LeviathanTempest:AppendOne

Evolutions

Much of a Leviathans life is a quest for an identity. Faced with a truly monstrous heritage and a world belonging to another people a Leviathan must construct for themself a way of life that accepts what they are with all its horrors yet is morally acceptable. They must do this without any authoritative history or culture to provide guidance, values or codes of conduct. No Leviathan has found the answer, there's no guidebook to success and harmony in the world of man or divine dominion over the seas. Yet though no Leviathan has found the answer some Leviathans have found an answer. It's not the right answer, the correct answer or even necessarily a good answer but it's their answer.

A Leviathan who has found their answer to the eternal question “what is a Leviathan and what does one do?” is said to have Evolved. This is both somewhat accurate and bitter self depreciation. It is accurate in the physical sense for a Leviathans transformation is as much a reflection of their own mind as their heritage. An Evolution is visible in the transformed body and as new and unique Adaptations and abilities. Yet calling it Evolution is a bitter satire of the Tribe, an Evolution is not hereditary. Though it can be taught each Leviathan must learn it anew. Most Evolutions never see a second adherent and though some have formed the basis of Legions none have survived the test of time. To the astute observer the word Evolution only demonstrates the Tribe's millennia long failure to meaningfully evolve.

Creating an Evolution

The first step to creating an Evolution is for the player to explain to the group their character's philosophy of what a Leviathan is and what its place in the world is. This can be exceptionally specific, such as “A Leviathan is a living cargo ship and merchant,” or something broader. This Philosophy will probably be related to the Leviathan's School; after all, a School is at heart how a Leviathan looks for a life-plan. An Evolution is a life-plan.

Once the philosophy is written the Evolution's mechanical effects must be codified. All effects should reflect the core philosophy. You don't just get control over electricity because you think it's useful; electricity requires a strong commitment to mankind and reason or electricity on a practical sense. For a group who play well together one very authentic option is for a player to describe their character’s philosophy and the rest of the group to construct the evolution.

Evolutions have the following effects.

• The Leviathan gets +2 to all Transformation rolls in one direction or +1 in both directions.
• The Leviathan creates three unique Adaptations, rated at one, three and four dots. Sometimes these are outside Leviathan genetics and are truly unique but often they are teachable to others.
• The Leviathan gains one truly unique power that fundamentally changes the nature of a Leviathan.
• The Leviathan adds two new Tranquility Disruptions to the chart. One at seven or lower and one at five or lower.

Acquiring an Evolution is often a good justification for buying a dot of Tranquility. Certainly many of the most Tranquil and moral Leviathans have Evolved but then some of the Tribes most wicked monsters have an Evolution. Not all answers are good answers.

Sample Evolutions

Davy Jones, The Conqueror Worm

The school of the Abyss feels that the Tribe does not fit in this world and seeks to find somewhere that can call home. Davy Jones was simply more literal in his search. Over a long life Davy explored dozens of other realms seeking somewhere other than the Rift where he could truly feel at home. The underworld would have been another bust until he met a strange spirit who claimed they had every answer he would ever need, and entered him into a contract.

Now Davy Jones serves as a psychopomp, his job is to shepard the souls of the dead and as a reward his employer provides him with time as mortal human. In this manner Davy has place where he fits. While on the clock Davy tries to avoid humans, sticking to the sea or beneath the ground. Even focusing his efforts on people who died at sea, or at least whose bodies have ended up at sea he finds himself spending more time on dry land than he'd like.

Appearance: It's hard to say exactly where Davy Jones has come from, he's spent so long travelling that his accent and mannerisms are a mix from all over the world, and even a few places beyond. Most people place him as from the Caribbean. If he actually wasn't born there his family certainly comes from the area. If asked he's likely to say something along the lines of “I'm from wherever I'm needed” or if off duty “I'm from anywhere with a good drink”, if he's in good humor he might adopt a thick Jamaican accent for the occasion.

Davy is an early middle aged man in brightly coloured clothes and dreadlocks. He carries himself with the air of someone who has seen more tragedy than any man can be asked and yet as come to peace with the world and his place in it. In his Apotheosis Davy is a huge worm, as white as bleached bone and covered with faces. To a Leviathan these are either generic or featureless but humans often remember seeing dead loved ones and though they forget the words they remember hearing messages from beyond. Seeing Davy Jones in his Apotheosis is remarkable: He's something timeless, terrible beyond measure but also natural. Entirely inevitable until the only response is acceptance, and to live a while longer.

Storytelling Hints: Davy's behaviour depends upon whether he is on duty or off the clock. When performing his duty Davy is likely to be polite but generally disinterested in anything besides helping his current client. When he's cashing in some of his saved time Davy Jones looks for companionship, you'd likely find him in a welcoming pub where strangers share drink and conversation. The Cohort could easily be those strangers as Davy is as happy to shoot the breeze with family as with other humans but trying to ask him for advice or help with big issues will simply cause Davy to change the subject to more relaxed matters. If the issue seems dangerous enough he may decide to leave town entirely, no one can vanish quite like Davy Jones.

Aside from a drinking buddy or a perhaps bitter example of a very high Tranquillity Leviathan (copying Davy does sound uncomfortably like get a job) there is rich storytelling potential for meeting Davy Jones as a result of his Duty. When a character seems to be loosing touch with humanity perhaps a lost loved one might turn up as one of Davy's clients. A darker touch may involve one of the Leviathan's victims or a Beloved, freed from their obsession in death and demanding closure before they pass on. They probably won't be demanding a fight unless Davy made a serious error, he tries to stick to clients he feels he can help and that doesn’t include those who demand violence. Partly because he's not a violent man, partly because he doesn’t know how to fight.

Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3, Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Presence 2, Manipulation 3, Composure 5.

Skills: Academics 1, Investigation 3, Occult 5 (Ghosts, other realms) , Athletics 3, Stealth 2, Survival 4 (ocean, underworld), Empathy 2 (Clients), Expression 3, Intimidation 1, Persuasion 3, Socialise 4 (over drinks), Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 2.

Strain: Oceanid
School: Abyss
Sheol: 4
Virtue: Faith
Vice: Gluttony
Tranquillity: 9
Defence: 3
Health: 8
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 9
Willpower: 8

Channels: Uncrowned Fisher King (Following the River Styx 3), Lord of the Sea, The Hydra's Rebirth (Resurgent Corpus 2, Dread Return 3), Fluid Icon of Grace, Mind in Motion, Blood in the Water (The Sent of Death 1) Eye of the Eternal Storm, Call of the Depths (The Feast of Worms 4), World-Serpent's Endurance, No Mysteries of the Flesh.

Other Merits: Resources 1, Barfly 1, Muted Wake 1, Mandate of Babel 1, Breath of the Lungfish 1, Direction Sense 1, Contacts 3 (Undertakers, Graveyard Groundskeepers, Private Detectives)

Enhanced Transformation: +2 to becoming more human.

Unique Disruptions: 6: Forcibly taking a ghost to the Underworld. 4: Destroying a ghost.

Unique Adaptations:

The Sent of Death (O, Blood in the Water): Davy can smell if a corpse belongs to an active ghost, with Blood in the Water he can smell from a long way away.

Following the River Styx (OOO, Uncrowned Fisher King): Davy's duties occasionally require him to enter the Underworld. He can do this simply by digging down, spending a point of Ichor and rolling Sheol.

If you possess Geist: The Sin Eaters or Book of the Dead. Davy Jones can tunnel into the Autochthonous Depths. He has no special ability to cross the rivers or gates of the Underworld though at the storyteller's discretion he might be able to pay for the services of a ferryman on the "company account".

The Feast of Worms: (OOOO, Call of the Depths): By eating a corpse Davy Jones becomes an Anchor for it's ghost. Even for Davy Jones the essential nature of a Leviathan makes this risky, the Ghost must roll as though they committed a Sin with a rank equal to their current Morality every 10 + Resistance days. Davy can see and communicate with any ghost he is anchored too. Davy can cut a ghost loose by spending a point of Ichor, no roll is required.

Davy Jones' unique ability is the ability to tunnel through the earth at his regular speed in Depth 3 or Below. So long as he is beneath the soil Davy is considered submerged for the purposes of preventing Ichor drain in Apotheosis but not for any other reason. The Depth 6 iteration of Uncrowned Fisher King will not function while tunnelling.

Separate from his Evolution is his bargain. For every ghost he helps move on (by resolving its Anchors, dragging it to the underworld, it doesn’t matter) He is rewarded with one day (sunrise to sunset) or one night (sunset to sunrise) as a human. No Wake, Transformation, Vestiges, nothing. This is not a natural ability for Davy but payment from whatever god of death he's working for. Under the terms while human Davy Jones simply cannot be killed. Though serious wounds are painful and can be incapacitating. The wounds don't vanish once he returns to being a Leviathan either. No one knows what would happen if someone tried to incinerate or otherwise obliterate his body, perhaps is employer will resort to a more active intervention.

Rumours of The Conqueror Worm.

Davy, yeah I know of him. I know he wasn't always the slave he is now, he used to be a real zealot, Sun School. When he found the underworld he was going to invade it, he was sure the Progenitors were trapped down there and he was going to rescue them. He learned something down there and when he came back he was, well Davy Jones. People still ask him what, no one ever sees them again.

You think hanging out with ghosts is creepy, that's nothing. Here's the real spooky stuff about Davy Jones. One time Davy was doing his job for a bunch of ghost kids, they couldn't move on until they got revenge on the guy who killed them. So Davy caught the guy and did something to him, now he can't die. Ever. Davy stuck him at the bottom of the sea, he'll be drowning until the end of the world.

You ever met Davy when he's human? That's why he's doing his ghost thing, he gets to spend time as a human only you never see him as a human any more. I hear he's saving up until he can spend enough time as a human to die of old age. I don't know why he wants that but I figure he knows something we don't. Do you think he's interested in training a replacement?

Colchis, the Starborn

Colchis swam to the stars. He gathered his Cohort, taught them the secrets of his Evolution and fled the dangers of Earth to seek sanctuary in the oceans of space.

He wasn't always an inhabitant of outer space of course, Colchis' story begins in ancient times at the edge of the Black sea in the city of Rizaion now called Rize. It begins with a man named Polemon.

Polemon was an astrologer and a charlatan, while in the World of Darkness there are those who can predict the future in the stars Polemon was not among their number. Instead he had a quick wit and a honeyed tongue. As was the way of educated men in such times he lived off patronage and charmed his hosts with prophecy to their liking. In time his harmonious existence was ended by the emergence of his birthright. His heritage brought Polemon the true gift of prophecy his fame grew and so did the Zeal of those who followed his word. He grew to believe the stories told about himself and took the name Colchis after the kingdom of his birth.

Colchis swam the Black Sea making contact with his Cousins, through charisma and force of conviction his beliefs in the unity of the stars, tides and Tribe became the dominant beliefs of the local Leviathans. Energised though a sense of direction the Tribe thrived until as always it was brought low by retaliation from mankind and internal divisions. Gathering his most loyal followers Colchis fled, he fled until he out swam the Earth itself.

Appearance: Colchis is a man in cast from the Mediterranean mould with dark hair and olive coloured skin. Though once a thin man with a scholar's build he is a Bahamutan and over the years has grown into a mountain of a man. His apotheosis is a whale covered in black scales that glow with iridescent rays when struck by the sun. Pitted with micometeor impacts and dusted with comet frost he looks like nothing of this Earth.

Storytelling Hints: The secret is that Colchis is at heart a coward. He hides it very well of course. If he could Colchis would cut ties with Earth and even his Cohort entirely to hide in the void between stars. As it is he remains within the solar system and uses his Cult of Astrologers move food in bulk to hidden locations in preparation for his returns to Earth. He supports his Cult from a distance through his dreams, these dreams insure far more amateur astrologers and astronomers catch a single fleeting glimpse than should be possible.

The other secret is that isolation has driven Colchis quite mad. In his more lucid moments he is still the brilliant Leviathan that kept his Cohort safe for centuries and nominally the leader. Other times he believes the stars are speaking to him in wordless music and shapes within their lights, asking for his loyalty in an incomprehensible divine agenda. There is no great wisdom here, these are the delusions of a madman and their dictates have led his cult to clash with the followers of terrestrial Leviathans and almost revealed his Cohort to humanity on several occasions.

If you are to fight Colchis it pays to learn of Astrology for in his madness he plans around signs and portents rather than his own divine perspective. If you hear the ramblings of a slightly mad astrologer who hears the stars in her dreams listen closely for Colchis has touched those dreams and may have revealed a hint of his plans, but do not get too close for such dreams lead to madness and recruitment into Colchis' Cult.

Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 2, Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 5, Presence 2, Manipulation 2, Composure 4.

Skills: Academics 2, Medicine 1, Occult 4 (Astrology), Politics 1, Science 1 (Astronomy), Athletics 4 (Star swimming), Brawl 2, Firearms 1, Stealth 1, Survival 3, Animal Ken 2, Expression 2, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3.

Strain: Bahamutan
School: Abyss
Sheol: 4
Virtue: Prudence
Vice: Sloth
Tranquillity: 4 (Schizophrenia, Fixation [Eyes are pure black and as empty as the void]).
Defence: 2
Health: 11
Size: 6
Speed: 9
Initiative: 6
Willpower: 8

Channels: Lambent Eyes of Judgement, Oroborus' Kin (Divine Perspective 2, Swimming the Sea of Stars 4), Eye of the Watchful Deity (Anointing the Prophet 4), Uncrowned Fisher King, Rain-Dance of the Tempest (Obscene Geometries 3, Breaking Gravity's Chains 3), Swallowing the Sun (Lasting Darkness 1, Nightfall 2) Lord of the Sea, Womb of Terrors (Dread Champion 1), Stalker's Shifting Hide (Broken Lens 3, Slip Sideways 4) Blood in the Water, Insidious Creature, Piercing the Veil of Slumber, Lifeblood of Titans (A Mountain Walked 4), World-Serpent's Endurance (One for the Road 1), No Mysteries of the Flesh.

Eldrich Lore: 4

Other Merits: Danger Sense 2, Meditative Mind 1, Direction Sense 1, Giant 4, Iron Stamina 2, Cult (Numbers 4, Zeal 3, Fervour 2, Offerings 1, Resolute 2), Divine Prerogative 2 (Occult), Deep Wake 2, Fluid Form 1, Heirloom 3, Vicious Heritage 1.

Enhanced Transformation: +1 in either direction

Unique Disruptions: 5: Being seen by a human who is not Beloved while transformed. 4: Spending more than a week on any planet dangerous to the Tribe.

Unique Adaptations: And One For The Road (O, World-Serpent's Endurance): Colchis only needs to eat and drink once every four or so months, as measured by his usual level of activity and including the additional sustenance from solar energy. This Adaptation does not reduce the amount of food he requires it simply lets him eat a few months worth all at once.

Breaking Gravity's Chains (OOO, Rain-Dance of the Tempest): In Depth 6 Colchis can fly by creating and swimming through a wake of twisted spacetime. However within a planet's atmosphere he's not very good at it. When too close to a planet or star anything more complicated than flying in a straight line or slowly turning on the spot automatically becomes a chance die. Out in space treat flying as swimming including any bonuses to swimming from Channels and Adaptations

Swimming the Sea of Stars (OOOO, Oroborus' Kin, requires Divine Perspective, Rain-Dance of the Tempest): Colchis can see, navigate and twist the currents of space-time to make incredible journeys in small amounts of time. Though his actual speed of motion does not increase he covers distance at an average rate equal to the speed equal to the speed of light times his Sheol cubed. Individual portions of his journey may be significantly faster or slower. This ability is disrupted by matter and only works in a vacuum.

Colchis's unique ability is his bodies adaptation for outer space. In Depth 6 his body does not require oxygen and while he looses Ichor while outside of water providing he is in space (at least 100 km up) the effect is massively reduced to a mere one Ichor per Stamina days, on earth he can go 3 times Stamina minuets before loosing Ichor, enough time to reach space. Colchis is also able to feed of solar energy but this is not enough to sustain him, it merely reduces his food requirements.

Sidebar: The Starborn Cohort

Colchis' is a member of an atypically large and perhaps arrogent, given their naming habits, Cohort consisting off:

• Labyrinthos: A glutton. Covets the wealth and pleasures of earth, but covets his own continued existence far too much to risk it - though he'd be the mostly easily tempted from the heavens compared to his cohorts. In ancient days past, he was worshiped as a god by humanity in the south Atlantic seas and really wants to relive his glory days, but is too afraid of Marduk (who very nearly killed him before he escaped) to return. Labyrinthos plays a dangerous game of attempting to manipulate humans with high technological power to gain influence and followers on Earth, even though he has to make sure to cover his tracks much more carefully than the others. Was an influential member of the School of Clay during his peak.
• Loki: Once held major sway over cultists in the North Atlantic, is an excellent planner and can easily achieve the most complicated schemes when compared to his cohorts. Practices "total war" and can effectively and carefully coordinate all of his terrestrial resources to pull off the perfect scheme. Prefers subtlety to force in nearly all situations. Would not be caught dead on Earth again and actually prefers his new home greatly over the ancestral lands of his fathers. Loki is the one most likely to sew conflict between Leviathan and Starborn, or amongst the Starborn, in an effort to gain power and followers for himself or act as a readily apparent antagonist. Any direct connection between him and Norse mythology is hazy as best and he's just as likely to be the namesake of a God as vice versa.
• Karkaṭa: According to legend, Karkaṭa was the Hydra's mate and cohort and fled to the stars when he was slain by humans, along with Karkata's progeny. Because of this, she has a very, very large grudge against humanity and she's vindictive and determined to make them pay very viciously and very slowly for the rest of her existence. To her, schemes are not just a means for a survival: it's payback. She is among her kin the least likely to pick a conflict with a terrestrial leviathan, and will frivolously spend resources and ichor on making life for humanity just a little bit worse in any way she can.
• Nile: Claims the river was indeed named after him, though it honestly could have been the other way around. Either way, had a fun stint as a fertility god on the mouth of the river in Africa. They got that depiction of his crocodile head just right. The simplest, honest of his band, likes to give adversaries a "fair chance" against him (though what a fair chance is can vary on his disposition) and probably sees his situation as a big, relaxing game to while away the centuries.
• Shala: Doesn't really have much ambition other than to follow her sister Themis's, wishes. Ends up doing grunt-work, like ordering around unimportant Beloved on Earth to do minor tasks. Doesn't really have much ambition, and will go along with the flow of either her sister of the group, and is staunchly satisfied to do so. Never had a large influence on terrestrial culture, but didn't really want it.
• Themis: The Judicator. The only one of her kind with a title. Her sole purpose amongst the Twelve is simply to settle disputes before they spiral into something out of control that could compromise them all. Her decisions are swift and decisive. She, along with Colchis, are the closest things they have to leaders. Neither one of them rarely gets much of a leg up on the others because Colchis lacks foresight and Themis lacks good initiative, however.
• Mulgirtab: Claims to be the oldest and most powerful. Personally killed the ancient hero Orion in a fairly epic ancient battle. Will not let anyone forget about it. Only fled Earth when he came to conclusion that remaining was hopeless. One of the most macabre of the twelve, Mulgirtab operates using Reanimant humans as the "stick" to the group's Beloved groups on earth, as a final "screw you" to Marduk and is basically the one who taught the others the Ritual to Reanimate the dead using Ichor. When he and Karkaṭa conspire, watch out.
• Ixion: Acting through a Beloved named Chiron, Ixion was the one who came up with the Astrology scheme in the first place, teaching humans only rudimentary parts of Rituals to make them easier and more vulnerable to the Wake. As such, he is the most skilled at controlling humans and harvesting Ichor, and has the most powerful rituals of his fellows.
• Kumbha: Did not want to leave his home waters of the planet, was forced and bullied to participate by Colchis as the foremost expert of the School of the Abyss of his generation, Kumbah is an expert on the Rift and was taken to the stars due to his intuitive knowledge of it. Remains a semi-unwilling participant bullied by the others.
• Euphrates: Fled the planet due to problems with Typhons - namely her son became a Typhon while exploring the rift and slaughtered the rest of their Cohorts. Because of that, has a huge grudge against Typhons and will spend resources fighting them (usually using Reanimants of extinct and powerful creatures). This means that she is one of the few of her members that the Wicked Tribe can "depend" on, and quite a few of them may openly worship or revere her as a a positive force. Rarely if ever employs Beloved.
• Makara: Operated as a very powerful Cult leader in the ancient Indian ocean. Was forced to flee into the Atlantic when some Typhons attacked her Cult's bases of power. Has, at one time or the other, had a Cult operating in at least every continent once. Is the most familiar with Earth's seas and lands, and generally always has a back-up plan. Makara places "investments" into humanity, helping her Beloved start businesses, cities, or careers and fostering an indirect Cult of personality based around them. Will backstab the other Twelve as soon as looking at them, but her breadth of knowledge, ambition, and paramount is too valuable to sacrifice for her relative petty betrayals.

Friar Lantern, The Monkfish

The School of the Sun are a religious bunch, and Friar Lantern is one of the poster boys for this truism. He's a real believer in the Primordial Waters and Tiamat and her kids. Having been brought up as a dyed-in-the-wool evangelical, though, he takes issue with the whole "destroy this diluted Creation" facet of his heritage.

So he strives to be good and spread the word of the Progenitors, which is tricky to do without sounding like a doomsayer and a madman. All the same, he's managed to amass a small cult who he mostly keeps to good ways.

Enhanced Transformation: +1 to transforming in either direction.

Unique Disruptions:

6: Neglecting an opportunity to fulfill a Virtue.

4: Denying the existence of the Progenitors.

Unique Adaptations:

Wickedness Grants No Reward (O, Lambent Eyes of Judgement, requires Lantern of Shame): At Depth 1 and below, Lantern can spend a point of Ichor. If a character fulfills a Vice within Lantern's Wake, he does not gain a point of Willpower, and instead loses a point of Willpower. The target cannot gain Willpower from fulfilling his Vice for the rest of the scene.

Placid Waters, Calm Soul (OOO, Eye of the Eternal Storm): At Depth 3 and below, the Friar can automatically succeed at an attempt to resist the effects of a derangement by spending a point of Ichor.

Favored Son of Nunet (OOOO, Fluid Icon of Grace, requires Liquid Evasion): At Depth 2 and below, when making a Dodge action the Friar may reflexively spend 1 Ichor to perfectly dodge an attack. Lantern may do this as many times per turn as half his Sheol, rounded up.

Friar Lantern's unique power grants him divine reward for resisting his base urges. Once per story, when the Friar fulfills his Virtue, he completely refills his Ichor pool in addition to his Willpower pool.

Rumors of the Friar

The man's insane. He hides it well, but he's going off the deep end and fast. Word on the street is he's picked up this crazy notion that he's "saving" people by taking them into his cult. He's one indiscretion away from going completely old-school, fire-and-brimstone zealot, and when he does, people are going to notice.

Ever see Fight Club? Tyler Durden's got nothing on the preacher. He's been sleeping less and less and the sorry bums in his cult are getting confused. C'mon, let's go steal some space monkeys.

He talks with some very weird people, our Friar. Just the other night I saw him chatting away with some pale guy over at Biers. Seemed a bit of a dry fella, looked at his drink like it ate his dog or something.

Emma and Suzy, The Lightning Sisters

Emma and Suzy didn't have an easy time Emerging. Their heritage was brought to prominence when the young sisters first set to sea on a family sailing trip. Tragically both sisters began to secrete poison, trapped in close proximity their human families health began to deteriorate and knowing they were responsible the sisters suffered outburst after outburst. Only after reaching their Apotheosis did their instinctual knowledge overcome human habit and the sisters swam away, it was already too late for their family.

The first cousins to find the sisters were from the School of the Sun. It should come as no surprise that the sisters didn't like the idea of venerating the heritage that took their family from them and so a Taxon was called to introduce the sisters to their Tribe. They left members of the School of Clay hoping to regain some of the connection to humanity they so recently lost.

Though the Clay School was the right choice it still failed to fulfil their needs. No matter who they studied with, or what they tried they were unable to just enjoy human contact as equals. They resolved that if they couldn't be a part of human society they would reveal themselves and exist in acceptance and symbiosis. The story would have ended here, as with so many other young Leviathans devoured by their family to keep the wrath of mankind from the tribe, if not for the events of their “coming out”. In the mist of a storm that felled power lines the sisters tried to call down lightning until repairs could be done (that they considered this helping is seen as a sign their minds were already cracking), the lighting did come down but into the sisters and it has remained there ever since.

The peaceful symbiosis might seem to be working, the sisters both have jobs as living generators at a power-plant. With an eye on the profits management has been happy to make allowances for their psychological and supernatural needs. Yet in the shadows powerful players are watching, many covert the sisters' immunity to the Tribe's ancient weakness and many more fear that the semi secrecy is doomed to fail and seek to intervene.

Appearance: The Lightning Sisters look like blond blue eyed angels after life spent a year beating them down. Emma walks with an untouchable air of confidence and direction tainted with paranoia and aggression, when she smiles her lips part to reveal sharp needle-like teeth. Suzy is pale with sunken eyes and slightly hollow cheeks, her eyes rarely rise from her feet and her voice from a whisper.

When Transformed Emma is an enormous eel, crackling with electricity, large unblinking eyes and mud-brown armoured scales that reflect the light as though metallic. Suzy seems to sink further into herself, bones dissolve and flesh turns to water, her Apotheosis is a jellyfish, so transparent as to almost be an extension of the water rather than a living being in it's own right.

Storytelling Hints: The Lightning Sisters have caused quite the stir in Tribal waters, they are probably better suited as the focus of a story than as drop in characters since they are likely to become the focus of tribal politics in the surrounding area. Under ordinary circumstances a Leviathan trying to come out the closet will be killed but the Sister's unique ability has forced a stalemate between those unwilling to lose the opportunity of electrical resistance, those who want them killed and the significantly larger group who're unwilling to risk attacking Cousins who casually wields their greatest weakness.

How do the players fit into this? If the Cohort likes the idea of ending the ancient hostilities between man and the Tribe the Sisters could be a banner to rally around, admittedly their psychological state isn't the best but as written, if not dragged into any plots they're on the way up. Playing allies of the Sisters will place the Cohort in the centre of a massive web of intrigue as powerful Leviathans come from far and wide, alternatively it could be played as a Brawl of Cthulhu. Yes lots of powerful Leviathans are coming but electricity is on you're side. Storytellers who wish to increase the stakes may consider an entire Legion forming around the sisters and the promise of reconciliation with mankind, it wouldn't be the first time a Legion centred around an Evolution.

Emma: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 3, Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 1.

Skills: Medicine 1,Occult 2, Science 1 (electricity), Athletics 3, Brawl 3 (grapple), Firearms 1, Stealth 2, Survival 2 (Ocean), Intimidation 3 (lightning as punctuation), Socialise 1 (with people in the know), Persuasion 1, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 1.

Strain: Nu
School: Clay
Sheol: 3
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Wrath
Tranquillity: 4 (Suspicion [needle-like teeth], irrationality)
Defence: 2
Health: 7
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 3
Willpower: 4
Flaw: Avoidance (Activating The Toads Curse)

Channels: Uncrowned Fisher King, Being of Primordial Water (Deep Battery 1, Crackling Rebuke 4), The Sky Cauldron (All-Weather Flesh 1, Lance of the Heavens 3), That Hideous Strength, Mortal Devouring Armoury (Gaping Maw 2), Flesh of the Progenitors, The Toads Curse (Master of the Curse 2).

Other Merits: Resources 3, Status 2 (Power Plant), Allies 3 (Power Plant), Brawling Dodge 1, Muted Wake 1.

Suzy: Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Resolve 1, Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Presence 1, Manipulation 2, Composure 3.

Skills: Academics 1, Computer 2, Occult 2, Science 3 (Electrical), Athletics 3, Firearms 4 (Lightning), Stealth 2, Survival 2 (Ocean), Animal Ken 1, Empathy 2, Subterfuge 1.

Strain: Nu
School: Clay
Virtue: Faith
Vice: Gluttony
Sheol: 3
Tranquillity: 4 (Anxiety)
Defence: 2
Health: 7
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 8
Willpower: 4
Flaw: Avoidance (Activating The Toads Curse)

Channels: Uncrowned Fisher King, Being of Primordial Water (Deep Battery 1, Crackling Rebuke 4), The Sky Cauldron (All-Weather Flesh 1, Lance of the Heavens 3), Monogamous Host to All (Firearms), Stalker's Shifting Hide (Clouded Eye 3), The Toads Curse (Master of the Curse 2), Vigour of the Protean Kings.

Other Merits: Resources 3, Status 2 (Power Plant), Allies 3 (Power Plant), Fast Reflexes 2, Danger Sense 2, Muted Wake 1.

Enhanced Transformation: +2 to becoming more human.

Unique Disruptions:

5: Treating either humans or the Tribe as inherently superior to the other.

5: Creating a Beloved or Ahab, even accidentally.

Unique Adaptations;

Deep Battery (O, Being of Primordial Waters): At Depth 2 and below, the Leviathan's touch can provide electrical charge sufficient to power an electrical device of her Size or less. She must maintain contact to keep the device powered, and this contact will damage the device over the course of the scene – effectively inflicting electrical damage equal to the Leviathan's Sheol. Sufficiently hardened devices (Those with Durability greater than Sheol) take no Damage.

Lance of the Heavens (OOO, The Sky Cauldron): In Depth 3 and below, the Leviathan may expend 1 Ichor to attack foes with bolts of conjured lightning, this requires a thunderstorm or large amounts of ambient electricity. The Leviathan rolls Intelligence + Firearms + Sheol, penalized by the target's Defense. This attack is electrical and therefore ignores most armor, and has a short range of (Leviathan's Sheol x 10) yards, a medium range of twice that, and a long range of four times the short range. It deals bashing damage and has the Stun property. A Leviathan with the Crackling Rebuke Evolution can use her own body as a source of electricity in Depth 6.

Crackling Rebuke (OOOO, Being of Primordial Waters): At Depth 6, the smell of atmosphere surrounds the Leviathan, and sparks crackle between her fingertips and shoot out of her mouth when she speaks. At this point foes that strike the Leviathan unarmed or with a conductive weapon suffer bashing damage, one die per Sheol. This damage is electrical in nature. Those that grapple her suffer as though they were exposed to a constant current (World of Darkness, pg. 178). Unarmed attacks do electrical damage.

The Sisters unique power is that they have overcome the Tribe's vulnerability to electricity. Against electrical Damage they are entirely immune to Bashing Damage and have Durability equal to their Sheol against Lethal Damage, in addition to any armour from Channels. Do not convert Bashing or Lethal damage to Aggravated.

Rumours of the Sisters

They went public and they're an open secret where they work. Want to know why they're not front page news? I heard that when they started looking for a job Marduk brought the entire plant! After all these years coming after us with lightning I think they're scared.

Well I'm bummed, for a moment it looked like the girls had a chance, and if they had a chance we all did. But no, it turns out half the plant are Beloved, they're just smart enough to know what their goddesses want is for them to fake a life for the two. Pass me another drink.

I was hanging out near the plant, I just wanted to see them. They're like an icon for how us and humans can get along, but get this. I recognised some of the people going in. They're Aunt Ramona Cult, you heard to the stories of her breeding programs? I don't want to be in the middle of Ramona and the Lightning sisters but that's just going too far. They're family, they're just kids!

Gormr, The Dragon

According to himself Gormr is of the Jormungandr Strain, possibly the only one alive and the original founder of the famed World Coiling Legion. The common opinion of the tribe is that he's talking crap. Most place him as a descendent of Tanan but those who follow the theory that the Jormungandr are nothing more than a cultural offshoot of Bahamut might place him among Bahamut's Strain, if they don't just think he's making it all up. As for his claims that to have founded a famed Legion, most just call Gormr's philosophy crude thuggery trying to claim historical legitimacy. When his goal really can be called “kill all humans” you can see why they'd say that.

As far as he's concerned the explanation is obvious for anyone who isn't too scared of humanity to look. The Tribe was born when Tiamat birthed monsters to fight for her, it says so right in the Enuma Elish and their purpose remains the same. Destroy the world of man to pave the path for the return of Primordial Waters. Both mythology (yes, including Ragnarok) and mass extinction events show that once the old life is killed it makes room for something else.

Appearance: Gormr's appearance is defined by his life. Living in the most remote parts of the Earth doesn’t provide much opportunity for fashion. His clothes are covered in layer after layer of grime and his blond hair is wild, untamed and kept around neck hight with a single cut of whatever weapon he has to hand. Word among the Tribe is that if given the opportunity he cleans up rather nicely.

Storytelling Hints: If he is to be believed Gormr is the founder of the World-Coiling Legion and the sole survivor of the Dragon Slayers. This would make him one of the oldest and most dangerous living Leviathans. Yet for all his power Gormr's glory has faded, the Legion he once led lie in unmarked graves and his eternal enemy: the tribes of man grow stronger every day. Gormr has sunk in to depression, the fiery zeal that once drove him to war with humanity is fading embers, mostly, on occasion they flair up to a towering inferno. So far Gormr has outfought the consequences of these rampages but it appears he is getting more reckless.

If the Tribe is to be believed Gormr is a young upstart who never adapted to the realities of life as a Leviathan. He lacked the self-control to live among men and possessed far too much pride to accept weaker beings forcing him to the margins by weight of numbers. His attempts to rally an army against man crumbled against common sense and so humiliated he fled Leviathan society to reappear years later evolved and waging a futile war against humanity. Strangely most of these stories seem to have travelled a long way, this may be just be the result Gormr disappearing for years before reappearing half way around the world. Maybe.

Whatever the truth of his origin, Gormr is not a person you'd want to meet. He's mentally unstable, simmering with rage and loathing and a life spent among evidence of his war's failure means he's as likely to slaughter as accept any offer of help. To Gormr “allies” are often just witnesses to his defeat.

Gormr, Founder of the World-Coiling Legion: Intelligence 3, Wits, 2, Resolve 6, Strength 9, Dexterity 5, Stamina 8, Presence 5, Manipulation 3, Composure 2.

Skills: Academics 1 (Armageddon myths), Crafts 2 (Weapons), Occult 3, Science 1, Athletics 4, Brawl 7 (Claws), Firearms 5 (Tiamat's Fury), Stealth 2, Survival 3 (Mountains), Weaponry 4, Animal Ken 2, Empathy 1, Expression 1, Intimidation 6 (Radiates Power), Persuasion 2.

Strain: Jormungandr
School: Reef
Sheol: 10
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Pride
Tranquillity: 2 (Megalomania, Paranoia [Constantly exhales a thick oily smoke], Depression, Fixation [Prominent nictitating membrane])
Defence: 2
Health: 14
Size: 6
Speed: 19
Initiative: 7
Willpower: 8
Flaw: Megalomania.

Channels: Uncrowned Fisher King, Magnanimous Host to All (Multitudinous Horde 2, Athletics, Brawl), Incubation of the Second Self (Easy Birth 2, Opportunistic Parasitism 4, Traumatic Parasitism 3), The Hydra's Rebirth (Resurgent Corpus 2, Dread Return 3, Reap the Whirlwind 5), Fluid Icon of Grace, That Hideous Strength (Rightful Place 3, God-Hurling Sinews 5), Overpowering Strength of Titans (Thunderstroke 2, Undertow 4, Cleaving Tide 5), The Tyrant's Privilege, Mortal-Devouring Armory (Savage Focus 1, Rending Claws 2, Gaping Maw 2, Walking Abattoir 4), Hunter’s Terrible Beauty (The Sleeping Dragon 3), The Hunter's Blood (Tiamat's Fury 5), Accepting the Tribute of Slaughter (Soul-Devouring Jaws 3, Walking Abattoir 4), Lifeblood of Titans (A Mountain Walked 4), Flesh of the Progenitors(Adaption to Harm 2, Inviolable 4), World-Serpent's Endurance, Vigor of Protean Kings (Potent Ichor 5)

Other Merits: Giant 4, Direction Sense 1, Brawling Dodge 1, Iron Stomach 2, Quick Healer 4, Temple (Size 2, Security 3 [hidden])

Gormr, Young Upstart: Intelligence 2, Wits, 2, Resolve 3, Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 2.

Skills: Academics 1 (Armageddon myths), Occult 2, Science 1, Athletics 3, Brawl 4 (Claws), Firearms 3 (Tiamat's Fury), Stealth 2, Survival 3 (Mountains), Weaponry 2, Animal Ken 2, Empathy 1, Expression 1, Intimidation 4 (Violence), Persuasion 2.

Strain: Bahamutan
School: Reef
Sheol: 4
Virtue: Fortitude
Vice: Pride
Tranquillity: 2 (Megalomania, Paranoia [Constantly exhales a thick oily smoke], Depression, Fixation [Prominent nictitating membrane])
Defence: 2
Health: 9
Size: 6
Speed: 13
Initiative: 5
Willpower: 5
Flaw: Megalomania.

Channels: Uncrowned Fisher King, Magnanimous Host to All (Brawl), The Hydra's Rebirth (Resurgent Corpus 2, Dread Return 3), That Hideous Strength, Overpowering Strength of Titans (Thunderstroke 2, Cleaving Tide 4), The Tyrant's Privilege, Mortal-Devouring Armory (Savage Focus 1, Rending Claws 2, Gaping Maw 2, Walking Abattoir 4), The Hunter's Blood (Tiamat's Fury 5), Accepting the Tribute of Slaughter, Lifeblood of Titans (A Mountain Walked 4), Flesh of the Progenitors(Adaption to Harm 2), World-Serpent's Endurance, Vigor of Protean Kings (Potent Ichor 3)

Other Merits: Giant 4, Direction Sense 1, Brawling Dodge 1, Iron Stomach 2, Quick Healer 4, Temple (Size 2, Security 3 [hidden])

Enhanced Transformation: +2 to becoming more monstrous.

Unique Disruptions:

7: Accepting an insult without extracting recompense.

4: Fleeing from a fight.

Unique Adaptations:

Endless Fury (O, Overpowering Strength of Titans, requires Cleaving Tide): When performing a reflexive attack as per Cleaving Tide Gromr gets +1 per person killed this turn up to half Sheol, round up.

Ascend to Heaven (OOO, That Hideous Strength): In Depth 3 or below Gromr has massive leathery wings. He can fly at his full speed, any Channel which boosts his ability to Swim also boosts his ability to fly.

The Victor's Spoils (OOOO, Accepting the Tribute of Slaughter): By consuming the body (or ashes) of one Gromr has slain personally he gains Ichor equal to their Strength + the amount of Lethal/Aggravatied damage they inflicted on Gromir.

Gromr's unique power is that he has entirely left his aquatic origins. He suffers no penalty for being in Apotheosis while on dry land or in the sky.

Rumours of the Dragon

I've heard that Gromr has nukes! He just tore a submarine apart and made off with the bombs. If you find out where he's hiding you have to tell Marduk. Of course we should tell Marduk! Are you going to fight Gromr? I didn't think so.

If you know about the World Coiling Legion you must know they would never spare anyone, so why all the virgin sacrifices? It's because some humans heard that after they've killed everyone they planned to repopulate the world. The way I hear it, once the World Coilers were killed Gromr went straight to stage two, he's got thousands of eggs by now.

You wont believe this, I didn't believe this but Gromr has given up. He's recruiting for one glorious suicide mission. But get this, he's not trying to take a city down with him, its just six men. He wont say who but he doesn’t think he can take them alone. I'm not going near anyone who makes Gromr nervous but if you go, tell me who's scarier than the god-dammed dragon.

Bahumut1984, The Tree of Life

Bahamut1984 is not a subtle man, but he doesn’t have to be; he gets the answers he’s looking for sooner or later. As an avid net-surfer and research buff, his first recourse to answering a question is typically to ask everyone he knows.

Bahamut1984 is also not an active man. Again, he doesn’t have to be. He’s set up shop in an old library basement, where he acts as a supercomputer for his sparse cult and monitors as much as he can manage, which is quite a lot. He's recently run into difficulties with the School of Clay over the several social-networking sites he runs explicitly for the Wicked Tribe, but results are results.

Enhanced Transformation: +2 to becoming more monstrous.

Unique Disruptions:

5: Knowingly telling an untruth.

1: Refusing to answer a question asked.

Unique Adaptations

Harmonic Triangulation (O, Blood in the Water, requires Peer Through the Depths and Flesh of the Earth OOOO): At Depth 5 and below, Bahamut1984 may see through solid objects using the Peer Through the Depths Evolution as though they were one “category” less by spending a points of Ichor. So, by spending one point of Ichor, he can see unimpeded through an inch of heavy metal, a foot of metal, ten feet of stone, or twenty feet of porous barriers such as foliage per dot of Sheol he possesses. (He can also see through fifty feet of smoke per dot of Sheol.) Each additional point of Ichor shifts the effective category back by one, to a limit of fifty feet per dot of Sheol for any material.

Tree of Knowledge (OOO, Everflowing Fetid Growth, requires Memories Before Time): At Depth 3 and below, Bahamut1984 can grant recipients Skills with the use of this Channel and concurrent additional Ichor costs of Memories Before Time.

Tireless Quest For Wisdom (OOOO, No Mysteries Of The Flesh): At Depth 1 and below, Bahamut1984 only needs to sleep for one hour per night and is immune to penalties due to fatigue. He may go without sleep for a number of days equal to the higher of his Stamina and Resolve before passing out, at which point he sleeps for six hours plus one hour for every twelve hours over twenty-four hours he stayed awake.

Bahamut1984’s unique power calls up a lot of nervous Big Brother jokes among those who know about it. At Depth 6, his sensory range extends to cover the reaches of any electrical system his Wake overlaps at least one part of. He can see via power lines, lightbulbs, and other electrical devices and relays, and can benefit from any sensory powers he has access to through this conduit. He is immobile while this power is active.

Rumors of the Watcher

He’s turning into an honest-to-Tannin tree. Go down and visit him sometime, you’ll see. Man, I didn’t even think we could do that…

Have you checked his Twitter lately? He’s been sleeping more and more lately, and he swears he’s seen stuff that doesn’t make sense. You want a link to the dream journal?

He’s putting a lockdown on visitors. Something about not being able to keep up with all the questions. Can something like that really drive you crazy?

Padma Singh, The God

A god is more than jut a person. A god is an ecosystem. A god is... an idea.

Enhanced Transformation: +2 to becoming more monstrous.

Unique Disruptions:

Unique Adaptations

Padma Singh's Adaptations apply the Knowladge modifier outside of rituals.

A God Is a Guide (O, Insidious Creature): Anyone at all who knows about Padma can spend an instant action and roll 12 - the Knowledge Modifier (that is, their Knowledge of Padma) to get an answer to a single question "would Padma approve of this". Success reveals both the answer and some idea as to why. The user must know that this is possible and choose to use it, but Padma is confident that in a few generations she'll be serve as a lynchpin of Tribal culture.

A God Is an Idea (OOO, Eye of the Watchful Deity): Padma can use Eye of the Watchful Deity regardless of range, if she does so she must apply the Knowladge modifier to any rolls.

A God Is a Person (OOOO, The Hydra's Rebirth): If Padma lacks a physical body she can steal the body of a mortal. She must spend a Dot of Sheol and roll Sheol (after reduction) vs Resolve. The Knowledge modifier reduces her roll. If Padma Succeeds on the roll she incarnates in the body, for all intents and purposes it is hers until it is killed and Padma returns to existing purely as an idea. If Padma looses the roll the dot of Sheol is wasted but otherwise she suffers no negative effects.

Padma's unique ability is the power to survive as an idea. Every scholar of the Tribe's Eldrich Lore knows that some small fragment of a Leviathan exists in every mind that knows of it. In every book or scroll written about it. For Padma this is more than just a way of targeting her rituals, this is life. So long as at least one person or book exists with knowledge of Padma she is alive, conscious and able to act (mechanically she is dreaming, when physical range is important treat her as infinitely distant from everything). What's more she has no physical body to attack, and while a direct psychic attack might be possible it is difficult, to say the least, for a psychic to directly affect what is quite literally an idea shared across many minds. Padma will quite probably survive for as long as any person or text remembers her, and her Cult have a habit of carving her name and life in stone.

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