Editing LeviathanTempest:ChapterThree (section)

=== 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.