Zephyren collects blades almost obsessively, perhaps because they are some of the least detectable weapons. Or, he does it instinctively because a bird is never complete without its talons. In result, he's also the most proficient with blades.
On weapon usage:
People have guns (even in Canada, they're just quieter about it), but Zephyren legally cannot own one, and traveling with those can be such a pain for those with licenses anyway. He very much prefers a quieter option too. Also, blades are far more versatile (he wants to toss a bunch of vegetables in the air one day and try to slice them all). Never bring a knife to a gun fight? Think again.
On blade proficiency:
Fighting isn't the only thing Zephyren uses blades for. If anything he's rarely had to fight outside contracts; he mostly uses knives in the kitchen, and since he has been cooking from a very young age, there's no surprise that this is what he's the most comfortable with. In any video games, he predominantly uses a knife or sword. Don't ask how he's gotten through Resident Evil; let's just say he had to face a lot of corpses up close.
On bird talons:
Thankfully Zephyren has never been attacked by a bird, but from what he's read, talons can be really sharp. They have to grip onto things after all, even if it means they'd puncture their target.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with knives and daggers.
+2 dice to all rolls with knives and daggers. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using knives and daggers.
You also gain the following effects:
Regeneration
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
Any Injury you receive from a source other than Destruction of the amulet heals quickly, reducing its Severity by one level every day. Any Injuries you receive while this Effect is active automatically count as a successful Proper Stabilization and do not deteriorate further. Any Battle Scars caused by such an Injury will heal with the Injury.
As long as at least half your body remains intact, you cannot die and remain at Incapacitated, regardless of how many Injuries you take. It is clear to observers that you are still alive.
You may also Exert your Mind and spend an Action to reduce the Severity of one of your Injuries by 2. Does not affect Injuries suffered as an activation cost for Effects.
Injuries you receive from Destruction of the amulet are increased in Severity by 1.
This creatures limbs have swollen to an unnatural degree there are bright throbbing red veins
It seems these veins stem from the claws of the Necklace
When an arm extend large masses of fur and flesh build up around the shoulder region and then shoot out like a fire hydrant with blood and fluids spilling as the arms Contort to their new size
The action can be disturbing to those around the wielder and causes great pain to the user
You gain the following benefits at all times. You must actively and obviously be using Bear Necklace to gain the benefits of this Effect.
You are permanently and visibly transformed: Bear with swirls of Fur and Flesh. You are considered to be a Sapient, Non-Living Creature when targeted. Your Dexterity is increased by 1 and your Perception is increased by 1.
Your Injuries no longer degrade with time. You do not age naturally, and supernatural attempts to age you fail.
Your appendages have 30 feet of reach.
You may make a +2 Weapon Damage to brawl ferociously with your claws attack without additional equipment.
Any Animate being that consumes or is injected with your bodily fluids receives a Severity-1 Injury. Every Round, they must roll Body Difficulty 9. If they fail, the Injury worsens by 1 Severity. If they succeed, the Injury stops worsening.
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.
You are incapable of fine object manipulation and can only hold or grasp things in a crude, clumsy way.
You cannot ignore or decrease the effects of Stress for any Self-Control rolls you make.
Luci's sight was her first gift she received even from before the Contracts. A wandering entity- an Eidolon of the Well- saw something that they wanted from Luci when she was young. But due to some sort of disaster, the process failed and Luci stayed in control while the Eidolon became a prisoner within her.
Over the course of her contracting career, Luci has been able to tap into more of her abilities, but this was the first. Blessed eyes manifested alongside a tattoo that carried over from the Eidolon. With it, the world can seemingly bend to her will. It can slow down when she wants and it can illuminate the world in its barest forms if she so wills.
You gain the following benefits as long as you have your Faded Crosshair Tattoo.
Your Perception rating is increased by 2. You may Exert your Mind to automatically gain an Outcome of 5 on any roll that uses Perception (Cannot be used on combat rolls or Power activations).
If you are witnessed actively using this Effect, whoever sees it can make a Perception + Alertness roll at Difficulty 6. A complete success reveals the source of your power.
Kalt is really good at hearing with them long ass ears of hers
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Your senses are enhanced in the following way.
Any senses which have been heightened cannot be overloaded. Battle Scars you receive cannot affect these senses.
Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: limp.
Nothing visible. Eric grits his teeth and pushes on, ignoring the pain, fueled by his desire to overcome.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
Your Stress from Injuries and Mind Damage is reduced to 0.
This device is a piece of chrome the size and shape of the back of a spoon. When placed against the skin, small hypodermic needles sprout from the device and attach it to the user's bloodstream. There, it filters and releases lifesaving drugs into the bloodstream, granting complete immunity from contracting new diseases and added resiliency in all other cases.
WARNING: The immunizing drugs have been shown to reduce inhibitions in test subjects.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You get +2 dice to any Body resistance rolls you make. You also gain the following effects:
The mutant has left humanity behind. They're are muted to the core, with glowing blue blood and a hunched posture that makes them more suited for running on all fours than using equipment and vehicles.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You are permanently and visibly transformed: you have blue, bioluminescent blood and a hunched posture adapted to running on all fours. You are considered to be a Sapient, Living Creature when targeted. Your Dexterity is increased by 1.
Your body is adapted to sprinting. You receive +3 dice on non-attack rolls related to sprinting.
Any Animate being that consumes or is injected with your bodily fluids receives a Severity-1 Injury. Every Round, they must roll Body Difficulty 9. If they fail, the Injury worsens by 1 Severity. If they succeed, the Injury stops worsening.
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.
You cannot ignore or decrease the effects of Stress for any Self-Control rolls you make.
There's a certain strength that comes from displaying the flag of one's country. As long as the Soldier holding their country's flag or wearing something emblazoned with it, they are less likely to be injured in battle.
You gain the following benefits at all times. You must actively and obviously be using clothes or a uniform that displays the flag of your country to gain the benefits of this Effect.
You have 4 Armor, which reduces incoming Damage. Armor from multiple sources does not stack. This Armor cannot be circumvented with Called Shots.
When the Vampire's lust for blood is satiated, their injuries heal at a remarkably fast rate and new injuries are quickly stabilized. While healing, the Vampire's skin retains its deathly pale appearance, as any blood he consumes is being used to repair his wounds.
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.
This is a doctor who exists on the front lines. They're most at home working under stressful conditions when the stakes couldn't be higher.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
All Stabilizations you attempt are considered Proper Stabilizations.
You also gain the following effects: