LeviathanTempest:IntrodLex

Introduction

Leviathan: the Tempest is a fan-made game based on White Wolf's popular World of Darkness (TM) setting and rules. It has been written collaboratively by members of the RPG.net forum boards, and is not intended in any way as a copyright infringement. We love you, White Wolf, don't sue us!

In writing Leviathan: the Tempest, we had several objectives. First, we wanted to explore the thematic and narrative possibilities of writing a game about classic horror monsters such as the Creature from the Black Lagoon or H. P. Lovecraft's Deep Ones. Although at first this was a semi-serious attempt at brainstorming, it quickly became apparent that the field was so strong a real, albeit fan-made, game could come out of it. Second, we wanted to avoid overlap with the thematic cores of either the official World of Darkness games or the most well-known fan-games. Finally, we wanted to follow the guidelines that the other games followed: the game should be able to stand alone, but allow for cross-overs; characters should be a cross between humanity and something monstrous, with most of the game experience resting on the balance between the two; and finally, the game should be fun and rewarding. We hope to have succeeded.

In Leviathan: the Tempest, players take on the role of an individual whose bloodline is tainted by the essence of primordial monster-gods, causing strange transformations of both the body and the mind.

Theme

The main theme of Leviathan: the Tempest is that of monstrous puberty.Leviathans are constantly experiencing a deep, painful transformation into something that is utterly alien. Their body and mind change, they realise they can do things they would never have been able to do before, and they have to assume new responsibilities. They also experience new, often uncomfortable desires that they can't quite explain. This often makes the Leviathan experience a quest for meaning, striking out on their own or with a close group of friends to find their own path. All these elements mirror closely the events of adolescence, with a supernatural twist on it that makes Leviathans true monsters, albeit sometimes reluctant. This can provide the general framework of the story, as that in a bildungsroman, where the characters come out of the story, deeply changed by its events.

The second theme is that of isolation and responsibility. Leviathans exert a pull on the human psyche, which makes people want to worship and serve them, or at least get out of their way. The responsibility this bring on is immense, as are the potential abuses a Leviathan can get out of willing subservient humans. With a few specific people, called Atolls, the relationship is reversed: they fascinate Leviathans and could utterly subjugate them. Some Leviathans choose isolation to deal with this, but the monstrous part of their being actively wants worship and sacrifice, and will fight to get it. In any case, Leviathans can hardly have normal relationships with humans. That is a core conflict that drives the stories in the game.

Mood

The general mood of the game is that of Stagnation. Stagnation is an unusual mood to find alongside themes of puberty and change; the connection is that individual Leviathans are undergoing monstrous changes, the Tribe is stagnating. Though an individual Leviathan may make great accomplishments, older and wearier members of the tribe have seen it before. The same ideas, the same achievements, young Leviathans they knew from the cradle have become old and weary yet accomplished nothing truly new. There is constant change, but it's all going round in circles.

Sometimes a Leviathan will manage to escape this fate, but even then the Tribe's stagnation is absolute. If they're particularly lucky they will be able to mentor a student or nurture a tradition that lasts for a few generations but these are only temporary. As a people Leviathans seem incapable of standing upon shoulder of giants. Every generation must start from the beginning, retreading old ground again and again. Every year the world moves forward leaving the Tribe further behind.

Leviathan: the Tempest Lexicon

Ahab : A human whose will has been overpowered by the Wake but driven to hatred rather than servitude. Ahabs are a dark reflection of Beloved.

Atoll : A human being who is naturally immune to the Wake. Atolls exert a powerful fascination on Leviathans, as contact with them provides a momentary reprieve from many of their worries.

Bahamutans : A Leviathan of the Strain descending from the Progenitor Bahamut. The Bahamutans are portrayed as indestructible and tend towards great size and power. They most easily cultivate the resilient adaptions of the Tribe.

Beloved : A human whose will has been overpowered by the Wake. They are obsessed with the Leviathan that they fix on and are driven to worship and obey them. Beloved form the backbone of a Leviathan's Cult.

Birthright : A low-level power associated with a Vestige. Can be used in any form.

Channel : An expression of supernatural power that represents a portion of a greater Vestige. As a Leviathan transforms towards a greater Depth, the amount of power available increases. Channels can be Ancestral or Descendant, with understanding of the latter "growing out" of mastery of the former.

Cohort : A small, intimate social grouping of Leviathans, similar to a Vampire Coterie, et al.

Cult : A gathering of humans subverted by the Wake to serve and worship a Leviathan, whether the Leviathan wishes for this or not.

Dagonites : A Leviathan of the Strain descending from the Progenitor Dagon. The blood of Dagon is the most fertile of that in any Strain, and the Dagonites as a result have an easy time cultivating the generative powers of the Tribe.

Depth : A particular level of transformation which a Leviathan can attain. The greater the Depth, the most monstrous and least human the Leviathan is. There are seven forms available to the Tribe in all, ranging from a human form to a grotesque abomination.

Doldrums : Areas within the Rift that are somehow shielded from the Tempest.

Gatewaters: An area of the real world with an unusually close connection to the Rift, leading to disappearances, hallucinations, and mysterious events. Most Gatewaters are in areas with plenty of water.

Hetman: A local leader of the Tribe. Usually an informal role with no official power that emerges and vanishes naturally from reputation and social dynamics.

Hybrid : A half-human entity whose bloodline has been mixed with that of a Leviathan or similar entity. Hybrids exhibit typical sets of mutations in a given family but have no control of their forms. Each Strain can deliberately cultivate a specific breed of Hybrid - these "favored types" are called the Lahmasu and are often reared to provide aid or worship to a Leviathan.

Lahamin : A Leviathan of the Strain descending from the Progenitor Lahamu. The Lahamin are renowned for their limitless vision, they most easily cultivate the perceptive powers of the Tribe.

Marduk : Refers to both the mythical slayer of Tiamat and the Marduk Society, a Hunter conspiracy endowed with Super Science dedicated to hunting down the Tribe.

Nu : Either a Progenitor of the Wicked Tribe or a Leviathan from the Strain descending from it. The Nu strain is associated with a connection with the Primordial Waters and are said to have the gifts of introspection and utter mastery of the elements.

Oceanids : A Leviathan of the Strain descending from the Progenitor Oceanus. The Oceanids are associated with the control of mortal minds and with grandiose pursuits - they identify themselves with the great power and limitless appetites of the heroes of Greek legend.

Ophion : A Leviathan entirely devoid of Tranquility, who has returned permanently to a monstrous, divine state. Named for the primordial serpent of Greek mythology, the first ruler of Olympus who was cast down into the ocean stream.

Outburst : An involuntary and painful transformation into a greater Depth, brought on by psychological or supernatural stress.

Primordial Waters : The lost realm ruled over by Tiamat and the Progenitors, which was disrupted by the ascent of mankind and the creation of the Tempest. Now lost, it remains a goal for many Leviathans both as a physical place and as an unburdened and serene state of existence.

Progenitor : Mythical creatures of immense power, said to have given birth to modern Leviathans. Progenitors are said to have ruled over all living beings in the time before the Tempest rose. The Tribe recognizes seven major Progenitors:

• Unchained Bahamut, legendary for its size, its usual tranquility, and its fury when roused. Progenitor of the Bahamutans.
• Dagon the Hierarch, also Dagon the Arch-heretic. Dagon could impose his will on whoever he wished and maintained control over vast swathes of the mortal population. The Progenitor of the Dagonites.
• Elder Nu, also called Nunet. Nu was a primordial entity deeply connected to the fertile waters, which never kept a solid physical shape. Progenitor to the Strain of Leviathans of the same name.
• Watchful Lahamu, or Lahamu the Celestial Eye. A sinuous being, a recluse that nevertheless was said to see and know all things. Progenitor of the Lahamin.
• Oceanus, Father-of-Seas, known as a patriarchal figure of impossible allure, worshipped with unrestrained fervor. Progenitor of the Oceanids.
• Sinner-Devouring Tanninim, also Tanninim the Unbending. An unhesitating and unfeeling predator that was said to devour whole nations that stood against the Tribe. Progenitor of the Tanninim.
• Island-Breaking Thalassa, or Mighty-Armed Thalassa. Known for its impossible strength and grace, it was said to have pushed the continents up from the depths and to have shaped the faces of mountains. Progenitor of the Thalassans.

Rift (The) : A mental and metaphysical reality that Leviathans can access through various means. The Rift contains physical elements of the lost world but also (or perhaps only) reflects the collective unconscious of all living and dead Leviathans, growing progressively more alien and inhospitable the deeper one goes. The Primordial Waters supposedly lie beyond the uttermost depths of the Rift, beyond the Tempest. The Rift is contrasted with the Shore, a term for the real world.

School : An informal group of teachings, ideals, and approaches to life, which provide a Leviathan with a model for behavior. A Leviathan's School defines the approach he takes to the centres of interest of the Tribe: ancient history, relationship with mortals, moral behaviour, etc. The Schools are as follows:

• The School of the Abyss encourages Leviathans to withdraw from the world and find answers in the Rift.
• The School of Clay focuses on understanding of human culture, society and technology to integrate in the modern world.
• The School of Fog tries to understand how Leviathans and their powers function, to recreate the world before the Tempest.
• The School of the Reef holds that the mortals and leviathans alike require constant protection against dangers, and agressively seek out threats to eliminate and knowledge of the Tribe's enemies.
• The School of the Sun encourages Leviathans to build a religious relationship with the world and with mortals.

Shallows : The area of the Rift closest to the Shore.

Sheol : A measure of a Leviathan's connection to his bloodline, and how deep he has tapped into his antediluvian heritage. The higher one's Sheol, the more powerful and god-like, but also more bestial and impossible to ignore, one becomes

Shore (The) : A term used on occasion to refer to the real world, as opposed to the Rift. Most common among Leviathans that contend that both realities are equally "true" and who bristle at the idea of a "real" world.

Strains : Lineages of Leviathans descended from a common ancestor Progenitor. Strains share some characteristics, and a given family line with Leviathan blood usually belongs to one given Strain. There are seven major Strains, and a handful of smaller and less recognized offshoots or distant cousins.

Tanninim : A Leviathan of the Strain descending from the Progenitor Tannin. Particularly prone to develop the stalking and hunting mechanisms of the Tribe, the Tanninim are referred to as "judges" - perceiving and punishing the sins of mortals and of the enemies of the Tribe.

Thalassans : A Leviathan of the Strain descending from the Progenitor Thalassa. The Thalassans are characterised by impossible strength and grace. They have a natural grasp over the Tribe's physical potency.

Tiamat : The mythical ancestor for all Leviathans. Possibly a personification of a primordial life-force or even the primordial ooze from which all life sprung. Said to have been "slain" and dismembered; her place has been occupied by the Tempest.

Tempest : Both a physical and spiritual imbalance which is said to exist as a consequence of the creation of the current world. The Tempest was said to come into being when Marduk slew Tiamat and reordered the world, separating the Tribe from the Primordial Waters. The Tempest is also used as a model for the emotional difficulties faced by Leviathans due to their fallen state.

Tranquility : The state of calm, balance and connection with their inner nature that is regarded as a goal by most Leviathans.

Typhon : A Leviathan entirely devoid of Tranquility, who has returned permanently to a monstrous, primal state.

Vestige : A remnant of the impossible powers of the Progenitors, divided into various Channels that grasp fragments of a greater trait such as "inviolability" or "indestructibility."

Wake (The) : A psychic impression created by Leviathans which urges mortals to subconsciously submit or cower in the presence of a member of the Tribe. Some mortals are particularly vulnerable, with the pressure of the Wake turning them into Beloved, while others, known as Atolls, are immune.

Wicked Tribe (The) : Leviathans as a whole, differentiated from the tribes of mankind and other entities.

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