I felt that Incarnates didn't really live up to the title of legendary monsters. I think I may have gone a bit too far. Please tell me what you think. The idea of Genesis Of Monsters comes from ajf115, with tweaks by me.
Inviolate Fusion: Any supernatural attempt to alter the fundamental nature of the Horror/Lair or sever it from the Incarnate automatically fails, even if initiated by godlike beings (e.g. spirits of Rank 6+, Methuselahs and Archmages). The sole exception to this is the Dark Mother. Should the Incarnate suffer Destabilization, he becomes vulnerable to having his Horror/Lair ripped away or altered by said beings.
Fearless Countenance: The Incarnate is considered to have an improved version of the Deadpan Merit (Mage: The Awakening 2ED, page 305). In other words, supernatural attempts to impose fear or revulsion on the Incarnate automatically fail. Should the supernatural attempt to frighten the Incarnate play off of Conditions or vices he already suffers from, he is vulnerable, but may initiate a Clash Of Wills against it with the Rote Quality. This Clash Of Wills is available even against godlike beings. To reiterate: this only applies to supernatural attempts.
Primordial Sovereign: Whenever one of its Birthrights, Atavisms, Nightmares, Lair Traits or Kinship abilities is involved in a Clash Of Wills, count the Incarnate’s rolled Successes or its [Lair/2 round up], whichever is higher. Any attempt to remove or control any of its Lair Traits triggers a Clash Of Wills. In addition, it is considered to have the Sympathetic Defense Elder Transmutation.
Genesis Of Monsters: There is a monster in everyone. Beasts know this better than most and Incarnates the best of all. They know that they are creatures of legend, and legends live in all who know the tale. In this way, there is a fraction, a seed of an Incarnate in all who know and tell their Myth, and this is a seed which can be induced to grow. This has a number of effects. Firstly, an Incarnate may expend dots of Satiety in order to force this metaphysical seed to bloom within a mortal, endowing them with a number of dots of Supernatural Merits suitable to the Incarnate's nature equal to [Lair/2 round up]. This comes at the cost of the mortal losing a dot of Integrity, though, as the monstrous flower within them spreads its roots into and draws sustenance from their soul. These Merit dots can be split among multiple powers, and even used to acquire Advanced and Epic versions if the mortal meets the prerequisites. Incarnates have been said to experiment with how far they can take this, creating legacies of powerful and often freakish servants in their image to carry out their will throughout the ages. Investigating these cults may be the key to discovering hints about how to Destabilize the Myth of certain Incarnates.
Second, an Incarnate is aware of and may Devour any Primordial Dreamers who know of its Myth. They have no further control over them, but they do know where the nascent Beast's Lair is in the Dream. Lastly, an Incarnate can 'teach' Merits that modify Atavisms, Nightmares and Lair Traits, including Advanced and Epic versions (see this post for examples). Since they are Masters Of Pathways and often have Family Ties with powerful entities, whatever upgrades they can give are likely to equally powerful. However, normal Beasts that seek these blessings must still acquire the necessary prerequisites, including Family Ties. The Incarnate can act as a middleman, but does not help for free. Whatever the Incarnate may demand is up to the ST, but may include anything from beating it at its own game to helping it Destabilize the Myth of a rival.
Legends Never Die: Even if killed while merged with his Horror, the Incarnate may return if his Myth has not been Destabilized. The details are up to the ST, but the time it takes for an Incarnate to return is proportional to how much his Myth has weakened, and they generally appear in places that resemble their most iconic Chambers. The resurrection may start with the Incarnate as a being similar to an Unfettered, deep in the Primordial Dream, and in order to truly come back they have to reclaim their Lair and then cement their return in their Myth to make it 'real', and not just a nightmare.
Superior Atavism does not give a free Satiety Expenditure per chapter. Instead, when an Incarnate selects a Superior Atavism, they gain a pool of points equal to their [Lair x 2] to spend on improvisational, narrative effects for that Atavism based on their Myth. Greater effects cost more points, and they may recharge their Superior Atavism points once per scene by spending 1 Willpower point and rolling [Highest Resistance Attribute + Occult + Lair] with Rote Quality. Each Success restores one point of Superior Atavism (these points may be split among multiple instances of Superior Atavism if the Incarnate has them). They restore 1 point even if they fail the roll. When a Superior Atavism faces against another supernatural power, roll for a Clash Of Wills.
Examples: Spending 1 point on Dragonfire allows the creation of a very long range and continuous beam or objects made of selectively harmful fire, 3 points clears a whole building or creates minor monsters of living fire, 5 points envelops a whole block or creates major monsters of living fire, 7 points covers the whole neighborhood in an inferno or creates a precise rain of fire over a large area, and 9 points endangers the whole city or annihilates one enemy through absolute immolation.
Inviolate Fusion: Any supernatural attempt to alter the fundamental nature of the Horror/Lair or sever it from the Incarnate automatically fails, even if initiated by godlike beings (e.g. spirits of Rank 6+, Methuselahs and Archmages). The sole exception to this is the Dark Mother. Should the Incarnate suffer Destabilization, he becomes vulnerable to having his Horror/Lair ripped away or altered by said beings.
Fearless Countenance: The Incarnate is considered to have an improved version of the Deadpan Merit (Mage: The Awakening 2ED, page 305). In other words, supernatural attempts to impose fear or revulsion on the Incarnate automatically fail. Should the supernatural attempt to frighten the Incarnate play off of Conditions or vices he already suffers from, he is vulnerable, but may initiate a Clash Of Wills against it with the Rote Quality. This Clash Of Wills is available even against godlike beings. To reiterate: this only applies to supernatural attempts.
Primordial Sovereign: Whenever one of its Birthrights, Atavisms, Nightmares, Lair Traits or Kinship abilities is involved in a Clash Of Wills, count the Incarnate’s rolled Successes or its [Lair/2 round up], whichever is higher. Any attempt to remove or control any of its Lair Traits triggers a Clash Of Wills. In addition, it is considered to have the Sympathetic Defense Elder Transmutation.
Genesis Of Monsters: There is a monster in everyone. Beasts know this better than most and Incarnates the best of all. They know that they are creatures of legend, and legends live in all who know the tale. In this way, there is a fraction, a seed of an Incarnate in all who know and tell their Myth, and this is a seed which can be induced to grow. This has a number of effects. Firstly, an Incarnate may expend dots of Satiety in order to force this metaphysical seed to bloom within a mortal, endowing them with a number of dots of Supernatural Merits suitable to the Incarnate's nature equal to [Lair/2 round up]. This comes at the cost of the mortal losing a dot of Integrity, though, as the monstrous flower within them spreads its roots into and draws sustenance from their soul. These Merit dots can be split among multiple powers, and even used to acquire Advanced and Epic versions if the mortal meets the prerequisites. Incarnates have been said to experiment with how far they can take this, creating legacies of powerful and often freakish servants in their image to carry out their will throughout the ages. Investigating these cults may be the key to discovering hints about how to Destabilize the Myth of certain Incarnates.
Second, an Incarnate is aware of and may Devour any Primordial Dreamers who know of its Myth. They have no further control over them, but they do know where the nascent Beast's Lair is in the Dream. Lastly, an Incarnate can 'teach' Merits that modify Atavisms, Nightmares and Lair Traits, including Advanced and Epic versions (see this post for examples). Since they are Masters Of Pathways and often have Family Ties with powerful entities, whatever upgrades they can give are likely to equally powerful. However, normal Beasts that seek these blessings must still acquire the necessary prerequisites, including Family Ties. The Incarnate can act as a middleman, but does not help for free. Whatever the Incarnate may demand is up to the ST, but may include anything from beating it at its own game to helping it Destabilize the Myth of a rival.
Legends Never Die: Even if killed while merged with his Horror, the Incarnate may return if his Myth has not been Destabilized. The details are up to the ST, but the time it takes for an Incarnate to return is proportional to how much his Myth has weakened, and they generally appear in places that resemble their most iconic Chambers. The resurrection may start with the Incarnate as a being similar to an Unfettered, deep in the Primordial Dream, and in order to truly come back they have to reclaim their Lair and then cement their return in their Myth to make it 'real', and not just a nightmare.
Superior Atavism does not give a free Satiety Expenditure per chapter. Instead, when an Incarnate selects a Superior Atavism, they gain a pool of points equal to their [Lair x 2] to spend on improvisational, narrative effects for that Atavism based on their Myth. Greater effects cost more points, and they may recharge their Superior Atavism points once per scene by spending 1 Willpower point and rolling [Highest Resistance Attribute + Occult + Lair] with Rote Quality. Each Success restores one point of Superior Atavism (these points may be split among multiple instances of Superior Atavism if the Incarnate has them). They restore 1 point even if they fail the roll. When a Superior Atavism faces against another supernatural power, roll for a Clash Of Wills.
Examples: Spending 1 point on Dragonfire allows the creation of a very long range and continuous beam or objects made of selectively harmful fire, 3 points clears a whole building or creates minor monsters of living fire, 5 points envelops a whole block or creates major monsters of living fire, 7 points covers the whole neighborhood in an inferno or creates a precise rain of fire over a large area, and 9 points endangers the whole city or annihilates one enemy through absolute immolation.
Comment