The Nightmare "̴̛̺̫̤͂̿̓͐̾̿̄̐̕Í̷̡̯͓̤̝͓͇͈̣͆͒̈̽̆͝ ̶̯͚̤͙̳͔̦̯̹̦̝͓̳͆̆̃̃̒̑̃̊̈́̍̄̿͑̔̊̄͝a̸͔̒̈́̎̈͛̇̅͛̐͗̀̉̕͝m̴̨̧̧̻͔̹͈̫̜̋̿̕͝ ̴̡̢̢͈̤̪̜̯̲͓̻̫͕̑̾̃̉̈́̃̄̊̋͗́͋̓̎̈̊̚͜͜p̴̨̢̲̭̝̮̥͕̟̜̜̥̣̟͎̳̭̔͗̄̈̂̚̚r̶̡̛̭̟̤̼̹̘̥͕̹̰̭͆̈̑̐̍͘͝ͅͅò̵̡̭͙͎̝̘̙̬̺̰̩̥̖̘̭̈́̎͋̆̎̍͋̚̚̚̚̕͠ͅͅơ̵͍̯̗̝͓̠̗̬̦̯͓͍̬̜͖̣͉̓̉̈́͐̔̑̉̕͝f̷̡̡̢̙̟̮͚͓̖͗́́̎͒̅̐̈́̎̚͜ ̷̝̰͔͈̉̄̀̉͊͆̄͋̂̿̾̅͛͝o̸̰̘̣̭͕̥̘͔͉̦̙̩̼̾͜f̵̛̛̯̹̤̭͙̰͎͙̞̖̺́̈̇̀̆̍̀̾́̑͆͘͝͝ ̵̫̫̝̹̠̗̹̲̰̐̇͐̐̌́͒͜͝H̶̢͙̝̩̙͚̯̹͚̜͓̺̤̤̹̞͓͐̈́͘u̸̢̲̟̪̲̦̫͙̤̪̼̱͉̞̼̲͊̀̈́̎͌̑̋̃̿͐̋̅̆͒ͅm̸̟̝̣̟̟͔̩̭̰̰͒̌͐͒̉́̋̚͠ͅă̸͕̻̤͈̗̤̻̼̲̘̱̱̟̼͗̅̆̊̕͜͠n̷̨̛͚̟̲̗̖̯̐͂̅͋͌͠i̶̡̦̩̗̞̻̘̫̮̥̩̰͎̓͛̿͆̋̓̓̓̾͒͋͗̓̕͝t̵̡̰̦̖̼̟̫͎̥̣̭͖̭̕͜ͅy̴̞̑̊͂̔͛'̴̡͔̣̝̖͈̳̫̅͌̈̓̅͂͐̊̏͒́́̋̔̀̚ş̸̠͕͇̼̻̪̞̘̅́̄̊̆͆̀̀̈́͘̚͠ ̴̘̬̬̯̙̘̯̘̀̾̒͠ŝ̸̡̨̥̝̠̳̺̪̩͒̂̋̂̂i̸̢̳͇̲̳͉͓͎̥̳̙̎͜n̸̜̲̮͙̟̔.̴̢̡̢͇͎̠̟̳̩̤̥͙̙͙̳͌̑̃̀̀̏͜.̶̧̢̡̛͍̜͎͖͓̥̈́.̷̢̧͇̝͙̘̗͔̦̹̻̰̘̓"̵͓͎̣̠̼̦̭̆̿͗̀͗̈́̈̈͋͆̍͛̉͆̕̚͝

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(Your specific augmentation must be physically visible in some way, but it does not need to make you appear outwardly monstrous or socially unacceptable. )

The Nightmare's form is made of the collective negative emotions of countless individuals. Strangely enough, the conglomeration of negative emotions and concepts has similar properties to smoke...


You gain the following benefits at all times.

You are permanently and visibly transformed: a black shadowy smokey humanoid with a crooked smile and cruel eyes. You are considered to be a Sapient, Non-Living being when targeted. Your Charisma is increased by 1 and your Intellect is increased by 1.

Your Injuries no longer degrade with time.

You may make a +2 Weapon Damage Spectral Claws (Sword) attack without additional equipment.

Whenever you enter Combat, roll Self-Control. If you fail, you cannot choose which targets to attack and cannot stop fighting until there are no targets remaining.

You cannot be mistaken for a normal human. You cannot always use standard human clothes, equipment, vehicles, and facilities, and when you can, you suffer an increased Difficulty.

The Severity of any Injury caused by light is increased by 2.

  • The increase in Injury Severity stacks with any similar effects, such as the Silver Bullets drawback on Regeneration.
  • Attribute bonuses from multiple sources do not stack. Instead the highest bonus is used.

Community Power Gifts

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a number of Living targets equal to your Charisma within 45 feet as well as a specific emotion. You must use up perfume in order to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Influence at Difficulty 6. Affected targets can resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, for the next minute, 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.

  • 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.

In the tapestry of Alice's extraordinary abilities, her power to invade minds and evoke profound trauma weaves a thread of dark enchantment. Rooted in the whimsical yet unsettling realm of "Alice in Wonderland," this Gift transcends mere fantasy, delving deep into the metaphysical underpinnings of consciousness and fear.

At its core lies a duality akin to the looking glass itself—a reflection of both wonder and terror. Alice, a paradoxical figure of innocence and manipulation, harnesses this power with a grace that belies its chilling implications. Her ability to traverse the boundaries of sanity and perception speaks to an intimate understanding of the human psyche's fragile architecture.

Metaphysically, this Gift taps into the uncharted territories of psychic intrusion, where reality bends at the whim of a singular will. It hints at a realm where dreams and nightmares converge, where memories bleed into manifestations of dread. Alice, as the wielder, becomes a conduit between the tangible and the intangible, navigating through mental landscapes fraught with symbolism and subconscious echoes.

The origins of such a power are shrouded in mystery, perhaps stemming from the peculiar alchemy of Wonderland itself—a place where logic twists into riddles and reality fades into whimsy. It mirrors the transformative journey of Alice, from a curious child exploring a fantastical realm to a spectral presence capable of haunting minds.

In essence, this Gift embodies the timeless allure of darkness within enchantment, where innocence and malevolence dance in an eternal waltz. It invites contemplation on the depths of human fear and the fragility of perception, urging us to confront the shadows that lurk beneath our conscious selves. Alice's power is not just a narrative device but a philosophical exploration—a haunting reminder that even in wonderlands, there are depths where fears take shape and nightmares come alive.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Sapient target within 20 feet. You must make a Trauma roll when you use this Effect. Its Difficulty cannot be reduced by any means. Affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 8 with a -3 dice penalty. If they are incapacitated or unconscious, they fail automatically.

If they fail, your target will take 1 point of Mind damage and gain a new Trauma selected by you (the GM can overrule you at their discretion). This Trauma may be removed by Effects or mundane therapy, as normal. Affected targets are aware that they are being attacked and can generally tell who did it.

  • 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.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are transformed.

You have 6 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. This Armor cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.

Armor penetration does not affect your Armor, and it cannot be shredded or destroyed.

Any time your Armor prevents Damage, your Armor rating is temporarily decreased by 2. Whenever it goes five Rounds without preventing any Damage, it is restored back to its full value.

  • Armor recharging happens automatically and does not require an Action.
  • This Effect’s Armor rating cannot be increased by any other Effects.
  • When shredded, it returns to full potency in one hour.

Spend an Action to activate. All Sapient, Living targets within 20 feet of you who can perceive you through Sight are affected. You must actively and obviously use A steel chair to activate this Effect. Roll Charisma + Athletics at Difficulty 6. All affected targets may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 6.

If you succeed, the targets will keep their full attention focused on you for contested Outcome in Rounds. They will automatically fail any rolls related to noticing anything other than you. If they cannot perceive you through Sight for three Rounds, the Effect is broken. The Effect ends early if the target is Injured or enters Combat.

This does not affect the target’s opinion of you or their mood, and they may take any Actions while affected (including attacking), as long as that action centers on you.

You may end this effect prematurely as a Free Action.

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

You must retain Concentration to keep up the effect; if your Concentration is interrupted, the effect will end.

  • You can target yourself if you qualify as a valid target by the other requirements.

Exert your Mind (unless you win a coin flip) and spend at least one Action. Select a Human target within 20 feet. Your target cannot be engaged in Combat. Communicate a command to your target. Roll Charisma + Alertness at Difficulty 6. The target may resist by rolling Mind at Difficulty 7.

If the contested Outcome is positive, your target will be compelled to follow your command to their best understanding of the letter and spirit of the command until they have completed it or for your Contested Outcome in minutes. You cannot issue another suggestion to the target until 10 minutes after they have completed the first command or 10 minutes after a failure.

The target is unaware that they are under supernatural influence and feel they are acting of their own free will. If you fail, they realize that you were attempting to influence them supernaturally with your command.

Your command can be an order to take an immediate Action. You cannot order a target to "do nothing," and they are free to take other Actions as they fulfill your request. Your command cannot be obviously self-destructive. The Effect ends if following your command would cause a target to cross one of their Limits in a way that would necessitate a Trauma roll.

  • The target must be able to understand you and must receive your communication for the suggestion to work.
  • Allowed Commands
    • Direct Order: The target must take an immediate action (e.g. “Sit down,” "run away," or "tell me your password.")
  • 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 Power Gifts

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Location within 10 feet. You must actively and obviously use a ballpoint pen to activate this Effect.

You place a ward, which is fixed to its initial location. You can hear and see through the ward as though you were standing at its location. Your wards last 3 hours. You may have at most 3 wards active at once.

The ward requires Concentration to monitor, though it will remain active until you deactivate it. It can be detected with a roll and destroyed through mundane means.

  • Your ward cannot be used to satisfy the line of sight requirement for targeted Effects.
  • 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.

You gain the following benefits as long as as long as you have drank a half gallon (lethal) amount of blood in the past 24 hours.

Any Injury you receive heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level each hour. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active do not deteriorate over time. However, any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will remain unless it is Properly Stabilized as normal.

Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Animate target within 20 feet. You must actively and obviously use a watch or clock to activate this Effect. Roll Intellect + Science at Difficulty 7.

If you succeed, the target will suffer a dice penalty equal to the Outcome for the next 2 Rounds. Dice pools may be reduced all the way down to 0 by this penalty. This breaks Concentration.

You may activate this Effect as a Reaction to contest any Action a valid target is taking, reducing their Outcome by your own. Your command has no impact beyond disrupting their Action.

  • This Penalty is not removed if a character Exerts their Mind to ignore penalty.
  • If a character has a dice pool reduced to 0, they cannot attempt that action.
  • 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 cannot be used unless you are making a deal to exchange money for protection.

You may make an oath with a physically-present, Sapient target. Communicate the oath's terms to the target, including the requirements and penalties for each participant. If all agree to the terms, you must Exert your Mind and all participants must shake hands to seal the deal.

Record the oath as a Condition. If a party breaks the oath, the Condition ends and they suffer the oath's penalty.

When crafting your oath, you may incorporate any of the following penalties:

  • You may suspend a targeted Offensive Power which will take effect when the oath is broken. The Power must be able to target all participants the oath indicates it could hit.
  • A Battle Scar up to Severe (deaf, missing limb)
  • The oath-breaker is physically marked as an oath-breaker, and any investigative effect will reveal the terms of the oath they broke.
  • A particular Trauma and a single Mind Damage
  • The oath-breaker goes unconscious for up to 24 hours
  • An Injury up to Severity-6 (cannot be reduced by any means)

The target cannot be compelled to agree via a direct threat of violence, another Effect, or another oath. If you would like to use clever wording to mislead the target, you must succeed a contested Intellect + (Culture or Influence) roll.

  • All Oaths must have at least two participants.
  • The target must be physically present to enter the oath.
  • The terms and penalties of the oath do not need to be equitable and do not need to affect all parties equally.
  • A single action cannot break multiple oaths. You cannot 'stack' oath penalties by having a target sign multiple identical oaths, or similar.
  • Your target must be within line of sight, or within range of another sense if more fitting for the Gift's flavor.

Spend an Action. Select a Living or Animate target within arm's reach. You must actively and obviously use a melee weapon to activate this Effect. Roll Brawn + Melee at Difficulty 6. The target may roll Body, -2 dice at Difficulty 7, as a Free Action to resist.

If you succeed, the target receives a new Battle Scar of your choosing, limited by the contested Outcome:

  1. A Minor Battle Scar E.g. an aesthetic-only body modification (a disfigured face, a pig's tail), impacted hand or foot, or vocal changes that complicate communication
  2. A Major Battle Scar E.g. a disabled/removed hand or foot, an inability to speak, an impacted major sense, removal of a minor sense, impacted movement.
  3. A Severe Battle Scar E.g. a disabled/removed arm or leg, deafness, aesthetic changes that are nearly impossible to conceal.
  4. An Extreme Battle Scar E.g. removal/disabling both hands or both legs, blindness, a full-body deformation that leaves the target humanoid but makes it difficult to use clothes, vehicles, and equipment designed for humans.
Refer to the stock Battle Scars on the Character Sheet for specific systems.

All alterations you make must damage the target's knees.

This Gift cannot have more than 3 Drawbacks, and its Gift Cost is capped at 2.

  • Remember: A Contractor’s Body rating is reduced by 1 for each Battle Scar after their fourth.
  • You may opt to inflict a Battle Scar that is less severe than what your Outcome allows.
  • 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.