Base Rules

## Dice Rolls

Some actions in the game require a character to test their skills.

When doing so the character consorts their stats and makes a roll using six-sided dice. The dicepool of each skillcheck is consists 3 + Attribute + Skill (if appliable) + Knowledge (ic applicable) dice. Each result of **4** or higher yields a single success. The amount of successes determines successful the roll was.

### Focus

Some action a character performs require direct ***Focus***. Multitasking can be a tideous task and the more actions are performed simultaneously, the less ***Focus*** remains. Engaging into a duell while trying to keep up several illusions in the background will severly weaken the characters combat prowess for instance. To describe how much of their attention is occupied by a task, there are four types of Focus:

* **No Focus**
* **Faint Focus**- Tasks that require some though in the back of your mind but arent too complex. Examples are conversations, running or sneaking.
* **Intense Focus-** Tasks that require most of a characters attention and are exhausting to perform. Examples are fighting, playing an instrument, picking a lock or reading a book.
* **Absolute Focus-** Tasks that are so demanding that one has no energy left for anything else. Walking, talking or even being aware of ones surroundings become a task too great to undertake simultaneously. Examples are sleeping or specific powers of Necromancy.

When attempting to perform an additional task on top of the current one, the following modifiers are applied:

* **Faint Focus**- Reduces the characters dicepool by 2.
* **Intense Foucs**- Halves the characters dicepool (before applying negative modifiers but after applying positive ones)

### Vigor / Binding

Mortals have Vigor and Undead have Binding; both represent their current willpower and stamina. For a particularly important Roll a character may use it to modify their dicepool. This might be used to reflect the strength of their will as they use all physical and mental ressources available to them. While this strengthens them it also will wear a character out over time. A character may spend up to three points of Vigor/Binding per round to:

* They may choose to gain a die on a physical Roll and reduce their Vigor/Binding by 1. This can also be done after the main roll.
* They may choose to increase their Initiative by 2 and reduce their Vigor/Binding by 1.

## Necromancy

### Evocation Rolls

In order to alter reality and cast certain powers, a character with a connection to the Underworld needs to make a Evocation Roll to pierce the Veil. To do so they must roll a two 10 sided dice (2D10). The difficulty of the Evocation Roll is determined by the local Veils rating and the result of both dice must equal or higher. Should the result be a double the character gains an Aberation point. Should this succeed, the power is casted.

Some powers require multiple Evocation rolls. Each of them must succeed to cast the power.

Instead of making an Evocation Roll the character may automatically succeed and gain a point of Aberration.

### Aberration

Meddling with the laws of life and death will not go unnoticed if done to excessive. Should the lords of the Underworld or their servants learn of the nature and location of a necromancer it will send its forces for erase this error in its system. Certain actions and necromantic failures will amass Aberation Points that can lead to dangerous consequences for the player.

Engaging in to excessive and dangerous forms of necromancy may severly increase this rating. Exposing mortals to the Invisible World may have a similar effect, since they may either spread the news until it reaches a witchhunter or servant of the Underworld; or since their death may send their knowing soul to the necromancers greatest enemies.

**Aberration can be spend by the Storyteller** at any point of the campaign to place certain effects on the players or result in unexpected failures of their rituals. For a list of possible effects consult this page.

#### Corruption

Corruption is one of the main effects of spending Aberration. As a character dives deeper into the forbidden arts the powers of death will leave their mark. This may result in pyhsical corruption such as decay or a distorted appereance; but can also affect their mind through derangements or the dampening of human emotions. Depending on the type of Afflicted or their Subfaction this may place unique features on them related to their heritage.

### Lores of Necromancy

The following Lores are practiced by any Necromancers and Afflicted:

* Resurrection- Raising and Controlling Corpses
* Distortion- Summoning of Spirits and Manipulation of the Underworld
* Illusion- Creation of Illusions, Telepathy and Manipulation of Emotions
* Prospection- Supernatural Sight, Scrying and Mental Fortitude
* Creation- Creation of necromantic Artifacts, Protective Spells
* Execration- Creation of Curses, Hexes and Death Magic
* Contagion- Creation of Supernatural Plagues

Then there are Lores only Practiced by specific groups of Undead:

* Blood Sorcery- Practiced exclusivly by Strigoi
* Metamorphosis- Practiced exclusivly by Ghouls
* Wraithcraft- Practiced exclusivly by Revenants

## Combat

To determine the order of actions and the amount of Actions any character can take are determiend by their Initiative. Their Initiative equals 5 + Perception + Dexterity. To perform an action they must spend Initiative and make a Roll.

Offensive Combat Actions such as shooting, attacking or Casting offensive abilities require 5 Initiative. Defensive Actions require 3 Initiative.

They may also perform a *Called Shot* which halves their Dicepool. Successful attacks will either cause *Lethal Damage* or cause a *Mutilation*.

For a more detailed explanation of Combat consult this page.

### Damage

There exist three types of damage a character may suffer:

* **Physical Damage-** The Damage is reduced by the characters Toughness. Mortals suffer an equal amount of *Mental Damage*.
* **Lethal Damage-** This damage is not reduced by the characters Toughness. They also suffer an equal amount of *Mental damage.*
* **Mental Damage-** Reduce the incoming damage equal to the characters Composure, excess damage reduces their Vigor/Binding.

All Undead can never suffer more than 5 points of damage through Physical/Mental Damage and never more than 10 points of Lethal Damage (after Composure/Toughness has reduced it).

## Playable Factions

The Afflicted are as diverse as their human counterparts, having developed countless cultures and subfactions across the centuries. Each of them has unique rules and an advantage for a certain role in the game (although they can perform any). There exist three mayor groups of Afflicted, each of them with 5 Subfactions the player can choose from:

* **Strigoi-** The youngest group of Afflicted, specialised on Blood Sorcery and the manipulation of human minds. They are harmed through sunlight, weakened by hematite and sustain themselves through blood.
* **Ghouls-** The most despised group of Afflicted, specialised on Curses and the transformation of unliving flesh. They are harmed by sea water, weakened by silver and sustain themselves through rotting flesh.
* **Revenants-** The most ancient of Afflicted, devoted to the otherworldy and the controll of spirits. They are harmed by wood, weakened by mirror glass and sustain themselves through the consumption of souls.

## List of Related Articles

* Character Creation
* Aberration System
* Corruption
* Combat