Revision as of 22:43, 30 July 2014

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Chapter 3 : Systems and Advantages

“Why did the old Persians hold the sea holy? Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity, and own brother of Jove? Surely all this is not without meaning.”

Herman Melville, Moby-Dick

Over the course of the weeks that lead a member of the Tribe to understand the alterations that have taken place in their body and mind, they eventually come to a point at which their unusual gifts become, if not controlled, at least controllable. Ironically, this period is often one of the more dangerous ones for a fledgling Leviathan's sanity – they have reached a point where a loss of control has more weight, as it could have been prevented. Further, the ability to understand – and direct – their powers can be a dangerous temptation for a Leviathan – they have become something more than the people around them, and have the power to do what they want without apparent repercussions.

Most Leviathans eventually reach a point where they can adeptly direct their natural abilities and can often, or at least more often than not, bite down a possible unwilling or undesired bout of transformation. They begin to refine their gifts and develop their transformed body into a shape that suits their assumptions about the nature of the Tribe and the legacy of the Progenitors.

New Advantage: Sheol

The blood of the Tribe runs deep with ancient power, which expresses itself as the mystical powers of the Tribe and is refined into the Ichor that fuels these miracles. The measure of a Leviathan's harmony with this bloodline, the degree to which he has assumed the mantle of the Tribe, is Sheol - the descent into the bloodline of the Tribe, and the realization of the legacy of Tiamat. The cost of this inner movement is increasing seperation from humanity - the Wake grows stronger and broader, and the ability to sympathize with the swarming masses of humanity becomes less and less readily available. At the highest degree of Sheol, the Leviathan begins to resemble the deities that he is descended from - with the natural consequences for all those that cross his path.

All Leviathans begin with one dot of Sheol, and may purchase more during character creation or with experience. Increasing Sheol during play requires the exploration of one's bloodline and the reaching of some moment of enlightenment on this subject, a lengthy and difficult process that places the Leviathan at risk of falling into despair or severing his ties with humanity in the pursuit of his lost bloodline.

Benefits of Sheol

Sheol determines both how much Ichor the Leviathan is capable of channeling and the rate at which he can expend it. Leviathans may spend a portion of their Ichor with confident assurance of their ability, but they may also push beyond this safe limit to tap their power more swiftly - but such rapid expenditure risks an Outburst.

Sheol provides a cap on the natural limits of the Leviathan's Skills, as well as the Attributes of his mortal form. While transformative powers can push a Leviathan beyond his form's limits, there is a limit to how much alteration they can provide, while a Leviathan with a truly exceptional connection to his bloodline might manifest superhuman traits without transformation.

Sheol is involved in the rolls for most supernatural actions - the use of Channels and transformation. It also provides insulation against psychic tampering by other supernatural entities.

As Sheol grows, so too does the maximum extent of the Wake. The Wake's direct effects are only felt fully when in the presence of the Leviathan, but they impose subtle psychic pressure on all those within the maximum extent. This also provides the limits of many supernatural abilities.

The higher that a Leviathan's Sheol grows, the more efficacious his bloodline becomes for supernatural purposes such as the creation of Hybrids.

SHEOL	STAT MAXIMUM	MAX ICHOR	SAFE ICHOR/TURN	MAX WAKE DIAMETER	RIPPLE PENALTY
1	5	10	1	10 feet	-1
2	5	12	2	15 feet	-1
3	5	16	3	30 feet	-1
4	5	20	4	60 feet	-1
5	5	25	5	100 feet	-2
6	6	30	6	200 feet	-2
7	7	40	7	400 feet	-2
8	8	60	8	800 feet	-3
9	9	80	10	1500 feet	-3
10	10	100	15	3000 feet	-3

Drawbacks of Sheol

As Sheol grows higher, the Wake's effect, as noted, becomes more pronounced. This is a mixed blessing. Furthermore, the Leviathan is subject to a Ripple Penalty. The listed penalty is applied to all attempts to avoid making a stir in the community on a local level. It can be applied inversely, as a bonus, to attempts to gather information about the Leviathan's location through street-level detective work. The Leviathan makes an impression that is undeniable. Only moving often can prevent such obvious signs of his presence from developing. This penalty can affect attempts to discreetly socialize, checks to see if bystanders recall seeing the Leviathan, and attempts to attend functions without being noticed.

Sheol is occasionally applied to the Leviathan's detriment, as in Outburst checks and checks to see if the Leviathan developes an Affliction to accompany a Derangement.

The higher that a Leviathan's Sheol grows, the more efficacious his bloodline becomes for supernatural purposes - such as feeding the hunger of other supernatural predators.

New Advantage: Ichor

While Sheol measures the connection to one's primal power, the manifestation of that power is Ichor, the divine blood of the Tribe. Ichor fuels the powers of the Tribe, and seals the Leviathan's position as a supernatural being. Gleaned from the expression of that divine lineage, access to sufficient Ichor is often the difference between survival and death for younger members of the Tribe, while the colossal amounts of divine power that elder Leviathans and maddened Typhons can bring to bear serves to separate them from the limits of this restricted world.

Ichor is difficult to quantify, even for the Tribe. It is blood but not quite blood, flesh but not quite flesh - it is simply the force of the Tribe's divine nature, which expresses itself in the physical body of the Leviathan. It is Ichor that the Marduk Society covets, but they can only retrieve it from the flesh of its true inheritors.

Spending Ichor

Shapechanging: Ichor is expended to make a shapechanging roll voluntarily.

Vestiges: Ichor is expended to make use of certain powers bestowed by the Descending branches of Vestiges.

Birthrights: Ichor is expended to activate Birthrights.

The amount of Ichor that a Leviathan can safely expend in a turn is limited by his Sheol score. He may expend up to two points beyond this limit, but must undergo an Outburst check if he does so. The Outburst is delayed until his next turn if he spent the Ichor on an Instant Action.

Regaining Ichor

Resonance: Leviathans can recover Ichor by harmonizing with the lingering connection that all water holds to the Primordial Sea. If the Leviathan spends at least two hours submerged in a body of water with at least the volume of a large tub, they will recover a point of Ichor. Multiple Leviathans can benefit from a large body of water, provided that it has at least the minimum necessary volume for each member of the Tribe. Unless the water is flowing naturally (such as a lake, river, or ocean), a given body of water can only provide this power once per day. Conversely, every two hours spent without water in an environment in which dehydration is a threat - such as a desert - the Leviathan bleeds off a point of Ichor.

Immersion: A Leviathan that is travelling the Rift recovers one point of Ichor per hour.

Worship: A Leviathan with a Cult recovers one point of Ichor each morning as a natural consequence of being deified. He may spend a task to direct his Cult to spend time partaking in more elaborate rituals in his honor, but doing so requires considerable time and poses potential problems regarding detection and interference in cultist's daily lives. If the Cult is directed in this fashion, the Leviathan will regain additional Ichor equal to their Zeal + 1 upon the next morning.

Degeneration: Upon degenerating due to failing a Tranquility check, the Leviathan regains Ichor equal to its previous Tranquility score.

Havoc: Members of the Tribe can, in a pinch, use destruction to attempt to assuage their bloodline and re-connect with their lost nature. If a Leviathan purposefully destroys an inanimate object of Size 5 or greater or injures or kills a living creature (outside of the bounds of combat), he may attempt a Havoc roll. The Leviathan must directly cause the destruction to feed off of it - he cannot benefit from arson or a cush job in demolitions, for instance. If the Leviathan recovers more Ichor from a Havoc check than his Composure, he must make an Outburst check.
- - Dice Pool: Resolve + Sheol
  - Action: Reflexive (Causing the damage usually requires an Instant Action)
  - Roll Results
    - Dramatic Failure: No Ichor is recovered - instead, the violence forces an Outburst check.
    - Failure: No Ichor is recovered - the Leviathan is unappeased by his act of violence.
    - Success: Ichor is recovered. The Leviathan recovers one point, plus -
      - Inanimate objects: An additional point for every 5 points Size above 5 that the object is (round up).
      - Living beings: An additional point is recovered if the creature is killed or maimed.
    - Exceptional Success: As above, plus an additional point of Ichor.
  - Suggested Modifiers
    - -1: The object is flimsily constructed (Durability 0)
    - -1: The object or creature is already heavily damaged.
    - +1: The Leviathan owns the object or is responsible for the welfare of the creature.
    - +1: The Leviathan has made another Havoc check within the same scene.
    - +2: The subject is living and sentient.

Modified Advantage: Tranquility (Morality)

Over the course of coming to terms with the fact that they aren't and likely never will be human, members of the Tribe begin to adapt to a new mode of thinking about themselves and their role in life. This measure – the degree to which the Leviathan is “keeping it together,” is their Tranquility. The primary thing that causes Tranquility to depart from normal mortal ethics is that the concerns of a member of the Tribe have to do with self-control and self-direction. Caught in a period of change with no apparent end, the blood of the Progenitor compels a Leviathan to experience two competing sets of instincts, which push him in opposite directions – the sheer atavistic hunger of the Primordial Seas, and the urge to be respected and to interact with others. The inhuman nature of the Tribe places significant barriers between a Leviathan and a normal life, and catches them up in a balancing act between attempting to experience a meaningful “mortal” life while still finding an outlet for the divine.

When faced with an act or event that compromises their tenuous Tranquility, a Leviathan is subject to Disruption, the gradual decay of their mental state that leads them towards falling into the maddened state of the Typhons. Upon committing such an act, the Leviathan must make a degeneration roll to see if he loses Tranquility. If an act can be described by two levels of Disruption, use the lowest one on the chart.

Transformation: The furthest a Leviathan is from his human state, the more difficult it is to to rely on a moral compass. While in a transformed state of Depth 3 or deeper, Leviathans roll one less die on Degeneration and Derangement/Affliction dice pools.

Derangements: A failed degeneration roll means that the Leviathan must make a Tranquility roll to avoid acquiring a Derangement, if his Tranquility is lower then 8. The new Derangement is linked to the lost dot of Tranquility: if the Leviathan's Tranquility is raised back to its original level, the Derangement is removed.

Afflictions: When a Leviathan with a Tranquility of below 7 gains a Derangement, they also must resist gaining an Affliction, a physical mutation that marks their mental and spiritual decay. Afflictions can be Mild or Severe, and match the severity of the Derangement that triggered them. To resist gaining an Affliction, the Leviathan must make a Tranquility check. Leviathans with a Sheol of 6 or 7 suffer a -1 penalty on this roll, and those with a Sheol of 8 or higher suffer a -2 penalty.

Disruptions are generally codified as one of three varieties of transgression, with their severity dependent on the intersection of various negative behaviors:

Indulging in bestial behavior, especially in the case of violence or cannibalism
Indulging in the manipulation of others, including misusing the Wake or abusing the trust of one's Beloved.
Neglecting a part of the Leviathan's being, either by avoiding human contact or refusing to partake of one's divine nature.

The list below is not complete or all-inclusive; the Storyteller is expected to examine questionable actions from a Leviathan to see if they fit with the general pattern of Disruptions listed below, and to warn the Leviathan's player of a Disruption that they are poised to commit.

TRANQUILITY	DISRUPTION
10	Going a week without human contact (Roll five dice).
9	Making a Havoc check via an object, minor selfish use of the Wake (Getting out of a tab at a restaurant, etc.) (Roll five dice).
8	Indulging in a Vice, making an Outburst check, going a week without seeing a known Atoll in the area (Roll four dice).
7	Going a month without human contact, going a week without changing form, large-scale destruction for Havoc. Assault, theft. (Roll four dice).
6	Cultivating a Beloved. Harming an Atoll. Making a Havoc check via a living being. (Roll three dice).
5	Intentional murder, sadism, ritual violence. Going a month without seeing a known Atoll in the area Going a fortnight without transforming (Roll three dice).
4	Using the Wake to compel others to do violent or sexual acts against their will. Going a month without transforming.(Roll two dice).
3	Cannibalism. Killing an Atoll. Going a year without human contact. Mass Havoc (conjuring hurricanes, etc.) or Wake-induced mayhem. (Roll two dice).
2	Frequent murder. Deliberately slaughtering your Cult. (Roll one die).
1	Consuming an Atoll's flesh. Mass acts of depravity. (Roll one die).

Benefits of Tranquility

Still Mind: A Leviathan who is at peace with his threefold nature can more easily move away from his more primal shapes. At Tranquility 8 and above, the Leviathan receives a +1 bonus to shapechange towards a more human form. They gain a +2 bonus on all rolls to resist supernatural effects that compel them to feel a strong emotion.

Drawbacks of Tranquility

Violent Tendencies: As Tranquility fails, the more monstrous side of the Leviathan's nature becomes more difficult to resist. A Leviathan with Tranquility 5 or 6 suffers no penalty. At Tranquility 3 or 4, the Leviathan suffers a -1 penalty to all checks to return to a more human form and to resist an Outburst. At Tranquility 1 or 2, this increases to -2. A Typhon or Ophion simply cannot attempt to return to a more human shape.

Afflictions: A descending Tranquility results in Derangements, which might be accompanied by the Leviathan developing an Affliction. An Affliction is a physical or behavioral marker, some minor or major alteration of the body, which is present in all of the Leviathan's forms. Each Affliction is tied to a Derangement and has the same severity. Should a Derangement increase or decrease in severity, or be removed, the Affliction is altered appropriately - a more serene mind can reassert control over its body. A mild Affliction, if apparent, imposes a -1 penalty on social rolls. A severe Affliction imposes a -3 penalty. Cultists are not so squeamish - it is only interaction with the outside world that is impeded.
- Example mild Afflictions: Blood is black, hands and feed slightly webbed, hunchbacked, breath smells of fish, underarms marked with suckers, protruding eyes
- Example severe Afflictions: Bleeds seawater, can only digest rotting flesh, two rows of triangular teeth, exudes strong odor of seaside swamp, one hand fused into a club-like fin, pronounced dorsal fin

Giving In: Upon reaching Tranquility 0, degeneration strips a Leviathan of two of his threefold nature. Acting on base impulses and uncontrolled urges leads to a Typhon, little more than a wild animal driven by atavistic impulses. Abuse of the Wake and her Beloved turns a Leviathan into a Ophion, uninhibited she channels the alien madness and shifting currents of the Tempest. Utter rejection of his monstrous heritage will revert a Leviathan back to humanity, but his mind never recovers from the loss of two natures. He will spend the rest of his life unable to perform the most basic functions unaided.

Transformation

If not the most notable power of the Tribe, the assumption of monstrous shapes is certainly the most dramatic. Most Leviathans consider this ability with a mixture of pride and outright terror. On the one hand, the exploration of self that is involved in the shaping of one's other forms is a key element of the search for self-reliance. On the other, transformation most often occurs without the consent of the Leviathan – as a disastrous Outburst, brought on by the difficulties of life and the stresses of interacting with normal humans. The ability to transform makes everything awkward and wrong about the Leviathan visible, and that concept is hardly comforting to a member of the Tribe trying to get by without a roadmap.

The form taken by each Leviathan is unique and affected by many parts of a Leviathan's life. Genetics play a part, both Strain and sometimes even family lines will have visible traits. This is especially true for younger Leviathans before other factors have become dominant. As a Leviathan rises in Sheol her self image, usually defined by her choice of School, becomes the most important trait. Channels and Adaptations both change the transformed form, though each Leviathan expresses them differently. A Channel that one Leviathan expresses as vicious claws might create venomous spines for another. Channels and Adaptations are not always visible, sometimes they express themselves as purely internal changes. A Leviathan's Tranquillity has it's effects, in the Tribe stable mind begets stable body. Finally an Evolution can define a Leviathan's appearance, forming a stable framework for all other traits to build upon.

The Tribe recognizes seven distinct stages of transformation, from the human body to the truly monstrous, and some members have speculated on these convenient points of reference. They reason that, were transformation truly occurring at random, it could not be so easily stratified, and identify stages with other, mythically-supported sevens – seven vices, seven heads of the beast in the Book of Daniel, and so forth. No consensus on the matter exists or is likely to arise, and certainly the markers of Afflictions and the increasing complexity that a developing Leviathan adds to each form suggests that the boundaries are not so easily predetermined. Others theorize that these “contact points” are bastions of order extending in a line towards the deified Progenitors, and take great pains to try and push “Beyond” the seventh step – or, back, attempting to return “past” the human form to actual humanity. So far, no dice.

[PICTURE, horizontal, covering the top half of the page. Stylized progression “Evolution of man” with six forms past human – a hunched, darker-skinned man, then the same man, but balding and more bowed, then a hairless hunchback with black fish eyes webbed hands and a stubbed dorsal fin, then a grey-skinned man with no nose and razored teeth, large dorsal fin and a tail, then a full-on Shark-man ala Peter Benchley's Creature or a Rokea in Crinos, then an enormous shark with razor edges and many rows of teeth.]

Stages of Transformation

Depth 0 - In other words, human form. In this Depth, the Leviathan is roughly indistinguishable from other humans, but can only make use of Birthrights.

Depth 1 – "The near hybrid." At this degree of transformation, the Leviathan is still mostly human in appearance - only a wary onlooker can piece together the subtle visual cues that betray his nature. He begins to benefit from his Vestiges and gains access to the least of their powers. At this Depth treat a Leviathan's Stamina as though it were one dot higher for the purposes of holding it's breath.

Depth 2 – "The distant hybrid." This degree represents the level of many hybrids. While one might mistake them for a human from a distance or if they were suitably garbed, the signs that were previously merely hints begin to declare the unnatural essence of the Leviathan. At this Depth the he can breath comfortably underwater even during combat and suffers no Speed penalty while swimming.

Depth 3 – "The bestial." The Leviathan can no longer pass as human - this form melds the aquatic and the terrestrial into something monstrous and twisted. This form is something out of a horror movie. At this point, the Leviathan increases in stature, and he gains access to the greater reaches of his Vestiges.
- The Leviathan's Size increases by 1, or by 2 if you have the Dwarf Flaw.

Depth 4 – "The horrific." At this Depth, the Leviathan is entirely monstrous - large and marked by the transformations wrought by his Vestiges. His nature expresses itself so fully that, without supernatural aid, no aspect of his being can be construed as human - even his voice, heard over the phone, immediately proclaims that the speaker is nothing that should exist.

Depth 5 – "The terrible." The Leviathan is no longer even remotely human in appearance - his conception of his nature informs the exact markings that he takes on, but he is entirely a construct of his unnatural bloodline. He is near the peak of his power, but immediately repulses those that are not already deeply under his control.

Depth 6 - "Apotheosis." The Leviathan reaches the greatest reaches of transformation, becoming a thing that is entirely of the Primordial Seas. He is at least ten feet in size at this point, and his shape is nearly entirely aquatic - his appearance owes more to sea monsters than it does to homo sapiens. The pinnacle of change also unlocks the Leviathan's full potential, making the greatest use of his Vestiges.
- The Leviathan's Size increases by 2, cumulative with the previous increase.
- Exposure to air drains the Leviathan of power. He may go (Stamina) rounds before this begins, at which point he begins to lose 1 Ichor per round until drained of power or returning to water or a more human form. Partial submersion in a body of water of at least five times his size – five square feet per foot of the Leviathan, not five times Size – will prevent this loss.
- If the Leviathan has 0 Ichor in this form and is exposed to the air, he must roll a degeneration check for his current Tranquility each turn. In this fashion, a Leviathan stranded on dry land will go mad. Typhons stranded without Ichor begin to lose Health Levels instead.
- Mortal onlookers with existing mild Derangements have those conditions aggravated into Severe equivalents for the duration of their exposure and (10 - their Willpower) hours afterwards. This category includes many Hybrids and Lahmasu.
- Mortal onlookers have trouble remembering the precise details of the Leviathan's appearance, though its actions and overall appearance will be remembered correctly. While this has no mechanical effect accounts of the tribe do tend to be somewhat inconsistent.

Mechanics of Transformation

There are two ways for a Leviathan's form to change to a different stage – willingly, through concentration and the expense of Ichor, and unwillingly, due to an Outburst. The latter always moves the Leviathan into a more monstrous shape, while a Leviathan can otherwise, through patience and caution, shift between each of his forms at will.

When transforming willingly, the Leviathan must first decide which form they wish to achieve - the number of steps that separate his current and desired form determines the cost and difficulty of the transformation. Depending on circumstances, a Leviathan's Tranquility will affect this roll.

Willing Transformation

Cost: One Ichor per degree of change
Dice Pool: Stamina + Sheol - degree of change
Action: Instant
- Roll Results
  - Dramatic Failure: The Leviathan instead transforms a step in the opposite direction. If this would be impossible, the Leviathan instead suffers a health level of lethal damage.
  - Failure: The Leviathan does not change.
  - Success: The Leviathan achieves the desired form.
  - Exceptional Success: The Leviathan achieves the desired form and recovers a point of Ichor due to the effortless exercise of his power.
- Suggested Modifiers
  - -2: Shapechanging towards human form with a Tranquility of 1 or 2.
  - -1: Shapechanging towards human form with a Tranquility of 3 or 4.
  - +1: Shapechanging towards human form with high (8+) Tranquility.
  - +1: Submerged up to one's waist in water
  - +2: Inside a body of water of the size of a lake or larger.

Outbursts

While Leviathans often have occasion to make use of their transformative abilities in their own interests - to defend themselves and seek out their goals - they are far more likely to transform unwillingly. The imperfect control of their divine nature, combined with the stresses of their threefold natures, mean that shock and distress can trigger an instinctual transformation to a more monstrous form - an Outburst.

The following triggers are suggested for the triggering of an Outburst. Being exposed to a trigger doesn't automatically mean that there must be an Outburst - the problem should generally arise regularly but not be so common that involuntary changes radically alter the way in which players and characters act. Outbursts should be a source of anxiety, not aggravation. Some exercises of the Leviathan's natural abilities will risk an Outburst when used, as well.

The Leviathan...
- ...fails a Tranquility check while in human form.
- ...suffers two or more levels of damage.
- ...dramatically fails a roll, especially a social roll.
- ...is subject to extreme emotions.
- ...witnesses the death of a fellow Leviathan or an Atoll.

Regardless of the trigger, an Outburst can shake a Leviathan's self-control, reminding him of the ways in which he is subject to the vicissitudes of fate. This constitutes a Tranqulity-8 Disruption, as it is primarily jarring to those members of the Tribe that feel as though they have been making progress on their road to self-definition.

Dice Pool: Tranquillity
- Action: Instant or Reflexive (Only the process of transformation takes time; actual resistance is Reflexive and thus success does not consume the Leviathan's action for the round)
- Roll Results
  - Dramatic Failure: As a Failure, and the Leviathan is incapacitated by the agonizing transformation for (6 - Stamina) rounds.
  - Failure: The Leviathan transforms immediately into a form one step less human than his current shape. If this is impossible or if the outburst was triggered trying to Transform into a less human form, he suffers one level of lethal damage instead.
  - Success: The Leviathan's form does not change.
  - Exceptional Success: As a success, with no additional benefits. Strongly resisting an Outburst might constitute a reason to increase one's Tranqulity, however.

Detecting Transformation

The degree of effort necessary to discern that the Leviathan is anything other than human depends on the Depth that he is currently inhabiting. The practical upshot is that any exercise of power beyond the human form is made at considerable risk of discovery – it only takes one twist of fate to get “outed” by an inquisitive co-worker or relative after an Outburst – and, as such, members of the Tribe try to avoid positions of high stress and high scrutiny as much as possible. When they do have need of their powers, most canny Leviathans attempt to maneuver into positions where they can use their gifts without detection, or only display them to witnesses that can be silenced or co-opted.

Depth 0 - Only supernatural senses and the detection of the Wake can divide the Leviathan from a normal human.
Depth 1 - Close inspection and a successful Wits + Occult roll can detect that the Leviathan is not what he seems.
Depth 2 - As above, but with a +2 bonus to the roll.
Depth 3 - As above, but the roll automatically succeeds - only inspection is necessary. Natural animals are terrified of the Leviathan.
Depth 4 - As above, but only perfunctory exposure or scrutiny is necessary.
Depth 5 - As above, but only a glance or snippet of exposure is necessary. Natural animals panic at the Leviathan's presence.
Depth 6 - As above, and all creatures that can sense the Leviathan or are within the radius of its Wake are aware that an unnatural creature is present. Natural animals flee the region if possible.

Social Effects of Transformation

As a Leviathan assumes the greater portion of her heritage she creates a wall between her and humanity. At first this is merely physical but as she approaches Apotheosis it begins to include psychic pressure and instinctual fears of the Tribe. These penalties never apply to Beloved. Other Leviathans and Hybrids are treated on a case by case basis.

Depth 0 - No change
Depth 1 - Though essentially human the Leviathan becomes less attractive according to most definitions of beauty, even if only because of a predatory glint in the eye. When attempting to seduce, distract or otherwise make a social roll where his appearance is a major factor the Leviathan suffers -1. If the Leviathan has the Striking Looks Merit instead of a penalty decrease the Merit's effectiveness by 1.
Depth 2 - The penalty increases to -2.
Depth 3 - Instead of a penalty the Leviathan is assumed to automatically fail any rolls where physical attractiveness is a major factor, additionally she gains a new penalty applying to all social rolls rated at -2 due to a fearsome, nauseating or just plain alien form. This penalty does not apply to Intimidation and can be removed if the Leviathan convinces others to trust her. Between the Wake and her own appearance it won't be easy.
Depth 4 - The penalty increases to -3.
Depth 5 - As the Leviathan approaches the apex of his transformation the effects of his appearance go beyond aesthetics. At this Depth she combines psychic pressure with deeply routed instinctual fears, relics of ancient abuses committed by the tribe. The Penalty on social rolls increases to -4 and cannot be reduced below -2. Being fully immune to the Tribe's psychic effects means that Atolls are an exception, as with anyone else they possess instinctual fears but are exempt from the mental effects and so only suffer a -3 penalty. With persuasion the penalty can be removed entirely.
Depth 6 - Instinctual dread of the Leviathan becomes insurmountable. All social rolls automatically fail, even Intimidation becomes useless for anything more precise than provoking blind panic or self defence. For Atolls the penalty increases to -5.

The Wake

The Wake is the term used by Leviathans for what is, in effect, the sensation that their divine nature produces on normal humans. It is a psychic pressure front that humans feel on an instinctual level - it is the dread majesty of a Leviathan's birthright. Tribe scholars claim that it is the "shadow" cast by the Leviathan's true form, and it affects a region around him, which grows as the Leviathan's Sheol increases.

Mortals affected by a Leviathan's Wake are infused with a mixture of awe, terror, and deference. For all that this seems attractive, it is a deeply isolating effect. A Leviathan can't enter a room without people lowering their voices, or go to the grocery store without people self-consciously apologizing for getting in your way (even if they weren't) - the Wake functions as a psychological battering ram, preventing the Tribe from blending in with a crowd. A Leviathan is always, willingly or not, intimidating every mortal in his presence. The Wake is a beacon, a message from the days of the Primordial that impresses itself on human minds - "You're less important than me; everything here is mine if I want it."

The allure of the Wake, especially for Tribe members who might have been socially awkward or bullied before they awoke to their true natures, is obvious. However, the Wake is also extremely dangerous - taking advantage of it means taking advantage of humans, further alienating the Leviathan from the world he has to live in. Many Leviathans have fallen down the path to degeneration by permitting themselves to revel in the wake, allowing themselves to say "Yes, I am better than these people. It's fine for me to do what I want with them."

Mortals subject to the Wake are aware that they are cowed but will, without training or knowledge, put it down to the Leviathan having unusual charisma or presence. They get the sense that the Leviathan just happens to be the sort of person who the room stops for. The Wake also does not alter a subject's memory, only their current ability to act. Their recollection of events during their exposure will therefore be tinted by their own nature and desires, and how the Leviathan acted towards them. If the Leviathan used intimidation to browbeat them into doing what he wanted, they will recall being intimidated and will attempt to justify their response in a fashion that seems consistent. A timid person, for instance, will assume that they gave way as would be expected, while one that resents being pushed around might formulate reasons why they would permit it. This tendency can be a blessing or a curse - if a person's mental scenario elevates the Leviathan's actions to a criminal offense, they may very well get in touch with the appropriate authorities. Even if a member of the Tribe could breeze into a high-security facility, it'll be considerably harder for them to get away with it.

Some mortals are more drastically affected by the Wake - these unfortunates are struck with a lingering obsession with the Leviathan, hovering between a dangerous mixture of strong emotions. Unaware of the truth of what they are experiencing, they find ways of explaining it - some outlets more constructive than others. The only unifying element of this obsession is that the mortal is certain that there is something different - something special and unique and equal parts horrible and wondrous - about the Leviathan. Some become stalkers, or hangers-on, or even kidnappers, trying to understand the creature who haunts them, awake or dreaming. These cases end in one of two ways - either the complete self-destruction of the obsessed mortal, or the entry of the mortal into the Leviathan's Cult as a Beloved. Established Cults usually begin with a Leviathan's first Beloved, and then grow - the more Beloved there are, the likelier that an ensnared mortal will join their ranks. While the Cult might have members that are not Beloved, they are the only ones whose loyalty and dedication is certain. They serve as extensions of the Leviathan, his agents in the human world, permitting him to avoid the strain of everyday life. Periodic exposure to new revelations of the Primordial world are necessary to keep the Beloved's mind stable, but this is a small price to pay for their aid. A Cult can infuse the Leviathan with Ichor through reverence and the enactment of mystical rites - their subservience reaffirming his divine nature. Beloved are also prime hosts for the generation of Hybrids, as they are willing, perhaps even eager, to be touched by the bloodline of the Tribe.

The lure of staying secluded and meeting only with one's Cult is strong, especially for older, more world-weary Leviathans. This is a potential trap, as interacting with the Beloved is not a substitute for interacting with normal humans, and it is often the ultimate fate of the hidden Cult leader to fall into degeneration, isolated from his own human side.

Sidebar: The Best Idea Someone Else Gave You

The fact is, no normal human that's within earshot of the Leviathan is operating entirely according to their own free will. The compulsion applied by the Wake is problematic to the moral compass of a member of the Tribe. It is subtle enough, playing on instinctual fears, that it does not directly force those affected to do what the Leviathan asks - but it remains an application of force, unconscious or not. Capitalizing on the Wake is tricky business - it's not like the Leviathan is strictly doing anything to make the subject compliant, but the compulsion exists nonetheless. As far as Tranquility is concerned, any deed that someone wouldn't have consented to without the Wake is one that they aren't consenting to willingly when the Wake is upon them. Even if a cultist willingly declares that he will spend his life in the Leviathan's service, the Leviathan is culpable for sending his cult to their deaths.

Mechanics of the Wake

Region of Control: The Wake fills an area around the Leviathan, with its diameter determined by his Sheol. Within this area, beings can feel subtle psychic pressure. Beings both inside this area and in the Leviathan's physical presence are subject to the Wake's full effect.

The Fringes: Outside of the Leviathan's presence, beings are not mechanically affected but do feel a pronounced sense of weight and danger.

Fully Affected: Normal beings - both sentient and animal - are subject to the full effects of the Wake.

Potentially Affected: Supernatural beings whose power attribute is two or more lower than the Sheol of the Leviathan are vulnerable to that Leviathan's Wake. They are otherwise immune.

Not Affected: Leviathans, Atolls and Ahabs are always immune to the Wake's effects.

Ease of Control: The Leviathan does not suffer the unskilled penalty for using Social skills against beings subject to the Wake.

Psychic Pressure: When using Intimidation against beings subject to the full effect of the Wake, the Leviathan benefits from 8-again. This bonus extends to all Social Skill rolls when the subject is one of the Leviathan's Beloved.

Focusing the Wake: Leviathans can deliberately focus the wake on one vulnerable target, expending one Ichor. For the rest of the scene, the victim is subject to the following effects:
- If their Willpower is lower than the Leviathan's (Presence + Sheol), they subtract the Leviathan's Sheol from all Persuasion rolls against him.
- If their Willpower is lower than the Leviathan's (Manipulation + Sheol), they subtract the Leviathan's Sheol from all Subterfuge rolls against him.
- If their Willpower is lower than the Leviathan's (Composure + Sheol), they subtract the Leviathan's Sheol from all Empathy rolls against him.

Detecting the Wake

A being aware of the nature of the Wake, such as a Marduk agent or cryptid, may attempt to distinguish it from normal social pressure. This requires an instant roll of (Wits + Occult - Leviathan's Composure). The Leviathan's Ripple Penalty applies as a bonus to the seeker's attempt.

Leviathans and Ahabs are always aware of the presence of a Leviathan's Wake.

Banes of the Tribe

Electricity, Man's Power of Reason

Since the fall of the Primordial Seas one curse has hounded the Wicked Tribe like no other. Electricity. The legends of the Tribe are numerous and contradictory: The most common tale puts a mythical source to the Tribe's bane, the lightning bolt has long been a symbol of sky gods such as Zeus, Jehovah and Marduk. Mythologically inclined Leviathans are quick to note the common theme of such gods defeating a primordial being to claim the heavens. Some go as far as to propose lighting was the literal weapon Marduk used to slay Tiamat and the scars have never healed.

Other legends speak of men, not gods. Though to hear them told you might find it hard to tell the two apart. In these stories the fall of the Primordial is inseparable from Man's ascent to reason and dominion over the natural world; a change symbolised by electricity. The force of the gods tamed by science and the beating heart of civilisation.

Some of the tribe prefer a more materialistic explanation. The Ichor coursing through the Tribe's veins makes them as conductive as the sea water they call home. Through this the tribe becomes vulnerable to electricity. Regardless of which story a Leviathan believes the facts remain constant: electricity does Aggravated damage to the Wicked Tribe and ignores any Armour or Durability granted by Vestiges. Electricity-based Bashing damage isn't quite as deadly: Leviathans only convert half the Bashing Damage to Aggravated Damage. Hybrids aren’t as vulnerable, electricity bypasses any natural Armour but has no other effects.

The Sigil of Marduk, Man's Power of Virtue

Hidden in dusty tomes of occult lore, a little bonus for more observant viewers in surf horror flicks, mentioned in cautionary tales told to unruly children. The Sigil of Marduk is a surprisingly resilient icon – a depiction of Marduk atop his chariot wielding a lightning bolt – though its exact origins are lost to history the Sigil is known to be truly ancient: The oldest examples uncovered by archaeology were in the ruins of ancient Mesopotamian cites.

For the most part outside the Marduk Society the true purpose of the Sigil is forgotten. Or rather the Sigil's purpose is well documented but so is the numerous alternative theories, mystic groups incorporating a well known icon into their own paradigm, conspiracy theories and fringe archaeological pseudo-science. It takes a knowledgeable occultist or research to uncover the truth. The Wicked Tribe has never forgotten, they know the Sigil as well as they did the day it was forged. Tribal lore posits that Marduk's defeat of Tiamat created an instinctual fear of his image in her descendants. An alternative theory states that the dread evolved over centuries of persecution by the Marduk Society – who use the Sigil as their emblem. Whatever the cause attempting to pass the Sigil is a horrifying sensation: The Leviathan's blood pounds to the rhythm of armies marching against her, Marduk's lightning crackles through her skin while her bones rattle with the echo of Tiamat's death-roar. To enter an area protected by a Sigil of Marduk a Leviathan requires Sheol successes on a Resolve + Composure roll, if they fail they cannot try again for Sheol days. Offshoots spawned by the Womb of Terrors Channel must score get their creator's Sheol on a Resolve + Composure roll. Hybrids have it easier, they only need one Success and on a failure can try again after an hour.

Creating the Sigil is easy enough. Instructions have to be found, easily located in libraries or online. Accurate instructions are a bit harder. Following these instructions requires a single success on a Dexterity + Crafts roll. During the creation of a Sigil proper instructions will instruct for a series of meditations and mantras at various points, these are cleverly created, a work of genius really, to guide the user into investing a portion of their Virtue into the Sigil which requires a Resolve + Occult roll. Without this virtue the Sigil will shock and disgust a Leviathan but offers no actual protection. Investing a portion of one's virtue costs a Willpower point, this cannot be be recovered so long as the sigil is active, deactivating a sigil you created requires touching it and an Instant Action. If the creator fulfils their Virtue in the scene where they crafted a Sigil, and the Sigil was somehow connected to fulfilling their Virtue then instead of refilling their willpower pool they may "unlock" the Willpower point used to power the Sigil, effectively fuelling the Sigil with a truly virtuous act rather than their own strength.

Each Sigil protects an area the size of which is limited by the total Willpower dots of the person creating it, this area must have a clear boundary. 1 dot can protect an area equivalent to Temple Size 1, 4 dots protects an area of Size 2, 9 dots for Size 3, 16 dots for Size 4 and 25 dots for an area equivalent to Temple Size 5. A Sigil can protect a smaller area if it's creator wishes it so. If a charachter has insufficient Willpower to protect an area they may use multiple Sigils distributed across the protected area. Sigils from multiple creators stack as normal.

Someone who has successfully created a Sigil may try to recapture the feeling of investing virtue without the whole process, this can be done but at a -3 penalty. If they succeed subsequent attempts no longer suffer -3. This can remove the requirements for a crafts roll, a photocopy of the Sigil works just as well. It's also possible to use an alternative image providing that it represents the creators idea of virtue. Religious imagery, philosophy quotes or national symbols for example. This provides +2 on the roll (also award +2 to anyone who actually associates the traditional Sigil with virtue) but has a significant drawback: Unlike the Sigil of Marduk it is meaningless to Leviathans who only require a single success to pass.

Aging

Leviathans have an unusual relationship with age. Simply calling them immortal is an oversimplification. A Leviathan's two forms actually age at different rates. Their human form ages as normal until it simply stops aging somewhere in the mid 60s. In Apotheosis a Leviathan's biological age is affected by self image, genetics, and slowed by certain Channels as well as chronological age. It's entirely possible for a Leviathan's transformed body to become younger.

In game terms all this means is that a Leviathan stops aging somewhere in her sixties. Very few people even have any way of telling the biological age of a Leviathan in Apotheosis. A Leviathan cannot use Depth one or two to try and look younger. They'll simply have a mix of old human and young Leviathan matter.

Leviathan and Merits

Many of the normal Merits listed in the World of Darkness core rules remain useful for members of the Tribe. With the exception of those which are precluded by the Leviathan's monstrous nature, such as Unseen Sense, they remain available. Your Storyteller may see fit to suggest certain choices, or preclude or limit others - for example, it might be the case that the Fighting Styles that mortals devised aren't suited to the inhuman anatomy of a transformed Leviathan. Physical Merits might represent the unnatural vigor of the divine bloodline coming forth as Olympian prowess, and are somewhat common among the Tribe. Comparatively, Social Merits that rely on long-held positions are somewhat rarer, as the Leviathan must cope with the Wake and the constant threat of an Outburst. This tendency to live a transient lifestyle also means that few Leviathans have significant Resources. The supernatural gifts available to a Leviathan, as well as some of the unnatural Merits listed below, can be superior to normal Merits and may make certain choices suboptimal when compared to exercising the powers of the Tribe.

Beloved Retainer (O - OOOOO)

Your character has a single retainer who has become Beloved from exposure to the Wake. See WoD Core P116 for the Retainer Merit.

The difference between a Retainer and a Cultist is mostly one of narrative. Cultists are assumed to be interchangeable while a Retainer is a unique character in the story with his or her own personality. Players should feel free to use this Merit to represent certain important individuals within their cult, such as a high priest. This Merit has no effect on rolls using Zeal or Fervour such as Cult Tasks. Players may still use the normal Retainer Merit but should explain why frequent contact has not created a Beloved. Perhaps the Retainer is immune, plenty of people are.

As an optional rule and only at the Storytellers discretion, the Merits Beloved Retainer and Cult may overlap: A player with a Cult gains dots in Beloved Retainer equal to the greatest of Cult Number, Zeal and Fervor, to be divided among Retainers however the player wishes.

Breath of the Lungfish (O)

Your Character transforms into some form of air-breathing marine life. In place of the ability to breath underwater, treat Stamina as though it was one dot greater per Depth for the purposes of holding your breath. Additionally, at Depth two and lower, you no longer lose air at a faster rate during combat.

As a side-effect of this Merit, your character may remain on land in her Apotheosis Form for an additional Sheol turns before she begins to suffer the effects of exposure.

Cult (Special, O to OOOOO+)

When brushed with the Wake of the Leviathan, certain mortals are more touched than others - becoming Beloved. These faithful can be directed into a unit, a Cult, which reveres the Leviathan and seeks to serve and honor him. Some Leviathan season their cults by bonding Lahmasu into their service, taking them in and giving them meaning. The full rules for Beloved and Lahmasu are listed later, but a Leviathan that wishes to have a Cult following may invest in this Merit. A Cult can provide Ichor through worship or work in the world as the Leviathan's hands (or claws) at a reach. The Cult Merit is broken into three categories - Number, Zeal, and Fervor. It additionally has a handful of variables that can be purchased to increase the capabilities of the Cult. Dots spent on this Merit can be divided between all of these.

Cults require supervision and input from the Leviathan - they desire "face time" with their deity. For every week in which the Leviathan does not contact the majority of his Cult in person to speak, lead ceremonies, or receive prayer, one dot worth of Cult assets (in the three core categories) degrades - generally, Zeal is lost first, then Numbers, as the less devout or ensorcelled drift away - still obsessed, but unsatisfied. Reclaiming degraded dots is an extended test of Presence or Manipulation + Persuasion, with a target pool of successes equal to (3 + lost dots). Each roll represents a day spent reinvigorating the Cult and getting stray members back into the fold.

Number

This category represents the size of the loyal mass attending the Leviathan. On a practical level, it limits the number of tasks that the Leviathan can direct his Cult to perform in a given chapter - one, plus one per dot of Number. "Tasks" includes dangerous work as measured by Zeal, but also instances in which the Leviathan directs the faithful to perform rituals or act publicly - the assumption being that the Cult's numbers permit members to exchange duties, cover shifts, and otherwise permit the Beloved to fulfill their everyday chores alongside those mandated by their deity.

A Cult must have at least one dot of Number - otherwise, who will bring the goat?

Number O - Five followers, one task per story
Number OO - Ten followers, two tasks per story
Number OOO - Twenty followers , three tasks per story
Number OOOO - Fifty followers, four tasks per story
Number OOOOO - One hundred followers, five tasks per story

Zeal

This category measures the loyalty of the Leviathan's followers - the depth to which their religion shapes their life. It provides one bonus die per dot for all attempts to convince the Cult to undertake a task (in the rare case that this necessitates a roll) and inflicts a -1 penalty per dot to the attempts of others to turn a Cult member against the Leviathan. If directed to spend a day praying and performing rituals for the Leviathan (Which counts as a Task), the Cult provides additional Ichor equal to its Zeal+1 to the Leviathan.

A Cult doesn't have to have a dot of Zeal, but most do.

Zeal X - Cultists are loyal to you personally but not so much to the Cult or its doctrine - Sunday Cultists, basically.
Zeal O - Cultists will break the law for you, if the risks aren't too high. Acolytes.
Zeal OO - Cultists will risk jail time for you.
Zeal OOO - Cultists will unflinchingly kill in your name. Textbook fanatics.
Zeal OOOO - Cultists will risk death in your service, if the task requires it.
Zeal OOOOO - Slavish loyalty. You and Thulsa Doom could compare notes.

Fervor

This category measures how dangerous your Cult is when motivated - the degree to which it can direct its assets and achieve dangerous jobs. Directing the Cult to do typical tasks that one would expect of an organized group - mounting a one-day search, putting up flyers in a neighborhood, mounting a protest - does not require a roll. Only dangerous and illegal tasks, or ones requiring violence, require a check of Fervor.

A Fervor check involves rolling the Cult's Fervor minus a number of dice relevant to the difficulty of the task - in general, most major crimes (kidnapping or killing a civilian) are at -3, while truly world-shaking events (such as assassinating high-profile targets or swiping military hardware) are at -5. Minor crimes (stealing a car or disappearing the car when work is done) are rolled without penalty. Success means success, while Failure permits the player to choose - complete the task but lose a dot of Cult Number permanently, or fail and lose a dot of Cult Zeal for the duration of the story. A Dramatic Failure inflicts a both penalties, and the task fails. If appropriate circumstances or equipment are ensured beforehand, bonus dice might apply to the roll. Conversely, if the Cult's gear or numbers are inadequate, penalties might be in order.

If the Leviathan wishes, he can direct the effort personally, in which case his Presence or Intelligence (whichever is most appropriate) may be added to the roll, but he will (seperate from the normal ramifications) be subject to the expected downsides of a failed effort, and will have to enact his own escape from a crime scene (a getaway is assumed for the Cult under the Fervor roll).

A Cult doesn't have to have a dot of Fervor - many don't.

Fervor X - You'll have to perform your own crimes. What a pity.
Fervor O - Liquor stores are your piggy bank.
Fervor OO - You've got some talented thugs - roughly the equivalent of a local police force.
Fervor OOO - Your Cultists are driven enough to perform some quality bad deeds in your honor.
Fervor OOOO - Fierce civilians or experienced criminals. Mafia-level shenanigans.
Fervor OOOOO - Your Cultists are chomping at the bit to achieve your wicked desires.

Sidebar: Putting the God in Godfather

The rules for Fervor are generally more permissive of extralegal hijinx then other similar Merits, and the tone suggests the Cult is capable of performing some pretty impressive stuff. In general, this is intentional - the goal is to replicate a city-subverting or widespread Cult conspiracy, a la Fight Club or Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. The reach of a Cult, and the depths to which it will sink to serve its master, are meant to be somewhat unsettling - and to make immoral methods attractive. If letting a Cult do something would rob the players of an interesting scene, or circumvent a hardship in an automatic or undramatic fashion, feel free to bend the rules or ask the player to direct his Cult to perform some facet of the task instead of the whole thing.

Additional Traits

These additional qualities for a Cult are rated in dots and cost the listed amount. They exist primarily to help define or focus a Cult. The Storyteller and players might work out other possibilities - the only limit is, in general, these bonuses should not render the three core traits irrelevant.

Conspirators (O to OOOOO) - Members of your Cult have Status equal to dots in Conspirators within an organization chosen when you purchase this Merit. This merit may be taken multiple times.
Home Turf (O or OO) - The Cult has a favored stomping ground, around the size of a neighborhood or a region of wilderness - along the lines of "The quarry" or "The old lumber yard." When assigned to dangerous tasks in this region, it receives a +1 bonus, but suffers a -1 penalty elsewhere. The two-dot version negates the penalty.
Indoctrination (O) - Once per story, as a Task, the player may declare one attempt to turn members the Cult against the Leviathan as an automatic failure. The Leviathan need not be aware of the attempt - the player is declaring the Cult uncorruptible as a method of narrative control.
Lahmasu (OO) - Your Cult contains a division of, or is entirely formed of, Lahmasu or Hybrids. Lahmasu often serve as a Cult's military arm, using their unique abilities to further their lords aim. A Cult with Lahmasu gets an extra dice on all Fervor rolls but a crime performed by strange half fish people is more noticeable than a regular crime. This rule is a little too complex to be expressed as a bonus to investigators, but a Leviathan is advised to think twice before sending Lahmasu where mortal authorities might start asking questions, and consider forgoing the bonus.
Offerings (O) - Once per story, as a Task, the Leviathan may use his Cult to make a purchase with a Resource cost of 1 + the Cult's Zeal.
Old Hands (OOO) - Pick one unpleasant task or crime (car theft, kidnapping, murder). The Fervor roll for that sort of crime is a rote action for your Cult. Remember that crime waves are suspicious and that being a zany cult isn't a barrier against criminal investigation.
Recognition (OOO)- Unless it is! Your Cult is a legally-recognized religious organization. Attempts to legally interfere in your dealings or investigate the Cult's beliefs or business suffer a -2 penalty. This is in addition to the other intangible bonuses of this status, which can be represented by other Merits.
Resolute (OO) - The Leviathan's Cult requires his presence only once a month.

Deep Wake (OO)

Your Leviathan has an unusually potent Wake - for the purposes of its diameter, your Sheol is treated as though it were one point higher. If your Sheol is at 10 (Way to go, Cthulhu), your Wake's maximum diameter is 6000 feet. This Merit has no effect on your Sheol for focusing the Wake on a single subject, but will affect an attempt to cultivate a Beloved.

Drawback: Your Ripple Penalty is measured by your increased Sheol. If your Sheol is at 10, it increases to -4.

Divine Prerogative (OO)

The divine bloodline inside your character is eager to express itself in the defeat of mortals. You may select a Skill. When engaging in a contested roll using that Skill against a human (one not subject to a major supernatural template), you may chose to risk Willpower instead of spending it. You receive the normal bonus dice as though Willpower were spent, but, if you are successful in overcoming the victim's resistance, you do not lose the Willpower risked, instead retaining that point and in fact regaining an additional point beyond that. You cannot risk Willpower to boost your resistance - you must be acting aggressively to benefit from this Merit.

Drawback: Should you fail, the risked Willpower is spent as usual and your failure is upgraded to a Dramatic failure. This often triggers an Outburst check.

Fluid Form (O)

Your Leviathan is unusually capable at shifting through his or her forms. He gains a bonus die on all checks to shapeshift willingly.

Drawback: You suffer a -1 penalty on Outburst checks.

Giant (OOO)

This is the same Merit as presented in the World of Darkness core rulebook; Leviathans may buy the Giant Merit for less than its usual cost.

Heirloom (O to OOOOO)

Your character has some physical artifact that is a rememberence of the Tribe or the Tribe's lost civilization. It might be an art object or everyday tool, but it is generally unsuitable for its original task - too brittle or too precious to make use of. Its primary role, instead, is its ability to resonate with the bloodline of the Tribe, stirring the remnants of Ichor inside a Leviathan. A member of the Tribe may regain Ichor through meditating with the object in hand. This requires a Composure + Occult roll representing ten minutes of meditation. One point of Ichor is regained per success, to the limit of the Heirloom. A given Heirloom can provide one point of Ichor per dot before becoming "dull", and its available pool is recharged each week. Each Heirloom recharges on a different day at a different time, but the overwhelming majority are refuelled on Friday, at sunset, a source of some speculation among members of the Tribe.

The average Heirloom is Size 1 or 2. Rumors abound of larger Heirlooms which can provide far greater amounts of Ichor, or which have additional mystic traits, but these are not readily available as Merits.

Sidebar: That Belongs in a Museum!

Leviathans aren’t the only ones with interest in Heirlooms; Marduk always keeps an eye open and Mystical orders such as the Aegis Kai Doru are frequently tempted either by what they could learn or an Heirloom’s practical applications as a mystical talisman. Private collectors, archaeologists and museums also have a stake in owning an Heirloom. Despite this Heirlooms tend to cause little stir among those not in the know: vanishingly few Heirlooms predate known civilisation, most come much more recent exploits of the Tribe and aren’t markedly distinct from entirely human artefacts of the period. It’s unsure what exactly would happen if regular academics did get hold of a Heirloom that predated Tiamat’s death, such a discovery could rewrite known history but only if it wasn’t snatched by Leviathans, Marduk or some other party. It would certainly make an interesting story.

Lahmasu Retainer (O – OOOOO)

Your character has a single Lahmasu Retainer. See WoD Core P116 for the Retainer Merit. Your retainer may come from any Lahmasu Strain or even be a Hybrid. A Lahmasu Retainer has a Depth between one and the number of dots spent in this Merit, players choice. Assign Mutations and any Flaws as normal. Players may choose to have their Lahmasu retainer as a Beloved for no extra cost, though if they choose not to they should justify how their Retainer managed to avoid becoming Beloved.

The difference between a Lahmasu Cultist and a Lahmasu retainer is mostly one of narrative. Cultists are assumed to be interchangeable while a Retainer is a unique character in the story with his or her own personality. Players who have a Cult should feel free to use this Merit to represent important members of their Cult such as a high priest. If they do so this Merit will not have any effect on rolls using Zeal or Fervor such as Cult Tasks.

The same optional rules used for Beloved Retainer can be applied to Lahmasu Retainer. Again this is only at the storytellers discretion.

Mandate of Babel (O)

When your character expends Ichor to focus his Wake on a subject whose primary language is foreign to the Leviathan, he gains the supernatural ability to make his words understood to that target, and understand that subject's words, as though they were both fully fluent in the language the other is using. They cannot understand written words of the supernaturally-comprehended language unless the words were hand-written by the other participant. This power does work on people who are immune to the Wake, with their consent.

Muted Wake (OO)

Your Leviathan has an unusually subtle and mild Wake - for the purposes of its diameter your Sheol is treated as though it were one point lower. If your Sheol is at 1, your Wake's maximum diameter is 5 feet. Your Ripple penalty is measured by your decreased Sheol, and is at -0 if your Sheol is 0. This Merit has no effect on your Sheol for focusing the Wake on a single subject, but will affect an attempt to cultivate a Beloved.

Drawback: Well, the thing the Merit does, sort of.

Temple (Special, O to OOOOO+)

You Leviathan, or perhaps her Cult, has access to a Temple. A Temple is a place of prayer but it is also much more. A temple is a refuge from the tensions of the outside world. A place where everyone is understanding about the occasional ritual. Most of all a Temple can be a home.

Size

Temple Size is important to any Cohort who sees their temple as anything more than a well fortified place to hide. A Temple with no dots in Size perhaps represents a cramped cave or small basement. By spending points in Temple Size the Cohort creates room for creature comforts and chambers dedicated to a verity of practical effects. Perhaps more importantly it becomes possible to host a much larger Cult, if in doubt assume that each dot in Temple Size means there is enough space to comfortably host equal dots in Cult Numbers. Lahmasu Cults are smaller and thus have an easier time finding space.

O – A small apartment or lakeside cave. One to two rooms.
OO – A small family home or an apartment with some storage space. Three to four rooms.
OOO – An actual church, a spacious seaside cave or a large family home. Five to eight rooms or a large enclosure.
OOOO – A mansion, proud temple or a small fortress. Nine to fifteen rooms or chambers.
OOOOO – A sprawling estate, your very own Jonestown, a vast network of sea caves. Countless rooms or chambers.

Temple Security

Even the grandest temple is worthless if rival Leviathans or Marduk just wander in; to prevent this Leviathans may invest in security for their temple. Every dot in Temple Security provides -1 to all attempts to break in and +1 initiative when defending the temple. A Leviathan may supplement the physical security by directing its Cult to post guards; this counts as one Task for rules purposes. As a final benefit the Leviathans may choose between disguising the temple as respectable place of worship, or hiding the temple by placing it in an underground cave or an apparently ordinary home, office or some other front organization.

Disguised temples grant -1 per dot of temple security to find weapons caches or discover the ritual chamber is anything more than a simple prayer room; however, the Cult will have to put up with curious visitors, some of whom may be police or Marduk agents. Hidden Temples grant -1 per dot of temple security to find the Temple but grant no special benefit once it has been located. While well hidden Temples don't have casual visitors once they have been found they remain found. Regardless of whether a Leviathan disguises or hides their temple the Ripple effect helps those searching for it.

Temple Amenities

Having a seaside cave to call your own is nice, but without Amenities it wont offer anything more than bare rock and privacy. Most Leviathans like to add a little home comfort.

O – The Temple has little more than chairs and a speakers pulpit. Comfortable enough for a religious service but you wouldn't enjoy staying the night.
OO – The Temple has comfortable furnishings, heating, lighting as well as a good stock of religious texts and decorations. Everything the modern cultist needs.
OOO – The Temple has everything you could expect to find at home with a nice supply of refreshments, diversions and religious adornments.
OOOO – An impressive Temple with a wide range of mundane delights, stain glass windows or well adorned idols adorn the walls.
OOOOO – The Temple is worthy to be called the home of a living god. Every corner is overflowing with decadent excess from the most luxurious furnishings, delicacies and entertainments to idols cast in solid gold and precious gems.

Every time the player purchases a new dot in Temple Amenities they gain one free temple feature which provides a practical benefit to the Cohort. Select from the list below.

Armoury: Not all Cults serve as a Leviathan's personal army, but for those who do, proper equipment is essential. Assume that an Armory provides access to weaponry with a Resource cost equivalent to Amenities: At Amenities 1 an Armoury barely deserves the name and consists only of baseball bats and kitchen knives. Amenities 2 or 3 grants common weapons: pistols, shotguns or hunting rifles as well as fancy ceremonial weapons. Amenities 4 or 5 grants military grade equipment. Unfortunately, weapons don't just turn up in unmarked crates when you upgrade Temple Amenities. The Cohort can purchase up to Amenities 3 (less in countries with strict gun laws) by buying the equipment; any higher and the players must spend time making black market connections or organising a daring theft of military supplies. An Armoury grants +1 per dot of Amenities to Cult Tasks, provided the Cohort can keep it supplied.
Gatewater: To enter the rift merely requires a tub full of water; at Amenities 1 it's safe to assume you can build one into your temple. Having a Gatewater means that your temple includes a ritually prepared pool designed to make the passage easier. This grants +1 per dot of Amenities to attempts at crossing into the Rift, and at Amenities 3 you can bring items along without a Willpower point. Perhaps more usefully, owning a Gatewater means it's very easy to find your way home, while in the Rift the Cohort receives +1 per dot of Amenities on rolls to locate their Gatewater. Unless they have been granted access by the Cohort, other Leviathans do not receive these bonuses and crossing into the Temple from the Rift has a -1 penalty per dot of Temple Security.
Private Pool: Any Leviathan can recover Ichor through Resonance with water; having a few bathtubs around can be assumed at Amenities 1. A Private Pool grants more: whether by diverting a convenient lake into the temple's basement or building above an underground river, the Temple has naturally flowing water within it's walls. Storytellers may disallows this feature if there is no practical source of water or even give it free if the Temple would have access to it, such as a sea-cave sacrificing a more attractive location for access to the tide.
Reception Chamber: Perhaps the Cohort wishes to cement an alliance with another Cohort, maybe it's fallen upon them to host the next taxon meeting. For whatever reason they are going to be spending time with their Cousins and where better to do that than beneath a 40 foot solid gold monument to your divinity? Reception Chambers are designed to do one thing: impressive other Leviathans, whatever style the Cohort chooses assume it impresses the vast majority of Leviathans: They get a bonus to all social rolls where making a good impression is of use: +1 at Amenities 3, +2 at Amenities 4 and +3 at Amenities 5. At lower Amenities there is no benefit.
Ritual Chamber: To perform a ritual only requires sufficient Zeal, but proper incense, décor and a grooved alter can help. A Ritual Chamber grants +1 per dot of Amenities to rituals. When using a ritual task to restore Ichor a Ritual Chamber grants an extra point of Ichor at Amenities 3 and an extra two points at Amenities 5.
Rumpus Room: Leviathans are creatures of powerful Vices and low self-control. Many furnish their Temples and their cults to feed their base desires. When building a Rumpus Room choose one Vice (a Temple may have many Rumpus Rooms), spending an hour indulging automatically fulfils that Vice. When the Cohort chooses a Rumpus Room ask them to explain how it works: A Glutton may have a twenty four hour kitchen while a Slothful Leviathan's Rumpus “Room” may be a dozen cultists who ensure he never need lift a finger. Assume that staffing the Rumpus Room takes one Task and remember: Even though Cultists are usually willing it's only because of the Wake. In terms of morality and Tranquillity you must ask what they would do without the Wake. So think twice before building that Gladiator Pit.

Vicious Heritage (O or OOO)

Each of the major Strains is associated mystically with one of the Seven Sins. Your Leviathan expresses his Strain's associated Vice, gaining it in addition to his original Vice or, if it already was his Vice, regaining two Willpower when he indulges in it.

If the Leviathan purchases the three-dot version, he not only gains the Vice - it supplants his Virtue. He regains only one Willpower for fulfilling his Virtue and his whole Willpower pool for significantly submitting to his Strain's associated Vice. In effect he has one "Virtue" - his Strain's associated Vice - and two "Vices": His original Vice and his original Virtue. If the Leviathan's original Vice was his Strain's associated Vice he instead regains two Willpower for fulfilling his Virtue.

Beloved

Creating a Beloved

There are two ways for a Leviathan to create a Beloved: deliberately or merely through their divine presence. When someone with the potential to become Beloved spends a non-negligible amount of time in the Wake (at least fifteen minutes) roll Presence + Sheol, contested by Resolve + Composure. The Deep Wake Merit adds one die to the Leviathan's roll, while the Muted Wake Merit subtracts one die from the Leviathan's roll. This applies to both unintentional and deliberate attempts to create a Beloved

Exceptional Success or Success for the Leviathan: Record one "Beloved Point" on the mortal's sheet. When the mortal has more Beloved Points than their *Willpower score, they become Beloved.
Tie or Success for the human: Nothing happens.
Exceptional Success for the human: Remove one Beloved Point.

This roll may be made once per day per person. After spending two weeks outside a Leviathan's Wake, Beloved Points are lost at a rate of two per week. A Storyteller need not actually make these rolls or track points; they simply provide a guideline for the timescale and probabilities involved.

When a person has more Beloved Points than half their Willpower, (round up) they gain a minor derangement. This derangement will disappear upon becoming a Beloved or loosing the last Beloved point.

A Leviathan may wish to deliberately create a Beloved. Maybe controlling the mayor is the last step to completely conquering town, they might want that pretty boy or girl or just to expand their cult and they're recruiting anyone who can perform a ritual without dropping the ceremonial knife. Once a Leviathan has identified someone vulnerable, cultivating a Beloved is an extended Presence + Sheol vs Resolve + Composure roll and costs one point of Ichor to focus the Wake. If the target's Willpower is lower than the Leviathan's Presence + Sheol, subtract the Leviathan's Sheol from their dicepool.

Each roll is around three minutes of conversation. The Leviathan needs to accumulate successes equal to the mortal's Willpower. Tto resist the victim needs to accumulate successes equal to the Leviathan's Presence + Sheol.

Exceptional Success for the Leviathan: The Leviathan makes great progress towards creating a Beloved. Should the Mortal become Beloved as a result of this extended action the rush of new worship restores a point of Ichor.
Success for the Leviathan: The Leviathan makes progress towards creating a Beloved.
Both parties get the required successes on the same roll: The victim is not beloved, but they gain an extreme derangement for Sheol weeks. The Leviathan may try again in 10 - Sheol days (minimum of one).
Success for the victim: The victim makes progress towards escaping the Leviathan's clutches. Should acclimate enough successes they will not become beloved but gain a severe derangement for Sheol days. After 20 - Sheol days the Leviathan may try again.
Exceptional success for the victim: The victim makes great progress towards escaping. Should they win this extended action they escape mostly unharmed with a minor derangement that lasts the rest of the day, the Leviathan must wait 30 – Sheol days to try again. Should they tie on the action assume they succeeded but without an Exceptional Success.

Catastrophic mental breakdowns over a short period of time don't usually go unnoticed. Most people a Leviathan tries to recruit will almost certainly avoid her in the future however the derangement acquired may prevent them from making the obvious deduction.

Psychotherapy

Just as easily as a Leviathan can devour humans beneath rows of razor sharp teeth or crush them with divine might a Leviathan can attack the minds of her foes. Inflicting terrible mental traumas or turning people Beloved with nothing more than her very presence.

Whether a Leviathan simply uses mental attacks as his weapon of choice in combat or is on a campaign of recruitment for his Cult human beings don't exist in a vacuum. Most people have friends and family to look out for them and even isolated individuals can realise when they need help and seek it out. If a character’s role in the story is nothing more than a combat dicepool it probably isn't necessary to track their progress through therapy. Instead these rules can be used for key individuals or for when players are playing mortals who are unlucky enough to cross paths with the Tribe.

Sidebar: In case it needed saying.

The rules presented here are not in anyway supposed to be an accurate reflection on real life medical practices and should not be used in place of actual professional help or applied to real life at all.

One possibility is to include an asylum or therapist as a major character in your story. Either as an antagonist (perhaps funded by Marduk) or foil for the Cohort, a reminder of the damage the Tribe leaves in their wake or just because important NPCs are found there. For further advice on including hospitals and an expanded mental health system see WoD Asylum.

Systems for Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, whether based on talking to the patient, drugs or other techniques can use the same system. Since therapy is as much about trust and empathy as it is about medicine treatment is an Extended Manipulation + Medicine roll. Roll once per therapy session, uncooperative patients can contest this roll with Composure + Subterfuge.

When enough successes are reached: 10 for a mild derangement, 20 for a major and 30 for an extreme Derangement the Derangement can be sent into remission. Until the patient suffers a major trauma, stops taking their medication or suffers an applicable supernatural effect they no longer suffer any penalty for that derangement. Derangements inflicted by supernatural powers require half the successes and are removed permanently unless stated otherwise.

The Beloved condition can be treated by therapists just like a Derangement. The target successes are 15 + twice Zeal. A person who notices their mental breakdown on the way to becoming a beloved might also seek therapy. The Storyteller should make a choice depending on what's more useful for the potential Beloved. Either they make a Resolve + Composure roll at the end of a successful session like normal, each success removes one Beloved Point. Alternatively forgo the final roll and instead apply the total successes on both the therapist's and patient’s roll on any rolls needed to resist becoming a Beloved to a maximum of +5. The bonus decreases by one per week.

Leviathans can also go for therapy, indeed successful therapy makes an excellent justification for increasing Tranquillity. However the Tribe faces significant problems due to the Wake and their own natures. The Leviathan's player should consider being uncooperative, perhaps focusing the Wake, even when it's in their best interests not too. It's not easy talking about traumatic or guilty memories and the Tribe has far less self control than most people (one possibility is to require a successful Tranquillity or Resolve + Composure roll if the Leviathan wishes to cooperate). Even if the Leviathan cooperates the Storyteller should make Beloved rolls for the therapist. If they gain even a single Beloved point all therapy rolls are at -1 due to a distracting fascination and a decreased ability to remain objective. When the therapist is half way to becoming Beloved increase this penalty to the Leviathan's Presence, maximum of five. Actual Beloved always suffer -5 to giving therapy. One possibility to avoid this is for Leviathans to trade therapy sessions from each others cultists (-1 penalty), but few trust another Leviathan's cult with their darkest secrets.

An Atoll as a therapist would be an interesting possibility. Such a situation would allow a Leviathan easy access to an Atoll for as long as he could afford the fees and convince the Atoll he has actual need of therapy. Given the realities of life as a Leviathan the second one would not be difficult. The Atoll gains no special bonuses for therapy aside from the Leviathan's usual inability to use Subterfuge against Atolls, however the usual bonuses for access to an Atoll apply as do the usual risks.

Exceptional Size

From tales of Kraken devouring ships to entire islands on the back of a turtle, the blood of Tiamat has always been associated with great size. Whether a ten foot Leviathan in Apotheosis is fighting a five foot human or a much grander spectacle is at play you can use the following rules for combat at vastly different sizes.

The larger combatant gets the following advantages:

Automatic Successes on a successful attack or Strength roll. At two or more size classes above an opponent this is worked out as a multiple of Strength, in melee combat, or a weapon's Damage in ranged combat. Armour Piercing, Automatic Successes or other features of a weapon do not affect the Automatic Successes granted by size.
Durability
A damage division. Divide damage taken after applying Durability and any other abilities that will reduce damage. Round up.

Armour, Durability and the damage division granted by size stack with both mundane and supernatural protection however they are halved when faced against any attack that deals Aggravated damage.

When calculating size: Treat hand weapons as the size of a typical wielder and vehicle mounted weapons as the size of the vehicle. Weapons specifically designed for targets several size classes larger than themselves (such as an anti-tank rocket) should be treated one size class larger. Weapons designed for targets several size classes smaller than themselves (such as anti-infantry weapons on a tank) should be treated as one size class smaller.

Size Categories

SIZE CLASS	SIZE
1	0
2	1
3	2-3
4	4-7
5	8-14
6	15-19
7	20-24
8	25-29
9	30-34
10	35-40
11	41+

Size Bonuses

SIZE CLASSES ABOVE OPPONENT	DAMAGE BONUS	DURABILITY	DAMAGE DIVISION
1	+1 success	0	0
2	*2 Successes	1	0
3	*5 Successes	2	3
4	*10 Successes	4	4
5	*15 Successes	8	6
6	*20 Successes	15	10
7	*30 Successes	20	15

Size, Accuracy and Armour

In the WoD rolling a failure on an attack roll does not mean that the attack missed, and when the target is bigger than some buildings accuracy is rarely a concern. Most Failures rolled against an enormous Leviathan are in fact bullets bouncing of it's thick hide, or harmlessly burying themselves within layers of skin and fat thicker than a human is tall. To represent this, when wielded against a larger target any weapon with Armour Piercing may add its AP score directly to the attack pool, up to a limit of +3 dice for each difference in Size categories.

An Armour Piercing weapon may ignore points of armour or give bonus dice against larger creatures but not both. If the Leviathan has Armour then Armour Piercing weapons have their usual effect, any points in Armour Piercing above the Armour rating may be turned into bonus dice up to the usual maximum.

Against Leviathans, any weapon that does electrical Damage can be considered to gain the maximum bonus for Armour Piercing weapons, even if it does not have Armour Piercing under normal circumstances. Note that electrical weapons will still be reduced by the Durability and Damage division granted by size; at the reduced rate for weapons that cause Aggravated Damage.

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 * '''Depth 3''' - Instead of a penalty the Leviathan is assumed to automatically fail any rolls where physical attractiveness is a major factor, additionally she gains a new penalty applying to all social rolls rated at -2 due to a fearsome, nauseating or just plain alien form. This penalty does not apply to Intimidation and can be removed if the Leviathan convinces others to trust her. Between the Wake and her own appearance it won't be easy.
 * '''Depth 4''' - The penalty increases to -3.
-* '''Depth 5''' - As the Leviathan approaches the apex of his transformation the effects of his appearance go beyond aesthetics. At this Depth she combines psychic pressure with deeply routed instinctual fears, relics of ancient abuses committed by the tribe. The Penalty on social rolls increases to -4 and cannot be reduced below -2. Being fully immune to the Tribe's psychic effects means that Atolls are an exception, as with anyone else theu possess instinctual fears but are exempt from the mental effects and so only suffer a -3 penalty. With persuasion the penalty can be removed entirely.
+* '''Depth 5''' - As the Leviathan approaches the apex of his transformation the effects of his appearance go beyond aesthetics. At this Depth she combines psychic pressure with deeply routed instinctual fears, relics of ancient abuses committed by the tribe. The Penalty on social rolls increases to -4 and cannot be reduced below -2. Being fully immune to the Tribe's psychic effects means that Atolls are an exception, as with anyone else they possess instinctual fears but are exempt from the mental effects and so only suffer a -3 penalty. With persuasion the penalty can be removed entirely.
 * '''Depth 6''' - Instinctual dread of the Leviathan becomes insurmountable. All social rolls automatically fail, even Intimidation becomes useless for anything more precise than provoking blind panic or self defence. For Atolls the penalty increases to -5.

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