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= The Rift =  
 
= The Rift =  
''Here There Be Monsters''
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''Here There Be Dragons''
  
A young woman steps into the the sea, the cold biting against her ankles. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and plunges her head beneath the surf. She opens her eyes to look upon an empty wasteland, the first thing she feels is a familiarity both comforting and threatening. She smiles as the churning waters force brackish polluted brine down her throat.  
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A young woman steps into the the sea, the cold biting against her ankles. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and plunges her head beneath the surf. She opens her eyes to look upon an empty wasteland, the first thing she feels is a familiarity both comforting and threatening. She smiles as the churning waters force brackish polluted brine down her throat. He's old, so very old and so very tired. A fish of enormous proportions, his cilia graciously inhabited by swarms of luminous crustaceans, swims ever deeper. He's returned to the land of his fathers to die.  
 
 
He's old, so very old and so very tired. A fish of enormous proportions, his cilia graciously inhabited by swarms of luminous crustaceans, swims ever deeper. He's returned to the land of his fathers to die.  
 
  
 
== Getting there ==
 
== Getting there ==
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All Leviathans can in theory access the Rift. Water, in its various forms, is a powerful conduit and a Leviathan needs to be submerged in one of its variations to attempt to dive into the Rift. Sea water is the most powerful of these, but in a pinch, clear water, fog or blood can serve. The Storyteller remains final judge of whether or not a Leviathan is "submerged" at the time, but ideally the character should be invisible from those outside the lake, fog bank or other obscuring feature.  
 
All Leviathans can in theory access the Rift. Water, in its various forms, is a powerful conduit and a Leviathan needs to be submerged in one of its variations to attempt to dive into the Rift. Sea water is the most powerful of these, but in a pinch, clear water, fog or blood can serve. The Storyteller remains final judge of whether or not a Leviathan is "submerged" at the time, but ideally the character should be invisible from those outside the lake, fog bank or other obscuring feature.  
  
Mechanically, the Leviathan rolls his Sheol + Resolve and spends a point of Ichor and slips into the alternate reality of the Rift. Attempting this in sea water gives a +1 bonus. Blood or natural clear water (lake, river) carries no penalty. Tap water is further removed from the Primordial Waters and therefore carries a -1 dice penalty as does fog or clouds. Water wracked by the fury of a storm is even better, turbulent waters offer a +1 bonus while a true storm or onrushing tidal wave gives +2 (these bonuses are cumulative with any others, so attempting to cross in a storm-wracked sea would grant a +3 bonus while doing the same in a river estuary would grant +2). Other cases are left at the appreciation of the storyteller. The Leviathan can carry other people into the Rift if they are in physical contact with them; one additional success is necessary per extra person.
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Mechanically, the Leviathan rolls his Sheol + Resolve and spends a point of Ichor and slips into the alternate reality of the Rift. Attempting this in sea water gives a +1 bonus. Blood or natural clear water (lake, river) carries no penalty. Tap water is further removed from the Primordial Waters and therefore carries a -1 dice penalty as does fog or clouds. Water wracked by the fury of a storm is even better, turbulent waters offer a +1 bonus while a true storm or onrushing tidal wave gives +2. Other cases are left at the appreciation of the storyteller. The Leviathan can carry other people into the Rift if they are in physical contact with her; one additional success is necessary per extra person.
 
   
 
   
When diving into the Rift, the Leviathan entirely disappears from the Shore (the real world). He does not carry through any items unless he spends a Willpower point to do so; even then, some items may stubbornly refuse to go through (often complicated technological items (especially those which use electricity) cannot be brought into the Rift). Crossing over creates turmoil: waves, wind, storm or fog may be left behind, possibly making the area (such as a tub of tap water) unsuitable for return.  
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When diving into the Rift, the Leviathan entirely disappears from the Shore (the real world). He does not carry through any items unless he spends a Willpower point to do so; even then, some items may stubbornly refuse to go through. Crossing over creates turmoil: waves, wind, storm or fog may be left behind, possibly making the area (such as a tub of tap water) unsuitable for return.  
  
In some areas, called Gatewaters, the Rift is much closer to our reality. Humans will get sucked in sometimes, and even those who don't are more likely to develop Derangements (these areas give a -1 penalty on all rolls to avoid getting Derangements). Most Gatewaters are in areas deeply associated with water: either on the ocean itself, around certain islands, or in marshes, bogs or river deltas. Crossing through at a Gatewater does not require a point of Ichor.
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In some areas, called Gatewaters, the Rift is much closer to our reality. Humans will get sucked in sometimes, and even those who don't are more likely to develop Derangements (these areas give a -1 penalty on all rolls to avoid getting Derangements). Most Gatewaters are in areas deeply associated with water: either on the ocean itself, around certain islands, or in marshes, bogs or river deltas. Crossing through at a Gatewater does not require a point of Ichor.  
  
 
==Travelling the Rift ==
 
==Travelling the Rift ==
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Going deeper into the Rift a Leviathan will encounter self images, if not his own than another's. It's a weird place where individual facets of a Leviathan's personality are distorted through perceptions and given form. One Leviathan's inflated self image becomes a gleaming tropical fish. Another imagines himself to be a just ruler of a noble heritage and so appears as a elegant sea serpent with a crown of golden scales, but he knows this image to be false and so the serpent is marked with weeping diseased sores and it's eyes have the glint of madness.  
 
Going deeper into the Rift a Leviathan will encounter self images, if not his own than another's. It's a weird place where individual facets of a Leviathan's personality are distorted through perceptions and given form. One Leviathan's inflated self image becomes a gleaming tropical fish. Another imagines himself to be a just ruler of a noble heritage and so appears as a elegant sea serpent with a crown of golden scales, but he knows this image to be false and so the serpent is marked with weeping diseased sores and it's eyes have the glint of madness.  
  
Usually a Leviathan's self manifests as many independent beings, one is how he sees himself as a ruler, another is how he sees himself as a fighter, or a lover, or a scholar. Sometimes though a Leviathan's entire self image becomes one creature, these creatures vary hugely but always seem to be the sum of many parts. One looks like a ancient and predatory turtle, not too unlike the Leviathan who created it: The shell shows how he sees himself socially, hiding away from others, the jaws represent his guilt for the times he killed and are chipped, rotten things. Another composite takes the form of organs wrapped around a granite skeleton with flayed strips of flesh reaching out like tentacles to seek and devour. These composites are stronger and smarter than the other creatures of this Depth.  
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Usually a Leviathan's self manifests as many independent beings, one is how she sees herself as a ruler, another is how she sees herself as a fighter, or a lover, or a scholar. Sometimes though a Leviathan's entire self image becomes one creature, these creatures vary hugely but always seem to be the sum of many parts. One looks like a ancient and predatory turtle, not too unlike the Leviathan who created it: The shell shows how he sees himself socially, hiding away from others, the jaws represent his guilt for the times he killed and are chipped, rotten things. Another composite takes the form of organs wrapped around a granite skeleton with flayed strips of flesh reaching out like tentacles to seek and devour. These composites are stronger and smarter than the other creatures of this Depth.  
  
 
The practical benefits for a Leviathan to find his own self image are limited though ripping apart a bad image might provide catharsis. Finding a rivals self image however can provide useful leverage, the roll to examine one is Wits + Empathy which may be contested by Resistance. This cannot reveal any information except how a Leviathan sees (this facet of) himself but in the hands of a crafty Leviathan that alone can be invaluable. Seeking out your friends can be just as useful, if they see themselves as alone or surrounded by hidden knives then maybe they might not be as friendly as you thought. Other Leviathan's look for family, with the family dynamics of the tribe discovering how your parents viewed their abilities as parents could be the closest thing to closure a Leviathan can get.  
 
The practical benefits for a Leviathan to find his own self image are limited though ripping apart a bad image might provide catharsis. Finding a rivals self image however can provide useful leverage, the roll to examine one is Wits + Empathy which may be contested by Resistance. This cannot reveal any information except how a Leviathan sees (this facet of) himself but in the hands of a crafty Leviathan that alone can be invaluable. Seeking out your friends can be just as useful, if they see themselves as alone or surrounded by hidden knives then maybe they might not be as friendly as you thought. Other Leviathan's look for family, with the family dynamics of the tribe discovering how your parents viewed their abilities as parents could be the closest thing to closure a Leviathan can get.  
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Spacial anomalies aside, the core isn't empty. Far from it. The core is the seabed to the Rift's ocean. It is enormous trenches and caverns carved in illegible alphabets, the real truths and history of the tribe lost to Leviathans, who could spend a lifetime trying in vain to read and reclaim them.  
 
Spacial anomalies aside, the core isn't empty. Far from it. The core is the seabed to the Rift's ocean. It is enormous trenches and caverns carved in illegible alphabets, the real truths and history of the tribe lost to Leviathans, who could spend a lifetime trying in vain to read and reclaim them.  
  
It is a vast and featureless sandy seabed with broken only by slight inclines that hint at continent sized fossils burred beneath the surface. The true form of Tiamat and the nature of the tribe will be revealed to any Levithan that can dig through a thin layer of mud, silt and sand that is infinitely deep.
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It is a vast and featureless sandy seabed with broken only by slight inclines that hint at continent sized fossils burred beneath the surface. The true form of Tiamat and the nature of the tribe will be revealed to any Levithan that can dig through a thin layer of mud, silt and sand that stretches for infinity.
  
 
It is the inside of the Leviathan's own body: Where the tempest beats to the rhythm of an eleven chambered heart. Veins and arteries carry the divine Ichor, life itself turned cancerous, across impossible angles and through obscene geometries while never moving at all. Nerves reach across to strange outer places and return carrying forbidden lore and secrets best forgotten. The lost history of the tribe is written illegibly on the very neurons that hold memory.  
 
It is the inside of the Leviathan's own body: Where the tempest beats to the rhythm of an eleven chambered heart. Veins and arteries carry the divine Ichor, life itself turned cancerous, across impossible angles and through obscene geometries while never moving at all. Nerves reach across to strange outer places and return carrying forbidden lore and secrets best forgotten. The lost history of the tribe is written illegibly on the very neurons that hold memory.  
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===== Sidebar: Navigating The Core =====
 
===== Sidebar: Navigating The Core =====
  
Despite the core's unique geometry navigation works the same as in the previous layers, with one noticeable difference. The dicepool is Wits + Composure. Navigating The Core is not about swimming, but changing one's perceptions. Focusing on one of the core's infinite aspects enough to see and sense it. Bonuses may apply when trying to "navigate" to something visually striking (or striking to any other sense) Trying to "navigate" to something that is intentionally attracting your attention always gives a +3 bonus. If it is attacking you that bonus increases to +5.  
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Despite the core's unique geometry navigation works the same as in the previous layers, with noticeable difference. The dicepool is Wits + Composure. Navigating The Core is not about swimming, but changing one's perceptions. Focusing on one of the core's infinite aspects enough to see and sense it. Bonuses may apply when trying to "navigate" to something visually striking (or striking to any other sense) Trying to "navigate" to something that is intentionally attracting your attention always gives a +3 bonus. If it is attacking you that bonus increases to +5.  
  
 
No Leviathan can stay within The Core forever, at most they can remain for one chapter per success on a Sheol roll (minimum of one chapter). This is not the nature of The Core itself, rather in an infinite plain it is inevitable that sooner or later the Leviathan will encounter something so terrible that there is no possibility of escape or defence. What qualifies as impossibly dangerous to a Sheol one fledgling may be beneath the notice of a Sheol ten ancient, but even that titan has things it cannot hope to overcome.
 
No Leviathan can stay within The Core forever, at most they can remain for one chapter per success on a Sheol roll (minimum of one chapter). This is not the nature of The Core itself, rather in an infinite plain it is inevitable that sooner or later the Leviathan will encounter something so terrible that there is no possibility of escape or defence. What qualifies as impossibly dangerous to a Sheol one fledgling may be beneath the notice of a Sheol ten ancient, but even that titan has things it cannot hope to overcome.

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