This is all the info that I, Michael Hoff, have on Devin's gifts, if it's not here it's because you haven't emailed it to me.
1. The Assassin's Shadow (Current x 6)
(1) Shadow Padding – The Assassin is capable of giving the shadows under his feet enough substance that they suspend him on a thin cushion of darkness. Few people are capable of hearing a shadow move.
System: The character spends one Shadow and gets a -4 difficulty for Stealth checks contested when his footsteps would otherwise be audible for the rest of the scene. This does not apply to silencing noisy equipment or clothing. Normally this is Dex + Stealth vs. Per + Alertness.
(2) Shadow Ladder – The Assassin can now scale any surface with shadow on it gripping the shadows as easily as if they were solid vines or rocks with plentiful handholds.
System: The Assassin must spend a Shadow to give any wall, tree, pole, behemoth monster or any other surface otherwise difficult to scale to make it easy as pie. -4 difficulty to climb that surface (usually Dex + Athletics).
(3) Shadow Fall – The Assassin can leap from the highest roof and land on a shadow below unharmed as though the shadow suddenly became full of water. Indeed, spectators would swear that the Assassin suddenly slowed and moved at the speed of a feather just short of the ground.
System: The Assassin spends a Shadow before landing to give the Shadow he will land on enough substance.
(4) Shadow Slide – The Assassin can now manipulate the shadow substance's friction and can slide about on it with ease. Observers will be amazed as the Assassin skates by on tennis shoes or dives, sliding across the floor, flipping backwards to throw knives at pursuers continuing across a flat surface without appreciable slowing due to friction.
System : The character spends a Shadow and slide in one direction uncontrolled or using arms and legs he can skate gaining speed. This lasts for one scene or until the Assassin chooses to stop Shadow Sliding after which he must spend again to activate it. While skating he can double his movement rate, dodge oncoming obstacles but must take wider corners. Watching behind you or dodging perils coming from behind (like gunfire, for example is tricky, unless the character has Skating. The character can roll Dex + Skating in place of Dodge to manuever around obstacles or dodge attacks. At full speed, attackers are at a +2 difficulty to hit.
(5) Shadow Garrote – The Assassin's relationship with solidifying shadow has grown so strong she can throw binding strings of Shadow. The shadow strings instantly entangle and begin constricting.
System: The Assassin spends one Shadow and reaching into any shadow and can fling a Shadow Garrote up to 10' x Willpower away, Wits + Melee to hit (+3 difficulty to hit the neck). Any character hit must make a contested roll: their Strength + Athletics vs the Assassin's Wits + Melee + 2 . If the Assassin hits, the target is grappled. The target must spend a Willpower to try to contest the grapple again. If the target was grappled around the neck and they need to breath air, they are at a +2 difficulty penalty to contest the grapple and they will lose one Health level per 3 turns grappled around the neck or until the Assassin releases them or they die. Another person may attempt to loosen the grapple of the Shadow Garrote (Strength + Athletics vs the Assassin's Wits + Melee + 2).
The Garrote is about 10' long, remains until the next sunrise or the Assassin wills it away. It may also be wielded like a whip with a damage of Strength + 4. When wielded like a whip, the Assassin may choose to let go and allow the Shadow Garrote to entangle the victim with a successful hit or leave the Garrote loose to continue use as a whip.
Shadow Pool (Current x2)
The character's Shadow Pool is limited by their Willpower. It is replenished every New Moon. A character with Shadow Pool can feel the New Moon as it approaches and goes.
2: Mask of a Thousand Faces (Current x 5, requires unique focus)
When not in use, or if someone sees through your disguise, the Mask appears to be a tragedy mask madeof glass that distorts the features under it. This is an enchanted object that grants unusually good disguises if you know how to use it…
(1) Theatrical Makeup
While not really convincing as a particular person, the wearer certainly isn't recognizable as themselves. "Who is playing that character? I can't tell who that is, but I LOVE them!"
System: The wearer appears as an archetypal character, certainly not themselves. The wearer's build, height, gate and voice are all altered. Someone observing the character don the mask will not be convinced. Otherwise Charisma + Performance diff 6. At three successes, only individuals with supernatural powers of detection may attempt to see through the disguise, to everyone else the character appears as an actor in good stage makeup: clearly in disguise, but unrecognizable for who they are.
(2) Copy Cat
The character can now imitate someone they have seen in the last 24 hours, which is easier the longer they have to study that person. "Are you… me? It can't be!"
System: While wearing the Mask, the character must study someone for 10 minutes per roll (Per + Investigation). +2 difficulty if studying a recording of the individual instead of the real deal. At three successes, acquaintances are easily fooled, four successes, the person's family and close friends have no reason to suspect, at five even the person themselves couldn't point out any obvious differences and the disguise even smells, tastes and feels like them. The Mask may invoke a disguise of any person successfully studied in this way at any time within 24 hours of the study period. If the person never spoke during the study period, no voice is possible, likewise if the person wasn't seen, but could be heard, then only voice is possible.
(3) No Expense
The character may appear as a convincing thing from their imagination. This includes people, monsters, inanimate objects and more.
System:
(4) Escape!
The wearer may briefly give the impression that something is attacking a target or targets from behind. This invariably distracts the target who must at least glance away to confirm that there is nothing there.
System: This is a committed action. It causes a distraction to the target, allowing the Mask wearer to flee only. Any other action, especially attacking the target of Escape even by others will instantly cancel the distraction and allow the target to react normally. Assuming the wearer or anyone else does nothing directly or indirectly aggressive towards the target, the wearer will get a turn to flee unhindered. This can only be used on the same target twice in a scene.
(5) Displacement
The Mask wearer can appear to be up to 15' from where they actually are. This creates obvious problems for any would be attackers.
System:
3. Shadow Reaching x6- letting you reach into shadows and pull out
*
(a) Well of Night
Three extra Shadow Pool
(b) Slippery Shadowy Fingers
hand sized objects that are in shadow
Dex + Shadow Lore diff. 7. 5' per success. Must have line of sight (unless using Eyes of Night).
(c) Shadow Pocket
store things in the shadows near you (like the bag o' holding, but specific to your perview)
Wits + Shadow Lore diff. 6 Botching means the object is lost forever…
(d) Gaping Hole
throwing a ball of darkness that expands that enclose an area in darkness, completely impermeable by natural light. A powerful but unpredictable ability.
Wits + Shadow Lore diff. 8 5' radius for each success. Careful about blinding your comrades… The wall between the Shadowlands and also the Tempest is thinned inside such a hole (Guantlet rating reduced by 2).
(e) Shadow Step
eventually to walk through shadows exiting a nearby shadow. This path might be very dangerous in the presence of something like a flash gernade.
Dex + Shadow Lore diff. 6. 5' for every success, must have line of sight unless using Eyes of Night. A botch or a well timed flash might result in the character being lost in the Shadowlands, Tempest, Abyss or somewhere else equally horrifying. A side game would be required to determine the fate of the character unless it was a triple botch, in which case instant death is the most likely outcome (unless Vet status is achieved or some protection against the raging Tempest is manifested).
4. The Mask is now a Signature Object
5. Eyes of Night(Current x 6)
Sensing path that would turn your eyes black when in use and let you see through nearby shadows
1. Darksight
No light? No problem! The Shadow Gazer sees in perfect darkness as though it were brightly lit. Gazers, never need a flashlight.
System:No expenditure necessary, this is free and always on. If it is dark enough that others would benefit from a flashlight or other light spource, the Shadow Gazer's eyes turn black, the "whites" of the eyes too. Many Shadow Gazers take to wearing sunglasses, helmets or solutions for concealing their alien eyes in the dark… This ability will not help the Gazer see through fog, dust, vines, cobwebs or other obstructions that would obscure sight in the light.
2. Shadow Refraction
The Shadow Gazer can utilize shadows to bend the "light" they see around nearby corners, trees and other obstructions as long as they are close by and a shadow positioned to wrap around them. This includes watching your own back, literally, as long as shadows allow bending light from that direction. This can also allow the Shadow Gazer to see into small spaces that have gaps and shadows into them including inside people's pockets with nothing sealing them, open top bags, through gaps under doors and through keyholes. Furthermore, this power can be used to magnify close up shadow covered objects like a magnifying glass or even shaping a shadow into a telescopic lense.
System:Expend one Shadow Pool and roll Perception + Science diff 6. Every success allows the Shadow Gazer to manipuate Shadow Refractions for five minutes and. Magnification is only useful at ranges magnifying glasses and telescopes would be, meaning right in front of the Shadow Gazer. Refraction around corners may only be used at a range of five feet per success.
3. Shadow Scrying
The Shadow Gazer has reached a level of mastery that his access to Shadows is no longer obscured by physical objects. So long as theshadow is close by, he may use it as a window to peer into the world beyond as though his own eyes were at the location of the Shadow. Entering a light trance, the Shadow Gazer closes his eyes and sees into Shadows on the other side of walls with no windows or gaps in them, inside pockets and bags sealed with zippers, inside titanium briefcases, bank vaults, inside hollow walls, etc.
System:Expend one Shadow Pool, Perception + Meditation diff 6. see through shadows within five feet for every success. The Shadow Gazer may shift their sight to a new shadow once for every success on the roll. They effect lasts as long as the Shadow Gazer remains in the trance, leaving their eyes closed. They can speak slowly and generally hear what is happening around their true body (not the Shadow they are peering through) but they are aloof and distracted and incapable of motion beyond a slow walk and someone better be leading them if they aren't following a wall or rail. If anything alarming happens around their body, a second roll for concentration may be needed to maintain the effect.
4. Shadows of the Past
Seeing into the Past through a shadow, sounds impossible and yet, Shadow Gazers claim just that. They say that shadows swallow secrets and keep them well; Shadow Gazers of this level can now see beyond even these boundaries.
System:The Shadow Gazer must have an idea of when they are trying to see and find a shadow that has a clear view of the location of the event they are trying to see and then expend a Shadow Point. If they do not get enough successes, the vision of the past is murky, incomplete, probably largely incomprehensible or before or after the event they wanted. Perception + Enigmas difficulty 6, 1 success for seconds into the past, 2 successes for minutes, 3 successes for hours, 4 successes for days, 5 successes for weeks, 6 for years, 7 for decades, 8 for centuries, 9 for millenia.
5. Darkside Sense
A true master of Shadow Gazing may now look beyond physical Shadows or even temporal Shadows, but into the Darkness within men. Take care as if you gaze into the abyss long enough, the abyss may gaze back into you.
System:The Shadow Gazer chooses a target human or monster within line of sight, expends a Shadow Point and rolls Perception + Enigmas difficulty 8. Enough successes must be accumulated to equal the target's Willpower. This is an extended action, though another Shadow Point must be expended for every roll. Once the hadow Gazer has accumulated enough successes, they fall into a fugue state for an hour. During this hour, the Shadow Gazer learns a dark secret of the target, one for every Willpower the Gazer Successes. Such secrets are at the Storyteller's discretion and may include a deep understanding of derangments and their causes, actions for which the target feels deeply guilty (or should), ambitions that the target is trying to conceal and similar shadows of the soul.
A word of warning: if the Soul Gazer should ever botch the target may receive the insight about the Soul Gazer instead (probably during their next sleeping session in the form of a very intense dream). Worse, sometimes the target is not the one to receive the insights, but other denizens of the realms of shadow. Demons, Devils, Beasts, Old Ones, vampires, twisted were-creatures, aliens and more could have not only their attention grabbed, but the Shadow Gazer's deepest secrets revealed. In the worst cases, multiple monsters may receive a glimpse of the Shadow Gazer.
6. Shadow Arsenal – Weapons of
Darkness, (Current x 7)
These weapons are weightless and
unencumbering. They appear to be black and not entirely opaque
(somewhat seethrough) with a sort of black smoke roiling through
them. They are entirely nonreflective. They are every bit as hard as
japanese steel. when they vanish, they burst in a small quickly
vanishing cloud of black vapors.
(1) Shield of Night
System: expend one Shadow Pool, Roll
Int + Crafts diff 8 (min 3 successes), may be an extended action. The
Shield starts as may be used for melee, brawl and point blank ranged
attacks as a parrying device: Dex + Melee diff 7 - (level of Shadow
Arsenal / 2) round up. A successful parry gives 3 dots + (level of
Shadow Arsenal / 2) round up. For ranged attacks that the defender is
aware of, he may crouch beind the shield for the automatic full soak.
Lasts one scene.
(2) Black Sword
System: expend one Shadow Pool, Roll
Int + Crafts diff 8 (min 3 successes), may be an extended action, one
round per roll. Dex + Melee Difficulty 6, damage Str + Level of
Shadow Arsenal. Lasts one scene.
(3) Arrows of Darkness
Placing one's thumb briefly against the
bow, the Shadow Shaper may draw from that brief spot of black a long
arrow. This ability allows the archer to forgo the lengthy process of
having to reach to a quiver a draw another arrow allowing them to
fire an extra arrow every round.
System: The Shadow Shaper must be
wielding a bow of some kind. Expending a Shadow Pool, the Shadow
Shaper may draw 4 Arrows of Darkness from their bow by merely
touching their thumb to the bow and drawing back the string. Even an
inexperienced archer can then shoot an arrow twice in a round
(without aiming). Each Arrow of Darkness does Str + level of Shadow
Arsenal minus one. Lasts one scene, may be recollected and fired again.
(4) Glimpse of the Tempest
The Shadow Shaper may rend asunder the
wall between the Tempest and the real world for the blink of an eye
causing horrifying damage to a large area. The tear reseals as
suddenly as it appears.
System: Expend 2 Shadow Pool, roll Wits
Shadow Lore diff. 8. Each success gives you a range of 15' on which
you can center the Glimpse and a radius of 5'. The Glimpse causes 10
dice of Lethal damage and 5 dice of Aggravated damage to everything
inside.
(5) Dark Lightning
The Shadow Shaper has the terrifying
ability to unleash streaming, cold, hard tempest on a target with
terrible accuracy and at a shocking range. When this is unleashed the
entire landscape darkens with shadow (not pitch black) for an
instant, yet in that moment, the pure black, jagged Tempest Flow may
be seen streaming from the hand of the Shadow Shaper.
System: Expend three Shadow Pool for
the first round and keep it up for two Shadow for every round after
(must remain on the same target to keep it up). Roll Wits + Shadow
Lore diff 8. Contested versus target's dodge. Every success gives a
range of 100', direct line of sight (not just through Eyes of Night)
must be had. Even if the target is missed, anyone observing this must
make a courage roll until they have seen it at least once. The target
intended target always has to make a courage roll. Damage 10 Lethal +
5 Aggravated per round. The lightning is thin and may only strike one target.
7. Shadow Tempering Plans
The Shadow Shaper has the plans to build a Cold Forge. This is a Legendary Artificing Tool that may be used to temper Shadow Arsenal (Only Shields, Swords and Arrows) into permanent objects that no longer need fear the light of the sun. The Cold Forge burns diamonds in its freezing, saphire blue flames, slowly decomposing them into coal once again. In order to forge a shadow item into tempered shadow, theshaper must burn approximately $10,000 worth of diamonds for every level of Shadow Arsenal he wishes to affect the item (meaning higher level swords are sharper than lower level swords varying in damage fromStr + 2 to Str + 5). The Cold Forge must be located in a freezer and takes a full month to construct.
8. Shadow Lore x2
Shadow Lore is more than merely the knowledge and understanding that shadows are far more than the mere absense of light. The character with Shadow Lore is familiar with many of the denizens of the shadows and creatures with power over it, as well as something about how the Shadows themselves are connected through Otherworlds. This includes some knowledge of the Shadowlands, the Tempest, the Abyss, the Underdark, the Deep Umbra and Tartarus, as well as other spirit worlds connected with shadow. Creatures that may be known about would be Spirits of Shadow and Darkness, Lasombra vampires and to a lesser extent Nosferatu, Giovanni and Setite vampires (perhaps he may even have heard of the lost Cappadocians and the rare Samedi), Black Spiral Dancers, Spectres and Wraiths, a bit about Necromancers (especially as to how they relate to spirits, wraiths and spectres), certain fae creatures such as the Sluagh of the Unseelie court, some gods and realms related to various "myths" of places the dead go (though certainly not all, for example the Ancient Egyptians believed that the spirits of the dead were ferried through the land of Night and watched over by Osiris, but Vikings believed in a Rainbow bridge to Asgaarde where might Valhalla lay; obviously the former applies, but not the latter) some kinds of demons connected with certain infernal realms such as Tartarus and other shadow beasts, a smattering of invaders from the Deep Umbra, though clearly no creature on Earth can know all that may come visiting from the Great Void. Last and far from the least, the Shadow Dragons are whispered to be the most terrifying and powerful residents of the Nightside.
I think that beyond level 3 we may need some kind of sanity check along with raising it.
Damien White comes to Devin in shadows, teaching him the secrets of forging weapons from darkness and cold fire and speaks of these things that inhabit or manipulate the darkness until Devin's eyes run tears of black that won't evaporate until the sun washes over them.
Further, Devin has lately often discovered upon waking that he, or perhaps some other force, has somehow brought all of his treasures to his bed while he slept. In fact, it seems to help his rest significantly as they surround him. He craves more treasures with which to surround himself while he slumbers amidst his hoard…
"To hoard… I must hoard; I need to hoard."
I suggest hunting down the Lasombra Clanbook. If I remember correctly, it may have some interesting insights for you.
9. Shadow Taming x6
Bringing shadows to life… In order to tame any shadow, the Shadow Tamer must locate the animal of which he wishes to Tame the shadow. The animal actually has its shadow stolen and they do not cast one of their own until the effect wears off. This can be rather unnerving for more intelligent creatures…
Shadows brought to life in this way are limited by the intelligence of the creature they were stolen from. The Tamer has a small advantage in dealing with this intelligence in that, the shadow creatures understand his language to a degree. However, very simple creatures like insects may only understand two word commands, whereas a human may understand perfectly complex instructions.
All shadow creatures maintain the physical prowess of their matter composed counterparts, except the are completely invisible in shadow (except two patches of Dark Glow that is the creature's eyes. These creatures can slide through tight spaces, for instance under doors and may choose to become intangible for a round (but may not interact with other objects to attack in those rounds either). Lastly, bright lights harm them even if they are intangible. A strobe light, flash bulb or flash grenade spells doom, while a flashlight may be treated as a firearms attack.
(1) Skittering Horrors
Nothing larger than a squirrel. These creatures understand only very basic commands of one to four smaaaaall words at best, but they are completely loyal. These creatures may be used to scout but they can only relay a vague image of what they have seen and never retain words they have heard from others, though the certainly recognize sound. They may not focus on what is important and, for example, may return with images of a tasty candy bar they encountered rather than the villain they were sent to spy on.
System: Expend one Shadow Pool then roll Manipulation + Animal Ken
diff. 6, each success grants the Skittering Horror an hour of life.
(2) Shades of the Wild
Nothing larger than a man. These beasts are more intelligent and may understand a few simple sentences of simple grammar. Loyalty is now a problem as these creatures may resist the Tamer's will.
System: Expend one Shadow Pool and roll Manipulation + Animal Ken first to determine the success of the Shadow's life span each success determining one hour of life (Diff 7) and then to determine the amount of control maintained over the Shade, domesticated animals are diff 6 while wild animals are diff 7.
(3) Steed of Darkness
The shadows of animals that are larger than humans may now be Tamed and even ridden, if they are appropriately controlled. Once again, domesticated animals are easier to control than wild beasts.
System: Expend one Shadow Pool and roll Manipulation + Animal Ken first to determine the Steed's life span (Diff 8) and then again to determine its loyalty. Domesticated animal's loyalty checks are at diff 6, wild beasts depend on whether they are predatory (Diff 8) or not (Diff 7). Steeds of Darkness, whether or not they are being ridden are more intelligent and can be given up to four sentences of instructions to operate independently of the Tamer of middling grammar complexity (Storyteller's call).
Steeds may also choose to resist the Tamer's control if they are faced with a dangerous opponent and may check again for loyalty. +1 difficulty if the Tamer is not present.
(4) Shadow Slaves
The Tamer may now steal and Tame the shadows of humans, however human shadows are more prone to acting independently than animals and thought they are inclined to listen to the Tamer, they often choose to act of their own accord.
System: The Tamer expends one Shadow Pool and rolls Manipulation + Animal Ken to determine the Shadow Slave's lifespan, diff 8 for Sleepers, difficulty 9 for Awakened, each success allowing ten minutes of life (this may be an extended action with additional Shadow Pool spent for every roll). Then the Shadow Tamer must roll Manipulation + Persuasion to convince the Shadow Slave to help him. Difficulty varies on how much the Tamer's requests differ from what the original person that the Shadow Slave came from would do. No roll if the person would have done it anyway, diff 6 for something they might have done, but wouldn't really want to very much compared to some other course of action, difficulty 10if the Tamer wants them to sacrifice themselves (and the person wasn't a Martyr to begin with).
Note that Shadow Slaves have all the same knowledges, skills and talents as the original, but they may not tap into supernatural Powers at this level. This power only covers Awakened humans and not other Templates that appear to be human such as Vampires or Werewolves, though vampiric Ghouls and Kinfolk may have their shadows enslaved in this way.
Some Shadow Tamers choose to bring their own Shadow to life and use it as a Slave, since they tend to have the same goals (Heaven forbid the character should have a self-hatred) however there are two problems with this: one, the Tamer looses access to their own Shadow Pool while the Slave exists and two, they also cast no shadow in order to utilize some of their more simple shadow powers with such as .
(5) Monsters of the Night
System: Expend one Shadow Pool for Supernatural creatures smaller than human such as Imps, Pixies or Brownies, two Shadow Pool for human sized such as Vampires, Werewolves and Changlings, three or more Shadow Pool for larger Supernatural Creatures (Storyteller's discretion, but stealing Cthulu's Shadow probably isn't within the realm of possibility without a heroic cache of Shadow Pool somehow accessed). Manipulation + Animal Ken, diff 10 for lifespan of the Night Monster. Convincing the Monster to help you is similar to that of human Shadow Slaves except even more difficult as this Shadow version tends to be more feral and beastlike than the original Monster… Diff + 1 to 3 depending on the creature type: Faeries are +1, Vampires and Werewolves +2 or +3 depending on the creature's Rageor Humanity…
Note that at this level, Shadow Slaves may access many of the original's Supernatural Powers as well.
10. Shadow Armorer x6
Now that the Armorer can forge shadows he has realized that the shadows themselves may be given different textures allowing them to still retain strength but become pliable.
A full body suit made from a thick supple nearly impenetrably dark cloth arrives in a discreet brown box. The suit is close to weightless and fits very comfortably on Devin, almost as if it was made for him. (3 Armor no Dex penalty, this path is x6 also, you'll see why.)
*Shadow Stitch: The Armorer has learned how to draw shadow through the cold flame to make a thick thread and can stitch with it as well. The most common use of this is reinforcing clothing to make it stronger without hindering the wearer. (The stitch essentially has to be done in down time if the persons plan is to reinforce something, it takes about two weeks of 10 hour days per half of the body of the Armorer sitting and adding tight weaves to the cloth. It adds one armor dice with no penalty.)
Devin spends the remainder of the month stitching over the cloth of his new suit, thereby making it stronger.
**Shadow Weaving: Once the Armorer receives a loom (Separate gift) he is able to make shadow cloth. Of a similar weight of the clothing that was given to him. (This is an action happens during the downtime and requires a roll of Dex + Crafts difficulty six. Each success yields another yard of fabric. If a head piece is added to the armor then it becomes 5 armor with no dex penalty, otherwise the cloth itself, when made into clothes has an armor of three with no dice penalty.)
***Shadow Silencing: The Armorer realizes with the nature of the shadow is to be silent and as such his equipment crafted after this will render his movements even quieter than usual. (The Armorer can make boots from the shadow cloth that give him a minus one difficulty to all stealth rolls.)
Weight of Shadow: The Armorer can now make weightless cloth, only under specific conditions however. The Armorer must wait until the night of the New Moon to create the shadow used to weave new cloth. (The Armorer, during the new moon must make a Dex + Crafts roll difficulty eight, each success creates a yard of fabric. When a piece of clothing is made out of this fabric, all rolls that require quick movement are reduced in difficulty by one. This includes Dodging, Running, Gymnastics, Legerdemain, and others.)
*Shadow Plate: The Armorer can create Samurai Style Bamboo, or European Plate out of the Shadow, which causes the Armor to be both strong and light. The more the Armorer puts of himself into the piece, the stronger it will become. This Armor is meant to be worn on top of the initial suit but because of it's nature it removes the effectiveness of the nearly weightless cloth underneath it. (The shadow armor must be forged in the cold flame during downtime. It has a minimum armor of 2 with no dex penalty. The armorer rolls dex + crafts difficulty 6. Successes can be added as an extended action, each success past 2 yields another point of armor to a maximum of 6. After 2 if the Armorer wants to avoid dexterity penalty he must spend a permanent point of Shadow pool per point of armor.)
11. Nest of the Shadow x7
(1) Rest Amid the Hoard
Resting better than the Nest had ever
known as a mere mortal, every morning they awaken feeling refreshed
and ready to protect the egg within.
System: The Nest recovers two
willpower and one Shadow Pool for every normal night's sleep amid
the hoarded treasures or each hour spent meditating amid the hoarded
treasures.
(2) Cow Predators
The Nest in its most basic defense,
puts on its most frightening face: a huge ghostly, shadow dragon
face forms from shadows coalescing on the face of the Nest and
letting out a mighty roar. Mortals and most Awakened creatures will
flee in stark, raving terror getting their first taste of what the
Nest holds.
System: The Nest expends one Shadow
Pool and rolls Charisma + Intimidation. Difficulty is the Target's
Wits + Courage. This may be performed as an extended action. At
three successes, the target runs blindly from the Nest, if cornered,
even clawing at walls hoping to dig through rather than face it.
Every success beyond two subtracts one die from the victim's dice
pool for the next round. Once so many successes are accrued that the
target cannot act, all they can do is to fall into a little ball and
cry. This is a supernatural fear.
(3) Soul Hardening
The Nest's soul has scarred around the incubating egg protecting it and the Nest.
System: The Nest may use their Willpower as armor against *nonphysical* lethal and aggravated attacks directed to the soul. This is especially obvious and useful while in the Umbra, Shadowlands, Astral Planes and other realms of spirit.
12. Shadow Loom
13. Signature Weapon Shadow Shotgun
From the distance, in the dark, it looks like a simple pistol grip pump. When seen in the daylight, or seen up close it is easy to realize that it is solid black with roiling smoke within it. It seems to be nearly indestructible
14. Luck
Damien has been a busy man, much to the chagrin of Devin. Devin was hung upside down in a barn as shadow runes were carved into his half naked body by Damien's dark fingers. Devin will be at a plus one difficulty to all courage rolls should he ever choose to fight Damien.
15. Mentor: Damien
Devin, I feel you could be progressing so much faster. I've decided to aid you more directly.
16. New ID:
Edward Jones Dual Citizenship US & Canada
17. Shadow Bike:
A motorcycle made of roiling smoke that also leaves a trail of smoke behind it. It takes up no space in the shadow and it takes an expenditure of a point of shadow to power it for a day.
18. Pilot Mastery
19. Signature Shadow Bike
20. Melee Mastery
21. Midnight (C. R. x6)
1) Curse Shadow
By infusing a victims shadow with your power, you can cause it to warp, twist, & mock in subtle fashions, unnerving the cursed victim.
System: You must touch the target's shadow, spend 1 Shadow Pt. & roll Cha. + Intimidation (Diff: Target's Enlightenment). For each success, the target's shadow will act mock & caper for 24 hours. This effect will cause a -2 Die penalty on any roll that requires concentration. You may use this effect on yourself if desired, & suffer no penalty (though your shadow will still mock, warp, & caper).
2) Impale Shadow
You may "pin" a shadow in place with a Shadow Crafted weapon, thereby holding the victim in place till the weapon is resumed.
System: Spend 1 Shadow Pt. & roll to attack targeting the Shadow. If struck, the target will be unable to move farther than the radius of the point initially struck until the weapon is pulled free.
3) Devour Shadow
Using a Shadow Crafted weapon, you may "sever" a victim's shadow, after which you may "feed" it the the nascent dragon within, nurturing it, & thus yourself.
System: Spend a Shadow Pt. & roll to attack as normal, targeting the shadow. If successful, the target suffers an Unsoakable level of Bashing damage & has no shadow until next sunrise. The Shadow has a "value" equal to the Permanent Willpower of the victim. The Value decreases by -1 per round after it is severed. If you spend a full action eating the shadow, you may use a Value level to decrease the severity of 1 wound level by 1 degree (Aggravated=Lethal, Lethal=Bashing, Bashing is healed). If you are distracted in anyway you will not be able to feed that round.
4) Bind Shadow
Where shadows cross, you may fuse them together, binding those they are attached to.
System: Spend 1 Shadow & roll Dex. + Crafts (Diff: 7, 5 w/ Shadow Lore). You may "bind" 1 shadow per success. Once bound, the targets may not move farther from one another than the distance their shadows were when bound. To break free, they must roll Willpower (Diff: 6), & accumulate a number of successes equal to your Shadow Rating. Each attempt requires a full action, & deals Bashing damage on the target equal to successes rolled, as they suffer the sympathetic tearing of the bound shadow.
5) Army of Darkness
You may conjure up a number of "silhouettes" from your shadow. While fragile as a wisp of darkness, they are strong & obedient.
System: Roll Shadow (Diff: 8) & spend as much shadow as desired. Every point spent creates 1 "silhouette", a shadowy duplicate that has identical stats as you. Silhouettes have only 1 Health Level, & are destroyed should they suffer any damage. They have all your powers, but may not spend Willpower & may spend a single Shadow Pt. to activate an ability, though they are destroyed in the process. Silhouettes fade at the end of the scene.
22. The Thief's Shadow
23. Shadow Master Sorcery (x7)
Shadow Avatar:
The shadow master's Shadow bends the laws of light and reality. His shadow acts out his current passions and desires whenever able, though it is still unable to truly interact with the outside world. The shadow cannot move away from the shadow master.
(System: As long as devin's shadow is under his command (not shadow tamed), and he casts a shadow, all of his shadow abilities are at a minus one difficulty.)
Shadow Mending:
The shadow master can infuse others' shadows with power, which slowly siphons into their bodies and heals wounds.
(System: Devin can touch a creature's shadow and spend any amount of shadow pool. Devin spends X shadow pool, and the affected person is healed 2X health levels at the rate of one health level per minute. The touch doesn't have to be sustained.)
Shadow Walking:
The shadow master can move between his home world, the shadowlands, and the tempest at will.
(System: Devin chooses the shadowlands, the tempest, or the real world and rolls current temporary shadow pool difficulty of the gauntlet. The crossing takes 4 – successes turns with a minimum of one turn. The cost of a botch is very high. A single botch knocks him out for ten minutes. A double botch results in the shadow master being trapped in the tempest for five hours. A triple botch results in instant death.)
One With Darkness:
The Shadow master can transform his physical body into his shadow. While in this form, he exists partially in the real world and partially in the shadowlands.
(System: Devin spends two points of shadow pool to get into shadow form. While he's in his shadow form, he is essentially a controllable shadow that is about his actual size. In this form he is unable to use powers or interact with the physical world. To escape shadow form, he must shadow walk at a minus 3 difficulty into either the shadowlands or the real world. )
Greater Channeling:
The shadow master channels the spirit of the shadow dragon hatchling with massive intensity, allowing him to temporarily transform his body into that of a shadow dragon. The end result is terrifying to behold.
(System: Devin spends
24. Looming Shadow Ring (x3)
25. Shadow Rising
(Current x 6)
The Shadow Dragon's Egg develops within the Nest and its fledgling metaphysical muscles grow and gain strength… Beware. Here there be Dragons…
1.The Stirring
The Hatchling stirs frequently now and its metaphysical muscles both draw Shadow to the Nest and cause the Nest periodic pains.
System:
The Stirring has a chance of occurring any time the Nest is in the presence of Magic, especially Umbramancy or Necromancy, even the Nest's own magics (maximum once per scene). Roll the Nest's Willpower (Diff 7).
Each Success causes the Nest to suffer the equivalent of a Health Level for one turn (ignore Incapacitated effects) which then reverts back to the original Health Level afterward.
The Nest gains a Shadow Pool for each success as well.
Botches cause the Nest to lose temporary Willpower points.
2.Growing Pains
The hatchling has begun to struggle against the Shell of the Egg, kicking and causing the Nest further pain. The Hatchling kicks, bites, scratches and otherwise lashes out at the Shell. Yet the Nest, hardened and prepared, rises to the challenge. The Nest can now shrug off harm inflicted upon it and instead of being brought low by injury, the Nest finds the pain pleasurable and even ecstatic.
System:
Health penalties are instead treated as bonus Dice.
The Stirring may now happen as much as twice per Scene.
3.Peaking Through the Cracks
The Hatchling, while still contained within the Egg may lash out at perceived threats, Shadow Hexing assailants. Indeed, the Nest may even channel the Hatchling's metaphysical power in order to fight against magical effects. Magics countered in this way need not be directly influence the Nest or Hatchling, the Hatchling defers to the Nest's judgement in these matters, but like any child, the Hatchling may overreact when its guardian identifies a threat.
System:
Assailants to the Nest are automatically at a dice penalty of the level of Shadow Rising divided by two, round up for any kind of attack on the Nest or Hatchling. This entropic energy may be automtically detected by anyone with Intuition and creatures with it may fear it or be annoyed by it. Wise beings may recognize the folly in making an enemy of the Nest.
The Hatchling provides Countermagic to the Nest to use at its discretion (Wits + Intuition, Difficulty 6). Though each time the Nest invokes it, he must make a virtue roll (usually either Self Control or Courage) or go into an Anger or Fear frenzy as the Hatchling writhes in panic in his soul.
4.Are You My Mommy?
The Hatchling, though not yet fully matured or hatched, can be channeled in a new way. It has learned to communicate with the Nest. It may project its thoughts to the Nest and even others which are mere emotions and images which can be confusing and often frightening to the perceiver. The touch of its mind is cold, hungry, ruthless and steeped in shadowy metaphor.
System:
The Nest may roll Charisma + Empathy (Diff 7) to communicate with the Hatchling.
The Hatchling may reach out to the Nest or to other, nearby minds, sending and/or reading thoughts, though targets may not easily understand nor easily be understood, nor are they likely to enjoy the touch of the Hatchling's thoughts (Wits + Empathy, Diff 8, or if it is the Nest 7).
Communication rolls:
a.1-2 successes – imagery sent and received may be easily confused.
b.3-4 successes – communication is fairly clear.
c.5 successes - the target may even block or deceive the Hatchling.
5.Tantrums
More than merely defending, The Hatchling's Wrath can be directed by the Nest at anytime even before any hostility has begun.
System:
26. 25. Cimmerian Sorcery (x7):
- Blinding Shade
The first thing a Cimmerian acolyte learns is how to manipulate and create shadows. The acolytes value preciseness over pure power, and use their brains to maximize the effect of minimal exertion. The unarmored acolytes of old would learn the power to place shadows on their opponent's eyes, leveling the battlefield for the sightless magus.
System: (Devin expends one shadow pool for every pair of eyes he wishes to cover. He then rolls wits + legerdemain difficulty 7 + 1 for each pair of eyes at one time. The targeted pairs of eyes are blinded for successes turns by black shadows that are cast under the brow line. As long as this effect is active, Devin suffers shadows on his own eyes. Although he can see through them with eyes of night, he still suffers a minus +2 penalty to all sight related rolls during this time. If the target stares at the sun, the effect expires three times as fast. If the eyes the shadows cover cease to exist for even a moment, the effect ends.)
** Pitchy Blackness
Moving through the darkness may come naturally to a Cimmerian adept, but his foes are not so experienced. With a minimal expenditure of will, an adept of the Cimmerian arts can manipulate the shadows cast on an opponent's body to grasp and slow the foe.
System: (Devin expends one shadow pool and rolls intelligence + meditation difficulty 6. The targeted foe gets – successes dice to all physical rolls for successes turns. The foe also has their movement speed divided by successes. This effect decays over its duration. For example if three successes are scored:
1st turn: Foe gets -3 physical dice
2nd turn: Foe gets -2 physical dice
3rd turn: Foe gets -1 physical dice.)
***Shadow Buffet
Where does one draw the line between what is precieved and what is real? Skilled Cimmerians can blur this line and manipulate the bodies of their opponents in space.
System: (Devin spends two shadow pool for each foe he wishes to affect. He then rolls Wits + shadow lore difficulty 7. For each success he can pull or push a man-sized foe 8 meters. For an object x times man-sized, subtract x successes from the distance. The targeted foes lose their next action.)
Caliginosity Of Mind
A master cimmerian knows: mastery of the physical world is simply unnecessary effort. Why attack the physical body before disabling the mind?
System: (Devin spends a point of shadow pool per foe he wishes to affect. He then rolls manipulation + subterfuge. The targeted enemies suffer successes perceived health levels of damage. These health levels can not kill or incapacitate the target, but they can cause wound penalties equal to health levels affected. If the foe spends willpower to ignore these wound penalties, they must roll willpower difficulty 9, and may ignore one health level of this “damage” per success for one turn. This effect lasts successes x 10 seconds.
*Repositing Shadows
The Grandmaster cimmerian is Zen in the art of existing. When his body come under attack, it reacts of its own accord and moves him to safety.
(System: Every time Devin takes at least one health level of damage, he is automatically teleported to a random location within 15 feet of himself. He can't end up in any walls or other places that would instantly kill him. Foes and players besides Devin will probably need to make perception rolls to notice his new location in combat situations. This ability is passively active.)
27. (Dylan Game)
28. (I heard 10,000 whispering and nobody listening)
29. (The Ghosts of Circo Magnifico)
30. (The Crazy Train)