LeviathanTempest:ChapterTwo

«Oh but we're all right

We're all right

You can't be forever blessed

Still tomorrow's going to be another working day

And I'm trying to get some rest

That's all I'm trying to get some rest.»

You and me both, pal.

I've been driving for three days now. Late-night radio is a surprisingly pleasant companion once you keep to music-only stations. Human voices don't grate at me so much when they sing. That's how they should sound all the time.

Five times, my phone has rung from its place on the passenger seat before going to voicemail. That's twenty-five rings, each making me want to pick up more than the last. I'm afraid to pick up. I know it'll make things worse, not only for Eileen, but for everyone else too.

But with every single ring, I feel my hand going for the phone before I can stop myself.

I listen to the messages afterwards, when I take a break. (I don't really listen to the words, just the voice. It's good to hear.) I have to take breaks more often, now. There are times when the constant, humming noise of the truck engine makes me want to just smash it into pieces. So I pull over and I run away before... before things go bad. Sometimes it takes me a couple of hours before I'm in good enough shape to get back on the road.

I'm running away, driving across the country on the basis of a single line in an Internet forum post. These days, I heavily ration my time on the web, because the inane chatter and repetitive tantrums on forums make me want to throw the monitor away. I can't afford new computers that often, so I go into cybercafés and use search engines. But then I'm always drawn to the noise in the chatrooms and the blog comments and the forums, and it's usually the pre-set limit on my connexion time that saves me.

This time, I found something worthwhile in time. A piece of carved jasper, part of a Native American exhibition in a small museum on the Pacific coast. It's not Native, the anonymous poster said. It's something else, and it's older. It's a good enough reason, and a good enough time, to get out of dodge.

I am many things. I'm a part-time mechanic, currently unemployed. I'm a pretty good surfer – good enough for the Gulf Coast scene, anyway. I'm quite the scholar on pre-columbian art. I'm an accomplished cook. And I'm a killer.

I know I should feel disturbed by that last part. But I'm only disturbed because as the man said, frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. It's not that I think those two guys I dumped in the ocean with their bones mangled and their windpipes crushed deserved it – although they did. They were drug-dealing scumbags. But I just don't. Care. That. Much. And the kids at the garage, who already practically worshipped me before, thought it was so cool. Well, that disturbed me for real. Time to go away for a while.

I offer myself the luxury of a genuine break before I cross the state line. It's getting closer to the ocean now. My skin feels tighter, harder. It does that, I've learned. When it gets so I can smell the salt, my vision will get sharper, and I'll feel my bones get heavier. I've learned that too.

But it turns out I like the desert. A smoke under the stars is a pretty cool way to unwind and let yourself sink.

Until the phone rings, and this time I can't stop myself in time.

No rest for me tonight, pal.

[[PICTURE: Full page. A young man sits in the bed of a parked pickup truck. He is surrounded by a half-dozen jugs of water, office water-cooler size. The young man is tan and shirtless, with black patches of skin – stripes - crossing his chest, forearms, and shoulders. His head is bowed, hair, obscuring his eyes, but a plume of fog or smoke rises from his mouth. His hands are curled into fists. Black blood leaks from one, in which is visible what appear to be shards of a crushed cellular phone. In the background, the road descends towards the coast, where a city is half-visible through the fog. The license plate of the truck is visible – Louisiana, 007-981.]]

Chapter 2 : Character Creation

It seemed to be a sort of monster, or symbol representing a monster, of a form which only a diseased fancy could conceive. If I say that my somewhat extravagant imagination yielded simultaneous pictures of an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, I shall not be unfaithful to the spirit of the thing. A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings; but it was the general outline of the whole which made it most shockingly frightful.

• H.P. Lovecraft, “The Call of Cthulhu”

Character Creation

Creating a member of the Tribe is, in certain ways, relatively straightforward, and in other ways somewhat difficult. The primary thing that differentiates creating a Leviathan from most of the World of Darkness' other supernatural entities is the nature of entering into the Tribe's unusual world. There's no “Ah-ha!” moment, no changeover, that marks the transition between human and Leviathan, and no great social system into which the fledgling Leviathan is entered. In certain ways, this is the point – the Tribe doesn't really belong anywhere. This means that, in terms of concept, Leviathans are mostly defined by what they intend to do about this – even the guidelines of a chosen School's focus are left purposefully broad, as each Leviathan opts for a personal interpretation of the search for self-acceptance.

The difficulty of not having a “moment of change” as a stepping-off point is contrasted to the relatively simplicity of Leviathan “society,” such as it is – a Leviathan does not really need to concern him or herself with his kinfolk in a structured fashion. They may approach their family as they see fit, and this approach is one of the ways in which a member of the Tribe determines his School. As such, every Trait that you select during creation can be seen as a way of defining what sort of person the character is or wishes to be – every skill that a Leviathan focuses on is, in certain ways, a part of the self-definitional process. Learning and changing and adapting are all coping mechanisms for a Leviathan, and the consideration of of traits in this light may well enhance your character's concept – even mundane things, like career choices, take on considerable significance for a member of the Tribe.

A starting Leviathan isn't yet a walking deity, as much as the Tribe might take on the air of neglected demigods. The limitations of their powers, as well as their relative inexperience, mean that they simply haven't “grown into” their power yet. Hopefully, this won't be too frustrating – especially considering that even the eldest and most establishes Leviathans are secretly still at sea about their place in life. That's the nature of the game for the Tribe – no matter how much they develop and solidify their place around them, they can't return to the world that spawned them. The lack of a solid foundation is a thematic element of the hardships of change and uncertainty – hopefully a starting Leviathan's weak points will serve as fodder for his story, rather than a hardship for his player.

It's advisable to consider your character alongside those being made by your fellow players, both to prevent a frustrating scenario in which the concepts of multiple characters overlap in such a way as to vex their players, and to consider your Leviathan in light of his Cohort. Members of the Tribe, subject to two sets of instinctual impulses and considerable psychological hardships, tend to have tempestuous relationships to one another, and this possibility can open up a good deal of opportunities for players that want to collaborate. A convoluted and conflict-ridden “familial” relationship is, after all, in-theme.

Step One: Concept

Your concept can serve as a framework onto which Traits can be hung – or merely as an easy shorthand to explain your character to fellow players and your Storyteller. In general, it should not be so binding as to serve as a straightjacket – like every other choice, it's meant to open doors, not close them. A concept can be as brief as a pair of words or as long as a complex statement, but at the very least some of it's utility is as a brief, defining statement – an idea of what sort of person the Leviathan is and what things he finds important.

At the start of a chronicle, most Leviathans are young and new to their lineage – generally, hints begin to pop up between the ages of sixteen and one's early twenties, and a starting Leviathan has had two years or less to make sense of the realities of his unnatural bloodline. This means that the Leviathan will have made many of his or her early life choices with at least some understanding of the situation – possibly serving as a guide for these choices, or restricting their options.

Strain may be a factor in one's concept – a bloodline that has hosted Leviathans previously might well be, wittingly or not, warped by the hand of your character's predecessors. Families that are aware of their lineage might well have their own notions of what the newly-arisen Leviathan ought to do – ideas that could clash with the fledgling's own desires. The Leviathan's School is generally a decision shaped by his actions after becoming aware, but these choices may be directed by what the Leviathan valued or believed before they changed. The inclusion of Strain or School shouldn't be considered a necessity, however – a Leviathan's nature and personality aren't defined by his bloodline.

Step Two: Select Attributes

Your Leviathan's Attributes reflect his raw ability – his natural inclinations and talents, supplemented by the skills he learns and practices. These talents may well influence his personality – his Attributes suggest how, in a vacuum, he's likeliest to solve problems. All Attributes begin with one dot, and you assign an additional five dots to one category, four to a second, and three to the remaining group. The fifth dot of an Attribute requires two dots to purchase.

The rigors of Leviathan life and the nature of their lack of control mean that they often have a great need for the Resistance attributes – Resolve, Stamina, and Composure. It is a marker of the problems of the Tribe that most Leviathans actually don't notably excel in these vital arenas, however – their unbalanced lives simply don't lend themselves to the development of Resolve and the Wake often means that a member of the Tribe doesn't face the conflicts and challenges that would lead to improving his Composure.

Power attributes are common for Leviathans that operate more openly – they permit an insecure Leviathan to impose their will on others (an aggressive stance can often serve as a replacement for actual self-mastery.) Those that actively oppose the enemies of the Tribe often cultivate the Intelligence for tactics, and most prefer Strength, using it alongside their natural weapons to attack in a way that uniquely displays their divine heritage.

Leviathans that attempt more introspective methods of control will generally cultivate their Resolve – they focus out the distracting difficulties of the day-to-day and aim themselves, like rockets, at the achievement of Tranquility. Most fail, but a high Resolve insulates the Leviathan against many of the problems of their imperfect control of their own bodies. It is also common among Leviathans that try desperately to “blend in” with mortals, as it is a factor in resisting Outbursts.

Step Three: Select Skills

Prioritize the three categories of skill – Mental, Physical, and Social. Divide eleven points between skills in the primary category, seven in the secondary, and four in the tertiary. Leviathans on the front lines of the day-to-day struggles of the Tribe tend to favor Physical skills, especially Brawl, making the most of their innate advantages. Those that are more concerned with exploring the legacy of their ancestors tend towards the Mental, especially Occult and Academics. Social skills are somewhat rarer – the Wake can often counteract social awkwardness with brute force. Intimidation is by far the most common of the Social skills. These categorical tendencies aren't binding, however, and those Leviathans that cultivate followers often do begin to seriously consider the manipulation of others.

School can influence skill selection, and vice versa – the tactics of a given School in exploring the nature of the Leviathan's ancestry will general privilege certain approaches. A Leviathan from a military background is likely to end up seriously considering the viewpoint of the School of the Reef, for instance.

Step Four: Select Skill Specialties

Narrow areas of study are something of an obsession among the Tribe – most settle into comfortable routines or get set into tried-and-true methods of addressing their problems. As such, specialties are quite common. An area of focus is often comforting and familiar.

A starting Leviathan selects three skill specialties. They will gain an additional specialty when selecting their School, but this “bonus” will be limited to one of three Skills, whereas these first three are unrestricted.

Step Five: Assign the Leviathan Template

Until this point, the traits that have been assigned have been primarily the markers of the natural responses and tendencies of the Leviathan. While the distinction between “before” and “after” transformation is unreliable for the Tribe, the line between the markers of their normal and monstrous lives is a touch more distinct. The Leviathan template provides those elements of the character that are unique to his experiences as a member of the Tribe.

Templates cannot overlap, and the inherent nature of the blood of the Tribe is such that most supernatural templates won't even take hold of a Leviathan that has begun undergoing his transformation. A Leviathan is considered to have the template as soon as the change begins – additional supernatural influence on his life at this point will not change the course of his life, and may prove fatal, even for the intercessor. Especially if a protective family of Lahmasu are grooming their new demigod for his ascension.

Strain

Of all the traits of a starting Leviathan, his Strain is the factor that is most out of his control. A Leviathan's Strain is a function of his bloodline, and a given family line of humans is likely to only produce a single Strain of Leviathans (Fringe cases exist in which closely-related Strains may arise in the same family tree, however). A Leviathan's Strain determines which of the primary Progenitor bloodlines expresses itself in his being, and which of the traits of the Tribe that he is most naturally inclined to exhibit. A family that is aware of its Tribe blood will likely have been shaped by the interference of previous generations of Leviathan – its structure and beliefs might well be reinforced with hazy understandings of the Primordial Seas, and family members might be marked with the taint of Leviathan blood, potentially even Lahmasu. Some Leviathans are born in lines that are far removed from the original exposure to the blood of the Tribe, however, and must find their own way into the world of the Tribe.

Strain determines which Vestiges a character favors. The focus on specific Vestiges is a function of genetics, and it is possible to trace the “relationship” between Strains by marking the closeness of their preferred Vestiges. The ability to favor certain Vestiges does have a slight effect on how the Tribe views a given Strain – each group is stereotyped as the users of their preferred Vestige, as most Leviathans take a “I have a hammer” approach to problem-solving.

School

Schools are the modes of thought that direct a Leviathan's exploration of their inhuman lineage. With their history loss and their lack of control of their own divine bloodlines, members of the Tribe are faced with a hostile world and an inability to conduct a normal human life. The focus on some method of making sense of their changing world, and of defining a place for themselves, determines a Leviathan's School. They are not formal associations, but modes of thought – not unlike “critical methods” in academic discourse. A Leviathan's choice of School is perhaps the most meaningful decision he will make regarding how his life will be conducted from that point forward. A Leviathan's choice of School provides him with a free Specialty in one of three Skills linked to that School, and provides him with a discount when investing in Adaptations of certain Vestiges.

Some Leviathans, especially those most new to their lineage, are without a School. Most do not maintain this position for long – while they do not suffer socially for this choice, the lack of at least a flimsy pretense of a life plan is extremely dangerous to the fragile psyches of a rootless member of the Tribe, and isolation and doubt are quick routes to the descent into madness. A School-less Leviathan may take a free Specialty in either Brawl, Stealth, or Survival – their focus is on the day-to-day struggle, not a long term plan. They do not favor any Vestige. A School-less Leviathan can move into a School later – this, and the possibility of changing one's School, is discussed later.

Sheol

Your character's refining of his Progenitor's bloodline, the degree to which he has delved into his ancestry, is measured by his Sheol. It represents the crackling potential of his immortal lineage, and his ability to manage and direct that blood – the divine Ichor. As Sheol grows more pronounced, the Leviathan's Wake becomes stronger – he casts a shadow of greater magnitude on the psychic landscape. High-Sheol Leviathans border on the status of god-kings that the Tribe once were, but find it impossible to live in the world of men – they distort the minds around them far too much to simply exist, and are inevitably going to be the subject of much unwanted attention from the Tribe's enemies. A low-Sheol character is fresh to the blood or simply uninterested in (or frightened of) pursuing a refinement of the lineage's power.

All Leviathans begin play with a single dot of Sheol. This rating may be increased at a cost of three merit points per dot, to a maximum of three dots.

Vestiges

Vestiges are just that – the lingering traces of the power of the Tribe's bloodline, markers of their demigod nature and the dominion they once held over the sea and perhaps all of creation. By exploring facets of this power, Leviathans exhibit powers as they change into more monstrous shapes. Each Vestige is accompanied by a Birthright, a small exercise of the Vestige's power that can be invoked without transformation – the markers of the divine mandate of the Tribe over their form and the power of their Ichor. Vestiges are divided into channels that represent certain elements of that breed of power – these channels may be Ancestor channels, which are passive expressions of power and refined biology, or Descending channels, which use Ichor to create more pronounced and amazing effects.

A Leviathan favors two Vestiges. One of these is set by his Strain, and the other is selected from a set that his Strain contains a predilection for. Once chosen, this selection is set in stone. A starting Leviathan then may select three channels to have knowledge of, at least one of which must be from a the Vestige set by his Strain, the second comes from either of his favoured Vestiges and the third channel may come from any Vestige. They must first grasp an Ancestor channel of a given Vestige before they can explore its Descending channels, but mastery of any Ancestor channel also grants access to that Vestige's Birthright.

Step Six: Select Merits

A starting character has seven dots of Merits which can be distributed as you see fit. Leviathans may also expend merit dots to purchase Adaptations, which elaborate on the powers offered by a selected Channel of a Vestige or buy one single dot of Eldritch Lore, and with it a free one dot Ritual, for two Merit dots. Leviathans have access to certain unique Merits, such as Cult, which are discussed later in this chapter – these additional Merits should be considered, as a Cult especially is an important part of many Leviathan's lives. Remember that Merit dots can also be spent to increase Sheol, as noted above.

Step Seven: Determine Advantages

Leviathans, like most characters, have a number of Advantages, such as Sheol. Some of these Traits are derived from the values of others, while others are modified versions of normal mortal Advantages. The full details of these traits can be found in the next chapter.

Willpower

Leviathans determine their Willpower scores as usual, and make use of it in the typical fashions. They may expend a point of Willpower alongside the use of Ichor, and might have considerable occasion to do so if their injudicious use of their powers triggers an Outburst.

Tranquility

Members of the Tribe are placed in an unenviable position of transition without a clear output – there is no “correct path” for a Leviathan to take. Even if one does exist, it was lost with the sundering of the Tribe's lost civilization, and the best a Leviathan can do is aim for some approximation of a state of being and mind that reconciles their threefold nature. The struggle against the violent instincts and disruptive nature of the bloodline of the Tribe is codified by the search for Tranquility – self-acceptance and stillness of mind. Tranquility is the measure of a Leviathan's hard-fought control and certainty, and as such it is constantly besieged by the struggles of the supernatural world and the more insidious pressures of the everyday. The concept of Morality as it applies to normal humans is replaced with Tranquility, as the quest for meaning and stability supplants the drive to consider one's actions in the context of their effects on others. Mortal ethical codes offer only imperfect insulation against the hardships of life as a member of the Tribe. A starting Leviathan has a Tranquility of 7. As an optional rule, the Storyteller may permit starting characters to begin with a deliberately-lowered Tranquility score, representing some previous exposure to madness or an instinctual and futile attempt to avoid the issue of one's own ancestry. Each dot of Tranquility sacrificed in this way provides the Leviathan with 5 experience points, representing some lesson learned or hardship weathered during the descent. Should the character lower his Tranquility in this fashion, however, each step will include the affliction of both a mild derangement and a linked mild affliction. A character with Tranquility 5 may instead opt for one severe derangement and a linked severe affliction. This is more punitive than the Morality-reducing options for other lines, but intentionally so – it's considerably rarer for a Leviathan to descend down the Tranquility scale with his mind and body intact.

Ichor

The Tribe has codified the energy that powers its access to occult power as Ichor, the expression of divine blood. Ichor allows a Leviathan to change shape, invoke Birthrights, and otherwise manipulate their lineage's powers, permitting a variety of impossible or miraculous feats. All Leviathans begin play with half of their Ichor pool maximum (as determined by their Sheol score, see the next chapter), though they may refill it as quickly as circumstances permit. Ichor is not tied to a flat score or dot rating – it is a pool of points that is expended, with its maximum value determined by the Leviathan's Sheol. Spending Ichor too quickly may result in an Outburst, so most Leviathans are careful to monitor their exercises in power.

Virtues and Vices

A Leviathan has the same Virtues and Vices as a normal human, albeit often amplified in their execution by the use of divine power. While each of the primary Strains of the Tribe is identified in old texts as being the champions of a given Vice, these definitions are not binding – there's no mechanical distinction made. Leviathans tend to experience their Vices more acutely than normal, due to their lack of self-control – the ramifications of this are explored in the Storytelling Chapter, but in general indulging in Vices against the character's own best interests is pretty much par for the course for the Tribe, and should be seen as contributing to, rather than disrupting, the flow of a chronicle.

Sidebar: A Larger Boat may be in Order

Storytellers may wish to begin their game with players taking control of older or more experienced Leviathans, who have had longer to come into their own as members of the Tribe and solidify a power base from which they can explore their divine nature. This option is recommended for veteran players more accustomed to the game, especially as the distinction between the characterization of a rootless, uncertain Leviathan and one with some backing and “street cred” can be very noticeable. Given the small size of the Tribe's social circles, any group at the “Famed Cohort” level is going to be, at the very least, known of by every other member of the Tribe that hasn't gone completely off the grid.

• Newly Spawned: 0 experience points
• Seasoned Explorers: 35 experience points
• Famed Cohort: 75 experience points
• Old Ones: 120+ experience points.

Step Eight: Footprints, Leaving the Sea

By now, much of the work of creating a character has been done – areas of competence highlighted and social contacts codified. This step is primarily for reflection and refining – what do these traits, taken together, suggest? What sort of person is the character, and how does he react to obstacles? Consider the Leviathan's physical appearance, especially as he transforms, and how he comports himself in public. What does the Wake do for the character? Is it a hindrance or a boon?

On top of important thematic concerns, little elements of characterization can be a blessing, or an unexpected source of memorability for a character. Does the Leviathan have any unusual habits or tendencies? Quirks of character? Leviathans aren't particularly stable individuals – they tend to gravitate towards routines or nervous responses to the world around them, which may be codified into an unconscious routine. These small elements can serve as low-key suggestions of the anxieties that a character is subject to, or as ways of making a character more “alive” in the shared narrative. Above all, think about how you're going to have fun “being” the character during play – it's all well and good to make a character that's interesting, but if that interest is purely academic then at least some of the fun of getting together at a table with friends to pretend to be the Gill-Man is lost.

Character Creation Quick Reference

For most of the steps of creation, see the World of Darkness core book, starting at page 34. The following section summarizes those changes relevant to the character's awakening into the Tribe's bloodline.

Strain

Choose a Strain, representing the Progenitor whose bloodline is most prevalent in your character's ancestry and which determines which aspects of the Leviathan's legacy of power come most naturally to him.

• Bahamutan: The bloodline of Bahamut, this lineage is known for prodigious size and resilience; its innate mastery is over the Vestige of Vitality. Secondary Vestiges: Awareness, Fecundity, Might
• Dagonite: The bloodline of Dagon, this strain is famed for its generative power and for giving birth to abominations – its mastery is over the Vestige of Fecundity. Secondary Vestiges: Elements, Predation, Sanctity
• Lahamin: The bloodline of Lahamu, this lineage is known for their ever watchful eyes and secretive demeanor – they master the Vestige of Awareness. Secondary Vestiges: Fecundity, Predation, Sanctity
• Nu: The bloodline of Nunet, this strain is considered to be the most “in touch” with the liquid matter of the Primordial Seas – they are the masters of the Vestige of Elements. Secondary Vestiges: Awareness, Sanctity, Vitality
• Oceanid: The bloodline of Oceanus, this lineage is said to master the wills of others – they master the Vestige of Sanctity. Secondary Vestiges: Elements, Might, Predation
• Taninim: The bloodline of Tanin, this strain is hailed as the judges of man and of the Tribe's enemies – they master the Vestige of Might. Secondary Vestiges: Awareness, Might, Vitality
• Thalassans: The bloodline of Thalassa, this lineage is reputed for immeasurable strength and to thrive on both land and sea – its mastery is over the Vestige of Might. Secondary Vestiges: Elements, Fecundity, Vitality

School

Choose a School, representing the approach your character takes while attempting to understand his Leviathan ancestry. Each School offers a choice of a bonus Specialty and provides a discount when purchasing Adaptations from a pair of Vestiges.

• The School of the Abyss, Tehom's Camp, the Mystic Outlook.
• The School of the Sun, Abzu's Camp, the Religious Outlook
• The School of Clay, Enki's Camp, the Scientific Outlook
• The School of the Reef, Kingu's Camp, the Militant Outlook
• The School of Fog, Enuma Elish's Camp, the Social Outlook

Vestiges

A character favours two Vestiges, one is set by his Strain and one is chosen from a set offered by his Strain. Characters begin play with a grasp of three channels from the Vestiges he has considered. He must first invest in an Ancestor channel of a given Vestige before he can explore a Descending channel. At least one of these channels must come from an Vestige set by the character's Strain and another must be taken from either favoured Vestige.

• The Vestige of Awareness
• The Vestige of Elements
• The Vestige of Fecundity
• The Vestige of Might
• The Vestige of Predation
• The Vestige of Sanctity
• The Vestige of Vitality

Sheol

A character begins play with a Sheol of 1 which may be increased with the spending of Merit points. The rate is three merit points per extra dot of Sheol.

Ichor

A character begins play with his Ichor pool at half of its maximum value, as determined by the character's Sheol score.

Merits

In addtion to buying Merits players may spend Merit dots on Adaptations or trade two Merit dots for a dot of Eldrich Lore and a free Ritual. The following special merits for a Leviathan character:

• Breath of the Lungfish (O)
• Cult
  • Numbers (O to OOOOO)
  • Zeal (O to OOOOO)
  • Fervor (O to OOOOO)
  • Indoctrination (O)
  • Offerings (O)
  • Home Turf (O or OO)
  • Conspirators (O to OOOOO)
  • Resolute (OO)
  • Old Hands (OOO)
  • Recognition (OOO)
• Deep Wake (OO)
• Divine Prerogative (OO)
• Fluid Form (O)
• Heirloom (O to OOOOO)
• Mandate of Babel (O)
• Muted Wake (OO)
• Temple
  • Size (O to OOOOO)
  • Security (O to OOOOO)
  • Amenities (O to OOOOO)
• Vicious Heritage (O or OOO)

Experience Point Costs

Trait	Experience Point Cost
Attribute	New Dots x 5
Skill	New Dots x 3
Skill Specialty	3
Channel, Favored Vestige	15
Channel, un-Favored Vestige	18
New Adaptation	New Dots x 2 (-2 if Favored, minimum of 1)
Eldrich Lore	New Dots x 5
Rituals	New Dots x 2
Merit	New Dots x 2
Sheol	New Dots x 8 (Requires a breakthrough or revelation)
Tranquility	New Dots x 3 (Requires a significant change in circumstances or point of view)
Willpower	8 (Only to restore lost dots)

The Prelude

Not unlike the final step of character creation, a detailed prelude serves to push a player to consider their character in unusual circumstances or in scenarios that the player had not previously thought of – it involves roleplaying a series of moments or answering a series of questions in-character. The idea is to highlight points of interest in a character's distant and recent past that illustrate elements of their personality and interests, as well as suggest issues that might prove useful for integrating the character into the chronicle, or which might be plot hooks down the line. The Prelude is meant to shift the abstract question of “what sort of person is my character” into a series of scenes that provide similar information. It can also serve as a “warm-up” for getting into a character, or as a way of presenting a situation that the player might not have thought of – especially a point at which two aspects of a character's personality and tendencies become opposed to one another – which do they value more?

At the Storyteller's discretion, the Prelude can also serve as an opportunity to shuffle points on the character sheet. It's before the beginning of play, after all, and the whole idea is to offer new avenues of thinking about the character – if the character-as-envisioned and the character-as-mechanics aren't in synch, there's no better time to make adjustments as the rules and the ST permit. It can also help prioritize avenues for advancement and plots that interest the character – if you and your Storyteller get very involved in one portion of the prelude, that's a big hint that there's material there that should make its way into play.

Preludes can also serve as a method for a Storyteller to work some background detail about the sort of chronicle he has in mind into the player's minds without having to resort to an expository barrage in the first session (or, my particular weakness, a lengthy handout of information). It can also serve to make things more “personal” to a character – Marduk's hunt is a very different issue for a character that has only experienced it in the abstract, rather than having an episode in their Prelude that brings them up against the organization.

Storytelling the Prelude

The door was worth pretty much what you paid for it, bursting inwards in a small storm of splinters as a hastily-moved minifridge and bookcase tumble out of the way. Still, it bought a couple of seconds before your company arrived – and from the shouts in the hallway and the sound of footsteps coming up the hall, it sounds like quite a bit of company. Not to mention the sirens. You figure you've got, what, ten seconds before they're in the room with you.

Which is why you're perched half-in your shattered window, glass shards on the ground below, trying to figure out whether you can make the pool if you jump from here. Or whether it might be easier to just aim for the concrete, given the way your day's been going.

How did you end up here?

The Prelude should serve primarily as a method of getting players and their characters on the same page. While it's not such high art that people have to treat it like a chore, a big part of a game of Leviathan involves dealing with the mixture of the wondrous and the unfortunate, and that balance is most easily struck if everyone has a feel for the cast. Determine whether you want to run Preludes individually or as a group. Individual Preludes are sort of the expected norm for Leviathans, as their relative rarity means that members of a Cohort likely didn't meet until later in life, but this shouldn't be binding – after all, people in the same situation often end up in the same place. A group Prelude has the advantage of being a bit like a game session, and gets everyone used to working around a table together – it can be played either as shared scenes or alternating stages, with each character being presented with similar scenarios. The latter method in particular offers a way for other players to get a feel for someone's character – it places their reactions to various events in relationship with the rest of the cast.

A strong Prelude ought to balance elements of the fantastic and the relatively mundane. Members of the Tribe are often rootless and jobless, but they still have to eat, and it's the everyday that trips them up the most – if all problems could be solved by turning into an eldritch abomination, they'd have an easier time of it. It doesn't hurt for scenes to appear somewhat disjointed – a Leviathan's life is unstable by definition, and the comfort of a familiar situation is something that they have to actively cultivate.

Developing – Early Life

It had been buried deep in a corner of the attic, but you'd eventually improvised a makeshift series of support columns with other boxes, some of which you expected contained valued family heirlooms, which made their periodic creaks a source of some worry – but you had it. The dark metal chest at the back of the attic, which you cousins had assured you was “totally grandpa's porn stash,” or “full of old guns,” or whatever. You didn't lend their theories much credence. You were just curious about the rusty old thing, and your other relatives claimed not to know – and that you shouldn't play in the attic, which would be, if their state of worry was to scale with the actual danger, wall-to-wall exposed rusty nails.

There was an oversized padlock on the chest once, you realized, but it had rusted off somewhere down the line, and parts of it rubbed off on your hands as you moved away the remains. It smells a bit like the sea.

What's in it?

It's not exactly accurate to say that a Leviathan was ever an ordinary person- the bloodline is present in them since birth, after all, and has presumably had some influence on their family. It's rare, but not unheard-of, for one to arise “out of the blue,” but most members of the Tribe are born with families that have, to some degree, been touched by the blood of the Progenitors. Some more than others – Lahmasu have to come from somewhere – but in general, those odd little secrets that every normal family has take on much greater significance in the life of a Leviathan. One of the central themes of the line is a loss of foundation, and the revelation that one's family contains something other can come well before the Leviathan discovers that the alien presence is contained within his own body. Even for a Leviathan with an apparently-normal family, the time before can serve as a jumping-off point – it's the place of security and apparent normalcy that is lost when the blood of the Tribe begins to manifest.

If rolls become necessary, recall that the character hasn't come into their power yet – they have no access to transformation or the Wake, and have to solve their problems as “mere mortals.”

Facial Hair, Deeper Voice, Gills, the Usual – Changing

If anyone had asked you to prepare a list of difficult-to-eat foods, “sandwich” would not have been on it, but there it is – right there in the bread, one of your teeth, all white and clearly yours because you would have recalled making a tooth sandwich. Your friends haven't noticed, they're still talking and laughing and stealing fries and so on, but you're looking into your sandwich. Tentatively, you reach into your mouth and check – nothing missing. A quick tug on a tooth, just to be sure -

And now you're looking at another tooth, in your palm. No pain, not really, but the grind as another slips into its place in your head – you felt it, this time. And now your friends are looking at your confused expression, asking what's wrong.

What do you do?

Leviathans don't undergo a single moment of traumatic change – though many might wish that they'd been so lucky. The development into a fully-fledged member of the Tribe occurs over weeks or even months, as the body changes and the Wake is established. During this transitional period, the Leviathan has absolutely no control over his condition and Ichor, and his shape can change at random in mysterious and horrifying fashions. As such, instances such as the above should form the backbone of this section of the Prelude, points at which the character has to confront that things aren't right. Some Leviathans seek help during these changes, but modern medicine is of little comfort. Most characters will be in their late teens and early twenties during this stage, adding another aspect to scenes – they're under an amazing amount of stress during the formation of an adult identity, and have had even more trouble heaped upon them.

The use or abuse of the Wake is an important part of a Leviathan's social life, and it might be worth it to work in a scene in which the character is clearly benefiting from an unnatural presence and stands to have something they want because of it. This is particularly important for considering the character's eventual stance towards his Cult and normal mortals – it's all too easy for a Leviathan to just take what they desire.

At this point, a Leviathan might have access to one or two of their powers, as the Storyteller permits – but not their full suite, and generally not their full complement of Vestiges. Their ancestry is unreliable and can't be trusted to manifest itself in helpful ways.

My Life with Monster - Moving Forward

Well, you have it. Now it's just a matter of getting away with it. The bag's thrown in the back seat of your car as you try desperately to control your breathing, trying to remember what those meditation tapes instructed you to do – you can't remember if you lost them back when you ditched the other car, or if you left them deliberately. In any case, you think you can spare a second to center yourself before you cut town – things have been going pretty smoothly, and you know what stop's next. There'll be others there, and that sounds pretty noxious, but at least you'll start getting some answers.

The bag's in the back – you double-check just to be sure – and you're so thrilled about its contents that you're finding it hard to blame yourself for what you did to get it.

What did you do to get it?

By the end of the previous section, you should have a grasp of the nature of your character's transformation and what he's decided to do about it. This section solidifies those decisions – it should be composed of a scene that emphasizes just what sort of person your Leviathan has decided to be, what School of thought he occupies and where he sets himself in relationship to others. A good finalizing scene gives a sense of the character as having a goal in sight – but also suggest the ways in which these decisions are made in isolation. There's no “right answer,” and many Leviathans are deluding themselves when they formulate a scheme of reality that suggests some endgame. It's good if tensions between what the Leviathan is and wants to be arise – that's the sort of problem they have during their self-definition.

This point of the Prelude's also good to start establishing the character's Cohort, the other player characters, as well as any other Leviathans that share a Taxa with him. The difficulty that Leviathans have socializing can serve as a model for inter-party interaction in the future, and can also provide some context for decisions made later in the chronicle – who do you trust? Who do you resent? That sort of thing.

A Few Questions

If a character's finished but you still want to flesh them out a bit farther, or are looking to consider them outside the bounds of the questions asked during character creation or which arose during your prelude, the following might be of use:

What do you look like?

Where are you from? Can people tell? What do the various stages of your transformation look like? What does the person you think of as “you” look like? Are they fully human? A hybrid shape? Do you try to blend in, or are their markers of your delving into the Tribe on your person? Strange markings? Ritual scars? Do you have any obvious Afflictions? What do people remember about you?

What were the worst parts of your transition?

Did you freak out, or keep to yourself? Did you look for help? From people? From books? Did those you reached out to help, or were they as scared as you were? Did you abuse your Wake? Did you want to? Did you lose parts of your life – friends, a job? Leave school? Run away?

What's on the agenda?

What are your short-term plans? Your long-term? Do you have any goals? A rival you wish to conquer? A relic you just have to have? Would you do anything for that goal? Where do you draw the line? Do you try and maintain a normal life alongside your monstrous one? How's that going? Know an Atoll? How's that working out? Who do you want to impress? Who do you want to take down a peg?

How's the family?

How do you get along with the members of your Cohort? Your Cult? Do you even have a Cult? How do you treat them? Ever feel guilty about it? Ever feel like maybe you should? Do you keep in touch with your mortal family? Are they, you know, a mortal family? Are any of your relatives “in the know”? How's that feel? What do they expect of you? Are you willing to disappoint them?

Any bad news?

Is there any trouble on the horizon? Have you had run-ins with any of the Tribe's enemies? Do you go looking for 'em? Ever kill anyone? Ever make someone kill anyone? Ever think about it?

Names, Aliases, and Honorifics

Leviathans aren't really human anymore, and some don't stick with their old name, assuming something that better fits what they see as their “true nature.” This practice is taken to with a varied degree of seriousness, just like most attempts at “re-branding” oneself. Some Leviathans aim for names that suggest their ancient lineage, something that sounds “Bronze Age.” Others stick with their given names, or with a series of aliases (especially if they're on the run from the police or worse.) Those that are surrounded by a Cult tend to end with grandiose titles, and some believe their own press. Inside a Cohort, however, names are usually kept brief – first names are usually sufficient, given the size of a Leviathan social unit – no one is going to mistake “Greg” for some other guy with that name. There's some understanding that expecting a Leviathan to refer to a peer by some overblown, florid “true name” is asking a lot of what is essentially a blood relative, so only the more self-obsessed members of the Tribe try to inflict their divine stature on the rest.

Example of Character Creation

Paul intends to make a character for Allison's upcoming game of Leviathan. He's been told that it will focus on the Cohort traveling across the face of North America, exploring rumors of potential archaeological finds and coming into conflict with the Cults of rival Leviathans and Typhons. With that in mind, Paul plans to make a character who isn't too tied down to one location – one not bounded to a Cult or some other major obligation. He decides to run with this transience and make a character who's at home in unfamiliar situations – the sort of guy that can befriend a stranger and crash on couches, and does odd work to get by.

Discussing it with the rest of the players, he finds that this is a good niche – and that he needn't worry about certain threats. Two of the other players are taking the role of cousins, both Tananim, who they have termed “The Winchester Brothers of Innsmouth Mass.” The other player is planning to be a wealthy Dagonite business mogul. There's enough space in there that everyone feels like they have room to be the go-to person for their area of focus, so Paul moves on to the next stages.

Step One – Concept

The Cohort's members cover a good region of investigative and combat-based skills, so Paul feels comfortable making his character's likeability and social acumen the backbone of his design. He decides to be a real people person – manipulative, and apparently a good listener, and one whose requests are backed up by the force of the Wake. He's already looking forward to the troubling intersection of earning someone's trust and compelling it by supernatural means, and informs the Storyteller that he's fine with dealing with fallout from being unnaturally persuasive.

He refines this into a brief concept - “Wandering Trickster.” He likes this, and decides to use the element of the trickster to a greater extent – his character believes that he has a right to subtly wreak “justice” on those he finds problematic. He settles on a name, too – Louis “Lou” Gabriel Beauchamp. Lou's a bigger guy – broad shoulders, handsome in a sort of scruffy way, and surprisingly blue eyes. Paul's mental image adds a layer to the character – he's also in pretty good shape, as well as being sociable, which will be important when assigning Attributes.

Step Two – Attributes

So it becomes immediately relevant. Without hesitation, Paul decides that Lou is going to be primarily Social, with Physical Attributes as his secondary, and Mental bringing up the rear. He decides that Lou's not-quite dim, but certainly not the brains of his Cohort.

Paul figures that Lou is charming and quite persuasive – he puts two dots each in Presence and Manipulation, and one in Composure, for final scores of 3, 3, and 2. If he had his druthers, Manipulation would be higher – it's something he marks to pursue with experience down the line.

Lou's strong and well-built, but not a world-beater physically – he's primarily concerned with muscle, not actual comprehensive fitness. Paul assigns two dots to Strength and one each to the other two Physical Attributes.

Finally, Paul comes to his final category. Thinking about it a bit, he decides to put two dots in Wits and one in Resolve – Lou probably isn't going to be coming up with any brilliant mathematical proofs in the near future, but Paul figures that his other skills will help him get by.

The whole picture of Lou places him as someone who's comfortable in social situations but not at all an academic. His resistance attributes are low, which Paul knows might become a problem, but Lou's all about getting into – and out of - trouble.

Step Three – Skills

Paul takes a look at the categories of skills and, shrugging, assigns Lou's priorities in the same fashion as his Attributes – he's good at what he's good at. The next step is to figure out the “must-haves,” those skills most vital to the overall concept of Lou.

In the Social set, Paul places checkmarks next to Socialize, Streetwise, and Persuasion. There are other skills that are important, but these are big deals for Lou to do what he does. Lou's stealthy, Paul decides, and has been in enough bar-room fights to be good at Brawl. Finally, Lou's at least moderately good at Investigation – if only to get a bead on a target for “punishment.”

When assigning final numbers, Paul ensures that Lou has three dots in Socialize and two in Streetwise, Subterfuge, and Persuasion. One dot each goes to Empathy and Intimidation. Lou gets two dots each in Brawl, Larceny, and Stealth, and one in Athletics. Finally, he gets two dots in Investigation, one in Medicine (Lou, he decides, knows a bit about drug culture and other risks of a bar-based lifestyle), and one in Occult (Lou's family is superstitious, a trait that's only become amplified when the supernatural became a day-to-day thing for Lou).

Step Four – Skill Specialties

Lou's Specialties are a way for him to be better at those things that Paul is aiming to use as problem-solvers, as well as flesh out his character. The first goes to bulk up a low Skill – Empathy. Paul decides that Lou's best at getting a feel for people's tendencies, so he takes a Specialty of “Personalities.” The next one's a no-brainer – a Persuasion Specialty in “Asking for Favors.” Paul thinks about taking another Specialty for his Social Skills, but decides to diversify and pick a Specialty that's telling about Lou's less-than-gentlemanly nature – a Brawl specialty of “Sucker Punch.”

Step Five – The Leviathan Template

At this point, Paul needs to work on determining the supernatural elements of his character – how does Lou function in the world of the Tribe?

The first decision he needs to make is a selection of Strain. The most natural choice for a socially-minded character is one of the Strains that favors the relevant Vestiges, but Paul's not certain – he's interested in the idea of Lou as a dangerous, judgment-passing Oceanid, but he's also willing to play against type in another Strain. He finally settles on Oceanid, deciding that he can work from an aspect of empty grace – Lou looks like a good, solid, reliable person, but he's got a hidden edge and is deeply manipulative. He chooses to favor the Vestige of Might, and naturally favors the Vestige of Sanctity.

Paul's also got a couple choices for School – but the idea of Lou as symbiotically living with the aid of humanity leads him to select the School of Clay, Lou's focus being more on “getting by in a human world” than “analyzing humanity.” He decides that his bonus Specialty is going to be assigned to Socialize - “Getting Established.” Lou's great at including himself in a social scene like he's been there for years.

Lou can master three branches of his Vestiges. He opts for “Insidious Creature,” an Ancestor channel of Sanctity that boosts his Manipulation, and then further focuses on it by taking the Descending channel of “Call of the Depths,” which lets him call others even against their will. His last choice goes to an Ancestor channel of the Vestige of Awareness, “Lambent Eyes of Judgement,” which lets him read people with Empathy. Because of these choices, Lou also gets the Birthrights of Awareness and Sanctity.

Lou's Sheol begins at one dot, which gives him a beginning Ichor maximum of ten. He'll start with half of that number.

Step Six – Merits

By now, Lou's pretty well-defined – but, as a social character, Merits can prove very important. Paul consciously decides that Lou doesn't have a Cult – he might have had a small, independent group, but it doesn't jibe with Paul's idea of Lou.

Paul immediately runs to the Social Merits, and grabs Barfly without hesitation. Reflecting on Lou's image, he also purchases the two-dot version of Striking Looks and a dot of Contacts, representing his various friends in bars across the country. This leaves him with three dots, one of which goes to Lou's meager Resources. After some consideration, he grabs “Serpent's Tongue,” a two-dot Adaptation of “Insidious Creature” - He can easily talk anyone into indulging their vice in the most immoral ways.

Step Seven – Advantages

At this point, Paul records the derived values of Lou's Advantages. His Composure + Resolve is four, so that becomes his Willpower. His Tranquility begins at 7, and while Paul considers lowering it – Lou's not a great guy – he decides to hold back – an Affliction would really cramp Lou's style!

Lou's Virtue, Paul decides, is Justice. He shares this with one of his Cohorts, and he expects that their shared interests might give them something to collaborate on. Lou's sense of Justice is pretty skewed, but he still wants to punish those that take advantage of others (and aren't him.) His Vice is Sloth – Lou gets by with the least concerted effort possible, stretching his welcome at the homes of hastily-made friends and evading responsibility when at all possible.

Lou's Stamina is two and his Size is five, giving him seven boxes of Health. His Initiative is a similarly-average four, while his Defense is two (the lower of his Dexterity and Wits.) Lou's Strength + Dexterity + 5 is 10, giving him that as his Speed.

Step Eight – Finishing Touches

By now, Paul's mostly done. He notes those places where he'll want to improve Lou's abilities over the course of the chronicle – he can always get more persuasive – and makes note of the benefits of his Vestiges, so that they'll be close at hand when he needs them during play.

Beyond the mechanics, Paul also makes note of elements of Lou's past and his nature as he transforms. Lou's family is an expansive clan originating in the South, and his primary inspiration for Lou's transformed appearance is a humble crayfish, whose shell ripples with intoxicating arrays of color and whose antenna register the vibrations in the world around him.

Paul informs his Storyteller that he wants to explore two things with Lou – the ramifications of his manipulative personality, and the potential problems of his avoiding coming to terms with his changed nature – Lou's not subject to must introspection, and that'll hurt him in the long run.

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