities. Abilities: Awareness, Brawl, Survival
Abilities: Enigmas, Esoterica, Pharmacopeia Bans: Although real-life wolves can be cowardly, Wolf the
Bans: Trip loathes fearful people, and tends to take them for totem does not bond with cowardly people. Weakness is
very bad rides. anathema among this spirit’s chosen folk; they might protect
someone who needs help, but they cannot bear craven behavior.

God-Forms
God is a funny word. People will kill each other existence of such beings, too, if only because those god-forms
over different interpretations of it, but few — tend to show up with annoying regularity. (Are they aliens? I
even when they share a creed — agree completely guess they’re aliens…)
about just what the word means. For Mage Because human beings stick labels all over everything,
purposes, though, a god-form reflects a spiritual philosophical belief in gods tends to break down into five
entity who embodies a recognizable identity general categories:
that has been shaped by human belief in its
divinity. Although it might assume temporary • Atheism: There are no such thing as gods.
manifestations in the human world, a god-form
• Polytheism: Many gods exist, with distinct identities
transcends game Traits. Its powers might not
and divine provinces.
be truly limitless, but they’re far greater than
those of playable characters or confrontable foes. Whether a • Monotheism: There’s only one God; other “gods” are
given god-form predates humanity, has been shaped by human lesser beings… and probably evil, too.
consciousness (see “Thought Forms” in Mage 20, pp. 598-599),
or is an ineffable essence that has, in turn, been shaped into an • Pantheism: All things are God, all gods are aspects of
identity by mortals who revere it… that’s stuff for philosophers a singular Divine Force, or both.
to debate. In practical Mage terms, a god-form is a spirit too
vast to be confined yet personal enough to be encountered on • Agnosticism: Hell if I know!
a human level if it chooses to reveal itself that way. And because human belief is seriously bizarre, these cat-
“It does me no injury,” wrote Thomas Jefferson, “for my egories are not always mutually exclusive. A Buddhist atheist
neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my might revere the gods as abstract symbols standing in for a
pocket nor breaks my leg.” Mages tend to keep a similar view of greater sublime Reality in which there are no “gods” per se;
things. Even if they worship a particular god to the exclusion his monotheistic Christian friend asserts a single God while
of all others (perhaps while believing other gods to be, in fact, acknowledging other godlike entities like Mary, Satan, and
demons), Awakened folks who deal in such matters recognize the saints. Their animist buddy knows that everything has
that many god-forms exist even if they don’t accept such “gods” a living spiritual essence, yet feels like calling those entities
as the one true divinity. Atheistic mages generally accept the “gods” would be insulting to the spirits. The cabal’s resident
154 Gods & Monsters
materialist thinks the other folks are full of shit… but she’s be a child of Anansi himself, or perhaps some aspect of his
seen enough weird stuff to admit that something exists out enigmatic mate.
there, and it’s not human, exactly… but she won’t refer to Anansi appears sometimes as a normal spider. Other
such things as “gods” because that’s, you know, silly. All of times he looks like a spider with a man’s face; a spider wear-
them concede there’s more to Creation than meets the eye ing clothing; or a man with spider-like attributes, such as a
but disagree about specifics regarding what it is and what disconcerting number of long limbs. His ability to assume
that means to them. multiple forms is part of his desire to know more stories;
Depending on which way you tilt the World of Darkness, Anansi can turn into a man and sit at a poetry reading, or
its cosmology could be considered polytheist, monotheist, become a spider spinning a hidden web during a museum
pantheist, or maltheist (divinity exists, and it hates your guts). lecture, in order to hear the tales of all people.
Tons of godlike entities exist, but are they “real” gods or just
really potent alien-spirit-beings operating in a cosmos ruled Big Owl,
by some far greater Divine Principle? Mage does not presume
to answer that question one way or the other. Ultimately, the Screaming Night
the nature of divinity within your chronicle is whatever you In the Before, this world teemed with many monsters.
want it to be. They were unafraid, and lived out in the open, where they
A small handful of Mage-centric god-forms includes: could be seen and easily found. Human beings were no threat
to them; in truth, many of them fed on men like men feed on
Anansi the Spider, cattle. Humans were too filled with fear to challenge them,
and the monsters ruled uncontested. That situation came
Keeper of Tales to an end when Killer-of-Enemies was born into the world.
A weaver of webs and words, Anansi is the god of com- Killer-of-Enemies was not afraid of the monsters, and one by
munication. Once, long ago, the Sky God alone held access one, he hunted them down, destroying and dispersing them
to all the stories in the world. Anansi asked the Sky God for to the last. Except for Big Owl.
stories, and so he was given the task of capturing three elusive As the stories go, Killer-of-Enemies defeated Big Owl and
animals. When Anansi used his cunning to capture them all, cast him down, dispersing him into hundreds of thousands
the Sky God made Anansi the god of all stories. But there of little owls, who flew far and wide and hid in the night,
was a catch, as there usually is in any deal: If the Sky God afraid that Killer-of-Enemies might hunt them down as well.
needs something to be told to someone, Anansi must act as But Big Owl lived on within those dispersed owls, and within
the messenger. Anansi agreed. the hearts of the men who, even after his defeat, feared him.
Now Anansi has access to all the stories and fables hu- Big Owl lived closer to men than many other monsters
manity has ever invented, and he uses it to be cunning and did. He had children to feed — two of them, most stories say.
teach lessons to humans. Like a spider winding a web, he spins His children were even larger than he was, and they were
tales and legends to keep his heritage alive. When African ever-hungry, ever-growing. Big Owl had to stay close to the
peoples were captured and sold as slaves across the ocean, world of men in order to satiate their infinite appetites. Back
he came with them. When people lost their language, their in those times, in the Before, Big Owl was unafraid of the light,
names, and their stories, Anansi whispered their heritage to and walked openly during the day. His horns were long and
them and told them to keep it in their hearts. He helped the curved like blunt yellow knives stained with the dried blood
slaves stay tied to their roots, and he inspired the cunning of the innocent. His eyes were large and reflected the light
they needed in order to survive the atrocities of manor and of the moon as if they were celestial spheres unto themselves.
plantation. It was Anansi who gave the slaves the intellectual They were lined with yellowing finger- and toenails, the only
resistance to stay alive during one of the worst times in history, parts of the dead he and his children did not care to eat.
and so his name has been revered for 500 years. The fact that He wore them like trophies. His feathers stank like rotting
so many slave masters feared the massive tropical spiders of carcasses, and the basket he carried on his back, big enough
South America, and often suffered and perished from the to fit a pair of black bears, reeked of offal and excrement.
venom within them, became signs of Anansi’s favor. Big Owl was one of the most horrific of monsters, but unlike
Anansi has a wife, who is known only as Mistress Anansi the others he carried himself with dignity and pride, a chief
or Mistress Spider. They have countless children, the most amongst the common, a moon amongst the stars.
notable of whom is Ntikuma, who outsmarted his father’s He lived so powerfully in the hearts and dreams of men
attempt to gather up all the world’s knowledge and hold it that when Killer-of-Enemies dispersed him into the night, he
for himself. The chilling were-spiders who are also known by slept bloodlessly in their memories, patient and knowing. His
Anansi’s name sometimes claim distant heritage from their children still lived, somewhere out in the darkness, and they
namesake god. More often, though, they serve the imprisoned hungered, and without him to feed them, they would dwindle
Queen-Mother Ananasa, Lady of Webs, who may or may not into nothingness. He remembered this as Killer-of-Enemies
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 155
walked across the land, slaying the last of the monsters. He orphans and foster children, people who will not be missed.
remembered this when Killer-of-Enemies settled down to have Sometimes the police or even the FBI might open a case and
his own children. He remembered this when Killer-of-Enemies pretend to search for Big Owl’s victims, but nothing ever
passed into story and legend and myth. And on the lips of comes of it, and no one knows where they go.
mothers trying to scare their misbehaving children, and in the Except, of course, those who still tell his stories — but
nests of owls high in the trees at night, Big Owl was reborn. every time Big Owl’s story is told, his strength grows, and as
He donned his basket and his chopping knife. He watched Big Owl’s strength grows, his children grow. The real question
through the eyes of the owls in the trees and through the is this: What will they grow into?
moon itself. He called out to strangers walking at night, and
A vast shadow in vaguely owlish form, Big Owl looms
reminded them, deep in their hearts, of the terror of being
through the Penumbra more like a cloud than like any mortal
dragged across Big Owl’s chopping block, limbs stretched. The
beast. When pressed, this spirit can burst into several thousand
ancestor-memories from the Before would not leave them, and
(or several million) owls of normal size, or perhaps compress
they remembered the knife coming down, chopping them into
itself into a single owl of unusually intimidating aspect.
pieces, and the endless, desolate voids that were the maws of
What kind of owl? Whatever sort seems most frightening to
Big Owl’s children, hungrily choking them down.
the beholder. Big Owl is not so much a titanic relation to
Big Owl is stronger now than he ever was in the Before, the Strigiformean birds of prey so much as it’s a primordial
when Killer-of-Enemies faced and defeated him. He lives in manifestation of terror embodied in the idea of an owl
the night but does not fear the day. He lives in the memories screaming in the dark.
and hearts of boys and girls, and on their lips when they grow
into parents. He no longer slips into the homes of the sleeping
to steal victims away into the forest. Now he slips into their
Bondye, the Most High
God. The All. Most High. Unreachable.
dreams, stuffing them into his basket before they can wake.
When the sun rises, their families find bloodless empty beds Bondye has existed since the beginning of everything,
and assume their children ran away. Often, Big Owl targets and They will be here long after everything else ends. They are
the most vulnerable in a community; the destitute, women, an entity of immense space, and yet They contain no form.

156 Gods & Monsters

They have no gender, sex, race, or nationality, existing outside of them, or none of them? Was Jesus a man, a myth, a divinity,
human parameters. Bondye recognizes none of the markers or perhaps a lot of each? People live and die by those questions,
that separate people, seeing only each person’s true spirit. and to posit any answer than the one accepted by a believer is
Bondye is unreachable. Even the most powerful gods to court blasphemy at the very least. As a god-form, then, there
are not capable of speaking to Them directly. Long ago, this may be many Christs personified, each inspiring or inspired by
isolation made Bondye very lonely, unable to speak to anyone. the disparate visions of a flawed humanity.
Bondye wished to fill the vastness of time and space with As a god, the Christ is transcendent. And yet, believers
other things, and so Bondye separated themselves into three throughout the last 2,000 years have claimed to walk with
manifestations: Eledumare, Olorun, and Olofi. Eledumare is Christ, talk to Christ, hear His voice in their hour of need.
responsible for Creation, having made the universe and all the “With man,” Christ said, “this is impossible. But with God,
things inside of it, including the mortal concept of “time.” all things are possible.” The Good Shepherd, then, is a true
Olorun, associated with the life-giving energy of the sun, is presence in the hearts of His believers. Whether or not He
the ruler of the heavens and the holder of Ashe, the life force is what people say He is, Christ’s reality as a godhead is un-
(that is, Quintessence) that runs through all things. Olofi is the deniable. This is as true for Pagan mages who don’t accept
ruler of the Earth, and he forms the conduit between the Earth His divinity as it is for Choristers who do.
and the heavens. Bondye is both the three manifestations of The Christ one meets (if indeed, one meets Jesus face-to-face)
themselves, and also a single entity unto itself. Bondye knows depends, as usual, on the spirit one expects to see. A devout Saudi
no limitations, and They may be whatever They choose to be. Muslim might see the Middle Eastern Jew speaking Aramaic in
Bondye does not grant miracles or change fate, but rather an ancient accent. A megachurch parishioner from Alabama sees
is the vessel through which all things are possible. So long a pale-skinned king with a soft southern drawl. The Jesus whis-
as Bondye exists, there’s a chance for the existence of life, pering to a death row inmate isn’t the same guy who reportedly
of luck, of fate, for trees to grow and waters to flow. To give “hates fags.” Even if both figures come from the same book and
praise to Bondye, then, is to give praise to all deities, and to Holy Spirit, the form they take in the eyes of the beholder reveal
show gratitude for the existence of life itself. It is up to the more about the person than they do about the god.
gods — and by extension, the Loa — to make sure that Bondye In any form, the Christ embodies justice. To some believ-
is being worshipped. Without Bondye everything would cease ers, He tempers God’s implacable perfection, while for others
to be: humans, life, consciousness, everything. He’s the stern judge of righteousness. Because his Gospels
pose so many questions, this godhead might be a Prince of
Christ, the Good Shepherd Peace or the King of the Apocalypse. Maybe he was just a
For many people on this earth, there’s only one God: the man who became a myth. Regardless, he speaks across the
omniscient eternal Father of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, centuries as a voice for righteousness, bringing compassion
maker of heaven and earth, ruler of all that is seen and unseen. to a world desperately in need of it.
Call Him by his many names, it’s still the same God, at least in And so, the Good Shepherd remains a contested figure,
the eyes of the faithful. All other “gods” are mere shadows of adored by many, despised by some. The enigma at the heart
His Divine Presence. Such immanence, though, is too hard for of Christian creeds is a Rorschach test for the human soul.
mortal minds to grasp. And so, God took on flesh and became Thus, a mage could encounter a blinding presence that inspires
a man. In the form of the Christ, the Christos (“Anointed One”), radical conversion, or else hang out with a gentle hippie who
the man Yeshua — commonly known as Jesus — walked among really digs good wine. Despite the omniscient nature of the
humanity to show by teachings and example what God desired One True God, His godhood, it is said, has a face in the man
and the prophets decreed. This Jesus was exalted, rejected, cast called Christ, and any mage — believer or not — could have
down, and tortured to death as an offering to redeem the sins of a personal relationship with Him.
the world. According to scripture, he rose again three days later,
returned to his disciples, and ascended into heaven to await the
Final Judgement. When God destroys the world as we know it,
Grandmother Elephant,
Christ will usher in the world to come. This, to much of the the Wise and Kindly
world, is literally the Gospel truth. Jesus Christ is the human Wisdom, nobility, and strength. These are the attributes
personification of God. And although mages experience a world of Grandmother Elephant. Appointed by the gods to be the
far more complex than that known by most human beings, a chief of all animals, she was chosen not only because of her
fair number of Awakened Ones still believe that Jesus is Lord. great wisdom, but also because she’s so powerful that she
Which Jesus, though, is the real “Only Begotten Son of God?” can be killed only by magic or man. When other animals
The compassionate rebel? The doomsday judge? The conserva- find themselves in irreconcilable disputes, they turn to
tive Jesus of southern evangelists, or the socialist Jesus of their Grandmother Elephant. Humans do so too, often calling
progressive rivals? The rabbi? The prophet? The magician? All her in as a neutral party outside their arguments. An old
adage claims that elephants never forget, and Grandmother
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 157
Elephant never does. Like all her children, she retains great the dust and transformed it into the first of the people. Men
stores of knowledge gathered over the course of her long life. came as well, but Itzpapalotl chooses not to speak of their evil
When ancient chiefs, human or otherwise, pass on, their origins. Tamoanchan is open to good women and children after
knowledge goes to Grandmother Elephant. their deaths, but only if the Tzitzimimeh choose to lead them
As a deity in her own right, Grandmother Elephant can there instead of to Mictlan. As people grow more numerous on
shed her skin and transform into a human body as a means of earth, and the death tolls rise, Tamoanchan grows… and when
defending herself. In one legend, a hunter found a discarded Itzpapalotl learns the manner in which women and children are
elephant skin in the woods. He took it and hid it away in a dying, she grows more and more interested in raining down fire
cave. Nearby, he found a large and beautiful woman, crying. and spears of obsidian upon the evils of the world. The more
When he asked her why she was crying, she said she couldn’t death is fed to her, the sooner she will bring death to the world.
go home. The hunter consoled her; eventually, she went home The Mother of the Hunt appears similar to other
with him. Soon afterward, they were married and had several Tzitzimimeh, but her skeletal frame is carved from shining,
large children. One day, the man went back to the cave to check razor-edged obsidian. Her spindly, knife-like fingertips split the
on the elephant skin, but didn’t realize his wife was behind flesh of the living without effort, and she pierces the hearts
him. When she saw her old skin, she bellowed with joy, put of the unworthy to draw them out and judge their evil. The
it on, and returned to her herd as an elephant once again. Serpent Killer also bears a fan of massive butterfly wings: black,
It’s been said that the human children of Grandmother shimmering, and sheer as the volcanic glass she is named for.
Elephant are large people with extreme physical stamina, Giant silkworm moths with rust-colored wings flutter about
sharp mental faculties, grand loyalty, quiet moderation, and her, emitting a keening, breathy whisper as their wings brush
a cooperative spirit. Such people get along well with humans her obsidian bones. The Bearer of Stars wears a long cloak
and animals alike, and are generally trusted to resolve disputes sewn of the scales of the foul serpents she slew. The monsters
fairly, and to retain information that lesser people might forget. from which she peeled the scales were so terrifying that light
itself shies away from even their remains. Her cloak, when
Grandmother Elephant normally looks like a particularly large
wrapped about her gigantic frame, renders her completely
African elephant. If she chooses to shed her skin, however, she
invisible, even to spirits and the dead. The only possible sign
can look like a beautiful (and unusually large) woman of whatever
of her presence is the eclipse of moths that follows in her wake.
age she desires to be. Grandmother Elephant has been alive a very
long time, and thus can be quite patient. Kind and empathetic Itzpapalotl’s concerns primarily reside within the cosmos.
toward all creatures, even those wicked ones who seek to deceive She considers the rise and fall of the sun, and when her sisters
her, she forgives easily but forget nothing. It’s hard to rouse her will rip it from the sky to fall down to earth and punish the
anger, but such things are possible. If someone manages to get evils of men. And so, she considers her thousands of children
under her skin, Grandmother Elephant reminds them how much — twinkling and winking and sometimes dying in the night.
larger, older, wiser, and stronger than people elephants truly are. She doesn’t wish to waste her time with a race that only sheds
its flaws in death… but when she must, her revenge is swift
Itzpapalotl, and decisive. The Mother of the Hunt intends to be present
when the last of humankind is brought to Mictlan, and she’ll
Queen of Tamoanchan assist in the grinding down of their bones.
Obsidian Butterfly, Knife Wings, Mother of the Hunt,
Bearer of Stars, Murderer of Men, Serpent Killer… Itzpapalotl Kane, the Maker
has hundreds of names. She is one of the first stars, and she’ll Most men who call themselves “self-made” are full of shit,
continue to burn long after the people have fallen to ash and but Kane actually did make himself, crafting himself from the
the land has been scoured away. She will shine brightly when Umbral void. Naturally, that makes him the god of birth, as
the fires consume the world, and the floods drown it out. well as the god of pretty much everything that involves making
Itzpapalotl cares little for the fear of death that lingers in the something, except for agriculture. Where there was sea, Kane
hearts of men. Men are small and fragile things. Her patience made land. Where there was salt water, he made fresh water.
for them matches their stature. Itzpapalotl is a Tzitzimitl, and Where there were no people, he made people.
the greatest in power amongst them. She is the queen of their
Some lore paints Kane as the leader of a trinity of gods —
home, Tamoanchan, a sacred place of genesis. Tamoanchan
the other two being the peaceful Lono and war god Ku. This
is a paradise where life no longer exists. It is where children
same lore also paints Kane’s sea-god counterpart Kanaloa,
sleep before they are born, and sometimes it is where women
who’s often associated with death and the underworld, as a
sleep after they have died. Tamoanchan is neighbor to Mictlan,
sort of Satan figure. Some tales even conflate the two entities
but not a place necessarily allied with the Land of the Dead.
into a single being. All of this is complete bullshit, naturally
In the beginning, the dust of the bones of the last people — the result of the Technocratic annexation of Hawai’i and
was brought from Mictlan to Tamoanchan. Picturing in her the subsequent attempts to make Christianity the only legal
mind the beauty, grace, and divinity of women, Itzpapalotl took
158 Gods & Monsters
religion. Instead, Kane heads a quartet of gods, working with While the Kopa Loei hold the most favor in Kane’s heart,
Kanaloa most of the time. Really, the two make a potent anyone who’s willing to put the hurt on the Technocracy and
team, often able to accomplish incredible amounts. While Nephandi is okay in his book. His pragmatism leads him to
Kane generally provides the muscle of their team, it would see the good in bad situations, and to find ways to turn a
be a mistake to underestimate his intelligence. disadvantage into an advantage. Any accident that nets him
A tall and powerfully built Polynesian man with thick white more allies, or hurts the Technocracy, sounds like an accident
curly hair and a short white beard, Kane embodies a vital maturity worth causing. Once you get the conversation going, he’s as-
and virile masculinity. His broad shoulders were said to have toundingly affable. As the father figure for much of Polynesia,
pushed apart his mother Papahanaumoku (or simply Papa, the Kane’s ready to spoil you with kindness.
earth) and father Wakea (the sky) while they were creating the Of course, befriending him only works if you can find
world between them. This divine act of coitus interruptus kept a him. Unsurprisingly, a god who’s been in open war with
rather annoyed Ku from killing their parents and taking over ha’ole Technocrats since 1778 has no desire to meet with
world, a fortunate occurrence that also allowed light to enter unknown mages. While it’s possible to contact him through
Creation and nurture new life across the world. His primary the Kopa Loei, they’re not the biggest fans of outsiders, either.
skill lies mainly in his ability to create, but mages who cross Regardless of how you make contact, be prepared to be put
him may find themselves learning just how good at destruction at a disadvantage just for the right to an audience.
he can be. Just ask any of the Polynesian Technocrats… if you
can find them. They tried to put Kane to the test during the Kudu, the Old Tortoise
United States’ expansionist period, introducing writing and Kudu is a trickster. He may look elderly and frail, with
Christianity to the island in an attempt to unseat the Polynesian his wrinkles and slow movements, but that’s part of the tricks
gods. Instead, Kane encouraged his children to embrace writ- he uses in order to make people lower their guard around
ing, and to write down as much lore as they could, co-opting him. In truth, he is not nearly as old as he appears to be, but
literacy — the world’s most powerful technology. Two hundred he’s a very wise creature because everyone underestimates
years later, people take vacations in Polynesia, hula dancing and him. They consider Kudu feeble while, in fact, he’s taking
escaping from the technology in their lives.
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 159
notes and observing everything around him to use later in and yams. Being a god, of course, he can appear as an actual
one of his antics. tortoise, ranging in size from an unremarkable river tortoise
The tortoise doesn’t trick people out of cruelty, though. to a titanic creature of appalling size and power.
He does it to survive. Because he is so slow and low to the
ground, and because he has no defenses like the elephant’s Mawu-Lisa, Twin Parents
tusks or the cheetah’s claws, he has developed many ways of
deceiving his opponents through nonviolent but ingenious
and Breath of Life
ways. Kudu is adept at camouflaging himself to hide amongst They are parent.
anything around him. An aggressor might think she’s attacking There are few universal truths from around the globe, but
Kudu, only to discover that she’s attacking a rock, a deadlier parenthood is one of them. A child needs her parents even
animal, or even herself. Kudu uses his knowledge of plants into adulthood, and the gods recognize as much. Mawu-Lisa,
in the surrounding area to make potions and then trick the then, personifies the bond between parents — both mother and
person into drinking them. Such potions cause the victim to father, both seed and womb, both nurturer and disciplinarian.
fall into a deep sleep, spill her most tightly kept secrets, and Among vodou devotees, Mawu-Lisa is sometimes asso-
even make the person slip into a false reality (as in a psycho- ciated with (or regarded as an aspect of) the orishas Aganju
tropic drug’s hallucinations) or drift over into the Penumbra and Yemaja. In Dahomy lore, Mawu-Lisa are celestial twins
without a way to get back home. who combined in matrimony and thus became one. The
In fact, Kudu is so smart that he brought the knowledge potency of Their love made living apart unbearable, and so
of the Tree of Life to the animals in the forest. Once, there They fused together into a spirit of two-as-one. Mawu is the
was a drought, and all the food dried up except a bojabi tree, female entity, and Lisa (much to the confusion of certain
which was guarded by a ferocious python. The animals were English-speakers) is the male, but they exist as the presence
starving, and they went to the python for food. Without of both genders and the absence of either. Thus, They can
any knowledge, however, they couldn’t remember what the be thought of as the essence of life itself, because each of us
python told them. After many days and nights of watching holds elements of the masculine and the feminine.
the animals forget what the python had said to them, Kudu The joining of Their forces put the creation of the world
hatched a plan. When the python told him the fruit was edible, and all its inhabitants into motion. Mawu-Lisa are the holders
he sang a song out in front of the python to all the animals of Sekpoli: the breath of life they use to imbue their children
about the food. The animals ran to the tree and ate merrily, with life. When one of Their children is born, They watch
and so Kudu was lauded as a hero among them. over that person with great love and patience, remembering
Because he has an insatiable hunger for knowledge, Kudu the special needs, tastes, and attributes of each one of their
is a valuable ally. If a mage can’t solve a particular puzzle, offspring. Everyone is special to Mawu-Lisa. Some people
needs to know how to make a potion, or is having trouble mistakenly believe they can win the favor of their creator by
locating something, it’s a smart idea to come to Kudu and being the smartest or strongest person around, but Mawu-
beg for his limitless knowledge. Kudu can’t turn down the Lisa views all of Their children as special, and potentially
opportunity to humiliate someone and assert his knowledge capable of great love.
over someone else, and so appeals to his vanity tend to work In all aspects of Their existence, Mawu-Lisa remains highly
well; if the person appealing to him knows Kudu will try and concerned with human procreation. If a woman is unable to
trick her eventually, she can even try to trick him first (but conceive, Mawu-Lisa is the deity to ask for help. A successful
good luck with that). petition to the god soothes their child’s fear and heals the
Kudu is a very busy tortoise, with many children to take malady that’s blocking fertility. Ideally, Mawu-Lisa protects
care of, and a wife who requires much from him during the the mother through her pregnancy, though the horrific toll
day. Thus, he vets people who come to him for help by asking taken by childbirth despite their blessings shows that Mawu-
them to solve a very difficult riddle. Kudu is patient, and he Lisa cannot save everyone. The creation of a child, however,
can wait for hours, days, or even weeks for the seeker to answer through any means necessary, reflects the presence of Mawu-
his puzzle. If that person solves it in a way that Kudu likes Lisa and acts a sign of Their love.
(which doesn’t always involve an honest or straight solution, Healer-mages of African ancestry may also invoke Mawu-
as Kudu appreciates cunning as well), he’ll then grant that Lisa in order to harness the power of Sekpoli when the healer
clever mortal the information she seeks. or her patients are low on energy or life force. (In game terms,
Even in his humanoid form, Kudu looks like an ancient then when using Quintessence, Prime-Sphere Effects, and
tortoise, with wrinkles hanging low from his face, his dusty Life-Sphere healing spells.) By praying to Mawu-Lisa, a mage
shell, and his slow speech and dull mannerisms. He can be can be restored to health after injury or illness, and she may
found living in a modest hut with his wife and children, be protected from sickness while she’s under Their protection.
surrounded by a garden of fresh spinach, collards, carrots, Much as They love Their children, however, Mawu-Lisa has little

160 Gods & Monsters

patience with hubris. When Awe the monkey-god, one of Their of the nine deities to a corresponding Sphere, as follows:
earliest children, scaled mountains to the heavens, and bragged Urania, holding a pair of compasses, with Correspondence;
that he, also, could create life, Mawu-Lisa made him a porridge Melpomene, carrying a knife, with Entropy; Erato, playing
with the seed of death in it, and reminded Awe that just as the lyre, with Forces; Thalia, leaning on a branch, with Life;
Mawu-Lisa could bless us with life, They could revoke it, too. studious Calliope with Matter; Euterpe, breathing through
Often envisioned as a unified body in which the upper an aulos (a musical instrument similar to a pipe or a flute),
bodies of a man and a woman join into a single body at with Mind; Terpsichore, her musical triangle chiming, with
the waist, Mawu-Lisa may, of course, appear as a man and Prime; veiled Polymnia with Spirit; and Clio, bearing an
a woman, as a fusion of a single person with characteristics hourglass, with Time.
of any gender, or as person whose gender identity does not But this is not a time for the Muses of old, and the goddesses
match either polarity. Especially because They transcend rigid have been forced to either wither away or adapt… and adapt
notions of identity, and love all their children, Mawu-Lisa has they did. Calliope, the Muse of heroic poetry, the eldest and
been occasionally associated (especially in recent years) with wisest of the nine sisters, is now the patron of comic books,
people who live outside those rigid polarities too. video games, superheroes, action flicks, fantasy TV series and
Mawu-Lisa sees every living thing as Their offspring. roleplaying games. Clio, the Muse of history, suffers from fits
They are protective of their children, and yet very strict with of madness: in an era of fake news, when the phrase “history
the punishments those children deserve if they guilty of is written by the winners” is universally accepted, in an age of
wrongdoing. They have an incredible patience and see all of rapid information and even more rapid responses, it is hard
Their children as equals: humans, animals, and plants, no to keep up. During her moments of lucidity, Clio inspires a
matter how great or small. fervent desire for Truth within the hearts of few — but these
moments are rare, and they’re becoming rarer still. Euterpe,
The Nine Muses the Muse of aulic art (that is, the art of playing the aulos) helps
inspire the increasing popularity in the West of yoga, tai ch’i,
Taking the appearance of beautiful, young women
and other meditative practices and martial arts focused on res-
dressed in flowing gowns and stylish clothing, the Muses
piration. Hers is not a huge or terribly important influence on
guide and inspire all forms of artistic, scientific and magickal
the world, but it is an influence, and it has kept Euterpe alive.
creation and discovery. Daughters of Zeus, king of the gods,
Terpsichore, the Muse of lyrical poetry, has seen her influence
and Mnemosyne (Greek for “memory”), the Muses are nine:
grow with the rise of hip-hop wordcraft, and has since taken up
Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Erato, Melpomene, Thalia,
a respectable place among her sisters after centuries of neglect.
Polymnia, and Urania. They dwell on mount Helicon, and
Erato, the Muse of erotic poetry, has been steadily gaining in
when they sing, the cosmos stand still.
power since the 18th century and the birth of Romanticism.
Legend has it that when the Muses were born and initially She has taken romance and erotica writers under her wing,
erupted into song, a few men were so entranced by it that thriving in the success of popular fiction, love songs and rom-
they joined in the divine melody and sang for days, without coms. Melpomene, the Muse of tragedy, will never be out of
food or rest, until they perished. The Muses took pity on business. Human suffering knows no end, and Melpomene is
them and transformed them into cicadas, small insects that always nearby. She inspires the majority of the goth scene and
spend the entirety of their lives singing. Cicadas were also subculture, as well as much of modern fiction, TV dramas, and
thought to be the Muses’ agents in the world, informing the tearjerker films. Melpomene’s expertise often creates conflict
goddesses of all they saw and telling them about those humans with her sister, Calliope: One is moved by the heroics of war,
who honored them. the other by the grief it causes. Thalia, the Muse of comedy,
It was customary for poets in Ancient Greece to sum- is still relevant and sought-after today. She’s there for them
mon and thank the Muses before reciting their poems, for all: stand-up comedians, internet satirists, actors, comedy
it was thought that all artistic creation originated from the writers, directors, even creators of memes. As important as it
Muses and the poet was but their faithful vessel. Hesiod, in is to consider human tragedy, it is equally important to ban-
his Theogony (“the birth of the gods”), was the first to deviate ish it with joy, laughter, and — when appropriate — mockery.
from this pattern; he addressed the Muses as teachers and Polymnia, initially the Muse of hymns (songs honoring the
mentors. Theogony holds an important place in early European gods) and, later on, the Muse of mimic art, has regressed to
poetry because, for the very first time, the artist recognized her original state. She inspires every prayer, every Pagan or
and claimed his place in the process of artistic creation… and, Christian rock song, and every hymn to every god. The 20th
through it, in the whole cosmos. The Muses initiate Hesiod and 21st centuries have been good for Polymnia. Urania, the
into the Art; the goddesses know all, and only assist the poet Muse of astronomy, is the only one who remains who she was.
in remembering them. Not only because she is associated with science rather than art,
Some among the Awakened think they have found a but also (and perhaps more importantly) because humanity
link between the magick and the Muses, matching each will always look to the stars for hope and guidance. Urania

Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 161

inspires scientific discovery, yes, but she does something even toward darker, monochromatic hues, but fit them as if those
greater than that: She fills our hearts with the desire to fly, to clothes were made for the sisters… which, of course, they were.
touch and understand the stars, to demand the impossible. The personalities and dominions of each Muse come through
The Muses have certainly changed a lot since their birth. in her bearing and clothes. The colors of their hair range from the
Still, however, they remain spirits of purity and light, bring- somber blackness of Melpomene’s long locks to the passionate
ing beauty and solace to all. They still know everything, and fire of Erato’s disheveled bed-head, Calliope’s bright purple styles,
they still remind it to this age’s poets. And they still sing in Terpsichore’s dark dreadlocks, and the incandescent blonde of
harmony the Musica Universalis, the Music of the Spheres. Thalia’s manic tresses. Poor Clio can’t decide what color her
The Muses tend to be imagined in the flowing garments hair should be, while Urania favors the bookish dark hair of the
of Classical Greece. Centuries of preconception bleach those archetypal “hot librarian.” Euterpe’s hair changes with her mood,
garments white, but people who understand the history of the though it often favors the silver hue of her favored instrument,
Greek people see the clothing in vivid colors instead. (The and Polymnia’s hair mirrors the bright flare of sunlight on the
image of white clothing comes from statues whose bright Aegean Sea. Though many people imagine them with Northern
hues were bleached white by time and sunlight.) Their hair European skin tones, the Muses favor the darker color of their
coils in marvelous styles of exotic antiquity, and their voices Mediterranean heritage. Inspiration, of course, knows no single
reverberate with stately accents. culture, and so the Muses appear in whatever forms they please
at that particular time; one moment Southeast Asian, tall and
In reality, the Muses manifest like gorgeous women of
Nordic the next. Like art itself, the Muses are universal.
modern Europe. Art moves with the times, and so too have
the Muses. Stylish and confident, they radiate that same
transcendent sense of charm; their voices, though, catch Namaka,
the fluid tone of modern media discourse, moving within the Soothing Seas
a syllable from Hollywood American or vernacular English The quintessential team player, Namaka shares the waves
to the emphatic tones of Japanese cinema and the Arabian with Kanaloa. Like Kanaloa, the majority of Namaka’s team-
lilt of modern spoken Greek. These days, their clothes tend work goes unnoticed, which is a shame because millions owe

162 Gods & Monsters

their lives to her. As Pele’s oldest sister, Namaka routinely unnamed Lady of Blood), and biblical Mary’s name connects
nudges her younger sibling away from volcanic apocalypse, her to the Magdalene, the favored consort and wife of Christ.
and it was her soothing touch that cooled the lava and created It’s significant that both Marys stood at the foot of the cross
the islands her people now call home. between mortal ruin and heavenly transcendence, and even
Unlike the rest of the Polynesian gods, Namaka makes more so that scripture names the Magdalene as the first of
herself easy to find, partly because she believes that cultivat- Christ’s disciples to see the risen Jesus, and to tell his hidden
ing a middle ground between the various cultures vying for men, “He is risen.” Our Lady is mother and mate — the lover,
control of the Pacific is not only possible, but also the right the nurturer, and often the destroyer, too.
and pragmatic thing to do. The fact that everyone knows how Sadly, jealous men debase Our Lady. She’s called whore as
essential Namaka is to survival on the islands doesn’t hurt her well as mother, slapped aside to the shadows of male dominion.
optimism; so long as Pele lives, no one’s going to hurt Namaka. Mary the consort is equated (wrongly, by the way) with the
And so, while she may seek peaceful resolutions above all Woman Taken in Adultery, viewed as a prostitute even when
others, Namaka’s not above playing hardball in negotiations. the Bible itself describes them as two different women. Just as
A vibrant Polynesian woman with a cool touch but divine Marduk slew Tiamat and made the world from her corpse, so
strength, Namaka appears in a young, mature, or elder aspect, too do many men discard Our Lady’s presence in favor of their
depending upon what age she feels would be most effective own reflection. And so, like Kali Ma, she rages. Like Begtse,
at the time. Equally at home in either traditional or modern she bears a sword. She is awful as the Morrigan, Phantom
Hawai’ian dress, she trusts the people of the islands, whom she Queen of war and fate, yet forgiving as Nuestra Señora de
views more broadly and generously than most Oceanic deities Guadalupe. Embodied as Fatimah, she nurtures the faith; in
do. Anyone who lives on the islands enjoys her protection: the forms of Hel, Persephone, and Ereshkigal (among others),
Native Hawai’ian, Asian, white Americans, whatever — the she rules the realms of death. Our Lady is greater than name or
islands and those who dwell upon them have always changed. face or culture, and she’s among the most personable of gods.
She doesn’t see any point in preserving homogeneity, which is God the Father stands aloof in judgement, flinging thun-
good news for a lot of mages interested in exploring Polynesia. derbolts and plagues. It’s Our Lady who takes our hands in the
This doesn’t mean, however, that she doesn’t value tradi- darkest nights and clicks softly in the warming beads of rosary
tion. She considers the continuation of Polynesian culture to atonement. Suffering people cry out to Her; doubtful folk see
be her kuleana. Where Pele sees commercialization of the hula Her portrait on their bread. Our Lady shimmers in garden
as sacrilege, Namaka welcomes the idea of new people taking shrines, takes wing as doves, and casts her colorful lights upon
the dance into their souls. If you’re willing to help the islands, the praying faithful in a church. While other goddess-figures
or think of yourself as an islander, then Namaka’s willing to embody lust or joy or war, Our Lady stands most for healing,
listen to you. The odds of you having to prove yourself to her justice, and mercy. She intercedes with raging lords, and births
before she’ll stick her neck out for you are high, but anyone them when they become men. She is Isis, the reconstructor,
willing to cut a deal with a goddess already knew there’ll be a and Freyja, chooser of the slain. Her cauldron is immortality,
price. The skin colors of her islanders may change, but they and her feet crush the serpent of death. Our Lady walks among
damn well better keep up the hula. mortals in the guise of women. She sends Marian apparitions
to remind us to keep faith. She weeps for the Dying God, and
Our Lady, nurtures crops with the blood he spills. Avalokitesvara blossoms
in both male and female forms, bridging the illusion of gender
the Merciful Mother through the unity of compassion. She is our past, our present,
As we’re all grown and nurtured inside women, so too our future in one, as close as humanity yet as distant as the stars.
does the Divine Mother figure exist in almost every creed.
Prehistoric statues attest to Her presence among the most Pan, the Goat-Foot God
primal human folk. Call her Hathor, Durga, Great Goddess, The great god Pan is certainly not dead, and certainly not
Queen of Heaven, or simply Mom. Although She is most of- happy. Unfortunately, he’s not that great anymore, either. Half
ten known these days under the name of Mary, Mother of man, half goat, horned and pointy-eared, Pan was a god of nature,
God, Our Lady is far older than Christianity, the Bible, or fertility, and passion. The “lightning-eyed and cloven-hooved”
organized religion itself. deity has been around for millennia, and though his name is
Like mortal mothers, Our Lady has many faces and still on the minds and lips of people, its meaning — as well as
aspects. She can be ruthless like Kali Ma, jealous as Hera, Pan’s true essence — have sadly faded into obscurity.
sublime as Sophia, or mortal as Fatimah. The Shakti essence There are various myths about the god’s origins, but the
of radiant femininity assumes a multitude of forms, each Ecstatics of the Fellowship of Pan, regard only two of them as
distinct yet intertwined. The Triple Goddess manifests its canonical. The first states that Hermes and the Nymph Dryope
own Holy Trinity of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Biblical brought the horned god into existence, whereas the second (and
Eve was the third among First Women (after Lilith and the
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 163
earlier) one attributes his birth to the coupling of the primor- birth, so legend tells us, a heavenly voice proclaimed, “The
dial god Ether and a humble Dryad. Both myths illustrate the Great God Pan is dead.” Not much later, the creed forged in
merging of ethereal and chthonic (that is, air and earth) or, that Redeemer’s name would do everything in its power to
as the famous Hermetic quote goes, “as above so below,” and make that pronouncement stick.
hint at Pan’s all-encompassing nature.
Pan’s birthplace is as But let’s not venture into the dark just yet; let’s stick with
ancient and mystical as any befitting a god: Ten thousand years the glory days for a little longer.
before the birth of Christ, in the heart of Arcadia, under the
Pan’s unabashed libido was one of the horned deity’s
shadow of mount Lycaeon, there stood a city called Lycosoura
most significant characteristics. Combined with his terrible
(meaning “the first to be touched by light”). Its inhabitants
appearance, it often set him up for grief and heartache… and
called themselves Proselenoi, which means “those before the
could be hard on the targets of his affections, too — just ask
moon.” According to legend, this was the first city to ever see
poor Syrinx. Two incidents stand out among his many erotic
the sunlight, and the people of the region took pride in the
adventures, revealing the often lovely yet sometimes brutal
fact that their ancestors were there to watch the moon rise for
nature of Pan’s carnality: Selene, Goddess of the Moon, who
the first time. There, above and before even that ancient city,
caught Pan’s interest during his early years; and Syrinx the
Pan was born, and the seeds of his influence bloomed all across
nymph, not much later. In Selene’s case, the stories speak
the region. Arcadians, temperate and respectful of the natural
of a beautiful coupling between the two, as Pan courted the
ways, quickly thrived under Pan’s guidance. At about that time,
moon goddess with heavenly music and ecstatic dance. He
the Arcadian Measure emerged: a philosophy dictating that no
cajoled her into coming down to the mountain of his birth,
human act may impose itself on nature’s way. Those were days
and there they copulated happily between earth and sky.
of simplicity and harmony, when the walls between matter
and spirit were casually pierced and so the gods roamed our Unfortunately for Pan, the pursuit of Syrinx had a bitter
earth. Pan would descend from his mountain, surrounded by ending for them both. Scared of his animalistic visage as well
satyrs and naiads (nymphs of sweet waters), who danced to the as his reputation, the chaste nymph broke into a run when the
music of his pipes. Strange songs and fevered dreams trailed in god tried to entice her. Reaching the river bank and knowing
their wake, tantalizing mortals with glimpses of eternity and that he would eventually catch her, she implored her father,
eudaemonia: the indwelling spirit of happy madness. Ladonas — the deity of that river — to save her from Pan’s lusts.
Ladonas obliged, and transformed her into a patch of reeds,
Due to the god’s very nature, it took centuries for Pan’s
leaving Pan with only a handful of the hollow plants. While
worship to leave the forests and take root in urban centers.
he stood there, mourning, a breeze picked up and the reeds
One incident of great import to that effect was the Battle of
resounded with the nymph’s voice. It didn’t take long for Pan
Marathon. Among the ranks of the Athenian army, there was
to understand what had transpired. He shaped the broken
an Arcadian soldier named Pheidippides. On his way back to
reeds into a wind instrument made up of seven pieces of varied
Marathon after an unsuccessful attempt to rally the Spartans
lengths, which, in time, came to be known as the Pan flute.
under the Athenian banner, the young man heard something
call his name. Exhausted, he turned around, and there stood Sadly, in the wake of Christianity, the wisdom of these tales
Pan in all his glory. The god said the Athenians had neglected was lost, and they were turned into anecdotes to be laughed at,
him, but he was still willing to come to their aid if properly or worse. And such wisdom it was! Between the 16th and 19th
summoned. Pheidippides delivered the message and, seeing centuries, Hermetic scholars and Ecstatic philosophers found
his comrades’ disbelief, started screaming Pan’s name himself. common ground and examined those old myths with new eyes.
It didn’t take long for his fellow soldiers to take up the chant. Unsurprisingly enough, the two paths diverged before meeting
True to his promise, the god manifested, filling the Persians’ once more. Let us consider the story of Pan and Syrinx, for
hearts with primal fear and causing them to flee. On that example: The Order focused on the numerical significance of
day, a new word came into being: panic. To honor the god, the panpipes, the tune of which echoed the seven-voiced Music
shrines were built, and festivals were held; thus, Pan came to of the Spheres, the divine harmony. The Seers, on the other
be worshipped in cities as well as in the wilderness. hand, envisioned Pan’s music as a means of transcendence, a
sacrament of the Palmos (the divine pulse); they saw Ascension
Any resemblance between this story and a much later
in Syrinx’s transformation, and so envisioned a road toward
godhead visitation along the road to Damascus is probably
it through an interplay of lust, surrender, the acceptance of
intentional on somebody’s part, especially considering what
mortality, and the ways in which art and spirit survive beyond
followed in its wake…
mere flesh. In Pan’s twofold shape, one Tradition recognized
Pan’s popularity exceeded even the god’s own expec- the Promethean man’s coming out of the wild (the animal
tations, and the Goat-Foot God remained prominent for part) to claim enlightenment (the human part), whereas the
centuries to come. The flock could not have two shepherds, other perceived passions (the goat) and awareness (the man)
though, and soon a new one arrived. The coming of Jesus in perfect balance, which they embraced as a holistic way of
signaled Pan’s downfall and the gradual demonization of this living. Both groups, however, realized the fundamental truth
generally benign Pagan deity. On the morning of Christ’s hidden in the parable of Syrinx: Fear of Pan is fear of self. The
164 Gods & Monsters
god, then, symbolizes the Awakened mystic, equipped with
powerful hooves to help him scale the mount of Ascension,
while the nymph is the still-sleeping soul, terrified with the
prospect of facing or embracing the passions and fears keeping
it chained to the material. Tearing away the veils of Sleep would
frighten anyone. Yet music can put the soul at ease and guide
it to safety through the treacherous paths of the mountain.
No wonder the Church felt threatened by Pan. In his core,
the god was an equivalent of the Nazarene shepherd, but one
who didn’t turn a blind eye to the darkness within. Of course,
associating such a promiscuous deity with Jesus (whose nature
was also twofold) would have been improper, but something
had to be done with him — after all, he was immensely popular.
Turning the holy mountain on its head, they portrayed Pan’s
path as a downward one; Pan, then, became the Adversary,
Satan, the demonic Goat of Blasphemies. This slander provoked
Pan’s ire, which has not abated to this day despite the Ecstatics’
best efforts to appease him. The highlight of this endeavor is
a secret ceremony held annually in Greece. The Fellowship of
Pan, with stomping feet and playful tunes, lifts the veil between
worlds, and invites the god on a night of pleasure and excess.
For roughly two centuries, Andronikos, head of the Fellowship,
has had the singular task of chaperoning the horned deity that
roams the city of Athens in the guise of a man. But how could
this one ritual ever be enough? Once, festive pyres burned all
over Greece, both above and below the ground, and the god’s
name was whispered in reverence or screamed in ecstasy, in
celebration of all that is Pan, and Pan who is all.
Lean and goatish, Pan is Man and Nature interwoven
in a single form. His rugged features, thick musk, wild eyes,
and unabashed erection appeal to some folks while repuls-
ing others. There’s nothing refined or civilized about Pan’s
appearance, but his voice is said to be as sweet and gentle
as the tunes he plays on his venerable flute. As the primal
lands have been hacked and paved beyond recognition, Pan’s
dominion falters and his influence fades. Yet man’s vanity has
limits, and in the rising storms and collapsing equilibrium of
a transforming “modern” world, Pan asserts his power and
reminds the world that the Great God Pan is indeed alive.

Pele, She Who Shapes

the Sacred Land
Pele was born in fire, and (if she has her way) she’ll go
out in fire, too, taking everyone else with her. A goddess of
volcanoes and destruction, Pele does nothing by half measures.
Which is a damn good thing, really, because if she ever took
up doing things only halfway, there’d be a shit-ton of lava
everywhere. Only the influence of her sister Namaka keeps
her from going nuclear, and even that goddess’ legendary
patience is starting to fray.
What makes her so pissed? It was Pele herself who creat-
ed the islands of Hawai’i — lands sacred to her, forged from
her body and blood, and then cooled by her sister’s touch.

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To Pele, traditions like the hula are sacred, and cruise ships in open warfare against the Technocracy and their spawn…
disgorging millions of tourists who muddle their way through and so, theoretically, she’ll accept help in the battles, but
holy ceremonies represent perversion. Not only does she hold that would mean first finding her in someplace other than
the tourists to blame, she wants to eradicate the islanders an active volcano’s heart, and then getting her to trust you
she sees as complicit in the downfall of the islands. Think of enough to fight by her side. The former requires connections,
her like your angry, racist aunt, only holding the trigger to persistence, and a potent resistance to fire and heat; she
thousands of volcanos in her hands. counts the Kopa Loei among the few organizations that she
Pele looks young despite her primordial age. She’s pas- trusts, but the goddess of destruction does not check in with
sionate in all the best and worst ways, with glowing reddish her foot soldiers. Leave a message and maybe she’ll get back
hair and a look on her face that promises annihilation for the to you. The latter? Well, remember the “racist aunt” part? If
slightest misstep. Pele is, of course, beautiful in the way the you want her trust, don’t be white. Pele’s got sort of a thing
most dangerous things are beautiful, and actually does have about that subject. Hawai‘i is hers, and this goddess loathes
a generous side. It’s her fire, after all, that lights the night, seeing the islands despoiled by white magic and nuclear fire.
cooks the food, and provided the catalyst for the islands of To destroy them, though, would be to destroy a part of her-
Hawai‘i. She joined her uncles Kanaloa and Ku centuries ago self. She still might do that someday, but for now she holds
something resembling her peace.

The Greater Kami

Kami occupy an unusual place in the world. For to study court etiquette if you plan on asking for her help,
the most part, they’re big-name heavy hitters. because she’s not going to talk much outside of her court,
Not necessarily violent — just very capable. Over at least if she doesn’t know you. Protocol rules every dealing
the past 1,000 years or so, several groups of kami with her. Some have found conversations with her cut short by
have arrived in the material world, made their her feigning illness and giving vague clues on how to correct
mark, and left. This section focuses on several some social failing. Failing to bow to her court in the correct
of the ones who are still around — greater kami order will result in nothing happening until you do bow in
who are, for all intents and purposes, gods. the correct order. And don’t you dare pour tea for yourself.
Each of them maintains a royal court in the The fastest way to piss her off is to screw up her order.
Otherworlds, where they deal with guests. For example, she exiled Tsukuyomi, her husband and brother,
For the most part, these resemble the courts after he killed one of her handmaidens. In addition, when
of feudal Japan, with lavish dress, ceremonies, and lackeys. her other brother, Susanoo, trashed her carefully constructed
While this section addresses kami from a Japanese view- divisions between crops, she exiled herself, leaving the world
point, most are known in other lands and revered as gods. in darkness for a time that would later be blamed on the
Each of the great kami maintains their own Otherworldly eruption of Mount Paektu in 940. To be fair, legends don’t
court, a place of power for them. These courts directly reflect agree on which brother did what, but no one disputes that
the personalities and attitudes of their owners: The regal both can be dicks, nor her unforgiving nature.
Amaterasu has a palace, Tsukuyomi has a moon base, and The point of all of this is that patience and knowledge are
the sea dragon Ryujin has an underwater city. essential to dealing with her. She can grant significant boons,
but only after navigating a maze of social etiquette. And, as
Amaterasu Omikami, frustrating as delays and seemingly pointless rituals may be,
Empress of the Sun crossing her boundaries will cause some serious problems,
up to and including regional famine and mass starvation.
The kami with the most power, Amaterasu controls the
sun in the East and all that goes with it: weather, healthy crops,
even prosperous industry. Like most sun deities, she has a Hachiman,
strong connection to the concept of rebirth. In fact, during a Lord of Martial Order
festival in her honor, her followers raze a shrine to the ground Once a mere mortal, Hachiman proves how far you
and then rebuild it. She’s so revered, the imperial family can ascend through hard work, determination, and being
of Japan claims to be directly descended from her. They’re born emperor. Though few Westerners know his name, his
probably full of shit, but most emperors have demonstrated influence reaches around the globe. His rigid code of honor,
supernatural abilities, so who knows? bushido, rules the lives of millions who don’t look much like
From the few who have talked to her, Amaterasu embod- samurai. Countless business professionals live and die by
ies royalty, with all the virtues and vices of nobility. It pays Hachiman’s ideals. Have nearly two millennia slowed him

166 Gods & Monsters

down? Not even close. Almost as much of a rules-stickler as Those chosen by Hachiman become muteki (“invincible”), but
Amaterasu, Hachiman still responds to dishonorable actions not in the Western sense of that word; rather than gaining
with lethal passive aggression. skin impervious to harm, they find their minds accelerated,
While you might think that his sponsorship of industry able to react to threats before those perils become dangerous.
would make him a natural ally of the Technocracy, their
emissaries keep dishonoring themselves. If the Technocracy Ryujin, Dragon of the Deep
ever figures out bushido, the balance of power in Asia might One of the few dragon kami to gain much attention
shift dramatically. Mages who don’t represent a larger entity among humans, Ryujin claims the ocean as its domain, making
find it easier to talk to him, as they only have to worry about it popular among coastal people, especially the Ryukyuans.
disgracing themselves, not their superiors. It rules the Dragon Palace, located far beneath the ocean’s
Straight to the point, Hachiman respects information surface. In addition to keeping sailors safe, Ryujin also rou-
and action. While he respects some courtly etiquette, he’d tinely grants rain to farmers, providing a helpful balance to
rather learn something, plan, and execute than waste time Amaterasu’s sunny weather… not that either of them would
with niceties. Hachiman fears nothing and tends to look down admit to the usefulness of the other, of course.
on anything that might be remotely viewed as cowardly. Note Like many serpents, Ryujin takes offense to metal, leaving
that this doesn’t mean that he charges in blindly; he bases his the Dragon of the Deep in a particularly strange quandary when
confidence on centuries of wisdom. If he believes in you, you dealing with larger, steel ships: It would love to destroy them,
should, too. That doesn’t mean stop training. but sinking them would probably be worse than letting them
Hachiman’s court takes the form of a field encampment, pass unharmed. Wooden fishing ships using nets represent a
a tactical arrangement of tents and guards. While open to much cleaner form of fishing in this kami’s eyes, and so those
guests, the kami of battle never sits idle, so getting his at- fishermen are more likely to receive a bountiful catch in its waters.
tention presents a challenge as great as navigating through As you might expect, getting an audience with Ryujin
his army without pissing one of them off. Fortunately, the is a huge pain in the ass. Although falling into the ocean has
rewards of his favor make the struggle to attain it worth it. gotten some humans face time with the dragon, most people

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just drown. Once you get there, assume that every little Play into his ego. Just be careful not to get into too big of a
suggestion is keeping you from certain death, because it is. pissing contest with him. As long as he’s having fun, things
If Ryujin gives you a box and tells you to never open it, then are probably going to be okay. If not… well, he is a lord of
don’t fucking open it. Don’t let your spouse open it. Seal that box storms, so draw your own conclusions.
inside every container you can find, and then sit on it. The
rules of the kingdom under trillions of pounds of water do Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto,
not give a fuck about good intentions or innocent curiosity.
That said, if you’ve been a friend to the ocean — especially
Lord of the Moon
to its marine life — you can expect to be treated very well Triplet brother of Amaterasu and Susanoo, Tsukuyomi
in the Dragon Palace. You can expect it, but you probably rules as the kami of the moon. Even harder to contact than his
shouldn’t. Stay humble. Stay alive. React to everything as sister-wife, he spends most of his days in the moon’s Penumbra,
though it is a great honor, because it probably is. Unlike the only holding court during the full moon. For those without
human-shaped kami, Ryujin isn’t going to wait on ceremony teleportation or space craft (e.g. most people), the full moon
because you don’t know the right way to hold a teacup. It opens up a bridge that can be walked across, although running
probably won’t even hold your ignorance against you, but across it is even better. It does disappear during the day, you
arrogance is a pretty sure way to piss it off. And trust me on know, and dying in the vacuum of space hurts.
this, do not piss off a sea-dragon god. While not technically a mad god, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto
has lost a staggering amount of his marbles during his lunar
Susanoo, exile, making him the most eccentric kami anyone will
encounter, by far. To put this in context, he was originally
Lord of Summer Storms credited with killing Uke Mochi, a kami of food, for the crime
Susanoo controls storms and summer. Anyone familiar of grossing him out. He didn’t just kill Uke Mochi, either; he
with the Pacific’s typhoon season would rightly call him flayed a horse and threw it at Amaterasu’s loom, then killed
a hothead. As a storm kami, he has a bit of a rivalry with Uke Mochi. He may also be responsible for placing rabbits
Ryujin, the dragon kami of the seas and storms. On top of on the moon, with orders to pound rice into mochi cakes.
that, he’s been vying with his siblings for bragging rights and The fact that Uke Mochi and mochi cakes sound similar is a
worshippers since they were born. coincidence. Probably.
This isn’t to say that Susanoo is a terrible kami, at least Fortunately, Tsukuyomi’s isolation makes him unusually
not to humans. His worshippers routinely return home from receptive of guests, happy for any interruption to his solitude.
perilous sea voyages with nothing worse than cool scars and Unlike his sister, he enjoys conversation much more than he
exciting tales. He’s paternally protective of his people and enjoys rules and regulations. And so, while his court generally
seems more than willing to go the extra mile to make sure resembles an ancient palace, it feels informal and lived in. As
they come home safely. Well… most of the time, anyways. long as his visitors play along with his meandering conversa-
Sailors who hedge their bets by also praying to Ryujin do so tions and don’t mind abrupt shifts in topic, everyone should
at their own peril. get along just fine. Do note, though, that he has subsisted on
While his siblings hold relatively conventional courts in basically just mochi since his exile, so maybe don’t talk about
palaces, Susanoo prefers an open and accessible setting. Those food unless he does.
willing to make the sea voyage sideways have no problems If you can get him to talk much, you’ll likely learn much
finding his floating court in the Penumbra. In fact, calling more than you bargained for. Looking toward the Earth
it a court is being generous; it’s more of a nightly banquet. from the moon (from both sides of the Gauntlet) has given
Rules and protocol still apply, but anyone making social faux Tsukuyomi a rather unique perspective of events. Tsukuyomi
pas will probably face being called an asshole rather than exile. sees strange coincidences and connections everywhere, most of
Of course, given the openness of the court and Susanoo’s which are surprisingly real. Talking with him can be a massive
general vanity, getting him to notice you is a bit of a challenge. headache, but such conversations reveal conspiracies within
To say nothing of getting anything useful out of him. And conspiracies. Just keep track of time. Learning the truth does
so, if you find yourself in Susanoo’s court, be bold. Be loud. no one any good if you’re stranded on the moon for a month.

168 Gods & Monsters

 The Loa
For those who understand the sacred ways of inadequate in defining the ethereal context. Bondye created the
vodou — a much-maligned family of creeds also concept of “life” itself… and with life, the Loa.
known collectively as voodoo, Vaudou, Vaudoux, The Loa, then, are arbiters, liaisons, or facilitators for the
and other variations — Creation is a vibrant will of Bondye, since the Most High is otherwise unreachable.
world of spirits, not a simple dance of matter Bondye gave each of the Loa power and responsibility over an
or the discarded toy of distant gods. Named for aspect of life. The Loa Yemaja, for example, was given responsibility
a Haitian Creole word based upon the Ayizo over motherhood; without nurturing, nursing, and the pain that
language, vodou refers to the enigmatic forces spills out from childbirth, life itself could not flourish. Thus,
that animate and guide our world, and to the motherhood is part of Bondye’s will, and Yemaja is in charge of
various spiritual and often artistic practices that facilitating it. Human beings, however, have a responsibility to
allow a human being to commune with them. recognize the Loa — to aid and nurture and respect them — espe-
The word “voodoo,” of course, has centuries of racist, sinis- cially if they want to receive what the Loa have to offer. Without
ter, and generally inaccurate baggage attached to it, so the creed that recognition and the deeds that go with it, the divine essence
is often (as in Mage 20th Anniversary Edition) referred to as of the Loa falters. If, for instance, Yemaja is not properly taken
“Voudoun” even though that word actually refers to a specific care of by her human followers, her abilities will diminish, and
strain of the larger group of faiths. (For details, see the “Voudoun” mothers can become barren or lose their children during birth.
entry in Mage 20, p. 583.) Some folks capitalize “vodou” out of Therefore, it’s up to the human worshippers of the Loa to supply
respect, while others consider such European conventions to be Yemaja with what she needs to continue her work.
pretentious, simply going with a lowercase spelling. Minus the The American version of voodoo is a mix of West African
trappings of pop-culture fiction, vodou represents a celebration traditions, remembered through the cruel Middle Passage between
of life and a transcendence of its mortal limitations; unlike many Africa and the Americas and then reassembled by Christian
transcendentalist religions, though, vodou remains honest about European slave owners (which is why Bondye is called Bon
the carnal and often cruel nature of life, and it remains rooted Dieu, or “Good God,” in Louisiana voodoo circles), and often
in the practical realities of the people — often oppressed and combined with Native American practices as well. This fusion
poor — who comprehend its ways. of belief systems, however, can lead to misunderstandings of the
At the center of vodou beliefs, we find the Loa: god-form true nature of the Loa.
spirits who intercede on behalf of the living world. Intermediaries For example, the common comparison of the Loa to
between Bondye, the Most High, and the principles, elements, European Christian “saints” is inaccurate. In Christianity, saints
and people of our mortal realm, the Loa are imminent divinities: are people who were empowered by God to help humankind.
entities that dwell within the material here-and-now, not in Saints don’t require food or sleep or sex; they just carry out
some distant plane removed from our world. According to some God’s will. The Loa are more mortal. They need sustenance (like
tales, many (if not all) of the Loa were once human beings who rest and food), and have preferences (like long naps, or favorite
assumed godhood through their connections with Bondye and foods like coconuts, chicken, yams, and especially liquor). Mortal
the prodigious deeds and charisma of their mortal lives. Other worshippers, therefore, must ensure that the shrines and altars
stories, though, insist that the Loa always were, have always been, dedicated to each of the Loa are stocked with plenty of what the
and always will be who they are. The personalities we recognize in Loa enjoy, so that each Loa wants for nothing and can focus on
them are slivers of their true divine nature, and many Loa have their work. The Loa also need affection; unlike Christian saints
different aspects and different names for the same essential entity. — who exist in a celibate communion with their god — the Loa
Though the name Loa is common in American under- are often married or share sexual relationships with each other.
standings of vodou, it derives from the Haitian adaptations of As with mortal relationships, though, things can get messy be-
the Yoruban orishas: gods from Western Africa whose worship tween the Loa; when a domestic issue comes between them, the
(and, some say, whose spiritual essence) was brought over to the emotional turmoil can spill out into the human realm.
Americas during the slave trade. Many American practitioners,
therefore, refer to the Loa as orishas, and commonly recognized Tying Souls Together
American Loa like Chango are more properly known by their Another disparity between the Loa and saints: Loa are not
orisha names, such as Shango. individual deities. Rather, they are spiritual beings — essential
In vodou cosmology, Bondye is the name of the creator, presences carrying out Bondye’s will and possessing intense
the supreme god, the Most High above all. Bondye has existed power. An uninitiated human can’t just call upon the Loa and
since before there was an existence to have. A person can call ask for help; the Loa need to possess human vessels in order to
them God if that makes them more comfortable, but labels are offer instructions, heal the sick, or pass messages along. This

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spiritual power, however, can be overwhelming to a mortal, Possession
and it sometimes takes on violent forms: contortions, exertions, That soul-tying experience comes through, in game sys-
inhuman athletic feats, elemental manifestations, and other tems, as spirit-channeling and willing possession. The entries
activities that would injure or destroy a human body without for “Soul-Possession” and “Invoking Spirit Possession” in the
protection from the spirits. Mage 20 sourcebook How Do You DO That? (see pp. 87 and
Vodou is far more than simply a religious creed. In practice, 123-125) present the system details. For the most part, a mortal
it’s a personal experience that ties together the physical body and host cannot employ the Charms of a possessing spirit; certain
the immortal essence of the human soul and the divine spirit. Charms, however, can be used by the spirit while it possesses
This concept of tying things together comes through in vodou the host, and channeled through the living body of an essen-
magic, which involves knots, vevès (patterns), and the binding tially willing devotee. See the entries in Chapter Five (especially
and unbinding of soul-essence and physical forms (poppets, jars, Deflect Harm, Plant Command, Seductive Aura, and Rouse the
bottles, bodies, and so forth). Communion with the Loa, then, Dead) for Charms that reflect the power of a Loa in a human
involves tying the body of a devotee to the essence of a Loa… in host. Although such Charms aren’t listed under the Loa entries
Christian terms, the possession of the body of a human “horse” themselves, a Storyteller can determine which Charms seem most
by the “rider” Loa spirit. A trained vodou priest or priestess can appropriate for a devotee under a Loa’s influence.
handle the Loa’s power, which is an extension of the infinite,
astral power of Bondye. Uninitiated “horses” may easily be A Bond of Favor
consumed by such communions. When the Loa take over a The bond between an initiated vodou practitioner and
spiritual practitioner’s body, her mortal shell isn’t destroyed the Loa who originally chose her can be represented, in system
by it; the invested power, though, can react in frightening ways terms, by the Totem Background, as presented in Mage 20,
when such massive spiritual power is contained. pps. 326-238 and 633-634. In this case, the Loa who chooses
The training to become a spiritual practitioner of vodou the practitioner is that character’s primary spirit. Other Loa
often occurs along hereditary lines, with that training passed can bond with that character too, becoming Allies or Mentors
down from parent to child. Such an education starts after a (as in those Background Traits), or perhaps a Spirit Mentor or
Loa touches the student, choosing that person to be their Guardian Angel (as in the Merits of those names). Allied Loa
worshipper. With proper training, education, and sensitivity, often confer a Mark of Favor (as per that Merit), too. It’s worth
a student can directly engage directly with her Loa, eventually noting, however, that significant cultural, linguistic, and metaphysical
leading other followers in rituals based on the demands of the distinctions exist between a vodou practitioner’s bond with the Loa
Loa in question. and a medicine-worker’s bond with a totem. The use of this Trait
Such rituals can be bloody, but the Loa understand that to represent the bond is there for game purposes only. (See the
blood is necessary for life and is therefore to be celebrated, sidebar “Controversy is My Spirit Animal,” p. 151.)
revered, and worshipped. Blood is not a scary thing — it is the Depending on the tradition in question, Loa are reckoned
water that allows life’s essence to flow. If a creature is to be to range between a few dozen to several hundred entities, most
sacrificed in a ritual, therefore, that sacrifice shows respect for of whom have various aspects within a single named entity.
the importance of life, death, and blood in the connective unit The most famous and popular of them, however, include the
of existence in the mortal world. By honoring the Loa in such following god-forms:
ways, vodou devotees also deal with past and present traumas,
both cultural and personal. The blood ties everything together Aido-Hwedo, the Great
in a bright collaboration of life, death, and all things within
and beyond both.
Python and Rainbow Serpent
When Mawu-Lisa was giving birth to the creatures of the
Gamespeak world, the Rainbow Serpent Aido-Hwedo held them in its mouth
and traveled across the earth. When he was done, he coiled up
In World of Darkness cosmology, the Loa home Realms exist under the world and used his body to support the heavenly
within the Middle Umbra, not in the rarified space of the High bodies in the sky.
Realm of Abstract Ideas. Most often, though, these entities walk
A primal spirit of storms and serpents, the Great Python is
among us in the mortal world, imbuing their sublime essence in
revered for his healing powers and control over rain. This Rainbow
the bodies of their followers. A devotee venturing through the
Serpent is largely responsible for the rains and the lightning. When
Middle Worlds might discover a Great Crossroads favored by
the serpent gets thirsty from holding up the world, he strikes at
Papa Legba, feel the heat of Ogun’s forge, or spy the impossible
the clouds with such fierceness and speed that it looks like flashes
heights of Obatala’s white palace. For the most part, though, the
of light; when he drinks the water from the sky, it often spills over
Loa remain remote from everyone save their mortal followers.
the sides of his mouth and falls to the ground below as rain. When
An unbelieving troublemaker isn’t likely to find them at all…
Aido-Hwedo feels full from drinking, he stretches across the sky,
and will probably regret it if he ever does.
his banded scales shining with the luminous colors of the rainbow.

170 Gods & Monsters

 When Mawu-Lisa saw how many people there were in the Patient in wisdom and in anger, the Rainbow Serpent per-
world, the Parents of All Things knew They had to let some of sonifies the cool distance of an immortal snake. If badly crossed,
the creatures of the Earth die so that our world wouldn’t be however, the Great Python won’t be satisfied until the offenders
overrun. If too many people lived on earth, Mawu-Lisa knew, are either repentant or dead… and may not be satisfied even then.
everyone would suffer. And so, They created Death, but wanted
to give all living things an informed decision before that Death
Manifestations: Rainbows, serpents, storms and especially
was revealed. When Mawu-Lisa came to the Earth and asked who
lightning.
would like to live forever, Aido-Hwedo said “Me, Mawu-Lisa, I
would like to live forever.” Thus, the Rainbow Serpent gets to Associations: Snakes, blessings, beginnings, rain, sunlight,
live, always shedding its skin and being born again in a new life. rebirth, immortality.
Given his endless life, Aido-Hwedo several aspects. In Haitian Brood: Snakes of all kinds, but especially those with bright
Vodoun, he may be known as the female Loa Ayida-Weddo, her coloration.
consort Damballa-Weddo, or occasionally both. (Gods are like Abilities: Enigmas, Medicine, Survival
that.) To the Fon people of Benin, the red part of the Rainbow Bans: Devotees of the Rainbow Serpent should not, of course,
Serpent is male, and the blue part is female; green and white, harm snakes if they can help it.
however, are commonly associated with both deities. Some tales
regard the Rainbow Serpent as an aide to this world’s creators,
while others insist the Rainbow Serpent is the Creator of this
Baron Samedi,
world. Like the Great Python itself, these tales curl around one the Cemetery Lord
another and swallow their own tail, as solid as the stone beneath Everybody dies. Even gods, it is has been said, must die
our feet and ephemeral as the colors of the sky. eventually. And when we die, it is the Baron — Baron La Croix,
In the Loa aspect of Ayida-Weddo, the Rainbow Serpent Ghede, the Cemetery Lord — who will greet us on the other side.
nurtures fertility, protects snakes, and presides over water, wind, Tipping his top hat, puffing his cigar, laughing at mortality’s
and storms; her colors are blue and white, and she favors offerings little joke on us, Samedi embodies life as well as death, and can
of milk, eggs, bleached cotton, and white rice. As Damballa, he bestow either one with a snap of his fingertips.
rules intellect, consciousness, and the balance of natural forces; Wrongly viewed by outsiders as a demonic figure, the Baron
he loves white rum and white eggs, and he’s considered to be represents balance, not cruelty. Amidst the horrors of slavery and
perhaps the most vital of all Loa. Despite the sinister nature poverty, his presence seems oddly comforting. All things end, the
attributed to him by ignorant outsiders, Damballa-Weddo is a Baron reminds us. Even suffering. Especially suffering. This doesn’t
paragon of innocence and purity, sometimes associated with (or mean he’s not above poking fun at humanity, of course. Among
regarded as) Bon Dieu, a knowable aspect of the Most High himself. Loa and devotees alike, he’s infamous for crude jests and sexual
By any name or aspect, the Great Python has many children: humor. You might as well laugh at it all, Le Baron says. The alternative
the serpents of our world, who are deeply respected by those who is misery… and who wants to go through life like that?
understand the ways of vodou. When a snake enters the home A large man dressed in a mockery of the white man’s
of a vodou devotee, that practitioner must treat the serpent with fashions, Baron Samedi heads the Guédé Loa family: a clan of
respect, for that snake may be a messenger from the ancestors, entities whose provinces are death and fertility. His wife, Grandma
coming to pay that person a visit. After paying their respects, that Brigitte, appears as a blazing skeleton-woman who guards the
person should let the snake leave on its own accord. Whether crossroads and cemeteries of the nighttime American South.
they carry a message or not, snakes are regarded as the bearers of Le Baron has a thing for crossroads, too — a territory he shares
secrets because they go everywhere, listening silently to everything, with Papa Legba… usually over a bottle of good rum and a lot of
even in the night where secrets like to hide. This reverence for filthy jokes at humanity’s expense. Manifesting most often with
serpents extends even to the most venomous of snakes, like the his signature top hat, tailed coat, and a face either painted with
black mamba and the Indian cobra. If someone abuses or kills skull-like makeup or replaced by an actual skull, Samedi speaks
a deadly snake, Aido-Hwedo’s vengeance can follow them into in a high, often loud, nasal voice, swears continually, and smokes
their nightmares and torture that person until the end of her life. up a storm. He often wears dark glasses, with plugs up his nose
Great Python is a titanic sky-serpent with rainbow-colored like any well-dressed corpse should have. His devotees, when
scales. The god’s domain stretches across the skies of the Middle ridden by Le Baron and his kin, smear themselves with crushed
Umbra, where this deity can be seen and occasionally met by hot peppers and raw rum, taxing the limits of the flesh because
travelers who ascend to the Aetherian Reaches which present what’s most important is the state beyond this mortal shell.
“the face of the soul of forever.” At times, the Serpent manifests Straddling life and death like an enthusiastic lover, Gedhe
as a male or female person, often merged with the body of a always speaks the truth. Because he transcends mortal limitations,
gigantic snake. In all regards, the Rainbow Serpent is beautiful he ignores the bounds of propriety, too. The head of his cane is
and terrible to behold. carved into the shape of a cock, and he loves to wave it around.
Samedi is, after all, a deeply sexual Loa, too. Some folks call upon
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 171
him when they want to get laid in non-fatal fashion, and his Manifestations: Skulls and skull-faced men, gravediggers,
devotees have a reputation for being frighteningly seductive yet skeletons… very profane skeletons.
downright crude. Samedi loves to party, but he’s always watching Associations: Crossroads, death, sexuality, graves, top hats,
the clock… not his, but yours. A trickster godhead, he’s got the phalluses, black or purple clothing, cemetery dirt.
blunt honesty of the grave. Sex and death are his dominion, and Brood: Ravens, black dogs or roosters, gravedigger spirits,
he enjoys indulging both. southern American goths, and the Guédé Loa as a whole.
Thanks to his province over death, Samedi tends to attract Abilities: Intimidation, Medicine, Occult
necromancers to his path. These folks often wind up wishing
they’d knocked on someone else’s door. Though he often plays Bans: Don’t lie. Seriously, don’t.
the fool, La Baron does not suffer fools at all, most especially
not if they’re white folks who think they understand voodoo. Erinle/Abatan, Land-Elephant
In addition to the frenzied dance called the banda, Papa Gedhe
loves to mess with people’s minds. He can read minds, too, so it’s
of Waters and Earth
The god of plants, nature, animal husbandry, and prosperity,
a bad idea to try and fool La Baron. Coffins, poisons, graveyards,
and the orisha of medicine and natural forces, Erinle is a hunter,
and near or actual death are signatures of his rites, and would-be
farmer, and fisher who teaches the people how to grow their resources
devotees need the courage to face both the grave and what lies
into prosperity for themselves and their families. His presence can
beyond it if they wish to beg Samedi’s favors. Offerings of rum,
be felt in a garden or farm, where the soil is rich and moist, where
cigars, black coffee, roasted peanuts, and bread (baked black if
things are growing and flourishing, where animals are safe and fed
you can manage that) attract La Baron’s attention, but you’d
in their flocks, and where a person has all the things in life that
best be ready to meet death face to face if you wish to work with
they would need. Much like a healthy crop, finances, health, and
Samedi. Though often associated in popular media with zombis,
friends must be cultivated, and Erinle watches over them.
Samedi actually prefers to keep dead people dead. Behind his
rough humor and fearsome façade, Baron Samedi hides a secret Erinle means “land elephant,” one who lives on the land but
compassion for the poor souls walking this hard earth. Demise, also in the water — he bridges the gaps of those lands. As such,
he knows, is not a torment but the blessed relief from life itself. Erinle enjoys being next to life-giving sources of water. Since water

172 Gods & Monsters

is a necessary element of what it takes to stay healthy, Erinle can Without him, prayers cannot make it to heaven. Without him,
often be found in parts of the world where water has been con- people cannot age, pass over in death, or mature. He is the god
taminated, offering relief to those inflicted by the illnesses that of crossroads, doors, and paths, and he allows all the movement
result from drinking bad water. Erinle also works as an herbalist, in the universe to happen. Without him, nothing happens at all.
making different forms of medicine from herbs and plants to help Legba is everywhere, and he has 256 forms, each of which
heal those who are inflicted with different diseases. Although he is a different part of his personality. Whatever his form, Legba
encourages good health, exercise, and self-care through traditional comes to a people when he’s least expected, in order to test their
means, he favors modern medicine as well. Anything a person integrity. This propensity to show up at the most inconvenient
can use in order to remain well and take care of their family — time contributes to the perception that Papa is a trickster.
within the bounds of fairness and reason — is fine with Erinle. Legba, though, is not trying to trick anyone; when someone’s
If a mage needs to find Erinle, that person should go where completely unguarded and unprepared, he feels, that is when
the water meets land (like swamps and marshlands) and offer him they’re at their most authentic.
gifts of gold, cowries, fine bird feathers, coral, jet, rams, quail, At birth, everyone receives Legba as their first guardian spirit
and fine foods. Erinle doesn’t have a need for hard-to-find or because he represents the beginning of spiritual development
expensive offerings, since he already has so much. Erinle can be and learning. Legba opens the doors to growth and possibility.
invoked for his powers of abundance, the ability to take items A mage might evoke Legba when they wish for doors to open or
and multiply them infinitely. Erinle is also the keeper of health, paths to appear; when such people get stuck, though, and have
called upon when a devotee needs to stop the spread of poison a hard time making decisions. Legba opens the doors so they
or is severely harmed in an attack. can start their journey toward spiritual awakenings. Thus, no
His ability to go between two different walks of life also true journey can start without an offering to Legba so Papa can
embodies itself in his feminine side, Abatan. In this form, Erinle open the path toward your destination.
takes on the role of healer, nurse, caregiver, and a provider of The offerings a person can make can range from candies and
other forms of emotional labor. Erinle believes there is not a single toys for his younger side, to popcorn and toasted corn for the
way of giving and taking care of someone. Providing for people’s older side of his personality. Crossroads traditionally represent
needs requires both of his aspects in order to take care of everyone. a sacred place for his worship, but since Legba lives everywhere,
Erinle is a hearty, smartly dressed god with long, thick braids every place is sacred.
draped down his body. Necklaces of cowrie shells, red coral, Legba often spends time with his friends Oggun, Oshosi,
and plumage from his many birds represent his wealth. Despite and Oshun. Together, they’re known as the Warriors: those gods
that wealth, though, he’s not boastful or proud. Abatan appears who help guide a person’s spiritual path. They are responsible
in much the same way, though with feminine form and dress. for opening up a passage for a person’s spiritual journey, and
Whatever aspect they assume, Erinle is content when everyone to watch over that person as she travels along the roads and
else nearby is also fortunate. When people are deprived, when eventually makes it to the other side. These friends are often
they need things only this god can provide, and they know how found together, enjoying large meals of wild-caught animals and
to ask for it properly, then Erinle is there for them. harvested food provided by Oshosi.
Legba has many forms, depending on the situation and his
Manifestations: Mist, swamps, blossoming plants. mood. Sometimes he appears as a small child, an elderly person,
Associations: Borderlands, water, dirt, growth, “feeling or the man of your dreams. Traditionally, he has a withered,
grounded.” twisted, or otherwise distorted leg (a common Mark of Favor
for his devotees), bears a cane or walking stick, and is frequently
Brood: Creatures who can cross from water and land while being
attended by at least one dog. Because he is a god, however, he
comfortable in either one.
can take whatever form Legba desires… and some forms, like the
Abilities: Crafts, Esoterica (herbalism), Medicine virile lover Legba Atibon, are quite desirable!
Bans: As stewards of the land and water, followers of Erinle Papa Legba savors the element of surprise. When talking
should not poison, pollute, or otherwise contaminate either one, to someone, he suddenly changes topics, trying to catch that
or allow them to be contaminated if it’s within a follower’s ability person off guard. Papa values candor over politeness, and can
to stop the pollution. come across as blunt, obnoxious, mocking, or rude in order to
get the answers he seeks.
Legba,
Keeper of the Crossroads Manifestations: Dogs (often but not always black), crutches,
Legba, also referred to as Eleggua and commonly referred to old men with a hobbled leg.
with the appellation Papa, is the first and oldest of all the gods. Associations: Passage, safety, secrets, travel between places
Legba is the most prominent god above all others. No ritual, and realms.
religious festival, or practice can proceed without his approval.
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 173
Brood: Dogs of all kinds are held sacred by Papa’s devotees. Beloved for his fair and even temperament, Obatala has few
Abilities: Area Knowledge, Enigmas, Survival enemies among even the most sinister entities. Occasionally, he
Bans: Don’t be a dick. must reprimand some errant creatures for their behavior; even
then, however, those he disciplines rarely hold it against him.
Obatala, the Sky-Father Instead, he’s generally respected for his fairness and his ability
to cut right to the heart of every matter.
Often said to be the eldest of all gods (though Legba,
too, is known as “First and Oldest”), and the king of religion,
Obatala is the father of many other gods, respectfully known Manifestations: Clouds, snails, birds of many kinds.
as the “Sky Father.” Because of his standing, he is often the Associations: Death and resurrection, fatherhood, redemption,
one to whom the gods go when they quarrel with each other. fair judgement, earth and sky.
He can separate them, hear and comprehend each side, and Brood: Snails, spiritual judges and healers.
then come to a fair judgment. For the followers, Awakened and
Abilities: Law, Medicine, and the Arcane Background
unAwakened alike, who welcome his presence within them,
Obatala can offer a certain amount of protection and guidance Bans: The Sky Father’s followers must remain impartial, honorable,
in dangerous situations, gliding them around obstacles whenever compassionate, and fair if they wish to retain his favor.
possible, navigating the world like he navigates through thorny
arguments: unharmed and often untouched. Oggun, Master of Tools
(Obatala’s presence within a host allows the spirit to employ In the beginning, when the Earth was being created, it was
his Deflect Harm Charm on the character’s behalf, and also gives a wild place overrun with flora. Not until the man-god Oggun
the host a temporary Arcane Background of 5; if the host already brought tools to the people could that wilderness be tamed enough
has Arcane, Obatala’s presence raises that Trait to 5 while the for humans to live and prosper. As a hunter named Tobe Ode, he
spirit resides within the host.) cut paths through wilderness and created a place for his people to
As the eldest of the gods, Obatala is the one who molded live. With Oggun’s tools, those people could craft homes, towns,
the bodies of humans and decided on the human anatomy roads, and clothing, domesticate their animals, and survive the lash
before Olodumare breathed life into them. He is also called the of elements. Weapons, however, are tools as well, so Oggun is some-
“ruler of heads,” meaning that human thoughts and ideas are times associated with the atrocities of war. During his human life,
his domain. He knows what thoughts reside within the minds it is said, he slew his disrespectful subjects, and ultimately himself,
of men, and tries to help people think more clearly. To those with his own sword. To offset the awful legacy of weapons, Oggun
who know him, Obatala is like a grandfather. Many gods — Loa also developed surgery and surgical tools with which to heal the
and otherwise — view him fondly. bite of his creations. Now he can remove things from the body like
tumors, cysts, and blood clots, and has become a very skillful, caring
In vodou, white is a sacred color that offers protection to doctor. Thus, Oggun is like a knife: In one person’s hands, he can
anyone performing magical tasks while wearing it; under Mage kill, but in the hands of another, his power can be used to heal.
rules, white garments could be considered focus instruments
(see the entry for “Fashion,” Mage 20, p. 591), possibly person- Anyone who’s good with their hands — such as barbers,
alized or unique ones if they’ve been properly consecrated. To carpenters, hairdressers, tailors, and jewelry makers — is said to
get the attention of the “Sky Father,” then, Obatala’s offerings be blessed with the powers of Oggun. A devotee with Oggun’s
should be white objects, including the metal silver, rice, eggs, powers may create any tool necessary for whatever challenge
coconut, cocoa butter, white yams, white hens, doves, and she has in front of her, from potent weapons to the specific key
white goats. He prefers a soft and bland diet, so do not offer needed to unlock a door. Oggun’s true gift is utility, and his
this spirit spicy or salty foods and alcohol. Obatala is also is worshippers are inventive folk indeed. Thanks to his affinity for
fond of snails, whose calm and steady behavior he enjoys so paths through impediment, he’s regarded as a patron of drivers,
much that he considers snails to be his living symbols; thus, some of whom wear iron amulets in his name in order to ward
he will not tolerate anyone abusing them, and takes a dim off traffic accidents. Like his tools, Oggun is honest even to a
view of those who, for example, pour salt on snails or eat fault. In some courts, his worshippers can swear upon his name
them for dinner. and kiss a piece of iron as a sign of truthfulness.
Obatala lives in a white palace on a high mountain, sur- A mortal who wishes to invoke Oggun must use a cast-iron
rounded by tall walls that extend up into the sky. Mortals on cauldron with tools inside of it. Since Oggun is such a hardworking
the ground are unable to grasp the true height of his fortress, as man, he has a large appetite and will eat almost anything offered
it extends so high into the sky. His hair forms long white dread- to him; that said, he’s very partial to watermelon, smoked fish,
locks, and while he is an elderly man, Obatala remains strong plantains, pomegranates, grapes, rum, roosters, and goats. An
in body and mind. He always dresses in white, to symbolize his invocation to Oggun needs to have an animal sacrifice, and no
calmness and even temper, and prefers to surround himself, and ceremony can go forward without first asking him to bless the
his worshippers, with the color white. knife. Once appeased, Oggun clears a mage’s path by using his

174 Gods & Monsters

collection of tools to create a road — symbolic or literal — upon According to mortal lore, Oko disappeared long ago, per-
which the mortal can travel to her desired destination. haps to become one with the soil he works. All he left behind,
A large man with strong arms, Oggun wears the colors green they say, was his staff, sticking erect out of the ground. Mages,
and black. He carries tools like the hammer, anvil, machete, hoe, however, and other folks who can cross into the Otherworlds,
shovel, pike, rake, and pickax. Like the hunter-king he once was, understand that Oko still tends his fields in a land untouched
Oggun dwells in the forests, and can often be found hunting or by modern human corruption. There, he continues to bring
fishing with his friends Erinle, Eleggua, and Oshosi. forth bountiful harvests to offset the poisons and famines that
humankind creates. Since Oko provides food from his harvests
Much like his tools, Oggun often seems hard, strict, and cold.
year round, people who ask for his help must make an offering
He is not, however, a violent or frightening god by nature — just
of food in return. Oko’s favorite foods are made deep in the
someone who’s firm in his stance. A tireless worker, Oggun crafts
earth, like yams, taro, sweet potatoes, and other root vegetables.
tools endlessly at his forge, and enjoys finding new materials he
He also enjoys corn, smoked fish, and offerings of animals like
can use and problems he can solve with his inventions.
roosters, pigeons, and guinea hens. If Oko decides to favor a
devotee, he’ll grant that person the power of harvest; invested
Manifestations: A glowing forge, iron, fire, well-made tools with Oko’s magic, that devotee can call upon the forces of plants
and the people who make them. great and small (Life-Sphere plant-magick, in game terms, and
Associations: Industriousness, smithing, endurance, cleverness. the use of the Plant Command Charm). Anything that can be
grown in the soil can be controlled through the powers of Oko.
Brood: Mystic smiths.
Hardworking, constantly covered in the dirt of his rich fields,
Abilities: Art, Crafts, Technology
Oko has rough hands from handling tools. He frequently wears
Bans: Oggun has no patience for laziness or cutting corners. red and white, carries a staff or farming implements, and often
Any job worth doing is worth doing well. shades his face with a wide-brimmed hat.

Oko of the Fertile Staff A god of few words, Oko prefers action to talk. Because he
works in the fields, he’s very close friends with Oggun, who also
The god of the fertile land, tied to the earth and the tilling understands the value of hard work and dedication, and he feels
of the soil, Oko is a mysterious figure whose work is mostly more sympathetic to mortals who till the soil than to folk who
concealed under the earth. To those who recognize his wisdom, live in cities and die never having known how to work the earth.
though, he teaches the mysteries of life and death. The earth he
farms feeds people and animals during their lives and, in turn,
the living feed his earth when they die. Manifestations: Aside from his staff, or his human guise, Oko
doesn’t tend to appear much at all. He’s often regarded as an
Represented by the staff that symbolizes both his farming
absent god, though he can be found in the Otherworlds if one looks
implements and his virility, Oko also takes care of issues dealing
hard enough to for him, or doesn’t expect to find him there at all.
with male potency and fertility. His altars are often painted red
and white, symbolizing blood and semen, the liquids of life’s Associations: Fertility, water, farming and its many tools.
essence. Although the god Erinle also grows many different Brood: Plant-spirits, worms, water-elemental spirits.
things, and takes care of animals in their pens, he’s more of a Abilities: Crafts, Esoterica (Herbalism), Survival
hunter-gatherer than Oko, who maintains expansive, rural fields.
Bans: “You call that rubbish food? And you actually plan to
Oko enjoys being near water. Not just because he needs water eat that…?”
to tend to his crops, but because the waters soothes him. The
cooling effect of water on his skin after a long day of work puts
Oko’s mind at ease. It reminds him, too, of a love affair he once
Oshosi, the Hunter
With arrows drawn and arm held straight, Oshosi never
had with Olokun, a goddess of the bottom of the seas. Since she
misses his mark. He’s the great hunter, steady and strong, who
cannot leave the seas, though, and Oko cannot leave his fields,
can always catch his prey. This archer enjoys being out in nature,
they remain permanently separated. Every once in a while, Oko
where he can rely on his quick reflexes and primordial instincts
takes a boat out and dives down deep to see his beloved; soon,
in order to hunt and trap game. A patron of quiet meditation,
though, he must return to his fields, or famine will cover the land.
craftiness, and art, Oshosi can remain completely silent and
Although other orishas are said to be far older, Oko was the track each target undetected. He always, always, he gets what
first to discover his life-force, and thus was the first to descend out he’s tracking. Even a moving target many miles away is his when
of heaven. For a long time, he was alone, and annoyed because no Oshosi’s on the hunt.
one else shared his burden. Once the other gods began to discover
Oshosi the Hunter doesn’t restrict his craft to animals.
their life-forces, however, they began to contribute to every aspect
People, too, who break oaths and corrupt the world with lies,
of life on Earth. And so, Oko learned how important patience is
can fall beneath his arrows. When fired in pursuit of justice
when you’re putting work into the earth. One cannot immediately
and honor, Oshosi’s arrows never miss; their blades can pierce
sow what one plants. They must be given time to grow.
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 175
through corruption and reveal the truth. Pure-hearted devotees The embodiment of love, happiness, pregnancy, emotion,
call upon the hunter to avenge wrongs done against them, and gentleness, and refinement, Oshun has many manifestations
occasionally he answers. An arrow from nowhere pierces the and aspects and is known also as Oxúm, Ochún, Iabá-Omi, and
wrongdoer’s heart or hide. Anyone who calls upon Oshosi’s Nkisi Ndandalunda, the Lady of Fertility and Moon. Always,
vengeance, though, had better be as honest as the sun. A liar she is beautiful and charming beyond compare. When Oshun
who invokes the hunter’s arrows will soon feel their edge as well. appears at a party, the mood lifts and people laugh. Everyone
(Ironically, Oshosi gets associated, in Santeria, with St. gets up out of their seats to dance while love flits freely in the
Sebastian — a martyr pierced to death by arrows. Because St. air. Dazzled by the aphrodisiac of her presence, people and
Sebastian in the modern world is often venerated by gay male gods alike lose themselves and enjoy the moment.
Catholics, Oshosi is occasionally associated with queer male In addition to her abèbè — a mirrored, circular fan made of
identity, too, especially since his interest in beauty and the arts bronze or gold — Oshun carries a honey pot around her waist,
is considered “unmanly” by certain men.) imbued with enchanting magic. Oshun uses that honey pot as
The hunter helps needy people attain their goals, as he’s part of her dance of seduction.
sharp-sighted and understands the long game. As orisha of the The polar opposite of her husband Shango, Oshun per-
hunt, he’s the god of anyone who participates in the justice sonifies the ultimate feminine principle. Much like Ares and
system, courts, police officers, or jail. Oshosi’s arrows, flying Aphrodite, they represent the binary divides between love and
in a straight line, symbolize his ethical and virtuous nature. If hate, peace and war, hurting and healing. A loyal wife, she remains
a mortal needs the power of a steadfast and targeted arrow to passionate, supportive, and entirely devoted to him despite his
pierce its objective, no matter what the distance might be, Oshosi many misadventures. When Oshun doesn’t get all of his attention,
can be called upon to grant accuracy to that devotee. And since however, she can turn moody, petty, and awesomely vindictive.
Oshosi doesn’t rush into anything, he can also grant you the According to Ifa legend, Oshun was the first (and, for a
patience you need when waiting for the right moment to strike. while, only) female primordial spirit at the beginning of the
If someone wants to invoke Oshosi’s presence, this orisha world. The other primordial spirits, all male, ignored her; along-
enjoys the color blue, and likes amber-hued items as well. You side mortal men, they denigrated womanhood and dismissed
can win his favor with wild game like roosters, pheasant, quails, Oshun and her mortal sisters as unimportant in the great work
deer, and pigeons, but foods like pears, grapes, plantains, pome- of creation. In response, she formed the Iyami Aje, a sisterhood
granates, anisette, and bananas please the hunter, too. imbued with immense mystic power that only women could truly
As a hunter should, Oshosi dresses lightly and carries only comprehend or wield. Named for the generative potential of
what he needs. Always armed with his ofá (bow and arrows), or women and the essence of creation they command, the Iyami
occasionally a crossbow, Oshosi prefers life in the wilderness Aje revealed the unbalanced and ultimately ineffective power
over the dull confinements of the city. When he isn’t spending of masculinity. Shamed by their failures, the men and male
his time barefoot in the grass, he works for Obatala, the Sky spirits agreed that women, too, were essential for the work of
Father, and sometimes hunts in the sky god’s vast white palace. men and gods. They know anything they attempt without the
He’s honest and clear-sighted, loyal, tireless, and fair. Some folks help of women will fail.
might consider Oshosi to be simple, but they don’t understand Though she loves to be the center of attention, Oshun aids
the artistry of nature or the refinements of a good hunt. those (especially women) who find themselves alone. Thus, when
someone finds themselves repulsive, unattractive, rejected by a
lover, they call upon Oshun. Nothing makes the Lady happier
Manifestations: Magical arrows, lightning, silent shadows in
than seeing people in love, for when people are in love that’s
the forest.
when they’re most beautiful. Oshun values the power of seduc-
Associations: Hunting, woodlands, fertility, honesty and honor. tion, too, and knows that one way to get ahead in life involves
Brood: Birds of prey, spiritual archers and other hunter-entities. getting people to like you, putting them under your influence,
Abilities: Archery, Hunting, Stealth and charming your way into a better situation.
Bans: Once again, don’t lie. Seriously. Seduction may be Oshun’s most famous calling card. A
vodou devotee who invites Oshun’s presence into herself can
Oshun, Bright Lady employ this Loa’s Seductive Aura Charm… or perhaps, it’s the
Loa who employs the Charm through her. That said, Oshun’s
of Fertility and Moon not careless, and she expects her devotees to be careful, too. If a
Every pantheon has a deity of love, one who brings the joy person calls upon Oshun in order to harness the power of seduc-
of sensuality, romance, marriage, and beauty to their devotees. tion, that person is held entirely responsible for what happens
The Greeks have Aphrodite, the Aztecs had Xochiquetzal, and as a result. Sexuality can be a powerful drug, both for the person
the Classical Egyptians had Hathor. None of them, however, using it and for the person it’s used against; thus, it should be
stand above Oshun. used only by those strong enough to wield it. Oshun tries to

176 Gods & Monsters

guide her devotees when they employ such powerful magic, but
what they do with it is eventually on their heads, not her own. Oya, Our Lady of Rage
Many legends surround the concept of a woman scorned.
Sometimes called “the Lady of Gold,” Oshun prizes luxury and
Oya’s anger, though, exists on another level altogether. A for-
enjoys receiving gifts. Like a noblewoman who never lets her hands
midable fighter who rules over the winds and storms, Oya’s
touch anything rotten or dirty, she loves beautiful, expensive things.
name translates as “She Who Tore,” and she ferociously protects
The color gold, and things associated with it (honey, sunflowers,
women who have been wronged by men. Also known as Oiá,
lemons, yams, squash, pumpkins, cinnamon, and precious liquor),
Yansá, Iansá, and Oya-Iyansan (“the Mother of Nine”), she rides
are her hallmarks, though she also favors jewels like amber, topaz,
into battle with two machetes in her hands, striking lightning
and citrine. To truly win her attention, though, a person should
down onto the Earth. Her power can manifest as the strongest
pursue love, passion, and the sheer joy of being alive.
of gales or the gentlest of breezes. If need be, she can also sum-
Inevitably draped in precious jewelry and gold clothing, Oshun mon tornados to destroy the subjects of her wrath. No wonder,
is the essence of seductive beauty. Her warm brown skin glows as her then, that she’s often associated with life, death, and the secrets
hips sway in a dance — her arms outstretched, her eyes lifted to the hidden by the dead.
heavens, and her mouth speaking a spell as soft as a secret. Love is
When it comes to protecting people whom society makes
the greatest treasure imaginable, and she is the beating heart of love.
most vulnerable, especially women who have been badly abused,
Oya steps in to avenge their misery. Her rage does not subside until
Manifestations: Reflections in a mirror, the taste of honey, dis- those who need punishment have been suitably dealt with. Also
embodied music or laughter, a woman of stunning gorgeousness, called the “Mother of Nine” because she had nine stillborn babies,
inevitably dressed in yellow or gold. she watched with jealousy and rage as her sister Yemaja had many
Associations: Beauty, glamor, lust, love, femininity, the moon. children with Oya’s first love, Shango, while Oya herself had none
who survived. This disparity created a brokenhearted goddess who
Brood: Lune-spirits, lovers, dancers, fire elementals.
remains torn between her hatred for men and her desire to protect
Abilities: Art, Etiquette, Seduction women and children. Fortunately for her, and unfortunately for the
Bans: To violate someone sexually is to insult Oshun herself… targets of her rage, it’s easy to indulge one while satisfying the other.
which is a terrible idea.
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 177
 In her capacity as the keeper of death and its secrets, Oya Even before his assumption into godhood, “the Lord of the
prevents the living from crossing over before their time and col- Ax” was a fearsome man of great intellect and terrifying anger.
lects the dead in order to lead them to their next iteration. As He is the celestial embodiment of masculine passion, intensity,
the guardian of the cemetery gates, she guides the dead to their and patriarchal power. Like the mortal warrior king he once was,
resting place, but can also raise an army of the once-dead to do Shango is a master tactician and formidable combatant. When
her bidding. Because of this, she’s a terrifying figure, especially he’s not working on battle strategies or punishing errant souls,
for men. In truth, though, she’s also a figure of rebirth who’s however, Shango enjoys courts of law and universities, as he’s
capable of pulling someone through a rough and dangerous also the orisha of mathematics and intellect. Through many ups
transition in their life. A woman who craves fairness, and who and downs, Shango learned (often the hard way) to temper his
needs protection against being ripped off or cheated, should energy, and so matured into a graceful and diplomatic god. His
call upon Oya to protect her livelihood. If that person has been ruling of justice helped him to realize that many people need a
scorned by a lover, and needs to call for justice, Oya is her guide. second chance, as well as a firm hand to get them there. Despite
Oya cycles between a hurt, sad figure who mourns constantly his wisdom, or perhaps because of it, Shango is also a proud py-
over the passing of her nine children, and a raging fury who will cut romancer who casts down thunderstones from the skies in order
a man’s heart out on general principle. To get her attention, a person to punish wrongdoers, and who uses a mortar and pestle to craft
should offer sweet, dark things like red wine, chocolate, and plums. enchantments that help him control fire and cast devastating
Oya also enjoys offerings of eggplant, black hens, and black she-goats. spells. Shango’s devotees call upon his fire, his passion, his potent
Once possessed by the essence of Oya, a devotee can employ a terrible sense of rightness, and his prowess in battle. Among West African
but wondrous power over the boundaries of life and death (In game slaves and their many descendants, this god personifies resistance,
terms, the Rouse the Dead Charm). That mortal, however, must be fury, and fiery justice.
careful she doesn’t become possessed by Oya’s never-ending sorrow Shango loves to dance. Whenever he hears drums, he can’t
and loss. If a devotee can’t properly control herself, she might fall help but seek out the beat. When the ceremonial bata drums
into a deep depression and never again be able to enjoy the world roll like thunder, players beating them so furiously the musicians
of the living; for mages, this peril manifests as Morbidity Quiet, as glow with sweat, the sounds of the rhythm drawing everyone into
described in Mage 20, pp. 558-559, while non-mages suffer from the a hypnotic trance, Shango is there having the time of his life.
Flaws Derangement, Chronic Depression, or both. Shango’s a huge fan of beautiful ladies, too… which often gets
A ferociously beautiful woman, often masked with pearls, wear- him into trouble, as he’s married to Oshun, the Goddess of Love.
ing feathers, or dressed in white or bloody red silks, Oya carries two A devotee can summon Shango when that person needs
machetes or a scythe. She wears brown and burgundy beads, as well strength, a just decision, or simply a good time. To call upon his
as nine scarves around her waist to remember each of her children’s presence, make an altar and lay out bright red apples, deep red
lives. Envy, rage and sorrow are her legacy. She’s got a soft spot for wine, spiced rum, bananas, amala (a cornmeal dish made with
women and children who have been abused, and eternal hatred for okra), tools made of cedar, beads, and turtle shells, and then play
the people who would violate the gift of life. For them, then, death is drums in order to summon and appease him. Once the devotee
a fitting punishment… although, perhaps, not one given too quickly. allows the rhythm of those drums to put her into a deep trance,
Shango tests that devotee with a steady supply of hard alcohol.
If the mage can stay dancing and alive through Shango’s ordeal,
Manifestations: Powerful winds, lightning, furious shadows or
he will grant that person his power.
reflections, the sound of sobbing or wailing.
Shango is a proud god who never refuses a challenge or a fight.
Associations: Fury, envy, revenge, blood, sorrow, secrets, rebirth.
Some folks call him a tyrant, but that’s the necessity of being a strong
Brood: Vengeful women, elementals of lightning, air, and storms. king. He cannot tolerate weakness except in those unfortunates
Abilities: Enigmas, Melee, Subterfuge. who’ve been laid low by injustice. Shango is not a violent person on
Bans: While not exactly forbidden, forgiveness is not exactly principle, but violence is often a very effective way to solve certain
Oya’s strong suit. problems. Despite his fearsome might, however, this Loa prefers
fighting with strategy over pummeling someone with his fists.
Shango, the Thunderer Surrounded by fire, Shango is a strong and muscular man,
Shango is the god of justice — the kind of justice that’s nei- powerfully built, with long beads of red and white draped
ther kind nor impartial, but which rains down heavily on those around his neck. He carries a double-headed ax in one hand,
who commit crimes. His flaming chain crashes down across the and a flaming length of chain in the other. His voice speaks deep
earth, shaking the mountains and the skies. When the sunlight as thunder, and lightning sparkles in the darkness of his eyes.
flees and thick clouds roll across the sky, that’s a sign that Shango
is near. Also known as Badé, Chango, Xangô, or Jakuta, Shango Manifestations: Fire, storms, axes, thunderclaps.
assumes several manifestations, like Airá, Agodo, Afonja, Lubé, and
Associations: Anger, war, justice, courage, strength, flame,
Obomin. All of his identities, however, are noted for their rage.
masculine power.

178 Gods & Monsters

Brood: Elementals of fire and lightning. back into her seas. In order to appease such fury, her devotees
Abilities: Brawl, Law, Melee give her offerings of fish and jewelry, as well as fruits like water-
Bans: Deceit and cowardice are forbidden to Shango’s melon, cantaloupe, berries, and coconut. White wine, coffee, and
followers. silver are acceptable gifts as well; she prefers high-quality things,
though, so only the best wines and jewels will suffice. When she’s
Yemaja, La Sirène calm and the seas have eased their tempests, a brave mortal can
ask Yemaja to grant them a blessing of her powers. Respectfully
With the upper half of a beautiful woman and the lower half approached and properly appeased, she might grant a devotee
of a fish, Yemaja would be commonly called a “mermaid” in the the power to raise typhoons, the strength of some vast ocean
West; she has two tails instead of one, though, and is no mere creature, or the stunning appeal of the eternal, depthless sea.
mermaid, but is instead one of the most awesome and revered
Yemaja is beauty personified. Moonglow shimmers from
of gods. The Goddess of Seas, she can be found wherever water
her cool brown skin, which is typically draped in blue clothing if
flows. Many gods and goddesses, of course, hold dominion over
she wears clothing at all. Upon her head rests a crown of shells.
water. For Yemaja, however, all forms of water are her dominion.
Strands of pearls hang loosely around her neck, contrasting with
Like the tide attracted to the full moon, Mami Wata (“Mommy the rich darkness of her long, wet hair. Like the sea, Yemaja is calm
Water”) is a mysterious figure seen only by a select few people. Because and comforting. When angered, though, she rages like a storm.
night is often used to cover the deepest of secrets, Yemaja is also the
keeper of secrets. She watches over fishers and sailors at night, making
sure that their vessels journey safely even on the darkest and roughest Manifestations: Waves, rain, moonlight, mermaids or other
of seas. When La Sirène cannot prevent the people aboard a vessel water-women.
from coming to harm, she also protects of victims of shipwrecks, and Associations: Water, the moon, mermaids, women, fertility,
does all she can do to get them back to shore. Finally, she is also a comfort, childbirth.
protector of women, especially with regards to love, sex, and child- Brood: Mermaids, sirens, water elementals, fish of all kinds.
birth. As life begins in water, so too does the influence of Yemaja.
Abilities: Medicine, Survival, Swimming
Like all gods, she can be terrible, too. La Sirène may summon
Bans: Devotees of Yemaja must not pollute the waters that are
her rage as a hurricane, sweeping the lands and drawing all things
her domain.
Chapter Four: Ephemeral Entities 179
 Chapter Five:
Crafting
Characters
Whether we are based on carbon or on silicon makes no fundamental difference;
we should each be treated with appropriate respect.
— Arthur C. Clarke, 2010: Odyssey Two

When Mom told me I should learn to make friends, I don’t Johnstone’s now-famous bioregeneration matrix. I admit she’s not
think this is quite what she had in mind. the sharpest scalpel in the drawer, but given the condition I found
Rose began as a sketch of sorts, a proof-of-concept experiment her in last year, I doubt she ever was. There’s no excuse for sloppy
with my V24-C12 bioviallic formula and a batch of BIOL- work on my part, of course, but Janine’s still alive, and I consider
27 florocognitive elixir I concocted by combining a restorative that a victory.
formula I reconstructed from an Egyptian papyrus from roughly Consensus-based restrictions of physical and mental deterioration
1434 BCE with some of my personal research into floronic limit their ability to leave my lab, of course. Of the three of them (as
demisentience and the groundbreaking work of Barnes, Obode, well as my other, less-successful, subjects), only Janine can sustain much
Woodrue, and Smitherman, et al. I expected her to last perhaps a scrutiny among the unenlightened hordes. Doctor Preston reminds me
day; she’s been with me for almost two years, and though she has that letting her accompany me in public risks a potentially disastrous
a literally prickly temperament at times, I continue to be amazed encounter if she’s seen by someone who knew her before our fortuitous
by the progress she displays. meeting that night. Janine still hasn’t quite mastered her enhanced
I found Eckhart dying on the side of the road, wrapped reflexes and prodigious strength either. Still, the hoodie obstructs her
him up, took him home, and applied regular treatments of my face well enough to obscure her identity from casual observation, and
fourth-iteration biorestorative/ accelerated-regrowth J420-series the dye in her hair grew out long ago, to be replaced by the pale locks
self-replicating anti-mortality treatments. He recovered quickly, that inspired my colleague Professor Dogwood to nickname her “Snow
and with only a slight limp to show for the shattered condition White.” Between Rose, Snow White, and Eckhart the bear, it could
his body was in at the time of my intervention. He realizes, of be said… has been said, to be honest… that I’ve got a regular faerie
course, that he owes his life to me, and is as loyal a bear as any tale at my beck and call. Still, a scientist makes do with what she
girl could want. has to work with, and I confess a certain pride that I could create
with perfectly normal (if admittedly advanced) science what I once
Janine was a homeless junkie I found dying one night along
read about in storybooks during my lonely childhood.
the path of my post-midnight constitutional. What could I do?
Let her perish? Of course not! I took her home and did what I’m not certain mom would approve, but she’s not here to
any conscientious scientist would do: used my G8-Z26 purgative criticize my decisions now. Perhaps I did “make” my friends, but
treatments while stabilizing her physical condition with Dr. really — doesn’t everyone?

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 181

 Building the Perfect Beast
Although Awakened humans occupy the center perceive our fae cousins as “aliens” simply because it’s easier for
of the Mage world, unAwakened companions, tech-obsessed folk to accept extraterrestrial visitors than ageless
and even non-human ones, may be viable mystic entities. Although most World of Darkness books prefer
player characters if the Storyteller allows them. to leave ET questions up to the whims of individual Storytellers,
Especially if your group employs the troupe play your chronicle might feature an alien companion or two, especially
option described in this book’s introduction, if you’re dealing with Etherites, Void Engineers, or the “Aliens”
you could have a mix of Awakened mages and paradigm from The Book of Secrets (pp. 188-189).
non-mage consors, companions, lovers, agents, From a character-creation standpoint, alien beings possess
familiars, and so forth. Even if your players don’t whatever Advantages and Flaws seem most appropriate to their
run such characters, the rules presented in this kind. Science fiction tropes usually portray aliens as being incred-
chapter allow you to craft those non-mage folks ibly tough with regards to physical damage, though, so the Soak
and run them in whatever capacity you wish. Lethal and perhaps Soak Aggravated Damage Advantages are
Depending on the tone of your chronicle, the plans of your probably part of an alien character’s Trait collection.
Storyteller, and the desires of your group as a whole, the rules Because aliens hail from distant environments, certain
presented in this chapter may be included or discarded. Especially Vulnerabilities are also traditional: Earth germs, fire, high or
when it comes to non-human characters, the ability to construct low sound frequencies, and other phenomena Earthlings take
and play such beasties is an optional rule. Certain Mage chronicles for granted often prove dangerous or fatal for beings from dis-
could be thrown completely off-balance by the introduction of tant planets. Thus, an alien character should have at least one
talking cats or fire-breathing jerboas, and many of the Advantages Vulnerability, and possibly several of them, depending on how…
and other Traits listed below reflect abilities outside of normal um, alien our world is to such entities.
human capacity. As always, the Storyteller has final say over what is
Aliens, by their nature, tend to bring advanced technology
and is not allowed in your chronicle, and the more obviously inhuman
along with them on their visits. Certain aliens, like the mysterious
Traits should remain rare, costly, and liable to get you into all
Zigg’raugglur, seem to be their own technology, though that percep-
kinds of trouble if thrown around carelessly.
tion might simply be a product of our fragile human minds. In
any case, extraterrestrial aliens seem to be immune to the Unbelief
Types of Characters Flaw (and the Paradox manifestation of that name), if only because
Beyond the obvious human beings and their slightly altered such beings are part of the modern world’s Consensus. (The
kin, non-Mage characters may (again, only with Storyteller ap- aforementioned Vulnerabilities might be the way aliens manifest
proval) hail from the following optional types. Each type features Unbelief, but for simplicity’s sake let’s just assume your character
certain Traits that reflect the innate capacities of the being in has a Vulnerability or two, not Vulnerabilities and Unbelief.)
question, and those Traits can be found in the appropriate sec-
tions of this Chapter. Animal
Creatures of our natural world — that is, dogs, deer, ravens
Alien and such, as opposed to the uncanny Bygones mentioned below —
Creatures from another world? Perhaps. According to the can be companions, of course. Animals who’ve been “advanced”
Technocracy, all “unnatural” beings are actually aliens, while through magick or hypertech still count under this category, though
more classically minded wizards speculate that modern people their Mental and Social Traits run beyond the usual limits such
animals typically display.
Animal characters may have the Human Speech or Telepathy
Advantages, although they’ll be smart enough not to use the former
Familiar or Companion? Advantage around the wrong people. For obvious reasons, they’ll
have the Animal Disadvantage, and most have No Dexterous
For clarity’s sake, this chapter uses the word familiar Limbs, either. An animal with clearly paranormal abilities (like
to refer to a character associated with the Background
Trait of that name, and companion to refer to non- fiery breath), or who has obvious traits that aren’t natural to
mage characters who hang around with mages. For other animals of its species (such as wings on a wolf) would be a
now, assume that even non-mystic companions are Bygone or construct instead.
“familiars” if they were purchased with the Familiar/
Companion Background Trait, and that all non-mage Many unusual animals have “legendary” abilities, too: mystical
characters described in this chapter are “companions” powers that folkloric traditions attribute to the animal in question.
even if they’re not Technocratic familiars. An aura of bad luck surrounding a black cat, for instance, would
be a legendary ability. Those sorts of abilities can generally be

182 Gods & Monsters

assumed to be “natural” talents of such animals so long as they amount of time, as described under “Zooterrorism” in Mage
don’t range too far outside of what people expect from such beasts 20, p. 240), such creatures often expire within minutes, their
in today’s world. If that bad-luck kitty starts chatting in front of corpses decaying or fading away soon afterward. As characters,
mundane folks, things don’t bode well for the cat in question. then, Bygone aren’t suitable for the everyday world unless your
Animal characters should use the Physical Traits provided by mages hang out on top of mountains or deep in rainforests far
the appropriate template entries under the bestiaries in Mage 20 from mundane view.
(pp. 618-620) or this book (pp. 103-107), with Mental and Social That said, small Bygones make decent Chantry guards, or
Traits appropriate to the character. Although a special animal can perhaps fit into the local Consensus so long as they’re not too
have Physical Traits that run higher or lower than the templates showy about what they really are. (For examples, see the entries
provided, those Traits should be in line with other animals of for Shisa, Yao Guai, and similar beasts in Chapter Three.) A
its type; a housecat, for example, with Strength 6 would clearly full-fledged dragon won’t last long among modern humans
not be “natural.” unless he transforms himself into a human shape; a kijimuna,
however, remains hidden well enough, and in a remote enough
Bygone place, to avoid the pressing weight of technological reality… at
The proverbial “fantastic beasts” more suited to a science-fic- least for now, anyway.
tion menagerie than to the average pet shop, Bygone characters Thanks to this state of affairs, Bygone characters must take
don’t fit into the modern world’s idea of “reality.” Griffins, imps, the Thaumavore and Unbelief Flaws unless they remain seques-
unicorns, and so forth tend to stand out in all but the most remote tered in an appropriate Chantry, Sanctum, Otherworldly Realm,
corners of our mortal realm. or Primal Reality Zone (Mage 20, p. 615). If and when they leave
On the rare occasions when they venture out of the Umbrae, that area, those Flaws kick in anyway. While it’s possible that a
these characters suffer from Unbelief Paradox (see Mage 20, p. dramatic shift in Consensus Reality could change this situation
553), and therefore depend upon a steady diet of Quintessence (as described in Mage 20, p. 615), the question lingers: Would it
from their human hosts. Dropped into the public view (often by really be a good idea to have basilisks strutting down Main Street? Then
Marauders wishing to cause as much chaos as possible in a short again, given the chaos of today’s mortal world, a few hundred

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 183

petrified people might actually be an improvement, especially if whatever other Advantages seem suitable for the construct
said basilisks were dropped into the right strategic place. in question. Such characters always have the Unbelief Flaw,
and most also have Thaumivore, Vulnerability, or both.
Construct
As detailed in Chapter Two, constructs are living creatures • Mental constructs, which have been created through
that have been modified or spawned by magickal Arts and intense psychic concentration, are always subject to high
Enlightened hypertech. The Reanimates and Robots described levels of Unbelief thanks to their essentially ephemeral
below are constructs with specific traits and origins; as a general nature. That said, they can also Soak Lethal and Soak
category, though, construct characters have the following Traits Aggravated Damage because their physical forms lack the
in common: physiological vulnerabilities of organic and mechanical
life-forms.
• Bioconstructs almost inevitably have some forms of nat-
ural or cybernetic armor and weapons. In game terms, For other types of constructs, see Reanimates and Robots,
these would be Advantages like Armor and Claws, Fangs below.
or Horns, plus suitable Advantages like Extra Limbs,
Wings, and so forth. Bioconstructs also tend to have at Familiar
least a few of the goodies detailed under “Biotech” (Mage Spirits who’ve been incarnated into physical bodies in order
20, pp. 657-661), and almost inevitably have appropriate to aid allied mages, familiars are — as Chapter Two explains —
Genetic Flaws to go with those powers. (See Mage 20, essentially family to the mage in question. The Background entry
pp. 648-651.) Obviously bizarre bioconstructs have the in Mage 20 (pp. 314-316) covers the important ground as far as a
Unbelief Flaw as well. The specifics depend on the sort mage and his bond with a familiar is concerned, but that entry
of construct involved, but protection and weaponry are tells just part of the story.
essentially universal for such characters. When dealing with familiars, the bond between mage and
companion is crucial. A familiar, by definition, is associated
• Material constructs, shaped from elemental substances, with a mage, and so a familiar character must have an intimate
possess the Soak Fatal Damage Advantage in addition to
184 Gods & Monsters
connection with a mage character. The familiar might have begin with. Thus, apparently lifeless objects can and do attain a
jumped ship from one mage to another — or might do so over state of sentience and personality, especially if a mage has been
the course of the chronicle — but cannot hang around in the using the Arts to awaken the slumbering Essence of a given item,
material world without being bonded to a human mage. That place, or substance.
mage might be a Storyteller character; more likely, though, he’ll be People — especially folks with a magical perspective — often
run by another player. In the latter case, everyone involved needs personify apparently inanimate items by default; admit it, you
to keep an eye on the way that relationship gets played out in the probably yell at your computer or beg your car to hold on until
game, and avoid (or, if necessary, crack down on) situations that you get enough money to repair her again. It’s not surprising,
take advantage of the bond, nonconsensually abuse the players therefore, that those items sometimes talk back, especially if the
involved, or — especially — both. (Abusive relationships between mage in question has imbued that car or computer with meta-
characters that involve full consent for the players running them physical power. Other items or places had an identity long before
is another matter; see the Broken Flaw and the My Master is My the mage showed up. You’ve probably heard of the obnoxious
Slave Merit, later in this chapter.) dagger who wants to stab your next-door neighbor, or the stuffed
In terms of character creation for the familiar herself, you can cougar who complains about her inability to eat you… and if
consider that character to be a physical being but with the Essence you hadn’t heard about them before, you have now. Such items,
Trait and the ability to use Spirit Charms in addition to Special in Mage, become characters in their own right. The walls of a
Advantages. This way, your character can access Umbrood abilities haunted house might talk, a book might start reading itself to
as well as those enjoyed by material creatures. These Charms, of you, that guitar might start playing solos of its own. Although
course, must be purchased with freebie points (detailed under limited in their ability to manipulate the environment the way a
“Purchasing Charms,” p. 214), and they employ the Essence human or animal can, such objects and areas display a distinct
Trait when Charms are being used. A player character of this sense of self… and often an attitude to match.
type begins with one point of Essence and must spend additional As characters, objects remain limited by things like a lack of
freebie points in order to raise that Trait. limbs, mobility, or social recognition. An enchanted skull might
All familiar characters possess the Bond-Sharing and Paradox talk a lot and perhaps fly around the room occasionally, but
Nullification Special Advantages, plus the Thaumivore Flaw. “he” won’t be driving cars or playing the piano any time soon.
Most familiars have Human Speech and Spirit-Travel, too; other Thus, sentient objects make fine familiars, especially for mages
abilities depend on the familiar’s form and function, but those who refuse to wrap their heads around chatty ravens but have
first three are essential and the other two are common to all but no problem with the idea of Alexa displaying more personality
the lowliest familiars. than usual. By the 21st century, objects with voices, names, and
Most Mage sourcebooks base the relative power of a famil- identities are common enough to pass without comment among
iar off the dots in the associated mage’s Familiar/Companion the Masses. Cool tech, bro! Where can I get one of those?
Background. While that rule makes sense for non-player familiars, Like any other character type, objects have their own agendas.
it’s too unbalanced for player-based familiars, and holds too much They might not respond well to pushy mages and could (as with
potential for abuse on both ends of the bond. (An old rule, for a certain Black Blade) have agendas that are not in their “host’s”
instance, gave a familiar 10 freebie points for each dot in the best interests. A mage who considers herself the master of this
mage’s Familiar Trait… which translates into 50 freebie points relationship may discover just how wrong she is. An annoyed
for a five-dot Background before Flaws get figured in, making microwave, for instance, doesn’t need hands or a credit card in
the familiar considerably more powerful than the mage himself.) order to ruin your day.
For simplicity and fairness, then, assume that a player-character Due to factors like game imbalance, portability, and the po-
familiar begins with 25 freebie points, as mentioned above, and tential nightmare of whole other sets of rules for a game already
that her associated mage must purchase three dots in the Familiar swimming in them, objects are not suitable player characters. A
Background. player could provide the voice and attitude for a mouthy sword
A familiar-type companion might also be a robot, a reani- or temperamental car, but the soul-drinking bound demon who
mate, an animal, or some other sort of critter from this list. If was always a thousand times eviler than the guy who perceived
necessary, check the appropriate entries for additional rules and it as a sword is a role for Storytellers, not a full-fledged character
details. The intimate nature of familiars, however, and the bond viable for players.
they share with their chosen magi, sets them apart from other For details, suggestions and inspiration regarding objects with
sorts of characters even when they use the rule systems of those identities of their own, see the following: “Awakening Substances”
other companion types. (Mage 20, p. 443); “Inhuman Entities” and “Settings as Characters”
(Mage 20, pp. 356 and 359); Mage 20’s Instruments entries
Object for “Computers and IT Gear” (p. 590), and “Thought Forms,”
Not all objects are inanimate. Modern technology, even “Vehicles,” and “Weapons” (pp. 598-600); Forge Psyche and
among the Masses, imbues certain objects with personality… Rouse and Lull Spirit (Mage 20, pp. 520-522); “Consecrating
and to an animistic perspective, nothing is truly “inanimate” to
Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 185
and Energizing Items,” “Living Charms,” and “Creating Soulgems, the World of Darkness favors a sinister occult tone, not the rol-
Soulflowers, and Assets” (How Do You DO That?, pp. 46-48); licking theatrics of science-fiction action thrillers. Mage, however,
and the entries “Living and Virtual Foundations” and “Sentient occupies a middle ground between occult mystique and hypertech
Wonders” in the Wonders section of The Book of Secrets (pp. adventure. That hotly contested middle ground is the foundation
154 and 157). of Mage and its Ascension War, so it makes sense that robots in
Mage are pretty damn advanced, especially where the Technocracy
Reanimate and Etherites are concerned. As we slide into the third decade of
Despite taboos, mages often mess around with mortal re- the 21st century, even our real-life robots have begun to develop
mains. Mad scientists blast corpses full of lightning or reagent, an uncanny state of development. The leap between a self-willed
bokors pull zombis from their graves, and bizarre atrocities of android in Mage and actual robots like Sophia or Junko Chihira
flesh and bone stumble from the labs and grottos of magekind; isn’t nearly as large now as it was when Mage first appeared in
while such companions are not exactly common company (or 1993. In place of the clunky Terminator homages of 1993, today’s
pleasant company either, for that matter), their presence among robotic characters might be largely indistinguishable — at least to
Awakened folk is traditional if not exactly kosher. the casual eye — from organic human beings.
System-wise, all reanimates can Soak Lethal Damage; after all, Which begs an interesting question: Can a robot character
they’re already dead. Aggravated damage can still tear their bodies Awaken? After all, certain artificial personages, like the implacable
apart, although tougher constructs can soak that, too. Reanimates Matriarch of the Technocratic Construct MECHA, have been
also suffer from Unbelief except for zombies and apparent vampires known to employ reality-altering powers and the abstract vision
of various sorts, as they’ve become so firmly established in modern of true Enlightenment.
media culture that these days they seem almost mundane. (Actual With regards to the subject of robo-mage characters, we’ll
Kindred vampires are, of course, not “constructs” in this sense, just say “no” for now, if only because so much about Awakening’s
though a mage can make a corpse look and act like a stereotypical conflicted blessings depend upon the uncertain state of human
vampire — with all the attendant weaknesses.) Vulnerabilities like consciousness. That answer might change, though, especially if your
fire, salt, sunlight, and gunshots to the head are traditional for Storyteller decides otherwise. After all, can a robot “awaken” if its
such constructs, with Advantages like Claws, Fangs, or Horns, consciousness was never “asleep” to begin with? And if it wasn’t
Aura, Soul-Sense/ Death-Sense, and Unaging being standard ever asleep, what might a sufficiently sentient machine achieve?
issue for reanimated characters. Most reanimates tend to have the
Flaw: Repulsive, thanks to their rotting skin and exposed bones, Spirit
combined with the human mortal fear of death. Ephemeral entities from across the Gauntlet, spirits embody
principles and forces more primordial than human beings. While
Robot many spirits have recent origins, their metaphysical essence (in
Taken from the Czech Slavonic words rabota (“servitude”) and game terms, the Essence Trait — see Mage 20, p. 489) is the force
rabu (“slave”), robot companions are mechanical beings who’ve of existence itself. Spirit characters, then, remain enigmatic even
been constructed with various purposes in mind. The technology to their companions. On one hand, spirits are what they are, with
involved in their construction varies from creator to creator; certain few pretenses or deceptions about their true nature; on the other,
robots may even be built by other robots. In Mage’s world, such they’re immortal forces wearing guises that seem far more limited
characters range from automated drones with little or no personal than the forces they personify. Even when they look like crows, cats,
discretion or sense of identity, to self-controlled mecho-organisms or human beings, spirits are — literally by nature — Otherworldly.
who really are more than just “the sum of their parts.”
Chapter Four deals with spirits in detail, and the Mage rules
As Mage companion characters, we’ll assume that robots regarding them can be found in Mage 20, pp. 485-495. From a
have at least a certain degree of sentience and personality — that roleplaying and character-creation perspective, such entities should
is, Mental and Social Traits. True automatons are props and be restricted to the Storyteller alone, if only because spirits lose their
story elements, not characters in their own right. Generally, mystery when they become just another character for folks to play.
these characters are built from metals and plastics, with glass
Under an optional rule, a player might be able to create and
and silicon components when necessary. As a result, they Soak
run an incarnated spirit character — that is, a familiar whose
Aggravated Damage, but require a Power Supply (as in the Flaw
ephemeral body has manifested in a physical form. For details,
of that name). Unbelief doesn’t bother them in regions where
see the “Familiar” entry, above.
the Consensus favors advanced technologies; in primal regions,
though, or ones that favor old-school magickal traditions, robot For further reference, see the Companion Character Creation
characters are pretty much screwed, with Unbelief Paradox ren- chart. For details about buying Charms, see “Purchasing Charms,”
dering them inoperative in very short order. p. 214, and for roleplaying suggestions, check out the Mage 20
entries for “Inhuman Entities” (pp. 356-357) and “Atmospheric
How advanced can robots get in the World of Darkness?
Powers” (p. 495).
That’s really a question for the Storyteller to decide. Generally,

186 Gods & Monsters

 Companion Character Creation
The following rules can be used to create allies, • Willpower: Base 3
familiars, Wards (as per the Flaw of that name
in The Book of Secrets, p. 66), retainers, spies, • Essence: Willpower x 5 (familiars only.)
and whatever other sorts of characters you
• Merits and Flaws: Base 0 (as per Mage 20, The Book
might want to include.
of Secrets, and below.)
Players who wish to create unAwakened
characters to assist or bedevil their Awakened • Charms: Base 0. (familiars only; as per this book’s
heroes should use the following steps while section on Spirit Charms.)
following the overall Traits and processes
shown in Mage 20, pp. 250-336. Obviously, • Freebie Points: Acolytes and backup agents get 15
those characters won’t have Traits like Arete, Spheres, or the points. Consors and other skilled allies get 21 points.
Avatar Background: those Traits are for mages only. Overall, Familiars get 25 points.
though, the process is similar. Unless you employ higher Starting levels in Abilities and Backgrounds may not be higher
levels of freebie points, the resulting characters tend to be than four dots.
less powerful than their Awakened companions. That’s to be
expected, though. After all, mages, in a Mage game, are the Merits
stars of the show.
Name Cost / Value Type
Step One: Character Concept: Alpha 2 Social
Who Are you? My Master is My Slave 2 Social
• Concept: Who were you before you encountered mages
and their world? Flaws
Name Cost / Value Type
• Motivation: Why’d you get involved with them?
Alien Impression 1/2/3/4/5 Physical
• Affiliation: Traditions, Technocracy, Disparates, Animal 2 Social
Marauders, Nephandi, or none?
Aura 3 Supernatural
• Type: Are you an acolyte, consor, hedge wizard, familiar, Beta 1 Social
or what? Broken 5 Mental
• Archetype (Nature and Demeanor): What’s your Limbless 5 Physical
personality? (See Mage 20, p. 250, and The Book of Power Source 1/2/3/4/5 Physical
Secrets, pp. 14-18.)
No Dexterous Limbs 4 Physical

Step Two: Attributes & Abilities Omega 4 Social

As per Mage 20, Chapter Six. Ungainly Fingers 2 Physical

• Attributes: Primary 6, Secondary 4, Tertiary 3 Weak Spot 3 Physical

Thaumivore 5 Supernatural
• Physical, Social, and Mental
Unbelief 3/5/8 Supernatural
• Abilities: Primary 11, Secondary 7, Tertiary 4
Special Advantages
• Talents, Skills, and Knowledges Advantage Point Cost
Alacrity 2/4/6
Step Three: Advantages
Armor Variable
• Background Traits: 5 (consors must put at least one
dot into Mentor.) Aura 3
Aww! 1/2/3/4
• Special Advantages: Base 0 (limited to certain types
Bare Necessities 1/3
of characters; see pp. 201-214.)

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 187

 Advantage Point Cost Advantage Point Cost
Bioluminescence 1/2/3 Spirit Travel 8/10/15
Blending 1 Telepathy 2/4/6
Bond-Sharing 4/5/6 Telekinesis 3/5/8/12
Claws, Fangs or Horns 3/5/7 Tides of Fortune 5
Cause Insanity 2 per die Tunneling 3
Deadly Demise 2/4/6 Unaging 5
Elemental Touch 3/5/7/10/15 Universal Translator 5
Empathic Bond 2 Venom Variable
Extra Heads 2 pts per head Wall-Crawling 3
Extra Limbs 2 pts per limb Water-Breathing 2/5
Ferocity 2 pts per dot Webbing 5
Flexibility 2 Wings 3/5
Dominance 1
Charms
Earthbond 2
Charm Point Cost
Hazardous Breath Variable
Bad Luck Curse 5
Healing Lick 3/6
Bargain 2
Homing Instinct 2/4
Create Water 5
Human Guise 2/4
Deflect Harm 5
Human Speech 1
Disorient 1
Information Fount 5
False Wealth 5
Intangibility 8/10
Good Luck Charm 5
Mesmerism 3/6
Jack In 5
Musical Influence 6
Mirage 5
Musk 3
Mislead 5
Mystic Shield 2 pts per dot
Plant Command 5
Needleteeth 3
Rouse the Dead N/A
Nightsight 3
Sand Storm 8
Omega Status 4
Sand Swallow /Sinkhole 5
Paradox Nullification 2/3/4/5/6
Smoke Screen / Blinding Fog 2
Quills 2/4
Spirit Gossip 5
Rapid Healing Variable
Teleport 10/20
Razorskin 3
Wish Fulfillment N/A
Read and Write 1
Regrowth 2/4/6 Freebie Points
Shapechanger 3/5/8 Traits Cost
Size 3/5/8 Attribute 5 per dot
Soak Lethal Damage 3 Ability 2 per dot
Soak Aggravated Damage 5 Background 1 per dot
Soul-Sense/Death-Sense 2/3 Willpower 2 per dot
Speed Variable Essence 1 per dot
Spirit Vision 3 Charms 1 pt. per Essence needed / 5 pts.

188 Gods & Monsters

 Merit Cost as per Merit the strange environs of a Realm or Chantry, the so-called
everyday world might seem, to you, bizarre. Your answers to
Flaw Bonus as per Flaw
this question, then, will reflect what you call “normal” and
Special Advantage As per that Trait how you define freedom or the lack of it.

Experience Costs Why Are You Still Here?

Traits Cost Keeping company with Awakened folks is not for the
faint of heart. Once you realized how unusual life among
New Ability 3
the Awakened can be, what kept you sticking around? Love?
Ability current rating x2 Duty? Money? Faith? The response will reveal a lot about your
Attribute current rating x4 character’s attitude and loyalty toward her Awakened associ-
Background* current rating x3 / x6 ates. Is she a reluctant participant? A lovestruck paramour? A
resentful ward? A daredevil adventurer? Does she view her life
Willpower current rating x1 these days with humor? Sadness? Fury? Loss? Is this a matter
Essence current rating x2 of religious devotion, as the term acolyte suggests? Or are you
Charms 1 pt. per Essence needed / 5 pts. sticking around for the next paycheck? A dedicated companion
might stick by her mage even under duress, while one who’s
*If allowed; see “Raising and Buying Backgrounds with
spent the last six months looking at the door will bolt at the
Experience Points,” Mage 20, p. 366.
soonest opportunity… possibly while leaving a big knife sticking
out of the mage’s back on her way out that door.
Character Questions
Many of the Character Questions presented in Mage 20, How do You View the Magickal World?
pp. 262-265, still apply to unAwakened characters. Certain Through what lens do you view this life? Were you raised
queries like “How do your beliefs determine your focus?” would, with a mystical viewpoint? Are you fascinated by hypertech
however, be replaced with questions like the following: potential? Did your vision of the world get blasted into a
million shards the first time you witnessed magick in action,
What Drew You to This Crazy Life? or were you just like, “Oh, cool — I knew that sort of thing was
That’s kind of where it starts off, isn’t it? How’d you fall possible”? What sorts of magick to do you accept as “normal,”
down this particular rabbit hole? Were you raised in a coven? and what sorts might have you scrambling to revise your ideas
Bred in a vat? Assembled from spare corpses? Conjured by about how the world works? Maybe you were brought up in
some sorcerous douche? Did you get saved from a deadly situ- an Evangelical household where miracles were possible but
ation, or were you born into this sort of life? For companions, “magic” was for devil worshippers. You might be a devoted
cultists, contacts, and retainers, this question explains a lot Technocrat who views magick as treacherous superstition, or a
about the character’s perspective on mages, their world, and suburban demonologist with a secret terror of religious rituals.
the character’s place in that world. On a related note, it also The answers to this question won’t simply decide your view
guides the sorts of Merits and Flaws your character might of the mages in your midst. They’ll also provide a guideline
have, and the stories behind the Traits you possess. for what you might or might not consider vulgar magick — an
important consideration if your character is devoted to the
Where do You Live?
Technocratic paradigm, participating in a cult, or helping
What space do you call home? A wizard’s mansion? A out around the wizard’s workshop. (See “Do the Night-Folk
military base? Do you hang out at a Node, or are you free to Count as Witnesses?” and “Allies, Assistants, and Cults” in
wander wherever you will go? If you belong to a cult or coven, Mage 20, pp. 531-532.)
do you have your own house from which you come and go?
Or are you a house-bound servant with duties that make your Do You Pursue Magick Yourself?
living space your workspace too? Are you part of the mage’s Are you a helping hand with regards to metaphysical
family? A nine-to-five employee? A pet? A robot? Did you ever pursuits? Do you study hedge magic, or employ paranormal
live what most people would consider a normal life? Or were powers? Do you wish you were a mage, perhaps envy the
you born and raised in a Horizon Realm, spacecraft, remote mages you know? If you don’t have magick of your own,
Chantry, underground bunker, or other sort of alternate world? what might you do to get some? An ambitious or perhaps
On that note, are you free to come and go as you please? resentful “Sleeper” might well make infernal bargains, invite
Do you have a day job that takes you away from the mage for spiritual possession, or otherwise sell out his magickal friends
extended periods of time? Maybe you’re a kid, with school and if it means getting some of the sort of power they take for
friends and a neighborhood to run around in; or an animal granted but do not share with him. Or maybe he’s a hapless
confined to stables, house, or yard. If you’re accustomed to sorcerer’s apprentice type whose penchant for getting into

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 189

trouble outweighs his potential for metaphysical craft. What ways in which you get along (or don’t) speak volumes about
happens if this person does Awaken? Might his association your living situation as a whole.
with mages guide him toward a simpler Path, or could a ca- Fellowship can provide stability in a chaotic world or infest
lamitous Awakening (like, for example, an eruption of wild your life with the worst elements of family dysfunctions and office
talent in the middle of a Technocratic Construct) make his politics. Do you associate with your fellow companions? If so, do
life even more difficult than it had been before? you collaborate with one another? Do you plot to rebel? Are you
devoted to a cause? What might happen, in the latter case, if your
How do Your Awakened Associates mage was exposed as a hypocrite or fake? What if she proves herself
Treat You? to be the paragon you all wanted her to be? Are you trapped in
Are you their bitch? Their beast? Their lover? Their chew a similar situation, or might some folks be the overseers while
toy? Are you forever considered “less than equal” in the eyes other folks play the slaves? Do you work on projects together…
of a mage? Or do your Awakened associates regard you as one and if so, who gets the credit, and do they deserve it at all? How
of their own, with or without those magickal powers? Do they do you view your mage(s) and their relationship with the rest of
want you to learn their Arts, or strive to keep you “innocent” you? Happy? Bored? Vengeful? Rebellious? Your answer to this
of such things even if you display a talent for the craft? Are question reflects the stability of your mage’s situation as well as
you just some Sleeper from the Masses, denigrated simply for the state of your own. After all, a mage sitting on Mao’s “throne
existing without that glorious Enlightenment? This question of bayonets” won’t be comfortable for long.
reveals a lot about both the unAwakened character and the
Awakened ones around her; those answers, incidentally, If It All Falls Down Tomorrow, Where Will
might not be terribly flattering to the mages in question, and You be Then?
their treatment of this “ally,” this “cultist,” this “retainer,” What happens if your world goes sideways — the Chantry
“familiar,” or “construct” may expose troubling aspects of high- is betrayed, the stronghold is attacked, the rivals offer some
and-mighty mages that they might not recognize themselves or all of you a better deal than the one you currently enjoy or
until, or unless, circumstances force them to do so. despise? Do you have an escape plan… and if so, does your
mage know what it is? Have you squirreled away a nest egg
What Benefits Do You Get From Your and possibly a new life, or are you utterly screwed if everything
Association With Reality-Twisting Demi- goes to hell? Does your mage provide you with a life away from
gods? his company, or are you shackled (perhaps literally) to this life
Are you a paid employee? A treasured friend? The prover- until something comes along to change it?
bial “faithful companion” who might secretly get sick of being
in the shadow of his mage? Why are you putting up with this How do You Survive Your Association
wondrous yet challenging role? Is it love? Cash? Potential power? with These Mages?
A sworn oath of service? The more you receive, the happier That’s a pretty valid question. After all, the average mage
you’ll probably be. Ah, but some people’s idea of “happy” can gets into situations that would turn most Sleepers into Play-Doh.
be pretty strange, especially in the World of Darkness, and Obviously, a mage’s companion is mentally and physically superior
what looks like abuse to an outside party might be the thing to the run-of-the-mill Masses. One visit from the local Construct’s
your character demands. HIT Marks, though, would send most people scurrying for cover.
Alternately, you could start planning your escape if you’re not Why are you still here, and how do you survive — again, mentally
getting what you need. Starving familiar? Long-suffering butler? and spiritually as well as physically — regular encounters with
Low-paid bodyguard? Yeah, fuck this — you’re out the moment a the supposedly impossible? The answer will reveal a lot about
better opportunity comes along! For haughty mages who regard your companion’s values and perspective as well as his ability
their associates as mere Background Traits, the defection or betrayal to walk away from Ground Zero with a grim smile on his face.
of an unrewarded consor could be the wake-up call they need. All too often, a mage’s companions become a mass of
Background Traits, to be used, exploited, or forgotten at will. By
Are You Alone, or Are There More asking and answering questions about a companion’s situation
Companions Like You Here? and his thoughts regarding it, you and your Storyteller get a
Yo, Igor — are you the only one of your kind hanging around blueprint for dramatic conflicts while the mage and his player
the mad doctor’s lab? Or are you part of a team, a cult, or an learn — one way or another — not to take his companions for
army of people like yourself? If you’ve got similar associates, granted, no matter how “enlightened” he might think he is.
how well do you get along with them, and how well (or poorly)
do they treat you? If you’re in a wizard’s harem, what sorts of Character Advancement
politicking do you indulge in or avoid as part of your pampered Like mages, unAwakened characters progress, too. They
captivity? What if you’re a hired killer in a house filled with get experience points for participating in adventures, and they
gentlemen? Or a commoner among nobles, or vice versa? The
190 Gods & Monsters
can buy new Traits or raise old ones if events warrant the new while such abuse appears at first glance to be the purview of
or higher Traits. Especially if your group employs troupe play, Nephandi and the like, the “good guys” do it all the time.
these companions can become quite powerful in their own Etherites didn’t earn their crazy reputation by making nice
right, possibly even Awakening if the character’s nature and with the hired (or constructed) help, and wizards and witches
circumstances allow for such enlightenment. Dramatic events might act with perfect courtesy toward one another while
can have drastic effects, pro or con, with Merits, Flaws, new terrorizing their social inferiors.
Background Traits, or possibly new Advantages transforming If you’re playing a companion character, the treatment
the original character in heroic or potentially tragic ways. you receive will have a huge impact (perhaps literally) on your
If the companion is part of another player’s Background, self-esteem as well as your relationship with the mage in ques-
Flaw, or Merits traits, the question arises: Can the player with tion. Confident people aren’t prone to taking anybody’s shit;
that Trait raise or lower the companion’s abilities by adjusting the broken-willed people, though, become the proverbial whipped
level of that Trait? The answer is no. If a player is running a dogs crawling to their master’s table. That warped obedience
familiar whose mage is being run by another player (or even does become a sort of loyalty, especially if the abuser tempers
by the same player), then the Background is set at Familiar 3, her violence with kindness while convincing the abused party
the familiar gets 25 freebie points, and that’s that. After the that he deserved whatever she just did to him. Vast wealth
characters begin play, their relationship might change; the and social-class distinctions are especially important in this
points involved, however, do not change. Once a companion regard, with servants taking untold amounts of garbage from
character begins to earn experience, that experience benefits their masters simply because that’s the way their society works.
that character, not the mage. Subsequent changes in the Although a mage can command obedience, loyalty, and even love
Background, Flaw, or Merit will change the roleplaying rela- with the appropriate forms of magick, the strongest bars and
tionship between those characters, but not the Traits involved. smallest cages are the ones people carry around their own heads.
(A companion who’s not being played by another player (Compelling people to love, worship, and obey via magick,
can received experience from the mage in question or earn by the way, is a really shitty thing to do — see “Questions of
her own experience points. Characters who are run by play- Consent” in How Do You DO That? pp. 119-120. It’s a com-
ers, however, progress through their own deeds, not through mon practice throughout occult history, though, especially
points expended by a player-run mage.) in class-based cultures and secluded Horizon Realms, so it’s
As always, make sure all newly purchased Traits fit the entirely possible that your unAwakened companion has been
character and chronicle. An intelligent cat who gains the manipulated this way whether he realizes it or not.)
ability to shift between dimensions fits the elusive mystery For a mistreated companion, escape and defiance are
of cats (you mean they can’t already do that?), while a fire ele- manifestations of progress. That broken-willed servant, for
mental gaining power over water seems rather silly unless he example, might shrug off his abuser once he begins to recog-
transforms it into boiling steam. nize his own self-worth. Especially if your chronicle provides
The guidelines for character progression can be found in opportunities for significant growth among its unAwakened
Mage 20, pp. 335-339. UnAwakened characters, of course, cast, the power dynamics between mages and their acolytes
will be restricted in certain ways unless they become mages and cults might shift in sudden, potentially fatal ways.
in their own right. Those restrictions might be tied to spe-
cies or society, too; a biografted tiger could grow wings, but The Non-Human Mindset
a malformed Etherite servant might not be free to leave her It’s relatively easy, for the most part, to wrap your head
master’s lab unless she flees his world entirely. around a human character. Sure, that person might have a
very different set of experiences, but she’s still fundamentally
Mistreatment human. The same can’t be said for crows, horses, dragons,
The relationship between companions and a mage will, androids, sentient insects, nature-spirits, and other entities
as mentioned earlier, depend upon the treatment that mage that are not in any measurable way human. Playing such a
gives to his associates. A mage who mistreats his companions character, then, demands an imaginative approach and will-
might earn their terror and hate, but rarely will he have love or ingness to place your perspective behind the eyes (assuming
loyalty from them beyond a Stockholm syndrome sort of bond. it even has eyes) of an entirely different species. You could,
This doesn’t mean mages don’t mistreat their compan- of course, just play that character as a human being with neat
ions; all too often, they do. Abusing your supposed inferiors powers… but really, where’s the fun in that?
is literally a tradition among many occult groups, even in our
supposedly democratic age. A mistreated companion tends to Physical Shape
be restricted in fairly severe ways — perhaps literally enslaved, First off, reorient your perspective to the physical body of
imprisoned, threatened with imminent doom, or otherwise the critter you wish to play. Our crow will see the world from
confined by physical, emotional, or metaphysical chains. And both below and above, with a perspective that changes with

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 191

a few flaps of his wings. The horse orients to his world with Human memories? A human sense of self? Probably not.
four legs, breathtaking speed, and a body that makes sitting or The most sophisticated robot would have elaborate sensory
lying down difficult under most circumstances. Both animals arrays and a vital intellect; those senses, though, would differ
have radically different senses, too — impressive long-range from the organic imperfections we humans consider “real,”
eyesight for the crow, a greater sense of smell and hearing for and its perceived identity would be almost certainly include
the horse, and nothing like what we humans would consider a sense of being manufactured for a purpose, not born to
a functioning sense of taste. Both animals also see colors very seek one. Things we take for granted would seem bizarre to
differently than we do; while not entirely colorblind, crows an android: what is “gender,” for example, to a being that
and horses don’t share our vivid perceptions of color, if for doesn’t need to reproduce or have any innate connection to
no other reason than that other senses are more important sex beyond what, perhaps, it was manufactured to possess?
to their survival. Their tactile body awareness is nothing like Ditto that for a being made of corpses, conjured from raw
our bipedal solidity, either; crows can move around on two energy, or grown from biomass in a vat. Such beings, even
legs, but their primary locomotion is flight; horses occupy a if they look like us, would not think or feel the way we do,
lot more space than humans do, and equines lack our fluid if only because their sense of identity and perception differ
freedom of movement even though they’re generally far fast- so strongly from our own. As a roleplayer, then, it’s a real
er and stronger than we are. Even if the crow and horse in challenge to play a being that might look or even act human
question possess human-grade intellect (which crows might, but who is intrinsically not human.
anyway), the way they process sensations and information
depends on their physical perspective, not our own, and their Abstract Intellect
priorities differ from ours even when they live in a largely Physical form guides, but does not define, one’s capacity
human world. for thought. An entity composed of flexible jelly could still
Even characters with humanoid shape might experience outthink a human mind. The ways in which it would think,
their world very differently if they’re not actually human however — priorities, associations, points of reference, pat-
beings. An android, for example, possesses a human size and tern recognition, and so forth — would be radically different.
shape; does that robot possess human sensory organs, though? Thanks to those differences, human beings often make the

192 Gods & Monsters

mistake of believing that an entity that is not like us is not on words, they let actions speak for them. Body postures, vocal
our intellectual level. And that’s just not true at all. sounds, hiding, looming, grooming, playing, sniffing, spatting,
For ages, humans considered animals to be dumb brutes, sharing, snuggling, avoiding… animals have as many ways of
“engines of instinct” whose capacity for abstract thought was sorting their stuff out as humans do, and they’re generally
limited at best and most often nonexistent. The last few decades really good at puzzling out what humans want as well, and
of animal research, though, prove that old view wrong. Most then communicating with us in ways they figure we’ll under-
animals do have at least a discernable sense of self, the ability stand. Your cat might nuzzle your finger, claw your sweater, or
to puzzle out circumstances, a perception of potential results pee on your bed if he’s trying to get your attention, and the
(and the ability to choose between them), and an emotional affection or vehemence he displays reflects both his current
life as rich and varied as our own. Even the simplest animals mood toward you and the tactic he thinks will work best to
can communicate with one another in sophisticated ways, and get his message through your head.
many can communicate across species lines as well. Animals Yes, your cat isn’t just expressing his mind, he’s also
who share living space with human beings and other species attempting to read yours. And usually, he’s right.
can communicate very effectively with various animals; if we Animals ain’t stupid. Remember that.
stupid humans choose not to understand what the cat is trying
From a roleplaying perspective, consider the ways in which
to tell us, the fault is on our end, not on the cat’s.
your non-human character communicates. Does she employ
As David Abrams points out in his book Becoming Animal, pheromone scent cues, subvocal rumblings, body postures,
our animal kin display intelligence all the time. A crow swoop- submission gestures? Most animals with any level of intellect
ing in between speeding cars to chow down on the corpse of have a wide array of communication techniques, many of
some unfortunate raccoon isn’t operating on mysteriously which fly right past our human preconceptions. Other animals,
automatic “instincts,” but gauging the relative speed of the though, can read those cues just fine — just watch a dog and a
cars, judging air currents, adjusting his wings and tail feathers cat, or a snake and a cricket, or a dog and a cat and a person,
to precise degrees in order to get in, gobble up, and get out and you’ll realize that the one who understands least what’s
of the way before the next car hits him. Considering that the going on in those communications is you. As a roleplayer,
cars move considerably faster than the crow does, that the then, work out the languages of sense and action that define
air currents change in reaction to winds, cars, and the bird how your character communicates, both with others of her
himself, and that the crow knows damned well that he’ll be kind and with beings of different species. If you’re running
the next meal if he misses a single calculation, the scope of a non-human companion in a largely human world, those
that “bird brain’s” intellectual capacities becomes obvious. methods of communication will be, in many ways, your path
The crow might not be able to write Shakespearean sonnets, between life and death, prosperity and rejection.
but Shakespeare didn’t live or die by how well he could fly
down between speeding cars. Social Interactions
As Abrams writes: “Sentience was never our private No one, to paraphrase the old saying, is an island. Even
possession. We live immersed in intelligence, enveloped and the most reclusive being needs to interact with others. The
informed by a creativity we cannot fathom.” Crows, cats, hors- more you need in this world, the more you must hash out
es, raccoons… they think, reason, perceive, and feel — maybe social interactions with your fellow beings. Again, those beings
not the way we do, but the way they do. As a roleplayer, then, don’t necessarily need to be human — a loner in the woods
consider the ways in which your character would think: the still deals with the local wildlife if she wants to live through
form she inhabits, the needs she must meet, the obstacles in the next few days out there. Mages, in contrast, deal with
her path, and the ways in which her form and experiences all kinds of entities. And when those entities could swallow
allow her to overcome them. Away from the gaming table, your soul, then the need to establish rules of contact become
watch other living things, see how they process and reflect really obvious.
upon their circumstances, and try to get into their heads by Humans, as a rule, impose our social methods on other
considering how they think, pondering why they think that beings whether those other beings agree with them or not. We
way, and observing that they generally do get what they want do the same thing to one another, too, which is why our species
and need even though they’re not getting those things our way. seems to exist in endless states of war. Half the time, we don’t
even understand each other; our modes of communication
Communication seem so slippery that two people can share a screaming match
Among the first things you notice when you watch over different interpretations of the same damn word. It’s no
animals of different species sharing common ground is that wonder, then, that animals and other non-human entities con-
different species quickly work out methods of communicating sider us the stupid ones. Despite our many protocols, human
with one another. Animals, sometimes more acutely than methods of social interaction make less rational sense than
humans, excel at figuring out ways to communicate across two cats hissing in any alley. The cats, at least, know exactly
species lines. And because they can’t usually speak human where they stand with regards to one another.
Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 193
 Social status is not built on force and chaos. Dogs do not and how successful is she when she does? What happens if her
actually eat other dogs unless humans are forcing them to fight, social tactics backfire on her, escalating verbal arguments to
or those dogs are sick or starving. Rats run in mazes because physical violence? Can she dominate through force, or must she
people put them there, and if “survival of the fittest” meant that find some other way before that relationship turns into bloody
strong animals kill everything within reach just because they can, smears on the nearest wall? Like the crow dodging between cars,
all earthly life would have ended long ago. That said, force is a that character’s survival depends upon how well she gauges her
factor, if only to maintain civility; some motherfuckers under- abilities relative to her circumstances. A blown Social roll, under
stand nothing less than force, and if no other options exist, then perilous circumstances, could make getting hit by a speeding car
they call the tune for everyone. Animals don’t usually fight each look like the easy way out.
other to the death unless one’s planning to eat the other one. Generally, though, intelligent creatures avoid violence, if
Both parties have a lot to lose if that fight goes badly, so status only because there’s so much more to lose when bodies start
tends to be based more on dominance postures and mutual aid. hitting the floor. Mage, though filled with conflicts, is more
Humans often work that way, too, but we’re often quicker to about duels of cleverness and conviction than about beating
resort to force if we think it’ll get us what we want. someone’s ass with the nearest piece of furniture. Hence, social
Regardless of the methods involved, social interactions are, status and interactions in Mage are more likely to follow unearthly
at their most basic level, about getting what you want or need diplomacy than crazed carnage.
as easily as you can get it. Everybody’s trying to get their needs Social status between mages and companions can be as
and desires met, and the methods they use depend upon what brutal as a whip across Igor’s back, as subtle as two chess masters
works best. If one party wants to meet his needs through force, regarding each other’s next move, as arcane as Solomonic pacts in
then the other parties must either depose him through force, a wizard’s tower, or as carnal as a two pagan priests making love
find someone else to depose him through force, or else live with in a grove under the light of a full moon. It takes a multitude
the fact that he rules them through force. If the parties involved of forms, and all those forms depend heavily on how much the
manage to work things out through wits, seduction, laws everyone parties involved respect, love, and probably even fear each other.
agrees to follow, outside intervention, or magickal oaths, then When violence sets the tone, then violence sets the rules; the
the social group functions according to the tactics that serve night Igor grabs that whip from the mad scientist’s hand, their
the group in the most effective way possible, as far as that group relationship changes forever. Mage players and Storytellers, then,
is concerned. Non-human characters, then, will use whatever should keep the social methods, needs, tactics, and stakes of their
methods appear to work best for them. Social interactions, characters in mind. Few things are simple in a mage’s world,
human and otherwise, depend upon working out needs and and that’s especially true when human mages and non-human
communicating them to one another… through conversation companions meet.
if possible, and force if need be.
If all this stuff seems a bit abstract for a game-system chapter,
When playing a non-human being, especially one who spends that’s because it is abstract. There’s no rule or chart that can ac-
most of her time around humans, figure out the ways in which commodate the many needs and abilities that a bunch of mages
your character establishes respect, submission, dominance, and and their companions can face. When playing your characters,
affection. Does she speak plainly, and if so, how are her words then, and working out the many stories they might share, shape
received when she does? Must she grab people by the scruff of those stories according to the wants, needs, intellectual capacities,
the neck in order to get them to understand they’re not to fuck and communication styles of the characters involved. Those
with her… and if she does, then does she have sufficient force to choices will shape the Traits you choose for your characters… and
back up her threat? If she doesn’t have that kind of power, what the Traits, in turn, will shape the way your characters interact
other kinds of power does she have, how does she use them, with one another, guiding the stories that emerge when they do.

Merits, Flaws, and Special Advantages

Human beings and not-so-human companions
share a broad range of possible abilities. The
Merits
majority of human and somewhat paranormal For the most part, the collection of Merits provided
gifts are covered by the Merit Traits provided in The Book of Secrets can be considered comprehensive.
in Mage 20 (pp. 642-646) and The Book We’ve added two new, companion-appropriate Merits below,
of Secrets (pp. 34-99), while an array of but other than that the Merit Traits provided in previous
extra-human capabilities can be found in World of Darkness companion-type books have either been
this chapter under the heading “Special incorporated into The Book of Secrets, or else worked into
Advantages.” the Special Advantage Traits featured in this book, below.

194 Gods & Monsters

Alpha (2 pt. Social Merit) The following Flaw Traits work along the same rules as
You were born to lead. The dominant beast in any situa- those presented in Mage 20 (pp. 646-651) and The Book
tion, you provide for your pack regardless of their species, take of Secrets (pp. 39-99). The usual seven-point limit on the
command when need be, and embody the will of the group. number of Flaws, however, may be lifted for characters of
This does not, contrary to popular misconception, mean unusual strangeness and power. It makes sense, for instance,
you’re a bully who does whatever you want to do. Among for a dragon to have more Flaws than a mortal mage. That
animals, the dominant beast has a responsibility to the pack, said, try not to go overboard with such Traits; after all, your
and if the pack suffers, its alpha gets deposed. Storyteller will be bringing these Flaws into play, and you and
other players ought to work them in as often as possible, too.
Game-wise, this Merit reduces the difficulties of your
Flaws aren’t simply exercises in creative point generation —
Social Trait rolls by –2, and also earns you near-automatic
they’re innate and intimate elements of the character you play.
deference from the rest of your group unless you’re slacking
off on your job. So long as you employ your dominance to Although mage-specific Flaws (especially those dealing
the benefit of your group, the others feel a near-instinctive with Avatars and Spheres) are obviously inappropriate for
submission to your leadership. non-mage characters, many of the Flaws presented in Mage
20 and The Book of Secrets can apply to companion char-
It’s worth noting here that the whole alpha- beta- omega
acters. The Genetic Flaws detailed in Mage 20, pp. 648-651,
concept is based on flawed research involving captive pop-
are especially applicable to — almost required for, really —
ulations of unrelated wolves in artificial circumstances. Its
construct-type characters.
primary proponent, L. David Mech, spent most of his later
career debunking the idea. Still, the Alpha Merit and the Beta On the flipside, the following Flaws are appropriate only
and Omega Flaws deal with hierarchy in human-dominated for non-human characters. A game based on superheroes
settings, possibly among creatures who are at least partially (as described in The Book of Secrets, p. 282) or faerie-tale
human and whose social dynamics depend heavily on human witch lore might incorporate Flaws like Alien Appearance
situations, so these Traits can still apply to companion char- or Vulnerability, but otherwise such Traits should not apply
acters even if they’re not true of real wild animals. to human mages.

My Master is My Slave Alien Impression (1-5 pt. Physical Flaw)

(5 pt. Social Merit) Your appearance freaks people out. Perhaps it’s your lidless
serpentine stare, your cobalt-blue skin, or the wings jutting
Everyone thinks your mage commands you. And everyone
from between your shoulder blades. It might not even be a
is wrong. Though he might indeed believe he’s the one calling
feature of your visual appearance, per se; maybe you’ve got
the shots in this relationship, he’s wrong. Better still, he gets the
a synthetic techno-voice, a crackling aura of prickly invisible
blame for whatever it is you choose to do, and though he’d like
energy, or an uncanny way of moving when you walk. Whatever
to think he can take you down if need be, you possess enough
the specifics might be, your presence evokes whispers, unease
leverage (of one form or another) to ruin him if you so choose.
or — at the highest levels — outright fear. The more disturbing
Obviously, this Merit applies only to situations where an your impression, the more this Flaw (originally known as Alien
Awakened mage has a familiar, a servant, a retainer, a child, a Appearance) is worth:
ward, or else some other sort of apparently dependent character
for which he is responsible. That mage has you as Background • (1 point) Minor feature, generally concealable, that
character, and you dutifully fulfill that role when it suits your inspires minor discomfort from people who notice
purposes to do so. You’ve got your own agendas, though, and it. 
• (2 points) Noticeable feature, hard to
the power dynamic lets you get away with them unless you’re conceal, that inspires discomfort in people who notice
really careless about your true intentions. To keep the upper it.
hand, you’ll have to be clever; that said, you can be a real prick
• (3 points) Major feature, difficult if not impossible to
behind closed doors. Your mage considers you a useful burden,
conceal, that weirds out most people who notice it.
but he’s the useful one here and once you’ve gotten what you
wanted from this relationship, you’ll ditch the burden too. • (4 points) Unmistakably alien feature that rather
(Please don’t use this Merit to be a jerk to your fellow frightens most people.
players. Consent is awesome. Thank you.)
• (5 points) You stand out almost anywhere a human
Flaws mage might go.
Nothing good comes without a cost. Though companion Minor features include oddly colored eyes, artificial tone
characters have some truly badass abilities to choose from, of voice, eerie lightness or density of form, and so forth.
their lives (especially if they’re Bygones, cyborgs, and other Noticeable ones get stranger and more troubling for the av-
odd entities) have drawbacks as well as benefits. erage mundane (horns, sharp claws, animalistic hair), with

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 195

 Companion-Suitable
Merits and Flaws
Aside from Traits that apply specifically to Awakened mages and their abilities (Avatar Companion, Cyclic Magick,
Manifest Avatar, and so forth), a companion-type character can have any Merit or Flaw that suits the character in
question. The Storyteller gets the final say as to what is and is not allowed in your game. Certain Merits and Flaws,
though, are especially appropriate for companion-type characters:

Merits
Acute Senses Huge Size Physically Impressive
Animal Magnetism Hyperflexible Property
Berserker “Immortal” Sanctity
Cast-Iron Stomach Insensate to Pain Secret Code Language
Catlike Balance Iron Will Shapechanger Kin
Cloak of the Seasons Jack-of-All-Trades Socially Networked
Code of Honor Language Spirit Magnet
Danger Sense Legendary Attributes Too Tough to Die
Enchanting Feature Loyalty True Faith
Expert Driver Mark of Favor True Love
Ghoul Natural Channel/Linguist/ Twin Souls
Shapeshifter
Green Thumb Unaging
Nephilim / Laham
Hands of Daedalus Unbondable
Nightsight
Hideaway / Safehouse Unobtrusive
Nine Lives

Flaws
Absent-Minded Echoes PTSD
Addiction Expendable Repulsive Feature
Anachronism Extreme Kink Rivalry
Bizarre Hunger Family Issues Short fuse
Blood-Hungry Soul Faulty Enhancements Short
Bound Feral Mind Sleeping with the Enemy
Cast No Shadow or Reflection Haunted Strangeness
Child Horrific Stress Atavism
Conflicting Loyalties Icy Sympathizer
Cultural Other Immortal Enemy Taint of Corruption
Curiosity Impediment Throwback
Dark Fate Insane / Infamous Mentor Troublemaker
Dark Secret Mayfly Curse Twisted Apprenticeship
Degeneration Monstrous Uncanny
Deranged Old Flame Ward
Diabolical Mentor Primal Marks Witch-Hunted
Double Agent Psychic Vampire

196 Gods & Monsters

major and unmistakable features becoming more overt and less A seriously nasty Flaw, this Trait reflects the ugly side of
“natural” by earth-reality standards (winged people, six-legged paranormal lore. Your character was, and remains, abused into
horses, cybernetic wolves… you get the picture). Creatures at servitude, and whatever your Willpower Trait might be with
the highest level of this Flaw might not be frightening, but regards to other tasks, it’s only 1 when it comes to standing up
cannot blend into anything resembling “normal” human to your dominator. Circumstances can change this situation,
society (dragons, “gray”-style aliens, unicorns that clearly are of course, but the recovery from such staggering abuse should
not horses with a horn attached, that sort of thing). involve powerful roleplaying and long-term consequences for
Obviously, this Flaw means nothing if your chronicle is every character involved.
set in some place where your character’s “alien” impression For many obvious reasons, this Flaw is trigger city for
is normal. A unicorn in New York City is alien, but the same people who’ve been abused in real life and should be employed
unicorn at a faerie festival seems perfectly mundane. only with the full consent of all members of your gaming group.
That consent can be withdrawn at any time, by any member
Animal (2 pt. Social Flaw) of the group, and the abusive side of this relationship — if
In a human-centric world, you aren’t human. I mean, it’s it gets played out in the game at all — remains subject to the
cool and everything that you’re a fox or a bear or a cat or a safewords and blackout rule detailed in the “Triggers, Limits,
raven, but the majority of your surroundings aren’t made for and Boundaries” sidebar in Mage 20 (p. 345). The choice to
you, folks call Animal Control when you walk around without assume or retain this Flaw belongs only to the player who chooses it.
a leash, bystanders keep trying to pet you, bus drivers refuse If that player decides to abandon the Flaw (and the relation-
to let you on the bus, fleas burrow into your fur, adults speak ship), the Storyteller should make allowances for that. The
to you in baby talk, etc. player will have to pay the points off, of course, but although
Obviously, this Flaw doesn’t count if you can change your character may be broken, you always have the choice to
into a human form. For Flaws dealing with an inability to change the game.
manipulate human tools and so forth, see No Hands and
Ungainly Fingers. If being an animal isn’t a hinderance in Limbless (5 pt. Physical Flaw)
your chronicle, then this Flaw does not apply at all. You possess no arms, legs, or other usable limbs other than
perhaps a prehensile tail. You’re a serpent, you’re a blob, you’re a
Beta (1 pt. Social Flaw) worm or snail or something else like that. In order to manipulate
You are born to follow, not to lead. Although capable your surroundings in a human world, you must use Telekinesis
in your own right, you’re the reliable support staff to your or a related power that can maneuver those things for you. This
group’s real leaders. Alpha dominance is not your style; instead, Flaw doesn’t mean you’re slow or clumsy; it does mean, though,
you keep the rest of your “pack” in line while following the that you can’t employ most human tools, climb ladders, or grab
alpha’s lead in all ways. Challenging authority seems alien things with anything other than your mouth or tail.
to you, and where other companions of yours might seek A character with this Flaw cannot also take No Dexterous
status and ambition, your interests lay in doing what’s (at Limbs.
least apparently) best for your group as a whole. That’s your
role and your duty, and you’re damned proud of both. The No Dexterous Limbs (4 pt.
common perception of a “beta” as inferior and subservient Physical Flaw)
misses the point: An alpha might get the glory, but the betas Though you’ve got paws, jaws, or other ways of grasping
keep the pack alive. and manipulating many objects, you lack the complex pre-
hensile fingers that allow you full access to the human world.
Broken (5 pt. Mental Flaw) Sure, you could pick up a laptop in your mouth or push a
Your will to resist has been trashed. Your master broke door open with your paws; you won’t be using that laptop’s
you to her service, and her wish is your command. Maybe keyboard very well, though, and you’re helpless before a locked
she’s the mad scientist who created you, the psi-ops Technocrat doorknob. Horses, dogs, eagles, and the like are extremely
who destroyed your will, the necromancer who crafted you smart and clever beasts, but even when their intellect and
from the bodies of the dead, or the wizard who bound you perspective approach human levels of cognition, such critters
with ancient pacts and potent spells. The abuse she used to won’t get much use out of, say, a smartphone.
break you may have been subtle: emotional manipulation, Animals with precise prehensile digits (like monkey
pervasive gaslighting, social isolation, and the like. Then fingers) or limbs (like tentacles) should take the Ungainly
again, she might tyrannize you with raw brutality, terrorize you Fingers Flaw instead of this one.
with fears of damnation and destruction, compel obedience
through blackmail, torment you with magick and crime… Hell, Omega (4 pt. Social Flaw)
she might use every trick in the book to keep you in line. It Like a beta, you occupy a low place in your social hierar-
works, too. What master says, you do. It’s far too late to resist. chy. But while the beta still retains a position of honor, you
Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 197
don’t. Instead, you occupy the bottom layer of your group’s • (2 points) Every 15 days.
social structure. You get whatever they choose to give you
and take whatever they dish out. Verbal and perhaps physical • (3 points) Every seven days.
abuse are your daily lot, and although the group will generally
• (4 points) Every three days.
protect you from outside forces, no one will protect you from
your group. • (5 points) Every day.
Although this Flaw generally raises the difficulty of your
For each day you go without a renewed power source,
Social rolls by +2 when you deal with parties outside your
you lose one die from all of your dice pools until a new
group, and by +4 within that group, certain Social rolls (for
power source gets installed. The penalty applies to all dice
Intimidation and perhaps Seduction) might remain unaffected
pools equally — not different rates for different pools. When
if you’re a dangerous sort of beast. After all, an omega wolf
your highest dice pool runs out, you go inactive until you’ve
is still a wolf, and the beast who cowers from his packmates
received a new power source. Although that new power source
could still rip out a human’s throat.
starts you right back up again, an especially long period of
Power Source (1-5 pt. Physical Flaw) inactivity might (Storyteller’s option) damage your systems
to the point where you function at half of your normal dice
You require energy in order to function. Your makers
pools until an appropriately skilled technician can repair you.
thoughtfully provided a power source for you, but it tends
to run out and must be periodically replaced if you’re to stay Characters with Technocratic power sources can be
in good working order. recharged easily so long as there’s a supply of the correctly
standardized power sources available. Characters with unusual,
A common Flaw for robots and cyborgs, this Flaw’s value
ancient, experimental, or unique power sources would be
depends upon the frequency with which your power source
much harder to resupply, especially if only a limited number
must be renewed.
of such power sources exist.
• (1 point) You need a new power source or recharge Although it’s generally intended for mechanical char-
every 30 days. acters, the power source in question might also by mystical
198 Gods & Monsters
(specially cut jade crystals bathed in sunlight), metaphysical the English mists belongs to that land as surely as any human
(an hour of meditation with a properly trained monk), or resident. Transplant such creatures to other settings, though,
else otherwise paranormal or immaterial (the light of the full and the weight of the modern Consensus soon proves fatal…
moon, a gallon of bats’ blood, rocks collected at the Burning not for the hart, perhaps, but surely for any less-natural thing.
Man festival, etc.). In game terms, this Flaw reflects the character’s affront to
Consensus Reality outside of a specific sort of Reality Zone.
Thaumivore (5 pt. Supernatural Flaw) That character remains healthy inside an appropriate Zone
To survive in the material world, you must consume that but suffers damage once she leaves the Zone and wanders
lifeblood energy of Creation that mages call Quintessence. around a world that’s not ready to deal with her existence.
Without it, you suffer debilitating hunger, weaken steadily,
That damage assumes two levels of severity: painful, in
and eventually perish and fade into nothingness.
which the creature’s essential nature clashes with the area
Ideally, you consume solidified Quintessence in the she’s in; and fatal, in which the creature’s nature is so deeply
form of Tass. Your patron mage can feed you raw-energy opposed to that area that her body begins to break down
Quintessence, but it’s not terribly satisfying. Although a steady under the force of Unbelief.
diet of it won’t harm you, it will leave you grouchy enough to
reconsider the terms of your relationship. Ideally, you’ll be • Painful: One health level of bashing damage per turn.
given a regular diet of metaphysically energized substances —
• Fatal: One health level of lethal damage per turn.
magic toadstools, enchanted amulets, batteries charged with
raw lightning pulled from the heavens, that sort of thing. The This damage cannot be soaked, as its cause is metaphys-
nature of your food, of course, must suit your innate nature; ical, not physical.
trying to feed a unicorn with Technocratic fuel cells will go The value of this Flaw depends upon how remote the
about as poorly as trying to recharge a HIT Mark with goblin safe Zone is from the rest of the world, and how “allergic” the
fruit. (In game terms, no — that won’t work.) character is to places outside her home territory.
System-wise, your character must devour at least one point As shown in the “Reality Zones” section of Mage 20, the
of Tass or Quintessence per day. Each day he goes without three categories of Zones are: Technocratic Reality, Localized
that nourishment, he loses one health level, and suffers a Reality, and Primal Reality. Any character with this Flaw is at
one-die penalty to all his dice pools. This damage cannot be least uncomfortable (that is, vulgar) in relation to the Earthly
soaked, of course, and if your character passes Incapacitated, Foundations of material reality.
he dies, and his body rapidly decays until nothing’s left at
all. (See “Unbelief,” below.) Once he begins to feed again, • (3 points) The character is comfortable in most types of
all previous damage heals. His mood, however, might take Zones, suffers painful damage in an opposed category
quite a while to abate… of Zones (say, Technocratic Reality vs. Primal Reality),
and gets fatally damaged by specific Zones that are di-
This Flaw can (and probably should) be taken in con-
ametrically opposed to the character’s nature (a robot
nection with the Flaw: Unbelief.
in a Mystic Region, for example, or a forest-spirit in a
Technological Installation).
Unbelief (3, 5, or 8 pt.
Supernatural Flaw) • (5 points) The character is comfortable only within a
Once upon a time, your kind may have freely wandered the specific category of Zone, suffers pain in most others,
mortal realm. The centuries, however, have not been kind to and gets fatally damaged by an opposed category of
your sort, and now the weight of human disbelief has turned Zones.
you into a walking paradox… or literally speaking, a Paradox.
On the other hand, you might be a hypertech entity whose • (8 points) The character is comfortable only in a
existence offends the natural world. Regardless of the details, specific type of Zone (like a Node, a Rural Area. or a
you fit in only within certain surroundings, and violate reality Technological Installation), suffers pain in most places
in most others. Unless you remain hidden in a region where in that category of Zones, and gets fatally damaged in
culture, solitude, or both protect you, the weight of disbelief any other category of Zones.
soon crushes you out of existence. When creating the character, decide which type of Reality
Thanks to this Flaw, you must remain within a Reality Zone is most suitable for this creature, which types make her
Zone (see Mage 20, pp. 611-617) that’s appropriate to your uncomfortable, and which types conflict with her innate
essential nature. A pair of shisa hanging out in the Ryukyu nature. A Cyber-Tooth Tiger with 8 points in this Flaw, for
Islands are literally part of the landscape so long as they don’t example, will be perfectly at home in a Technocratic Construct
bite the tourists; a devilish imp in a wizard’s workshop is pretty (a specific type of Zone), feels uncomfortable in the middle
much de rigueur for such a place; a white hart dashing through of a mundane city (even though it’s still part of Technocratic

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 199

Reality), and quickly perishes in a Primal Zone where such penalty does not reflect your overall lack of dexterity; you
hypertech is anathema. could, in fact, be far more agile than those clumsy human
(If you want to reflect vast differences in culture, you beings. The human world, though, is built and shaped for
could say that different sorts of regions have their own spe- people, however, and because you’re not a person, you have a
cific forms of belief beyond the Reality Zone categories. A harder time working with stuff designed specifically for their
Japanese oni could be perfectly at home in a Tokyo apartment hands and limbs.
building, for instance, but suffer fatal damage if he ventures
into the Amazon rainforest. This complication, however, is Weak Spot (3 pt. Physical Flaw)
an optional rule, and could become too difficult to apply to Thanks to an injury, a curse, or some other handicap,
your chronicle.) you’ve got a vulnerable spot. Attacks that strike that area
inflict extra damage and might also incapacitate you. This
If taken by a character with the Thaumivore Flaw, the fatal
infirmity could be a gap in your armor, a badly healed limb,
damage becomes bashing damage, and the painful damage
weakened bones, a shut-off switch, or a joint that tends to
disappears entirely, so long as the character eats at least one
dislocate. Whatever it may be, this weak spot allows an attacker
point of suitable Tass or Quintessence per day. If he is not
to penetrate your usual defenses and take you down hard.
fed regularly, though, or if that food supply abruptly ends (as
it might if the mage and her familiar get cut off from each A successful strike on your weak spot inflicts two unsoak-
other), then the damage kicks in immediately if the creature’s able health levels of aggravated damage; if that damage would
stuck in a “fatal” category Zone. For what ought to be obvious have been aggravated to begin with, it inflicts two more health
reasons, that Tass or Quintessence must suit the creature in levels’ worth of damage than it would have if the attack had
question; an android grazing on magic mushrooms is courting hit you elsewhere.
immediate shutdown mode. Weak spots like this tend to be hard to spot and harder to
A character who dies of Unbelief begins to decay almost exploit. To realize it exists, your opponent must first success-
instantly. Like a cinematic vampire in the sun, the corpse fully roll her Perception or Intelligence (whichever is higher)
crumbles to dust, bursts into flame, fades away, dissolves into a + an Ability that might help her recognize your weak spot
puddle of goo, collapses into a heap of bones, or performs some for what it is. A physical weak spot might involve Medicine;
other suitable act of rapid disintegration. Within a minute a mechanical one, Technology or Hypertech; a metaphysical
or two, nothing but unidentifiable debris remains where that one, Lore, Occult, or a suitable Esoterica discipline. The
creature died. Certain spells (usually ones dealing with the roll’s difficulty is 8, but it might go higher under especially
Life, Matter, Prime, or Time Spheres) or hedge-magic mystic difficult conditions (darkness, heavy rain, obscuring smoke,
rites might preserve bits of the dead critter; the Technocracy, and so forth).
of course, has hypertech Procedures that preserve the remains Spotting the weak spot is easier than hitting the weak spot.
for later research. As far as the average human bystander goes, A targeted shot at your vital area adds +4 to the attacker’s
though, a creature who perishes from Unbelief becomes just difficulty when she’s trying to strike it.
another mystery to be argued about in seminars, labs, and — As an optional rule, the Storyteller might declare that a
of course — the internet. random, untargeted attack that scores six successes or more
This Flaw does not apply at all to the fluid reality of the when trying to hit you automatically inflicts the damage
Umbrae. It may, however, apply to Umbral Realms, the Old associated with your weak spot.
Roads, and so forth if the vision of reality in such a place is If you define your weak spot as a flimsy joint, automatic
diametrically opposed to the character’s nature — an android shut-down system, or other liability, the Storyteller may replace
in Midrealm, for example, or a tree-spirit in a Technocratic the aggravated damage with an appropriate condition: Your
space station. leg dislocates, your systems deactivate, your cybernetic limb
For guidelines regarding the suitability or conflict between stops working, etc. However it is defined, this condition lasts
a creature and a Zone, see the Mage 20 sections for “Magick until you manage to get it fixed, turned back on by a third
in the Otherworlds” (pp. 483-485), and the “Technocratic party, and so forth.
Reality,” “Localized Reality,” and “Primal Reality” entries Regardless of its definition, location, and effects, Weak
under “Reality Zones” (pp. 613-615). Spot can be a devastating Flaw. It’s also traditional, though
— almost every epic monster has one. Mad inventors tend to
Ungainly Fingers (2 pt. Physical Flaw) install such failsafes in case their creations get out of hand,
Although you can manipulate most human devices with too, and most Technocratic constructs have a suitable weak-
your fingers, claws, or tentacles, you lack the physical shape, ness that a properly trained operative can activate. These
leverage, or reflexes to manipulate such things well. Add +2 intentional design flaws, however, are changed out regularly,
to your difficulty when you’re trying to employ a sophisticat- with their schematics provided only on a need-to-know basis
ed object, fragile item, precision device, and so forth. This to managers and agents with the proper security clearances.

200 Gods & Monsters

After all, the Union doesn’t want random Deviants taking
advantage of backup safety systems designed for the use of
Union personnel! Agents tasked with taking down a rogue Special Advantages
construct, however, will probably get briefed about the nature
and location of that construct’s shut-down feature. or Charms?
Mage fans familiar with the sourcebook Forged by
Special Advantages Dragon’s Fire may recognize a few of the following
Special Advantages as the Charms described in the
Wings. Claws. Regeneration. Such powers belong to chapter “Companions on the Path: Familiars.” Certain
certain non-human creatures, and although mages can Charms from that chapter have been retained in the
duplicate them with various magicks, those birthrights — Spirit Charms section starting on p. 214, while others
called Special Advantages (or simply Advantages) — are not are now considered Special Advantages.
normally found among human beings. Even so, the consors, Why? Because several of those Charms had already
Bygones, familiars, and other allies and rivals of Awakened been given as Special Advantages in previous books,
and because the ability to purchase Charms as
humans often possess such Advantages. Demon-bound character Traits was not presented in any previous
characters may acquire Advantages through their infernal Mage or Werewolf rulebook, Forged by
pacts, and paranormal critters can inherit such powers as Dragon’s Fire muddied some waters regarding the
part of their innate selves, acquire them through mystic or Traits and Charms in question. In order to simplify the
scientific methods, have them “built-in” as part of their situation, we have differentiated between Special
Advantages and Charms in this book. Although
creators’ design, or otherwise obtain abilities that range certain characters can still purchase Charms and
beyond the abilities we accept as part of essentially human Special Advantages, duplicated Traits have been
character creation. consolidated into one or the other.
Like Merits, Advantages get purchased with freebie points.
In the case of infernal pacts, those points come at the expense
of literally hellish deals made with Otherworldly powers (as you can strike before most people can think. Each two points
detailed in The Book of the Fallen). For most characters, spent in this Advantage, up to the maximum six points,
however, the Advantages are part of a being’s natural abilities. allows you to spend a Willpower point and take one extra
Birds have Wings, wolves have Claws and Fangs, familiars action within a single turn. That six-point Advantage, for
have the Feast of Nettles, and so forth. instance, would let you act four times in a single turn for the
Special Advantages do not invoke Paradox. That said, cost of one Willpower point. Subsequent Willpower points
creatures with obviously “unnatural” Advantages usually have spent that turn do not add up, however; six points let you
the Thaumivore or Unbelief Flaws, or both. As usual, the act four times in one turn no matter how many Willpower
local Consensus determines what is “unnatural.” A hypertech points you spent that turn. This bonus lasts only one turn
robot in Los Angeles fits into the landscape a whole lot better per point of Willpower spent that turn; if you need to burn
than a flying snake-god does. Willpower in order to move like the wind, however, you can
do so for as long as your Willpower lasts.
Alacrity (2-6 pts.)
Damn, you’re fast! Capable of bursts of inhuman speed, Armor (variable)
Thanks to thick hide, armored plates, warty skin or some
other form of innate protection, your character gains extra
soak dice, and can soak lethal damage as well. For double the
Armor usual cost — that is, two freebie points per point of protection
— this biological protection can soak aggravated damage, too.
Points Armor Such armor isn’t invisible, though; in most cases, it’s pretty
obvious. For every three points in protection, if such armor is
1 pt. One soak die (thick fur or hide) not typical for the character’s species, that character loses one
2 pts. Two soak dice (scales, ridges) point of Appearance. (This penalty does not apply to animals
3 pts. Three soak dice (chitin, shell) or beasts with natural armor — turtles, alligators, dragons, and
so forth.) As an optional rule, the Storyteller might decide that
4 pts. Four soak dice (bone plating, an aimed blow (typically +3 difficulty, although the specific
dragon hide)
penalty depends upon the nature of the armor) can bypass
5 pts. Five soak dice (metal plates, that protection.
thick hide plus layers of fat
and muscle) The normal cost for Armor can be found on the chart; ar-
mor that soaks aggravated damage costs double these amounts.

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 201

Aura (3 pt. Advantage, or 3 pt. more either stripping down before changing, or else wiggling
Supernatural Flaw) out of the discarded clothing and possessions afterward. (See
“Shapeshifting and Consecrating Possessions” in How Do
Uncanny radiance surrounds you. Perhaps you shimmer
You DO That?, pp. 20-21.) With this Advantage, however,
with holiness, reek of death, smolder with the essence of the
you can shape-change with your clothing and small possessions
Pit, or otherwise reveal an affinity for a given element through
intact, and then carry them over with you when you return
your very presence. The specifics depend upon the sort of
to your natural form.
creature you are and the essential nature of your true self: An
infernal entity projects an unholy aura (scent of brimstone, For one point, you can retain your clothing and small
unnerving chorus of damned-soul voices, and so forth), an items that are worn close to your skin (wallets, watches, knives
elemental conjures phenomena related to its home element strapped to your leg, etc.). For three points, you can meld small
(breeze, flickering flames, dampness, blooming plants, that carried items as well: backpacks, swords, a walking stick, and
sort of thing), an embodiment of technological principles so forth. The carried items must be small and light enough
radiates cold perfection… you get the idea. to be held in one hand; a pistol could be transformed and
carried this way, but an AR-15 could not. The transformed
As an Advantage, this Aura ripples the localized environ-
items essentially disappear when your character shapeshifts,
ment surrounding the entity in question. It doesn’t inflict
and they cannot be used or taken away if they were being worn
damage upon the area or on characters within that area, but
or held at the time of transformation. When you change back
it can be rather unnerving to folks who have reason to fear
to your natural form, however, the items are wherever they
such entities. People and entities opposed to the nature of
were when you shifted shape.
this creature (like demons in the presence of an angel, or vice
versa) feel compelled to flee unless they spend a Willpower Unless it involves some technological method (like small
point to remain in the aura-bearer’s vicinity; if they stay, compartments that open within a robot and stow the items
such creatures suffer a +3 addition to the difficulty of all inside that robot’s body), this Advantage is essentially magic.
rolls they make against the character who radiates the Aura. The Storyteller might rule that sophisticated technologies
More neutral characters, meanwhile, can’t help but notice the (computers, firearms, cell phones, etc.) transformed by magic
pervasive effects of this entity: withering or flourishing plant- might malfunction when the character changes back to her
life, shining light or glowering darkness, faint music, metallic natural form. Although this malfunction check would involve
clanging, or a buzz of flies, and other similarly environmental a successful roll of Stamina + Technology, difficulty 7, for
effects. While those effects won’t influence system modifiers, non-mages (and a Willpower + Avatar roll with that same
they speak volumes — for good and ill — about the nature of difficulty if the Storyteller allows Awakened mage characters
the entity in question. The character can spend a point of to take this Advantage), a character whose paradigm is based
Willpower to suppress the Advantage for one scene, at which on hyperscience instead of natural magic can simply define
point, a witness needs to make a successful Awareness roll, the Advantage with anime-like technologies.
difficulty 7, to discern the character’s true nature. Otherwise,
the Aura manifests as a matter of course, without any form Bioluminescence (1 to 3 pts.)
of “activation” required or any duration set on the length Fireflies. Anglerfish. Certain forms of mold. And you.
of its effects. Like those luminescent beings, your body — or parts of it —
can glow, and you can turn this self-contained light on and
As a Flaw, this Trait cannot be suppressed. The Aura
off at will.
betrays the character’s nature whether he wants it to be
obvious or not. For a single point, that glow is roughly as bright as an
average cell phone, and it cannot be focused or directed.
Aww! (1-4 pts.) For two points, it’s either brighter (like a halogen flashlight)
Cuteness excuses a multitude of sins. In your case, you’re or directable, and for three points it can be both. The light
so adorable that people tend to give you more slack than your in question could come from natural luminescent organs,
activities deserve. Every point in this Advantage adds one die cybernetic implants, biotech body modifications, magical
to the Social rolls you make based upon endearing yourself powers, mutant abilities, or what have you.
to someone through your sheer cuteness. Generally, this light allows you to illuminate a small
This power works in any form, but it grants only half of area, as if you’re holding a hand-held light source. Directable
the usual bonus (rounded up) when you’re in a human guise. luminescence, however, could be used to blind a character for
a turn or so with a successful Dexterity + Perception roll. The
Bare Necessities (1 or 3 pts.) difficulty for the latter application depends on the target’s
Physical shape-changing typically deals only with the sensitivity to light, the contrast between light and darkness,
body itself. A radical shapeshift — say, from woman to wolf — potentially protective gear, cover, distance, and so forth, and
usually forces the character in question to spend a turn or ranges from 4 (a point-blank flash in some surprised person’s
eyes) to 10 (trying to blind a protected and hostile opponent).
202 Gods & Monsters
Beyond 15 feet or so, however, this Advantage illuminates
an area but isn’t strong enough to blind someone at range.

Blending (1 pt.)
Method to Madness
Mental Illness is no joke. Although magic is often
This creature has the ability to alter their appearance to associated with madness, it’s worth remembering that
match the dominant attributes of their surroundings, much someone in your gaming group might have personal
like a chameleon. Creatures with this power can either slowly experience with mental illness and the people who
acclimate to their surroundings, requiring at least a scene, suffer from it. The ability to violate a person’s sanity
or they may quickly acclimate through a successful Wits + is a terrifying power, and so the Storyteller may
wish to check in with players before unleashing this
Survival roll, difficulty 8. Creatures with either Quintessence Advantage carelessly within the chronicle.
or Gnosis may spend a point to immediately blend into their
environment. Successfully Blending causes a +2 difficulty to
perceive the creature with any natural sense.
Cause Insanity (2 pts. per die)
Bond-Sharing (4 to 6 pts.) Consciousness is fragile. With this Advantage, a creature
Certain legendary creatures — most notably witch-famil- can rattle the cage of sanity and provoke temporary fits of
iars and heart-bonded companions — can share perceptions, madness. Generally possessed by entities of cosmic horror or
thoughts, and even certain abilities with their close friends. stunning beauty, this power provokes hallucinations, derails
This Advantage allows you to exchange such communions; trains of thought, and forces the target to doubt her grasp on
a horse may “move as one” with his rider, a dolphin might reality. Especially among mages, this ability can have fearsome
share water-breathing with his land-born lover, a bear could consequences.
confer healing powers upon his totem-sister, and so forth. A target of this Advantage must be within visual sight
Such mystic bonds may be shared only between close com- of the creature who inflicts the madness. The player with
panions. If one “partner” gets harmed or killed, the other this Trait spends one point of Willpower, and rolls one die
partner suffers awful pain. for every two points spent on this Advantage. The target’s
Game-wise, this Advantage creates a “bridge” between Willpower Trait provides the difficulty for that roll. A single
partners, allowing them to share a certain ability or range success forces the targeted character to assume a Derangement
of abilities. For four points, your companion can use one (Mage 20, pp. 649-650) for one day per success rolled. If
of your senses; or withstand one environment (intense cold, that target is a mage, three successes or more also force that
underwater, fire, etc.) that’s native to your character. For mage to make a Willpower roll (difficulty is that mage’s
five points, she can go anywhere you can go (including, in current Paradox + 2), or else suffer one level of Quiet, too.
an Avatar Storm chronicle, through the Gauntlet without (See Mage 20, pp. 555-556, for details.)
harm); or — by sharing your senses — feel anything you can
feel. And for six points, she can do both at the same time. This Claws, Fangs, or Horns (3, 5, or 7 pts.)
“bridge” stretches roughly half a mile but works best when Unlike frail, soft humans, you possess natural weaponry:
both characters remain in close proximity. At the Storyteller’s slashing talons, gnashing fangs, goring horns, or perhaps a
discretion, a Stamina roll might be necessary to form a “link” combination of all three. These hardy attacks inflict lethal,
across distances of 300 feet (or 100 meters) or more. sometimes even aggravated, damage in addition to your natural
Such bonds require intense connection and trust. Each strength and mass. They can’t be removed without ripping
partner imparts a bit of their essence with the other one. If or cutting off body parts, and so you’re never really without
one partner suffers, the other partner feels pain even if they’re the ability to hurt someone.
not bond-sharing at the time. The death of one partner inflicts The number and nature of these natural weapons depends
agony upon the other — a few levels of bashing damage, if upon the points spent upon this Advantage: Three points get
nothing else, possibly an incapacitating psychic shock if the you one form of attack, five points buys you two of them, and
partners were especially intimate. Sharing also involves an seven points obtain all three forms. Each type of attack allows
act of will; both partners must make a conscious decision you to use certain combat maneuvers, as shown below. (See
to “connect” each time they share abilities or perceptions. the Mage 20 entries for “Bite” and “Claw,” p. 420.) For the
Such bonding sends a powerful surge of energy between both normal cost, these attacks deal out lethal damage; for double
partners — a communion that the partners may share simply the usual cost, that damage becomes aggravated. With certain
for enjoyment’s sake. Incidentally, neither partner needs to types of characters (cats, demons, etc.), the claws or fangs might
be human; though it’s odd to see such levels of connection be retractable — a minor benefit that does not cost additional
between, say, a dog and a gryphon, stranger things have points. Other kinds of beasts might have “horns” on the
happened. back or tail, claws on wings, rending “teeth” embedded into
tentacles, and so forth. In all cases, the cost of these attacks

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 203

comes from the type of attack (claws, fangs, or horns), not stepping in from the Umbra, or otherwise using unusual
from the number of attacks a given character can use. methods to surprise you.
Maneuver Difficulty Damage Elemental Touch (3, 5, 7, 10, or 15 pts.)
Bite 5 Strength +1 Wherever you go, an element responds to your presence.
Claw 6 Strength +2 Perhaps breeze rises when you flick your hair; maybe you call
down lightning with your rage. Whatever the source of this
Gore 7 Strength +2 (Strength +4 after
bond might be, you are one with an element, and it responds
a charge of 10 yards or more)
to your commands. Game-wise, this Advantage grants a limited
Human characters can possess these sorts of attacks, of amount of control over a single element that’s associated with
course; cybernetics, mutations, prosthetics, surgically implant- your character. Because this bond works through mystical
ed weaponry, Life-Sphere Enhancements, and other forms of associations, that element must be natural and “pure”: fire,
physical alteration may bestow the gifts that Mother Nature earth, wood, air, a given metal, and so forth. That said, mod-
has so carelessly forgotten to give her human children. ern “para-elementals” can supposedly manipulate plastics,
glass, alloys, and other products of elemental technology. The
Deadly Demise (2, 4, or 6 pts.) element and bond, therefore, depends upon the concept of
Certain enemies take you with them when they go. Often your character and its connection to his world. The degree
associated with zombies, robots, poisonous fungus-folk, and of control you can exert upon the element in question de-
other beings with innate capacities for self-destruction, this pends on the amount of points invested into the Advantage,
Advantage inflicts damage on everyone nearby when the as shown on the chart below. Once that element responds,
character goes to meet its maker. If that character drops below however, you don’t maintain much control over what it does
the Incapacitated health level, thanks to attacks which inflict afterward. Calling up an inferno to cook your hot dogs, then,
lethal or aggravated damage, then the character screams, might be a very bad idea!
explodes, or performs some other final strike against its
enemies on the following turn, dealing out damage as per Cost Feat
the chart below. 3 Sense the presence of a large quantity of your
The blast radius for this final strike is roughly 30 feet chosen element within a half-mile or so. Requires
(nine meters). If the character is some sort of vehicle, or is a successful Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty
otherwise carrying other characters in its body, arms, or what 6-9, depending on the amount of the element and
have you, then those other characters meet a messy demise the obstacles between it and you.
unless they manage to escape before the blast. Run! 5 Sense your associated element; or affect a nearby
Value Damage quantity of it in small yet possibly significant ways
(calling up a breeze, making flames flicker or settle,
2 points 4 dice of lethal damage rippling the surface of water, etc.). Roll as above.
4 points 6 dice of lethal damage 7 Alter a small local quantity of your element in minor
6 points 8 dice of lethal damage (or 6 dice of aggravated ways (warping a tree branch, causing a fire to flare
damage) or gutter, raising waves on water, and the like).
This control demands one point of Willpower and
Dominance (1 pt.) a successful Manipulation + Awareness roll; this
You have a naturally commanding demeanor, or an roll’s base difficulty starts at 6 but rises higher if
elevated place in the social hierarchy of your people or spe- you’re trying to alter a large or stubborn amount
cies. Therefore, you gain three additional dice to any Social of that element (cracking frozen earth, soothing a
interaction within the appropriate groups, and also reduce the fierce fire, etc.).
difficulties for your Intimidation or Leadership rolls by –2. 10 You may conjure a small amount (roughly one
foot square, five pounds or gallons, a strong gust,
Earthbond (2 pts.) etc.) of your element into existence; or affect the
A bond with your surroundings helps you perceive trouble behavior of that element to a greater degree than
and respond to possible threats. Rules-wise, this Advantage before (calming a bonfire, shaking the earth around
reduces the difficulty of your perception rolls by -2 if you’re you, and so on). Both applications must be within
trying to spot potential trouble. Maybe your keen senses help a few feet of where you stand, and you must touch
you hear, smell, feel, or otherwise perceive trespassers; perhaps the affected area in order to conjure the element
you’ve got passive sonar or high-tech scanning devices. Maybe from nothing. Both applications demand a roll as
the wind speaks to you. Whatever the reason, you’re seldom above, and cost one point of Willpower.
surprised by anything that’s not teleported to your location,

204 Gods & Monsters

 15 For a cost of two Willpower points, with a suc- of your kind… like, say, a 10-legged octopus or two-trunked
cessful roll as above, you can rouse or alter large elephant. In game terms, each extra limb adds one die to your
amounts of your element (stirring or calming a dice pools if you’re using several limbs to perform multiple
wildfire, inciting a minor earthquake, twisting a actions (as detailed in Mage 20, pp. 388-389 and 391). Also,
tree into a new shape, etc.). This degree of power you use your highest dice pool, not your lowest, when performing
can inflict significant damage on your surround- those multiple actions.
ings (broken walls, flaming forests, and the like), If you could use your extra limbs to perform several
and once set in motion, that damage cannot be related activities, or to attack several targets at once, then
stopped on your end, though you can try and fix you may perform one action for every two limbs involved.
the results afterward with further applications of An animated six-armed Krishna statue, for instance, could
your elemental powers. perform three attacks per turn. This benefit, however, applies
only to activities where extra limbs would allow your character
Empathic Bond (2 pts.) to do something that a character with a “standard” number of
What others feel, you can feel, too. A lesser version of limbs could not do; that six-armed statue could attack three
Bond-Sharing, this Advantage helps you reach into the emo- people and / or attack one person three times, but six legs
tional state of another person (not necessarily a human person) would not make him run any faster than a person with two
and sense or influence those emotions as if you possess the of them could run.
Mind 1 Effect Sense Thoughts & Emotions. (Mage 20, p. These prehensile limbs might also – depending upon what
519.) Because this bond can be a two-way street, you’ve also sorts of limbs they are – let your character do things which
acquired enough discipline to shield your feelings and surface might otherwise be impossible without them. A monkey-tail,
thoughts, as described in the same Mind 1 entry. Even with for example, might grab tree limbs and help you swing better
such shielding, though, you feel things rather intensely, and than a four-limbed person could swing, while a prehensile
probably keep to yourself a lot, if only to protect yourself from tongue could grab objects within reach even if your hands
the barrage of other people’s passions. A character with this and legs are bound. Such specific tasks depend upon the
Advantage almost certainly has the Empathy Talent, too, and limb and character in question, and the Storyteller should
the combination of both “gifts” can feel extremely vulnerable handle those situations (so to speak) on a case-by-case basis.
to the character that possesses both.
Unlike Bond-Sharing’s intimate connection, this em- Ferocity (2 pts. per point of Rage)
pathic talent can touch anyone with whom you want to share You seethe with uncanny fury and may turn that fury
it. A surge of fellow-feeling can influence the mood of that to your benefit. In game terms, you gain a Trait called Rage,
other party, too, if you spend a point of Willpower to do so. and may use it to perform extra actions, shrug off injuries,
Empathy can be a tricky gift to have, though, and it shades or tear through your enemies with primal ferocity.
into some ethically dubious territory if you use it without your For every two points in this Advantage, your character
target’s prior agreement. As detailed in the How Do You DO receives one point of Rage. By spending a point of that Rage,
That? entry “Questions of Consent” (pp. 119-120), messing you may: add one automatic health level to a successful
with someone else’s feelings may be “traditional” in terms of hand-to-hand non-magical attack (that is, a bite, a slash, and
fiction and folklore, but that doesn’t necessarily make it okay. so on); perform one additional action without using your
lowest dice pool (again, see Mage 20, pp. 388-388); ignore
Extra Heads (2 pts. per head) wound penalties for one turn; or penetrate two points of an
For better and worse, this Advantage grants you a friend opponent’s armor with a single hand-to-hand attack.
that never leaves your side… or your shoulder, for that matter.
Under normal circumstances, it takes at least one day of
Game-wise, this Trait provides one additional head for rest to recover spent points of Rage. Certain situations, how-
every two points spent on the Advantage. This benefit also ever, can rouse that fury again and restore one point of Rage.
provides two extra dice (per head) for Perception-based rolls; These situations depend upon the nature of your character
increases the difficulty for mind-control attacks against you by and her channel to such primordial wrath. A nature-guardian,
+2 per head (difficulty 10, maximum); and allows each head for instance, might be infuriated by destructive trespassers
to make a bite attack (at the usual dice pools) if your target in her domain, while an embodiment of vengeance regains
is within reach. The downside, of course, is that each head a point of Rage if she sees a person commit some act that
also has its own personality, and those personalities might demands violent retribution.
not always get along.
The downside of this Advantage is obvious: On some
Extra Limbs (2 pts. per limb) level, you’re always angry. Beyond an irritable temper and an
unnerving edge to your personality, you also have the Trait:
Like an octopus or a Hindu deity, you possess more
Berserker / Stress Atavism (Mage 20, p. 644) for free. Thus,
prehensile limbs than an average human or another beast

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 205

you’re often one bad moment from a meltdown that could for six points, you can heal a level of aggravated damage the
injure companions, enemies, and innocents alike. same way. In both cases, that healing also eases the pain of
injuries, spreading a sense of calm along with the obvious
Flexibility (2 pts.) relief from torn tissues and flowing blood.
You may be a snake, or other creature that is capable of
bending, squishing, or twisting yourself around. This flexi- Homing Instinct (2 or 4 pts.)
bility allows you to perform maneuvers that might otherwise You know where you’re going even if you don’t consciously
be impossible, like twisting yourself into a pretzel, reaching think about it. An inner GPS (which, if you’re a cyborg or robot,
through a window to unhook a lock, or squeezing through a may be an actual GPS) guides you toward your destination.
space too small for someone to squeeze through otherwise. This Advantage won’t cover the distance for you — you still
This Advantage adds two dice to any Athletics roll where need to do that part yourself. Despite confusing circumstances
such Flexibility would benefit you (escaping ropes, grappling and tangled paths, however, you’ll eventually make it home.
an opponent, and so forth). You may also tuck yourself into This Special Advantage directs you to the destination of
spaces that a creature of your size would not usually be able to your choice. As with the fast-travel ability in video games, this
squeeze into, and might (depending on the situation) be able must be a destination you’ve bonded with before that trip —
to slither between bars, coil around branches, and so forth. a place or person you can sense across the intervening time
and space. For two points, you can home in on that location
Hazardous Breath (Variable) from anywhere in the mortal side of Earth; for four points,
With a gust of breath, a ripple of quills, or some other you can home in on it from anywhere.
minor exertion, you can hurt and perhaps kill your prey at a When faced with obstacles and obstructions, you may
distance. Epitomized by the deadly halitosis of dragonkind, need to make a Perception + Awareness roll in order to get
this Advantage allows a character to fire off some nasty sur- your bearings toward your destination. The difficulty of that
prises. The attack itself isn’t based upon the Trait — it can roll depends on the circumstances involved:
take whatever form you desire. Demon-bound servitors can
spit flames, while woodland elementals could spray clouds Difficulty Circumstances
of thorns or poison gas. 6 Normal circumstances.
For every five points spent on this Advantage, you in- 7 Harsh weather or terrain.
flict one health level of lethal damage with your attack on a
8 Major obstacles or an erased trail.
successful roll of Dexterity + Brawl (difficulty 7). For seven
points per level, that damage can be caustic (acid, Greek fire, 9 Vast distances (500 miles or more)or para-
toxic gas), dealing out an additional level of damage per turn normal obstructions or delays.
until it’s washed off, scraped away, or otherwise neutralized. +1 Each month of separation from that target.
For double the cost (either 10 points for most attacks or 14
points for caustic ones), it can be aggravated. Any target that Your instinct allows you to keep track of a moving goal
can soak the appropriate type of attack can try to soak your even if you’re moving, too. If you lose the path, you’ll need
“breath weapon.” You can employ this attack once per scene to concentrate on finding it again (possibly while using
for every point of Stamina your character possesses. An attack Meditation, Esoterica, Area Knowledge or some other Ability
that affects several targets at once (like a cone of flames or a suited to your character). At some time soon, however, you’ll
toxic storm) hits one additional target for every success above be on your way again. Distance can slow you down, but your
the first — two targets at two successes, four targets at four heart (or technology) knows its way home.
successes, and so forth. The range of those attacks depends
upon the nature of that assault; a “pinpointed” lightning Human Guise (2 or 4 pts.)
strike generally reaches further than a localized cloud of gas. You have a human form you can wear when required.
For details about toxins, electricity, fire, and other assaults, For the two-point version of this Advantage you present a few
see “Environmental Hazards” in Mage 20, pp. 435-444. tells. These could be semi-visible gills, cat eyes, or hints of your
reptile scales poking out from under that neat human skin
Healing Lick (3 or 6 pts.) you’ve thrown on. The two-point version of this Advantage
In legend and in fact, animals can lick wounds in order comes with one dot in Appearance. Your tells can be covered
to soothe the pain. Certain beasts, however, can do more up with makeup and or the right type of clothing, but it’s fairly
than that: Their licking actually heals cuts, burns, and so clear that you are not quite what you appear to be.
forth. With this Advantage, you can repair a certain amount
The four-point version of this Advantage gives you
of external damage — gashes, slashes, and the like, as opposed
a completely normal human guise with no obvious tells.
to venom or broken bones. For three points, you can heal one
Powers and abilities that can uncover a being’s true form are
health level of bashing or lethal damage per turn of licking;

206 Gods & Monsters

the only way to discern that you are something other than a An invisible character still exists in a physical form, and
mild-mannered reporter (or whatever). can be heard, smelled, tackled, and so forth if someone man-
ages to spot him. Rank 1 magickal perceptions can sense the
Human Speech (1 pt.) invisible character if the player makes a successful Perception
Simply put, you can speak in human languages even if + Alertness roll at difficulty 9. Other forms of paranormal
“your kind” can’t normally do so. Whether through magic or senses (vampiric Auspex, for instance) can do the same thing
physical mutation, you have the ability to form human words with the same sort of roll.
that most folks can understand. Granted, you still need to While intangible, that character remains immune to
know the language in question — this Advantage gives you most normal sorts of physical harm. Bullets, winds, fire and
the talent to speak, not the knowledge to speak fluent Lakota, so forth pass right through him. Magickal spells, True Faith,
French, and Classical Greek. and other sorts of paranormal attacks, however, affect him
in the usual ways. A normal bullet or fire can’t touch that
Information Fount (5 pts.) disappearing asshole, but an enchanted bullet or blast of
You know the weirdest shit! Thanks to a strange connection hellflame is a different matter entirely. While in this invisible
to the Collective Unconscious (or maybe just a great mind or intangible state, the character cannot attack anyone else,
for trivia), you manage to make deductions, observations and either, except through magick or other paranormal powers;
connections that puzzle other, lesser minds. The traditional even then, an attacking character immediately becomes
talent of oracles and familiar spirits, this ability grants you visible again.
insight into things you probably shouldn’t know but manage
To shift from one state to another, the character’s
to wrap your head around anyway. Now, if only other people
player spends one point of Willpower. No roll is necessary,
could just understand what the hell you’re talking about…
and the shift takes place on the following turn. During
In game terms, this Advantage allows you to make astute that transition, the character assumes a phantasmal
(if not necessarily accurate) observations about things if you half-visibility which is hard to see (Perception + Awareness,
successfully roll Awareness + a related Ability. The Ability difficulty 8) if he hasn’t been spotted already, but which re-
in question should be related to the situation you’re trying mains vulnerable to physical attacks until he becomes fully
to understand: Martial Arts to note a detail about an oppo- incorporeal. For two points of Willpower, the character can
nent’s fighting style, Etiquette to recognize your host’s taste in change states immediately. Either way, it takes another point
silverware, Streetwise to spot a Hell’s Angel in disguise, and of Willpower to return to the character’s normal state; if
so forth. This information, however, comes across in poetic he runs out of Willpower before he can do so… well, tough
and often fractured observations; like the classic rock fanatic luck, kittyhead. The character gets stuck that way until he
who declares out of nowhere that Chris Squire is famous for recovers enough Willpower to shift to a different state.
playing “a Rick with a pick,” your proclamations might not For reasons that should be obvious, this Advantage may be
be understood or appreciated by anybody else. restricted to non-player characters. Your Storyteller has the
From a roleplaying standpoint, this Advantage gives final say regarding this uncanny talent and the creatures that
the player / Storyteller plenty of opportunities for fun, es- might possess it.
pecially if other characters (and players) have no idea what
the bloody hell your character is going on about. Game-wise, Mesmerism (3 or 6 pts.)
another player might need to roll Perception or Intelligence With a frightening glare or bewitching enticement, you
+ Enigmas in order to make sense out of the tidbits offered can freeze prey (3 pts.) or draw it to you in a mild trance (6
up by the Information Fount. It’s more fun, of course, to pts.). Perhaps you’re a siren with fascinating secrets that you
just roleplay everything out. Oracles and familiars, after all, sing about to draw trespassers to their doom; or a ghost-dog
have rich traditions of saying things that wind up mangled whose predatory gaze locks her target in place while the
in translation. hunter ends the chase. Specifics depend upon the creature in
question, but only one method works for you. You could be
Intangibility (8 or 10 pts.) a singer of charming songs, but if so then your gaze is merely
Like a certain madly grinning cat, you can fade from sight pretty, not especially hypnotic.
(8 pts.) and perhaps become totally incorporeal (10 pts.) as System-wise, this Advantage requires the right sort of
well. Certain ghostly creatures might use this Advantage to contact with your prey (a gaze, a song, a touch, and so forth)
become corporeal instead, attaining physical substance from followed by a roll of Charisma + Intimidation. If your mes-
a normally intangible form. Unlike Stepping Sideways, this merism depends on enticement, then Seduction could work
shift doesn’t bring the character into the Penumbra – it just in place of Intimidation. Either way, the difficulty is 6, and
changes his relationship with the physical world. The Cheshire you need to collect at least one success for each point of your
Cat, for example, didn’t run off to join the werewolves; he prey’s current (not permanent) Willpower. So long as your
just… disappeared. prey doesn’t object to your influence, this could employ an

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 207

extended roll; if he does resist you, though, then the roll would Musk (3 pts.)
be extended and resisted instead – for details, see Mage 20, Ugh. Dude, you smell! So badly do you smell, in fact,
p. 389-390. A botch on your part negates the mesmerism… that other creatures feel nauseated when you blast your musk
and because he’s wise to you now, you cannot attempt to in their direction. This revolting aroma could be a natural
mesmerize this character again. stink, tear gas, the reek of fetid trash you call your home, “the
A successfully mesmerized character feels frozen or funk of 40,000 years,” or whatever other avenue for sensory
enchanted – even if he suffers violence – for at least three repugnance strikes your fancy. Thankfully, you can turn this
turns; after that, he can try to break free using a Willpower rank odor off when you want to. The stench when you chose
roll. The difficulty for that roll begins at 8, and then drops to deploy it, though, is impressive.
one level lower until the character escapes that predatory System-wise, this Advantage deploys a rancid stench
influence. By that time, of course, the hypnotic critter may upon command. Characters affected by the smell add +2
already have begun to feast. to the difficulties of all of their rolls (Arete rolls included)
Because it is, by nature, a predatory power, this Advantage until they manage to escape the area. Characters with senses
might stray over the boundaries of certain players. Either way, keener than the average human’s sense of smell (that is, most
this influence is decidedly non-consensual, and a frightening animals, werebeasts in general, vampires with enhanced senses,
thing for the prey on its receiving end. people with the Merit: Acute Senses, and so forth) add +4 to
their difficulties instead. A Stamina roll may overcome this
Musical Influence (6 pts.) penalty (difficulty 7 for most people, difficulty 9 for those
You are a veritable Pied Piper of Hamlin, capable of with a sharper sense of smell); even then, however, those
leading those around you into temptation… or wherever else people feel seriously ill.
you’re looking to take them. This Advantage confers the power Like a skunk, you can spray other characters with said
to motivate, suppress, heighten or demoralize the emotions stench. This requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll, difficulty
of those who hear your music. You could be a wolf howling 7 for targets within roughly 10 feet (or three meters), +1
to terrify his prey, or a faun channeling the ecstatic powers difficulty for every 10 feet after that. Each success showers
of Pan. You call the tune, and your audience is inspired to one target with musk; until they can wash it off, your stench
dance to it as you will. follows them around, inflicting the usual penalties and making
To use this power, the player rolls an appropriate them extremely unpopular to be around. Characters without
Social Attribute + an appropriate Ability. The Traits in- a sense of smell, of course, are not affected by this miasma,
volved depend on what form the music takes, and what though it might produce a gross film of residue as well. Your
the character hopes to inspire with it. A carnal tune might smell lasts for a day or so before wearing off, and although
employ Charisma + Seduction, while beating the war-drums its worst effects inflict penalties only within 10 feet or so of
combines Manipulation + Leadership or Intimidation. You their point of origin, the pungent vapors make life unpleasant
could use some unusual combinations, too; a song that in a much larger area than that.
blends Appearance with Torture could provide an unsettling
soundtrack for delicious atrocities. Mystic Shield (Variable)
The difficulty of this roll is the target’s Willpower. Certain critters are especially resistant to magic of all
Additional successes let you influence larger groups of peo- kinds. With this Advantage, you may be one of them. This
ple. Although that influence lasts only so long as you keep resistance might come from innate anatomical properties,
playing (or singing, or whatever), its emotional effects can paranormal stability, an aura of protection cast by some force
linger for quite a while afterwards. If your audience realizes greater than human willworkers, Technocratic Primium, or
you’re playing them (so to speak), they can shrug off the effects simply a bone-deep power older and more potent than mortal
of your charm. Music’s funny, though; even when people whims. Perhaps you’re just really damned lucky. For whatever
have decided they don’t care for a given song or singer, they reason, spells slide past you, bounce off of you, fade in effect,
often find themselves haunted by those feelings long after or simply disappear.
the music ends. In game terms, you get one die of countermagick for every
Unlike Mesmerism, this power confers influence but not two points spent on this Advantage; when utilized against
command. Like Mesmerism, however, this power messes with other forms of magic (vampiric Disciplines, Garou Gifts,
people’s minds and emotions. Keep that sort of impact in changeling cantrips, and so forth), this Advantage adds +1, for
mind when using this Advantage in your game, and perhaps each two points spent, to the difficulty when other characters
check out the entry about “Questions of Consent” in How Do use such powers against you. This Advantage, however, maxes
You DO That? (pp. 119-120) before you utilize this Advantage out at five dice. (10 pts.)
with your fellow players. This protection, though, is not effortless or constant.
To use it, you must declare that your character is shielding

208 Gods & Monsters

herself from the spell. Essentially, you’re using a dodge ma- depends upon their Resonance but consuming them tends
neuver (Mage 20, p. 411), in order to avoid the spell’s effects. to be rather… bracing would be a nice way to put it. Oh, the
If caught unaware, asleep, or otherwise unable to avoid the things you do for these so-called “Awakened ones!”
enchantment, you’re as vulnerable to magic as anybody else. Game-wise, a character with this Advantage can open
his mouth and swallow certain amounts of Paradox. These
Needleteeth (3 pts.) amounts correspond to the ratings of the Familiar/Companion
Thanks to strong, sharp teeth and powerful jaws, you Background (Mage 20, p. 316), and reflect familiars with lesser
can bite through up to three levels of armor when chowing or greater abilities. In order to devour Paradox energies, the
down on prey. This Advantage enhances biting attacks only, familiar must be within arm’s reach of his mage — a necessity
and leaves gaping, bloody wounds behind. that explains a lot about the closeness between mages and
their familiars.
Nightsight (3 pts.)
You can see where other folks remain blind. So long as a Points Amount of Paradox Devoured
little bit of light remains, you can see normally. Even in total 2 One point of Paradox per month (one-dot
darkness, a roll of Perception + Alertness (difficulty 8) reveals Familiar).
vague outlines of your surroundings. Certain atmospheric 3 One point of Paradox every two weeks (two-dot
conditions (smoke, mist, dust storms, and so forth) may screw Familiar).
with your perceptions, though, at the Storyteller’s discretion.
4 One point of Paradox per week (three-dot
Despite the name of this Advantage, your “sight” might
Familiar).
involve echolocation, sensitive whiskers, tactile perceptions,
and other keen senses. Such senses, however, might not 5 Two points of Paradox per week (four-dot
function at a distance, and could be obstructed under certain Familiar).
circumstances: tangled undergrowth, conflicting vibrations, 6 One point of Paradox per day (five-dot Familiar).
having your whiskers plucked, and other hindering situations.
Quills (2 or 4 pts.)
Omega Status (4 pts.) Like a porcupine or hedgehog, you possess sharp, spiny
There’s power in being the one nobody pays attention quills. Anyone unfortunate enough to rub you the wrong way,
to. Disregarded by all but the most astute observers, you as the saying goes, winds up getting hurt. With a muscular flex
slink through the shadows of your pack or warren, apparently or two, you might also be able to fire these quills into some
inconsequential but, in truth, more watchful and conniving poor opponent’s face. And should you happen to grapple
than anyone gives you credit for being. Oh, you’re the lowest that opponent instead, your foe will be having a very bad day.
of the low as far as your fellow creatures are concerned. As The two-point version of this Advantage bestows a col-
certain humans learned long ago, however, slaves, outcasts lection of quills on the character’s skin. A high-tech character
and servants make the finest spies. might possess cybernetic needles or hidden spines instead.
Unlike the Omega Flaw (pp. 197-198), this Advantage Once activated, those quills puncture skin, often lodging
does not penalize your Social rolls. Instead, it lowers the in the target until they can be (while inflicting additional
difficulty of certain rolls – Scrounging, Stealth, Streetwise, damage) removed. A character who strikes or lands against
and Subterfuge – by -2 when you perform those tasks within that set of activated quills suffers an “attack” from the spines,
the group that despises you. Obviously, this group must be a rolling one die for each dot in his Strength and then taking
significant part of your life. There’s no point in purchasing the result as lethal damage. If he takes three health levels or
this Advantage if you’re not hanging with the pack. In large more after trying to soak that damage, the quills lodge in his
social hierarchies, though (such as a Technocratic Construct, skin and must be removed; until they are, he cannot recover
a large Tradition Chantry, a network of cultists, a Nephandic that damage because the quills keep ripping the wounds
Labyrinth, and so forth), the ability to skulk around under open, scraping muscles and organs, seeping infection into the
everyone else’s noses can be a useful talent for a character wounds, and so on. Removing the quills demands at least one
with quiet ambitions and vengeful plans. turn for each health level of damage taken. The process inflicts
an additional, unsoakable health level of damage, although
Paradox Nullification (2-6 pts.) the character can recover once the quills have been removed.
A metaphysical gift allows you to consume the energies of If the spiny character assaults another person with her
Paradox. Although this “feast of nettles” is far from pleasant, quills, the attack inflicts her Strength + 1 in lethal damage.
you may be willing to endure it on behalf a valued friend or The usual rules about lodged quills still apply. That attack
ally… for a price, of course! Story-wise, these prickly clouds demands a Dexterity + Brawl roll, difficulty 6, and counts as a
of energy resemble briars or fog lit by fireflies and strobed hand-to-hand maneuver. If that maneuver is combined with a
with strange lightning. The smell and taste of such energies successful grapple attempt, martial arts, dirty fighting, or some
Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 209
other refinement, then the quills add one automatic health organ or two if their absence won’t cause immediate death.
level of damage on top of the usual damage for that attack. And for six points, you must be burnt to ashes, dissolved in
For four points, the spiny character can shoot her quills acid, poisoned to death by sickness or toxins, or otherwise
at distant enemies, too. This attack employs a Dexterity + consumed entirely before the restoration process ends for good.
Athletics roll, difficulty 7, and fires the quills up to roughly 30 Again, this is a painful process. The Advantage does not
feet (10 meters) or so. Shields and other barriers automatically in any way alleviate the agony of losing body parts, and the
deflect the quills, however, though that layer of protection damage heals at a steady pace unless it’s being enhanced by
soon winds up featuring an impressive display of spines. other magical means. A severed finger or missing eye takes
Your character can launch one quill-enhanced attack roughly a day to grow back; damaged limbs or non-essential
for each point of Stamina she has; after that, the quills are organs take three days or so before they’re functional again,
depleted, and must be regrown, restocked, or what-have-you. and essential organs, your head, your spine, and other com-
As an optional rule, the Storyteller might allow these spines to plex, essential body parts demand a week or so. Missing limbs
inflict aggravated damage instead, for double the usual cost. will start out small and then grow back gradually (again, as
per Deadpool), and organs will function poorly until they’ve
Rapid Healing (Variable) been restored to health. Penalties for things like missing legs
Wounds don’t sideline you for long. Although you lack or blinded eyes are yours to endure, and you must spend
the startling regenerative powers of werecreatures, your body a point of Willpower in order to regrow vital organs, your
heals at an amazing rate. This Advantage accelerates the usual heart, your head, and so forth. Still, given enough points in
recovery rate for injuries. Every two points spent on this Trait this Advantage and plenty of time to heal, you can survive
moves you one category higher on the Healing Damage charts almost anything…
(see “Health and Injury,” Mage 20, p. 406). If, for instance, you Except fire or acid. If such caustic or cauterizing sub-
were taken to Mauled by bashing damage, two points would stances are applied to the injured area, you’re not growing
allow you to heal in one hour rather than the usual six hours, that part back again without some serious favors owned to
and four points would allow let you heal those injuries almost high-powered magical healers.
immediately. Lethal and aggravated damage, of course, takes
longer to heal. Even then, though, this Advantage helps you Read and Write (1 pt.)
recover more quickly than usual. Story-wise, such characters Although you’re an animal, or an alien, or whatever
remain hardy and healthy despite the battering they endure. it is you are, you’re fully capable of reading and writing in
With six or eight points spent on Rapid Healing, such crea- whatever human languages you know. If you don’t know a
tures can shrug off most forms of harm. given language, then you’ll need to learn it (via the Language
Merit) before you can read or write in it. Given your physical
Razorskin (3 pts.) form, you might have certain difficulties with, say, holding a
Like a shark, a thorny devil, or some other creature with pen, opening a book, or typing on a laptop. Assuming you’re
sharp defenses, you have skin that shreds anything that touches able to access the method of reading or writing, though, you
you. When something tries to grab you, your assailant regrets can comprehend its contents as well as any human could.
that decision immediately. If you gets hit by another creature
using Brawl or unarmed Martial Arts (that is, someone who Shapechanger (3, 5, or 8 pts.)
brings his bare skin into contact with your own), then that char- Certain creatures may change their forms in radically
acter suffers an attack of his own Strength + 1 in lethal damage. different ways. With this Advantage, your character shares
Unless you can shapeshift or otherwise cover or transform that gift. Though you’re not one of the legendary Changing
your skin, this Advantage is always active. Those wishing to Breeds, your physical body is less… established than those
be intimate with you will have to be either incredibly careful of other beings. A miraculous talent possessed by witches,
or particularly resilient. spirit-animals, totem-blessed people, certain Bygones, and
especially wise beasts, this inheritance violates “normal” phys-
Regrowth (2, 4 or 6 pts.) ics and biology, yet conforms to older laws of poetic reality.
The blood of the hydra flows in your veins… or at least, This Trait lets your character assume different forms. All
it seems that way sometimes. To an extent, you can regrow of the natural abilities of a non-magical form (wings, speech,
severed body parts. It’ll hurt, and it takes time. Given enough swimming, sharp teeth, etc.) become your character’s own
opportunity, however, your body can restore itself. capabilities, although special ones (fiery breath, spirit-walking,
The extent to which you can pull a Deadpool depends and so forth) must be purchased as Advantages. The same
upon the points invested in this Advantage. For two points, rule applies to abilities that are not natural to the new body:
you can regrow fingers, horns, claws, a tail, or some other A man who wishes to become a talking pig, for example,
secondary appendage. For four points, you can regrow gouged must still purchase the ability to form human speech with
eyes, severed limbs, a ripped-out tongue, and a secondary the pig’s anatomy.

210 Gods & Monsters

 In most cases, your Attributes and Abilities remain un- the Gauntlet. You may also be able to sense an impending
changed unless those physical characteristics are incompatible birth, or the flowering of life within the womb.
with your new form (a mouse, for instance, with a Strength With the three-point version of this Advantage, you
of 5). No other object shares your ability to change, and so have the ability to see the auras of those who will soon face
you must discard clothing, armor, weapons and so forth every and overcome death, or perhaps notice the entropic threads
time you transform. Such transformations typically demand around a person who’s headed to their doom. Such insight
one turn, although extreme shifts in size and mass might take can give you enough time to intervene, or it might just be
a turn or two longer than that. something you note and then move on with your existence.
An innate shapechanger retains her mind and personality This Advantage, sadly, doesn’t give you any sort of moral
when she changes forms. The things she knows in one body compass to go along with it.
carry over into other physical shapes. Characters who can
sense auras or perceive paranormal effects might notice the Speed (Variable)
shapechanger’s true nature with a Perception + Awareness roll, You’re a lot faster than you look. For every two points
difficulty 7. That shapechanger’s scent remains more-or-less spent on this Advantage (up to a maximum of 10 points), you
consistent through her various incarnations; she might be a add + 2 yards (or meters) to your Base Move on the ground.
wolf who smells like a woman, or a woman who smells like That Base Move can be found on the Movement Rates chart
a wolf, or a being whose smell doesn’t seem quite “natural” in Mage 20, p. 401. Thus, six points spent on Speed gives
to the body she “wears” at the time. you a Base Walk of 13 yards, a Base Jog of 18 yards, and a
The number of forms you can attain depends upon the Base run of 26 yards.
points spent upon this Advantage: If you can fly as well, this Advantage also adds + 5 yards to
your Base Fly movement for every two points spent. Therefore,
• (3 points) One alternate form (hawk, lynx, woman,
that same six points also allows a winged character a Base Fly
shark).
of 25 to 35 yards per turn. You do not have to purchase a separate
• (5 points) Any form within a limited range (cats, hu- Speed Advantage for flying, though you must have some innate
mans, birds, equines, and the like). ability (wings, levitation, etc.) in order to use that additional
speed in the air. This Advantage does not add to temporary
• (8 points) You can assume any form, although you must flight powers, such as flying carpets, levitation spells, and so on;
purchase Advantages to cover things like venom, armor, the ability to fly must be a natural part of your character first.
radical changes in size and Attributes, and so forth. Due to the heavy resistance involved, this Advantage
does not confer extra swimming speed, though an exception
Soak Lethal Damage (3 pts.) might be made (Storyteller’s option) if the character is native
Thanks to a hardy frame, thick skin, great size, elemental to the water.
materials, or some other physiological gift, you can soak lethal
damage as if it were bashing damage instead. Spirit Travel (8, 10, or 15 pts.)
Like a mage with Spirit-Sphere Arts, you can step across the
Soak Aggravated Damage (5 pts.) Gauntlet and travel into certain Otherworlds. Unlike mages,
As with Soak Lethal Damage, above, you can soak both you don’t suffer the effects of the Avatar Storm, but may be
lethal and aggravated damage. bound to only one or two of the Umbral layers. In all cases,
you must have some consistent method of passing through:
Soul-Sense / Death-Sense (2-3 pts.) stepping into mirrors, diving through reflective pools, jumping
Animals are closer to the natural processes of the uni- through fire, vanishing in a puff of brimstone, and so forth.
verse, and are often extremely sensitive to spirits and the Because this gift comes from an affinity for certain energies
closeness of death. This Advantage, therefore, provides you and essences, your character’s nature influences the sorts of
the ability to sense such spirits. You may be an animal yourself, Realms you travel into when you cross the borders. An angel
or perhaps some other being with a sense for the life-forces will gravitate toward the heavenly reaches of the Astral World,
of those around you. Dogs, cats, psychopomps, and other while a sinister kitten could step into the Underworld. Very
liminal entities frequently have this Advantage. Some people few creatures can walk freely into all of the Three Worlds, and
might be “blessed” with similar abilities, and they often work so the Storyteller may decide that certain layers or Realms
as palliative-care workers, doulas, midwives, and other folks are off limits to your kind.
with deep affinities for life and death.
Game-wise, this Advantage gives you five dice to roll
With the two-point version of this Advantage and a suc- against the local Gauntlet rating. The speed of your crossing can
cessful Perception + Awareness roll, you can sense the vampire be found below. Each crossing costs one point of Willpower,
in a crowd, the spectre lurking in the graveyard, or perhaps and it extends only to the character in question unless a mage
the Pattern Spider about to manifest on the material side of
Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 211
uses some sort of magick to “ride” your character beyond the with a successful resisted Willpower roll, block out what you’re
Gauntlet. Basic Spirit Travel lets you enter one Umbral layer: trying to say. You can talk, but they aren’t compelled to listen.
The Middle Umbra, the Astral Umbra, or the Dead Umbra. Assuming both parties want to talk, and can understand
For 10 points, you can travel into two of those layers, and 15 what the other one is saying, you’re able to silently converse
points allows you to reach all three. with one other character within an unobstructed range of sight
Successes Crossing Time (2 pts.); with one other character for each point of Willpower
you possess (4 pts.); and perhaps transcend obstacles and talk
Botch Failure, lose Willpower point or else get stuck. to characters you already know and have bonded with, even
None Failure; try again. when you cannot see each other, across distances of roughly
One Three turns to pass through. a mile or so (6 pts.).
Two Takes two turns. For organic and spirit-beings, this Advantage reflects
a psychic or spiritual communion; tech-oriented characters
Three or four Takes one turn.
may be using communication devices instead. However the
Five or more Instant crossing. telepathy is defined, outside parties cannot hear it unless
they employ a suitable method (psychic power, the Mind
Spirit Vision (3 pts.) Sphere, radio transmissions, etc.) to tap into it and spend
Although you cannot pass over the Gauntlet (unless you a point of Willpower in order to do so. You might be using
also have Spirit Travel, that is), this Advantage allows you to transmission technology, but if so, it’s not the sort of tech
perceive the local spirit world, nearby spirits, and the overall the average listener can access or employ.
“feel” of that realm beyond the mortal world. Despite its name,
this power might involve other senses; perhaps you smell the Telekinesis (3, 5, 8, or 12 pts.)
rotting presence of a Bane spirit, or hear the crackle of hellish With the power of your mind, antigravity hypertech, mystic
flames and the wails of damned souls when a demon lingers energy, or what-have-you, you can lift and — to a slight degree —
on the other side of the Gauntlet. This perception may be manipulate objects from a distance, without physically touching
shaped, in turn, by the Vidare described in Mage 20, pp. 82 them. Doing so requires a successful Willpower roll, and the
and 91; if you revel in the natural world, for example, you’ll difficulty of that roll depends upon the weight and accessibility of
be more attuned to the lively sensations of the Vidare Spiritus your target, combined with the effect you’re trying to have on it.
than you would be if, instead, you viewed the world through
the dark prism of the Vidare Mortem. Difficulty Target
In game terms, your Spirit Sight lets you sense the 6 Moving up to 10 lbs.
Penumbra in your immediate surroundings. Most times, 7 Up to 20 lbs.
this vision overlaps your perceptions of the material world, 8 Up to 50 lbs.
which can get confusing and occasionally alarming if you
stray, perhaps, into an area with a hostile spiritual landscape. 9 Up to 100 lbs.*
(A battlefield, a haunted house, a Nephandic Node, and so +1 Basic manipulation (flipping lever, opening
forth.) By taking a moment or two to focus on one realm or container)
the other, you can concentrate on either the material world +2 Fine manipulation (pushing buttons, starting car)
or the Penumbra without being distracted by the other
+3 Precise manipulation (typing accurately, driving
side. Most often, however, you seem flighty and distracted,
car**)
occasionally talking to people who, as far as most folks are
concerned, aren’t really there. The entities on the other side *Attempting to lift objects over 100 lbs. requires one Willpower
of the Gauntlet, meanwhile, can usually tell if you perceive point spent for each additional 25 lbs.
them… and they might not be happy about being so exposed. **Steering a vehicle is not the same as trying to lift it; assuming you
can get in and start the machine, your base difficulty would be 9.
Telepathy (2, 4, or 6 pts.) You must be able to see your target in order to influence
You might not be able to speak with your mouth, but it with this Advantage, and the cost of the Trait determines
you can speak with your mind. This Advantage allows, for the maximum amount of weight you can lift:
example, a sword, a horse, or a quivering pool of sentient goo
to hold conversations with anyone who understands what that • (3 points) Maximum 10 lbs.
character is trying to say. The recipient of the telepathy must
• (5 points) Maximum 50 lbs.
be able to comprehend your conversation, of course, though
certain phrases or empathic bursts may transcend a language • (8 points) Maximum 100 lbs.
barrier. (Roll Intelligence + Empathy, Etiquette, Intimidation
or other appropriate Traits as needed.) That party may also, • (12 points) No maximum.

212 Gods & Monsters

 In order to resist your activities, a character needs to break Venom/Poison (Variable)
your grip, as described under the Grapple entry in Mage 20 A sting from an insect or a swipe from a platypus spur can
(p. 421). If you want to grab someone who doesn’t want to really ruin someone’s day. Like those creatures, you possess an
be grabbed, you need to spend one point of Willpower and innate venom or poisonous touch – a weapon whose effects
then grapple them as noted in that entry, using Perception may well be worse than the injury that injected that assault.
+ Brawl instead of Dexterity + Brawl. In such situations,
Your venomous power comes attached to a particular
your Perception becomes your effective Strength in terms of
attack: claws, teeth, a stinger, barbs, needles, and so forth.
grabbing, holding, and resisting escape. If your target leaves
In order to deliver your agonizing payload, you need to
your field of vision, however, your telekinetic hold on it
penetrate your target’s defenses with that attack, and then
immediately ends.
inflict at least one health level of lethal damage after your
Tides of Fortune (5 pts.) target tries to soak it. Assuming you manage to break his
skin and inject the toxin, the damage from this Advantage
Invoking the fickle currents of fortune, you can employ
takes hold.
a combination of the spirit powers Bad Luck Charm and
Good Luck Charm. Instead of spending a point of Essence, In game terms, your Venom / Poison inflicts two ag-
you must spend a point of Willpower to confer ill or happy gravated-damage attacks from the Toxins chart in Mage 20,
fortune upon the target of your whims. For details about p. 442. For every three points in this Advantage, your toxin
those Charms, see below. inflicts one health level’s worth of injury. Essentially, those
three points purchase one level of Toxin Rating, as per that
Tunneling (3 pts.) chart. The first level strikes during the turn that follows the
You have the ability to create a tunnel in the ground. attack; the second level strikes three turns later.
You might eat the dirt like a worm, or you might burrow it For five points per level (instead of three), your poison
out of your way like a badger, marmot, or rabbit. Either way, may be delivered through skin contact rather than injury. In
you move through the earth at half your walking speed. You this case, anyone who touches your bare skin with their bare
can either create a tunnel or just push the earth out of your skin suffers the effects. Sadly, you cannot turn this attack off;
way. If you create a tunnel, it is the same size as your body. If it poisons people whether you want it to or not. In such cases,
you’re a magickal rabbit, you still only create tunnels the size hoodies, gloves and long pants are your friends.
of a regular rabbit. If you’re a giant, 10-foot tall rabbit, well… As an optional rule, the Storyteller might allow you to
it that case you make pretty large bunny warrens, don’t you? deploy a psychotropic drug (Mage 20, pp. 443-444) instead
of a damaging toxin. In this case, the drug inflicts the effects
Unaging (5 pts.) of a drug of your choice for one turn for every point spent on
You don’t age. Perhaps you’ve found a way to restore this Advantage; six points, therefore, would let you intoxicate
your telomeres, or perhaps you are just mystically reinforced someone for six turns.
against the rigors of time. Regardless of how, you don’t age.
Toxins may be treated, resisted or healed through the
This Advantage is useful for telling stories across the ages
methods detailed in the section about “Drugs, Poisons, and
and would make an interesting bridge between stories told
Disease” (Mage 20, pp. 441-444).
during the era of the Sorcerer’s Crusade and modern nights.
So, what’s the difference between a venom and a poison?
Universal Translator (5 pts.) Venom is an attack inflicted upon a victim by a poisonous
Thanks to sophisticated tech or godlike knowledge, species, while poison is a toxin that’s absorbed, ingested,
you can understand and communicate in any language you or inhaled by the victim. One could be considered active,
encounter. If you’ve never encountered a particular form of the other could be considered passive. The difference isn’t
communication before, you’ll need to make an Intelligence + important in terms of this Advantage, but mages (especially
Empathy roll in order to puzzle it out. The difficulty for this roll Technocratic ones) can get pedantic about such things.
is generally 6 but could go as high as 9 if you’re trying to sort
out an especially arcane language, like the waving fronds of a Wall-Crawling (4 pts.)
plant-spirit or the shifting colors of an alien species’ body hair. Thanks to biology, mutation, or device, you can cling
to and climb across sheer surfaces as quickly and easily as
To translate a language, you must first be able to perceive it
you can walk. This talent works without a roll or activation,
as a language. Telepathic communications or subtle symbolic
although you might need to make a Dexterity + Athletics roll
codes are beyond you unless you’re able to recognize them for
in order to hang on under extreme circumstances: icy walls,
what they are. Your understanding, too, tends to be literal
strong winds, driving rain, and similar situations.
unless you’ve had enough contact with your subjects to rec-
ognize their slang, sarcasm, cultural references, and so forth.

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 213

Water Breathing (2 or 5 pts.) To employ webbing, the player rolls her Dexterity +
Born or adapted to an aquatic environment, you may Athletics. A web-spinning character, though, can purchase
breathe as easily under water – for two points – as you breathe an Athletics specialty called Webspinning in order to hone
air above it. For five points instead of two, you don’t need to her web-based expertise. With or without that specialty,
breathe at all. If you cannot normally breathe on dry land, the chart below reflects the difficulty of various feats:
then you might purchase this Advantage in order to live as Difficulty Feat
the proverbial fish out of water. Either way, there’s not much 5 Travel up, down, or across distances on your web.
point in buying this Trait if don’t plan to spend lots of time
going from one environment to the other. 6 Craft large webs.
7 Snare foes.
Webbing (5 pts.) 8 Grab objects at a distance, or block entrances.
Like a certain do-gooding wall-crawler (or certain less-benevo-
lent predatory arachnids), you can spin webs that connect surfaces Wings (3 or 5 pts.)
and entrap enemies. That web may be synthetic or natural; regardless Put simply, you can fly. For three points, you may fly
of its composition, your webs are sticky, persistent, and strong. up to the normal human jogging speed (13 yards per turn);
Standard webbing has six soak dice, and it can take at for five, you can cover 20 yards per turn. Despite the name
least three health levels’ worth of damage before it breaks. A of this Advantage, your character does not necessarily have
victim trapped in your web must roll three successes or more physical wings — she could levitate, hover, or simply take to
on a Strength roll (difficulty 8) in order to pull free from that the skies under her own power.
webbing. At the Storyteller’s discretion, however, a stronger, For more details about flight, see Mage 20’s Flying Talent
thicker, or more-intricate web might demand five successes (p. 293), and its Movement Rates chart (p. 401).
or more before the trapped character can escape.

Spirit Charms
The unearthly powers of ephemeral entities
put most talents of mortal creatures to shame.
Purchasing Charms
Such powers, or Charms, draw upon the Essence Normally, such powers are beyond the reach of player
of the spirit, concentrating its very existence characters. Under certain circumstances, however, a Storyteller
into the force of the Charm. might allow an embodied ephemeral character who’s created
and run by a player. This is choice, of course, an optional rule,
The rules surrounding Spirit Charms can and the Storyteller is perfectly within her rights to refuse. For
be found in the Mage 20 section regarding details, see the “Familiar” entry under “Companion Types,”
Umbrood Spirit Entities (pp. 489-495). Such pp. 184-185.
powers do not invoke Paradox, thanks to the
intrinsic — if otherworldly — bond between Familiar characters may purchase Charms with freebie
spirits and the natural world. Although clearly paranormal, points for a cost of one freebie point for each point of Essence
spirit Charms tap into a deeper, more elemental aspect of that needs to be spent in order to activate that Charm. A
reality than human magick does. And while it is, in many Charm that requires three points to activate, for example,
ways, far more limited in flexibility than Sphere magick, this costs three freebie points to purchase.
spiritual energy invokes forces more primordial than humanity If the character does not have to spend Essence to ac-
and more sublime than the richest magickal Arts. tivate the Charm, if the Charm has a variable Essence cost,
As manifestations of the spirit’s intrinsic self, all Charms if it deals with luck or enduring illusions, or if that Charm
depend upon the essential nature of the spirit. A fire elemen- is considered to be “always on,” then the Charm costs five
tal, for example, won’t have the Create Water Charm, and freebie points to purchase. The exception to this rule is the
a forest-spirit won’t be able to Jack In to electronic devices. Airt Sense Charm (Mage 20, p. 490), which is free to any
Minor spirits possess five Charms or less, while greater spirits ephemeral spirit character.
command commensurately greater powers. Certain refined In addition to the Charms given in Mage 20, ephemeral
spirits might use Sphere-like powers too (as detailed in Mage characters might employ the following Charms, if the Charms
20, p. 490), but that sort of might is reserved for god-forms in question suit their nature. That suitability, in all cases, is
and the mightiest of lesser entities. essential. Although a demon might possess a Charm that lets
him heal people, a reanimated corpse is not likely to possess
such powers.

214 Gods & Monsters

 New, companion-oriented Charms include: The spirit spends two Essence points and makes a
resisted Gnosis + Willpower roll. The summoning
• Bad Luck Curse: The hallmark power of black cats and
mage opposes that roll with her Willpower Trait; a
other beasts of ill-omen, this Charm directs the tides of
wizard with Willpower 9 is a tough negotiator, but
fate and fortune to curse the ass of some beleaguered
one with a paltry Willpower 5 is easy to mislead. If
mortal.
successful, the spirit adds +2 to the difficulty of the
The spirit’s player spends one point of Essence and rolls mage’s subsequent rolls when trying to bargain with
that spirit’s Gnosis against difficulty 6. Each success on or bind that spirit until the end of that scene.
that roll changes the result of the targeted character’s
Using this Charm once on a target is easy. Subsequent
next roll into a 1. Thus, an otherwise-successful roll
attempts, however, grow harder because the mage gets
can be turned into a failure… and, if there are no more
wise to the spirit’s tricks. Each roll after the first one
successes left, but one or more 1s on that roll, into a
adds one die to the summoner’s Willpower roll as
botch.
she resists the effects of the Charm. Taftani mages,
The spirit may use this Charm as often as it likes. moreover, are completely immune to this Charm if
Pissing off a black-cat spirit, then, is a fast-track trip it’s employed by a djinni — their training helps them
to a really bad day. see through such tricks — although other spirits may
employ it normally against such magi.
• Bargain: When mortal mages keep invoking ancient
pacts and rituals in order to compel service from the For details about the bargaining process, see
spirits, those spirits need every edge they can get. This “Summoning, Binding, Bargaining, and Warding” in
Charm, a specialty of the djinn, helps tilt negotiations How Do You DO That? pp. 90-106.
in the spirit’s favor by confusing the would-be master’s
• Create Water: In a dry space, the spirit may conjure
mind. Employing a haze of esoterica (or perhaps just
a refreshing amount of water. As with the Create Fire
some well-phrased flattery or insults), the entity be-
and Create Wind Charms (Mage 20, p. 491), the
fuddles the mage and retains the upper hand.
amount of Essence spent determines the amount of
Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 215
 water conjured: one point creates about 10 gallons of A mortal host blessed with Charm by a totem, Loa,
water, while 10 points could fill a backyard swimming and so forth gets an Essence pool of three points per
pool or flood a small, enclosed area. This conjuration day for each dot in the Totem (or Loa) Background.
requires a Gnosis roll: difficulty 4 in humid areas, dif- Five dots, then, would allow the host to deflect up to
ficulty 6 in moderate dryness, and difficulty 9 under 15 health levels of damage per day, at a maximum of
hot and arid conditions. Unless the water is contained five health levels per turn.
somehow, it quickly begins to drain away.
• Disorient: By distorting a person’s perception of their
• Deflect Harm: With an invisible wave of power, the surroundings, the spirit causes that person to become
spirit deflects incoming attacks made against the spirit lost even in a familiar place. By spending a point of
or — if the spirit “lends” this Charm to a mortal host — Essence and beating the target in a resisted Willpower
the host imbued with the spirit’s blessings. Each point roll, the spirit can temporarily cloud that person’s mem-
of Essence spent by the entity blocks one health level ories of landmarks, street names, etc. For one hour per
of damage from an incoming attack that turn. success, every element of the target’s surroundings feels
This Charm deflects bashing, lethal, and aggravated strange and frightening. Shadows appear to lengthen,
damage equally well, and protects against damage words become hazy, and a pervasive sense of disorien-
caused by magickal assaults as well as it protects against tation haunts that person. It’s all in that person’s head,
physical ones. of course — outside viewers see nothing wrong. Until
the Charm wears off, though, all sense of familiarity
A spirit may employ this Charm for as long as that
disappears for the subject of the spirit’s tricks.
character’s Essence Trait holds out. A mortal host
blessed with this Charm by a spirit helper, however, Although associated with the djinn, who use it with
may deflect up to five health levels of damage per turn; devastating effect in the close streets and vast expanses
additional damage slides past the deflection effect and of their homelands, this Charm is also common among
affects the host normally. nature spirits, tricksters, and malicious entities who
feed off mortal fear, confusion, and alarm.

216 Gods & Monsters

• False Wealth: The infamous party trick of djinn and Given the spirit’s ephemeral nature, normal security
certain faerie entities, this Charm weaves illusions of programs and virus protections won’t block this Charm;
precious matter over materials that are actually worth- if, however, that computer is protected by some form
less. A handful of leaves becomes a stack of $20 bills. of magick (including Enlightened hypertech or tech-
Lead seems like gold. Shards of safety glass appear to no-spiritual wards), the spirit’s player must roll the
be diamonds. Although technology is not fooled (don’t entity’s Gnosis against a difficulty between 6 (basic
try to deposit those $20 in an ATM), mortal minds protections) and 9 (sophisticated hypertech or powerful
and senses are tricked by the spirit’s ingenuity until wards) in order to get inside. If the spirit has already
the Charm wears off and the truth is finally revealed. been cleared for access to that computer, though — as
A single Essence point conceals the nature of the the familiar for a technomancer might be — it doesn’t
materials at hand. That illusion lasts for an hour or need the Gnosis roll.
so unless some viewer or technology uncovers the
• Mirage: Another legendary power of the djinn allows
deception first, at which point the illusion disap-
a spirit to conjure illusions that mislead mortal eyes.
pears. Prime and Matter Sphere Effects cast upon the
Such powers are not exclusive to the djinn, of course —
“wealth” instantly reveal the truth, and a successful
trickster spirits of all kinds employ this Charm as well.
roll of Perception + Awareness (difficulty 9) penetrates
the Charm as well. Machines, as mentioned above, By expending three points of Essence, the spirit may con-
are not fooled at all. Generally, this Charm conceals jure a vivid illusion of whatever it desires. Although such
the nature of a handful or two of “wealth.” With a mirages can fool human senses of sight and sound, they
successful Gnosis roll, however, the entity can sim- have no physical substance, and so cannot be smelled,
ulate stacks, piles, or even a whole room filled with tasted, or felt. Animals are rarely deceived by such tricks,
wealth; the higher the difficulty, the larger the area thanks to their keen senses, and paranormal percep-
concealed by this Charm. tions and technologies (that is, sensor-tech, Sphere 1
perception Effects, vampiric perceptual Disciplines,
Because this Charm taps into human greed, a suspi-
and so forth) see through this Charm immediately. A
cious mage with a rating of 4 or higher in the Mind
character with the Acute Senses Merit, the Awareness
Sphere can make a Willpower roll, difficulty 7, to see
Talent, or both can make a Perception + Alertness (or
through this illusion. Assuming the Charm was cast
Awareness, if that Trait is higher) roll, difficulty 8, to
by a djinni, Taftani mages of any degree of ability get
perceive the flaws in the mirage and therefore recognize
to use this Willpower roll as well, as their traditions
the illusion for what it is.
warn against the tricks of the djinn. Similar warnings
allow Verbenae and other pagan mages a similar • Mislead: This fearsome ruse scrambles a person’s
chance to recognize false wealth created by fae spirits. decision-making processes, drawing them away from
On a related note, Syndicate agents are seldom fooled a reasonable conclusion and toward an error.
by such trickery, and get that Willpower roll as well.
While the target of this Charm attempts to puzzle out a
“After all,” one might say, “who’s better equipped to
course of action, the spirit spends five points of Essence
recognize real money than we are?”
to cloud the target’s judgment. The spirit’s player rolls
• Good Luck Charm: By adjusting the flow of fortune, Gnosis, with the difficulty being the target’s current
the spirit offers good luck to the object of its affections. (not permanent) Willpower Trait. One success makes an
One Essence point allows the favored character to reroll otherwise-obvious choice unclear, two successes leads
a single task, though for better or worse that character the target to a false conclusion, and three successes
must keep the results of the second roll. This Charm or more draws the target toward the conclusion that’s
can be employed only once for any given task but can most likely to have unfortunate results for the targeted
be used as often as the spirit desires. character. How unfortunate that course of action might
be depends on the malice of the spirit, the sadism of
• Jack In: Named for a rather outdated phrase, this the Storyteller, and the player’s willingness to go along
Charm allows a technological spirit to access a smart with a really bad idea.
phone or other computer anywhere there’s some form of
internet connection to that device. The Charm doesn’t • Plant Command: The spirit’s connection to plant life
work, of course, if there’s no way for it to connect to allows the entity or its favored human character to help
the computer in question. plants and fungi grow, blossom, flourish, wither, or
achieve a limited form of animation. With expenditures
of Essence, the following effects become possible:

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 217

 Essence Points Effects to temporarily revive the corpse of a human being or
other sentient organic animal. The no-longer-dead
One 1 turn duration of effect (1 pt. minimum). being is clearly not entirely alive; its skin remains pale,
One 10’ area (1 pt. minimum). its movements are stiff, and its vocalizations become
slurred, hollow, or otherwise disrupted by the stillness
One Restore damaged plants to health.
of mortality. Inspections of vital signs reveal a body
One Make dormant plants flower. that should, by all rational standards, be dead. Even
Two Double yield of edible plants within area so, the revived party retains the personality, memories,
of effect. skills, and so forth it had in life.
Normal Trait rolls for the dead party lose three dice as
Two Double mass of plants within area of effect.
a penalty from the dice pool the character used while
Two Wither plants within area of effect. alive, but otherwise function normally. An Awakened
Two +1 health level bashing damage (2 pts. or otherwise magical creature, however, will lack all
minimum) inflicted by plants’ thorns, paranormal abilities it possessed in life. If the spirit
spores, squeeze, etc. (For attack, see below.) revives a werewolf, for example, that creature will
remain trapped in the form of its birth, without the
Two +1 to attack-dice pool. ability to change into any other shape. Revived mages,
Two +10 Strength to grab and hold targets. of course, can no longer access their Avatar, Arete or
Genius, Spheres, or any other related powers. Those
Three Plants within area of effect can attack
abilities ended with the revived person’s life.
targets for one turn; base attack dice pool
is two dice (Dexterity 1 + Brawl 1), base A revival performed after sundown lasts until the next
damage is one die bashing damage, and sunrise; a revival performed after sunrise endures until
base Strength is 10. the next sunset. The spirit may cast this Charm again
on the same subject after its duration ends, but each
Three +1 health level lethal damage (as above), subsequent revival subtracts one more die from the
and all damage is lethal. roused character’s dice pools.
Four +1 health level aggravated damage (as Roused corpses return in the state they were upon
above), and all damage is lethal. death; if a revived person was crushed by a car, that
Five Spirit may allow a human host or ally to person will return to “life” still crushed. The restored
use this Charm, with a total of five Essence corpse may still feel pain (which could be pretty horri-
to spend while using it. fying if the character died in some agonized fashion),
and may be disabled or outright incapacitated if the
Five +5 more Essence that may be used by the body was mangled, dismembered, burnt, or otherwise
human host or ally. demolished. If the corpse was utterly destroyed, this
Charm will not work at all.
All costs are cumulative, and only one form of damage
may be used by a given group of controlled plants. A The spirit must expend five Essence to rouse a dead
virulent patch of toxic fungus, for example, may inflict character for the usual duration. Each additional
three health levels of aggravated damage for two turns, character roused costs another five Essence. Obviously,
within a 20’ area of effect, at a total cost of 14 Essence. this Charm is rather godlike; few entities possess it
If the spirit lends this ability to a human host or ally, at all, and this Charm cannot be shared with another
the Charm costs that entity a total of 30 Essence points. character through a Totem Background bond (or its
Loa variation).
One the Charm’s duration ends, attacking plants return
to their normal state. Flourishing, withered, flowering, or • Sand Storm: Whipping up a cloud of dust or sand,
expanded plants, however, remain in their new state until the spirit hurtles a blinding, stinging tempest in the
and unless some other factor changes that state; a hard freeze, faces of mortals unfortunate enough to be caught in
for example, would destroy a flourishing patch of greenery. its path.
This Charm works on any normal Earth-based plant A single point of Essence allows the spirit to blind one
life. Plants enhanced by Enlightened biotech or other physical opponent, as per the Blinding combat maneu-
forms of magickal alteration remain immune to this ver found in Mage 20 p. 423. For eight Essence, that
nature-spirit Charm. spirit can conjure a storm that covers an area roughly
500 feet across. The duration of the storm depends
• Rouse the Dead: Through the spirit’s intense bond
on the amount of loose soil in that area; an area with
with the souls of the dead, this Charm allows an entity
a little bit of dirt can supply a storm for a turn or
218 Gods & Monsters
 two, while a vast area filled with sand or soil can keep • Teleport: In a flash, a powerful spirit can appear any
the storm going for one turn for every point of that place it has personally visited, or else vanish from one
spirit’s Rage Trait. This storm inflicts one health level location and manifest in another (again, familiar) one.
of bashing damage for each point of Rage the spirit This power costs 10 Essence to employ, or 20 Essence
has, and blinds — for that storm’s duration — anyone if the spirit wants to take someone else with it. Each
without some form of eye protection to screen out act of teleportation costs the appropriate amount of
the flying grit. Essence, and the Charm can cross the Gauntlet with
ease, assuming the spirit already has the ability to do so.
• Sand Swallow/Sinkhole: With a wave of power, the spirit
causes sand, mud, or loose soil to open up and swallow a • Wish Fulfillment: Among the rarest legendary powers
target whole. Djinn may use this Charm only to control of the djinn (and certain other godlike entities or out-
sand, but other entities, like swamp spirits or earth ele- right gods), this Charm allows the spirit to grant a single
mentals, can command their appropriate type of soil. wish. The parameters of how that wish is granted are,
To attack the target, the spirit’s player rolls its Gnosis of course, limited in scope and subject to the spirit’s
against a difficulty of the target’s Dexterity + Alertness abilities. Save a person who’s dying of cancer: “As you
Trait. Each success sucks the target three feet into the wish it, so it is done.” Cure all cancer forever: “Much as
ground. Unless that target can break free or get dug it pains me, Master, to admit it, such things are beyond my
out by other characters, he may soon suffocate, as per humble powers to command.”
the entry “Drowning and Suffocation,” Mage 20, pp. Because humans tend to be greedy, selfish things, djinn
440-441. This Charm costs 10 Essence to employ. and other wish-granting entities often bend the spirit
of a wish to suit the wording of that wish. A desire
• Smoke Screen/Blinding Fog: Conjuring a thick curtain for great wealth brings the wishing party a fortune in
of dark smoke, the spirit confounds the vision of pathetic stolen money… and the investigators hot on its trail.
mortals in its midst. Such smoke is a hallmark power of Sure, you can play guitar like Hendrix’s ghost, but Jimi
certain djinn and elementals, though spirits of water, conditioned his fingertips to that level of stress for years,
moors, swamps, or coasts may conjure blinding fog instead. and… well, you haven’t. (If you wished for that wish in
The spirit’s player spends two points of Essence in order to those very words, a ghostly Hendrix might come back
conjure the cloud. That cloud obscures all forms of mortal and possess you — and he might not be happy about
vision, including magickal and hypertech sight, for as long being brought back from the dead to act out some dude’s
as the spirit concentrates on the cloud’s existence. This fantasy.) Djinn measure status among themselves by the
billowing curtain fills an area of roughly 10 feet square for clever ways they’ll pervert a “master’s” wish, so while
each point of that spirit’s Rage Trait. The cloud appears a djinni doesn’t have to turn a wish against its maker,
wherever the spirit wants it to manifest, and it disperses selfish wishes generally yield dire results.
one turn after the spirit stops concentrating on its presence. From a Storyteller perspective, feel free to grant said
wish the way you see fit, and say “no” if the requested
• Spirit Gossip: Heading off into the Umbra to speak to
desire would screw up your chronicle. Play fair, of
other spirits, the entity can gather information about
course, but employ a draconian sense of poetic justice
Otherworldly matters. Obviously, the entity in question
to excessive, greedy wishes.
must be able to enter the appropriate Realms and talk
to the appropriate spirits without getting smacked for its Although this Charm may raise Background Traits or
presumptuousness. A demonic imp, for instance, who bestow new ones, it cannot affect a mage’s Avatar, Arete,
wants to go quiz some angels is liable to have a difficult or Spheres. Such Traits reflect internal aspects of the
time finding anything other than a celestial beatdown. mage, not the mystic power of external entities. A mage
who wishes for insight, wisdom, mystic power, or similar
This Charm requires no Essence to cast; instead, the spirit
may receive several dots in a Knowledge or two if the
departs its immediate surroundings in search of informa-
Storyteller allows it; higher Mental Abilities, perhaps a
tion. Depending on what questions that spirit asks, and
boost of Willpower; or maybe an appropriate Merit Trait.
which methods it employs while looking for the answers,
Again, we emphasize that a djinni cannot raise a mage’s
the spirit’s player rolls the character’s Gnosis plus any
Arete, Avatar, or Spheres. The question was asked, and the
appropriate Abilities (if it has them), such as Cosmology,
answer is no.
Etiquette, Intimidation, related forms of Esoterica, and
so on. Thanks to variations of time-passage between the Granting a wish expends 30 Essence, and requires
Umbrae and the material world, this excursion might a Gnosis roll on the spirit’s behalf. Small wishes (a
take as little as a turn or two, or else as long (for a really childhood toy, a cured disease, a corrected handicap,
involved search with complications) as a day or more. and so forth) would start at difficulty 6, and rise
toward difficulty 10 when dealing with wishes of

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 219

 great scope and power (a government position, great to the same party, as in the traditional three wishes;
wealth, a loved one’s return from the dead, etc.). as people in such stories often learn, however, there
This Charm cannot be transferred to a mortal party are reasons behind the old saying, “Be careful what you
(via the Totem Background) or purchased by player wish for — you might get it.”
characters. The spirit may grant more than one wish

Suggested Resources
Gods, monsters, and strangers are everywhere. Christine, Cujo, and “Battleground,” by Stephen King.
Anyone you meet, any story you hear, any Coyote Blue, A Dirty Job, Fool, Lamb, The Lust Lizard of
interaction you have with another living thing Melancholy Cove, Practical Demonkeeping, and The Stupidest
can provide inspiration for the stories of mages Angel, by Christopher Moore.
and the people who surround them. The best
The Elementals and I Was a Teenage Fairy, by Francesca
source of stories, then, is as close as the person
Lia Block.
next to you, the cat in your window, the dog
barking across the street, or the footsteps Feed and the other Newsflesh books from Mira Grant.
coming down your hall at a time when everyone Hack/Slash (graphic novel series), by Tim Seeley and
else in your house is supposed to be asleep. various collaborators.
(Wait — you don’t hear them? Are you sure?) Seanan McGuire’s InCryptid series. For extra fun and
The Book of Secrets contains a large selection of inspi- inspiration, check out the various associated web links, Wikis,
rational media in the final pages. Other sources that inspired and fan communities for this series.
and informed our collection of Gods & Monsters can be The Island of Doctor Moreau, by H. G. Wells.
found below.
My Life with Master, a roleplaying game by Paul Czege.

Books J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Jitterbug Perfume and Skinny Legs and All, by Tom Robbins.
Nonfiction Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak.
The Book of Imaginary Beings, by Jorge Luis Borges and
Peter Sis. Movies
The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, by Judika 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later
Illes. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Haitian Vodou: An Introduction to Haiti’s Indigenous Spiritual Alien and Aliens
Tradition, by Mambo Chita Tann.
A Monster Calls
Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn, by Amira
El-Zein. A Serious Man
Ka and The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony, by Roberto Attack the Block
Calasso. The Babadook
Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Beasts of the Southern Wild
Zanzibar, by Robert Lebling and Tahir Shah. La Belle et la Bête and other versions of Beauty and the Beast
Mythos: A Retelling of the Myths of Ancient Greece, by The BFG
Stephen Fry. The Bride of Frankenstein (Although any movie with the
Writing the Other, by Cynthia Ward and Nisi Shawl. name Frankenstein in the title can be inspirational for this sort
Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, by of thing, James Whale’s seminal tragi-satire about the horrors
Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt. of identity still has teeth nearly a century after its release.)
Dark City
Fiction Dawn of the Dead (both versions) and Day of the Dead
American Elsewhere, by Robert Jackson Bennett.
Dog Soldiers
American Gods, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and the
Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Brown Girl in the Ring, by Nalo Hopkinson. Ex Machina
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
220 Gods & Monsters
 Frankenstein’s Army Pan’s Labyrinth
Frankenstein: The True Story The Secret of Roan Inish
Harry Potter (series). The Shape of Water
He Never Died Small Soldiers
Hellboy and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Splash
Her The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Hills Have Eyes (originals, remakes, and sequels.) Tokyo Gore Police
The Island of Lost Souls Trilogy of Terror, “Amelia”
The Island of Doctor Moreau (the 1977 version has a very Unbreakable
Mage feel; the 1996 version is weird as fuck) Under the Skin
Ink (Often referenced in Mage 20, but especially perti- Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
nent to this book.)
Westworld (film or TV show; both are good.)
It Follows
The Witch
Lady in the Water
Wolfen
The Machine Girl
A Wrinkle in Time
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein
Any film by Hayao Miyazaki, but especially Spirited
The greatest source of stories, though, cannot be found
Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, and Kiki’s
in media but instead in the lives we lead, the people we
Delivery Service.
meet, and the things we learn when we observe with open
MirrorMask eyes, ears, and hearts. In an age where fear builds walls and
The Neverending Story fortunes alike, the most heroic thing you can do is refuse
Re-Animator and Bride of Re-Animator to be afraid.

What a world this will be when human possibilities are freed,

when we discover each other, when the stranger is no longer
the potential criminal and the certain inferior!
— W.E.B. Du Bois

Chapter Five: Crafting Characters 221