A kind of Nosferatu

[Psicose]

Look, I know this may sound a little strange and maybe even stupid, but have you ever had the experience of playing with a Nosferatu that uses obfuscate to look like a beautiful person, of course there must be someone who used it to hunt, but I mean using it constantly just to walk down the street and feel good about itself or feel like somehow normal, it's something I think would be an interesting concept, but I never see anyone using it, the closest I've seen it is an NPC who died like a dog.

[Father Enoch]

My experience is with Requiem, but I imagine someone else at least thought of this.

Thing is, there must be a catch or almost every Nosferatu would be making themselves look at least normal, if not beautiful. Maybe keeping the illusion requires constant concentration or blood expenditure (thus requiring more hunting). Or, if the power you're using is like the Familiar Stranger, it could backfire at unexpected moments.

[Psicose]

My experience is with Requiem, but I imagine someone else at least thought of this.

Thing is, there must be a catch or almost every Nosferatu would be making themselves look at least normal, if not beautiful. Maybe keeping the illusion requires constant concentration or blood expenditure (thus requiring more hunting). Or, if the power you're using is like the Familiar Stranger, it could backfire at unexpected moments.

If I'm not mistaken, the problem here is not blood, but the fact that the illusion is broken if someone touches you and you wouldn't necessarily be hidden from cameras, more than that I think it's due to the successes or part of the narrator.

[Father Enoch]

Well, there's your problem.

You make yourself look beautiful, someone's going to want to touch you. Maybe you meet someone you want to touch yourself, and you've used Obfuscate for so long you don't even think about it anymore... Until contact is made.

[Psicose]

Well, there's your problem.

You make yourself look beautiful, someone's going to want to touch you. Maybe you meet someone you want to touch yourself, and you've used Obfuscate for so long you don't even think about it anymore... Until contact is made.

Well, I don't mean using it lightly either, but I mean using it in controlled environments, like at a night club or a private party, an exhibition, any kindred that lets its guard down that much deserves destruction.

[Father Enoch]

Everyone lets their guard down, sooner or later. It might only be for a second, or a microsecond, but that may be all it takes.

[Psicose]

Everyone lets their guard down, sooner or later. It might only be for a second, or a microsecond, but that may be all it takes.

Kinda make sense.

[TwoDSix]

It's IIRC totally noted as a thing that happens, particularly among younger Nosferatu. Some use their powers to assume false identities basically full-time, although it's a bad idea.

This might be part of the reason Nosferatu discourage a reliance on Obfuscate. Your disguise or invisibility is going to break eventually and when it does you'd better be ready to get out of there and drop a trail using entirely mundane means. It might be tonight or it might be the 29th April 2138ce, but it's going to happen.

On the flip side there are certainly Nossies who use makeup and Obfuscate to play up their monstrosity, particularly around other kindred. With a bit of care they'll unsettle even the most unflappable Ventrue.

Requiem Nossies find it easier than Masquerade Nossies simply because they rarely have the 'deformed limbs and foot thick scar tissue' look.

[Lysander]

I do like the Nosferatu of the Reqium myself in that setting along with Gangrel and Mekhet.

[Psicose]

I do like the Nosferatu of the Reqium myself in that setting along with Gangrel and Mekhet.

What's the difference?

[Lysander]

The Nosferatu in VTR are not always physically deformed. In fact many of them look normal but give of a sense of unease or a predatory sense of interaction. Some of them become very emotionally detached and cold and there clan book goes into further detail on how the curse separates them from humanity and Kindred.

I even had a notion of one kind of Nosferatu who physical flaws would go away with each passing century and would look inhumanly perfect just like the flaw in the Aberrant 1st edition.

[Ragged Robin]

On this subject a player came to me with a proposed merit called "monstrous beauty" for pc. Nossie starts as app 0 as usual and can never pass as humour but can buy dots in appearance. Sort of inverted rugged bad looks. About 5 points.

Thoughts?

[Lysander]

Interesting idea Ragged Robin. Any ideas what kind of flaw would offset the bonus such a merit would give.

[Psicose]

On this subject a player came to me with a proposed merit called "monstrous beauty" for pc. Nossie starts as app 0 as usual and can never pass as humour but can buy dots in appearance. Sort of inverted rugged bad looks. About 5 points.

Thoughts?

I think you should use this concept to make a strangely beautiful new clan using this concept rather than applying it to Nosferatu, I mean, I think it does away with the concept of being a Nosferatu.

[Ragged Robin]

Interesting idea Ragged Robin. Any ideas what kind of flaw would offset the bonus such a merit would give.

you'd never pass as human so parts of the flaw would still be intact. You'd also be expected to buy the appearance dots in game which is a big points pit for something only circumstantially useful.