The Wolf Skin

*The Beast of Ulster Hall is not a real creature, nor is there any curse. The skin of a Great Wolf was enchanted so that it would possess whoever wears it, forcing them to commit whatever murderous deed that its owners would declare to it.*

## The Presence

### Rattling of Chains

Those who become the Beast can no longer be bound by mortal chains - they burst their fetters upon transformation, trailing their chains for the duration of their mission.

### Earthy Smell

Anyone in the beast's presence is inundated by the scent of fresh loam. Most will believe this is the scent of the grave.

## The Owners

The Wolf Skin is in the possession of Declan the Hunter, brother of the long-lost Quinn of Wenbight. He keeps it hidden inside the Courtroom, in the ruins of Taggerty Hall.

## Ritual of the Ravening Wolf

1. The victim is made to smell an item belonging to the desired target.
2. A Ritualist will whisper the name of the desired target into the victim's ears.
3. The victim is then clothed in the wolf skin.
4. The ritualists chant: *"The wolf awakes, the night is young, one life it takes, their dirge is sung, their flesh it tastes, they'll weep anon, return to us before the dawn."*
5. A Ritualist will cut themselves, dealing a Midi wound, and use the wolf fur to soak up the blood.

## The Transformation

When the Ritual is finished, the wolfskin transforms whoever is wearing it. They gain **Scent Tracking B4** and **Savage Brawling B4** as well as the following traits:

### **Crushing Jaws**

Pow +3, Add 2, VA 1, WS 3, short. Wolves can Lock & Strike using their Savage Brawling skill.

### **Great Lupine Form**

Agility is capped at 6. Stride is 11. Wolves can Charge/Tackle in Fight with +2D instead of +1D.

### **Coat of Darkness**

+2D to any test utilizing darkness or shadow to move unseen.

### **Spirit Nature**

All surfaces are stable - you can move on mud, water or ice without difficulty. Gravity lays a lighter hand on you - +2D to any test where the physical laws of this world would otherwise hinder a mortal creature. The harmful elements of this realm have no effect on you - fire does not burn, rope does not bind, cold does not chill and metal does not harm. In order for a weapon to harm you, it must be a "spirit weapon."

### **Incredibly Strong**

This trait shade-shifts the wearer's Power gray. +2 Power to Mark results for all melee attacks.

### **Possessed**

This replaces one of the wearer's beliefs with the following: *"I am the Hound at the Heels of the Wicked. Before this night is done, I will taste the blood of (name of the desired target), end their life, and return to my owners before the sun rises."* Playing this belief earns fate as normal, but if the wearer should fulfill this belief, they earn a Deeds point instead of Persona.

## The Limitation

If the Wolf Skin were to ever be touched by the light of day, its power would be lost, never to be regained.

Another way to disenchant it would be to put the spirit of Quinn to rest. Currently she resides trapped inside the Wolf Skin, bound by black magic to will the death of others.

## The Incarnations

### Donovan the Chamberlain

When Donovan refused to provide the necessary information about their next target, the Court had no choice but to turn him into the beast so that the murder could still be carried out. They planned to dispose of him upon his return, but due to the manner in which Aberdeen was killed, Donovan met his demise the very moment he transformed back.

### Gellert the Carriage Driver

Gellert did not actually see the monster. The carriage was overturned with him on it, and he fell and hit his head. He awoke to discover Germain's mangled corpse and the footprints of an enormous hound!

### Lady Maryanne Ulster

Maryanne had taken to sleeping in the nursery due to Aberdeen's feeding habits. She was awakened by the sound of the Beast shattering the window, and watched in horror as her infant daughter was swallowed whole! The beast then escaped the way it came.

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