The

Thebeauty
beautyofofthetheGreat GreatWork Work

MAGNUM OPUS
is isthatthatit itis isnever
neverfinished.
finished. TM

Even
Evenif ifeach
eachof ofus us
were
weregranted grantedMortality
Mortalitytoday,
today,
what then?
WeWewould
wouldallall
stillstillhave
havejourneys
journeys
to tomake.
make.
This book includes:
• Possibilities on new and differ-
ent ways in which Promethe-
——ZoZoMalak,
Malak,Ulgan
Ulgan
ans might be created, com-
plete with sample characters
• Four new Refinements, with
new Transmutations
• “To the Wastes,” a continuation
of the “Water of Life” story be-
gun in Promethean: The Created,
set in the Colorado Rockies

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ISBN-13: 978-1-58846-608-2
W W60101 $26.99 US
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 PROLOGUE: BANS
Mark Johnson 42 555-867-5309
30033 1554 Litton Drive 30083 780 Park North Blvd Ste A 30033
10:25 a.m 12:15 a.m Stone Mountain Police Dept.
Roland Ortiz Stan Ewing
Six Months Ago, After
The fifth time I bring the club down, his skull caves in. His brains, already half-pulverized by the
damage, spill out around the weapon. I’m crying so hard I can barely breathe. I drop the club, stagger
away, pick up his shotgun and place the barrel under my chin. I pulled the trigger, but nothing happens,
and that makes me cry even harder.
“You have to chamber the shell,” says a voice. I turn my head and see a monster on the wall. I recoil
and my fingers are already growing into claws before I realize that it’s a mirror, it’s my own reflection,
tinted by the blood and bile covering the glass. But my reflection is talking, and I can see Pyros around
that glass like heat rising off desert sand.
I look down at the gun. My reflection was right. While he’d loaded the gun, he hadn’t cocked it. I do so,
and I glare back at the glass, daring the qashmal to challenge my decision.
But he doesn’t, so I put the barrel under my chin again. I pull the trigger.
I feel stinging, biting pain. A million bees sting my neck and my throat. The bees push their way up
into my brain, burrow through the stolen flesh that I carry through the world, drill their way through
my skull and exit, humming angrily, from the back of my head. They carry with them brain tissue,
those tiny bees made of steel and carbon, they carry cerebrospinal fluid, blood and, perhaps, the
Divine Fire. It all takes place in half a second. I crash the floor, dying, and I see what’s left of his body
on the floor.
One Year Ago
Every spirit has a ban. The word is misleading, but I don’t know that English — such a strange, bastard
tongue, like a contagion on the lips of the world, a linguistic virus — has a term for the real
concept. A ban is not something that a spirit must not do, but something that defines the
spirit as walls define a room. I have walked many a mile since leaving my assigned
task, and I have met so many spirits that not even someone as meticulous as Brine
or as verbose as Verney could catalog them all. I have never tried. I merely
remember the ones that have touched me. But I do remember bans, and
I leave those secrets behind me.
I stopped and told a story to a group of hikers in Stone
Mountain Park. They tried to walk faster, to be rid of
me, but I kept pace and I told them the story of the
Black Cat, the death-spirit that can kill a man
with one scratch of its claws, can devour
a woman in two bites and can leave a
child torn to skin and sinew in an eye
blink. I told them this story and framed
it as “a Native superstition,” because
these hikers were white and didn’t know
any better. I told them that the Black Cat
cannot harm a woman while she is with
child, and they said “oh that’s interesting,”
 PROLOGUE: BANS
Mark Johnson 42 555-867-5309
1554 Litton Drive 30083 780 Park North Blvd Ste A 30033
10:25 a.m 12:15 a.m Stone Mountain Police Dept.
Roland Ortiz Stan Ewing

and walked even faster, and I sat down in the

wood. But I looked to Twilight and I saw that the
Black Cat, which had been following them all day, was now
stalking away petulantly because they knew its secret.
Every spirit has a ban, and spirits know their own natures.
Human beings do not have bans, and they do not know their
natures. Any human who claims to know his place in the world is
lying, for it is not in the human condition to know. They may search for
purpose and gain much in so doing, but they will never find it, and that is
humanity.
We, the Created, we know our purpose. Our purpose is to follow the Pilgrimage
and to reach that state of ignorance, to give up a clear path and take on a state of
perpetual uncertainty. Only a fool would follow the Pilgrimage. I have come to this realization many
times over my years of life, and each time I swear that no longer will I strive for humanity, no longer
will I follow useless milestones. And certainly no longer will I tell stories to humans, warning them of
the spirits in their midst. The spirits grow angry when I reveal their secrets, and my memory, if not
my flesh, bears scars of the kindnesses I have done to humanity.
No longer will I search for humanity. I take this as my ban.
Eleven Months Ago
“Nice fuckin’ mullet.”
I turn and stare at the man. Other people, lounging on the grass, looking up at the carvings in the
mountain, don’t notice. He didn’t yell. He’s counting on me to yell. Most people in Atlanta are polite to
strangers, and I find that even through the haze of Disquiet they usually afford me a forced smile and
a nod. This man, though, clearly wants to hurt me.
It isn’t just me, though. I rub my eyes and look around him, and sure enough, imp-like creatures
perch on him, anchored against the vacuum of the Shadow by his hatred. Did he attract them with
that hatred, or did they bring it with them? I don’t know. I don’t care. I have made my vow, and the
Pilgrimage is dead to me. I consider hurting him, but I decide instead to play stupid. “Thank you,” I
say, ruffling my hair with my hand.
“Fuck you,” he says, and he walks away.
“Jackass,” says a voice next to me. A young man reclines on a blanket, propped up on his elbows. I’m
just sitting on the grass. I don’t have so much as a pair of sunglasses to my name. He moves over a
bit and offers me some space.
I am truly bewildered. I take his offer, and he smiles kindly at me. There is no lust in his eyes, no false
faith behind his smile. He doesn’t even ask my name, he simply gets comfortable and looks up at the
sky, streaked with orange as the day breathes its last. I stare at him, searching for Pyros, searching
for Flux, searching for anything of the world of spirits or beasts, but I find nothing. But he can’t be
human. Humans don’t act this way, not to the Created.
He notices me watching him, and he makes eye contact. This, I think, will do it. It always starts with
 PROLOGUE: BANS
Mark Johnson 42 555-867-5309
30033 1554 Litton Drive 30083 780 Park North Blvd Ste A 30033
10:25 a.m 12:15 a.m Stone Mountain Police Dept.
Roland Ortiz Stan Ewing
them looking at my eyes and seeing the Shadow contained therein. Will he shy away from it or jump
in, reveling in his newfound knowledge?
He does neither. He extends a hand, and says “My name’s Charles.”
The tears come before I can stop them. I turn away, coughing, trying to cover up my sobs. I almost
manage to regain my composure, but he puts a hand on my shoulder and asks if I’m all right. I can’t
respond. He helps me to my feet and leads me off of the hill into the trees, into the cool shade, away
from the throngs of people. I finally manage to choke back my emotion, and I say, “I’m sorry about
that.”
“It’s all right,” Charles says. “I don’t like crowds either.”
I look at him for the first time. Before now, I had seen him through the lens of my own notions of
humanity, and then through the alchemical operations that allow me to see the energies that might
sustain or kill me. Now I just see him using light, vitreous humor and flesh. He is taller than I am, but
only by a few inches. He is slightly plump around the middle. I am not proficient at guessing human
ages, men especially, but he is perhaps 30, maybe a bit younger. He has very little hair, cut close to his
scalp, and if it grew in it might be light red or yellow.
He stares at me without hatred or even fascination. He knows something is wrong with me, but he
thinks it is a phobia, a simple inability to handle crowds of people. His mind does not recognize the
Divine Fire within me, or perhaps it does and he responds differently?
I can think of nothing to say that would convey what I feel for him. I say, “My name is Zo Malak.”
He shakes my hand. “Nice to meet you, Zo. My name is Charles Monahan.”
I know at that moment that I am again on the Pilgrimage. I can choose to hate Charles for
that, or I can choose to accept it. I do not make the choice right then, but coast, ride the
moment, let it sit until I can fully understand it. For now, I walk with him back to the
blanket, sit down and watch colored lights on the face of the mountain.
Eight Months Ago
Humanity does not have a ban. That is why Charles can love
me. That is why we live together, without Disquiet, with
hate.
I told him the truth that first night, as we
lay together naked under the stars,
bodies steaming in the hot July
darkness, breathing deeply. I
didn’t know what he was feeling
— for all I knew, he bedded strange
women every night of the week.
But I wanted him to understand
that I wasn’t strange because of a
bad upbringing or because of an odd
religious belief. I was strange because
 PROLOGUE: BANS
Mark Johnson 42 555-867-5309
1554 Litton Drive 30083 780 Park North Blvd Ste A 30033
10:25 a.m 12:15 a.m Stone Mountain Police Dept.
Roland Ortiz Stan Ewing
I had never been born, never raised. I rose up from the desert sands with the spirits crying for my
blood, and I wanted him to know that, too.
So I showed him. I knew he wouldn’t believe me, so I showed him. I held up my hand and called the
Pyros within to change the flesh, and my fingernails became gruesome talons. But in that moment
he saw my true form. He saw the spirit-stuff leaking from the rents in my body. He saw that I have
no eyes and that my mouth drips with the black blood of Twilight. He saw that, and then he saw me
again — just me, Zo Malak, a woman whose body he had kissed, stroked and been inside just moments
before.
Charles was a rational man, and though what I told him was impossible to everything he’d known
before, he was willing to change what he had known before. He was willing to know new truths, and
that was one reason I fell in love with him.
Today, I wait for him to come home. His house has become stained as spirits flock to the thinning
barrier that my Azoth creates. We may need to move soon. I tell him this every day, but we haven’t
found a solution yet. He has friends and family here, and he sees less of them now, for unlike him,
they react just as people always have. Long years following the Refinement of Tin taught me to diffuse
Disquiet, but such tricks only work for so long, and they do nothing to hold back the encroaching
Wasteland. We will have to flee soon, in any case, because there is one final danger that I haven’t
revealed to him yet.
Today I will tell him about the Tamer.
Seven Months Ago
We open the door to the bedroom, and I scan it quickly, as usual. No spirits, at least none that we need to
fear. No Flux-borne horrors lying in wait. I let him into the room, and he checks the handgun strapped to
the side of the bed and the shotgun hanging on the wall. Both loaded. We undress, and crawl into bed. He
is tired — he has trouble sleeping in a house with so many voices, even if he cannot truly hear them. He
is bitter, too, because he knows that I am right to deny his recent request.
I curl up behind him and kiss his neck. I want him to make love to me, because
I am hurt by our argument and I want to know that he still loves me.
He does not respond. I reach over his hips and stroke his
stomach. These actions, like spirit’s bans,
are ritual. They define us. I touch him
in certain places, he knows what I
want. If he were to kiss below my ear or
run his fingers underneath my breast,
it would mean the same thing. He knows
what I want, but he doesn’t want to give
it to me. He turns to me. “I’m sorry, Zo,”
he says. “I just don’t feel like it.”
I shut my eyes, and he leans forward and kisses
my eyelids. I start to cry. I hate crying. I didn’t
used to feel that way. Sometimes I would weep
 PROLOGUE: BANS
Mark Johnson 42 555-867-5309
30033 1554 Litton Drive 30083 780 Park North Blvd Ste A 30033
10:25 a.m 12:15 a.m Stone Mountain Police Dept.
Roland Ortiz Stan Ewing
when I saw humans behaving in ways that were hurtful, because I thought that they should be happy to have what they
had. Now I weep because Charles wants what I have, and I cannot convince him otherwise.
He holds me close, and I know he still loves me, and that is a mercy in itself. “I’m sorry,” he says again,
even though I’ve asked him not to say that so much. “I know you’re right, I believe you. It’s just that
if it were both of us . . .” He trails off because he expects me to finish his thought. I don’t. He sees this,
and continues. “If it were both of us, we could try to figure this out together.” I say nothing. “We could
protect each other.” I say nothing, still. “From the Tamer, I mean.”
He has never used those words before, and I seldom say them aloud. The Tamer is Hell walking on legs, a
Centimanus whose only mission is to take my Divine Fire for himself. I sit up. He switches on the light. “I
love you,” I say, stroking his face. He smiles. “And that is why I cannot do this. I cannot give you what I have,
because you are alive.” He opens his mouth to protest, but I shush him. “You would need to die,” I say. “You
would be torn asunder . . .” my voice breaks. The thought of my Charles in the grip of the spirits’ claws is too
much. I take a breath and continue. “You would die, torn to pieces, and then I could raise the parts up as one
of the Riven. But it wouldn’t be Charles Monahan that stood up. He — you — would be gone,
gone to wherever human souls go. I don’t know.” I roll up my nightshirt and point to a scar
on my stomach. “You asked me once where I got this scar, and I said I didn’t know. That
isn’t because I’ve forgotten. It’s because that scar was present when I woke up. It’s
a wound that happened to the girl who died in the desert, whose body the Ulgan
used to call down the spirits and make a protector for the tribe. Not me.”
He nods. He finally understands. “It’s just that you’re so much more
than I am.”
I sigh. I have heard this before, though not from him. My associate
Verney tells me of people like his creator, transhumanists who
seek to escape the pitfalls of humanity through technology.
“But I’m not,” I say. “I am not a human exposed to the Fire
and made stronger. I am dead flesh exposed to the Fire,
made to walk and breathe. I am not more than you. I
am less. I am not whole.” I kiss him. “Except here with
you.”
He returns the kiss. He pushes me onto my back and
rolls up my shirt, and he makes love to me. I am a true
woman, for a few moments, I am human.
 PROLOGUE: BANS
Mark Johnson 42 555-867-5309
1554 Litton Drive 30083 780 Park North Blvd Ste A 30033
10:25 a.m 12:15 a.m Stone Mountain Police Dept.
Roland Ortiz Stan Ewing
Six Months Ago, Before
He got his wish.
That phrase greets me as I open the door to our home. It is written on the
walls. Carved into the walls, really, 100 times in 100 different scripts. I don’t
need to think long about the significance. I run for the bedroom.
Charles is there. He is lying on the floor. He is dead. He has been torn to pieces
and reassembled.
I was gone too long. I received the letter from Verney, but he wouldn’t meet me
in Atlanta. I had to go all the way to Pennsylvania. I curse him, curse the stupid,
stubborn bastard for making me leave and curse myself for doing it.
The Tamer has been here. I can smell the stink of his Pandoran hounds in the room, but they are gone
now. They’ll be back soon, I’m sure, but he wanted to give me a few moments alone with Charles.
With Charles’ remains. The Tamer couldn’t make a new Ulgan. He’s been Hundred Handed far too
long to create anything but Mockeries. I won’t have to watch Charles’ body rise up.
I kneel by him and stare at his face. I am too shocked to weep or scream, but that time is coming. The
spirits around me are rioting. The Wasteland here is thick. No wonder they found me.
Charles’ hand moves.
It is only that one movement that spurs me. Nothing moves but his fingers. He might be coming
back to life as an Ulgan, or he might be on the verge of splitting into hideous Renders or
he might simply be twitching as dead people sometimes do. I don’t care. None of those
possibilities is acceptable to me. I pick up an iron club from the corner, a weapon with
which I’ve grown proficient over the years, and I bring it down upon his skull.
Five Months, Twenty-Nine Days Ago
The Tamer does not return. I wake up in a morgue. I do not see the
qashmal, or Charles or any other people. I look for spirits, but I
see none in this cold, sterile place.
I leave. I steal clothes as I have always done. I
steal money as I have always done. I steal pen
and paper and stamps, and I write to four
post office boxes around the country, as I
have for nearly 20 years. I write my story of
Charles. I write of my sorrow and my loss and
my foolishness.
I sign the letters “Zo Malak, Pilgrim.” Because I
am on the Pilgrimage, and I will never leave it again.
I want to become human. I want to return to the lawn
where first I met Charles. And there I want to die, so that
my soul goes on to meet him in whatever hereafter there
might be for us humans.
TM
 CREDI TS

Credits
Written by: Joseph Carriker, Jess Hartley, Wood Ingham
and Matthew McFarland
COMING NEXT IN THE
World of Darkness created by Mark Rein•Hagen PROMETHEAN SERIES:
Developer: Matthew McFarland
Editor: Scribendi.com SATURNINE
Art Director: Mike Chaney
Layout & Typesetting: Mike Chaney
NIGHT
Interior Art: Patrick McEvoy, Gavin Hargest, Vatche Ma- Good Book says the world’s caught in a long, dark
vlian, Ken Meyer Jr., Brian Leblanc, James Stowe, Thomas night, waiting for a brand new dawn to come and sweep
Manning & Richard Thomas all that darkness away.
Front Cover Art: Carlos Samuel Araya
Front & Back Cover Design: Mike Chaney Don’t know if that’ll ever happen, but I do know this:
there’s folks set on making things darker. They’re
looking for ways to break the laws the Good Lord set
for all of nature’s ways. I’ve seen it happen, and the
night’s getting darker and longer.
THE PROMETHEAN SERIES
Sometimes I think I mightn’t ever see the sun come up.
PROMETHEAN:
THE CREATED - John Ash, Tammuz

PANDORA’S BOOK
STRANGE ALCHEMIES Special Thanks to Kelley and Mike for being the best darn
cadavers ever in a prologue photo shoot.-Mike C.
MAGNUM OPUS
SATURNINE NIGHT

© 2007 White Wolf Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publica-
tion may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise without the prior written permission of White Wolf Inc.
Reproduction prohibitions do not apply to the character sheets contained
in this book when reproduced for personal use. White Wolf, Vampire
and World of Darkness are registered trademarks of White Wolf Inc. All
rights reserved. Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the
Awakening, Storytelling System and World of Darkness Antagonists are
trademarks of White Wolf Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names,
places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Inc.
The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright
concerned.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction
and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out White Wolf online at
http://www.white-wolf.com; alt.games.whitewolf and rec.games.frp.storyteller
PRINTED IN CHINA.

8
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TM

Table of Contents
Prologue 1
Introduction 10
Chapter One: What Is and What May Be 16
Chapter Two: Rare Alchemies 54
Chapter Three: The Long and Winding Road 98
Chapter Four: To the Wastes 118

9
 INTRODUCTION
Four Months Ago
I return to Pennsylvania. I hand-deliver my letter to Verney. He reads it, and he refuses to make
eye contact with me. He knows that had I not been here with him, I would have been able to save
Charles.
He doesn’t speak much. He tells me that he’ll see me again — Detroit, in one year, unless
we die or find the New Dawn. That is always the agreement with the five of us. If one of us
completes the Great Work, we won’t subject him or her to our pain again. But we never believe
it could be a possibility.
He leaves, and I don’t know where. I discover it two days later when I hear about a fire in At-
lanta. He went back, and he hunted down the Tamer. He didn’t destroy the Tamer, but he burned
much of his Pandoran hunting pack. The Tamer wouldn’t stand and fight against Verney. He isn’t
that stupid, but his pack…well, his pack are Pandorans, and Verney’s Fire burns rich and bright.
Humans don’t obey bans, and neither do Prometheans, but Pandorans do. They obey hunger, and that
can be used against them.
Verney is a true friend, but he didn’t do this out of friendship. He did it out of vengeance. That is
what defines him.
I imagine him, standing outside the blaze, listening to the screams of the Mockeries and searching
the crowd for the Tamer. I’ve told him that the Tamer walks among men without showing his true
face, that his Azoth does not call to ours the way it should, but I’m sure Verney looked anyway. I’m
sure the onlookers blamed him for the fire, and I’m sure they chased him.
And in some secret, putrid part of my heart, I’m glad. I think Verney should hurt, just a bit, for
calling me away.
-as told to me by Zo Malak
I do not know
what I may ap-

T
he World of Darkness is filled with potential. Certainty is elusive, truth is sub-
pear to the world; jective and reality is open to interpretation. Every rule has an exception, every
but to myself I impossibility has a chance of being feasible. Human families sleep soundly in
their beds, never suspecting a werewolf pack claims their neighborhood as its territory.
seem to have been The alpha of the pack, secure of his role as the biggest and baddest creature in the area,
only like a boy remains unaware that his daughter’s new high school teacher is capable of casting spells
that could transform the powerful hunter into a twisted mass of rotted meat. And the
playing on the teacher, for all his knowledge and power, does not suspect that the superintendent of
seashore, divert- his school system is a pawn of an undead master who has monitored the ebb and tide
of education in the city for more than a century. While each individual’s perspective
ing myself in now may be narrow enough to only take in a small portion of the whole, when all possibili-
and then finding a ties are considered, there is nothing that cannot happen somewhere or somehow in
the World of Darkness. It is a world of possibility, both dark and bright, just waiting
smoother pebble to be discovered.
or a prettier shell While these possibilities exist within every game in the World of Darkness, the
theme of discovery is a core one for Promethean. The Created are “born” a blank slate
than ordinary, and, as a group, know less about their world than any other characters in the World
whilst the great of Darkness. Their numbers are too few to have developed elaborate libraries full of
secret tomes, or even an extensive oral tradition of folklore. What stories they do share
ocean of truth lay are passed from traveler to traveler in Rambles, with all of the alterations inherent
all undiscovered in such a communication system. Facts are embellished and fantasies repeated until
the two are indistinguishable. The Promethean player, therefore, likely has far more
before me. information about what Prometheans are and aren’t, what is and isn’t possible, than
any Promethean does.
— Isaac Newton This lack of in-character information is an open invitation to new possibilities. Some
of these discoveries exist in the spaces between the rules. While games are designed
to address the most likely questions a reader might have about a particular setting,
character type or action, no book could hope to address every possible situation that
might arise in a game. When something that isn’t directly addressed comes up in a
game, the Storyteller extrapolates out general guidelines from the given rules and ap-
plies them as he sees fit. His additions organically expand the game, taking it beyond
the pages offered in the core material. Immense potential waits to be discovered there
in the unmapped places beyond and between the established rules.
Other times, the opportunity for discovery comes from a conscious decision to devi-
ate from the stated rules. Promethean draws inspiration from a vast range of stories
and legends, from Ancient Greece to Victorian England, and from the frozen wastes of
Siberia to the Egyptian desert. These are, however, only a tiny portion of the world’s
mythologies, and each Promethean “truth” drawn from them is only one possible
interpretation of the multi-faceted whole. Some tales have been altered to better fit a
unified presentation of “what it is to be Promethean,” such as all of the Created being
made from human corpses when many of the “created beings” legends use other bases.
Others have been even more strongly modified, or had core factors added or stripped
away to allow the legends to better fit with the core rules set. As with all games in the
World of Darkness, however, the power to modify, add to, or ignore any given rule or
rules is entirely within the hands of the Storyteller. It is entirely possible to alter any
or all of the “facts” behind Promethean and still retain the greater themes that are
the heart of the game.
Magnum Opus is proof of that. Within its covers are a myriad of “truths” that fly in
the face of the core established rules and yet hold fast to the soul of Promethean. Like
the flashes of insight and inspiration that mark milestones along each Promethean’s
Pilgrimage, each of these offerings are a moment of blinding recognition that what
we held to be true may not be so. As the Bard so aptly wrote: “There are more things
in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” So it is with
Promethean, both for players, and for the characters themselves.
 STORYTELLING AND POSSIBLITY |CHAPTER BREAKDOWN

Storytelling and How to Use This Book

Possibility Magnum Opus encourages players and Storytellers to
drive Promethean into whatever unexplored territories they
To bring this home to the act of roleplaying somewhat, see fit. Within its pages, readers will be offered deviations
consider what function the rules and setting assumptions from the basic: alternate mythologies, creation variations
play within the context of the game. Most of the default and philosophies so deviant that most Prometheans do not
assumptions of Promethean are present for two reasons. even know they exist. From left-handed paths to diabolic
One reason stems from the metaphysics and underlying progenitors, these possibilities can expand the core game
cosmology of the setting, and the other has to do with in new and exciting directions.
game mechanics. For instance, Prometheans can in- Magnum Opus is more than an assortment of supplemen-
crease any of their Attributes by expending Pyros. This tary ideas, however. It’s an open invitation for Storytellers
is because Pyros is fundamental to their being, and every and players to make Promethean the game they would like
aspect of their lives comes from this energy. As such, a it to be. Examples are offered not to give hard-and-fast,
Promethean can become more socially deft (through rais- either-or options to the core rules, but to act as inspiration
ing Manipulation) or cannier (raising Wits), as well as and encouragement to take Promethean in whatever direc-
stronger or tougher, by Pyros expenditure. This increase tion will most enrich each individual chronicle. Any or all
is fleeting (in game terms, a single turn) and slight (a of them can be added as-is, or tinkered with and expanded
single die, unless the Promethean can spend more than upon to transmute the game into the end product that is
one Pyros in a turn). desired.
From a game mechanics perspective, the expenditure Prometheans are, in the World of Darkness, the things that
of Pyros fits into the larger World of Darkness because should not be. Therefore, more than any other game, they
the other games have similar mechanics. Vampires can hold the potential to be whatever it is that the Storyteller
increase their Physical Attributes only because of the — and the players — need them to be. Magnum Opus is
basic and physical nature of the fuel they use (blood). the key to unlocking that potential.
Werewolves and mages don’t expend Essence or Mana
to accomplish this, though they have other methods of
increasing their potential. This is done in the name of
Chapter Breakdown
Chapter One: What Is and What May Be spins a plethora
“balance,” but such concerns are largely invisible and
of new tales, myths, legends, and “truths” for Promethean,
usually irrelevant to you as Storyteller, especially if
from the “real” story of Galatea to the elusive rumors of
you’re simply running a Promethean chronicle with no
Prometheans bearing human children. This chapter intro-
interference from those other creatures.
duces new character options for players and Storytellers:
So what does all that mean? It means that you can
Prometheans born of circumstance rather than intention,
change the default assumptions of the setting, whether
Created formed of stone, wood or clay, dream-spawned
by altering metaphysics or game mechanics. It means that
Prometheans and those crafted from animals rather than
you can even alter the way these assumptions present
human flesh.
themselves for just one character. Pyros is by no means fully
Chapter Two: Rare Alchemies explores Promethean
understood, and every Promethean uses and experiences
philosophy, journeying beyond the basic six Refinements
it in a slightly different way. Every Pilgrimage is unique,
to incorporate four new Refinements and, for those whose
so why should each Promethean condition be unique?
vision is not captured by the existing offerings, suggestions
It’s useful, obviously, to have a base from which to work.
for creating customized Refinements to truly embody any
If the core book had presented the process for creating
character’s philosophical viewpoint. This chapter also in-
and playing Prometheans as a scattershot, “do what you
cludes new Transmutation classes and new Athanors.
want” approach, the book would have been much longer
Chapter Three: The Long and Winding Road leads
and quite incoherent. By establishing a few basic starting
Storytellers through some of the most treacherous aspects
points — Prometheans are made of corpses, they heal
of running a Promethean game, such as the intricacies of
through electricity, etc. — we provide the players and
handling milestones for multiple characters and how to
Storytellers with enough of a frame of reference to decide
prevent going to the wastes from stalling a chronicle. It
what to change. You aren’t playing the game “wrong”
offers suggestions for navigating the treacheries of cross-
by deciding that Golems should be made of rock or that
over games including Promethean characters, including
Frankensteins should show signs of rot as their Humanity
alterations to the Disquiet rules as well as ways interacting
ratings fall, you’re playing the game as it makes the most
with other supernatural characters may help the Cre-
sense to you, and that’s appropriate.
ated along their Pilgrimage. While many of the insights
Magnum Opus, in fact, is dedicated to helping you
and suggestions offered are pertinent to Storytelling in
tweak those assumptions.

13
 INTRODUCTION

general, they also address specific aspects of running Siddhartha by Herman Hesse is one of the most perti-
Promethean that may not arise in other games. nent books available on the nature of the Pilgrimage.
Chapter Four continues the on-going Promethean While the titular character is entirely human, his quest
chronicle with “To the Wastes.” This chapter pulls for knowledge and insight mirrors that of Prometheans’
characters into the gritty underbelly of human society, search for mortality. “When someone is searching,” said
bringing them face-to-face with some of the horrific and Siddhartha, “then it might easily happen that the only thing
heartbreaking choices humans are faced with on a daily his eyes still see is that what he searches for… You, oh ven-
basis. Set in Colorado, this three-act story places the erable one, are perhaps indeed a searcher, because, striving
characters in life-and-death situations alongside humans for your goal, there are many things you don’t see, which
and offers them the opportunity to learn a great deal are directly in front of your eyes.”
about humanity than more distant observation could Any of the many interpretations of the Korean forma-
ever reveal. tive story, The Legend of Tangun, offer insight into the
alternative myth of animals aspiring to become human.
Inspirations On a larger scale, these stories can be seen as metaphors
So many works of fiction play on the theme of “discovery for the entire Pilgrimage — creatures see attaining hu-
of the unknown” that it would be impossible to narrow manity as the ultimate goal, but who may or may not be
them down for inclusion here. To an extent, all tales that capable of achieving it themselves.
focus on time travel, encounters with alien cultures or Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid (far
dimensional shifts play into the trope of “things are not different in moral than the sappy Disney version) speaks
as we know them.” Any of the classic legends of humans of the sacrifice required to attempt to attain humanity,
being pulled into realms of the dead or the supernatural as well as the reality that not all who seek this goal will
play out these themes, as do the modern retellings thereof. attain it, no matter how great their desire.
While these topics are certainly prevalent in Promethean, Mervyn Peake, Titus Alone: The last and most halluci-
they are strengthened by the information contained in natory of Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy, constructed from
Magnum Opus. In blending new and unique possibilities the notes of a dying man, it relates in its odd, pained
with the established game setting, characters are made to manner the life journey of a man who cannot fit in.
realize that even their own reality — Prometheans, their Grant Morrison and Jon J. Muth, The Mystery Play:
origins, and the rules that govern them — is an elusive and Telling you why this graphic novel is quintessentially
transitory one, full of contradictions and things, people and Promethean would spoil the ending. Just read it.
possibilities that they have yet to understand. Jorge Luis Borges, The Book of Imaginary Beings: The
Along with the media inspirations offered in the previous one-stop shop for all your Athanor needs. A fun read,
Promethean source material, the following works are sug- too.
gested as inspiration for Promethean: The Created. Enki Bilal, The Dormant Beast and December 32nd:
These European graphic novels, the first two parts of a
Literature yet-to-be-finished series (the third part, Rendez-vous in
“The Outsider,” by H.P. Lovecraft embodies the mood Paris, has yet to be translated into English) are apparently
of Promethean as well as the themes of self-loathing and science fiction. Actually, they’re a dreamlike allegory of
alienation that can be found within the game. the effects of the war in the former Yugoslavia. Horrific
James Clavell’s Shogun, while based in history rather scenes and sustained meditation on memory, tragedy
than fantasy, thrusts the main character into a world for and what it means to be truly human make them perfect
which he has little to no context, and where he must inspirational material.
quickly learn to adapt or die. The theme is one many American Indian Myths and Legends, selected and edited
of the Created may find familiar, although without by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz. This excellent
Disquiet, the foreign culture is much more forgiving collection of legends from many different Native tribes
of the Blackthorne’s mistakes than humanity is of Pro- includes the Blood Clot story that is retold (with a Pro-
metheans’. methean twist) in Chapter Four of this book.
Terminal Café by Ian McDonald plays on Promethean
themes in several layers. The devaluation and destruc- Movies
tion of characters who are hunted for no fault of their The cost of transformation and the responsibility of “creat-
own, the trials and tribulations of beings who are less ing” a new being are themes that the musical play, My Fair
than human and yearning to attain humanity, and the Lady (1964), addresses, albeit in a lighthearted manner. Even
relationship between life, death and rebirth are all ex- more so than the play, Pygmalion, that inspired it, My Fair
plored in a gritty and entertaining fashion. Lady leads viewers through the frustration of seeking a goal

14
 INSPIRATIONS

of self-betterment and the corresponding doubt of original Finally, May (2002), by contrast, isn’t subtle in the slight-
worth that accompanies it. est. It’s a brutal, violent look at a woman who just wants a
Directed by Akira Kurosawa, Rashômon (1950) investi- friend. If you thought the Galateids were just pretty, harmless
gates a rape and murder where each of the four witnesses social butterflies, rent this movie and see the truth. Not for
(including the murdered man’s spirit) report the same scene the faint of heart, however.
completely differently. Rashômon delves deeply into themes
of life and death, love and hate, as well as the transitory Music
nature of truth. A variation on the Little Mermaid trope, Rusalka is a
Dirty Pretty Things (2002) is a film about immigrants in poignant turn-of-the-century opera by Antonin Dvorak.
London. It’s noir and has a wonderfully subtle menace. The As with Anderson’s Mermaid, the titular character’s sac-
film isn’t about the supernatural, rather, it’s about “the people rifice does not earn her desired end, instead the opera
you do not see,” as the protagonist puts it. It has some great concludes with her permanent transformation into a
material for Disquiet and the alienation that all Prometheans demon of death.
feel, if you look for it.

15
 CHAPTER ONE
WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

CHAP-
Three Months Ago
I find a letter from Dr. Brine waiting for me in my post office box. I don’t realize how much I miss him

TER ONE:
until I read his neatly typed letter. He ignores much of what I’ve written, for he has no time for pain and
sorrow. He focuses instead on Charles, and why he was able to love me.

PATCHWORK
“Did you never consider the significance of this?” he writes. Oh, Dr. Brine, I did, but not the way you
mean. You and Charles would have loved each other. Charles made me perform experiments, too. He helped

FAMILIES
me refine my control of Pyros without realizing it, because after the 100th time in a day scrutinizing a book in
an unfamiliar language and finding its meaning or examining a rock and knowing its composition, I become quite
proficient in such things. But I never experimented with Charles, never tried to deliberately instill Disquiet
in him. I’m sure Dr. Brine would have tried that, but I kept thinking of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Some Ulgan call themselves Orpheans, and while I do not, I have always loved the story. The story is
about faith, in many ways — Orpheus could not keep his faith, looked back and lost his love forever. I was
determined that I would accept Charles for what he was, and not test him. But now that he is gone, I wonder
— what was he, exactly?
Was he a Redeemed Promethean? Was he kin to the wolf-changers, and so touched by spirits that he saw noth-
ing strange in me? Was he enlightened, his mind opened in ways that most humans are not? I have always said
that humans don’t have bans as spirits do, but perhaps that isn’t true. Perhaps most humans have bans, but men
such as Charles have been able to shed them.
Dr. Brine theorizes all manner of things. That Charles was the son of a Promethean, what Brine calls
a Scion. That Charles was the descendant of a demiurge. That Charles’ mother was impregnated not by his
father’s seed, but by a qashmal’s will.
But in his last paragraph to me, Dr. Brine suggests that Charles was just a man, a man strong-willed
enough to love without judgment. And in that statement, I find hope for the doctor yet.

-as told to me by Zo Malak

E:
RK
S
 T
In these matters,
here is no Library of Alexandria for the Created. Their knowledge is etched in fire
the only certainty on stone, one sigil at a time, or shared around Ramble fires by word of mouth. Each
meeting, each new tale holds the potential for greatly increasing a Promethean’s
is that nothing is
knowledge of the possibilities that exist for himself and others like him. Unless he has the
certain. benefit of a helpful (and honest) creator who is, herself, experienced and informed, he may
never learn more about the Created in general than what his own experiences teach him.
— Pliny the Elder Looking down at his mismatched limbs, it becomes quickly obvious to a Frankenstein that
he is unlike the humans he sees around him. But until he meets one, how could he ever
extrapolate that there are others of his kind who are as perfectly formed as the Galatea? Or
that the cold-blooded Osirans exist, when all he has encountered is his own hot-tempered
kin? Having met these two, would it be any more surprising for the Wretched than to
encounter a being with Azothic Radiance, and to discover she was made of stone, rather
than flesh? Or that, rather than aspiring for humanity, the wooden Promethean the Fran-
kenstein meets desires nothing more than to fully become the cedar tree the Promethean
was originally carved from? It is no great leap for an inexperienced Promethean to believe
that a newly met Golem can heal by being exposed to fire, blood or sunlight, once the
Wretched has learned that he himself can do the same through electricity. The world is full
of strange creatures, and being one of the strange only makes it more feasible that any other
possibility can be true. Each new individual a Promethean meets is more than a potential
companion (or enemy), he or she is a new doorway to the world of possibilities that exists
just outside the character’s experiences.
In human society, beliefs often contradict each other. Even within the same culture and
time period, myths, legends, folklore and religion all can offer forth very different views
on any given topic. Promethean tales vary just as widely, but have not had the benefit of
numbers to wear away at the rough edges of each tale and polish it down to its base “truth.”
Each story may very well be being told by the individual who experienced it or someone
who knew him directly. As such, while a piece of human folklore may have been scrutinized
by hundreds or thousands of individuals for the “ring of truth” before the tale reaches an
audience’s ears, the tales told around a Ramble fire are virtually unscathed. As outlandish
as they may be, chances are that they are either truth or an intentional fiction; there are
simply not enough tellings to build them into the epic evolving legends that humanity
often crafts.

Not of Woman Born —

Constructs
Deep within each of the Created is a spark of Divine Fire that drives the Created along
the Pilgrimage toward their ultimate goal: Humanity. Attain, not regain, for a Promethean
was never human. For all that his physical form was crafted from dead human flesh, it no
more makes him a human than a suit of clothing is a cotton plant or a turkey dinner is an
egg. The material from which the thing is created is not the thing.
The mistake is easily made, by human and Promethean alike. When crafting something
with human form, the natural place to begin is with something already in that form. Thus
human flesh is most often used when creating the Created.
This, however, is a convenience, not a requirement.

Red Clay, Black Clay

According to some legends, Raba Ben Joseph Ben Hama was among the first to learn
this truth. Jewish folklore tells how, from his studies among the ancient tomes including
the Hilkot Yetzirah, he was given the foundation for the alchemical processes required to
create a living being from clay: the first Golem. Although later generations would credit
Raba with other goals, the truth of the matter is that his motive was simple. He, just as
many other humans before and after him, wanted to play God.
 NOT OF WOMAN BORN-CONSTRUCTS | RED CLAY, BLACK CLAY

Raba was renowned for his creative interpretations of than judgment fell upon him, striking him dumb so that he
texts that were, even in the third century, already considered might never speak such blasphemy again. God withdrew
ancient. He had, by virtue of the information found within, his blessing of humanity from his first creation, and cursed
and his own Qabbalistic experiments, extended his lifetime him to wander the Earth a soulless being of earthen clay.
greatly, seeming a young man despite passing a century in By the time Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s laws, the
age. But a near-eternal life and nigh-divine power was not Golem had borne the brunt of his curse for centuries, and
sufficient to satisfy him. Following in the footsteps of lore perhaps this is why they were only banished from the garden
that claimed that Adam, the first man, was kneaded out of rather than having their humanity ripped from them. God
red clay, Raba set out to create life. He wove together what was merciful with them, as parents often are with younger
would become the first Tammuz generative ceremony, shap- children, and could not bear to see them wander the Earth
ing cold, black clay from the banks of a holy river into the in torment as his first creation did.
likeness of what he hoped would be the first of an entirely It is this curse, those who believe the tale claim, that
new race of humans who would worship him as their god. causes Disquiet. All human beings know that the Golem
His experiment was successful, to some extent. When he no longer bears God’s favor, and they keep their distance
carved the sacred sigils into the clay construct’s forehead, from their elder “sibling” and all his kin, for fear of sharing
the creature stirred to life. It was not, however, human life. his fate.
It was the first Tammuz.
Raba named his creation “Golem,” meaning a lump or Stone Secrets
clod of soil. (The term would later come to mean “idiot” or Of course, not all Promethean are constructed from clay,
“mindless oaf,” in no small part due to Raba’s disenchant- not even all Tammuz. Most tales relate that Golem’s own
ment with his creation.) Although Golem sought nothing creation was formed from a human body after multiple at-
more than to serve his creator, Golem was not the creation tempts to create a clay progeny in his own image brought
his master intended, and Raba’s disappointment bred first forth only Ishtari Sublimati. Driven mad with failure, he
distaste and then hatred of his clay-slave. Adding to his sought solace in the familiar, approaching a rabbi in silent
frustration was the fact that although he tried again and supplication. The holy man rejected him, denouncing his
again over the remainder of his extended lifespan, Raba was existence as a blasphemy, and began calling for the village
never able to recreate the experiment with even his original watchmen. Golem sought to silence the rabbi’s shouts and
success. He took his torment out upon his creation, who succeeded all too well. He escaped with the village guards
spent years suffering under levels of servitude and oppression on his heels and the suffocated clergyman over his shoulder.
that only the most creative and well read of masters could Later, his Azoth still tainted with Torment, Golem would
have invented. Earth is strong, and the first Tammuz was attempt the generative act a final time, and with the awaken-
earth embodied. His patience equaled his stamina, both ing of his child, Raben, the Tammuz line truly began. Golem
enduring far beyond human capacity. But all things have taught his creation all he knew, save for the shame of hav-
their breaking points, and eventually Raba crossed even the ing spawned so many failures before his success. He taught
Golem’s threshold to accept abuse. Raben where the form he was made of had come from, as
Raba’s blood stained Golem’s hands scarlet, a mark of a lesson not to allow one’s Torment to overcome him, and
guilt that no river could wash clean. For the crime of kill- many years later after Golem’s death, when Raben felt the
ing his “father,” the Tammuz was cursed. As a punishment need to create progeny, he chose the body from a slave girl
for Raba’s murder, he was rejected by the very earth from who had been worked to death by cruel masters.
which he was created, and every creature that walked upon Over the centuries, others of the Tammuz have been formed
it. This, according to legend, was the first Disquiet, and the as their Progenitor was, directly from the clay of the earth.
place where the Golem walked died beneath his clay feet, Most of the Lineage, however, do not even know that such a
becoming the first Wasteland. thing is possible. Some of those who hold the knowledge do
Other versions of the tale still lay claim to the first not share it because they believe that it is impossible for one
Disquiet, Torment and Wasteland, but trace the Golem’s of the clay-created Tammuz to achieve their Great Work;
lineage much further back. These stories claim that the they are supposedly destined to die unRedeemed. Others hold
Golem demiurge was not a man at all, but God himself, it secret because they believe that the chances of creating
who created the Promethean from the soil of the earth long a Pandoran are significantly higher when using an earthen
before Adam was made. Although formed of clay, this first form rather than a flesh one. Regardless of the reason, it is
being was fully human in every fashion, even possessing rarely discussed. When the topic arises, some actively decry
a soul. He was, however, as vulnerable to the pressures of the possibility of Golems being created directly from the
his Creator as all later Promethean would be and rebelled earth, even if they know it to be true. Others simply retain
against his proscribed servitude to the Almighty, denying the stone-faced silence their kind is known for, and hope
God as his Creator. No sooner had the words left his mouth for the subject to pass.

19
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

The Marble Maiden But, at the heart of most stories lies a kernel of truth,
and it is, of course, possible that the Galatea myth is no
Tammuz are not the only Prometheans whose Progenitor was different.
first crafted from the earth. Although many of the Galateid claim
the dominant myths related to their origins are but human misin-
terpretations of the reality, others know the truth. The legendary
Branches of Stone,
king of Cyprus, Pygmalion, unable to find a bride worthy of him, Branches of Steel
dedicated years of work to sculpting a woman from stone. This Each Lineage has tales, some more obscure than others,
beautiful statue was brought to life, and for a time Pygmalion of their Progenitor’s true beginnings. And in each, the first
may have been the happiest man on Earth. of their line was crafted, at least in part, from non-human
Some legends say it was Aphrodite’s intervention that materials. Some of the legends have stood the test of time;
stirred Galatea to life. Others, that Pygmalion invested so others have faded into oblivion, or been corrupted into a
much of himself that he literally shared his life force with her, wholly different form. Regardless, the truth remains, for
or that he somehow found, in the frenzy of his innovative those willing to seek it.
labor, the secret connection between the creation of art and The Osirans began when a holy statue of their god was
the creation of life. Some claim it was a gift from the gods, desecrated and carried to the four corners of the Earth by the
a wish granted or a reward for his change of heart. Others, enemies of his people to break their morale. Their queen,
knowing the end of the story, name it a curse. the embodiment of Isis personified, sent her 12 finest soldiers
Pygmalion’s creation was a beautiful creature, the epitome of in every direction and the statue was recovered, save for the
womanhood. Other men noticed her, casting covetous glances 13th piece. The enemy general himself kept the statue-god’s
her direction. Pygmalion grew jealous, locking her away from manhood hostage as insurance should the other pieces be
all other eyes in a sumptuous chamber to which only he held recovered. He attempted to use the final piece as a bargain-
the key. At first she was content to be held thus, a pampered ing method, offering to wed the Egyptian queen and unite
concubine and priceless pet. But, as time passed, Pygmalion grew their lands. The queen gave him her answer in the form of
tyrannical, expecting perfection from her words and deeds as great her suicide while lying atop the rejoined statue of Osiris.
as that of her appearance. Pygmalion’s visits grew less frequent Her sacrifice drew the attention of the Divine Fire and cre-
and more violent with every passing month, and those who ated the first Osiran, who rose up and smote the offending
passed by the hallway outside her prison chambers more often general, securing his people’s freedom.
heard her tears than her song. But even sorrow has its limits. At Protection of an entire group of people was also the duty
length her supplications turned to protests and her sadness to of the Ulgan Progenitor. At the center of the territory of the
wrath. One morning, the king’s servants found their master dead Massagetae people was a great birch tree called World Tree,
in Galatea’s chambers with bands of bruising around his throat. which the tribe held to be the center of the earth. When the
The king’s creation was nowhere to be found. Roman army invaded the Massagetae’s lands and scattered
the tribe, three of the tribe’s most powerful shamans made
The Bones of the Tale a stand at the World Tree, to protect it from the invading
Just as any legend, the tale of Galatea and Pygmalion has Romans. The army slaughtered the spirit-workers, and then
undergone countless retellings over the centuries. In some, cut down the tree, but not before the shamans’ life-blood
Pygmalion is a king, in others, only a lonely artist. Some soaked into the tree’s roots. That night, a huge storm struck
place the tale in Cyprus, some Rome and one legend on the area, blowing away the invading army’s square-walled
the island of Atlantis before its destruction. Some stories tents while leaving behind the displaced tribes’ round ones.
speak of the sculptor summoning forth his creation from The remaining tribesmen recovered the wood from the fallen
stone, others from ivory or even wax. But the one factor World Tree and crafted it into a wooden effigy combining
that all variations of the human myth of Galatea share is aspects of all three of the fallen spirit-workers. During the
that she was carved or crafted out of something inanimate, next storm, the wooden shaman was struck by lightning,
the product of an artist, not a grave-robber. splintering it into many pieces. The tribe was despondent,
If asked, most Mannequins shrug the issue aside as simple believing this to be a sign of the spirits’ displeasure with
fallacies in human storytelling. After all, what craftsman their action. When the Roman army returned, however,
would admit to dabbling in resurrections of human flesh the wood splinters rose up of their own volition and took
when he could avoid being labeled a monster by claiming the shape of the three-faced shaman once more, and drove
his creations were crafted instead of inert (and much less the invaders away.
controversial) substances? How much more glorious (and less The story of the Wretched Progenitor, being the most
grisly) to claim to have brought a work of art to life through modern of the five Lineages, might seem less likely to be
one’s remarkable talent with a chisel than to have to admit altered from its original form. Shelley’s recounting of the
to the corpse’s former family members that one somehow tale emphasizes the mad doctor’s raiding of graveyards and
raised their daughter or sister from the dead? charnel houses for the raw materials of his experiments.

20
 BRANCHES OF STONE, BRANCHES OF STEEL | IGNITING THE SPARK

Surely Frankenstein’s monster, if no other Promethean, was are high-quality conductors. Distilled water, purified of
solely created of formerly human bodies? salts and minerals, is non-conductive, but tap water, laced
And yet, Shelley was a creature of her own time. Victo- with electrolytes, conducts electricity. Human flesh, being
rian society was obsessed with crimes of bodysnatching and predominantly saltwater laced with minerals, conducts elec-
gory corpse-butchering. While her words on the topic are tricity remarkably well; human muscles, nerves and organs
ambiguous enough to leave room for many possibilities, it rely on the constant low-level flow of electricity between
must be remembered that she was describing the generative cells in order to remain functioning. And for a Promethean
act at least second-hand and from within the framework of created of flesh, this conductivity simplifies the process of
her own culture. Whether the tale was whispered to her by using electricity to glean Pyros. Many Prometheans believe
the doctor or the monster himself, or from more distance that the human body’s ability to conduct electricity and
sources, it is obvious that she intended it to be not a teaching Pyros gives human flesh a singular ability to act as the base
tale but a warning against further experimentation. There for creating a Promethean. As Prometheans come into
were few metaphors available to her more heinous than being with an innate drive to attain Mortality, beginning
that of corpse-crafting, and so it was this with which she with a once-human corpse seems logical, and few question
painted the crime. this premise.
Pyros, however, although often conducted through
Igniting the Spark electricity, is not governed by the same natural laws as
As any Promethean who has used lightning or household electricity. While the human body, with its innate connec-
current to recharge herself can confirm, Pyros is frequently tion to the Divine, may serve as the best conduit for the
conducted via electricity. Some substances are more conduc- Divine Fire, human flesh is not the only capable substance.
tive of electricity than others. Run a current through wood, Any substance, even if it does not conduct electricity, can
for example, and far less electricity will be passed through be capable of conducting Pyros, especially when prepared
it than through a similar amount of metal, most of which with the proper alchemical processes.

21
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

At the Storyteller’s discretion, certain aspects of Pro-

methean existence may work differently on Constructs
— Prometheans who have been crafted of stone or wood or The Strength of My Father:
clay or metal — than they do on corpse-based Prometheans.
These changes are optional, and can be incorporated wholly Constructs and Residual Memory
or in part as suits the individual chronicle. Constructs may retain memories of their pre-Pro-
Many aspects of Constructs are likely to work identically methean “lives,” but these memories are even more
to traditionally created Prometheans. Just as other Cre- disjointed than those of human-based Created. A
ated, Constructs pursue milestones, follow (and change) Construct who takes the Residual Memory merit (see
Refinements as other Promethean do and can learn most pp. 97–98 of Promethean: The Created) gains only one
of the same Transmutations. They suffer Torment as oth- memory die for every point of the Merit taken. Rather
ers of their Lineage. When Constructs remain in an area than being used for Skills, these dice are used to add
too long, they trigger Disquiet and Wastelands just as any to a Physical Attribute roll once per game session, to
other Promethean. They can be Redeemed and must create represent the Created being able to temporarily tap
progeny, either another Construct or a traditional member into the Strength, Dexterity or Stamina of their former
existence. Unfortunately for the Construct, the experi-
of their Lineage, before they can do so.
ence of channeling a previous incarnation is even
Constructs are not, however, susceptible to some of
more jarring than for other Promethean. Remembering
the problems that haunt their more traditionally created
an existence as a chunk of metal, tree or slab of stone
brethren. As most are carved, shaped or crafted out of a is disturbing on a deep and fundamental level. Players
solid substance, they have no need to eat or to breathe. with Construct characters choose a mild derangement
Rather than food and oxygen, their existence relies solely upon purchasing the Residual Memory Merit. On the
upon their own Azoth and Pyros. This gives them the turn following any use of the memory dice (rather
ability to attain a hibernation-like state for an extended than only after spending all of them), the player rolls
period, slowly consuming their own store of Divine Fire to the Promethean’s Humanity. If he succeeds, there is
remain “alive.” Constructs do not suffer from penalties for no effect. If he fails, the derangement becomes active
not eating, and they can’t smother, asphyxiate or drown. for the scene.
They are, therefore, not susceptible to Torment stemming
from hunger. Their Azothic fires burner hotter than most
Prometheans’, however, and therefore Constructs do not
gain a point of Pyros every day at dawn (rather, they do,
but expend this point during the course of the day to keep
Feet of Clay
Incorporating the possibility of Constructs enhances
themselves animate).
several existing themes within the game. Whether the
Because Constructs have no organs, their humours are gen-
Storyteller decides to include them as a true viable variant
erated directly by the same Azoth that fuels their existence,
on the generative act or as an unrepeatable freak happen-
and they are not susceptible to the problem of rebellious
ing, the possibility of non-corpse Created is one that may
organs as other Prometheans. This, however, causes more
amplify a variety of perspectives to the chronicle.
problems for the Construct than it solves. Lacking internal
organs, Constructs bear their Vitriol throughout their bodies, You Cannot Regain
making them exceptionally vulnerable to predation by hun-
gry Pandorans (or unscrupulous Prometheans). Pandorans
What You Have Never Had
Some players have difficulty with the primary theme of
can automatically sense exactly how much Vitriol is within
Promethean: attaining Humanity as a driving goal. Unlike
a Construct, and do not need to spend Pyros to “lure” a
vampire, mage and werewolf characters, the Created do not
Construct’s Vitriol to the surface before attempting to attack
begin as human and then gain supernatural powers. Although
and consume it (see p. 225 of Promethean: The Created).
the creation mechanics begin by creating a human being
Likewise, the lack of internal organs makes it impossible for
and adding supernatural, the in-character premise is quite
a Construct to use Transmutations that rely upon (or grant)
different. Prometheans have not “gone beyond” humanity
organs. These include (but are not limited to):
— they never had it. By striving to attain their Mortality,
Metamorphosis: Redundant Organ (Duplicating internal
they are not giving up being super-human. They are tran-
organs is impossible. Extra eyes, ears, mouths and tongues
sitioning from less-than-human to human.
are possible.)
It may be difficult for a player to avoid thinking of his
Pandoran: Hundred Hands (Limitations are the same
character as super-human if every Promethean character he
as for Redundant Organ, but arms, legs and tentacles are
has created or encountered was made from a human corpse.
also allowed.)
Especially for players who are familiar with Vampire: The
Requiem, the idea of Prometheans as former humans is a

22
 FEET OF CLAY|GAME MECHANICS

difficult one to avoid. An encounter with a statue-turned- joints with industrial grade hinges. Skin, especially, might
Aphrodite or a wood-carving-made-Riven may cement the be replaced with other substances. Leather, metal or high
concept that regardless of where their bodies came from, density polymers might protect the creator’s investment of
no Promethean is ever truly human before her Magnum time and energy far better than vulnerable human flesh would.
Opus. Storytellers are encouraged to implement whichever changes
to game mechanics make the most sense for part-human,
There Are More Things, part-not Prometheans. A lesser version of both benefits and
Horatio . . . drawbacks might be very appropriate to reflect their partial
Fear of the unknown is one of the great human truths. In a deviation from the human corpse creation theme.
roleplaying game in which players often have as much access Galateids, on the other hand, are among the most likely
to the rule books as their Storytellers, preventing players to embrace Construct creation. Many legends credit their
(and consequently their characters) from becoming jaded demiurge as having used it to create the first of their kind,
can be difficult. One of the basic themes of Promethean: and it circumvents the trials and tribulations associated with
The Created is “Wonder.” For creatures who have never attempting to obtain a perfect human corpse upon which
had the experience of being human, the world is a wondrous to perform the generative act. Eschewing the use of human
place; inequitable, hate-filled and often deadly, but always flesh, however, does create as many problems as it solves.
wondrous. One way of maintaining that sense of awe is Creating (or finding an artist to create) an appropriately
to ensure that the players sometimes encounter creatures, detailed and unflawed sculpture, mannequin or statue may
people and situations that challenge their grasp of “how prove to be even more difficult than obtaining a perfect
things work.” When a player is shaken out of his jaded corpse would have been. It may suit the Galateid’s nature
perspective, he enhances his ability to put himself into his better to commission or create an exquisite work of art
character’s inexperienced viewpoint and find, in the familiar, for this purpose, but many more individuals exist who are
a new sense of wonder. capable of creating an unmarred corpse than those capable
of creating a flawless work of art. In this case, the majority
If He Can Do It, So Can I often wins over the morality.
Another primary premise in Promethean is that of opti- Tammuz are associated as strongly with the Construct
mism. While it is a very human trait to experience self-doubt mythos as Galatea, although enough rumors of curses and
and to contemplate the possibility of truly being unworthy punishments by God exist that they are less likely to use
or incapable of claiming Redemption, locked away in the it than the Dolls. Myths of stone-slaves, after all, are less
bottom of Pandora’s box is always the tiny glimmer of hope, conducive to propagating the practice than legends of works
which is a far stronger force than many credit it to be. of art brought to life by the power of love.
Seeing someone achieve a goal that seemed impossible for While this practice is not unheard of in the Osiran and
them to attain inspires us to continue to strive toward our Ulgan Lineages, neither does it have the extensive mythic
own goals. A Promethean whose faith in the Pilgrimage is background of the Galateid and Golems. Storytellers should
waning may find renewed strength in encountering someone feel free to create their own Egyptian or northeastern Eu-
for whom, at first glance, Redemption seems impossible. ropean folklore to supplement existing tales if they desire
While the fairytale of Pinocchio’s seemingly unattainable this alternative generative form to play a major role in their
desire to become “a real boy” may not strike this message chronicles.
home to a despondent Promethean, watching an allied Ulgan
who was once birch-wood undergo the transformation into Sticks and Stones
human flesh and blood can give the Created hope, if not Cosmetic differences may be the first clue that those who
proof, that such a goal is within their reach as well. encounter a Construct have to their unusual nature. Other
Prometheans likely notice right away that the Frankenstein
Game Mechanics they encounter has been crafted of mismatched steel rather
The possibility of bringing a Promethean into being by than patchwork flesh, or that their new Ulgan acquaintance
using something other than dead human flesh as a base af- is fashioned of splintered wood rather than a sundered corpse.
fects some Lineages more severely than others. Constructs of the Galateid or Tammuz Lineages are more
The Wretched are the least likely to use this method of difficult to pinpoint in this manner, as the disfigurements for
creation, and thus least affected by it. The use of human flesh traditional Created of both Lineages gives them a non-flesh
is more closely tied to their Lineage than to any other, and appearance. Thus, Constructs of these Lineages may more
a Frankenstein rarely deviates from it entirely. One might, easily pass as “normal” members than in other Lineages, at
however, if dissatisfied with the strength or durability of his least if they are crafted of their Lineage’s favored material.
available selection of corpses, supplement them with other A wrought-iron Muse, however, would definitely stand out
materials. Bones might be strengthened with stone or metal, as unique. All in all, however, Constructs’ disfigurements are

23
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

similar to those of other versions of their Lineage. Tammuz are Disquiet works the same way for Constructs as for flesh-
clay-covered, even if they are not constructed wholly of mud. crafted Prometheans, save that it tends to accrue more
A Wretched Construct still has a mishmashed appearance, quickly. A Construct’s Azoth is considered two dots higher
whether his joined parts are metal, wood, leather or cloth. for the purpose of inflicting Disquiet only.
Ulgan are sundered, and Osirans are missing a body part,
whether they are traditional or Constructs. And Galateid What Are the Odds?
Constructs, of course, are inhumanly perfect in form, whether Should Storytellers allow Prometheans to create progeny
they are crafted from stone, steel, wood or flesh. from substances other than human corpses, Storytellers may
The nature of a Construct, however, is more than skin choose to include the following modifications to the roll
deep. While a traditionally created Galateid may appear to to see if the generative act was successful. The proposed
be made of marble, an Adonis Construct truly is. This mate- adjustments are in addition to those offered on p. 186 of
rial difference may, at the Storyteller’s discretion, offer the Promethean: The Created.
Construct some advantages over traditional Promethean,
but each carries its own drawback as well. Modifier Condition
Constructs who are created of stone or metal, by virtue of –4 Generative material is anything but a human
the hardness of their base material, gain two points of armor. corpse.
This protection cannot be ignored with armor-piercing –3 Generative material is formed by individual
ammunition. The price of this added durability, however, without Crafts Skill.
is weight. Due to their increased heaviness, stone or metal- –2 The creator is a Construct.
based Constructs’ Speed is reduced by 2. +1 Predominant generative material is favored
Constructs created from wood or other flammable sub- by Lineage (see sidebar).
stances (wax, plastic, paper) are especially vulnerable to
flame, taking twice the aggravated damage that the fire would
have inflicted on a normal Promethean. Bashing damage,
however, is halved (rounded up) due to the resilient quali- Favored Materials
ties of these substances. Each of the Promethean Lineages has a sub-
Constructs crafted from other substances can be given similar stance or substances that the Prometheans most
bonuses and drawbacks to reflect the unique nature of their closely favor. Using a favored material reduces the
base material, as the Storyteller sees fit. Using very conductive likelihood of the generative act failing.
versus non-conductive substances may affect the transmission of Frankensteins – Copper
electricity for healing (or even of Pyros, should the Storyteller
see fit to rule it so). Using certain materials may even leech Galateids – Marble
over into the Disquiet, Torment or Wasteland mechanics of
Osirans – Limestone
the game. A wooden Construct might cause increased levels
of blight around himself, while one of cement might cause Tammuz – Clay
roadways and housing foundations to fail wherever she walks.
Similarly, a Construct crafted from a precious material (gold, Ulgan – Birch
titanium, jade or even antique ivory) might taint those who Storytellers should feel free to adapt these
are affected by her Disquiet with maniacal levels of greed or materials as they see fit. What is important is
miserliness, while she herself exhibits foolish levels of charity that the material used has a serious and credible
while under the throes of Torment, giving away everything she link to the Lineage. A Galateid who painstakingly
(and her throng) owns. crafts his would-be progeny from hand-selected
mammoth ivory or the finest mahogany may, at
Disquiet and Disfigurements the Storyteller’s discretion, have a legitimate claim
The Divine Fire can hide the disfigurements of a Pro- upon these materials being favored by the Lin-
methean made from flesh, but making an iron Promethean eage, as might one of the Wretched who collects
look human is beyond the power of the Azoth. While vast quantities of scrapped silver (the most con-
certain Transmutations (Color of Man, for instance) can ductive of metals) from which to mold his creation.
fool human onlookers, a Construct must take great care to
avoid letting humanity see him too closely. Makeup, heavy
clothing and even masks can be employed to hide the Con-
structs’ nature, but in general, non-flesh Prometheans have Becoming a Real Boy
a much more difficult time interacting with humanity than One of the aspects a Storyteller must decide upon when
the “standard” Created. incorporating Constructs into a Promethean game is at

24
 BECOMING A REAL BOY|TURA EVENKIA

what point the Created begins to physically take on human

attributes. Several options are possible, and the Storyteller
should feel free to incorporate only one or several of them
as best suits his chronicle.
Having Constructs take on a flesh form rather than that of
their originating material is an option, but likely one of the
least satisfying. It not only reduces the impact of incorporat-
ing Constructs into the game but also may counteract the
significance of the transition from non-human to human
that including them can create.
The transition theme can be emphasized, on the other
hand, by using a gradual transformation from non-flesh to
flesh as the Created Construct progresses along his Pilgrim-
age. Small changes, such as those described in the chapter
on short-term games (see p. 109) can be incorporated to
reinforce the character’s gradual attainment of milestones
and his coming ever-nearer to Redemption. Care must be
taken, however, for the process not to take on too great of a
“steering” effect. Characters must be allowed to contemplate
the significance of their actions and using the transition as
too much of a thermometer can remove some of the soul-
searching that the Pilgrimage should include. Tura’s first act was one she will always regret. Driven mad
The final option is for Construct characters to retain a with the pain of her creation, she struck out at the near-
wholly or predominantly non-flesh form until their Mag- est target: her creator. She would never know if it was her
num Opus. Storytellers may find this to be the preferable awakening or her first blows that surprised him the most. Her
method, as it creates the greatest dramatic effect in terms hardwood fists pummeled him to the ground, then sprouted
of the transformation. Others may prefer a slow transfor- sharp thorn-claws that tore his flesh from bone. By the time
mation as offering them the opportunity to play out the she’d calmed, all that remained of her creator were scattered
drama of the change over multiple sessions rather than at bits of crimson meat and ivory bone.
one climactic finale. Since that day she has wandered the world, seeking out
others of her kind. Thus far, none of the Created she has
Tura Evenkia encountered shares her strange condition, and many do not
Quote: All things will be revealed in time. I am patient. believe she is truly constructed of wood, rather than flesh,
Background: In the forest, not a tree exists that does not despite her obvious disfigurements. She still hopes, however,
shudder at the sound of the saw. The scream of blade against to find others like her and perhaps find the answer to the
still-living wood spreads through the taiga, sound traveling as question that has plagued her for years: is it possible for a
fast as the wind through the branches. Larch roots are shallow Construct to become Redeemed?
but broad. They spread out like grasping fingers from the base of Description: Instead of flesh, Tura’s body appears to have
each tree, reaching for their neighbors, interlocking the entire been roughly carved from wood. Her features are little more
forest into a connected community. These trees are, as much as than rough gashes in the wood, chiseled there long before
any plant can be, empathetic to each other’s condition. When her creator shared his ectoplasmic humour with her. Her
one is struck by disease, fire or lightning, the rest feel it, and hair is formed of strips of bark, roughly woven into a fall of
slowly recoil their roots from the stricken one’s, as if its pain is brown. Similar to all Ulgans, her form has been torn asunder
transmitted, driving the others away. The separation from others, and still bears gaping wounds from her generative process.
the pulling away, just as the humans pull away from her now. But rather than ravaged flesh, Tura’s injuries are those of
The patterns are repeated, over and over, and Tura watches as splintered wood. Rough-hewn edges catch and grind against
she has for years. each other with every movement, spanning the uneven gaps
Others think her crazy for saying so, but Tura knows the that still mark her wooden frame.
truth. Trees feel pain. She believes it. She knows it. She In clothing, as in every other aspect of her life, she favors
remembers it firsthand: the bite of the saw, the stab of the simplicity: sturdy boots, loose trousers and shirts, bulky coats and
drill, the slice of the plane. None, however, could equal the a stocking cap pulled down around her ears. She travels light,
pain that came afterwards. The splintering of her body was shunning most conveniences of the modern traveler. Her prized
nothing compared to the rending of her soul as the howling possession is a fist-sized snuff bottle carved from a single piece of
spirits tore her, limb from limb. carnelian. The bottle formerly belonged to her creator, and she

25
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

Serendipitous
shows it at each Ramble she enters into, hoping to find someone
who can tell her about her unfortunate creator.

Creation —
Storytelling Hints: From seeing similar objects in
spiritually significant places in northern Siberia, Tura as-
sumes that she was originally a life-sized piece of religious
art, somehow brought to life. She is correct. Her creator
discovered the statue from which she was made as he
The Extempore
It is a vanity to believe that we are all created for a
camped along the Yenisey River. This was not the first reason. It gives our existence meaning and value and our
time he’d encountered such idols left as offerings to the lives purpose, even if we do nothing with that potential.
local spirits, but for whatever reason, he was struck with For Prometheans this is no vanity. One of the first facts a
a thought, Could an already spiritually dedicated form like Created learns is often the identity of his creator, and one of
this one be quickened with the Divine Fire? Unfortunately, the first questions a Created asks is why he was made. Many
while his experiment was successful, it was also fatal, and are fortunate enough to receive an answer immediately.
Tura never had the benefit of his insights. This knowledge gives the Created a surety of purpose that
Tura does not so much walk her path as lumber along it at first glance might seem enviable to humans, who may
like a bear, with little grace but a great deal of strength. spend their entire existences seeking an answer to the same
She is slow to speak or act, but once she is started on a question. This comprehension, however, is balanced by the
course, almost nothing will dissuade her until she has bitter pill that is often the answer — that their “purpose”
accomplished her goal. She accepts the Disquiet-spawned is only to serve as a stepping stone toward their creator’s
rejection of humanity with quiet forbearance, and seems Magnum Opus.
vaguely surprised when other Prometheans do not treat When the knowledge that their “birth” is an act of directed
her in the same fashion. She has, at heart, accepted the will is removed, however, Prometheans are denied both the
fact that she is an aberration, and possibly the only one answer and the bitter truth behind it. They are left, as humans
of her kind. are, to journey along their paths seeking the answer to one
Lineage: Ulgan of the most timeless of questions: “Why am I here?”
Refinement: Cuprum
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 4 Bin Gereh —
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 1, Stamina 4
Social Attributes: Presence 1, Manipulation 2, Composure 4
“Born of the Bad Night”
In the time of Saladin, a gigantic earthquake devastated
Mental Skills: Crafts 1, Medicine (Herbalism) 3, Occult 3 the Upper Nile Valley, killing more than a million souls and
Physical Skills: Brawl 2, Stealth 2, Survival (Cold Weather) 4 marring the land for hundreds of miles. Locally, it is known
Social Skills: Animal Ken 2, Empathy 3, Intimidation 2, Persua- simply as the “Bad Night,” and eight centuries later, its effects
sion 2, Subterfuge (Blank Stare) 3 can still be seen on the area, physically and culturally.
Merits: Direction Sense, Elpis 2, Residual Memory 4, Strong Great chasms still scar the land, where the soil was
Back ripped open by the might of the earth’s fury. Worse yet are
Willpower: 8 the places where jagged cliffs stand as the sole testament
Humanity: 6 to places where the ground opened up to swallow entire
Virtue: Faith villages and then slammed back in place to crush them
whole. Stories are shared to this day of the storm that ac-
Vice: Sloth
companied the disaster: how the night sky was as bright
Initiative: 5
as day with lightning and flames and the winds blew so
Defense: 1 hard that cattle and carts were picked up into the sky and
Speed: 9 thrown to the ground miles away. Children for centuries
Health: 9 were frightened into behaving by grandmothers threatening
Azoth: 8 that if they did not mind themselves, the hungry ground
Bestowment: Ephemeral Flesh would open as it did on the Bad Night and consume their
Transmutations: Deception — Color of Man (•); Disquietism entire village. The screams of the doomed would be drowned
— Rabid Rage (••); Electrification — Feel The Spark (•), out by exploding thunder and rending of the earth and it
Shock (••), Arc (•••); Metamorphosis — Mask of Medusa (•), would be all their fault for misbehaving. Strange legends
Natural Weaponry — Claws (••); Sensorium — Sensitive Ears were born on the Bad Night, tales of vermin falling from
(•), Aura Sight (••), Ephemeral Gaze (•••), Rarefied Senses (••••), the sky and villagers throughout the kingdom being struck
blind or deaf or dumb from the sheer wrongness of it all.
Piercing Sight (•••••)
Throughout Egypt and Syria, the stories have been passed
Pyros/per Turn: 30/8

26
 SERENDIPITOUS CREATION-THE EXTEMPORE

along for generations, and few children come to maturity Now and again, throughout the ages, a Promethean meets
without encountering them. up with Bin Gereh on his Pilgrimage, as he walks his solitary
But one story dating back to that fateful night is not told path across the face of the Earth. Some of those whose paths
by the human occupants of the Valley, but only around have crossed his claim he is Nepri and some believe him to
sequestered campfires at the rarest of Rambles. This story be Tammuz; others posit he is actually Ulgan. The truth,
is rarely believed, but still it persists, and has throughout however, is not so simple.
the centuries between that time and this: the tale of Bin His sandy skin writhes when Pyros flares it to life, and when
Gereh, the one who was born of the Bad Night. he uses one of his Transmutations, the gaps between his ragged
bits of flesh gape open like chasms in the earth ready to swal-
The First Day low up whatever is near. Neither sleeping in soil, nor water nor
Bin Gereh woke to silence in the remains of what was surrounded by voices strengthens him, nor does interacting
once a large village. He walked out among the ruined with humanity, a fact that only serves to strengthen his feeling
houses and met no one but corpses. Some had been of alienation. He is reported to have demonstrated (when need
crushed beneath fallen buildings, some had been half- be) both phenomenal strength and stamina, and although he
consumed by great rifts in the earth and some seemed rarely speaks of it, he is rumored have lived through more than
to have fallen dead in their tracks without a single 100 “deaths.” During philosophical conversations, he sometimes
mark upon them. He passed through the devastation in ponders whether he can be killed permanently at all.
silence, accompanied only by the shuffling of his own According to those who have met him, he’s tried all five
bare footsteps in the now-dry soil. No maker welcomed of the generative acts in order to create progeny, but all have
him into being, no teacher guided his first steps, because failed more than once. He’s stopped trying, for the most
none existed. He was not orphaned or abandoned. He part, although he hasn’t given up hope of Redemption. He
was truly alone, apparently spawned by the might of the simply trusts that, when he is ready, the fates will cross his
Bad Night itself. path with the right situation.

27
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

The Extempore enough ectoplasmic humour to suffice for the alchemical

process of creating a Promethean. Most often, however, more
At its heart, the creation of a Promethean is an alchemical than one humour is involved in serendipitous creations.
process, not a magical one. While one method (the most Naturally speaking, for example, tsunamis may combine
common one) of bringing a Created into being is to inten- earth and water, hurricanes may meld water and air or vol-
tionally bring together the proper components in precisely canic eruptions may merge fire and earth, while accidents
the right proportions in a very ritualistic procedure, the rite (or acts of intentional human destruction) can spawn an
itself is little more than a method of passing the alchemi- almost infinite variation of humeral combinations.
cal formula down in a method that can withstand the test In part because of this variety, serendipitously created
of time. Many “spells” and obscure processes throughout Prometheans are less similar to each other than those of
history have relied on similar mnemonic devices to ensure any other Lineage. In truth, they are each their own unique
that important information is accurately transferred from Lineage (in most cases a Lineage of one, the first and last
teacher to student and beyond, especially in cultures and of their line), but for the purposes of examining the phe-
situations where written texts are not used. Just as ancient nomena, the few Promethean scholars who are aware of the
Qabbalists feared persecution (or competition!) should their existence of these Prometheans refer to them collectively
arcane secrets be discovered, the early Created could not as the Extempore.
risk the secrets of their generative formulae to a concrete
format and so instead developed elaborate rituals that would
help serve to pass the vital recipes from one “generation” of
Meaning
While at first glance the idea of serendipitous creation
Promethean to the next.
seems little more than an additional method of bringing
In truth, it is not the ceremony that creates a Created, but
Prometheans into existence, its roots go much deeper. If
the formula. And thus, any situation that brings together the
not all Prometheans are the results of human tinkering, it
proper components in the proper order and then applies the
could be argued that they are not simply failed experiments
appropriate energy can bring forth a similar result, whether
or flawed creations, but instead that they have a rightful
the process is being directed by intention or not.
place in existence. And if, building upon this premise, they
The generative formula is a complicated one, however,
do not generate Disquiet and Wastelands because they are
and not likely to be duplicated by accident. Only in the most
“wrong” (and are seeking humanity to become “right”) then
extenuating of circumstances do all of the elements neces-
a Promethean’s entire worldview might be changed simply
sary to create Promethean life come together in precisely
by encountering one of the Extempore. What, if not a desire
the right ways, and even then, without the spark of Divine
to “fix” herself, motivates a Promethean to become human?
Fire, there can be no Created.
Is it a natural progression, from Created to human, like a
Only a few situations exist outside of human or Promethean
caterpillar becoming a moth? Is the desire to become human
intervention that provide sufficiently intense amounts of the
innate at all, or is it simply a misplaced self-loathing that
Divine Fire to spontaneously generate a Promethean. In Bin
might be abated by a Promethean’s acceptance of himself
Gereh’s case, the earthquake that devastated his homeland
as a natural part of the world? While these questions may
was accompanied by (or perhaps caused by) a Firestorm of
seem esoteric to an individual being pursued by a mob of
almost unheard of strength. Rumors exist that the appear-
torch-wielding humans, these questions play directly into
ance of an Arch-qashmal may spark enough Divine Fire to
the primary themes of Promethean, and the introduction
do so as well, although the veracity of such tales is often
of an Extempore into a chronicle can encourage similar
called into question by those who do not believe that the
philosophical ponderings on the part of both players and
Arch-qashmallim even exist.
characters.
Along with the Divine spark, in order for a Promethean to
be created, a freshly dead body must be infused with sufficient
quantities of elementally charged alchemical humour. While
Mechanics
Extempore Created are each unique, and Storytellers
this infusion is most easily provided by another Promethean,
are encouraged to tinker with the existing aspects of the
situations can arise in which the alchemically charged hu-
Created to come up with their own individual Extempore
mour (or humours) are manifested by other means. Natural
as suits their chronicles. Extempore are also, however, a
or human-made disasters may manifest sufficient elemental
rarity, and for the most part should be used as a singular and
energy to do so. Some seem fairly simple. Earthquakes, such
unique encounter, although a throng of Freaks who have,
as the one from which Bin Gereh was spawned, provide
over the ages, sought out and recruited only those who are
earthen energies and melancholic humour. Floods provide
serendipitously created while spurning their Pilgrimages
the phlegmatic humour associated with water, and sweeping
might provide additional layers of encouragement for those
forest fires or explosions may provide fiery choleric humour.
who encounter them to reconsider what they believe they
Tornados lend their wind to the sanguine humours while
know about the Centimani.
battlefields, war zones and horrific accidents may create

28
 THE EXTEMPORE

Since creating Extempore involves tinkering with the wastes as he continues to seek an answer for his great
base rules of character creation for Promethean, Storytell- question: “What am I?” Unable to create others of his
ers should be careful to make certain that the benefits and kind, and uncertain whether he is capable of ever truly
drawbacks of the character are neither crippling nor dispro- “dying,” Bin Gereh alternates between a stoic acceptance
portionately powerful, especially if the Extempore will be a of his situation and a bitter belief that he is cursed by
character in a chronicle with traditional Prometheans. the tragedy that created him. His greatest fear is that
he will spend all of eternity on his Pilgrimage and that
Extempore Bestowments when the last Promethean has become human and the
and Weaknesses last being in the human race has died out, he will be
Brought about by circumstances that do not exactly left to continue his journey utterly alone for all time.
replicate any other Lineage’s generative rituals, Extempore He actively seeks to join a throng, but his Azoth is so
Promethean most often do not bear the same Bestowments polluted as to make it difficult for other Promethean to
as other Created. Some, such as Bin Gereh, seem to manifest spend time around him long without being besieged by
a variation of a traditional Bestowment, while others may a contagious form of his own melancholy, a fact that
exhibit something completely different (but appropriate to only reinforces his fears of a solitary destiny.
the situation in which they were created). Description: Bin Gereh appears to be a middle-aged
An Extempore created during a tsunami might have man of indeterminate racial background. His skin is
the ability to merge with seawater, or regenerate herself tan, but whether that is from the sun or his heritage is
entirely when submerged in it. One brought to life during a matter of interpretation. His eyes are a nondescript
the height of a famine might have no need to eat to survive, brown, as is his hair, and he is of average build. When
or conversely, he may be impossible to kill as long as he has his disfigurements appear, however, he is anything but
eaten within the last hour (but needs to eat twice as much typical, even to other Prometheans. His skin takes on
as a normal Promethean to stay healthy.) A spontaneously the swirling texture of the wind blowing across a sand
Created individual who was born of a massive battle may dune, rippling constantly as if ruffled by a desert storm.
find she is invulnerable to certain types of damage, sabers His eyes are glassy black as a night sky, and flash with
and swords, which slide off her flesh as if it were steel, or occasional sparks of lightning. His body is sundered
bullets bounce off her skin. into rough chunks between which are hungry gaping
In counterbalance to their sometimes amazing abilities, rifts. His normal dress is mundane traveling clothing:
however, Extempore often do not receive the benefit of many jeans, hiking boots and a long-sleeved shirt even in the
of the inherent gifts a Lineage bestows upon a Created. Just hottest climates.
as Bin Gereh, the Extempore might not regenerate Pyros He rarely carries anything with him, having cached
in connection to any Lineage’s element, or he might suffer goods all over the globe over the years to draw upon
from disfigurements on a larger scale than other Promethean as need be.
(either bearing the disfigurements of several Lineages, or Storytelling Hints: The consummate wanderer, Bin
something unique to himself). An Extempore may cause a Gereh can lend an air of mystery to any chronicle and
Disquiet-like reaction in other Promethean who can feel on can be particularly useful for demonstrating that the
an innate level that the Extempore is somehow “wrong.” whys and wherefores of how the universe works are a
As it is impossible for an Extempore to recreate the strange and vague lot of sometimes contradictory rules
unique circumstances brought it into being, there is little and guidelines. He may also encourage Prometheans
worry about them populating the Earth with a vast army to examine their preconceived notions about their
of their progeny. So as long as the character’s weaknesses place in the greater scheme of things, questioning what
(physical or social) are in keeping with the benefits her they have been taught or have assumed about not only
unique Bestowment gives her, Storytellers can use Extempore the generative act, but also the nature of Promethean
alongside traditional Created. Extempore whose Bestowment existence.
(or Bestowments) makes them much more powerful than When Bin Gereh encounters others, they rarely know
“normal” Prometheans and who are not subject to similarly what to make of the strange Promethean. In truth, he
strong weaknesses are best used as Storyteller-controlled rarely knows what to make of himself. He can shift
characters or to serve as story hooks and plot points. quickly from his normal resigned acceptance of his fate
to a near-suicidal funk, especially when confronted with
Bin Gereh others making plans to begin creating progeny or when
Quote: You think you know what it is to be alone. You have pressed as to his own Lineage. (He claims to have none.)
no idea. This can be used to emphasize the sense of alienation
Background: Born of disaster, Bin Gereh has wan- in Promethean, or to encourage an existing throng to
dered the earth for centuries, fading in and out of the value their own bonds.

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 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

(Note: While Ben Gereh’s current Refinement of Tin is the

focus of the majority of the Transmutations listed here, he
has existed for long enough to have gained an extensive list of
Transmutations. Storytellers are encouraged to create “epi-
sodes” in his history to reflect the pursuit of any Refinement
they feel adds to their stories, and to grant him Transmutations
to reflect the same.)
Pyros/per Turn: 20/7
Unique Bestowment — Endless Night: After being killed,
Ben Gereh spends but a single night dead. He wakes with
the dawn, wholly healed and “alive.” Unlike Osirans or other
Promethean who must strengthen themselves significantly
between resurrections (i.e., repurchase the Revivification
Bestowment), dying does not seem to “expend” Ben Gereh’s
ability to revive himself. When traveling through war-filled
areas, he has on occasion been killed, woken with the dawn
and been slaughtered again within moments, the process
repeating some times for days on end.
While Bin Gereh fears that this seeming immortality may be a
curse, which will result in him being the last living creature on
Lineage: Extempore the planet, the truth is that he is not immortal. He is, however,
Refinement: Stannum invulnerable to death while on land. Having been brought into
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 2, Resolve 4 being by history’s greatest earthquake, he is nigh unkillable
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4 in its domain. He cannot, however, resurrect himself from
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 4 drowning, and cannot use his Endless Night Bestowment while
Mental Skills: Academics (History) 3, Investigation 2, Medicine aboard a sea-going vessel or while immersed in sufficiently large
1, Occult 2 quantities of water. The fact that this has not happened yet
Physical Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Larceny 2, Stealth 2, — despite many ocean crossings over the years — might be
Survival (Deserts) 4, Weaponry 2 simple chance, or it might be evidence that Ben Gireh still has
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression 1, Intimidation (“Just Let some role to play before reaching the end of his journey.
Me Pass”) 3, Persuasion 1, Socialize 1, Streetwise (Handouts)
3, Subterfuge 1
Merits: Direction Sense, Languages (Egyptian, English), Repute The Prodigal
2, Resources (Many Small Survival Caches) 2
Willpower: 8 Demiurge
Humanity: 7 Behind every masterpiece there is something mysterious
Virtue: Fortitude at work. Something — or someone — ignites the spark of
genius, and a human craftsman is, for one electric moment,
Vice: Envy
inspired beyond human capacity, spawning an unrepeat-
Initiative: 6
able masterwork into the world. The creation of a new
Defense: 2 Promethean Lineage is in such a work, a lightning stroke of
Speed: 11 brilliance and suddenly something that should never have
Health: 9 been able to come into being exists. Some demiurges, such as
Azoth: 7 Pygmalion, credit the Divine, acting to share its own beauty
Bestowment: Endless Night (see below) with the world or inspire humanity to continue striving to
Transmutations: Disquietism — Alembic (••), Scapegoat (•), better themselves. Few argue, because few know the truth
Safe Sojourn (••••), Soothe Disquiet (•••); Deception — Color hidden in the shadows behind those brilliant flashes of genius.
of Man (•), Incognito (••); Electrification — Feel the Spark (•); It is not benevolence or a drive to inspire, however, that
Mesmerism — Suggestion (••), Logos (••••) fuels the creation of new Promethean Lineages.
It is desperation.

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 THE PRODIGAL DEMIURGE

The Root of having no other options save for eternal shunning, the Prodigal
set about creating a plan to return to the Divine whole of which
the Divine Demiurge it had once been a part.
As far back as ancient Greece, philosophers attributed The Prodigal feels the weight of the first “sin” on its shoul-
the ability to extend one’s self far beyond the normal limits ders and knows it must divest itself of this burden before it
of creative ability to the attention or patronage of a divine can rejoin its once divine state. Knowing its burden to be
benefactor or muse. This godly patron would inspire the too heavy for any human to bear, the Prodigal hopes that if
artisan, either through a direct manifestation and influence it can create another being, like itself, to take up the guilt,
or through more subtle means, out of an innate desire to the Prodigal may be permitted to leave its state of limbo
see the world enriched with ever greater and more glorious behind and rejoin the Divine. With the onus of sin upon it,
works of art and creativity. At least in the case of the Cre- the Prodigal may be incapable of creating a perfect being to
ated, however, the reality is much less selfless. which the Prodigal can pass its guilty burden, but that has
In the earliest of ages when the lands of the physical and not stopped it from trying time and time again.
the lands of the spiritual were less succinctly separated than Cursed as it is to be neither of the spiritual or physical
they are today, there was a great conflict in the ethereal worlds, the Prodigal is unable to take direct action in ei-
kingdom. Unlike previous squabbles between aspects of the ther. While its Divine kin are immune to its manipulation,
Divine (which were truly all parts of the great wholeness of however, humanity is not so inured. Throughout history,
spirit), this was the first true war. At length, one faction was the Prodigal has, through visions, ethereal appearances or
victorious and the other vanquished. And, as would come emotional manipulation, inspired various human beings to
to be traditional at such times, this fallen one was painted create what it hoped would be the form of its replacement.
as the scapegoat for the entire situation and bore the brunt When each was completed, the Prodigal used its status in
of the matter upon his shoulders. limbo to focus the Divine Fire into the creation and stir it
The defeated aspect was cast out of the Divine for its “sin.” to life. Each stirred, and for a moment the Prodigal dared to
This separation tore a fiery rift between the physical and the believe that its burden might at last be lifted. But in each
spiritual, and the entity that would come to be known as the case, while something was brought into existence, the Cre-
Prodigal was barred from interacting completely with either. ated was not sufficient to bear the burden of the first sin,
This division, the first sin, had far further-reaching effects than and the Prodigal was forced to spend the next decades, or
even the Divine itself could have foreseen. As soon as blame in some cases, centuries, scheming another attempt.
was cast and part of the Divine separated from the rest of it, the
nature of reality changed forever. No longer were things merely
a matter of perspective with different aspects of the Divine see-
ing things differently while remaining part of the whole — for Agents of the Divine Will
the first time, there truly was “right” and “wrong,” an entirely Several theories exist as to what role the qash-
separate physical and spiritual division in reality. mallim play in the Prodigal demiurge’s mythology.
Some believe that the qashmallim are, like the
In Limbo Prodigal itself, shards of the Divine cast out from
After a veritable eternity as part of the Divine whole, the aspect the whole of it and striving, each in their own
that would come to be known as the Prodigal found itself alone. way, to return. Others believe the qashmallim are
For days (or perhaps centuries), it contemplated its situation, simply ripples of Pyros, triggered by the Prodigal’s
attempting to understand exactly what had happened and how manipulation of the Divine Fire in its attempts
it was possible for it to feel so . . . alone. At length, the Prodigal to inspire the creation of a replacement. Less
optimistic individuals believe that the qashmallim
decided that the “what” and “how” were not as important as
serve as a Divine army being actively played out
rectifying the situation. The Prodigal was no longer whole, and
against the Prodigal’s efforts to return. Whenever
no matter what the cost, it must find a way to rejoin with the
it seems that the Prodigal or one of its creations
rest of the Divine. At first the Prodigal tried simple methods, but may approach the perfection necessary for the
its pleas to the rest of the Divine fell upon deaf ears. What was Prodigal to pass along its guilty burden, a qashmal
once a part of it was now an impervious wall of Divine Flame is charged with some obscure task to prevent this
that the Prodigal could reach, but never breach. The Prodigal goal from being achieved.
didn’t have much better luck with the world of the physical,
either. While the Prodigal’s influence was greater there, it quickly One of the most intriguing theories, however, is
found that its presence often paved the way to madness among that the qashmallim are actually tools of the Prodi-
the mortal creatures who were ill prepared to deal with being gal itself. Locked as it is, between the spirit and
directly touched by even one small aspect of the Divine. The physical worlds, proponents of this theory believe
Prodigal mourned the destruction it came to see in its wake, but,

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 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

that the Prodigal is cursed to undo its own efforts reflected in every aspect of their being, from their choleric
and the Elpidos and Lilithim serve as pawns in natures to their furious Torment.
a celestial chess game the Prodigal is doomed to Envy: At first glance, it might seem that the beautiful and
play with itself for all of eternity. sensual Galateid would be the living embodiment of Lust,
but in truth, their sanguine nature drives them constantly
to covet that which they cannot have. Not only do they
seek constantly for the attention and acceptance of others,
Resonances jealously yearning for the affection they see humans bestow
The story of the Prodigal demiurge, just as many epic upon each other, but they spur the same invidious desires
“great truths,” has been adopted into one form or another in those around them.
by many of humanity’s cultures throughout the ages. As with Pride: Hubris is rarely in shortage where the Nepri are
the stories of the Garden and the Flood, many religions speak concerned. Whether it traces its roots back to their belief
of the separating-out of a part of the godhead as part of the that their Lineage was created by a goddess, or the common
early history of the world. Christian mythologies relate this acceptance of their Progenitor as an Egyptian god, pride
story in the form of Lucifer being cast out of Heaven, while is not only the Osiran’s trademark vice, but often their
Loki was bound to a rock to await Ragnarok. These stories, downfall as well.
along with those of the war between the Olympians and the Sloth: Legends mark the Golems as mindless servants,
Titans in Greek legend and the Aesir and Jotun in Norse taking no action save for those they are ordered to, and
myth, all share common roots with the Prodigal demiurge, while many of the Tammuz seek to slip the yokes of their
being manifestations of the story told in a context that literal or figurative servitude, they must always contend with
humans, unaware of the presence of Prometheans, could an innate predisposition toward inaction.
understand. Greed: Not all forms of greed are for physical goods. For
the Riven who walk both the physical and spiritual worlds,
Flawed Attempts no one aspect of reality is enough for them. No matter how
The creatures that the Prodigal created, imperfect and born many paths they walk, they seek always seeks more: more
of failure, were the Progenitors of each of the Promethean knowledge, more influence and more spiritual power.
Lineages. While the Progenitors believe the humans who Lust: While a Centimanus can be of any Lineage, it is
“created” them to be the cause of the Progenitors’ existence, likely to become an all-consuming identity, more akin to
in truth, all owe their spark of Divine Fire (as well as their a Lineage than a Refinement. The Hundred Handed are
ability to pass it on to others of their Lineage) to the same often seen as perversions, their craving for the destructive
Prodigal demiurge. As it strives, time and time again, to energy of Flux simulating the human lustful cravings per-
create the perfect offspring to take up its long-borne burden, haps more closely than any other emotion a Promethean
it never makes the same mistake twice. The number of can experience.
potential mistakes, however, is infinite, and even the most Gluttony: If the existence of the Nuclear Prometheans
obscure and unlikely rumors of Promethean Progenitors is indeed more than a wild rumor, there can be no doubt
created through strange and unique methods all ultimately that the all-consuming element of atomic energy is the
lead back to this same semi-divine demiurge, who has left epitome of gluttony.
his thumbprint on each of them. With the rumors of the Nuclear Promethean in the current
Because of this origin, all Created must create another era completing the full cycle of sins, some who follow such
of their kind before they are able to undergo Redemption. myths believe that the Prodigal’s next attempt is destined
Similar to their Prodigal creator, they must pass along the to be significantly different from the Prodigal’s past efforts.
burden of their imperfections to another before they may Some feel that, having completed all seven imperfections,
go on to their final destiny. its next effort is destined to succeed. Others believe that,
having worked its way through the vices, future Lineages
The Prodigal’s will take a more “holy” bent, embodying the archetypal
Seven Deadly Sins virtues over the next dozens of centuries. Less optimistic
Those who believe the story of the Prodigal demiurge, philosophers feel that, since the Prodigal has “perfected” its
either as literal truth or as a parable about the nature of the imperfections through trial and error, its next failure will be
Created, often equate each of the known Lineages with one a spectacular one, resulting in something more monstrous
of the archetypal vices, a connection that only strengthens than any Promethean in history.
the link between the Prodigal demiurge and mythic demons Another theory, perhaps even more frightening, exists,
and devils. however. As the Centimani are, in truth, a Refinement rather
Wrath: It is difficult to imagine the Wretched linked with than a Lineage, some believe that the Prodigal demiurge
any of the vices more closely than they are wrath. This is has not yet created his seventh “sin.” Lust, they say, has yet

32
 SCIONS|THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH

to be “born.” Considering the most recent creations (the Mechanics

Wretched and the Nuclear Prometheans), the demiurge’s The Prodigal demiurge requires nothing in the way of
pattern seems to be taking an extremely destructive bent. mechanics and can be inserted into any storyline on a
Some theorize that the Lust Lineage, when it springs into “mood and feel” basis. Since the Prodigal demiurge is neither
being, will spawn communicable disease (especially, but not physical nor spirit, it cannot be detected by either means,
limited to, sexually transmitted ailments) with the same although, should it suit a Storyteller’s needs, he may allow
virulence that the Nuclear Promethean are reputed to spread Prometheans to detect the Prodigal’s presence by virtue
cancer. Others believe that the Lineage that embodies Lust of its Azothic aura or by using Sense Pyros, Sense Flux or
has already begun, but has somehow managed to remain similar Transmutations.
below the radar of other Prometheans. As proof, those

Scions
(perhaps slightly paranoid) individuals who purport this
theory claim that human society is already showing signs of
being well within the throes of the Lust Created’s Disquiet: To the newly Created, the gaping abyss between
overpopulation, the AIDS epidemic, recent outbreaks of themselves and the humanity they seek to join often
malaria and cholera and the advent of bird flu. seems impassable. For all that they are crafted of human
flesh, the possibility of attaining their own humanity, of
Meaning completing their Magnum Opus, can seem a pipe dream
Introducing the mythology of the Prodigal demiurge when those self-same humans loathe and shun them.
into a chronicle can give Storytellers an additional Sometimes, however, whether by miracle, fate, or a
tool for incorporating the concepts of duality in their touch of the Divine, a Scion enters the world, giving a
storylines. Within this myth are black and white, good light of hope to those who need it most. Born of Cre-
and evil, the divine and the diabolic, but portrayed with ated flesh, but wholly mortal, these miracles bridge the
sufficient ambiguity to allow characters (and players) gap between Pilgrim and Redeemed, between Created
leeway to explore the topics from all directions. Should and human.
they encounter rumors of the Prodigal demiurge (or a
human or situation it is influencing), will they react to
it with suspicion or sympathy, see it as the source of all
The Miracle of Birth
Jeremy Lyndon wasn’t much of a man by most accounts.
misery in their existence or the potential epitome of He was tall and rangy, like one post of a long-abandoned
the Promethean condition? Or will they even be able barbed-wire fence. His features weren’t fine, neither was
to accept that it exists at all, stuck as it is between the his speech, and his clothing and manners were coarse
worlds of flesh and spirit? and low-born. Still, for all his faults, he was the focus
Players may also find that the Prodigal demiurge my- of an inhuman passion that would live on long after the
thology provides an answer (although not necessarily man himself had gone to feed the worms.
the right one) to the question of why some humans can Gideon was a Muse, but none could claim she was
create Prometheans and others cannot (as well as why fickle. Jeremy was the first man she’d laid eyes on, and
the same human cannot replicate his experiment success- she loved him from the minute his gaze met hers. She
fully). This mythology also strengthens the import of the loved the way his eyes had widened when he first saw
generative act, and may lead characters to contemplate her, how his voice broke a bit when he said hello. She
the burden they may or may not be transferring to their loved asking him questions as they got to know each
own progeny through it. other, loved the funny expressions he got right before
Stuck as the Prodigal is between the physical and spiri- he’d say, “Well, that’s kind of a strange thing to say,
tual worlds, it is unlikely that any Created will encounter don’t you think?” She loved how he kissed her and how
the Prodigal demiurge directly. The entity isn’t likely to he started turning off the light when they were going to
dabble directly in situations in which Promethean already make love. She loved everything she learned about him,
exist, either, as it sees them as a reminder of its past digging through the refuse from his apartment building.
failures, although as with any mythology, the Storyteller And how dedicated to his work he was, even when it
should feel free to use it in whatever manner best suits the meant he couldn’t make time for her. And even when
story. In addition, this mythology may prove useful as a he started refusing her calls and threatened to get a re-
background story to lead philosophical Prometheans into straining order, she still loved him. The night he died,
deeper contemplation of several of the aforementioned she loved him, even as he turned the gun toward her, and
aspects of their existence. And finally, it can be used when she struggled with him, begging him to return her
as the “backstory” behind a multitude of the alternate affection and the bullet exploded in his chest, she loved
mythologies presented in Magnum Opus, blending the him as his hatred for her faded from his dying eyes.
mythologies to enhance the mystery thereof.

33
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

Three seasons later, and Constant came into the world.

When he’d first started moving in her belly, even Seeker
(who would later come to be known as Uncle See, despite
his protestations) claimed it was impossible. But impossible
or no, a few months later Gideon struggled for most of a
red-hot Arizona summer day to bring Constant into the
world with an incredulous throng doing what they could
to aid her through the unfamiliar process.
None of them knew what to expect from Gideon’s
son. Seeker and Cyrano had both brought progeny into
the world, but only through the rites, never . . . like
this. None of them had even seen a birth or held a live
baby. This mewling bundle of flesh was nothing like a
new Created, nothing like anything they’d been let near
before. Until his arrival, babies had been kept from them,
guarded by overprotective parents and snatched away by
suspicious nursemaids if the throng wandered too near
their carriages. But he was theirs. All of theirs, for they
raised him as a family, sharing the duties and together
reaping the benefits.
“He could grow to hate us,” Seeker had warned her, out
of earshot of the others. But he hadn’t. He loved them all,
apparently impervious to Disquiet, and more than once
their Scion’s innocent affection and honest insights had
aided them in their Pilgrimage where a more sage voice
might have been at a loss.
And now it was only the two of them. Seeker had been
the first, finding his Redemption when Constant was barely
as tall as his waist. The Nepri had forgotten them, forgotten
himself, and walked away into his new future without ever
looking back. Constant had been the one to comfort the
remains of his family. “It’s not his fault he can’t remember us.
But we can remember him.” Gideon and Cyrano had nodded
at each other, surprised at how much the boy understood.
Cyrano was next to go, although he hadn’t so much walked
away as been torn from the arms of his throng in ragged bloody
chunks. He’d put himself in front of Gideon and the boy, and
held off three Pandorans until they could escape. Without Seeker,
there was no one to bring Cyrano back from his final sleep, and
the two of them had been able to do little more than creep back
to cover up the remains and escape again, hoping the Pandoran
pack wouldn’t follow to finish the job. She’d almost lost it there,
falling to her knees alongside the rubble they’d covered him
with and refusing to get up for the longest time. But Constant
eventually led her out of the tunnel and back into the twilight
of the street above. “He wanted us to go on, Mama. We owe it
to him. He died so we could go on.”
She didn’t know how to go on, after that, though. Months
passed, and she didn’t let Constant out of her sight. She’d quit
her job, stopped going out at all unless he was right beside her,
and then only for necessities such as a teenaged boy would need
before returning to their sequestered little den beneath the aban-
doned house they called home. She’d stopped seeking, stopped
trying, stopped living, in truth. All she could think about was

34
 AFTER THE END GAME | MEANING

making sure he didn’t get taken from her as well. She worried
he’d chafe under the attention, but he just nodded in his sage
way. “It’s okay, Mama. I understand.” Two of a Kind
He was gone the next morning, nothing but a note left on Although it is not unheard of for Promethean
the counter. She’d cried as she read it, and then broke the to take lovers amongst their own kind (especially
table and the chairs and the little black-and-white television after having been introduced to the experience by
before returning to the counter to read it again. human lovers and then spurned), Promethean pro-
“You gotta go on, Mama, and while I’m here, you can’t creation through such means is a sketchy rumor
look forward. I’ll see you again, some day, on the other side of at best. Some believe that such pairings should
your journey. I know you can do it. I love you. Constant.” be taboo, that the offspring, should there be any,
The boy understood more than she thought. would be Pandoran. Others believe that, should a
pair of Promethean generate a child at all, it would
Possibilities be human and possess its own supernatural abili-
Few Prometheans put much stock in the legend of ties far beyond that of its parents.
Constant Gideonson. Those who do tell the story do While a Promethean whose only lover is another
so in a variety of fashions and for a variety of reasons. of the Created may believe her pregnancy to be
Some, especially the Galateids, credit the miracle of the result of this pairing, other possibilities exist.
Constant’s conception to the love Gideon had for his The Divine Fire is a little-understood phenomenon,
father. While experiencing (and learning to deal with) and if the Storyteller deems it so, it is possible
rejection may serve as a milestone for many Prometheans that a sufficient manifestation of the Divine Fire
on their Pilgrimage, Gideon’s adoration endured even might spark human life within a Promethean
in the face of a would-be fatal rejection. Her devotion, womb. This possibility also paves the way for the
some say, was rewarded, transforming her love for the potential of a Promethean becoming pregnant
unworthy human into the seeds of a human worthy of without having ever had intercourse, as well.
her affection: her son, Constant.
Others tell the story slightly differently, claiming
that when Gideon was Created the generative process
somehow sparked Constant into being. This touch After the End Game
of Divine Fire, they claim, rather than any sort of It is not surprising that a Redeemed Promethean, having
biological miracle, gave the boy his invulnerability to attained Humanity, could bear human children. She has,
Disquiet and his innate understanding of the workings after all, earned that ability through her efforts and Redemp-
of Pilgrimage. Some devotees of this theory even credit tion. That she would bear a Scion, a child who is immune
the boy with being a Promethean Messiah, a guide sent to Disquiet, however, may complicate matters, especially
from the Divine Will to lead the Created toward their for a Redeemed who no longer remembers her existence
Redemptions. as a Promethean.
Others claim that the story is more of an allegory, The children of Redeemed are often Scions, although few
with Constant representing the driving desire to attain of their parents remember enough of their previous lives to
Mortality inherent in every Promethean. Proponents recall the legends thereof. Most often then, children who
of this theory believe that at a certain point along the speak of monsters, or point them out in a crowd, are shushed
Pilgrimage, a Created must grow beyond his aspirations and silenced, and if they persist, counseled, medicated or
for Humanity in order to attain it, shedding their desire even institutionalized. Some Scions deal with their parental
in a wu wei philosophy that actually brings them closer disbelief by learning not to admit what they see. Others
to their goal. After all, one of the strange paradoxes protest their “truth” until the bitter end, earning themselves
in striving for Humanity is that most humans do not hours of therapy and psychoanalysis, or even a diagnosis
value humanity as greatly as the non-humans seeking of schizophrenia. Scion children of humans who have no
to attain it. contact with Prometheans are also susceptible to the same
Perhaps even stranger than the legend of Constant fates. Strangely enough, the presence of a Created parent,
Gideonson being born of a human father, are those or at least an ally, may be a true lifeline for a Scion child
that credit Cyrano, Gideon’s Ulgan throng-mate, with in these situations.
siring the child.
Whether the story is literal or metaphorical, the
prospect that Prometheans can spawn human children
Meaning
While humans often refer to the “miracle of the birth
opens up an entire new world of possibility, both for the process,” in truth it is a common occurrence, biologically
Scions and for the Promethean themselves. reproducible in all but the most unusual of circumstances. All

35
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

human beings were born as someone’s children and may, in effect, may lead to a variety of reactions from humans who
turn, go on to become someone’s parent, themselves creating encounter an obviously pregnant Promethean.
human children. For a Promethean, however, the genera- Until the effects of Disquiet begin to taint the encounter,
tive act is the “norm.” The birth process, should it happen, pregnant Prometheans may find themselves overwhelmed
is the rarest of rarities. Much like the marvel of a human by the sheer volume of human attention their condition
progenitor bringing a Promethean to life, giving birth to a garners. No other physical condition seems to inherently
human is something that should not, by all logical accounts, invite social and physical interaction the way that an obvi-
be possible. When it does happen, it is truly a miracle. ously pregnant individual does. Complete strangers approach
expectant mothers, asking intimate questions about their
The Impact of Creation pregnancies and offering detailed information about their
The act of creating another Promethean through the genera- own experiences. Many strangers even feel comfortable
tive act is one that most of the Created are driven to either out breaking the nigh-invulnerable “personal space bubble”
of loneliness or need. Without it, they cannot hope to attain most strangers afford each other, and pat or stroke the
Humanity. The act is often tainted with guilt. Condemning expectant mother’s belly as if, by virtue of her condition, it
another individual to her own wretched existence, regardless of has somehow become community territory. These experi-
the motivation, is difficult to do without at least a small amount ences, often unsettling even for human mothers, may be
of remorse. Should the act of giving birth to a human being overwhelming for a Created who is accustomed to being
(or siring one, if the Promethean is male) be possible, this is ignored or actively shunned. Introverted Prometheans may
an entirely different matter. By doing so, the parent is creating feel the need to hide themselves away from humanity to
a child who is, at birth, the epitome of what the parent herself avoid this attention, while for some, especially the Galateid,
seeks to become. Without doing more than existing, the child the interest may prove to be addictive.
has outstripped the parent’s Pilgrimage and achieved his or her Not even the most community-inspiring of conditions,
end goal. Not only can this be a great source of wonder for the however, can avert Disquiet’s effects for long, and the same
parent, but the potential also exists that a Torment-ridden Cre- sense of emotional investment in the future that inspires
ated might find great resentment at the ease with which her child humans to interact so intimately with pregnant women can
has been gifted with this great treasure — a bitter reversal of the spark Disquiet reactions even more severe than normal. A
resentment she may feel toward her own creator for bringing her pregnant Promethean is less likely to be physically attacked
into existence. These paradoxes may give the astute Promethean than a non-pregnant one, “out of concern for the baby.” She
the opportunity to explore several aspects of human emotion: is also less likely to be ignored or avoided when the effects
love, joy, pride, selflessness and, in some cases, bitterness, anger of Disquiet first begin. Her condition ups the proverbial
and even hatred. ante on social discomfort, spurring concerned individuals to
Note: While the act of creating a human child may seem become involved in what they may perceive as a drug-abus-
to mirror that of the generative act, for the purposes of ing, alcoholic or mentally unstable mother-to-be. While this
Redemption, these two processes of creation are quite dif- may, at first, seem to be preferable to the normal Disquiet
ferent. Unfortunately for the Created, the former does not reactions, it can result in the individual in question being
negate the need for the latter before attempting to become paid more attention than she might prefer, sometimes even
Redeemed. A Promethean who has birthed a human child taken into some sort of “protective” custody (ranging from
must still create a Promethean by means of the generative imprisonment to institutionalization). Which, of course,
rituals of her Lineage before she has a chance to undergo means that when the more advanced effects of Disquiet do
Redemption and attain Humanity herself. manifest (and they will, eventually), the Promethean is less
likely to be able to escape and thus avoid the danger.
Pregnancy Milestones Still, although the situation offers unique challenges to
As one of the basic human functions, the act of procre- the Promethean, it also affords opportunities for unique
ation may offer a Created many opportunities to learn about insights into humanity. A pregnant Created will, undoubt-
the human existence and, thus, achieve milestones. Above edly, be treated differently from a non-pregnant one, and
and beyond the plethora of insights that sexual interaction has access to milestones and insights impossible for any
may reveal (assuming the pregnancy is the result of a sexual other Promethean to achieve. When else, after all, might an
encounter), a Promethean who becomes pregnant will be Osiran be extolled with firsthand accounting of a multitude
indoctrinated firsthand into the physical and social realms of of human birth experiences, or a Frankenstein be reassured
one of the most intensely emotional human experiences. that her sturdy build will make her experience easier? At
Human society treats pregnant women differently from least until Disquiet sets in, pregnancy affords the expectant
any others. Human instinct at the deepest level is to protect Promethean inclusion in a social group in which the barriers
the individuals who are carrying the next generation, and to communication and togetherness between strangers are
this manifestation, when tainted by a Created’s Disquiet far fewer than in most aspects of human society.

36
 PREGNANCY MILESTONES | MILESTONES FROM BABIES AND CHILDREN

Of course, for male Prometheans, the post-conception - Giving birth or witnessing the birth process.
experience is a less direct one. The role of expectant father, - Being visually or audibly recognized by the baby for
however, is not one that should be discounted or down- the first time.
played. The complexities of pregnancy and childbirth hold - Protecting the child from a dangerous situation (or
as many opportunities for learning about human nature for alternately, failing to protect him and having him come
the observing Promethean as for the pregnant one. While to harm).
most human women will not be able to stave off Disquiet - Teaching a child one of his major accomplishments
throughout the entirety of their pregnancies, the depth of (walking, talking, feeding himself, riding a bike).
emotion involved with the process can offer a Promethean - Witnessing children’s cruelty to each other, especially
father-to-be milestones, regardless of the duration of the re- toward (or from) her own ward.
lationship. Dealing with a pregnancy may show him another - Being the target of strong emotional responses from
side of the generative act (whether he has yet undergone the child; hearing “I love you!” (or “I hate you!”) for the
the Promethean ritual or not), and if he believed it was first time.
impossible for him to sire human children, it may make - Being given a parental pet name (Mommy, Mama Mikey,
him re-think what he knows about the rest of the “rules” Nana, etc,).
of Created existence as well. Or, if he understands human - Being lied to.
procreation enough to believe himself cuckolded, he may be - Dealing with significant illness, disease, danger or injury
put into a position of accusing his lover of betrayal. Paranoia to the child.
and fear of infidelity, although not ideal aspects of humanity, - Having the child be ashamed to have the character as
can be important insights into human reactions, as can the a parent (i.e., not wanting to be seen with the character,
possibility of learning to trust someone. etc.).
- Explaining the Promethean nature to the child.
Milestones from
Babies and Children
Whether the Created bear the children themselves or
simply return to investigate their children after their births, The Long Night
the Created can also discover an entirely unique side of The World of Darkness is a dangerous place,
humanity centered around interaction with the very young. especially for the young and inexperienced. The
While human children eventually are affected by Disquiet, harsh flipside of “the strong survive” is that
the products of Promethean-human pairings are not, giving frequently the weak do not. No parent or guard-
the Created the opportunity to explore this facet of humanity ian can, regardless of his superhuman powers and
in an in-depth fashion not normally open to them. Human abilities, protect his ward from all harm.
parents often say that having children taught them more And, unlike Promethean progeny, human chil-
about the world than the entire rest of their lives have. For dren do not come back from the dead.
Prometheans, these lessons can be the key to great strides
along their Pilgrimages. The loss of a child, be her human or Pro-
Never before have the Created been faced with a being methean, is one of the most devastating tragedies
relying upon them as totally as a newborn child does. Nei- any individual will ever endure. Regardless of the
ther, in all likelihood, have they ever had the opportunity circumstances, bereaved parents may be wracked
to receive unconditional love such as a child can offer. with an entire gamut of negative emotions includ-
ing guilt, anger, denial, sorrow and fear. Their
And, once the child becomes more sentient and interactive
entire belief system is challenged as they try to
(assuming accidents, Pandorans, protective outsiders or the
come to grips with the unthinkable. For human
like do not separate parent from child), the insights increase
parents, the loss of a child often spurs other major
exponentially. Not only does the role of parent provide changes in their lives. Their loss fills them with
the Created with insights, but close contact with a human questions. Seeking the answers (or avoiding facing
child who is unaffected by Disquiet is a virtual guarantee them) may send the parents into (or away from)
of a plethora of milestone-attaining opportunities and in- religious extremes, spiral them deeply into (or
sights. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes, listening to act as impetus for breaking) addictive habits or
a young person’s questions (and answers) and experiencing bring them closer to (or estrange them from) their
the changes in human development as the infant grows friends and family.
into a young adult are all ripe with the opportunity for a
Promethean’s Pilgrimage to progress alongside. When the Created parent experiences such a loss,
Some sample milestones related to interacting with chil- the situation is a bitter balance of negative and posi-
dren might include the following: tive. While it is difficult to imagine good coming from
the depths of tragedy, the loss of a child — and all of

37
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

the circumstances that follow — is milestone-rich terri-

tory. Knowing that each human parent lives every day
with the threat of experiencing this sort of loss may
give a Promethean insight into the sometimes-overpro-
tective nature of human society, as well as how this
desire to protect can sometimes encourage humanity
to view children as the property of their parents. It
may also allow him to understand, on a deeper level,
the fear in a mother’s eyes as she snatches her child
away from the Promethean’s presence. The loss of
a child may encourage the Promethean to ponder
what, if anything, happens after death, which in turn
may lead to philosophical ponderings on the nature
of the human soul. Not all milestones are pleasant. A
Promethean parent may find that even in the depths
of his own pain, he is given greater insight into how
humanity’s frail and often far-too-short lifespan affects
every aspect of their interactions with each other.

Mechanics
The miracle of Promethean-human (or Promethean-Pro- cooked his mama’s breakfast on the sidewalk outside of the
methean, or even spontaneous Promethean) procreation bus station just before she gave birth to young Constant.
doesn’t really require mechanics. Unlike Redemption, this is In his short life, he’s seen more cities, states and miles of
not something that is a normal aspect of the Pilgrimage, and concrete than most humans ever will. The majority of his
Storytellers should never feel pressure to include this kind of education came from his mother, or one of the rest of their
procreation in their chronicles unless it serves a significant role throng, all of whom looked at Constant as a miracle.
to promote their stories. Thus, rather than consulting a hard list Description: Constant is a wiry 15-year-old boy. His sandy
of modifiers or dice pools, Storytellers are encouraged to weigh blond hair flops into his face more often than not, but even his
the possible ramifications for their storylines and employ (or overgrown bangs cannot hide the observant gleam within his blue
not) the possibility that best suits their games. eyes. In the way of teenaged boys, his hands and feet seem too
If used, a Promethean pregnancy (whether born by or large for the rest of him, and if he grows into them he will likely
sired by a Promethean, or both) could either last as long as a be a giant among men some day. For now, however, he is all knees
human gestation (36–40 weeks) or progress at double speed, and elbows, more gawky than graceful, at least physically.
by virtue of the supernatural parent’s influence on the young Storytelling Hints: Constant has an insight into the
zygote, as suits the story best. Pregnant Prometheans would Promethean condition that few others, Created or human,
likely, by virtue of their increased stamina, suffer little in the ever will. He is slow to speak, but quick to offer insight
way of negative physical effects from their condition, but when appropriate. He seems to be able to innately sense
might well be subjected to strange cravings (although what Promethean by virtue of their Azothic Radiance, and sees
serves as “strange” to a creature that can easily live on paper, them as each other do (in their full disfigurements), but is
insects or old shoe leather is up to the Storyteller). immune to the ravages of Disquiet, making him a valuable
Scions are immune to Disquiet, and can sense the Azothic companion or ally for a lonely Promethean.
Radiance of Prometheans as the Created can for each other. Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Similar to the Created, however, Scions’ ability to sense Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Azoth leaves them vulnerable to Prometheans who are suf- Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 1, Composure 3
fering from high levels of Torment. Scions feel uncomfortable
Mental Skills: Academics 1, Computer 1, Investigation 3, Medicine
around Torment-wracked Prometheans, though exactly how
2, Occult (Prometheans) 4
the Scions react depends on the character in question.
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Larceny 3, Stealth 2, Survival
Scion — Constant Gideonson 3, Weaponry (Improvised) 2
Quote: Don’t worry, Mommy. I won’t let them hurt you. Social Skills: Animal Ken 1, Empathy 4, Expression 2, Persuasion
Background: Constant Gideonson has lived all of his 15 2, Socialize (Prometheans) 3, Streetwise 2
years on the road. He was born just outside of Goodyear, Merits: Direction Sense, Iron Stomach, Repute 4
Arizona, on a day so hot his Uncle Cyrano claimed to have Willpower: 6

38
 MECHANICS| A MAKER DREAMING

Morality: 7 He wakes up as the sun rises. That day, he eats or drinks

Virtue: Hope nothing. He simply sits under his tree and pictures in his
Vice: Pride head the face of the man in his dream. And that night he
dreams again of him. This time the man with the Goanna
Initiative: 6
Dreaming pictures a lock of the man’s hair. And the follow-
Defense: 3 ing night, he dreams some more hair. Each day that follows,
Speed: 10 he hunts, he eats and drinks and he prepares to dream. And
Health: 8 each night that follows, the man with the Goanna Dreaming
dreams more of his new man, each time adding another tiny
AThisMaker Dreaming fragment to the figure in the dream.
One night, in his dream, he finishes the man. Every pore
happens somewhere in Australia. There’s a man, and of his skin, every tooth in his mouth, everything, it’s all
he has what the people call a Goanna Dreaming. Dirawong done. But there is no life.
the Goanna made everything, and the man has the Dream- That last night, he remains asleep. The sun rises, and he
ing, which means that he makes things. He makes tools, isn’t awake to see it. In his dream, the sun rises, too, and
and spears, and he makes straps and clothes and he makes the sun says to him, look around you.
pictures of the Dreamtime, which he paints on rocks with The man with the Goanna Dreaming looks around
paints he mixed himself. He’s good at making things, this him now, and sees the place where his dream is. His
man, and his tribe comes to him when they need things, but creation lies on the bank of a river. A eucalyptus grove
they don’t talk to him much, because he’s odd and intense, stands nearby. And behind him, far away, a rocky hill
and they can see he has the Goanna Dreaming. rises, and on the hill, beneath a tree like his own, the
One day, Dirawong comes to him, an enormous lizard, as man with the Goanna Dreaming sees a figure sitting,
long as he’s tall, and it coils its tail around him. The Goanna watching. He looks for a while. The figure looks back.
sits there for a while, whispering into his sleeping ear. The He does not know this place.
lizard asks the man what he wants to make, and the man The man with the Goanna Dreaming looks around
says that he wants to make spears and beads and cloths and him. The water on the river reflects the fire of the morn-
straps and pictures. And then Dirawong asks him what he ing sun.
really wants to make, and the man says that he really wants So the man with the Goanna Dreaming steps over the
to make another one of the people. He wants to make a man he created, reaches out and takes a handful of the fire
man, not the hard way, not the usual way. He wants to make of the sun from the water, and then he stuffs it in the mouth
a man, full-grown and ready to live, and Dirawong says to of his creation.
him, that’s not an easy thing to do. And the creation vanishes.
The man says that he guessed that it might not be easy. The man looks up, and before he wakes, he realizes that
He says he wants to try. The Goanna tells him to follow his he, too, was once dreamed.
Dreaming, but warns him that he’ll find out more than he And somewhere else, hundreds of miles away, a corpse
wants to know if he follows it to the end. Then Dirawong ceases to be a corpse. A pair of eyes snaps open. A pair of
hops away into the desert, and finds himself a possum to lungs takes a ragged first breath.
eat, and the man carries on dreaming.
And the following day, he wakes up and takes his spear and
his bundle of paints and his knife and he goes walkabout. He
finds himself a river to camp by, and then he starts dreaming. A Question of Place
It’s not easy. He puts down his head every night, and every It might not have happened in Australia. Maybe it hap-
day, he hunts down something to eat and drinks from the river pened in Peru. A man rowed down the river as far as he
and thinks about what he’s going to dream about. It doesn’t could go, and he sat in the jungle and met the Virgin Mary
work to begin with. He does it night after night, and the and made his dream Promethean. Or perhaps there was a
moon changes its shape over and over again, and the river man in northern India, outside of a village 100 miles from
gets lower and higher several times over, and the dreams don’t anywhere else, a lonely sadhu who sat and saw Shiva reveal
do what he wants them to do. Dreams are slippery things. to him exactly how to make a man in his dreams. Or a man
They don’t pay attention to you. They run away. somewhere in the southeast of the North American conti-
He’s there for a long time. His hair goes gray. Some of it falls nent, who, long before the white man got so far, saw Coyote
out. But he stays there, hunting, eating, sitting under a tree and got the hint.
by the river and desiring to dream. One night, he sees, lying
It doesn’t matter. There are dreamers every-
on the ground before him, the face of a man, his eyes closed,
where.
lying perfectly still. In his dream, he stands and watches the
face all night, waiting for something to happen.

39
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

Meaning The Promethean doesn’t even know what the dream’s

rules are. He has to work that out. The only thing that
A Promethean made of a dream, however or wherever he he knows for sure is who the dream belongs to. To him,
was made, has a tough break. He never met his demiurge. the dreamer stands at the center of the dream’s area.
He has no one to explain to him what being a Promethean The Promethean can walk around in the dream, to an
is like. He doesn’t even know that he was created. He looks extent, but the further from the dreamer the Promethean
in the water nearby. His skin is translucent. His eyes are strays, the more vague the details of the dream become.
solid orbs of black. Details increase near the dreamer. Things seem more
He has no idea what he is. Everything is new. He has to solid (although in a dream, they’re liable to change at
work everything out for himself. any moment).
Everything, every misery, every horror, every triumph is The chances are that a dream-born Promethean causes
new and strange. Most Prometheans are surprised when they a dream to become a nightmare, just by being there,
first experience Disquiet, and they’ve had some warning. just by standing there in the middle of the dream. He’s
What about the Promethean who really doesn’t have any a figure of terror. He might not wish it, but his presence
idea about what he does to other people? He’ll figure out that can turn a romantic idyll or a whimsical flight of fancy
he’s not the same as these people, but he’ll have no idea why. into a screaming, sweaty horror.
If he’s worked out what he looks like, he behaves strangely A teenage boy dreams, for the first time, of a beautiful
around people when he meets them the first few times. He girl, in the sunshine, in a beautiful place. They kiss. He
doesn’t know that his disfigurements hide themselves. He holds her. And then he sees, standing over her shoulder,
assumes that the hostility of these people he’s drawn to is a thing in the bushes, peering out at him. He screams.
because he looks a little different. The girl vanishes. The sun shines black. It begins to
The call to humans is still within him. He feels the need rain, and the land, full of grass and flowers, becomes,
to approach them. But he doesn’t understand how to step up thanks to the dreamer’s fear, blasted and barren. The
to people, how to talk to them. He doesn’t have the first idea boy is frozen. He can only look at the creature before
what to do. him, and stays there, staring into its sad, terrible eyes
Could he be expected to know that his presence in the until he wakes up.
land messes up the order of nature? Maybe he just thinks A woman has a dream in which she’s told that she
the Wasteland is the natural order of things. missed out on gaining a vital certificate when she was
Whatever happens, the dream-created Promethean is an a teenager, and she has to go back to school. They fit
innocent. For him, everything is new. When he develops her for a uniform, and she looks at herself, and she’s
a Refinement, there’s no guarantee that he’ll associate it 14 and scared again. Back in the school she hated, she
with a metal, or understand it as an alchemical operation. sits through lessons where teachers scream at her and
His behavior affects the way he develops his powers. The other children throw things at her and pass her obscene
way in which he develops his powers influences the way he drawings of her and one of the older boys. And now it’s
behaves in future. break, and she’s in the schoolyard, and she’s holding
He was dreamed into being. Dreams shaped him. Every herself tight and hoping the girls don’t come and stand
time he sleeps, he dreams. They’re not his dreams. Having in a circle and scream names at her and she suddenly
no dreams of his own, he finds himself a powerless observer realizes that something tall and hideous is standing
in the dreams of humans who don’t even live near him. beside her, and she cries and cries, and when she wakes
Each dream is a world in itself. It follows its own rules. up, she is still crying.
In the world of a dream, things have always been the way A man dreams that he has to give a presentation to
they are, and the dreamer instinctively knows the rules of the board of directors and the partners. He stands by the
the dream. If the dreamer’s heart is made of glass and full flipchart. He realizes that he has forgotten his presenta-
of flies, it makes sense within the context of the dream. If tion. And then he realizes that he is naked. He falters,
the dreamer can transform people into trees with a touch, looks over his shoulder and sees a dark figure with an
she knows how to do it within the context of the dream, awful face . . . .
and forgets when she wakes up. A child dreams that there is something in the closet.
The Promethean who finds himself caught in another person’s He gets out of his dream-bed (so much larger and warmer
dreams has no knowledge of what the rules are. He has to follow than his real bed) and walks to the closet. The door is
the dreamer’s rules, and probably has no control over the course ajar. He reaches out and slowly opens the door. In the
of the dream. Naked, visible for what he is and, most importantly, shadows, something hulking and horrible breathes, and
mute, he stands and watches. He becomes part of the landscape reaches out a pathetic hand. The child screams . . . .
of the dream. He’s at the dreamer’s mercy (although the dreamer A woman can fly. She soars above a landscape she
doesn’t necessarily realize that). does not know. Below her, trapped on a mountain peak,

40
 CAUGHT IN DREAMS | BESTOWMENT: DREAM SHARING

is some kind of monster. It screams its frustration, for it Caught in Dreams

cannot reach her. She laughs . . . . When a dream-born Promethean’s Wasteland reaches
A man finds that he has become a dog. He runs in its second stage, the dreams of people caught in its range
his dream with a pack. They’re chasing a fox. The fox begin to crash together. There’s no mechanic for this. It’s a
eludes them. They crash through the bushes, and collide story element. It’s ideal for crossovers. There are vampires,
with something bulky and foul-smelling. The man-dog werewolves and mages who know how to interact with
goes for his throat, and the pack follow. They tear the dreams. Even if they don’t have dream-shaping powers, they
thing to pieces . . . . all dream. The intrusion of a gruesome stranger in dreams
The Promethean is thrust into a stew of hopes, fears could be the means by which other supernatural beings
and desires. And he cannot be part of it. Even in dreams, become aware of the Promethean and his throng.
he’s rejected and assaulted. Although the dream-invading effect happens every night
The predicament bleeds out into the Promethean’s for the dream-born Promethean, the Storyteller doesn’t
Wasteland. People caught sleeping within its perimeter have to narrate the effects of every dream on every night.
begin to find their dreams colliding with the dreams of Playing through every dream can make the experience
others. The man who becomes a dog runs into the lovers repetitive. On the other hand, only playing through the
in the meadow. The naked businessman finds himself dreams that contain direct significance to the story can be a
having to give a presentation to a class of half-remem- dead giveaway. Used sparingly, a dream-born Promethean’s
bered schoolchildren. experiences in dreams can add depth, atmosphere and fear
Worse comes if the dream-born Promethean ever to a chronicle.
forms an alchemical pact. When he discovers that there A dream can drag Prometheans into all sorts of stories.
are others like him, he has no reason to know that The dreams of a serial killer, a police detective (corrupt or
they don’t experience human dreams. But as his Azoth honest) or a vampire elder can contain as many story hooks as
becomes closer to theirs, they join him. They’re caught the dreams of a kidnap victim, an abused child or a battered
up with him. wife. Werewolf dreams could contain wild, violent imagery,
It’s possible that the dream-born Promethean can learn bright colors and quick changes of perspective and place.
how to influence the dreams he experiences. Even if he A vampire’s dreams might be confused and hazy. A mage’s
doesn’t, there’s something he can draw out of them. It dreams might be heavy with symbolism.
could be an important milestone for him to draw lessons Other Prometheans in a Branded throng with the dream-
from the dreams he sees. One day, if he gets to the end of born don’t automatically find themselves trapped in the
his Pilgrimage, he’ll have his own dreams. In experienc- dream. The first time it happens, they’re powerless to avoid
ing these, he’ll know what to do with them. it, but on subsequent nights, the other Prometheans in the

Mechanics throng can avoid becoming dragged into the dream on a

successful roll of Resolve + Composure.
A Promethean made from dreams could belong to any A Promethean caught in human dreams (and that includes
Lineage. For example, the creator could have dreamed about both a dream-Promethean and any companions he’s dragged
having made a man from the sewn-together parts of several in with him) still causes Disquiet. Humans who dream about
corpses. The dream comes true. It is so. Far away, a new the Promethean need to check for Disquiet, although the
Frankenstein awakens. The parts come together, gaining effects of a failure don’t show until the human meets the
sutures, staples and wires without anyone seeing. The man Promethean in the real world. When that happens, Disquiet
in the mortuary comes in one morning, and maybe one of kicks in, immediately.
the cadavers in his care is missing an arm or a head. They
don’t float through the air. There isn’t a flash of light or a Bestowment: Dreamsharing
magical cloud. There’s the simple instance when no one The Promethean’s connection to the stuff of dreams invades
is looking. When someone looks again, even if the person his daily — or nightly — experience. He sleeps, and having no
lost concentration for only an instant, the parts aren’t there dreams of his own, dreams other people’s dreams. He’s a visitor,
— they’re with the newly-made Frankenstein. a spectator. He can see what they’re dreaming, and they can
The same goes for any of the other Lineages. Even if the dream- see him. In their dreams, he’s the monster in the corner, the
born Promethean doesn’t have a Lineage (and he doesn’t have bogeyman under the bed. If he has this Bestowment (which he
to), he has a humour, which governs his Wasteland, the Disquiet can take in lieu of another Lineage Bestowment, or buy later as
he causes and the Torment he experiences. His humour (and a Transmutation), he can exert a small amount of control over
the element attached to it) reflects his creation in the dream. the dream he’s trapped inside.
The Promethean in the story could be driven by fire (from the Cost: 1 Pyros
stolen sunlight), water (from the place where the stolen sunlight Action: Instant and contested
was trapped) or spirit (from the dream). Transmutation Cost: Wits x 7

41
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

The player spends one Pyros and rolls Wits + Empathy, old and lonely and wise. He wears dusty jeans, a threadbare
reflexively contested by the dreamer’s Resolve. If the shirt with rolled-up sleeves and walking boots that look as
character succeeds, he can interact with the people in if they could fall apart at any moment.
the dream, both the dreamer and the other characters When his disfigurements become visible, his eyes vanish
created in the dream through conversation and through into shadow, and his skin is covered with what looks like a
physical means. If the character is attacked, for example, crust of ancient desert sand.
he can now fight back. Although attacks on a dreamer Storytelling Hints: The Traveling Man keeps on travel-
have no effect on the real world, “killing” or “knocking ing. He’s always on the move. But he’s tired, and he’s not
out” a dreaming human ends the dream. Everyone caught a whole lot closer to ending his Pilgrimage. His problem
in the dream wakes up. lies with settling down long enough to make another
If the character is in an alchemical pact, and his compan- Promethean like himself. He doesn’t know how to dream
ions are with him in the dream, they also gain the benefit up another Promethean. If he met another born like him,
of the Bestowment. perhaps he’d work it out, but until then, he’s going to keep
walking through the dreams of the world.
The Traveling Man The Traveling Man’s governing humour is melancholy, and
Quote: Best to sit it out. You’ll wake up some time. he is associated with the earth. He suffers Torment, causes
Background: The Traveling Man’s been walking for cen- Disquiet and creates a Wasteland as if he were a Tammuz.
turies. He came to himself in the middle of the Outback, Lineage: None
made by the man with the Goanna Dreaming, and he got Refinement: Cuprum
up and walked, and he’s been walking ever since. When the Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3
ships came bringing the white men, he walked onto one of Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 6
them and went traveling elsewhere.
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 1, Composure 3
It’s been a couple of centuries now, and the Traveling Man’s
walked across the world, from the rice fields of India to the Mental Skills: Crafts (Whittling, Making Weapons) 3, Investiga-
meadows of England, from the plains of the western United tion 1, Occult (Dream Interpretation) 4
States to the rain forests of Africa and South America. He Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Larceny 4, Stealth 5,
knows the dreams of nearly every nation on Earth, and he Survival (Desert Survival, Hunting) 5, Weaponry (Spear,
knows the lie of 100 different lands. Knife) 4
Description: Usually, the Traveling Man looks like an Social Skills: Animal Ken (Dogs) 3, Empathy 1, Expression
old Koori. He’s short, with tightly-curled gray hair and a (Storytelling) 3, Intimidation 1
bushy gray beard. His face looks as if it’s been weathered Merits: Elpis 2, Fresh Start, Holistic Awareness, Languages
by the desert wind and blazing sun for centuries, and his (most majority languages: assume that unless it’s a minority
eyes, deeply set under bushy brows, shine with a light that’s language, such as Welsh or Catalan, he knows it), Repute 3,
Strong Back, Strong Lungs
Willpower: 6
Humanity: 7
Virtue: Hope
Vice: Pride
Initiative: 5
Defense: 2
Speed: 9
Health: 11
Azoth: 6
Bestowments: Dreamsharing, Revivification
Transmutations: Corporeum — Swift Feet (•), Autonomic Con-
trol (•), Serpent Strike (••••), Hard Body (•••••); Metamorphosis
— Mask of Medusa (•), Blessing of Tethys (••), Redundant
Organ (••), Procrustean Shape (•••), Shape of the Barghest
(•••), Chimera (•••••); Sensorium — Bloodhound’s Nose (•),
Discriminating Tongue (•), Translator’s Eye (•), Aura Sight (••),
Ephemeral Gaze (•••), Firesight (•••), Rarefied Senses (••••)
Pyros/per Turn: 15/6

42
 GREAT-GRANDFATHER CROW, AND OTHER STORIES

Weapons/Attacks: Crow. And Hendaid Bran he remained, and still remains,

Type Damage Size Dice Pool because the story goes on that he’s out there, old and lost,
Knife 1L 1 8 and wondering if he will ever find a hand to alight on, or a
way to cease to be what he is. He knows that he can never

Great-Grandfather be human, but that’s not really what he wants. He longs to

be just a crow, a dumb beast with no memory. Perhaps that’s

Crow, and
where his Pilgrimage ends. Perhaps there is no end, and the
only hope for Hendaid Bran is to one day die.

Other Stories Meaning

On the surface, having a Promethean made from the body
In a world full of vampires, werewolves, miracle-workers
and angels, is there anything too far-fetched to believe? The of an animal seems pretty straightforward, if a little hokey.
story of Hendaid Bran stretches the bounds, and although a But introducing such a creature into a chronicle raises all
fair proportion of the Prometheans who live in the northern sorts of questions about what makes a Promethean, and
hemisphere have heard it, few give it any credit. The story what makes a human.
has been passed around Promethean campfires for centuries, Where does Promethean consciousness begin? A Pro-
and its core is this: someone once used the body of an animal methean often suspects that the ability to speak languages,
to make a Promethean. and the other rudimentary skills that all the Created have
There are different versions of the story. In Australia, it was must come from within the body, a kind of chemical or
a snake. In India, a monkey. In Canada, it was a timber wolf. physical blueprint of the consciousness and soul that once
In the steppes of Mongolia, it was a horse. But in the version inhabited the flesh. But if someone made a Promethean
of the story that comes from Wales, it was a crow. The creator from an animal, that can’t be the case. The consciousness
had the shape of a man. But he lived in the mountains and of a Promethean animal (and by extension, a Promethean
he had seen no people, live or dead, for decades. He neared made from a human body), which is not a soul, would have
the end of his Pilgrimage, and as is the way of these things, to come from somewhere else, somewhere outside. Perhaps
he needed to pass on the Transforming Fire. it’s a function of the Pyros. But then, if a Promethean’s con-
He had seen a crow land on a ledge, far above his cave, sciousness came from outside, does that make a Promethean
and not fly away. He’d watched that crow. It had been ill, who achieves Redemption a false human? Is he still not fully
or starving. He saw it die, and when it died, he climbed up human? And if he is, what implications does this have for
and cradled its body in his hands and took it back to his the source of human consciousness?
cave, and there, in the cave, he made it like him. He gave And what does that mean for the flesh? Can any flesh be
it the Pyros, and he whispered a few secrets in its ear and made into a Promethean? Is the process limited to flesh at
let it fly away, and then, when it had gone, he retreated into all? Is its shape important? Sure, there are Pandorans that
the shadows of the cave, and when he came out, he went take all sorts of grotesque forms, but even if you count the
down the mountain and traveled to a place where there Sublimati, they’re not of the same order as Prometheans.
were people, and they let him stay there. The thing that makes Pandorans different from Pro-
But the crow, the crow with the mind of an intelligent metheans is the fact that Pandorans can’t become human.
being and the desire but not the potential to become human, They exist only to wait and consume. The Sublimatus can’t
the crow flew across Wales and gradually realized what he become human because it has no Azoth of its own, and can-
was. And sometimes he tried to speak to people, who threw not create a soul in the Promethean crucible. The animal
stones at him, or told their friends and got burnt as witches Promethean can’t, apparently, become human because he
or pretended that they hadn’t heard. And his own, the birds, simply isn’t made from a human body.
they were just birds, and they flew from the crow’s company In all other ways, he’s a Promethean. He needs to find
and cawed and attacked him if he came too near. the key to Humanity, but he faces obstacles that other
The trees withered when he stayed in them too long. And Prometheans don’t face, particularly when it comes to cre-
the fields he stole corn from (and he cursed the fact that he ation. Every Promethean must make another. Passing on the
even knew or cared what stealing was) became barren and Azoth is essential. An animal Promethean simply doesn’t
nothing would grow in them. know how to do it, and, more than that, doesn’t have the
Sometimes he’d return to the places where people were and manual dexterity to prepare the body. A Wretched dog is
try to talk, and although they were scared of him, he became physically unable to slice up bodies and sew them together.
the subject of stories. They called him Tad Bran, Father It needs help to do that. The same goes for an Osiran or
Crow. And when a century had passed, they called him Taid an Ulgan. A wolf or dove has no means of obtaining, let
Bran, Grandfather Crow. And when a few more centuries alone measuring out and mixing the necessary substances
had passed, he became Hendaid Bran, Great-Grandfather to make a new Galateid. Even a Tammuz monkey lacks the

43
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

opposable thumbs necessary to tear a tiny slip of paper and for this, it’s too much to ask that the other Promethean
inscribe a word of power on it. In the end, the fiddly parts will give him the benefit of the doubt without some serious
aren’t as important as the transfer of Azoth. But an animal convincing. An animal invested with Azoth and given a
Promethean doesn’t know that. He knows instinctively what voice and a mind to use it is an abomination, even by the
the process was that made him, and despairs of ever being standards of other Prometheans.
able to do it. It could be an important, central milestone for An animal Promethean can talk. But he loses the ability
an animal Promethean to discover that he can make another to communicate with the species to which his body once
Promethean, that the Azoth is good for any kind of flesh, belonged. He can talk with people, but that’s frankly suicidal
animal or human, and that all he needs is a bit of help. But, under most circumstances. He has all these thoughts and
as in the case of poor Hendaid Bran, that really depends ideas to impart, and no one to communicate them to.
on finding another Promethean willing to talk to him and Bitterness and despair are likely results of this constant rejec-
willing to help. And they’re rarer than crow’s teeth. tion. A Promethean wolf with no one to talk to goes mad and
Finding another Promethean who is prepared to talk is begins to attack animals and people, desperate that someone
another issue. When a Promethean meets an animal with will hunt her down and destroy her. Hendaid Bran has almost
the power of the Pyros, her first thought is, “Pandoran.” given up on his own Pilgrimage, and although he’s proud, he
Even if she takes note of the Azoth the creature exudes, desperately approaches a throng of Prometheans with his story.
the suspicion of something freakish and wrong is still there. A Promethean monkey sits in the middle of an Indian village and
The Measure that passes between a Promethean made from begins to talk and talk, hoping that when the rocks start flying,
a horse and a Promethean made from a woman is not an they won’t hurt too much before sweet oblivion comes.
easy thing. When the horse begins to speak in a guttural, The attitude a Promethean holds toward his Pilgrimage
tortured voice, using vocal cords that were never designed governs his Refinement, which means a different thing to a

44
 DISQUIET | HENDAID BRAN

creature that isn’t made from a human body. Cuprum is an Mechanics

obvious Refinement for an animal who seeks to avoid trouble. Mechanically speaking, introducing an animal Promethe-
Stannum works for an animal Promethean bearing a grudge an is simple. Find (or create) the traits for an animal (start
against the people and animals that reject him. Perfection is with the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 202). Add dots of
difficult, when your consciousness sits so uncomfortably in Merits, Azoth, Lineage, Refinement and Transmutations as if
the body you inhabit. Most animals exercise as a matter of you would when creating an ordinary Promethean character.
course. They all protect their bodies, and so Ferrum, while That’s it. The important thing is the backstory.
not out of the question, seems unlikely. Mercurius requires The really important thing is working out what an animal’s
discipline and thought, and while an animal Promethean presence signifies in the chronicle, and what the characters
can be disciplined and thoughtful, the rigors of simply can learn from it. Discovering that the Azoth inhabits flesh
surviving, of constantly moving, make Mercurius even less in more forms than just humans (and thinking about what
likely than Ferrum. that means) could prove to be an important milestone.
Aurum seems the most counterintuitive of all of them, Aiding a Promethean animal to the end of its Pilgrimage
but an animal Promethean could take two approaches to is another.
the Refinement of Gold. On the one hand, the animal could
constantly skirt around the habitations of humankind, like Disquiet
the fox that spends its nights in back gardens, the magpie A Promethean animal causes Disquiet the same way that
that lives around the farm house or the stray cat in the back any other Promethean does. A human hears and sees the
alley. A Promethean animal can fit into that role quite eas- Promethean animal talking, and has no doubt where this
ily, examining the humans who live nearby to see what she weird, strangled voice is coming from: it’s cause for a second
can learn from them. On the other hand, the Promethean Disquiet check, with a –1 modifier to her roll. Every time
animal might desire to become an animal like others, who the human sees this happen, the player must roll again,
wishes to escape the curse of consciousness and become a rolling with a –2 modifier the second time, a –3 modifier
dumb beast. That could also be an operation of Aurum. the third time and so on.
In theory, the Promethean animal should be able to enter
into an alchemical pact with other Prometheans. Whether Hendaid Bran
the other Prometheans would want that, or even admit its Quote: There’s not much an old bird can teach you, no, oh
possibility is another issue. no, oh no.
Hendaid Bran doesn’t know what would happen to him Background: Great-Grandfather Crow knows that
if he finally completed the Great Work. He could lose his there are creatures like him, only made from humans,
memory and consciousness and become an ordinary crow. but he has only met, over the centuries, three of them,
It’s what he wants. On the other hand, it might not work and none would help him on his Pilgrimage. He’s flown
at all. His creation might have been a freak occurrence, a dozen times around the world now, and he’s seen many
meaning that he’s stuck as he is. If he finds that out, he
might have to find a way to die, which is not easy for one
such as him.
There’s a third possibility. If that old black bird flies into
the crucible, there may just be a man who walks out. Azoth
can warp flesh. The Centimani prove that. The Promethean’s
consciousness is potentially a human consciousness. The
Azoth demands a human soul. Is it so impossible the old
crow could grow and lose his feathers? It’s the ultimate fairy
tale conceit (consider the Frog Prince as a Promethean, and
the girl’s kiss an allegory for the Great Work). In the World
of Darkness, magical and wondrous endings like this don’t
normally happen. The success of the Great Work, however,
is possibly one of the most hopeful endings a character could
have. And, of course, an animal Promethean becoming
human raises the question of whether he actually wants
to be human.
If the animal Promethean becomes a human rather than an
animal with no consciousness, is this better? Is consciousness a
blessing or a curse? Is a human body any better than an animal
body? Would the crow, now earthbound, sink into despair?

45
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

The Seer’s
things, but the riddle of his predicament has escaped him.
The problem of creating another like him (or not like

Pilgrimage
him) when he has no hands seems insurmountable, and
the old Azoth burns his feathers from within, driving
him to endlessly seek for something that he is beginning When Prometheans gather, they tell stories. Certainly,
to think can never be found. In truth, he has no idea most of these stories are tales of the road, of battle, of chal-
how his own Gwaith Mawr (Great Work) will end. He lenge, of cleverness and wit and wisdom — all the stories
doesn’t even know if it will. that men have always told and will always tell. Some of
Description: He looks like an ancient, one-eyed crow, these stories hold deep meaning, however, and sometimes
with matted feathers and eyes like beads of obsidian. reveal secrets that are important to those who walk the
When his disfigurements become plain, his feathers bleed Pilgrimage.
darkness and his eye is like a pit into which a person Among these legends, no story is so often told as that of
could fall, forever. the Seer. According to this piece of mythology, the Created
Storytelling Hints: He’s old, so old, and so very tired. have always sought to be human. But it wasn’t until the
He wants to become a dumb animal. He cannot finish creation of one who bore unique insight and tremendous
the work on his own, for he has no hands with which wisdom, one capable of not just desiring that destination,
to assemble his progeny. He will take whatever help he but of seeing the road by which to arrive there, that the
can get, but he is proud, and he will not lower himself Pilgrimage became a reality.
or abase himself for anyone. He does ask for help, but After years of seeking and searching, it is said that he not
only on his terms. only discovered the process by which he might become hu-
Lineage: Osiris man, but as his final milestone, taught other Prometheans
Refinement: Aurum the seeking of the Elpis. With this final accomplishment,
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Resolve 4 he infused into the Divine Fire the instinctive desire and
Physical Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5 understanding of the Pilgrimage, and saw the New Dawn.
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 4 Unfortunately, this core of the legend is the only part the
Mental Skills: Academics (History) 4, Occult 3 Created can agree on when it comes to the Seer. Over the
Physical Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl 3 years, many stories about the Seer have evolved and merged
with prevailing folklore and stories about particularly wise
Social Skills: Intimidation 2, Survival 5
Prometheans. Many stories told about such a protagonist
Merits: Elpis 4, Language (Welsh, English), Repute 3
evolve into stories about the Seer within a generation of
Willpower: 8 their first telling.
Humanity: 6 Scattered among these stories, however, are called the
Virtue: Hope Revelations: stories about the milestones of the Seer.
Vice: Sloth These are not always obvious, and in fact, few can agree as
Initiative: 7 to which tales are actually Revelations. Every Refinement
Defense: 3 has adherents who claim that the Seer was one of theirs,
Speed: 14 (flight only; species factor 10) and who point to certain of his legends, claiming they are
Health: 6 Revelations.
Azoth: 7 Occasionally, a Created historian attempts to gather all
Bestowment: Revivification of the tales of the Seer, filtering out those stories that are
based on the exploits of other Prometheans. It is the work
Transmutations: Disquietism — Scapegoat (•), Alembic (••••);Decep-
of a lifetime, and generally agreed to be an impossible task.
tion — Leave No Trace (••), False Tracks (••••); Mesmerism — Fixed
Those with a philosophical bent believe that the Seer was
Stare (•), Flight Instinct (•), Firebringer (••), Suggestion (••), Atavistic never a single individual; rather he is the archetype of the
Instincts (•••), Logos (••••), Waters of Lethe (••••) Promethean on the Pilgrimage, a Seeker for enlightenment.
Note: Hendaid Bran is so old, he probably knows many other They believe that it isn’t a matter of finding out who the Seer
Transmutations, perhaps even Pandoran Transmutations, but was, because every Promethean has the potential of being
attempting to list them all would be overwhelming. The Story- the Seer at any given point during his Pilgrimage.
teller should feel free to decide on some more history for the The stories that are the “true” Revelations have a few
bird and give him some more Transmutations accordingly. traits in common. First, they highlight a moment of en-
Pyros/per Turn: 20/7 lightenment, the fulfillment of a milestone that is reached
Weapons/Attacks: through both sacrifice and wisdom. Second, they always
Type Damage Dice Pool embody the important aspects of the Refinement the Seer
is said to follow in that story. Third, they always feature the
Beak 1L 5

46
 THE SEER’S PILGRO,AGE

details of the location where the story happened — or at the human mind, and a lifetime love of education as a result.
least enough information to research it. Though the edifice presently serves the city bureaucracy as
Finally, and most important, Revelations trigger some kind a courthouse, the Library of Iksender still bears a Shrine-
of strange, deep longing in some Prometheans. This longing mark, hidden in the hollow parts of the ceiling, accessible
feels akin to homesickness, and most who experience it are through secret passages, where the Seer once slept.
filled with a desire to find the site where the story took place • The Garden Window: In Nice, France, stands a cer-
— where the Seer achieved his enlightenment. This desire tain large house. Though it is a private residence now, in
isn’t a compulsion or mania of any sort. Rather, it is what the time of the Seer, it was used as a boarding house. The
the Promethean thinks about when he has time to think, Seer, traveling through Europe just before the Renaissance,
and he feels a sense of longing to find this place. watched the coming and goings of the people around him
Those who give in to this sensation and journey to the for days. Then, slowly, the Wasteland began to affect the
site often experience a tremendous moment of awareness gardens outside the window. Roses withered on the stem,
and enlightenment. In visiting the site where the Seer leaving only rot-slicked thorns, and the birds that came
has been, the Promethean so inspired may experience a here to eat the seed scattered around rarely left, their
sudden understanding of one of his milestones. In a flash, little wings atrophying, until they were tiny little hopping
he understands the Seer’s Pilgrimage in context with the things, missing feathers in a scabby patchwork. The Seer
Promethean’s own, and standing on that site, comprehends watched the humans continue to take strolls through the
one of the steps toward his own Mortality. garden, seeming to ignore its sudden hideousness. In that
These sites are scattered all over the world. Where Pro- moment, he understood an essential part of human nature:
metheans have walked, there is a possibility of a stop on their hate was by choice, the things they found ugly were
the Seer’s Pilgrimage. Many of these locations are marked willful. Humans reacted strongly to disgust and dislike, but
with a unique Pilgrim’s Mark resembling the alchemical sign those emotions were not absolutes — all too often they
“work complete,” reflecting the effect that the site has on were the result of choices. The Garden Window has the
those who have experienced the Seer’s Revelation. This is Shrine-mark above the windowsill that still shows through,
called the Shrine-mark. despite multiple coats of paint.
Those interested in Seer legends sometimes speak of the • The Castle of Family: Though it is known by another
“cycles” that such pieces of Promethean folklore fit into, name to tourists to Bavaria, this castle was where the Seer
focusing on conceptual and philosophical ideas, dividing understood the importance of family to humans. For years,
the stories into five main cycles, one for each of the primary he’d taken to defending one particular family and its holdings.
Refinements practiced by the Created. Though other legends Their youngest daughter was slaughtered by the razor-skin
exist that don’t neatly fit into any of the other cycles (some of a pack of Pandorans he’d fought, so he stayed with them
of which have caused Revelation in those who adhere to even after he’d made his amends. Posing as an eccentric
other Refinements), these are the most common. uncle from a distant branch of the family, the Seer worked
tirelessly to help them prosper and become happy. Though
The Walker Among Men he was forced to keep his distance, one Christmas night,
(Aurum) as he brooded on the roof of one of the towers, the three
The Walker Among Men Cycle is the collection of sto- youngest children came up to find him, telling him that they
ries that best exemplify the Seeker as a follower of Aurum. couldn’t open their presents until he was there — and in
He seeks the wisdom of humanity not simply by observing that moment, he understood that he wasn’t unique in his
humanity, but by living among them, by becoming one of interactions with his “family.” These children had always
them. Most of the Walker Among Men tales seem to take been terrified of him, but they’d come to find him anyway,
place in Europe at some point after the fall of Rome and for true families cleave together, despite unease and dis-
before the Renaissance. A few of these stories also take agreements that may cause friction among them, because
place in Asia, India and Africa, though the time frames of something stronger holds them together. The Shrine-mark
those stories vary widely. is carved deep into one of the crenellations of this roof.
• The Library of Iksender: Once, the Seer is said to have
sought sanctuary within the Library of Iksender, in Ankara, The Ancient Anchorite
Turkey. An edifice of Byzantine origin, it was purchased by a (Cuprum)
man of some means and turned into a library for the people The Ancient Anchorite Cycle relates the wanderings of
of Ankara in AD 1150. Aurum folklore states that the Seer the Seer in such a way that cause Revelation in those who
dwelt within the Library, wandering its aisles, speaking to men follow Cuprum. In these legends, the Seer escapes the cloy-
both wise and foolish, for many weeks. Though he fled the ing claustrophobia of humanity, seeking wild vistas as places
Library, lest his nature lead to its destruction, he took with where he might find peace with himself. He seeks wisdom
him a tremendous understanding of the effect of learning on in nature, and often finds it. The Ancient Anchorite tales

47
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

encompass the much of the world, though most of them because while the Seer was atop it, he learned much about
seem placed in the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern being human by the requests for wisdom and the tales that
Europe and into the steppes of Asia. Some tales take place others brought before him, thinking him a holy anchorite.
in the Americas. The time frame involved with Ancient The Shrine-mark is etched into the top of the stone, where
Anchorite tales is uncertain, as they focus on his involve- only someone seated there might see it.
ment in the wilderness, rather than among humans, where
cultural clues and names might give hints to the time in The Seeker of Perfection
which it occurred. (Ferrum)
• The Seer’s Cave: In the temperate rainforests of the The Seeker of Perfection Cycle focuses on the ideals of
Pacific Northwest, in Canada’s British Columbia, there is a the Seer as one of the Titans of Ferrum, going through tri-
cave. Several days’ hike from any of the settlements (save als of both athletics and violence in order to master both
perhaps a couple of clusters of cabins rented out to fishers spirit and body. In these tales, he learns that physicality is
and campers), it is said the Seer used this cave as a retreat. the path, but not the goal — only when his great strength
Some claim he traveled here over the Bering Strait in truly and power are applied with wisdom does he accomplish
ancient days; others postulate that he journeyed here during the lesson of these tales. The Seeker of Perfection tales are
the time of the tribes. Regardless, the Pariahs have a story common in Asia, northern Europe and northern and central
of his arrival, and the lessons he learned there. He ate the Africa. This cycle seems to share legends within a broad
food the place had to offer, marveling at the abundance of span of time, sometimes from a vague tribal era, extending
life. He learned to endure the weather, vastly different from through the Classical period and into the heights of the
anything he’d known. The thick molds of the area took root Roman Empire, though some of the Asian tales are later
in his very flesh, filling in the spaces between his fingers, at chronologically, hinting that the Seer may have journeyed
the joints of his limbs and eventually blinding and deafening out of Europe and into Asia.
him, but they opened his senses in ways he could not have • The Keep of Shadows: In the legends of Cu Chulainn,
anticipated. His understanding blossomed, and he realized the mighty hero sought training in the arts of battle from the
that many of the customs and desires of people were shaped warrior-woman Scathach, in her shadow-keep. Exploring this
by the world around them. Thus, it was possible to learn concept, the Seer discovered a valley in the highlands that,
about humanity even distinctly apart from it. at a certain point in the day, is entirely shrouded strange
• The Bodhi Tree: In 500 BC, the Prince Gautama Sid- shadows that cut across the terrain in straight lines and angles.
dhartha sat beneath a bodhi tree in the town of Bodhgaya Standing in the valley, the shadows lend the impression that
and meditated. Buddhist doctrine teaches that beneath this one stands beneath the walls of a great castle, though it is
tree, he became the Buddha, and began to teach others how merely a trick of perspective and the shades. The valley is
to achieve enlightenment. Prometheans on the Refinement scattered with impressive rock formations, and it is said that
of Cuprum say that the Seer came to this place, seeking to the Seer practiced his sword- and spear-work atop these great
understand in humanity some of its noblest ideals. Sitting boulders, capturing the old lessons of the Hound of Ulster,
beneath a similar tree one night, he understood anatta, one working himself to exhaustion, until his vision blurred. In
of the precepts of Buddhism: that there is no such thing as doing so, he fulfilled an important milestone for himself:
an unchanging, ever-enduring soul. Humans are simply one understanding that even the most powerful of defenses relies
flow of ever-changing being — the humanity he sought was on perspective and illusion — those who are most strongly
not a final destination, but simply the beginning of another defended always seem to be defended. Perspective is all, and
process. It was not a state of being, but a state of doing. In this when battling a foe, what that foe perceives is as important
moment, he came closer to understanding what it meant to as what is actually there. At the height of the valley, in the
be human. Hanging from one of the branches is an ancient place where the shadows hint that the window to some sort
wooden plaque, engraved with the Shrine-mark. of great hall might be placed, is a Shrine-mark carved into
• The Speaking Stone: Beside a stream three days from the living rock, half-grown over with lichens.
Kiev, in Ukraine, is a tall stone. It is rounded along its side, but • The Terrible Wasteland: Over the centuries, the name
flat on top, and one who is sufficiently dexterous might climb of this place in Central Africa has changed, and with every
atop it. To Cuprum Prometheans who know of the legends, version, its name meant the same thing as “Hell” to the
this is the Speaking Stone, atop which the Seer meditated locals. In this hard, terrible place, a place of dust and bare
for weeks without moving or ever leaving his trance. Though stone, neither animal nor plant can thrive. Moreover, the
the wind chapped his flesh until it dried up and sloughed landscape’s mercurial nature is swift and violent. In the blink
off in strong rains or early frosts, he did not move. It is said of an eye, the weather can change from calm, dead air that
that peasants came from miles around, asking for his wisdom, throttles those who breathe it into a terrible stinging in a
but he never spoke. It is not the Speaking Stone because windstorm that threatens to flay flesh from bone. When the
of what he said while atop it — it is the Speaking Stone Seer came here, he learned another thing about it — it is

48
 THE SEEKER OF PERFECTION | THE STAR-WORN WALKER

terribly susceptible to the Wasteland effect of Prometheans. a reflection of the Fire Within, and this understanding
Within hours of his arrival, the place had transformed into brings the Star-Worn Walker great enlightenment. The
the worst manifestation of the Wasteland, though this Star-Worn Walker tales are usually set in Arabian locales
place also seemed to contain that transformation within and times before the Ottoman Turks and in European
its wicked borders. Here, the Seer came face-to-face with areas as of the early parts of the Renaissance.
the devastation his very existence could wreak. Here, he • The Dancing Ground: Somewhere in the rocky
learned to survive in a land that he destroyed, rather than Nefud Desert of northern Arabia is the Dancing Ground.
fleeing it as the Created normally do. Though he crawled Still used by modern Sufis as a pilgrimage site, Mercurius
out of its devastation weeks later, parched, starved and Prometheans say that the Seer once visited this favored
nearly mad, he learned that the hardest obstacle against site of the dervishes throughout history. Drawn by the
which he could hurl his body was his own nature. In the legends of the strange, ecstatic powers of the Sufi mystics,
center of this several-mile wide Wasteland stands a single the Seer came here and learned how to perform the whirl-
tall stone, etched with the Shrine-mark, blackened with a ing dance of the dervishes, meant to embody the whirling
strange residue: the blood of Prometheans who have braved of the planets in the skies, and ending face-down, with
this site and learned its lessons. navel in contact with the earth. And there he lay, for
• Sweet Water Mountain: North of the Sichuan Basin 40 days and nights, breathing in the dust, until it filled
in central China, in the mountains that overlook a river, his lungs like a layer of stone. It was here that the Seer
is Sweet Water Mountain. From its east-facing cliffs, the is said to have unlocked his understanding that control
ruins of a monastery can be seen. Ferrum Prometheans tell of Pyros is suffocation of Pyros — like any fire, if it is
the story of the Seer, who came here from India, seeking controlled, it will begin to die. Only through providing
to understand martial traditions. Though the exact arts he it room to expand, air and fuel can it truly burn brightest.
studied are disputed — indeed, there are some stories that The Shrine-mark chiseled into the ground here is said
claim he didn’t come here to learn martial arts at all, having to match the spot where the Seer found himself staring
come during a time before the codification of martial arts when he opened his eyes after his dance.
traditions — they all agree that
his true test came from standing
beneath the great waterfall that
roars down the face of the Sweet
Water Mountain. Though its
torrent can crush a man’s bones,
the Seer is said to have stood
beneath its flows, repeating the
movements he’d been taught,
over and over, until he collapsed
and floated downstream. The
bank where the monks found
his unconscious form bears a
Shrine-mark.

The Star-
Worn Walker
(Mercurius)
The Star-Worn Walker
Cycle portrays the Seer as a
great visionary and mystic of
the Divine Flame, finding guid-
ance in astrology. These pieces
of folklore paint the Seer as a
tremendously wise wandering
sage capable of understanding
the things that occurred around
him within the context of his
own Pyros — all the world
outside of the Seer is simply

49
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

• The Old Herbalist’s Shop: In a small town in Ger- to the crimes they committed. These tales often focus on
many, Mercurius Prometheans claim that the Seer visited punishment for those who not only wronged the Seer but
an herbalist who specialized in strange new concoctions. who tended to victimize others around them as well, turning
This odd man was apparently led by his insight, and had the Seer into a champion of other victims. These tales, just
occult interests. In fact, his neighbors suspected him of as those of the Ancient Anchorite, seem to cover a wide
witchcraft and creating flying ointments for hags. In the gamut of time frames and places. The earliest is set in Egypt,
attic of this small village shop, Ophidians claim that the during one of the earliest dynasties, while the latest is set
Seer lay down after ingesting one of these strange mix- in the mid-1800s, in the American West.
tures, and dreamt a dream of serpents crawling beneath • The Tomb of Amseti: Perhaps the most commonly
his skin, hissing subtly in voices just beyond the range of told tale of the Scorched Saint Cycle, the Seer’s experi-
his hearing. He spoke with them, though, and they were ences being used as a pawn by dynastic nobility in ancient
his own Pyros, seeking to guide him in his achievement Egypt is frequently told and retold. When he came to court,
of his Great Work. The Shrine-mark here is carved into certain factions within the upper echelons of society saw
the beams of the attic roof, and can only be seen when his power and sought to use him. Soon, he found himself
lying in the spot that the Seer supposedly experienced being shuttled between scheming would-be plotters, until
his vision. he discovered a key piece of information that unfolded the
• The Witch’s Graveyard: Just outside one of the many entire situation to him. But he did not rush out and unleash
tucked-away little townships in central Massachusetts is bloody vengeance. Instead, he continued to depend on the
a place the locals call the Witch’s Graveyard. Though no fact that both sides assumed that he was their pawn, and
one really believes in witches anymore — the loons in simply used his position and their ignorance to his advan-
Salem aside — this site has always been called the Witch’s tage, culminating in an incredible bloodbath between his
Graveyard, since the times when they did believe in them. foes, entirely orchestrated by him. A father was tricked into
They say that most of the local witches who died in the an act of incest with his own daughter. A wife killed her
trials were buried here, in shallow, unmarked graves. It’s an husband, fearing that he would denounce her as an adulterer
unpleasant and strange place, where the sky seems darker to the court. A son poisoned his brother, mistaking him for
overhead and the wind carries an unpleasant reek. Those an enemy. The Seer’s last action was to spit on the tomb of
Created who tell the story of the Witch’s Graveyard say Amseti, one of the more influential schemers. Now, in the
that when the moon sits, bone-white and bloated in the Valley of Kings, Furies sometimes seek the mastaba-tomb
sky, the ghosts of witches rise here, and call out to their of Amseti, which bears the Shrine-mark. Storytellers warn
lost familiars. And though their demonic imps are long those who hear this story, however, that monstrous Pandorans
since dead, something in their voices reaches out, and are known to dwell in the sands in the Valley of Kings. It is
the Pandorans awaken and come running to their call. even said that some of them are ancient Sublimati, animal-
The Ophidians tell of the lessons the Seer’s journey to headed horrors that await the coming of seekers, disguised
this place, his battle with the Pandorans awakened by as funeral statuary of Egypt’s gods.
the witch-call and his conversations with the hanged • Rio del Oro, California: An old ghost town from the
hags, who taught him terrible secrets of blackest magic, Gold Rush era, some stories claim that the Seer came here
of Flux and their goddess Lilith (whom some Ophidians following the murderer of a prostitute he’d befriended. Ac-
suspect was a qashmal of some sort). The site’s Shrine- cording to the legend that relates the tale, the Seer stalked
mark is carved deep into the trunk of one particularly the man here and watched as he panned for gold, eventually
gnarled old beech. Some Prometheans warn that this striking it rich. Through a complex web of intrigue and long-
place is also considered a holy site by some Sublimati term plans, the Seer had his revenge: when the dust settled,
and Centimani. the man was dead, killed by one of the young women of the
brothel he frequented. His wealth disappeared and found
The Scorched Saint its way into both the pockets of the brothel’s prostitutes as
(Stannum) well as the family of the woman he murdered back East. A
The Scorched Saint Cycle of legends contains some of mirror hangs in the main hall of the old ruined building
the rarer tales. Many Prometheans are uncomfortable with that once served as a brothel still bearing the lines of waxy
the idea of the path of the Furies as a means to enlighten- drippings that form the Shrine-mark here.
ment, but these legends highlight the ways in which they • Shofeld: Shofeld, a small coastal village in southern
might be. In these stories, the Seer is greatly wronged by the England is notorious among those Furies who find interest
world, but he visits great vengeance upon those who treated in the Scorched Saint Cycle. It is said that when the Seer
him unfairly. All of these tales are marked with elaborate washed ashore — having barely escaped the fury of sailors
plans of retribution, which only truly unfold at the end of caught in the grip of Disquiet — he tried to acquire the help
the story, and all visit retribution on the guilty appropriate of its folk. At first, they were quite giving, feeding him, pro-

50
 REVELATION | FINDING THE SHRINE

viding him with new clothing and a place to stay in exchange the version of the Seer story they heard that led them to that
for some basic work. But, as Disquiet gripped them as well, spot. Alternately, Pandorans or other foes may stake out one
they began trying to drive him away, feeding him bad food, of these spots, waiting for the inevitable Prometheans who
giving him the worst clothing (or cutting holes in clothing are drawn to it, like hunters hidden near a drinking hole.
that they offered to wash) and putting insects and rodents
in his bed. While none of these things were likely to harm Mechanics
or even inconvenience the Seer, he slowly grew more and Using the Seer’s Pilgrimage in a Promethean: The Cre-
more angry at the breaches of hospitality. When he asked ated chronicle is a two-step process. The first of these is
if there was anything wrong, they lied to him, preferring to Revelation, wherein the Promethean hears a tale of the Seer
take their displeasure out on him than admit their petti- from another of his kind, and feels a wave of inspiration.
ness. Eventually, he snapped and undertook a season-long The second part occurs when the Promethean seeks out the
furious vengeance. He systematically denied those who had location that corresponds to the legend that inspired him.
denied him the very aspect of their hospitality they tried to
withdraw: he poisoned and spoiled food, destroyed clothing Revelation
on lines and even burned down the house of his hostess. In order for proper Revelation to occur, the story must
Eventually, though, he realized that this petty vendetta be heard from either another Promethean or from another
was beneath him, teaching him the valuable lesson that so entity that interacts in some way with the Divine Fire.
many Furies often have to learn: not all vengeance is worth Tales circulate of certain Sublimati collecting tales of the
pursuing. Sometimes, it simply locks one into the mentality Seer, and one legend even originated from a qashmal that
of those who harmed one in the first place. Better to save appeared to a throng. The power of the Revelation is only
one’s fury for the truly deserving — or perhaps for those transferred from one being of the Pyros to another — other
who were cruel of their own nature, rather than because beings cannot act as either recipient or transmitter of the
of Disquiet. The Shrine-mark of Shofeld is etched into the Seer’s Revelation.
stones of the old village well. These legends seldom instill Revelations into more than
a single Promethean. While they may be interesting and
Meaning perhaps even inspirational, it is practically unheard of for
For the chronicle, using these stories serves to emphasize the legend to bear meaning for more than one listener at
the Promethean love of storytelling when they gather into a time. When more than one Promethean finds a Revela-
groups. The Created are all the heroes of their own indi- tion from one of the stories of the Seer’s Pilgrimage, the
vidual adventures, an epic quest with the most wondrous of Prometheans are invariably members of a Branded throng.
rewards, and the things they encounter and accomplish are Although the Seeker’s travels are broken into “cycles” by
worth retelling. Somewhere along the way, these tales may Refinement, a given Revelation might resonate with a Pro-
provide hints to other Prometheans on how to accomplish methean whether or not her current Refinement matches
the same goals. the cycle of the tale.
The Seer, whether he ever truly existed or not, is the ar- When one of the Created experiences Revelation, she
chetype of this concept. Tales of the Seer’s Great Work are is swept away in a moment of overwhelming exhilaration.
meant to inspire other Prometheans to accomplish their goals. The words seem to echo in her mind, searing themselves
These tales serve not simply to entertain but to inflame new into her memory — she will never forget the story she has
ideas and aspirations in the Created, to propel them forward just heard. Moreover, she instantly regains all Willpower
in their search. Those who follow this sense of inspiration points, as though she’d just fulfilled her Virtue. The rush of
to the site described in the tale that inspired him often find empowerment and inspiration that comes with the Revela-
a moment of enlightenment there. The Promethean stands tion is prodigious, indeed.
in the very place that the Seer once stood, and can share
in some of his insight. The Seer’s enlightenment produced Finding the Shrine
Vitriol, a substance both physical and spiritual, and that The places noted as one destination of the Seer’s Pilgrim-
great moment in time might be re-experienced by those age are called Shrines. Though the Created may be moved
Created who stand in the same spot and share some of the by the Revelation, visiting these locations — as pilgrims
same goals. of ancient times visited holy sites — makes the true power
These locations are an excellent way for Storytellers to of the Revelation manifest.
get the throng to a new area quickly. These sites, whether They are not all easy to find, though. Many of the
or not the characters themselves are seeking the Revelation most common Shrines (such as those listed above) are
there, make for excellent story hooks as well. Most of the described in the stories and well-known to Prometheans
sites are simply visited occasionally, but some Created may who have studied the Seer Cycles. Most of the other
wish to guard the sites, or to stay in the area and chronicle Shrines, however, are not so well-known. Many have

51
 CHAPTER ONE | WHAT IS AND WHAT MAY BE

to be researched or otherwise investigated in order to source of information doesn’t need to know the meaning
learn of the Shrines’ whereabouts. or importance of the Shrine the seeker searches for to
The Storyteller should construct the process for discov- provide some clues about where it might be found.
ering the whereabouts of a Shrine. Each such step in the Even a small library or amateur website may provide
process not only unfolds more information but may very some clue. A book of old wives’ tales from Britain may
well lead to clues. point out a tradition of not taking in sailors who wash
Interviews ashore along a small coast in southern England, giving
Prometheans keep the secrets of the Seer’s Pilgrimage, a clue as to the whereabouts of Shofeld. A glossy photo-
even if they don’t always know it. Those seeking the clues magazine dedicated to anthropological and archaeological
necessary to find a Shrine tend to seek out their fellow findings may have printed photos of cave drawings — and
searchers. The Created are not the only ones with this among them, a Shrine-mark — from caverns in the Pacific
sort of information, however. Sublimati and Centimani may Northwest, laying bare the location of the Seer’s Cave.
have information about the whereabouts of Shrines (though An undergraduate’s book on Irish mythology that relates
rarely for the same reason as the seeker). Other, stranger the tale of Cu Chulainn and his journey to Scotland to
sources of information may sometimes be necessary: ghosts, learn from the Scathach may include academic references
mages, qashmal and strange spirits all have the potential to to suspected camp sites of a band of warriors during the
know something. Finally, the stories of the Seer have not Bronze Age suspected to be the origins of the Scathach
remained simply among the supernatural creatures of the legends.
world: many different kinds of wanderers have, over the Dreams and Meditation
years, taken up company with a Promethean for a short The experience of the Revelation affects a Promethean
time while on the road, and may remember some of the on a deep level, much of it subconscious. It is then, perhaps
stories the Promethean told. These kinds of information no coincidence that those seeking one of the Shrines often
have surfaced among gypsies, carnies and circus folk, hobos remember things they thought they had forgotten that
and motorcycle gangs. relate to the potential location of the Shrine. Stranger
Followers of a given Refinement may carry some knowl- still, a seeker may find himself experiencing memories
edge of the whereabouts of a Shrine associated with their that are not his own. Some believe that these come from
Refinement. They may also have spoken to (or at least the murky memories somehow trapped in the body used
heard of) others seeking the same Shrine, and remember to make the Promethean, but others claim that some of
some things about that search. Likewise, Prometheans who these are the memories of the seeker’s creator, or creator’s
spent a great deal of time in an area with a Shrine may creator, carrying memories of the Seer’s Cycle in the spark
very well have encountered more than one seeker there, of Divine Fire that passes from maker to made. Dreams
and know something about it. and visions unlock themselves when a seeker meditates
In the same way, the humans of an area may have some or sleeps, revealing clues to his search, but almost always
clue about the strange places that surround them: several veiled in symbolism and intertwined with other concerns to
Bedouin tribes almost assuredly know of the Dancing the psyche. Many of these images do not seem immediately
Ground in the Nefud Desert, and many of the elders of relevant, but are revealed as clues later.
small Massachusetts towns remember stories about the Thus, a seeker hunting for Rio del Oro may awaken
old Witch’s Graveyard. Even if these clues lead nowhere, from a dream in which he caught a glimpse of a nearby
the seeker may be guided to the same false lead that other mountain with a distinctive face, only to see a photo of
seekers before him have discovered — and he may find that mountain later on while searching the Internet. A
more information there, perhaps. On any important roll seeker who awakens from a meditation may find that the
that may gain the seeker knowledge of his goal, if the gibberish that he can’t seem to forget is actually a phrase
player rolls an exceptional success, the surge of excite- in Russian, giving him a clue to the whereabouts of the
ment that comes with getting so much closer to the goal Speaking Stone.
grants the character a point of Willpower. Likewise, once Happenstance
a Promethean accomplishes his goal and discovers the Finally, seemingly random chance often plays a strong
whereabouts of the Shrine with certainty, the thrill of part in the seeker’s journey to discover the whereabouts of
doing so — of being so close to his goal — replenishes his the Shrine that draws her. She may happen to overhear a
sense of self. He recovers all his Willpower. conversation between two other Prometheans that some-
Research how relates to her quest. She may stumble on a book in the
The average library does not have any information on trash bin and pick it out for some reason, only to discover
the Seer’s Pilgrimage — only a library of tremendous rarity it is an old guide book from the turn of the century that
and value possesses mention of Prometheans at all, unless includes a photo of the Garden Window, with its Shrine-
you count Mary Shelley’s classic. But a library or other mark prominent.

52
 VISITING A SHRINE | NEW MERIT: PILGRIM

the Shrine, the Created seeker experiences a moment of

transcendent revelation.
Dangers in the Quest The player rolls Wits + Composure + Azoth. This roll
Only a fool believes that the Shrines are is reflexive.
unguarded and safe places. Part of the danger Roll Results
of many of these sites is their proximity to Dramatic Failure: The strange inspiration that has been
humanity: some sit in the middle of busy urban guiding the Created since he first experienced the Revelation
areas, the locals completely unaware that there abandons him, leaving him disillusioned and bitter. He loses
is something in their midst of importance to the a point of Willpower and must check for Torment.
occasional unsettling stranger. It is worth noting, Failure: The Promethean arrives, and though he finds
however, that places that see a steady stream of the site to be interesting, it does not ring with the truth he
odd visitors, who seem to want nothing more from assumed he’d find here. He loses a point of Willpower in
the area than to show up and simply be in the his disappointment.
presence of that area are likely to get something Success: The sudden moment of insight washes over him,
of reputation as being haunted — or at least, a giving him some understanding of one of his milestones. The
place where undesirables seem to like to congre- Storyteller should reveal one of that character’s milestones
gate. to the player. Additionally, the Promethean gains a point
More than this, however, creatures inimical of Vitriol.
to the Created may find these to be excellent Exceptional Success: The insight is transcendent and
places to wait for them. From Pandorans seeking seared into the mind and spirit of the Promethean. Not only
easy Vitriol to scientists looking for more of the does he discover the nature of one of his milestones, but he
Azoth-infused flesh from which to create clones, also discovers either how much Vitriol accomplishing that
the Shrines associated with the Seer’s Cycle make milestone will earn him or how many total milestones he yet
excellent ambush points. possesses. Additionally, he may purchase the Pilgrim Merit
(see below) for half the normal experience point cost.
Finally, the power that the Created bring to bear
may create dangers at a Shrine. A place that has
seen the tread of many Prometheans in succes-
New Merit: Pilgrim (••)
Prerequisite: Promethean; must have experienced (but
sion may become strange, somehow, particularly
when the Wasteland effect begins to take hold and not necessarily yet completed) the Revelation
interact with whatever odd power associated with Those Prometheans who have experienced part of the
the Revelation that is located there. It may spark Seer’s Pilgrimage are often its most ardent adherents, pos-
Firestorms, attract strange and unwholesome spir- sessed of a nearly missionary fervor to tell the stories of the
its or manifest unusual examples of Wasteland. Seer. They are also quite focused on learning more about
the Seer — though this focus is most often on the Cycle
associated with their Refinement.
Effect: When you gain the opportunity to tell the story
Visiting a Shrine that has had such an effect on your Pilgrimage, you gain
Once a Promethean knows where the Shrine is, he need a point of Willpower. Should one of the Prometheans you
only visit it. This is a transformative experience for most tell this or any Seer legend to experience the Revelation,
Prometheans. Many such seekers approach the Shrine from you regain all your Willpower. Finally, if you succeed in
the direction the Seer must have approached the site, walk- gaining inspiration at a Shrine, you gain one more Vitriol
ing in his footsteps. Then, upon encountering the heart of than normal from the experience.

53
 CHAPTER TWO
RARE ALCHEMIES
Ten Weeks Ago
John Ash telephones me. He is self-conscious about his writing. We find a way to talk on the phone, a number that he
can use for me, just like we always seem to.
“Got your letter,” he says. I wait. “I’m real damn sorry, Zo.”
“Thank you, John.”
Nothing for a long while. Then I say, “Are you going to be there next year?”
“’Less I die or find the light, yeah. Thought I might go out west first, though.”
I’m sitting on a bus stop bench in Philadelphia with a cell phone in my hand. It’s cold for the time of year. “Out
west” sounds nice, and I think for a minute that I might go meet him. I like John, and I could use the company. Then
he says something that stops me.
“You ever think about sin, Zo?”
“What about it, John?”
“I met a man one night, standin’ at the crossroads like to sell his soul. I met him and I felt his Measure, and I asked
his Ramble and he said he was looking to sin.” A pause. He takes a sip of something, and I smile, because I know it’s
root beer, and I remember him introducing me to the drink. “I thought he was one of them. Like the Tamer. But then
we talked, and he said he wasn’t no Freak. He was a Cobalt. A sinner-by-choice. Said you couldn’t learn about clean
until you got dirty.”
“And?”
“And I thought that made sense, so I ran with him for a time. And then we met up with monsters, come to take our
Fire, and I . . .”
“John?” I thought the phone was dying, but then I heard him breathing. “John, you met with monsters and you what?”
“I thought to sin,” he said, and he didn’t have to say anymore.
We finished our conversation, but I didn’t say I’d see him soon. I couldn’t meet him now. It wasn’t because I thought
he’d betray me like he had that other man. I knew John better than that. I didn’t want to see him because I knew he’d
be grieving, and I didn’t want to be around another’s grief. I had enough of my own.
-as told to me by Zo Malak
There is an alche-

T
my in sorrow. It
hough five Refinements are well-known (six, if one counts the Centimani), they are not
can be transmuted the only ones. It is the nature of the Promethean experience to attempt to transform the
into wisdom, self, to seek the New Dawn, and those who do not ever meet other Prometheans may
attempt to find their own way to do so, developing new Refinements. Most of the time,
which, if it does Prometheans wind up instinctively following Gold, Copper, Iron, Mercury or Tin, but sometimes
not bring joy, can a Promethean’s understanding of the Great Work leads her to a more rarefied Refinement.
Such Refinements, when they enter the awareness of other Prometheans, are often given names of metals,
yet bring happi- based on what their strengths, weaknesses and approach toward the Great Work seems to be.
ness.
Creating New Refinements
— Pearl Buck Creating a new Refinement is rare. Most of the Created are more than willing to follow the
techniques and philosophies that worked for those who came before them. Often, a Promethean
can find sufficient variety and focus to find one or two already extant Refinements that suit her
well enough to give her many years of dedicated adherence to those philosophies.
Sometimes, however, a Promethean finds little of value in a Refinement — or too many things he consid-
ers objectionable. Other times, a Promethean has walked the Pilgrimage, has held to his Great Work for
many, many years, with no results. Nothing in the philosophies he has followed suited the individual needs
of his personal Refinement, and he must go searching elsewhere. Sometimes, this search leads him to a rare
Refinement, or one he might have never considered. In a rare few instances, however, this leads him to cre-
ate a wholly new Refinement, which focuses on concepts that have proved to be part of his Pilgrimage but
are ill-suited to other Refinements.
Those who create new Refinements begin a process that usually takes years. The founders
of Refinements tend to take inspiration from their own Pilgrimages — they see a theme or
philosophy emerging in their milestones, and seek to push themselves further in that direc-
tion, hoping to unlock more enlightenment. These founders seek out compatible mortal
philosophies, religions and occult practices, finding and incorporating ideas that uphold
the new direction of their Great Work, and abandoning those that do not.
This is a time of tremendous experimentation on the part of the Created, who must try dozens
of practices, ideas, philosophies and techniques, immersing himself in one after another, keeping
those that seem to uphold his Great Work, and abandoning those that do not. The attempts to
do so don’t always lead to a new Refinement, however. Indeed, most often, the Promethean finds
that he has approached an already established Refinement from a new, unconsidered direction.
But occasionally, after several years of work, experimentation and refinement, the Promethean achieves
the pinnacle of his endeavors. He can feel the potential of a Refinement settle in his Azoth, granting him an
affinity with certain Transmutations — in some cases, with heretofore-undiscovered potential Transmutations
that begin to open up entirely new directions of experimentation for him.

Other Alchemies
Though the following Refinements, just as the Refinements described in Promethean: The
Created, use alchemical materials for their core symbolism, these are not the only possible inter-
pretations. Indeed, according to some stories, there was a time when the alchemical refinements
were known by their astrological correspondences: the Path of the Sun (Aurum), the Path of the
Moon (Argentum), the Path of Mercury (Mercurius), the Path of Venus (Cuprum), the Path of
Mars (Ferrum), the Path of Jupiter (Stannum) and the Path of Saturn (Plumbum).
Perhaps more interesting, however, is that from time to time, other philosophies crop
up, based entirely on other sets of symbols. Rumors claim that there are five Refine-
ments secretly practiced in Asia, based on the elements of Taoist alchemy. One of the
legends of the Seer’s Pilgrimage (see p. 46) claims that the Seer came upon a throng
of Prometheans, who claimed to be the inheritors to ancient philosophies based on the
roots of the Tarot’s Major Arcana. Journals kept by Prometheans during the 1800s claim
to have met indigenous lines of Prometheans who practiced Refinements based on
animal symbolism or on that of native gods.
 AES:
REFINEMENT OF BRONZE (AID)
Sentries
There’s a young man with a guitar and an open guitar
case standing outside Smiths’. He’s singing in this nasal,
Overview
Thousands of years ago, so the story goes, the first Promethean
reedy voice a song about how he’s a rock and an island. We
throng joined together and the first alchemical pact was made,
stop and listen. It’s easy for us. The crowd might be rushing
and it was a pact of bronze. There were two of them. The tellers
past, but no one ever bumps into us.
of the story don’t always agree on the subject of which Lineages
I ask Tara how it can be that he’s a rock and an island.
they belonged to or what their names were, but most versions

aes: refinement of bronze

He’s a man, not an island. She says it’s a way of talking.
agree that one practiced Cuprum and one practiced Stannum,
Like he’s lonely and separate from everything, like a piece
and one was male and one was female.
of land in the middle of the sea, with nothing joining it to
Their devotion to one another caused their Azoths to change.
anywhere else, which is what an island is. And she says
Copper mixed with Tin and Tin mixed with Copper. Their
she’s like that.
powers grew close together. They shared powers, alchemical
I say, no, not really. Because it isn’t me, or you, I say,
operations, thoughts and feelings. They became as Bronze.
it’s us. We are here together. We are separate from them,
When the time came for them to complete the Great Work,
but we are an island, the two of us. We are one.
they became mortal at the same moment. In that split second,
The crowd flows around us, keeping its distance, and I
they joined together. They became a rebis, an hermaphroditic
reach across and hold her hand. And I feel her shudder.
being who lived out a mortal life in bliss and harmony.
A Promethean realizes quite early on
A practitioner of Aes puts his self to one side, instead
that he is, for all intents and purposes,
giving himself up to the society of the throng. His
alone in the world. Humans fear and
companions become everything. If they are hun-
hate her without really knowing
gry, he takes it upon himself to find them food.
why. Even nature itself rejects the
If they are poor, he clothes them. If they are in
Promethean. Small wonder then that when
danger, he warns them. If they are under attack,
Prometheans meet, they form strong at-
he defends them. It isn’t for nothing that he is
tachments, sealing their cooperation
sometimes called a “Sentry” or a “Guardian.” A
with alchemical pacts and Brand-
watchman guarding a gate looks inside as well
ing themselves with their mutual
as out, and the practitioner of Aes also keeps
purpose.
the throng he serves under close watch. It’s for their
As long as Prometheans have formed these al-
own good. Even the best-intentioned, most humane
chemical pacts, there have been rare individuals who
Promethean can fall from grace. A Sentry who dedicates
make maintaining their pacts their consuming purpose.
himself to a bunch of incompetents feels quite justified in
Without even trying, they allow their own alchemical
making sure they’re out of harm and temptation’s way. It’s the
substance, gaining endurance and strength on their
only way to get them to the end of the Pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage from their relationships. The practitioner of
Working for others can be draining, and the practitioner
Aes never walks the Pilgrimage alone. He might love the
of Aes works to make his body hard and enduring like the
members of his throng. He might hate them. It doesn’t
bronze that he emulates. Bronze is inviolable and long-
matter. He’s their guardian, their protector and their
lasting. So, too, the Sentry. Purity is important, the better
helper, and whatever he thinks about them, he’ll stand
to serve, support, protect . . . and control.
by them and give them his aid on the Pilgrimage.
Well over 3,000 years ago, humanity discovered that Practitioners
copper and tin, alloyed together, made bronze, which It’s impossible for a Promethean to begin practicing Aes if he
proved different from either of its components. Bronze isn’t in a throng. The whole point of Aes is the act of coopera-
was malleable, but only to a point, and when worked tion with other Prometheans. Many Prometheans never meet
well, it became hard and inviolable, lasting for centuries another of their own kind, and so have no chance to take up
without any damage more than a slight patina. Bronze the Refinement. This means that it’s extremely unlikely that
could be sharpened and hardened to make durable tools, a Promethean will begin his Pilgrimage practicing Aes, unless
or molded into finely detailed statuary. The paradox he was created at the same time as another. Having said that,
of bronze is this: through mixture, it becomes strong, there are rumors of Promethean “twins,” a pair of Prometheans
pure and inviolable. An adulterated metal becomes a created at the same time in the same actions. If they exist,
step to perfection.
 it’s conceivable that one or both of them might practice the The practitioner of Aes does his very best to avoid situations
Refinement of Bronze. in which his own flaws will put himself or others in danger,
A Frankenstein could practice the Refinement quite eas- even when there isn’t any clear danger to avoid. At all times,
ily. The Wretched yearn for any kind of companionship at he avoids risking Torment and tries not to indulge his Vice,
all, and a Frankenstein who joins a throng could easily find whatever that might be. He keeps out of the way of humans,
himself making it the primary focus of his Pilgrimage. and trains himself in every skill he knows, the better to succeed
Although a Tammuz has a horror of servitude, there’s a in all things, in all ways.
vast difference between being indentured and choosing to He’s always on duty, and always owes it to his companions
serve. Aes could have an appeal for a Tammuz with a need to do his absolute best for them, whether they want him to
for comradeship and a strong arm. Likewise, the benefits or not. And that means being morally flawless. It’s hard. The
of communal living can appeal to an Osiran, whose phleg- higher the standard the Sentry sets for himself, the easier it
matic temperament sees the benefits in working together is to fail.
more clearly than some other Prometheans do. The practitioner of Aes is often very black-and-white in
A Galateid is somewhat less likely to take up the Refine- the way he sees things. He doesn’t necessarily expect the
ment. Human companionship matters most to the Muses. other members of his throng to live up to his standards, but
Ulgans, too, can find their attachment to Twilight a hin- there’s a good chance that he’ll judge them for not doing so.
drance to forming relationships with other Prometheans He might not realize he’s judging them, and he probably even
aes: refinement of bronze

that are so close that they inspire alchemical operations thinks that he’s tolerant of their flaws. The very fact that he
within a Promethean Azoth. considers himself to be “tolerant” is actually a manifestation
of his being judgmental.
Philosophy Choose Your Compromises
Unlike some of the other Refinements, Aes cannot be A practitioner of Aes often has a clear-cut idea of what the
practiced in isolation. This Refinement only takes one Pro- right thing to do is. But even the most rigid Sentries realize
methean to practice it, but he needs to be part of a throng. early on that never backing down risks the disintegration of the
Bronze comes from the influence of others on the Promethean. throng. Sometimes it’s necessary, for the sake of the continued
He modifies his own Refinement, making it an alloy of that existence and harmony of the throng, to make compromises.
he sees around him. It’s a metaphor, of course: a Promethean Besides, the Sentry reasons, if he backs down sometimes, people
doesn’t have to be practicing Cuprum or Stannum to transfer are more willing to listen to his point of view.
to Bronze. Promethean Aes is every alloy, the alloy that comes But which compromises to make? That’s the tricky part.
from others altering the way that they see the world. For example, a throng of Prometheans might have to choose
Relationships change us. They make us who we are. They which way to travel: through the mountains or through the city?
make us stronger, more able to deal with the problems of living. They’re both dangerous, but the city has people, and people
Sometimes they harden us and harm us. The gradual under- mean Disquiet, and Disquiet means violence and Torment.
standing of how interaction with others changes a human’s life The practitioner of Aes argues strongly for the mountains,
can be an important step on a Promethean Pilgrimage. but he’s overruled by the others, who are sick of living on
Strength in Unity bugs, leaves and berries. They’re adamant on this point. The
In ancient Rome, the symbol of unity was the fasces, an ax Sentry shrugs, knowing that he’s not going to win this one.
with a bundle of rods tied around it. A man could break any The next time there’s a disagreement, this time about whether
one of the rods with ease, but when they were bound together, one of the throng should try to shoplift some food from the
it was impossible. It was a metaphor for the strengths of Ro- late-night supermarket, the Sentry vetoes it. He points to the
man society. Alone, anyone could be broken, but together, CCTV camera, and the security man. His companion raises
although individuals might have fallen by the wayside, they an eyebrow. He concedes that maybe the Sentry is right.
believed that their society could never be destroyed. In the
end, their society remained more or less stable for centuries. Practices and Operations
It worked for the Romans. A Promethean who walked the In the end, everything the practitioner of Aes does depends
streets of Classical Rome could never have really grasped how upon his being in a throng. It’s the one operation from where
the Roman social and political system worked, but at least he draws his purpose and meaning. Everything comes from the
one of the Created saw the sign of the fasces and understood companionship of other Prometheans. If a Sentry is humorless
immediately what it meant. and driven, it’s because he’s got his throng to think about. If
This principle guides the Sentry. Alone, a Promethean is he’s co-dependent or obsessed with another Promethean, it’s
in terrible danger. With his throng, that danger remains, but because he’s thrown himself into supporting them. If he’s physi-
he’s not facing it alone. cally strong, it’s because he’s perfected his body, the better to
Avoid Temptation defend his friends. If he’s adept at the use of Transmutations,
If a Sentry wants to guard the misfits and monsters he calls it’s because he’s developed them, the better to share their
his friends properly, he has to be irreproachable. What kind benefits with the throng.
of guardian cannot keep his own house in order? A drunken The practitioner of Aes is the quintessential team player. If
watchman is worse than useless, because he’s not only sleeping there are roles missing from his group, the Sentry fills them. If
on the job, he’s violating the trust others put in him. the others need to be defended, he becomes better at fighting. If
they’re no good at talking with outsiders, he practices his social
skills. He sees it as his job to be what his companions need, and
to help them to get through their Pilgrimage, because if they Stereotypes
get to the end of the Great Work, he gets that much closer. Aurum: If you didn’t have me watching your back,
Throngs and Pacts where would you be? Being lynched, that’s where.
Better still than forming a throng is forming an alchemical
Cuprum: No, it’s fine. You stay behind that
pact. The pact has its advantages and disadvantages, but for
bush. I’ll do all the work. Again.
the Guardian, it’s the affirmation of his duty and his purpose.
A pact seals the throng and makes it work. Ferrum: Training works better with a partner.
Often, the Sentry adds to his relationship with others a
Mercurius: Your secrets are too valuable to
veneer of emotion, in an attempt to make this operation
keep to yourself.
a humane operation in a way. She might begin to see her
companions as her friends. She might develop a fraternal (or Stannum: Yeah, rip it all up. No, really. It’s not
maternal) relationship with the others, the throng becom- like you’re the one who’s going to have to put
ing her family with all that entails. She might even take a everything right afterwards.
companion as a lover.
Centimani: You think you’ve got friends?
The emotions a Guardian develops toward her charges aren’t

aes: refinement of bronze

You’ve got a bunch of broken toys.
necessarily always healthy, however. Love, friendship and familial
bonds can easily become co-dependent and twisted. Romantic
love can become colored by lust or obsession.
Then again, she could be practicing the Refinement out
of purely contractual motives. The throng gains from her Sentry Milestones
presence, but the Sentry gains the protection of the throng. A character practicing Aes seeks to gain Mortal-
It works both ways, especially if they join in a pact. ity through aiding others in their own Pilgrimages. His
A Promethean who has heard of the Refinement of Bronze milestones should reflect the Sentry’s preoccupation with
probably knows the tale of the Sentry who stayed by the friend teamwork and with physical development. Milestones for
with whom he shared a Brand through all kinds of sufferings, de- a practitioner of Aes could include the following:
fending and supporting his companion through a Saturnine Night • Gaining the trust of another Promethean.
that lasted half a century. The Sentry was present when his friend • Understanding how the influence of others changes
completed the Great Work, and as his friend stood up, blinking, and develops the self.
looking through mortal eyes for the first time, the Sentry reached • Being vital to the creation of an alchemical pact.
out for him and tore him limb from limb. The Sentry hated his • Saving a companion from peril, perhaps even saving a life.
companion. The Sentry had hated him for as long as he knew him. • Experiencing the failure of a group endeavor.
The needs of the Great Work superseded the Sentry’s hatred. He • Learning that close relationships can be harmful and
gained from the other’s companionship and had promised that painful.
his “friend” would see the end of the Pilgrimage. That done, he • Putting his own feelings about the members of his
simply did what he had always wanted to do. throng behind the imperative to work as part of a group.
Purification • Enduring a Firestorm.
The Sentry maintains his own purity. Through remaining • Being vindicated after having disagreed with others
pure in body and mind, he becomes fit to be whatever the in the throng about the best course of action (particularly
other members of his throng need him to be. He eats little, if others ignored the Sentry’s advice).
does not indulge his needs and constantly exercises. • Being present and of help when a member of his
If he believes in a higher power, the practitioner of Aes prays. He throng gains Mortality.
might not expect an answer, but the act of prayer is important to
him, not the result — it’s a psychological discipline, and discipline Athanors
is vital if a Promethean is going to succeed in practicing Aes. A Promethean who creates an Athanor while practicing
Transmutations Aes further develops the idea of cooperation. His Boons
Benefice, Corporeum reflect that he doesn’t exist in isolation.
Skills
The Sentry pursues excellence in everything. She’s Ant —
likely to develop in those Skills that can be of direct aid Cooperation
to her companions. Medicine and Crafts both have their (Osiris)
attractions for the Sentry. Fitness is important, too, and so In ancient myth, the ants, symbolic
Athletics is useful for the practitioner of Aes. Many throngs of industry and co-operation, were
need someone to drive the car or do the talking. Wherever said to rise up from the very stones
there’s a gap in the knowledge of the other Prometheans in of the ground themselves, creatures
the throng, the Guardian will do her best to fill it. of living stone that worked until the
end of their days.
 The Promethean who creates the Athanor of the Ant works
like no one else, and is an asset to any team. When
working on something that requires time and ef-
fort, he excels.
Trait Affinities: Stamina, Wits
Promethean Boon: The Promethean’s player
gains the following benefits:
• He gains a +1 dice pool bonus on any roll in
which the character is part of a team, whether
the character is the primary actor or not (see
the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 135).
• He can spend a point of Reagent to gain
a +2 dice pool bonus to the first roll in an
extended action.
Redeemed Boon: The Redeemed character
continues to benefit from a +1 dice
pool bonus when working as part of
aes: refinement of bronze

a team.

Eunice
Quote: She needs me. She needs me,
and I need her. You don’t have that. You
can’t.
Background: Eunice was made to be
beautiful. She knows that. It was in the let-
ter that “Mother” left her. Eunice doesn’t
remember Mother, but she knows two
things. One, Mother asked Eunice never
to search for her. Two, Mother left Eu-
nice the details for a bank account and
a debit card, a birth certificate and a
Social Security card. On the first day of
every month, there’s a sizable deposit
to the account. Whoever Mother was,
she had good connections, and she’s still
looking out for Eunice. Still, financial secu-
rity hasn’t helped Eunice’s loneliness,
which was what led to her spending
as much time as she could trying
to spend time among humans
(taking on a series of office and
secretarial jobs). It also led to
Eunice nearly being killed.
If an Osiran named Tara K
hadn’t saved Eunice, she
wouldn’t be alive and they
wouldn’t be in a pact, and
they wouldn’t be lovers, and
. . . Eunice gets breathless when
she talks about Tara. Tara is
everything to her.
Whether Eunice is ev-
erything to Tara is another
matter. The Osiran some-
times seems to use Eunice as
some kind of willing slave. In
the large, comfortable flat that
they currently rent with Eunice’s
money, Eunice is the one who cooks and cleans. Eunice Merits: Lair (Size 2, Security 4), Resources 4, Striking
is the one who takes on the errands. Tara stays inside Looks 4
mostly, these days, researching stuff on the Internet Willpower: 6
that she hasn’t told Eunice about. Sure, she tells Tara
Humanity: 7
she loves her — but what does a Promethean really
know about love?
Virtue: Charity
Description: Eunice is one of the most beautiful Vice: Envy
people anyone could ever meet, beautiful in that leggy, Initiative: 4
narrow-hipped, broad-shouldered way that fashion Defense: 2
models are beautiful. Huge, heavy-lashed eyes and Speed: 9
full, immaculately made-up lips dominate an angular Health: 7
face, framed by stylishly cut, short blonde hair. When Azoth: 2
at rest, she gives an impression of stillness and grace. Bestowment: Mesmerizing Appearance
She wears fashionable, stylish clothes, usually sharply Transmutations: Benefice — Many Hands Make Light Work
cut designer business suits and the like. (•), Helping Hand (•), Share Pyros (••); Corporeum — Swift
At the times when others can see her disfigurements, Feet (•), Autonomic Control (•); Deception — Leave no Trace

aes: refinement of bronze

however, Eunice’s beauty takes on a plastic, inhuman
(••); Mesmerism — Fixed Stare (•)
quality. Stillness becomes stiffness, and those full, red
lips look like they’ve been painted on. Her hair gains a
Pyros/per Turn: 11/2
sheen as if it’s made of some synthetic fiber. She looks
for all the world like a store mannequin.
Storytelling Hints: Eunice gives the impression of The Strange Case of Tara K
being composed, efficient and businesslike, but actually
What’s up with Tara? Eunice may not be the
she’s not all that bright. She’s almost completely depen-
brightest bulb in the box, but she deserves more
dent on Tara, whose direction Eunice asks for virtually
than being exploited. Maybe the reason is one of
every decision she makes, no matter how trivial. On the
the following:
flipside, her jealousy is a vast, poisonous thing. Tara is
hers and no one else’s, and no one is allowed to be with • Tara once cared for Eunice, but has given
her. If Tara were to grow bored of exploiting Eunice up on the Pilgrimage. Recently, Tara joined the
and dump her or betray her, Eunice would need some ranks of the Hundred Handed. She’s been ex-
time to understand what had happened. Perhaps she’d changing emails with another Centimanus. She’s
blame other people for “what happened to Tara,” and going to bring her new friend up to the flat soon,
take out her frustration and anger on them. Perhaps, along with his other friends. And then they’ll eat
if things went sour with Tara, Eunice’s obsession could Eunice alive, and if no one stops them, Eunice
turn into stalking behavior, and perhaps even violence will let it happen.
directed at her former loved one. • Tara cares for Eunice, but as time has
However it ended, if Tara weren’t around to tell Eu- gone on and Tara’s Humanity has withered,
nice what to do, Eunice’s fascination with Tara means she no longer knows how to s ay s o. She
that the results can’t be good. do esn’t know what to do to make it b etter.
There’s also the mystery of Mother. At the moment, She needs help, b ecaus e s o on, her frustra-
Eunice accepts the regular allowance without ques- tion at her own inability to relate i s going
tion, but what if she decides she wants to know more? to burst out into the op en, and violence and
And why is Mother doing this? Is there something tragedy will result.
she wants?
• Tara do esn’t care for Eunice, but needs
Lineage: Galatea her, at least until Tara finds s omeone b et-
Refinement: Aes ter. She’s found a way to contact another
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 2, Resolve 3 Promethean throng (the troup e’s) via the
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2 Internet, p erhaps through a bulletin b o ard
Social Attributes: Presence 6, Manipulation 1, Composure 3 or through a blog she keeps. She’s trying to
Mental Skills: Computer (Accounts) 1, Crafts (Style) 1, In- get them to come and take her away. She
vestigation 1, Politics (Business) 1 hasn’t told them ab out Eunice. What’s going
to happ en when they find out?
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Drive 3, Larceny 1, Stealth 1
Social Skills: Empathy 1, Expression 1, Intimidation 1, Persua-
sion 1, Socialize 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge (Poker Face) 2
 Argentum
RefinementofSilver(Mystery)
Mystics
I knew that I couldn’t tell the doctors everything I’d seen. seek to understand that interaction. Thus, they are seekers
Not anymore, at least. When they’d first brought me in here, of strange occult and supernatural phenomenon. Where
I guess I was babbling, screaming at the top of my lungs about some Prometheans seem not only content, but desperate, to
the teeth in the shadows. I hear they had to calm me by put- ignore the supernatural world, Mystics look into the dark
ting me into a featureless room — one of the padded ones, I places, hoping to get the abyss to stare back at them.
argentum: refinement of silver

think — and turning up the lights, so that there weren’t any After all, that’s the only way they can talk to it.
shadows. They said I found the one place in the room where I
didn’t cast a shadow, and sat there, trembling, until I passed Overview
out from exhaustion. No one really knows who the first practitioner of the Re-
In our group meetings, and in my interviews with the psy- finement was. Unlike most other Refinements, though, the
chologist, I tell them that I don’t remember what happened. practitioners of the Path of Silver have a few stories about who
I’ve even dropped hints that I might have been on some kind may have founded their Refinement. The two prevailing stories
of hallucinogenic drug or something, but I’m not sure they are those of the Unblemished Rose and of Romis Tal.
believe that one. The first of these tells of a Galateid whose beauty was
She’s the only one I can tell. She says that this old so breathtaking that she was called the Unblem-
state hospital has been an asylum for more than 50 ished Rose by the ones who admired her. She
years, and that she comes here every decade or so, was reckoned one of the greatest beauties of the
to talk to people like me. I thought she was an angel Hellenes, and ardent suitors surrounded her. One
when she first showed up at my window. summer, however, the ranks of her admirers began
We talk, now, and she makes it better, some. I’ve to wane, until they’d all but disappeared. Curious,
stopped trying to chew away the skin on my forearm she found them adoring another beauty. To the
— she’s the only one who knows that I do that eyes of the Unblemished Rose, this was not simply
because that’s where the shadows touched me, and a rival — the Galateid looked with eyes beyond
made me feel infected. Like I’d started rotting right sight and discovered that this midnight temptress
there, and sometimes I just want to make that feel- was a vampire.
ing go away. Though Unblemished Rose was initially taken
I know what she is. Or, at least, I know she’s not with terrible jealousy, something happened — she
human. Not really. She looks like us, but she’s not. experienced an epiphany, for the jealousy
She’s one of them. She’s a monster — she was allowed her to understand what it would
pretty honest about that when we first met, be like to be merely beautiful by human
but she won’t tell me what she is. You’d think standards. She suddenly knew what other
I’d be crazy to have anything to do with her, I women felt when they regarded her, what
know. I kinda felt that way the first few times a human woman must experience when
we talked, but I think she understands me. someone more lovely suddenly wins the
And after all — if the world is as full of monsters as she says attention that others had gifted her with. Wondering
it is, isn’t it better to have at least one of them as a friend? what other insights vampire-kind might hold for her, she
Most Refinements focus, of necessity, on humans. Whether introduced herself and began a lifetime’s work exploring
trying to be like them, hating them, trying to live among them the secrets and society of vampires. Though no one knows
or avoiding them utterly, the presence of humanity defines so what truly happened to her, some say that she exists to
much of what the Created are and do. Practitioners of Argen- this day, the foremost expert on vampires among the
tum are no different, though their focus is shifted slightly into Prometheans.
the shadows that surround humanity. If other Prometheans Others, however, maintain that her story was more
were biologists, the Mystics would be ecologists — seeking tragic, claiming that she discovered Mortality. Unfortu-
to understand not the thing but the environment in which nately, by this point, she was so well-known by vampire
the thing exists. society that they followed her, not understanding what
As monsters themselves, Prometheans often encounter had happened. Some say they killed her, fearing what she
other things in the World of Darkness: things that are not knew. But others say that she was attacked, her throat
themselves human, but are certainly intertwined with hu- ripped out and given the vampiric Embrace and turned
manity. Those who practice the Refinement of Argentum into one of the horrors.
 This part of the story is given as an Argentum warn- Practitioners
ing: one should be circumspect and careful in exploring Those who seek the path of Argentum are rare, even among
the details of the supernatural world, for it is inimical to the Created. Some who come to it do so out of a sense of
humanity. They say that she was turned into a vampire desperation — since they fit so poorly in among humanity,
a mere day after seizing the Elpis, and yet struggles to perhaps they should understand more of what it means to be
this night to retain a grip on what little humanity and supernatural, to be part of some “society of the supernatural,”
sanity her 24 hours as a mortal granted her. as it were? Of course, those who seek to become Mystics for
The legend of Romis Tal, however, tells that the first of this reason are usually disappointed. If humans are fearful and
the Refinement was the Ulgan who sought to master the hate-filled, then the creatures that share the shadows with
practices of the Buddhist monks, going so far as joining Prometheans are doubly so. Most creatures in the World of
a monastery. Some claim that he walked Aurum at that Darkness quickly learn that suspicion is the first tool of survival.
time, seeking to be among mortal. Others claim that he Unrecognizable things, even more so than recognizable enti-
wanted to master Cuprum, desiring the solitude of the ties, are treated with the mistrust necessary to stay alive, for
Himalayan monasteries, or Mercurius, embracing the more than one creature hunts other denizens of the night for

argentum: refinement of silver

mystic practices of the Tibetan monks. food or other, less savory purposes. Thus, a Mystic has a lot
Regardless of his original path, however, the story of suspicion to overcome if he deals with other supernatural
maintains that he discovered the secrets of Argentum creatures, while trying to maintain enough caution to keep
here, for strange spirits drawn by the practices of the himself from getting killed.
monks inhabited the monastery he dwelt in. Wicked Those who come to Argentum and stay with it are those who
devils that sought to tempt the monks away from their are truly fascinated with the supernatural for its own sake. Many
search for enlightenment, these spirits inflicted mad- of the Created learn about supernatural entities piecemeal, a
ness and degradation on the holy men. Slowly, they little nugget of lore at a time. But those who truly delve into
succumbed to insanity — some sat, trying to meditate these mysteries often surface with an interesting conclusion:
as they were taught, but could only remain in one place nearly every sort of major supernatural phenomenon has some
while piercing their flesh with thin needles, again and kind of tie to humanity.
again. Others became savage and bloodthirsty cannibals What does it say about humans that some of them become
that hunted at night among the darkened corridors of werewolves? What can vampires — who were themselves once
the monastery, leaving a half-eaten corpse for the others human — teach the Created about that state? What is it in
to find the next day. humans that sometimes allows them to shatter the normal walls
Finally, the spirits grasped Romis Tal’s mind, and of perception and understanding, allowing them to wield magic?
his power was made manifest. Disquiet shattered the The existence of ghosts is likewise some kind of commentary
remaining fragile peace of the monastery, and he fought on the nature of humanity and its urges and desires, but what,
the spirits, driving them from the holy place and then exactly? Any of these lines of inquiry can lead to insights in
fleeing it himself. The Mystics believe that he sat in the the Great Work, and the Mystics of the Argentum Refinement
mountains above the monastery and formulated the first wish to be the ones making those inquiries.
precepts of Argentum there. On a more mundane level, Mystics usually express a fas-
There are many versions of this tale. In some of them, cination with insanity. Some are perhaps mad themselves
rather than spirits, Romis Tal encounters a werewolf dwell- — indeed, the Prometheans of other Refinements tend to
ing at the monastery, seeking to control the werewolf’s consider the Mystics’ desire to seek communication with and
terrible killing urge. In others, he meets with ancient understanding of the other horrors of the world to be somewhat
gods, tribes of yeti in the snow-cloaked mountain peaks a kind of insanity.
intent on terrorizing the monastery, or blasphemous Of all the Lineages, Ulgan are drawn to the practice
sorcerers hidden among the monks. All of these stories, of Argentum, and with good reason: they are capable of
however, emphasize the wisdom that Romis Tal gains perceiving an entire facet of reality that others cannot,
about the human condition from interacting with these instilling in them an awareness of the ways in which the
monsters. supernatural affects the normal, everyday world. A few
All of these origin stories have one thing in common, Galateids and Osirans walk among the ranks of the Mys-
though. They both feature, on some level, madness on tics, but the rarest of the adherents to the Refinement of
the part of the protagonist. For a short time, the Un- Silver are Tammuz and Frankensteins. Tammuz often fear
blemished Rose is driven mad with jealousy, and Romis supernatural creatures, many of whom have occult means
Tal is attributed with a handful of different kinds of of binding their wills — particularly mages. Frankensteins,
insanity in his various stories. Mystics in human society on the other hand, all too often react with anger, or invoke
have long been associated with madness, and so it is no it in those around them, making extended association with
surprise that followers of Argentum seek to understand other monsters a dangerous gamble.
this unique human condition — a condition that some In a throng, Mystics often have the most knowledge
of the Created on this Refinement have noted is prob- about the various types of supernatural creatures a group
ably the single most common reaction in humanity to of Prometheans may run across — or run afoul of. They
the supernatural.
 often try to either gather as much information about the by the silvery moon. At night, things exist that would be mad
local supernatural world as they can, in order to keep their to consider during the day. Indeed, it might be said that the
throng-mates appraised of where to avoid and who (or insane impossibilities are given form and reality by the wan
what) to be cautious of. More relevant, perhaps, Mystics light of the moon.
are frequently very cognizant when it comes to noticing Practitioners of Argentum have noted that the supernatural
the signs of influence from other supernatural entities and insanity are intimately connected. Specifically, encounter-
or phenomena. The Mystics are also fairly well aware of ing the supernatural nearly always results in madness of some sort
their throng-mates’ various psychological states, given the for mortals. For this reason, Mystics also study human insanity.
Mystics’ interest in the spectrum of human sanity. This is not, however, because of some innate insight that the
mad possess. Though a few Mystics believe that insanity may
be a key to understanding how the Divine Fire operates — par-
ticularly when one considers the fact that of all the demiurges
Crossover Madness remembered, most seemed seized with some kind of mania or
Using this Refinement is, obviously, only really melancholy — most of those who adhere to this Refinement
argentum: refinement of silver

a viable option in those chronicles that include know that human fear of madness drives humans to equate the
other supernatural creatures. If the Storyteller ramblings of the insane with some kind of wisdom.
doesn’t wish to delve into the strange secrets Believing that a loved one is spouting some kind of insight
and social mores of the rest of the World of beyond the understanding of normal men is more reassuring
Darkness, she is well within her rights to ask than accepting that he has simply ceased to be able to function
a player to choose a Refinement other than in reality, a pitiable prisoner of his own mind. This does not
Argentum. mean that the insane’s perspectives aren’t valuable, however
Argentum is an excellent Refinement, how- — they simply aren’t some kind of key to mystic insight. In
ever, for Promethean characters who show up in understanding how the insane perceive the world, Mystics can
other World of Darkness games. Insofar as any learn something about human understanding and perception
Promethean can be said to be sociable, Mystics of the world. If everything is simply perspective, why is it that
are tremendously interested in the goals and humanity is not comfortable with some perspectives of reality?
lives of the other creatures of the supernatu- What does this say about the human condition?
ral world they inhabit. A Promethean with this For all the potential insights into the Great Work, those
Refinement makes an excellent addition to a who practice Argentum must be cautious. It is easy to become
coterie of vampires, pack of werewolves or cabal distracted from the search for humanity when one surrounds
of mages. See Chapter Three for more on this oneself with the other freaks of the world. It is tempting
subject. to become enwrapped in the politics and passion plays of
It should be noted, however, that the Story- the supernatural things, neglecting humanity as boring and
teller can include supernatural creatures with- mundane.
out access to other books. Creating a vampire, Thus, many adherents of Argentum seek out throngs, to
werewolf or mage is easy enough without using help keep the Mystics grounded and focused — the Moon is
Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken well associated with madcap whimsy, and the Mystics know
or Mage: The Awakening. The Storyteller need it. By the same token, the understanding of other supernatural
only create a character as normal, choose a set entities (and sometimes even contacts among the other shadow
of Promethean Transmutations to use as powers societies) that followers of this Refinement cultivate makes
iconic to those kinds of creatures and describe them extremely valuable to other Prometheans.
them in terms appropriate to the entity in ques- The Mystery unfolds in the Shadow, as well as the
tion. The players shouldn’t ever really be privy to Light.
the mechanics going on behind the Storyteller’s Mystics believe that understanding the human condition
screen anyway — these supernatural creatures requires study not simply of humans themselves but of those
should be described in terms of narrative, with things that surround humanity. Any predator affects the way
whatever mechanics are most convenient for a given population exists, after all, and while not all the su-
use. pernatural creatures are inimical to humans — and in fact, all
supernatural creatures have learned to hide themselves from
humans, a valuable insight in and of itself — these creatures
do exist quite closely with humans.
Philosophy Thus, a Galateid haunts one of the favored feeding grounds
In alchemical correspondences, Silver is associated with of the local vampires to watch not only the vampires but
the Moon. Therefore, silver has connotations of mystery and the mortals around the vampires — how the mortals react,
madness: to the occultist, silver is associated with the strange subconsciously, to the presence of predators in their midst.
things that exist beyond the safe, normal world. Where the Sometimes, he follows some of those who interact closely with
sun is symbolic of daytime and the normal, mundane existence the vampires home, watching them in their day-to-day lives,
of humans, strange things lurk in the nighttime shadows cast comparing that with how they act around the undead, hoping
to gain some insight into the kinds of changes the vampires those not of their kind who are capable of identifying them,
cause in the humans they prey upon. to say nothing of those who actively seek them out.
Likewise, consider an Ulgan who is something of a ghost- Despite this, Mystics are not purely hunters in this regard.
chaser. Though she roams fairly frequently, she makes a point They must be careful, for more than one of their ilk has ended
of discovering which areas in her new location are haunted, up dangling at the end of another supernatural creature’s
and visiting them. She learns about the history, and finds out webs. Vampires and mages in particular are notorious for their
what tragedy led to the haunting, hoping to gain insight into willingness to use those around them, and the Created have
the human condition — what affects mortals so powerfully a great many strengths that an ambitious supernatural might
that they linger, even after death? use to his advantage.
In Madness, Enlightenment. Mystics use common sense in dealing with these creatures:
Sometimes the mad see or understand things. Sometimes, if they seem afraid or too friendly, it’s probably best to leave
however, the seeing or understandings of those things is what them be. Those who demonstrate a degree of cautious curiosity,
makes one mad. Which came first? To the Mystics, the insights however, are the ones adherents of the Argentum Refinement
into human nature that the insane have to offer are simply seek to make allies of.

argentum: refinement of silver

one more shadowed source of understanding the Mystics’ own Prometheans who practice this Refinement invariably study
Great Work. A thing is defined by what it fears as much as insanity of some sort. Nearly every kind of supernatural being is
what it embraces, and the way humanity reacts to its mentally known to either produce or contribute to insanity in mortals,
ill members says something about it. Once, the mad were a fact that Mystics find strangely comforting — it means they
considered touched by the supernatural. Indeed, some tribes aren’t the only ones who drive mortals insane. Mortals who
considered their madmen to be magicians or mystics of some serve vampires are often quite degenerate, with some of them
sort. Now, however, in a day when the supernatural has no place teetering on the very verge of madness. The simple sight of
in the world, the insane are ideally treated for their madness, werewolves in their bestial forms has been known to invoke
or — failing that — locked away and forgotten. a terrible panic or catatonia in humans, and some mortals
The concept of treating the mad is a fascinating one to continue to be haunted by their experiences with the lupine
Mystics. They have watched as treatment for the insane has creatures.
evolved rapidly in the past century or so. Once, the goal of A few who experience the magic of sorcerers have been
asylums was simply the containment of the mad, with efforts known to describe strange, disjointed experiences, but most
at healing that more closely resembled torture than treatment. seem to retreat into denial so intense that their memories en-
Since those times, humanity’s understanding of both the hu- tirely rewrite themselves — in a fashion similar to those who
man psyche and the effects of chemicals on such have gone a encounter Pandorans outside of their dormant forms. Those
long way toward genuine healing. who relate ghostly hauntings and manifestations of other
Perhaps more relevant, though, Mystics point out that as supernatural creatures are often thought of as delusional, and
humans have become less superstitious, they seem more will- in some cases, those encounters do indeed drive those who
ing to deal directly with insanity. Where once madness was a encounter ghosts insane.
source of terrible shame and fear, today’s folk seem to wear their When Mystics have a difficult time finding other super-
labels of mental disorders with some kind of pride. natural presences, they often turn to state mental hospitals
Ultimately, though, Mystics are most concerned not with and psychiatric wards. Gaining access is relatively easy, either
chemical imbalances or abuse traumas but with madness caused as a night janitor or some such worker, or even simply by
by encounters with the supernatural. What does it say about the sneaking in. More than one Mystic has made a reputation for
human mind that realization results in such disablement? herself as a “secret friend” to someone locked up in an asylum,
whispering through air ducts or windows. Sometimes, Mystics
Practices and Operations gain an insight into the human condition by the manifestation
Mystics are quite varied in their day-to-day lives. An Ar- of insanity. Other times, though, they hear stories of strange
gentum Promethean with an interest in vampires may very shape-shifting monsters, witches who bear hexes for those who
well keep vampiric hours, staying awake all night and sleeping displease them or bloodsucking fiends, giving Mystics a lead.
during the day. Likewise, one with an interest in mages may The files of the hospitals are very valuable in finding the
seek out traditional places of spiritual significance, and the right patients to speak with as well — most patient files contain
gatherings of occult societies, looking for those who exhibit transcripts of lengthy therapy sessions, with the deepest secrets
some sign of true power. of the patients laid bare and recorded by the doctor.
Most Mystics learn the Sensorium Transmutation “Aura Supernatural Scholars
Sight” shortly after taking up the mantle of this Refinement. Among the Created, few know as much about the su-
Though a seeker after the supernatural can hardly rely on pernatural as Mystics. The specific “areas of study” that
that alone in his search for the monsters of the world, this individuals choose can vary widely. Some Argentum
Transmutation’s utility is without compare. scholars choose to study a single kind of creature or phe-
Mystics often have an area of specialty that they focus their nomenon, whether vampires, Fortean phenomena, ghosts
efforts toward: vampires, werewolves, ghosts, mages, spirits or or possession cases. Other Mystics — particularly those
other things. Simply seeking these entities out is tremendously who settle down in a single area for a while — may try to
dangerous — most creatures of the night have learned to fear become expert on the supernatural phenomena of that
 area, recognizing the places where vampires and witches Transmutations
can be found, exploring the haunted sites of a city and the Sensorium, Spiritus
like. These Mystics also the ones most likely to be familiar Skills
with its supernatural history. Mystics tend to immerse themselves in Academics and Occult
Mystics focus this interest in a variety of ways. Some lore of all sorts, seeking the kinds of hidden pieces of information
take up the pseudo-science and similar trappings of para- that have filtered into humanity’s understanding of the occult, as
psychologists, while others approach their interest in the well as some minor Medicine knowledge, normally focused on
supernatural world from a solidly scientific background, insanity. Mystics often round out this knowledge with a grounding
and are interested in the psychology of a vampire, the in Investigation, allowing them to rely on more direct methods
biology of a werewolf, the physics around magical use. of gathering information. More than this, though, Mystics often
Others take a more scholarly view, hunting through old require a means of defending themselves, particularly favoring
books and handwritten journals of those who may have Weaponry, as all too often fisticuffs and guns do little good against
encountered the supernatural in the past. A few Mystics supernatural threats. Many Argentum Prometheans focus on skills
even choose to learn about the supernatural through such as Athletics and Stealth to manage escapes and getaways and
argentum: refinement of silver

immersion, learning the Transmutations of Spiritus that tail creatures of interest. Finally, some Mystics round out their skills
allow Mystics to go among their subjects of interest and with some knowledge of Persuasion, for use in fast-talking their
study them up close, maybe even finding one willing to way out of violence.
directly answer some questions.
It is important to note that while many Mystics become
caught up in the minutiae and fascinating trivia that sur-
rounds the creatures of the hidden world, the Refinement Stereotypes
teaches that such pieces of information are relevant only in Aurum: You miss so much by fixing your gaze
how they reflect the influence of supernatural creatures on on humans, and humans alone. The world holds
the humans around them. Thus, Argentum inquiry tends so much more.
to focus on what sorts of relationships the supernatural
Cuprum: If your own company was enough to
creature has with the humans around it, how strangers
enlighten, you’d already be human. Get out and
react to it and the overall effects of its hunting or other do something.
predation on the local human populace. Mystics are also
fascinated by the subterfuges supernatural creatures use, Ferrum: There’s plenty that a strong body can
and of the folktales or outright fabrications that humans accomplish — just look to some of the other
come to use to explain some of the things they can’t explain creatures in the world to see that. But you’re
— and which ones the supernatural creatures foster. the only one I’ve met who thinks you can find
Haunting Asylums enlightenment there.
To Mystics, there are secrets to be understood in madness. Mercurius: Why are our powers the only
Sometimes, the insane are simply unbalanced and broken, vic- ones that matter? The world is bigger than the
tims of biochemical problems or terrible psychological traumas. Created, and the Divine Fire is just one flame
Some of the insane, however, are driven to that point by seeing among many.
things that they can’t understand. Occasionally, someone who
is labeled as “insane” actually isn’t — she has simply seen things Stannum: Yes. That’s exactly what we need.
that no one believes could possibly be true, and she is one of More violence and revenge — the cycles that
the few people who don’t pretend otherwise. Mystics haunt define the existence of most monsters. Isn’t it
places where the insane are taken, discovering their secrets exhausting being that self-involved?
and making them more comfortable when possible: it isn’t * * *
uncommon for an Argentum Created to make a few friends
at a local psychiatric ward, and sneak them little snacks and Centimani: Oh, there are plenty of monsters
other diversions from their lives sometimes. in the world, Freak. Why would you ever choose
The Refinement is quite clear: madness itself is only to become one of them, when you have another
useful as a gauge of the spectrum of human sanity. Mad- alternative?
ness does not grant some sort of inherent insight into
anything. Madness is frightening for those who are not
mad, debilitating for those who are and is more to be pitied
than be fascinated with. The only time this is not true is Mystic Milestones
when the supernatural is somehow involved. Argentum A Promethean who practices Argentum seeks to un-
Created are interested in the mentally ill whose illness is derstand humanity through comprehending the things
tied to the supernatural, in some fashion, though it isn’t that dwell in the shadows all around it, subtly affecting
ever easy to tell which inmate is there because of natural humanity’s development without humans ever being
causes, and which ones have experienced some kind of aware. Milestones for a practitioner of Argentum could
occult horror. include the following:
 • Encountering a specific type of supernatural creature.
• Carrying on a peaceful conversation with a specific
type of supernatural creature.
• Driving someone insane through revelation of
his own supernatural nature.
• Discovering that a madman got that way due
to interaction with the supernatural world.
• Surviving the attack of a supernatural crea-
ture.
• Helping to free or heal someone
who is not really insane, but has simply
encountered the supernatural.
• Uncovering the involvement of su-
pernatural creatures or phenomena in the

argentum: refinement of silver

lives of humans, and understanding how that
involvement has affected the mortals.
• Assisting a mortal to understand the exis-
tence and influence of the supernatural.
• Gaining a derangement.
• Succumbing to the powers of a specific type of
supernatural creature.

Athanors
Mystics understand the Athanor process to be a refine-
ment of their own supernatural existence. As a result, many
Mystics are fascinated with Athanors, and sometimes seek to
question those who create them. Any Athanor that aids
Mystics’ involvement with the supernatural is considered
quite worthy of practice.

Raven — Psychopomp (Ulgan)

In many of the indigenous, ani-
mistic traditions of the world’s
various cultures, the raven
has some association with
death. Rather than a
harbinger of mortality,
however, the raven is
painted as a liminal creature, an entity that
spans the boundary between life and death. In
some cultures, the raven acts as a psychopomp,
guiding the souls of the dead to their final reward.
Those Prometheans who develop the Athanor of Raven
frequently interact with ghosts (often purchasing the
Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment if they do not possess it
initially) and are fascinated with human death.
Trait Affinities: Manipulation, Occult
Promethean Boon: The player may spend a point of
Reagent for the character to become instantly aware of
the direction and distance of the nearest haunted location
or ghost. In addition, for a point of Reagent, he may
cause any ghost to gain a number of Essence equal to his
Azoth, creating an alchemical reaction within himself
that generates significant power for the shade.
Redeemed Boon: The Redeemed gains the Unseen
Sense Merit, attuned to the presence of ghosts and
haunted places.
 Old Widow Maggie can be heard near her. Her skin pales terribly, and becomes
like yellow-white leather.
Quote: Oh, you poor thing. Murdered on your wedding
Storytelling Hints: Maggie enjoys the company of
night. Can you tell me, though — why did he do it? Did he
ghosts and those spirits associated with death (such as
say? What keeps you here? Grief? Rage? Let Maggie help,
raven-spirits, yew-tree-spirits and spirits of grief, mourning
sweetness. I just want to help.
and memory). She is an avid collector of the life tales of
Background: Old Widow Maggie has been around for
those ghosts she meets, and she keeps a big, leather-bound
a while. Her early years, during the waning decade of the
book filled with onion paper on which she has made
1800s, were spent finding out who was using her flesh
charcoal rubbings of several hundred gravestones, with
before it was hers. As it happened, her body had belonged
little notes and drawings along the edges, which she uses
to a widow who fell in with an old drunk Indian. The
as mnemonic devices for their various tales. She is quite
man moved into her house originally to help her do some
tolerant of young Prometheans, and enjoys teaching them
chores, and just ended up sharing her bed. In time, his
about the Refinement of Argentum. She feels that she
Riven Wasteland turned the area into a nightmare, but
may be on the verge of her New Dawn, and is somewhat
she still loved him. Unfortunately, her neighbors didn’t,
argentum: refinement of silver

fearful. Though she longs for mortality as fiercely as any

and they killed him and beat her nearly to death. When
Promethean, she has also heard how many lives end in
he returned to life, he was wracked with guilt. So, he
sadness and regret, and is perhaps a little too afraid of that
helped her to finish dying, and then brought her through
happening to her.
the rites that make a new Ulgan.
After finding out these details, she wandered aimlessly Lineage: Ulgan
for a while, avoiding most folk. She liked to chat, however, Refinement: Argentum
so she simply wandered from graveyard to cemetery in her Athanor: Raven
travels, finding the ghosts that lingered there. Though most Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 2, Resolve 3
of them had precious little to talk about — ghosts being Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4
terribly focused creatures — they were often willing to talk Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 4, Composure 3
about their lives. Maggie learned so much about what it Mental Skills: Academics (History) 2, Crafts 3, Investigation
was like to be human from them. They only seemed to 3, Medicine 1, Occult (Ghosts) 4
remember their most important events, their loves and Physical Skills: Brawl 2, Larceny (Tombs) 2, Stealth 4, Sur-
their victories, they hatreds and defeats. vival 2, Weaponry 2
It was like a windfall the first time she fulfilled a mile-
Social Skills: Empathy 3, Expression 2, Persuasion 3, Sub-
stone. She helped the ghost of a young soldier-boy who
died in World War II by getting his last words back to his
terfuge 4
lady-love. Maggie thought her heart would break at the Merits: Danger Sense, Elpis 3, Language (Spanish, Lakota,
young woman’s tears, but still, the pure emotion and . . Chinese, Russian), Repute 2, Residual Memory (Survival,
. humanness . . . of being involved in their grief distilled Intimidation) 2, Resources 2
something in the burning mass that passed for her spirit, Willpower: 6
refining itself into purest Vitriol. Humanity: 8
Since then, Maggie has found the Argentum Refinement, Virtue: Faith
and is probably one of the oldest still-extant practitioners of Vice: Envy
the Path of Silver. She takes great delight in hearing the won- Initiative: 6
derful stories of ghosts’ lives, and helping them if she can. Old Defense: 2
Widow Maggie has roamed for a long time, though she goes Speed: 5
to the wastes every 20 years or so. She just recently returned
Health: 9
from an extended period in the deserts of Arizona, where she
claims to have spoken to a raven-spirit. It played tricks on her,
Azoth: 6
as raven-spirits are wont, but it also claimed her as one of its Bestowment: Ephemeral Flesh
kin, for her role in aiding so many souls. Transmutations: Corporeum — Autonomic Control (•),
Description: Old Widow Maggie dresses in whatever Regeneration (••); Deception — Leave No Trace (••); Dis-
formal mourning attire she can. She’s found that people quietism — Scapegoat (•), Nameless Dread (••••); Sensorium
are less apt to bother a lone woman in a cemetery dressed — Bloodhound’s Nose (•), Sensitive Ears (•), Translator’s
for mourning, so as her old clothing starts to get tattered Eye (•), Aura Sight (••), Nightsight (••), Rarified Senses (••••),
and frayed, she finds a secondhand store or estate sale and Clairvoyant Senses (•••••); Spiritus — Essence of Sunlight (•),
acquires another set of widow’s weeds. She always wears Essence of Nettle (•••), Tainted Azoth (•), Ephemeral Infu-
long black gloves and a broad-rimmed hat, with widow’s sion (••••), Bane of Ephemera (••), Nettle Shield (•••), Nettle
veil netting over it. Her eyes are deeply smudged with Warding (••••), Twilight Summons (•••••); Vulcanus — Sense
black kohl, and her cracked lips are too red.
Flux (•), Sense Pyros (•)
When Maggie’s disfigurement shows, an unwholesome
fog seeps from her empty eye-sockets, and a slight moaning
Pyros/per Turn: 15/6
 COBALUS
Refinement of Cobalt (Impurity)
Cathars
Two floors down, cars drive slowly back and forth. One of the Promethean condition and rising above them.
stops every so often, and a window rolls down, and sometimes The Cathar doesn’t give in to these things. She recognizes
one of the women on the pavement gets in and vanishes, and that it would be better if she didn’t suffer Torment, create
someone else stands in the spot. It’s like a factory line I once Wastelands, cause Disquiet and fail to work Transmuta-
saw, long ago. Its moving parts and lubricants are flesh and tions. But she does all these things, and she believes that
they’ll never go away unless she knows her enemy. At

cobalus: refinement of cobalt

secretions, its fuel human need.
Comfortable on my window ledge, I am enthralled by the the same time, she tries to gain an insight into human
woman’s movements, the way she uses her mouth, without imperfections. Part of the value, the beauty of humanity
once focusing on the man or the yellow wallpaper or anything is its fragility.
else. The man is done; the woman spits something into a tissue
she has ready by the foot of the bed. Overview
The man dresses. He hands the woman a couple of bank Alchemists observed, as time went on, the presence
notes. The woman, still naked, her arms wrapped around of impurities in their operations. As Paracelsus
herself, looks through the money. But she still takes observed, one of the most common byproducts
it. I crane my neck forward, press my face right was a blue deposit left behind by the presence
up against the glass. How much? of a substance that shouldn’t have been
The man glances at the window, and he there, degrading otherwise useful ores such
sees me, and his eyes widen and he mouths a as copper and nickel. Alchemists imagined
single syllable, and then he is gone. He leaves the presence of goblins, the “kobolds” of
his jacket behind. The woman looks after him, folklore who were said to live in mines and
looks at the window, sees me. I cock my head to transformed good ore into dross. So, when
one side, fascinated by the way the woman wraps an 18th-century chemist finally discovered
a sheet around herself, as if somehow it matters. the ferrous element that was the cause of all
The woman, never once taking her eyes from the difficulty, he called it “cobalt,” in Latin
mine, pulls on her panties and her bra, slips “Cobalus.”
into her dress, picks up her shoes and coat. In the 100 years or so that followed, a
Then she reaches into the man’s jacket and few Prometheans reflected this late addi-
takes his wallet. And backs out of the door, tion to the alchemical canon, adopting a
and is gone. Refinement of Impurity, a work dedicated
I’ll sit here for a while, and wonder what it was I have just to the detection and expulsion of the impurities and faults
seen in that woman’s eyes. that hinder the stages of the Great Work. Perhaps befitting
Every Promethean feels it at some time. It’s the sense a Refinement that first appeared at the end of the age of
that something is wrong with the Great Work. There’s a alchemy and the dawn of the age of scientific chemistry,
faint psychic sickness, like the nausea someone feels in the Cathar is in many ways a scientist. He investigates
a room with a gas leak shortly before smelling the gas. the effects of his Azoth on himself, on others and on the
Sometimes it happens when a Transmutation fails. It’s environment. He observes the way that humans respond
like there’s something in the way, some byproduct, some to their own difficulties, to the troubles that imperfect
impurity that keeps the reaction from working. beings armed with free will and driving needs bring to
A Promethean practicing the Refinement of Cobalt rec- each other.
ognizes that impurities in the Great Work are an inevitable Cobalus has never been very common, even for an order
part of the process. Torment and Disquiet are byproducts of beings as rare as the Created. Cobalus is a subtle, dif-
of the Pilgrimage. They need to be experienced. The so- ficult Refinement to practice. Its rare practitioners walk
called Cathar understands that impurities and failings need a delicate balance between stability and chaos, madness
to be brought out into the open and worked through in and control. A Cathar insists that in order to understand
order to be defeated. One has to sin to be saved. Torment and conquer it, a Promethean had to experience
It takes time. No one turns lead into gold without a great it. The practitioner of Cobalus embraces contradiction and
deal of work. If the Great Work is to be completed, it has balance. In the 21st-century world, balance has largely
to be completed properly, and that can, in the eyes of the gone out of style. For decades at a time, Cobalus has died
Cathar, only be achieved through experiencing the failings out, practiced by no Promethean. Still, every so often a
 Promethean finds the Refinement for himself and remakes to purge from herself during the course of her Pilgrimage
himself in the Refinement’s image. thus far. She becomes obsessed with finding the flaw. She
The Cathar places himself in situations that other Pro- becomes a Cathar.
metheans avoid. For example, a Promethean practicing A calm, phlegmatic Osiran finds observation easy, both of
Cobalt might live in the middle of a crowded urban center others and of himself. During Torment, he becomes distant
for years, long after the rise of Disquiet and the expan- and emotionless, a dispassionate observer in his own body.
sion of his Wasteland have made his continued residence Cobalus comes easily to him. A Frankenstein, her entire
extremely hazardous. Intensely curious, the Cathar needs body a mess of fragments and flaws, the descendant of a
to understand the consequences of her presence and her mistake, could find the obsessive practice of Cobalus an
actions. She needs to know. important step toward understanding what she is, perfect-
Stories do the rounds of the first practitioner of Cobalus, ing it and escaping it.
to whom tradition gave the name the Blue Watchman, who While an Ulgan or a Galateid could well take on the
lived in the sewers under a slum tenement in Limehouse practice of Cobalus at any time, a Tammuz is less likely
for decades. He watched prostitutes, criminals and people to begin the Refinement. The Tammuz, whose drive for
who were just trapped in poverty for years. Observing freedom is central to his being, finds the practice of a
cobalus: refinement of cobalt

their comings and goings through holes and cracks in the Refinement whose ethos revolves around delaying Redemp-
building’s fabric, the Blue Watchman took copious notes tion and examining the Promethean condition difficult
on everything he saw, and on what his own presence did. to understand.
He recorded his narrow escapes, the way that the rats left Cobalt has a radioactive aspect. Cobalt-60 sheds dust
his underground home alone, the way that the area above and contaminates in more ways than simple discoloration.
became known as a place where storms grew. Most of all, A story tells of a Promethean who developed the Refine-
he watched how the people in the tenement lived, how ment of Impurity further, into the Refinement of Sickness.
they were sometimes turned into monsters by the squalor If there really were a Nuclear Promethean he (or she)
in which they lived. And he watched, too, those who rose might practice Cobalt, but what the result of that might
above it all. They were the ones he loved the best. be is anyone’s guess.
One day, sometime in the middle of the 19th century,
lightning, drawn down by the Blue Watchman’s Wasteland, Philosophy
struck the tenement. It burnt down. Most of the people The blue-colored impurity had plagued chemists and
inside died in the flames. alchemists for centuries. When Georg Brandt isolated
The two Prometheans who knew the Blue Watchman cobalt, a ferrous, magnetic metal, as its source, he redeemed
didn’t see him again after that. His lair was untenanted. it. It had, unknown to craftsmen, been the true source
One of the Prometheans who knew him claimed that he of the bright vibrant blue that had been sought after by
had died. The other believed that the lightning was brought glassmakers and ceramicists for millennia. Cobalt became
down by the moment of his Redemption. a sought-after pigment for artists. In more recent years,
Was the Blue Watchman’s Redemption worth it? Tell- the isotopic metal has gained use in medicine.
ers of his story leave that question open, but point out The redemption of what was once a frustrating impurity
that it has this lesson: curiosity can bring results, but it lies at the center of the practice of Cobalus. This is the
can also bring destruction. Often, curiosity brings both Lesson of Cobalt: in time, most things have their uses.
at the same time. Impurities can be, with effort, investigation, and patience,
isolated and either eliminated or instrumentalized.
Practitioners But they need to be observed first.
The practitioner of Cobalus is most likely to be a Pro- Observation Is Paramount
methean whose certainties have taken a blow of some How can one of the Created really know what it’s going
kind. Strong beliefs, when placed under pressure, some- to be like to become human if the Promethean hasn’t spent
times emerge unscathed, but just as often break or bend. enough time watching the ordinary folk and taking note
For example, a Promethean possessed of a deep religious of who they are? How can a Promethean become human
faith meets a qashmal. He identifies it as an angel, but in at all if he hasn’t experienced everything the Pilgrim-
so doing, violates everything he thinks he knows about age has to offer? The Cathar sees that experimentation
the God he formerly believed protected him. He begins to and observation are vital to succeeding in any scientific
doubt. He begins to investigate alternative viewpoints. He or alchemical endeavor, and applies that axiom to the
embraces ambiguity. He begins to practice Cobalus. Pilgrimage.
Or take the example of another Promethean, a practi- Gregarious, inquisitive and always asking questions,
tioner of Mercurius perhaps, who reaches the end of her the practitioner of Cobalus seeks out other Prometheans
Pilgrimage and then fails to become human. What went to travel with or lair with. Science requires a big enough
wrong? She passed all the milestones. She completed every sample, after all.
alchemical operation. She should have transcended her Redemption in Due Course
state. But it hasn’t worked out. There must be a flaw in True science takes time. Through investigation and
the process. There must be some impurity she has failed experimentation, a scientist can make a world-changing
discovery. Just as often the scientist spends a lifetime it’s like, but in the end she holds back before immersing
laying the groundwork for greater men. Darwin could herself. A Freak who met the Cathar would probably
not have created the theory of natural selection without discount her as a coward, but the Cathar is likely to finish
the work of Lamarck to build from. Einstein could never the Great Work.
have produced his work if there had never been a New-
ton. Serendipity happens, but the other 999 times out of Practices and Operations
every 1,000 that something important happens, it hap- Cobalus depends upon an investment of time. Promethe-
pens because of hard work. It happens because someone ans don’t age, and while they may not exactly have all the
invested effort and time. time in the world, the only reason a Promethean really
The Pilgrimage works like this, too. It can’t be rushed. has to want to become mortal sooner rather than later is
It’s not something that needs a quick, slapdash piece of because the Promethean condition is so unpleasant. The
work: it’s the transmutation of soulless lead into living, Cathar reasons that no matter how awful the Promethean’s
feeling, changing, aging gold. Although another Pro- lot, the best way to be sure of achieving the end of the
methean might consider the Cathar to be obsessed with Great Work is to do it properly. That means not rushing
it. It means constant examination of the Promethean’s

cobalus: refinement of cobalt

sin and Torment, and consumed with curiosity, in reality
the practitioner of Cobalus takes this as a vitally important self, in body, mind and Azoth. It also means investigation
principle. Although it sometimes might not seem the of Disquiet and Torment. And it means examination of
case, the Cathar remains on the Pilgrimage and seeks to humans and what they do to one another. Mortality is the
achieve the completion of the Great Work. She simply goal, and the practitioner of Cobalus should never stray
has no intention of rushing it. from the path leading to that goal. The learning lies in
Salvation Is Worthless Without Understanding Sin the process of getting there.
Without knowing the darkness, says the Cathar, how Constant Observation
can you fully appreciate the light? Without knowing the The Cathar makes every effort to find out what he
impurities of your soul for what they are, how can you can about his imperfections, and those of others. A
remove them? The practitioner of Cobalus is intensely practitioner of Cobalus who is lucky enough to meet
curious about her own imperfections and failings. She another Promethean does everything he can to cultivate
needs to know how to fail, because without failing, how the acquaintance. Sensible enough to realize that his new
can you really contextualize success? She examines her potential friend is not likely to give secrets away for free,
moral shortcomings, following her feelings and pursuing the Cathar might decide to use what help he can give as
her urges, for good and bad, the better to see what the a bargaining tool: aid for secrets.
results are. On the other hand, he might decide that he can simply
She seeks to understand Torment. It’s a hateful, vile find out more by being alongside another Promethean. The
experience, but it is not to be feared, she thinks, because Cathar would jump at the chance to enter an alchemical
it is merely an impurity. By experiencing it, she brings it pact, too. Experiencing and perfecting a new phase of
out to the open and examines it. She works it out of her the Great Work allows the Cathar to take further steps
system, out of the system she creates as a means of ap- toward the final expulsion of impurities from his Pilgrim-
proaching the culmination of the Great Work. age. Being there when another Promethean of his throng
Balance Is Vital achieves Mortality could be an amazing lesson for the
Having said all that, going too far has its consequences. Cathar, allowing him to witness firsthand the final stages
The practitioner of Cobalus looks down on the Mimic for of the process. He takes note of what mistakes and flaws
spending too much time trying to be human before he’s yet need to be expelled and sees what he could improve
ready. The Cathar is curious about humanity, but rather when it’s his turn.
than attempt to fit in, she watches and learns. Likewise, Observation extends to ordinary humans, too. Humans
the practitioner of Cobalus scorns the Ophidian for fix- are imperfect. They sin. They fall short of their ideals.
ating on the Pyros without really seeing the flaws in the They exploit and harm others, and get mistreated in
system, but she equally looks down on the Centimanus, their turn. The Cathar aims to see how they deal with
whom the Cathar considers to have lost all control and their own impurities, and what difference it makes. He
surrendered himself to the Flux. recognizes humanity as a fragile, beautiful thing, but still
Either way leads to folly. Unlike the practitioners of the other finds it hard to see why so many humans squander it.
Refinements, the Cathar walks a tightrope between control He examines humans to see how he can avoid the same
and complete surrender. She skirts the edge of monstrosity, mistakes they fall into.
the better to understand it and defeat it. She doesn’t court It’s a doomed enterprise, of course. Many humans live
monstrosity, though. She doesn’t always go out of her way long lifetimes, growing through childhood and adolescence,
to make Torment and Disquiet happen, she’s just far more and never understand why they do what they do or gain
accepting than her companions when such things do. an inkling of what a life means. What hope, then, for a
The Centimanus throws himself into darkness and being who was born full-grown and bereft of memory? Even
mutation. The Cathar, on the other hand, keeps one foot so, it’s unlikely that a Cathar will understand this truth
in sanity. She tests the waters, and seeks to know what himself. After all, just because a Promethean Refinement
 leads its practitioners to take on an operation doesn’t mean Cuprum: Put your head in the sand, then. See
that it will work. where it gets you.
Weathering Disquiet
Ferrum: You know the pain you get when you
The Azoth, burning in the Promethean’s veins, triggers
get a stitch in your side? And you know how
Disquiet in humans. The Cathar, who might well have
you have to fight through it? You do. So how are
already experienced Disquiet too many times before switch- we so different?
ing to Cobalus, knows this all too well, and has decided
to bear it and allow it to happen. He sees himself purified, Mercurius: So. You’ve got all the facts, stored
refined by the suffering. away in neat little jars. How’s that working out
It might end in tragedy. Prometheans who wait too long for you?
before making their escape from the humans who fear
Stannum: You concentrate on the impurities
the Created so can find themselves in deep trouble. A and ignore the finished product. What point is
Promethean committed to seeing it through to the bitter there in that?
end may not come out the other side.
Accepting Catharsis * * *
cobalus: refinement of cobalt

Torment, similar to Disquiet, is one of the most unset-

Centimani: I know you for what you are, and I
tling of the impurities a Cathar faces. The practitioner of will not be like you. I will not. Not again.
Cobalus tries to observe the causes, sensations and effects
of Torment, imagining herself as an impartial observer, a
compartmentalized consciousness inside her rampaging
body, trapped in her boiling mind.
Observing the Torment of other Prometheans is equally
Cathar Milestones
A character who practices Cobalus likely needs to
instructive. There’s a temptation for the Cathar to set
reach milestones that, on the one hand, depend upon
small traps for her fellow Created, pushing them here and
learning about his failings and on the other, involve
there, setting them up for difficult situations, just to see
rising above those failings. Milestones for a Cathar
what happens when they fall to Torment. It’s dangerous,
character could include the following:
and it violates the principle of “balance in all things.”
• Forming an alchemical pact and learning a secret
By making Torment happen, she begins to travel too far
from it.
along the path that leads to Flux. This isn’t to say that a
• Witnessing a human harm another (and learn-
Cathar won’t ever try this, but a Cathar who starts doing
ing about other ways in which humans are imperfect,
this is in real danger of joining the Hundred Handed.
outside of Disquiet).
Besides, there’s the simple fact that antagonizing other
• Experiencing Torment and learning some (possibly
Prometheans makes it more difficult to learn from them in
hard, possibly tragic) lesson from it.
the future. Knowing about Torment, being curious about
• Triggering Disquiet in its most severe form and
it, even courting it, all are subtly different from going out
escaping from it.
of one’s way to create it.
• Failing to rescue someone through his own fault,
On the other hand, as she develops more power, the
or failing to complete an important task because of
Cathar finds herself able to learn Transmutations that al-
his inadequacies and impurities (including instances
low her to manipulate her Torment and even to transfer
of Torment and Disquiet).
it to others. Again, the practitioner of Cobalus does not
• Succeeding in an enterprise despite experiencing
cause Torment; she simply purges the impurity and places
Torment or Disquiet (or both).
it elsewhere. If she can observe the results of her Torment
• Suffering as a result of curiosity
on another, so much the better. It gives her the necessary
• Causing innocents to suffer as a result of curios-
perspective to see how she can deal with it better.
ity.
Transmutations
• Engaging in self-examination and grappling with
Contamination, Deception
doubt as to the validity of the Refinement.
Skills
• Gaining a greater degree of success in an enterprise
The practitioners of Cobalus know themselves, they
than practitioners of other Refinements while holding
know their own bodies and they know how to find things
true to the methodology of Cobalus.
out. Many develop a good deal of ability in Medicine and
Empathy. Investigation is a must, since discovering truths
about others often requires a good deal of inquiry. Athanors
The Cathar sees the generation of Reagent as the
expulsion of impurities in a useful form. Just as other Pro-
metheans, the Cathar will carry the mark of the Athanor
Stereotypes on his soul for not only the rest of his Pilgrimage but the
Aurum: So noble. So much effort. But what’s rest of his mortal life, whether or not he sticks with the
the point? It’s all too much, too soon. practice of Cobalt through to the end.
 An Athanor created by a Cathar is likely to allow a
Promethean to function at least a little longer in situ-
ations that other Created would shy away from. Given
the emphasis that a Cathar places on the understand-
ing of Torment, it stands to reason that a Cobalt
Athanor is likely to grant some small advantage
to the Promethean when that Torment begins
to rise, either in resisting it or in coping with
the consequences after the fact.

Salamander — Fire (Ulgan)

The salamander of myth was a
creature that lived
comfortably
in fire,

cobalus: refinement of cobalt

whose
body
was so
intensely
cold that it could
douse nearby flames
with only a touch.
The Promethean who creates
the Athanor of the Salamander
gains enough control of his body
to duplicate this feat.
Trait Affinities: Stamina,
Wits
Promethean Boon: The Promethe-
an gains the following benefits:
• He can spend a point of Reagent to ignore
two points of damage caused by flames.
• He gains a +2 dice pool bonus on rolls to resist
Torment brought on by the proximity of fire.
Redeemed Boon: The Redeemed character ignores
the first two points of damage (but no more) suffered
in a scene.

Cynthia Mask
Quote: No, I can talk. You just never asked.
Background: Cynthia’s creator wanted someone to love
her. Cynthia couldn’t. She wasn’t wired that way. She left,
or was thrown out, she can’t remember, and has spent these
first few years of her Pilgrimage living rough on the
streets of every corner of London, never sleeping
in the same pitch twice.
Somehow, she managed to survive. Fascinated
by the city’s wildlife, Cynthia has stayed in the
metropolis, moving from area to area, but always
staying within the M25, the motorway that serves
as the perimeter of the Greater London area.
She’s never been outside of London. For many
people of London, the capitol might as
well be their entire world. For Cynthia,
it’s literally true. It’s the only world she
has ever known.
Living in the presence of so many
survivors, so many communities, so much
 pain and wealth, squalor and finery, Cynthia had no choice Lineage: Frankenstein
but to embrace the contradictions that compose her own Refinement: Cobalus
life. She knows what she is capable of, and she knows Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 2
what it is to experience Torment. She’s obsessed with
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 1
seeing everything she can of London, the high and the
low, and she knows the rooftops of some areas of London
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure
better than even the pigeons. The tiny aerie she’s made 2
at the top of a tower block in east London is a vantage Mental Skills: Crafts (Needlework) 1, Investigation 1, Medi-
point for her, the place from which the city below reveals cine 2
its secrets unawares. Physical Skills: Athletics (Climbing) 3, Brawl 1, Larceny 1,
Description: Cynthia usually looks like a short, slim, Stealth (Work in Silence) 3, Survival (Streets) 2, Weaponry
pale young woman, with graceful hands and a pretty but (Knife) 2
immobile face, like she’s suffered recently from Bell’s palsy Social Skills: Animal Ken 1, Empathy 2, Expression 1, Intimida-
or as if she’s had one too many Botox injections. tion 1, Persuasion 1, Streetwise (London, London Rooftops)
When her true form becomes visible, the fact that she 4, Subterfuge 1
cobalus: refinement of cobalt

doesn’t actually have a face becomes obvious. Cynthia’s Merits: Elpis 3, Lair (Size 1, Security 3), Language (British
creator ran out of time when making her and couldn’t
Sign Language), Repute 1, Residual Memory (Crafts) 1
find one. Instead, she stitched the plastic face of a life-size
doll onto Cynthia’s bare facial muscles. Cynthia Mask
Willpower: 4
slurs her speech slightly — part of her tongue is missing. Humanity: 7
Usually, she doesn’t talk at all, unless she has something Virtue: Charity
to say. Most people think she’s deaf-mute, an impression Vice: Envy
augmented by her knowledge of sign language. Initiative: 5
She wears relatively clean, fashionable clothes stolen from Defense: 3
passed-out London clubbers and students’ washing lines. Speed: 10
Storytelling Hints: Cynthia wants to know everything Health: 6
about everyone. She wants to understand. She goes out Azoth: 1
of her way to find out the minutiae of lives, and looks at Bestowment: Unholy Strength
herself the same way. A Promethean throng in London Transmutations: Contamination — Pressing Need (•); Decep-
could find Cynthia a valuable ally, but should expect her
tion — Incognito (••); Disquietism — Scapegoat (•)
to be a constant and somewhat unnerving presence around
them, watching everything they do. Cynthia’s habit of
Pyros/per Turn: 10/1
Weapons/Attacks:
silently rooting through other people’s stuff could cause
Type Damage Size Dice Pool
trouble for a more sensitive or secretive Promethean.
Butcher’s Knife 2L 2 7
 PLUMBUM
Refinement of Lead (Source)
Originists
She found me as I lay in that filthy bed. I’d felt it earlier when they intend to build their eventual mortality. Associated
our Azoth touched — when Azoth called to Azoth — but I with the planet Saturn, the experience of being one of
hadn’t had the ability or the interest to see who it might be. I the Created is called the Saturnine Night, and to most
didn’t care, truth be told. Prometheans is an experience they wish to escape. Thus,
She’d walked into that room, and simply stood there as I the pursuit of the Refinements, all of which are symbolized

plumbum: refinement of lead

stared at the ceiling. I think I glanced over at her once, and by metals alchemically “higher” than poor, base lead.
then tried my best to ignore her. She neared, and knelt beside Not all Prometheans believe this, however. Those
me. I lost it when she touched my shoulder. who do not point to alchemical practice, in which it is
I curled into her arms, sobbing. I’d failed. I’d had it in my necessary to understand the materials one works with, in
grasp, and been found wanting. Though it was a whole week order to work transformations. Transformation requires
before, the agony, the grief of it was so raw that it may as well understanding of two states, not one — the alchemist
have been just a heartbeat ago. must understand both the metal in its original state as
My progeny, created lovingly from the remains of well as what he intends to transform it into. This is the
five very worthy people. I raised her and taught her, basis of the Refinement of Plumbum, which explores the
put her on the first steps of her Pilgrimage and set Promethean condition in an effort to truly understand
her on her way — I let her go before we could what one is, that one may transcend it.
grow to hate one another, so that we could
remember our time together as being too short, Overview
and too quickly ended, perhaps. Regret is better The origins of the Refinement of Source are
than hate, isn’t it? something of a mystery. Its practitioners claim
I’d seen two of my throng-mates through to their it has its genesis in the Roman Empire, but
New Dawn, and I’d even stayed around to make can offer little evidence. What is known is
sure that one of them found a good place to live and that once Prometheans began referring to
got a good start on his life. I did so in secret, using the Refinements of the Great Work by metal-
the knowledge I’d gained from my own Refinement lic symbolism, lead was used to describe the
to help set him up. I think I was meant to do that; basic existence of Prometheans. Whether that
the glow of accomplishment became the sweet burn led to a new way of looking at the Created
of Vitriol, after all. and their Great Work, or whether it was
I worked my ass off, slaughtered Pandorans for one of applied to an already extant philosophy is
the qashmal and did so gladly. I learned what it meant to unknown.
be human, I thought, and fought to protect them from myself. The Originists do seek the Pilgrimage, but they lack
I was responsible in my endeavors, never staying too long, the near-desperation that other Prometheans have when
always on the lookout for Disquiet, or the Wasteland effect. I it comes to their Great Work. Originists sometimes coyly
even usually managed to stave off Torment, and when I failed, characterize other Prometheans as being in a rush to es-
I made it right . . . or as right as I could make it. cape something that they don’t truly even understand or
But in the end? When the time came? know much about.
I’d failed to attain my New Dawn, I’d let the Elpis slip Other Prometheans are often forced to admit: adher-
away. She rocked me in her arms, weeping with me. I didn’t ents of Plumbum do often possess tremendous knowledge
have to say anything — she just seemed to know. She let me about the Promethean condition. More than this, though,
cry, until I couldn’t anymore, then she let me sleep. When I Originists usually know more about the scant history
awoke the next day, she had Thai food, and offered me one of Prometheans than others. After all, interest in their
of the white cartons. current state of being has led them to inquire about the
“Let’s talk,” she said. “But I don’t want to talk about fail- Pilgrimages of others of their kind, and most adherents
ure, about loss. I don’t want to talk about what you aren’t, of this Refinement are minor scholars when it comes to
but about what you are. Nicolas, alchemy is complex, and it such things.
is not enough to know the goal. You have to understand what This isn’t to say that the adherents of Plumbum are
you’re starting with.” part of some world-spanning society, however. Part of the
To most Prometheans, the metal of lead represents the Promethean existence is that solitude is common, and
“base” Promethean condition, the foundation upon which wishing that it weren’t so doesn’t change that. Originists
 are, however, the ones most likely to desire some kind of When Prometheans seek out Plumbum, they invariably
Promethean legacy, some place where their lore might be seek to better understand their nature and origins. Of all
recorded, some gathering place where they might begin the Refinements, Tammuz and Ulgans seem to take to
to form a kind of society. Plumbum the most readily — both approach the truth of
The Originists often find it tempting to imagine some their being frankly. Osirans occasionally become Originists,
well-hidden place where young Prometheans might and are often the finest of the Refinement’s scholars and
journey to learn about themselves. They envision a philosophers. Frankensteins and Galateids are least likely
place where mentors might seek to impart their wisdom to practice the Path of Lead, as they most often seek to
to those who would follow a given Refinement, a place deny what they are or desire most to flee from it.
where all Prometheans can benefit from the successful In a throng, Originists are often considerate of their
Pilgrimages of those who have gone before them. In such throng-mates, helping them by acting as counselors, or
a place, Prometheans might keep tabs on the locations giving the occasional shoulder to cry on. When things
of Pandorans, and perhaps even root them out for good. become difficult, the follower of Plumbum can usually sight
Prometheans might teach one another of the dangers out what has happened, particularly if the ill was caused
they face, and share their insights into the Promethean by something inherent in the Promethean nature. In a
plumbum: refinement of lead

condition. Young, lone Created might meet others like gathering of those who fling themselves headlong toward
themselves, and form Branded throngs to seek out new being something other than they are, the Originist acts
wonders and unlock the secrets of not just the Great Work as a reminder that until they do escape the Promethean
but what it means to be Promethean. state, they cannot ignore the limitations and demands of
Similar to all philosophies, the Refinement of Plumbum being one of the Created.
has a grand dream, and one that is unattainable. This has
not stopped some of its adherents from trying, however. Philosophy
When adherents of Plumbum claim to be practitioners
Practitioners of the Refinement of Source, they refer to the Promethean
Those who adhere to the Plumbum Refinement seem condition. Lead is a cold, soft base material that has long
to have one thing in common: they have all studied an- symbolized contaminated, impure things. This continues
other Refinement in the past. Those who are particularly to be the case in this day and age. Concerns about lead
disdainful of the theories of Plumbum like to call it “the in a variety of aspects of daily life, from wargaming min-
failure’s Refinement,” but this is true on some level: nearly iatures to piping to paint to use as an artificial sweetener
every Originist once walked another path but sought out in Third World countries are still prominent today. Why,
Plumbum after finding that path didn’t teach them what then would anyone proudly claim to study it, to base their
they needed to know. Great Work on that weak metal?
Most Prometheans who practice the Refinement of Lead can In the planetary symbolism of alchemy, lead represents Saturn
relate a difficult experience or ordeal while practicing another — the basis for the poetic “Saturnine Night” some Promethe-
Refinement. These difficulties often led them to the conclusion ans use to describe the experience of simply being one of the
that forms the basis of practice in Plumbum: they did not know Created. Many Originists claim that the phrase is appropriate,
enough about the Promethean condition. Where one might for their understanding of the condition is more characterized
have faced a crisis in which Aurum failed to provide him with by the brooding ill-humored scorn that the phrase “saturnine”
the means to deal with mortals once again and simply called has come to mean. It is difficult not to be bitter when one does
it quits, another may have found Cuprum desperately lonely not understand one’s own origins, after all.
and impossible to practice. To the Originist, this Refinement’s association with
Occasionally, this failure on the part of another Refinement Saturn is best understood through examination of the
is greater than that. The apocryphal reason for seizing upon Roman god of that name. A fearsome monster, it had been
the Refinement of Source is the failure to achieve Mortality foretold that a day would come when Saturn’s rule of the
— the Promethean did “everything right” (or perhaps more universe was overthrown by one of his children. Fearful
realistically, as few things wrong as possible), yet when the mo- of this, Saturn consumed his children, and continued to
ment came, when the Great Work reached its critical point, do so, lest he be thrown down.
and the surge of transformative power and Hope should have Eventually, however, his wife Ops (whose name refers
come, there was nothing. to riches and prosperity, but gained through working the
In actuality, Plumbum practitioners who have been lands) hid one of their children, offering Saturn a stone
at this point are few and far in-between. But those who in swaddling clothes instead. Thus was Jupiter spared, and
have walked the entire process, seizing milestone after later he rescued his siblings from the gullet of Saturn, forc-
milestone, actively living the Great Work for years on end, ing his father to give over rulership of the world. Jupiter’s
only to stumble at the last critical moment are creatures original role was still remembered after that point by gods
of both great wisdom and tragedy. They know that the and men alike, however, and honor given to him for the
Elpis is possible to hold, for though they failed to do so, role he played.
they nearly did, and just the nearness of its touch has left Originists have found tremendous philosophical mean-
an indelible mark upon them. ing to this story, particularly as it relates to Promethean
existence. Each of the Created is a monster. The children very seriously, and take time to reflect on the events
of Saturn were the gods of Olympus, and if he allowed that surround them.
them to be born, he would be thrown down for the hor- Many Originists believe in exposing themselves to a
ror he was. wide variety of situations, experiences and different people
The “children” that the Originists speak of are the natu- and cultures, all with an eye turned inward: the Originists’
ral outcomes of being a monster. Prometheans affect the own reactions to these events are what fascinate them
world around them, but every so often, they seek to deny most, rather than the experiences themselves. Likewise,
or flee those effects. Many of the Created would rather take many adherents of Plumbum seek out those situations and
refuge in bitterness and anger than admit the reactions of interactions that cause unexpected reactions in them — a
the mortals who just tried to burn the Prometheans’ lair to situation that elicits unexpected fear, excitement, pas-
the ground may have been spawned of Disquiet. Too many sion or any other uncontrollable, unanticipated response
Prometheans ignore the effects of Wasteland, pretending is likely to be replicated, as closely as possible, multiple
they do not see the damage they are doing until it is too times, in order to explore the experience.
late. In this way, according to Originist philosophy, these
Prometheans are like Saturn, “consuming” those things Practices and

plumbum: refinement of lead

that prove them to be monsters, taking refuge in avoidance Operations
rather than facing what they truly are. Originists believe that their understanding of the Pro-
Consume Not Thy Children. methean condition comes not simply from understanding
Though Originists may use the example of Saturn when themselves, but from understanding other Prometheans. As
speaking of the dangers of Pandorans and the seemingly a result, they tend to be not only willing to seek out other
inevitable conflict that will arise between progeny and Prometheans, but anxious to do so. Each new Promethean
creator, most often, when Originists speak of “children,” Originists encounter is a new piece in the puzzle that is
they refer to the things that come of being Promethean. the Created, and one they are eager to understand.
All the good things that come of being Promethean are Some Originists take a great deal of pride in seeking out
referred to as the Originist’s children. Originists believe young Prometheans and teaching them what the Originists
that to take these good things for granted — seeing them know. Such a mentor is often a godsend, for Originists are
as simply tools for the Great Work, rather than something fastidious keepers of information on such topics as the
valuable in and of itself — is blindness and folly. Such qashmallim, Pandorans, Centimani and other such nuances
things include the power to aid others, the ability to see of the Promethean experience. Though Originists often
some of the wonders of the world in ways mortals cannot urge young Prometheans to take up study of Plumbum
and the alchemical unity of a Branded throng. for a while at least, these adherents also understand that
Adherents of Plumbum also consider the unpleasant those who genuinely appreciate the Refinement of Source
experiences of the Promethean condition to be their tend to be those who have ventured onto other Refine-
children as well. Too often, Prometheans seek to deny or ments for a time. Such mentors often maintain networks
simply escape from these occurrences. Originists teach that of Promethean contacts, good for helping their charges
these things should be studied, and understood, for they learn the principles of other Refinements.
say something about the Promethean himself. The ways in Most Prometheans who study this Refinement are record-
which Disquiet manifests, the patterns of Wasteland and keepers of some sort, keeping a journal or diary. They also
the Promethean’s mind when experiencing Torment are tend to write down the Rambles of those Prometheans they
all signposts on the path to understanding the self. encounter, recording their doings and personalities for the
Some adherents of Plumbum take this a step further. Not insights they provide into what it means to be a Promethean
only do they attempt to be conscientious about their own — not simply for themselves, but for others.
“children,” but they are willing to take up the role of Ops Originists are, of course, very careful to couch their
in dealing with others of the Created. These Originists writings in terms that do not betray the true nature of
seek to prevent other Prometheans from “consuming” the their subjects. As a result, many journal-keepers use the
facets of their strange existence, and to face the horrors alchemical symbolism so common to Promethean philoso-
— and occasional joys — of the Saturnine Night. phy, while others devise unique ciphers and word plays to
Know Thyself. accomplish the same ends. Originists who meet one another
Attributed throughout various times in history to often trade information, reading one another’s journals
Socrates, Pythagoras and others, the phrase gnothi and talking for hours about what they find therein, asking
se auton was inscribed in gold on the lintel of the questions, seeking clarification and taking notes.
entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi — some Historical Research
Originists even claim that the gold upon which this More than simply recording information about the Pro-
was written was alchemically transmuted from lead. metheans around them, many Originists seek the evidence of
Though an oft-abused sentiment after centuries of Promethean activity in history. Most have their own theories
philosophy, Originists still take the precept very seri- about various historical figures — some believe that the
ously: it forms the basis for their Pilgrimage. Adherents Secret Chiefs of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn,
to Plumbum take the effects they have upon the world who communicated so many alchemical concepts back into
 a more common circulation, may have been Prometheans.
Likewise, it is the pet theory of more than one Originist that
Originist Milestones
Those whose Pilgrimage leads them to the Refinement
the strange powers and claimed immortality of the Comte
of Lead find enlightenment in self-discovery. In under-
St. Germaine marked him as one of the Created, likely a
standing what they are, they may begin to learn how to
practitioner of Mercurius. Of course, for every well-reasoned
become what they are not. Milestones for a practitioner
theory on such a subject, there are three other absurd asser-
of Plumbum could include the follower:
tions — sometimes, all held by the same Originist.
• Making amends for harm caused by Disquiet, Torment
Self-Reflection
or Wasteland.
The process of self-reflection is considered vital to those
• Learning the Bestowment of another Lineage.
on the Refinement of Lead. Originists are taught to meditate
• Discovering a piece of heretofore unknown Pro-
(see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 51) as part of
methean history.
their journey, finding the center of the self and setting the
• Teaching another Promethean about the strengths
moral compass firmly in check. Emphasis is also placed on
and weaknesses of being a Promethean.
the journal — not simply as a tool for recording information
• Revealing the truth of Promethean existence to a
but as a place of reflection and a record of impressions.
plumbum: refinement of lead

mortal.
Many of an Originist’s most valuable insights come from
• Adopting an Athanor.
reading through the pages of his personal diary, finding
• Creating Pandorans accidentally.
the patterns and unrealized discoveries there.
• Helping another Promethean find a Refinement that
Transmutations
fits him.
Disquietism, Saturninus
• Becoming part of a Branded throng.
Skills
• Being nearby when a Promethean the Originist aided
Originists are often quite skilled in the use of Academics
achieves Mortality.
and Investigation, fitting areas of study for those interested
in seeing patterns in both history and the world around
them. More than a few find some interest in the study of
Athanors
Adherents of Plumbum are fascinated with Athanors,
Occult, as well, for its insights into alchemy and the super-
seeing them as a step in the right direction: a focus on
natural. Finally, skills such as Streetwise and Persuasion are
what it means to be Promethean, an advancement that
vital, due to the overtly social nature of most Originists,
takes advantage of their nature as one of the Created,
in dealing with other Prometheans.
specifically focused toward the ultimate goal of becom-
ing human. Some Originists claim that the first Athanor
was developed by one of their own, but there is no way
Stereotypes to prove this.
Aurum: Ah, rarified gold. How will you pretend
to be one thing when you don’t even know what
Sphinx — Wisdom
you are right now? (Osiris)
The Sphinx of Greek legend posed
Cuprum: Your self-reflection is laudable, but a riddle to those who happened past,
too often you aren’t a hermit. You are a refugee. as the Sphinx sat outside of the city of
Ferrum: How thoroughly you abuse your body. Thebes. Those incapable of answering
Do you hope that when you wake up tomorrow, its riddle were strangled. Only Oedi-
it won’t be what it is now? That isn’t Refinement pus could answer the riddle “Which
— it’s a temper tantrum. creature in the morning goes on four
feet, at noon on two, and in the evening upon three?”
Mercurius: Is a human only his soul? Neither The answer, of course, was “Man.”
are you merely your Pyros. Likewise, those who adhere to the Refinement
Stannum: Of course you are angry. You deny of Lead believe that the answer to the riddle of the
what you are in a headlong rush to escape your- Promethean condition — the answer that allows the
self, and slam your head into the wall again and Created to transcend that condition — is the Self.
again. That’d piss anyone off. Those who do not understand their condition will never
proceed beyond it, and are destined to be strangled
* * * by the inability to achieve the heights to which they
Centimani: We seek to transform. But better to all aspire. The Athanor of the Sphinx grants tremen-
remain stagnant than to seek what seems to be dous problem-solving capability and understanding of
transformation, but is only destruction. riddles and enigmas.
Trait Affinities: Intelligence, Investigation
Promethean Boon: The Promethean gains the
Encyclopedic Knowledge Merit. Additionally, when
making an Encyclopedic Knowledge roll, the player may spend one
Reagent to gain 9 again on the roll.
Redeemed Boon: The Redeemed retains the
Encyclopedic Knowledge Merit.

Nestor
Quote: The taste in your mouth is too bitter,
but the only way you can truly fail is if you let
that taste be the last one in your mouth. Mourn,
but then begin again.
Background: Nestor rose from the clay
without a cry or panic. He simply sat up and
looked around. His mentor taught him of
the Pilgrimage as soon as he could clearly
speak and communicate, and brushed

plumbum: refinement of lead

aside his questions about what he was.
When she left him, eager to complete
her own Pilgrimage, she left behind the
progeny she called Nestor — “Wisdom.”
Though his mentor intended her enthu-
siasm to be infectious, it was actually
off-putting. He felt unprepared, unready
to seek out Mortality. How could he seek
to become something else, when he had no
clue what he was now?
Nestor wandered for a while, moving from
Refinement to Refinement, until he eventually
met an old, beautiful Adonis who lived in the wild
hills of Greece. He’d gone there, he claimed, to seek the
origins of Galatea and had discovered much about himself
while he was there. He brought Nestor into the Refinement
of Lead, and he felt as if he were coming home.
Since those days, Nestor has vowed that he will be a better
creator to his progeny than his own creator was. To this end,
he felt that he owed them an understanding of what he himself
was, and what being a Promethean meant. Along his way, he has
aided and nurtured others through the steps of their Pilgrimage,
and something has led him — time and again — to the side of the
downtrodden and despairing. Like a white-clay angel of mercy he
has appeared, offering support, words of wisdom and the impetus
to keep going for more than one young Promethean.
Description: Nestor is an attractive young man, with a light
complexion, hazel eyes and dark black hair that hangs just
above his shoulders. He wears simple clothing, preferring
jeans, boots and a T-shirt. On his wrists, Nestor wears a
set of wide bracelets that appear to be more like manacles
than items of jewelry. They are made of a dull gray metal
that looks like lead (actually pewter), marked on one
side with the Greek letters that form his name and the
astrological sign of Saturn on the other.
When his disfigurements show, Nestor’s pale com-
plexion is revealed to be strange, streaked white clay,
and his hair is a thick, black oily mass that clings to
his head and neck. His eyes burn from deep pits in
the clay, and the Hebrew word “Wisdom” is written
on his forehead.
Storytelling Hints: Nestor is interested in the
Promethean condition — he believes that under-
 standing it is the secret to his Pilgrimage. In many Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl (Grappling) 3, Drive 1, Survival 2
ways, though, he has chosen the Refinement of Lead Social Skills: Animal Ken 2, Empathy (Prometheans) 3, Expression
in order to stall in his own Great Work, as he is fearful 1, Intimidation 2, Persuasion 2, Streetwise (Finding Lairs) 2
of failure. He has seen so many fail, and worries that he
Merits: Brawling Dodge, Eidetic Memory, Elpis 2, Inspiring,
will be among them. To this end, he tells himself that
there is no one true Promethean condition, and that
Language (Hebrew, Latin, Spanish, French), Meditative
the whole of it is expressed differently for each of the Mind, Repute 2
Created. Thus, he wanders, meeting new Prometheans Willpower: 5
and seeking to aid them in whatever way he can. He Humanity: 7
seems saint-like in this regard, but is truly simply dis- Virtue: Hope
tracting himself from his Pilgrimage, out of fear. Vice: Sloth
Lineage: Tammuz Initiative: 4
Refinement: Plumbum Defense: 2
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 2, Resolve 3 Speed: 10
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3 Health: 8
plumbum: refinement of lead

Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 2, Composure 2 Azoth: 4

Mental Skills: Academics 2, Computer 1, Investigation 3, Bestowment: Unholy Stamina
Medicine 2, Occult 2 Transmutations: Disquietism — Soothe Disquiet (•), Safe Sojourn
(••••); Saturninus — Azothic Awareness (•••), Subtle Dampening (•),
Fire Reader (•••); Vitality — Fist of Talos (•), Might (••)
Pyros/per Turn: 12/3
 TRANSMUTATIONS

Transmutations
Benefice Transmutation on a Promethean with whom
the Transmutation-user has forged an alchemical
With an increased understanding of the Azoth, pact.
Prometheans may learn new techniques and meth-
ods to transform themselves or the world around Helping Hand (•)
them through manipulation of the Divine Fire and The Promethean with this Transmutation can empower
humours. As new philosophies unfold, their theories her friends with the Pyros, making their actions that much
and concepts often lead to new expressions of the easier to perform.
Pyros, opening strange new Transmutations to the Prerequisite: None
grasp of Prometheans. Cost: 1 Pyros
Dice Pool: Wits + Occult
Benefice Action: Instant
The Benefice Transmutations are useless to a lone Roll Results
Promethean. Each of the various Benefice powers Dramatic Failure: The subject suffers a –2 dice pool
first depend upon their user being in the presence of penalty.
other Prometheans, allowing a Promethean to give Failure: Nothing happens.
a tremendous amount of aid to the actions of his Success: The subject enjoys the benefits of the 9 again
companions. rule on one non-combat action chosen by the Promethean
Some of these Transmutations (namely Common using the Transmutation. If the subject already enjoys the
Perception, and Inviolable Unity) only work on 9 again rule (for example, a Promethean with the Unholy
Prometheans with whom the user has developed an Strength Bestowment rolling Strength), he gains the benefit
alchemical pact. Those Transmutations that don’t of the 8 again rule instead.
require a pact still benefit greatly from one. A Pro- Exceptional Success: As above, but the subject enjoys
methean gains a +2 dice pool bonus when using any the 8 again rule.

81
 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

Many Hands Make ment, a confidence in his own actions that displays itself in
a supernatural aptitude.
Light Work (•) Prerequisite: Helping Hand (•)
As the quintessential team players, the practitioners of
Cost: 1 Pyros
Aes learn early on how to work as a team in circumstances
Dice Pool: Presence + Composure + Azoth
in which teamwork is impossible.
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Pyros
Roll Results
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Composure
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean cannot attempt to
Action: Instant
use this power for another 24 hours.
Roll Results
Failure: Nothing happens.
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean cannot attempt this
Success: The recipient gains the benefit of the Extra
Transmutation again for the rest of the scene.
Talent rule (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 135),
Failure: Nothing happens.
meaning that his player can add one of the character’s
Success: The Prometheans in the throng are not subject
Social Attributes to any one dice pool. If the dice pool is
to restrictions on the maximum number of persons able to
based on a Power Attribute, the subject can use Presence.
help in one non-combat action. They can even work as
If the dice pool is based on a Finesse Attribute, the subject
a team if the action is not normally one that can be per-
can use Manipulation, and if the dice pool is based on a
formed as a team (such as throwing, running or driving, for
Resistance Attribute, he can add Composure to the roll.
example). If conditions are cramped or quiet, somehow the
If the roll is based on a Social Attribute, the Attribute in
throng, quietly and efficiently, still somehow help, working
question doubles. The recipient can choose which dice
in eerie concert.
pool to augment.
Exceptional Success: The effects of the power are active
If the recipient hasn’t taken advantage of the power by
for the rest of the scene, applying to all teamwork actions.
the time the scene has ended, the effects of the power are
Suggested Modifiers: Four or more Prometheans in throng,
wasted.
including the user of this Transmutation (–3).
Exceptional Success: The recipient can add an extra two
dice to whichever dice pool he chooses to augment.
Apportion Harm (••)
The Promethean can, through the laying on of hands,
take the injuries of his friends upon himself.
Common Perception (•••)
This Transmutation gives the Promethean the power to
Cost: 1 Pyros
briefly tap into one of the senses of a companion, seeing, hear-
Dice Pool: Dexterity + Medicine
ing, touching, tasting or smelling what the other does.
Action: Instant
Cost: 1 Pyros
Roll Results
Dice Pool: Wits + Composure (vs. Composure + Azoth
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean takes one level of
if subject is unwilling; resistance is reflexive)
lethal damage without healing any of his friends’ damage.
Action: Instant
Failure: Nothing happens.
Roll Results
Success: The Promethean can take from his friend one
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean loses the sense he is
level of damage for every success gained, starting with the
trying to gain for three turns.
least severe (the ones on the right) and working toward the
Failure: Nothing happens.
most severe (on the left). The Promethean takes this damage
Success: The Promethean can share in one sense belonging
himself, and the Promethean’s player marks the damage on
to the subject for one turn per success. The Promethean can’t
his own sheet in the usual way.
perform any other action while using this Transmutation.
Exceptional Success: As for a success, but the first level
Exceptional Success: The Promethean can choose two
of damage the subject has is completely healed, and the
senses to share with the subject.
Promethean using the Transmutation doesn’t have to take
this first level of damage himself. The Community of Power (••••)
The user of Benefice can grant his friends the ability to
Share Pyros (••) work as a team when performing actions that cannot in
This is identical to the Vulcanus Transmutation of the
other circumstances be performed by a team. Having mas-
same name (see Promethean: The Created, p. 155).
tered The Community of Power, the Promethean can give
his throng the ability to aid each other in the use of their
Able Worker (•••) Transmutations and Bestowments.
A Promethean who knows how to use this Transmutation
Prerequisites: Many Hands Make Light Work (•), Help-
can give to one of his companions a supernatural encourage-
ing Hand (•)

82
 THE FORTIFIED COMPACT|INVIOLABLE UNITY

Cost: 1 Pyros molten metal in a smelting pool.

Dice Pool: Presence + Azoth Prerequisite: Many Hands Make Light Work (•)
Action: Instant Cost: 4 Pyros
Roll Results Dice Pool: Presence + Azoth vs. Composure + Azoth (if
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean may not attempt the subject is unwilling)
to use any Benefice Transmutation for the remainder of Action: Instant (and contested, if the subject is unwill-
the scene. ing)
Failure: The power fizzles, and nothing happens. Roll Results
Success: The throng can choose to work as a team in the Dramatic Failure: The Promethean attempting this
working of one Transmutation or Bestowment, using the Transmutation cannot attempt it again for the rest of the
teamwork rules found in the World of Darkness Rulebook, scene. If he and the recipients of this Transmutation are
p. 134. The Promethean using the Bestowment or Transmu- already in an alchemical pact, its members lose all of the
tation is the primary actor. The other players in the troupe pact’s games effects for the remainder of the scene. The
can choose to aid by each spending one Pyros and rolling Azothic Brand that each bears fades away until the pact
the same dice pool as the primary actor. reinstates itself in the next scene.
The effects of The Community of Power last for one scene Failure: Nothing happens.
or until one of the Prometheans in the throng has used a Success: If the subjects of the power are not bound in an
power and any of the others has chosen to help him. If none alchemical pact with the Promethean using this Transmuta-
of the Prometheans in the throng have used a Transmutation tion, they gain all of the benefits and penalties of a pact for
or Bestowment by the time this power’s effects have worn the rest of the scene.
off, the power is lost. If the Promethean is using the Transmutation on the
Exceptional Success: The throng can choose to work other members of his Branded throng, all of them gain the
together on the working of up to two Transmutations or following benefits:
Bestowments before the effects of The Community of Power • Each member of the pact can transfer three points of
wears off. Its effects still lasts for a scene. Pyros per scene, instead of the usual one. The range stays
Suggested Modifiers: Four or more Prometheans in throng, the same.
including the user of this Transmutation (–3). • When a Promethean’s player rolls for Disquiet, the
character’s Azoth incurs a –2 dice pool penalty for every
Protective Boon (••••) Promethean of different Lineage in his throng. The dice
The Promethean possessing this Transmutation can use pool does not increase for Prometheans of the same Lineage
the Pyros to grant to a companion the ability to avoid being who may be in the throng.
easily harmed in a fight. • When a player rolls to resist Torment, the character
Prerequisite: Share Pyros (••) gains a +2 bonus to his Humanity dice pool for every Pro-
Cost: 2, 4, or 6 Pyros methean of a different Lineage in the throng, and suffers
Dice Pool: None no penalty for Prometheans of the same Lineage who may
Action: Instant also be Branded with the character.
The Promethean must be able to touch his companion to • When a Promethean uses a Transmutation or Bestow-
be able to use this Transmutation. For each two points of Pyros ment, the player gains a +2 bonus to dice pools for every
the player spends (up to a maximum of six), the recipient gains Promethean of a different Lineage in the throng, and a +1
a +1 bonus to his Defense for the remainder of the scene. A bonus for every Promethean of the same Lineage in the
Promethean with insufficient Azoth to spend so many points throng.
at once can keep hold of his friend, if the friend is willing, for as Exceptional Success: The effect of the Transmutation
many rounds as it takes to spend that much Pyros. lasts for 24 hours.
Both Prometheans must concentrate on the transfer of Suggested Modifiers: Each Promethean recipient beyond
power, and can’t perform any other action until enough the first (–1).
Pyros is spent to create the bonus.
Inviolable Unity (•••••)
The Fortified Compact (•••••) A united front makes a group harder to defeat. The
A user of Benefice can channel his Pyros in such a way as Promethean who knows this Transmutation can make
to create a temporary alchemical pact with Prometheans he this a reality. By channeling the Pyros, he anneal his
doesn’t share such a pact with, or to increase the strength friends’ skin in alchemical fire.
of a pact that already exists. Prerequisite: Common Perception (•••)
When a Promethean uses the power on other Promethe- Cost: 1 Pyros
ans with whom he’s bonded, their Azothic Brands glow like Dice Pool: Presence + Stamina

83
 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

Action: Instant for actions designed to exploit the subject’s Vice, for
Roll Results the rest of the scene.
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean attempting this
Transmutation suffers a –1 penalty to his Defense for Stress Cracks (•)
the rest of the scene. The Promethean can cause tiny “stress fractures” in the
Failure: Nothing happens. mind and behavior of a target. The target might snap at
Success: The Promethean gains a pool of points equal someone he was pleasantly chatting with only moments
to the number of successes rolled, which he can share ago. In a more stressful situation, the results are even more
with the members of his throng. Each point grants one pronounced.
point of armor. The player can choose to withhold points Cost: None
from any character in the throng, but the Promethean Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy vs. Composure +
using this Transmutation cannot take more points than Azoth
any other character in his throng. For example, the player Action: Instant and contested; resistance is reflexive.
of a Promethean who has two companions in his throng The Promethean must be able to see the target in order
rolls four successes. He gives two points of armor to one to use this power.
of the other characters, one point to the other and one Roll Results
point to his own character. Dramatic Failure: The Promethean fails to work the
Exceptional Success: Everybody in the throng gains Transmutation, and cannot use it again for the rest of the
one free point of armor, plus any points gained from scene.
successes. Failure: The Promethean fails to cause the subject any
discomfort at all.
Contamination Success: The target feels a sudden and intense burst of
These Transmutations deal with impurities, both stress, and cannot contain it. He lashes out in some way
physical and spiritual. The Promethean who masters commensurate with the situation. In conversation, the
the Transmutations of Contamination learns how to target might insult another person, perhaps even swearing
identify, manipulate and control his own and others’ or shouting. If the situation is already tense and threatens
physical urges and understand their sins. To control to turn physical, the target might shove or strike another
these things, the Cathar believes, is to purge them. To person.
purge them is to purify oneself. The bringing out of these Exceptional Success: The target remains on edge for the
impurities causes the Promethean who performs these rest of day. All dice pools for actions requiring concentration
Transmutations to develop a faint bluish coloration to suffer a –2 penalty.
his skin, which appears less as a stain on the skin than
as a color rising to the surface from beneath. Confession (••)
This Transmutation gives the Promethean the power
Detect Impurity (•) to elicit secrets from people. He asks a leading question.
Everyone has a weakness. This Transmutation allows There’s a pregnant pause. And then, just briefly, his victim
the Promethean to examine a person and divine her tells him her innermost thoughts.
Vice, allowing him to play on that weakness and use Prerequisite: Detect Impurity (•)
it as a weapon. Cost: 1 Pyros
Cost: None Dice Pool: Wits + Composure vs. Composure + Az-
Dice Pool: Wits + Empathy vs. Composure + oth
Azoth Action: Instant and contested; resistance is reflex-
Action: Instant and contested; resistance is re- ive.
flexive. Roll Results
Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The Promethean’s attempts at find-
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean gets a com- ing out the truth are awkward and stilted. The victim,
pletely wrong idea of the subject’s Vice. if not another Promethean, rolls for the next stage of
Failure: The Promethean can’t divine the subject’s Disquiet immediately.
Vice. Failure: The Promethean doesn’t find out anything.
Success: The Promethean learns exactly what Success: The victim feels compelled to blurt out what
the subject’s Vice is, and has an idea of how best to she’s thinking right now, no matter how embarrassing
exploit it. and potentially dangerous it might be. The effect lasts
Exceptional Success: The Promethean learns what one turn.
the subject’s Vice is and gains a +1 dice pool bonus Exceptional Success: The effect is the same, except

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 CONTAMINATION

that the victim keeps talking for another two turns, let-
ting drop thought after thought.

Drain Emotions (••)

With this Transmutation, the Promethean gains the ability
to draw negative emotions from the victim, using them as
a temporary source of strength.
Cost: 1 Pyros
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy – subject’s Com-
posure
Action: Instant
The Promethean feeds from fear, anger, hate, distrust and
the like, using the emotional energy to fuel his own psyche,
and leaving the victim feeling tired and listless.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean fails, and is unable
to use this power again for the rest of the scene.
Failure: The Promethean fails to drain any of the victim’s
emotional energy.
Success: The Promethean steals one point of Willpower
from the victim for every success gained. The Promethean can’t
take more Willpower than the victim has. If the Willpower the
Promethean steals causes her own total of temporary Willpower
points to rise above her permanent Willpower dots, the extra
points vanish at the end of the scene.
Exceptional Success: Multiple successes are their own reward.
Suggested Modifiers: Subject is affected by Disquiet or
Torment (+1).

Fever Dreams (•••)

This is the same as the three-dot Pandoran Transmuta-
tion of the same name (see Promethean: The Created, p.
244). Using this power as a Contamination Transmutation
doesn’t cause Humanity loss in and of itself, although its
consequences might be cause for degeneration.

Guilt Trip (•••)

This Transmutation gives the Promethean the power to
learn someone’s guiltiest secret.
Prerequisite: Confession (••)
Cost: 1 Pyros
Dice Pool: Presence + Empathy vs. Composure + Az-
oth
Action: Instant and contested
The Promethean has to touch the target to use this
power. The power works in a flash: the Promethean has
a brief vision of the single worst thing that the subject
ever did. Unless the player rolls an exceptional success,
there are no names, dates and places, although the gen-
eral identity of figures in the vision is apparent to the
Promethean. For example, a Promethean shakes hands
with a man and has a vision of him smothering an old
lady with a pillow. No one needs to tell the Promethean
that this was the man’s grandmother, although he won’t

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 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

know her name. The revelation comes to him, instinc- Cost: 1 Pyros
tively, powerfully, a feeling beyond simple language. Dice Pool: Manipulation + Resolve + Azoth vs. Com-
Roll Results posure + Azoth
Dramatic Failure: The subject appear entirely guilt-free Action: Instant and contested; resistance is reflexive.
to the Promethean, who can’t use this power again on this The victim of this power experiences the same kind of
subject for the rest of the scene. Torment that the Promethean is prone to, and behaves in
Failure: The Promethean learns nothing. the same way (so a Wretched Torment involves the urge
Success: The Promethean learns the subject’s guiltiest for spite and revenge, a Galateid Torment causes the victim
secret, in a flash. to act on his urges, and so on). If the Promethean uses this
Exceptional Success: The Promethean not only knows power successfully against a vampire or werewolf, the victim
the worst thing the subject ever did, he knows the names enters frenzy or Death Rage rather than Torment.
of people involved, when it happened and where it hap- Roll Results
pened. Dramatic Failure: The Promethean enters Torment
immediately.
Remove Inhibitions (•••) Failure: Nothing happens.
The Promethean learns how to purge minute amounts of Success: The Promethean transfers his Torment onto the
the contaminants that course through his body in a form that victim. The victim then behaves as if suffering the same sort
he can use against others. He exudes a light, easily evaporated of Torment to which the Promethean is prone.
substance from his fingertips. The first person he touches Exceptional Success: The victim suffers from the Pro-
finds herself facing the urge to act directly on her desires, methean’s Torment and loses a point of Willpower.
likely causing embarrassment and humiliation. Suggested Modifiers: Subject is human, including mages
Prerequisite: Stress Cracks (•) (–1), subject is a vampire or werewolf (+1), subject’s Human-
Cost: 1 Pyros ity or Morality dots are higher than the character’s (–1).
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Intimidation – victim’s
Composure Eyes of Madness (••••)
Action: Instant Everybody has a bit of madness within him, struggling
The Promethean needs to touch the skin of his victim to to get out. With this Transmutation, the Promethean can
use this Transmutation. This power works on supernatural inflict a derangement on his victim.
targets as well as on humans. Prerequisite: Fever Dreams (•••)
Roll Results Cost: 1 Pyros
Dramatic Failure: The power backfires, and the Pro- Dice Pool: Presence + Intimidation vs. Resolve + Az-
methean suffers its effects as if someone had successfully oth
used the power on her. Action: Instant and contested; resistance is reflexive.
Failure: The Transmutation has no effect. If the Promethean using this Transmutation has Human-
Success: The Promethean successfully infects the subject ity 5 or above, the player must make a degeneration roll
with the chemical. The victim loses all of his inhibitions. (three dice).
He acts on his urges. A man might flee a room in which Roll Results
he is uncomfortable, or lay someone out with a haymaker, Dramatic Failure: The Promethean gains a mild de-
or grab a woman he is attached to and kiss her or any of a rangement.
dozen different things, depending on the person and how Failure: Nothing happens.
he’s feeling at the time. Success: The victim suffers from the effects of a mild
The effect lasts for one turn for every success the Pro- derangement, chosen by the Promethean’s player, for the
methean gained. After the effect fades, there’s probably next 24 hours.
a moment of embarrassment or fear, as the victim realizes Exceptional Success: The same, except the player can
what he’s doing. choose a severe derangement for the victim.
Exceptional Success: There are no further effects beyond Suggested Modifiers: Subject’s Morality is higher than
the increased duration. the character’s (–1).

Transfer Torment (••••) Plague of Desire (•••••)

Prometheans can feel Torment rising, like a choking, The Promethean enhances the ability to remove inhi-
suffocating cloud of violence. A Promethean with this bitions by refining the agent he secretes into a powerful
Transmutation can, as he feels the rise of Torment, pass his pheromone. This causes anyone who smells it to lose all
Torment onto another person, who then experiences it. semblance of self-control and follow his animal instincts.
Prerequisite: Remove Inhibitions (•••) The effects may vary. A room full of people at dinner could

86
 SATURNINIS

tear off each other’s clothes and begin to rut like cats in nearly every aspect of the Saturnine Night is supernatural.
heat. On the other hand, the same room full of people The Divine Fire touches the daily existence of the Created
could just as easily turn into a bloodbath, as steak knives in very real ways, dozens of times daily, from the ability to
and forks become lethal weapons. Whatever happens, the eat nearly anything and go long periods without food to
loss of control is terrifying. It creates a tableau worthy of the ability to strengthen their limbs with Pyros and power
Hieronymus Bosch at his most hallucinatory. Bestowments. Practitioners of Plumbum frequently learn
Prerequisite: Remove Inhibitions (•••) Transmutations that strengthen and magnify these innate
Cost: 1 Pyros abilities as a means of delving further into what it means
Dice Pool: Manipulation + Intimidation + Azoth to be a Promethean.
Action: Instant
The Storyteller compares the number of successes rolled Azothic Awareness (• to •••••)
by the Promethean’s player against each victim. If the suc- “Azoth calls to Azoth.” Every Promethean who has met
cesses beat the victim’s Composure score, he falls prey to another of his kind understands this on an instinctual level.
the Transmutation’s effects. Most people have a Composure Saturninus practitioners sometimes spend time honing
rating of 2, so the Storyteller could rule that three successes their awareness of this call, however, which allows them to
is the baseline, and only take note of the individual Com- extend their sensitivity beyond the normal range of their
posure of exceptional or supernatural individuals. own Azothic Radiance.
A character affected by this power can resist for one turn Cost: None
if the player spends a Willpower point and rolls Composure Dice Pool: None
+ Azoth. The Willpower point doesn’t give a bonus to the Action: None
dice pool; the point simply allows the character to resist. The five levels of this Transmutation must be purchased
Roll Results in sequential order, beginning with the one-dot version.
Dramatic Failure: The Promethean using the Transmuta- For each dot in this Transmutation, the range at which the
tion enters Torment. Promethean may detect another’s Azothic Radiance (see the
Failure: Nothing happens. chart on p.92 of Promethean: The Created) is increased by
Success: Everyone within a five-yard radius gives in to primal one step. Note that this extends the range at which other
urges. What those urges are depends on the person and the situa- Prometheans can be detected, rather than the range at
tion. A criminal (or a cop) with an itchy trigger finger could shoot which the wielder himself may be detected. This change is
someone. Someone else could curl into a ball or start swearing permanent when the Transmutation is purchased.
at the top of his voice, while two or more others begin to have For example, a Promethean with Azoth 2 has an Azothic
sex in the open. The effect lasts for a scene. Radiance that covers a city block. If another Promethean in
Exceptional Success: Extra successes simply add to the the area has this Transmutation at two dots, however, he can
chance of affecting more people. detect the first Created if they are in the same neighborhood.
Suggested Modifiers: Character is attempting to affect The first Promethean’s Azothic Radiance doesn’t actually
more than two people (–1); character is attempting to af- increase. The Transmutation simply makes the detecting
fect more than eight people (–2); character is attempting Promethean more sensitive to Azoth.
to affect more than 20 people (–4); character is trying to
affect a crowd of more than 100 people (–6). Cleansing Ritual (•)
Rites of contrition have long existed in human society.
Quell Torment (•••••) To those studying the Promethean condition, it became
The Promethean who gains mastery of this Transmutation clear that sometimes it was necessary for the Created to
learns how to purge his own Torment, holding it down, at seek absolution as well, particularly since the most odi-
least until next time. ous of a Promethean’s sins may leave marks in his Azoth
Prerequisite: Transfer Torment (••••) detectable by others. Though Prometheans are solitary
Cost: 3 Pyros creatures, a Promethean’s sins lie in the open for others of
Dice Pool: None his own kind to see and judge. Scholars of the Saturninus
Action: Reflexive Transmutations developed this Transmutation as a means
The Promethean uses this power before rolling to avoid of mitigating that effect.
Torment. The player spends the Pyros and avoids having Cost: 1 Pyros
to make a Humanity roll. Dice Pool: None
Action: Reflexive
Saturninus Instances of Torment remain in a Promethean’s Azoth, detect-
Though most Prometheans tend to think first of Trans- able by other Created who take her Measure. Those with this
mutations when contemplating their supernatural prowess, Transmutation, however, may be absolved of their trespasses.

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 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

Doing so, however, requires that the Promethean seek a means Cost: 1 Willpower
of righting the wrongs committed due to Torment. If she arranges Dice Pool: None
to see that the widow of the man she killed while in Torment Action: Reflexive
is taken care of, or sees to the rebuilding of homes she burnt This Transmutation may be activated any time the use
down, she may use this Transmutation once the task at hand of Pyros would normally reveal the Promethean’s disfigure-
is completed, scouring the effects of that Torment from her ments, preventing such revelation by spending a point of
Azoth. Though she may not be able to right all the wrongs she Willpower. This Transmutation must be activated for each
committed, she must make some effort. The time spent right- instance of possible revelation (spending of Pyros, etc.) and
ing the wrongs committed is considered to be time gone to the lasts only for that instance.
wastes for the purpose of reducing the power of Torment in the
Promethean’s Azoth. Slow Awakening (••)
Prometheans who study the skills of Saturninus aspire to
Subtle Dampening (•) control of the Azothic Radiance. This technique perma-
Though dampening the Azothic fires that burn within nently transforms the Azoth of the Promethean who has
him may put Pandorans off his trail, dampening can cause mastered it, so that not only do Pandorans take a longer time
a subconscious feeling of uneasiness in other Prometheans. to rouse in its presence, but the Promethean may become
Those who learn this technique, however, are quite adept aware of it happening.
at doing so without disturbing their fellow Created. Cost: None
Cost: 1 Pyros Dice Pool: Wits + Composure + Azoth
Dice Pool: Composure + Azoth Action: Reflexive
Action: Instant The Azoth of the Promethean with this Transmutation
When the Created dampens his Azothic fires (see Pro- awakens Pandorans in two minutes, rather than the normal
methean: The Created, p. 92), he may spend a point of one. This is a permanent alteration to the Promethean’s
Pyros to attempt to adjust the dampening. Many who have nature.
mastered this ability choose to dampen their Azoth on a Additionally, when the Promethean enters an area and
daily basis. begins to awaken Pandorans, the Storyteller should roll
Roll Results the wielder’s Wits + Composure + Azoth to determine if
Dramatic Failure: Not only does he fail to work the the Promethean detects the fluctuation in his Azoth that
changes to his Azothic dampening, but he mismanages the indicates this process has begun.
Divine Fire within himself. He receives the normal –3 social Roll Results
penalty with other Prometheans, while Pandorans receive Dramatic Failure: Not only does he fail to detect the
no penalty to rolls to track him. Pandorans, but they gain a +1 die bonus to rolls to both
Failure: The Promethean fails to correctly manipulate track and stalk him unseen.
his dampening. His Azothic fires are dampened as normal, Failure: The Promethean fails to detect the beginning of
as described on p. 92 of Promethean: The Created. the Pandoran awakening.
Success: The Azothic fires are dampened. This has the Success: The Promethean becomes aware that he has just
normal effects on Pandorans tracking the Promethean, entered an area in which his Azothic Radiance has encoun-
though the penalty to social interaction with other Cre- tered dormant Pandorans, who have begun to awaken. He
ated is negated. doesn’t know their exact location, however.
Exceptional Success: The Promethean’s manipulation Exceptional Success: Not only does the Promethean
is quite skilled; not only does he not suffer when dealing become aware of the incipient end of Pandoran dormancy
with other Prometheans, but Pandorans receive a –5 penalty in his area, but he knows precisely where they are. If he
when hunting him, rather than the normal –3. does not know the area, he knows how far away from him
Suggested Modifiers: Per consecutive previous day the and in what direction they lie.
Azothic fires were dampened (–1/day), taking 10 minutes Suggested Modifiers: The wielder is accompanied by other
to meditate (+1). Prometheans who do not possess this Transmutation (–1/Pro-
methean), the area is very busy (–1), the area is effectively
Refined Masquerade (••) abandoned (+1), the wielder possesses the “Sense Flux”
Normally, something in Promethean nature cloaks their Transmutation or any Pandoran Transmutations (+2).
true appearances from the rest of the world. Only the agita-
tion of the Divine Fire within the Created can disrupt this. Fire-Reader (•••)
Prometheans who make the effort to study such things can The Azoth of a Promethean carries much about him: his
even calm their Pyros in such instances, preventing it from misdeeds, his personal power, his humour. Those skilled
affecting this disguise. in understanding the subtle patterns within another

88
 EFFICIENT GROUNDING|PYROS REFINEMENT

Promethean’s Azoth can determine this information and The Promethean activating this Transmutation must touch
much more. Because it is the power of the Azoth that a Branded throng-mate of a different Lineage. For the next 24
reveals this information, the wielder of this Transmutation hours, the wielder loses the ability to regain Pyros by sleeping in
need not be in the presence of the other Promethean — he his Lineage’s key element. Instead, he gains the ability to regain
need only be able to detect his Azoth, through the calling Pyros by sleeping in the key element of his Branded throng-mate’s
of Azoth to Azoth. Lineage (see p. 93 of Promethean: The Created).
Cost: 1 Pyros The wielder may use this Transmutation on another
Dice Pool: Wits + Empathy + Azoth Promethean not of his Branded throng, but doing so costs
Action: Instant one additional point of Willpower.
The Promethean using this power must be able to detect
the Azoth of the one the wielder wishes to read. The abil- Magnified Potential
ity to detect the presence of another Promethean through (••• or •••••)
Azoth’s call to Azoth is sufficient for this purpose. The potential of the Created to achieve superhuman
Roll Results potential for short periods of time is a simple feat for most
Dramatic Failure: The Azoth of the one the Promethean of them. Students of Saturninus believe the process to be
would read overwhelms him, causing him to lapse into inefficient, however, and a few have sought to refine the
unconsciousness for one minute. technique, producing this Transmutation.
Failure: The wielder fails to read the Azoth of his target. Cost: 1 Willpower
Subsequent attempts have a –1 penalty. This is cumulative over Dice Pool: [Appropriate Attribute] + Azoth
multiple failed attempts during the same 24-hour period. Action: Reflexive
Success: The wielder may discern one Trait of the one he When a Promethean uses his Transhuman Potential (see
is reading per success rolled, including Lineage, Refinement, p.165, Promethean: The Created), he may spend a point
Vice, Virtue, preferred name (i.e., the name the target would of Willpower and make the attempt to extend the duration
introduce himself as), Azoth rating. The wielder may also of that boost. This Transmutation may only be applied to
spend a success to “read” the target as though they were in a single Attribute at a time, even if Pyros is used to boost
one another’s presence, taking his Measure. multiple Attributes in the turn in which the Transmutation
Exceptional Success: In addition to the Traits above, is activated. Using Pyros to boost an Attribute affected by
the wielder may spend successes to ascertain the following: this Transmutation causes that use of the Transmutation
Humanity (though this reveals only relative Humanity to end immediately.
— equal, higher or lower than the wielder’s), derangements There is also a five-dot version of this Transmutation,
(one per success) and which Transmutation categories the which may be purchased only once the Promethean has
Promethean has Transmutations in, starting with the category purchased the three-dot version. The differences in the two
he has the most dots worth of Transmutations in. Only the Transmutations are noted below.
fifth and subsequent successes may be spent on these Traits; Roll Results
thus, if the wielder rolls six successes, he must spend the first Dramatic Failure: Not only does the Transmutation fail
four on Traits covered under “Success” above. The last two to hold the boost in place, but the Pyros is wasted, negating
may be spent on Traits from either category. the effects of the use of Transhuman Potential.
Suggested Modifiers: Using this Transmutation while Failure: The Transhuman Potential functions normally,
not in the presence of the Promethean in question (–3), but the attempt to extend its duration fails.
target Promethean’s Azoth is greater than the wielder’s Success: The boost from Transhuman Potential remains
(–1/point difference), wielder’s Azoth is greater than the for one turn per success rolled. (At five dots, one minute
target’s (+1/point of difference). per success.)
Exceptional Success: The boost from Transhuman Poten-
Humour Attunement (•••) tial lodges firmly in the body of the wielder, increasing its
The flow of the humours is a major point of study for duration to one minute per success rolled. (At five dots, the
students of Saturninus. Though each Lineage has a humour duration is one scene or one hour, whichever is longer.)
that predominates, all Prometheans possess all five humours. Suggested Modifiers: Activated during a stressful situa-
A Created with this Transmutation may attune his humour tion, such as combat (–2), activated after at least 30 minutes
to match that of one of his Branded throng-mates, allowing of meditation time (+2).
the wielder to harvest Pyros from situations he might not
normally benefit from. Efficient Grounding (••••)
Cost: 1 Willpower The Promethean handles electricity like no other creature.
Dice Pool: None Finding the minute traces of the Divine Fire that are part
Action: Reflexive of all expressions of electricity, the power of lightning heals

89
 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

the Created. A few students of Saturninus have studied and Bestowment possessed by the Created.
improved this ability. • Ephemeral Flesh: When this Bestowment is Refined,
Cost: None its bearer may activate it reflexively, and without Pyros
Dice Pool: None expenditure.
Action: None • Mesmerizing Appearance: When using this Bestow-
This Transmutation does not need to be activated to ment, the Promethean gains the benefit of 8 again, rather
use; it is simply a permanent change in the Promethean’s than 9 again.
nature once purchased. This Transmutation alters the way • Revivification: When this Bestowment is Refined, its
Electroshock Therapy (see p.164 of Promethean: The wielder gains the option of spending a number of Vitriol
Created) functions. equal to the Azoth rating of the one he is reviving, rather
Every point of bashing damage taken from a source than a dot of Azoth. The Bestowment works normally for
of electricity can be used to heal either two points of purposes of self-resurrection, but the cost to re-purchase it
bashing damage or a single point of lethal damage. In after dying is Azoth x 4.
addition, two points of bashing damage from a source • Unholy Stamina: Per “Mesmerizing Appearance,”
of electricity can be used to heal a single point of ag- above, but applied to Stamina.
gravated damage. • Unholy Strength: Per “Mesmerizing Appearance,”
above, but applied to Strength.
Pyros Refinement (••••)
Certain Prometheans study the processes by which they
refine Pyros from normal events around them: the rising
of the sun, exposure to a thunderstorm, remaining in the Other Bestowments
presence of mortals or the infusion of power that comes with — Strange Alchemies
accomplishment and success. These processes can be tapped
for greater power by the Created who understands them. At the Storyteller’s option, the Bestowments in-
cluded in Strange Alchemies may also be improved
Cost: None
through the use of the “Refine Bestowment”
Dice Pool: None
Transmutation:
Action: None
This Transmutation does not need to be activated to use; • Corpse Tongue: Refinement of this Bestow-
it is simply a permanent change in the Promethean’s nature ment eliminates the need to spend Pyros for more
once purchased. When regaining Pyros through the rising precise answers — all answers are complete and
of the sun, exposure to a storm, being in the presence of lengthy.
mortals or by accomplishing some momentous event, the
• Heart of Stone: Awareness is refined in this
Promethean regains two Pyros, rather than the normal one form. As the Promethean sleeps, she dreams of the
(see p. 93, Promethean: The Created). This does not apply things that are going on around her. Her dreams
to those humour-based techniques used by the Lineages to wander away from the environment when there is
recover Pyros. nothing of interest to her, but she becomes aware
of those who approach and can identify them. She
Refine Bestowment (•••••) may choose to awaken at any point based on what
With Lineage comes natural gifts, miracles worked through she experiences in her dreams.
humour and Pyros. Many Prometheans scarcely think of
these traits, relying on them in the way a normal human • Orphean Song: A refined Orphean Song is
relies on naturally strong muscles or a quick wit. Created more potent, as the skills of the singer matter
who seek to understand the Promethean condition often more; the dice roll for this Bestowment becomes
delve into the secrets of these Bestowments, refining and Presence + Expression + Azoth.
strengthening them through discipline and practice. • Spare Parts: Refining this Bestowment allows
Cost: None the Promethean to graft the parts he claims onto
Dice Pool: None himself more adeptly. He only needs a total of
Action: None three successes, and each roll takes 30 minutes.
This Transmutation does not need to be activated to
use; it is simply a permanent change in the Promethean’s • The Scrutiny: The cost for this Bestowment is
nature once purchased. This Transmutation alters the way reduced to one Pyros.
his Bestowment (see p.116 of Promethean: The Created) • Unbreakable Will: Per “Mesmerizing Appear-
functions, and may be purchased multiple times. Each time ance,” above, but applied to Resolve.
this Transmutation is purchased, it applies to a different

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 SPIRITUS

Spiritus called “Essence of Sunlight” against vampires, “Essence of

Silver” against werewolves, “Essence of Salt” against mages,
The practitioner of Argentum seeks to understand the “Essence of Iron” against spirits and “Essence of Nettle”
shadowy inhabitants of the World of Darkness. This involves against ghosts.
blending in with them, because unfamiliarity breeds fear This Transmutation grants its benefit only on powers
and hostility. that are invoked against the Promethean. For instance, this
The body of the Created does not change with the practice Transmutation would protect the Created from a vampire’s
of Spiritus, but the Azoth does. The techniques allow the power of mental domination, but not from a punch or bite
practitioner of Spiritus to refine his Azothic Radiance so bolstered with the vampire’s augmented strength. For this
that it seems to be something else, triggering a variety of Transmutation to protect the character from a supernatural
reactions — primarily from supernatural creatures. Those power, that power must target him (and only him) directly.
skilled in these techniques are capable of interacting in the Area effects, powers used on other targets and powers that
realms of the supernatural in ways that are not ordinarily augment the supernatural creature are not affected.
possible. This Transmutation grants the following benefits:
Multiple Transmutations within Spiritus are part of a • Opposed Rolls: When making a contested roll to
series of similar Transmutations; these have the “(Type)” or resist a power used by a creature of the appropriate type,
“(Material)” parenthetical in their names. Each version of the Promethean gains an additional die per dot in this
that power is an entirely separate Transmutation, and must Transmutation.
be purchased separately. • Passive Resistance: The Promethean’s Resistance
In addition, an entire cascade of Transmutations might Attributes are increased by an amount equal to the dots in
be mastered through the study of Spiritus, beginning with this Transmutation for the purpose of passive resistance of
the “Mask of (Type)” Transmutation. Purchasing any of supernatural powers. For instance, if a power is activated by
the refinements that have this first Transmutation as a a roll of (Wits + Empathy – target’s Composure), add the
prerequisite require that the Transmutation purchased be rating in this Transmutation to the Promethean’s Composure
of the same “(Type)” as the Mask the Promethean already for the purpose of determining the penalty to that roll.
possesses. Thus, a Promethean who knows Mask of the
Moon may learn Cloak of the Moon, but may not learn Tainted Azoth (•)
Cloak of Night until he knows Mask of Night. This applies With a thought, the Promethean may taint her Azoth,
all throughout the cascade. shifting its expression to be more like the innate power of
other supernatural creatures. While this has no effect on
Essence of (Material) (• to •••) her personally, her Azoth now resonates with the presence
Prometheans who study the supernatural creatures of the of other supernatural creatures the way her Azoth normally
World of Darkness are likely to run afoul of the power of does with other Prometheans.
those entities at some point or another. Cost: 1 Pyros
Supernatural creatures of the correct type who attempt to Dice Pool: None
use their powers on a Promethean protected by this Trans- Action: Instant
mutation experience some kind of sensory effect when doing For the rest of the scene, the Promethean is capable of
so. Werewolves may smell molten silver just after using a detecting a single type of supernatural creature. Supernatural
power on the Created, vampires experience spots in their creatures are treated as though they had an Azoth equal to
vision as though they had just glanced at the sun, mages the Trait that most closely reflects their personal supernatural
taste salt on their tongues and spirits and ghosts feel either power: Rank for spirits, the average of Power, Finesse and
cold iron or the lash of nettles against their bodies. Resistance for ghosts, Blood Potency for vampires, Primal
Prerequisite: The Promethean must have been subjected Urge for werewolves and Gnosis for mages. In order to
to the powers of a creature of the appropriate type before a change the type of creature the Promethean can detect, he
Transmutation protecting the Promethean from such powers must reactivate this Transmutation.
may be purchased. In order to taint his Azoth to resonate with a given kind
Cost: None of supernatural creature, the Promethean must have had
Dice Pool: None some kind of interaction with that creature before: three
Action: Reflexive turns of combat is sufficient, as are three minutes of con-
This Transmutation is always active, even if the Pro- versation. The Promethean must have been aware of what
methean is unconscious. The three levels of each of these the supernatural being was while this interaction was going
Transmutations must be purchased in sequential order, on, however.
beginning with the one-dot version.
The Promethean gains added resistance to the powers
of a specific type of supernatural creature. This power is

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 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

Mask of (Type) (•) Cloak of (Type) (••)

Some Prometheans are capable of mimicking the super- Those who understand the subtleties of appearing to
natural creatures they have encountered, subtly shifting their be one of the supernatural creatures on the surface often
bodies to adopt the subtle clues that many such creatures master the ability to fool supernatural senses as well.
look for when identifying others of their kind. Prerequisite: Mask of (Type) (•)
Cost: 1 Pyros Cost: None
Dice Pool: None Dice Pool: None
Action: Instant Action: None
There are three major expressions of this Transmutation, This power is activated when the Promethean acti-
though others are certainly possible. Developing any one vates the appropriate “Mask of (Type)” Transmutation,
of these Masks requires that the Promethean have spent at augmenting its effectiveness. This alters the appearance
least one hour in the presence of that type of supernatural of the Promethean’s aura so that it does not seem to
creature. A Promethean may only activate one Mask at a be one of the Created to aura perception powers, but
time. These Transmutations do not change the Promethean’s instead looks like the aura of the appropriate type of
aura. supernatural creature.
The Promethean with this Transmutation active still In addition, the bonus granted for supernatural crea-
triggers Disquiet, but supernatural creatures of the type tures of the appropriate type to resist Disquiet is increased
associated with the Transmutation’s “(Type)” gain a +1 to a +2 (see “Mask of (Type)” for more details).
bonus to resist Disquiet. In addition, for as long as the • Cloak of Night: When viewed with powers that
Transmutation is active, manifestations of Disquiet seem view the aura, the Promethean’s aura appears pale, as
to be natural reactions to the presence of a supernatural of that of a vampire.
the appropriate type: humans affected by Disquiet seem to • Cloak of the Moon: When viewed with powers the
shy away in almost subconscious fear. view the aura, the Promethean’s aura appears intensely
• Mask of Night: The Promethean shifts his body so vibrant, as that of a werewolf.
that it seems more vampire-like. His flesh tone pales, • Cloak of Sorcery: When viewed with powers that
his eyes seem slightly more reflective, his body scent all reveal the aura, the Promethean’s aura appears to have
but vanishes, his eyeteeth seem subtly more pronounced many sparkles, as that of a mage.
and his skin is cold to the touch. This lasts until the
Promethean sleeps, is rendered unconscious or until Ephemeral Infusion
sunlight touches him. (•• to •••••)
For those troupes using Vampire: The Requiem, a Prometheans capable of interacting with the unseen Twi-
Promethean using this power also triggers Predator’s light sometimes find themselves at a disadvantage. Those
Taint, using his Azoth in place of Blood Potency. The skilled in the arts of Spiritus, however, may infuse objects
Promethean himself does not gain any sense of the other with the ectoplasmic humour and a spark of their own Pyros,
vampire from this effect; the Promethean simply causes granting those items a spiritual presence in Twilight.
Predator’s Taint in vampires he encounters. This process takes a few moments, during which the
• Mask of the Moon: The Promethean shifts his body Promethean handles the object, breathing small wisps of
so that he seems to be a werewolf in human form to those ectoplasm onto the object, coating it. Then, with a flick of
who know what to look for. He has something of a pri- his fingers, he ignites the ectoplasm in lightning-white arcs
mal air about him, and his gaze is that of a predator. His with a spark of Pyros, creating a glossy “finish” over the item
body scent is altered subtly, seeming to have a tinge of that gives it solidity in Twilight.
animal musk to it and his teeth become somewhat more Prerequisite: Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment
pronounced. This lasts until the Promethean sleeps, is Cost: 1 Pyros
rendered unconscious or until silver touches him. Dice Pool: Intelligence + Crafts + Azoth
• Mask of Sorcery: The Promethean takes on the Action: Extended (a number of successes equal to the
air of one who wields sorcery. These changes are subtle, Structure of the object; each roll represents one minute
however. Those with the Unseen Sense Merit attuned spent imbuing the object)
to magic instantly notice the Promethean. Otherwise, The Promethean must have the Ephemeral Flesh Bestow-
he appears to be a normal human, though one on whom ment activated to use this Transmutation. With a touch,
it is hard to focus attention for too long. He gains a the Promethean imbues an item with ectoplasm and then
+1 die bonus to Stealth and Socialize rolls to remain ignites it with Pyros, granting the item solidity to entities
unnoticed. This lasts until the Promethean sleeps or is and things in Twilight. For all intents and purposes, the item
rendered unconscious. functions normally with regard to creatures and objects in
Twilight, save that they cannot pick it up — though they

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 BANE OF EPHEMERA

may touch it, they may not lift or move it from Twilight Occasionally, those capable of touching Twilight take advan-
without using other powers to do so. tage of this knowledge, and develop this Transmutation.
At any given time, the Promethean may only infuse a The Promethean breathes ectoplasm into his cupped
number of objects with a total Size equal to the rating of hands and then sets it alight with Pyros. It flares for just
this Transmutation minus one, allowing the infusion of a a moment in the physical world, with a flash and scent
single Size 1 object at ••, a pair of Size 1 objects or a Size of ozone easy explained away as flash powder. Those
2 object at •••, all the way up to four points worth of Size capable of seeing him in Twilight, however, can see his
at •••••. Clips of bullets and other ammunition (Size 1 body wreathed in arcs of spiritual levin. Spiritual enti-
for a single clip or magazine) may be imbued, gaining the ties struck by the Promethean’s bare-handed attacks are
ability to strike ephemeral targets. The gun itself need not grievously injured.
be imbued. Prerequisite: Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment
This Transmutation remains in effect until the Promethean Cost: 1 Pyros
who infused the item revokes that infusion, by touch. He Dice Pool: None
may also revoke the infusion from anywhere in line of sight Action: Instant
with the expenditure of a point of Willpower. The four The Promethean must activate have the Ephemeral Flesh
levels of each of these Transmutations must be purchased in Bestowment in order to use this Transmutation. For the
sequential order, beginning with the two-dot version. remainder of the scene, and for as long as the Promethean
can physically interact with Twilight, his Brawl attacks inflict
Bane of Ephemera (••) lethal damage to spirits, ghosts and other entities present
Many Prometheans on the Refinement of Silver have in Twilight. This applies only to attacks made without the
learned of the volatile mixture that is ectoplasm and Pyros. benefit of weapons of any kind.

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 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

(Material) Shield (•••) range of his (Azoth x 10) yards. This range may be doubled
Prometheans wise in the ways of the supernatural can often in sterile or clean situations where no other scents compete
extend their defenses to others. One of the Created with with it, or halved in situations with strong scents (such as
this Transmutation can pass on the effects of her Essence in the wilderness or in a typical urban area).
of (Material) protection to others by touch. Finally, the Promethean under the influence of this effect
Prerequisite: Essence of (Material) (••) gains +1 Presence for as long as it is active.
Cost: 2 Pyros • Sense of the Moon: Prometheans who mimic werewolf
Dice Pool: None senses find that the entire world opens up before them,
Action: Instant containing undreamt nuances. The scents of an area grant
The Promethean with this Transmutation must touch the an understanding of what has passed through there before,
one she intends to protect. If the one she is protecting is part as well as a hint of what they were feeling. Likewise, the
of the same Branded throng as she, the cost is reduced to one hidden pitches in human voices reveal much about them, as
Pyros. For the remainder of the scene, the one so protected do the scents that cling to their bodies: details of a target’s
gains the benefits of having the “Essence of (Material)” sex life, his emotional state, diet and recent locations can
Transmutation, as though he possessed the Transmutation all often be scented.
at the same rating of the Promethean protecting him. In most instances, this requires a simple Wits + Com-
This Transmutation may be used on non-Prometheans, posure roll. The successes from this roll can be added to
with one exception: creatures of a given supernatural type other applicable rolls (as though they were additional dice
may not be protected from the workings of their own kind. from a Teamwork action). A Promethean investigating
Thus, vampires may not benefit from a Sunlight Shield an area might add the successes from scenting the area to
version of this power, and mages may not benefit from a his Investigation roll, while using the scents from a person
Salt Shield. might add to an Empathy roll.
If the Promethean spends a point of Willpower when The Promethean may also track targets by scent. This
activating this Transmutation, the protection lasts for one requires an extended Wits + Survival action, requiring
day instead. between 10 and 20 successes, with each roll representing
10 minutes of time. This roll may also be contested if the
Sense of (Type) (•••) quarry is seeking to hide his trail.
This Transmutation is a further refinement of the abil- Finally, the Promethean under the influence of this effect
ity to masquerade as other kinds of supernatural creatures. gains +1 Strength for as long as it is active.
Prometheans with this Transmutation can adapt their senses • Sense of Sorcery: The Promethean masquerading as a mage
to their disguise, granting them the preternatural senses of gains the ability to innately sense the use of magic and other
those the Created mimic. supernatural powers in his vicinity. There is no roll involved,
Prerequisite: Cloak of (Type) (••) and the Promethean does not automatically know its source or
Cost: +1 Pyros effect — he is simply alerted that it is occurring.
Dice Pool: None In addition, the Promethean gains the ability to read auras,
Action: None as though he possessed the Sensorium Transmutation “Aura
This power is activated when the Promethean activates Sight” (see Promethean: The Created, p.146).
the appropriate “Mask of (Type)” Transmutation, augment- Finally, the Promethean under the influence of this effect
ing its effectiveness. Possession of this Transmutation also gains +1 Intelligence for as long as it is active.
automatically increases the normal cost of the appropriate
“Mask of (Type)” Transmutation by one Pyros. Glimpse of Mortal Memory
In addition, the bonus granted for supernatural creatures (••••)
of the appropriate type to resist Disquiet is increased to a One of the most fascinating things about supernatural
+3 (see “Mask of (Type)” for more details). creatures, as far as a Mystic is concerned, is that many of
The sensory abilities gained depend on the type of creature them were once human. What changes must be wrought
being mimicked: upon human “gold” to change it into another state? Is
• Sense of Night: Prometheans who mimic vampires the vampiric state akin to Promethean lead, or another
gain the senses necessary to become the ultimate urban material entirely? In order to understand these changes, a
predators. In low-light situations, the Promethean’s eyes Mystic can look into a supernatural being’s mind and see
become reflective, like a cat’s. In absolute darkness, they her as she was before the supernatural claimed her. In the
glow a malevolent crimson. In both situations, they can see process, the Promethean can learn much — secrets, facts
perfectly, without the need for additional light. and even talents.
Additionally, the Promethean gains the ability to smell Prerequisite: Tainted Azoth (•)
spilled blood with a normal Wits + Composure roll, at a Cost: 1 Willpower

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 (MATERIAL) WARDING

Dice Pool: Manipulation + Wits + Azoth (vs. Resolve + This Transmutation may affect a maximum area radius of
Special [see below], if target is unwilling) the Promethean’s (Azoth x 10) feet, and requires 10 min-
Action: Instant (and contested, if target is unwilling) utes of preparation before the ward can be erected. The
The character must touch the target in order to use this ward lasts for one hour per dot of the creator’s Azoth. The
Transmutation. If the target is unwilling, the target’s player creator who chooses to spend a point of Willpower when
resists with a roll of Resolve + supernatural power Trait (Blood creating the ward may extend the duration to one day per
Potency for vampires, Primal Urge for werewolves, Gnosis dot of his Azoth.
for mages). This Transmutation has no effect on spirits, but Roll Results
can be used on ghosts if the character knows and activates Dramatic Failure: Not only is the area not protected, but
the Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment; ghosts contesting this for the remainder of the scene, the area is highly attuned to
power will roll Resistance only. the energies of the kind of creature the area was intended to
Roll Results keep out. Such creatures can automatically detect something
Dramatic Failure: The character loses control of the strange in the area as though they possessed the Unseen Sense
power, opening a floodgate of information into the target’s Merit, and gain a +1 die to the uses of all their supernatural
mind. The Promethean loses any dots in the Residual Memory abilities while in that area.
Merit, as well as all of Willpower points. Willpower can be Failure: The ward unravels as it is created. Any materials
regained normally, but the Merit dots are lost forever. used (see Suggested Modifiers, below) in its creation are
Failure: The target accrues more successes than the rendered useless for further uses of this Transmutation.
Promethean. Nothing happens; the target’s mind remains Success: The ward is erected. The players of any creatures
closed. of the appropriate supernatural type must spend a point of
Success: The Promethean is able to access the target’s Willpower and make a Resolve + Composure roll for their
memories of being mortal. The target experiences these characters either to enter the area or use their powers to
memories right along with the Promethean. If the character affect it. This roll is a contested action, against the successes
is searching for a particular memory, he sees it and can draw rolled in the activation of this Transmutation. Even once a
whatever knowledge from it he needs (this might allow the supernatural creature enters the warded area, his player must
character to experience any mortal occurrence firsthand, still make another roll to use his powers while within it.
which might fulfill or a milestone or point the character Exceptional Success: Not only is the ward potent, but
on the right track to do so). If the character simply wishes those who attempt to breach the ward and fail suffer a
to “skim” the target’s mind for interesting memories, he single level of lethal damage as arcs of the Divine Fire
can learn any factual information the Storyteller deems repel them. In addition, the player of the ward’s creator
appropriate. In addition, the character can absorb some of may spend a point of Willpower to instantly negate a
the Skills of the target’s mortal life. The player rolls Intel- supernatural creature’s attempts to enter the ward. This
ligence + Wits. Each success grants a +1 modifier to a Skill is declared after the creature’s player spends Willpower
that the target had before becoming a supernatural creature. to ignore the warding, but before the roll. The creature’s
This modifier lasts for one day. Willpower is still spent, but his player may not roll. This
Exceptional Success: The connection lasts longer, allow- is considered a failure for the purpose of the ward’s ability
ing the Promethean to search for a particular memory and to inflict damage.
attempt to mimic Skills, to search for two memories or to Suggested Modifiers: Less time taken (–1/minute less than
mimic Skills twice (that is, the player rolls Intelligence + 10 minutes taken in preparation), more time taken (+1/dou-
Wits twice and receives the bonus in two Skills). bling of base time required); Sunlight Warding — Performed
in some place associated with death, or where much death
(Material) Warding (••••) has taken place (–2), performed in some place where blood
Prometheans who learn how to resist the powers of other has been spilled in the last week (–1), performed during
supernatural creatures do so by learning their weaknesses. the day (+2); Silver Warding — Performed in wilderness
Once Prometheans exhibit a mastery of those techniques, areas (–2), circling area in an unbroken line of powdered or
learning how to ward an area against their infiltration is fragmented silver (+2); Salt Warding — Performing in place
but a small stretch. where Awakened magic has been used in the past week (–1),
Prerequisites: Essence of (Material) •• performing in a place of occult significance (–1), circling area
Cost: 1 Pyros per 10-foot radius in an unbroken line of salt (+2); Iron Warding — Performing
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Occult + Azoth in a place where a spirit has exercised its powers to affect
Action: Instant the physical world in the past week (–1), circling the area
The Promethean with this ability may ward an area in powdered iron or iron objects every foot or so (+2); Nettle
against the influence and presence of the sort of creature Warding — Performing in a haunted area (–2), circling the
associated with his “Essence of (Material)” Transmutation. area in an unbroken line of nettle blossoms (+2).

95
 CHAPTER TWO| RARE ALCHEMIES

The Promethean must

touch the target in order to
use this power. If the target
is unwilling, the player suf-
fers a modifier to the roll
equal to the target’s Stamina
+ supernatural power trait
(Blood Potency for vampires,
Primal Urge for werewolves,
Gnosis for mages). This
Transmutation can only be
used to affect ghosts or spir-
its if the Promethean knows
and activates the Ephemeral
Flesh Bestowment, in which
case the roll suffers a pen-
alty equal to the Resistance
of the spirit or ghost. The
Promethean can only use
this Transmutation on crea-
tures for which he possesses
the appropriate “Essence”
Transmutation. For instance,
a character with Essence of
Salt and Essence of Sunlight
could use Shadow Alchemy
on vampires or mages, but
not on werewolves.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The char-
acter’s attempt to alter the
supernatural creature backfires.
The Promethean’s Pyros reacts with the creature’s other-
If the creator possesses the “(Material) Shield” worldly nature, inflicting aggravated damage equal to the
Transmutation, those who are also protected by that Promethean’s Azoth on both the character and the target.
Transmutation may aid him in erecting the ward. The Promethean must immediately check for Torment.
This is performed as a Teamwork action (see World Failure: Nothing happens.
of Darkness Rulebook, p. 134), with the assistants’ Success: The character can work alchemical changes on
players rolling Intelligence + Occult. Each such as- the structure of the target. In the simplest form, this allows
sistant also adds +1 to the creator’s effective Azoth for the Promethean to inflict one level of aggravated damage
the purposes of determining the radius and duration per success, boiling away the target’s body. If the Promethean
of this Transmutation. so desires, however, he can improve the creature’s form,
granting a pool of two dice per success that the creature’s
Shadow Alchemy (•••••) player can use on any roll that incorporates the creature’s
The Promethean’s understanding of a given type of su- supernatural prowess. This includes combat, provided that
pernatural creature has progressed to the point that he can the supernatural creature is in some way using its supernatural
begin to affect such creatures on an alchemical level. He can potential (any attack that a werewolf makes in a non-hu-
strengthen the creature, bolstering its powers, or he can send man form, or that a vampire makes using a Discipline of any
the monster into spasms of pain, rotting away its flesh. kind), as well as non-combat uses of supernatural power (any
Prerequisite: Essence of (Material) (•••) Discipline, Gift or Spell, but not mundane uses of Skills).
Cost: 2 Pyros These dice last for the remainder of the scene, after which
Dice Pool: Presence + Occult + Azoth – Stamina + the power’s effects fade.
Special (see below) Exceptional Success: No further effect beyond the greater
Action: Instant number of successes.

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 TWILIGHT SUMMONS

Twilight Summons (•••••) th’se spirit influences through the use of the “Iron
Those who have sought knowledge of the entities Warding” or “Nettle Warding” Transmutations. The
of Twilight can delve into the ancient techniques for spirit remains trapped in the spot it is summoned to
summoning them. Though most of the time these old for the remainder of the scene, or for one day if the
“spells” are useless in the hands of non-mages, the player spends a point of Willpower.
Pyros can accomplish strange things when it is used This Transmutation does not grant the Promethean
to transform ectoplasm into binding mechanisms of any control over the ghost or spirit thus summoned.
pure willpower and ephemera. This summoning takes The Transmutation simply pulls the spirit from its
some time to accomplish, and relies on either know- normal location and binds it to the spot to which
ing the name of the entity (whether ghost or spirit) the spirit is summoned. Most Prometheans attempt
to be summoned or having encountered that entity to bargain with spirits in return for information or
personally. Only entities that exist in Twilight may services, though other Prometheans are only too will-
be summoned. ing to resort to force and intimidation to get what
Prerequisites: Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment they want.
Cost: 2 Pyros If a spirit or ghost agrees to something, the Pyros
Dice Pool: Presence + Occult + Azoth – Rank of this Transmutation forces the spirit to adhere to
(spirits) or Resistance/2 (ghosts) its agreement, though this does not prevent the spirit
Action: Extended from finding loopholes to exploit. These agreements
Performing the summoning is an extended action, are never for a service longer than a number of days
requiring a number of successes equal to the sum of equal to the Promethean’s Azoth without significant
the spirit’s Power, Finesse and Resistance. Each roll bribery, however.
reflects half an hour of work, and receives a penalty For the time a ghost is summoned, the Promethean
equal to either the Rank of the spirit or the half the is considered an additional anchor, allowing the
Resistance of the ghost. ghost to remain away from its natural anchors. Also,
Once the successes are achieved, the spirit appears, if part of the agreement a ghost makes requires it
entirely in Twilight. The spirit cannot flee the site to be away from its anchors, the Promethean may
laid out for it to appear in, though the spirit may use instill in the ghost one additional, temporary an-
any of its Numina or other powers. For this reason, chor, for up to a number of days equal to his Azoth.
the Promethean might prefer to protect himself from This allows ghosts to haunt people or places, or
accomplish other deeds.

97
 CHAPTER THREE
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
One Week Ago
I received no letter from the Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter in response to my story. I found her nearly
eight months later, sitting by the side of the road in a tiny town in western Massachusetts. She told me that
she was working up the courage to go to Boston. I never asked her why.
She said she had read the letter that I wrote and that she kept thinking of the moment that I knew I was
again on the Pilgrimage. She said she had experienced those moments herself, and she spoke of a “quicken-
ing,” some movement inside her. It burned, she said, but it was not pain as much as activity, friction.
We know about Vitriol. We know that Pandorans and even other Prometheans can split us open and sup on
the fluid of the Pilgrimage. Vitriol, in human understanding, is acid, but to us it is in many ways the elixir
of life. I have spoken to others of the Created about these moments, and many of them agree with the
Daughter — they speak of movement within. One compared it to what a human woman must feel when
an unborn child kicks, and I confess I find that comparison uncomfortable, though I do not know why. Another
spoke of a light at the corner of his eyes. Yet another could identify such moments in hindsight only, when
the context for the lesson appeared.
I understand the Daughter’s comparison to movement, but not in my gut, as she seemed to think. To me,
the movement is in my muscles, my legs and my back, propelling me forward. When I stray from the path to
the New Dawn, be it out of spite or distraction, something happens to propel me on.
When I stood in Charles’ home and committed suicide, the qashmal encouraged me. Why? Because, I
think, my death was a step on the Pilgrimage. Before that, I had always believed that if the Tamer found
me, he would kill me and I would rise up. I could never be human, then, until I understood mortality, the
true fear of Death.
Oh, how I understand it now. The Tamer still follows, and he knows exactly how much he has
taken from me.
But he has run out of time.
-as told to me by Zo Malak
Hope is the last

T
his chapter addresses some of the unique aspects of Promethean: The Created that
thing that dies in pose challenges from a Storytelling perspective. While a Storyteller will probably
man; and though not encounter all of these facets in a single game, forewarned is forearmed, and a
Storyteller who familiarizes himself with the potential issues that could arise is less
it be exceedingly likely to be caught unawares mid-game.
deceitful, yet it is
of this good use Fluctuations and Waste
Prometheans are rare. While most vampires, werewolves or mages (and humans, obviously)
to us, that while
in the World of Darkness probably know a number of other individuals like themselves, it
we are traveling is not at all unfeasible for one of the Created to have never met another. This rarity only
adds to their inherent feeling of detachment and disconnection from the rest of the world.
through life it
When they do encounter others with whom they can form a throng, the loneliness spawned
conducts us in an by their former isolation makes the Branded bond one of the strongest social connections
that exists in the World of Darkness. This two-sided coin of isolation and connection is
easier and more
one of the strongest themes in Promethean and can create unanticipated complications
pleasant way to for Storytellers. When the configuration of either the troupe or the throng changes, the
ramifications for the chronicle may be far-reaching.
our journey’s end.
Most games experience some fluctuation of players and characters during the course of
— Francois
the chronicle. Players leave the game for a multitude of reasons, taking their characters
away as they do so. Even when players remain the same, characters sometimes change.
De La Rochefoucauld
Sometimes this change is permanent, as when characters die or leave the troupe’s group
forever, and sometimes the changes are short-term but still significant. Such changes are
often unavoidable, and end up being ignored or (with varying degrees of plausibility) ex-
plained away in most games. Considering the tightly knit nature of Promethean interaction,
however, changes here may have more impact (and thus require more delicate handling)
than in other game settings.

Going to the Wastes

While many games create situations in which the characters are
temporarily separated from one another, in general “splitting up
the party” is so characteristically a bad idea that it has become a
tongue-in-cheek trope of game play. Most times this separation is
short term, but Promethean contains a dynamic that can “split the
party” for a much longer period. Going to the wastes, a period of
self-imposed seclu- sion for the purpose of Azothic purification, can take a Promethean
character out of interactive game play for as little as a month, or as much as several
years of in-character time. While going to the wastes drastically changes a character’s
interaction with the rest of the game, there are a many reasons why any given character
may go to the wastes during the course of play.
Consider Dead Zone, a throng containing Little Mikey (a six-foot-tall female
Frankenstein whose body contains parts from victims of a plane accident), Sharp (an
Adonis who was abandoned by his creator and knows little of Promethean existence)
and Mr. Eglantine (a centuries-old Nepri who has only recently returned from many
years in the wastes). Even with this small throng, many situations might arise that
could send one of the characters off to go to the wastes.
Going to the wastes aids in reducing the buildup of Torment. During the course of
their game, Sharp seeks to find a job to support himself. He applies for a graveyard
shift gas-station position. The interviewer, a swaggering redneck, rushes through his
interview, and refuses to return Sharp’s calls inquiring about the job. Sharp goes back
to the site, where he’s not only told that someone else has the job, but is mocked,
called “fagboy” and threatened. His Torment flares, and he becomes obsessed with
the job denied him. He decides that if the new employee who “stole” his job were no
longer available, they would have no choice other than to give the job to him. Without
 FLUCTUATIONS AND WASTE|GOING TO THE WASTES|AS ONE

if not the physical, scars of the encounter. Because of

telling the rest of his throng, he returns in the middle
knowledge gathered over his years of existence and the
of the night to the work site and tries to intimidate the
teachings of his own creator, Mr. Eglantine now realizes
new employee. They get into a scuffle, and the job-thief
that his next attempt to create another Promethean is
strikes Sharp with a tire iron. The pain causes his Tor-
even less likely to succeed than this one. He may well
ment to rise again, and he strikes back with the nearest
decide to go to the wastes before trying again. Prolific
weapon at hand — the gas nozzle. When the frightened
Prometheans who wish to create additional progeny
employee drops his cigarette into the spilled pool and
sometimes go to the wastes for a time to reduce their
the gas ignites, the fire worsens Sharp’s Torment. Skin
Azoth (and the related penalties from having performed
charred, he retreats in almost mindless horror to the
the generative act before) before attempting the genera-
throng’s lair. The rest of Dead Zone finds him there,
tive act.
still smoldering. He reeks of fire and fuel, and speaks of
Little Mikey, on the other hand, has her own reasons
nothing but plans to burn down the entire strip mall that
for going to the wastes. She has, with unprecedented
the station is located in. It is obvious that his Torment
speed, progressed through a multitude of milestones, and
is dangerous, and before long he may find it necessary to
her player was called upon to make the roll for Rebirth
leave the throng and go off to the wastes to reduce it.
recently. Unfortunately, she failed — perhaps due in
Torment is not the only force that drives Prometheans
part to having given in to the temptation to perform
to go to the wastes. For example, shortly before the throng
lacunae on a weaker Promethean she encountered along
convened, Mr. Eglantine attempted the generative act.
her path. Now she must go to the wastes to reduce her
He failed, and much to his horror, spawned a Pandoran
Azoth (and subsequently rebuild it) before she can at-
instead. Although Mr. Eglantine managed to destroy the
tempt Redemption again.
Sebek before it could escape, he still bears the mental,

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

As One that enhances Sharp’s story and the chronicle as a whole

— the Storyteller should probably leave the character to
Occasionally, all members of the throng go to the his retreat. Going to the wastes is hard enough without
wastes at the same time. Although they cannot inter- throwing up more obstacles.
act in game (this, after all, defeats the purpose of the Little Mikey’s time spent going to the wastes, however,
mandatory seclusion of going to the wastes), it gives differs significantly from that of either of her throng-mates.
the Storyteller the opportunity to handle the situation Her recent failure in her attempt at Redemption has turned
without the added complication of the rest of the troupe her philosophically inwards and away from her original
continuing on with the regular part of the game. If the Refinement, Aurum, onto the Refinement of Self. Unlike
members of Dead Zone all find themselves gone to the Sharp, she is not driven by the ghosts of her Torment, but
wastes at the same time, their Storyteller may wish to instead seeks to find in her travels what she perceives must
spend time with each of the players separately to play be her own internal imperfection, that which kept her from
through what happens to their characters during their Redemption. For a Promethean who knows nothing but the
secluded time. This time should not be glossed over or city, survival in the wilderness will be a challenge, but through
downplayed, as going to the wastes will not only be dif- these trials and her own introspective contemplations during
ferent for each of them, but is also an important time for them, she hopes to refine herself through the final degrees
characters (and their players) to gain additional insights to prepare for her successful Magnum Opus.
into the Pilgrimage and their own roles. Although each of these challenges is separate from
Mr. Eglantine approaches his seclusion philosophically. the others and will require in-depth interaction with the
He knows that the very act of trying to create another players, the fact that all three members of Dead Zone
of his kind has polluted his Azoth to an extent that any are going to the wastes at the same time simplifies the
further attempts to do create will be hampered. Having situation for the Storyteller. As well, and perhaps more
witnessed firsthand the horror of a creation gone wrong, importantly, it reduces the in-character ramifications
he worries about another attempt, and yet his desire to for the other members of the throng.
create a child-companion for himself is stronger than
his fear. He methodically sets out to do everything he
can to make certain his next attempt is successful, and
A Hermit Alone
In all likelihood, though, while all of the members of Dead
although he loathes to separate himself from his newly
Zone have reasons to seek the wastes eventually, chances are
found throng, he knows it will increase his chances of suc-
that when they do so, it will not be at the same time. Instead,
cess with the generative act next time. Thus he carefully
Sharp may attempt to control his Torment for as long as possible
makes arrangements, preparing himself as for a hermitage.
until he snaps one day and abandons the rest of the throng. Or,
Hoping to use the solitude to study some arcane texts
if it appears that the Adonis has managed to keep his Torment
he has recently discovered, he even arranges for solitary
under control, Mr. Eglantine may begin planning his sojourn,
lodging at a remote location near a restful river.
leaving Little Mikey to deal with Sharp’s barely tamed internal
Sharp, on the other hand, makes no preparations what-
struggles. Whether the remaining throng-members bond closer
soever for going to the wastes. As his Torment builds, he
in the absence of the other, or whether this sets them off onto
becomes more and more obsessive about everything in
their own journeys to the wastes, entirely depends upon how
his existence: finding a job, others’ perceptions of him
the characters react to their loss.
and potential betrayal by those he trusts. His growing
Becoming a member of a Branded throng is one of
Torment stains his Azothic aura, making him more re-
the most significant events any Promethean will ever
pugnant even to members of his own throng. The rest
undergo. Leaving that throng, even temporarily, is a
of Dead Zone begins, if not to shun the Adonis, at least
difficult decision, but as noted above, one that may be-
to grow more uncomfortable in his presence. Wrapped
come necessary or desirable for a wide variety of reasons.
in the throes of Torment, he simply flees one night,
However, the impact of going to the wastes isn’t solely
leaving no word for his throng-mates as to his intention.
on the individual who is leaving. Human families often
He spends his time shunning company and on the run.
find themselves at a loss when one of their children goes
Moving more or less randomly, he continues until at last
off to college or moves out for the first time, and yet this
he drops from sheer exhaustion, and slumbers. Upon
is a natural progression that their society teaches them
waking, he begins running again, repeating this process
is inevitable. How much stronger, then, is the impact
until at last the tainted Torment is burned away and his
for Prometheans who have no societal context for their
Azoth is once again pure.
loss? Empty nest syndrome has nothing upon the loss felt
Obviously, this is a chancy method of going to the
in a throng when one member leaves. It is more akin
wastes. If Sharp should happen to run across a traveler,
to a divorce or death in the family, even if the throng-
the Adonis must start all over again. Unless the Story-
member plans to return quickly.
teller has a specific reason to foil the player’s plans — one

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 A HERMIT ALONE|DEPARTURES|WHILE YOU WERE OUT

Departures Storyteller’s discretion) suffer tangible effects as well

Similar to Sharp’s, some departures to go to the wastes are as emotional ones. Game effects that normally hinge
quite spontaneous. These, most often Torment-driven, are upon their presence, such as increasing or slowing of
still not unexpected, at least by those left behind. The rise the Disquiet or Wasteland effect or the ease of learn-
of Torment is not a subtle one in most of the Created, and ing certain Transmutations may be rendered null while
even if Little Mikey and Mr. Eglantine do not know when the influencing throng-member has gone to the wastes.
the breaking point will be, they likely sense that something Likewise, even if the absent member is technically
must give soon where their belabored throng-mate is con- within the range for throng-members to be able to share
cerned. It may be a relief when Sharp does finally disappear. Pyros, he is not able to do so. The member’s presence is
With the rise of Torment comes an associated increase in effectively removed from the throng temporarily, both
taint in his Azoth. The Measure becomes an uncomfortable physically and spiritually.
encounter, even for members of the throng. Mr. Eglantine The time a Promethean spends gone to the wastes is
begins to avoid the Adonis, and Little Mikey finds it is all best run in a side session between the player and the
she can do to keep from wrapping her strong fists around Storyteller, in part to keep the information centered
his delicate neck and squeezing. on the particular character involved. While Sharp may
And yet, for all that a Tormented Sharp is uncomfortable return and share his adventures with the rest of the
to be around, he is still “family.” While Little Mikey and throng, what he tells them will be presented through his
Mr. Eglantine may breathe a short sigh of relief when Sharp (and his player’s) intentional and unintentional filters.
goes to the wastes to purge his Torment, it is not long before On a purely pragmatic note, running this information
guilt and sorrow set in. outside of the normal game session prevents the other
The absence of a throng-mate isn’t any easier when the throng-members’ players from having to sit around with
journey is planned. A Promethean such as Mr. Eglantine nothing to do.
may begin preparations to go to the wastes long before Storytellers should encourage their players to bluebook
departing. While these arrangements may at first seem their characters’ time in the wastes. While in-character
preferable to a sudden departure, rather than preparing journals (see p. 207 of Promethean: The Created) can
the rest of the throng for his absence, they often serve enrich any Promethean game, they are of special benefit
only as a constant reminder that the loss is coming. Sharp, during times when a character has gone to the wastes.
feeling the effects of rising Galateid Torment, may fixate The player’s logging process mirrors the introspective
on his soon-to-be-departed throng-mate. He may become solitude the character is experiencing, and can add many
obsessed with Mr. Eglantine, involving himself heavily in layers of depth to this aspect of the game. Likewise, a
every aspect of Eglantine’s existence that he can, in an at- journal provides a handy reference for both player and
tempt to convince Eglantine not to go. Sharp may try to Storyteller, should either’s memory of the incidents fail
make himself indispensable, hoping that this will prevent in the future.
the departure, or he may begin spending as much time away
from his throng-mate as possible, in an immature attempt
While You Were Out
The other side of the coin, of course, is that as the
to hurt Mr. Eglantine in the same ways Sharp anticipates
throng goes on in the character’s absence, his player is
hurting when his throng-mate leaves.
left with no involvement in the at-home activities, hardly
Other throng-members may find themselves growing
the recipe for an entertaining game session. A variety
increasingly resentful of the efforts made by the depart-
of options exist for handling this situation. While the
ing individual in other ways. Little Mikey may feel that
player may simply choose not to attend games for the
Eglantine’s going to the wastes will leave her responsible for
duration of his character’s absence, a large part of the
Sharp’s safety, a responsibility she may not feel up to. She
entertainment value of roleplaying games is the social
may, consciously or subconsciously, sabotage his preparations.
aspect to them. Excluding one player from the group
Important items may become “lost,” funds may be diverted
for a few sessions likely reduces the fun not only for the
to other needs and “emergencies” may arise that she hopes
affected player, but for the rest of the troupe as well.
will delay the Osiran’s departure, perhaps indefinitely. In the
Perhaps more preferable is giving the player the op-
extreme, it is possible she may even severely injure herself
portunity to introduce another character. This option
or one of the other members of the throng in an attempt
has two alternatives: creating another character for the
to keep the “family” together.
game, or allowing him to play a Storyteller character for
A Gaping Hole the duration of his player character’s absence.
Throngs that are missing a member due to long- Introducing an additional character to the existing
term absences such as going to the wastes may (at the throng poses several complications, not the least of which
is that (hopefully) the character will be returning to the

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

throng at some point. This leaves his player faced with may not only result in a “revolving door” character
the choice of setting aside the second character upon process for the player but may lay waste to the game for
his return, or (if the Storyteller is amenable) juggling the other players as well. A variety of possibilities exist
two characters in the same chronicle. for dealing with these challenges.
Short-term characters can be an asset to a game. They Offering a small number of experience points or other
give players an opportunity to explore character concepts in-game benefit for the regular character if the temporary
very different from those of their main characters. Re- character is played well can sometimes be the carrot
ferring back to Dead Zone, a new character might give that leads a player away from the temptation to treat a
Sharp’s player a chance to dabble with playing a Tammuz temporary character with less care than a regular one.
and to experience how the Golem is different than his Such rewards should not be overwhelming, perhaps as
Adonis. Or it might offer him the chance to explore a little as a point or two of experience per session, but they
different aspect of the Galateid’s sanguine nature; perhaps can help compensate for the player’s regular character
his new Adonis might be boisterous and outgoing where being out of play.
Sharp was obsessive and introspective. Where the carrot does not work, sometimes the stick
Either way, the new character might also give the other will. Strong-arm tactics can reduce negative player impact
players (and characters) a broader range of experiences at two different stages in a game. The first, and most ef-
than their small throng has previously had access to. fective, is when the character is being created. Making
The new character may have things to teach the existing certain that the player is not building a character who
ones, not only by virtue of potentially being of a different will be disruptive to the game often nips such situations
Lineage and Refinement, but also in terms of background, in the bud. A Storyteller who has approved a mentally
experience and attitude. In a Promethean’s world, any unstable, pyromaniac Frankenstein with a background of
new input may very well be the key to new insights, killing police officers and no Skills beyond combat can
milestones and advances along the Pilgrimage. hardly complain when the Wretched comes into play
While this can be enriching to the game, it can be and starts wrecking things. Of course, if the Storyteller
challenging for the player, the Storyteller and the rest creates the character, he can sidestep this particular
of the troupe. Everyone concerned must spend extra ef- issue, but then the responsibility falls upon the Story-
fort to keep lines of in-character information straight. teller to both create a three-dimensional character and
Which character took part in which conversation? to communicate the nature of the character adequately
Was it Sharp who knows about Little Mikey’s phobia of to the player.
snakes, or the new Golem? Who talked with the security But assuming the issue is not with how the character
guards outside the lair, and which character had the key was designed but that she is being played disruptively, the
piece of information about the Centimani the throng Storyteller can still attempt to guide the player through
encountered? These issues are difficult enough when the the use of the stick. In this case, the Storyteller can not
characters are played sequentially, but if Sharp’s player is only reward smaller numbers of experience points and
allowed to retain his new character, even for occasional Vitriol if the character is being played disruptively, but
visits, after Sharp returns from the wastes, they get even can also introduce strong in-character consequences
more complicated. for the character’s actions. Nosey public-watch groups,
Of course, if the Storyteller chooses, he can either take police investigations and media attention can send a
control of the Golem when Sharp returns, effectively strong message that the character’s actions are not going
turning him into a supporting character, or find an ap- unnoticed. This is, perhaps, the least effective method of
propriate end for one of the two characters, rather than those offered. While it can sometimes work in conjunc-
allow Sharp’s player to retain control of both. Perhaps tion with other methods, by the time the situation has
a more interesting solution to the “what to do with devolved to the stage where post-creation stick-methods
Sharp’s player while his character is gone to the wastes” are necessary, it’s probably time to sit down and have a
problem, however, is to assign him temporary control serious (and private) discussion with the player about
over a Storyteller character. the ramifications that his actions are having on the rest
of the game.
Only Yours for the Moment Of course, one way to avoid a player running a temporary
Some players do not give a temporary character the character differently from a long-term one is to not tell
same level of thought as one that they intend to play the players the character is temporary at all. For example,
long-term. Others may, even if the character is well while Sharp is gone to the wastes, the Storyteller could give
crafted, play with a more “disposable” attitude, charging Sharp’s player a character sheet and a cursory background
headlong into perilous situations even when doing so for Meridian, an Adonis with a charismatic and rowdy
doesn’t really suit the character. This type of behavior personality quite different from Sharp’s. Meridian’s an

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 ONLY YOURS FOR THE MOMENT|THE END

experienced Promethean, having already created progeny, missing member on a throng, or a rival, who tries to con-
completed many milestones and experienced several Re- vince the throng-members to shun their returned member
finements. According to the information given to Sharp’s and accept Meridian in Sharp’s place. Maybe Meridian is
player, Meridian is just passing through. On the character just a nomadic Promethean who is seeking allies to help
sheet, Meridian has the goal “obtain all information possible protect him from the enemy who is hot on his heels (and
on Dead Zone,” and the Storyteller gives Sharp’s player a now heading directly for the throng). Or maybe he’s a
special notebook to log all the information he gathers on plot device, and his death in the next session will pull the
the other characters. Intrigued by his task, Sharp’s player throng into the Storyteller’s next plot line.
throws himself into playing Meridian, alternating between While all of these aspects can be used secretively by the
charm and guile to gather data on the throng over the Storyteller to wind the new character into the chronicle
course of the next several games. Then, when Sharp returns before the Storyteller resumes control of it, they can
to play from the wastes, the Storyteller takes Meridian’s also be revealed privately to the player. Not knowing for
character sheet back (along with the notebook) and drops certain what role the character will play in the future
the bomb: Meridian is Sharp’s creator, and the information may help the player (and the players of the rest of the
gathered may now be used to manipulate the throng to throng) to treat him as more “real” than they might have
whatever purposes the elder Adonis has in mind. Or maybe if he were introduced solely as a stop-gap character, but
Meridian is one of the Hundred Handed, with an army of being privy to some interesting information that the rest
Pandorans waiting to take over the throng’s lair and keep of the players remain unaware of may accomplish the
the Prometheans captive as living Vitriol banks. Maybe same task. The decision about how much to tell in such
he’s a Serpent attempting to understand the effects of a situations is up to the Storyteller, based on her knowledge
of the player’s proclivities and playing style.

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

The End have gone to the wastes also exist for players who have
Going to the wastes can be a dangerous endeavor. A lost a character. Thankfully, this is one situation in which
throng provides protection, as well as a source of support the Prometheans’ low population actually works in the
and a sense of belonging; to leave that safety is to take one’s player’s favor. As the Created are so rare, it is more likely
life into his own hands. Hungry Pandorans, angry mobs, that a throng may overlook some of the rough edges that
raging Firestorms and a plethora of other natural and super- might have stopped a character from bonding quickly
natural threats await the retiring Promethean. The World with the group in a more populous supernatural race. A
of Darkness is a deadly environment, and not all characters werewolf pack may shun a new shapeshifter who doesn’t
return from their solitary sojourn. Should a character who seem to fit in right away; likewise a group of vampires
has gone to the wastes fall prey to Vitriol-starved fiends or probably treat a newcomer with suspicious distain. But
bloodthirsty hordes of Disquiet-driven humans, it is up to the Saturnine Night is lonely, and often the need for
the Storyteller to decide whether the rest of the throng is company overrides other concerns.
informed in some way as to their loss. While losing a character can be a frustrating and
Words from Beyond the Grave emotional event for players, the best solution is often
Since communication with those who have gone to the old adage: get back on the horse. Storytellers can
the wastes is counterproductive to the process and few aid players who have lost characters to blend back into
(with the exception of non-Torment driven individuals the throng by providing possible hooks for the players’
such as Mr. Eglantine) schedule an itinerary for their involvement. A new character could have heard of one
journey, throng-members may not realize that anything of the throng-members through another Promethean’s
ill has befallen their companion for quite some time. Ramble, or (if the other players are willing) could have
The cooperation of the fallen character’s player is vital, shared a Ramble with one of them in the past and is
should the Storyteller desire to maintain a sense of secrecy now returning to renew his acquaintance. Perhaps one
on this matter. Losing a character can be an emotional member of the existing throng owes (or is owed) a favor
event, and care should be taken to enlist the player’s aid to the new character for past aid. New and old players
in a positive manner if the Storyteller wishes to keep can be thrown together via storyline, as a Pandoran
the other troupe members in the dark. chases the new character into the throng’s territory, or
Should the Storyteller decide to create a method for she holds a piece of information or an item that may
the troupe to learn of their throng-mate’s death, a variety be the key to one of the existing throng-member’s next
of options exist. Although no rules directly address the milestones. Even with very different philosophies and
issue, the Storyteller might use the alchemical Brand as goals, Prometheans, when thrown together, are more
a means of communicating the loss of a throng-member. likely to group together than many other supernatural
The Brand itself might flare white-hot upon the fallen character types, just by virtue of the scarcity of their
throng-member’s death (and potentially again should kind and the nature of their quest.
he be resurrected). While the throng may not realize
the exact importance of the blaze, ignoring a message
inscribed on your flesh in charred sigils is difficult. If
ATheStone’s Weight
Prometheans’ Pilgrimage is unique to the World
the Brand includes an aspect representing each of the
of Darkness. Progressing toward, rather than away from
throng-members, the symbol associated with the dead
humanity is a path vampires, werewolves and mages
Promethean might fade as his Vitriol — and eventually
cannot hope to follow, and milestones serve as a marker
his life — is gnawed away by feasting Pandorans. Should
of this unique journey as well as offering vital and im-
his death be more sudden, the symbol might feel as if it
mediate tangible benefits to the Promethean character.
were being torn from each throng-member’s flesh as the
No other type of character in the World of Darkness has
Brand disappears altogether.
the opportunity to gain an advantage of the magnitude
Alternatively, the throng might encounter another
that the milestone-Vitriol system offers Prometheans,
of the Created who brings word of their throng-mate’s
and this, as well as the fact that each milestone brings
death as part of his Ramble, not realizing the significance
them closer to the potential for Redemption, makes the
of what he is reporting. Or, should the circumstances
milestone a crucial part of Promethean.
surrounding the fatality merit it, mundane media might
The essential nature of milestones also makes them
bring light to the fate of their fallen companion, per-
one of the most challenging aspects of Storytelling
haps in a form that only they would recognize as being
Promethean. Because milestones play such an important
supernatural.
role in each character’s Pilgrimage, they require real
New Beginnings
consideration on the part of the Storyteller to create,
Many of the same issues that plague players bringing
both at their inception and their implementation.
in temporary characters while their primary characters

106
 A STONE’S WEIGHT|WEAVING THREADS OF STONE

No hard and fast criteria exist for what makes a good at any given time. Some milestones will take longer to
milestone, and each should ideally be catered to the complete than others (and will be worth commensurately
individual Promethean. While Sharp may undergo an more Vitriol.) As long as each character has a variety
epiphany while helping a mother teach her children, the of potential milestones at any given time, the potential
same event may mean little or nothing to Little Mikey. exists for the characters to continue progressing along
Likewise, the challenge of learning to stay one’s anger for their Pilgrimages.
the sake of an ally may be meaningless to the Galateid, Little Mikey
and yet may prove to be just the insight needed for the • Discover the identity of two or more of the victims from
Wretched to progress along her Pilgrimage. A Promethean whom she was created. (The Storyteller wants her to deal
following the Refinement of Gold might learn a great with the fact that she is not a human, but was created
deal of insight when faced with the choice of aiding a from several individuals. He hopes this will give her
terminally ill human “out of her misery,” while the same the opportunity to come to terms with her nature as a
act might not affect a Fury as greatly. Each milestone Frankenstein, as well as potentially give her empathy
must be planned carefully, specific enough to give the with the transitory nature of human existence. Vitriol
character (and the player) a real feeling of accomplish- range: 1–3)
ment rather than a few experience points for finishing a • Experience a great personal loss. (Born of a great trag-
random quest, but not so precise that it’s unattainable. edy herself, this milestone is intended to increase her
Each milestone should take into consideration the empathy with humanity, as well as to introduce her to
character’s past and current worldview, as well as his the human emotion of sorrow. Vitriol range: 4–8)
situation and circumstances, creating a milestone that • Solve a situation with guile rather than brute force.
is personally meaningful to the character. (Overcoming her choleric nature is a major step toward
The Storyteller’s task is not complete when the balancing her humours. Vitriol range: 4–8)
character’s milestones are drafted. During the course of • Risk her life for another’s cause. (Having read in
game play, she is then responsible for giving the character Little Mikey’s background that she has a self-centered
opportunities to complete those milestones. It’s hardly and “loner” personality, the Storyteller anticipates that
fair (or fun) to assign Sharp a series of milestones all it may be difficult for the Wretched to develop willing
related to discovering or interacting with his creator and self-sacrifice, which she feels is an important part of the
then set him in a chronicle where his creator is already character’s Pilgrimage. Vitriol range: 9–12)
destroyed or where no clues are available to her existence. Sharp
It isn’t truly entertaining to make achieving milestones • Discover the identity of his creator. (This can be an
too easy, either. They should truly stand as situations important milestone for any Promethean who has been
that lend the characters new insight, open their eyes to abandoned after the generative act, but especially so
new perspectives or teach them something important to for Galateids, whose need to connect may leave them
their progress along their Pilgrimages. feeling unfinished without closure in their creator/child
relationship. Vitriol range: 1–3)
Weaving Threads • Attempting to perform the generative act. (Sharp sees
of Stone himself as unworthy of his creator’s affections. It may
prove difficult for him to overcome this enough to be
One of the ways that a Storyteller can simplify the
willing to bring another Promethean into existence.
challenge of creating and implementing individual
Not only is creating another Galateid a required step
milestones is to create milestones that, while remaining
before Sharp’s Magnum Opus, but because of his self-view
individually catered to each character in the throng, are
the Storyteller believes that being willing to attempt
interrelated enough to make the opportunities to realize
it at all is an important step in his Pilgrimage. Vitriol
them closely related in the same scenario.
range: 4–8)
Dead Zone’s Storyteller decides on the following in-
• Resolve his creator’s situation through forgiveness or
terrelated milestones to begin with for the throng. The
revenge. (Sharp carries a great deal of guilt with regard
Vitriol ranges are offered based on the table on p. 191 of
to his creation. His current view of it is introspective:
Promethean: The Created. The Storyteller may want to
“What is wrong with me that forced my creator to leave?”
note down a general range upon creating the milestones,
When he is ready to investigate outside of himself, the
and award high or low within that range based upon the
Storyteller believes Sharp will have learned an important
difficulty of the task as it manifested, and the depth of
lesson. Vitriol range: 9–12)
insight the character drew from the experience. As well,
• Experience envy and empathize with the envy he creates in
while it is good to have milestones of various importance
levels planned out for each character, it is not imperative others. (Many Galateids are lifelong victims of their own
that each character have the same exact levels available envy-Torment, and some become masters at manipulating

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

the envy they cause in others. Fewer, however, learn to draw

the connection between their own pain and that of others. Archetypal
Vitriol range: 4–8) Mile Markers
Mr. Eglantine Another tactic that can be beneficial for Storytellers faced
• Incorporate a new technology in a meaningful way. (After with the daunting task of creating milestones for throngs is
having spent a lengthy period recently gone to the wastes, merging milestones. Certain points along the human jour-
Mr. Eglantine is seriously behind on his technical savvy. ney are significant and common enough that almost every
A new technology, not only learned but incorporated into member of a society understands them. In Western society,
his existence, will give him another connecting point with these might include birth, learning to walk and talk, potty
humanity. Vitriol range: 1–3) training, entering school, first dates, the loss of virginity,
• Translate arcane documents. (Mr. Eglantine’s search for marriage, divorce and, finally, death. These are situations
the secrets of Promethean history may provide clues for his that, even if we, as humans, did not experience them directly,
throng and him on the nature of the Pilgrimage. Vitriol or if our experience was significantly different from someone
range: 1–3) else’s, we still have an understanding (or at least an idea)
• Be emotionally impacted by the death of a human. (Possess- of what the experience is “supposed” to be like. Birthdays
ing a cool and dispassionate nature, it would be a significant involve celebration, first dates are full of nervousness and
stride for a person’s death to affect Mr. E. on an emotional anticipation; marriage is joyful, death is sorrowful. They are
level. Vitriol range: 4–8) archetypal human milestones.
• Atone for a wrong-doing. (Remorse, and taking action
upon that remorse, is a human quality that the Storyteller Creating for the Created
feels the cold-blooded character would do well to learn. The Created may also have similar archetypal mile-
Vitriol range: 4–8) stones, although they may be very different from, or
At first glance, the three seem so different that it would be very similar to the human kind. Few (save perhaps for
difficult to reconcile their milestones into a cohesive setting. But unfortunate members of the Golem Lineage) need to
as their Storyteller reads over the character sheets and familiarizes learn to talk, and most do not need to learn other basic
himself with their backgrounds, he decides that the reason Sharp’s human functions such as eating or walking. Humans
creator abandoned him was because he was killed in the same learn some things early in their lives, however, that
plane accident that created Little Mikey’s raw materials. Having Prometheans do not necessarily innately know. Newly
already returned from one previous death, Sharp’s creator may created Prometheans may or may not innately know how
have been investigating a mysterious artifact, running from an to read and write, for example, and almost never innately
enemy or traveling to return to her own throng (all possible tie-ins understand social niceties, making the first emotional
for further storylines for Dead Zone along the line). But by tying conversation with a human an important milestone for
her into Little Mikey’s history, the Storyteller is able to weave many of the Created.
the milestones into a similar setting. Likewise, the investigation Some of these archetypal milestones may provide the
at the airport may give Mr. Eglantine the opportunity to learn Storyteller with the opportunity to create merged mile-
(and incorporate) new technologies into his archaic existence, stones for the troupe’s throng. If none of Dead Zone, for
or to learn an important lesson from the human tragedy that example, has ever had a lair, then securing a long-term
occurred during the accident. safe haven may be an equally important milestone for
Or, taking an entirely different tactic on the situation, the all members of the throng. Other such milestones might
Dead Zone’s Storyteller may decide to send the throng off include the throng meeting a supernatural being (and
after rumors of a tome of interest to Mr. Eglantine, which recognizing it as such), defeating a Pandoran together,
they later discover is being kept by the same Promethean encountering a Centimanus or weathering a Firestorm.
who created Sharp. By surrounding the elder Galateid with Even forming a Branded throng, if not simply part of
sufficient brute force to make a frontal assault foolhardy, the the characters’ background, can itself be a milestone for
Storyteller may encourage Little Mikey’s character to either every Promethean involved.
aid in the acquisition through non-forceful means or take Other merged milestone opportunities may be en-
great personal risk in helping Eglantine gain the tome. countered by the Created on a less-equal footing. When
While it is important for a Storyteller to avoid railroading play- Sharp creates another Promethean, the rest of the group
ers into specific actions or reactions, by looking for opportunities may witness the generative act for the first time, giving
in which milestones for multiple players may be addressed in a them additional insight into the nature of being one of
single situation, he reduces the levels of complication for himself the Created. While this may be a superlative milestone
and the chance that his players may find themselves being pulled for the Adonis, it may also be a minor or major one for
in a multitude of directions, breaking the game up into several the rest of the throng. Likewise, Sharp learning a new
separate storylines rather than one cohesive tale. Transmutation (a major milestone for someone who

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 MILESTONES AND ONE-SHOT PLAY

knows nothing about the Promethean existence) might The deciding factor is not so much whether the
potentially serve as a minor milestone for the rest of Storyteller anticipated the situation, but whether
the throng, who are unfamiliar with the possibilities of the character learned something important from
Sharp’s favored Transmutations. Mr. Eglantine taking on it. Situations in which characters gain a broader
an Athanor might be a superlative milestone for him. perspective of the world around them, grasp new
But, since it is the first knowledge the other members insights into their Promethean nature or learn
of Dead Zone ever gain of Athanors, it may also serve as important lessons about themselves and humanity
a minor milestone for each of them. Examples of other should always be eligible to serve as milestones
superlative, major and minor milestones are offered on and be rewarded with Vitriol.
p. 191 of Promethean: The Created, and can be used
as a basis for establishing how much Vitriol should be
awarded for milestones of each level.
Sometimes one Promethean’s milestone paves the
way for others’ on a more philosophical level. When Milestones and
Sharp chooses to show mercy to a human rather than
murdering her (or conversely, to kill her unnecessarily), One-Shot Play
it certainly may be a milestone for him. But depending Promethean is best suited to an ongoing chronicle.
on the circumstances, it may also provide other mem- Although a Pilgrimage has no set time limitations,
bers of his throng (if they are present and aware of his this journey takes a great deal of time and effort for
choice) the opportunity to make similar monumental any Promethean to complete. Some never reach their
(and milestone-worthy) decisions. Do they support their Magnum Opus. Not all Promethean games are long-term
throng-mate’s choice? Do they attempt to stop him or endeavors, though. Some, by virtue of time constraints,
swallow their concerns? Does Sharp’s decision change are limited to a number of sessions over a short-term
how they feel about him? Each of these questions may period, or even a single session. These short-term games
provide the insight needed to complete a philosophical (labeled “one-shots” here, for ease of description, even
milestone related to Sharp’s initial choice. though some may stretch out over more than one game
Another type of merged milestone is a situation in session) provide a twofold unique challenge to the
which one character’s choice directly affects the other Storyteller.
in a monumental way. If Little Mikey abandons the rest First, milestones are an integral part of the Promethean
of her throng-mates while they are wounded, leaving experience, and yet milestones in a long-term game might
them for dead in a battle with a pack of werewolves, it happen for a given character every chapter or two. In a
may be equally milestone-worthy, although opposite in short-term game, a player probably won’t get to experi-
function, for all of the throng-members. The Wretched ence his character completing superlative milestones
gains insight from the difficult choice of “them or me” such as successfully creating progeny or helping another
as well as learning the consequences of betraying those character achieve Rebirth. The character may be hard-
who trust her. The rest of the throng, on the other hand, pressed to complete even a single minor milestone, if the
learns an important lesson about self-preservation and game is very short. This denies the player the opportunity
perfidy. Lessons such as these may have to be handled to experience one of the most interesting and unique
more fluidly than other milestones, but certainly provide aspects of Promethean. While the milestone marks the
insightful learning opportunities for all involved. Created coming one step closer to becoming human, for
the Promethean player a milestone not only gives her a
sense of accomplishment mid-stream in the game, but
also serves as a focal point that can help her more closely
On the Fly understand the world through her character’s perspec-
While Storytellers should begin each game with tive. And since frequently one of the primary goals of a
a number of pre-planned milestones for each char- one-shot game is for the players to try out a new system,
acter, Storytellers should not feel limited to these blowing all the whistles and ringing all the bells, to deny
pre-set milestones. Players often lead their charac- them the milestone experience is defeating, at least in
ters in unanticipated directions, and the characters part, the purpose of running the game.
should not be penalized for handling situations Also, milestones provide a tangible in-game benefit
differently than expected. Although these experi- to Promethean characters. In a world where they are
ences are not listed as her milestones, if Little shunned by human and nature alike, the Vitriol they
Mikey falls in love, creates progeny or dies and receive for achieving milestones provides them with the
is resurrected, these experiences may very well additional supernatural strength (in the form of Azoth)
be worthy of serving as “on the fly” milestones.

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

and powers (in the form of Transmutations) which help looks mask a Galateid façade of immaculately sculpted
them continue their existence in an unkind world. As ice, human-esque flesh could slowly spread across his
with milestones in general, these powers are part of the frozen mannequin form, as if he was slowly being thawed
“bells and whistles” of Promethean, and to deny one- from the finger tips inward. And Mr. Eglantine could
shot players the opportunity to experiment a bit with find that, with each milestone completed, his missing
the interesting powers of Promethean goes against one hand haunts him less. Perhaps it simply causes him less
of the primary goals of a one-shot game. If a player’s pain; he finds himself experiencing the “ghost limb”
character were to achieve a single milestone (and a few sensation less often. Or, as he nears Redemption, per-
experience points) in a one-shot game, however, even haps the missing appendage even begins to bleed, then
if it was of a superlative level, the player would receive slowly regenerate.
only enough Vitriol to purchase a single point of Azoth Alternatively, the Storyteller could make the changes
or a low level Transmutation. Hardly enough to get a less physical and more intangible. Mr. Eglantine may
feel for the depth and breadth of interesting features find that, the closer he approaches Redemption, the
available in Promethean. less his missing hand pains him. Rather than a constant
niggling, the periods of being at peace with his missing
Within or Without appendage grow longer and more frequent. He may feel
What options, then, are available to Storytellers of one- himself more refreshed, less constantly parched, as if the
shot stories? The simplest, if not the most satisfying, would Water of Life which gave him his Promethean existence
be to simply eschew the use of milestones altogether. is quenching his long-denied thirst as he journeys nearer
While milestones are a key element of Promethean, to his Magnum Opus. Likewise, Little Mikey may find
for a short-term game session, excising them is feasible. her body moves more fluidly, as if her patchwork parts
Even without milestones as markers for their journey, are less at war with one another and Sharp may discover
the Promethean theme of created beings attempting that his passions, although still high, gradually become
to understand and eventually achieve humanity is one more easily tempered than they were upon the night he
which is intriguing and multi-dimensional. As characters first woke, no longer controlling him wholly.
would likely not be nearing Redemption in the course These methods may work well to demonstrate the
of a one-shot game, focusing entirely on thematic rather characters’ progression along their Pilgrimage, but they
than goal-oriented objectives would still result in an do not address the second aspect of milestones — serving
interesting and entertaining game session. A one-shot as a trigger for in-game tangible benefits.
game might involve a throng investigating a series of
murders near their lair, for example, and discovering Other Options
that one of the throng member’s creator (or progeny) is How then, is a Storyteller to allow her players to experi-
responsible. Seeing the monstrous capabilities of those ence the two-fold processes of achieving milestones and
who are directly “related” to them can be cause for then benefiting from the acquisition of Vitriol, in a game
introspection that is very thematic for the Promethean that only lasts a few hours? A variety of methods can be
game. Another game might revolve around characters used to make even a short session serve as a “condensed
whose efforts to “help” humans are turned against them, version” of a longer chronicle with regards to milestones.
leaving them to weigh the cost of doing “right.” Storytellers may find that one of these alternatives serves
well for their one-shot game, but they are also encour-
Alternate Guideposts aged to combine or modify several of them, or to create
Some Storytellers running short-term games may wish their own reward system. In one-shot games, even more
to excise milestones from their game, and yet still pro- so than in long-term chronicles, what truly matters is
vide their players with a feeling of progression toward whether those involved are finding the game interesting
Mortality. Implementing a gauging system for the Dead and entertaining. One-shots are a perfect time for house
Zone for a one-shot game session would involve creating rules, as long as they enhance, rather than detract from,
a method by which the characters could sense that they the enjoyment of those involved.
were proceeding along their Pilgrimage. One of a number
of simple methods of descriptive feelings or cosmetic Milestones with
effects could be utilized to this end. Alternative Benefits
Promethean aspects could gradually be stripped away. Another alternative that is well suited for one-shots is
Little Mikey, for example, could realize that each time assigning alternative benefits to milestones. In a standard
she gains further insight into the nature of what it is to chronicle, milestones generate Vitriol for characters.
be human, one of the copper electrodes which adorn her Vitriol, in turn, allows them to purchase Azoth, Trans-
Frankenstein visage disappears. For Sharp whose human mutations or Humanity. If characters only achieve one or

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 WITHIN OR WITHOUT|OTHER OPTIONS

perhaps two milestones during the course of a game, the stones, or making milestones out of things which might
few points of Vitriol they earn will not make a tangible not count as a full milestone during a standard chronicle,
difference to their characters. Storytellers may wish to Storytellers can offer players more opportunities for their
substitute other benefits for the acquisition of Vitriol characters to experience the milestone process, and the
in a one-shot game. This can be done in one of several rewards thereof. Examples might include:
ways. Some Storytellers may want to plan ahead of time • Meeting other supernatural creatures (1 point of
that each time a milestone is achieved a certain in-game Vitriol for each new being encountered, even if the Pro-
benefit is given. These might include completely refresh- methean has met one of that kind before.)
ing the character’s Willpower or Pyros, or gaining a single • Learning something about another supernatural type
dot in a Skill or Attribute. Alternately, a Storyteller may (1 point for each bit of new information, even if he has
allow a character a single use of a Transmutation in ex- learned other similar things. Learning werewolves form
change a point or two of Vitriol. The last option allows packs similar to throngs and learning they have tribes
players to experience some of the more high-powered would each be worth a point.)
aspects of the game without making their characters • Discovering something new about his own Promethean
extremely powerful right away. nature (Learning a new Transmutation, discovering that
Another alternative is to create a chart of possible he is part of a Lineage or Refinement, learning something
effects like those mentioned, and assign them as seems specific about his particular flavor of Torment or Disquiet
most appropriate at the time each character achieves a would each be worth a point.)
milestone. This gives the Storyteller more flexibility to • Discovering something new about other Prometheans
customize the gain to the situation. When Little Mikey or about Promethean existence in general. (Each new dis-
discovers the identity of one of the people from whom covery, no matter how minor, would be worth a point.)
she was created, for example, the Storyteller could reward For example, in the case of Dead Zone, each member of
her with a dot of Intelligence (or Wits, or even Resolve, the throng gains 2 points of Vitriol for meeting another
depending on which seems more appropriate to the in- Promethean (the 2 other members of the throng), an ad-
vestigation that was completed.) Mr. Eglantine might ditional 1 for discovering there were different Lineages
earn an additional dot of Investigation or Academics of Promethean, 5 for joining the throng (which the Sto-
for translating arcane documents. Sharp’s successful (or ryteller has decided is a major group milestone), 2 more
unsuccessful) completion of the generative act might for finding a lair (a minor group milestone), and another
garner the Adonis an additional point of Azoth, with 2 for information learned about each other’s Lineages
the in-game logic being that the flare of Pyros from such while sharing their first Ramble. By the end of their first
creation refined and strengthened his Inner Fire. in-character evening together, they’ve each amassed 12
Since few one-shot games using the standard milestone points of Vitriol that can be spent like experience points
rules would garner more than one or two milestones per for Azoth, Bestowments, Humanity or Transmutations.
character, Storytellers can afford to be more generous Mr. Eglantine’s player, with an eye toward increasing
with the alternate benefits of milestones than they might the character’s Azoth above its current 1 dot later in the
be in a longer chronicle. game session, chooses to bank all 12 of his Vitriol. This
option may allow him to purchase a second point of Azoth
More Frequent Milestones for 16 points of Vitriol later (the new level x 8), but it
Some Storytellers may want to have their players ex- also carries an inherent risk. Pandorans (or unscrupulous
perience the milestone aspect of the game more heavily Promethean) may sense his Vitriol-enriched aura and
than they normally would in a single session. One method attempt to ravage the power for themselves.
for making milestones a more active part of a one-shot Little Mikey’s player, on the other hand, chooses a
game is to create more milestones for them to achieve. more immediate option. Hoping it will aid with upcom-
The driving idea behind this method is that humanity ing investigations, she opts to purchase the Sensorium
is found not only in the big events of a person’s life, but Transmutation “Sensitive Ears” at a cost of five Vitriol
in the minutiae as well. (Little Mikey follows the Refinement of Self). This leaves
In a standard chronicle, a Storyteller might create her seven points of Vitriol, which (due to Little Mikey’s
5-8 milestones, ranging from minor to superlative, for phobia of snakes) she chooses to spend on the Mesmerism
each player. As well, a number of situations are listed in Transmutation “Flight Instinct.” Vitriol expended, Little
Promethean: The Created (see p. 198). Although these Mikey is ready to return to the game with no worries about
are not milestones, per se, they still garner characters a losing the precious power to hungry predators.
single point of Vitriol in a traditional chronicle. In a Aware that his character’s quick temper may put him in
one-shot game, this number could easily be increased dangerous places later in the game, Sharp’s player decides
into the minor milestone range. By creating more mile- to hedge his bets. He spends seven points of Vitriol (7 x

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

Sharp’s current Azoth of 1) to purchase the Revivification has used a simple method of tick marks to keep track
Bestowment for his character. This, he hopes, will give of what he believes are the milestones the characters
the character a bit more chance to live through whatever achieve during the course of the game. In this way, he
risky situations he may get himself into further along the can award the points as a lump at various times through-
line. The player then banks the remaining five points of out the game when the characters have earned enough
Vitriol toward a larger purchase later on. to spend on a point of Azoth or a new Transmutation,
Later in the game, Dead Zone goes through another rather than stopping the game every few minutes to note
encounter and gains more Vitriol. When the Prometheans that the character has gained another minor milestone
discover that their lair is in the territory of a pack of were- and point of Vitriol.
wolves, they all gain a point each for meeting each of the
four werewolves (four points), another point for learning More Powerful Milestones
werewolves exist, one more for learning werewolves form Another option is to make the benefits of milestones
packs, one for learning werewolf packs take territories more powerful. By altering the scale of milestones (see p.
and another for their first time witnessing werewolves 191 of Promethean: The Created), Storytellers can give
change shape. When the Prometheans discover that the the milestones more impact on the progression of the char-
werewolves have captured Sharp’s creator, each member acter, at least from a power-level standpoint, while keeping
of the throng receives the same three points of Vitriol as the progression along the Pilgrimage aspect of milestones
Sharp for his minor milestone. And when Little Mikey intact.
then uses guile, rather than force, to trick the beasts into Rather than minor milestones resulting in an award of
sharing the location of the captive Galateid, the entire one to three points of Vitriol, the Storyteller may choose to
throng also gains the same four points of Vitriol as she award between four and eight points for each, with major
would have in a standard chronicle for achieving this milestones garnering characters nine to 15 Vitriol each. A
milestone. When the characters are on their way to the superlative milestone might garner 16 Vitriol: enough to
rescue, the Storyteller stops the players, bestows their 15 raise a character’s Azoth from 1 to 2, or for him to purchase
Vitriol and gives them the option to spend the points. a two- or three-dot Transmutation.
With this 15 to add to his already banked points, Mr. The Storyteller may also choose to award two or three
Eglantine now has more than enough Vitriol to increase points of Vitriol for each of the normal single-point achieve-
his Azoth. His player spends 16 points (8 x his new Azoth ments (listed on p. 198 of Promethean: The Created),
level of 2) to increase his Azoth from 1 to 2. In addition, allowing the throng-members to accrue Vitriol more quickly
he decides to purchase the Vulcanus Transmutation “Elec- from these small accomplishments.
troshock Recharge.” Since Mr. Eglantine is an Ophidian,
the Transmutation costs 10 points of Vitriol. Mr. Eglantine All of the Above
already possesses Sense Pyros; if he did not, Electroshock Storytellers may choose to implement some combination
Recharge would cost him an additional three points of of the aforementioned methods, or all of them, in the same
Vitriol. (See pp. 118–119 of Promethean: The Created one-shot game. While doubling or more the effective rate of
for more details on purchasing Transmutations.) power gain for a long-term chronicle might result in a throng
During the course of the game, Little Mikey lost a of unstoppable power-bloated Promethean trampling their
point of Humanity by stealing something of value to the way across the countryside, for a one-shot game the risks
werewolves and using it to negotiate for the information related to the characters becoming unreasonably powerful
she needed. She would like to regain this point of Human- are fairly small, even if all of the suggested methods are
ity, but the 15 points she has to spend are not enough to combined. And, as one of the primary goals of a one-shot
raise her Humanity of 6 back up to 7, so she decides to game is to allow players to try out as many aspects of the
bank all points in hopes that the next segment of their game as possible, allowing them to progress from beginning-
adventure will give her the remaining six points of Vitriol level Created to powerful ones may actually be a benefit. It
she needs to increase her Humanity. gives players the opportunity to play with a wider variety
Sharp’s player also wants to increase his character’s of powers than they would normally be able to access in a
Azoth. With his previously banked five points, he now single game session. Should they come back to Promethean
has enough to spend the 16 points he needs to increase for a long-term chronicle, they will have a much broader
it, leaving him with four Vitriol. Since this is not enough range of experience with the powers available than they
to purchase Azoth, a Bestowment, Humanity or Transmu- otherwise would have.
tations, Sharp’s player once again banks the remainder Storytellers must, however, explain that this progres-
for later use. sion is being artificially ramped up for the purposes of the
Since bookkeeping for this point-heavy method could trial game. The milestones are being both condensed and
take up a great deal of time, the Storyteller for Dead Zone exponentially empowered to give the players a broader and

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 CROSSOVER|SUPERNATURAL CREATURES AND DISQUIET

more in-depth experience with those aspects of the game. other hand, do not suffer effects similar to those of humanity,
It would be unfortunate for a player to enter a long-term but still find themselves dangerously influenced by Disquiet.
Promethean chronicle after playing a one-shot and expect Storytellers who wish to run a game focusing on a mixed
that the same level of power. group of supernatural beings that includes a Promethean
have several options available in dealing with Disquiet’s

Crossover effects on the rest of the group’s characters.

For a short-term encounter, Storytellers may wish to
While most other supernatural characters associate have players use the normal Disquiet rules (see p. 172 of
predominantly with their own kind (out of preference or Promethean: The Created.) Over time, however, these
necessity), the Created are more likely to not have that will, at the very least, result in disharmony in the group.
option, due to their numbers being so small. This alone is Especially in the case of vampires or werewolves, the end
justification for having a Promethean character rub shoul- result will most likely be a blood bath as the group comes
ders with the other denizens of the World of Darkness, but to blows in the grips of Death Rage or frenzy.
“crossover” games — chronicles in which players assume the For longer interactions, Storytellers may wish to implement
roles of different types of supernatural characters — have a a modification of the Disquiet rules to facilitate extended
great deal of potential. interactions. At the simplest and most extreme, this can be
simply ruling that other supernatural beings are, by their
otherworldly nature, unaffected by Disquiet. This should
have little effect on the game, other than giving the Pro-
Naming Names methean character a slightly larger base of individuals who
When discussing Promethean in combination are not supernaturally prompted to seek his destruction.
with Vampire, Mage or Werewolf, some terms from As long as the characters interact with human beings on
each of the games may prove useful. at least some occasions, the alienation theme will not be
Vampires call themselves Kindred. All belong totally lost. In such a game, the juxtaposition between the
to one of five clans, and many owe allegiance Disquiet-sparked hatred received from the humans and the
to political groups they call covenants. Vampiric more individual reactions received from other supernatural
supernatural abilities are called Disciplines. When beings may lead a Promethean’s philosophy in interesting
Kindred form small groups that rely upon each directions.
other, the groups are referred to as coteries. More enterprising Storytellers might choose to craft Dis-
quiet rules that fall somewhere between these two extremes.
The word werewolves use for themselves is Relying upon cosmetic effects rather than game mechanics
Uratha. They divide themselves into two factions, to portray Disquiet’s symptoms on supernatural creatures is
the savage, human-eating Pure and the less hostile one possibility. Mages could feel a shudder reminiscent of
but no less dangerous Forsaken. Most werewolves the Abyss whenever they are near one of the Created, and
belong to a tribe, a philosophically based social
find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders for
grouping. They use rites to summon the power of
fear they are being watched by some unholy presence. A
spirits, which can then grant the Uratha powerful
werewolf’s hair might stand on end when a Promethean
Gifts. When werewolves form small bonded groups,
they are called packs. comes too close, the Divine Fire sparking almost visibly in
the air. The werewolf may find himself wanting to establish
Mages often describe themselves as the Awak- dominance over the Promethean, with no idea why it is so
ened. All mages walk one of five mystical Paths, important for the unnatural creature to bow to his superiority.
and most belong to an ancient mystical order. The Vampires may feel the Promethean’s Inner Fire as if she had
Awakened express their powers through spells a tiny spark of the sun’s own energy within her, not enough
capable of nearly anything. When mages choose to to hurt, but enough to set the bloodsucker on edge.
create small, tightly knit groups of individuals, the If game mechanics are desired, these superficial effects
groups are called cabals. can be supplemented by a milder version of Disquiet.
Perhaps the Promethean might be at a dice penalty when
dealing socially with other supernatural beings, with this
consequence either remaining the same or, should the Sto-
Supernatural ryteller see fit, growing progressively at the same intervals
Creatures and Disquiet as Disquiet would for a human. Thus a one-die penalty
would be in place when Disquiet would normally be in the
Supernatural creatures are not inherently unaffected by
Disquiet. Mages, as humans, normally react to Disquiet first stage, a two-dice penalty at the second stage and so
exactly as humans do. Werewolves and vampires, on the on, until reaching the fourth stage where the Promethean

113
 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

would be at –4 dice on any Social roll. (See pp. 169–170 of the next scene, unless he works duration factors
Promethean: The Created for details on determining the into the spell. If the mage has Mind 4, he can cast
advancement of Disquiet.) this spell on others. Removing Disquiet once it has
Yet another possibility exists for Storytellers who wish set in requires the use of the Breach the Vault of
to eliminate Disquiet’s effects from a Promethean’s inter- Memory spell (Mage: The Awakening, p. 214), but
actions with other supernatural creatures but who do not this will eventually wear off, at which point the
wish to arbitrarily declare Disquiet ineffective. This can Disquiet reasserts itself. With Mind 5, a mage can
be accomplished by having the Promethean(s) and the “reset” a person’s mind with regard to Disquiet,
other characters work together to find a way to circumvent removing any current traces and allowing the sub-
Disquiet’s effects (which first requires identifying it). An ject to start fresh with the Promethean.
inspired mage who wishes to be able to interact with one of
the Created without suffering the ravages of Disquiet might
take it upon herself to research a spell that would render
her immune to them. Likewise, a werewolf might seek a Unique Among
long-lost Gift that would prevent him from losing control
when interacting with the Promethean. Even among the
the Unique
A Promethean forced to move only among mortals is a
cold-blooded undead, secret knowledge may very well exist lonely creature indeed, her social bonds totally at the whim
that might allow the vampire to rein in his inhuman frenzy in of Disquiet. If and when she encounters other supernatural
spite of the prodding of Disquiet. The “Mitigating Disquiet” creatures, she may be drawn to them simply by their lack
sidebar has some suggestions for how other supernatural of human reaction to her Azothic nature.
creatures might circumvent this effect. And, from the other direction, Prometheans are rare
enough that few other supernatural creatures know of the
Created’s existence. Therefore, any supernatural beings a Pro-
methean encounters probably don’t have a pre-established
Mitigating Disquiet opinion of the Created as a whole. While not all Created
Vampires: While Disquiet has more to do with find acceptance in groups of other supernatural creatures,
the Man than the Beast, the result is still a loss of enough possibilities arise that the concept of running a
control over frenzy. As such, a vampire who has game in which a Promethean runs with a werewolf pack
mastered the first tier of the Coil of the Beast (p. or vampire coterie is not unthinkable. This storyline does,
149 of Vampire: The Requiem) has an advantage.
however, pose some challenges that a Storyteller would be
Depending upon how forgiving the Storyteller
wise to anticipate.
wishes to be, that Coil alone might be enough,
or the vampire might need to develop a Devotion
including Chastise the Beast and perhaps a dot One of the Gang
of Resilience in order to make her immune to An entire tome could be written merely detailing all of
Disquiet. At the Storyteller’s discretion, The Forget- the possible back-stories created to bring a Promethean
ful Mind (Dominate •••; p. 126 of Vampire: The into enough contact with other supernatural beings to
Requiem) might be used to cure existing Disquiet. be accepted into their social group, be it pack, coterie
or cabal. In most games, however, this will be handled
Werewolves: Disquiet sends werewolves closer through creative background weaving on the part of
to Death Rage, and so fetishes such as the Mercy the players. The Storyteller’s real challenge, when
Gem (p. 206 of Werewolf: The Forsaken). Like- dealing with predominantly non-Promethean troupes
wise, Gifts that mitigate Death Rage might, at a
that contain a Promethean character, is in juggling the
penalty, work to slow or cure Disquiet. A spirit of
Pilgrimage for the Created character within the context
calm or compassion might be able to teach a Gift
of a Werewolf, Vampire or Mage game, and so that,
that prevents Disquiet, and such a spirit might be
convinced (or forced) to use its Influence to add rather than how to plausibly unite any given ratio of
bonus dice to a werewolf player’s Resolve + Com- characters, is the focus of this section.

What’s In It for Me?

posure roll to resist Disquiet.
Mages: If a mage knows that something about While any Promethean might find a place with another
the Promethean’s condition inclines mortals to group of supernatural creatures, as one of the Created,
detest and obsess over her, the mage can use a he shares a major ambition with others of his kind
covert Perfecting spell of the Mind Arcanum (this (attaining Mortality). This is a goal that, while other
requires Mind 3) to stave off Disquiet. Casting supernatural characters (most notably vampires) might
this spell allows the mage to shrug off Disquiet for aspire to, they cannot attain. That does not mean that

114
 AMONG THE AWAKENED|AMONG THE KINDRED

other supernatural creatures cannot aid the Created Among the Awakened
along their Pilgrimages much in the way a Branded Mages are perhaps the most logical individuals
throng might. Beyond the minor milestones of simply for a Promethean to throw his lot in with. They
meeting other supernatural creatures and learning look and act human (to the extent that they
about the truths and falsehoods associated with their do not routinely shapechange or drink blood).
mythology, long-term troupe association with vampires, Despite their great supernatural power, they
werewolves and mages may all offer a Promethean aid on are human. But because of that power, they
her Pilgrimage. Nothing of value comes without a price, have the potential to dispel one of the greatest banes to the
however. Prometheans who spend significant amounts Promethean existence: Disquiet. Thus, they are potentially
of time with non-Prometheans may experience some the only true humans that one of the Created may interact
significant disadvantages as well. with outside of the damning influence of Disquiet.
From the moment of their Awakening, mages walk the line
Seeds of the Past between “normal” humanity and almost godlike power, and
Vampires, werewolves and mages share a common trait:
that path colors every aspect of their lives. Their abilities
all of them were once human, or at least believed they
are a siren song tempting them ever further from humanity,
were. Most were raised by human parents (or parents
a situation that many Promethean are familiar with. As the
thought to be human), attended whatever educational
Created go about their Pilgrimage, many temptations lurk
facilities that human children did and expected to live
between their first waking moments and their Great Work.
human lives and eventually die human deaths. Few ever
Torment compels them, Flux coerces them and even the
realized, during this time, the reality of the supernatural
instinctive drive to attain Humanity is not strong enough
world. Most did not believe in werewolves, vampires or
to guarantee their path will not deviate. Finding kinship
mages until shortly before they became one. Promethe-
within a cabal of mages may not lead a Promethean down
ans, on the other hand, have never had that illusion (or
the most direct path to his Magnum Opus, but he may learn
if they did, it was very quickly dispelled). Few have a
much about the value of humanity while in the company
single memory of being treated as a human themselves,
of a cabal.
let alone the years that the other supernatural creatures
A mage cabal is the perfect place for Promethean to
possess.
complete intellectual discovery milestones. Depending on
Even though a vampire or werewolf views his lost
the nature of the cabal and its members, he may find himself
humanity through the filter of his new supernatural
immersed in politics or philosophy, spirituality or the stock
perspective, he still has access to something that few
market, but time spent with mages is time spent in discovery
Prometheans do: human memories of human experiences
and growth. A Promethean might easily experience mile-
from a first-person perspective. Even the most inhumane
stones such as the following listed below, while spending
werewolf or vampire may be able to, should he be so mo-
time among the members of a mage cabal:
tivated, recount tales of his childhood and adolescence to
- Experience Supernal magic firsthand
the curious Promethean. The werewolf or vampire is less
- Witness the effects of Paradox
likely to look askance at the Created for asking strange
- Learn about Atlantis
questions: What was it like to go to school, to date, to
- Discover which Path’s views most closely reflect his
marry? How does it feel to feed, to change, to kill? How
own
did it feel to realize that you truly were different, that
- Learn about the Abyss or the Supernal realms
there was no going back? Do you ever wish you could go
back? Do you ever wish you would die? Among the Kindred
Those who have retained the most humanity, of course, A Promethean’s Pilgrimage is not a
may be able to share these memories, insights and perspec- utopian one. It is as valid to recognize
tives with their Promethean allies more clearly than those the dark sides of one’s self and how
who have distanced themselves from their human lives they correlate to similar murky
through age or radical paradigm shifts or both. A mage, places in humanity as it is to find
being still human and thus having human insights and the more idealistic resonances
perspectives, can be an incredible boon to a Promethean between the two. Regardless of
seeking to learn about these things. More so even than Refinement, the Created often find milestones in shadowy
the others, a mage may offer immediate human reactions places: the discovery of hatred, jealousy or true fear; an under-
to the Promethean’s questions, and may be the closest standing of the nature of prejudice; betrayal, manipulation,
a Created may ever get to having a relationship with a destruction and even death. Few are as well-qualified to act
human without Disquiet’s taint (provided that the mage as mentor and guidepost into the sinister places of the World
has some way around Disquiet, of course).

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 CHAPTER THREE | THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

of Darkness as the blood-drinking undead who carry out their - Witness the Predator’s Taint — the vampires’ form of
eternal, infernal politics under cover of the night. the Measure, which usually results in one Kindred cringing
A vampire coterie is the perfect place for a Promethean to in fear before another, more powerful predator
complete milestones focusing on hard decisions — weighing - Be present at a vampire Prince’s court or a covenant
options, making choices and dealing with lies, deceit and meeting
multi-layered tactics, both as the target and the source. In
the company of vampires, he will be faced with emotional Among the Uratha
and socio-political manipulation of the sorts that can only Any Promethean who has seen the Dis-
develop among those who have eternity to perfect them. He quiet-driven frenzy of a mob descending
has the opportunity to learn that villainy sometimes wears upon her knows that wrath is not a vice
an angel’s face and know the price paid for every lesson solely possessed by werewolves. It is not
learned. While it may seem counterintuitive, among the an Uratha’s rage that makes it so rare for
stagnant dead, a Promethean may learn the value of life, a Promethean to be adopted into the inner
and through it, be spurred forward toward his own Magnum circles of werewolf society, but the intrinsic conflict be-
Opus. Should he spend time with a vampire or coterie, a tween a pack’s drive to establish territory and the Wasteland’s
Promethean may complete these types of milestones: impact on any land the Created settles upon for long. Still,
- Witness vampiric feeding when the two paths do cross, a Promethean can learn much
- Get to know someone who “died” centuries before the from the shapeshifters about strength and fury, as well as the
character was created bonds between those united in a common cause.
- Give up blood for a vampire, willingly or otherwise A werewolf pack is the perfect place for a Promethean to
- Fall under blood addiction complete milestones related to action: situational discoveries,
emotional challenges
and dealing intensely
with the concepts of
duty, family, control and
the lack thereof. If one
of the Created survives
her time running with
the wolves, she may
experience milestones
similar to the ones listed
below:
- Witness a werewolf
in their horrific half-
wolf, half-human form
- Meet or see a Mate-
rialized spirit
- Comprehend the
role of non-werewolf
family members in
werewolf society
- Witness a rite being
performed
- See a werewolf in
Death Rage (a very dan-
gerous milestone!)

A Stranger
Among the
Strange
Not all crossover
games involving Pro-
metheans and other
supernatural beings

116
 AMONG THE URATHA|A STRANGER AMONG THE STRANGE

consist of a single Created among a group of werewolves, by the other characters as part of the throng, the actual
vampires or mages. While such a situation is less likely, process of including her in the alchemical pact does not
a Storyteller could be called upon to run a game in work on a non-Pyros-bearing individual, so many of the
which a Promethean throng forms the majority of the supernatural (rather than social) benefits of belonging
party, but another supernatural character is included. to a throng are denied her.
While the Created may accept the other for many of Non-Created individuals do not count for purposes
the same reasons that a solitary Promethean might seek of determining how much of a throng is of the same or
out other supernatural creatures (companionship where different Lineages (for Disquiet or Wasteland purposes),
Disquiet is less of a factor, expanding his knowledge base and a Promethean cannot lend them Pyros by virtue of
or strengthening his defenses against a hostile outside the alchemical Brand, no matter how much the others
world), a non-Promethean cannot actually become consider the outsider to be part of the throng. Without the
part of a Branded throng. While she may be accepted Brand, the throng designation is a purely social one.

117
 CHAPTER FOUR
TO THE WASTES
Tomorrow
Stone Mountain, GA — A gruesome scene greeted hikers this morning at Stone Mountain Park.
The body of an unidentified woman, approximately 40 years of age, was found on the lawn
beneath the famous bas-relief of Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis on
horseback. While no official decision has been made, witnesses at the scene state that the death
was a suicide.
The woman was holding a pistol and had “a bullet hole in her chest and big hole in her back,”
said Emma Gattling, 34, of Denver, CO. “We’d brought our kids out here just last night
to see the laser show, and we decided we’d come back and do some hiking. We never expected
this.”
Park officials say that the woman must have entered the park minutes after it opened, and are
trying to trace cars in the nearby parking lot in hopes of tracing her identity. John Zimmerman of
the Stone Mountain Police Department says that an official statement will be made sometime
this afternoon, and if the victim has not been identified by then, a picture will be made available
for broadcast in hopes that a friend or relative will identify her.
Only a handful of people saw the body before police and EMS crews arrived, but most, like
Mrs. Gattling, were shocked and saddened. One man, however, who asked not to be identified,
stated that “this is just some sick plea for attention. This old lady came out here with her ugly
f—ing mullet and she saw all these young people around and she couldn’t hack it, so she shot
herself. And now she’s going straight to Hell, because that’s where suicides go, you know?”
Mrs. Gattling disagrees with this, however. “I can’t explain this, but I think that poor woman died
happy. I mean, maybe it’s just something to do with the body’s reactions after death, but she had the strang-
est look on her face. She was smiling like a woman in love. Like she was going home to her family.”
-transcribed from the accounts of Zo Malak’s death
“You can smell
Greeley, Colo-

T
he road to the New Dawn is long and arduous. Every Promethean feels the urge to
rado, long before obtain Mortality, but not every Promethean follows that urge. Those who do must
you can see it. meet their milestones, change the lead of their forms into the gold of a human body
. . . and in so doing, gain something precious beyond words.
The smell is hard Along the way, though, the Divine Fire that passes for a soul in the Created can become
to forget but not tainted. Disillusionment, pain and anger lead to Torment, and Torment is a stumbling block on
the Pilgrimage. All a Promethean can do is find somewhere far from human (or Promethean)
easy to describe, contact and allow his poisoned fire to scorch the land. Going to the wastes is not a tradition,
a combination a religious practice or a ceremony among the Created, for such things would require a society.
Going to the wastes is simply something that, occasionally, must be done.
of live animals, In this story, the characters have a chance to go the wastes. After witnessing human
manure and dead misery, and probably accruing some Torment as Disquiet and violence build, they find
themselves trapped beneath the Rocky Mountains. In this stony tomb, they can find the
animals being tools to carry on with their Pilgrimages with a renewed sense of purpose — if they can
rendered into dog escape with their lives.

food . . . Many
people who live Structure, Theme and Mood
“To the Wastes” is the fourth installment in the chronicle that began with “The Water
there no longer of Life” in Promethean: The Created, and has taken the characters through the wreck-
notice the smell; age of New Orleans in “A Sheltering Storm” (presented in Pandora’s Book) and shown
them that Prometheans and mortals can both be vicious and shortsighted in “Strangers on
it recedes into a Hill” (presented in Strange Alchemies). While this story, at its conclusion, points the
the background, characters toward Detroit, where the chronicle comes to an end (in Saturnine Night),
you do not need to run these stories in the sequence provided. Indeed, a new throng could
present but not very easily begin in the Rockies with this story and then travel east to Chicago, Boston,
present, like the New Orleans or Detroit. We have, however, provided a few hooks from the other stories
in order to facilitate this ongoing chronicle.
sound of traffic “To the Wastes” is presented in three acts. In the first act, the characters come to Denver
for New Yorkers. either as part of their Pilgrimages or pursuing a lead from “Strangers on a Hill.” They are
offered work by a man who does not seem to suffer the least amount of Disquiet. This work,
Others can’t stop however, consists of long, grueling hours in a slaughterhouse. The first act culminates with
thinking about the characters being attacked by their coworkers, which probably ends badly for the assail-
ants, but has potential repercussions for the Prometheans as well.
the smell, even In the second act, the man who offered them the slaughterhouse job finds them work
after years; it once again, this time in a recently reopened gold mine. The characters are there scarcely
an hour before an explosion seals them and several other miners in pitch blackness. As
permeates every- the air runs out, the miners — unable to see the characters and thus more resistant to
thing, gives them Disquiet — share their final hopes and prayers. The Created, of course, survive longer
than the mortals, and find a source of air and sustenance. The Created are trapped, but
headaches, makes they are not the first Prometheans to dwell in these caves. The trapped Created find the
them nauseous, notes and legacy of a practitioner of Plumbum, the Refinement of Source (see p. 75), at
the close of Act Two.
interferes with The third act consists first of the time that the characters spend in the caverns, either
their sleep.” going to the wastes, learning what this ancient Promethean had to say or even perform-
ing the generative act. Eventually, however, they can find a way out, and walk down the
— Eric Schlosser, mountainside, hopefully closer to their New Dawn.
Fast Food Nation
Theme:
Suffering and Perseverance
In this story, the characters see human beings take up jobs that are dangerous, low-paying
and transitory simply so that they can afford to feed their families. Not only are they willing
to do this work, they are, for the most part, grateful to have the opportunity. That doesn’t
mean that they don’t recognize how horrific the work is (stabbing cattle in their throats
 ST RU CTU RE , TH EM E AND MOOD |T HE ME : SUFFE RING AND PERSERVERANCE

for 10 to 14 hours a day is wretched, no matter what the Instead, this section focuses briefly on Colorado, specifically
pay), but they also recognize that it’s better than starving. Denver and some of the surrounding regions.
The characters have, in the past stories, seen various ugly Denver was founded in 1858 as part of the Kansas Ter-
sides of humanity. Now they get to see humans as pitiable, ritory, originally intended to be mining settlement. This
steadfast and even noble . . . but still willing to work against gold rush turned out to be a bust, but the area made for a
the characters because of Disquiet. good trade route, and the Denver Pacific Railroad opened
Hopefully the parallel isn’t lost on the characters (and the up western Colorado to travelers, merchants and miners.
players). The Saturnine Night of Promethean existence is By 1890, Denver was the fifth-largest city west of the Mis-
suffering. Unlike the humans that the Created see, however, sissippi River. Today, Denver is home to just over half a
who generally can expect nothing but drudgery throughout million people.
their lives (but who might have a chance to make things Colorado once played home to many independent ranch-
better for their children, for whatever it’s worth), the Cre- ers, but their numbers are dwindling. Laws that prohibited
ated actually can reach a reward. Once they do, they have “trusts” — large corporations conspiring to set prices and
the same trials and tribulations as any human, but at least blackball anyone trying to sell their product in a manner to
the very land around them doesn’t reject them anymore. which the trusts objected — have been largely invalidated.
Through perseverance, misery is redeemed. Through suf- Now, 84% of the United States’ cattle are slaughtered by
fering, wisdom is obtained. These are basic life lessons, one of four meatpacking corporations, and because they
applicable to humans as much as to Prometheans. control the flow of meat to the market, they control the
prices. They don’t use ranches, preferring to raise cattle
Mood: Isolation in feedlots and send them straight to the slaughterhouses
and Humanism (more about conditions in these hellholes can be found in
Act One), and therefore, the few remaining cattle ranchers
In “The Water of Life,” the characters met up with at
have great difficulty selling their product, let alone at a good
least one other Promethean (Carla Two), plus any that the
price. Colorado ranchland is disappearing at roughly 90,000
Storyteller felt it necessary to include. In the next two stories,
acres a year, as estate taxes make it impossible for ranchers
the throng found itself amidst more of the Created than the
to simply pass the land along — the inheritors must sell
surrounding area could support. This story, as written, includes
no other Promethean characters. The throng finds the rem- some of the land off in order to keep any of it.
Colorado contains vistas of breathtaking beauty, but
nants of one, but no living Created greet them. They feel no
the state is also, in many ways, a symbol of opportunism,
Azothic Radiance except their own, and for the majority of
greed and overdevelopment. From the wars with the Utes
the story they have no company at all except for each other.
and Arapahos in the 19th century to the beef trusts of the
This is the Saturnine Night brought (almost) to its extreme.
early 20th (and now the 21st), from the endless quest to
Prometheans can go stir-crazy with loneliness just as easily as
find gold, silver, coal, oil and anything else worth pulling
any human, and this, sometimes, is what drives them to create
out of the ground to the slaughterhouses of Greeley and
more of their kind. “To the Wastes” provides that loneliness
the vanishing ranches of Colorado Springs, the American
and the opportunity to create new Prometheans.
West is opportunity for profit, no matter what the human
Also, “To the Wastes” focuses on human issues: working
repercussions.
conditions in slaughterhouses and mines, for instance, as
well as business practices regarding migrant labor. This story
is not meant to make a political statement; it’s simply using
Wolves of the Mountains
Storytellers who own Hunting Ground: Rockies can use
actual situations to underline the themes of Promethean. In
the information in that book to help portray the Denver
the process, however, the story spends less time dealing with
area and the Colorado Rockies, but this book is by no means
overt supernatural influence and more time dealing with hu-
necessary to run “To the Wastes.” While a large number of
man tragedy and life. If you wish your rendition of this story
werewolves claim territories in and around the Rockies, your
to have a more otherworldly vibe to it, you should have no
troupe’s throng might very well make their way through the
problem making it so. Look for sections throughout the story
area without ever seeing one of these shapeshifters. If you
labeled “In the World of Darkness . . . ” for suggestions.
do wish to make use of the werewolves in your chronicle,
At a Glance: you have a variety of options.
• Cheat: The simplest option might be the best. If you
The Colorado Rockies don’t have access to Werewolf: The Forsaken or don’t
The Rocky Mountains stretch from the Liard River in want to complicate matters with additional bookkeeping,
British Columbia to the Rio Grande in New Mexico. A that’s fine. Simply create the characters you wish to use
discussion of the mountain range as a whole is beyond the as werewolves, define them in Promethean terms (such
scope of this book (and quite unnecessary for this story). as defining the function of their powers as Transmuta-

121
 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

Act One: Cogs in

tions; Natural Weaponry, for instance), and off you go.
The players won’t see the mechanics anyway, so they’ll

the Machine
never know the difference.
• Use the Werewolf core book, but not the supple-
ment: If you do want to use Forsaken werewolves but In this act, the throng arrives in Colorado and is offered
don’t have or don’t care about the Rockies supplement, work at a slaughterhouse outside Greeley. During the course
that’s fine, too. You can create your own Uratha characters of this grueling labor, the Prometheans’ coworkers, reacting to
and local power structures from scratch. Disquiet, attack the characters, causing a riot and prompting
• Using the Supplement: The Werewolf sourcebook the characters’ “transfer” to a different kind of job.
Hunting Ground: Rockies focuses primarily on Denver,
and details the many packs that claim territory in the Getting There
Mile High City. The city has a great deal of history for Before this act begins, the characters need to get to
the werewolves — Denver was the site of a terrible battle Denver. The time of year isn’t important for purposes
between the Uratha and a monstrous spirit-being called of this story (and keeping it flexible allows for greater
an idigam. The battle ended favorably for the werewolves, pliability when fitting “To the Wastes” into your larger
but not before the creature had left many of their kind chronicle). Some suggestions for bringing the throng to
dead or worse. The city is now “open,” insofar as the the city follow:
more powerful werewolves in the area don’t bar younger • Set the chronicle here: If you aren’t running “The
Uratha from claiming territory. The inherent strangeness Water of Life” or either of the stories that appeared in
of the Created, however, probably sets the werewolves Pandora’s Book or Strange Alchemies, you can just
on guard. Prometheans register as “supernatural” to the begin the chronicle in Denver. You’ll still need a way
Scent of Taint Gift, and probably carry odd scents (you to bring the throng together, but some possibilities for
could, for instance, rule that a Promethean who currently doing this are discussed in Chapter Four of Promethean:
has unspent Vitriol smells faintly of sulfur — too mild for The Created.
the human nose to detect, but a werewolf in wolf form • The Boston Connection: If you’ve run “Strangers on a
might well notice it). Hill,” you’ll recall that Moses Moon, Lighthouse’s demiurge,
With all of this in mind, what happens when a pack of was traced to an occult bookstore in Denver. A scene in
werewolves notices the throng depends entirely on that which the characters track down this lead is detailed below,
pack in question. Black Moon Extreme, for instance, is a and can provide a good entry point into this story.
young pack with a hot-headed leader. The packmembers • Advice from a Mentor: If one of the characters
are out to prove themselves, and have been doing so by has a Mentor or Contact in another Promethean, she
killing vampires. It’s not inconceivable that the pack might be sent to Denver on an unrelated errand. The
might mistake a Promethean for a vampire, or that the “mentor” doesn’t have to be a Promethean, though. A
werewolves might see the Created simply as something character with the Elpis Merit might see a city rising high
strange that needs to be put down. above the landscape, surrounded by mountains, and a
On the other hand, a pack such as the Three Sisters staircase appearing in the rock leading to it. A qashmal
might actually be able to help a Promethean along her might appear to the throng and put the notion of going
Pilgrimage. These werewolves specialize in prophecy and to Denver in their minds.
the wisdom of the spirits, and a Promethean inclined to • The End of the Road: If the characters are traveling,
listen to such wisdom (an Ulgan especially) could benefit perhaps their vehicle breaks down in Denver. They’ll
greatly from meeting these werewolves. need to make arrangements for another vehicle before
• Other Supernatural Beings: A city of half a million they can continue on their way, and hopefully that will
people probably has other strange beings in the shadows give you enough time to hook them into the story.
in addition to werewolves. Vampires stalk the nights of • Events of the chronicle: If you have any loose ends
every major city, and mages are surely present, hunting from the chronicle so far that your players are quite keen
down the secrets lost to time and progress. If you feel the on following up, one of them could lead to Denver.
story would benefit from including, say, a vampire who Perhaps one of the characters knows that he is only one
fell into a deep sleep after riding across the dark plains of several attempts by his creator to craft the perfect
in the 19th century or a cabal of mages searching for the Promethean and that one of his “siblings” now resides
elusive monsters rumored to live in Denver City Park, in Denver. Meeting this sibling and trying to find out
by all means include them. The World of Darkness is their creator’s motives is probably tempting (and almost
big enough for such variety. certainly a milestone).
Once the characters are in Denver, proceed with
Scene One.

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 ACT ONE: COGS IN A MACHINE

Scene One: inflicting the Disquiet. If the character is a Golem, Amber

tries to keep him in the shop while she subtly uses several
Around Denver different divination methods (crystals, cards, pendulums,
This scene presents three brief events that you can use to etc.) to ferret out information about the character; these
introduce the characters to the Mile High City. The first ties have no actual mystical effect, but the “results” only confirm
in with the previous story from Strange Alchemies, since whatever hypothesis Amber has already fabricated. On the
characters playing through the ongoing chronicle will likely other hand, an Adonis character might make Amber inter-
wish to resolve this point upon reaching Denver. The second pret a Tarot reading in a way that makes the character into
two events are merely meant to show the characters the city some kind of suitor to her. Disquiet also affects questions
and set the stage for the rest of the story. Part of setting the about Moses Moon, though not necessarily detrimentally.
stage, as it happens, is inducing Torment, and so these events If Amber is fascinated or terrified by a character, she might
are meant to strike nerves for the Prometheans. answer questions honestly just to get the characters out of
her store (or buy her time to think of something to do).
Moses Moon’s Legacy If the characters ask her about Moses Moon, she professes
Moustafa Jaymes, a.k.a. Moses Moon, did something ignorance. If the characters describe Moon or mention his
that no mortal in centuries has been able to do — create a activities in Boston, she snaps her fingers and says, “Oh,
Promethean. Using ancient Egyptian techniques combined you mean Moustafa. I forgot he went by ‘Moses’ out there.”
with his own understanding of soul alchemy, he created She explains that Moustafa Jaymes is a close friend of hers
Lighthouse, a Promethean with heretofore unknown abili- and sometimes used her guest room while he was in town.
ties. If the characters are in Denver looking for him, then She has not heard from him since before he left for Boston,
they have the address of a New Age bookstore called Golden but since the riots in that city she has been worried for his
Moccasin Books, known to its regular patrons as “Gold safety (obviously, if you haven’t run “Strangers on a Hill,”
Moc.” Moses Moon is not present, but in the bookstore you’ll need to doctor this account somewhat). If you plan
the characters can find some hints as to his process and his on running the last installment of this chronicle, to be
intentions. presented in Saturnine Night, then Amber can tell the
The proprietor of the bookstore is a woman named Amber characters that Moon has family in Detroit and might have
Graham. Amber is in her mid-40s. She is slightly plump and been going there after he was finished in Boston.
has long hair that she dyes black on a regular basis. Amber Convincing Amber to let the throng poke around upstairs
is pleasant enough and has a passing knowledge of New Age requires some kind of special effort, be it a convincing lie
occultism, but no real magical or alchemical knowledge. (Manipulation + Subterfuge), an especially earnest plea
She offers to perform Tarot readings for the characters if (Presence + Persuasion) or a vicious threat (Presence +
they enter the store during business hours. If the characters Intimidation). Other options include using a supernatural
accept, you can either make up the results of the reading power to force the issue or simply breaking in later (which
(a few minutes of research online should easily turn up a requires the appropriate Larceny and Stealth rolls). In any
description of the Major and Minor Arcana of the Tarot case, upstairs the characters find a spiral-bound notebook
and a basic idea of what they mean) or, if you have a Tarot that Moses Moon accidentally placed on a high shelf and
deck, go ahead and do “in-character” readings. You can even forgot to take with him. In the notebook are his preliminary
stack the deck, picking out what cards would be appropri- notes on alchemy and the creation of “life from crude, dead
ate for which characters and arranging them in advance, flesh and water.” These notes are precious, for they can serve
shuffling the rest of the deck and then placing your chosen to make a character’s own generative act easier (see p. 187
cards on top. It’s just as simple, though, to perform the read- of Promethean: The Created; these notes bestow a +1 to
ing as Amber does — that is, look at what cards come up, the Humanity roll to create a Promethean).
observe the subject’s body language, dress and mannerisms The last page of the notebook, however, contains a pas-
and wing it (this is called “cold reading”). Whether or not sage that might give the characters pause:
Amber actually tells the characters anything useful is up to Such beings do exist. I have seen them, and learned to rec-
you, but the cards might be an interesting way for the Elpis ognize their markings. I have seen these marks on the walls of
Merit to manifest. slaughterhouses here in Colorado, and I wonder how many among
Likewise, remember that Amber is a normal mortal. She the workers bussed in from the city did not begin their lives as
suffers from Disquiet just as anyone else. She does, however, babes in arms, but as corpses revived by this elusive fire. What
have a high Resolve + Composure pool (seven dice), so benefit could such creatures gain by taking work amongst the
she might resist longer than most. If she becomes afflicted human masses, especially work so grueling? I have considered
by Disquiet, the results of the Tarot reading (or any other this question from every angle, and the only answer I can find is
interactions with her, for that matter) are affected. How a Zen saying: “Before Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
they are affected depends on the Lineage of the character After Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

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 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

Moon did not leave behind any other notes, or any hint arrive after dark to actually meet Amber). If you are using
of where he might now be found. Hunting Ground: Rockies, consider using the Nevermore
If the Storyteller has not run “Strangers on a Hill” and Bookstore, where the Three Sisters pack makes its home,
wishes to do so, though, this might be the event that leads instead of the Golden Moccasin.
the characters to Boston (though they’ll be approaching
the issue in a different way than the material presents). If The Lost Dog
the Storyteller has run that story but decided to remove the Play through this event when the throng is somewhere
notion of a human demiurge from the equation, then Moses relatively private. One of the city parks in Denver would be
Moon is an occult scholar, gifted but still just a man and a good locale, as would scouting rundown neighborhoods for
incapable of grasping the Divine Fire. The notebook might a new lair. The characters shouldn’t be completely alone;
contain his observations of Prometheans he has encountered there should be people within earshot or quick running
(perhaps a total of three, one of whom might be the Originist; distance, just to keep the characters on their toes.
see p. 75), but the last note remains as written. Prometheans are used to animals shying away from them
In the World of Darkness . . . (or being outright hostile), as Disquiet takes its toll. When
Amber might have a touch of the supernatural about a dog wanders up to them, sniffing their hands and looking
her. She might be blessed with some kind of prophetic gift, up expectantly, the characters might well feel overjoyed
making her Tarot readings more accurate or poignant than at first. Perhaps they are progressing in their Pilgrimages,
they would otherwise be (if you have access to World of and Disquiet is abating somewhat? Regardless of the cause,
Darkness: Second Sight, she might possess some of the the promise of some companionship, even non-human, is
Merits listed there, but it’s just as easy to represent her probably enough to raise their hopes.
“gifts” by Storyteller fiat). She might actually be a super- Sadly, any progress the characters have made toward the
natural being of some kind, perhaps a mage using the occult New Dawn has nothing to do with this animal’s behavior. The
bookstore as a front for her business of selling real magical dog is possessed by a spirit of fire (see “Dramatis Personae” for
tools, or a vampire using the store as a means to feed on this creature’s history), and since it perceives the world as a
the New Age crowd (meaning that the characters need to spirit, rather than as a dog, it doesn’t suffer Disquiet. It does,
however, feel the characters’ Azoth as a sort of metaphysical

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 THE LOST DOG|TRAFFIC STOP

heat, and due to its nature wishes to join in the “blaze.” As burn away, its fat and blood sizzle in the coals, but the dog lies
such, the moment a character comes near the dog or offers there with a look of absolute contentment. (This gruesome
a hand, the dog bites. Have the targeted character’s player scene, of course, will almost certainly incite intervention
roll Wits + Composure to avoid being surprised (see p. 152 and possibly violence from any able mortal witnesses, so
of the World of Darkness Rulebook). Due to the dog’s the characters should consider the best place and time for
quick movement and the fact that it isn’t sending out any this immolation.)
hostile signals, the player suffers a –1 penalty on this roll.
The Danger Sense Merit provides the normal +2 bonus. Traffic Stop
The dog’s bite inflicts aggravated damage to Prometheans, This vignette can happen anywhere that the Storyteller
and while it probably won’t do more than a point or two, wishes. The characters run afoul of an officer of the law. The
this is still enough to call for rolls to resist Torment, both for cop can stop them on any pretext you wish. If they’re in a
suffering aggravated damage and for suffering damage from car, he could pull them over for speeding, having a broken
fire (see p. 180–181 of Promethean: The Created). taillight or simply say that there are “suspects in the area
The dog doesn’t bear the characters any malice, and fitting your description.” The characters might well know
so if the characters attack, the dog cries out in pain, rolls their rights, but all that means is that they know that those
over on its back and responds as a normal dog (the spirit rights are being violated. The cop and his partner order all of
falls back on its host’s instincts, hoping to save itself). If the characters out of their vehicle (or to simply harass them,
the characters persist in attacking the dog, it tries to flee. if they’re on foot), demand to see identification, proof of
Passersby hear the dog’s cries, however, and come to see insurance and car registration, and ask them questions about
what is happening. Once Disquiet kicks in (and remember where they’re going and whether they’ve been drinking.
penalties for witnessing disfigurements or Transmutation Initially, the cops aren’t afflicted by Disquiet. They’re just
use), all they see is a group of strange people beating up doing their jobs and being unpleasant about it. Of course,
some poor animal. If you wish to turn this scene into a after a few moments of talking with the characters, you’ll
fight between the characters and some enraged citizens, need to check to see if they succumb to Disquiet. Apply a –1
feel free (the “citizens” in question might be elderly folks penalty to the Resolve + Composure roll for these officers;
out for a walk in the park, kids who yell at the characters it’s their nature to be suspicious, after all.
to stop hurting the puppy, cops, gangbangers with guns and It’s in the characters’ best interests to be polite, to tell the
a soft spot for dogs or just normal Colorado residents who cops whatever they need to know (and lie well, if neces-
happen to be licensed to carry concealed firearms). Even if sary), and get gone before Disquiet makes things untenable.
it just becomes a shouting match, the characters probably If the characters so much as offer wisecracks, one cop gets
wind up having to resist Torment for dealing with people in the joker’s face and makes it clear that Denver’s finest
suffering from Disquiet. don’t appreciate being back-talked, while his partner calls
If the throng kills the dog, the fire-spirit loses its host and for backup. (How fast that backup arrives depends on where
vanishes back into Twilight. Depending on your preferences, the characters are and what else is happening; if they’re in
the spirit might flee the area, looking for a fire big enough the suburbs, backup is a minute away, while on a highway
to sustain it (and probably dissipating quickly, unless such a it might take as long as 10 or 15.) If the characters fight or
blaze exists) or it might follow the characters, trying to figure injure the cops, the characters can expect to have a full-scale
out why they feel like fire even if they aren’t actually burning. manhunt underway in very short order. Make sure the players
Such a spirit, while not very powerful, is truly dangerous. It understand this (you might allow them to make Intelligence
assumes that the characters want to burn, and it intends to + Streetwise or Academics rolls to understand the gravity of
help them. It can use its Influence to exacerbate any nearby attacking policemen). As much as it probably chafes them,
source of flame, even a cigarette lighter. their best bet is to endure the few minutes of grilling and
If the throng includes an Ulgan or another character dominance the cops serve up and then get away.
with the Ephemeral Flesh Bestowment, that character can Of course, once the cops fall under Disquiet, they might
talk to the spirit, either in the dog’s body or outside of it. If well try to keep the characters around while checking for
the characters explain to the spirit that they are not actu- outstanding warrants or find some other pretext to arrest
ally beings of fire, the spirit realizes its mistake and refrains them, especially if the throng includes a Golem. This kind
from trying to burn them. If they are polite to the spirit and of behavior is difficult to wriggle out of without using Trans-
promise to set a fire, the spirit accompanies them and can mutations, and can potentially lead to Torment.
even steer them toward safe hideouts or away from dangers You can find Traits for police officers on p. 206 of the World
(that is, you can use the dog to propel the characters toward of Darkness Rulebook. You might want to scale back those
plot points in the story). If the characters provide a large Traits a bit, however; they are meant to represent veteran
bonfire for the dog, it walks into the blaze, turns around a police officers, which may or may not be what you want for
few times and settles down to sleep. The dog’s fur and flesh this scene. In any case, it’s a good idea to assign names and

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descriptions to these cops, so the players don’t see them of America, building new lives from hardship. Mention of
as “generic antagonists.” If you describe a cop simply as “a the fate of the native inhabitants of North America sours
cop in a blue uniform wearing mirror shades,” the players him a little; “Indians” are among the many types of people
don’t see him as a human being as easily as if you describe whom Boyce dislikes, though he’s adept at not showing it.
“a white man in his late 30s, sporting the beginnings of a Boyce tells the characters that the slaughterhouse (he
beer gut but thick, strong-looking biceps, wearing a gold calls it a “packing plant”) is north of Denver in the city of
wedding band and scuffed, well-worn boots.” Greeley. He offers to provide the characters with transporta-
tion to the facility, and accommodations until they can find
Scene Two: their own housing (which he assures them won’t take long).
The Job Offer What he isn’t telling them is that he is a free agent, paid
by the meat packing company to find employees. Once he
In this scene, the characters meet a man who offers them
delivers the employees to the plant, his obligation is over,
a job working in a slaughterhouse in Greeley. The man,
and he never expects to see them again. (He will, of course,
Joseph Boyce, seems like an ordinary mortal, but in talking
at the end of the act.)
to him at least one of the characters feels a stirring of the
While Boyce isn’t exactly a sympathetic figure, his of-
Divine Fire — a Revelation.
fer might appeal to the characters on any of a number of
Run this scene after the characters have been in Denver
levels. Characters of any Refinement can find reasons to
long enough to find at least a temporary lair and wrap up
accept his offer:
any business that brought them here. Hopefully, at least one
• Aes: If a Sentry’s throng decides to take the job, the
of the characters also suffers from Torment (but has worked
Sentry must follow suit, of course. A Sentry might push to
through it for the time being). This Torment repulses other
take the job if the throng is low on funds or if she feels that
Prometheans (see p. 92 of Promethean: The Created),
the throng as a whole needs to spend more time around
even members of a Branded throng. This sickening feeling
humanity.
isn’t enough to turn friend against friend, but it’s enough
• Aurum: Obviously, spending time working in such
to make tempers flare and exacerbate any minor tiff, and
an environment stands to teach a Mimic volumes about
so a character suffering from Torment might start feeling
humanity. The lessons thus learned might be a little harsher
the urge to go to the wastes. Before anyone can make that
decision, however, Boyce shows up. than she realizes, of course.
Boyce is specifically looking for migrant workers, hope- • Argentum: A Mystic might best be motivated by the
Revelation that Boyce is to pass along (see below). Or, you
fully illegal immigrants, but he’ll take anyone who looks
might seed some rumors of supernatural occurrences at a
down and out. He searches Denver’s slums, city parks and
slaughterhouse (the unquiet spirit of a former employee,
other places where the homeless and downtrodden might
for instance, or a vampire collecting the blood of the slain
congregate. Prometheans being what they are, the throng has
cattle).
probably attracted enough attention that someone mentions
• Cobalus: Slaughterhouse work is dangerous and not
“that group of weirdoes hanging out under the bridge,” or
a little controversial. Either of those traits, or just simple
whatever applies to the characters. If the characters have
curiosity, might propel a Cathar to take the job.
enough money to avoid this kind of ignominious lodging,
• Cuprum: Pariahs are probably the biggest challenge to
Boyce approaches them when they are out in public. Even
the Storyteller as far as getting the throng to Greeley. For
if they appear normal or successful, Disquiet causes Boyce
what it’s worth, not every Promethean needs to take a job,
to condescend to offer them work. He feels that only the
so if a Cuprum character is willing to work on other projects
desperate and inferior take work in the slaughterhouses, and
— finding a lair, for instance — she might still fulfill a use-
Disquiet leads him to see the characters this way.
ful role in the story. A Cuprum character looking to leave
Friendly and affable, he asks the characters if they are
behind this Refinement and take on a new one might use
looking for work. If the characters respond in the affirma-
employment in the slaughterhouse as a “training ground”
tive, he appears enthused and relieved. He frames the issue
in terms of need on his part — he says that he has a great for her new calling.
number of openings at his plant and no one to fill them. • Ferrum: The rigorous and physically demanding work
The work doesn’t require formal education or prior experi- makes for a perfect and unique opportunity for a Titan to
test his mettle.
ence, he says, all it requires is stamina, a good work ethic
• Mercurius: What happens to a building when thousands
and the willingness to relocate to Greeley for a while. He
of lives end in it every day? Do the spirits of the dead animals
tries to avoid telling the characters the true nature of the
linger there? Might the “natural” Pyros of the area be usable,
job, calling it “factory work.” If the characters push, he tells
or will it decay into Flux? While not exactly a conventional
them that the jobs include working in a slaughterhouse.
locale for the study of the Divine Fire, the slaughterhouse
He admits that the work is hard, even unpleasant, but he
still has potential secrets for an Ophidian to uncover.
compares the slaughterhouse workers to the early pioneers

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 SCENE TWO: THE JOB OFFER|THE TRIP TO GREELEY

• Plumbum: An Originist might see that working in a touch of prophecy about her, she might be the
close proximity to humans is doomed to failure, but also one to presage the job in the abattoir.
presents some interesting opportunities to learn about the
• Wing it: If the players are dead-set against
Promethean condition. How much punishment can the
taking this job, don’t force it. They’ll be missing
Promethean form take? Will the already bad working condi-
out on some potentially valuable insight into the
tions affect (or be affected by) Disquiet one way or another? human condition, but it’s not going to make or
Note: One of the central points of “To the Wastes” is finding break your chronicle (what makes or breaks a
the notes of a Promethean who followed the Refinement chronicle, of course, is whether or not people are
of Lead. Therefore, you might consider waiting to present having a good time with it). If they refuse Boyce,
this Refinement to the players until then. let them knock around Denver for a while, getting
• Stannum: Killing animals for 10 hours a day might into any trouble they like, and then have Boyce
allow a Fury to vent some anger without hurting people. A make the offer again later. Maybe instead of
more philosophical practitioner of Stannum might wonder pitching the slaughterhouse job, he asks them how
about the job’s affect on Torment — will it increase, or will they would feel about the “safer” occupation of
the brutality of the work allow the Torment to bleed off into mining (allowing you to skip directly to Act Two).
the surrounding environment?
Feel free to mention any of these reasons for accepting
the job offer to the players. The benefits of this opportu-
nity might not be immediately apparent, even though the The Trip to Greeley
drawbacks almost certainly are. Driving from Denver to Greeley takes about an hour. As
promised, Boyce drives the characters, unless they have
alternative means of transport. Boyce drives a large, 12-
seat van. It is filled to capacity (that is, 12 minus however
Off the Beaten Path many characters ride with Boyce) with other recruits, most
So what if the characters refuse the offer? The of them Mexican.
players, after all, are well within their rights to Traveling separately is probably the best choice, as Boyce and
decide that this sort of work is beneath their char- the other workers in his van will succumb to Disquiet rapidly
acters, and if their concepts support this sort of over the hour-long drive. In any case, when the characters reach
attitude it’s difficult to force it on them. What can Greeley city limits, Boyce pulls his van over at a fast food restau-
you as Storyteller do to keep the game going? rant. He asks the characters if they want anything and proceeds
• Divide and conquer: Odds are at least one of to buy dinner for everyone present (he has an expense account,
the throng-members is going to see some redeem- of course). The evening is cool and breezy, and the assembled
ing value in the job. If it looks like the prevailing workers sit at outdoor tables and chat.
opinion is going against accepting Boyce’s offer, At this point, it might be wise to give the workers a bit
tell a player who is in favor of it (or at least on of personality. At least come up with some names and basic
the fence) that the notion of taking the job gives descriptions for them, because as mentioned earlier with
her character a strange feeling, not unlike the regards to the overzealous cops, if these supporting characters
welling-up of Vitriol inside her after she completes have names and faces, the players are more apt to see them as
a milestone. Hopefully, with that potential carrot human beings. Because one of the main themes of this story
dangling before the group, they follow the lead. is human suffering and perseverance, it’s important that the
If you do this, of course, you’ll need to add a Prometheans can recognize humanity and the value in it. As
milestone to the character in question that can be these men sit around the tables chatting, some in Spanish
fulfilled at the slaughterhouse. and some in English, eating their food and hopeful about
• Think ahead: Have the characters bumped the prospect of employment, let the characters soak up this
into a qashmal recently? Maybe this being could example of humanity. Forego Disquiet rolls just for the mo-
foreshadow “fatigue, death and blood all around, ment, at least until a character draws attention to himself.
the cries of dying animals, but a promise of Hope Then roll seven dice (the highest Resolve + Composure
at the bottom of this box of woe.” Perhaps a pool present — Boyce) and determine the effects of the
character with the Elpis Merit sees visions of the Disquiet. Make careful note of which character engenders
slaughterhouse long before the characters ever the effect, because since the characters will be working
meet Boyce (but be sure to remind the characters with these men this Disquiet will only worsen. The rules
of their visions; such details tend to be lost in the for and effects of Disquiet can be found in Chapter Three
deluge of information in roleplaying games). If you of Promethean: The Created. It might be wise to reread
decide that Amber, earlier in this act, actually has them before running this scene.

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Boyce, fortunately, is still affecting his friendly, gregarious ratty motel just north of downtown Greeley, hands them
façade. He glances off toward the mountains and asks the room keys and tells them another van will be here in the
assembled workers if they’ve ever heard the story of the morning to pick them up and take them to work. He ad-
Blood Clot Boy. The other workers have not, but players monishes them to get a good night’s sleep — the van arrives
can make Intelligence + Occult rolls for their characters just before sunup.
(–2 for obscurity, a Specialty in Native American legends In the World of Darkness . . .
applies). If this roll is successful, the character knows that Boyce is designed as a normal mortal, but he must have
Blood Clot is a creation myth of the Southern Utes. If the had some contact with or influence from Pyros at some
character mentions this, Boyce looks blankly at the character, point, because he is able to induce Revelation (see p. 51).
and then tells the story anyway: How is this possible?
The story is that a man and woman found a blood clot on the The easiest answer is that Boyce is under the influence of
ground while hunting buffalo, and took the clot home to boil it. a qashmal. Some of these enigmatic beings can implant an
But when they did, they heard a baby crying, and they found idea in a mortal’s mind, which can then be spread to others
that the blood clot had somehow formed into a child. This kid like a viral memory. It’s entirely possible that such an idea
— they just called him Blood Clot, I guess — grew up into the took root in Boyce’s head at some point in his travels, and
greatest hunter in the land. Killed all kinds of animals and fed he’s only now met the Prometheans he’s meant to bless
his parents well, gave them skins and hides and all. And then with this story.
one day he decides to leave to go seek his fortune, and before he Another possibility, though, is that Boyce is a Redeemed
does he calls up a big storm that kills a whole herd of buffalo so Promethean himself. It’s a sad commentary on the New
that his folks will never be hungry. And then he goes and finds Dawn if a former Promethean could develop into a bigoted
another tribe and impresses them all with his strength, even though mercenary like Joe Boyce, but then, part of being human is
they’re a little afraid of him. He marries the chief’s daughter, and being able to make those sorts of choices. Likewise, Boyce
he warns her that since he’s born of the blood of a buffalo calf she might be a Scion (see p. 33), if you as Storyteller wish to
can’t even say the word ‘calf’ around him. But one day when use these beings in his chronicle.
he’s hunting buffalo, his wife spots a young one and yells ‘Kill Before you decide to make Boyce anything other than
that calf!’, and Blood Clot turns into a buffalo and runs with human, though, consider two things: What ramification
the herd for 10 years. But then after that, he decides he doesn’t will it have on the story, and how will the characters find
want to go back to his wife after she failed him, so he goes off it out? If Boyce is working under the direction of a qashmal,
and lives in a cave in the mountains until he gets over his hurt. even if the qashmal gave him directions months or years ago,
He’s still there, the Utes say, because now that there ain’t no all it means for the story is that Boyce can pass along the
wild buffalo he doesn’t have anywhere to go anymore.” Revelation. If he used to be a Promethean, though, maybe
This story, though Boyce doesn’t know it, is part of the he guides the characters to the mine out of an instinctive
Seer’s Pilgrimage (see p. 46). Which characters experience desire to help them. If he’s a Scion, perhaps he offers them
the Revelation is up to you as Storyteller. It might be wise the job at the slaughterhouse not because he simply wishes
to choose the Refinement of whichever character objected to fill his quota, but because he knows them for what they
strenuously to taking the job at the slaughterhouse, just to are and realizes that taking this job will ultimately be of
undermine any potential arguments for staying. Then again, benefit. Will the characters ever discover the truth about
if several members of the throng follow the same Refinement, Boyce? Probably not, but knowing the truth will help you
you can increase the benefits by choosing this common understand and portray him in a much more convincing (if
Refinement. In any case, the characters who experience not flattering) light.
Revelation suddenly see a vision of a tall, imposing figure,
blazing with Pyros and dripping with blood and animal fat, Scene Three: The
standing at the mouth of a cave as lightning arcs around him.
Behind him in the cave is a drawing, similar to a pilgrim’s
Slaughterhouse
The characters can sleep in the rooms provided (enough
mark, but one that the character(s) cannot quite identify. for three people to a room), or make other arrangements
They feel it calling to them, however — their Pilgrimages as they wish. If they think to ask, the hotel clerk tells them
have been given direction, at least for the moment. See that these rooms are only paid through tomorrow night, after
p. 51 for more on the Revelation, and remember that any which he is to start charging the workers to stay there. (The
roll that the characters make that leads them closer to fee isn’t much, but it should tip the characters off to what’s to
the Shrine (and therefore the mine in Act Two) can give come.) In the morning, as promised, the van arrives to pick
them Willpower back, so be sure to keep an eye out for the workers up and drive them to the slaughterhouse.
such situations. The workers can smell the facility long before they see it. The
After dinner and the story, Boyce drives the characters fetid stink of manure, blood and rotting flesh is potent enough
and their coworkers into the city. He drops them off at a to penetrate the van’s air-conditioning. Long accustomed to

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 SCENE THREE: THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE

the smell, the driver doesn’t even flinch. The other workers, and obviously take a degree of skill to wield. The characters
however, react with exclamations, profanity and retching. notice that all of the employees here wear thick rubber gloves,
The van pulls off the highway and onto a lonely paved but that the gloves boast gashes from old accidents. An elderly
road. The driver stops at a gate, and the characters see a black man pushes a blue barrel on a handcart — the barrel is
high, chain-link fence stretching out for miles. A large NO full of cow fat trimmings. He is missing three fingers from his
TRESPASSING sign hangs on the fence, and as the characters’ right hand, and flashes the characters a nearly toothless and
van passes through the gate, they might notice leaflets on completely mirthless grin on his way past.
the ground declaring the facility to be “a poison factory” Glancing up, the characters see huge sides of beef enter-
and a “death camp.” Apparently, a protest happened here ing the room on an overhead assembly. Groups of men with
recently. huge, saber-like knives hack this meat into smaller chunks,
The van drives through a large parking lot and drops the which are then added to the conveyor belts to be trimmed.
characters off by the main entrance. They hear loud mooing The men strain and sweat, despite the cold air, hacking
coming from an immense truck, but they have little time away at the beef with all their might.
to process it. A heavyset man with a thin moustache and Mr. Stevens looks around the workers. Any female char-
a clipboard comes out of the building, waves the crowd of acters are given jobs trimming fat. Stevens gives the job
workers over and introduces himself as Mr. Stevens. He asks of hacking the meat to pieces to men that he thinks can
if everyone speaks English, but does not wait for a response, handle it, but favors white employees, employees who can
and then waves at the crowd to follow him. obviously speak English and employees who strike him as
Stevens brings the workers into a small conference room, intelligent (not that he’s any kind of judge). He considers
where he explains the purpose of this facility (slaughtering this work the “best” he can give a new employee, and sadly,
cattle coming from company-owned feedlots and packaging he’s probably right.
the meat for delivery to warehouses for distribution). He
issues each employee a set of coveralls, a pair of earplugs The Kill Floor
and a pair of plastic goggles. As the employees change, he This room, unlike the refrigerated and clean environment
also hands over chain-mail aprons and gloves, totaling about of the fab room, is humid, hot and odiferous. Dozens of
eight pounds of metal. “For protection,” he says, but offers skinned cattle hang by their legs from the ceiling, and the
no further clarification. characters see men with power saws cutting the cattle in
He then leads the workers on a (very brief) tour of the half. One of the workers (probably not one of the characters,
facility. At every station, he picks a worker or two, thrusts given the strong constitutions of Prometheans), turns around
a tool into their hands and explains their new jobs to them and retches into a garbage can. Mr. Stevens tells him to go
in curt, brusque tones. None of the jobs that these work- outside and regain his composure, but if he can’t hack it in
ers (the characters included) are given require much in here he’s better off finding other work.
the way of skill, and they consist of repetitive tasks to be The scenes only get more gruesome. The workers see men
carried out thousands of times in the 10-hour shifts these with elbow-length rubber gloves reaching into the bisected cattle
people are to work. and pulling out their innards. One man drops kidneys down a
What follows is a description of the slaughterhouse’s sta- chute, another slices out tongues, a third operates an electric
tions and the jobs that the characters can perform. Place knife to peel the remaining skin from the heads. Huge carcasses
them anywhere you think would be effective. move through the room almost randomly, and the characters
see several workers knocked to the blood- and manure-stained
The Fab Room floor by the corpses. The workers pick themselves up and get
The fabrication room is actually the end of the slaugh- back to work, but it’s easy to imagine what would happen if a
ter process. The room is largely stainless steel and is the worker carrying a knife had such an accident.
cleanest room on the production floor. The room is huge, The blood here is ankle-deep. The stench will never come
labyrinthine, and contains hundreds of pipes and conveyor out of the characters’ shoes or their coveralls. The noise in
belts transporting large pieces of red, still-bloody meat in this room is loud, but not deafening, and if the characters
all directions. The machines in the room assemble boxes, listen carefully they can hear a series of popping sounds
seal the meat in plastic wrap and prepare it for delivery. The coming from a nearby room.
room is chilled (about 40 degrees Fahrenheit). The fact that Stevens chooses a few more workers here and sets them up
room is the first one the characters see is no accident — it at their stations. He asks if anyone can handle a power saw.
is the most benign room in the place. It may dawn on the The first person who answers in the affirmative gets to strip the
characters at this point that they are to see the slaughter meat off cattle skulls. Other jobs include cutting the animals
process in reverse, starting with the finished product. in half, removing various innards (each person is responsible
Much of the work in this room involves trimming the fat away for a particular organ, so the kidney remover does exactly that
from the meat with long knives. Some of the knives are electric, for his entire shift), and removing the cattle’s tongues.

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The next room, separated by an open doorway, is where Stevens pauses again. Any remaining characters are given
the cattle enter the factory. They are suspended from the shifts here, either as knocker, sticker or hoister. His job done,
ceiling conveyor by their feet, but they are still alive. Once Stevens walks away. He does not tell the characters (or any
in a while, one kicks at the restraints. The characters walk of the workers) when they will be given breaks or how long
up a narrow, steel staircase caked in blood both old and their shifts will last, much less when or how much they can
fresh. At the top is a man holding a long pole with a knife expect to be paid. The unstated, but obvious, fact is that if
at the end. The “sticker’s” job is to stab each animal in the the characters waste time asking such questions, they will no
throat with this knife, hitting the carotid artery every time, longer have jobs. They are left to figure it out as they go.
for 10 hours a day. Obviously, this doesn’t always happen,
and toward the end of the shift it’s not uncommon for the Storytelling the
sticker to take several tries on each animal, or for cattle to Slaughterhouse
head toward the skinning machines still barely alive. The How much in-game time you want to devote to the actual
sticker stands in a river of blood almost up to his knees, work of the slaughterhouse is up to you. Part of the real-life
killing roughly six cattle a minute. horror of such a job is the length of the hours and repeti-
Continuing on, the characters finally see the cattle entering tion of the work; imagine doing something that amounts
the building. They walk down a narrow chute, and at the end to pulling a trigger, and nothing else, for 10 hours straight!
they meet the “knocker.” This worker holds a compressed But Prometheans don’t suffer from repetitive-stress injuries,
air gun that fires a steel bolt at the steer’s head, knocking it and they don’t tire in the same way that mortals do, so the
unconscious. This gun makes the “pop” that the characters unpleasantness of the job stems from other issues for the
heard earlier. Two workers catch the steer’s back legs and characters.
haul it up into the ceiling conveyor apparatus, where the First, consider the Wasteland effect. After an hour, mystical
steer flies off to the sticker and its demise. marks start to appear in a character’s station. Since the shifts

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that the characters work are 10 hours, the Wasteland doesn’t Game systems probably aren’t necessary for this scene, but
have time to fester into a true Wasteland (unless you want if you wish to roll some dice, you might consider: Stamina
to have Stevens ask the characters to keep working, since + Resolve (staying alert through hours of repetitive work);
they don’t seem tired), but the mystical marks themselves Dexterity + Weaponry (killing cattle; –3 for a specified
can be disconcerting. Consider a Frankenstein working in target); Dexterity + Crafts (stripping meat from a carcass);
the fab room. Her humour might cause the electric knives to Dexterity + Firearms (using the knocker’s gun). Any of
short or stall occasionally, or cause tiny arcs of electricity to these rolls can be made to represent one hour of work. If
move across the metal walls. An Ulgan working as a sticker the roll fails, something bad happens during that hour — an
can probably expect unpleasant spirits to start whispering accident, or possibly just a slowdown (which might result in
to him within the first hour of his employment. None of the character being fired or moved to a different job).
these effects need to be pronounced or have game effects, Beyond the possibility of accidents, however, there isn’t
but the Prometheans’ presence should affect the building much that happens during a day on the job. The work is
in subtle ways. repetitive and so fast that the characters don’t have time to
Second, remember Disquiet. The characters’ coworkers talk. They are given 20 minutes to eat lunch and one 10-
are forced to spend 10 hours at a time around Prometheans, minute “coffee break” (coffee is available for purchase from
which is enough to boost Disquiet into the third or fourth vending machines). If the characters talk to their coworkers,
stage very quickly. For the next scene to happen, in fact, a or listen to their conversations, the characters might hear
considerable amount of Disquiet needs to build up. What you some of the following rumors and facts:
as Storyteller need to decide is how fast that happens. If you • “The pay here’s a little better than the mine down by
want to run side stories during the characters’ employment Colorado Springs, but I think I like that job more.” (Several
time, allowing them to pursue other activities when they of the workers at the slaughterhouse are former mine employees,
aren’t working (so when do they sleep?), perhaps Disquiet let go because the mine’s production seems to have stalled.)
should only advance at one stage per week. If the players • “I hear those cows in my sleep now. It’s fucking
don’t seem interested in this stage of the story, maybe it’s creepy.”
best to only have them work a day or two and then run • “I found cow brains up my sleeve the other day. How the
Scene Four. In any case, describe the effects of Disquiet as hell did that happen? I always keep my gloves on tight!”
they mount. Coworkers stop talking to the characters, or • “Those protester fuckers are coming back next week,
show an unhealthy interest. Coworkers stare at a character and I heard they’re going to try to chain up the fence again.
while working, knives never missing, eyes never leaving the College pussy-boys.”
character’s hands. If the line slows, it’s the character’s fault. • “You know Boyce shills for the mine, too? I swear he
If a steer falls from the conveyor, it’s because the Promethean enjoys putting people in shitty jobs.”
sticker didn’t kill it. Gradually, the characters become the • “I heard they’re going to sneak a TV reporter in here
scapegoats for the whole place. some night this month. More power to ’em. Maybe we’ll
Finally, decide if anything significant happens during a day get unionized.”
on the job. Working in a slaughterhouse isn’t exactly safe. • “Yeah, I’ve got some reds, but I can only sell you enough
Blades can strike machinery and go flying through the air for today. I can’t get any more until payday, and I sure as shit
to impale or lacerate employees. A careless stroke of a knife can’t get through the rest of the week on just coffee.”
can cost a coworker a finger, or an eye . . . or his life. Cattle In the World of Darkness . . .
can get caught in machinery while still alive, requiring that The true horror and grotesquerie of working in a
the kill floor shut down for a short time while the animal is slaughterhouse are probably enough for most players.
removed and killed (and sent onward to be butchered, of In the World of Darkness, however, it stands to reason
course) and the mechanisms cleaned. All of this needs to that some form of the supernatural might take an interest
happen quickly, however — the slaughterhouse processes in the abattoir. Presented here are some suggestions for
400 cattle an hour, and no one wants to fall behind. how this might play out:
Describe a typical day on the line — scent, sights, sound • A vampire sneaks into the slaughterhouse after
and the endlessness of it all. If you want to put the characters hours to feed on the cattle. The vampire is young, and
in a tight position, have one of them be injured by a flying unwilling to slake his blood-thirst on human beings. If
blade and see how he handles having to pretend to be hurt. the vampire sees that people and cattle are both treated
A Promethean can heal the injury easily, so what does he do like resources — valuable insofar as they can keep the
to keep his cover? Likewise, as the work wears on, the knives plant solvent, but ultimately expendable — he might
get dull, and stopping to sharpen means holding up the line. rethink that assessment.
Do the characters increase their Strength with Pyros or the • A pack of werewolves uses the factory as a meat
“Might” Transmutation? If so, how do they cope with their source. These werewolves claim that hunting for their
disfigurements becoming visible, even for a second? own prey is difficult in a place like Greeley; herds of

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buffalo don’t exactly run free across the plains. They the whole way through; maybe he sat with the characters
might see the Prometheans as encroaching upon their at their dinner in Scene Two when they heard the story
territory, especially if Disquiet gets in the way. of Blood Clot (see p. 128) and chatted with them. Maybe
• Spirits of cattle move with the herds, subjugated and he works with one of the characters pulling innards out of
pathetic. Spirits of death, fear and pain hover inside the cattle. But now Disquiet has set in severely (the leader is at
kill floor, consuming these steer-spirits as their physical the third stage of Disquiet; see p. 170 of Promethean: The
representations die under the sticker’s knife. If an Ulgan Created), and he has talked the other employees into believ-
works near this activity, he can interact with these spirits ing that these coworkers are somehow responsible for their
easily — but to what end? misery. The characters make the line move too slowly. The
• The blood seeping into the ground awakens some- characters are actually company plants quashing attempts
thing ancient and terrible. It could be a spirit, but it to unionize. The characters are the ones pissing on the line
might just as easily be a monster entombed centuries ago and contaminating meat. The stories get more far-fetched
by an earthquake. The scent of blood and death stirs the as Disquiet grows — a female character is having an affair
entity, and it slithers into the plant’s basement, gorging with Mr. Stevens, and the tension is what’s making him
on runoff. How long until the entity can attack lone such a bastard. An injured character faked his mishap in an
workers after dark? attempt to scam the company, and so on and on.
• The surrounding area is largely rural, and could Remember that the highest Azoth in the group colors the
contain dormant Pandorans. These creatures might be Disquiet. If the Azoth ratings are all equal, the Disquiet’s
canny enough to lurk in the factory, out of sight, until tone might depend on which character has been the most
the characters are alone, at which point the Pandorans sociable with the other workers, or, conversely, the coworkers
spring out and attack. Can the characters escape quickly, might focus on someone who hasn’t said a word, wonder-
or keep the fight quiet enough to avoid drawing notice? ing what he has to hide. The Lineages of the throng are
Maybe a Pandoran just takes a bite and flees into the significant in determining how these people react; some
factory, knowing it can return at any time. basic ideas follow:
• Frankenstein: “We the workers are united — they want
Scene Four: The Riot unions, better treatment and higher wages, but those guys
In this scene, Disquiet gets the better of the slaughter- are the only stumbling block. Management’s never going
house workers, and they ambush the characters after a day to budge with these assholes around.”
of work. Boyce interrupts this melee and, thinking quickly, • Galatea: “These folks are making all of us normal
takes the characters away, offering to send them someplace people look bad. They must be on some good drugs to keep
that they’ll be safe from legal repercussions. working so steady like that, but we’re not going to let those
The attack comes at the end of another grueling day at the pretty bastards drag us down.”
slaughterhouse. The sun has already set when the characters • Osiris: The mob here has no definable reason for their
leave the building, caked in blood and excrement, tired but actions. The leader just yells “Get them!” and the crowd
not aching the way some of their coworkers are. As the follows suit, lost in anger and hate. You might choose to
characters make their way toward their transportation (their remove the drug bonus from such a crowd, since they are
own cars, if they have them, or a company van if not), they probably acting spontaneously, but they are more likely to
notice a group of employees following them in a mob. make All-Out Attacks.
Have the players roll Wits + Intelligence. If this roll suc- • Tammuz: “We’ve got to know how they walk out of here
ceeds, the appropriate characters notice that the workers every night looking so fresh. They do the same work as us, but
were popping small red pills as they left. Amphetamines are I don’t see them stretching their aching muscles or cradling
not uncommon on the factory floor, but it’s strange to see their hands from carpal tunnel. How do they do it?”
workers taking them after a shift. The reason, of course, is • Ulgan: “It sounds crazy, but those people are wrong.
to have the energy to fight. All of the workers receive a +2 Evil. Maybe they’re here because they like killing or they
to Strength-based rolls during this fight (see p. 177 of the need blood for some Satanic thing they do, but you just
World of Darkness Rulebook). watch them a minute and tell me if the shadows don’t turn
red around them.”
The Mob These are just examples, of course, and you should tailor
The exact motivations for jumping the characters, of the actual motivation not only to the Lineage, but to the
course, vary depending on a number of factors. When Dis- character, in question.
quiet affects a group, typically it rallies around a leader. The The mob contains about half-again as many people as
Storyteller should create such a character before running “To Prometheans (so eight workers for a five-member throng),
the Wastes” and make sure he shows up early enough that unless the characters are heavily specialized toward combat,
the characters can identify him. He need not be antagonistic in which case you might make the ratio two or even three

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to one. Most of the workers are not armed, but one or two aren’t interested, don’t force it. Let them do as they
brought their knives out to take home and sharpen, and wish (and see the sidebar on p. 127 for some thoughts
during the fight others might break antennas off cars or pick on how to handle it).
up rocks to use against the characters. If the characters do not go with Boyce: Let them do as
they wish. Boyce finds them a day or two later, probably still
The Attack in Greeley, and tells them the safe information (the police
The mob is not interested in talking. If the characters are after them, but he can keep them safe).
try, all that means is that the workers get a few free shots If anyone dies during the fight: It’s unlikely, but it’s pos-
in. The mob concentrates on the character upon whom the sible for a worker to sustain enough damage to perish. If this
Disquiet is based (i.e., the one with the highest Azoth), but happens, have the appropriate player roll to avoid Humanity
not so much that other characters are safe. The workers are loss and keep in mind that although a brawl might not incite
intelligent enough to grapple a character so that other work- a police investigation, a death certainly will. This makes it
ers can beat or stab him, and make use of All-Out Attacks all the more important for the characters to lie low.
(see p. 157 of the World of Darkness Rulebook), Dodge
and the cars and terrain around them. Use the Traits listed
for “Gangbangers” on p. 205 of the World of Darkness
Rulebook, except that the workers do not carry guns. Act One Milestones
The fight might go badly for the characters, or they might The potential for milestones in this act is im-
end up mopping the ground with these assailants. Combat mense. Characters can find meaning in the act of
is a fluid, after all, and much is left to chance. As it hap- holding down a job, interacting with humans as co-
pens, the fight doesn’t play out to its conclusion, because workers (or employees — especially important for
Boyce interrupts. the servitude-prone Golems) or pushing their way
through the physical hardships of the job. Learn-
Deliverance ing the truth about Moses Moon, helping the Lost
After three turns of combat, the characters see the gate Dog move on or receiving the Tarot reading from
open, and Boyce’s van drives in. On the following turn, it Amber might trigger a milestone in mystically
reaches the melee and Boyce honks the horn and screams inclined characters. Finally, fighting in self-defense
for everyone to stop. Depending on the layout of the scene or to protect one’s throng-mates in the last scene
at this point, he might aim his van at a grappled character could very well be a milestone, for practitioners of
and slam on the brakes at the last second, to get the attack- Ferrum, Stannum or Aes in particular.
ers to jump clear.
Boyce gets out of the van and looks around, trying to assess
the situation. He points at the characters and tells them to
get into his van, and then points at the other workers and
tells them that he has just called the police on his cell phone Act Two:
In Dark Places
and they should get clear of here. The workers scramble,
and the characters (hopefully) join Boyce.
In the van, Boyce tells them that he was coming to the In this act, the characters are briefly employed as miners,
slaughterhouse to find them. He shakes his head and says that but are trapped underground by an explosion. Left for dead
he knew the characters would be trouble, somehow. Boyce by the company, they can either try to escape, or see what
tells them that the company has friends in local government, this subterranean world has to offer.
and that they can expect police harassment soon — unless The end of Act One leaves the characters on the run,
they find a way to lie low. Boyce, as it happens, has a way probably with Boyce. He lets them stop by wherever they’ve
to facilitate that, and to get the characters new jobs at the been staying and pick up any personal effects, and then drives
same time. If the characters are tired of standing in cow shit them south to Colorado Springs. En route, he tells them a little
all day, Boyce says, he’s got work for them. about the job. The mine was almost closed recently because it
If the players balk, the character(s) who experi- wasn’t producing anything. Much of the crew was laid off (the
enced Revelation when Boyce told his story in Scene characters might already know this, since some of the mine’s
Two feel a slight quickening from within. Boyce, it former workers found employment in the slaughterhouse).
seems, might be leading them to the next stop on Now, though, a new vein of silver has been found, and the
their Pilgrimages. If the characters seem willing to mining company needs people to do some heavy work. Much
go along with Boyce’s plan, don’t include this detail of this work involves clearing rocks from the mine to keep the
— it might make things seem a bit too forced. If the tunnels open, and the shifts, while still long, will not be nearly
characters feel the nudge of the Revelation but still as grueling as in the slaughterhouse.

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The characters might well ask why Boyce came to the The Miners
slaughterhouse looking for employees rather than pick The mine is a small operation. Aside from the charac-
them up off the street, as he did before. Boyce lies, saying ters, only five other people are on site. Two are engineers;
that he knows how unpleasant the work in Greeley is and the other three operate the heavy machinery. Unlike the
hoped to make things a little better for the characters. In slaughterhouse, safety is a serious consideration — one of
truth, he was coming to the slaughterhouse to meet with the workers (choose one, probably Glen or Vern) gives the
Stevens and find any employees whom the plant considered characters a rundown of the job, the health hazards (methane
troublesome — the mine is reopening, true, but it is highly gas pockets are the chief concern) and even warns them to
unsafe. The mining company is trying to strip as much watch out for snakes.
silver as possible before the inevitable collapse, and while Have the players roll Azoth to determine Disquiet as
they don’t think the tunnels will just cave in unexpectedly, usual, but don’t worry too much about the effects even if
they don’t want to take chances with trained personnel or the roll succeeds. Better to present the miners as too busy
employees who have families (and are therefore likely to to stop and interact with the characters just now (with the
sue). A character whose player succeeds in a contested roll exception of the foreman who orients them), and therefore
of Wits + Subterfuge against Boyce’s Oration pool (seven not immediately susceptible to Disquiet.
dice) notes that he’s not being entirely forthcoming. If they The miners’ names and descriptions are presented below.
call him on it, he says that he’s just freaked out from what They are not given Traits or even brief write-ups in “Dramatis
happened at the plant (which is true in itself). Personae” because they won’t live long enough for such to
It might be better to skip directly from the characters become important.
driving away in the van to their first day on the job at the • Glen Cherry: Glen is the son of a coal miner. His
mine. If the players have too much time to think about what father died of black lung when Glen was a young man,
has happened, they might balk at going directly from one and he considers his career as an engineer a legacy to his
job to the next. If you begin the next scene in media res, you father’s. He has worked in gold and silver mines for the
can immerse them in this act before they have a chance to last 30 years and even survived a cave-in once. Glen is in
complicate things. Likewise, once the characters reach the his early 50s, has a stern, weather-beaten face and wears a
mine, it might be wise to find other ways to entice them gold ring forged from the first vein he ever discovered. He
into the caves. A flicker of Pyros, a strange premonition or never married, mostly because the demands of his job kept
a quickening similar to the Revelation to indicate that they him from forming real relationships. He considers the other
are near the Shrine may help to get all of the characters miners to be his family.
into the mine for the few necessary moments. • Sam Turman: The other on-site engineer, Sam is just out

Scene One: Cave-In of college. His parents moved to Victor, Colorado, recently,
but aren’t in good health. Sam decided to take a job nearby
The mine is several miles west of Colorado Springs, near and help them through their last years, after which he plans
the town of Victor. Victor’s population is barely 500, and move out to the Pacific Northwest. The other miner’s call
Boyce tells the characters that the mining company (which him “Mama’s Boy” because he talks about his mother often,
is locally owned — not a huge corporation like the one that but it’s mostly in fun; Sam’s a good kid and never looks down
owns the slaughterhouse) has set them up to stay in trailers on his less-educated coworkers. Sam is barely 22 and carries
near the mining site. He cautions them that the mining job an engraved pocket watch, even down the mine. The watch
is temporary, probably two or three weeks, maybe less, after is engraved with the words “All our love and pride, Mom
which the company will attempt to help them find work in and Dad” — it was a college graduation present.
the area should they so desire. • Hector Ortiz: Hector moved to Colorado from Los
Boyce isn’t being entirely truthful here, as usual. The Angeles by way of Mexico 10 years back, and worked in
mine is technically owned by local businessmen, but the Greeley slaughterhouse briefly. When a knife slipped
this arrangement is a front for one of the larger mining from a coworker’s hand and nearly killed him, he decided
concerns. As mentioned, the mine is unsafe, and the cor- God had given him a sign and quit. He married and took
poration wishes to have some distance (and some plausible work in Cripple Creek at a casino, but was laid off recently
deniability) between itself and the inevitable accident. and fell victim to Boyce’s blandishments. Hector is the
None of this matters much to the characters, however, as newest member of the team (other than the characters),
a warm Colorado morning finds them donning hardhats and is still finding his place in the social hierarchy, but
with flashlights and being led into the tunnels. More ex- he is polite and hardworking. Hector recently turned
perienced miners use large drills and jackhammers to dig 40 and worries about his graying hair a bit. He has four
for the gold veins, but the characters are simply expected children (Maria, Amelia, Rose and Mateo), and just
to pile the rocks into carts on wheels and push them out as most proud fathers, tends to ramble a bit if he starts
of the tunnels. talking about them.

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 SCENE ONE: CAVE IN|SCENE TWO: LIGHTS GO OUT

• Vern Mollica: Vern and his brother, Steven, have

worked in the mine since it opened. Vern is the older Scene Two:
of the two (32 to Steven’s 28), and since his brother’s Lights Go Out
“accident” (see below) has worked to better himself In this scene, the five miners die, one by one. As they do
— he’s been sober for three years now and is working so, they make their final wishes known to the characters,
on quitting cigarette smoking as well. A deeply devout protected from Disquiet by the darkness.
Christian, Vern takes it upon himself to make sure that Once everyone has had a chance to collect his wits, Glen
everybody who works in the mine is “okay” — not neces- does a quick roll call and asks how badly people are hurt.
sarily church-going, but at least living right. “Vern says The characters, of course, are all present, and even if they
he’s okay” has become a general affirmation of a man’s are injured, they probably aren’t too debilitated. Glen is fine,
character down the mines. Standing slightly over six other than some bumps and bruises. Hector is not hurt, but
feet tall, Vern is steady, calm and patient. is huddled in a corner shaking, terrified of dying in the dark,
• Steven Mollica: The Mollica family was always far from his family. Sam doesn’t respond immediately, but
deeply suspicious of psychiatric medicine, and so when then after a moment gives a low moan; a large rock landed
a doctor ventured a guess that Steven, when he was on his right leg, crushing it. He is trapped beneath it.
12, might be manic-depressive, the family didn’t give Vern landed on his shoulder and wrenched it, but says
it much consideration. Steven was moody, sure, but he’s fine otherwise. Steven doesn’t answer, and Vern, feel-
that didn’t make him crazy. Steven, sadly, never got the ing around in panic, discovers his brother unconscious,
treatment he needed, but managed to cope until three half-buried in a pile of debris.
years ago, when his father passed away. Depressed, drunk The chamber has enough air for about two hours (give
and reckless, Steven drove his car through a guardrail or take, depending on how many characters there are). If
and into a gulch, and survived only by sheer luck. In the characters get up immediately and start trying to move
the hospital, Vern held his brother’s hand and told him rocks or otherwise escape, Glen tells them to stop. “I lived
that if he would get help for his depression, Vern would through one of these,” he says, “and if you start doing that,
quit drinking. The two of them both kept their word, you might cause another cave-in. Sit tight — they’ll dig us
took work in the mine together and have looked out out.” If the characters listen to him and stop trying to find
for each other ever since. Steven is stable as long as he a way out, continue with the scene. If they keep trying to
takes his medication, and doesn’t want to do this work find a way out, go to “Escape Attempts,” below.
forever, but is content for the moment. Taller than his
brother, Steven sports livid scars across his forehead Comforting the Miners
(from the accident), but covers them with a bandanna The characters can help the miners in a number of ways,
most of the time. He is taciturn, but not unfriendly, and if they so desire. Glen is functional, but Hector is nearly
a character who can converse with him about horror hysterical. Calming him down requires five successes on
fiction has made a friend of him. an extended Manipulation + Empathy roll, with each roll
representing one minute of talking to him. Apply positive or
The Explosion negative modifiers based on how the character approaches
When all of the characters are working underground, an the situation. Telling him that they need his help to find a
explosion from deeper in the tunnel rocks the mine. The way to escape so that he can get back to his family is probably
characters are deafened by the noise and blinded by clouds worth an extra die or two, while saying something callous
of dust and smoke. The ground gives way beneath them, and such as “if you don’t get up, you’ll never see your kids again”
both the throng and the miners tumble into blackness. costs the player at least two dice.
If you want to chart how much damage the characters Sam is trapped beneath a large rock. Moving it requires
take from the fall and the blast, roll seven dice, minus any a feat of strength (see p. 47 of the World of Darkness
armor, for each character (not the supporting cast, just the Rulebook). The rock weighs close to 1,000 pounds, so
Prometheans) and apply the successes as lethal damage. The Strength 8 is required to move it. Spending Pyros reveals
other miners suffer similarly, but their specifics injuries are the characters’ disfigurements, unless they make sure that
discussed in Scene Two. Glen’s light isn’t trained on them. As long as they take a
When the dust settles, someone turns a light on. The moment to feel around the edge of the boulder and make
characters realize that all of them — Prometheans and miners sure they have somewhere to safely move it, they can free
— are trapped in a small pit, perhaps 20 feet in diameter and Sam without revealing their nature. Sam, once the boulder
12 feet high. There are no visible exits, no working radios is gone, cries out in pain and slips into shock. He cradles
and the characters hear nothing from above. In a shaking his mangled leg and asks anyone nearby to make sure his
voice, Glen tells the workers not to breathe too deeply, father takes his medications, and to check to make sure his
because he has no idea how long a rescue might take. mother has enough eggs in the fridge.

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 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

kind of role-
playing, or they
might not b e
able to contain
their snickers
when you tell
them that Sam
calls out for hi s
mother. Some
players resp ond
to emotional
situations by
making inappro-
priate comments,
and s ome play-
ers feel that thi s
kind of s cene
i s out of place
in a game that’s
“supp os ed to b e
fun.”
None of thes e
attitudes i s
wrong. You need
to gauge what’s
interesting and
entertaining
(if not “fun,”
exactly) for your
group and play to
that level. If that
means skipping
thi s s cene en-
tirely or narrat-
Digging Steven out of the debris requires an extended roll ing it, s o b e it.
of Strength + Athletics, with a –3 modifier for the darkness. Alternately, you might feel go o d ab out s ome
elements but not ab out others — a Storyteller
Up to two characters (plus Vern) can work on this project
who i s als o a p arent might feel uncomfort-
at once; Vern’s pool is eight dice. Each roll represents five
able ab out p ortraying Hector’s angui sh as he
minutes of digging. When the total reaches 10 successes,
realizes he will never s ee hi s children again.
Vern finds his brother and pulls him out, cradling his head As such, you might deci de that Hector died
and crying softly. If a character examines him, have the in the explosion or in the fall, and never had
player roll Intelligence + Medicine, with a –2 for the condi- a chance to make that realization.
tions. If this roll succeeds, the character realizes that Sam
has a bad concussion, but has no way to know the extent Knowing your players’ — and your own
of the damage. — comfort levels i s ess ential for any Story-
telling game, esp ecially in a story like thi s.
Before running thi s s cene, b e sure you have
a go o d i dea of how to do it.
Human Tragedy
Running a s cene like thi s, in which the
chief dramatic element i sn’t getting attacked If a character knows the “Shock” Transmutation, he can
by Pandorans or exploring the nature of Py- use it to wake Sam (but the roll suffers a –2). Sam is delirious
ros but comforting and ai ding human b eings for a few moments, and has no memory of the explosion or
in their last hours, i s not going to app eal to the fall. If no one knows this Transmutation, Sam wakes up
every troup e. Your players might revel in thi s on his own after an hour.

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 ESCAPE AT TEMPTS|PASSING THE TIME

Escape Attempts children. Unable to complete his prayer, he sits back down
Players being the proactive sorts that they are, they will repeating “por favor, Santa Maria, por favor.” If any character
almost certainly start looking for a way out. They might try touches him or says his name, he snaps out of it and asks that
some of the following avenues of approach: the characters visit his family and tell them what happened.
• Climbing the walls: The walls aren’t very high (12 feet), If the characters do not comfort Hector after the initial fall,
but the rock ceiling is immoveable. No matter how strong however, he slides deeper into madness and grief, eventually
the characters are, they simply can’t get enough leverage going catatonic and dying when the air runs out, curled up
or raw power to move the rocks above them. in a ball on the cold, stone ground.
• Digging: Scrabbling through the rocks with bare hands Sam moves in and out of consciousness during the
is impossible, and any tools the characters had were lost or first hour. The last time he wakes up, he whispers to
buried in the fall. While the characters can eventually dig his brother that he is sorry for trying to kill himself. “If
their way into a lower tunnel, they cannot do so in enough I hadn’t gone off that cliff,” he says, “you wouldn’t be
time to save the miners. here.” Vern shushes him, telling him that this is God’s
• Transmutations: Certain alchemical powers might plan, and he is sure that God has a purpose in this. Sam
provide egress, the Alchemicus Transmutation “Dissolve” in chuckles ruefully, whispers “I hope you’re right” and
particular. Using this Transmutation can indeed work away passes out, never to wake again. He dies of his injuries
at some of the rock, possibly even the ceiling. Remember, a few moments later, and Vern’s sobs fill the cavern,
though, that this power costs Pyros, and that Dissolve coats inchoate, mindless sorrow. He has no request to make
the character in a visible and noxious acid that inflicts dam- of the characters — his brother was his only living
age to anyone the Promethean touches. You might require family. If the characters did not dig Steven out, he dies
Dexterity + Composure rolls to avoid touching the other while Vern is still trying to move the debris, and Vern
characters in the dark, and even if the character does manage sits in a corner quaking with rage and grief. If touched
to dissolve part of the wall, she needs to inflict a great deal of or approached, he attacks whoever is nearest and fights
damage to burn through several feet of rock (which means until incapacitated or killed.
maintaining the Transmutation for multiple turns). Glen, stoic throughout, asks the characters (once Vern
The Vitality Transmutation “Fist of Talos” presents a dif- calms down) about their own families. The characters are
ferent problem. A Promethean with this power can batter faced now with a difficult proposition. Do they lie, mak-
through stone as long as he has Pyros to spend, but risks ing up the family that none of them ever had? Do they
causing a further cave-in. After the first blow, Glen cries doctor the truth, substituting a creator for a parent? Do
out to stop, and tells everyone to listen. The characters hear they dodge the question? Or do they do the unthinkable
rumbling from above them, and then a thin layer of dust falls and risk Disquiet by telling these people the truth?
from the ceiling. Hopefully, the throng takes the hint. How Glen and any surviving miners react is up to you
and should depend on the needs of the story. You might
Passing the Time decide that Vern, mad with grief, accuses the characters
The characters should quickly figure out that they of being demons from Hell who caused the cave-in, or
aren’t going to be able to dig their way out in time, but you might decide that he gives them his blessing, telling
even if they continue working on escaping, run this them to go on and finish their journeys to Humanity.
section of the scene. Glen might finally crack at the revelation of the su-
The miners pass on their wishes and prayers before pernatural, dying then and there of a heart attack, or
dying. Sam is the first to speak up, still in terrible pain, he might take it in stride and endeavor to answer their
but less in shock than before. He says that his parents questions. It’s very much in the theme of this story, in
live in Victor, the town nearby, and they aren’t in good fact, if the miners do try to give the characters some
health. He tells the other miners that, should any of insight into humanity, but remember that these men
them survive, to give his watch back to his parents and aren’t scholars or philosophers. Their insights will be
tell them “thank you” for always being there for him. practical, experience-based and much less esoteric than
If the characters have not freed him from the boulder, the characters are probably used to hearing from other
he dies long before this point from the shock and pain, Prometheans. These insights, then, might be just what
mumbling incoherently. the characters need.
Hector, if the characters have talked him down, thanks After about two hours, the miners succumb to suffoca-
them. He then gets on his knees and begins to pray in Span- tion. First Sam passes away, then Hector, then Vern and
ish, asking the Virgin Mary to grant him a miracle and bring finally Glen. Before Glen passes out, he reaches out and
him home to his children. His words echo in the deep pit, puts a hand on the nearest character, tries to speak, but
and even if the characters cannot understand him they feel cannot catch his breath. He lays his head back against
the fear and grief in his voice as he speaks the names of his the rock, and dies.

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 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

Scene Three: The Prometheans don’t really have a way to escape, but
they can certainly set up an ambush. The Leaper attacks
Secrets in the Dark the instant it squirms into the room, but the Pandoran is
In this scene, the characters discover that these caves outnumbered and hungry, and so it should fall quickly. It
have housed the Created once before, and he left behind has, however, made a hole into a lower cavern. If you wish,
wisdom . . . and danger. the Leaper might retreat down the cavern when it realizes
After the miners pass away, the characters need to start the Pandoran is outnumbered, and continue to plague the
worrying about their own lives. They need to breathe, too, characters in the next act.
although their Promethean constitution means that they When the characters kill the Pandoran, they can feel cool
will survive a little longer. Let the players discuss a course air rising up from the hole it made. Wriggling down the hole
of action, and when the conversation starts to lag a bit requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll (–1 if the character has
(or when they get close to deciding on something), have the Giant Merit). Failure means the character is stuck and
them all roll Wits + Composure. If this roll succeeds, the the other characters need to find a way to ease his passage
appropriate players hear a scratching sound coming from into the cavern below. Horribly, the only lubricant they
one of the corners. probably have handy is blood from the miners’ corpses,
The characters might initially think that this is a rescue but Transmutations such as Degradation or Dissolve would
attempt, but sadly, this is not the case. When the characters work, too.
dropped into this chamber, their Azothic Radiance awoke a When the characters all descend through the makeshift tun-
Pandoran — the Leaper, created by the former Promethean nel, they find that it opens up into a huge underground cavern.
inhabitant of these caves (see below) from Dormancy. The cavern consists of one main chamber about half the size
It has been digging for them ever since. This Pandoran’s of a football field (but overhung with stalactites, so visibility is
Traits can be found in “Dramatis Personae,” at the end of poor). A small stream runs through the center. If the characters
this chapter. explore the area, they find tunnels branching off of this main
If one of the characters uses the “Sense Flux” Transmuta- room. Most of these tunnels come to dead ends, but some of
tion, he senses the creature coming toward the chamber. them descend further into the mountain.

138
 ACT THREE: SUNLIGHT AGAIN

Most remarkable of all, though, is what the characters

find on a large, smooth wall of the cavern. Carvings, mostly Scene One:
Pilgrim Marks but some pictographs that the characters Inside the Mountain
probably don’t recognize. In fact, the language is a Chinese This scene consists of any activities the characters take
writing system, used in modern times only by the Naxi people inside the mountain (except for finding the Shrine of the Seer,
of Yunnan Province. A character who is familiar with Chi- which demands its own scene). The three most significant
nese culture might know that (Intelligence + Wits, –2 for events the characters can undertake here are reading and
obscurity), but other characters are probably hard-pressed to analyzing the carvings, going to the wastes and attempting
recognize it as a Chinese language system at all (Intelligence to create a new Promethean from the body of one (or more)
+ Academics, –4 modifier). Translating the writing is impos- of the miners.
sible unless a character is actually from Yunnan and knows Survival inside the cavern isn’t impossible. Finding food
the language. Simply knowing Cantonese or Mandarin is and water are simple enough; the characters can drink from
not enough; those language systems are not pictographic, the stream and catch and eat bats and snakes. Lichens also
and provide no help in translating these carvings (to say grow on some of the cave walls, and these are edible (to
nothing of the fact that these carvings are several hundred Prometheans). The biggest problem for the characters is
years old). The only sure way to translate the wall is with light. Only one hardhat with a lamp survived the fall, and
the “Translator’s Eye” Transmutation. If no one knows it, the batteries won’t last long down here. A character with the
you might consider letting one of the characters develop it, “Jolt” Transmutation can hold the flashlight and power it as
possibly using experience and Vitriol from this story. long as he likes (or until the bulb burns out, at least). The
The carvings and what they mean to the characters are characters could build a fire if they can find something to
discussed in Act Three. burn — clothes, for instance, or possibly some timbers from
the mine that fell into the chamber. Building a fire with no
matches is a Wits + Survival roll (–3 penalty).
Remember that the characters do create Wastelands inside
Act Two Milestones the mountain during their stay, but they are so far away from
Obviously, the last hours spent with the dying humanity that they don’t attract any attention in doing so.
miners are the characters’ best chance for mile- Still, take a moment with the players to define exactly what
stones in this act. Comforting these men as they each character’s humour does to the cave system, especially
take their last breaths — or even speeding their if a character goes to the wastes.
passage, in the case of the injured Sam or the
tormented Hector — might bring new insight into The Carvings
the human condition. Even if the characters don’t As mentioned in Act Two, the only way the characters are
have milestones specifically related to these condi- likely to be able to read the carvings is through the use of the
tions, the characters should still come away from “Translator’s Eye” Transmutation. If no one has purchased
this intense scene with some Vitriol. Of course, if this Transmutation yet, you might rule that the proximity
the characters behaved callously, not helping the to a Shrine and the possibility of reading the wisdom of a
miners and letting them die in pain and misery, bygone Promethean triggers a character’s ability to do so.
the characters should not only fail at appropriate Alternatively, if a character wishes to use the time in the
milestones but possibly risk degeneration as well
mountain to undertake the Cuprum Refinement (remember
(depending on their Humanity levels). Finally, dis-
that taking on a new Refinement requires a month of study
covering the Originist’s carvings might be worthy
and practice without a teacher), learning this Transmutation
of a milestone, especially for Mercurius characters.
might be an appropriate way to begin. Finally, a character
who stands for hours trying to make sense of the carvings
can spontaneously manifest this ability.
When the characters translate the writing, they find it to
Act Three: be a long discussion on the nature of the Saturnine Night.
The Promethean who carved the writing (never named in

Sunlight Again the carvings, and referred to here as “the Originist”) had
spent many years studying everything about the Promethean
In this act, the characters can analyze the strange carvings condition, learning, as he puts it, “the properties of my stony,
that they found, and discover the Shrine hidden within the breathless flesh, this excrement that I wish to change into
mountain. They must also make a choice — will they leave warm and beautiful humanity.” It is obvious to anyone who
the mountain immediately, or stay here in contemplation, reads this carving (or listens to someone else read it aloud)
going to the wastes? that this Promethean pursued a Refinement lost to time,

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 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

the Refinement of Source. This Refinement is described in way to sew it back together again? Maybe one of the characters
detail in Chapter Two. The carvings describe most of the carries a needle and some thread, and someone probably has a
salient philosophies of the Refinement, and a Promethean knife. Would lichens replace the herbs, then, or shavings from
reading can certainly take up the Refinement of Lead if he the wooden timbers replace the roses? Does Steven’s mental
so desires. Doing so would normally take a month without condition render him “touched by the spirits” for purposes of
a teacher, but the carvings halve that time. becoming an Ulgan? The Storyteller might decide that Sam was
The last part of the carving states that the Originist is about young and beautiful, and requires only a new leg to be worthy
to attempt the generative act. “If this working succeeds,” of being granted the Breath of Life (which still leaves the issue
the carving reads, “I shall teach my new child everything of the scented oils and pearls needed for the ritual, but perhaps
about her condition. She will understand everything that I the raw gold from the mine would suffice).
did not when my creator left me in the mud of the river. I In the end, you must decide if any of the Prometheans have the
will not leave her, not even when the New Dawn beckons.” tools necessary to create another of their kind, and if this is some-
The characters, having already fought the Leaper, might be thing you wish to let one of them pursue (unless the throng contains
able to surmise what happened to the Originist. more than one Golem, it’s not likely that multiple characters can
attempt the generative act). The generative act is described on pp.
Going to the Wastes 186–187 of Promethean: The Created. If the attempt fails, the
The characters have had numerous brushes with Torment characters can share in the tragedy and terror having to destroy the
during this story, and if any of them succumbed to it he car- Pandorans thus created. If the attempt succeeds, they welcome a
ries that stink on his Azoth. This cave, however, is immense, new Promethean into the Saturnine Night.
and a Promethean could find another cavern somewhere and
cut himself off from the rest of the throng. Of course, the Scene Two:
other throng-members need to know his intent, lest they
find him and spoil his attempt at purgation.
The Forgotten Cycle
Somewhere in the cave is the Shrine that Boyce unknow-
Going to the wastes is discussed on pp. 207–208 of Pro-
ingly alluded to in his story of Blood Clot. The characters
methean: The Created. The impact of this event on the
can find it if — and only if — they search for it. The Shrines
chronicle receives in-depth treatment in Chapter Three
of the Seer’s Pilgrimage carry great rewards, but while Pro-
of this book. Little attention to the event is required here,
metheans might hear of them by blind luck, they cannot
however — if the character remains hidden and secluded,
find them except by looking.
even from his fellow Prometheans, for a full month, he loses a
Finding the Shrine requires an extensive search of the cav-
dot of Azoth and any Torment he carries is washed away.
erns. This is an extended action requiring a roll of Intelligence
+ Survival. Each roll requires 12 hours of searching (be sure to
The Generative Act keep an eye on the characters’ activities for purposes of measuring
If one of the characters is nearing the end of his Pilgrimage,
hunger and fatigue, too — it would be unfortunate, if thematically
he might wish to use the bodies of the miners to fashion a
appropriate, for a character to fall into Torment from hunger
new Promethean. Obviously, this is easier for some Lineages
because he focused too heavily on the search.
than others. Frankensteins, for example, have no shortage
Unlike most extended actions, the search yields results at several
of body parts, but they are lacking in thread, needles and
increments, rather than at one final goal. That means that the
especially lightning. Galateids have much the same problem,
characters can stop at any time, or keep questing until they find
and add to that the fact that they need beautiful bodies to
the Shrine. Feel free to state that the character who experienced
work with (which might disqualify the miners’ corpses).
Revelation feels the same quickening of Vitriol as the search
Ulgans must use the body of someone touched by spirits,
progresses, just to make sure that the players don’t lose interest.
which again might leave them without suitable material.
Successes
An Osiran has river water (the underground stream), but
Achieved Discovery
lacks the herbs or the roses he needs.
2 A small chamber with the stream running
Golems, however, are very much in their element, so to
through it; a good place to go to the wastes
speak. Surrounded by earth and rock, all a Tammuz must do
5 Another such chamber
is inscribe some word of power on his would-be creation’s
10 A third chamber, this one included the bleach-
forehead or on a slip of paper placed into the corpse’s mouth,
white skeleton of the Originist, bones bitten
and hope.
and gnawed by the Leaper. Tracks indicate that
For non-Golems, though, the Storyteller needs to decide how
the creature was sleeping here until recently
strictly the creation process applies. An Osiran, for instance,
(when the characters awakened it)
normally cuts the corpse of his intended creation into 13 pieces
15 A narrow tunnel that leads to the surface — a
and sews it back together. Does an Osiran character under the
way to escape the caverns
mountain have the tools to dismember a body? Does he have a
20 The Shrine (see below)

140
 AFTERMATH

When the characters find the Shrine, the Promethean carefully, because your choice will probably
who experienced Revelation goes into a kind of trance. He influence what the throng decides to do next. If a
sees a man crouched by the underground stream, covered in character has “cause a Wasteland” as a milestone,
blood and buffalo hides, washing away the gore. The man the time spent underground might well fulfill it,
holds up his hands and says a word in a strange language, unless the characters focus on quick escape. The
but the character recognizes that it means “lead,” the base generative act, of course, is nominally a milestone
metal of the Saturnine Night. The Seer walks into the cave for all Prometheans. Finally, informing the miners’
and strikes the wall, and rocks fall around him. He turns, families of their fate is probably worth a point of
now “facing” the character, and in his face the Promethean Vitriol even if doing so doesn’t fulfill a specific
sees determination — to understand and to transcend. On milestone, provided the characters approach the
task in a humane manner.
the wall he struck is a Shrine-mark. This cave is the first in
a heretofore-unknown cycle of the Seer’s Pilgrimage, the
Bloody Querent Cycle. If you so desire, the characters can go
on to discover other tales and Shrines in this Cycle, the series
of tales of the Seer’s experiences following Plumbum.
The player of the character who witnessed this vision Aftermath
rolls Wits + Composure + Azoth, with success and failure What to do now depends greatly on your needs for the chronicle.
as described on p. 53. If you plan to run “These Mortal Engines,” the story appearing
in Saturnine Night (the final installment in the Promethean:
Scene Three: The Created line), you might wish to point the characters in

Moving On the direction of Detroit. One way to do that is to use the newly
discovered Bloody Querent Cycle to let another character experi-
The characters might choose to leave the mountain at ence Revelation, preferably a new convert to the Refinement of
any time. Doing so requires 15 successes on the Intelligence Lead. Another is Moses Moon. His family is from Detroit, and
+ Survival roll described above, but once they have found so Amber might send the characters there.
the way out, nothing stops the characters from returning to But maybe the characters aren’t so quick to leave the
the mountain later to search for other secrets (should you Rockies. They might wish to discover what was behind the
decide it holds any). The tunnel they find empties out onto explosion that trapped them and killed the other miners
the foothills, and the Prometheans can see the stunning (in fact, if one of the miners’ bodies was used to create a
Colorado landscape stretching out before them. new Promethean, it’s reasonable that doing so might be a
The only event that demands their immediate attention milestone for him). If they investigate, they can discover
is to visit the families of the miners (if the characters prom- that the “locally owned” mining company is a front for a
ised to do so). Sam’s parents can be found in Victor, while much larger corporation. What, then, are they prepared to
Hector’s family lives in Cripple Creek. Glen, Steven and do? Will they engage in industrial espionage? They stand
Vern had no living family, but the characters might inform to make powerful enemies in this manner, and the search
the authorities of their deaths just the same (or not, if the for who really gave the order to expedite the mining under
characters used the bodies to create new Prometheans). If unsafe conditions might take them far from Colorado (pos-
the characters perform this task, they see confusion and fear sibly even to Detroit, just to raise that possibility again).
on the faces of Sam’s parents — who will care for them now, Finally, if one of the characters wishes to stay in the mountains,
as their health declines? Why did they have to outlive their remaining in the wastes for longer than the others wish to wait,
only child? Hector’s family is likewise devastated, his wife what then? If one of the Prometheans fashioned a new Created,
breaking down into sobs and collapsing into a character’s the player of the Promethean going to the wastes might take on
arms. The characters can do precious little to comfort these the role of this newcomer. This situation receives a great deal of
people, and in fact their best bet might be to move on before attention in Chapter Three of this book.
Disquiet makes the families suspect that these strange folks The characters have seen some degraded, unfortunate and
have something to hide. even inspiring examples of humanity. Whether their desire
to join the human race is redoubled or greatly reduced after
this story, a lesson they might take away from “To the Wastes”
is that human existence, while it might be free of the threat
Act Three Milestones of Pandorans and the agony of Disquiet, is by no means
Discovering a relic of an ancient Promethean simple or idyllic. But the inverse is also true: human life is
might be a milestone for a Serpent or a Pariah. not paradise, but even with its trials, human gold is greater
Finding the Shrine, of course, if not a milestone in than Promethean lead by far. The characters have only to
itself, allows the character who experiences Rev-
look at the perseverance of the slaughterhouse workers and
elation to learn one of his milestones, so choose
the devotion to family of the miners to realize that.

141
 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

Dramatis Personae
Storytelling Hints: The Lost Dog only wants to go
home. The spirit reacts to stimuli that a fire-spirit finds
In this section, you’ll find character descriptions and traits interesting — cigarettes lighters, smoke from any source,
for the important supporting cast of “To the Wastes.” even pictures of fire. Because the spirit is using a dog’s
body, however, the way in which it reacts is decidedly
The Lost Dog canine. The dog pants, jumps up excitedly and “begs” for
Quote: [panting, sound of embers crackling] lit cigarettes. The spirit can feel whatever the dog feels,
Background: The house fire was just one of those stupid and so sometimes it remembers to eat, but physical pain
accidents. Some lit a scented candle and set it on top of his doesn’t deter the spirit in any way.
dog’s crate, and then walked outside to get the mail and wound Mental Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 3, Resolve 2
up chatting with his neighbor. The dog woke up from his nap, Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3
stretched and knocked the candle over onto the couch, where Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 1, Composure
it started the fabric burning, and soon the house went up. Tiny 2
fire-spirits, spawned by the blaze, consumed each other until a
Mental Skills: none
massive inferno-spirit formed, and it consumed the house and
Physical Skills: Athletics (Running) 3, Brawl (Bite) 2, Stealth
almost everything in it before the fire department arrived.
The dog, though, managed to shove the door to the crate 1, Survival 2
open and tried to escape the house. He only managed to Social Skills: Animal Ken (Dogs) 1, Empathy 1, Intimidation
get to the kitchen, though, before blacking out from smoke 2, Streetwise (Hiding Places) 2
inhalation. At the same time, one of the smaller fire-spirits Merits: Direction Sense, Fleet of Foot 2, Iron Stomach
split off from the group and became lost. As the dog lay dying, Willpower: 4
wanting only to escape and find his master, the fire-spirit, Essence: 10
wanting only to rejoin the blaze, possessed him. Health: 6
At that moment, the door opened and the fire fighters Initiative: 5
rushed in. The dog/spirit hybrid fled, fearing the water that Defense: 3
the fire fighters were using to murder the inferno-spirit, and Speed: 12 (species factor 6, Fleet of Foot included)
escaped into Denver. The Lost Dog wanders the streets, look-
Size: 3
ing for a way to join the greater blaze — to return home.
Influence: Fire •
Description: The dog is an Irish setter, about 60 pounds,
with thick red fur and brown eyes. It wears a collar, but has Numina: Claim, Fiery Bite, Seek
no tags, and the metal bits of the collar are hot to the touch. • Claim: This Numen allowed the fire-spirit to possess the
Water steams when the dog drinks it, and sounds of crackling dog, and could theoretically allow it to possess another
embers can be heard when it pants or barks. being. It cannot possess a Promethean, however, and so no
game systems are required for it. If you wish to have the
fire-spirit possess a new host, just assume that it requires
about an hour of work, after which the spirit melds with
the host just as it did with the dog. This process happened
much faster during the fire, of course, but that was because
the blaze strengthened the spirit.
• Fiery Bite: The dog’s bite inflicts fire damage instead of
simple lethal damage. To most targets, the only difference
this makes is cosmetic (the damage is accompanied by blis-
tering and searing rather than just punctures and torn flesh),
but to Prometheans, it means the dog inflicts aggravated
damage with its bite.
• Seek: The spirit can find sources of fire. Normally, the
spirit only finds mundane fire, but the Promethean’s Inner
Fire — Azoth — intrigued the spirit enough to make it
approach them.
Weapons/Attacks:
Type Damage Dice Pool Special
Bite 2 (L) 8 Counts as fire damage

142
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Joseph Boyce Description: Boyce is a trim man in his late 30s. He

Quote: It’s not easy work, but personally, I think any has dark hair that he keeps cut short, and wears dark
work worth doing should tax you some. cotton shirts, as he tends to sweat in the Colorado heat
Background: Born and raised in Los Angeles, Joe and doesn’t wish it to show. When not “on the clock,”
Boyce always prided himself on his ability to talk his he’s actually fairly dour and even unfriendly, but when
way out of undesirable situations. He went to college he’s working he has a smile for all the world.
and got a degree in communications, and had aspi- Storytelling Hints: Joe Boyce is a bigot who has
rations of becoming an agent or a talent scout. He refined his bigotry into pure condescension. He
discovered, though, that he didn’t have the patience says, in safe company, that he is doing the blacks,
to work up through the Hollywood ranks, so he bought Mexicans, immigrants, Indians and white poor of
a pair of boots and moved to Colorado, taking a job the area a favor by giving them work, but his true
in human resources with a machine parts factory. feeling is that as long as the uneducated minorities
Boyce’s talent for talking injured or angry employees of the world are working in slaughterhouses, people
out of suing — or even filing worker’s compensation like him won’t have to.
claims — brought him to the attention of his higher- Abilities:
ups. He was never promoted or officially paid to make Oration (7 dice): People find themselves agreeing
sure people stayed happy with their employer, but he with Joe Boyce even if they don’t understand what
lived very comfortably for several years. The factory he’s saying. He’s just got the sort of voice that gets
unexpectedly closed down one morning, however, people’s heads nodding.
due to government-imposed penalties, and Joe found Local History (6 dice): Boyce hates television and
himself out of a job. His former boss, however, had doesn’t like to fiction, but he does like to read. He’s
recently taken a job with a major meat-packing developed a taste for history and legendry, in part
concern, and remembered Joe’s ability to sweet-talk because it gives him something interesting to talk
people into doing or continuing to do unpleasant about to potential marks.
work. He offered Joe a job as a “freelance recruiter.” Strong Willed (7 dice): It’s hard to bully Joe Boyce;
Joe was to find employees for the slaughterhouse, and he’s self-confident and pretty good at projecting a
it was a full-time job, given the high turnover rate at tough exterior. As it happens, this makes him resistant
such places. While Boyce isn’t exactly thrilled to go to Disquiet as well.
to work every day, he makes good money and enjoys
the travel the work affords him. What’s more, mining
The Leaper
Background: The Originist found the body of a Ute
companies have begun to employ his services as well,
woman, shot dead by an Army bullet, and decided
and since Boyce doesn’t recruit anyone he respects
that she would be his progeny, the culmination of his
for the work, he sleeps well at night.
Pilgrimage. He resolved to teach her well, to show
her everything he could about being a Promethean
before ever introducing her to the concept of the New
Dawn. He didn’t count, however, on her body splitting
asunder and the pieces crawling off into the dark. He
killed two before the last — the strongest, the Leaper
— pounced on him from above and consumed him.
Description: The Leaper hunches like a frog. Its
stance is somewhere between quadruped and biped.
The Leaper has large, bulbous white eyes and a mouth
full of terrible fangs, and it hisses like an enraged
adder when it jumps in for the kill.
Mockery: Ishtari
Rank: 2
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina
3
Social Attributes: Presence 1, Manipulation 1, Com-
posure 3
Physical Skills: Athletics (Jumping) 4, Brawl (Claws)
4, Stealth 4, Survival 3

143
 CHAPTER FOUR|TO THE WASTES

Willpower: 5
Vice: Wrath
Initiative: 8
Defense: 4
Speed: 14
Size: 4
Health: 7
Transmutations: Pandoran — Bizarre Weaponry (Claws ••),
Acid Phlegm (•••), Wall-Walking (•••)
Bestowment: Inertia (••••)
Pyros/per Turn: 12/2
Weapons/Attacks:
Type Damage Range Dice Pool Special
Claws 1(L) - 9 -
Grapple - - 7 (see p. 157 of the
World of Darkness
Rulebook)

144
The
Thebeauty
beautyofofthetheGreat GreatWork Work

MAGNUM OPUS
is isthatthatit itis isnever
neverfinished.
finished. TM

Even
Evenif ifeach
eachof ofus us
were
weregranted grantedMortality
Mortalitytoday,
today,
what then?
WeWewould
wouldallall
stillstillhave
havejourneys
journeys
to tomake.
make.
This book includes:
• Possibilities on new and differ-
ent ways in which Promethe-
——ZoZoMalak,
Malak,Ulgan
Ulgan
ans might be created, com-
plete with sample characters
• Four new Refinements, with
new Transmutations
• “To the Wastes,” a continuation
of the “Water of Life” story be-
gun in Promethean: The Created,
set in the Colorado Rockies

PRINTED IN CHINA
ISBN-13: 978-1-58846-608-2
W W60101 $26.99 US
www.worldofdarkness.com WW60101