Background

**Backgrounds** (Not to be confused with your background story) are Traits that represent your accumulated material power. Things such as information contacts, confederates, and financial earnings that are gathered over time are considered Backgrounds. While other Traits represent the internal aptitudes of your character, Backgrounds represent external power that your character has gained. In many ways, Backgrounds are a numeric reflection of your background story.

You are given **five** Background points that can be used in your application. Any extra Backgrounds are purchased using Freebies (At a cost of 1 Freebie per extra Background). After Creating a Character, you may gain additional Backgrounds through roleplay. Simply send a request explaining what your character has done that will allow him to gain additional Background points. (Example: After being fired at your old job, you're hired at a higher-paying place, and thus gain a point in Resources.)

**Background Rules**

* You are allowed to take **Destiny**, that is not limited only to Hunters. Destiny is capped at **1 dot** for books that don't normally have it.

### Vampire Related

* Do not take the generation background, it’s free!
* I urge you to look at the PDFs for other backgrounds.
* Do not take any 'LAbN Customs' from the toher site. The “Other” tab is not any background you guys can take.
* Due to this being an Anarch setting the Status background should *mostly* be ignored.

* General
* Vampire: The Masquerade
* Hunter: The Reckoning
* Other

Main Article: General Backgrounds

### **Allies**

Your Allies are mortals who help and support you - they could be family or friends, or even an organization to which you are friendly. Allies have their own lives, so they are not at your beck and call, but they often have Influence in the community and access to Contacts or Resources. An Ally is ultimately a mortal whom you have befriended, and who protects and aids you out of love or common interest.

For each point of Allies that you have, you have one Ally. This individual is a person or influence in the city where she lives. An Ally could be a police sergant, an advisor to the mayor, or even (if your rating is a 4 or 5) the mayor herself.

Allies are generally very trustworthy and loyal. However, it requires time and energy to maintain the alliance, for the friends expect the aid of the character to return in time of need. Though they likely do not know you are a vampire, they may know of some of your powers and thus may come to you for favors. This is often a means by which a story can begin.

• One ally of moderate influence and power

•• Two allies, both of them of moderate power

••• Three allies, one of them quite influential

•••• Four allies, one of them very influential

••••• Five allies, one of them extremely influential

### **Contacts**

You know people from many different walks of life, and they comprise a system of information and help that could come in very handy some day.

Your Contacts are the people you can manipulate or bribe to get information, (in their areas of expertise). You should describe your Major Contacts as complete characters, either as the chronicle progresses or beforehand. You also have a number of Minor Contacts spread throughout the city. When you wish to get in touch with a Minor Contact, make a roll using your Contacts rating against a difficulty of seven. Each success means you have gotten in touch with on of your Minor Contacts; of course, you will need to bribe or charm her into giving you needed information. Contacts can be split up into minor contacts too.

• One major contact

•• Two major contacts

••• Three major contacts

•••• Four major contacts

••••• Five major contacts

### **Influence**

Influence reflects your ability to produce results when attempting to sway or control the political and social processes of the mortal community. It is the ability to compel a mortal to take action on your behalf, perhaps because of some hold you have over him. This could mean that you have a prestigious family, control the police chief, or simply that you have gained political office. In short, Influence is how much political power you exert upon society, particularly among the police and bureaucrats.

Some rolls might use Influence in place of an Ability, especially when you start to interact with any sort of minor bureaucrat.

• Moderately influential: a factor in local politics.

•• Well-connected: a factor in city politics.

••• Position of influence: a factor in state politics.

•••• Broad personal power: a factor in regional politics.

••••• Vastly influential: a factor in national politics.

### **Fame**

You are widely known among the mortals, perhaps as a movie star or writer. This gives you great privileges when you travel among the mortals, but it can also attract just a bit too much attention. Fame can grant a lot of pull in the mass media, allowing you to attempt to manipulate the thoughts of the populace.

Sometimes Fame can seem like more trouble than it is worth, causing you to be recognized when you don't wish to be seen. However, there are many circumstances where it can come in handy, like getting you into clubs, parties and appointments that you otherwise would not have been able to attend. You are also harder for your enemies ot physically dispose of, as you cannot just "disappear." Sometimes Fame will be used with Manipulation in order to make a roll ("See if you can convince the doorman to let you in - difficulty of 8"), but more often it is simply used as a measure of how well-known you are. Each level of Fame subtracts one from the difficulty of hunting rolls in heavily populated areas (people tend to flock around you).

• You are known by a select subculture of society in the city: among the elite.

•• Your face is recognized by a majority of the populace: local celebrity.

••• You are fairly famous: your name and face are known by many.

•••• You are quite renowned: everybody knows something about you.

••••• You are a nationally famous individual - a movie star, politician, or performer.

### **Mentor**

This Trait describes one or more elders (your sire?) who look after you. Each rating point of Mentor you possess describes how powerful your Mentor is in the community of the Kindred. Your Mentor could simply be a vampire who has learned her way around the city, or an Ancient who has garnered huge amounts of power in both the mortal and immortal worlds. Your Mentor can advise you, protect you from other elders, speak for you to the prince, caution you when you intrude on the affairs of other elders, and inform you of opportunities for power and advancement.

Often a Mentor is your sire, though it can be any vampire who has taken an interest in you. If our Mentor is powerful, it might not be a single person, but a group. Thus, a brood could be a Mentor, as could the ruling council of a clan. Tremere often have the Mentor Background Trait because of the aid they receive from their elders.

A Mentor may expect to receive something in return for the aid she provides. Though she may simply enjoy your company, in time of need she may call upon her "apprentice." This may begin a number of excellent stories. In general, however, you do receive more than you need to give out.

• Mentor is an ancilla, and of little influence.

•• Mentor is an elder and is well respected.

••• Mentor is a member of the primogen.

•••• Mentor is a prince and has much power over the city.

••••• Mentor is a Justicar and is extraordinarily powerful.

### **Resources**

This trait describes your personal financial resources, or your access to such. A high Resources rating doesn’t necessarily reflect your liquid assets; this Background describes your standard of “living,” your possessions and your buying power. No dots in Resources is just that: You have no permanent haven and no possessions save a few clothes and possibly a weapon or a pocketful of coins.

You receive a basic allowance each month based on your rating; be certain to detail exactly where this money comes from, be it a job, trust fund or dividends. After all, your fortune may well run out over the course of the chronicle, depending on how well you maintain it. You can also sell your less liquid resources if you need the cash, but this can take weeks or even months, depending on what exactly you’re trying to sell. Art buyers don’t just pop out of the woodwork, after all.

• Small savings: A small apartment and maybe a motorcycle. If liquidated, you would have about $1000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a month.

•• Middle class: An apartment or condominium. If liquidated, you would have at least $8000 in cash. Allowance of $1200 a month.

••• Large savings: A homeowner or someone with some equity. If liquidated, you would have at least $50,000 in cash. Allowance of $3000 a month.

•••• Well-off: A member of the upper class. You own a very large house, or perhaps a dilapidated mansion. If liquidated, you would have at least $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9,000 a month.

••••• Ridiculously affluent: A multimillionaire. Your haven is limited by little save your imagination. If liquidated, you would have at least $5,000,000 in cash. Allowance of $30,000 a month.

### **Retainers**

You have one or more servants and assistants who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Retainers may be ghouls who are Blood Bound to you, individuals whom you have so Dominated over the years that they are incapable of independent action, or individuals whom you have so overwhelmed with your Presence that they would do anything for you.

Retainters must always be controlled in some way, either through a salary, through the donation of your blood, or through the direct control of their minds. They may not always be loyal, though they typically are. If given the chance, they may betray you, depending on how well they have been treated.

Retainers should not be supermen, even if they are ghouls. Each should have a weakness. For instance, one Retainer might be very loyal, but not very skilled. Another Retainer might be very powerful, but have a very independent mind. No retainer should ever be the perfect bodyguard; nothing is that easy in Vampire. Retainers are meant to be characters in and of themselves - something to add flavor to the chronicle. Do not let them be abused.

• One retainer.

•• Two retainers.

••• Three retainers.

•••• Four retainers.

••••• Five retainers.

*When dealing with swarms, Retainers 1 is 50 of whatever swarm creature, 2 is 150, 3 is 500, 4 is 1000 and 5 is 5000.*

### **Occult Library**

Some Kindred have accumulated vast stores of mystical knowledge over their many years. Such resources may have been inherited from a character's sire, treasures gleaned from previous journeys, gifts from a mentor or even stolen from rivals. In fact, a library need not even be printed - a contact who knows occult lore may be considered a library for the purposes of this Background.

Whatever form it takes, an Occult Library aids the character in certain cases involving knowledge of the mystical or magical. Whenever the player needs to make a roll involving the Occult Knowledge and the character has the opportunity to consult the books, she may call upon this Background to help her. While this won't be of much aid if the character is held prisoner by another Kindred or visiting a foreign city, if the character is in her own library or laboratory, the information may prove invaluable.

• A few books: +1 die to Occult dice pools.

•• A modest collection: + 1 die to Occult dice pools, -1 to Occult difficulties.

••• Many noteworthy titles: +2 dice to Occult dice pools, -1 to Occult difficulties.

•••• A wide variety of lore: +2 dice to Occult dice pools, -2 to Occult difficulties.

••••• A veritable magical encyclopedia: +3 dice to Occult dice pools, -2 to Occult difficulties.

### **Alternate Identity**

Players can take this Background multiple times at multiple levels for multiple identities. Other relevant Backgrounds (Allies, Contacts, Influence, Resource, Status) can also be appended to an Alternate Identity but they may be lost were the false identity be exposed – some backlash may even be expected if the false identity was used to deceive the appended Allies. Storytellers are expected to demand comprehensive explanation before allowing this background. False identities also often require the help of allies to establish.

• Your identity is new and won’t stand much scrutiny. It’s fine for casual interaction, but if anyone decides to investigate your background, he’s likely to discover the truth.

•• Your identity can stand up to investigation under most conditions. If someone is determined to find the truth about your background, he will likely succeed with effort.

••• Your identity is known to a few fiefs and you actually have name recognition in those cities.

•••• You are not only known, you have a strong reputation across several fiefs.

••••• Your identity is impeccable and you are a respected member of your chosen clan. Should the truth about your true persona come to light even an elder or two will vouch for you.

### **Cult**

You have control of a cult, that you may have founded yourself or usurped from another. A cult offers different advantages depending on its makeup, its structure and what resources it can call upon. In game terms, this translates into cult points that serve to buy various Cult Traits much like the Backgrounds of an individual character. Some Cult Traits may get negative values, giving the player more points to spend on other areas of the cult by giving it a weakness or deficient Trait.

The Traits of a cult are: Size, Influence, Loyalty, Resources, Secrecy and Arcana. Of all Backgrounds, Cult is the most dynamic one and requires constant involvement on the character's part, lest the Cult swiftly disappear.

• You have 1 cult point to spend.

•• You have 2 cult point to spend.

••• You have 3 cult point to spend.

•••• You have 4 cult point to spend.

••••• You have 5 cult point to spend.

Main Article: Vampire Backgrounds

### **Communal Haven**

Although only the most powerful vampires claim regions of domain, most vampires tacitly claim small areas of personal influence. Of course, many princes allow vampires to claim only their havens and immediate surroundings as domains.

A vampire's domain is the area in which she is the authority - king of the castle, as it were. This does not necessarily mean that she has any "control" or vested interest in the domain, merely that it is nominally her "turf." Other Kindred who wish to visit must ask permission of the Kindred who claims it as domain.

Few young vampires claim domain other than their havens; elders have already taken the city's prime areas under their own aegis. This is a great bone of contention among many cities' Kindred, as the increasing numbers of undead must make do with the dwindling resources offered by the finite area in which they find themselves. Sometimes, open revolt or subtle usurpation is the only way to acquire new domain.

#### Luxury

Luxury is a measure of the quality of appointments inside the haven. The level of Luxury ranges from spare to opulent, corresponding closely to a Resources Background of equal value (see pp. 115-116 of V20).
> • What passes for furniture probably fell off the back of a truck or was liberated from a dumpster.
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> •• The place has been decorated and outfitted modestly. It has the basics expected of modern First World lifestyles (where appropriate).
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> ••• The haven offers relative comfort, with a host of amenities.
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> •••• The haven is a luxurious oasis in the midst of the Jyhad, unique in both design and appearance.
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> ••••• Only the extremely wealthy or celebrities usually enjoy the opulence of a place like this.
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#### Size

Size represents the amount of living space in the Communal. While the following breakdown gives suggested sizes and room counts, players are encouraged to be creative if they so wish — imagine an open warehouse layout of no true “rooms,” or a network of “under repair” blacked-out skywalks that have access points to various locations downtown.
> • A small apartment or underground chamber: 1 to 2 rooms.
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> •• A large apartment or small family home; 3 to 4 rooms.
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> ••• A warehouse, church, or large home; 5 to 8 rooms, or a large enclosure.
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> •••• A mansion or network of tunnels; 9-15 rooms or chambers.
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> ••••• A sprawling estate or vast network of subway tunnels; 20+ rooms.
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#### Security

Security represents how tough it is to breach the haven. Each dot of Security either adds one to the difficulty of any roll made to penetrate the haven or adds one to the number of successes required to gain access. (Players and Storytellers should agree on this function before the story begins.)
> • Cheap locks on the doors, but not much else.
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> •• You’ve reinforced every door and barred the windows, or you may have a dog that barks to warn you when someone comes too close to the haven. The place is relatively secure from commonplace threats.
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> ••• The haven is secure but not impenetrable, relying on a modern set of locks, physical protection such as bars over the windows, electronic security measures such as alarm systems, and standard electronic monitoring such as security cameras. It may be remote or accessed only by protected routes, such as a high-rise with a security guard who watches the elevator.
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> •••• Your haven is protected by all of the security features for the previous level and then some. On par with restricted governmental buildings or even prisons, your haven has reinforced walls, sectionalized access throttles, and perhaps even several panic rooms or hidden chambers. You have invested a considerable about of time and effort to keep people out of your base.
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> ••••• Your base is protected by all of the security features offered by the previous levels. Additionally, it is protected by one or more unique features, such as being far off the beaten path, incorporating a geographical boundary like being built on an island, and/or possible occult protections, like being visible only to Kindred. (Players and Storytellers should come to an agreement on the nature of such one-of-a-kind protections.
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### **Herd**

You have built a group of mortals from whom you can feed without fear. A herd may take many forms, from circles of kinky clubgoers to actual cults built around you as a god-figure. In addition to providing nourishment, your herd might come in handy for minor tasks, although they are typically not very controllable, closely connected to you or even highly skilled (for more effective pawns, purchase Allies, Henchmen or Retainers). Your Herd rating adds dice to your rolls for hunting.

• Three vessels.

•• Seven vessels.

••• 15 vessels.

•••• 30 vessels.

••••• 60 vessels.

### **Anarch Status**

You have a reputation within the local community of Anarchs. Status among the Anarchs reflects memorable deeds and general popularity. Despite the intention of the Status Perfectus and other early Anarch manifestos, a hierarchy of who’s calling the shots has emerged in many Anarch domains, representing a maturing of the sect’s ideals (or a betrayal of them, depending on which Anarchs you’re speaking to).You may have occasion to roll your Status in conjunction with a Social Trait; this reflects the positive effects of your prestige.

• Known: You’ve started making a name for yourself. You might be a rising tough working for a gang or this week’s darling hacker, fighting for the cause behind a computer screen.

•• Respected: You’ve become known for being able to hold your own on the streets and in the back rooms where the real decisions are being made.

••• Influential: Anarchs listen to your opinion. You might have led a minor skirmish or exposed some shitbag Ivory Tower lick in a scheme to put more money in his pockets. Perhaps you’re the author of a well-received Anarch manifesto, or you call the shots for a respected crew. Whatever the case, there are few in the domain or across a Free State territory who don’t know about you.

•••• Powerful: You have a great deal of influence over your city. You might be a leader of a powerful known crew or one of the few Anarch elders.

••••• Luminary: You are the acknowledged leader of your Anarch domain, or well-placed among them. You might be the Baron (or a backer behind a figurehead Baron)

### **Spirit Slaves** - Necromancers only.

This Trait represents a hold you have over a ghost, or several ghosts. Usually this hold is in the form of catene. Neither something that the ghost valued highly in life, or possibly a random object or place to which the spirito became attached during the maelstrom. Regardless, you have a hold over the spirit and can bully it by threatening its fetter. Alternatively, you might have information about the spirit's goals and can control it by aiding or impeding it.

A Vampire with the Spirit Slaves Background starts play with one or more spirits already doing her bidding. The number of spirits and their power depend on how many dots the character has in the Background. Obviously this is a Background only open to Kindred with the Necromancy Discipline.

Each individual spirit costs one dot. Wraiths' skills and attributes are built using the rules for neonate vampires, but with no additional Disciplines (except as described below), Backgrounds or freebie points. Each starts with a Passion Pool of 5.: Every spirit automatically has Auspex 1 and one dot in another common power. Spending another Background dot on a spirit can give it an uncommon power (or one common power at uncommon levels). Spending two dots on a spirit can give it rare levels of power.

Example: Brent chooses to have three dots in the Spirit Slaves Background. That means he could have three spirits doing his bidding, each with Auspex 1 and one other common power. Alternatively, he could choose to have two servants: a weak one and one who also possesses an uncommon power. Finally, he could choose to have a single servant with a rare power, or with two uncommon powers.

• You have a hold on one weak spirito.

•• You have influence over two minor ghosts, or one of greater power.

••• You're the boss of three lesser ghosts, or fewer who can do more.

•••• Four ghosts are under your sway, or fewer who are stronger.

••••• You have mastered five weak ghosts, or fewer who are more talented

Things you can do with spirit slaves:

* Monitor locations
* Defend haven
* Spy on others
* Provide "otherworldly" information

### Armory

Your character has managed to amass a functional armory along with the ability to maintain all of the weapons within it. Each level of the Armory Background yields access to more potent weapons (along with proper ammunition) and the resources to properly maintain and clean them.

The scope of this Background varies a bit by region, as weapons-control laws differ. What an American can buy in a department store, for example, might be the sole domain of the military in Eastern Europe and available only via the black market in Brazil; players who wish to invest dots in Armory should consult with their Storytellers to determine how it will work in the chronicle’s locality

The Storyteller may require you to invest a few points in another Background (such as certain types of Influence or legal or military Allies) to prevent the Armory’s confiscation by the authorities. An Armory can vanish in a fraction of the time it took to amass it, especially if it ends up on the news or video-sharing sites with footage of a VAMPIRE BLOOD GANG MASSACRE down by the warehouses.For more details on specific weapons, including game mechanics, see V20, pp. 280-281.Players may opt to pool Background points for a shared Armory. See pp. 118-119 of V20 for more information on pooled Backgrounds

• You have an excellent starter armory that includes many legal weapons commonly available on the street, as relevant to your regional culture.

•• You have access to enough legal weaponry to outfit a street gang of 10.

••• You could start your own small militia. In addition, you can outfit five individuals with weaponry that exists in a legal gray area for the region, which most civilians would have a difficult time obtaining.

•••• You have an armory appropriate to a SWAT team in a major city, including some military-grade hardware. You have enough gear to outfit a 10-man team with advanced

weaponry, which is a cut above that provided by the lesser levels of this Background. Be careful where you use it, because without other appropriate Backgrounds, you may find yourself under official scrutiny for possessing illegal weaponry.

••••• Your armory is the envy of paramilitary forces around the world. You have the tools to clean and repair almost any personal weapon manufactured in the world. You have access to a significant quantity of weapons that are illegal in most countries, and enough of them to field your own platoon. If this Armory were discovered by authorities, your Anarch would be a pile of greasy ash.

Main Article: Hunter Backgrounds

### **Arsenal**

• You might own or have inherited a modest collection of rifles, shotguns and a few handguns. Equipment could include army-surplus rucksacks, rations or first-aid kits.

•• You own a substantial collection of firearms: pistols and long guns, possibly including vintage semiautomatic military rifles (Civil War, WWI, WWII). Equipment could include high-power binoculars, urban camo fatigues or a police scanner.

••• You're a serious collector, owning various pistols, shotguns and even semiautomatic assault rifles. The gear in your basement could easily outfit a group of "rough it" campers, and your supplies could include night-vision goggles, body armor or military surplus radios.

•••• You're a fixture at local gun shows and you make your neighbors nervous. Your sizable collection includes fully-automatic weapons (including submachine guns) and might contain exotic types such as sniper rifles or rare antiques. Equipment could include police-issue sap gloves, electronic eavesdropping devices or lightweight tactical radios used by special forces.

••••• People like you give the ATF nightmares. Your large collection includes heavy weapons — vintage machine guns, mortars and grenades. They're old but serviceable. Modern equipment might include SWAT-team body armor, military-grade GPS navigation hardware or even surplus military vehicles.

### **Bystanders**

Allies are your character's associates. Contacts are her eyes and ears. Yet both groups must be kept in the dark about your character's real life and agenda; they wouldn't understand if she told them the truth, and they might even unwittingly reveal her to the enemy. However, bystanders are your character's companions in her lonely vigil. Like her, they were exposed to the Message when it was delivered, but unlike her they failed to act at the scene. They haven't forgotten what they witnessed, though. They've seen the evil, too. Some are prepared to make amends for past indecision or fear, and they want to help your character indirectly. Others can be goaded into offering aid, but they never want to face that kind of horror again.

Although many bystanders are sympathetic to your character's cause, they have various reasons for helping her. Some stand with her out of love, for a debt unpaid or for the resources she can provide. Their camaraderie is not unflagging, though, and poor treatment drives them away. Additionally, bystanders may seek aid that they know your character can provide. Generally, bystanders are not as powerful as hunters in head-on battles with the supernatural. They have no second sight or edges and should not be expected to participate, except in dire circumstances. Help from bystanders typically takes the form of aid your character would expect from his own family.

• One bystander.

•• Two bystanders.

••• Three bystanders.

•••• Four bystanders.

••••• Five bystanders.

### **Destiny**

Everyone has her role in shaping the future, but people with Destiny seem to have an enormous part to play. Perhaps your character has been selected from among all other imbued for some purpose. Maybe only she has insight into the way the monsters *really* are. Your character may be aware of her importance in time's procession, or she may be ignorant of the fact until someone points it out. Nonetheless, she carries her destiny like a standard and may be respected, feared or envied by those who recognize her significance. A "blessed one" may be watched closely and criticized when she doesn't seem to follow what is believed to be her true path. Others may even try to utilize your character's higher calling to their own ends. Destinies are enigmas, though, and no one has a clear idea of what awaits your character.

Yet Fate is not unwavering. Destined people have been known to die before fullfilling their roles. Such deaths are seldom inglorious and are never unimportant.

For eah dot your character possesses in this background, you an make one re-roll per game session. If a single roll fails or does not achieve the successes that you hoped for, you can roll again. Only one re-roll is allowed for any given action. Re-rolls are even allowed for Conviction invested Edge rolls, perhaps avoiding the loss of any risked Conviction points.

• You have a certain funny feeling about your future.

•• You are bound to make an indelible impact on the lives of many others.

••• Your destiny is powerful, perhaps as a respected innovator or leader.

•••• Your destiny is one of Arthurian legend.

••••• The course of the world may be revolutionized by your fate.

### **Exposure**

*It was the point in the act that Marty despised: the love scene. The time when the boundries between hunter and prey blurred. It was foul, but necessary. Like anyone else, bloodsuckers were at their most vulnerable during intimate moments. As the creature moved to her neck, Marty's heart jackhammered, spurred by a mixture of fear, anger and anticipation.*

*She'd been bitten before she was Called, back in her stupid goth phase when she used to hit clubs armed with a fake ID, black lace and a sick dose of nihilism. The fact that she was still breathing proved that these monsters don't always drink their victims dry, and not every bite creates another vampire. Surprisingly, it didn't even hurt. She prayed Sarin and Michelle were sneaking over to the van at that moment. —**H;tR, - p.122***

Your character had a run-in with the supernatural before she was imbued. Maybe she saw a pack of wild dogs tear through the shopping mall or was a part of a cult based on something more tangible than deluded faith. She never understood the encounter fully and shut it out, rationalized it desperately or simply dismissed it. Now that she has been chosen, your character understands her past experience for what it was. This information gives her insights into the supernatural from time to time. But be forewarned that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Sometimes perceptions are deceptive. Your character may know just enough about the supernatural to get into trouble, but not enough to survive it.

Detail the past event or circumstances. When your character identifies a supernatural creature, roll your Wits + Exposure to see if your character can draw upon her previous experience in regard to this new encounter. As far as your character can tell, not all monsters are the same, so some abominations may still be baffling to her. The Storyteller should always feed potentially lethal information after botches.

• You frequently went dancing at some notorious spots.

•• You can now explain that unexplainable encounter you had as a kid in the spooky old mansion.

••• You've seen miraculous coincidences occur that are starting to seem less and less coincidental.

•••• One of your patients always used to arrange for after dark meetings. You realize that your initial diagnosis for the cause of his neurosis was all wrong.

••••• You lived in a community — perhaps Gypsy or Native American — that took the supernatural for granted. You now understand something of what you've seen and heard.

### **Patron**

• You are contacted now and again, perhaps three or four times since you were imbued.

•• You are contacted a few times a season or so, apparently with dire messages only.

••• You receive messages a few times every month.

•••• You are contacted at least once every week, with information of seemingly various import.

••••• You are contacted so frequently that you take precautions against mishaps by refusing to swim or drive alone, for example.

Main Article: Other Backgrounds

### **Guide**

A mystical animal or minor spirit has chosen to help the character along their path. Generally such entities are very interested in the welfare (or at least foibles) of humans but have some motive to attempt to encourage certain types of behavior in their companions. Crafty, knowledgeable in magical concerns and possessed of inhuman senses, these beings have a lot to offer their patrons. Nothing is free, though, and this relationship is a two-way street. Guides expect special treatment, including food, shelter, friendship and even strange supernatural necessities. In return, guides can help a character learn mythic lore, gain new Paths of Numina or discover unseen things. Take the opportunity to create an interesting, unique creature who has reason to share your character's fate and influence her behavior.

• Weak guide – a talking, relatively non-combative animal with a few occult skills.

•• Minor guide – exceptionally bright small animal or spirit with detailed occult knowledge.

••• Apt guide – a large, intelligent animal or a smaller supernatural creature.

•••• Strong guide – an animal or spirit with a few magical abilities of its own.

••••• Powerful guide – a creature with magical talents, vast knowledge and probably a reputation.

### **Mana** - *Numinists Only*

Whether they call it chi, essence, ki, pneuma, psychic energy, ionized electrolytes or any number of other traditional names, sorcerers can tap into sources of energy that empower them in their performance of magic. Meditating or resting on ley lines, in holy places or even in supercharged chemical baths grants the magician who understands their nature a source of power. Other sorcerers ingest a diet of rare substances believed to invoke potency or engage themselves in strenuous rituals, exhausting daily regimens of practice or hypnotic empowerment. Whatever the individual’s methods, she exhibits an energy that helps her work her Art, a force described by some as being akin to breath or spirit, or, in Latin, “Mana.”

When performing Path (read: Numina) or ritual magic, a sorcerer may expend Mana to lower the difficulty target number. As usual, her difficulty cannot be lowered by more than three; however, Mana may reduce threshold instead, though never below one. Recovering Mana requires the sorcerer to perform her chosen method of recharging and succeed in a Perception + Meditation roll, difficulty 7, with each success restoring one point.

x You have to get by on your skill alone.

• May store a pool of/expend one Mana.

•• May store a pool of/expend two Mana.

••• May store a pool of/expend three Mana.

•••• May store a pool of/expend four Mana.

••••• May store a pool of/expend five Mana.

### **Familiar**

• The familiar is a small animal, such as a cat or a stray dog, which only provides companionship and perhaps some warning of danger.

•• The character either has an impressive pet, or a smaller pet that is preternaturally intelligent. The animal communicates with your character (and him alone) through posture and facial expression. It can understand him and perform simple tasks such as fetching or knocking something over.

••• The familiar is a powerful or dangerous pet or an impressive small animal that is as intelligent as a child of eight or nine years. It can etch items and do chores, but it has no book learning and is easily distracted. The familiar can communicate with you as well as if it were speaking by it's noises, postures and expressions. When it is touching your character, it makes an additional Willpower available. This Willpower is "stored" in the familiar but is otherwise treated as personal Willpower. It regenerates only after your character has regained all his own Willpower. The character can share one of the familiar's senses (at a time) when the familiar is within 100 yards.

•••• The familiar is a larger pet that also has the increased intelligence, near-perfect communication, sharing senses and Willpower store of a Familiar 3 animal.

••••• The familiar is a powerful or dangerous pet that has the properties of a Familiar 3 animal.

### **True Faith** (Limited)

• A character with Faith may attempt to ward off vampires by brandishing a holy symbol or uttering prayers. (This is the Hollywood cliche of the vampire being held back by a crucifix.) The person rolls Faith against a difficulty equal to the vampire's Willpower. The number of successes indicates the number of steps back the vampire is forced to take. If no successes are scored, the vampire need not step back, but may not advance. A botch indicates that the vampire may advance unhindered. Further, if the cross, Bible or other symbol is placed against the vampire's body, each success causes an aggravated health level of damage, burning into the flesh.

•• A person with a Faith of 2 or more may resist vampiric Dominate by spending Willpower (one point typically protects for a few turns).

••• A person with a Faith of 3 more may sense the presence of a vampire. She need not consciously try to sense a vampire's presence, but must be in peaceful, quiet surroundings — perhaps alone in thought, praying, reading Torah, meditating on the Bible, etc. The person will not sense the vampire's presence if she is preoccupied (ie. arguing) or in a crowded, noisy place (jostled by a mob, in the midst of a racous banquet, etc). This ability need not be infallible; the Storyteller should let the person sense the vampire only when it is dramatically convenient. Note that the person cannot know exactly what she senses thruogh her Faith; all that she will know inherently from sheer Faith is that something unclean or evil is nearby.

•••• The mortal may not be turned into a ghoul and is unaffetced by any mind-altering Disciplines like Presence and Obfuscate.

••••• The person is so pure, so holy, that she can fill a vampire with self-loathing, disgust, terror, even physical pain. Any vampire hearing the person pray, preach or recite psalms, or being touched by the person, may be forced to flee immediately by any available means. A vampire who is unable to flee is reduced to a gibbering wreck, flailing on the floor and screaming, sobbing or begging forgiveness. To avoid fleeing, the vampire must either expend one Willpower point per turn or must make a Stamina roll each turn (Difficulty of 5+ her own intelligence). That's right — the higher the vampire's Intelligence, the higher the difficulty.

 **Rules** | **Backgrounds** • Flaws • Merits