Contracts of Darkness

The Darklings have pacted with the power of darkness itself to shelter and nurture them. Darkness Contracts are used to hide the changeling, to induce dread in mortals and to produce effects associated with darkness, night and the terror of a ghost story come true.

## Creeping Dread (•)

This clause causes those affected to become less resistant to fear or intimidation. The target or targets initially feels a mild shudder of fear and then becomes considerably more susceptible to any event that could make them afraid or intimidated, including anything that might trigger a Phobia derangement.

* **Cost**: 1 Glamour or 2 Glamour + 1 Willpower
* **Dice Pool**: Manipulation + Wyrd – Resolve
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The changeling is using this clause to frighten intruders into her dwelling.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The target or targets gain +1 die to resist fear and are immune to this clause for the next scene.
* Failure: The Contract fails and has no effect on the target or targets.
* Success: The target or targets feel mild fear and experience a penalty equal to the changeling’s Wyrd to all Resolve or Composure rolls to resist fear or intimidation. If the changeling spends one point of Glamour, this clause affects one target the changeling can see clearly. If the changeling spends two points of Glamour and one point of Willpower, the clause affects everyone within three yards per dot of Willpower the changeling possesses. In both cases, this effect lasts for one scene.
* Exceptional Success: The penalty to rolls to resist fear is equal to the changeling’s Wyrd +2.

## Night’s Subtle Distractions (••)

This clause allows the Lost to avoid notice by enhancing physical conditions that limit perception. A dark night seems darker, background noises that obscure the changeling’s footsteps seem louder, distractions become more distracting and strong smells can even block a bloodhound’s ability to track the changeling.

* **Cost**: 1 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Wyrd + Stealth
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The clause is invoked outdoors at night.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The targets are unaffected. Instead, the Contract affects the changeling and everyone she attempted to exclude from the Contract for the next scene.
* Failure: The Contract affects no one’s perceptions.
* Success: This clause affects everyone within 50 yards of the changeling. The changeling is not affected, and can also choose to keep anyone in physical contact with her from being affected. Everyone else within range doubles all environmental penalties to Wits rolls involving perception, including Wits + Composure rolls, as well as Wits + Skill rolls to notice events or Wit’s + Investigation rolls to intentionally search for something. In a quiet, well-lit room or hallway, there are typically no environmental penalties, and this Contract provides only a –1 die penalty to these rolls. This Contract affects perceptions, not actual environmental conditions. Darkness does not actually become darker, and sounds don’t actually become louder. Only the targets’ perceptions are changed. This clause lasts for the next scene and affects the individuals nearby when it is performed. If someone new arrives, she will be unaffected. However, anyone affected will continue to be affected, even if he moves more than 50 yards from the changeling.
* Exceptional Success: The Contract affects everyone in range that the changeling does not protect, including people who come within range later. The changeling does not have to be in physical contact with those she wishes to spare from the Contract’s effects.

## Balm of Unwakeable Slumber (•••)

This clause causes all sleeping targets the changeling can see or hear to be nearly impossible to wake. Targets remain sleeping through loud noises, or being shaken moderately, moved or even tied up, handcuffed and shoved into a car trunk. Targets awaken if harmed, but will otherwise remain asleep. When using this Contract on mortal targets, use the highest Resolve for all of them.

* **Cost**: 1 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Manipulation + Wyrd vs. Resolve + Wyrd
* **Action**: Resisted
* **Catch**: The target is asleep at home in his own bed, and the Contract is performed between sunset and sunrise.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The target wakes up.
* Failure: The target’s sleep is unaffected.
* Success: When this clause is used on one or more sleeping targets that the changeling can see or hear, the target becomes almost impossible to awaken until the time they are accustomed to waking. The targets can be shouted at, picked up or manhandled without waking. However, anything that does one or more points of any type of damage instantly awakens the sleepers — repeatedly slapping targets or shaking them vigorously enough to hurt will also wake them up. Dense smoke, intense heat or other situations causing targets to cough, choke or fight for their lives will awaken them normally. Nothing else, including the screams of a terrified loved one, can break their slumber.
* Exceptional Success: When the targets wake up, they remain groggy for another full scene, suffering a –2 dice penalty to Speed, Defense and all actions.

## Boon of the Scuttling Spider (••••)

This clause allows the Lost to run along any solid surface, such as a wall or ceiling, like a scuttling spider.

* **Cost**: 3 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Wyrd + Athletics
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The changeling is climbing a wall made of stone or wood outdoors, at night.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The character stumbles and must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll to avoid falling down. She cannot use this clause for the rest of the scene.
* Failure: The Contract fails to work.
* Success: The character can now walk and run along walls or ceilings or along slick or ice-covered surfaces that would normally be treacherous to attempt to cross. The character can only move along solid surfaces capable of supporting her weight. She can move at normal speed, and can attack, dodge and gains her full Defense while moving in this fashion.
* Exceptional Success: The character moves so swiftly and easily that she adds +1 to her Defense when using this clause.

## Touch of Paralyzing Shudder (•••••)

The character fills the target’s body with involuntary shudders of fear and revulsion that cause her to move in a slow and clumsy fashion. The target’s muscles respond more slowly and weakly, causing even the strongest and swiftest opponents difficulty.

* **Cost**: 2 Glamour + 1 Willpower
* **Dice Pool**: Presence + Wyrd vs. Resolve + Wyrd
* **Action**: Reflexive
* **Catch**: The target is both alone and already afraid of the changeling.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The target is immune to this Contract for the rest of the scene.
* Failure: The clause has no effect.
* Success: The changeling must touch or be touching the target to use this Contract. The target’s Speed, Defense, Initiative and all of the target’s dice pools involving Strength and Dexterity are halved (round up).
* Exceptional Success: Round down when halving the target’s new Speed, Defense, Initiative, Strength and Dexterity pools.

1. ↑ Changeling: The Lost Rulebook (p. 136-138)