RAPTURE

Mental and Legal

 

Common Sense (1 Trait)

 

You still have a lot of gut insight and everyday practicality. Whenever you’re

about to do something that goes against common sense, the Storyteller or Narrator can

make suggestions or warning about the action. Unlike the Intuition Ability, this does

not help you make good guesses, nor does it offer any special insight into a situation.

It just helps you avoid doing something really dumb. Needless to say, this Merit is

excellent for new players who are not familiar with the intricacies of the game.

 

Concentration (1 Trait)

 

You can shut out distractions and annoyances that would hinder others. Whenever

penalty Traits are assigned for some outside phenomenon (harsh lighting, rain,

loud noise, etc.), you suffer none of the penalty.

 

Fast Reader (1 Trait)

 

It takes longer to wash the ink off your hands than to actually read the paper, and

you read War 8 Peace in the time it takes most people to commute to work and back.

OK, those may be slight exaggerations, but you still read amazingly quickly, and retain

what you have read as well. It takes you half the time to perform any actions that

primarily involve reading, making you a valuable researcher and investigator.

 

Good Map Reader (1 Trait)

 

Given a map of some kind and the barest of directions, you can find your way to

just about anywhere you need to be with a minimum of detour or delay. You have an

innate sense of direction, and when traveling to a familiar location or when given time

to prepare a route to an unfamiliar one, you can shave travel time between locations

by a third, reflecting your knack for taking just the right path for maximum efficiency.

 

Good Recognition (1 Trait)

 

Other people might forget a face or a place, but not you - your ability to recall

the names of people you meet only briefly is fantastic, and you can remember your way

around places easily even if you’ve only been there once before. This isn’t total recall

- that’s the Eidetic Memory Merit, above - but rather just a gift for remembering

names and locations, even ifyou’ve only seen a face for a fleeting moment on television

or heard a name in passing. The difficulty to recall a name or face you’ve seen before

is decreased by two Traits, as is the difficulty to navigate in a location you’ve visited

in the past.

 

Healthy Skepticism (1 Trait)

 

It’s hard to pull one over on you, since you naturally tend to view all matters as

pending until proven and all people with caution until they earn your trust. This isn’t

paranoia, however - you just usually need proof of some kind before you’ll buy into

something, even if you sometimes get burned because of it. On the other hand, you are

two Traits up on all tests to detect a lie.

 

Natural Aptitude (1 Trait)

 

Pickasingle Ability -youneednot actually possess it now, though you will most

likely purchase it later - that you have a special knack for. You are two Traits up on

all non-combat uses of this Ability, and it takes half the normal time to train in this

Ability as well. You may take this Merit more than once, but each Natural Aptitude

must be assigned to a different Ability.

 

Religious Devotion (1-3 Traits)

 

Although  many find their faith sorely tested in the face of the evil in the

world, yours has endured and offers you additional resolve when the odds are stacked against

you. Each Trait spent on this Merit translates into an extra Willpower Trait that you can call

upon once per story, if you have time topray for guidance for atum/minutebefore attempting

the task. Youmay only callonthisMerit once per session, unlessthe Storyteller specifically says

otherwise, and naturally it canonly be used when performing deeds in keeping with your

character’s faith-attempting to use it for selfishor impulsive acts not only fails to grant the

extra Willpower, but revokes this Merit entirely until you have properly atoned. Likewise, this

Merit is only available to characters who are appropriately devoted to their faith; while players

need not be melodramatic about it in any way, they must act according tot he tenets of their

character’s faith and otherwise roleplay their a biding faith as best they can.

 

Time Sense ( 1 Trait)

 

You can accurately estimate time to the nearest minute or two without the use ofawatch

or clock. This is obviously very useful inknowing exactly how long you’ve been standing watch,

tailingasubject,orevenhowmuchtimeyouhavebeforesunrise... o rsundown.

 

 

 

Code of Honor (2 Trait)

 

A specific code of behavior and ethics guides your actions. This is a very personal code,

shaped by your own experiences, and you should work with your Storyteller to build and

appropriate code (which should include some hindrances and prohibited activity in addition

to positive beliefs and passions). You gain one free retest whenever facing a test of any kind that

might cause you to violate your code, be it supernatural persuasion, torture or some other form

of duress, and you count as having an additional Willpower Trait for the purposes of resolving

ties insuch instances as well.

 

Determined (2 Traits)

 

While this isn’t always necessarily a good thing,you’re exremely stubborn when it comes

to sticking to your beliefs about something, and you resist mundane and supernatural attempts

to persuade youotherwise withbulldog tenacity. Youare twoTraits up on all tests to resist being

persuaded to do something, including supernatural powers if your Conviction defense isn’t

active.You must have at  least three Willpower Traits to purchase this Merit.

 

Eidetic Memory (2 Trait)

 

Your memory is nearly perfect, and you recall almost everything you experience with

incredible clarity. A single turn of attention is sufficient to commit a page, picture or short

conversation to memory. If you are involved in combat or othenwise distracted, you must make

a static Mental Challenge, difficulty of six Traits, to successfully memorize the contents ofyour

subject of scrutiny. You should keep a“cheatsheet”of your memories to aid you and the

Storyteller in“recollection.”

 

Internet Sawy (2 Traits)

 

A fair number of people have at least a rudimentary knowledge of computers and their

ability to locate information online, but you go beyond such ordinary knowledge with your

natural skills-you navigate online resources instinctively, and need to spend only the absolute

minimum amount of time finding what you’re looking for when hunting for data.You are two

Traits up on all tests involving online investigation,You must have at least six Mental Traits or two levels of the

Computer Ability to purchase this Merit.

 

Natural Linguist (2 Traits)

 

You have a remarkable grasp with any additional languages that you speak or

write (as per your Linguistics Ability). You gain three Bonus Traits on all challenges

related to languages other than your native one, though you are assumed to use that

one nearly flawlessly as well. Obviously, to be useful some levels of the Linguistics

Ability will be required, though they are not actually required to take this Merit

without them, you have the potential to be a great linguist but haven't actually applied

yourself enough yet.

 

Unflappable (3 Traits)

 

It's not that you're without emotions, it's just that you don't let them affect you

as much as other people do. You are two Traits up on all Willpower tests related to

staying calm or not overreacting to mundane circumstances - in effect, anything

within the bounds of your pre-imbuing experience is probably fair game. This therefore

differs from the Steel Nerves Background in that it doesn't cover anything related to

the supernatural or even the truly horrific, just the kind of things you had to deal with

before your imbuing.

 

Direction Sense (4 Traits)

 

A natural compass, you rarely get lost, and seem to have an innate sense of which

way is north or where you are (and how far you traveled to get there). You can estimate

distance and location fairly well, and are two Traits up on all relevant tests to figuring

out where you are or how you got there.

 

Optimistic (4 Traits)

 

Not even the revelation that monsters exist has been able to shake your

fundamentally positive view of the universe as far as you're concerned, even the

present trials and horrors are only the price for something better just around the comer.

You're not necessarily naive, you just naturally believe that things will turn out OK.

Every time a regular hunter would regain a Willpower Trait, you regain two instead,

provided you maintain and portray your optimistic outlook. i aptitude Merits

 

Specialist Drivers License (1 Trait)

 

You are licensed for and experienced with driving vehicles beyond the average

person's experience: tractor trailers, farm vehicles or even military transports. You are

up one Trait on all Drive tests with such vehicles, although you must have at least one

level of Drive before purchasing this Merit. Of course, actually owning such vehicles

is the province of other Traits, but should you come across them you know what to do.

 

Dual Nationality (2 Traits)

 

A rare boon indeed, you were born to parents of different countries and thus have

a dual nationality. This makes it much easier for you to enter and exit the countries

you are acitizen of than foreigners, making them ideal places to visit if you've attracted

too much unwanted attention (human or otherwise).

 

Mental & Economic Flaws

 

 

Medicated (1-5 Traits)

 

You require some form of medication to stay healthy; exactly how often you

require it (not to mention how difficult it is to acquire) determines the value of this

Flaw. One Trait indicates a medication that matters for long term health but which

has little impact on everyday life, such as cholesterol medication; three Traits

indicates something more serious, such as heart or liver pills; five Traits means that

your character requires daily doses of medication to keep her alive, such as insulin for

a diabetic. Missing a day’s worth of medicine inflicts a level of bashing or lethal

damage, depending on the seriousness of the condition. This damage cannot be healed

until the character gets back on his medication, at which time it heals at a rate of one

level every 12 hours.

 

Nightmares (1 Trait)

 

Hideous nightmares about monsters stalk through your mind whenever you

slumber. At a Narrator’s discretion, you may suffer nightmares so bad that you are

unable to sleep restfully, causing you to be two Traits down on the first test you make

against monsters that day. Acrafty Storyteller is usually quick to take advantage of this

Flaw to introduce all sorts of mood and foreshadowing as well. You may possess this

Flaw and the Vigilance edge or Endurance Ability -you may need less sleep, but it’s

still as bad as a full night’s rest when you finally close your eyes.

 

No Sense of Direction (1 Trait)

 

Maps, compasses, heck, even GPS technology and a personal guide - none of

it does you any good, you still get lost all the time anyway. You have trouble keepin

your bearings in all but the most familiar surroundings, and are two Traits down on any

tests to navigate or otherwise try to feel out your way to a location. This doesn’t include

trailing a target, though it might make for an interesting trip home, especially if he

went through some bad parts of town.

 

Poor Sense of Time (1 Trait)

 

It’s very difficult for you to estimate the passage of time without a clock on hand,

and as a result you tend to over or underestimate how much time has passed by five

minutes or more, which can be a critical mistake when you’re attempting to go along

with a tightly planned operation. This Flaw largely relies on the player to roleplay

correctly, though the Narrator may impose a one-Trait penalty on all tests involving

estimating the passage of time correctly, including demolitions work or arriving at the

right time to rescue a fellow hunter.

 

Attention-Deficit Disorder (2 Traits)

 

No one posts you to guard duty unless they have no choice, and chances are you’re

first one to drift off during planning sessions - you can’t help it, but it’s just about

impossible for you to sit still and pay attention for any length of time. If you are ever

required to perform an action that requires more than ten minutes of constant

supervision, such as standing guard outside a stronghold or watching for signs of

activity in a monster lair, you must make a Willpower test against six Traits. Failure

means that you become distracted somehow; you neednot abandon your post outright,

but you have a two-Trait penalty for the rest of that scene to all Perception-related tests

due to your inattentiveness.

 

Dyslexic (2 Traits)

 

While not necessarily stupid or uneducated by any means, you have a tremendous

difficulty reading the printed word, such that even the simplest documents often take

you a great deal of time to work through. You are two Traits down on all tests to

decipher maps or read documents of any kind, and such activities take half again as

long as they would for another character to reflect the additional difficulty you have

working through such sources.

 

Eating Disorder (2 Traits)

 

Whether a victim of cultural expectations or simply possessed of an unhealthy

desire to stay trim, you have developed an eating disorder that is wrecking your body’s

natural balance. You are two Traits down on all Stamina-related Physical Challenges,

reflecting the weakness and malnutrition you’ve forced upon yourself.

 

Language Barrier (2-3 Traits)

 

You cannot speak the language or dialect of the area you operate in, which means

that you must rely on clumsy guidebooks or translators in order to get your point across.

For two Traits, you can read the language but have trouble using it in conversation

(you’re at a two-Trait penalty on all related Social Challenges); for three Traits, you

can neither speak it nor read it. Needless to say, you cannot learn the local language

any further until you buy off this Flaw.

 

Overconfident (2 Traits)

 

Maybe you’re a talented individual who’s just a bit too sure of himself, or perhaps

you’re just a show-off with an thoroughly unfounded opinion of his own merit, but

either way you tend to underestimate your opposition at the same time that you

overestimate your own capabilities. This can be a dangerous Flaw indeed when the

hunt is involved, and once per session the Narrator may secretly add three Traits to

the difficulty of one test to reflect how your inflated opinion of yourself has led you to

draw the wrong conclusion about your situation. You also tend to jump in where others

would hold back for at least a moment or two, which can lead to a short hunting career

indeed.

 

 

Faint of Heart (3 Traits)

 

You have a weak stomach for scenes of gore and carnage; even cheesy horror films

can make you queasy, and when confronted by an actual scene of such depravity you

must make a Willpower test against adifficulty offiveTraits to avoid losing your lunch.

Failure means that you’re overcome with nausea for the next 10 minutes, and while

youstillmay attempt other actions thanretching iftheneedisgreat, allsuchtestssuffer

a one-Trait penalty while the sickness lasts.

 

Incompetent (3 Traits)

 

You are absolutely terrible at one Ability, but unfortunately it seems like you’re

the only one who doesn’t notice it. Perhaps you fancy yourself a master thespian when

all your audience wants to do is crawl under their seats, or maybe you assume that a

lifetime of playing violent roleplaying games has somehow made you a skilled martial

artist. Choose one Ability when this Flaw is chosen - you believe that you have a

proficiency of three levels or more in this Ability, but you cannot take actually any

levels of this Ability during character creation, nor can you learn it during play until

this Flaw is bought off. (It will take you some time to learn to walk the walk as well as

talk the talk.) The plus side of this arrangement is that you do not need to spend a

Willpower Trait to attempt challenges with this Ability, even though you do not have

any levels of it, since you are so completely convinced you’re an expert in the field.

However, your overconfidence paired with your utter lack of any real knowledge also

means that you lose all ties involving this Ability, and with particularly important

failures the Storyteller may require you to win or tie a Simple Test to avoid failing in

some truly spectacular way. Naturally, until this Flaw is bought off you are quick to

deflect any failures or perceived lack of expertise on your part, and will come up with

no end of excuses or rationalizations to maintain your self-deception.

 

Low Self-Esteem (3 Traits)

 

No matter your actual talents or strengths, you have trouble realizing your real

worth, and tend to be down on yourself as a matter of habit. Others may try to cheer

you up temporarily, but that can make it even worse if you realize what they’re doing,

and you don’t even gain much satisfaction from applying yourself according to your

true nature. Any time you would gain Willpower from a great success or acting in

accordance with your Nature, you must make a Willpower test against five Traits -

failure means that you do not earn the bonus after all, as a reflection of how much you

downplay yourselfor your role in events. This penalty does not apply to Willpower you

regain naturally by resting.

 

Slow Learner (3 Trait)

 

Regardless ofhow intelligent you might actually be, you have trouble getting your

mind around new concepts as quickly as others, and can drive even patient instructors

to distraction as you plod along. It costs an extra Experience Trait to learn a new

Ability, and if you spend Experience to raise an Ability it does not actually increase

until the session after next, reflecting how long it takes you to put what you’ve learned

into practice.

Weak-Willed (3 Trait Flaw)

 

”A hero? Who, me?” When others would rise to the occasion and summon the

grit to carry on, more often than not you have trouble getting as far as the gritty part

to begin with. Whether due to guilt over some past failure or just a difficulty in seeing

yourself as worthy to take big chances, you have trouble rising to meet the kinds of

challenges the imbued are faced with daily. Add two Traits the difficulty of all

Willpower tests, and you cannot possess a Willpower rating higher than six so long as

you still have this Flaw.

 

Amnesia (4 Traits)

 

Prior to your imbuing, the past is a blank slate. You know nothing of your history,

your family, your friends or foes. Your Storyteller makes up your character’s history,

including the reasons for your Amnesia. The Storyteller may even keep your character

record partially hidden, only revealing your Abilities, edges, Backgrounds, Conviction,

Merits and Flaws when you try to use them (or when they come back to haunt

you). In general, the only things obvious to you are the things you can see in the mirror.

 

Depression (4 Traits)

 

All hunters are threatened by feelings of depression at one time or another, but

you’ve fallen into the trap to such a degree that at this point you think your feelings

are perfectly natural (if not entirely deserved), and so you refuse to get help of any kind

for your condition. This Flaw should not be confused with the derangement ofManic-

Depression; the latter represents clinical insanity of one kind or another, while the

former is “merely” a behavioral condition. (A character cannot possess both Traits; if

one is acquired, the points for the other must be reassigned to other Flaws.) In any

event, you do not regain Willpower naturally, but can only regain it by performing

deeds in keeping with your nature or successfully completing great personal goals.

 

Illiterate (4 Traits)

 

You cannot read or write your native language, and while you can recognize some

common symbols such as traffic signs or warning labels, you are a great disadvantage

when it comes to doing research of any kind, and will have trouble getting a decent Job

job as well. You automatically fail all tests involving reading or writing. This Flaw does

not affect your ability to understand the hunter code.

aptitude Flaws

 

Immature/Old Before Your Time (2 or 4 Traits)

 

You might be at the prime of your life as far as most people reckon, but for some

reason you’re far short of your true potential, either due to lingering immaturity or

conditions similar to the onset ofold age. For two Traits, you’re considered to be young

for the purposes of determining Attribute and Willpower maximums, regardless of

your actual age, and must grow up some and buy off this Flaw before you can exceed

those limits. For four Traits, you’re considered old for the purposes of determining

Attribute maximums, though not for Willpower maximums, and with time against you

it’s unlikely anything short of a serious miracle will ever correct the problem (i.e., buy

off this Flaw). Only characters in the peak age group may take this Flaw, and the Storyteller may

forbid it outright if she doesn’t feel it will make a substantial difference for a character.

 

Political Extremist (1 Trait)

 

You are a known member of a suspicious or feared organization such as the Klu

Klux Klan. This naturally causes non-members to hold unpleasant views about you,

and you are two Traits down on all Social Challenges with people who dislike the

organization you belong to. In addition, you can expect curt treatment at best from

local law enforcement, and while you might have no criminal record yourself, the local

authorities will have an open file on you, regardless. You might even be targeted by

undercover surveillance at different times if your organization begins attracting

attention to itself, and the Storyteller may decide to restrict certain Backgrounds based

on what people would trust you with.

 

Revoked Driver’s License (1 Trait)

 

Whether you lost it due to a poor record, or never bothered to get it in the first

place, you do not have a driver’s license of any kind, and if caught driving the police

will immediately arrest you and impound your car. Needless to say, this can be a serious

impediment to your hunting plans, not to mention a substantial limit on your mobility

in general.

 

Sunday Driver (1 Trait)

 

As much as they might love your company, your friends never want you to drive

- maybe you’re fussy about obeying the speed limit and every other possible traffic

regulation you come across, or perhaps you’re the exact opposite, and pay dangerously

little attention to things like lane dividersor oncoming traffic. Either way, you’re down

two Traits on all Drive tests involving high speed chases or other complicated

maneuvers.

 

 

Criminal Record (2 Traits)

 

Rightly or wrongly, you have been convicted of several misdemeanors or perhaps

a minor felony, and questions of rehabilitation aside this places certain legal restrictions

on you as well. You cannot buy firearms legally, you can be brought in for

questioning with the slightest of evidence, and depending on your particular crime and

the place you live you might have to report yourself to the local police, newspapers or

both. Needless to say, this can earn a lot of ill will from those who find out about you

past, and you can expect to get nothing but grief from most police officers. You are two

Traits down on all Social Challenges with law enforcement officials who know of your

criminal past.

 

Probation (2 Traits)

 

At least it got you out of larger trouble, but making a deal for probation does have

its bad side as well - you must report to your case officer on a regular basis, and submit

to random searches of your residence or person when the court deems it necessary. Not

only that, but you must demonstrate a commitment to becoming a model citizen as

well: hold down a job, keep up with debt, not being seen any place suspicious, etc.

Needless tosay, thiscanmakealotofhuntingactivitiesquitedifficulttogetaway with,

but as the price for getting caught is most likely being tossed in jail, it’s a balancing act

you’re going to have to become quite good at if you wish to go far.

 

Illegal Immigrant (3 Traits)

 

Simple enough - wherever you live now, you don’t belong there, at least not as

far as the law is concerned. If you’re ever arrested, there’s a serious risk of being

deported to your country of origin, and you cannot hold down a job unless it pays you

under the table. The Storyteller will most likely want to restrict your Backgrounds to

reflect the difficulties you have being a non-citizen as well.

 

Wanted by Law Enforcement (3 Traits)

 

Well, now you’ve done it (or maybe not, but it sure looks like you did) -you‘re

the prime suspect in a felony crime, and the police are actively searching for you. That

means living a fugitive’s life from night to night, as your assets are frozen, your regular

hangouts watched closely and your known associates might be called on to provide

your whereabouts. It is assumed in this Flaw that for one reason or another you cannot

simply walk into the police station and clear up the matter, even if you happen to be

innocent. Indeed, this Flaw cannot be bought off at all unless you either undergo the

long and difficult process of clearing your name, or you somehow deflect official

attention in a big way (flee the country, fake your own death).

 

Audit (1 Trait)

 

Like it or not, you’ve become the subject of an audit by your government tax

authority, and they watch your finances carefully for strange expenses or illegal

maneuvering. Buying exotic or illegal equipment is extremely difficult, and the agency

may bring you in from time to time to explain where your money comes from or how

it is spent. Add two Traits to the difficulty of all Resources-related tests, as well as any

transactions for illegal goods that total over $500.

 

Primary Breadwinner (2 Traits)

 

Your family counts on you to bring home the income it requires make ends meet,

and you simply must have a regular job of some kind to do that, the needs of the hunt

be damned. At least two levels of your Resources rating must be dedicated to supporting

your family, and should that Background fall below that level your family will begin

to suffer for it. If that ever becomes the case, increase the difficulty of all Willpower

tests by one due to the shame and guilt you feel over letting your family down in such

a fashion.

 

Uninsured (2 Traits)

 

You carry no insurance of any kind, either due to a lack of sufficient funds or a

personal decision. Should you require medical attention or be involved in an accident,

all the resulting costs must be paid out of your own pocket. Such tremendous drain is

likely to reduce your Resources rating by at least one or two levels, perhaps even

permanently in the case of serious or long-term expenses.

 

Alimony Payments (3 Traits)

 

Money you make goes right back out to your ex-spouse and your children (if any),

and failure to keep up regular payments will result in having your assets frozen and your

possessions seized by the authorities. You may never have more than three levels of

Resources, no matter what your actual income might be, due to the economic hardship

involved in meeting the payment schedule.

 

Homeless (4 Traits)

 

Just as it sounds, you have no permanent place to dwell, which means it’s a life

on the streets or spent hopping from shelter to shelter for you. You cannot take the

Resources Background at all, and cannot heal lethal damage naturally while living

under these conditions. In addition, you must carry all of your equipment with you

somehow, and if you do not you must hide it and make a Simple Test with the

Storyteller-on a loss, your stash has been found and at least one item has been stolen.