[Fan BPG] Seekers of the Dark Mother - Beast societies mechanics

[wyrdhamster]

Beast Players Guide shows us a Seekers of the Dark Mother – world-wide, loose communities of Begotten, joined by their drive to seek traces of Dark Mother. I will not dwell into what there are – buy and read the book yourself – but here is my fan homebrews idea for special powers in form of Merits for members of those group, helping in their mission. For more information on those – and mechanics of Mother’s Communion and Obcasus Rites – read BPG. I will edit opening post with more mechanics as I will write them.

Athenaeum of the Dark Mother

Athenaeum members hoard all lore, artifacts and knowledge on matters of Dark Mother in one great library-hive dedicated to her. Members can easily access centuries of collected lore or even borrow relics of her influence, from time to time.

Mechanics: Members of Athenaeum get’s for free first dot of Status ( Athenaeum of Dark Mother ) once they found Athenaeum Hive in Dark Dream and join it’s community. With this Merit comes special benefits, analogical to Mage Order membership.

Status ( Athenaeum of Dark Mother ) ( • to ••••• )

Your character’s position in Athenaeum affords her certain access to it’s stores. She can access Artifacts, Relics, Mentors, libraries, other magical resources. The Storyteller should assign an Availability rating to the item your character seeks, related to the power level or regular Merit rating. Consider your character’s Status dots as Resources for the purpose of procuring these magical resources (see Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook, page 277-279 or Mage the Awakening 2E, Acquiring Services, p. 228). Availability ratings assume the service or Merit will be assigned on a temporary basis (for a single story); add •• for permanent requisitions. The group assumes she’ll return it when done with it, or make amends if it’s destroyed or lost. Merits suitable for requisition include Alternate Identity, Retainer, Artifact, Grimoire, Mentor, Relic, Library, Advanced Library, Safe Place and Resources, all with Availability equal to their dot rating. The Storyteller decides if your character’s group has access to a particular mystical resource; rank doesn’t summon mystical storehouses into being.

Empusae

Empusae want to as close as possible emulate their Dark Mother terrifying role in myths. As such, they dedicate themselves to role of Obcasus Rites Initiates and seek Communion whenever they can find it.

Mechanics: Empusae becomes natural Initiates to the Rites. They get Obcasus Initiate Merit for free, when they get their first Communion with Dark Mother. ( See BPG for details. )

Guardian Beasts

Are, in reality, really afraid of their Mother. They do not seek Communion with her. Rather, they watch out every her step, because it can lead to apocalyptic doom if she would shown herself. Each Communion for normal Beast – is a Warning for them.

Mechanics: When future Guardian Beasts get’s their first Communion Condition ( see BPG for details ), she instead get’s Warning Condition. When it’s found by other Guardians, she is taught first dot of Warning Signs Merit. See below details.

New Condition: Warning

Beast may choose to achieve Warning if she takes aggravated damage from an attack by a Hero using an Anathema, or if she is the victim of a hostile supernatural effect that achieves an exceptional success. Further, the first time that she establishes Family Ties with a given type of supernatural creature, she can achieve Warning. Lastly, when being under a Obcasus Rite, Begotten may choose Warning and forcing Dramatic Failure on the Rite roll. This option may only be used once with any given rite.

While under the effects of Warning, the character is at +2 to all mundane Skill rolls and Defense, but receives -2 to all rolls to use supernatural abilities such as Atavisms or Nightmares.

Resolution: The Condition resolves when the character next falls asleep. In a dream, character will have one symbolic clue to what’s stirring Primordial Dream right now.

Warning Signs ( • to ••••• )
Prerequisites: Beast with Warning Condition, instead of Communion

Begotten with this Merit is so afraid of it’s Mother – it’s supersensitive of her influence on the world. With experience, they can feel danger in Primordial Dream before any other Beast.
Dark Dream of Future (•): When sleeping after Warning Condition, character gets her Lair number of symbolic clues to what’s stirring Primordial Dream right now.
Forewarned is Forearmed (••): Under influence of Warning Condition, character gets twice her Defense.
Dream Sense (•••): Beast is so attuned to the dangers of the Primordial Dream, she is treated as having Danger Sense Merit ( Beast: The Primoridal page 113 ) every time she is in a Dream, with or without Warning Condition. If she already have this Merit, it’s bonus is counted twice in a Dream.
??? (••••):
??? (•••••):

Dominae

Dominae are perfect, ruthless Beasts that gets what they want, perfecting social control and manipulations. And most of them wants to be Apex.

Mechanics: Once joined Dominae community, Beast learns first dot of Road of Apex? Merit.

Road of Apex? ( • to •••••, Style )

[wyrdhamster]

So I have for now problems with 4^th and 5^th dot of Warning Signs Merit and general idea ( or even name ) of Road of Apex? one. Road should be some Social Maneuvering Style tree Merit that also reflects going for position of Apex in members.

[wyrdhamster]

My first draft of Dominae's Road of Apex fan Merit. Comments are welcome.

Road of Apex? ( • to •••••, Style )
Prerequisites: Beast initiated into Dominae community

Dominae are dedicated to seek a position of ultimate authority and their every interaction with their kin is part of the complex maneuvering necessary to reach a place of absolute social dominance within the brood. As masters of social manipulation, Dominae teach how to channel inner fear of your Horror into tool to get things they need.
Inner Fear (•): Dominae can use half of their Lair rating ( rounded up ) as a bonus to Social Maneuvering rolls against any non-monster being.
Primal Fear (••): Like Inner Fear, only bonus can be used against other monster also. However, those with Road of Apex Merit are still resistant to this effect.
Primordial Fear (•••): Like Primal Fear, only bonus can be used against other Beasts having Road of Apex Merit.
??? (••••):
Apex of Fear (•••••): ( Some power that should mark the character is on short list to become next local Apex – but still not sure it will become )

[Primordial newcomer]

Perhaps dominae merits could make use of breaking points? They are pointed out to be very cruel and will do anything to prove they are at the top of the chain of monsters

Here's something wyrdhamster. I was reading the players guide again to see the anathema flavor text for the name Agatha (favorite example of how anathema is) and I have an idea for a merit that could work for guardian beast, though, it could be too powerful.

Perhaps because they reject the dark mother and despise what they are, they could actually put a penalty on heroes trying to inflict anathema, to represent them rejecting their nature. As a balance, they themselves could get a penalty on using atavisms (a very small one, maybe only once every other atavism)