A ROLEPLAYING GAME OF SUPERNATURAL HORROR

MATT

ATAVISM
WILDERMUTH
She awoke with an urgent thirst. The fire had died The Gamemaster: The bathroom is on the other
out, leaving the setting sun to reveal evening's side of the cabinet. What do you do?
final moments within her darkening home. Since Player (Natalie): I’m turning into my mother:
her twin sister's curt flight to Cincinnati, Natalie naive and superstitious. It’s just a wine cabinet, for
often slept away these empty hours, though the God's sake. I’m thirsty and the thing needs latched
naps offered her little comfort. Misspent moments shut. I step down the hall. Cautiously.
stretched out into wasted days, weeks, and The Gamemaster: The hinges of the cabinet utter a
months, and through the restless nights she spent long creak as the doors slowly begin to part. The
alone, they served only to remind her of the vacant smell of stale beer strengthens.
space Nichole had left in her life. Player (Natalie): “Jamie? Are you there?”
She now shared their townhouse with a The Gamemaster: The house remains silent.
roommate, Jamie, who had taken Nichole’s Player (Natalie): Okay, I reach out with my mind
bedroom off the second floor hall. Natalie crept for Jamie with Scanning. Where is she?
up the living room's staircase and paused at the The Gamemaster: Roll Intuition. Difficulty 1.
landing to listen. The house was silent, which Player (Natalie): That leaves me three dice. (Rolls
likely meant that Jamie was, mercifully, alone. Or dice to get an even number, the higher the better.)
better—gone. Reassured of her solitude, she Oh no! A four, but two threes. (Odd-numbered
worked a dry tongue against her teeth and doubles result in a negative plot twist.)
continued on to the second floor. The Gamemaster: You feel the deep pulse of bass
Padding her way across the upstairs hall she and a blur of intoxication as whiskey floods your
stopped again. The reek of stale beer was heavy in palate. Jamie is far away, and you begin to feel
the air. She hated the smell. It reminder her of her weak with fear. It has grown into Tier-1
childhood home, and of her father, whose Condition as a result of the twist. The difficulty of
drinking had been the least of the horrors he had all physical actions is increased by one.
inflicted upon his daughters. Player (Natalie): Is this just in my head, or is there
Jamie was not known to drink in the house, but something really wrong with this cabinet?
the men her roomie brought home, well, they were The Gamemaster: Roll Weird. Difficulty 3.
as apt to carry with them the time-honored scent Player (Natalie): Two dice. (Rolls) A six!
of centuries-old baseball stadiums as they were to The Gamemaster: Oh, it’s not just in your head.
leave the damn toilet seat up. You feel the definite presence of a dangerous and
She peered down the hallway. The dusking sun hungry entity. You're certain it knows you well.
had slipped through the landing’s lone window, Player (Natalie): I yell out, “What do you want?”
stretching in an orange glow, outlining a skeletal Hearing my voice crack, I realize I’m not far from
tree branch down the hardwood floor before it crying. Or running away.
was swallowed by darkness. At the furthest extent The Gamemaster: Everything is silent and still.
of this light, standing between her and the Then, from the bathroom, you hear a series of
bathroom, and its cold water, was the Heart Box long squeals, like a finger run against a mirror.
—a wine cabinet named for the twin hearts which
fronted the solid wood of its doors.
They had always kept the Heart Box latched
shut. Her mother brought it into their home in
those hazy and troubled days which had followed
her father’s departure. Not long after the Heart
Box arrived, her mom had burned a great deal of
ATAVISM
by Matt Wildermuth
sage, made the sign of the cross in the corner of Contact
each room, and told the girls to never again open wildermuth.itch.io
its doors. Tonight the doors were ajar. [email protected]
Jamie had stolen a peak inside, that’s all. She
had forgotten the latch and the doors had slipped.
She knew better. The icy wave down her spine
revealed the truth she could not speak.
THE ATAVISM CHARACTER 4 THE TRAITS 9 Standard Talents 12
Elements of Character 4 Deftness 9 Psychic Talents 12
Character Concept 4 Physicality 9 Pushing 13
Weird 9
THE ATAVISM GAME 5 Intuition 10 REVIEW 13
Paths 5 Manifestation 10
Scenes and Narrative 5 Shaping 10 TALENTS OF INTUITION 14
Villains and Mysteries 6 Aspect 10 Standard Talents 14
Compulsion 10 Psychic Talents 16
STORYTELLING ENGINE 6
Build a Dice Pool 6 SAVING THROWS TALENTS OF
Read the Dice 6 & DEFENSE 10 MANIFESTATION 19
Refocus 6 Standard Talents 19
REVIEW 10 Psychic Talents 21
STEP-BY-STEP CHARACTERS 7
JACK & MIRANDA 11 TALENTS OF SHAPING 24
Standard Talents 24
Psychic Talents 26

Acquiring Skills 28 GAINING SPIRIT 30 CHARACTER

Skill Ranks 28 ADVANCEMENT 32
LOSING SPIRIT 30
USING SKILLS 28 Spirit Actions 30 WHAT MAKES A PATH 33
Building a Dice Pool 29 Fear 31 Narrative Structure 33
Framing Moments 34
THE SKILLS 29 REVIEW 31 Prerequisites 34

REVIEW 34

COMING HOME 35
DIVORCE 35
A GOOD FATHER 36
BULLIED 36
W
elcome to the quickstart guide for on the wall where it belongs, where it will block
Atavism. In this roleplaying game, out those things that don’t make any sense in the
you are not an adventurer. No more light of day. But you have to survive to even get to
than Halloween’s Laurie Strode, who that point. And that’s what you really are.
didn’t just set out one day to battle the forces of You are a survivor.
evil. Sure, once that curtain which hangs in the
back of your mind begins to flit—the curtain THE ATAVISM CHARACTER
behind which you store all of your memories of In order to play a game of Atavism, you will need
things that go bump in the night—and affairs start to create such a character: a protagonist for the
to get weird, you’ll go on adventures. Mysteries horror story you and your friends are about to
will need solved, people saved, and evil put back tell. This text provides all the tools you need to
in its place. But an adventurer is not what you are. build a strong, motivated avatar who will function
You’re no super hero either. You’ve probably —along with other PCs—as the heart of your
noticed that you have a special talent of some game's horror narrative.
kind. Perhaps it’s a tendency to notice the things
others seem to miss, or maybe it’s your highly ELEMENTS OF CHARACTER
tuned intuition, or how you always seem to get Let’s talk about what a character looks like. What
your way, or maybe even your ability to solve they consist of. A first level character possesses:
problems when others fail. Whatever it is, you’re Twelve points to spend on traits (pg. 9).
going to have to put it to use when those things A certain number of points to spend on talents
behind the curtain come pouring out. And maybe, (pg. 12), dependent upon the values you have
just maybe, you’ll pull off something heroic. assigned to the Intuition, Manifestation, and
Like Danny Torrance of The Shining, you may Shaping traits.
have a, let’s say, ‘unique’ ability, but you’re not Five points to spend on skills (pg. 28),
exactly out to make the front page of the paper. dependent upon your character's Weird rank.
You know too much for that. If you have the gift, One point of spirit (pg. 30)
you know there’s danger in that kind of attention. One path (pg. 32)
Because some of those things behind the curtain You will determine everything else you need
are hungry, and people like you really wet their (like lifeforce, saving throws, and defenses) as you
appetites. Oh, you’ll have to use it, because those complete the items discussed above. Once you've
things, those demons, always find you in the end, developed a basic character concept, follow along
no matter how well you hide. But you’re no hero; through this quickstart guide, completing your
you’re just getting through. character sheet as you go. Simple stuff. This text
You’re just a person living your life when the also provides a step-by-step guide in character
game begins, struggling like everyone else to creation, found at the conclusion of this prologue.
overcome your personal dilemmas, hold it all
together, and—wouldn’t it be dandy—grow a bit, CHARACTER CONCEPT
when everything changes—when that curtain It’s important to have a good idea of what your
doesn’t just flit, but blows the hell open and characters are like. Think of what they may desire,
there’s no way to shut it again; not until you’ve who they care about, and how they got where they
dealt with the problem can you hang that fucker are. Without personal details such as these, your
 scenes are likely to fall flat, and you may even only way to advance characters toward greater
begin to dread your turn to play. This is all abilities and strength, is to play a path, thereby
circumvented—and the fun is created—by having placing your PC in a true-to-life scenario in which
a solid concept for your character, and of course, the GM will build tension and, when the time is
being willing to improvise. right, introduce the game's narrative.
Character concepts do not need to be complex
at heart. Perhaps your character is a cop who PATHS
covertly uses psychic talents to keep the peace, or A path is a short or medium-term goal: the thing
a secret healer working the graveyard shift as a —or things—which most occupy your character’s
nurse, or a runaway teen who has never fit in focus. Your character may have a new job, or a
because of his weird-ass abilities, or the heir to a new living situation, or some traumatic change in
successful company who yearns for bigger and circumstances; perhaps the character has a new
better things, or maybe just an average girl who is love interest, or someone or something to care for.
renovating her first home. It’s entirely up to you.
These are all fantastic concepts around which All stories—especially horror stories—are really
to build a character. However, this isn’t to say about a person with a problem. Characters in
your PC can’t have a more narrowly defined or horror media have something going on in their
even dramatic background. A father fleeing from a lives which they must face and either grow into or
group of dangerous people who wish to enslave be crushed by the weight of. Watch any horror
his daughter and feed upon her psychic energy, or classic and you’ll see immediately what I mean.
a man who has sworn vengeance after a demon Nancy from A Nightmare on Elm Street is
murdered his family, or a child with extraordinary dealing with the divorce of her parents. Dani is
power who’s a magnet for trouble —all of these heartbroken by her sister’s suicide in Midsommar.
are great ideas too. In Halloween, the bookish Laurie is left behind by
her friends, who have begun to explore their
sexuality. Amelia from The Babadook resents her
life as a single mother. Television has desensitized
the Freeling family in Poltergeist. And on and on.
Turn to the paths chapter on page 32 to learn
more about creating or selecting your character’s
path. When in doubt, reference your favorite
horror media for ideas.

SCENES AND NARRATIVE

The game will then progress scene-by-scene, with
players taken turns portraying their characters,
describing the world, progressing paths, and
striving to move the story forward, all under the
guidance of the GM.
Each scene should carry narrative weight, much
as in a mini-series or film. As such, there should
always be a reason for your scenes. Before the
game’s narrative has called your character to
action, paths will dictate each scene’s purpose.
Consider the following example of a path-focused
scene from Stranger Things:
Eleven is covertly living in Mike’s house. Mike’s
THE ATAVISM GAME parents have left for the day, offering El her first
Once players have created characters, following opportunity to explore a normal domestic setting.
first any guidelines your Gamemaster may have Her path is “Home.” You see, El has lived her life
provided, you will prepare to play your initial poked and prodded by scientists from the moment
scene and, eventually, encounter and explore the of her birth; she has never had a true home or
narrative your GM has designed. family. In this scene, Mike makes idle talk while
When that all-important first scene begins, the showing her around the house. El, though, is
scene which will set the tone for your PC, you will disinterest in Mike’s nervous chatter. She has
present your character living out his or her life in spotted photographs displayed on the family
the present tense, emulating the look and feel of mantel. Under their spell, she wanders away from
horror media. The best way to do this, and the him and takes up a picture which has especially
5
caught her eye. It is of Nancy, Mike’s sister: a Determine the success or failure of an action with
normal girl living a normal life. At this moment the following steps:
Eleven realizes with greater clarity than ever
before that she has been robbed. The people from Build a Dice Pool
whom she has escaped have deprived her of what Statistical modifiers in Atavism (related to traits,
every child should have: a caring family and a skills, talents, incidental bonuses, and difficulty)
safe, comfortable home; a normal life. It's a life determine the pool of six-sided dice a player uses
she will probably never live. Nancy looks so in order to resolve action. Reference your
pretty, like the princess Eleven will never be. character sheet to determine the sum of all
Seek out opportunities to play your Path, stay modifiers related to a specific action.
true to character, and the GM will help weave it
all together into a functioning narrative. Read the Dice
After determining your dice pool, roll the dice.
VILLAINS AND MYSTERIES The highest number rolled determines the success
Your GM is unlikely to just hand you an or failure of your actions. If the highest number of
adventure and simply set you off on a mission of your roll is an even number, you have achieved
search and destroy. No, first you’ll have to figure your end, to varying degrees of success. If odd,
out what the hell is even going on. Strange you have fallen short in some way. Sometimes
occurrences will catch your attention, though you though, something weird will happen. We'll get to
will not know what precisely they mean. People that in a moment.
may disappear, or simply turn up dead. It may be
that you will hear rumors of someone new in
town. Or some unidentifiable entity.
Roll Result
Whatever the villain or demon your GM has
dreamed up, you’ll have to follow the clues to find 6 Yes, and . . .
out what it is. And defeating it? Well, that could 5 No, but . . .
be even harder to figure out. Bullets are unlikely 4 Yes
to do the trick. How boring would A Nightmare 3 No
on Elm Street be if Nancy’s dad simply pumped 2 Yes, but . . .
Freddie full of lead? Why care about the aliens in 1 No, and . . .
Dreamcatcher if one of the guys could just finish
the job with an axe? See what I mean? This is the
logic your game of Atavism will follow.
The GM chapter in the coming edition of this The qualifying "and" and "but" statements
guide will provide material to help gamemasters in determine the degree of your success, and offer the
developing their villain and the mystery which will GM, or the players, if they are able to quickly
lead players to the final confrontation. pitch a good idea, interesting tools to develop the
scene, opening up new narrative pathways.
THE STORYTELLING ENGINE
Atavism is a game which centers around players Look for Twists
taking action. Whether speaking, searching, If any two dice in a player's pool are doubled, a
fighting, or hunting, players make choices which plot twist occurs. The nature of this twist depends
impact not only the fate of their characters, but on whether the doubled number is odd or even.
the course of the group's narrative. Your GM's Odd twists negatively affect the actions of the
narrative will inevitably force players to attempt roller, even if they rolled a six, while even doubles
actions which offer uncertain outcomes. To bring something positive to rolls as low as a one.
determine the outcome of these scenarios, Atavism
uses a game engine designed to keep players Refocus When Things Go Wrong
immersed in the roleplay experience and move the An unlucky roll of the dice does not necessarily
story at a fun, thematically appropriate pace. result in failure nor conclude your turn. If your
The goal of playing is always to craft a character possesses even a single point of spirit,
narrative which keeps every player excited and you may re-roll using the same pool of dice,
engaged. Thus, Atavism's rules are meant to serve selecting the result of your choice. The Spirit &
this purpose, rather than offering laws to obey. Fear chapter offers further details on refocusing.

6
 STEP-BY-STEP CHARACTERS 7. Lifeforce
Determine your character's Lifeforce by first
1. Name selecting the highest value attributed to either
Come up with an apt name and write it in the Deftness or Physicality. A value below two allows
same space as the character's age. two tier-1 and two tier-2 conditions, two or three
allows three tier-1 and two tier-2 conditions, and
2. Age a value of either four or five allows three tier-1
Your character may be of any life-stage from and three tier-2 conditions.
childhood to old age. The affects of age are wide The Atavism character sheet offers three of each
ranging and determined by the four age groups: tier-1 and tier-2 by default. Cross out any extra
childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. conditions with a pencil.
Traits and skills are capped for children: traits,
with the exception of Weird, may rank as high as 8. Talents
four; skills may rank no higher than one. Select and list your character's talents. The
However, children are granted a free talent: number of talents you may purchase is determined
Resilience. Resilience allows children to take one by the value of each associated trait. A rank-3
free spirit action per in-game day. trait, for example, offers three points to distribute
Adolescents are free from the trait restrictions among talents associated with that trait. The
of childhood, but have not yet honed skills above potential to use psychic talents is determined by
the rank of two. Teens are granted the free talent your character's Weird value.
of Malleability. Teens may use Malleability once
per in-game day to lower the cost of pushing a 9. Conscious & Psychic Energy
talent by one. Find more details in the talents Conscious and psychic energy determine the
chapter on page 13. number of talents your character may use before
Adults may follow Atavism's standard rules of resting, and the power of these talents. Psychic
character creation, while elderly characters receive energy is determined by the value assigned to
a physical defense one point lower than standard Weird. Each point of Weird offers one point of
rules allow. Their minds are tough, however, and psychic energy.
Mental Defense is increased by one point. Weird also determines your character's amount
of Conscious Energy (on a scale of one to six), but
3. Traits in an inverse ratio to the Weird score. A Weird-0
Distribute twelve points among the traits: character, for example, has access to six points of
Deftness, Physicality, Weird, Intuition, CE, while a Weird-6 or -7 character is allowed no
Manifestation, Shaping, and optionally an Aspect points of Conscious Energy.
and/or a Compulsion. Each trait, with the
exception of Weird, is initially capped at five. 10. Skills
Distribute five points among the skills. Skills are
4. Trait Modifiers capped for first-level characters: players may rank
Write the value and modifier for each trait on one skill at four. Both age and Weird will also
your character sheet. A rank of zero offers no alter your character's skill points and caps. Select
modifier, the modifier of one or two is one, of your character's skill ranks, filling a number of
three or four is two, of five or six is three, and a circles equal to the individual skill's value.
rank of seven grants a modifier of four.
11. Path
5. Saving Throws & Initiative Create or select a path based upon your character
List the value of each of the three saving throws: vision. List the path's three beats of narrative
Deftness, Physicality, and Vitality. Deftness and structure and at least seven framing moments. Fill
Physicality throws are determined by the modifier in a circle each time one beat or framing moment
for both associated traits, while Vitality is is completed during gameplay.
determined by the highest modifier among
Intuition, Manifestation, and Shaping. Vitality is 12. Gear―Signature Item
added to 1d6 when determining initiative. Choose one item with which your character will
begin the game. This item will grant a dice pool
6. Mental and Physical Defense bonus of 1d6 to any related rolls. Your item may
Mental defense is determined by the highest be the fishing pole your father gave you, a lucky
modifier among Intuition, Manifestation, and hat, a skateboard, or a .357 Magnum; whatever
Shaping. Physical defense is determined by the you can reasonably argue as appropriate for your
highest modifier between Deftness and Physicality. character to possess.
7
 The signature item with which you choose to 13. Spirit
start the game will not make or break your Your character begins the game with one point of
narrative nor ensure your character's ultimate spirit. Fill in a circle to give yourself this point.
failure. You, your GM, and the other players at Remember to erase circles as spirit is used or lost.
your table will continually populate the world When spirit decreases below zero, begin filling in
with other items as your game progresses. or erasing fear when appropriate.

8
TRAITS Overview Attributes

P
layers are allowed twelve points to Physicality
disperse among traits, praise the (game) This trait denotes physical predominance. Use
Maker. Carefully spreading points physicality to throw a punch, take a beating, and
according to a character concept will allow shove away the demon which is polluting your
players to create just about any horror story pallet with its rancid breath.
protagonist they can dream up. A sleuthy teen Certain ranks of Deftness and Physicality allow
girl? Check. A developmentally stunted child who characters to take on extra physical conditions:
has been blessed extraordinary psychic power? 2-3 +1 minor condition
You got it. A rough-around-the-collar cop with a 4-5 +1 minor condition, +1 medium
heart of gold? Of course. But there is a catch: with 6-7 +1 minor conditions, +2 medium
the exception of Weird, players may only spend
up to five points on any individual trait. Weird
Traits are measured on a scale of zero to seven, This trait represents attunement with the
and are then associated with a modifier. Modifiers supernatural and measures the depth of psychic
are used to determine the size of a character's dice abilities. Use Weird to determine and make use of
pool when attempting to perform any action with conscious and psychic energy and to notice the
an uncertain outcome. The modifiers are as presence of supernatural forces and beings.
follows:
Psychic Energy
Psychic Energy(PE) determines the number of
psychic talents a character may use before either
Rank Modifier resting or pushing. The talents chapter offers
further details on pushing, and the associated
0 0 conditions a character may take on.
1-2 1 With the exceptions of Weird-6 and -7's, your
3-4 2 character is able to use an amount of psychic
5-6 3 energy equal to the Weird rank. Weird-4's, for
7 4 example, may use four points of psychic energy
before either resting or pushing.

THE TRAITS Conscious Energy

Conscious Energy (CE) governs the number of
Deftness standard talent points your character make use
This trait represents skillfulness in the use of the prior to resting. Weird determines your character's
hands or the body. Use deftness to sprint upstairs CE on a scale of one to six, in an inverse ratio to
when you should be going out the front door, the Weird score. A Weird-0 character, for
handle firearms, and to avoid the grasp of a cold example, has access to six points of CE, while a
hand in the dead of night. Weird-7 character is allowed no points of
Conscious Energy.
 Weird-6 and Weird-7 aid in representing this trait. Add 1D6 to your
The rarest of characters. Psychic abilities and dice pool on any roll related to an Aspect.
encounters with the supernatural dominate the
lives of these extraordinary people. Weird-6 and Compulsion
-7's are seldom able to hold jobs unassociated Compulsions are phrases which represent laws of
with psychic talents, and almost never do these a given character’s nature—something they must
characters build a family. do whenever the opportunity presents itself. A
Such prodigies struggle through early life, police officer with a heart a gold may have the
hoping more than anything to keep their heads compulsion “must help those in need,” for
above water on their dark and stormy internal instance. Atavism rewards each act of compulsion
seas. To say they “miss out on a lot” would be the which is detrimental to your character—such as
understatement of the century. But those who do bringing about a significant inconvenience or
survive grow into a force to be reckoned with. putting the character in harm’s way—with one
As such, Atavism offers Weird-6's only eleven point of spirit.
trait points and Weird-7's ten, leaving either four
or three after dedicating points to Weird. SAVING THROWS & DEFENSE
Weird-6's may select two traits among Atavism's three saving throws—Deftness,
Intuition, Manifestation, and Shaping in which to Physicality, and Vitality—are determined by the
invest four points each when selecting psychic traits Deftness, Physicality, and your characters
talents. Weird-7's are allowed five talent points in highest trait among Intuition, Manifestation, and
two of these traits. Shaping. Saving throws are performed using the
same dice pool modifiers as offered by your
Intuition character's rank in these associated traits.
This attribute represents the ability to attain direct There are two types of defense: Physical and
knowledge or cognition without evident rational Mental. The greater attribute among Deftness and
thought and inference. Use intuition to perceive Physicality determines physical defense, while the
the inner-workings of others and to conduct greater of Intuition, Manifestation, and Shaping
investigations. Intuition allows the use of standard determines your character's Mental defense.
talents such as Call it a Hunch, Empathy, and
Investigator, as well as psychic talents such as REVIEW
Clairvoyance, Mediumship, and Telepathy. Twelve points to distribute among traits
Five max trait rank for first level characters
Manifestation with the exception of Weird (max seven)
This trait portrays the ability to project inner Aspects, Compulsions are optional; one each
strength—to ‘manifest’ one’s will in the real
world. Use manifestation to alter opinions,
entertain, and to generally impact other living
beings. Manifestation allows the use of standard
talents such as Banter, Connected, and Try Me, as
well as such psychic talents as Domination,
Psychic Infiltration, and Remote Viewing. Trait Represents

Shaping Deftness Skillfulness in the use of one's

This trait signifies the ability to alter and give hands and body.
particular form to reality. Use shaping to set traps, Physicality Physical prowess, strength, and
survive in the wilderness, and to tinker, fix, and durability.
refine. Shaping allows characters the use of Weird Attunement with and awareness
standard talents such as Driver, Inspiration, and of the supernatural.
Skilled, as well as such psychic talents as Energy Intuition Awareness and perception; also
Transferal, Firestarter, and Telekinesis. used to conduct investigations.
Manifest. Force of will. Used to change
Aspect minds, entertain.
Each aspect is a phrase which represents an Shaping Alter and give form to reality.
important element of your character’s Used to set traps, fix things.
background. Aspects are best used to refine skills Aspect A phrase used to represent an
beyond what is otherwise possible during important background element.
character creation. If your PC is a prodigy in the Compulsion Phrase used to represent a law
arts, educated in software design, an Aspect will of your character's nature.
10
JACK & MIRANDA Miranda
The characters Jack and Miranda are about as Before her father's death, Miranda was known as
different from each other as two characters can the "smart girl" at school. After his passing her
be. Jack is a man dogged by a rough past and mother found a new spouse: the T.V. The
talents he never wanted. Miranda is a smart but situation became even worse with her brother,
socially isolated teen with a complicated family who seemed to return to their isolated farmhouse
and big dreams. Let's take a look at how their merely to eat and sleep. So little Miranda played
players distributed trait points in order to carry alone and lived on dreams. Now she's the "weird
out these character concepts in the game. girl." She isn't a psychic or anything that out-
there, but she knows more than most that we are
Jack not alone, that we go on after death. She's seen it.
Who wouldn’t want to peer into the future from Smart and artistic with a penchant for getting
time to time? To see what's coming, and to her nose where it doesn't belong thanks to her
prepare for it; hell maybe even help some people natural curiosity, Miranda is highly intuitive. A
along the way. But let me tell you, brother, this score of five seems like a solid starting point.
talent hasn’t done Jack a damn bit of good. In She is also attuned to the supernatural, despite
fact, all it’s ever brought him is trouble. The having no abilities of her own—not yet, anyway.
stuff's just bad luck, and, frankly, it scares the shit Two points of Weird, and the associated +1
out of people, helpful or not. modifier, seems to accurately represent Miranda's
Jack possesses a precognitive talent, so his supernatural awareness.
player will need to invest points in Intuition first Miranda's Manifestation score should be low,
and foremost. After reviewing the talents but she isn't completely inept socially. A score of
available, his player settles on a score of four. one will allow her to grow into +1 Manifestation
Now that Jack's Intuition is high enough to modifier if her path leads her to develop this trait
select the appropriate talents, his player needs to as the game progresses.
ensure his Weird score works with the character Having invested eight points to successfully
vision. Jack's precognition is useful enough to cover the character's primary concept, it's time for
cause him trouble, but he's no prodigy, so three her player to improvise. Shaping offers a fun idea:
seems like a good number for Weird. given the complete lack of supervision and
Jack's psychic abilities now covered, his player assistance in her home, Miranda probably had to
needs to delve into Jack's personality to distribute learn how to do just about everything herself. Bike
the remaining five points. After some thought, it needs repaired? Bathroom sink stopped up? Well,
becomes clear that Jack must be a persuasive that's on little Miranda. A score of three gives her
speaker in order to convince others of the truth of a +1 modifier to Shaping checks and offers the
his visions. He'll need a Manifestation score of at opportunity for quick growth in the future.
least two to receive the +1 bonus to his dice pool, With only one point left, Miranda's player
but he's a loner, so no higher than that. decides to toss it into Deftness. Miranda is all
With three points left, it's starting to seem potential, and this is another area in which she
important to give him something in the way of a could grow into a better modifier in the future.
physical capability, so the player decides the Distributing Miranda's trait points in this
bookish Jack has developed an odd hobby as a instance has not only allowed an in-game
means of distracting himself from his fulfillment of her player's character vision, it has
disappointments: he loves to hunt. A Deftness of actually expanded the character. Miranda's life is
two should cover it. brimming with potential and uncertainty. Maybe
That leaves one trait point to distribute. It she doesn't quite know who she is just yet. This
could go into his Manifestation trait, but so high may be kept in mind while developing her first
a score seems contrary to Jack's solitary nature. A path, and could be so central to the character's
solution is found in developing an aspect: Jack is development that her theme of inner ambiguity
"oft trusted, seldom loved." may become a path in itself.

11
TALENTS Overview Psychic Energy Pushing

D
arkness is out there, my friends; believe Atavism offers these very real talents in three
it. However we may speak of "evil" disciplines, each under the sway of one of three
with a self-effacing grin, as if to traits: Intuition, Manifestation, and Shaping.
apologize for our silly superstition, and There are standard talents—which, while
however hokey the old world religions may seem powerful, have less of a supernatural appearance
when they talk about their Evil One, there is —and full-on psychic talents.
something—some tangible ill will wreaking its Unless your character is a Weird-6 or 7, the
havoc on the world. rank of a given trait dictates the points which may
It sucks the innocents dry; it compels the weak be spent when purchasing talents. For example, a
to sop up hatred with their thirsting hearts, then character with four ranks of Manifestation and
wring the things out, dripping acid at every turn. three ranks of Shaping is allowed four points to
It has no mercy; it laughs at your screams; and it spend on Manifestation talents and three to spend
is hungry—hungry for you. Human spirit is the on Shaping talents.
finest meal it has found on this planet. Spirit Weird-6 and -7 characters receive four or five
which it likes to spice just so with some good old points to spend in two of the three talent
fashioned fear, right before it takes everything you categories: Intuition, Manifestation, and Shaping.
have and everything you are.
But there's also light. Believe that too. There's Standard Talents
love, there's forgiveness, and maybe there's Each discipline offers trees of standard talents,
something else—something beyond the kin of man which are governed by conscious energy. If you
—which heals and offers us aid in our time of are planning to play a character with no
greatest need. recognizable psychic abilities, standard talents is
Christians speak of prayer and God, New Agers where you will select special abilities, though these
go on and on about energies; but what do we talents are available to all characters. Weird also
know? Whatever it truly is, we do know this: it's determines the amount of Conscious Energy your
given us something to fight back the darkness. character may expend before resting. The lower
And I don't mean hugs and kumba-fuckin-ya; I your Weird, the higher your Conscious Energy.
mean talents so fundamental to our nature that Weird-0's possess a total of seven points while
we don't even realize they're there. The modern Weird-6 and 7's have none.
world names these abilities "psychic powers."
Most people are in utter denial about this sort Psychic Talents
of thing. We may feel burdened by the psychic When it's time to set the world on fire—literally,
weight of those around us—to such a degree that if that's your cup of tea—your character will burn
we just shut down part of ourselves at work—or points of psychic energy. Weird determines the
we may have some weird knack which allows us amount of psychic energy each character
to somehow feel what's on someone's mind. But possesses. A Weird-3 character, for example, has
psychic powers? Come on. Psychic talents just do three points of Weird to use before pushing or
not exist. Period. This stuff can all be explained resting. In order to rest, your character will need
away as good old body language, or whatever the to either sleep or meditate. If there's not time for
hell you want to call it. repose, you may push your talents.
 Pushing
If you have depleted your character's pool of Pushing for Greater Conscious Energy
energy or need to impel talents beyond your The first two points of Conscious Energy pushed
character's current capabilities, you will need to require your character to take on the same
push. It's a useful tack and, in some cases, succession of conditions as Psychic Energy pushes:
necessary, but not without risk. Each push a headache followed by fatigue. The third point
burdens your character with a condition. pushed, however, may result in being bedridden
rather than suffering a stroke. A percentile die is
Pushing for Greater Psychic Energy rolled in the same fashion as with Psychic Energy.
If you are pushing a talent because your Any characters who suffer the bedridden
character's well of psychic energy has gone dry, a condition are immediately incapacitated and must
push of one point is accompanied by a tier-1 remain in a state of rest for one week. This effect
condition: a headache, which lowers all Traits by renders these unlucky characters incapable of
one. The second push, or a push of two points, is taking on any physical activities, but does not
a tier-2 condition: fatigue, which lowers all traits leave you entirely out of play. You may converse
by two. A roll of the dice determines the result of with other characters and, if the process is
any third push point. A percentile die is used in initiated by someone else, communicate
such cases. If your roll higher than 20%, the telepathically. You may also use any mental skills
character receives another tier-2 condition: a faint. or talents reasonably played from such a position.
The faint lasts for the rest of the scene and the
player's fatigue condition worsens upon Pushing for Greater Standard Talents
awakening to -3 on all traits. If the result of the Characters may push for standard talents higher
roll is 20% or less, the player has a stroke. up any tree in which you have previously invested
points. This useful ability is, however,
accompanied by the same succession of conditions
as pushes for greater conscious energy.
Push Condition Tier
USING TALENTS
1 Headache (-1 traits) 1 Many of Atavism's talents do not require a roll of
2 Fatigue (-2 traits) 2 the dice. In such cases, players need only state the
3 Fainting Spell (-3 traits) 2 intent to use a specific talent, roleplay its use, and
or Stroke 3 mark off the amount of conscious or psychic
energy expended in the process.
Talent tree ranks determine the amount of
energy required in order to bring a talent into a
Strokes are a tier-3 condition, which at least play. A tier-1 talent, for example, costs the player
incapacitates the character for a lengthy time. The one point of energy.
degree of your character's stroke is again Talent trees are also put to use when playing
determined by a percentile die. If the result is any talent which requires a roll of the dice. A tree
higher than 33, the stroke incapacitates the player in which you have purchased three talents offers a
for weeks (exact timeline determined by GM), but dice pool modifier of three, even when using a
if the result is 33 or lower, the player dies almost tier-1 talent. This is then added to the related trait
immediately: leaving just enough time to say modifier and any positive or negative bonuses,
goodbye. and, when applicable, target defense ratings.

Pushing for Greater Psychic Talents REVIEW

Sometimes we have to push ourselves to greater Acquire talents through a point-buy system,
heights than we’ve ever accomplished before. as with traits and skills.
When such a moment comes, PCs may use talents Individual trait ranks determine the talent
from higher up any tree in which they have points available in each discipline.
previously invested points. These pushes are also Each talent is purchased at the expense of
accompanied by conditions, the degree of which is one point.
determined by the degree of the push. A push of Players may not purchase talents higher in a
one step up a talent tree is accompanied by the given tree unless the character already
tier-1 condition listed above; two steps by tier-2; possesses Talents lower in that specific tree.
and 3 steps or more gets the same stroke Weird-7's possess 5 points to spend in two
treatment as previously discussed. of the three disciplines.

13
 TALENTS OF INTUITION
Intuitive talents aid in obtaining knowledge which Other Intuitive talents assist in both protecting
is otherwise unavailable. Talents of Intuition offer and healing the mind and spirit. By engaging in
proficiency in the inward abilities, such as sympathetic dialogue, Intuitives may relieve
conducting investigations, perceiving the inner friends of mental and spiritual conditions, or, by
workings of others, communing with the dead, summoning a spirit guide, these characters may
testing a plan's viability, and even telepathy. heal themselves of the same afflictions.

STANDARD TALENTS Doubt MAN-3 TIER-4

Intuition offers three trees of standard talents: Few understand emotion as well as you, and this
Empathy, Inspection, and Perception. knowledge is accompanied by an intuitive grasp of
motivation, fear, and doubt—and you can turn
Empathy your words into weapons against human foes.
The Empathy Talent tree allows your character to Instill Doubt over the course of one scene or
heal targets of mental conditions and recover combat encounter in order to inflict progressively
Spirit points. In its highest tier, your character worse levels of the associated mental condition.
may transform Empathy into a viable weapon Again, doubt builds progressively; the condition
against human foes. may not skip to higher levels without first
developing prior conditions. The three levels of
Sympathetic Ear TIER-1 Doubt are as follows:
Like a bridge over troubled water, you are always Doubt I, a tier-1 condition
there to guide. Your friends seem to walk away Doubt II, a tier-2 condition which
from your conversations unburdened and decreases the target's attack roles by 1d6.
rejuvenated. This is because you are able to Pacification, a tier-1 condition which causes
recover a target's Spirit by spending one scene in the target to surrender and removes prior
conversation. Doubt conditions.
Use Sympathetic Ear one scene on one person In order to use Doubt, you must first make one
per day to recover Spirit by one point, up to +2. successful use the Insight skill against the target.
Perform this check at any time before or during
Soothe TIER-2 the combat encounter.
Your intuitive understanding of the healing power Once you've established Insight and
of conversation has grown with experience. You encountered your mark, roll an Intuition check
are now able to heal conditions. against the target's MD. The results are as follows:
Use Soothe for one scene on one person per day 1 No, and you may not attempt Doubt
to recover one tier-1 or -2 mental condition. against this character again.
2 Yes, but each level of Doubt now
Share Burdens TIER-3 requires an extra round.
As your powers have grown, so too have the 3 No, you do not establish Doubt. You
burdens of empathy. You are now able to heal may try again.
either the mental conditions or Spirit of a group of 4 Yes, Doubt is established.
up to four, but it comes with a cost. 5 No, but each level of Doubt now requires
Use Share Burdens one scene on up to four one less round to achieve.
people per day to recover either a point of Spirit 6 Yes, and the first level of Doubt is now a
or a tier-1 or -2 mental condition. In doing so, you tier-2 condition.
take on a tier-1 mental condition yourself: fatigue. Subsequent attempts to progress Doubt require
This effect lasts for 48 hours. further Intuition checks against MD and are
accompanied with the same results. Any repeated
results are altered at the GM's discretion.
AND Doubt's final level, Pacification, may not render
a target unconscious or dead. Rather, the first two
conditions are removed and Pacification remains
as a tier-1 condition. Once pacified, a target may
not re-enter combat against you or your friends
unless compelled by a person or entity with the
power to do so.
14
 Inspection Perception
The Inspection talent tree assists your character in The Perception talent tree allows your character to
seeing the unseen, examining an area for clues, sense deception, form inferences of character, and
and developing hunches from disparate leads. uncover the truths others seek to conceal.

A Keen Eye TIER-1 Bullshit Detector TIER-1

Everyone sees essentially the same things when You possess a keen sensitivity to falsehood. If
examining a room or a person, but most seem to someone is lying, you tend to know.
notice so little in what they see. Your attention to Use Bullshit Detector to receive a 1d6 bonus on
detail allows you to spot the anomalies and an Insight check in order to find out if someone is
subtleties others cannot. attempting to deceive you.
Use A Keen Eye to receive a bonus of 1d6 on
any Investigation check at any time. These may Tells TIER-2
relate to a scene indoors or outdoors covering the Your acute sensitivity to the needs of others allows
are of one typical room, one person's appearance, you to intuitively sense motivations. Everyone has
or attempts at casing a building. their tells, and you know this well. With one look
you can discern what it is which someone is really
Elementary TIER-2 looking for in your conversation.
While A Keen Eye offers a bonus for investigating Use Tells to receive information about a specific
a particular scene for anomalies, Elementary offers person or entity's motivations. The depth of
you the chance to ask the GM a question related information revealed is determined by an Intuition
to all that you have uncovered. check, to which you receive an extra 1d6.
Use Elementary to pose one question related to
one specific scene. The amount of detail offered, as Deductive Psychology TIER-3
well as its accuracy, is dependent upon an Your keen intuition is aided by a great deal of
Intuition check. Your roll is treated as the answer experience. Your understanding of the mind now
to the question, "will I receive the requested info?" allows you to uncover personal information from
the details of a scene.
Blood Hound TIER-3 Use Deductive Psychology to uncover a person's
Expend your pent-up energy to investigate an emotional state, personal details, history, habits,
entire scene rather than one particular room. motivations, and attitudes when examining a scene
Use Blood Hound to receive a bonus of 1d6 on or series of events. Roll an Insight check to which
all Investigation checks taken during the scene in you receive an additional 1d6 in order to form
which this talent is activated. your deductions about the target's psychology.
The Science of Deduction SHAPE-3 TIER-4 Like a Book MAN-3 TIER-4
Gathering clues is merely the first step in the It's one thing to detect a lie or sense a motivation.
investigator's work and, unfortunately, the point It's quite another thing to instinctively know
at which most cease their efforts. You however exactly what someone is attempting to hide. With
have gathered the experience and insight necessary your talent and experience, you can read people
to discern an investigation's implications, allowing like a book, revealing precisely the information
you to perform incredible leaps in logic. Yet you others wish to conceal.
have found your mastery of this art is dependent Use Like a Book to discern the information
upon the presence of a muse. another tries to hide with an Intuition check, to
Use The Art of Deduction to discover the series which you receive an additional 2d6.
of events which either lead up to or immediately
followed the scene which you are investigating.
Role an Investigation check to discern if you have
AND
enough information to begin forming a theory.
At this point begin discussing the scene with a
friend or friendly co-investigator. Any questions
posed to you—related to your choice of what
happened either before or after the action of the
scene—may be answered by the GM following an
Intuition check. This effect is active for the
remainder of the scene.

15
PSYCHIC TALENTS to most of us this is little more than a fun
Intuition offers four trees of psychic talents: speculation. But you, you are able to do just that
Clairvoyance (and its five distinct disciplines), and take a little peak into the future. The visions
Mediumship, Spirit Guide, and Telepathy. are intense and leave you, to all appearances, in a
catatonic state.
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyant talents allow characters to gain Touch Knowing DISC.
insights and knowledge into events they either did The past is indeed entombed in the present, and
not witness first hand, or did not fully understand. you can prove it. By touching an object—a
At higher levels, they allow characters to manifest necklace, a door, a dead man's shirt—you are able
their visions in reality. to learn about the people, animals, and… other
For characters with at least one rank of Weird, sentient beings with whom the object has been in
Clairvoyance expresses itself in one of the recent contact.
following five disciplines: Automatic Writing,
Clairvoyance, Divination, Precognition, and lastly Extrasensory Perception TIER-1
Touch-Knowing. The images, feelings, and narratives we simply
After selecting the discipline of your liking, you intuit with our traits may offer an incredible
gain access to the Tier-1 clairvoyant talent: ESP. wealth of knowledge. Sometimes, however, that
Your discipline may be further enhanced by just isn't enough. Sometimes everything hinges on
purchasing higher clairvoyant tiers. one simple question. With the Extrasensory
Perception talent, your character can channel his
Automatic Writing DISC. or her abilities in order to discern the answer to a
When the moment feels right, you begin writing. Yes or No question.
Words flow from your pen. Dreams and fears,
nonsense and squiggles scrawl across the page. Focused Sensing TIER-2
Then the writing begins to take on a life of its Use Focused Sensing when attempting to gain
own, and messages which seem to come from information not otherwise available. If your friend
somewhere or someone else begin to appear. has disappeared without a trace, this talent allows
you to ask one specific question, such as, "where
Clairvoyance DISC. did he drive his car?" Determine the answer with
Far down, beneath the clutter of day-to-day an Intuition roll. The result of your roll is treated
minutia, beneath the broken dreams, the half- as the answer to the question, "will I receive the
remembered joys of childhood, down underneath requested information?" The degrees of both
it all—there’s a well from which you draw. detail and accuracy are dependent upon the
Information you have no business knowing is precise result of your roll.
pulled out of that abyssal sea within, and you just
somehow know things. Web of Fate TIER-3
You know what they say about the best laid plans
Divination DISC.
of mice and men: they oft go astray. With this
The symbols swirl around us every day, played particular talent you may discern just how astray a
out in real time by unknowing actors, and plan is likely to go.
materializing in the dark of the night while we Thoroughly outline your short-term intentions
sleep. Eternal images. Artists use these images to and put your discipline of Clairvoyance to use in
express the deepest truths and questions of human order to discover the likely outcome of any course
experience. But you use them a little differently. A of action your character may take.
question is asked. The deck is shuffled. Cards are The GM will privately roll an intuition check
pulled. You quiet your mind, lay the symbols on for your character in to determine the accuracy
the table before you, and listen. and power of the vision you will receive. Odd
Divination may be performed with tarot cards, numbers will result in inaccurate or fruitless
runes, scrabble tiles, or, hell, by consulting the information; the precise result of the roll will
bones—whatever you can dream up. determine the degree of your vision's accuracy and
usefulness to the group..
Precognition DISC. A result of six, while lending an accurate and
They say time is no more than a tool used by the precise answer, may also overpower the character
human mind to order its reality. A window of with its intensity. Roll a Vitality save to determine
perception, you could say. But what happens if you have the wherewithal to keep the power of
when you throw that window open and view the the vision in check. If failed, the character will
world in its interconnected reality beyond reality? take on a condition, such as fatigue.
16
 Projection MAN-3 TIER-4 Mediumship
Clairvoyants with three ranks of Manifestation or Mediumship Talents allow characters to commune
more may use their discipline to alter reality by with the departed, including poltergeists. These
declaring an event and watching the web of fate talents are used to obtain information, effect the
conspire to make it real; in other words, by departed with conditions, and at higher levels to
focusing willpower into your ability, you may banish such beings from the mortal realm.
transmit rather than simply receive.
For example: Bill, an automatic writer with the Medium Tier-1
Projection talent, may write a zone of protection The recently departed linger briefly in this physical
into being: a place where evil may not enter. Or, world. They usually stay for four days. Others—
perhaps, finding one of his friends severely those who have been unable to pass on due to
wounded, he may write the wound out of unfinished business or due to madness—transform
existence. He may also inflict a Tier-2 condition of into poltergeists and then haunt a home, a hotel,
his choosing upon any physical being. or any location of personal significance.
Atavism limits Projection to the altering of You are able to call on both the recently
conditions and to statistical alterations of 1d6, departed and poltergeists in order to pose one yes
whether in bonuses or detriments. As such, or no question per in-game day. A direct question
Projection may not simply put an end to your compels these beings to answer truthfully within
game's narrative or conflicts; you may not will a their realm of knowledge.
simple conclusion to your game into being.
Psychophoner Tier-2
Your gift allows you to channel the voice of a
GHOSTS
AND
ghost or poltergeist. Those present may ask any
question, which the entity will answer with your
POLTERGEISTS voice. As discussed in the Medium talent, these
beings are unable to answer with an intentional
lie. However, the detail offered is dependent upon
an Intuition check. The GM will treat your roll as
an attempt to answer to the question, "will I
receive the requested information?"

Not There Tier-3

It can feel as if we are no more than subject to the
whims of the non-corporeal once such beings are
determined hurt us. These apparitions not only
frighten us: they can do us real harm. What can
most people do? Shoot a poltergeist? You,
however, can fight back.
By focusing your abilities, you can simply will a
particular apparition to leave you the hell alone
for one in-game day, and become immune to both
physical and mental attacks for three days.

Physical Medium SHAPE-3 Tier-4

Many know our world is inhabited by ghosts,
poltergeists, and other non-corporeal entities.
Some few receive messages from these beings.
Fewer still may engage in direct communication
with such forces. But even these people are often
unable to physically interact with the non-
corporeal, even when their life depends on doing
so. You, however, are able to do so by compelling
them to make a temporary appearance as physical
entity, and vulnerable to attack. This effect lasts
for an entire scene.

17
Spirit Guide Telepathy
The good; it's easy to forget, or even to flat-out Telepathic talents allow characters to commune
deny, but, it's always there, involving itself in the telepathically, locate people at any distance, and,
course of events. Spirit Guide talents allow you to at higher tiers, to both shield themselves and their
tune that spiritual radio inside your noggin to the friends and inflict enemies with mental damage.
forces of good which will then guide you along
your personal path and your game's narrative. Telepathy Tier-1
The form this entity takes is entirely up to you. You are able to receive the thoughts of those
For some it is a spirit animal, for others it is an around you. The flow of deeper motivations and
angel. The only limit is your imagination. emotions is unclear, but active thoughts—you can
read those like a book. First make a successful
Healing Presence Tier-1 Intuition check to use this talent.
When you're truly in need you may call upon your
spirit guide to appear before you. A warm light Mindlink Tier-2
emanates from its presence, extending through Reach out to any entity with whom you have
space and into your heart. Pure goodness washes come into contact in order to communicate at any
over you and cleanses both body and mind. at any distance with telepathy. You are able to
Use Healing Presence once per in-game day to hear the intentional communications of the other
heal yourself of one of the following: person or entity and with a successful Intuition
Two tier-1 conditions check against the target's Mental Defense, you
One tier-2 condition may probe for unexpressed thoughts as well.

Spirit Guide Tier-2 Scanning Tier-2

Upon the journey of your life you may find the Sense the location of any person or entity with
straightforward pathway has been lost. Call upon whom you have already come into contact. An
your spirit guide when you can no longer find the Intuition check is required. Your roll is measured
way to the achievement of your goals; this guide against the challenge rating of the task.
will lead you in the right direction once per day. Receive an additional 1d6 in Scanning attempts
by holding an item on which the target has left an
Lucid Dreaming Tier-3 emotional or spiritual imprint. If accompanied by
When questions need answering your spirit guide a photograph, such an item will allow you to Scan
will appear in a dream, offering a vision to answer for those you have not personally encountered.
any direct question. The detail offered by your
vision is dependent upon an Intuition check. Your Mind Shield Tier-3
roll is treated as the answer to the question, "will By focusing your mind you may block out all
I receive the requested information?" mental attacks for one round and increase your
mental defense rating by one for two in-game
Spirit Convection SHAPE-3 Tier-4 hours. This second effect is also granted to any
Spirit guides are powerful beings. Your uniquely friendly person or entity located within the same
personal connection to your own guide allows you room when you use this talent.
to draw upon this heavenly spirit. Light charged
with the pure, warm energy of the good rushes Mind Lash MAN-3 Tier-4
from your fingertips into any target, doing harm Your ability to access the minds of others now
to those bold enough to threaten you. allows you to channel your ill intent into another
Use Convection to inflict any being with your being, doing serious damage.
choice of one of the following conditions. The Inflict any target with either of the following
effect is automatic and does not require a Ranged tier-2 conditions: Bound in Pain or Mind Lash.
Combat check. Bound In Pain leaves both physical and non-
Binding Light, which renders the target physical entities unable to act for two rounds.
incapable of using any psychic abilities for Mind Lash surges pain through physical beings
two rounds of combat. and, if you wish, will banish non-corporeal
Light Lash, which surges pain through any entities for up to one in-game day.
physical being in the form of a tier-2 By expending another point of psychic energy,
condition. you may either use Mind Lash to banish any
Fear of the Good, which banishes any non- demon for up to one day or deal a Mind Lash
corporeal entity for one in-game day. condition a second time.

18
 TALENTS OF MANIFESTATION
While Intuitive talents aid characters in their own Other Manifestation Talents assist in projecting
internal realm of thought and spirit, talents of the will and spirit into the tangible world. By
Manifestation offer proficiency in effecting the engaging in banter, manifesters may heal their
minds of other players and NPCs: changing friends of mental conditions. Such characters may
beliefs, inspiring allies, creating illusions, forming also project into the material world to view
useful connections, and controlling minds. distant locations.

STANDARD TALENTS Rapier Wit INTN-3 TIER-4

Manifestation provides three trees of standard Few understand the power of humor as well as
talents: Banter, Connected, and Influence. you, and this knowledge is accompanied by an
intuitive grasp of motivation, fear, and doubt—
Banter turning your ribbing, badgering, and mockery into
The Banter Talent tree allows your character to true weapons against human foes.
heal targets of mental conditions and recover Instill Doubt over the course of one scene or
Spirit points. In its highest tier, your character combat encounter in order to inflict progressively
may transform wit into a viable weapon against worse levels of the associated mental condition.
any human foes. Again, doubt builds progressively; the condition
may not skip to higher levels without first
Comic Relief TIER-1 developing prior conditions. The three levels of
You possess the gift of gab. Your witticisms, Doubt are as follows:
jokes, and intentional buffoonery always seem to Doubt I, a tier-1 condition
unburden and rejuvenate your friends. This is Doubt II, a tier-2 condition which decreases
because you are able to recover a target's Spirit by the target's attack roles by 1d6.
spending one scene in light-hearted conversation. Pacification, a tier-1 condition which causes
Use Comic Relief on one person per day to your target to surrender and removes prior
recover one point of Spirit, up to +2. conditions of Doubt.
In order to use Doubt, you must first make one
Cheer TIER-2 successful use of the Insight skill against the target.
Your intuitive understanding of the healing power This may be performed at any time before or
of humor has grown with experience. You are during the combat encounter, even weeks prior.
now able to heal conditions. Once you've established Insight and entered a
Use Cheer for one scene on one person per day combat encounter, roll an Intuition check against
to recover one tier-1 or -2 mental condition. the target's MD. The results are as follows:
1 No, and you may not attempt Doubt
Shaare the Looad TIER-3 against this character again.
As your powers have grown so too have the 2 Yes, but each level of Doubt now
burdens of your abilities. You are now able to requires an extra round.
heal either mental conditions or Spirit of a group 3 No, you do not establish Doubt. You
of up to four, but it comes with a cost. may try again.
Use Shaare the Looad one scene on up to four 4 Yes, Doubt is established.
people per day to recover either a point of Spirit 5 No, but each level of Doubt now requires
or a tier-1 or -2 mental condition. In doing so, one less round to achieve.
you take on a tier-1 mental condition yourself: 6 Yes, and the first level of Doubt is now a
fatigue. This effect lasts for 48 hours. tier-2 condition.
Subsequent attempts to progress Doubt require
further Intuition checks against MD and are
accompanied with the same results. Any repeated
results are altered at the GM's discretion.
Doubt's final level, Pacification, may not render
a target unconscious or dead. Rather, the first two
conditions are removed and Pacification remains
as a tier-1 condition. Once pacified, a target may
not re-enter combat against you or your friends,
unless compelled to do so.
19
Connected Influence
The Connected tree allows your character to form The Influence tree aids your character in taking
networks, obtain private information, and call in the lead. Offer compatriots statistical bonuses and
useful favors at the right time. perform greater feats when working as a team.

Intel TIER-1 Attentive TIER-1

You have a knack for making the right kind of As a natural leader, you've learned to pay careful
friends. You are able to create a network of attention to those whom depend upon you. The
connections after spending one week in an area. knowledge gained from this experience has given
These networks often reveal information you insight into the inner-workings of others.
otherwise unobtainable. Use Attentive to roll the Leadership skill when
Use Intel to name a connection from whom you attempting to perform Insight.
may uncover useful information. Play a scene in
which you converse with this connection. You Calming Presence TIER-2
may ask the GM to reveal the answer to one yes Your determination and leadership abilities seem
or no question to uncover any information not to put others at ease. Fears alleviate and spirits
revealed by the use of skills. raise in your presence.
Use Calming Presence to temporarily restore a
Oral History TIER-2 point of Spirit for up to four people. This effect
The influence you hold over your connections has lasts the span of one scene.
deepened. You may now call on one connection
per game session to provide intel via an oral Sparkplug TIER-3
history, dependent upon the result of a dice roll. Whatever 'it' is, you have it—and have proved it
Use Oral History to receive a thorough answer time and time again. People look to you for
to any question. Determine the answer with a direction, and you know just what to do. Anyone
Manifestation check. The result of your roll is following your orders receives a statistical bonus.
treated as the answer to the question, "will I Declare your intention to use Sparkplug at the
receive the requested information?" The degrees start of any scene in order to offer friends a bonus
of both detail and accuracy are dependent upon of 1d6 whenever they perform any action at your
the precise result of your roll. suggestion. This talent sustains for an entire scene.

A Request TIER-3 Captain SHAPE-3 TIER-4

Perhaps it is due to your charm. Or maybe it's the There's much more to leadership than inspiring
fear you strike into others. Yet again, it may be others: people look to you to get things done. You
the social influence you wield. Or, hell, the good are a true captain; you know how and when to
deeds you perform. Whatever the case may be, push your talents to their extreme.
people within your network are willing to make Use Captain once per in-game day to receive a
things happen at your request. free push up any talent tree in which you have
Use A Request to call in a favor once per in- previously invested points. A tier-1 talent may
game day. These favors must be moderate and now become tier-4, regardless of prerequisites, for
unlikely to result in a felony conviction. the length of one use.

Bellwether SHAPE-3 TIER-4

Characters with at least three ranks of Shaping
may use their social influence to direct the actions
AND
of large groups of people. By calling in a favor
with the right person within their network, the
occupants or employees of a precise location, or
the local police force, or a specific group of people
will band together to accomplish a task.
Use Bellwether to summon the physical
presence and assistance of up to five people. In
order to accomplish this feat, you must spend a
scene convincing the group or their leader.

20
 PSYCHIC TALENTS Body Snatch SHAPE-3 TIER-4
Manifestation offers three trees of psychic talents It's an awful thing to do, but desperate times call
from which you may choose: Domination, Psychic for desperate measures. With this talent you may
Infiltration, and Remote Viewing. take complete control of a target's body, as if you
were piloting a meat-ship.
Domination Roll against the target's MD to establish Body
Few know just how pliable the human mind really Snatch. Once secured, Body Snatch offers you
is. Domination allows you to influence minds with both the target's body and physical stats. Your
just a little. . . push. In its highest tiers it offers the own corpus is left prone for the duration of this
ability to completely control another's body. talent's use, so it's best to ensure you've left
yourself in a safe place.
A Little Push TIER-1 This talent's effect may last as long as you can
Render any subject vulnerable to suggestion with sustain control. The target attempts to boot you
just a little push. Convince a security guard to let once in every scene. Should your character become
you pass, an enemy to lay down his weapons, or distracted by combat, your victim may make one
even encourage a witness to bury a memory. extra push to escape control. The GM makes this
Use A Little Push to offer a target any one effort by rolling an Intuition Save for the target.
command. This talent's use is treated as an attack.
Roll Manifestation against the target's MD(mental
defense) in order to gain access to the mind. The
only thing standing in the way after a successful
roll is your imagination, with one caveat: A Little
Push may not force characters to take actions
directly detrimental to their physical welfare; nor
can you force characters to physically harm
anyone. Not yet, anyway.

Physical Illusion TIER-2

If a piece of paper doesn't say quite what you need
it to, or if you don't have enough money, or if you
need an ID card on the double, you have the
know-how to alter one item.
Use Physical Illusion to alter one character's
perception of one item. This effect lasts for one in-
game day. Unlike A Little Push, this talent does
not require a roll against mental defense.
If you wish your illusion to work against any to
whom it comes into contact, you must roll a
Manifestation check.

Domination TIER-3
You can now offer targets any command. Force
people to jump from a roofs, fall immediately
asleep, or shoot their best friend in the world.
Your targets will do as you say, or die trying.
In order to use Domination you must first
succeed against the target's MD. Once successfully
rolled, Domination gives you control for one scene
or, when in combat, two rounds.
While Domination is handy for its user, the
target is prone to an unfortunate long-term effect:
reverb. The target of Domination must roll a
Vitality save. If failed, the command reverberates
through the mind again, and again, and again,
until the uttered phrase becomes a complete
obsession, and their interpretation of this
command, its source, and its implications comes
to dominate their entire existence―until death.
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Psychic Infiltration Mental Illusion TIER-3
Within the mind of every man, woman, and child When information isn't forthcoming, or when
there is a place a of serenity to which we may someone is putting up a greater fight than you
retreat in dire times, and where the gathered would prefer, this talent allows you to create
knowledge of a lifetime is secretly stored. Psychic mental illusions which prey upon the target's
Infiltration allows you to access this sacred place vulnerability. Perhaps they'll find themselves
in others, and to there work your will. Look for speaking with their beloved grandmother, or the
future editions of the Atavism quicktart guide and brother who died when they were only children.
the full Atavism RPG for more information on And everything suddenly gets a whole lot easier.
The Room of the Mind! But it doesn't stop there. Why not make them
believe they're drowning? Or being stalked by
Psychic Infiltration TIER-1
some horrific creature? And, of course, you can
The world turns on an unknown fulcrum. As the make it all just go away with a snap of your
vertigo slowly passes, you find yourself in place so fingers—if they give you what you want. Then
private that the very act of entrance may seem a again, you could take a happier route and conjure
profane violation, whatever your intentions. While up the image of a loved one who has one teensy
here you may gain access to secret information. little question which needs answered.
You must first roll Psychic Infiltration as an Your Mental Illusion may last as long as you
attack against the target's MD to enter the can sustain the effect. While your target loses their
person's mind. You go unnoticed until the ability to completely kick you out of their mind
moment you take any action which bears the when under the control of an illusion, the target
possibility of failure. Every time you roll the dice, does have the opportunity to realize the truth of
your target is given a chance to notice your your fake once every scene. The target may try to
presence with a Vitality save. Not that they're escape Psychic Infiltration after realizing the truth.
likely to have any idea what the hell is going on In order to use a Mental Illusion, you must first
even if they do notice you, but they'll know establish Psychic Infiltration. Once you've entered
something is up. Once your target has become the target's mind, you must declare the nature of
aware of your presence, another Vitality save is your illusion and then perform a Manifestation
made in an attempt to boot you out the door. If check, to which you receive an additional 1d6 as
you manage to go unnoticed, Psychic Infiltration part of your high-level Infiltration talent.
may sustain for the length of one scene, during Information is then accessed, or deeds performed,
which your body is left prone and defenseless. or promises made.
Every room of the mind is different, as different
as are the people who have unknowingly created Spirit Devour INTN-3 TIER-4
them. For some, it's the bedroom of their When you have infiltrated someone's mind, this
childhood. For others, it's the park where they talent allows you to perform the ultimate act of
found true love. Whatever it is, it always, and I vampirism. But it's not blood you feed on. Oh no.
mean always, has information. In fact, it has all It's their very spirit. For every successful use of
the information gathered over the course of that this talent, you take a point of spirit from your
person's life. With a successful role, this talent target, and an incidental bonus against the victim
may be used to ask one question per turn of play. of +1d6 for the length of one scene.
But the information isn't just there for anyone
to grab. People are trickier than they know, and Offering INTN-3 TIER-4
find ways of hiding things. Each attempt to use You have found you may enter another's mind
this talent is treated as a question: will I find the with relative ease, and when you're there, well, the
information I seek? possibilities are pretty much endless. You can
While useful and, eventually, deadly, Psychic make use of memories as veritable libraries of
Infiltration does not imply safety for its user, even precious information. You can even bolster your
if your physical body is carefully defended by own spiritual reserves by. . . borrowing some of
friends. Any harm done to you by your target your victim's. And what a rush that is. But what if
impacts your actual body and mind. you could give something while you're there?
Offering allows you to sacrifice your own Spirit
Psychic Infiltration TIER-2 to another, thereby boosting a friend's capabilities
You cannot yet cause physical harm from wildly. You may offer Spirit even after your
another's mind, but you may now use non-combat reserves have sunk into the realm of Fear. In fact,
skills and talents against your target with ease. if you truly need to, you can give away every bit
Once you've entered the target's mind, all non- of Spirit you have and slip away knowing you've
combat skills and trait checks gain a 1d6 bonus. given your life for a good cause.
22
 Remote Viewing
The room is silent as you close your eyes and
focus on your breathing. Thoughts meander AND
through your mind, and you watch them pass like
strangers on the street. Eventually your mind goes
silent as well. That's when the images come.
Images of far off places. If you possess enough
power, you may begin to visit those places and
even interact with dreams.

Lucid Dreaming TIER-1

The trick is realizing you're asleep. Once you have
that, the entire dream world is yours. While there
you may find the answer to one question, with the
usual results determined by a roll of the dice.

Remote Viewing TIER-2

This talent allows you to mentally view a location
of your choice at any time. But time, time's the
problem. Maybe what you're seeing is how the
place looked yesterday, or a century ago, or
maybe how it will look in fifteen years. You just
can't know. However, you can find things, and
people for that matter, and that is damn useful.
Perform a Manifestation check in order to
determine how close you came to the desired time.

Astral Travel TIER-3

The astral world is, like they say, an echo of our
own. Not like in Stranger Things, where some
demonic being has tainted the place, but silent.
Too silent. Here you can fly across the globe if
you wish, and slip in and out of minds like there
was nothing to it.
Astral Travel grants the same effects as Remote
Viewing, but with two alterations: you are in the
present time and the plane which you travel is the
psychic realm. There's no need to perform Psychic
Infiltration to enter someone's mind; you're
already there. Any action taken in your astral
body is granted a +1d6 bonus.
Shadoweaver SHAPE-3 TIER-4
Dreams made reality. Usually that's some
motivational speaker's schtick to swindle the
money out of your wallet. With some people,
however, it's something quite different. With this
talent, you are able to pull any item or
supernatural entity from a dream or the psychic
realm into the real world―the world of flesh and
blood, the world of life and death. In order to
accomplish this, you must achieve 'physical'
contact with your target.

23
 TALENTS OF SHAPING
Shaping talents allow characters to alter the Other Shaping talents allow players to develop
physical world with both standard and psychic healing abilities, move small objects with
abilities. Talents of Shaping offer proficiency in telekinesis, propel items at powerful speeds, create
mastering skills in a chosen field, surviving the gravity barriers, and, if powerful enough
wilderness and honing instincts, as well as manipulate objects of massive size. Shapers may
cultivating a favorable relationship with luck. move objects out of phase or create raging fires.

STANDARD TALENTS Proficiency

Manifestation provides three trees of standard The Proficiency tree allows your character to
talents: Luck, Proficiency, and Survivalism. specialize in a particular skill, become adept in the
use of multiple skills, and at the highest tier to put
Luck the knowledge of a proficient skill to use in other
The Luck tree allows your character to freely temporarily mastering other skills.
refocus, survive sudden dangers, turn negative
twists into advantageous scenarios, and, at its Aptitude TIER-1
highest level, influence the luck of friends. You are particularly talented in the use of one
skill. Perhaps you are a keen shot, or have
Opportune Moment TIER-1 mastered survival skills, or a fantastic driver.
Felicitous chances seem to seek you out. At every Whatever your proficiency, it is inherent and
turn, you see moments in which you may easily therefore does not require purchase during
try again where you've failed before. character creation.
Use Opportune Moment once per in-game day Use Aptitude out of play to freely purchase one
in order to refocus without incurring a Spirit cost. rank-3 skill, allowing you to spend skill points in
other areas when building a character.
Pennies from Heaven TIER-2
When the unpredictable burdens your friends; Skilled TIER-2
when malevolent forces lie in wait; when the body You have developed yourself into a highly skilled
and mind grow weak; when your instincts are all machine. This dedication has allowed you to
that stand between you and a premature death; in surpass your peers in multiple areas of expertise.
these moments, lady luck bestows her blessings Use Skilled to increase your skill cap. Whereas
upon you—and you survive. first level characters are allowed at most one rank-
Use Pennies from Heaven to succeed at any 3 and two rank-2 skills, you may have up to two
saving throw once per in-game day. rank-3 skills and three rank-2 skills. This does not
increase your total skill point pool, however.
Twist of Fate TIER-3
Even the very best suffer poor luck now and Gifted TIER-3
again. A perfect shot may bring about unintended Things have always come a little easier for you.
consequences. For you, however, this is rarely so. You handily accomplish tasks which challenge
Use Twist of Fate to turn all rolls which result your peers. With the Gifted talent, this is because
in either a negative twist or a failure to your you are able to temporarily expand the trait linked
advantage in the form of a positive twist. This to your proficient skill.
effect lasts for one in-game day. Use Gifted once per in-game day to increase the
modifier of the trait which governs your
Four-Leaf Clover MAN-3 TIER-4 proficiency by one. This effect applies to all dice
Your good fortune exudes from you, bestowing its pools which may be reasonably associated with
blessings upon any with whom you share a goal. that particular trait for one scene.
Use Four-Leaf Clover to share the single-use
benefits of Twist of Fate to any characters during Polymath INTN-3 TIER-4
one scene. Your proficiency is such that you may freely apply
its knowledge to the use of other skills. Use
Polymath to increase the dice pool of any skill to
match that of your proficiency. Put this single-use
talent into play once per in-game day.

24
 Survivalism
The Survivalism tree allows your character to
freely refocus when using survival skills, treat
wounds with proficiency, hone instincts, and
befriend a dependable and dedicated pet.

Prepared TIER-1
It's taken years of trial and error. Hunting,
studying local flora, honing every potential
survival skill imaginable, but you're pretty much
there—when the shit hits the fan, you can survive.
Use Prepared once per in-game day to freely
refocus any roll of the Survival skill or any action
reasonably associated with survivalism.

Field Medic TIER-2

Having treated innumerable wounds small and
large, you've learned the essential methods of
caring for the human body.
Use Field Medic once per in-game day to use
Healing as a Shaping rather than Intuition skill.
This effect sustains for the length of one scene.

Keen Instincts TIER-3

Experience in survival scenarios—even simulated
—does something to your instincts and reflexes. A
certain awareness is honed which allows you to
sense and react to danger before others have even
figured out something is up.
Use Keen Instincts at any time to improve all
saving throws and initiative rolls by 1d6. This
effect sustains for the length of one scene.

Man's Best Friend INTN-3 TIER-4

When the stakes are high, a trusty companion can
be the difference between life and death. You have
found such a friend in an animal. This may be any
pet—a dog, a bird, a cat. The only caveat is that
the animal may not be an exotic, powerful beast,
such as a tiger.
This talent is not triggered on use like other
talents: your companion's presence is dictated by
role playing and the game's narrative. That is,
unless he or she meets an unfortunate fate.
You may play your pet as a separate character.
The animal is allowed its own saving throws,
initiative rolls, and turns of play. This companion
is also built through a point-buy system similar to
with human characters. However, the stats are
limited to traits. You may distribute six points
among the eight traits. This must be done under
the guidance of your GM to ensure the character's
statistics are sensible. Be sure to keep careful track
of these stats, preferably on the back of your own
character sheet. One final note: your companion's
lifeforce is limited to two tier-1 conditions and
one tier-2.

25
PSYCHIC TALENTS Firestarter
Shaping offers four trees of psychic talents from Pyrokinesis is the rarest psychic talent, and thank
which you may choose: Energy Transferal, God for that. Not only is it exceedingly rare, it is
Firestarter, Out of Phase, and Telekinesis. also unlike other psychic abilities in that it offers
only tier-3 and tier-4 talents.
Energy Transferal
Within the secret reality beyond—or within—the Firestarter TIER-3
tangible world, there persists an incessant flow of Some knack has emerged within you, a
energies: lifeforce, luck, psychic energy, fear, preternatural ability, or a feeling, you could say,
spirit. Energy Transferal grants characters of just how to concentrate upon an object or
awareness of these forces and the ability to alter living being until it bursts into flame. All tier-3
this flow to suit your needs. fires initially cause tier-1 conditions upon contact,
but these burns turn into tier-2 conditions if they
Healing Hands TIER-1 last for more than one round. Tier-3 conditions
If you and your target are able to enter a calm or develop if the victim is in contact with the fire for
meditative state—candles, incense, some slow and more than three rounds.
peaceful synth track with Eastern bells; none of At this tier, every attempt to start a fire is
that stuff is really necessary, but it does help accompanied by a twist. To determine whether the
apparently—you may put your energy awareness twist is positive or negative you must roll a
to use in the form of healing. Shaping Check. Odd numbers bring negative
Use Healing Hands to remove a target of one twists while even numbers offer positive twists.
tier-1 condition.
Firestarter MAN-3 TIER-4
Martyr TIER-2 At this tier, you have mastered your fires, which
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that are no longer automatically accompanied by
energy is always conserved, it cannot be created or twists. Your fires also burn hotter. The initial
destroyed. When healing minor conditions, this condition is tier-2, and burns its way to tier-3
doesn't come into play, but with tier-2 you are after two rounds. But even your fires are not hot
forced to take some of that bad juju back within enough to last long on stone or metal. Flammable
yourself as a tier-1 condition. Things get a little items, however, will continue to burn and spread
dicey when healing tier-3 conditions; you are at the GM's reasoned discretion.
forced to take back the energy back in the form of
a tier-2 condition.

Evil Eye TIER-3

Healing is not the only benefit of mastering energy
transferal. Once you have the right knack, you can
look into another's eyes—whether person, animal,
or supernatural entity of unknown origin—and
perform other tricks.
Use Evil Eye to either curse someone with Bad
Luck—a tier-1 condition which adds a negative
twist to each of your target's successful rolls for
one scene—or Good Luck, which grants a positive
twist to all negative rolls for one day.

Transferal INTN-3 TIER-4

Transferal grants a hyper-awareness of energy.
You know at-once the details of someone's
physical and spiritual health (conditions and
sprit/fear).
Along with this perception, you are able to alter
existent energies like no one else. Conditions,
psychic energy, fear, spirit―you shift it all from
person to person, and even into or from yourself.
The only restriction is how much you can transfer:
one piece of energy per use.

26
 Out of Phase Telekinesis
Between being and non-being; between tangible If you had been older when this talent first
and intangible; between there and gone—there is a appeared, it would have seemed impossible. But
realm, or state, an in-between of which few are these things first express themselves in the very
aware. You have somehow, some way, gained young, and, at that age, you just believe, man.
access, and are learning to manipulate the real Besides, the evidence was right there, a fucking
world into and out of phase. crayon floating right before your eyes.

Resonation TIER-1 Telekinesis TIER-1

It doesn't come easy at first, but with a It takes some concentration, but with Telekinesis
concentration of energy, you may resonate a you are able to move small objects with your
physical object out of phase for up to either one mind. The item in question may be no heavier
scene or two rounds of combat. This talent applies than what may be lifted with one hand. You can
to any non-living object smaller in size than the do more than just move things, too. Unlock doors,
average human being. pilfer items from pockets or even vending
machines, you get the picture.
Transmission TIER-2
You have come to realize that objects in the in- Telekinesis TIER-2
between state are subject to movements Your talent has grown over time, and with this
determined by the human mind. You may now tier of Telekinesis you are capable of moving
simultaneously touch any small item out of phase heavier items, and people; anything which may be
and teleport it to a location within your line of lifted with two of your hands. You are also
sight. The item may remain out of phase for the capable of halting quickly moving objects in their
same length of time offered by Resonation. tracks: a fist, a stone, slime from some demonic
being, just nothing quite so fast as a bullet. The
Phase Out TIER-3 use of this talent grants your character an
Your phasing abilities have strengthened to the additional point of Physical Defense against
degree that you may now phase out living beings anything you are capable of moving or stopping.
—yourself included. Characters phased out retain
a sense of the phenomenal world, but may not Telekinetic Thrust TIER-3
physically interact with this plane. The phased are Turn any object within line of sight and of no
visible only out of the corner of the eye, quickly more than 10 pounds into a deadly weapon. With
dismissed as a mirage. Any attempts at sneaking the use of telekinetic ability, project objects with
around while in-between are bolstered with a dice unnatural speed at a chosen target. You can now
pool bonus of 2d6. increase your physical defense against bullets and
Placing a target out of phase results in the other fast-moving objects as well. This talent also
initiation of combat and may sustain for up to allows you to lift heavier objects; anything less
three rounds. With each round your target than 1,000 pounds.
attempts a Vitality save to break free.
Gravity Barrier MAN-3 TIER-4
Disintegrate MAN-3 TIER-4
With Gravity Barrier, you may lift any object
Your control over the state of objects and living which weighs less than 3,000 pounds. You are
beings placed out of phase now allows you to also able to increase the Physical Defense of
concentrate your force of will into destruction. yourself and anyone within five feet by two points
You can now tear apart anything or anyone for two rounds. However, you are unable to take
you've phased out. any other actions while sustaining this talent.
Disintegration of items occurs automatically With Gravity Barrier you may also control the
with the use of this talent, but it's a little more physical movements of any person, animal, or
difficult to rip living beings out of existence. This entity for two rounds. This requires a Shaping roll
action required a Shaping check against the against the target's Psychic Defense. If your roll is
target's Physical Defense. A successful role beings successful, Gravity Barrier grants an initial round
the three-round process of destruction. Your of physical control. If this move is made out of
target is granted a chance to escape your grasp combat, your target must make a Vitality saving
each successive round with an Intuition save. throw. If successful, the target is aware of your
Disintegration's first round brings a tier-1 actions and combat is initiated. You may sustain
condition. The second a tier-2. A third round the talent for a second round if your target fails a
results in death as the target is torn apart. second Vitality save.

27
TALENTS Overview Psychic Energy Pushing

T
he seven Traits represent fundamental Skill Ranks
aspects of character; they are the Skills are ranked in four levels. Each level
elemental loom of happenstance or, if represents a dice pool modifier of +1d6 on any
you prefer, fate. Skills however represent action reasonably associated with a particular
your character’s learned aptitudes; they are the skill. The applicability of a certain skill to a
consequence of choice and experience. certain action is ultimately decided by your GM.
While compelling personalities and interesting A rank of zero represents a lack of training.
backgrounds enrich horror stories, inspiring us to You may put rank-0 skills to use, but rolling such
care about the narrative and what happens to the a skill is risky and swingy: you may conjure up
people involved, it is ultimately what characters some beginners luck, but you're just as likely to
do which best displays who they are. shoot yourself in the foot. Literally, in some cases.
As your game progresses scene-by-scene, with Rank-1 skills imply your character is an
characters playing their paths and unraveling the experienced practitioner. Such characters may
mysteries your GM has designed, you will have received beginner's training in the use of a
eventually reach a dramatic moment when particular skill, or have developed aptitude
something must be done—when a character must through a minor degree of self-training.
fire a gun, or build a trap, or convince someone to Rank-2 is indicative of considerable experience.
share essential information—it is at this time that These characters are veterans in the use of a
skills are put to use. particular skill, whether through professional
While it is essential to consult your GM when experience or self-training.
choosing the skills in which your character has Rank-3 represents near mastery of a skill. Such
specialized, it is your prime duty to select skills a character is widely regarded as one of the best in
which best represent how your character will the chosen field; this is one to whom others come
solve problems. If your character is specialized in for advice and training.
Manifestation and is most likely to put Charm to A rank of 4 represents the best of the best. Such
use when attempting to get his or her way, don't characters will rarely, if ever, fail in the use of
concern yourself with how or when this skill will their chosen skill. For example, a character with
come in handy: it is the GM's duty to provide four ranks in Healing commands the skill level of
your character with the opportunities to showcase a tested surgeon.
your preferred problem solving methods.
USING SKILLS
Acquiring Skills Players build dice pools in order to make use of
As with traits, skills are purchased through a Skills. Declare an action, roll the dice, determine
point-buy system. Each of the four ranks after results, and move the story forward. "I do yada
zero requires an investment of one point. Atavism yada, the dice say yada yada, so yada yada." But
offers five points for players to distribute in skills it's all so dull if players rush down the path of
for most first level characters possessing a Weird mechanical gameplay.
score less than six. Read more on Weird-6 and Like any game, Atavism has rules. There are
-7's on pages 9 and 10. some things you can do and some things you
Players acquire more Skill points as characters can't. Rules provide the structure which makes a
advance in level. Read about levelling on page 32. game a game, but rules are not what makes your
 game of Atavism fun. The fun is in telling a good THE SKILLS
horror story with your friends. To accomplish the The following skills cover just about every action
feat of entertaining yourself and the other players a character may take in a usual game. Each skill is
at your table, you must slow down and narrate offered in relation to the governing trait which
your character's actions. Reflect the narrative and will help booster any related dice pools.
emotional weight of the moment as your character
performs all of the typical horror story actions, Skills of Deftness
like pulling a trigger or healing a friend. Fleetness
It is also essential that players declare their Move quickly or nimbly. Used to run, sneak, hide,
actions prior to rolling the dice. Your GM needs and pick pockets.
to know precisely what it is you intend for your Ranged Combat
character to do. Quick references to gameplay Operate a firearm, throw a vase, or shoot a bow.
mechanics, such as "I perform an Investigation Specify which type of ranged combat at which
check" are dull and too vague to guide the GM. your character is proficient when investing points.
Statements such as "I search the room" also fail
to capture the essence of Atavism, and provide Skills of Physicality
too little detail for your GM. Rather, describe Athleticism
precisely what it is which your character is Exert yourself with strength. Used to bar an entry,
looking at, which part of the room you intend to move heavy objects, climb tall mountains, and
search, and, if possible, what you are hoping to bust through the damn door.
find. Framing your skill usage by declaring actions Close Combat
in such a way provides a richer narrative for you Engage a foe at close range. Used to throw a
and your friends and allows your GM to both punch, stab with a screwdriver, shove, kick, bite,
structure scenes and apply rules with ease. pull hair—whatever is necessary in the moment.

Building a Dice Pool Skills of Intuition

Whenever you take any action which you may Healing
reasonably associated with a skill, and at which Tend to the wounded. Used to both heal and treat
your character may potentially fail, you build a all physical conditions.
dice pool to determine the results. The foundation Insight
of any dice pool related to any action in Atavism Observe the inner workings of others. Used to
is in traits. Traits are then augmented by skill detect dishonesty and to discern motivations.
ranks, and further aided or hindered by incidental Investigation
bonuses. As to these, incidental bonuses—any Observe the physical world. Used to find clues,
situational advantage or disadvantage, such as notice anomalies, and spot those who may wish to
applicable gear or positioning—are usually remain hidden from sight.
determined by the GM, though players may
always offer input. Finally, dice pools are Skills of Manifestation
modified by the difficult level of the action, as Charm
determined by your GM. If this all seems a little Get someone on your side. Used to earn the trust
confusing, simply follow these steps: and affection of others.
Find the appropriate trait modifier Leadership
Find the appropriate skill rank Guide characters through the achievement of a
Determine any incidental bonuses (like gear) goal. Used to improve a friend's dice pool.
Add those factors together. (trait mod + skill Persuasion
rank + incidental bonuses) Change a mind. Used to win an argument, compel
Subtract the difficulty. action, or tell a lie.

Skills of Shaping
Operation
Control a piece of machinery to your advantage.
Used to operate technology and drive a car.
Repair
Alter physical objects. Used to build traps or
structures and to fix broken items.
Survival
Endure the forces of nature. Used to set up camp,
build a fire, and find sustenance.
2
29
I
If anything may be said to be the thematic lead to surer success, but are contrary to the
focus of horror media, it is surely survival. character’s nature―and whenever the table is
Characters face terrifying situations and moved by a player's portrayal of a character. The
traverse the border between life and death. decision to distribute a point of spirit in these
Some summon up the spirit necessary to overcome scenarios is at the GM's discretion, but players
the narrative's obstacles and, finally, survive the may petition the GM when they think a character
terror. Others are overwhelmed by fear. deserves to receive a point.
Spirit allows characters to sharpen focus and to When spirit has dissipated into fear, players
try again when failure seems all but inevitable— may recover one point with any of the methods
and with greater attention. With enough spirit the previously discussed―or by resting.
greatest of obstacles become commonplace.
When the well of spirit is depleted, characters LOSING SPIRIT
are left in a state of fear. Fear forces characters Spirit is lost when it is spent on spirit actions
into erratic behavior. Actions which were once (detailed below)―a character goes without food,
accomplished with the greatest of ease will seem sleep or water―it is fed upon by a demon―and
beyond the realm of possibility. As fear builds, it when characters encounter certain locations and
can paralyze. entities within the game's narrative, as determined
A character’s place on the spectrum of spirit by the GM.
will often determine the outcome of not only
actions, but the entire narrative of a game. This Spirit Actions
spectrum extends through nine points: from fear-4 As discussed before, spirit may greatly enhance a
up to spirit-4. character's capabilities. This is most often seen in
Sharpening Focus and in Refocusing. Sharpening
GAINING SPIRIT Focus allow a character to add 1d6 to any roll at
First level characters begin with one point of the cost of one spirit point. Refocusing allows
spirit. A character's spirit can increase―and fear characters to try any failed rolls again, with
can decrease―with clever action and a bit of luck. greater focus in the form of additional 1d6. The
The most reliable method of increasing spirit is cost of this action is one spirit point.
found in playing Paths. Every time a path is Characters at full spirit―four points―have
completed, one point of spirit is gained. Spirit can entered that special place athletes often refer to as
also increase by one point whenever an enemy is the "zone;" a frame of mind or state of being in
defeated in a character's presence. which everything seems to go right. This is
Other mechanisms of increasing spirit are because full spirit decreases the difficulty of every
focused on roleplay: whenever an aspect or action by one. This not only increases the
compulsion is used to a character's character's dice pool, but also turns all actions
detriment―whenever players stay true to with a difficult of one into common
character when actions are available which may actions―which characters may perform freely.
 Fear
When spirt decreases past zero, it transforms into
fear. Each level of fear is accompanied by a
condition which makes actions more and more
difficult to perform as fear increases. Each
successive condition replaces the prior:

Fear Condition Result

1 Stress, Tier-1 All 6’s accompanied by

a negative twist.
2 Fear, Tier-1 A negative twist follows
each action.
3 Terror, Tier-2 & -1d6 to all Deftness
and Physicality rolls.
4 Paralysis, Tier-3 & the character must
run away or hide.

REVIEW
Gain spirit by:
Creating a first level character (one point)
Completing a path.
Witnessing an enemy's defeat.
Moving the table with your roleplay.
Making use of a compulsion to your
character's detriment.
Staying true to character when actions are
available which may lead to surer success,
but are contrary to the character’s nature.

Lose Spirit by:

Taking a spirit action.
Going without food, sleep, or water.
Being fed upon by a demon.
Encountering certain locations and enemies
as determined by the GM.

Use Spirit to:

Sharpen Focus. At the cost of one spirit
point, you may add 1d6 to any roll.
Refocus. At the cost of one spirit point, you
may try again with the addition of 1d6 to
your dice pool.
Decrease the difficulty of every roll by one
at maximum spirit (four points).

31
V
eteran RPG players know the spiel: CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
characters in these games are, cue Paths are your character’s means of progression.
fanfare, “adventurers.” For those who You give characters an obstacle, they overcome it
may be unfamiliar with the term, these and they grow; storytelling 101. When a path is
are characters whose profession it is to find completed—we’ll get to how that works in a
creatures and people who need killing, and, for minute—your character receives certain statistical
the right price, kill them. The goal for the bonuses, depending upon the kind of Path you've
character is ultimately wealth and power. And this completed:
is all fun and good. However, characters in horror One trait point.
stories aren't really like adventurers. One skill point.
Horror protagonists are just people. Maybe One spirit point.
they have psychic abilities or a messed-up The Trait point offered in character
backstory, but whatever their situation, they’re advancement is especially useful. Not only does
just people trying to live out their lives. They have this allow your character to potentially receive a
jobs, they have friends, they have a home. bonus to dice pools related to your trait of choice,
When a game of Atavism begins, your character it also allows you to either select a brand new
is doing just that: living life. The real action—the talent or climb up a talent tree in which you have
narrative your GM has designed—doesn’t previously invested points. This in turn opens up
immediately take up your focus. When it new possibilities for the pushing of your
ultimately does, the GM will weave his or her character's talents.
story into the life your character is already living. The particular trait and skill increased is
So when your game’s just begun and the focus is predetermined by yourself—with the guidance of
on you and your character, what in the world are your GM—when designing your character's Path,
you expected to do? but the decision is truly dictated by the Path itself.
You play your path. A path is the narrative Let’s delve into this further by examining another
purpose of your character: the dilemma which the horror classic: Christine.
character is dealing with as the game begins. As Arnie is a nerd. Awkward, skittish, thin, big
discussed in the prologue, every protagonist in glasses, the whole deal—and he wants to break
horror media confronts a dilemma—a path— out of his shell. He desires strength, respect, girls,
which the narrative's demon personifies. and all the things he’s never had. So he decides to
When creating your Atavism character, you'll fix up an old car named Christine to prove
have to figure out a problem which your avatar himself. When designing this path—if Christine
needs to overcome. This can be just about were a game of Atavism—Arnie’s player must
anything you wish, within reason. If you're having decide which trait and skill Arnie should improve.
trouble coming up with an idea, think about the Shaping makes a lot of sense, considering the
people you know, or even your own issues. Should kind of work ol’ Arn will be doing. Deftness and
you still draw a blank, you can peruse the sample Physicality could work as well, but none of these
problems offered in this chapter or simply discuss really get to the heart of the matter. What Arnie
the matter with your game's GM. really wants is to increase his Manifestation trait.
 That covers the trait gain for this Path. It gets a Groups do reach a point at which the game
little trickier when choosing a skill in this case, but runs this smoothly, and it happens remarkably
not by much. The following skills make plenty of fast, but it does take a bit of practice. In the
sense: Leadership, Operation, Charm, and Repair. meantime, there are methods to avoid the
When faced with a series of reasonable options, awkward contrivance of simply saying aloud, "I'm
it’s best to consider how you prefer your character going to play a narrative structure moment."
to solve problems. The skills you select ultimately Firstly, communicate with your GM during
broadcast to the GM what you’d like to see your character creation. Take the time to familiarize the
character do. The GM then designs scenarios GM with your character and your path. The GM
which offer the opportunity to play to your will then use each character's narrative structure
character’s strengths. as beats toward which the game's overarching
narrative may strive, all without railroading
WHAT MAKES A PATH players down a set course. GMs will find more
Paths consist of three beats of Narrative Structure information on how to accomplish this on page 7.
and at least seven Framing Moments. Playing After this initial conversation, it is your job as a
either of these in a scene will grant your character player to keep an eye out for moments to roleplay
experience points (XP), which advance the path your beats. Let's look at two examples in order to
toward its conclusion. see how this typically plays out.
In one of the sample paths given in this chapter,
Narrative Structure Divorce, a nice narrative structure moment states
The skeleton of any Path is erected with "A fight with your parents leaves you unable to
Narrative Structure: three plot beats—worth five act in a pivotal moment." The player of this path
experience points each—which communicate your needs to remain on the lookout for emergency
character's personal story. These need not include situations in which the character simply must act
a beginning, middle, and end point; rather, they —and roleplay a fight with his or her parents in
are the essential moments which define your which the parents demand the character return or
character's struggles and desires. stay home.
Moments worthy of the status of narrative All the GM needs to do is to provide the player
structure must be revealing: these are the plot with a moment which requires action; all the
points which put the nature of your character's player needs to do is keep an eye out for ways to
problem—i.e. path—on full display for the table. play this particular beat; easy peasy.
If you're playing a newly single father who is Another sample path, Coming Home, offers the
struggling to spend more time with his children, follow beat: "You are suspected of a crime related
these beats would be such things as his wife to your game’s narrative." Following the game's
refusing to allow the kids to visit, having to overarching narrative, the player of this path will
choose between an essential responsibility or an spot a moment in which something criminal has
opportunity to see the kids, or noticing a new occurred. A murder, a robbery, etc. The player
behavioral issue emerge with one of the children. would need only to start the following turn by
If your character is bullied at school, some good roleplaying an encounter with local law
moments of narrative structure would be suffering enforcement. Bam; path played.
humiliation in front of a crush, choosing to attract Should you find you have been unable to play a
the attention of bullies in order to allow a friend beat for two consecutive sessions, you'll need to
to do something important, or finally making a have a conversation with your GM. The two of
stand against the punks. you will work together to see how your character
can move forward.
Narrative Structure in Play
In the best of all possible games, Narrative Framing Moments
Structure would just naturally happen over the Framing Moments are a path’s ambiance: the little
course of play. A synchronicity between player moments and events which provide flavor and
and GM would compel the game's overarching context for the larger machinations of narrative
narrative to certain points in which Narrative structure and character expression. These are the
Structure moments would play out precisely as moments when our single father finds his child's
planned, just like a movie. There would be no toy in an unlikely place; the moments when our
need to suck the magic out of the game by bullied kid is comforted by the stern approval of a
announcing to the table that your next scene librarian. You may add Framing Moments to your
would be a good time to play such and such beat path when inspiration strikes, just remember to
of your path's narrative structure. consult your GM with each addition.
33
Framing Moments in Play warning, it would have been an awkward and
Framing moments are excellent ice-breakers. boring exchange which offered no satisfaction.
When your game's narrative doesn't require Nick, however, familiarized the GM with Greg's
immediate action from your character, orienting home life in order to set up the scenario and allow
the start of a scene around a framing moment the GM the chance to prepare for roleplaying as
allows you to easily enter the flow of portraying Greg's mom and moving the scene in a direction
your character and grants an experience point. appropriate to Greg's path.
Let's examine one of these slice of life moments Setting up a prerequisite NPC who lives in the
from the Divorce path as an example of how to character's house is relatively straight forward.
bring framing moments into play, featuring Eric Other paths, however, call for the character to
using the framing moment "Your mother or father encounter a stranger. For example, if your Path is
is drinking" in portraying his character, Greg. “A New Love Interest,” you’re probably going to
need to meet a lady or a dude: that’s a
The Gamemaster: Eric, it's time for a Greg scene. prerequisite. In this case, the GM must provide
The last time we saw him, he was heading home someone for your character to meet, so you will
from school after his strange experience in the need to stay on your toes and not let the
boiler room. What's he up to now? opportunity slip by.
Eric (Greg): Well, honestly, he's still trying to Moments such as these, which require a prereq
process what he saw down there. The walk home scenario to occur may not be listed as beats of
was a quick one. His heart's pumping and he's Narrative Structure. Rather, Narrative Structure
covered with sweat, but I don't think he's aware beats are what happens after you have
of any of that when he finally gets home and lets encountered the scenario or NPC. Players may,
himself in the front door. however, list these scenarios as Framing Moments.
The Gamemaster: What's going on at home It is essential to remember that the actual
today? Is Mom doing any better? performance of any beats of narrative structure or
Eric (Greg): The first thing he notices when he framing moments require the player to engage
gets inside is that he's hot. Really hot. So he plops with the scenario and roleplay the event. The GM
down on the stairs to take off his shoes and that's will place what you need before you, if it is
when he the smell hits him. The house always required, but it is the player who must take action
smells like garbage these days—he'll have to in order to receive the XP needed to complete a
remember to take out the trash—but yesterday's path.
spaghetti is not what bothers him. He walks into
the kitchen and sees a nearly empty bottle of Jim REVIEW
Beam on the counter. (Speaking now as Greg) A Path consists of:
'Mom, are you down here?' An apt title and brief description.
The Gamemaster: There's no response for a 3 beats of Narrative Structure worth five
moment, then from the living room you her here experience points each.
grunt out an abrupt hello. (Speaking now as 7 Framing Moments, each of which are worth
Greg's Mom) 'Where the hell have you been?' one experience point.
Eric (Greg): Now he's afraid again. She's usually a Potential prerequisites provided by the GM.
disagreeable person, but she's flat-out angry when Remember to communicate with the GM in
she's been at the bottle. (Speaking as Greg) 'I just order to ensure the prereqs are given.
got home from school. I walked today.' He wants 25 XPs required to complete the path and thus
to tell her about what happened, but knows it's of reap the associated rewards.
no use. She wouldn't believe him sober; drunk,
she'd just be pissed. A completed path rewards the player with:
The Gamemaster: That's when the phone rings. One trait point. The particular trait the path
will increase is decided during the path's
Prerequisites construction. Remember to make use of the
Some paths require a specific scenario to play out trait point by either selecting a new talent or
or the presence of a certain NPC in order to work moving up a talent tree.
properly. Greg's Divorce path, for example, called One skill point, also chosen during the path's
for an NPC: his mom. If Greg's player, Nick, had creation process.
simply sprung this scenario on the GM with no One point of spirit.

34
 COMING HOME DIVORCE
Half-forgotten memories seem to speak to you like Tension has been something akin to a measurable
remorseful ghosts as you meander your way force in your life, like magnetism or electricity.
through the old neighborhood. If only you could You didn’t always notice it, but it was there all
grab onto them somehow, and shift your heart along. Every petty disagreement, every time your
and your mind to that old way of being. mother screamed “I hate you” to your father,
But you can’t. You left, and you probably had every step dad took away from the family, and
to. College, a career, the whole wide open world every sigh which met your requests to play or read
—it was out there, beckoning you from the or just fucking spend some time together—it all
comfort of your home. It hadn’t been that seemed to charge the air with this... unease.
comfortable anyway at the end. It was time. You found your means of escape. Hell, you had
Yet here you are; walking by the ice cream shop; to. Like your father, you distanced yourself from
checking out Mrs. Nelson’s lush garden; taking in the situation. And you tried to forget the tension
the familiar scents of the old woods; and was even existed at all.
remembering the nightmares which beckoned you Then it came: the word you’ve always dreaded,
as keenly as the dream of adventure once did. You which had peaked in through your thoughts like a
have a reason for being here, of course. More like stranger over the years. It made its unexpected
an excuse, perhaps, but that doesn’t matter; you’re appearance—isn’t it the damnedest thing: it
here and you're here to do something. always surprised you, despite everything—as you
munched on a Little Debbie after school, watching
Narrative Structure some cartoon: 'Divorce.' While your classmates
You are suspected of a crime related to your chased each other from the funnest thing to the
game’s overarching narrative. funnest thing, you would poke around in the dirt,
A new friend is in peril. looking at bugs and flowers and whatever else was
A childhood fear turns out to have been more hidden within God’s green hair, and it there it
legitimate than a reasonable person would would be: 'Divorce.'
have ever presumed.
Narrative Structure
Framing Moments You are exposed to a threat due to your
You visit a deceased loved one's grave. parents’ failure to provide supervision.
An old friend is met on the street. A fight with your parents leaves you unable to
The trade or profession you learned while act in a pivotal moment.
away comes in handy. You finally stand up to one of your parents,
You seek out an older member of the forever changing the relationship.
community for advice.
You defy an authority figure. Framing Moments
You have reason to regret a missed connection Your mother or father is drinking.
from your youth. You repeat a mantra related to the divorce,
You do something childlike. such as "I just want to leave."
You’re so lost in thought you didn’t listen to
something someone was saying.
A teacher confronts you about falling behind
in school.
Something strange is found in your home.
Your father cancels plans.
A friend listens as you vent your frustrations.

35
A GOOD FATHER BULLIED
There was a moment when the ordered timeline of Life is in many ways like a lottery. Some people
your life somehow broke, and fractaled out into a are very lucky: good looking, athletic, and
succession of possible lives which you must charming. Others are just lucky enough of to
confront every damn day—and none of them blend in with the other kids. But you, well, you're
present the one life you dreamed of for your one of the unlucky ones.
family. Separations can wreck children, and this Maybe your parents left you alone too often
awareness accompanies every step you take. and you developed some, let's say, weird habits
It's not clear if you should date. Or if you and behavior. Then again, it may be that your
should find a partner who could very well help the parents coddled you to such a degree that you
children through this mini-disaster. Or if you haven't even begun to leave the protective nest of
should focus on work. Or dreams you'd left Mommy and Daddy. Or, and this is the killer one,
behind years ago. Or if you should just stay right you're oddly intelligent and struggle to relate with
where you are, and scrounge up every bit of time your peers. Whatever your particular case, you
you possibly can with the kids. It's a formless stand out as 'different.' And people tend to not
void, man. But formless voids are the very stuff of like 'different.' This you have learned.
potential, and you have to provide order. It probably started as simple name-calling. 'Dork,'
Whatever you do—whoever you become—you 'weirdo,' 'freak;' that kind of thing. Over time this
do know one thing: you have to put the kids first. snowballed into a miserable state of affairs from
They need you. And, you know what? You need which you dream of breaking free.
them just as much.
Narrative Structure
Narrative Structure You suffer humiliation in front of a crush.
You are forced to choose between fulfilling an You choose to attract the attention of your
essential responsibility and seeing the kids. bullies in order to allow a friend to escape and
You notice a new behavioral issue in one of thereby tend to more important matters.
your children. You finally determine to stand tall before your
Your ex stops you from spending time with the tormentors, win or lose.
kids, and for a good reason.
Framing Moments
Framing Moments You are alone at a public gathering.
You find a toy in an unlikely place. Your talent is mocked.
A quiet moment with your kids is disrupted. You are comforted by the stern approval of a
You share a favorite memory of your children local librarian.
with a new friend. Your parents fail to notice when something is
The opportunity for reconciliation with your clearly wrong.
ex is missed due to poor communication. Your bully takes out frustration on you.
Your children help you solve a problem. You bring a friend to your secret hiding place,
One of the kids calls out your bullshit. thereby growing closer.
A favorite memento is damaged. Your crush notices something unique and
valuable about you.

36
 NAME & AGE DESCRIPTION

ATAVISM
DEFT PHYS WEIRD INT MAN SHP COMPULSION

LIFEFORCE
PD ASPECT
3

2
MD
SAVING THROWS
1 D S V

Fear Spirit
Lifeforce is determined by Physicality. Cross out any extra spaces.

TALENTS CONSCIOUS ENERGY PSYCHIC ENERGY

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE FRAMING MOMENTS

SKILLS
Athleticism (DEFT) Healing (INTN) Persuasion (MAN)
Charm (MAN) Insight (INTN) Rng.Combt. (DEFT)
Cls. Combt. (PHYS) Invstigation. (INTN)
Fleetness (DEFT) Leadership (MAN) Repair (SHAPE)
Operation (SHAPE) Survival (SHAPE)

SIGNATURE ITEM GEAR NOTES