Looks Merits & Flaws

The Looks merits (Beautiful/Stunning), when used to add dice to a roll, imply not only that the character is good looking but that they are actively using their looks as part of their social effort to sway a character. Generally and by default, Looks merits can apply to all Siren hunts against SPCs; in other situations it is conditional, and STs may rule them applicable or not applicable on a case-by-case basis. Always ask a scene partner prior to rolling if the Looks merit will apply when using this with/against a PC.

 

The Looks flaws (Ugly/Repulsive) shouldn’t be used solely in conjunction with characters who have or exhibit disabilities, physical or skin conditions, scars/scarring, or other very real and human traits. Equating these real health issues to physical ugliness or repulsiveness is ableist and offensive to those who may themselves have or experience these conditions. These flaws and associated physical descriptions should not be used as a shortcut to indicating a character’s evil nature. Keep that in mind in your character creation and roleplay. Whereas the merits may not always apply to rolls, the flaws will always affect relevant social rolls, against SPCs or PCs alike. The supernatural nature of the Looks flaw doesn’t necessarily entail a Masquerade breach; rather, this is more of a vibe which causes others to become uncomfortable/distressed by the person.

Cobbling A Mask:

Intelligence + Tech/larceny Diff 3 for Mask 1

 

Diff 4 for Mask 2 A successful roll “kicks off” the process.

 

Three game day wait for Mask 1, Six for a Mask 2

 

Cobblers can work on up to a limit of 2 masks or mask-related tests at a time, but they must be started on separate nights.

 

While zeroing someone, Cobblers are unable to work on any other Mask project.

How Herd functions on server 

A PC can feed from their Herd once per game night/irl week. The amount of Hunger safely slaked in this fashion is reliant on the number of Herd dots on the sheet. Herd 1 (•) will slake one level of Hunger per week; Herd 2 (••) will slake two levels, and so on. Slaking more than two levels of Hunger from the same Herd member endangers the mortal per usual harmful feed mechanics (see the chart on page 212 of the corebook under Slaking Hunger); this is the case even if the 3+ hunger is slaked across consecutive nights.

 

Slaking from Herd members while at Hunger 4 can be exceptionally dangerous as you will have to roll for your character to resist Frenzy; failing may mean losing the Herd member, murder, and in particularly egregious cases, losing Herd dots.

 

Having a Herd merit doesn’t mean you don’t roll for temperament, even in cases where there is a set resonance for the Herd. Rolling less than a 6 on the temperament roll merely means that your chosen Herd member doesn’t currently have perceptible resonance in their blood for that week.

Research & Writing

Whereas prior the Academics skill was used as a ‘catch-all’ for research and writing in all topics, going forward we will now be using the relevant skill to the subject being written about or researched. The roll will be Int + Skill, to research a topic or write a paper/book; this might be Int + Science, Int + Occult, Int + Medicine, etc, depending on the topic/field. Creative writing endeavors (poetry, plays, writing song lyrics, etc) are still Academics, as Academics is the skill used to represent understanding of the liberal arts, whether or not that understanding has been formally trained through a university setting or acquired through self-study.

Kindred Iconography

Covering all forms of hidden messages within art, such as paintings, graffiti and other works rolled with an artistic creation pool. If a roll was made to encode the message in art/symbols, then the artist can choose the diff to interpret it up to the number of successes they had on that roll. Having this loresheet can help lower the difficulty in determining the other pieces of iconography.

No Haven Flaw Roll

Wits + Streetwise/Survival diff 4 done each week in order to ensure a safe location for daysleep, make an ask should this fail.

Homebrewed Advantages & Flaws

Flaw: (•) Suspected Blankbody: You are being watched closely by the Second Inquisition. They suspect something is going on, but they haven’t flagged you as a blankbody — yet.  Unlike ‘Known Blankbody,’ this Flaw can eventually be cleared by erasing any sort of evidence and/or with good behavior that proves that you are, indeed, human, and not a blood-drinking threat.

 

Studio (Haven Merit): Your haven has a performance practice space or a workshop or studio equipped with workbenches, easels, quality tools, and/or other art supplies, etc. Each dot of this Merit adds one to the dice pool for rolls related to one Craft or Performance specialty. Small havens limit this Merit to a maximum of one dot.

 

Haunted (homebrewed effect): Possible total daily Willpower regeneration is now reduced by 1 as the supernatural interference of the ghostly presence causes less restful sleep. (Example: Character’s Resolve is 4; normally, they can regain up to 4 WP a night. Now, they can regain up to 3 WP when daysleeping in their haven. If they use less than 4 WP, they regain as usual.) As well, ghost-themed consequences will be added to the possible outcomes for messy crits, bestial fails, and total fails on rolls conducted inside the haven.

 

Library Haven Merit (Clarification) – When used with a Thin-blood Alchemy, Blood Sorcery or Oblivion Occult spec. This gives a benefit to the Occult rolls concerning Alchemy, Blood Sorcery, or Oblivion. This also aids in learning a Formula, Ritual, or Ceremony when Occult is used, but does not give access to new Forumlae, Rituals, or Ceremonies.

For Oblivion the library has to be noted as being for Necromancy (Hecata) or Abyssal arts (Lasombra).

Allies Homebrew

Ally as a merit can be taken from one to three dots. Base Ally rating governs not only how effective/strong the Ally is, but also how motivated they are to assist your character. Ally Merits can be added onto the Base Ally rating to improve them; total dots that can be taken in any one Ally is 6, including Base Ally and any add-on Ally Merits. By default, an Ally will assist you no more than once per story, no matter their Base rating.

When taking the base dots, the type of ally needs to be defined next to the merit. Example • Ally (Average Mortal, Stephen). The Supernatural Allies are restricted to gaining via specific Loresheets or ode/campaign results; they are strictly controlled by STs.

 

Base Ally:

• Weak mortal, likely useless in a violent situation; or an Average mortal who is only loosely loyal to you, unlikely to come to your aid in violent or complicated/dangerous situations. One dot allies cannot be Supernatural.

•• Average mortal or tightknit group of Weak mortals; or a Gifted mortal who is loyal or motivated enough to assist you in dangerous situations but won’t be putting themselves in a situation where physical or social death is clear.

••• Gifted mortal or a dangerous group of Average mortals; or a single Deadly mortal who will assist once per story to their fullest capacity, but for a price. The price is lost access to 1-2 dots of Merits, as they use it or need payment for a time period, in addition to the cooldown.

 

Reliable:

• to •• If Reliable is taken at 1 dot, Allies can be called upon twice per story. At two dots, they can be used three times per story. Supernatural (Requires a minimum of 2 dots Base Ally):

• to ••• Improves the Ally from a mortal to a Supernatural being (Werewolf, Mage, Wraith, Spirits, Fae are the only current ones to be changed as needed through campaigns/odes). If Supernatural is taken at 1 dot, the Supernatural ally is willing to assist in minor ways, unlikely to be dangerous to them (equivalent of a minor boon). If taken at 2 dots, they will help in dangerous situations (equivalent of a Major boon), but may exact a price afterward at ST discretion. If taken at 3 dots, they will help you to their fullest capacity without stinting (equivalent of a Life boon)