Flaws (Homebrew)

## **Flaws**

##### **Animate Shadow (3pt. Supernatural Flaw)**

Your shadow has a bizarre unlife of its own, reaching out with claws to grasp the shadows of those around you in a parody of feeding or billowing to a demonic mien when frenzy threatens to overtake you. Some Lasombra believe this curse afflicts only those who delve too deeply into the mysticism of the Abyss; others attribute it to infernal pacts, the wrath of God or a shameful lack of self-control. Regardless, you lose two dice from all Social rolls with other Lasombra who know of your problem. This Flaw occasionally manifests among vampires who do not belong to the Clan of Shadows, but such accursed individuals invariably disappear under mysterious circumstances, perhaps swallowed by their own alien darkness.

##### **Beast in the Mirror (1 or 2pt. Supernatural Flaw)**

Whenever you stare into a reflective surface, you see your Beast leering back at you. If this horror is visible to you alone, this Flaw is worth only one point. If mirrors betray your monstrous nature to everyone, this Flaw is worth two points. even at the one-point intensity, magi and other gifted souls may occasionally glimpse your true nature for a moment. Even ordinary mortals can sense there is something faintly wrong with you, adding +1 to the difficulty of most Social rolls if they have ever seen your reflection.

*(Available to Lasombra at ST discretion. The ST will chat with each player about how their beast would appear)*

##### **Curse of Silence (2pt. Supernatural Flaw)**

*Maeghar/kiasyd*

Possibly holdover or influence from the fae blood, particularly blood related to a kind of changeling known as slaugh, Curse of Silence renders renders the afflicted unable to speak above a whisper and/or soft tones. Because of how this can hamper social interactions, the character makes all social rolls at +2 difficulty.

In order to speak above a whisper, the afflicted can attempt to force themselves to do so, at great difficulty. Roll willpower diff 8.

1ss allows the character to speak at a normal tone for a sentence or two, 2ss means they can speak in a normal tone for a paragraph or yell for two sentences, 3ss means they can speak normally for two paragraphs or yell for one, 4ss they can speak normally for the remainder of the scene or tell for two paragraphs, 5+ss they can speak normally or yell for the remainder of the scene.

Nothing happens on a failure, but on a botch, the character rendered completely silent for the remainder of the scene.

Note: if the player successfully rolls to raise their voice, the diff penalty to social rolls is taken away.

##### **Curse of Silence (4pt. Supernatural Flaw)**

*Maeghar/kiasyd*

Possibly holdover or influence from the fae blood, particularly blood related to a kind of changeling known as slaugh, Curse of Silence renders renders the afflicted unable to speak above a whisper and/or soft tones.

Unlike the 2 point version, this renders the afflicted unable to speak above a whisper or soft tones ever. As such, they suffer a +2 diff to all social rolls.

##### Eyes of the Unholy (1pt.)

Your eyes are inhuman, resembling FX contact lenses. Interaction with mortals carries a +2 penalty to Social rolls when they're not disguised. These eyes can be disguised through natural means by contact lenses of appropriate coverage or by tinted glasses lenses (basically anything that could hide that your eyes are a weird color will generally work at ST discretion.)

##### Eyes of the Unholy (2pt.)

Your eyes are inhuman and have gained the 'reflective backing' many animals possess. Interaction with mortals carries a +2 penalty to Social rolls when they're not disguised. These eyes can only be disguised through natural means by tinted glasses lenses (basically anything that could hide that your eyes are a weird color will generally work at ST discretion.)

##### **Glowing Eyes Variant Info (2-5pt Supernatural Flaw)**

This is a ***Supernatural*** Flaw that may not be adjusted or eliminated by Vicissitude. Neither altered or replaced eyes will cease glowing. Even upon complete removal of the eyes, the sockets will instead  cast an eerie glow with the same intensity as before the removal.

The powers of Obfuscate are one of the methods that may fully mask this flaw.

*Special thanks to the New Orleans by Night server for letting us borrow the glowing eyes variant*

(Sub-types of flaw listed below.)

##### **Glowing Eyes, "Dull" (2pt. Flaw)**

It’s subtle, even passable as normal in a well lit room, so that you may not even need to hide your face, but something is distinctly different and unnatural about your gaze when sitting in dim lighting or lingering in complete darkness. Perhaps you can explain it away as colorful contacts in a modern setting, but in earlier eras, this may be a risk around mortals.

All Social rolls with any individual mortals that have recognized your eyes as abnormal take a permanent +1 difficulty in future encounters if the player has failed initially to convince them their eyes are fine.

##### **Glowing Eyes, "Soft" (3pt. Flaw)**

Ever since your Embrace, your eyes have taken on a predatory glow and a more vibrant coloration (teal, violet, crimson, etc.). The glow is faint and not enough to read by, but enough to clearly notice in a dimly lit room let alone the darkness of a night-time alleyway.

Any mortals who perceive your glowing eyes will likely panic in fear, and all Social rolls to interact with them after they have seen them suffer a +1 difficulty unless attempting to intimidate or terrorize.

##### **Glowing Eyes, “Bright” (4pt. Flaw)**

You have the stereotypical glowing eyes of vampire legend, which gives you a -1 difficulty on Intimidation rolls when you’re dealing with mortals. However, the tradeoffs are many; you must constantly disguise your condition (no, contacts don’t cut it); the glow impairs your vision and puts you at +1 difficulty on all sight-based rolls (including the use of ranged weapons); and the radiance emanating from your eye sockets makes it difficult to hide (+2 difficulty to Stealth rolls) in the dark.

##### **Glowing Eyes, “Beacon” (5pt. Flaw)**

Your embrace was likely startling to any observers, as your gaze became like lanterns in the dark, of any seemingly holy or unholy hue. It is imperative that you hide your eyes from mortals in any era, or possibly other supernaturals, as there is no explaining away the torch-like beams that radiate light from your skull. Even closing your eyes does little good to hide the intensity, as your eyelids become like eerie candled eggs. The light from your eyes is always intense, but can vary between a slightly more powerful flashlight, or a broader fiery glow of a blazing torch, either of which can be seen at a distance in nearly any environmental conditions. Intimidation rolls for mortals and vampires are respectfully a +3 and +2 difficulty. And as the light you emanate is so intense, obscuring your own vision, you may as well be legally blind. As a result, all sight-based actions are a +3 difficulty, though having Acute Vision or Heightened Senses may help you compensate.

##### **Hand of Hades (5pt. Supernatural Flaw)**

You exude the spiritual blight of death. Insects die if they fly too near you, while most small plants shrivel and die within a foot of your presence. Even large trees take on blight in the places you touch. Larger animals, including humans, suffer one level of lethal damage for every hour they spend in close proximity to you. Such damage has no outward sign, manifesting as inexplicable weakness. This nepenthe also sets mortals and even vampires ill at ease, adding 1 to the difficulty of all Social rolls not involving Intimidation. Unlike the Flaw Touch of Frost (Dark Ages: Vampire p. 309), you really do leave a swath of desiccated grass and leaves as you pass. Cappadocians may take this Flaw in place of their normal clan curse, in which case they receive only two points and suffer their usual social difficulties, but may vainly show a “flush of life” if they so desire. Cappadocians who take this Flaw in addition to their clan curse receive the usual number of bonus points and cumulatively sum their Social penalties, adding +2 to the difficulty of all Social rolls not involving Intimidation.

##### **Permanent Fangs Variant Info (2-5pt Physical Flaw)**

Fangs can be crafted in or away using vicissitude at ST discretion. If you are a Nosferatu or other clan whose curse prevents such cosmetic changes, then, your flaw is permanent. However, at ST discretion, your fangs may be cursed and unable to be crafted away (much like gangrel features).

*Special thanks to the New Orleans by Night server for letting us borrow the Permanent Fangs eyes variant*

(Sub-types of flaw listed below.)

##### **Permanent Fangs, “Small” (2pt. Flaw)**

Unlike other vampires, your fangs do not retract.

Thankfully, though they are always visible to the naked eye, they can pass for simply being a little unique among humans, though you may get stares or questions.

##### **Permanent Fangs, “Normal/Large” (3pt. Flaw)**

Unlike other vampires, your fangs do not retract.

If speaking with humans, care must be taken, because if there’s no reasonable explanation for your cosmetic anomaly, you might startle or deter others.

Hiding your pearly whites is an option, but unless someone is specifically attracted to such unusual features, social interactions where your mouth is visible take a -2.

##### **Permanent Fangs, “Feral” (4pt. Flaw)**

Unlike other vampires, your fangs do not retract.

As long as you keep your mouth shut, you can pass for “normal”, but along with your canines, you may also have a lower set of fangs to assist in feeding.

Fangs of this size may also cause one or a few issues, such as mild to heavy slurring of words, or slight to excessive drooling when talking, hungry, angry, or feeding.

Having normal conversations with humans is impossible if your mouth is visible, and even if it isn’t, someone may know something is wrong.

Social interactions with kine or even vampires that may find you unsavory for other reasons take a -2.

Vampires with this flaw add +1 to Bite.

Vampires with this flaw cannot be above Appearance 4.

This flaw is predominantly seen among the lower clans, but is not unheard of in others with a strong Beast or a particularly aggressive disposition.

##### **Permanent Fangs, Bestial (5pt. Flaw)**

*(this flaw is mostly only found among nosferatu and gangrel)*

Unlike other vampires, your fangs do not retract.

It may be impossible to hide what lurks within your maw, be it rows of shark-like teeth, extra sets of vampiric canines from your gums, or literal tusks jutting from your jaws like some kind of ancient megafauna. Your words may be slurred--if speaking intelligibly is even possible--drooling prevalent, or periodically cutting up your own mouth like an enraged baboon.

It is rare to be able to hold a conversation safely with humans, if at all, unless your mouth is hidden and you remain cautious or silent.

Social interactions involving conversations with humans or even vampires, especially first impressions, take a -3 to rolls unless they have reason to be patient or tolerant.

Vampires with this flaw add +1 to Bite.

Vampires with this flaw cannot be above Appearance 3.

This flaw is predominantly seen among the lower clans, but is not unheard of in others with a strong Beast or a particularly aggressive disposition.

Taking this flaw in combination with the Ragged Bite (2pt) flaw (see below) is strongly encouraged.

##### **Ragged Bite (2pt. Physical Flaw)**

Unlike most other Cainites, you lack the ability to lick the wounds of your feeding closed. Instead, you leave raw puncture wounds in the flesh of your prey. These wounds also have a one-in-five chance of becoming diseased. The Storyteller determines the precise nature of the infection.

##### **Soul Eater (4pt. Supernatural Flaw)**

Your Beast hungers for more than blood. Whenever you feed, you steal one Willpower point from your victim for every three blood points taken. Unfortunately, your parasitic soul cannot replenish itself by any other means. You cannot regain Willpower by fulfilling your Nature, resting or any other natural method. Worse still, you must spend one Willpower point each night upon awakening or lose a dot of permanent Willpower. If your permanent Willpower ever drops to zero, you suffer from Final Death, your body crumbling away to ash as your parasitic soul feeds upon itself. Characters with this Flaw do not have to spend Willpower in torpor.

#####  **Village Idiot (3pt Social Flaw)**

You were regarded as a fool in life or have acquired that unfortunate reputation in unlife. Either way, no one takes you seriously. At the very least, you suffer a +2 difficulty on most Expression and Leadership rolls, and this penalty may apply to other Social rolls as decided by the Storyteller. It is possible to lose this Flaw in play, but it isn't easy. Even if you come up with a brilliant plan, most people dismiss it - and you - on general principle, or assume that you stole the idea from someone else.