Bestial Creations

[Nadir]

I'm very excited about the Beast the Primordial, especially the amount of room that the Families allow for creating some unique characters and concepts. Most of the examples of Souls in the pdf are solid; Great cats, tentacles sea creatures, huge serpents, spider, giants and dragons all harken back to ancient fears real and imagined. But the game taking place in a modern setting, I started to wonder about newer but prevalent icons for fear.

I thought about effectively technological versions of these ancient creatures, which in my mind amount to rather pathetic looking "b" movie cyborg monsters with lawn more blade hands and gear mouths. Then it occurred to me I was trying to anthropomorphize technology and that was completely missing the point of how awesomely open the Families are. They don't have to be humanoid or animals or even imaginary creature they can be anything and Steven King already gave us a great example.

Christine; yes your soul take the form of a murderous 1958 Plymouth Fury(Anakim, Hungry for Prey). Driving along the sections of highways and back roads that make up your lair. Now I realize this might not be work thematically or stylistically with everyone game, but it has gotten me excited for discovering some really out of the box ideas for Beast!

So, I'd love to hear people ideas for Beast's Souls. Whether taken from books and movies or your own creations!

[Aiden]

I made a Deep One from the works of H.P. Lovecraft (Makara Tyrant). Sunken cyclopean ruins for the Lair Heart. Very interested in re-enacting the set-up in The Shadow Over Innsmouth. He just needs to find some assistants to pull that one off.

[malonkey1]

The Scrap Man: An Eshmaki Collector, the Scrap Man is a misshapen mass of rusted steel and shredded plastic, born of the waste of Human society. He thrives in places of poverty and despair, where he can silently whisper to people.

"Who cares if you drop that old Taco Bell wrapper there, it's not like one little piece of paper makes a difference."
"Your computer's busted? Just chuck it. It's way too expensive to get it recycled the right way."
"Those old beer cans are way too much of a hassle to take all the way to a recycling plant. Just give them to me."

The Scrap Man cackles with glee as trash piles up around him, all this glorious metal scrap, delicious toxins, all sorts of pretty colored plastics to stitch into clothing. He grows, and he grows, his very presence sickening people and driving them into yet worse poverty and misery.

The Scrap Man isn't just whispering to the poor man. He talks to the rich and powerful, too.

"Those hippies don't care about progress. Get rid of them, and you can make all the money you want."
"That new regulation bill is gonna lose you a lot of PAC money, friend. Maybe just tweak a line here and there? That'll do it."
"Of course you can dump that there. Nobody cared about that river anyway."

The Scrap Man grows fat on the waste of society, weaving every piece of trash into himself. He's floating in the back alley, sitting on the floor of the bus, flowing through the river, rotting under the bleachers in a stadium. But that's only when he's calm. Wen he's provoked, he becomes a terror of aluminum, steel, and rubber. His body is roughly humanoid, but hunched over, like a man eternally reaching down to pick up something. At any time, he can have from two to eight arms, formed of jagged steel and with hypodermic needles for fingers, and with scraps of old tires holding together the joints. His legs are squat and powerful, made from old cars, and driven by powerful engines. His roars sound like the backfiring of a massive engine, as he belches smog into the skies. When he sees an enemy, he stretches his body, creaking and groaning with metal, to impossible lengths as he lunges in for the kill.

His lair is a massive junkyard, with "life" formed out of trash in a mockery of the real world. Trees of rotted wood and plastic leaves hold newsprint birds and butterflies cot from glossy magazines, as rats and raccoons made of old rags, wild dogs made from bits of twisted steel. In the center of this great land of living refuse stands a citadel of rust and decay, which makes up the Heart of the Scrap Man's Lair. If you can brave the hungry metallic maws, the storms of shattered mirrors, and the wild packs of metal beasts, then the Scrap Man awaits.

[nofather]

When reading the book I was surprised to see how much of the Beast ideas resonated with my current character, a werewolf styled after Bale Hounds, which we've sort of jimmied into the game. The taxi thing, specifically, was actually something he already did, except he does it on a college campus, abusing the Safe Rides system they have set up. So it was really fun seeing someone else with the similar idea, and I've decided to use the rest of the book as sort of a source of inspiration for further deeds.

He was styled after the Beast, as well, not the game line but the Great Beast In that vein, and due to his past, a core part of his belief system is that there is no 'reason' to kill, only desire to. And as a beast, he needs nothing more than true desire to follow his true will. If I had Beast a few months ago I probably could have made him one to get around the Oath of the Moon, but when it comes down to it I really enjoy and prefer Werewolf, and since the Harmony system won't really force him to give up his character sheet, he has only to deal with in-game repercussions of his actions.

It's actually a little funny, to me at least, the similarities between my character, Malcolm 'Thousand Thoughts,' and little things in the Beast game. Even if you look to his inspirations, the Beast, also called Therion, which is the Greek name of the Lupus constellation, which was based on the mythical Babylonian figure Mad Dog, Ur Idim. At least according to wikipedia, which also points out that the figure was, in appearance, the physical opposite of the Ugallu. Which we later found out to be one of the Beast families, according to my notes it was announced 16 days after my game started. And he's certainly not like the Ugallu. But when it comes down to it I guess the thing is there's only so much mythology to go around.

Anyways, were he to be a Beast, he would probably be an Anakim, or perhaps with a bit of Eshmaki if there was some sort of dual kith-like ability. While he doesn't have that many powers, he's used them in many more ways than the brute force of the Anakim. But when it comes down to it, he turns into a 8'9" people eater, so Anakim. I said in the other thread he'd probably fit a lot of the Hungers, but his primary would be the Hunger for Prey, obviously. And while he doesn't have an ancient monster in his soul, he does have Embodiment of the Firstborn merit, where he 'is the perfect likeness of one of Father Wolf's brood. She looks the part so very closely that she shakes the souls of her onlookers.'

[Reaper Verse]

For me, from what I have understood or at least taken away from the core of Beast is that the pure embodiment of the Beasts, the true form, the inner Soul runs wild until the Beast comes to the realization that the monster that had been tormenting their dreams is in all actuality their self. Given that Beats cannot manifest their true self unless within their own Lair (for the most part, barring some shenanigans), my brain immediately came up with the best conclusion:

Beast can be used to run Persona users.

At least, Beast can provide an interesting take on the Persona series, specifically Persona 4 where the protagonists can summon their Personas from within the TV world. It makes sense; after all, the Shadows (Soul) of the Persona users seek to confront the protagonists with harsh truths and only let up when the Persona user finally accepts the Shadow as being a part of them. And given the usage of mythological creatures within the Shin Megami Tensei series, it feels as though Beast and Persona are a match made in the Primeval Dream.

[wander]

On modern myths and legends, there could be Titans from Attack on Titan for Giants. Have the Giant hunger for Prey and paint their Soul as huge, creepy faced, naked, anatomiless and towering. Plain literal Hunger. The things are powered by sunlight and eat due to base instinct as they don't have a proper digestive system, they regurgitate when they're full and then go and eat more. Their Lairs could be sweeping fields with the odd trees, nowhere to hide as the Titan comes after you... You climb a tree and then the thing makes short work of it, stealing that hope-spot...

I'm still reading the pdf, so I haven't reached Nightmares and Atavisms to assign them yet, though I'm happy with that as a concept.

[acanthus]

For me, from what I have understood or at least taken away from the core of Beast is that the pure embodiment of the Beasts, the true form, the inner Soul runs wild until the Beast comes to the realization that the monster that had been tormenting their dreams is in all actuality their self. Given that Beats cannot manifest their true self unless within their own Lair (for the most part, barring some shenanigans), my brain immediately came up with the best conclusion:

Beast can be used to run Persona users.

At least, Beast can provide an interesting take on the Persona series, specifically Persona 4 where the protagonists can summon their Personas from within the TV world. It makes sense; after all, the Shadows (Soul) of the Persona users seek to confront the protagonists with harsh truths and only let up when the Persona user finally accepts the Shadow as being a part of them. And given the usage of mythological creatures within the Shin Megami Tensei series, it feels as though Beast and Persona are a match made in the Primeval Dream.

Oooh, nice thought. I always thought Persona Users were a Legacy of Mastigos Mages whose Attainments enabled them to summon their Daimon as their familiars... But them as Beasts could work as well. The protagonists probably have a Hunger for Hoard- they meticulously and compulsively gather friends, because the 'Social Links' with them empower them. And when you 'complete' a Social Link, you gain a token item that symbolizes the friendship- this is probably what decorates their Lairs (which could be the Velvet Room, I guess)

[wander]

Going back to the Titan, I'd give it Kinship with the Tammuz Promethean until I have a fiddle around with the rules to make up custom Nightmares and kinships. Out of the Kinship Nightmares listed, it You Cannot Kill It seemed the most fitting.
For it's Atavisms, I pick Looming Presence and Relentless Hunter. It's most fitting second Nightmare just from the fluff sentence and the title is You are Meat.

I really do like the option to make your own Nightmares for your character along with making your own Kinship Nightmares.

For it's Lair, I pick Sealed Exits as it's Minor Trait and then as it's Major I pick Decayed. This represents the Three Walls of Attack on Titan and not only the whole Giant smashing anything it comes across, but also how the blades of the 3D Gear degrade over time when used.

[espritdecalmar]

The Legend of Zelda series seems like good inspiration for various and sundry Beasts. I pity the Hero stumbling into a Water Temple Lair.

[wander]

I am really thinking Beast would really, really fit Silent Hill based games... The Lair and Chambers act really similarly to the Fog World and Otherworld and I'd go as far as to say that Alessa in the 1st game was a Beast for sure, the whole schtick with the Fog World and Otherworld was supposed to be from her dreams affecting reality... I'd say Fog Worlds were her Chambers and Otherworld was her enacting her Nightmares.

[The Jellyfish]

Eshmaki: Predator: The Black Hole: Everything, everyone, everywhere, ends. Even worlds, galaxies, and universes. You are the living embodiment of this idea. A howling rupture in reality, you relentlessly pursue those who thought they were untouchable. Not until you annihilate them utterly with the same tidal forces that bend light and crush stars.

Anakim: Ravager: The Wurm: The perfect expression of primal destruction, you live to tear down the greatest structures humankind has ever built, and their vanity with it. You devour anyone who tries to stop you in your gaping maw.

Namtaru: Tyrant: The Hive: Humans are such petty, selfish creatures. 3 billion ants and every one thinks itself the queen. You are so fortunate to experience perfect harmony, perfect unity. They could experience it too, with the right leadership...the ones left alive, anyway.

[wyrdhamster]

Jellyfish, I love your all concepts!

Eshmaki: Predator: The Black Hole: Everything, everyone, everywhere, ends. Even worlds, galaxies, and universes. You are the living embodiment of this idea. A howling rupture in reality, you relentlessly pursue those who thought they were untouchable. Not until you annihilate them utterly with the same tidal forces that bend light and crush stars.

I would only point the Makara here have more sense - you know, Abyss and Depth of cosmos - Black Hole. But otherwise - perfect!

[Nyrufa]

I'm very excited about the Beast the Primordial, especially the amount of room that the Families allow for creating some unique characters and concepts. Most of the examples of Souls in the pdf are solid; Great cats, tentacles sea creatures, huge serpents, spider, giants and dragons all harken back to ancient fears real and imagined. But the game taking place in a modern setting, I started to wonder about newer but prevalent icons for fear.

I thought about effectively technological versions of these ancient creatures, which in my mind amount to rather pathetic looking "b" movie cyborg monsters with lawn more blade hands and gear mouths. Then it occurred to me I was trying to anthropomorphize technology and that was completely missing the point of how awesomely open the Families are. They don't have to be humanoid or animals or even imaginary creature they can be anything and Steven King already gave us a great example.

Christine; yes your soul take the form of a murderous 1958 Plymouth Fury(Anakim, Hungry for Prey). Driving along the sections of highways and back roads that make up your lair. Now I realize this might not be work thematically or stylistically with everyone game, but it has gotten me excited for discovering some really out of the box ideas for Beast!

So, I'd love to hear people ideas for Beast's Souls. Whether taken from books and movies or your own creations!

Well the concept of Beast isn't that you have a monster's soul, it's that you have a primordial monster's soul. You are a dragon, hydra, gorgon, harpy or whatever that's been born in this time. As for your idea of technologically based monsters, that's what Demon is about, and Beasts do not regard them as part of their family. Having a techno Beast would kind of misconstrue that belief.

[Second Chances]

Well the concept of Beast isn't that you have a monster's soul, it's that you have a primordial monster's soul. You are a dragon, hydra, gorgon, harpy or whatever that's been born in this time. As for your idea of technologically based monsters, that's what Demon is about, and Beasts do not regard them as part of their family. Having a techno Beast would kind of misconstrue that belief.

Why not? Visuals in way means they are family, and you could very, very easily have a fear represented by technology of some sort. Demons not being family has to do with the fact the God Machine is not kin to the Dark Mother. Not technology usage.

Anyhow, the idea that I'm working on is lifted from Meatloaf: A Bat Out of Hell. Not too different from a dragon with a Hunger for Hoard, it must steal religious icons and at High Satiety must steal those specifically of female angels or saints (go look at the cover of Bat Out of Hell II or III if you wonder why). He tries to teach that one must but their faith in God, and not in icons, but given that his legend is that of an abductor, he has some serious issues with fighting his Horror's urges. The Horror's Lair right now is a graveyard so hot you could fry an egg of a tombstone. Ghosts are this Horror's kin, so the Lair also imposes the Open condition upon anyone within it.

[Nyrufa]

Probably due to the God Machine not being created by the Dark Mother. The God Machine created Angels, and Demons are created from fallen Angels, which means none of them are related to Beasts.


As for a technological themed fear, I'm having trouble coming up with ideas that don't seem ridiculous.

Actually, I believe Godzilla would be an excellent way to interpret this. Godzilla was an allegory for the consequences of nuclear war. He was an enemy that could not be stopped with brute force, and he was so deadly that even his mere footsteps poisoned his environment. Godzilla may not look like a bomb with legs, but from a Beast interpretation, he would be perfect representation of a fear of nuclear weapons.