The Hollow Choir "You think this is bad? The land beyond would sear your flesh in the black sunned morning before you could get a yawn out, and freeze off your pecker in the evening seconds after you free it for a piss. Raging black icy winds that would rip 100 foot trees from the dirt, roots and all. Caustic rain that will melt your bones and serve you up as soup for the man-eating worms beneath ashy dunes that extend for thousands of miles. And that's not even the half of it... You think this is bad? You think it hurts? You don't know bad. You don't know pain."

1
Requires Seasoned
The power to create an environmental hazard.
Used by Luci Alessi, Created by Riley.
(Anyone who witnesses you activate this Effect is very likely to be disturbed to see Umbra's pure and sinister adversarial intent. It's almost as if a heavy pressure of immeasurable magnitude slowly dawns onto those around. All of her uncontainable intent to burn the world to the ground, backed by the insatiable hunger of the Well at her fingertips. And there is nothing to exemplify that more than with this ability. You must actively and obviously be using up 4,000 Liters of Ink.)

This is a power that Luci could not hope to wield, even with Umbra's help. No, it is Umbra herself who is solely capable of something so cataclysmic in scale and even then, she can only do so on the backing of specific conditions. There is only a small window in which Umbra can amass the power to rip open a one-way portal from the Well:
- The residual energy from Luci's amorphous form must still be lingering.
- Luci's alternate form, Umbra, must be triggered and active.

Whereafter, Umbra clasps their hands together and chants with a wide smile upon her face. Ink surges out from beneath her feet in vast quantities, using it as a medium to jump start the portal that leads to the Well. And once it takes, the flow becomes a cascade that surges forth in large quantities, working rather quickly to rapidly fill out a large space. Along with the hazy darkness comes a dizzying feeling of being upside down and inside out. The air is thick and suffocating, and slows the mind. An uncountable number of creatures from oblivion reach out of the refuse, touching, grabbing, pulling, biting, scratching, clawing, crawling, and gnashing like mindless beasts.

Those that are unfortunate enough to be close enough to see Umbra activate this effect will meet eyes with one of The Well's Eidolons. And take it from Luci herself, that is no fun experience.


Exert your Mind and spend an Action. This Effect cannot be used unless when Luci is within her Alternate Form. You must use up 4,000 Liters of Ink in order to activate this Effect. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means.

You create a hemispherical dome of inky viscious refuse originating at your Location, with a radius of 200 feet. and lasting for 5 minutes. You are fully immune to the effects of your zone. The area inside your zone is affected in the following ways:

  • Danger Zone: The zone contains various amalgamate creatures that will crawl out of the inky refuse and begin to bite and claw and slash at any within this zone. At the end of each Round, everyone in the zone must roll Body at Difficulty 8. Anyone who fails or botches receives a Severity-1 Injury.
  • Obscured Vision: The zone is partially blocked from view. Anything within the zone will have difficulty seeing anything or being seen from the outside. Any rolls that rely on sight are made at -3 dice, and rolls that would benefit from sight are rolled at -1 dice.
  • Overwhelming: Anyone inside the zone cannot Exert their Mind, and Mind rolls made within the zone are at -2 dice.
  • Slippery: All movement distances are halved within the zone. Anyone who wishes to move further than their Free Movement within a Round must roll Dexterity + Athletics. If they fail, their movement is limited to their Free Movement and they fall down.
The zone expands immediately to its full size from the chosen Location, but will be stopped from spreading in a particular direction by any barriers or cover, and can only fit through openings large enough to fit a grown adult. If a new opening appears while the Effect is still active, it will finish spreading in that direction.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see Umbra's pure and sinister adversarial intent. It's almost as if a heavy pressure of immeasurable magnitude slowly dawns onto those around. All of her uncontainable intent to burn the world to the ground, backed by the insatiable hunger of the Well at her fingertips. And there is nothing to exemplify that more than with this ability.

You may only use this Effect once per day.

  • Affected targets may still spend Source.
  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
  • The Effect does not follow you after you activate it.
  • If you select a location at the edge of your range, you will be just outside the zone once the Effect is activated
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Community Targeted Gifts

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Sapient target within arm's reach. If a target does not consent to the transfer, you must roll Brawn + Melee at Difficulty 6 to use the effect on them. They can resist by rolling either Body or Mind at Difficulty 6, depending on what you are attempting to transfer to them.

You may choose a single instance of one of the following to transfer from your target to yourself, or from yourself to them:

  • A single Power. Lasts two hours. You cannot transfer this Power.
  • A single Injury and any Battle Scars it caused
This Effect cannot be used again for the next hour.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend a minute. Select a Living or Animate target within arm's reach. You must use up Meat in order to activate this Effect. Select a Battle Scar on your target to treat.

The treated Battle Scar heals as you finish activating this Effect.

Anyone who witnesses you during this Effect's activation will almost certainly be disturbed to see Grinded meat being applied to the wound.

  • When narrating disturbing content, be cognizant of your group's tone and accommodating to those who would like to "fast forward" through the description.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend one minute to activate. Select a number of Living targets equal to your Charisma within arm's reach as well as a specific emotion. This Effect cannot be used unless you are engaged in conversation with your targets. Make a Trauma roll when you activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6. Affected targets can resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 8.

If you succeed, for the next hour, affected targets will do things they otherwise wouldn’t have done, inspired by the chosen emotion. They will not necessarily display their emotions in an obvious way.

Actions they take will be in keeping with their character and the way they tend to deal with strong emotions. They will be unlikely to change their mind about any actions taken or decisions made until after the Effect ends.

Both attacking someone and being attacked will end the Effect.

This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is the subject matter of the conversation relates to the emotion he is inspiring. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

  • If you succeed, the target MUST take at least one Action they otherwise would not have. Hey, GM who is reading this, I'm talking to you. You have to enforce this. Remember: Gifts must feel powerful.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.

Several spikes have grown between the gauntlet and the iron giant's skin. These spikes, upon activation of this gift, extend to puncture the hand of the Penitent, opening several offices that begin leaking small droplets of blood.

This blood becomes modified and deeply enriched by special glands located on the inside of the gauntlets as they leak through it. Upon bearing the bloody cross on the body of the receiver, he absorbs the nutrients of the enriched blood through the skin, nourishing the user for the entire day.

Spend an Action. Select a target within arm's reach.

For the next 24 hours, your target does not require any food, water, or sleep.

This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind (unless you win a coin flip) and spend an Action. Select a target within 45 feet. Roll a single D10 as a critical failure check. If you roll a 1, the Effect fails, and you You fail the deliver the punches... Roll Brawn + Brawl Difficulty 6. The target may contest by rolling to Dodge or Defend as a Reaction, Difficulty 6.

If the contested Outcome is positive, the target takes that much Damage plus 6. Armor is fully effective against this damage.

The target suffers a -3 dice penalty for the next hour or until the Injury is healed. This dice penalty does not stack multiple times on the same target.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Stock Targeted Gifts

Exert your Mind and spend 1 minute. Select a Living, Animate target within 20 feet You must maintain Concentration while the effect is active. Roll Intellect + Investigation at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.

You are able to view your target's memories. The target is aware that their thoughts are being probed but not of the source of the probe. The Effect ends if the target moves out of range or your Concentration is interrupted.

You may ask specific questions about their memory - “what is their computer password,” “What were they doing at 4:00PM yesterday,” etc - but you cannot get answers to broad, analytical questions like “are they a good person?” or “what are their plans for the future?”

Each question takes as long as it takes to answer to read. When replaying a full memory, it is replayed in double time.

This Effect is not obvious, and the only sign you are using an Effect is your nose bleeding. If someone suspects that an Effect was used, they must roll Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 8 to pick up on your Tell.

After this Effect ends, you cannot move quicker than a walk (15 feet per Round) for one minute and suffer a -1 dice penalty for an hour.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

This Effect activates whenever you receive a Severity 2 or higher Injury from an attack. It does not require an Action or Exertion. Select a Living target within 45 feet. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6. Affected targets can resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, for the next minute, your target will do things they otherwise wouldn’t have done, inspired by remorse for hurting such a pure soul. They will not necessarily display their emotions in an obvious way.

Actions they take will be in keeping with their character and the way they tend to deal with strong emotions. They will be unlikely to change their mind about any actions taken or decisions made until after the Effect ends.

  • When triggered, the Effect activation resolves immediately after the triggering Action. It is not Reaction speed.
  • Common emotions and the actions they inspire
    • Anger (shouting, cruelty, denying requests, attacking)
    • Pity (stopping an attack, executing an injured target)
    • Happiness (generosity, dancing, joking, socializing)
    • Sadness (finding solitude, openly crying, demotivation)
    • Fear (running, attacking)
  • If you succeed, the target MUST take at least one Action they otherwise would not have. Hey, GM who is reading this, I'm talking to you. You have to enforce this. Remember: Gifts must feel powerful.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Dead target within arm's reach. Dead targets must have died within the past week, and you must have their remains in your possession.

The target can communicate in your language for the next hour.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Spend 30 minutes. You may only target yourself. The target can easily Resist.

You may add one augmentation to your target. Each augmentation counts as a Battle Scar and can have exactly one of the following Effects:

  • Specialized: You receive +2 dice to a particular non-combat Action.
  • Environmental Adaptation: You do not suffer harm from heat, cold, pressure, or lack of oxygen in a particular environment, provided that challenge normally exists in that environment.
  • Implanted Tool: You have access to the functionality of some common Device at all times. The selected Device can be no larger than a motorcycle helmet.
  • Armor: You have 2 Armor at all times. As always, Armor from multiple sources does not stack.
  • Pouch: Part of your body functions as a hidden pocket. It can hold no more than a briefcase (15 liters).
  • Zippy: Your Free Movement is increased by 10 feet.
  • Maws and Claws: Your unarmed attacks do +2 Weapon Damage instead of -1.

This Gift's Cost is capped at 2 and cannot be increased further.

Your alteration "heals" over the course of the next month, after which it is fully cured.

  • Remember: A Contractor’s Body rating is reduced by 1 for each Battle Scar after their fourth.
  • You may not augment targets with pouches or implanted devices that are larger than they are.
  • Targets without Body ratings may have a maximum of 4 augmentations.
  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. You must actively and obviously use your instrument to activate this Effect. The area within 25 feet of you immediately and obviously becomes imminently dangerous. Roll Charisma + Performance at Difficulty 6. Targets inside the radius may attempt an appropriate Reaction at GM’s discretion. Finding a physical barrier to use as cover will cut total Damage taken in half (applies after Reaction roll but before Armor).

If the Outcome is positive, your blast hits everything within 25 feet of you with Damage equal to your Outcome + 4. Armor is fully effective against this Damage. If you botched the activation roll, you will also take full Damage from the blast, otherwise it will not hurt you.

You may only use this Effect once per day.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.